Parenting {take–#587 or so?}

I understood when I had 4 kids ages 5 and under, why I was exhausted and clueless.  I mean really, lack of sleep, feeling like a dairy cow for about 4 or so years, life was expectedly crazy!

And now, I have a house full of (mostly) elementary school kids – one pre-teen.  I did not expect it to still require so much of me.  So often I feel like I have no idea what to do next.  Whew. 

While I love to be deep in a great book, parenting books are not my favorite genre.  I prefer some great Christian Fiction above most others.  However, in this season of parenting I am turning back to some great books that I hope to gleam some great wisdom from.  So, these days you can find me reading and taking copious notes from Shepherding a Child’s Heart and Grace Based Parenting.

I have read both of these books before, but never side by side.

Allergy Update

So I think we have figured out my youngest son may be allergic to dairy.  I figured that would be it for our family – Robert and I are not allergic to much of anything.

Today we found out my middle son is allergic to some metal.  Weird.  Random… but no biggie.

The oldest son though, well that is an entirely different story!!

Attack of the Poison Oak (we think)

Wednesday Night:

Seizing the Day

I am having so much fun these days doing a mini-makeover in my kitchen!  We knew when we moved in the kitchen would be a future project, but we also knew it would take big bucks.  After being here for about 18 months, we have kind of concluded that we are not interested in the full-blown kitchen re-do.  Do not want to spend the money (if we had it) and do not want to be without a kitchen while doing it.  Instead we are revamping a few key areas!!

 

Presently I am working my fingers to the bone on the cabinets!  I have fallen in love with this new paint (thanks to my friend Flo) and after re-doing a lovely dresser that my friend gave me a while back.  This paint is simply amazing.  {Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint}

 

It’s Monday

Oh my, how I savor Monday mornings!  I love to wake up after a busy (or lazy) weekend and have the week before me.

Last week was a great week despite the horrible Poison Oak my son got into and dealt with, and my back going out on Sunday night.  I am not sure what to attribute our good week of school and life, to.  I am hoping we have another good week here though, and somehow tap into what led to a good week last week.  I want to say it helped to hear Sally, to see things in a different perspective.  I think I came away with a more eternal perspective, rather than a “I want to see the fruit this week” philosophy.

So going back to habits, I want to offer my gratitude for the past few days, I am so very thankful today for

~ Some great books on my nightstand

~ Reading Grace Based Parenting & Shepherding Your Child’s Heart – together with different people

~ Fruit trees in the ground – so excited for the fruit they will bear in the years to come

~ warmer days – the hope of spring to come

~ J starting to look like my son and not a stranger

~ my back getting back to normal much faster than ever before

~ Our family doctor – we just love, love, love Dr Johnson – what a gift from God this man is to our family!

~ hoping to hear something this week from the genetic testing we are waiting on

~ painting kitchen cabinets – so excited for a “new” kitchen!!

We are in the homestretch for school!  We are about 11 weeks out from finishing up our year!  I cannot wait!  I always get excited about this time of year as I start looking at the amazing books for next year!  I get so anxious to start them, that I have to stop myself or I would ditch those we are in right now! 

We are certainly loving The Secret Garden as a read aloud!  I cannot wait to read some of that this week, as we seem to have just gotten into the really great part of this story!  All of the kids are loving it – and beg to read more when we finish a chapter – a mark of a great book!  I cannot remember reading it myself and so I, too am enjoying it!  Hope you are enjoying an amazing book in your world!!

A little of Sally

Oh, what a weekend!  It was wonderful, so much info bouncing around in my head and I just want to jump up and change the world – at least the one I live in here.  Oh, yeah, except that I can hardly move – thanks to throwing out my back last night.

I guess God was hoping to slow me down just a bit, since I may have run my kids off with all this great stuff I learned at the Whole Heart Conference.  So, since I can hardly move, and when I do move it is as slow as a snail, I guess  get some more time to really think about what all this great info looks like in our home.

One of the main points I took home from this conference, a theme, so to say – was Embracing Culture.  This does not mean to jump in and join them, again I am not jumping much right now.  But it means not running from it.  It means knowing what is relevant and current in our culture – and understanding why those things are so popular and then being able to tie it all together with how that relates to our faith and Jesus.  Wow.  I have not heard her talk much about this topic in the past, but since she is fully embracing culture with her son in Hollywood, her daughter at Oxford, and another son just graduated from music school – she is living out this “embrace culture” thing.

Book Review : When the Smoke Clears

The first book, in the Deadly Reunions Series is titled When the Smoke Clears, and it was written by Lynetter Eason.

This is my first time to read anything by Ms. Eason and I am glad to have found her, I will be looking for her older novels and anxiously waiting for the next in this series!

I enjoyed this story very much.  I felt like her characters were easy to relate with, and interesting enough to want to know more about.   I enjoyed following along with the story of Alexia reconnecting to her mother after a hard childhood.  Once she graduated from high school, Alexia left her home and never looked back.   Until now.  She heads “home” to reconnect with friends and family, in time for her high school reunion.

The story of forgiveness resonates throughout the story, which is one we can always read again and again. 

Since this is the first in the series, there were many unanswered questions at the conclusion of this book, and I cannot wait to read the next book!  I thought Lynette Eason wrote a great story, one that kept me hooked from the time I started until it was over.  (Well, except that I am still hooked because I want to know what happens next.) 

Bottom Line is I highly recommend this book, it is a quick read, with some inspiration twisted up with some suspense, action and a bit of romance.   I am going to be a new Lynette Eason reader thanks to this book!!

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NOTE : I received a copy of When the Smoke Clears, in exchange for an honest review, Revell Publishers.

Book Review : Beautiful Wife {Bible Study}

I love to get involved in a Women’s Bible Study!  There is something about the fellowship, and sharing that happens in that group that always nudges me to a deeper relationship with God.

I recently was offered a copy of a new Bible Study : The Beautiful Wife to look and at review.  Along with that book, I also was able to get my hands on a copy of the Prayer Journal and Mentor Guide as well.

First, let me assure you this is not outward beauty that this Bible Study is talking about.  Instead, Sandy Ralya is leading the women through this study to see what God’s definition of a beautiful wife is, from the inside out.

This study is designed for small group study, with a mentor leading the discussions.  While it is intended for small group study, it is a book you could work through by yourself or with another friend to dialogue with.  Along with the book itself, there is a Prayer Journal that Sandy recommends you get to work through in conjunction with reading through the book.

Book Review : Embraced by God

What an amazing devotion book, but at the same time so much more!

In Embraced by God, Babbie Mason shares her heart, and she pours out truth that we sometimes forget to grasp.  I loved this book.  It is a 21 day devotion book/Bible study.  I really think it is more Bible Study than just a devotion book.  If you want, you can really dig into the Word as you read through this book. 

Each day Babbie leads the reader through God’s truth.  She included lots of scripture passages, real life stories, and encouragement.  At the end of each day there are questions to help you dig even deeper into what the message was that day.

This book is a big truly a Big Hug from a loving God.  That is how you will feel when you finally put this book down.

My favorite parts of this book were the personal stories that she shared, she opened herself up to show that she is a real person just like you and me.  She shares struggles she has had in the past, and encourages us all through her overcoming those struggles with the help of God.

I highly recommend this book.  There is so much encouragement coming from Babbie’s lips and God’s word that you cannot help but grasp that joy He has for all of us.

To read what others think of this book go HERE.

Living it

I am certainly not living the life I should.  I mean, don’t we all fall so short of what we hope for ourselves and short of what God has for us? 

We talked this week about what it is that pulls us away from what we should do.  Is it that we are too busy?  Too tired?  It is too hard to do _______ (fill in the blank______?

Well, I have not arrived, by any stretch, but as much as I fail, I occasionally do something right.  So often I think I hit the mark most with my children than with myself.

(Now after the past 2 weeks or so, I am not feeling too proud as a mom, but I am not sure that is truth I am leaning on…. another issue for another day..)

Anyway, last fall our church took over the management of a local food pantry.  I have always wanted to be more involved in service projects, but with 4 little kids it is hard to be able to do too much.  With our church so involved though,and knowing nearly all the adults working there I decided to get my older boys involved. 

 

allowing truth to be truth

So, what do you do when things do not go the way you hope?  When you are investing and see nothing coming from all your work?  When no matter what, all you feel like you are doing is correction/discipline, over and over.

I am not sure the right answer, honestly.  But I know that, just as God is still working on me, I must admit and allow for the fact that God is still working on each of their little hearts too.  I was, gently, reminded today that I am planting seeds daily.  I may not see those seeds (all of them) sprout, may not see much fruit, but if I continue to plant them, one day they will sprout and grow and hopefully bear fruit!

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Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the Earth.  He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding no one can fathom.

Isaiah 40:28

(our family memory verse this week)

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Weekly Wrap Up : February 3rd

In my life this week…

I dug into another {amazing} book and am thoroughly hooked!  We trekked to Dallas for some fun, and we are still eating little/no sugar daily.  Woo Hoo!

In our homeschool this week…

Well, another story all together.  School days are not moving as efficiently as I would like.  I have not figured out the root of the issues we are having, or I would hope to not be having them.  Days are still too long, and kids are too distracted!  However, I am hoping this is simply a result of the crazy weather and that we are simply dealing with Early Spring Fever!!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Not sure I am feeling too helpful these days, and surely not worthy of offering advice!

I am inspired by…

Why I do what I do.  If I was not inspired by the the goal at the end of this, I may just have to throw in the towel.  I am inspired by the fruit I have glimpsed, but would sure love to see more fruit daily with more of my “students!!”

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We trekked to Irving to see the KLTY studio this week and had a fabulous time!

 

Then after a yummy lunch at Cici’s pizza (and some great Tom & Jerry on the tv there) we made our way to downtown Dallas.  I was not sure my kids would enjoy the Dallas Museum of Art, but I was so pleased when then loved it!  I heard, more than once, that this was “the best museum ever” – what music to my ears!!

My favorite thing this week was…

The DMA – and the excitement of the kids seeing an Andrew Wyeth, a Mary Cassat (we studied her) and lots more fun things!  I loved seeing how much fun they were having!