Soapy Situation

Remember the Ice addiction post? (I didn't want to take the time to find the link) Mainly, I was having an addiction to ice during my pregnancy with Ella. This time, the old soap-sniffing-almost-want-to-have-a-taste enjoyment has found its way back into my pregnancy symptoms. I purchased my favorite smelling soap of all time (at least this time and last), Ivory, in a pack of 3, and all I can say is that I'm really enjoying taking a shower and have actually moved it up to a priority in my day. :) I am eagerly volunteering to bathe my 3 youngest children, but so far haven't asked my husband or my oldest son. Could it be I'm a tad bit embarrassed at what they might think? :)

I haven't made homemade laundry detergent in about 2 years, but something about reading Katy's post at the Country Blossom (see side bar) about homemade laundry detergent has caused me to make a list of ingredients I'll need for my bimonthly shopping trip.

And to chalk things up, I've really been enjoying writing, coloring, and playing with the kid's chalk. My kids must think I'm a really fun mom, right?

At least the ice-chomping sessions have been very minimal. For now.

And at least I don't have a bag-of-flour-a-day habit the OB told me about when I sort-of confessed about the soap. Lord, have mercy.

I'm making my own asumption about things.

My baby will enjoy being clean and will be very artistic.

All I do is Update anyway...

After some thought, we decided to disconnect from our internet and go to cell phones only. This will save us a fairly significant amount of money each month and considering our rural phone company doesn't have competition (other than cell phones), prices aren't cheap on internet service around here.
It is with deep regret that my blogging days will be very few and I'll probably just be updating when I can (no deep posting, to my regret) until we decide to reconnect with the world wide web again (if a good deal becomes available).
So, for a smallish update....
We had a very busy summer, and a fast one at that. We thoroughly enjoyed church activities such as youth camp and our annual campmeeting, both held at our church. We gardened this year, as usual, having a nice harvest of corn, a reasonable harvest of green beans and even a successful bout of tomatoes (although not enough to can or make sauce). We even took a nice vacation to the beach at the end of August and had a great time (maybe next time I can upload some pictures of our vacation/summer).
At the beginning of summer we announced to our family/friends that our FIFTH baby was on the way! After some complications (the loss of a twin) and some worries, I am now great with child (in my 25th week) and it looks like another 10 pound BOY will join us late December.
The kids are all doing great, in their 3rd week of school and we are honestly having a great school year. The Lord has really helped me to be able to plan our days effectively and given me a sense of peace about the rest of our days happenings. The two littles play and manage well while we do school. I'm really enjoying it and am managing to stay pretty organized with our schooling. Maybe it's the pregnancy? :) I'm already nesting...cleaning out my fridge top to bottom, cleaning out WAY overdue kitchen cabinets, decluttering (nothing like a successful yard sale to motivate one to declutter again). :)
We have just planted a few things for the fall--turnips, collards, kale, spinach, broccoli, lettuce, and a few fall flower seeds to the mix. :) Maybe, just Maybe my 2nd trimester energy will hold through until the third.
My littlest just turned TWO last week and she is such an absolute JOY! I figure I will end up with 15 kids because I just enjoy each child at each stage so much that I sure dread the day when I have no more two year olds!! :) I will try my hardest to update a picture of my sweet two year old mess! :)
Well, that is all for now. If I still have readers/commenters (can't blame anyone for leaving), I will try to blog once weekly if possible. :) I learn so much from my blog friends and feel you are a vital tool to my spirituality and general well being. :)
God Bless richly!

Be not deceived….

Last night, we had a campus minister preach at our church and share what he is doing for the Lord. My eyes were once again opened to the spiritual depravity and increasing tolerance for sin that our young people are portraying.

This minister’s message was no different from the messages of the prophets of old, of Paul’s message, of John the Baptist’s message, and of Noah’s message.

REPENT YE

As I saw the pictures of the young adults, holding signs of rebuttal with inscriptions such as, “God is Love” and “Judge Not”, my heart was grieved.

Thanks to the watered-down gospel that many young adults have received over their young lives, the HUGE influx of the Hollywood agenda, and peer pressure, the kids have bought a fallacy. It goes like this.

We are all imperfect. We are all born different. God accepts us as we are. He loves us no matter what. He does not judge us for what we do nor does he expect us to change who we really are.

And of course, there are the young adult atheists and those with demonic new age beliefs.

But the ones who have false beliefs of God are the ones who are the most dangerous.

Dangerous to whom?

Dangerous to true Christians. These are the persecutors.

Now, you may say, What about God is Love? Aren’t these young people right to believe that God is Love?

I’m as familiar with John 3:16 as the next individual and am forever grateful that the Lord loved the whole world that he gave his only Son for my sins. I feel His love and mercy extended to me on a daily basis.

It’s the message that these young people are basing their poster inscriptions on. Its message means, God is Love which means he doesn’t care if you are living in abomination to his word. He doesn’t mind that you are living out your uniqueness (i.e. sodomy, etc).

God HATES wickedness. He is ‘Angry with the wicked every day’ (Ps 7:11)

He was angry enough to destroy an entire world and save only 8 people (Genesis—Noah)

He was angry enough to destroy 5 cities and save Lot and a couple family members (Sodom & Gomorrah)

People were destroyed at the hand of kings whom God had hardened their hearts. (several times in the Old Testament)

Several thousands and thousands of people were destroyed during wars when God’s hand would turn away from them because of their wickedness. (Several times in the Old testament)

Nineveh was saved by the skin of their teeth thanks to a prophet who preached, Repent Ye.

God Loves Righteousness and Holiness.

He saved Noah and his family because of their obedience and righteousness.

He saved several prophets and obedient men in the Bible from wild beasts and huge armies (Gideon, etc)

He spared Lot and his family from fire AND brimstone.

He spared Israel countless times from the enemy (even though we know he destroyed some within the children of Israel because of their wickedness and idolatry).

God is a God of love and mercy. There are many, many verses I could type that would portray to you His love and divine mercy. There are also many, many verses that would explain that He does not tolerate sin and continuance in sin. He does not tolerate unrighteousness and filthy living (like some of the things that go on in college campuses).

So, when the young minister was out trying to book the latest Rock and Roll Christian band and putting the latest movie up on the youth building’s big screened TV for the young people to watch, He should have been teaching them what the Bible says about sin and about the blood of Jesus. Instead of trying to relate to them, he should’ve been relating to them the reality of a burning hell. A hell where it is estimated (I know that only God has the correct count) that 250,000 souls go every day.

So, what does all this mean for us mothers?

First of all, if your church has a youth ministry, a Children’s Church, or even a Sunday school and your children attend, FIND OUT what is being taught. Or, better yet, keep them in church with you. Ask them over the Sunday dinner table what they did in Sunday School and what the lesson was on. Make sure they are hearing Bible truth and are not merely being entertained and fed candy and juice.

Don’t send your kids to a young ministry building if all they do is have Christian (I say this loosely) Rock and Roll bands, have pizza and ice cream, watch the latest ‘easy on the eyes and ears’ Blockbuster film, practice with the dance team, and learn how to say no to sex (this is the parent’s responsibility…actually, they shouldn’t be even in this situation yet!).

I would choose another church, honestly.

Secondly, teach your children at home (this is biblical from Deuteronomy) and keep them out of public school (or private for that matter). This is not just me expressing my passions (Homeschooling is one of them). It IS PROVEN that public schools have an agenda to teach children to be tolerate for sin. Some places even have homosexuality in their textbooks. Science is anti-creation and has been since even I was in school.

Thirdly, don’t try to erase sin from society. Paint the picture for them. What I mean by this, without being gory or even being too explicit (my kids don’t know about anything about alternative lifestyles, thank the Lord). If you see a homeless man standing by the road, share with them what has probably happened in that man’s life—how he got to that point. Of course, you what to teach them to love those people, but explain what sin can do to a person’s life. Use your time out and about in the real world to share with your children what sin can do. Don’t ever excuse sin or appear tolerant before them.

I will never forget my mom taking a pen and coloring in to cover up cleavage on magazines that we would get in our home. She was showing us that immodesty is wrong and we weren’t taught to just tolerate it (hence, the covering up of the immodest lady on the Prevention magazine).

For goodness sakes, don’t let your small sons be allowed to GAPE at the horrible, filthy magazines that are paraded at the counter of Wal-mart! Find another aisle. If they happen to see them, explain to them that those are human beings, created by God to give Him glory, but have fallen into sinful living. I always tell them that they are searching for peace in things and will never find peace other than through God.

Last, FILL them with things of God. Starting at home, give them a Christian world-view, teach them the Bible as TRUTH, have them memorize God’s word, and have family prayer.

When the devil comes by, they will be repentant and not excuse their sin as being okay and who they ‘are’. You will have taught them that ‘friendship with the world is enmity with God’ (James 4:4).

That is all for now, I have a little one awake. You might want to check out Charles Finney’s (one of the world’s greatest evangelists) message here.

Next, I will blog about how you can evangelize as a stay-at-home mother.

Please come back! :)

Are you really saved?

This topic hasn’t really been on my mind, but just this morning as I was going about the day’s chores (which weren’t sitting on the porch, sipping lemonade, while reading a good book, but anyway..), I felt this subject weigh upon my mind. I grabbed my journal and started jotting down things I felt the Lord would have me say. Maybe you need to hear this.

In my humble opinion, there is nothing more miserable than struggling with doubts regarding one’s salvation. But for the ‘unbeliever’, the true misery is thinking one is saved when in truth, one is not. Now, before you get all who-do-you-think-you-are-certainly-not-the-judge, let me give you what’s on my heart via the Holy Spirit.

The main characteristic of a true, born again believer, is this: living a life that pleases and glorifies God.

• Do you wholly live to glorify God?

What I’m referring to, is, as a whole, is your aim to bring glory to God? Do you desire to live to please Him and to serve Him. Do you want to be in His Will?

Now, my head is not stuck in a bucket to where I would think that we are not ‘works in progress’. The Lord is constantly working on me and showing me areas where I need to glorify Him a little more. Maybe I’m doing something to bring glory to myself instead of Him. That’s not what I’m referring to (however, that IS a matter that needs to be taken care of, spiritually speaking).

• Do you find yourself trying to be good instead of hungering to please God?

• Do you feel yourself disconnected from spiritual things?

*Lack of desire for church or Christian fellowship

*More of a desire for worldly amusements, pleasures, entertainment

No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:4 (KJV)

If you find that your heart does not desire God or the things of God, then have a heart- check. Commit your life to him anew.

But I prayed The Prayer when I was a child! Aren’t I saved?

Again, check your life. Do you live to please and glorify God?

For you to be saved, you must confess and believe. As children, we aren’t as aware of the guilt and burden of sins committed. We may repeat a prayer at Children’s Crusade or from someone off of the TV just because they asked us to. I have such a problem with this one show my kids will watch off of Smile of A Child. At the end, the man leads the young listeners in the Sinner’s Prayer and invites them to tell someone they did it. He doesn’t even explain the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and the Fall of Man in the Garden! If Mother is nearby and she hears this child say this prayer, what will she do? Call everyone and tell them that Johnny has accepted Christ!

Then, when Johnny is 15 and gets caught doing drugs, she will make sure to remind him that he shouldn’t be doing that because he is saved. Or even worse, she will never share the full gospel with Johnny because it doesn’t matter, he’s already saved. Then, when Johnny is 18 and in a car wreck after leaving a drinking party, Mama will sigh with relief because he said the sinner’s prayer when he was 3.

I got ‘saved’ numerous times as a child. Every time the preacher preached on Hell, I would cry and ask God to save me. I wanted to be sure. :) I can’t point you to an EXACT place where that commitment to follow Christ became forefront in my life, but I can show you that ultimately, my life’s purpose is to please God and to follow His will.

Parents, never try to convince your children they are saved. If their lives fail to bring glory to God, then the prayer was nothing more than just repeating what the TV said, as kids do when they are watching Dora.

How about you? Are you truly saved? Do you desire to please the Lord?

What about the times we get discouraged or ‘lukewarm’ in our souls?

First of all, beg God to warn you, nudge you, prompt you (He might be doing so by your reading this post) BEFORE you are in the dangerous, dangerous state. You are in the danger of becoming complacent or you may begin to feel justified by your current spiritual (or lack of) state. God is so merciful and there has been many times (I’m afraid) I was in this state and thank the LORD, He used something (books, a verse) or someone (a anointed message or a saint of God) to steer me back on the right path.

• And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Romans 1:28 (KJV)

I really believe (and have the Bible to back me up) that there are many people who truly are convinced that they are saved but have absolutely no fruits or desire to live a life pleasing to God. This could be a result of a repeat-after-me prayer prayed when they were very small (I do NOT think that you can’t get saved with this type of prayer) or it could be that they continued so long in their sins and complacency (unconcern) that God gave them over to a reprobate mind?

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:22,23

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven Matthew 7:21

Now, turning the tide ever so slightly…

The devil CAN and LOVES TO try to convince truly saved people that they aren’t saved. I believe he does this because:

• He is trying to keep that Christian from reaching his full potential in Christ

If he can keep you always wondering about your salvation then he is tying your hands, spiritually speaking. He knows that you will be something GREAT for God were it not for this bondage.

What can you do? Once again, look at your life. Do you ULTIMATELY desire to please God and live Holy in your life? Is your desire for spiritual things? Do you desire to lead your children to the Lord? Are you sorry when you fail God? Do you work to restore your relationship with God and try to climb higher in Christ?

Something to think about on this Saturday. Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate. Check your fruit.

God Bless you!

Are you taken seriously?

⁴But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

⁵And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

⁶And he marvelled because of their unbelief

Mark 6:4-6a

This month I am reading through the book of Mark and the other day I came across these verses. However, even before I read these verses, I had been thinking upon them hard.

Do you ever feel like there are people who just don’t take what you are doing seriously? People who don’t respect you as a mother or feel that you are capable of doing what you are doing? Do you ever feel like your talents are not appreciated?

Now, before I go any further, let me say that I do not think that someone should be going around patting me on the back all the time. Honestly, flattering is icky to me. I enjoy a genuine compliment, but I do not care to be kissed up to all the time (Wow, I don’t think I’ve used that term since high school…:). We do not do the things we do or use our talents to get people’s approval or to get pats on our backs all the time. We do it for the glory of God.

That being said, it is nice to be appreciated and to be thought of as someone other than a kid.

Let me explain myself. Sometimes, the people you grew up with or people you see all the time are the ones that still view you as the little sister or as someone who used to be ________________ (fill in the blank). People who are in your own ‘country’ (see verses above) may never get over what you used to be or what you have always been even if you have changed.

For example, I was the baby sister in my family. There are people who still see me as the baby sister. Especially family members.

They don’t see me as a grown-up mother of four (wow, are you sure she can take care of that many kids? I mean, after all, she is the baby of the family!). They don’t see me as a mother who can possibly have the ability to do things like bake bread, garden, home school, and other old-fashioned things as such and still be able to take care of a family. Not her! She was the baby. She is the kid sister.

When I am around those in from my ‘country’ I feel that I’m surely not adequate to be doing an adequate job to have adequate children and to take care of an adequate home.

Am I the only one who has felt this way?

Sometimes I want to scream, I am capable! I don’t have four kids because I had an oops every time! I am equipped with the Lord’s help to have these children and to raise them up in the fear and admonition of God. (Don’t dare mention that you might possibly want more kids!) I will never be perfect, but stop watching me to see if I’m going to mess up. Just because I am the kid sister doesn’t mean that I can’t handle being a mother.

Okay, some days I don’t think I can handle it. But, doesn’t everyone have those days? Big sisters, kid sisters and all?

Okay, I feel better. Some.

Sometimes, it is discouraging to be in your own ‘country’. I love to talk to people who I have met after I was married or after I was ‘grown up’ because they have more respect for me and it shows through our conversation (adult conversation, anyone?). Doubt seems to flow through every area of conversation with those I grew up with (read, close family, here). Always reminding me to watch the kids. You better take care of those kids. Doesn’t he need a jacket? Don’t they need to be going to public school? Are you sure he is getting enough school done? And even more recently, She doesn’t watch her kids enough.

Sigh. I will never be big enough and qualified enough in some people eyes. It really makes you appreciate the people who appreciate you because they see past who you were and what you are now.

What are your thoughts?

A few narrated pics to share..

Tonight my family has gone to a nearby Prophecy Conference and I, who had to stay put due to already-scheduled piano lessons, am now waiting for their return while listening to the blustery wind as it shakes the house. Really.

The house is straightened, I have showered, the littlest young man (who did not go due to a low grade fever. Still.) is asleep, I have eaten a piece of chocolate cake (low fat, honest!) and before I go to my room to dive into my newest and wonderful-est read, The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola (more on that book later), I uploaded (downloaded?) some new photos to my computer.

She didn’t escape it. She can still be seen with something, anything (even if she has to use her fingers) stuck up her nose to prevent dripping. She hates having a runny nose. She can frequently be heard calling for Tish. That’s her word for tissue. She has said it so much that she has shortened it. This was on a particularly feverish day. She wedged her sleeping bag on the hard floor in between the piano and the table. Directly in the flow of traffic. I think it was some sort of boycott or strike.

My son is a typical boy. He likes to play with my hair rollers.

My sons’ room was looking particulary snazzy so I snapped this picture. Not that the snazzy had to do with intensive floor scrubbing and Sunday washing of every stitch of bed clothes and Lysol-ing every nook and cranny due to a bad virus bug.

Sorry about the blinds. I snatched them up from my neighbor’s trash. She fooled me. They were in a new box. I guess she took these down and put these in the new box when she hung the new blinds in her house.

Confused?

Be careful to notice the $12 Target toybox in the back. $99 reg. Sweet.

The kitchen, looking all tidy.

Wait. I see some cool looking canisters.....

The tallest one: $19.99, the middle one: $16.99, the smallest one, $14.99. Target. My price? 70% off. Off of the middle one, $16.99. The lady sold them to me for the price of one. This was from my favorite store, Dirt Cheap. I love these canisters. There is nothing wrong with them either. No knicks or cracks.

I love the numbers! :) The best thing about them is I needed some canisters and I was pretty patient to wait and I got a great deal!

My pansies have been so loyal to me this winter. This is where they’ve been all winter, right here in this basket. Even in the 15 degree weather that we’ve had at least twice (the reason I can remember is that 15 degree weather breaks my washing machine water pipes. Every time. And it’s happened twice).

But they are loving the warm weather! I’ve had to transplant some of the pansies you see here to another pot.

We felt like Daddy Mama might need some chocolate, especially this week, so the kids and I made a low-fat chocolate cake. Ella says it is a winner.

Evan has similar feelings.

Perfect, chocolaty handprints

Looks good to me!

…Cause for all we know, sister is probably in there in the bathroom painting the sink, the lizard……

And even the…..Tish?

Somebody’s gotta clean up this mess!

This little guy, my morning buddy, helped Mama wash dishes for an hour or more one morning this week. He didn’t quit me until the last dish was washed. And believe me, there were plenty. Same little guy woke up from naptime with 102.5 fever a few hours later. :/

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Well the family’s tucked in bed and it’s time for Mama to crawl between the sheets. Glad for God’s goodness and his favor towards us. Unmerited, undeserved favor.

Did you know that many are his thoughts unto ME?? Wow.

All in A Day: Grocery Shopping

My computer cord has a malfunction, so this week I haven’t been on the computer much at all. We have also been in revival this week (second week!) and I just haven’t had time to blog. I’ve had a few things rolling in my mind, so maybe I won’t lose them until I get a free minute to jot them down to you.

I did want to keep my word to participate in the All in A Day Series, but I’m afraid my post for today will not be as excited as others’. Grocery shopping, for me, is bi monthly. It is a time I really look forward to, because most of the time, my mom will keep my youngest kids for the day. I can relax and enjoy the day to myself (which is rare!). If they want to come, I let them, of course. Many times it will just be me and my oldest and we have a really nice time, just the two of us.

I, first of all, like to check out my favorite store, Dirt Cheap—especially if I have a little piano teaching money that I’ve put back—and see if there are any extra special bargains (like, 90% off) on decor items for my home. Usually, I will stay in there for an hour or so (last trip I got the boys a very nice Target blue wooden toybox, reg. $99 for $12) depending on how many children I have with me. The next stop will be the library. We love, love to go to the library. Our library has a nice children’s center complete with Dorothy the Fish, Veggie Tales puppets, computers, and even a puppet stage! I always have books on loan to pick up—books that I’ve been recommended by Amazon based on my interests (usually on farming, mothering, health issues, etc), that I’ve had the library to ‘order’ for me. I get the children anywhere from 10 to 15 books to take home until the next trip. The library is a blessing to us!

We may or may not pick up something from a restaurant to eat. If it is just me, I may pick up some healthy snack from the health food store that I usually stop at to get my Veganaise or my organic grits. If I have the kids with me, we will usually go to our favorite Mexican restaurant or if my son gets his way, Chinese. :)

My grocery store is Wal-Mart. We have other smaller scaled grocery stores, but Wal-Mart is the only one in town that carries a half-way decent selection of organics and whole foods. I usually order our beauty products from Vitacost (sorry no link, just google it….) or the health food store. That leaves me with only having to purchase our groceries, tissue paper, dog/cat food, etc.,, from there.

I usually have a $130 budget ($260 per month for a family of 6) to spend at Wal-mart and it can be challenging at times. I have found ways to cut our prices by making our own bread, not buying any processed foods, not buying juice (I buy a bag of organic lemons and make us ‘Honey-Lemon Water’, as my kids call it), and steering clear of any thing we can do without (things like popsicles, even organic juices and prepackaged mac & cheese).

My mom and dad supply us year-round (with the exception of about 4 months per year) with fresh, delicious goat milk and both my FIL and my dad have bee farms, so we get fresh, delicious honey from them. They both have chickens so we get fresh, delicious eggs from them as well. I am SO thankful for this blessing! All of those items are very expensive, especially if you get them fresh, organic, cage-free, etc., so I am so blessed in that area! That takes quite a load off of us, expense wise.

We also garden in the spring/summer and put up tomatoes, peas, corn, okra, and jams and jellies. I hope to delve into that more this year until I’m no longer a novice! :) We have deer meat and pork in our freezer as well. Fresh meat that hasn’t been tainted with hormones is a blessing! My parents grind their own deer meat into deer ‘burger’ so I have fresh hamburger meat a few months out of the year.

Just typing this out makes me realize just how blessed I am!

From a different perspective, my kids are pretty good if taken on our grocery shopping excursions. Sometimes my husband will come along with us and we will go to a larger city, about 50 miles away and make an evening of it. My kids take this as a real treat, because we usually take them to Pet-Co or Books-A-Million. Occasionally, we will take them to Chic-Fil-A to play and we enjoy some time ‘alone’ while we watch through the glass, the kids play.

That’s it for the grocery shopping. My biggest challenges with it is that we pretty much can’t get our school work done on those days and also the house pretty much has to stay ‘as is’ until the night. That is not cool for me, because I really dislike bringing groceries in to an already messy kitchen. :/

Feel free to link up through the comments. I’m going to try this linky thing, but if it doesn’t work and you want to share your grocery experience, feel free to type in your link in the comments!

I’m so excited to have a few new followers! Welcome! I will be by to visit you soon!

God bless your hearts! Here are the others who are participating:
Carrie @ Our Full House http://www.ourfullhouse.com/

Elizabeth @ Yes They http://yes-theyre-all-ours.blogspot.com/ 're All Ours

Kathy @ Kathy Mom of http://www.kathymomofmany.blogspot.com/

Kristy @ Homemaker's Cottage http://www.homemakerscottage.org/

Lori @ Happy Busy Mama http://1happybusymama.blogspot.com/

Renee @ Bakers Dozen http://bakersdozen.typepad.com/

All in A Day

I’m happy to be participating in a new series, I guess you could say, which focuses on what life is like in a large family. Now, my family is probably still on the small-ish side, but I do have four children under the age of eight, so life is a bit busy and full.

Here are the others who are participating:

Carrie @ Our Full House <http://www.ourfullhouse.com/>
Elizabeth @ Yes They <http://yes-theyre-all-ours.blogspot.com/> 're All Ours
Kathy @ Kathy Mom of <http://www.kathymomofmany.blogspot.com/> Many
Kristy @ Homemaker's Cottage <http://www.homemakerscottage.org/>
Lori @ Happy Busy Mama <http://1happybusymama.blogspot.com/>
Renee @ Bakers Dozen <http://bakersdozen.typepad.com/>

Please feel free to link up if you would like to share your full life with us!

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If this is your first time visiting, let me introduce myself. I am Natural Mama, which I use because I still can’t get used to using my real name on the internet. :)

I am happily married and have been for 2 years which translates to 12 years (where has time gone?). I have four children, two boys and two girls, ages 8, 5, 3, and 1.

We live in the South and in the country. I have always lived in the country and absolutely would loathe city life. I just know it. We have an old house that we are remodeling (slowllllly) and it gets a bit drafty in the winter and a bit, hot, in the summer. We have lots of romping grounds on which our kids can, romp, stomp, and just be country kids.

We have chickens and we hope to add a few more small scale livestock to our farm as time progresses. I lived on a farm as a child, but sadly, I could have been found inside with a book most days (which translates as I don’t know as much as I should about raising animals).

We love music in our family, have a singing group (with our best friends) and sing a few dates out of the year. I have played piano since a small child and now currently play at my church. My husband is a songwriter and has written songs for a few Southern Gospel groups. He is an awesome singer, in my opinion (and everyone else’s who knows him) but is truly humble about his ability. We really, really love to sing and play music. I teach piano to 6 students once weekly and he teaches guitar during that time. It gives me some extra money to help decorate our home! :)

We homeschool 3 of our children and I hope to share with you soon about our homeschooling days. I taught school for almost 5 years and felt very convicted to homeschool our children both through reading material God lead me to and as a result of my teaching experience. I also felt convicted to stay at home with our children and have been a stay-at-home-mom for 3 years. I would rather have no earthly calling.

My husband works in Environmental Heath and has a nice state job. He also taught school for a couple of years, but the Lord opened this (way) lower stress job for him and we are so thankful. Thankfully, our environmental disasters have been few and far between since he has been working in this field.

I love to read books, especially books that I feel will help me be a better wife and mother. Second to that, I love to read books about farming, gardening, herbs, crafting, and natural living.

We cook with whole foods, try to eat organically when possible, use natural medicines.

Some of these things I share in past posts, so be sure to surf through my archives.

All in all, I am a woman like you, trying to please God with how I raise my family, trying to keep us unspotted from the world in how we live, act, and dress, and bringing God glory in all we do. We try, we fail, and try again. I am inconsistent a lot of days in bringing God glory, but with God’s grace, I will not quit trying.

For now, I’ve got one who can’t find the Peanut Butter and is most distressed, one who is crying, “Help Me” because he is falling off of the chair, and my two girls are calm as can be. For now.

Welcome.

PS. If you would like to link up to this post, for now, do so using the comments. I forgot to mention in the introductions that I'm not really great with computers.

Just talking…

ETA...if you are joining from the All in a Day linkup, I will get my post up this afternoon sometime...please come back for a visit. :) Thanks!! :)

It seems I have let a few days go by without blogging. I don’t want to get back in to a no-blogging zone, but alas, I haven’t had a burning blog post on my mind as of late.

Maybe I’ll just share some photographs and talk and such.

I am redoing my bedroom and as soon as I finished painting and hang some curtains, I will have some photos to share. :)

I’ve only got the littles up with me this morning and it has been interesting to note how things are with 2 littles. I’m reminded of when my oldest two was this size and I had no older children. :) That actually should be a sad face.

Okay, a few pictures…

I enjoy decorating for each holiday and Valentines is no exception. I don’t go all out, but I do enjoy adding a few splashes of pink (oh, how I love pink) to our neutrals of greens, browns, and reds.

The kids made a banner for the mantle. I just cut out some circles from paper plates, put some sequins, glitter, feathers, and yarn on the table and they did not disappoint.

I replaced this coffee table with the one below for a more functional, organizational one.

Purchased from my favorite store, Dirt Cheap (in lieu of TARGET), for $16.99!

Ella’s new ‘mean eyes’…she furrows her brows a bit more than this usually….

Miss this guy when he is out of town!! :/

Emory’s best ‘pirate’ pose, ‘ARGH’

I can have ice cream!

Daddy & Ella

Look at this handsome cutie….poor thing had a rough night with the virus bug last night. :(

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Yesterday, while reading my Bible, I came across this scripture and it had been a LONG time before a scripture really touch my heart like this one did. Wow.

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. Jonah 2:7

Ever have times you just need to remember the Lord?

I love God’s word!

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The book, Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz (and the other one by him) is a GREAT book. If you have sons, get this book. It is a great read to read along with your sons, but, hey, It has helped me TONS!

Just a recommendation that will be well worth your reading time.

You can get it from Vision Forum.

Have a great Wednesday!!

Bittersweet Milestones...

A soft whine escapes her lips as she drinks from the silicone nipple. Too rough, too cold.

She shakes her head, no, and sinks into my chest.

She wallows around, trying to get into a comfortable position.

A familiar position.

She looks up at me, sweetly, those big eyes gleaming, "Mama?"

"What, baby?"

"Nilks?"

Gone-gone

She settles down into my chest again, seeming to be wide awake.

It would have been easier if she would've just started kicking and screaming.

Mama?

What, baby?

Nilks?

The time has come.

It is a bittersweet moment.

This morning, she awakes, goes and gets her cup, drinks a bit and looks at me curiously.

She's hungry right away.

We have pancakes, early, before any of the others rise. She and I.

Now she is dancing on the table.

Silly girl.

Silly Big girl.

Goals for 2011

I honestly can't believe we're in a year named 2011. Back when I was a kid, that sounded like a Space Alien age. Really. If someone had've asked me what I thought the world would look like in the year 2011, I would've said we would be flying in cars and living on other planets. Well, in reality, we can do things like read books without an actual book (Kindle, anyone?), fuel up our cars without, um, fuel, and a cool thing like communicating with someone across the globe with our fingers and not with our mouth/ears, and I'm sure that there's way more high tech things that I'm not even aware of and no, thanks, I'll just continue being a country girl.
But, really, 2011?
I'm reminded of what my best friend of 20+ years used to do as pre-teens. We would write each other letters (before txting, internet, etc) and include with the other 6 to 10 letters, a five year letter (okay, so maybe we were teenagers, ahem) and in it we would write each other as if we were living 5 years into the future. It is hilarious now to think about us both married (to different people than we had predicted) and having more children (than we had predicted) and our lives are not so upscale as we had them predicted. :)
Now we've surpassed our 5 year letters by about, um, 11 years, and honestly, who would've thunk it? Look how the Lord has blessed. So far beyond what I deserve.
I never set resolutions. I never set weight-loss or exercise goals. I know me. Thankfully, so far, I don't have too terribly a problem with weight even though my appetite grows more every year. I never keep those kind.
I would like to make some goals. Things that are achievable and matter.
1. Getting up early to put God first.
2. Being less selfish.
3. Going outside more with the kids.
4. Reading more to my children.
5. Savoring the moments.
6. Being a more helpful wife.
7. Working on my weaknesses (procrastination, anyone?) and using my strengths for God's glory.
8. Staying on a routine for my sanity.
9. Getting prepared for upcoming economic problems by stocking up.
10. Cull entertainment in my family (okay, maybe downscale).
11. Work on teaching my children better manners and generosity.
12. Don't be a slacker with training and homeschooling.

Hope you have a lovely day.
For now, I must attend to the breakfast needs of my family. I have children to rouse and a breakfast casserole to take out of the oven (see #s 6 & 8). :)

Glorifying God in Blogging

Happy New Year to you!
I have contemplated my blog over the past few days and in doing so have wondered about the direction I want it to go for this year. I even contemplated sitting out a year and perhaps just sitting at the feet of some much wiser women in hopes that maybe I can come back in a much wiser state, spiritually, ready to be the advisor to other women that I so long to be.
However, I realize that I'm just me, inconsistencies and all, and I do, at times, have advice to give that I believe the Lord gives me and I do so enjoy just posting updates on the kids and such.
The main goal of my blog must be to honor and glorify God. Our pastor was just talking about this last evening at the beginning of the service--how everything we do must glorify God.
If I stray from that in this blog, I pray that the Lord reveals it to me and I must be obedient to redirect my blog back towards Him.
Not saying my blog will be all spiritual. In fact, I hope it does become more spiritual because that would mean that I'm becoming more spiritual. But, there are times that it just ain't.
But, I want it to glorify God and I want to have the right motives in blogging. Not to be a show off or to brag (even though I am proud of my kiddos..:), but to have the right balance, intentions in my words.
For this year, I'll be turning off the comments. I'm so happy you are reading. I promise if you come back to visit, I'll try to be a regular blogger this year. :) I plan to put up my Email on my sidebar if ever you would like to drop me a line.
Less of Me, More of Him
**Edited to add: I LOVE getting comments and I appreciate those who regularly comment or occasionally comment. However, I'm turning them off because I don't want it to be all about the comments or I don't want to be constantly checking my comments or even comparing how many comments I get with others. Not that I would do that. Or anything. :) Basically, what I'm saying is, I don't want to get caught up in the comments. :) Got me?

Struggling?

Come, have a seat and let’s chat! To be honest, I have been so busy with LIFE that I haven’t taken the time to blog. I really enjoy blogging and reading other’s blogs, but sometimes I just get in a funk. Do you? Do you ever just get in a life funk? That happens to me as well.

Pile ups

Clutter

Projects

Inconsistencies

Grumpiness

Failures

Sinfulness

Yea. Know what I mean? Isn’t it so easy for us mothers to feel overwhelmed? Sometimes I even have to get alone and things have to get quiet for me to even notice that I’m overwhelmed.

Amidst it all, I keep trying. I keep trying to get up early and pray, start my day off right. Sometimes it is only one day a week. I keep trying to be a cheerful, joyful mother. Even if I nearly cry every day when my dear man comes home because it’s just been one of those days.

I keep trying to get my priorities in order. I keep trying to make sure I listen for the laughter coming from the children’s rooms. I keep trying to make time for the things that matter.

I keep trying, all the while remembering that I am so fleshly. Sinful. Human.

I can’t do this mothering on my own.

I keep trying.

Are you struggling too? Be encouraged to know that you aren’t alone. Also, check out these writings from Ann Voskamp and you will be encouraged even more. I read them all and am encouraged to keep trying.

Not within myself.

Come back for a visit and I’ll let you know what’s been going on with us! :)

Praying the Psalms

If you have been reading my blog for a long time, you know that I like to pray in the early mornings when all is quiet and peaceful. That is what works for me and may not work for everyone. Some enjoy the quietness of the night after the children are all tucked in. Some like to kneel down just before climbing into bed in order to cast the day's cares on the Master or to ask forgiveness for an unconfessed sin committed during the day.

I enjoy praying in the morning because I need armour for the day. I also, first thing, need to empty myself of me and be filled with Him.

A couple of weeks ago, I was praying, and just talking to the Lord (I pace while I pray. It keeps me from falling asleep and I really just love praying this way) and I noticed something about my prayers. Even though I like to begin my prayers off with thanksgiving and Praise to God, I was having trouble really focusing on uplifting God like I geniunely wanted to. So, I prayed about it. The next morning, I felt impressed to read a Psalm before I prayed. So, I started in Psalm 1 and while it put me in a spirit of prayer, I still didn't feel as focused as I wanted to be. Last week, while driving (alone) to get groceries, I picked up my Bible from between the seats and began reading (yes, I did..I call it drivding..don't worry, I knew most of the Psalm from memory) a Psalm. I can't remember which one right now, but it was the one that says something like, "When I look at the heavens and see your handiwork and all your creation, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visiteth him?" I began to pray with each verse I read. Lord, what IS man that you would be mindful of me? Who am I that you would visit me? Needless to say, the Lord met with me in prayer.

So, ever since, I have been opening up my prayer time with 'praying' a Psalm. Reading a verse aloud and praying about it. One of two things usually happens. I either uplift God ("I will bless the Lord") or either I feel smitten in my heart about what I just read (like today--I read about having a double heart and being our own lord over our tongues..yikes).

It has been wonderful for my prayer life. Truly wonderful. I just wanted to share it with you in case you wanted to try it. God is so faithful to speak to us and to answer our prayers so faithfully. Don't be afraid to take your prayer life to the next level!

God Bless you so much!

Scarce…

Whew…let me catch my breath long enough to do what will probably be more of a photo post than anything.

Folks, summer is here. The temps are scorching, the garden is IN, and the summer festivities (Youth Camp, anyone?) are upon us.

My posting may be a bit scarce over this summer, regretfully. I think the garden will be the main reason. I normally blog in the early mornings and I’m afraid that during that time, I will be pickin’ and grinning.

Here are a few things we have been doing:

Horseback riding…Erin and her ‘boyfriend’/cousin, Blake…take note that he became her boyfriend after he rode her on his horse…. More…..

Erin & Evan…

Emory was a bit nervous…I think the older we get, the more nervous we get…

Daddy trying to coax Ella…. :)

Aren’t they beautiful?

They are in the pasture right behind my in-laws house.

More Summer things….

After some Berry Pickin’

Helping Mama de-stem the Mulberries…

Fresh Mulberries! Ready for jam…

All Crushed…I made 2 pints and 1 half-pint jar full of Mulberry jam. It is delicious! I picked more today…

~Summer Babies learning to wave bye-bye~

Cute Kids ready for YOUTH CAMP!! :)

Shucking Corn…

Country Bumpkins!

Looking for worms…

Good Garden Helper!

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I hope you will stop by for a visit this summer! I love to hear from each of you and visit your blogs. Today is Sunday and I must rest (husband’s orders…:o) and recuperate from a week of Youth Camp late hours!

Later, Tater! :) (Sorry, but I’ve sure been digging a lot of potatoes….it’s affecting my speech even. :)

Thoughts & Such…

I trust each of you had a wonderful weekend spent with your families. Ours was busy, but very enjoyable. On Saturday, we went to a neighboring church’s Fun Day and had a good time. The kids played so hard (they had one of those blow up slides) and were just exhausted by the end of the day. We finished off our day with some family swimming and togetherness.

I was glad to be able to go to church this weekend after missing last one due to my children’s sicknesses. My husband and the friends mentioned here sing together and occasionally sing at Homecomings and such. We had one yesterday and we really had a good singing. The Lord came by and was with us!

Ella spent the afternoon with my mom. I guess this is her first time away from me for an extended period of time. She did good, according to my mom. She is still nursing, but my mom supplemented her some with fresh goat milk. :)

Speaking of Ella, I had a really rough week last week. We have such a hard time getting Ella to sleep, getting her to stay asleep, and getting her to play or to just be unattached to my hip. This is both a good and bad age/stage she is in right now. This week was really difficult for me to stay focused on my priorities/duties (with a good attitude) and take care of a no-napping, fussy baby. There were times I wanted to get into the fetal position and hide under the table. More than once. Yes. I so pray for a better week.

A few things the Lord revealed to me through prayer last night (as I was rocking my fussy baby while church was going on….) that I need to do to, well…just have a better week.

One was, keep my commitment to my early prayer and Bible reading. There were a million several times last week that I just needed to get into a prayer closet and shut the door (and get into that fetal position).

Secondly, I felt the Lord speak a calm to my soul. Or, to put it better, telling me to calm down. After last week, I just need a calmness in my soul and spirit.

Thirdly, and this is the second or third time I’ve felt the Lord impress me to Live only for today. Why is this so hard for us? Every thing we do or say, sometimes, seems like it’s based on tomorrow or the future. I prayed that the Lord would just put up a wall when I think about anything past today. Today, I must enjoy my children. Today, I must take care of my husband and family. Today, I must be joyful. Today, I must work on my struggles. Today, I must smile at my babies. Today, I must do my duties as unto the Lord. Today.

How can I serve my family and my Lord today?

Don’t think about current situations or future events that might affect my ability to bless my family. Just do it, today.

As I have mentioned umpteen several times, I really struggled last week. My hormones and emotions were so crazy. It was awful (for lack of scarier term). I was reading one night before bed in the book I’m currently reading, “Instruments of Change” and the Lord put a simple sentence in that book just for me. I had to run get a highlighter and mark it. It said, You do not have to be in bondage to your emotions. Wow. Thank you very much, God, for that blow. Isn’t it wonderful how He gets down to where we are at?

Yep, last week, I was in bondage to my emotions. I chose to be a slave to how I felt. I allowed my feelings to dictate the way I ran my home.

I appreciate the Savior giving me another chance to live for today, today.

My little Sleepless One is awake again (after 3 episodes of rocking) so I need to cut my time short. My wonderful life saving husband is rocking her out on the porch. Maybe she needs a change of scenery?

It sure helped me.

This week I’m thankful for just that—a new week.

What a Blessed Weekend!

Good morning, readers friends! I trust that you had a wonderful weekend filled with God’s blessings upon your family. No doubt, you did, because:

Every good and perfect gift is from above. and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Thursday night was my first ever Piano Recital and it turned out great! The weather was awful and I thought that would surely hinder our crowd, but we had a turnout of about 35 people, I’d presume! My students did splendidly:

my older students…one is missing due to being out of town…

My youngest student, with lil sis admiringly looking on…

one with my only male student :)…and the refreshments

A close-up of the cake….yummy…made by my Aunt :)

Then Saturday night, lo and behold, we were invited to a Sweet 16 fancy-smancy birthday party! I could even bring a date! See who I brought…

He’s been my date for 14 years now! :) Oh, and he was in mid-song during this picture. He is so known for his singing ability and to be able to find an appropriate song for every situation/occasion. :)

Oh, but here is the Birthday Girl (yes, she is pictured in one of the above photos):

Our best friends who sat at the table with us:

My childhood friend married my husband’s childhood friend….:)

Sunday morning found us in front of the opened freezer door, trying to get some relief for my crouping daughter. Ella and I stayed home with her from church. Erin spent lots of time resting (i.e. watching Dora..ha) and I straightened up the house a bit. Before the ‘men’ came home, she and I made a pizza for lunch.

working on the crust….

Puttin’ on the toppings…

More toppings (the peppers are fresh from the garden)…..Bellpeppers, olives, peps, banana peppers, portabella shrooms….

Ready to go in…..

There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of making and eating your own homemade pizza! It was really good, even if I did forget to put the salt and oil in the crust. :)

Before the kids napped, I read to them a little out of our current Read-Aloud,

During their nap, I worked on a project that I will unveil in a separate post tomorrow. I also started to work on organizing the kids’ rooms. I feel like that is a project that I need to revisit every month for it to stay organized! Anyway, I sorted blocks, littlest pet shops, animals, small trucks, baby toys, baby dolls, magnetic toys, etc…into separate bins. I even broke a sweat and I’m not so sure I rested enough for a Lord’s Day. :/

While the men went back to church for Evening Worship, Erin settled back in front of Dora (I never let her watch that much Dora, or anything for that matter, but, I digress…we did swing for awhile). Once I noticed she seemed very lethargic and her cheeks were flushed. I decided I’d better check her temp. It was 101.8. I thought I would wait a little before I gave her medication so the fever could do its work. I made some cookies, Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies (for you, Amy, j/k) and then worked some more on my organizing. Erin’s fever seemed to get worse, so I told her to get in the bathtub and then I would take her temp after her bath. It was 103. I gave her Tylenol and within minutes her fever was completely gone and she was playing. I told my husband that someone was praying for our little girl. I have never seen temperature go down that fast!

Here she is…doing a quiet activity before bed …making a clock…(she loves to sleep in her slip)

Here is Evan playing with the newly organized small trucks:

I’ve got to take more pictures of Emory…he is practicing the guitar and taking lessons from his Dad now. I will have to get a picture of him playing. He really does look like a natural.

Well, today has begun. The children are awake and it’s time to begin our day! May you be blessed. :)

PS. Check out our Garden Tour in the post below!

Thank you for your comments. They are so encouraging to me. Honestly.