First things first, we'll be reading Exodus chapters 16-20 for the next week. I love Exodus. :)
And as for my review, I just can't do it. I want to and I am loving Exodus as are the kids, but I just don't have the time to write and re-write a review to try to get it to say what I want it to say. I was just a little stressed yesterday and today over the fact that life was busy and I was tired with so much to do, my review being one of them. I've had to start crossing things off my list of things I thought had to get done. I just realized that for the month of December it would be advantageous to slack off on my blog and reviews a bit so I can be less stressed over the holidays with my family. Yes, even something as simple as a Book Review can be enough to stress me out.
So, I'm still going to post what book and chapters we're reading each Friday if you are still doing it with us, I just won't be adding a full review. I'll just be keeping the regular notes with paper and pen. I'll even still add Mr.Linky in case any of you have a review to post because I could almost always make time to read them!! :)
I know you all are very busy as well. The month of December brings on extra pressures and lots of good times. Enjoy them, and I don't think it is too early to start wishing you a Merry Christmas!!! :)
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
New Links
While hubby is chatting away on the phone after a hard days work I am updating my links. I've wanted to for a long time. So take a look and there might be something of interest to you. I've placed them under "Check these out".
I've been checking out ideas for Christmas trimmings since we are without those. On the Christmas craft site there are some very inexpensive ways to deck our halls this year, I just have to get up the gumption to get crafty. That really doesn't happen very often! And there are some great looking treats I'll want to try as well.
Now it's beddy-bye time and I've got a pillow calling my name. :)
I've been checking out ideas for Christmas trimmings since we are without those. On the Christmas craft site there are some very inexpensive ways to deck our halls this year, I just have to get up the gumption to get crafty. That really doesn't happen very often! And there are some great looking treats I'll want to try as well.
Now it's beddy-bye time and I've got a pillow calling my name. :)
Being frugal.
I'm cheap, I admit it. Living on one income and having 4 growing children make it hard to keep the bills down. They need to eat, wear clothes, and be warm in the house. There are some things you just can't avoid that cost money, but it's all in how we go about meeting those needs that make it possible to still live cheaply. I'm one of those people who kind of rolled their eyes when someone said they just didn't have enough money for the bare necessities. After all, those same people ate out more than we do (that would be 2 or 3 times a year for us and a couple times a month for them), they bought chips and pop and other treats, they had a second vehicle, a cell phone, satellite TV, paid for child care, had call display and everything else going on the phone, had new clothes more than we do (that would be a couple shirts a year for me & the kids and a couple shirts, pants, coat etc, a month for them). Oh yeah, I knew what their problem was!!!
Now all my wisdom has come back on me. We are needing to be much more careful as the kids get older and grocery bills go up, they grow out of their clothes, and need glasses replaced and stuff, and school books don't grow on trees for the home schooled family ya know! Also the money from the government starts dropping just when the kids are up-ing their costs. I could sit around and bemoan the fact that we aren't living high off the hog, or I could get serious about it and start doing all those things I would have loved to suggest to all those poor poor people who owned cell phones and a couple cars and new clothes......
So here is what we've done. Slowly we've been working away at cutting costs and I'm giving the list of things to you. I would LOVE to hear any suggestions of yours to add to these. If it wasn't for doing all these things we just couldn't afford to live as we do.
* We do not use the Visa anymore.
* Using wood for heat. It really is the cheapest. Hubby even ordered the logs (they are much cheaper than having it split for you) and cut them up and chopped them by hand to save some money.
* I cook mostly from scratch. The more processed it is, the less likely it is that I will buy it. Hubby has been known to come home with 16 litres of ice cream from time to time though. I'm serious. :) I also go over all my flyers and shop around to get things a few cents cheaper.
* Our garden has produced lots of good stuff for us that is now in our freezer and will help with the grocery bill all winter.
* We cut down our gas bill by not going out very much. This bill is still crazy high but I don't see how we could cut it down much more.
* I cut all of our hair. My kids don't know what it is like to go to a hair salon. That's a lot of money saved if you can live with how you make yourself look. By me not going to my regular salon for a trim once a month I am saving $396 a year! (But there's still a chance I might get desperate soon). :)
* We don't eat out. We get a pizza maybe twice a year and go for Chinese food once or twice a year for a very special treat. My how the kids think it's cool to go out like that!
* Vacations are non-existent for awhile. At least until we are in a better position financially. All of our vacation-y kind of fun will have to happen close to home and we'll just hope people are able to come see us.
* I don't go shopping. I don't even bother looking at things unless they are in a grocery store or I know exactly what I am looking for elsewhere. If I go I'll just be too tempted to bring home everything I love, and I usually love everything!
* Hubby cancelled his cell phone.
* Hubby cancelled all of our extra features on our home phone. I thought I would die without call display but I'm fine. I don't answer the phone during school hours and let the answering machine do it's job.
By just cancelling those last two things we are saving over $500 a year!!!!!!
* We use those energy saving light bulbs.
* We use a cash system. I have envelopes for groceries, gas, diabetic supplies etc.. and it's easier to keep track of how much you have. You always know whether you have the money for something or not because you can see just how many 20's are at your disposal.
* This one made me sad. I cancelled my Typepad blog and saved myself a few dollars by going with Blogger which is free.
* I love this one. We buy all the kids clothing from Frenchy's. We really cannot afford to buy their clothes anywhere else. I can't remember the last time I bought something brand new. (actually I did buy Katie a pair of shoes a couple months ago at Zellers, whoops!) And (gasp!) I even buy presents at Frenchy's on occasion. I found a great Father's Day gift for last year and both of my niece's b-day presents. I got all three of them for less than $5!!
Well, that's all I can think of for now. Now it's your turn to roll your eyes at me because you know exactly what my problem is, and give me your ideas, I will be very grateful!
Now all my wisdom has come back on me. We are needing to be much more careful as the kids get older and grocery bills go up, they grow out of their clothes, and need glasses replaced and stuff, and school books don't grow on trees for the home schooled family ya know! Also the money from the government starts dropping just when the kids are up-ing their costs. I could sit around and bemoan the fact that we aren't living high off the hog, or I could get serious about it and start doing all those things I would have loved to suggest to all those poor poor people who owned cell phones and a couple cars and new clothes......
So here is what we've done. Slowly we've been working away at cutting costs and I'm giving the list of things to you. I would LOVE to hear any suggestions of yours to add to these. If it wasn't for doing all these things we just couldn't afford to live as we do.
* We do not use the Visa anymore.
* Using wood for heat. It really is the cheapest. Hubby even ordered the logs (they are much cheaper than having it split for you) and cut them up and chopped them by hand to save some money.
* I cook mostly from scratch. The more processed it is, the less likely it is that I will buy it. Hubby has been known to come home with 16 litres of ice cream from time to time though. I'm serious. :) I also go over all my flyers and shop around to get things a few cents cheaper.
* Our garden has produced lots of good stuff for us that is now in our freezer and will help with the grocery bill all winter.
* We cut down our gas bill by not going out very much. This bill is still crazy high but I don't see how we could cut it down much more.
* I cut all of our hair. My kids don't know what it is like to go to a hair salon. That's a lot of money saved if you can live with how you make yourself look. By me not going to my regular salon for a trim once a month I am saving $396 a year! (But there's still a chance I might get desperate soon). :)
* We don't eat out. We get a pizza maybe twice a year and go for Chinese food once or twice a year for a very special treat. My how the kids think it's cool to go out like that!
* Vacations are non-existent for awhile. At least until we are in a better position financially. All of our vacation-y kind of fun will have to happen close to home and we'll just hope people are able to come see us.
* I don't go shopping. I don't even bother looking at things unless they are in a grocery store or I know exactly what I am looking for elsewhere. If I go I'll just be too tempted to bring home everything I love, and I usually love everything!
* Hubby cancelled his cell phone.
* Hubby cancelled all of our extra features on our home phone. I thought I would die without call display but I'm fine. I don't answer the phone during school hours and let the answering machine do it's job.
By just cancelling those last two things we are saving over $500 a year!!!!!!
* We use those energy saving light bulbs.
* We use a cash system. I have envelopes for groceries, gas, diabetic supplies etc.. and it's easier to keep track of how much you have. You always know whether you have the money for something or not because you can see just how many 20's are at your disposal.
* This one made me sad. I cancelled my Typepad blog and saved myself a few dollars by going with Blogger which is free.
* I love this one. We buy all the kids clothing from Frenchy's. We really cannot afford to buy their clothes anywhere else. I can't remember the last time I bought something brand new. (actually I did buy Katie a pair of shoes a couple months ago at Zellers, whoops!) And (gasp!) I even buy presents at Frenchy's on occasion. I found a great Father's Day gift for last year and both of my niece's b-day presents. I got all three of them for less than $5!!
Well, that's all I can think of for now. Now it's your turn to roll your eyes at me because you know exactly what my problem is, and give me your ideas, I will be very grateful!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Book Review Friday: Exodus 6-10
First things first, we'll be moving along to chapters 11-15 until next Friday. I know that there are still ladies that are doing this reading but not many reviews. I'm not here to put a guilt trip on you over the lack of names on Mr.Linky, it really doesn't matter whether there are reviews for everyone else to read,that's not the point. The fact is I really really really hope you are writing down somewhere what God shows you in the scripture you read. We miss so much by neglecting that. So please ladies keep on reading and learning and writing. Whether you have a blog to post it on, or a handy notebook to help you concentrate and remember all that you see as you read, keep writing. :)
As for Exodus 6-10. I am no scholar and I know there are many very mature Christians out there who would disagree but...... I really don't understand how anyone could read these chapters and not see 'election' written all over the place. It's totally a black & white issue to me. But I'm willing to be shown if it isn't. Like I said, I'm no scholar. :)
The fact that God made a covenant with the Israelites way back when and chose them as His special people would be enough to convince me. They were no more deserving than the guys next door. They were sinful humans who God had mercy on. They didn't choose God, God chose them. But the BIG thing was reading over and over about how God hardened Pharaoh's heart. God hardened Pharaoh's heart! Pharaoh really didn't have a choice in the matter from what I can tell.
And it always comes back to giving God glory.
Seeing how this bit of history unravels and the fact that God so blatantly chooses some people to bless and others to harden against Himself makes one like me overcome with thankfulness that I am not Pharaoh! It's not that I don't deserve all that the Egyptians got, I do, I really do. I deserve for God to show His judgments in my life. But God chose me to be one of the ones who saw who He is by blessing me instead of through His judgements. I don't understand why but it certainly brings a deeper meaning to the word thankful. I was completely dead in my sins, even at that tender age of 5 or 6, and God chose to open my eyes and give me life. I am totally & completely dependant on Him and could not of understood to even make a choice for eternity had He not worked in my heart in the first place. God is in complete control of everything, including my salvation.
From now on every time I hear the stories of people like the Egyptians in the scriptures I hope it makes me thankful instead of self-righteous. God's mercy is great, and I'm just another Pharaoh that God took pity on. Please God, don't every harden my heart towards you!!
Okay, now if anyone had a review to post here is Mr.Linky for you. We would all love to read them no matter how long or short. :)
As for Exodus 6-10. I am no scholar and I know there are many very mature Christians out there who would disagree but...... I really don't understand how anyone could read these chapters and not see 'election' written all over the place. It's totally a black & white issue to me. But I'm willing to be shown if it isn't. Like I said, I'm no scholar. :)
The fact that God made a covenant with the Israelites way back when and chose them as His special people would be enough to convince me. They were no more deserving than the guys next door. They were sinful humans who God had mercy on. They didn't choose God, God chose them. But the BIG thing was reading over and over about how God hardened Pharaoh's heart. God hardened Pharaoh's heart! Pharaoh really didn't have a choice in the matter from what I can tell.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt." 7:3
"Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord." 10:1-3
And it always comes back to giving God glory.
Seeing how this bit of history unravels and the fact that God so blatantly chooses some people to bless and others to harden against Himself makes one like me overcome with thankfulness that I am not Pharaoh! It's not that I don't deserve all that the Egyptians got, I do, I really do. I deserve for God to show His judgments in my life. But God chose me to be one of the ones who saw who He is by blessing me instead of through His judgements. I don't understand why but it certainly brings a deeper meaning to the word thankful. I was completely dead in my sins, even at that tender age of 5 or 6, and God chose to open my eyes and give me life. I am totally & completely dependant on Him and could not of understood to even make a choice for eternity had He not worked in my heart in the first place. God is in complete control of everything, including my salvation.
"I will take you as My people and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." 6:7
From now on every time I hear the stories of people like the Egyptians in the scriptures I hope it makes me thankful instead of self-righteous. God's mercy is great, and I'm just another Pharaoh that God took pity on. Please God, don't every harden my heart towards you!!
Okay, now if anyone had a review to post here is Mr.Linky for you. We would all love to read them no matter how long or short. :)
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Fall Pumpkin Squares
Really, this recipe is more like a cake than bars. These are delicious whether you use pumpkin or squash but my favourite so far is using our very own squash from our very own garden to make this wonderful cake. I've got a pan in the oven as I type this. YUM!!!
In bowl sift together: (I don't have a sifter big enough so I just use a whisk to stir it. No baking soda clumps!)
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
In large bowl mix:
1 Cup Oil
2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Cooked Pumpkin or Squash
Mix dry ingredients into the wet and pour into 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). It took all of the 30 minutes for mine to be done.
Icing:
2 to 2 3/4 Cups Icing Sugar
8 to 11 oz Cream Cheese softened
3/4 Cup Butter
2 tsp Vanilla
Spread on cooled pumpkin squares. Keep refrigerated.
Enjoy! I know we're going to love dessert tonight.
In bowl sift together: (I don't have a sifter big enough so I just use a whisk to stir it. No baking soda clumps!)
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
In large bowl mix:
1 Cup Oil
2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Cooked Pumpkin or Squash
Mix dry ingredients into the wet and pour into 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). It took all of the 30 minutes for mine to be done.
Icing:
2 to 2 3/4 Cups Icing Sugar
8 to 11 oz Cream Cheese softened
3/4 Cup Butter
2 tsp Vanilla
Spread on cooled pumpkin squares. Keep refrigerated.
Enjoy! I know we're going to love dessert tonight.
Thanksgiving Forecast
Thanksgiving is long gone for us Canadian folks but since the US is celebrating here's a little something I found on Buffaloes & Butterfly Wings for all you anyway. It's cute and I laughed. (If anyone knows how I can add the link in Blogger without it seperating itself like that please let me know!)
Thanksgiving Forecast:
Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.
During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy. A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway.
During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34 degrees F in the refrigerator. Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established.
Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops.
By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you American folk out there! :)
Thanksgiving Forecast:
Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.
During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy. A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway.
During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34 degrees F in the refrigerator. Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established.
Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops.
By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you American folk out there! :)
Friday, November 16, 2007
Book Review Friday: Exodus
First things first, we'll be reading Exodus chapters 6-10 until next Friday. It's proving to be a great book so join in if you aren't already with us! :)
Exodus is nothing like I remember from my Sunday school classes as a child. My how all those facts of the story of Moses got mixed up and lost their meaning. One of the most amazing stories I've ever read and one of the most amazing women I've ever heard of is right here in these first couple chapters of Exodus, and I still don't even know the lady's name!! All we know is that she was a Levi and gave birth to a son and did all she could in very hard times. I'm a mom, so her predicament really stood out to me big-time this week. After you have your own little baby to hold the words 'giving them up' take on a deeper and more difficult meaning.
I likened this mommy's predicament to situations we could face today. What if I was faced with the choice of either trying to hide my child in the safety of his home until he was finally found out and then killed in a few days, months... years maybe, or handing him over to the very people who were seeking to kill him in hopes that they would have a little compassion? It was highly probable that if mom let her cutie little abandoned baby pass by Pharaoh's daughter that a woman's heart would take over and be drawn to taking care of it. But, who could guarantee that Pharaoh would allow for such a thing and not just kill it right away?!
And if her plan worked out and baby was accepted, how would it feel to give your baby up to be raised in the midst of a false religion? You would know they would grow up learning about and taking part in the evil that Egypt was involved in. I couldn't have done it and up until this week I would have thought it wrong to do anything of the sort.
In talking about it with hubby I started to realize that everything isn't always the same with God. In each situation He is working something different. It's not that things are black & white all the time. It all comes down to how much faith you have in God. Do I believe that God is God? Although we are human and constantly think that much depends on us, from reading scripture we realize that it's not true at all. Moses would have been fine and God would have worked His purposes through him whether mommy was good at hiding him or not, whether he was placed in a river or not, whether Pharaoh's daughter found him or not. It's just that this woman did as best she could as long as she could and then just trusted God to handle it. And we get to see her example and take heart in the here and now.
I need to work hard while my children are with me doing all I can to make them safe and then ready to take on the world when the Lord brings that time around. The tremendous sacrifice that this woman made is shocking to me. But look at all that God did through Moses for years and years. All the amazing things he was able to witness by God's hand through the years. All the people he lead and the difference God made through him. Moses story all started with his mom who had a big faith in her God. I like her. I like her a lot!
Throughout the whole 5 chapters the fact of just how powerful and in charge God is becomes a major part of the whole story. There are many points to ponder, it's just that I've taken up most of my time thinking of that one. I loved the whole thing and can't wait to read more but I don't have time to type any more about 1-5. I'll just go read any reviews that show up on Mr.Linky. :)
Exodus is nothing like I remember from my Sunday school classes as a child. My how all those facts of the story of Moses got mixed up and lost their meaning. One of the most amazing stories I've ever read and one of the most amazing women I've ever heard of is right here in these first couple chapters of Exodus, and I still don't even know the lady's name!! All we know is that she was a Levi and gave birth to a son and did all she could in very hard times. I'm a mom, so her predicament really stood out to me big-time this week. After you have your own little baby to hold the words 'giving them up' take on a deeper and more difficult meaning.
I likened this mommy's predicament to situations we could face today. What if I was faced with the choice of either trying to hide my child in the safety of his home until he was finally found out and then killed in a few days, months... years maybe, or handing him over to the very people who were seeking to kill him in hopes that they would have a little compassion? It was highly probable that if mom let her cutie little abandoned baby pass by Pharaoh's daughter that a woman's heart would take over and be drawn to taking care of it. But, who could guarantee that Pharaoh would allow for such a thing and not just kill it right away?!
And if her plan worked out and baby was accepted, how would it feel to give your baby up to be raised in the midst of a false religion? You would know they would grow up learning about and taking part in the evil that Egypt was involved in. I couldn't have done it and up until this week I would have thought it wrong to do anything of the sort.
In talking about it with hubby I started to realize that everything isn't always the same with God. In each situation He is working something different. It's not that things are black & white all the time. It all comes down to how much faith you have in God. Do I believe that God is God? Although we are human and constantly think that much depends on us, from reading scripture we realize that it's not true at all. Moses would have been fine and God would have worked His purposes through him whether mommy was good at hiding him or not, whether he was placed in a river or not, whether Pharaoh's daughter found him or not. It's just that this woman did as best she could as long as she could and then just trusted God to handle it. And we get to see her example and take heart in the here and now.
I need to work hard while my children are with me doing all I can to make them safe and then ready to take on the world when the Lord brings that time around. The tremendous sacrifice that this woman made is shocking to me. But look at all that God did through Moses for years and years. All the amazing things he was able to witness by God's hand through the years. All the people he lead and the difference God made through him. Moses story all started with his mom who had a big faith in her God. I like her. I like her a lot!
Throughout the whole 5 chapters the fact of just how powerful and in charge God is becomes a major part of the whole story. There are many points to ponder, it's just that I've taken up most of my time thinking of that one. I loved the whole thing and can't wait to read more but I don't have time to type any more about 1-5. I'll just go read any reviews that show up on Mr.Linky. :)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sleeping Cowpoke
Cowboys are supposed to sleep with one eye open... unless of course they're just too tired. Then mom can watch out for bad guys until nap time is over.
Another good quote.
I read this quote last night and loved it. (Not sure who to give credit to for it though.) I have been reminded lately by everything I read and hear that we just don't live like God is God. We should be shaking in our boots each day, praying that we live the way God wants us to. He has struck men dead and brought down whole nations for smaller sins than I have committed. I have a much higher goal each day than just continuing my own comfort & happiness. There is a holy God behind the visible that wants me to "Give all He asks: take all He promises."
Strive to be one of those - so few - who walk the earth with ever-present consciousness - all mornings, middays, star-times - that the unknown which men call heaven is "close behind the visible scene of things."So I'll try to live today for the invisible. :)
Monday, November 12, 2007
Put up with me please :)
Over the next day or two I will be adding a bunch of my older posts to my blog here. Blogger would not let me do any importing so I'll just do it all the slow and monotonous way. :) So unless you are new here none of these posts will be new to you. But of course you are all welcome to read them as many times as you want to. :)
Trust the instruments???
Now, what's a girl to do when yet another warning light comes on in the van? Since we got our van a few years ago we've had a couple lights pop up. First it was the engine light. We thought that to be a pretty serious one and had it checked out. Just a wiring glitch, ignore it. Okay, but what if the engine has big-time problems someday and we wouldn't know? No answer for that one.
Then a little while later the brake light came on. We didn't bother getting it checked, hubby thought they were okay. Ignore that one too. The third warning was the telling us there was a door ajar somewhere. We spent a few minutes slamming every door and finally decided to ignore that one too.
Well, tonight the 'light' light came on. Apparently there is a light out somewhere. I didn't even bother to check. It's probably just a stupid wiring glitch again.
All this to say.... If you see a woman driving a navy blue van erratically, it's probably because the engine died, her brakes quit as she was speeding down the road trying to get her door closed, all while she couldn't see where she was going because the lights went out.
If I get a vote,(which I doubt), I say to get the wiring fixed or sell the van and let someone else worry about it.
Then a little while later the brake light came on. We didn't bother getting it checked, hubby thought they were okay. Ignore that one too. The third warning was the telling us there was a door ajar somewhere. We spent a few minutes slamming every door and finally decided to ignore that one too.
Well, tonight the 'light' light came on. Apparently there is a light out somewhere. I didn't even bother to check. It's probably just a stupid wiring glitch again.
All this to say.... If you see a woman driving a navy blue van erratically, it's probably because the engine died, her brakes quit as she was speeding down the road trying to get her door closed, all while she couldn't see where she was going because the lights went out.
If I get a vote,(which I doubt), I say to get the wiring fixed or sell the van and let someone else worry about it.
Gimme Gimme never gets..... or do they?
Everyone is raising money these days. I enjoy giving money to a worthy cause. Missions, Diabetes Assoc., Compassion Canada, etc. But whoever started the whole "Sponsor me so we can go on a cool class trip." or "Would you buy some apples so our scouts group can do some cool stuff." or even "I want to play sports but don't have the money, could you sponsor me a few dollars?". Where did that whole mentality come from??? There was a response in our home for times like this. Dad always said "Go pick apples!". Does no one know the meaning of the word 'work' anymore. If you need money, get a job. Simple. Don't go around begging loot off of others so you can pursue a fun past time. If you want to play hockey you will have to get a job to pay for all the gear, ice time, weekends away, dentist's visits etc. That's just the way it is, or should be. If your scouts or Brownies group want to go camping and do neat projects, then all those little girls and guys should be filing into those apple orchards and getting to work.
Or, if this mentality is truly acceptable can I run with it in my own personal endeavors???? You see, I really want to have more flowers. I would love my dooryard to be full of wonderful colorful blooms. The fact is it's just too expensive to go crazy at the local garden centre so could you sponsor me? I really am excited about it and I would water and weed them each day, I just need $150 or so. I might even become famous and be in a magazine someday. Do you want to be in on the deal?
Or how about scrapbooking. It's my passion. I have some great ideas for a whole new page to work on. If you could sponsor me $60 I'm sure I could do a great job. Would you like to be part of my creative hobby in a financial way?
Doesn't really make sense but that's what kids are being taught to do. Everything they want handed to them and they grow up thinking they deserve for people to hand their money over anytime they feel a need to do something new but don't want to dig into their own pockets to do it. I've got 3 words for all of them, "Go pick apples!". :)
I love to simplify.
I love simplification. We really do have too much. Too much stuff. When it comes to toys, our house it too full! Today it seemed that everyone wanted the toy the other person had. Nothing was fair. No one wanted to share. So I quickly came up with a plan. Boy, it's a good one. :) I packed every single toy away. The only thing I left out was the box of lego. There's enough of that to keep 4 chillins busy I think.
We had some crying and pouting as I packed it all in my wonderful Rubbermaid bins but I was unmoved. Vicous I know. I want us to learn to comunicate kindly to each other. No more grabbing, mean looks.. or whatever else they do that they shouldn't. If we take away all the toys they have nothing left to play with but each other and (in my plan anyway) learn to get along. There are other benefits as well. There aren't a million distractions all over the floor, the apartment stays much neater and I don't have to deal with the arguing over toys all day.
For a while after I packed everything up the kids walked around like lost puppies. I then suggested to them to play 'otters' like the cousins did the other day. Well, that seemed to spark something. They didn't play otters but they made boats from cushions and from there turned into beavers building dams. We ( I should say, they) had chicken fights and played a couple crazy games of hide and seek. At one point there was a game of Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tag going on around the van.
By the time we sat down at supper everyone was getting along. They talked together more and also had conversations with me more than usual.
At supper I told them to tell Daddy what they had been doing all day. One started to say, "Well, it wasn't any fun without toys!", but the eldest cut her off and said, "Yes it was! We had the best time ever!".
I am looking forward to tomorrow to see what great strides we make towards having fun together.
As I was reading a story to the kids before bed I was assured that it was a good thing I had done. People have too much nowadays and it makes us greedy and unthankful. The story was about a family building their one room home on the Prairie. Here's what was going on 'way back when'"
I'm sure we can survive without a few toys around. And do it quite satisfactorily I'm sure. At least I'm loving it so far and it appears the kids are far happier and it's only been a few hours. The imagination is a grand thing.
We had some crying and pouting as I packed it all in my wonderful Rubbermaid bins but I was unmoved. Vicous I know. I want us to learn to comunicate kindly to each other. No more grabbing, mean looks.. or whatever else they do that they shouldn't. If we take away all the toys they have nothing left to play with but each other and (in my plan anyway) learn to get along. There are other benefits as well. There aren't a million distractions all over the floor, the apartment stays much neater and I don't have to deal with the arguing over toys all day.
For a while after I packed everything up the kids walked around like lost puppies. I then suggested to them to play 'otters' like the cousins did the other day. Well, that seemed to spark something. They didn't play otters but they made boats from cushions and from there turned into beavers building dams. We ( I should say, they) had chicken fights and played a couple crazy games of hide and seek. At one point there was a game of Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tag going on around the van.
By the time we sat down at supper everyone was getting along. They talked together more and also had conversations with me more than usual.
At supper I told them to tell Daddy what they had been doing all day. One started to say, "Well, it wasn't any fun without toys!", but the eldest cut her off and said, "Yes it was! We had the best time ever!".
I am looking forward to tomorrow to see what great strides we make towards having fun together.
As I was reading a story to the kids before bed I was assured that it was a good thing I had done. People have too much nowadays and it makes us greedy and unthankful. The story was about a family building their one room home on the Prairie. Here's what was going on 'way back when'"
...they had time to make a wooden door. Ma could hardly wait to have it fastened in the doorway. "It'll be so nice having a real door," she said. "And if we could just have a wooden floor-why then I reckon I'd have nothing more to wish for. Do you think we could?" she asked Pa.
I'm sure we can survive without a few toys around. And do it quite satisfactorily I'm sure. At least I'm loving it so far and it appears the kids are far happier and it's only been a few hours. The imagination is a grand thing.
Want to be like Elijah!
I do want to pass along another quote I found. I thought it fell into the Proverbs 25:11 category. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."
I love the "Streams in the Desert" book that mom gave me a couple years ago. As per usual with all my books this one has many things underlined. The past few pages of it has been on prayer. Doing it more, deeper... then yesterday this was part of the reading....
Now here's my favourite part...
That makes me excited and sad all at the same time. What have I missed on the journey so far because I haven't taken more time to talk to the Lord? And it's exciting because my journey isn't over yet and you just never know what may be in store when I get on my knees.
I love the "Streams in the Desert" book that mom gave me a couple years ago. As per usual with all my books this one has many things underlined. The past few pages of it has been on prayer. Doing it more, deeper... then yesterday this was part of the reading....
"We cannot create the wind or set it in motion, but we can set our sails to catch it when it comes; we cannot make the electricity, but we can stretch the wire along upon which it is to run and do its work; we cannot, in a word, control the Spirit, but we can so place ourselves before the Lord, and so do the things He has bidden us do, that we will come under the influence and power of His mighty breath.
Now here's my favourite part...
"Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Where is the God of Elijah?
He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him."
That makes me excited and sad all at the same time. What have I missed on the journey so far because I haven't taken more time to talk to the Lord? And it's exciting because my journey isn't over yet and you just never know what may be in store when I get on my knees.
Scripture Reference Book
A few years ago I was given a copy of this book and right away thought it was great. Though it says 'For Counseling Women', I know this book to be of value to moms. It gives a list of subjects including things like abortion, death, fear, marriage, temptation, unsaved spouse and includes 75 topics in all. Under each topic you find simply scripture dealing specifically with that subject. No ramblings from an author on their opinion on the matter, just verses. It's nice to be able to look up quickly what verses you need to help explain something to your children. Of course, that's for people like me who don't have the whole bible memorized and ready for all those deep questions kids have.
It is available at
Friday, November 9, 2007
Book Review Friday: Colossians
First things first, let's read Exodus 1-5 for the next week. It will take us 8 weeks to get through the whole book with reading 5 chapters each week. :)
I really really really liked Colossians. It's right up there with one of my favourite books to do a review on, but I'm afraid I won't do it justice to how it spoke to me this week. There was a bang!! in the very first chapter. This is one of those oh-so-good but oh-so-hard verses, "that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;" 1:10,11.
Now pretend you are having a hard time wanting to do the right thing. A very hard time. In fact you just don't know if you can keep doing the right thing and remain sane. I've been there before and those feelings come and go sometimes. Reading these verses at a time like that is both bad and good. It's bad because you realize you have to keep doing the right thing anyway, and good because of that verse 11. 'strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;" All within the time it takes to read 2 verses my heart can go from the depths of despair (I just can't keep trying to please Him!!!), to realizing that He is the one giving the strength to do it. It's totally supernatural!!! And the thing is that when I do what this verse says and trust God to give me the grace to handle anything that comes my way there really is peace and, believe it or not, joy! Though I was surprised to find out that the 'joy' mentioned isn't a bubbly happy kind of outlook on life. It's more of a quiet understanding and contentment knowing that God is in control and you have a much greater closeness to Him because of your present circumstances.
How can I expect to live life constantly hoping for my own happiness in my own way when I was created for another purpose? "All things were created through Him and for Him" 1:16. For Him, we were created for Him. I have to keep eternity in mind. No matter what He plans for my life and all that I may have to deal with there is a much greater purpose than what I can see. Many times I am completely blind to all that He is doing and I only see either problem days or those good days and just put one foot in front of the other, discouraged or with a spring in my step. When my focus shifts from the problems or being happy to trusting God and what He is doing, that calmness and joy comes.
Practically speaking verses 3:17 & 3:23 show me what I need to do to stay on the right path. "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." "And whatever you do, do it heartily , as to the Lord and not to men," Pretty self-explanatory verses. They should convict us all in many areas of our lives. If I started taking notes of just how I spent my time in 5 minute segments each day all day long, I would probably be shocked at my misuse of the time God gave me, and just how many things I did that I couldn't really do 'in His name'.
Anyway, I didn't mean to make this long. I need to get some shut eye before my little chillins are awake and rarin to go for another whole 12 hours! I'm going to need some of that 'might' and a little of that 'glorious power' before 6am tomorrow! :)
Well, here's Mr.Linky. Please link your review if you did one and I'll love reading them tomorrow. I'm sorry I didn't get my review done until such a late hour. Sometimes life just doesn't work out the way one would expect. :)
If you are new to the whole Book Review Friday thing just check it out, the links to the info are on my sidebar. We'd love to see a new name pop up!
I really really really liked Colossians. It's right up there with one of my favourite books to do a review on, but I'm afraid I won't do it justice to how it spoke to me this week. There was a bang!! in the very first chapter. This is one of those oh-so-good but oh-so-hard verses, "that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;" 1:10,11.
Now pretend you are having a hard time wanting to do the right thing. A very hard time. In fact you just don't know if you can keep doing the right thing and remain sane. I've been there before and those feelings come and go sometimes. Reading these verses at a time like that is both bad and good. It's bad because you realize you have to keep doing the right thing anyway, and good because of that verse 11. 'strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;" All within the time it takes to read 2 verses my heart can go from the depths of despair (I just can't keep trying to please Him!!!), to realizing that He is the one giving the strength to do it. It's totally supernatural!!! And the thing is that when I do what this verse says and trust God to give me the grace to handle anything that comes my way there really is peace and, believe it or not, joy! Though I was surprised to find out that the 'joy' mentioned isn't a bubbly happy kind of outlook on life. It's more of a quiet understanding and contentment knowing that God is in control and you have a much greater closeness to Him because of your present circumstances.
How can I expect to live life constantly hoping for my own happiness in my own way when I was created for another purpose? "All things were created through Him and for Him" 1:16. For Him, we were created for Him. I have to keep eternity in mind. No matter what He plans for my life and all that I may have to deal with there is a much greater purpose than what I can see. Many times I am completely blind to all that He is doing and I only see either problem days or those good days and just put one foot in front of the other, discouraged or with a spring in my step. When my focus shifts from the problems or being happy to trusting God and what He is doing, that calmness and joy comes.
Practically speaking verses 3:17 & 3:23 show me what I need to do to stay on the right path. "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." "And whatever you do, do it heartily , as to the Lord and not to men," Pretty self-explanatory verses. They should convict us all in many areas of our lives. If I started taking notes of just how I spent my time in 5 minute segments each day all day long, I would probably be shocked at my misuse of the time God gave me, and just how many things I did that I couldn't really do 'in His name'.
Anyway, I didn't mean to make this long. I need to get some shut eye before my little chillins are awake and rarin to go for another whole 12 hours! I'm going to need some of that 'might' and a little of that 'glorious power' before 6am tomorrow! :)
Well, here's Mr.Linky. Please link your review if you did one and I'll love reading them tomorrow. I'm sorry I didn't get my review done until such a late hour. Sometimes life just doesn't work out the way one would expect. :)
If you are new to the whole Book Review Friday thing just check it out, the links to the info are on my sidebar. We'd love to see a new name pop up!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
A quote to get me going today...
"Christian wives and mothers need to awaken to the need for personal holiness and obedience. Let us receive criticism for our faithfulness and fruitfulness and count it all joy; but if we receive it for our unfaithfulness and fruitlessness, then we deserve everything we get and probably more.... If our marriages are not in order, if our children are disobedient, or our homes a wreck, then we give the gospel of Jesus Christ a black eye. Criticism from the outside should be a result of our godly behavior, not our sinfulness." `Nancy Wilson
Boy, do I have a lot of work to do today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of my life!!! At some point I hope the right thing to do will come naturally.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Wish Lists.
I would love to have
What is Book Review Friday?
Book review friday is just a bit of an encouragment for all of us busy ladies to get a little deeper into the Word of God. Join us each Friday as we read through a certain book of the Bible each day for a whole week. Even if you don't read it every day you still learn so much and it helps to start a great habit. Each Friday you can put what you've learned in the past week on your own blog and use Mr. Linky right here at 'Run the Earth, Watch the Sky', so it's available to all of us involved, and we can be an encouragement to each other. When you have it in mind that you will be giving a little write up on what you learned or loved in the book you read that week, it helps you to avoid reading your Bible just for the sake of reading. I pray this will be fun and a help in our quest to 'keep our minds on things above'.
Remember to run the earth and watch the sky!
Remember to run the earth and watch the sky!
Friday, November 2, 2007
Book Review Friday: Titus
Edited to add my review....
First things first, if you'd like to join up with us we'll be reading the good old book of Colossians until next Friday. I was a little surprised to find that we haven't read it already. If you've been with us from the beginning you have read 28 books! Actually you have done more than just read them, you've gotten to know the Word so much better than you had before. And so we'll just keep running with the idea and get to know Colossians this week too. :)
My review will have to wait until this evening. We have a birthday to celebrate and homeschool group stuff all on the same day. Exciting times. :) I'll be back later to say what was in my brain this week because of Titus. For now you can add your own review to Mr.Linky for the other Book Review ladies to read. Have a great day & I'll see ya later.
Okay, I'm back now to write my not-so-deep review. It may not be anything new but it was a great help to me this week. It's all about focusing for me. That is a constant struggle, to stay focused on the right things. Every time someone mentions Titus the first verses I think of are from the first part of chapter 2. It talks to the older women and younger and what they are supposed to do and how they are to act. I love that it is so black and white. I need that. If you are young, married, or have children your life's work is laid out for you pretty clear. So my 'job from God' is to love my family, be godly and take care of my home. It sounds so simple but it's so desperately hard!!! All week long that simple statement about loving my family were constantly in my head and reprimanding many of the activities I chose throughout of the day. Many times I caught myself being selfish and wanting 'me time' when my family needed the mom up and ready for them. I caught myself letting them take care of themselves a little too much. Just because they can do it doesn't mean they should or that mommy can't be there with them for that quality time. I found myself making mommy too busy and unable to relax and enjoy fun times as a family because I was lazy earlier in the day and didn't work while I had the chance.
That 'loving' entails so much too, not just having fun and hugs and kisses. I need to be on top of 4 children's attitudes 24 hours a day and be looking deep into their hearts to be watching for where work needs to be done. Loving means teaching and training too.
This is just a snippet of what I've been thinking through. It's not deep but it's sooooo important. I want to be that woman of character that can be the example for my children to follow. I want to be aware of my own faults and be asking the Lord to change me, and I want to be aware of just what kind of kids my kids are so that I can be asking the Lord to give wisdom in how to train them.
As for Loving my husband, I need work. Being married has been the hardest thing I/we have ever done. Seriously, if it wasn't for the Lord I have no idea where we would be right now. I'm so glad the icky years are over now but even though our marriage has changed from night to day in the past few years, I/we still need work. But every marriage takes work, eh?! It's not all fun and games. :) It's books like Titus that remind me of what I am to be along my journey in these relationships. And for that I am thankful.
And another not so deep thing I had running through my brain was from 3:8 where it says, "...that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." Just a little reminder from Paul to do the right thing, all the time. It's worth it.
So that's where I'll stop. If you endured my ramblings that were not so thought out but thought of a lot this week, hats off to you. :) Now I'll be waiting to see if a review makes it to Mr.Linky soon. :)
First things first, if you'd like to join up with us we'll be reading the good old book of Colossians until next Friday. I was a little surprised to find that we haven't read it already. If you've been with us from the beginning you have read 28 books! Actually you have done more than just read them, you've gotten to know the Word so much better than you had before. And so we'll just keep running with the idea and get to know Colossians this week too. :)
My review will have to wait until this evening. We have a birthday to celebrate and homeschool group stuff all on the same day. Exciting times. :) I'll be back later to say what was in my brain this week because of Titus. For now you can add your own review to Mr.Linky for the other Book Review ladies to read. Have a great day & I'll see ya later.
Okay, I'm back now to write my not-so-deep review. It may not be anything new but it was a great help to me this week. It's all about focusing for me. That is a constant struggle, to stay focused on the right things. Every time someone mentions Titus the first verses I think of are from the first part of chapter 2. It talks to the older women and younger and what they are supposed to do and how they are to act. I love that it is so black and white. I need that. If you are young, married, or have children your life's work is laid out for you pretty clear. So my 'job from God' is to love my family, be godly and take care of my home. It sounds so simple but it's so desperately hard!!! All week long that simple statement about loving my family were constantly in my head and reprimanding many of the activities I chose throughout of the day. Many times I caught myself being selfish and wanting 'me time' when my family needed the mom up and ready for them. I caught myself letting them take care of themselves a little too much. Just because they can do it doesn't mean they should or that mommy can't be there with them for that quality time. I found myself making mommy too busy and unable to relax and enjoy fun times as a family because I was lazy earlier in the day and didn't work while I had the chance.
That 'loving' entails so much too, not just having fun and hugs and kisses. I need to be on top of 4 children's attitudes 24 hours a day and be looking deep into their hearts to be watching for where work needs to be done. Loving means teaching and training too.
This is just a snippet of what I've been thinking through. It's not deep but it's sooooo important. I want to be that woman of character that can be the example for my children to follow. I want to be aware of my own faults and be asking the Lord to change me, and I want to be aware of just what kind of kids my kids are so that I can be asking the Lord to give wisdom in how to train them.
As for Loving my husband, I need work. Being married has been the hardest thing I/we have ever done. Seriously, if it wasn't for the Lord I have no idea where we would be right now. I'm so glad the icky years are over now but even though our marriage has changed from night to day in the past few years, I/we still need work. But every marriage takes work, eh?! It's not all fun and games. :) It's books like Titus that remind me of what I am to be along my journey in these relationships. And for that I am thankful.
And another not so deep thing I had running through my brain was from 3:8 where it says, "...that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." Just a little reminder from Paul to do the right thing, all the time. It's worth it.
So that's where I'll stop. If you endured my ramblings that were not so thought out but thought of a lot this week, hats off to you. :) Now I'll be waiting to see if a review makes it to Mr.Linky soon. :)
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