#2 - Amy
#6 - Meredith
Congratulations! I used random.org and it said it would be the same as drawing the numbers out of a hat, so I went with it!
Thanks for all who participated. If you still want to buy the book, you can go here and purchase it for $9 or $8 if you buy 5 or more. It was a great bible study tool for those of you wanting to use it with a ladies group.
I said last week that I would post more about the book, but the week got away from me. Lord willing, I have a post coming later today!
Oh, and ladies since you both live near me, I will just save the shipping cost and give it to you sometime soon!
I long to honor my God by making my home a place of joy and rest for my family.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Book Giveaway!!
Would you like a copy of the book Shopping For Time: How To Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed? If you do, then you have a chance to win it here! There were two extra books ordered for the bible study and no one used them, so I decided that I would give both away to my blog readers. Since there are probably only two of you who read this (and my father-in-law, but he won't be entering the contest!), you should have a great chance of winning it, if you want it!
Just leave a comment and let me know why you want the book. I'm going to use random.org (as long as I can figure out how, if not, I'll do the names in the hat method) to pick two winners next Monday, November 16th. Looking forward to reading your comments!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Needy
Last month, I taught a 4-week bible study on the book Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed. The book's authors are the girltalk bloggers and I enjoyed it so much! They offer five tips to help you use your time wisely:
1. Rise Early
2. Sit Still
3. Sit & Plan
4. Consider People
5. Plan to Depend
All of the chapters were helpful, but the second and fifth chapters were especially meaningful to me. Today, I'll focus on the second chapter and another post will cover the last chapter.
If you know me well, then you know that I don't like to sit still. I am always moving and doing. The moment my feet hit the floor, I'm ready to go. It amazes Josh that I can be up for 5 minutes and already washing the dishes or clothes, or vacuuming the floors. The first thing I normally think when I wake up is, "Oh, I need to do _____ today," and most of the time I want to do it right then, especially if it is a chore that I dislike.
However, from the time I was a teenager I learned the discipline of sitting still with the Lord in the mornings. I'm the type of person that cannot have private worship in the evenings because I'm too tired or I make too many excuses. It was much easier to get up earlier as a teenager (I had to go to school) or as an adult without children (I had to go to work), it is MUCH harder to get out of bed now that I have children. Why? Because sleep can so easily become an idol in my life. If it were up to me, I would go to bed by 9pm every night. Sometimes when we tuck Thomas into bed, I just want to snuggle up next to him and it is only 8pm! Yes, my children do sleep all night now, but it is still a struggle to get up most mornings.
What I am learning is that I desperately need to sit still with the Lord now more than ever. Why? Because I can't meet the needs of my family in my strength - I am weak and frail and utterly sinful - I need Jesus! And until I read this book, I never realized how prideful it is not to spend time with the Lord. This is how the authors explained it:
Conversely, choosing not to sit at Jesus' feet makes a statement. It says to the Lord, "I can do it without you. I don't need to read your Word or pray or listen to your voice. I am competent all by myself, thank you very much." These are frighteningly arrogant words we're saying, if not with our mouth then with our heart.
I am ashamed to say that my heart has often uttered those words. Oh, LORD forgive my prideful and conceited heart and give me grace to call out to my Savior!
What am I doing in light of reading this chapter? I am committing to rise early (their first tip) at 6am and to sit still at Jesus' feet because I am truly lost without him. Am I prone to fall away? Yes, as the hymn says, "Prone to wander Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love." Am I prone to legalism? Yes. Sometimes it is easy to think that I can "earn favor" from God or that he loves me more, but he doesn't.
Are you needy? Then join me in sitting still and communing with our Father in heaven. I promise your days will be more peaceful and you will actually look forward to rising early.
1. Rise Early
2. Sit Still
3. Sit & Plan
4. Consider People
5. Plan to Depend
All of the chapters were helpful, but the second and fifth chapters were especially meaningful to me. Today, I'll focus on the second chapter and another post will cover the last chapter.
If you know me well, then you know that I don't like to sit still. I am always moving and doing. The moment my feet hit the floor, I'm ready to go. It amazes Josh that I can be up for 5 minutes and already washing the dishes or clothes, or vacuuming the floors. The first thing I normally think when I wake up is, "Oh, I need to do _____ today," and most of the time I want to do it right then, especially if it is a chore that I dislike.
However, from the time I was a teenager I learned the discipline of sitting still with the Lord in the mornings. I'm the type of person that cannot have private worship in the evenings because I'm too tired or I make too many excuses. It was much easier to get up earlier as a teenager (I had to go to school) or as an adult without children (I had to go to work), it is MUCH harder to get out of bed now that I have children. Why? Because sleep can so easily become an idol in my life. If it were up to me, I would go to bed by 9pm every night. Sometimes when we tuck Thomas into bed, I just want to snuggle up next to him and it is only 8pm! Yes, my children do sleep all night now, but it is still a struggle to get up most mornings.
What I am learning is that I desperately need to sit still with the Lord now more than ever. Why? Because I can't meet the needs of my family in my strength - I am weak and frail and utterly sinful - I need Jesus! And until I read this book, I never realized how prideful it is not to spend time with the Lord. This is how the authors explained it:
Conversely, choosing not to sit at Jesus' feet makes a statement. It says to the Lord, "I can do it without you. I don't need to read your Word or pray or listen to your voice. I am competent all by myself, thank you very much." These are frighteningly arrogant words we're saying, if not with our mouth then with our heart.
I am ashamed to say that my heart has often uttered those words. Oh, LORD forgive my prideful and conceited heart and give me grace to call out to my Savior!
What am I doing in light of reading this chapter? I am committing to rise early (their first tip) at 6am and to sit still at Jesus' feet because I am truly lost without him. Am I prone to fall away? Yes, as the hymn says, "Prone to wander Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love." Am I prone to legalism? Yes. Sometimes it is easy to think that I can "earn favor" from God or that he loves me more, but he doesn't.
Are you needy? Then join me in sitting still and communing with our Father in heaven. I promise your days will be more peaceful and you will actually look forward to rising early.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Fall Fun
I have a confession to make: We are okay with Halloween. Not a scary, blood and guts Halloween, but one where children dress up as their favorite Disney character or who they want to be when they grow up. It is fun for children to pretend and to get free candy! Josh & I both grew up trick-or-treating and never thought of it as an evil holiday. I know that many believers disagree with celebrating Halloween, but we both have thought through it and think that it is harmless in the way we observe it. Are there people who take it to an extreme? Sure. But every holiday can be taken to an extreme. We just view it as a time to have fun with our kids and eat candy!
With that said, Thomas was a train engineer for Halloween and he was so cute! Josiah was himself. He is only four months old and I don't dress my babies up until they are old enough to walk. I don't think he felt deprived because Thomas got to dress up and he didn't! We went to our church's fall festival and then to my in-law's fall festival. Thomas was able to play some games and win a small tractor, which he has not put down since Saturday night!
Below are some pictures of Thomas. After looking through the pictures, I realized we didn't take any pictures of Josiah. Oh, now I remember why: he was sleeping the whole time! I also included some pictures of a little art project I did with Thomas on Friday.
Any of my other readers participate on Saturday? Or do you not agree with Halloween and didn't observe the day?
Cake I made for the cake-walk.
With that said, Thomas was a train engineer for Halloween and he was so cute! Josiah was himself. He is only four months old and I don't dress my babies up until they are old enough to walk. I don't think he felt deprived because Thomas got to dress up and he didn't! We went to our church's fall festival and then to my in-law's fall festival. Thomas was able to play some games and win a small tractor, which he has not put down since Saturday night!
Below are some pictures of Thomas. After looking through the pictures, I realized we didn't take any pictures of Josiah. Oh, now I remember why: he was sleeping the whole time! I also included some pictures of a little art project I did with Thomas on Friday.
Any of my other readers participate on Saturday? Or do you not agree with Halloween and didn't observe the day?
Cake I made for the cake-walk.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Slow Fade
I have been absent for a little while, even though I have things I want to write about. The things I'm thinking of take some time to put into words, and time to think isn't there too often! So until I can put some thoughts into words, I wanted to share a song that Josh and I really like.
We don't listen to Christian music much because the messages usually are watered down. However, Josh heard this song first and told me how much he liked it. When I heard it, I thought, "Wow, this song really does have a great message."
Here is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-8SYA6rfbs
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
Chorus
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
(Chorus)
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
(Chorus)
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
We don't listen to Christian music much because the messages usually are watered down. However, Josh heard this song first and told me how much he liked it. When I heard it, I thought, "Wow, this song really does have a great message."
Here is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-8SYA6rfbs
I can't embed it into the blog for some reason. Oh well - I hope you still watch it!
Here are the lyrics:
Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
Chorus
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
(Chorus)
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
(Chorus)
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Josiah & Bumbo
Yesterday, we pulled out the bumbo seat for Josiah since he is now 4 months old and we thought he just might like it. We didn't have a bumbo for Thomas, but I wanted one for Josiah and picked one up for $10 at a consignment sale earlier this year! Here are some sweet pictures of our baby boy on his 4 month birthday!
He actually isn't crying here, but squealing - his new favorite thing to do!
I love this little face - he looks so serious! 
Everyone thinks he is so much bigger than Thomas was at 4 months, but he is smaller! I looked at Thomas' 4 month numbers and he was 16lbs and 26 3/4". Josiah' s 4 month numbers are 14lbs 15oz and 25 1/4". Josiah is a pound lighter and an inch and a half shorter. I guess it is those cheeks that has everyone fooled!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Vacation Pictures
This first picture is a classic family picture. We were at a harbor and there were tons of gnats. Don't you just love my expression and Thomas covering his face?
Picture with the grandparents - everyone is looking at something different!
Look at my sweet boy - don't you just love those cheeks?!
A good picture of us!
Thomas resting by the pool.
Playing in the sand! I know he looks like a little "gangster" with this hat, but he loves it and it is too big for him. If he wears it sideways, he can see!
View from our balcony - I didn't want to come home!
Josh & Thomas at the ocean. Thomas liked to be held when near the ocean. He said, "Hold Daddy, hold!"
Look at my sweet little Josiah with his stylin' hat! He really didn't care about the beach. He just cares about eating and sleeping!
Josh in the top of the castle at the inflatable playground. This castle was great - 2 slides and there were costume for the kids to play dress up. Thomas just wanted to slide!
Playing with the balls. 
Josiah even got in on the action in the exersaucer. This is just like our one at home. He didn't stay in it too long. At three months he isn't quite strong enough to support his weight on his legs, but he sure does look cute!
Trying to show Thomas how to play with the dinosaurs, but he wasn't interested. I think he was a little scared. 
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