Friday, March 25, 2011

There is a Harvest to be Reaped!

Do you ever just get tired of doing the same everyday tasks of life?  For a mother, these tasks can sometimes seem tiresome, overwhelming, monotonous, boring, hard, stressful... Are you with me?

I woke up this morning and said to my husband, "It's Friday!" Then right after that came, "But that doesn't mean anything for me, because my Saturday and Sunday are just as busy as my Monday through Friday." I guess you could say that I didn't wake up with the best outlook. I think I was still just extremely tired from a big day yesterday.  Thursdays wear me out!

Let me just get this out of my system: You see, yesterday afternoon, after searing and putting a tenderloin in the crock pot for our dinner, I drove to take the kids to band (15 minute drive from the house), then back home because I forgot to put a little bit of water in the crock pot with the meat so it wouldn't dry out, then drove back to pick them up from band, then drove across town to take one to violin, then drove just around the corner to take one to the theater, then back to pick up the one from violin, then drove back across town to drop her off at softball practice, then went further across town to take son to baseball practice, then right back across town to the theater! Thankfully my wonderful husband picked up the two from softball and baseball practice. I left the theater at 6:30 and came back home to finish supper.  See why I was tired? Sorry for that little rant, I feel better now!

Let's just say I didn't wake up feeling very motivated to do anything because I am still TIRED!

However, I asked the Lord to speak to me this morning and help me have the motivation that I need to keep going.  This is what he gave me:

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I know that what I am doing as a mother - yes, even carting kids back and forth across town - is "doing good". For you see, I am not really just carting them around.  It's much deeper than that! I am encouraging them in their talents. I am listening to them. And we are having life building conversations in the car. This reminds me of the scripture in Deuteronomy 6.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

I guess driving them to their practices is my "walk along the road" time with them. So in light of this scripture, I see a bigger calling than being their chauffer. 

My encouragement to you is that as you go about your daily "chores", make sure you are talking to your kids about loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength. If we as moms can continually teach this truth to our children, if we can stay encouraged, and if do not grow weary in doing good, THEN we will reap a harvest. I want to reap the harvest that God gives in Proverbs 22:6. It says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Isn't that an awesome promise from God!

I may be tired this morning, but the perseverance of sticking to the schedule of events for today is so worth it! Although we did start out a little late, we are getting things done. I have had special time with my Lord, kids have done their chores and are now doing their schoolwork.  So glad I didn't go with my first feelings for the day and stay in that frame of mind - it is a trap from the enemy!

I am so grateful that God can renew my mind and my strength.  I will be trusting in Him today to do just that! Let me leave you with the scripture from Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

How am I treating those I say that I love?

I just finished reading Karen Kingsbury's This Side of Heaven: A Novel. I love reading Karen Kingsbury stuff! She helps put life into perspective. Without giving away too much, this book has made me not want to miss a thing in my kids' lives.  As I've been reading this book, I have been reminded of the importance of loving people "this side of heaven". I'm talking about REALLY loving them and listening to them. God has given me special gifts - my family and friends - and now I am made freshly aware to love them without passing judgment. 

I know that I need to take time to listen to those I love and to give them opportunities to tell me about their adventures, their dreams, their successes, and even their failures without the fear of being judged. As I'm reading this book and crying through the pages, I find myself thinking about what the Bible has to say about love in I Corinthians. 

I Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

This is causing me to reflect and make sure that  I am loving others the way God intends for me to love. I have so many people in my life that I love, and I know that I do not always love them with the kind of love that was just described.  Sometimes, in the moments of conflict, it is really hard! But after reading this book and after being reminded that life with our family is a gift and we don't know how long that gift on this earth will last, I want to show this kind of love! I'm also reminded that I'm not to stand in judgment of their behavior. I'm to love them unconditionally and pray for them.

First let me say that without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is impossible to carry out this kind of love.  I John 4:8 says that "God is love." Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  God sent his only Son to pay the redemption sacrifice for our sins! That is the ultimate gift of love! Because of this amazing love, we can place our trust in Him and let Him love through us.  Please let me know if you want more information about how to give your life to Christ. You can click here to learn more.

Maybe it's time for a quick evaluation of our relationships:
 
How about you? Are you being kind and patient with those you love? Are you prideful toward someone that you love? Are you bringing dishonor to your loved ones? Are you self-seeking around them, looking out for your own interest? Are you easily angered with them? Do you bring up old conflicts from the past? Or do you try to protect, trust, hope in and seek to persevere with those that you love?

I pray that as we evaluate our relationships (gifts) that God has given to us, we will become more Christ-centered and show love the way He desires. If you struggle with this, ask God to help you show this love or to love through you. It is not in our human power to love someone when they seem unworthy, but it is our responsibility, our calling from Jesus who said, "love your neighbor as yourself."

I don't want to have any regrets when the day comes that I am separated from my loved ones in this world!

And I highly recommend this book - but make sure you have a box of tissues!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Prayers for Japan

I've been watching all the video clips of the earthquake and tsunami devastation in Japan and am so saddened.  I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through right now.  My heart breaks for those who have lost loved ones and for those whose loved ones are still among the missing.

As a mother, I think about those who have lost their children - incomprehensible. 
As a wife, I cannot imagine living my life without my husband, my best friend.
As a daughter, I am so sad for those who have lost their parents - my parents mean so much to me.

Its hard for me to try to put myself in the shoes of these who have lost so much.  Along with the personal loss of loved ones, many have also lost all their earthly possessions. Everything they knew as normal everyday life - gone. Now they have the nuclear radiation scare that is threatening what they have left. 

I have been praying that God will be evident to those who are surviving this horrible disaster and that they would cry out to Him and Him alone!

I am reminded to be grateful for the time that I have with those that I love. It can all be swept away in just a few moments. 

With all that said, God is still God and He is still on His throne!  Nothing is too big for Him or without purpose. I know that He allows all things. Sometimes our earthly minds do not understand, but we must trust in Him. 

Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Join with me in praying for those living in Japan and for their loved ones who are scattered all over the world.





The song in this video is a reminder that this world is not our final destination! 

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Making a List and Getting it Done

Are you a list person?

I am!

Today was a good day for lists, too, because I had so much to do! It made me feel so good when I got home and saw everything checked off my list! 

Here is what my list for today looked like:

1.go meet second daughter's softball coach
2.go to an educational store to buy paper to make a time line
3.stop in at a used book store to check it out
4.go to library #1 to get a DVD
5.go to sister-in-law's house to pick up a bird cage to use in a production of My Fair Lady that my oldest daughter is in
6.go to a friends house for coffee and to borrow some books to look at for evaluation for next year's homeschool curriculum possibilities
7.go to library #2 for a music CD that was on hold.

What a good feeling it was to check it all off the list.  To top it off, the weather was beautiful and I got to hang out with my two favorite guys - my husband and son. 

However, I didn't include EVERYTHING that needed to get done today on my to do list. 

Now, I'm sitting here wondering what to do next... ironing or grocery list...  Doesn't seem like I'll get to them both tonight.  I need to finish my menu and grocery list, which includes cutting the rest of my coupons that need to get cut out. I also need to do some ironing and make sure that we all have clothes ready for church in the morning.  What to do, what to do?

Well, now that I have written them both out, it's almost like a list.  Maybe I'll get them both done after all!  I think I'll get our clothes ready for church first, then sit down to watch Like Dandelion Dust with the family and clip coupons/make menu/finish grocery list! 

Guess I better get up and going!  Oh, and next time you feel overwhelmed with so much to do, make a list and get what you can done.  If you don't finish it in one day, just carry it over to the next day.  It really will make you feel good to cross things off your list.  Go ahead, give it a try!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

God Bends Down to Listen!

I remember when my kids were small and they really wanted my attention, what did they do?  They would come to my side and pull on my shirt and say, "Mommy, Mommy!" Sometimes I could answer them quickly and they would rush off to play again. BUT, when they really wanted my help, really needed me for something that they couldn't do alone, they didn't stop calling my name until I bent down and looked them in the eyes and asked them what they needed. 

Does this sound familiar to you? I'm sure it does!  The role of a parent is so demanding!  It seems that our children are in constant need of our attention. Unfortunately, I am not always the best at answering them right away. Maybe because they call so often, it seems like their requests aren't always "important". 

Wow!  I am so glad that my heavenly Father doesn't look at me this way!  He is the best role model ever in parenting.  He does it right, all the time!!!

Psalm. 86:1  (New Living Translation)
Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.

This is a constant prayer of mine, it seems.  I so need the help of my heavenly Father - every day, all day long!  I am so glad that he never gets tired of me calling on Him for help.  Jesus even says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

Psalm 116:1-2 (New Living Translation)
I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. 
Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

God is wanting us to cry out to Him and ask Him for help.  Will you take his offer today? Will you let him be that loving father who wants so tenderly to love you, to listen to your needs, and to help guide you along the way?

When I think of the awesome Creator of the Universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the One who parted the seas, I am in awe that HE would want me to call on Him and that He would bend down to listen to me!  I agree with the psalmist in saying, "I will pray as long as I have breath!"

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Mom, what's for lunch?

Does this questions sound familiar?  I have been posting my menus on my fridge for about a month now and I still get this question, occasionally.

All I say now is, "Go, look and see what it says on the menu for today." One day recently it was left-over chicken and rice, and one child said, "But we just ate that last night!" Can you hear the whine behind those words? Oh, there was a definite whine behind them! However, I didn't let that whine affect me!  I just said, "Well, it was so good that we get to eat it twice!  I'm so grateful that we had some left for today!" And guess what, they ate it with no complaining!  There is something wonderful about having the menu planned and in ink on the refrigerator! They may question it once, but they don't keep on; and for a mom of two semi-picky eaters, that has been a marvelous thing!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Hope

My husband, oldest daughter and I have been attending a homeschool conference for the past two days.  We still have one more day left and I can't wait to see what God has in store for me to learn tomorrow.  I want to encourage all parents who homeschool or are considering homeschooling to attend a homeschool conference. Hopefully I'll share more about how the conference in a later post, but for now I want to share about who I met and how I was encouraged today as I was browsing through the vendors.

I stopped at the FamilyLife's MomLife Today booth to ask about a weekend retreat/study that I want to go through with my daughters - Passport 2 Purity. Since my oldest daughter is 13, I want to go through this book with her first.  I have heard so many wonderful things about this study! Today God reminded me again of the beauty of getting to share God's design with my daughter in a retreat type setting. Her father and I have been praying daily for her and our other two children that they would stay holy and pure. She and I have had "the talk", but I still believe that this study will be a time when she can look back and remember that she made a commitment to stay pure.

So today at this booth, I met an amazing Godly woman, Tracey Eyster, who took time to encourage me and share with me how she and her husband went through this book with their daughter when she was 13.  It brought tears to my eyes because everything that she was sharing with me was just what I desire and long for with my own daughter. I connected with Tracey today and believe that God orchestrated the whole event! Isn't He a good God!  I found out later in our conversation that this amazing lady is the Creator and Senior Editor of the momlifetoday website.

Tracey not only encouraged me in mentoring and mothering my daughter, but also in keeping this blog going and being a mentor and encourager to other moms out there.  I believe that this meeting today was by devine appointment!  I'm not sure where God wants to take me with this blogspot, but I do believe that He is leading me through it. 

Isn't it neat, that as God has been speaking to me about mentoring to others, that he would send a mentor to me?  He is so faithful! I am just sitting here in awe Him.  I quoted Jeremiah 29:11 earlier this week, but I must do it again today:

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Today God has given me a hope! As long as He know the plans for me, I will put my hope in Him and ask Him to bless this blog and hopefully bless others through it!  I can't wait till I get to have my mother/daughter weekend with my oldest! I have great hopes for that as well! 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Grocery Day

Yesterday was grocery day! Yes, I get excited about grocery day because that is when I get to save lots of money and get free stuff! I started out at Walgreen's first.  I got a tube of Colgate toothpaste, a bottle of Motrin, the new Tylenol Precise cream for joint and muscle aches, and a pack of Altoid mints.  I spent $4.50 cash for all of that AND left the store with $3.00 in Walgreen's Register Rewards to be used as cash at Walgreen's on my next visit, which I plan on buying more toothpaste for $3.00 and they will give me $3.00 back.  Then I will buy Motrin with that $3.00 and they will give my $3.00 back again.  That is a cycle where I can stock up on toothpaste and Motrin and get it all for free just by using the Register Rewards that they give out at the register!.  Oh, and because they gave me the original $3.00 back, that means I really only spent $1.50 on my original purchase! That makes for one happy mama!

Then I headed to Kroger, with all of my coupons and my grocery list - if I don't have a list, I'm toast.  As I was making my way through the meat section, I noticed that they had just marked down a ton of meat.  So I stocked up on pork chops, steaks, beef stew meat, and roasts.  Only the roast was on my list, but when meat is marked down to a good price, I stock up and store it in the freezer! On meat alone I saved over $25.00.  I saved an additional $60.00 on coupons and store ads.  I spent $150.00 and saved $85.00!  That also makes for one happy mama!

I consider myself to be frugal, but I am always looking for ways to be a better steward of our money.  Right now, I am reading through the Economides' books Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America's Cheapest Family: Includes So Many Innovative Strategies You Won't Have to Cut Coupons and America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams.  I saw them first on the Today Show and was very intrigued by how little they spend a month on groceries.  If I can learn a little bit from them, I will be very grateful!

If you have any other great tips for saving money at the grocery store or drug store, please leave a comment and let us know!  I would love to hear what you do!