Bread, Blessings & Breaks

Well, it's been a while since I last posted...in the midst of life, blogging takes a back seat.  Partly because living leaves little time in this season to write and partly because I wonder if anyone is interested or even would be encouraged at the "living" taking place.  Sometimes, I wonder if my practical, simple tips are worth writing about...so I don't, I just live it.  Does anyone really want to read about in home hospitality or juggling school, helping with husband's business {administratively}, meal planning {or sometimes lack of}, grocery shopping with children, or settling sibling squabbles, or computer setbacks {like erasing everything from my desktop when uploading a new program...yikes}...I mean, really?

When lives gets hard, I really have to look for the blessings in it.  Today, was a challenging day {really having a full house gives opportunity to having many challenging days...} and I had to step outside of the day to look for the blessings.

A rare sight to see Carolyne on the floor...she'll never learn to crawl if she isn't out of every one's arms... ;-)

Playing on Dad & Mom's bed...almost a morning routine with laughter a result
"A cheerful heart is good medicine..."

The blessing of having all the sweet children the Lord has given and being thankful that our home is

• sometimes noisy {it's better than silence...it means living is going on}...
• sometimes messy {truly, I believe as much as having a house of little ones...and big ones...to remind and pick up after, that one day in the not so near future ;-) they'll be gone and I'll miss it (or so I'm told)...
• sometimes sad {thinking about missed opportunities and how short life truly is...when time of being still gives way to reflection which must be kept as a reminder to live as unto the Lord EVERYDAY...EVERY moment

Ending 2011 with thanksgiving for God's gift of "another day"...what man said would be less than a week, God has given over 2 years...thank you Lord.

The blessing of children who can do things to help out on those days and enjoy to

• children who surprised me with little blessings they purchased (using their own money...how sweet) from the Cracker Barrel store...a sweet smelling votive and a chocolate bar {may the Lord keep their hearts soft and kind over the years to come...}
• making dinner  last night {Austin grilled chicken, made mashed potatoes, mixed veggies and quick croissants...}
• baking cookies...everyday if allowed {Logan is quite comfortable making all kinds of cookies...his sweet tooth will never lack ;-) }
• playing with little ones {Alyssa is growing up...this past weekend she was a blessing to me in helping with Liz and Carolyne...Mark went out of town taking Graham & K to Logan's football tournament...the first time our family has been separated for a whole weekend like this.}
• a husband who even after a long day at work answers a call to help with Mom {a few bad days for her,too...but how gracious He is...} and then again this morning
• "Just because you are loved" labels everywhere this morning as "someone" kindly went around doing other's chores and getting our day off to a good start {Thanks Zach :-) }

The making of peanut butter blossoms a few weeks ago...a few days ago was cinnamon oatmeal...and several kinds in between...sweet delight!

A "Just because you are loved" note on a straightened book cabinet...

The blessing of bread again after far too long of being inconsistent with baking...

• putting to use a bread machine the family gave me for Christmas to make baking regularly easier

2 hours 33 minutes until today's loaf is done...

And the finished loaf...yum.  A 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat Italian seasoned loaf...

The blessing of breaks together making memories and knitting hearts

• having a precious friend spend a few days with us

• a field trip to Legoland {because of an unbelievably HUGE discount making it possible for our family to join other homeschoolers}

As close to New York City as we may get for a while...



Liberty...how many have passed by this symbol of freedom and are part of this great country's foundation of new beginnings, leaving homelands with nothing and working hard in the US in pursuit of happiness?

• seeing the beauty of God's creation

This Monarch emerging...wings drying before it begins its journey...

• visiting with family from out-of-town recently

Great Uncle Tom & Great Aunt Kathe...such a blessing to visit with ~ looking forward to getting together again in the future as the Lord permits

• football tournaments {although, we probably won't be doing this again unless we all can go...}

Log's team against a team from Washington D.C....it was a tight win, 13 vs. 12!

• a lovely evening of music during the Youth Music Festival in which Austin played in



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The conductor, Mrs. Umbarger, did a great job preparing the Harmony Orchestra for this performance and the students were a blessing to hear ~ how the sweet sounds soothe the soul



• playing a game with the older boys...just putting all things aside to spend time together

Monopoly can get intense sometimes as bargins are being made...kinda like being on Wall Street...but the fun really is in the time spent together ~ it's been too long since the boys and I played a game.

• a trip to a National Park during their free admission offer and spending time with friends during lunch while there

The children and I reading about some of the famous explorers in Florida history...

Pippy?  No, just our full of life girl...she's such a bundle of energy and her God given personality surely comes through in all she does!

A little soccer...a little touch football...a lot of fun {and the less energetic ones enjoyed our picnic on the grounds basking in the warmth on this January day ~ another blessing...Florida weather.

Our sweet little Liz

I encourage you to look for the blessings this year and take opportunity to live each day as unto Him...

Blessings in Him ~

Making My Home a Haven...Music

This week's challenge from Courtney at Women Living Well is to play soft music everyday.  Our focus challenge is to be peaceful through our words and as mothers to work on gentleness.

Today began harried, with much needing to be done.  What was missing?  I always start my day in prayer, committing the day to the Lord and asking for grace to handle it as He may direct.  I try to meditate on a Scripture verse before starting my day as well.  The missing element this morning, music.  I try to play hymns for instrumentals as a backdrop each day in our kitchen so the tune is subtly carried through our living areas.  It seems to set the pace for things and a volume of low.

Well, afternoon is here...actually it's near evening and one of my favorite CD's is playing.  His Faithfulness ~ The Poetry of Amy Carmichael set to music by Jim Spencer.  Her lovely poems are peacefully sung by Sarah MacIntosh, Ingrid Dumosch and Shannon Wexelberg.  I highly recommend this treasure of poetry to feed your spirit. 

This week I will attempt to be diligent to watch my words and tone, extending gentleness for harshness (Proverbs 15:1).  I will try to be slow to speak and to never speak when angry {a lovely reminder while attending our weekly young ladies (and Mom's) group last week}.  I will try to extend antidotes of love sweetly whispered in my children's ear each day to remind them of my love for them in the midst of this confused world.  What will you do to practice peace through your words this week?

My day is usually ended as it began, in communion with my Lord.  All is still, the next day prepared for and everyone has been tucked in...the house takes a breath then and I breathe in His words.  I confess my stumbling and renew my mind with His forgiveness, His truth, His mercy with each morsel of those God-breathed words from His book.  What a gift we all have to be able to open It, read It and proclaim the truths that are found in It!

May peace be present in your homes this week as you create a haven for your families ~ 

If you would like to join the wonderful challenge Courtney is doing this month, click here to read more.

Making Your Home a Haven

Greetings! I pray that with this season change upon us (our Northern friends are surely in full thrust of rich colors now); it has brought about a refreshing breeze to your homes and lives. Like a breath of fresh air the Father above gives us through His word as we breathe it in daily, I hope this season will bring a renewed desire to be intentional in our living. If this is your first time visiting, be sure to leave a comment and say “hello” (or if you have visited before…leave a note to say you stopped by). My hope is that while here you will be encouraged in your calling as a wife, mother, daughter, sister…

 

Well, as a further encouragement during this lovely season, Courtney at Women Living Well is hosting an October challenge ~ Making Your Home a Haven. This challenge is broken down into weekly challenges for the month of October for intentional living as we focus on making our homes a haven.  (Monica from the homespun heart is also doing a similar challenge this week.)



As wives and mothers our days are full of Distractions, Demands and Duties…sometimes we can allow these to hinder our Delight. I intend for this challenge to help me intentionally refocus my attention onto the Lord and to pray more, live more intentionally and focus more on how my behavior and attitude can set the tone of my home.



Courtney’s first challenge for this week is to:

• Light a candle everyday in your home (well, that’s pretty simple) AND
• Every time your eye catches sight of your lit candle, to say a prayer for peace to be in your home. (This is what I would call the intentional part.)
  

  

  One in the hub of our home...the kitchen

Another near a beautiful reminder of God's grace...my quiet time candle

I did light a few candles yesterday (as well as today) and my prayer is for peace to be the tone of our home ~ peace between each other, peace with the Lord’s direction for our day and peace to take over when things may not go smoothly (with a home full of children there is always sharing and kindness with everyone putting others needs before their own usually a squabble to be had at some point … several points… during the day). As the aroma from the candles fill my home, I pray that peace will also be the unseen aroma that resides throughout it…by God’s grace and my intentional actions to aide in bringing that about.

Yesterday, we spent some time bringing out our autumn decorations and creating focal points of the rich colors this season provides. Our Creator is so giving to design us to have senses…senses to smell the fragrances of His creation, senses to tastes the fruits of each season, senses to see the beauty of His design (if we will just slow down long enough to look at it), senses to hear the sounds associated with a change in season and senses to touch that can warm our hearts.

How are you intentional in living, in such a way, to create a peaceful home? What have you found to be a way (or ways) to encourage peace and joy to be present? Your comments may be just the means used by the Lord to encourage someone today that is struggling in this area…

That peace would be evident ~

If you would like to participate in Courtney’s challenge you can click here to see the challenges for this month.

I am also linking up with Monica over at the homespun heart, doing a similar challenge titled Make Your Home a Haven each day during this week.  She has a lovely blog reflecting the beauty of her creativity and making her home a haven.