Giving more

I want to give more. Do you ever feel that way? I want to give more of my time and full attention to my family. I want to give more of my time and effort to serving God. I want to give my crafts more time. I want to give my house the cleaning attention it needs. I want to give so much more attention to making my body healthy so that I can give more of all these things that I want to give more of! ; One thing at a time, yet all at the same time. So that means I need to prioritize my everything better, and that seems so overwhelming and so I just sit and pretend it all away or daydream about it while I tread water, right? I want to encourage you today - fight back! I love that you took the time to visit but get off of here and make your house smell wonderfully clean by doing a load of laundry. then polish your dishes. Those dishes that have stuff stuck on them because you made food to nourish your family. Clean, polish, scrub, sparkle and shine! Nope it doesn't have to be perfect but then nothing but Christ is perfect. Let me also encourage you to pray as you go about doing things. Pray for the one who ate off the dish you are rinsing, slept in the bed that you are making, will wear the jeans you are folding... I have one more trick for the day - learn a new way of doing something and try it out. (why not origami fold a towel for your bathroom) or do the same thing you always do but in a different order. In other words; change things up for yourself. In fact if you can, inspire yourself with a new batch of cleaning supplies! Since it's so close to Christmas may I also add that a new batch of cleaning supplies is one of my sister's favorite gifts to receive! I'm guessing she is not the only one so if you have a lady (or gentleman) on your list that you are unsure of what to get them, why not fill up a new scrub bucket or supply organizer with some wonderful encouraging cleaning supplies! you are giving more! Giving more time to serving my family, giving more time to creativity, giving more time to homemaking, and most of all giving more time to serving God who is so worthy!<

hustle and bustle

As the Christmas season draws closer and closer I find that all I want to do is be quiet.
I want to enjoy all the Christ honoring movies and plays that I can watch or attend. I want that visual reminder. I want to stay all day in His word. But I have gifts to finish making and wrapping and sending. I find that I really love praying for the person that is to receive the gift that I'm creating at any particular moment. I like to think about them and their future, our relationship. I haven't bought a Christmas present in a mall for, well I don't know how long since. I like it that way. I like hand made things in a Christmas tree. I like house decorations that remind us to reflect on the birth of Christ. These are the things that I love, how about you?What touches you at Christmas time? How do you get away from the hustle and bustle?

Our Wedding Anniversary

It is indeed a very happy anniversary for me. So many husbands and wives struggle today - and that's if they stay together at all! Husband and I took our vows before God knowing that we represent Christ's relationship with His church. That's a sobering thought when you are tempted to "disagree". Nothing in marriage allows you to sit back and be selfish. Christ loved the church so much that He gave his life for her. Should we as women then representing the church challenge our husbands at every turn? Manipulate them into letting us have our way? Nag and criticize them? How would it look if the Church did that to Christ? I should say how does it look when the church does this to Christ! It's really ugly when it happens isn't it? We even have words for such churches, apostate. So it is ugly when we choose to step out of the role that God has set us in within the bounds of our marriage to our husbands. I'm not at all blind to the fact that some husbands are difficult to love or that the husband may not be even close to living up to his role in the marriage. No matter what the case, this doesn't dismiss you from your God given roll. Men sin just as women do. You can't expect your hubby to be Christ for you. He can't. But let me say it again, this does not give you the license to become anything less as a wife. No bitter tit-for-tat thinking ladies. Instead, we as wives need to rise up and bless our husbands. Pray for them intently. Try to anticipate their needs. Serve him. Love him.

Serenity

   Our little family went to my cousin's house for the weekend. We enjoyed and treasured the serenity that surrounds her. Bird song, the whir of wind through drying leaves. Her house has that homey feel that a person isn't able to describe in words. Some of this can be attributed to her decorating style within and outside of her walls but, not all of it. There is something more that refuses to be explained in mere words. Our Lord blessed us with strikingly beautiful weather! Sunny, with puffy white clouds decorating the sky. Cool enough to enjoy the out of doors without being so chilly that you were chased indoors to warm up. Perfect for a cup of hot apple cider.

    Everywhere you look there are things that catch your attention and delight your eye.

 She has a way of tucking things around her park er, yard so that you don't notice them until you are surprised at such a cozy nook being there. For instance you might walk up to a bush to look at the leaves and then notice that there are chairs and a table waiting for you behind the bush and it's friends. Things made by man don't bully their way into your view distracting you from what God put there first. Also there is the splash of the whimsical to keep your smiles coming. Do you see the pink flamingos in the next picture?

She is blessed with the gift of hospitality and we are thankful to her. More than that we are thankful for her. It's the lady herself who makes the surroundings feel that way. Joy and enthusiasm for life are hers, and she shares them freely with us. She makes us feel welcome.  She herself is what comes through all the beauty that surrounds her.  It's her beauty blended with God's that makes such a pleasant ambiance.

   Thank you T, for having us. We love you.

Verses for Toddlers?

   I'm having trouble with something and hoping my readers can help. I'm having difficulty finding a great way for toddlers (mine in particular) to learn verses. Now I don't expect her to spout off passages because "all done" and "up please" are the only two phrases she can say! It will be to her benefit though to hear real verses. Which brings me to my next point.
   I am able to find partial verses and paraphrases of verses for toddlers. My concern is confusion. I don't want her to learn a verse (not repeating it, but learning it) in a toddler version then later be told she is wrong that the real verse is...
   So how did you do this? Tell me your methods, triumphs and struggles. Oh, I forgot to mention that we don't want to have her learn verses just as an activity we will use them in her life as God intended. To learn about God Himself, to comfort, to edify, to admonish, to praise, the list goes on and on.
   Since we're on the subject, how do YOU memorize scripture? Do you memorize the Word at all? Happily waiting to hear from you!

It's amazing what they pick up when you think they are ignoring you! On this particular day, I was doing something on the computer and looked over to see this! Sparrow had put on my head covering and was "in" the Word!