The B.I.B.L.E.

I once heard that B.I.B.L.E stood for "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." At the time, I was impressed by the clever acronym. However, I've since come to frown on it. Never before and never will there be such a book to revere as the Holy Bible, God's living word. It is not just a book that we are handed as an instruction manual. Oh, no! It is far more than that. It claims of itself that it is "alive and active! sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, bones and marrow, discerning the motives of the heart" -Hebrews 4:12.

NOW THAT IS A MIGHTY PROCLAMATION! A book is alive? What does that even mean? I can tell you that it means just that. The words on the page are the spoken word of the infinite and one true God. "The word of God stands forever!" -Isaiah 40:6

Romans 10:7 also makes this very serious claim: "...so faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." The B.I.B.L.E yes, that's the book for me, and that's the ONLY book so able to perform and do mighty work in our hearts. It is NOT an instruction manual of "basic" things before we die. It is everything of SEVERE AND GRAVE IMPORTANCE while we are on this earth and mattering for our eternity with God. Sharper than a two-edged sword? Gosh, even if it were sharper than a plain old sword wouldn't it still be more unfathomable than any other book known to man? Do not pick up your Bible light-heartedly to "browse" for some good insight. Pick it up with complete and utter reverence and respect. Open it's cover expecting to not only read with your eyes but to drink with your very soul the not-so basic design of God for his people. Expect that you will find yourself seeing words illuminated on a page...possibly words you have read before, but suddenly they have revealed to your soul a great, new, and unexpected truth. This week I have been reading Isaiah, and MAN OH MAN, did God makes some INTENSE statements about his character and nature promises to His chosen people. I have been uplifted night after night as I DRINK IN THE TRUTH AND LIVING PROMISES of God's words. This week in Isaiah I read about a virgin who would come to deliver a Son...only it was written some 500 years before that actually happened. The prophesies that have unmistakenly come to pass continue to ring true over and over that God cannot lie, his word is strong and will stand forever. There are prophesies in the Bible that we are still waiting to see fulfilled...and they WILL come to pass. One of those is that Jesus Christ (who's birth we are celebrating this very season) will come back with a thunderous rapture to take home the ones who's veins pump with his very blood. Do you have Jesus' blood covering your sinful heart? Please consider the verse in the Bible 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. If you do that, and accept Jesus as not only Savior but also Lord, he will bring you home when that final prophesy is fulfilled.

SO, please, look at your Bible with a new appreciation. It is AMAZING!

See this video of my son before his first birthday. He's singing before he can talk. He's so special to me!

Jesus Slept

You're probably familiar with the shortest verse in the Bible being "Jesus wept" John 11:35. However, I wish there was a verse that concise to remind us that He also "slept". Jesus was sleeping on a pillow in Mark 4:38 when the diciples awakened him and asked him if he cared that the storm was raging around them. This verse says so much more than that the diciples had little faith. Jesus Christ was actually on the boat w/ these people and they doubted He was still in control of the storm around them. But it says something ELSE TOO! God the Son, meaning Jesus Christ who was also 100% human as he was 100% diety UNDERSTOOD our physical need for rest. He, Himself, SLEPT! This month I have battled the ability to rest at all. I experienced many sleepless nights and sleepless nap-attempts. I was up worrying about things...and when I wasn't worrying about other things, I was worried I would have a sleepless night. It was MISERABLE. I was walking around during the day in a complete fog, exhausted. But night would fall, and I dreaded my bed...lying awake in a panic that morning was sneaking up on me. I was definitely in sin by all the worrying because God commands us to not worry in SEVERAL scriptures in his word. But I was struggling to turn it off. Worrying is no good. It's one of God's favorite things to do on our behalf, but we rob him of that by doing it ourself. I don't know why. We definitely do not enjoy panicking over uncontrollable things...it is one of Satan's pleasures to hang worry over our heads, but we need to remember that God alone is in control. The best thing we can do is plunge ourselves into His word, "dwell on what is true" (Phil. 4:8) and leave the worrying to the Lord. James commands us to "submit ourselves to the Lord (that includes our thought-life), resist Satan and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:7-8
So...how does that work if we continue to not rest? I have had a LONG MONTH of battling this, but here's the good news. God has won the war. Sometimes we have to go to battle but God has won the war. Take refuge in that dear friends and Moms and remember God DOES want you to rest. He created an entire day for it! He also commands us to "Be anxious for NOTHING but in all things with thanksgiving make our petitions known to him." Philipians 4: 6-8
Stop worrying, don't be anxious, give your cares to the Lord, dwell on the truth and pray about the worry and things that ail you. That is all found in the word of God. Hold on to Him! He loves you...and remember that the God of the universe never slumbers or sleeps. When you are awake in the wee hours of the night or morning -whether it be worrying or with a baby who is fussy or restless, getting up to start the day or just can't fall asleep at night- the God who never sleeps is watching you and is right there next to you ready to comfort you and whisper scripture's truths in your ear. God is so good! Praise his holy name! Have a great and peaceful week full of rest!

With a heart and soul full of purpose,
Andrea

In the pantry

So today as I was trying to figure out dinner because I failed to meal-plan for the week, I had a moment in the kitchen. I was scavenging for things to make some soup. I knew I wanted something tortilla-soup-ish. So, I googled what would go into that type of soup, and I just hoped I had the ingredients in my pantry/fridge/freezer. When I luckily found "some version" of everything I needed, I was relieved. See, payday is tomorrow...and on our grocery budget, I was not going to the store today.

That's when I decided there really are a few things you should ALWAYS have in your pantry. It makes life so simple to have some "go to" things that you know are handy when dinner is the dilemma of the day - like it ALWAYS IS in our house. I mentioned meal-planning. Oh man, if you can do that a week in advance (some people do it a few weeks or more in advance {i don't know how but they do}) that is the best way to be prepared for what to fix for your family. You may plan out a general idea, and if you're not in the mood for Tuesday's meal on Tuesday, you've got your ingredient's for the other days, just swap the meals around. I have a dry-erase weekly planner on the side of my fridge, and when I'm disciplined, it contains the week's forthcoming meals. The sad reality is, I don't do it enough. SO! TIME TO TALK WHAT SHOULD BE IN OUR PANTRY!

I'm learning more and more that you need to have some meat in your freezer. Even if you're a "fresh is best" kind of person, trust me, frozen beats ordering pizza because you're up a creek for dinner. So, in the freezer: bonesless, skinless chicken breasts and a pound or more of ground meat: turkey, beef, etc. Those are essential. I also say keep a pound or more of ground sausage as well. I always have ground turkey and ground turkey sausage in the freezer. I often combine the two for pasta sauces or taco salads. The sausage adds flavor and consistency since turkey is so lean. I also like having a bag of meatballs in the freezer. So easy to use in a pinch for quick spaghetti or hoagies.

In the fridge: There are a ton of things that I think should always be in the fridge, but when we're talking ingredients to throw things together, I'd say: milk, butter, carrots, eggs, sour cream, fresh garlic, and cheese/shredded cheese are things I use often in recipes. It's good to keep lettuce too for adding a salad when you're stuck for a side.

IN THE PANTRY: Keep your spice cabinet well-stocked: salt, pepper, garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, (you get the drift) - and we aren't talking desserts here but I can't live without cinnamon in my spice cabinet.

Chicken broth is essential in the pantry. Cans of diced tomatoes, and cans of corn, or corn in the freezer (gets thrown into a ton of soups), flour, sugar, enchilada sauce, black olives, green chiles, dried pasta: spaghetti, maceroni, and penne are some we use most often; pasta sauce, rice, your favorite beans- ours is chick peas right now...and that's pretty bottom of the barrel. Also, don't forget basic veggies like onion for example that goes into many soups and stirfry recipes. We have a pretty tight grocery budget, and one thing I've learned is that eggs feeds a lot of people for cheap. So, always always gotta have those. And don't forget, a loaf of bread is CRUCIAL. It can become anything: grilled cheese, BLT, egg sandwich, toast, whatever. When all else fails, eat a sandwich.

SO TO WRAP THIS UP, I definitely don't think I'm Martha Stewart. I have SO FAR TO GO, but today when I realized all I needed for that soup were some basics: chicken breasts, chicken broth, corn, and enchilada sauce, I was thankful for my supply even at the end of the budget, we had a yummy dinner!

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Well this all matters in the grand scheme of things because we are women trying to do things the way God commanded. So, God wants us to have a full pantry?! Nah, that's not it at all.

Colossians 3:17 "And whatsoever you do in word or deed do ALL in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the father through him."

It's a lot easier to throw together a quick dinner when you're stumped for ideas at the end of the budget when there are some staples in your pantry/fridge to choose from right? I can do it all with a better heart and attitude by making it easier on myself and maybe going a step farther and meal planning. Someone planning ahead is going to also be utilizing her budget money better and hence being a better steward of what God has given her too. Also, the Proverbs 31 woman was this kind of example. She worked her little buns off and not only kept her family fed but her maidens also. Girls, we need to be keeping our families fed and doing it with a good heart. So, keep your pantry full and your "cup" too:)

With a heart of pupose,

Andrea

Landri is 9 months old in this video, which feels forever ago. But I LOVE to watch her love for books, especially God's word. She has always treasured her Bible:)

Prayer: It's been a while

“The one concern of the Devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerles religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” –Samuel Chadwick

Do you have a daily holy time with God? Do you pause in the day that God gave to you and spend time quietly with Him? Do you do so consistently? Do you spend your day doing things as usual including facebook, catching your favorite television programs and talking on the phone to friends and yet lie down at night to think, "oh shoot I didn't spend time with God today."? I was reading a piece from a book that someone printed for me, and it asked these questions. It asked “do you even have a prayer life?” If the answer is sometimes, I don’t know, or no, then you need to be convinced of the importance of prayer.

Prayer is supernatural. It gets so overlooked or tossed to the side in the list of things we should do, need to do, claim to do, etc…but really, it is the most AMAZING SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE. You get to talk to God – the one and only true God. Just think: You actually have access to the throne of grace to make your requests known before God. You can worship and praise Him through prayer. You please and honor him simply by pausing in prayer. And guess what, he actually wants to listen. He hears you. He is sitting on the other end, NO MATTER WHEN OR WHERE OR UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES you come. I don’t know a human being alive today who is ready and willing to have conversation with me in an instant, but my Heavenly Father is. And to think, we don’t access that throne of Grace but sometimes, occasionally, sporadically, etc. Why?
We are commanded by God’s word to pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
There are so many verses dedicated to prayer: how to pray, why to pray, what to pray. The Bible tells us clearly that we are to pray James 4:2, we are to pray God’s will be done James 4:3, we are to pray without ceasing 1 Thess. 5:17, we are to confess sin before we pray Psalm 66:18, we are to pray fervently James 5:16, and pray in faith Matthew 9:29 to name a few.
I want to be a prayer warrior so badly. It is a goal of mine that people will know they can turn to me when they need prayer because I want to pray the fervent effectual prayers that God hears. I am so far from that, but I am "praying" that I can become such. Let’s not disqualify ourselves by not asking at all, asking amiss that we consume our lusts, asking with a lack of faith, or giving up too soon. Commit to making sure that when asked about your prayer life you can give an answer that is honoring to God. I am sure all of us would see tremendous changes in our lives if we would commit to praying the Biblical way God commands us to. I have already found that in keeping a list of prayer requests (I’m talking about the big things in life…not every daily needs that I should pray for anyway…) and committing to praying through that list each week, I have been BLOWN AWAY at seeing the magnitude of God at work.

Finally, an AMAZING thing to practice along with all of the faithful outpouring you will be doing in your new commitment to a consistent prayer life is the practice of being still and knowing that he is God.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

Ah, it is incredible to pause and be in awe of the Lord. Sometimes, just letting him search your heart and know your thoughts is the best way to pray. The words are not always there to express my heart, but our Heavenly Father, the one true God, he knows my and your life like an open book. Surrender to him in prayer.

Broad is the path to destruction

This week as I've watched some of the big topics in the news, I am more and more in tune with the fact that America is travelling the very broad path that is not God-centered but worldy. It is the path that Jesus speaks distinctly about in Matthew 7:13 and 14
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at:
14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, few there be that find it.
Another way to say the verse is that "easy is the way" to destruction, and "difficult is the way" that leads to life. In plain terms when people say making the decision to follow Christ is the easiest one to make, that just isn't really the case. Jesus tells us plainly here it is hard. If it were easy, more people would do it. Isn't that so cliche? With everything in life I feel like I'm told, "if it were easy everyone would do it." But honestly, it's true. Our Savior tells us, few there be that will sherk the ways of this fallen world and follow the true and living God.
These verses were on my heart not only because of some of the big news stories going on right now but also because of a very saddening interview I saw with Alanis Morisette this week. She was asked about her interest and love for religion. The question was, "What religion do you follow? Is it Hinduism, Buddhism?" And Alanis said, "I pull from all of them. They all carry the same central theme." The questioner said, "What central theme is that?" And she said "innate goodness." Seth and I looked at eachother with complete SADNESS in our eyes. That couldn't be more of a horrible fallacy. It is the biggest lie Satan could tell any of us. It is the true and utter OPPOSITE of what the God of the Universe, the Holy God says about us:
Romans 3:9-12
9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
This is definitely sad to know, but the truth hurts...and the good news is we have a God to deliver us. But he won't do it by us weaving together our own truths and our own realities. I'm so sick and tired of hearing people talk about their own truth and what their spiritual reality is. This life is not about developing our own religion. That is in essence just worshiping ourselves. And if we aren't worshiping the living God, the Bible is also clear that we are of our father the devil. Many probably gasp at that name, but he is as real as God, and many there be that follow him.
So, pray for Alanis Morisette...she is deceived by Satan into thinking she is inately good..that is so deceptive. She is tricked into believing a lie that removes her need of a Savior. And as for the rest of America, a country that used to be so Patriotic, but now I feel we are possibly the most unpatriatic nation I know of, BROAD BROAD BROAD is this path to destruction...and we are taking the easy way toward it. The devil is tricking so many of us: whether it is telling us that sin issues are in fact civil rights, or whether it is trying to turn this Christian nation into one that does not follow the God of the Universe, or whether it is telling us that we are born with an inate goodness, BEWARE. We have one authority under Heaven and that is the Holy Bible, the living word of God. Stand for it, and it's infallable words. Satan will send deceivers to tell you that you are following a dead book. BUT YOU HAVE A NOBLE CALLING to accept that God gives us ALL THAT WE NEED to enter in the straight and narrow way to life through Jesus Christ. It is accepting His Son as your Savior who's bloodshed covers your every sin, past present and future; because you WILL sin. We are born geared that way. For all the good in the world that we want to do, we are sinners in need of a Savior. And if you are confused about what stance to take on any of the issues in the news, turn your ear to the word of God. The answers will be there. Stand for them. I tell everyone, if God was in favor of XYZ in the Bible, then I'd be 100% in. But I cannot change the ordinances of that book. Don't be worried about sounding mean or unloving. People will get offended because the gospel is offensive. Some of you were probably offended when I just quoted the verse in Romans that flat out told you that you are not good. Jesus steps on our toes to show us that we need Him. Then when God can look on us and see Jesus' blood flowing through us, we are good because He is good. "Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8
Love,
Andrea

This is an original Praise and Worship song that I wrote in 2010

The brevity of life

Seth's (and my) Aunt Cherie in California sends me lots of fun notes and sometimes fun gifts in the mail, but she always attaches daily devotional readings. Today, I received this sweet reminder about our precious brevity of life and time. See below:

" Suppose your bank credited your account each morning with $86, 400.00, carried over no balance from day to day, and allowed you to keep no cash in your account. Then suppose that every evening the bank cancelled out whatever you failed to use during the day. All of us have such a bank. Its name is time. Every morning it credits us with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off as lost whatever time we have failed to invest for good during the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back with time -- no drawing against tomorrow."

--Author Unknown

You must live in the present. Invest it in order to deepen your life and your family. And most importantly, seize God's invitation to eternal life with him right now. Don't let another second go by unsure where you will be in eternity. We are only promised this very second. What a noble calling!

1 John 1:9

For if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

Attitude is EVERYTHING

My husband is always quoting me "sayings" to help me keep my attitude in check. A huge weakness of mine is letting my outlook on a situation comletely ruin it for me. There are so many cliches out there pertaining to attitude such as: The glass is half full instead of half empty, or The grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes a time in my life gets completely ruined because my bad attitude gets the best of me.

So this past week my husband and I were at the beach with his Mom and Dad, and younger sister. Also, my entire family was there for at least part of our stay there. We had the blessed opportunity to vacation with extended family AND our lodging was free.

Now, I will preface the rest of my story by telling you quickly about my beach nightmare from last summer. Last summer I was 6 months pregnant with my youngest son, Malachi. I broke out in the pregnancy rash known as PUPPS (not sure what the acrynym means), but in a rush to the nearest medcheck since we were leaving for the beach, I saw a nurse practitioner, and I literally was diagnosed with Scabies. NO KIDDING. I consider it "hell week" because the night before we left for the beach we had done 17 loads of laundry, quarentined our home for 14 hours, and to top it off, we lathered ourselves and our (16 month old at the time, Landri) up with pesticide cream to kill these body bugs that I never imagined in a MILLION YEARS I could have caught. Even when I was a public school teacher I avoided headlice. How could I, a stay at home Mom with no gym membership contract Scabies? Well, the fact is I indeed did not have Scabies. But, for the time being, I thought I did and because we were leaving for our vacation with NO TIME TO GET A SECOND OPINION, I spent a week at the beach on vacation reading the book of Job and trying to make the most of it. I had intense spiritual warfare happening within me. I felt Satan nearby almost on my shoulder taunting me. It was one of the worst weeks of my life. I was inflamed with a rash to beat anything I've ever seen...I will attach a picture of just my wrist so you can get an idea of what my entire body looked like: SCARY HUH? Now imagine the mental anguish that it's live bugs. Every thought possible went through my head like, "how, why?" I was sinking into a dark dark abyss. And it itched LIKE CRAZY. So now realize that it was an immuno reaction to pregnancy and I have a risk of getting it with each subsequent pregnancy....I would almost rather it really have been scabies so I know there's a good chance never again:(

Ok, on with the point: So on top of all the cleaning and the horrible time of getting stared down on the beach, and the sun aggravating my rash and being miserable, I had put chemicals on my pregnant body and my husband and daughter which neither of them had signs of anything it was all precaution...all to kill the "bugs" that I didn't even have UGH! Along the way as it was mentally EXHAUSTING AND I showered 4 times a day while there and got stared down by everybody like "why is she in the pool etc" my incredible husband encouraged me to stay focused on God's grace and the beauty of the ocean and that I would get thru it, and I didnt' want to regret not living in the positive light of the moment that I was on the vacation I'd longed all year for and I wanted to savour it all. So, I kept a great outlook and it ended up being an AMAZING TRIP where I grew ever closer to the Lord and was able to count the many numerous blessings in my life. We ended up seeing a dermatologist at the beach because I was getting no better, and she quickly told me I did not have scabies but that I was experiencing PUPPS. She gave me the needed steroid to supress my reaction and I actually cleared up within a week. IT WAS AMAZING, and I had an incredible end of the week. I KNOW I would have been so sad to get home, learn it was what it was and I wasted my whole trip feeling sorry for myself. What I did was listen to the husband God gave me, and pushed through. ALL OF WHAT I DID BY THE WAY was against what my flesh wanted to do. I wanted to cuss and have a bad attitude. I wanted to be a party pooper and just feel sorry for myself. But praise the Lord I didn't.

Now, onto this past week at the beach. I was convinced after last year, that no beach trip could ever be that miserable (and it wasn't so bad) so I would forever have incredible trips to the beach. And this past week was awesome, only my attitude was the pits all because we stayed in a resort off the beach instead of oceanside. It took us (what seemed like forever) every day just to load our kids and stuff up to meet the family at the beach. It became extremely waring and exhausting and we felt like all we did was RUN. My husband even said once, "I'm ready to go home to rest." I wish one of us would've stopped and said "ATTITUDE CHECK!" That beach trip is over and all I want is the whole thing back. It was only on the last morning of the trip that we vowed to make it a great day inspite of ANYTHING....it was the best day of the week. I have such a regret that we didn't make the most of it. If I would've taken a second to remember my hell week last year and how I enjoyed it, staying a few blocks from the beach was SO MINOR! Satan came after us again, and instead of looking back to last year and showing marks of mature Christianity, we sulked. So, whatever it might be for you, wishing your kids past the stage they're in thinking the next one will be easier somehow, or wishing the summer away for school to start, or wishing the snow to melt away, or grumbling because your hotel isn't on the beach when in reality you're blessed to be at the beach at all, just STOP. In his letter to the Philippians Paul commands us that whatever situation we are in therewith to be content 4:11. Also, James says to consider trials PURE JOY! Not because they are fun but because it is in those trying times we come out on the other side as purified silver, God is magnified as his strength is made perfect in our weakness, and there is a guarenteed purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven. Enjoy the seasons of life, and find your "code word" that will help you to pause in those moments of bad attitude that will help you remember to stop! Seth's words to me (that he forgot this past week) are "push through." Sometimes he'll just go "Babe, two words." And I know what they are. We all need reminded to keep the glass half full or to just graze in the grass on our side of the fence and be thankful. Just look at these pictures of our healthy and beautiful familes! We area BLESSED! Love to all!

Make the "best day" the BEST day

Well, for many of us we have our favorite day of the week. Seriously, I heart Mondays! Seth works from home, we take it easy, that's an evening we plan fun things as a family (having someone over for dinner) whatever. I also LOVE Saturdays. It's the day I can sleep in. Seth is here to get the kids up and I can veg. out. BUT...favorite days do not trump the fact that the "best day" is Sunday. God set up the whole week and worked that week. In Genesis 1 God creates. We all picture him creating like "ZAP" there's Sun. "ZAP" there's animals. "ZAP" human beings! But obviously...it was work because God felt the need to rest. He wanted to take time to look at all he had done in 6 days and spend the 7th loving and enjoying it and RESTING. The Sabboth was created for our day to worship the living God and REST. It's His day, so it's therefore, the BEST day.

Now, for many of us it isn't the best because we do get up early for church. We spend most of the day doing church things that prevent us from even resting. Some of us may even go to our jobs on Sunday, so we don't get to take a load off. For children, it is wearing. Kids have to get out of bed too. They have to spend their day at church too where some churches do not have a children's church to entertain the kids on their level, so they sit in the sanctuary possibly bored, possibly having a horrible experience. I won't lie, I loved the Lord at a young age, but I despised church on so many levels. Sunday was NOT the best day for me.

So, how can we make "the best day" the best?

I was forced to think about that question while reading an INCREDIBLE book on child training called "Hints on Child Training" by H. Clay Trumbull. It's over a hundred years old, but he talks about setting Sunday apart and making it something kids look forward to. (You can get his book for under 10.00 on Amazon.com)
Ideas of how to separate Sunday from the other 6 days are as follows:
Be prepared for it. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. Some of us are so busy rushing around to get ready for church, we don't have our best foot forward. Our clothes are wrinkled, and Heaven forbid, we actually get into a fight with our loved ones on the way to church. (Gasp, not you?!) Oh, I have fought my hubby on more than one trip to church. And that is Satan trying to destroy our heart of worship on the morning of going to be fed spiritually and worship corporately. One thing to help: Take your kids by the hand on Saturday night. Pick out their clothes with them. Iron them the night before and have them laid out. Give baths on Saturday night so the kids wake up and only need their bed-head combed. "Sunday morning starts on Saturday night" I chant to Landri many a Saturdays. I don't know where I heard that quote, but it's true. Prepare on Saturday for things to go wrong Sunday so that it doesn't throw your spirit and heart off to a point that you can't worship properly. Set the coffee pot on a delay brew so you have plenty of time to have it. Lay your Bible by the door with your packed diaper bag. Repent and get a clean slate with the Lord. Reconcile to your spouse or kids if you had a riff that day. (That's every night...don't go to bed with unresolved conflict.) Easier said than done, I know...but it will make such a difference for your peace and rest.

Another way to set Sunday apart: have something special for breakfast on Sunday that is not a typical breakfast...maybe have something that is strictly something you only get on Sunday mornings so your kids (and YOU) look forward to waking and facing the day with your best foot forward. It may be something as simple as buying some powdered donuts and special juice or going through Starbucks for a latte on the way to church. I have a special coffee cake that has a cinnamon streusal topping that I will get up early and make many Sundays. It's a healthy coffee cake made with wheat flower. It's SO YUMMY. Seth and Landri devour it. And, do the same for lunch. Even if lunch isn't something you only have on Sunday, at least have it planned/prepared. I dread Sunday lunches when I'm sitting in the pew unsure still of what I'm serving. Seth hates having to let me run into the grocery store b/c I need to pick up stuf for lunch that day. I am still a work in progress on this...but Trumbull says, have special food. Make the day special. Sometimes just buying special buns to serve your sandwiches on for lunch makes it special. Getting your deli meat from the deli or your cheese sliced in the deli can take the ordinary sandwich to a NEW LEVEL. Or just eating that sandwich on a blanket outside makes it special. You can take the kids to a special pool or place to ride bikes only for Sunday afternoon. You could toss meatballs in a crockpot with red sauce so that all you have to do is boil pasta when you get home. Throw frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot and pour bbq on top for pulled sandwiches when you get home. Crockpots are best friends on Sundays! If it is a day where you set aside eating out money, do it after church. Growing up, we didn't get to eat out much, but my parents would take us to this pizza buffet called "Pizza Inn" on Sundays b/c all 4 of us kids ate the buffet free. It was the biggest treat, and I approached my morning DIFFERENTLY knowing I was going there after church. Remember we aren't bribing our kids to love Sunday or church or God for that matter, but they are little sinners who need guidance and shown the right way. The same goes if you have an unbelieving husband. He will feel differently about Sunday without a word from you: just the way you approach the day will show him it is special and different.
I Peter 3:1 "Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives." We need to instill good emotions about God's day every way that we can until the Holy Spirit gets ahold of our families and really shows them the most important reason that it is the "BEST DAY!"

Dailey verse:
Genesis 2: 2-3
2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

With a heart of purpose,

Thrifty Mama

This is a short and sweet post especially for you Moms on a budget:
So, Landri LOVES jello and pudding right now. Who doesn't? It's heaven in a little cup, especially for a little girl who's gettin' good with her spoon skills. Well, the pudding and jello cups cost like 10 times what a little carton of pudding or jello costs. I have a trick to save you money and keep your little ones lovin' their little treat cups.
At Kroger a few weeks ago, I found the four packs of pudding 10 for 10 dollars. So, I bought some. I also bought the packages of jello and pudding you make yourself for like less than 50 cents per package. After Landri finishes a jello or pudding cup, I save the cup, wash it, and put it in the cupboard with all the little kiddy plastic cups/bowls. When I make jello or pudding, I refrigerate it in those cups. I've even saved some of Malachi's baby food containers (the plastic ones with lids) and used those. Your kids won't know the difference, but your pocketbook will:) Remember, we want our kiddos to have fun treats, but we have to get creative sometimes. God Bless you thrifty mommies out there!

Scripture of the Day: excerpt from Proverbs 31
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
On the side: A great book about being an excellent wife is called "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace OR "A Wife After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George. The first one is a little more challenging for our stubborn wills as women/wives. The Elizabeth George one is my FAVORITE. For you nonwives out there, she also has "A Woman after God's Own Heart" and for you Mommies: "A Mom after God's Own Heart." You can probably pick any of them up on Amazon.com for under 10 bucks.

With a heart of purpose!

Serve...and be served?

Well, today I had a little angel of a neighbor come over so that I could mop my floors. She offered to play with my kiddies to let me be productive. I totally took her up on it. Something I'm learning to do is let others have a blessing in serving me too. I pride myself in loving to take a meal to somebody or pray for them or whatever! However, it is difficult to accept those love gifts of service. After my first baby was born and I saw the outpouring of love -- the body of Christ reaching out to me and being the hands and feet of Jesus -- I had an ah ha! moment. It is an incredible thing to bless someone else w/ your service, but it's ok to let them be blessed by helping you. It's what we're to do. Our hands need to reach, our feet need to go, our mouths need to encourage, and we need to serve in the way we feel led. When my sweet neighbor said "I love to play with kids. I'd love to come over and play with yours any time to let you get work done." I was like, Ok! And we talked about a date that worked and we did it. So today in just a few hours having a little help, I felt like I could conquer the world. Any of you Moms out there know what I'm talking about. Sometimes, you can conquer the world in 30 minutes if you don't have your child/ren in toe:) So, I was so rejuvenated, and I know that she really did want to do it. What a blessing to me she was, and what a blessing she had serving! We all won!...even my kids who had focused one-on-one attention uninterrupted by my multi tasking. Tomorrow, I will take them to the library for the first time in forever because I got my chores done. So, the next time someone wants to help you specifically ( and I'm not talking about the ole' line of "if you need anything let me know") but if they really say hey, can I come over and play with your baby or can I bring you dinner...LET 'EM! Just be sure that you are looking for avenues to be the hands and feet of Jesus. So, serve...and yes, BE SERVED!

Daily Scripture
Philippians 2:14-15
"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."

The First One

For the past few months I have felt convicted to do more, be more, reach more people, share more of the gospel, encourage more, serve more, affect more, MORE MORE MORE. I have really felt led to start a blog. The purpose of this blog is to hopefully start doing some "more" I know I need to do. I have always said my most noble calling as a woman is as a wife and mother, but something I'm learning is that all of us have a noble calling to be and make disciples for Jesus Christ. Through this blog, I will focus on sharing our Father's love by posting various topics: devotional type of stories and scripture, but there may be some days where I share mom-friendly tips and ideas. In the process, I will pray dilligently for anyone who finds my blog and pray that it will affect lives and do on a kingdome level something I could never do. May God have his Sovereign hand in this new adventure.

Remember that to live for Christ is our most noble calling. It's a priceless gift that is placed on your life by God. That is the most humbling thing that I cannot fathom. Why our Heavenly Father would choose to have grace and mercy on any of us is beyond me. But he does, and while I fall far short every single day, the thing to remember is IT DOESN'T MATTER. God isn't caught off guard that we fall short. He knew we would and always will. That's why he sent Jesus in our place. Jesus already paid it all. Let Him do what He was purposed to do: be your righteousness. Just open your heart to him in obedience and find a fulfillment in your life that you never dreamed possible.

Daily Verse: I Corinthians 1:30-31

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

With a heart of purpose,