Today I'm posting a copy of an article I wrote on my first blog (Accessing Grace) a few years ago.  Soon I'll have updates on all that's been happening around here for the last two weeks, as well as pics of some changes we've had in each room.  Come back to see me!

Here's the post:

After this morning, I’m sure that every kid in my church went home and told their parents that one of the leaders of children’s church (me) was crazy.  You see, the story we read to them today was the story of the Prodigal Son.  Have you ever read it?  (If not, you must!  Find it in Luke 15:11-32).

Assuming you ARE going to read it, I’m going to give you a summary.  The story is about a father with two sons.  One asks for his inheritance, takes it and leaves.  He gambles, spends money on women, and becomes penniless and starving.  The other son stayed with the father, worked the land, raised the animals, and did everything the father always asked him to do.  When the first son returns home (basically so he wouldn’t starve and his father would take care of him again) he is met with open arms.  The father is overjoyed that his son has come home and orders the best calf to be slaughtered so there can be a feast and celebration!

(This is the part where I started crying and couldn’t read to the kids and they were all staring at me like I was a complete idiot.  I had to get myself together to continue.)

The son who had always done as his father told him was angry that the one who had strayed was receiving such special treatment.  The father explained to him that it was as if his brother had been dead, and now he was alive, and that was the reason they must celebrate!

It is the same with us.  Which is why I almost could not control my tears and those poor, confused children had to sit there and wonder what on earth was wrong with me!  I was crying because I know that God loves us so much, that no matter how far we stray, He will welcome us back and celebrate to have us with Him again!  No sin is too great for His awesome forgiveness.  Whether our sin is against our husbands, children, parents, ourselves or even God - when we are ready to turn away from all the wrongs we’ve done and admit that we need Him present in our lives to do good – He will be waiting with open arms, overjoyed at our return to Him.

This Lenten season, as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ glorious Resurrection, think about the sacrifice God made for us.  Think about the love Jesus poured out for us.  Think about the Father who is waiting ever so patiently for us.  Then don’t make him wait any longer.  My prayer is that you will  read your Bible more often,  pray unceasingly, practice loving EVERYONE unconditionally, stop judging others, and  do everything you can think of to show God how grateful you are for His infinite love and mercy.

Now go read the story!  (You may need a kleenex.)  Luke 15:11-32

Celebrating

13 years ago today, my sweet hubby and I looked like this:

What an amazing 13 years it has been!  

This entire blog revolves around the work I am blessed to do because I am this man's wife, the mother of his children, and the "maker" of his home.  He gives me so much.  While I jokingly write about not having his socks matched, fret over having his meals planned, and spend time caring for our precious young children - he is out in the world, working to provide for us and taking care of our every need.  How truly blessed am I!

13 years goes by so quickly when you are in love, but looking back with fondness is only possible if you stick it out in the hard times and truly live your vows.  We have been through better and worse, we've been richer and poorer, we've dealt with sickness (still do - everyday!) and we have prayed for health.  We're in this together - 'til death do us part.  I'm looking forward to the next 13 years - and many, many more after that!

1 Corinthians 13:3 - 5

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

                                                                                                             

Clear Focus

Focusing on Him. . .

Everything else fades away.

Stillness.

Peace.

In the midst of all chaos.

He guides me.

He leads me.

He loves me.

Oh God, I thank you for this unending love you give!

What do you do when this life gets hectic and the world seems like too much?  When the never-ending to-do list hangs heavy on your heart?  When your eye starts twitching (hee hee) and you aren't sure you're doing things right?  I hope you go to the Word for encouragement.  He's just waiting for you to lean on Him!

I'm linking up at:  Raising Mighty Arrows, Our Simple Country Life, Passionate and Creative Homemaking

Setting Goals

Being a stay-at-home mommy, I find it is ever so important to set goals to keep both myself and my children on track.  We set goals and establish routines when it comes to housekeeping, meal-planning, homeschooling, you name it, we have a plan of action!

However, every once in awhile, I decide that making lists and plans is annoying, and I stop. Slowly but surely, my brain gets what I call "fogged up", with ideas and plans, lists and things-to-do, and things-I-forgot-to-do-because-it-wasn't-on-a-list!  I start hearing things from my kids like, "Mom, I said it 3 times already, why do I have to keep repeating myself?  You said you would listen that time!"  Ouch.  Yup, I did say I would listen, but my foggy brain got in the way.  It can keep me from focusing on the precious children God has given me.  I never want the tasks I must complete in order to care for them, to get in the way of showing them I how much I care about them!

Writing things down helps me feel more organized.  Yes, sometimes the never-ending-list can also make me feel overwhelmed, but having it all written down at least gets it out of my head.  Years ago (and yes, sometimes I can even say last week) I would look at those lists and all the things that hadn't been checked off, and I would feel like a total failure.  I'm praying and asking God to help me be thankful for what I CAN accomplish in a day, rather than attacking myself for what I didn't.  Setting goals and organizing tasks on paper helps me be more efficient, makes it easier to see where I might be able to enlist the help of my children or sweet husband, and also gives me a sense of accomplishment when something has been completed.

Not long ago, I found a beautiful and inspiring planner as a free downloadable here.  If you visit her website, and use this tool, please be sure to thank her for providing it!  I am printing several out for myself today.

I am especially in need of this tool as we plan to make a few repairs on our home, clear out the 8 years of clutter we've accumulated, put it up for sale, and (God-willing) pack it all up and move!  All of this has to be done while continuing with the "normal things" like homeschooling, meal-planning, driving to baseball practice, raising a teenager, etc. etc. Do you see my need for a plan?

I must remind myself, very often, that my plans are just a way to keep myself on track.  I try not to put a lot of stock in them, and as I grow older I am less and less disappointed when things don't go my way.  This is mostly because I firmly believe that I am not in control.  God says in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  I take deep breaths as I write out my plans, and remind myself that God has me right where He wants me.  I ask Him to remove all my perfectionist ways of thinking and help me to remember that what I accomplish, I do so because of His grace.  I thank Him in the midst of all the crazy, busy, wonderful tasks that fill my days because I am blessed to be a wife and mother.



Do you set goals in your home?  Are you like me with spreadsheets and lists everywhere that both you and the kids refer to daily?  Do your kids roll their eyes at you and ask why you like everything so "perfect"?  Hee hee . . .  I'd love to hear from you!

I'm linking to:  Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife

 

Diggin' in the Dirt

Last fall, I made my first attempt at gardening.  I had high hopes.  I was cleaning out closets and organizing shelves and anticipating running out of room for all the jars and jars of canned vegetables we were going to have.

Um. . .

Didn't happen!

BUT!  I know this is something I can do and I am determined to get it right!

We did have tomatoes and peppers, but that was about it, even though we planted much more.  The kids had a blast watering and watching and waiting for the first tiny leaves to appear.  "How long does it say for cucumbers?"  They would rush to check the seed packet then look at the calendar to count the days.  "What about carrots?  Look!  The beans are coming up!!"  I can't possibly describe the joy it brought me to see my little ones so excited about something so simple.  I just wish we had made the chicken wire covers to keep the darn squirrels out!  Those bean and carrot sprouts didn't have a chance!

However, we approach the Spring season with much anticipation.

We are using a square foot gardening method, which you really must read about if you haven't already and are interested in learning to garden.  I bought this book at Lowe's, but you can check out this website to find helpful tips and to chat with other gardeners.  I wouldn't have had the courage, nor would I have known how to begin, without the simple instructions in this book.

I've also found a really great magazine that has wonderful tips on homesteading (which hubby and I are REALLY interested in), gardening, raising chickens, recipes, and much more.

They also have an incredible amount of information and helpful articles archived on their website.  

There is also an app for gardening that you can download to your ipod or smartphone.  They have tips on when to plant, where (start seedlings indoors or out), how soon to begin, etc. depending on what part of the country you live in.  They also give detailed information on what varieties of fruits / vegetables grow best in the different regions.  Believe me, I'm taking notes!

One of the goals I listed in my New Year's Resolutions was to be frugal, and that included gardening.  I don't plan to give that up.  I am still a beginner, but I know with prayer and perseverance, God can teach me anything!  I am so thankful for the wisdom I am able to glean from those who have already succeeded.  I hope to pass this wonderful skill on to my children, and in the process, to cherish every precious moment we are able to enjoy learning together.

What skills are you trying to learn right alongside your children?  What traditions are you creating in your home?  I would love to hear about them!

I'm linking this post to:  Raising Mighty Arrows, Our Simple Country Life, Little Natural Cottage 

Homemade Bread - I did it!!!

So yesterday I posted this grand plan for this week's meals - and I was firmly resolved to stick to it.  Let's see, what day is it? 

Just kidding!

So far, so good.  The only thing I haven't stuck to is which day to prepare what meal.  Yesterday was the pasta casserole and baked chicken.  Today I decided to make the homemade hamburger buns with this recipe.

squeals . . . 

giggles . . . 

I can't believe I did it!  I actually, really, all-by-myself, made homemade bread!  It didn't take all day, which I've always heard bread does.  In fact, the steps were pretty easy.  I did one step right before breakfast, one right after chores, and one just before leaving for our American Heritage Girls meeting.  Thanks to my oldest son, who watched the oven for me while we were gone, we came home to this:

Now, I am well aware that they don't look like the fancy, schmancy picture on the website with the recipe.

But hey, this was my first shot at it.  I'll get the shaping down.  I was just happy that they came out soft and yummy!  At this very moment I am telling my children to get out of the kitchen because they cannot eat the buns that I made for dinner.   I let them try one little corner and now they want to scarf them down before the burgers are even ready!  

I'm so happy with this venture that I am going to be trying a french loaf recipe in just a few minutes.  I found it on the website of my favorite magazine - Mother Earth News.  The title of the article is Five Minutes a Day for Freshly Baked Bread.  I'll let you know if that turns out to be true.

All this baking is getting me geared up to start planning the spring garden.  We're going to need some strawberry jam to smear on all this soft yumminess!

What's happening in your kitchen this week?  Are you cooking up some love?  I'd like to hear from you.

Happy Homemaking!

I'm linking up at Growing Home and Time-Warp Wife

Meal Plan Monday

When you ask your family what they would like for dinner, do you get the response, "food" ?  Well, that's the answer I get at my house all.   the.   time.  Seriously?  My family has an incredible lack of motivation in helping me plan meals.  They like to eat, that's for sure, but having a hand in putting together the menu is not something they look forward to.  So when I sat down to plan this week's menu, I was feeling discouraged.  I had absolutely no ideas about what to prepare, but I knew I didn't want it to be the same ole, same ole.

Thank God for Pinterest!

I said a quick prayer that God would help me get over my grumbly attitude, and I got to work searching for some new meals to put on our table this week.  Not all of them are healthy, in fact several are loaded with dairy and cheese, but I think they are going to please every member of my family.  (Including my vegetarian self, and my oldest son who won't touch a vegetable other than potatoes or spinach.)  I thought I'd share my plan with you, in hopes of giving you a little bit of inspiration (and holding myself accountable to stick to my plan!)

Monday:  Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce with crusty bread and a salad

Recipe here 

Tuesday:  Veggie tacos for me, beef tacos for them, with black beans and cilantro lime rice  (recipe link)

Wednesday:  Pasta Salad (with baked chicken for them) and bread

(recipe link)

Thursday:  Burgers on homemade brioche buns with oven fries  (I'll have a black bean burger, of course!)

 Bun recipe     

                               

Fries recipe

Friday:  Spinach stuffed shells with a salad

(recipe link)

Saturday:  Spinach alfredo pizza (homemade crust) with salad (can you tell we eat our greens?) and baked mac-n-cheese  (just in case the little two make a face at the spinach pizza)

I got the recipe for the pizza topping here

(the only variations I am planning are to make a crust from scratch instead of using the Pillsbury crust she recommends and I'll add shredded mozzarella to the top)

the homemade pizza crust recipe is here

and the mac-n-cheese recipe is here

I'm going to try my hand at homemade bread this week.  I found a recipe for a french loaf here.  I've never attempted it before, but if I can do it, we just might stop buying the bagged variety.  

Mmmm . . . you can't tell me you'd rather have Mrs. Bairds.  I sincerely hope my efforts are successful!

I checked my attitude, got my heart and mind in the right place, and I plan to spend some time creating meals that let my family know how much I love and care for them.  What are you cooking up in your kitchen this week?  Next Monday will come all too fast, if you have any ideas or recipes for me (especially vegetarian) I would love to hear from you!

I'm linking this post to:  An Original Belle,  The Barn Hop, The Better Mom, The Purposed Heart, and These Five of Mine Plus Two 

Happy Homemaking!

Silent Sunday

"Be still, and know that I am God" 

Psalm 46:10

What are you doing today?  It's the Lord's day.  He's calling you, can you hear his quiet voice? 

Be still, listen.  Get to know your God.  He desires to be close to you.

The Ministry of Motherhood

Has God placed a calling on your life?  Do you feel like your time here is of any value?  If you happen to spend your days doing laundry, washing dishes, making shopping lists, running errands, changing diapers and driving the carpool, then you have been called to one of the holiest of vocations – motherhood. 

I didn’t see my responsibilities as wife and mother as a “ministry” until about four years ago.  How could anyone see the mundane tasks that a woman performs on a daily basis as “holy”?  We can’t see it unless we look through the eyes of God.  We read in Proverbs 31, “An excellent wife, who can find?   . . . She works with her hands in delight. . . She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household . . . She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness”. (Proverbs 31:10-27)

Our culture today has dismissed the importance that God places on the role of wife and mother.  However, God says in His word that our worth is "far more than rubies".  Taking care of our husbands, teaching our children and nurturing their spiritual growth, and running an efficient household are all actions that please our Father.  If we accept this “calling” and serve Him with all our hearts, we can only expect to be greatly blessed.  He promises that “her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her”.  (Proverbs 31:28) 

I began to understand how motherhood can be a ministry around the same time I began a Bible Study by Beth Moore.  At the beginning of the study, she wrote a fictional story from Mary’s point of view, telling about the birth of her son, Jesus.  It was so detailed, you almost felt as if you were there in Jerusalem, waiting for the Savior to arrive.  It brought tears to my eyes.  As the study progressed, we talked about how Mary must have felt being entrusted with such an incredible mission.  How did she discipline Jesus?  How did she teach him responsibility?  Respect?  Obedience?  The Bible doesn’t really answer these questions, but it got me to thinking.

None of us are raising Jesus, that’s for sure.  (I often wonder what it would be like to have a perfect child.)  However, aren’t our children a gift from God?  Don’t we believe that He loves them more than we do and we are only their caregivers until He takes them home again?  Do we handle them with love and gentleness?  Are we training them in the ways of God?  

I’ve always loved and cared for my children.  However, before I considered it my “ministry”, the daily routine would sometimes really frustrate me.   I was constantly asking God to show me where it was He wanted me to serve Him.  I over-extended myself volunteering at church, school and various other organizations, leaving my husband to tend to the children and our home because of the “important work” I was doing for God.   I’m so thankful that He’s shown me that the work I have at home is far more important than anything outside.

I challenge you today, to see God’s plan for you in the dirty dishes, the piles of laundry, and the crying children He has placed in your hands.  Take care of them as if you were taking care of Him and just see what joy and peace He pours over you.  

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please share it with others!  Also, leave me a comment - I would love to hear from you!

Good Intentions

Aaagggghhhh!!!!  February really snuck up on me.  I had all these great, crafty intentions.  I spent some time on Pinterest and really wanted to make something like this:



or this:



or this:



But, sadly, it's February 1st.  Do you think I spent even a minute with my glue gun getting one of these put together for my door?  Um, no!!  I wanted to so badly, but now,  I will set my sights on Easter.

Instead of a pretty Valentine's wreath, my kiddies and I will get to work on our valentines.  We have a homeschool party coming up on the 16th.  I think we'll make some of these:



or these:



Yes, we WILL show up to our party with lovely somethings to give away.  I am DETERMINED!!

What do you have up your sleeve for February?  Any quick or easy ideas you'd like to share?  I'd love to hear them!