Mama Yona is getting fat! Puppies should be here around Feb5-10.
She is enjoying lots of added calories in her food- cottage cheese, bone broth, cooked veggies, and the mushy bones and fat from making bone broth in the pressure cooker.
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They sometimes disagree, I sometimes have to say “go work it out with your words, then come tell me how you fixed the problem;” We avoid being their referees as much as possible. Real life doesn’t come with a referee, we have to learn when to stand our ground and when to retreat.
This life, homeschool, building relationships with siblings and each other … it is messy. It can be harder than we would like, yet often it is only as hard as we make it.
But Grace says we can. Grace, knowing there is room for error because Jesus, means we can.
(small backstory-grace is a really big trendy word in the Christian community the last several years. For what it’s worth, I am still learning about it. I think it is overused and misused often, so I was hesitant to make this post. I believe a lot of new Christians or those that don’t know Jesus yet are probably confused by the use of grace as I once was… but alas it was laid on my heart so here I am.)
The Word says we can overcome, work through, build, grow, fail, and try again at this parenting thing because of Him.
Not because we are patient.
Not because we are good or kind.
I’m not patient y’all and Im surely not good ?- I’m not any better suited for this gig than any other mom.
**But we are not called to make choices based on patience, ability, or lack there of … God calls us, and He decides how to arm us for His work.
We aren’t perfect, therefore life isn’t either.
But life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.
And we don’t have to be perfect parents to have beautiful, blessed, non-perfect children.
But we do need to be able to see them, speak affirmations of faith over them, and stop criticizing them, our spouses, and ourselves.
Don’t let the noise distract from the beauty. Find your quiet in the chaos in Him, in truth, and in all things beautiful to Him.
Those dirty hands, the messy hair, the loooong bedtime conversations that seem to go on forever- they’re going to end one day, sooner than I’d like.
I’m thankful for this reminder- for children that just came in from playing in the dirt, gathered around a book, one sprawled on a table covered in crumbs ?- the reminder that the hard days are *really* hard but they reap joyful moments, and that’s what life is made of.
Life is moments, good or bad, that we don’t get again.
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Every year I try to choose a word for my focus; I’ve done this for several years. This year I had an entire list of ideas, but none of them seemed to encompass everything- Everything I’ve experienced this year, what I want next year to look like, and how those things fit in with God’s plan. (I don’t do resolutions or yearly goals/plans.)
Sometimes the BIG picture is the hardest one to see. I need pieces, I need to know how things start, so I can see where I am going. This translates to everything in my life- from chalk painting a chair, to raising my kids. Maybe it is why I love teaching, and reading, and crafting… Starting somewhere hard and uncertain can often end up so beautiful with so much to learn.
Those light bulb moments, you know?
This week we were in Colorado and I was really trying to figure out what my word would be. I was very much regretting having not brought my journaling Bible or regular Bible, both of which I had packed up but decided not to bring. I prayed about it while flipping through my Bible/prayer journal which I did bring, and saw one of my favorite quotes; it is one I’ve written in my daily planning journal several times the last few months, and always takes me to Isaiah 58:9 when I read it.
{Backstory: this summer, after grieving and struggling through our overwhelming, too busy, too stressful summer, I sat down with my journaling things and found some websites about simplifying and planning your dreams. I couldn’t for the life of me plan my “dreams.” I couldn’t figure out what I wanted- I even asked family what I was good at, what I could contribute to the world or to my family.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, not via a website or overthinking, but from God– God said THIS. THIS IS IT! These responsibilities are your blessings, your dreams that you’ve asked for- a big family (fyi: that wasn’t always on my dream list), a farm in the country, an amazing husband, freedoms, reaching many. I’ve given these things to you.
Yall- this is so silly to some, but in the midst of my suffering or break down, whatever you want to call it, after losing my Granny on top of everything going on, when I was begging God for direction and help, for calm and quiet, He told me what I already somehow knew, and gave me direction.
I don’t need to look for my dreams, my work at home raising my family is HIS work, and my dream of one day having a farm and children is fulfilled in this season! Through God’s grace, his gift of determined spirits and hard work, we have made this thing work. I didn’t need to figure out how to plan for my dreams or what I “wanted” (I’m not really someone that “wants” for things anyway, I tend to be joyful where I am).
I needed to stop and listen to God where I was. Right here. It wasn’t that I didn’t see this life of blessings and dreams already, I just somehow, in that tough season, overlooked that they were enough and everything else was just bonus.}
even here He is found.
In the midst of feeding goats, shoveling cow patties, cleaning the house, reading to my children, taking them on walks in the woods, dealing with tantrums from a strong willed 2 year old, schooling on the hard days, crafting and journaling on the easy ones, family movie nights, and sibling bickering … HE CAN BE FOUND. He is Here. And right HERE is where he has called me to be. **and I LOVE it!**
He is here for all of it, and all of it is a blessing. I am so happy here, even when circumstances are hard, I don’t need to look for more?!
My responsibilities are blessings, not burdens (thank you Help Club for Moms Devotional).
Responsibilities can be messy, and aren’t always fun, but in them and from them pour more blessings; it is what He has laid on our hearts- I’ve learned if God directs us to something, especially when he has changed our heart so we long to do that thing, or find peace in it (ex: having children, moving away from our comfort zone, not having an 8-5 job, the list can go on …) listening to Him joyfully, having faith that He knows better than us or those around us giving their opinion, is about the only way life is going to be enjoyable and fulfilling, no matter what we are called to do.
So how do you choose your one word?
I would begin with what has been a constant theme in your life- if it is a negative like anxiety, hectic, fear, sick, struggle, failing, etc. then find the opposite of that in scripture several time. Find a root word that means what you want for your life. Go to it in prayer, listen closely to God. I’ve found that God’s voice is a clear one. If it is Him, you probably won’t need to question it, but if you do find yourself questioning it, continue to pray about it and ask Him how He would have you grow in Him this year.
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Ooooh yes, goats. How I love thee! =)
So this newbie completely, 100% misunderstood goats’ breeding seasons. Turns out, they are seasonal, but there is only about 24-36 hour of time to get them bred! And since we don’t keep our own buck, and were planning to take our girls to be “serviced” by a buck, nailing down that day was hard!
We instead were able to borrow a buck to show us when they were in heat. We thought he wouldn’t be big enough to breed them … we were wrong! Haha Winston definitely bred 1 girl, and I *think* bred the other; we will have tests done to check if it took in a few weeks.
Wendy Woo (the one I’m not certain was bred … she didn’t want to stand for Winston) giving snuggies
Everything I’ve read about does and bucks during season was definitely true!
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I am so thankful for the beautiful products Ellie Claire has sent me to review- Y’all, if you love to journal, know someone that does, or want to find a starting place- this is it! (Check out my video below for an in depth flip through of each journal.)
These devotionals are absolutely delicious! Each one has a cover to feast your eyes upon, and are filled with scripture and quotes that will motivate and invigorate all, from young to old!
Each book would make a perfect gift for a young lady to begin devotional journaling, and would be great grandma gifts (think of grandma journaling to her grandkids in these). In each you will find a color coordinated ribbon bookmark, thick, crisp white lined pages for writing, and sturdy binding. Each devotional features artworks coordinating with its theme/cover artwork.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus is a dated (beginning January 1st), daily devotional filled with scripture and prayer to help you stay focused on Him through the full day to day life we all lead. These are perfect to begin each morning with a devotion and Jesus, to help get our hearts ready for serving those we love. There is plenty of room for recording your thoughts and prayers on the lined pages. Each devotional in this book begins with a line of Christian hymn and ends with scripture. The devotion in paragraph form brings both the hymn and the scripture into more focus/meaning for the reader and reminds us of all Jesus’s glory using scripture as an example.
Peace Begins with Me is also a dated devotional, beginning each day with scripture, and a life-applicable devotion. The day’s page ends with a verse of scripture. Ellie Claire describes this devotional with this:
Our peace affects others. And the Giver of peace awaits to give us the gift that can change our world. It begins with a prayer. It begins with me.
How true is this?! This summer I felt everything spiraling out of control-our home, the farm, grieving a huge loss, our hectic schedule of commitments. And you know what happened? I broke down, and asked God to give me peace; I asked Him to show me how to bring peace back to our family, to my mind, to our day to day life. And he delivered! It wasn’t what I expected, but things turned around greatly when I seeked Him for my personal peace and understanding. When life feels out of control, He is the only one that can take the reigns and deliver peace.
This devotional is full of every day, practical life application and prayer to get us through those times of chaos. If anything will help give you quiet in the chaos, this devotional will!
The Earth Is the Lord’s, and Everything In It: 365-Day Devotional Journal points to all of God’s glory in the natural world around us. Your favorite science, nature, and animal lover will adore this journal. Filled with stories and facts that point to God’s hand in creation and the natural world, this devotional begins each day with scripture, and ends it with prayer. The lined pages have ample room for journaling thoughts, prayers, and even doodles and sketches. Adding borders and quotes that go with the peacock and floral theme would be fun!
These devotions show the intention in God’s Word as applied to every day life; our life surrounded by His beauty, how people and animals, all of nature, relate to one another in His image.
With the holidays coming up, it is important to our family to focus on the reason for Christmas- Jesus Christ’s birth. We were able to read and review a precious book, If He Had Not Come. Originally written by Nan F. Weeks, it has been reintroduced by David Nicholson, a retired school teacher and missionary.
This is a wonderful story for any Christian family that wants to truly show their children what Christmas celebration is all about. Though the book is recommended for ages six and up, my (just turned) four year old really enjoyed and understood it. The casebound hardback version can be purchased for $18.95, or choose the e-book version at $3.99.
This book was such a pleasant surprise to receive in the mail! In the front cover was a special, handwritten note from David himself, which Lexie thought was just wonderful. The book is a beautiful hardback, illustrated by Charles Jaskiewicz- there is a lot of detail in the illustrations that support the story so well. We have read this book many times already, and Lexie has noticed something new in the pictures each time.
The story begins with a young boy, Bobby, getting ready for bed on Christmas Eve, anticipating opening the gifts from his family the next morning. (I will say, one of my favorite things about this book is there is no mention of Santa Claus). But when he goes to sleep, he dreams of a world where there is no Christmas; there is no church, no Christian run/owned businesses like homeless shelters, hospitals, etc. When he goes looking for each of these things, in its place he finds a sign reading, “If I had not come.”
After realizing what a desolate world he would live in were it not for Christ, Bobby wakes up and thanks Jesus for coming, for being the very best Christmas gift.
This is honestly one of the best Christmas books we own. Really. It isn’t too much for a young child to understand, and it clearly and honestly opens their eyes to Christmas and the Christ in Christmas. The story shows them not only would we not have Christmas to celebrate His birth, but our world would be so different without Jesus. There are so many things we take for granted that we would no longer enjoy if Christ had not come to save us. This is a great book for all families, and Sunday school classes alike!
We have been reading this book for my four year old’s bedtime routine. I wasn’t sure at first what she would think, or if she would enjoy it. Well, she has requested it for nap and bed time since the day we introduced it! My husband and I have been able to take If He Had Not Come and go deeper into the meaning of Christ’s birth-even farther than the meaning of Christmas. (in the picture she was in her gymnastics leotard and I am not sure what was up with the crazy headband ..)
In the back of the book you will find several helpful pages. There is a page of interactive topics for families and Sunday school teachers- the questions are thought provoking and open ended to allow plenty of discussion. They will really help you have a deep, wonderful, honest, discussion with your child/ren.
There is also a section titled, “Going Deeper;” these are questions to help you and your child explore what the Bible says about the birth of Christ. I really like this section, as it has possible answers for you to share/follow up with, and references specific Bible verses! That is really helpful for any parent trying to lead their little one to God. There is also a small section on the last page with an idea to help you celebrate Christmas using a fun activity.
If you are looking for a book to add to your Christmas collection, or want to do a unit on Christmas with your children, this is the book I would suggest you look at first.
The Adventure Bible brand, having sold over 9 million copies, is beloved by Christian schools, churches, and families alike. Now, the #1 Bible for kids, including all of the trusted essentials loved by parents, is available in an exciting polar exploration theme!
My son could not wait to embark on a fun, exciting trek through God’s Word with the NIV Adventure Bible! He has been asking for a big boy Bible, that was more than an illustrated story Bible. For the last several weeks we have been reading from it as a family at bedtime; my daughter has a different version of the Adventure bible, so she was able to help him navigate through all the amazing features found within his Polar Edition. It makes my heart so happy to see them loving God’s Word, and finding truth for their life in Scripture.
While on this arctic adventure, readers meet all types of people, see all sorts of places, and
learn all kinds of facts about the Bible. And most importantly you’ll grow closer in your relationship with God.
Features of the NIV Adventure Bible, Polar Exploration Edition include:
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
Thanksgiving has come- so many of us our trying to be mindful of our blessings, thankful for the craziness of family gatherings and food preparation.
It can be hard to appreciate the HARD moments, the HARD people, the HARD choices. It can be hard to truly be thankful for things that we don’t want, but have somehow landed in our midst… difficult children personalities, hardships in our marriages, family that don’t understand or listen to us.
All these things make us who we are, we can use them to shape our character or let them eat us up.
Being thankful is more than appreciating what we have, it is a way to look at our life as a whole and see how we can continue to give and bless others. Whether you are called to serve your family and God’s kingdom through raising your children, or called work in corporate America shaping the lives of Americans with your decisions from 8-5, we have infinite chances to bless someone else, and show our thankfulness this year.
Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
If there is one thing I know can turn our day around, it is worshipping Jesus. We enjoy many of Chris Tomlin’s worship songs in our home, and his latest album Holy Roar is no exception. With a focus on the freedom and wonder of worship as a community, pouring out our praise in song, Holy Roar brings every voice together.
There isn’t a song on this album that the body of believers won’t resonate with in home, church, or the family mini van. 😉 Of course there is the radio favorite, Resurrection Power which reminds us all of the power of the Holy Spirit, alive in every believer. Our new family favorite is Impact– this is a request by all my children. No one ever expects the impact Jesus will have on their life, but once we’ve accepted Him, knowing the impact he has during worship and every day life is life changing. This song touches on that and the abounding emotions found within that understanding.
The raw I Stand in Awe, with Nicole Serrano, is probably one of my all time favorite worship songs now. Mapping out the milestones of the journey we take when accepting Christ, the questions, wonder, and absolute awe we have for Him, for his perfect love for us, the blessings He has already laid out for us, this song is just absolutely beautiful. How Sweet It Is (featuring Pat Barrett) is a favorite to begin our day. This song has a chorus so simple, yet so pure and truthful; when even my youngest children sing it as we begin our day, it is easy to see Jesus working right then and there. The title track, Holy Roar, is sure to be a regular in any contemporary worship line-up, and for good reason.
The rest of the album is more powerful worship songs which combined will be known as one of Chris Tomlin’s greatest works. Your family and congregation will love worshiping our Lord to Holy Roar.
A little background on Chris Tomlin,
Chris Tomlin is one of the most heralded singer-songwriters in the world who
has amassed an impressive body of work. He has sold more than 8 million
albums, 11.3 million digital tracks with 16 #1 singles. Chris is one of only four
artists ever to receive the Sound Exchange Digital Radio Award for over 1
Billion digital radio streams.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).
– Notebook, 1904
At the beginning of October my husband and I traveled to the east coast. Not only was it amazingly beautiful, and refreshing to get away together, but we learned a lot.
This book nerd nearly lost it when I saw Orchard House (where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women and based her stories) and the Mark Twain House were right near where we were flying in for our first night’s stay.
The houses were both beautiful, and the Mark Twain museum had loads of information I didn’t know about him in a timeline format. It was so neat to see who he was, and what he was creating in the world around him at that time.
Orchard House and that visit deserves an entirely different post, all its own. To say it was divinity would be an understatement. The experience was so amazing and I cannot wait to take my girls there one day! I am already planning that trip. haha
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