He is

He IS.

Love. Peace. Joy. Wisdom. Strength. Grace. Mercy. Faithfulness. Goodness. Truth. Justice. Patience. Hope.

He is more than the Source of these things. He IS these things. He is the Source of love...but even greater, He IS love. He is the Source of mercy, but even greater, He IS mercy.

I think it's safe to say that if we have Jesus, we have everything.

Obtaining perfection

This could also be titled "Obtaining Maturity". That is what it means to obtain perfection. God does not expect us to literally be perfect and without flaw or stain! He is the only One who can do that. He made us...He knows we are human! Obtaining perfection simply means no longer being a spiritual baby, growing in God, becoming a strong Christian, learning to carry heavy burdens in the Holy Spirit, learning to pray effectively, and learning to carry the cross. So while it is a lofty goal, it is my goal for 2014. Obtaining perfection. Here's the plan, as outlined by Tozer in "Success & the Christian", my current read.

1. MAKE UP YOUR MIND. DECIDE. "And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21

2. PUT AWAY UNCHRISTLIKE THINGS. "Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 20:7

3. BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH THE WORD OF GOD. "But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." 1 John 2:5

4. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS. "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

5. GET CHRIST IN YOUR FOCUS. "...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

This photo captures Marie #2 drinking from a "big girl cup" for the first time. Wishing you a Happy New Year full of God's abundant blessings as we mature in Him!

love = give

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He GAVE his one and only son..."



love = give

He loved us, so He gave that which was most precious to Him and was a part of Him and was Him. Reflecting on this beautiful truth this Christmas season. Wishing you a Merry Christmas full of His joy!

Royal work

Ladies, what we do is royal work. Whether we are wives, mothers, or both, what we do is a calling...a calling to love, serve, and give. It's easy to grumble about toys strewn about or football field grass tracked into the house or having to clean the countertops a hundred times a day. But when we realize that we serve God when we serve our family, suddenly our mundane tasks become royal work! The excerpt below is from Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening". I especially love the line about a "halo around the most humble occupations".

Ye serve the Lord Christ. Col 3:24

"Among the toiling multitudes, the journeymen, the day labourers, the domestic servants, the drudges of the kitchen, the apostle found, as we find still, some of the Lord's chosen, and to them he says, "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." This saying ennobles the weary routine of earthly employments, and sheds a halo around the most humble occupations. To wash feet may be servile, but to wash His feet is royal work. To unloose the shoe-latchet is poor employ, but to unloose the great Master's shoe is a princely privilege. The shop, the barn, the scullery, and the smithy become temples when men and women do all to the glory of God! Then "divine service" is not a thing of a few hours and a few places, but all life becomes holiness unto the Lord, and every place and thing, as consecrated as the tabernacle and its golden candlestick."

Lord, thank You for the privilege of a family to love and serve. Help me to remember that when I commit whatever I do unto You, I am doing royal work.

And the winner is...

HOLLIE C!!!!

(Ladies, I assure you my assistant was impartial. I could have used a random number generator online, but opted to go old school and draw a name out of a hat...er...bowl.) Thanks to you ladies for participating!

A little giveaway

To celebrate the launch of this site, I'm hosting a teeny little giveaway. These Christmas packaging goodies are up for grabs, and they include some of my faves: labels, writing utensils, embellishments, thank you cards, and a notepad (perfect for all the lists I like to make...ha).



::THE FINE PRINT:: All you have to do to be entered is:

1. Leave a comment on any of the posts below.
2. Enter your email in the SUBSCRIBE box on the right sidebar.
3. Share the link to this site on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.

You must complete all three steps! The deadline to enter is midnight CST on Sunday, December 8th.

Advent Ideas for the Bambinos

I grew up in Germany because my family was stationed there multiple times during my childhood. It is a beautiful country steeped in hospitality and tradition. One of these traditions is the use of advent calendars for kids to count down the days to Christmas. Marie #2 cannot have chocolate due to her reflux, and rather than give her a bunch of trinkets and doodads like I did last year, I opted to do an advent calendar based on activities. Some of the activities are fun, while others are based on charity and giving. They are in no particular order:

1. Set up a kid-friendly nativity
2. Watch "The Polar Express"
3. Read a Christmas story
4. Make a Christmas paper garland
5. Ride around and look at Christmas lights
6. Visit Santa
7. Go to a parade
8. Go to a tree lighting
9. Make ornaments
10. Write a letter to Santa
11. Bake cookies for Santa
12. Donate food to the local food pantry
13. Make a card for a soldier
14. Make gifts for your teachers and sitters
15. Donate 3 toys
16. Read the Christmas story
17. Watch "The Grinch"
18. Open new Christmas pjs
19. Game night
20. Make a card for the mail lady
21. Have a dance party to Christmas music
22. Have a birthday party for Jesus
23. Visit daddy at work with goodies
24. Visit a Christmas tree farm


I made 24 envelopes out of scrapbook paper. Inside of each envelope is an activity for each day. What I really love about this is that it is easy to switch out the activities based on how much time have you have to allot to your advent activity on a particular day.


If you keep the envelopes safe from destructive kiddie hands, you can use them again next year!

UPDATE 12/19/13: I have somehow managed to keep up with our advent activities, although I must admit there have been days where we had to play catch-up and do two. I will say...the advent using activities, although a great way to create sweet memories and spend quality time together daily, is HARD! I may revisit this again when Marie #2 is a little bit older. Next year I think I'm going to revert back to a traditional advent calendar with goodies and treats or we may do Truth in the Tinsel.

Toddler Fall crafting

I am a HUGE fan of kiddie crafts. Though it is certainly easier to let Marie #2 watch tv, I limit what she watches as well as the amount of television she watches. I try to keep her well-rounded and she is certainly curious, so we do a lot of crafts and music and activity books and outings. A lot of my mommy friends have told me they are intimidated by doing crafts with their toddler (and with good reason), but it doesn't take a lot of time or money to do something with them that you can keep for yourself or mail to grandparents and godparents and the like. I especially like crafts that are flat and can be filed or stored in a binder because we move a lot. A LOT. I love the simplicity of these and the fact that no two are alike! Below are a few crafts we did in a pinch with materials I had already.

Thumbprint pumpkins.

Materials: paper, paint, tiny thumbs. As a matter-of-fact, I didn't even have orange paint so Marie #2 and I made some with a bit of red paint and a bit of yellow paint.



Paper forest.

Materials: paper, glue stick or tape. I cut everything out and helped her assemble.



Scrappy corn.

Materials: paper, raffia, glue stick or tape. Coach actually did this craft with Marie #2!



And the quintessential handprint turkeys!

Materials: paper, paint. Marie #2 made these with her cousins while we visited them for Thanksgiving.



And with that, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD.
1 Chronicles 16:34

Notes on Brokenness

I was asked in June to speak at my church's Ladies' Fall Gathering in October. I had 4 months to prepare, but God gave me my topic right away, so I shared about the topic of brokenness. I remember trying to steer my preparation and my thoughts and my notes in another direction, because I thought it was far more "comfortable" to talk about changing seasons or harvest or a number of other Fall-related spiritual topics. But I lost those arguments with myself because I KNEW God wanted me to share on the topic of brokenness...something I seemed to have become experienced in. I think as Christians sometimes we are afraid to admit when we are broken because it makes us look like we must be doing something wrong if we are going through hurt or despair. But that could not be farther from the truth. Several of the ladies who attended asked if I would share these notes with them, so here they are. WARNING: THIS IS THE LONGEST POST IN THE HISTORY OF CYBERSPACE. ::chuckle::



BLESSED IN THE BROKENNESS
Defined: brokenness is the state of being forcibly separated into two or more pieces; having been violated; incomplete; subdued totally; crushed by grief; not functioning

Introduction: As you can gather from the definition, we are not talking about some hurt feelings or a hissy fit here. We are talking about a major life change...perhaps even a change in our physical, mental, and emotional state. When we are broken we have a unique learning opportunity to become like Jesus. Who was more broken than Jesus? He was literally broken...physically. God's purpose for our trials is often to bring us humbly before Him to experience a breaking in our inner, self-sufficient, independent selves to grow us into compassionate, patient, spiritually strong, God-glorifying women of God. If we will follow His example, we will be blessed in our brokenness.

1. REPENT of your sin. It is important to have a right heart before the Lord even though you are hurting and it may seem you are justified in your anger or desire for revenge or retaliation.

2. REMEMBER who your true enemy is. Ephesians 6:12 says "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (KJV). "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (NLT). In other words, the person who "broke" you is not your true enemy...the devil is. Something miraculous happens when we pray for a person we have a hard heart towards; over time the hardness melts. We become able to get beyond the hurts and forgive and we even end up loving the person we are praying for. It happens because when we pray we enter into the Presence of God...and God is love. He fills us with His spirit of love. He teaches us to look at that person the way He does. Romans 4:17 " Speak those things that be not as though they were."

3. RELINQUISH the struggle. Relinquish control. What happened happened. You cannot change it, undo it, or wish it away. God can resurrect the deadest of relationships and the most broken of people, but it takes humbling ourselves before Him and desiring to live His way--in forgiveness, kindness, and love. It takes the most willing of hearts to do this, a heart that is willing to gut it out in prayer, grow through tough times, and wait for love to be resurrected. Submission is something you give from your heart. It cannot be demanded of you. Matthew 10:39 says that "He who loses his life for My sake will find it". Dying to yourself is painful...and hard...especially when you are convinced the other person needs more changing than you. It doesn't seem fair. GOD NEVER SAID LIFE WAS FAIR. BUT HE IS FAIR. The pain of dying to yourself leads to life. Think about it this way...the other alternative is just as painful except it leads to the end of dreams, relationships, marriages, and families. We have to learn to see things the way God sees them. Don't ask Him to take sides; ask Him to take control.

4. Let God REPAIR. You wouldn't see an auto mechanic to fix your broken bone, neither would you take your vehicle to your manicurist for an oil change. Unless you are an expert on yourself, the other person, relationships, and humanity in general, the ONLY way to repair what's broken is to ask God to and LET Him repair it. 1 Corinthians 6:14 says that "God raised up the Lord Jesus and will also raise us up by His power". It is the ONLY power that can. But it cannot happen without that willing heart. We have to endure the pain to get the joy.

5. Control your REACTION. Hurt and anger are natural human emotions and are neither right nor wrong in and of themselves. But they can be used for good or evil much the same way a knife can be used as a surgeon's scalpel to save a life, or a murderer's weapon to take one. Being selfish or manipulative with your feelings can cause great harm. Anger and hurt becomes destructive whenever it controls us rather than us controlling it. Not only destructive...it is sinful! Psalms 4:4 says "Don't SIN by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent." I will never forget my mother's words when I called her on the verge of an emotional breakdown: "YOU CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS. YOUR EMOTIONS DO NOT CONTROL YOU." (That Marie #1 is so wise.) Our suffering will seem like nothing compared to the Glory of God worked in us if we have the right reactions in the midst of our struggles.

6. RESOLVE to be meek. This does not mean to be a pushover or a doormat. Jesus was the most meek and gentle person to ever live and he was not a pushover nor did he let people walk all over Him. People were afraid of Him because He was EFFECTIVE. Words like kindness, gentleness, and humility have been used to define meekness, but each of those is only a portion of what true meekness is. Meekness means a calm temper, a person that is not easily provoked. Meekness is a self-control issue. Christlike meekness includes bold, aggressive obedience! It take courageous dedication to be part of advancing His Kingdom. Be bold, be forceful, always proclaim the whole truth regardless of who likes it or not, but don't be deliberately offensive...and don't allow yourself to be provoked.

7. Seek RECONCILIATION. Avoid RETALIATION. In Biblical times the law stated that the punishment must match the offense. The law allowed for retaliation but Jesus called for reconciliation. To be struck on the cheek was symbolic of being personally insulted rather than physically attacked. So, contrary to popular belief, turning the other cheek does not mean to allow someone to strike you twice. To turn the other cheek means to IGNORE the insult. Jesus wants us to resist the devil but also to conquer our desire for revenge and retaliation. We are to work for justice but not take personal revenge. JESUS STOOD SILENT BEFORE HIS ACCUSERS, ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED, BUT WON THE ULTIMATE BATTLE OVER THE ENEMY. You may be hurt but you are ONE. Hebrews 12:14-15 says that bitterness defiles (or corrupts) many. The brokenness, hurt, and anger can stop with you.

8. Be RIGHTEOUS. Long to DO right more than BE right and give life more than get even. Righteousness has a price to pay but it also has a reward. Matthew 5:11 says that God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right and that the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. On the other hand, Proverbs 11:2 says that the wicked will not go unpunished. Need more convincing? Proverbs chapters 11 and 12 has a nice, long, detailed list of blessings for the righteous and curses for the wicked. Examples: not going hungry vs. starving, crown of blessings vs. violence, the memory of you being a blessing vs. leaving the legacy of a bad memory, life vs. punishment, being granted your desires vs. being overtaken by the things you dread, joy vs. nothing, refuge vs. ruin.

9. REMAIN in the Word. Seek REVELATION. Pray and study the Word. It unlocks the answer to your brokenness. Sometimes it unlocks the question! Jeremiah 33:3 says "Call on me and I will answer you and I will show you great and UNSEARCHABLE things". Another version calls them "fenced in" things. In other words, God will show you things that cannot be searched for...they are "fenced in" or inaccessible!

10. REPEAT forgiveness. Forgiveness takes time. This doesn't mean you hold a grudge while you forgive...Colossians 3:12-14 says that holding grudges makes us hypocrites. It means that you forgive over and over until it becomes real. You have to make an active and conscious effort! Forgiveness doesn't require forgetting. While it's true that God said "I am He who remembers your sin no more", God is God. He is perfect! We are human. And He knows that. As humans it is futile to try to forget. The more we try to forget, the more we remember. But we can detox our memory and take away the power of that event or person to continue hurting us. Surrender your right to get even! When we forgive we are putting the outcome in God's hands. God expects us to forgive. He is very clear about this. Nothing enables us to forgive like knowing we've been forgiven.

11. RETELL your story. Your tale of survival, your testimony of God's supernatural ability to mend. You will now be able to empathize with someone who encounters a similar situation. Sympathy and empathy are two completely different things. Sympathy is like a hug or a pat on the back. It's nice and encouraging but it lacks true understanding. Revelation 12:11 says "They overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony." You know how powerful the blood of the lamb is? The Bible mentions our testimony in the same sentence!

END



I hope these notes have been a blessing to you!

Reflux baby mommas...read on

Marie #2 has GER (gastroesophageal reflux). At a few months old, I discovered that something was wrong with her when I nursed her, but I suspected a host of other issues before she was diagnosed. It's been two long years of doctor visits, procedures, and a lot of research, but God is good and our baby girl has superior physicians who continue to provide excellent care and support. One of the main contributors to keeping her reflux controlled (in addition to medication) is her diet. I try to purchase organic foods whenever possible, but when I can't, I opt for all-natural and try to stay away from processed foods. I've compiled a list of yes and no foods to help out any mommas facing the same issues with their baby.

No:
Eating late (This is key!)
Fried foods
Red meat
Cheese
Onions
Tomatoes (This includes sauce-based foods such as pizza and pastas, as well as ketchup.)
Garlic
Peppers
Citrus fruits or juices
Chocolate
Caffeine
Carbonated beverages

Yes:
Grilled/baked/sautéed fish
Grilled/baked/sautéed chicken
Bread, rice, and grains
Oatmeal
Melons
Bananas
Broccoli
Asparagus
Green beans
Low fat coconut, almond, soy, or cow's milk


DISCLAIMER: I am not advocating any or all of these products; I am simply sharing the information I have gleaned in the hopes of helping out another parent going through the same with their baby.