Domestic Artist in Training

This girl has been working on....

Making these crocheted dresses....and

This detail...and

Piecing together this quilt top...and

These blocks from leftover yarn...and

This embroidery project.  I think I see an etsy shop somewhere in her future!

Training Children in Godliness ~ A Contagious Affair

First of all, before I get into today's topic, I want to thank all of you that were so gracious to pray for my recovery.  I am still not 100%, but feeling better and I thank you so much for your prayers.  Since we are finishing up the remnants of a virus in our home, I thought it appropriate to talk about contagious diseases.  If you have a large family, you know how easy it is for one person to get a virus of some kind and then within 24 to 72 hours after that first person gets it, someone else starts showing signs.  At this rate, what should have been a 7-10 day virus, with a large family can take up to a month to eradicate it from the home.  Wouldn't it be nice if instead of catching viruses form others, we could easily catch good health?  I don't know about you, but I would be finding the healthiest family I know and having my children shadow them for days to get good health.  That sounds a little ridiculous doesn't it?  Trying to catch good health.  But, what is true in the physical in this case, is also true in the spiritual.

Why is it when we would never dare to have our children around those who have strep throat, whooping cough, or the flu, yet we allow them to be in the company of other children who are far more dangerous to them spiritually?  We justify our actions sometimes by saying how much our children can be an influence for good to others.  There is a great difference in witnesses and immersing yourself in a friendship with an unbeliever.  Even adults do not withstand that type of temptation, so why do we think our children can?  The truth is that it is easier to go with the culture and allow our children to associate with those of questionable character because everyone else is doing it.  We send our children to functions of all kinds...some even in the church, where they are constantly in contact with children who are poor influences. 

And then, after spending time with these influences, we wonder why there is a sudden change in our children's behavior?  When my oldest daughter was about six years old, we were living in a neighborhood where many children would spend time outside playing.  There was a particular little girl who was not watched by her parents and would roam the neighborhood.  She would come down often and want to play with my daughter.  After just two afternoons with this girl, my daughter developed a defiant attitude toward me.  Just two afternoons!  I told her she was no longer allowed to play with this little girl because a true friend is one that causes us to be more like Jesus, not less.  My daughter went back to respecting my authority just by keeping her away from this child.  So, what is a parent to do?  Be as diligent in the associations that your children have as you are in whether they play out in the street where cars are passing.  Be aware parent that your children's associations will do one of two things...make them more like Christ, or less.  There is no middle ground.  The same is true with adults.  If I spend time with women that bash and denegrate their husbands on a daily basis...is that going to help me in my marriage?  Certainly not.  I have seen too many adults that were professing Christians go the way of the world just because they started being close friends with those that were ungodly.  I Corinthians 15:33 says, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."  We still battle an evil flesh...one that does not easily withstand temptation.  Why do we expect our children to withstand more than we are able to do?  Watch your children's friends and put an end to relationships that are ungodly.  To allow them to continue is detrimental to your child's eternal health...and that is far more important than their physical.  Remember one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.  Have you ever seen one good apple make all the bad ones good again?  It doesn't happen in the physical and it doesn't happen in the spiritual.  Guard your children...you won't regret it.

Prayer Request

Just wanted to drop a small note to let you know that I haven't been posting because of sickness.  I caught the virus my children got and it has taken me down a notch or two.  I hope to be back up and running the beginning of next week.  I have missed posting and visiting the blogs of my friends.  I would greatly appreciate your prayers for my recovery.  God bless you!

A Poem

The Chosen Tree

O chosen tree, O precious wood

That bore my Saviour up,

Though He chose long before that time

To drink death's bitter cup.

O heartless bark, how could you know

What those dear drops could mean?

Of blood that flowed so freely

That made this sinner clean.

How could you know such cruelty

That day on Calvary's hill

Would pave the way to glory

For those who seek His will.

It's not your fault, O little tree

This torturous sight took place

For I'm the one who hung Him there

He died to plead my case.

If you had known the magnitude

Of what your life would be

I doubt you would have chosen

To be that special tree.

Oh the boundlessness of God's dear grace

To plant that little seed

That would be marked the "death-tree"

That all mankind would need.

O little tree so long ago

How could you know you'd be

An instument in Holy Hands

To save a worm like me.

Written by me: Inspiration from the One who loved me so

Natural Antibiotics for Sickness

Since we have been a little under the weather, I thought I would share with you some of the natural remedies we use to help in healing.  Organic Olive Leaf works as a natural antibiotic.  You can get this in pill form and it is much more concentrated.  If you are an adult taking it, I would recommend the pill form, but if you have young children get the extract.  An adult dosage is 30 drops, so for my 10, and almost 8 year old, I put 15 drops in half a cup of water for them to drink.  My younger children get 10 drops and my oldest daughter gets the adult dose.  We have seen great results with this pared with extra vitamin C.  We usually get Emergen-C for that.  I split up half a packet in water for my youngest children.  Oil of Oregano is another great natural antibiotic, but it is extremely hot taken directly, so we have found the Olive Leaf works especially well for our children.  If you have children who have been vomiting, rather than getting Pedialyte that has sugar in it (which breaks down the immune system) get coconut water instead.  Make sure it is from the health food store as many places have flavored coconut water that also has sugar in it.  It has more electrolytes than Pedialyte and is a natural way to build back up the immune system.  We have found God's remedies to work beautifully and without all the side effects that synthetic drugs have.  Now, I do know there is a place for antibiotics and other drugs, but when it is possible, I believe it best to avoid them.  May you all stay healthy this season! 

Catching Up!

I know this is supposed to be my health post day...but since we are having some health issues ourselves in the home, I just wasn't able to get to it.  Life does happen and unexpected things come up.  My third child has come down with a cold, but the other two are doing much better.  Just waiting for it to run its course.

It seems pretty official now.  We should be moving sometime the end of July.  Because of that, I have already begun my dejunking and weeding out of drawers and such.  We are planning a yard sale soon and will be selling quite a few items.  We currently rent a home that is about 1900 square feet, but are actually looking at moving into a two-bedroom townhome on the seminary campus and living in a little under 1100 square feet.  Yes, you read that right.

And why on earth would be want to do that for a year and a half you ask?  Very good question.  I have asked that of myself quite a few times too. 

My husband has been selected to get an Ethics degree and then he will move on to teach in a military school once he completes his degree.  We could rent off the seminary campus, but quite honestly, we could save so much more money living on campus.  The older we get, the more we realize that things, houses, lots of space...that is not what makes a home.  The people in it are.  And one day we hope to leave some inheritance to our children and saving and planning now is the only way to do that.  Our children are happy about the idea.  They have always wanted to share a room together at least in one of our homes.  So, right now the plan is to have two bunkbeds and a twin in one room.  I am going to have to get really creative with storage ideas!  I will hopefully post pictures when the time comes.  I will try to get to the health post as soon as I can.  Praying that the Lord blesses you and your family greatly!

Training Children in Godliness ~ Building a Godly Appetite

We got back from the Family Economics Conference Sunday afternoon.  We were able to attend church on the campus of Southeastern Seminary and then Scott Brown's church fed all those in attendance.  It was a wonderful time in the Lord and the conference was especially good.  We were strengthened in our resolve to build a strong Godly family for the Lord and given a vision of what it looks like to have an entrepreneurial mindset for whole families.  We are now praying for God to use the things He has taught us to either redirect us, or to help us to place that vision in our own children. 

The pictures are various shots of the family while we were there.  Once we got home, Monday I was faced with about seven loads of laundry and a little girl who started showing signs of being sick.  Today, my youngest son has come down with the virus and it has hit him especially hard with a high fever and he is, as I type, asleep on the couch.  Since today is Wednesday when I usually post on training children, I wanted to introduce you to a concept that you may have not thought about before.  What kind of appetite are you building in your children? 

By appetite, I do not mean what they are eating.  I mean what desires are you helping to cultivate in your home and interaction with your children that will either bring them closer to the Lord, or further away.  I think many times as parents we do not give this much thought.  I plan to get more specific with this at a later date, but before you plan any activity, watch any movie, buy any video game, read aloud any book, take any vacation...ask yourself, "Will this build my children up in the faith, or could it be a potential to ensnare them when they have families of their own?"

I was always a big proponent of Walt Disney World.  That was my dream vacation.  I had gone there a couple of times as a young girl and had grown up with Disney movies.  After I got married and started having children, some movies that I watched before all of a sudden took on a different meaning.  I began seeing themes in the movies that did not match up to a Biblical worldview.  For instance, Little Mermaid was rebellious against her father.  Beauty, in Beauty and the Beast, was a daughter that tired of her home life and sought great adventure somewhere else.  Pocahontas, besides being historically inaccurate, had mysticism in it...and the list goes on. 

When we started getting the mindset of having multiple children for the glory of God, all of a sudden places like Walt Disney World were unaffordable.  Then we began to wonder, "If we want our children to love children and desire many of them, would taking them to a place that is so costly be the wisest use of our time?"  I don't know about you, but when I went to Walt Disney World, coming back home was always a downer.  The real world can never compete with the fantasy world.  Now, before you think that I am saying going to Walt Disney World is a sin...please understand...that is not what I am saying at all.  We just decided that it did not fit the goals and appetites we wanted to place into the lives of our children.  Instead, we have found that going away to mountain getaways and Godly conferences such as the one we just got back from have built a desire for such things in our children.

Our children would much rather go to a homeschool conference, or a spiritual conference of some other kind than an amusement park.  And rather than feeling let down when they come back to their "normal" life, they have gained a greater sense of the vision that God has for their lives. 

I have seen great strides in spiritual maturity with my almost 15 year old daughter just from attending these spiritual conferences.

Being among Godly, like-minded people brings a refreshment like no other.

Pouring over the Word of life brings true joy and contentment...much more than a roller coaster could ever do.

So, the next time you making a decision about anything...yes, and even where to vacation.

Ask yourself what will bring an eternal difference in the lives of your children, because even God cares where you take your vacations.

Our time to raise our children in Godly character is so very short.

Let's take every opportunity to give them ways to grow for the glory of God.  Those are moments you will never regret.

May the Lord give us wisdom to do all for His glory!

This final picture is our family with some of our very best friends in the world.  They are more like our family than just friends.  They too were at the conference and the Lord greatly blessed our time together.  Until next time my friends...keep pressing toward the mark for Christ's sake!