I'm Back?

I haven't been a very prolific blogger lately....last post was two months ago?!?!?!?! It's been rough going at my house. October was flu month at our house. As soon as someone got well someone else got sick. And when I got sick I was down for 2 weeks. I can't remember being that ill ever in my life. Yes, the doc suspected Swine Flu but we never had it confirmed.

So October was Flu Month and November was Flu Recovery Month. Along with just putting my house and life back together, I got an itch to get rid of as much stuff as I could before the end of the year. I became a maniac filling bags with clothes for the Goodwill and tearing into our closets, boxes and whatnot. ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE! I still have more to do but it feels good to have gotten accomplished what I have so far.

Now in December we've had some issues with my oldest, Bear, come to a head. He's been "off" for weeks now. He had been almost completely unable to concentrate and lost in his "autism world" all the time. He had strayed far out from what is normal behavior for him and making some incredibly poor and dangerous choices. We found him lighting matches in the house twice. He left school without his brother after school one day. At school he was found in the library when he was supposed to be in the bathroom. I realize that all kids go through growing stages and testing periods but when an autistic child does this it's magnified. Plus, the typical parenting methods often don't work with those on the autism spectrum. We tried everything and then I finally called his neurologist. The doc ordered an MRI and a 24hr EEG. He also prescribed Abilify which freaked me out (just the word "anti-psychotic"....shudder) but I did try it with him.

The MRI and EEG were normal of course and didn't give us any pertinent information. However, Bear has been on Abilify for about 10 days and I CAN'T BELIEVE HIS BEHAVIOR! The drug not only helped him to get back to normal functioning for Bear, he is functioning BETTER than what is normal for him!!!!!! He talks to us more and has more complex conversations with us. His "pretend talk", the scripts he says out loud over and over and over, is quieted considerably. He now focuses on tasks better than my typical son! I tell Bear to go brush his teeth and lo and behold! He goes and brushes his teeth! The first time I ask!!!! In general he is calmer and more present with us. I still hate the idea of my 10 year old being on an anti-psychotic drug but if it helps him I will have to go with it. The good outweighs the potential side effects in this case.

Whew! With a lull in our family drama for now I'm finally settling down and ready to enjoy CHRISTmas! I think.....hee hee. The tree is up, lights on the house, I'm actually done with my shopping and 1/2 done with my wrapping. I'm working hard each day to enjoy the season, not expect perfection and build on traditions. Sad that I have to work hard to enjoy things but that's the way it goes when you are a busy mom. Nothing is ever "done" so I have to do my best and ignore what I can't do so I can have some FUN!

I'm also trying to reconnect with Christ. I'm looking for quiet moments to reflect on His birth and what it means. I want to put the CHRIST back in Christmas and put Christ back in my life too. Not just in my life but the ruler of my life as KING, LORD, WONDERFUL COUNSELOR...
I want to use this time with not much trauma to distract me to find Him again. I know He will be there waiting for me...He always is.

I pray you are having a wonderful CHRISTmas and He is blessing your day, your hour, your minute, your very breath...love you Sisters!

Real Woman Makeover - Day 11

Nancy Leigh DeMoss concluded her messages on the passage of Proverbs 31:10-31 yesterday. However, the series "True Woman Makeover" continues for 20 more days. I enjoyed her message today on 1 Timothy 2:9-10 "Women in the Church".

However, I'm still mulling over, chewing on her messages about Proverbs. I have also been applying what I'm learning to my life with incredible results. DH and I had a long conversation last night about the changes he has seen in me. When I told him about everything I've been learning that has been the background for the changes he's seen actually said to me, "Other than, 'I do' that is the best thing you've ever said to me." Wow. I am so thankful that God lead me to this series and is helping me make the changes I need to make to be the best wife, mother and homemaker God wants me to be.

I am blessed as I wrestle with these truths. It ain't easy but it's right.

Real Woman Makeover- Day 10

In today's message in her "The Counter Cultural Woman" Nancy Leigh DeMoss says:

"So many times in our own lives, we’re holding onto our lives: my rights, my time, my privacy, my peace of mind, my space. If we live selfish lives now, we will reap the fruit of our own hands.

A woman told me last night that when she first became a Christian as a young wife that she determined she was going to go home and be this model wife. She was going to submit to her husband; she was going to be meek and quiet-spirited. She said, “I went home and I just tried and tried.” After two weeks, we could just see in her face that she was exhausted. She said, “I realized I couldn’t do it.”

Let me say, the moment you come to realize that you cannot do what God has called you to do by yourself, that is one of the greatest discoveries you’ll ever make. That’s the starting place to victory."

As I've said before and will say again, this series by Nancy has literally been life-changing for me as a home maker and as a woman of God. God's Word is fresh and new to me in this passage of Proverbs 31:10-31 that she has been dissecting and sharing insight on. I am renewed and assured that God will provide all I need to get through each day serving my family. And I will continue to focus on pleasing God and laying down my life for the 4 of them in order to obey His Word.

Today I am being put to the test about all these things I've been learning. It's almost as if God is asking me, "Have you REALLY heard me? Are you ready to apply what you've been learning?" Here are some of the things I'm being challenged with:

1. Monkey is still sick and getting worse. His breathing has become really shallow and it freaks me out that he will get an infection! I have to take him back to the doctor this morning to check for pneumonia.

2. Bear has broken a tooth and I have a dental appointment for him right after Monkey is done at the doctor. What adds mental anguish to the "broken tooth situation" is that Bear broke the tooth while trying to pull out a permanent tooth. He read a story about a little boy losing a baby tooth and getting money from the tooth fairy and he decided to try and make some money for a new video game. He has been making a lot of poor decisions lately (lighting matches and putting the lit match back in the matchbox, pulling his hair out to be like "Horton" in Horton Hears a Who, acting out in class, etc). So something is going on with Bear but DH and I can't seem to understand it and Bear (who has autism) can't explain to us what's going on.

3. Baby Girl hasn't had much attention all week as I've been taking care of Monkey while trying to keep the house together and she is acting out.

4. My husband is having a horrible week at work and he's having some stomach problems. Which means I have to be very careful in what I make him to eat as not to aggravate his problems.

5. On top of all this my lower back is screaming in pain. My lower back often aches because of the way my spine curves a bit at the bottom giving me a "duck tail" butt but the pain is worse than it's ever been.

Honestly, there's more things crashing down on me right now but I will stop here because what I've mentioned already is enough to explain the pressure I'm under. I feel exhausted, worried, frustrated, trapped, alone and burdened. Okay, I think I've made my point that I need God's help to get through today more than most days!

I have two consolations in all this mess. One my God is faithful to provide everything I need to get through today. He has boundless supply of wisdom, energy, encouragement, etc and has put it at my disposal. All I have to do is ask and trust Him. Two, Dear Husband is being really encouraging and as understanding as he can be. He has been listening to me and helping out where he can. I am trying to remember that he is having a tough week too at work and asking God for the strength to support DH as he supports me.

I have to lay it all down this week. I have to find my strength in Him who loves me and knows my needs before I do. He knew this week was coming, He is prepared to help me with all of it and more!

Here is the interpretation of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today from the Message:

^10-31 A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast
for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need,
reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows;
their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many women have done wonderful things,
but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises!

Real Woman Makeover-Day 9

Today Nancy Leigh DeMoss says about the Proverbs 31 Woman:

This woman is a lover. She’s a giver. She’s a servant. That’s her calling in life. You say, “I don’t think I want that calling.” Listen: You’re never more like Jesus than when you’re serving.

This series continues to challenge me in my ways of thinking about what makes me feel fulfilled as a woman and citizen of this Planet. The world says that we women must find fulfillment outside our homes and that is not what the Bible says. Nancy has been pointing out in better words and ways than I can how a woman's heart should be at home. She may do things outside the home but her first priority is to the health and success of her home and the people who live there.

This concept of putting my home first that Nancy has presented in her series has had the gears in my head turning for days. I have had opportunities to apply it with some amazing results. Yesterday I had a very busy day with many things to do for something outside the home. I took on the position of Committee Chair for our Cub Scout Pack and last night was our first Pack Meeting of the year. As I planned out my day yesterday morning I felt completely overwhelmed. Monkey is still home sick with a fever, Baby Girl seems to always need my attention lately not to mention I had dishes to do, laundry to fold and dinner to get ready for my husband to prepare while I was at the Pack Meeting. At the leading of God I made a conscious decision to put my home first yesterday and take care of my family before the other things. And to my great surprise (although it should have been NO surprise) the Lord helped me to accomplish what I needed to for the Pack Meeting! Everything went very well last night and for the most part my home was taken care of.

However, I did learn a few lessons yesterday. The one that comes to mind first is that taking care of a home properly takes lots of time. I will admit that I ran out of time yesterday for taking care of my home. Things were in better shape than would have been in the past. I did some laundry, dinner was 3/4 of the way ready for husband and the dishes were done. But I see places where I could have done better. Maybe I will make a few meals and freeze them for nights like last night for example. Now it's not that husband can't make a meal and he is willing to but it would have been a blessing to him to come home after a long hard day with a meal ready to go in the crockpot. I think there are ways for me to bless my family if I continue to learn how not to eat the bread of idleness (verse 27) and make sure I am prepared IN ADVANCE as well as I can be for events where I am using my talents outside the home.

One last thing Nancy shared today that I want to share, it's called A Little Place:

Where should I work today, dear Lord, and my love flowed warm and free.
He answered and said, “See that little place? Tend that place for me.”
I answered and I said, “Oh no, not there! No one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done. Not that place for me.”
His voice, when He spoke, was soft and kind. He answered me tenderly,
“Little one, search thy heart of thine. Are you working for them or me?
Nazareth was a little place and so was Galilee.”

Here is the version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today from the New International Version:

¹⁰ ^a]">[a] A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

True Woman Makeover-Day 8

Today Nancy Leigh DeMoss says about the Proverbs 31 woman:

Here’s a woman that as she watches over the ways of her household, she doesn’t miss anything. She’s alert to the details of what’s happening in her family—not so that she can be the controller of her family, but that she can be a better servant to her family.--Taken from verse 27 in Proverbs chapter 31.

Today Nancy's message is so close to home for me I don't know how much I can blog about it right now. It's too raw for me to broadcast on the internet even though it's only my cherished friends who read this. I just can't share right now. I need to process it and more importantly pray about it. God needs to do some work in me before I can share it.

What I can share is a joke Nancy shared today. It made me smile.

Mom and dad were watching TV when mom said, "I’m tired. It’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed." So she went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches, rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons in bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning.

She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the wash, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the games pieces left on the table and put the telephone book back into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied the waste basket, and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled out a text book hiding out under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.

Mom then washed her face, put on moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth, and did her nails. Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed." "I’m on my way," she said. She put some water into the dog’s dish and called the cat in, then made sure the doors were locked. She look in on each of the kids, turned out a bedside lamp, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks in the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still up doing homework.

Back in her own room she set the alarm, laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her list of things to do for tomorrow. About that time, dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular, "I’m going to bed," and he did without another thought.

And finally, here is the version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today, it's from the New American Standard:

¹⁰An ^A)">(A)excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far ^B)">(B)above jewels.
¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
¹²She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
¹³She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
¹⁴She is like ^C)">(C)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
¹⁵She ^D)">(D)rises also while it is still night
And ^E)">(E)gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷She ^F)">(F)girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
¹⁸She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
²⁰She ^G)">(G)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are ^H)">(H)clothed with scarlet.
²²She makes ^I)">(I)coverings for herself;
Her clothing is ^J)">(J)fine linen and ^K)">(K)purple.
²³Her husband is known ^L)">(L)in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴She makes ^M)">(M)linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
²⁵Strength and ^N)">(N)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
²⁶She ^O)">(O)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the ^P)">(P)bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
²⁹"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all."
³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who ^Q)">(Q)fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
³¹Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Real Woman Makeover-Day 7

Nancy Leigh DeMoss says:

"We come to verse 26 today where we’re told that this virtuous woman opens her mouth. Now, this is the first verse that says anything about this woman talking. That should tell us something. This is not a woman who talks too much. She’s not known for her talking.

There are other qualities that she’s known for—her servant’s heart, her compassion, her tenderness, her diligence—but when people think of this woman, it’s not what she talks about that’s the first thing that comes to mind. 'She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.'

I love this verse. Well, maybe I shouldn’t say I love this verse. What I really mean is, I need this verse, and it’s a verse in Proverbs 31, probably more than any other, that I come back to over and over again. 'She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law [or the teaching] of kindness'—wisdom and kindness.

Pow! This verse hits me right in the gut! All the other attributes that Proverbs 31 talks about a virtuous wife possessing seem do-able but this one, to speak with wisdom and the law of kindness, seem impossible to me without God's constant help. You see I'm a talker, a big talker. There is a family joke that I "starting talking at 9 months old and haven't stopped since". I tend to just let it all fly out without much thought to what I'm going to say ahead of time. Occasionally this has been a benefit to me but 95% of the time it's a curse. So as I read verse 26 today I thought, how on earth am I going to speak wisdom and be kind when I do it to boot?

What's funny is for years I have thought that taming the tongue was harder for me than most people but it seems that it's a problem very common to humanity. We all need to watch what we say because words are so powerful. James 3:7-8 says " ⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

I have been making an effort to speak kindly to my family in the past week. Once I was more conscious of it I will admit I think I was speaking unkindly more often than I realized. I have this "tone" that I use that emits all my irritation or anger. My husband calls it "snapping". "Why did you just snap at me?" He'll ask and when he does 1/2 the time I'm unaware that I just "snapped". My husband and my kids noticed my efforts to be kinder in my tone. It is a very good discipline to work on speaking kindly to our family!

Now I just have to work on speaking with wisdom. That is a very hard thing to "work on" really. It seems to come from maturity and experiences. However, I do think I have the wisdom already to work on being slow to speak. I need to use that wisdom to my advantage and think before I utter a word!

Here is the version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today, it's the King James Version:

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

¹²She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

¹³She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

¹⁶She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

¹⁸She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

¹⁹She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

²³Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

²⁴She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

²⁵Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

²⁹Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

³⁰Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Real Woman Makeover - Day 6

Nancy Leigh DeMoss says:

"Verse 13 says, “She seeks wool and flax and willingly works with her hands.” We talked about how this woman works hard. She’s diligent. She’s industrious, and you’ll see that theme throughout the chapter. There isn’t anything lazy about her. And how she works at home—her work centers around her home, particularly in those years when she’s in the child-bearing and child-rearing years, but even beyond that as she makes a home for her family.

Then, I want to pick up on one other word in that verse. She willingly works with her hands. The New International says, “With eager hands she works.” It’s literally with delight of her hands, and this suggests—now, hold on here, because you may not believe this—that she actually enjoys her work. She does it with enjoyment. She puts her hands joyfully to work."

When I worked in the mental health field one of the most frustrating things was when a patient wouldn't take their meds consistently. When we would ask them why they went off their meds they would always say the same thing, "Well, I was feeling better so I figured I didn't need them anymore." I almost fell into this trap today with my "meds" or listening to the messages from Nancy Leigh DeMoss from Revive Our Hearts.

This past week Nancy has opened my eyes to the Lord's plan for me as a homemaker. For the first time I began to feel my load lightened and I didn't feel like a total failure. The light was dawning and I was starting to feel better when..........I decided today that I didn't need to listen to the message today. I can skip 1 day, I thought. Plus, I'm so busy today. I don't have time. But for some reason I reconsidered and decided to listen to Nancy. And of course, the end of this story is totally predictable, the message today was very important for me to here TODAY!

Nancy's message today from Proverbs 31 was about a woman's attitude toward her work. Like I said, I'm very busy today. I'm trying to clean my entire house because I have a super busy week ahead and I don't want things clean because things seem to go so much smoother with a clean house. Anyway, I am working hard today to clean up and I found that my attitude was stinking about it. And I was becoming short with my kids and husband when they "interrupted" my work. I took a break and listened to Nancy's message, "Working Joyfully", and I have a renewed spirit to finish what I set out to do this morning. Like Ms. P31 I am choosing to "work willingly with my hands" and joyfully!

Here is the version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today, it's from the Amplified Bible:

¹⁰A capable, intelligent, and ^a]">[a]virtuous woman--who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.^A)">(A)

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.

¹²She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.

¹³She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household's food from a far [country].

¹⁵She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks.^B)">(B)

¹⁶She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. [S. of Sol. 8:12.]

¹⁷She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.

¹⁸She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust].

¹⁹She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

²⁰She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].

²¹She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed in scarlet.^C)">(C)

²²She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].^D)">(D)

²³Her husband is known in the [city's] gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.^E)">(E)

²⁴She makes fine linen garments and leads others to buy them; she delivers to the merchants girdles [or sashes that free one up for service].

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!

²⁶She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction].

²⁷She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.^F)">(F)

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying],

²⁹^b]">[b]Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all.

³⁰Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]!^G)">(G)

Real Woman Makeover-Day 5

As you may have read in my blogs this week I am learning so much from Nancy Leigh DeMoss about what the Bible has to say about being a godly woman, wife and mother I can hardly process it all! She has a set of "30 Day Challenges" on her website for her ministry, Revive Our Hearts. I'm currently taking the 30 Day True Woman Makeover and it is AWESOME! I get an email in my inbox everyday that leads me to a page on the Revive Our Hearts website where I can listen (or read) a message from Nancy on a section of Proverbs 31. She has some incredible insights and is definitely challenging me to see my role as a homemaker in a new way. I'm seeing being a SAHM in a way that seems much closer to God's thoughts on it than some of they ways I have thought about it in the past. I feel renewed, encouraged and more at peace. This week I have prioritized my tasks better and also felt much closer to God as I go about my day.

Here is one of the highlights from Nancy's message today that really spoke to me:

"I don’t like it when I hear people say to a woman, “Do you work?” Now, I know what they probably mean is, “Do you have a job that pays you a paycheck outside of your home?” But the fact is any woman who is a godly woman, a wife and a mother, works. And a godly woman works hard. Here is a woman who takes initiative to meet the practical needs of her husband and her children. She is a hard worker. She’s diligent.

That comes out throughout this passage. Verse 15 talks about her getting up while it’s still dark outside. Verse 18 talks to us about how she stays up late at night. She’s working in the evenings. Verse 27 says she does not eat the bread of idleness. She is a diligent woman. I saw recently a definition of diligence that I thought was helpful. Diligence is viewing each task as a special assignment from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it."

I love that definition of diligence! One of the biggest changes I have experienced this week is due to Nancy's insights I have been seeing every task I do as for God instead of for me or for my family. Every job I do, from cleaning the bathroom to folding laundry to dishes is pleasing to God and for Him. When I take care of my family and my home I am pleasing my Lord. It's such a different way to look at it! I have found that seeing my daily chores as for God instead of for me has given me that extra "oomph" I needed to finish things that are especially hard for me to do (dishes, toilets!). This new focus of serving God with my homemaking my home is cleaner than it's been in a long time! It's not perfect, I'm currently looking at a carpet that desperately needs to be vacuumed but it's much better.

My husband doesn't know about this "30-Day Challenge" I'm taking but he actually said to me this week how much he appreciates the efforts I've been making to keep things more organized and clean. I also cooked every meal at home this week and he said he greatly appreciates that! One of the ways I need to take care of my husband is with his stomach. Take out food makes him very sick if we eat it too often. He can handle restaurant food maybe 3 times a month and we've been doing it more like 6-7 times and he has not been feeling well. I confessed to God that I have been putting my needs first in the area of cooking and will make a renewed effort to cut the eating out way down so my poor husband won't get sick. It's hard to admit how selfish I've been in this area but that's how I improve by seeing my failures and making changes with God's help! Yea God!

Here is the version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today, it's from the New King James:

¹⁰ Who^a]">[a] can find a virtuous^b]">[b] wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
²² She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Real Woman Makeover-Day 4

Today Nancy Leigh DeMoss says:

"It doesn’t say she does him good and not evil as long as he does her good—as long as he’s kind to her, as long as he remembers her birthdays and anniversaries, as long as he meets her needs. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. Why? Because she’s a covenant-keeping woman."

One of the biggest things that I have been learning while listening to this series at Revive Our Hearts is that doing what's right in in my relationship with my husband and kids or in my job as a homemaker is to honor God and obey Him. My doing what's right is not conditional on what my husband or kids do or more importantly how I feel. What's right is right and deep down I know when I'm "off-track" and being lazy or doing things only to make myself feel good. I have become very good at ignoring that feeling in my stomach I get when I choose to do what I want to do instead of what needs to be done to keep this family up and running as efficiently as I can.

I have a bucket of excuses I pull out in order to quiet that voice that tells me I should be doing something else during my day. Here are some of my favorites, "I'm too tired. I'm still recovering from having Baby Girl (she's 2 1/2!). I need more 'me' time. Taking care of me takes care of my family because I'll be more energized to care for them." And the MOTHER of all excuses......"I have PMS." I have to see these for what they are, EXCUSES but not good ones. There are women out there who could say, "Well, I'm going to let the laundry go for another day because I had my chemo treatment yesterday." And they DON'T! How can I, a healthy, happy woman have any excuses for not doing what's right in my home????? No more excuses they are a damaging force in my life and in my home.

Then is the voice of discouragement I hear that sometimes holds me back, "I will never be able to get on top of all this stuff. I'm so far behind what's the point? Nobody is here to help me. I'm all alone. I'm a terrible homemaker. It doesn't really matter what I do. My work is not important." Any one of these discouragements can flatten me for an entire day or longer. These thoughts can't be from our loving Heavenly Father who wants what's best for me so where are they from? Yep, the enemy, my own flesh and/or the world and therefore empty and useless.

Since these thoughts and excuses are valueless in my life and I have made a decision to put these excuses and discouragements into a mental box and give them to the Lord. They keep me in the same place instead of moving me forward to be the wife and mother I want to be. The wife and mother my God can give me strength and ability to be. It's all about Him, I have to hit my knees daily to banish these thoughts and some of the bad habits I've gotten into. It won't happen all at once, little changes everyday will help me build up better habits. And I can't do this in my own strength. I will lean on God for the energy and the leading to transform me into a P31 woman. Not perfect but on the right path to being a blessing to my family and a covenant keeping woman. Amen.

Here is the New American Standard version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read today:

¹⁰An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
¹²She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
¹³She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
¹⁴She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
¹⁵She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
¹⁸She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
²⁰She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
²²She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
²⁶She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
²⁹"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all."
³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
³¹Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates

Real Woman Makeover-Day 3

Dr. Nancy De Moss from Revive Our Hearts says this:

"Matthew Henry, that commentator, said that this (Proverbs 31:10-31) is a looking-glass for ladies that we should desire to look into and to dress ourselves by it. We’ve been reminding each other that, even though this lengthy, detailed description can seem overwhelming and intimidating to those of us who still have feet of clay and are not yet glorified, yet we ought to be encouraged because we know that as women of God, if we’re allowing God to work in our lives, He is sanctifying us.

He is molding us. He’s shaping us. He’s pruning us. He’s making us into this kind of woman who reflects the beauty and the image of the Lord Jesus, for indeed it really is His portrait that we’re looking at here. We’re seeing His heart, His character, His beauty in this picture. "

I will admit that I have been overwhelmed many times by the description of Ms. P31. I've found myself jealous of her and her talents. I've also found myself envious of one possession she has, maidservants (verse 15). I have often thought, Well of course she can do all that she has built in CHILDCARE! And a cook! And a maid! She also probably had lots of extended family and neighbors to help when she had the flu or needed to do her holiday shopping (for the Passover Feast or whatever!). Ms. P31 probably had lots of good friends to sit and pour out her heart as they did their laundry together. I imagine she had women who would hug her when she cried and tell her the truth when she needed to be held accountable. I will admit I have often idealized her life imagining it full to the brim with community. A community of women who were there to help each other no matter what the need. And I have often thought it was not only her relationship with God but the women around her who made her strong. I will admit often I have thought that I can never be Ms. P31 without a community of women to help me.

However, the thought I have this morning is that although living in a tight knit community of women would be ideal in some respects and a gift from God, God is not limited in fashioning my character if I don't have a gaggle of gal pals. Many women, godly P31 women, have been severely isolated from others. I think of the way Laura Ingells Wilder describes her mother in "Little House in the Big Woods". Now there is a P31 woman! She worked hard, was gentle with her family, her husband had everything he needed to be successful and she had a seemingly strong relationship with God. And Mother Ingells was completely isolated in that book! For help and company she had her husband, her very young daughters 24/7/almost 365 and that was it! I think once in the book they go to visit relatives for a couple of days but that was extremely rare. She didn't even have a telephone much less email to reach out an receive at least encouragement from her female friends and relatives. One part of the book always haunts my mind is when the entire family gets deathly ill after eating some watermelon grown with bad water. There's a scene Laura describes where she is barely crawling across the floor, burning with fever, trying to get everyone in the family a drink of water. Mother Ingells couldn't even get out of bed to get a drink of water for her quickly dehydrating family! I believe it was doctor who is going from house to house checking for people who had become sick from the watermelon that saved them. Otherwise the family would have died! Even without a daily community of women around her Mother Ingells was an excellent wife.

Another isolated P31 woman I can think of is Anne Grahm Lotz, Billy and Ruth Grahm's daughter. I heard her speak a few years ago at a conference and she talked about a time when she was a young wife and her husband lived in some very cold, isolated European country (Iceland I think?). I believe her husband was in the military and he would be gone for months at a time leaving her alone with 2 small boys in a tiny apartment. She didn't speak the language and had no woman friends or family close by for years. Yes, YEARS! But at that conference she talked about how close she drew to God in those times and how He drew close to her. I can't say for sure but I imagine she was walking the P31 path during those lonely, isolated years.

This morning as I listened to Dr. De Moss and pondered the things she said I realized that I needed to let go of the idea that having a community of women is necessary for me to walk the P31 path. It would be a fantastic blessing to become a part of a community of women with whom I could share the burden of homemaking. However, God is not limited and can enable me to be an excellent woman today with or without that community. And I am forever grateful for the dear friends and family I have miles away but I can still communicate with in a flash by email, phone or even FB! I do have a community of wonderful, godly women who encourage me and I will not take them for granted! Love you sisters!!!!!!!

In light of these realizations, I confessed my failures and excuses to God this morning and am making a new start. I will stumble many times in my efforts to walk along the P31 path but I trust God to empower and enable me every step of the way!

Here is the version of Proverbs 31:10-31 I read this morning (NIV):

¹⁰ ^c]">[c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Amen.

Real Woman Makeover-Day 2

The past couple of days I have been listening online to Dr. Nancy Lee De Moss at Revive Our Hearts.com and have been greatly encouraged! In the past I have read Proverbs 31:10-31 over and over but until I heard some of the insights Dr. De Moss shares in her program about that passage it's as though I have been blind to it!

The main thing she said today that changed how I saw that entire passage in Proverbs was this: No human woman can become the Proverbs 31 woman on her own. Only through Christ and His strength can we aspire to be like Ms. P31......whoa. How profound! Total light bulb Moment! I have been striving for years to be like Ms. P31 on my own and failing miserably! So, I prayed this morning and asked for God's forgiveness in trying to succeed on my own. Starting today I have a totally new outlook and will begin to see Christ's strength to be like Ms. P31 and bless my husband, my children and my community!

The other thing that Dr. De Moss has said several times is that it's not what Ms. P31 does that women are to emulate but her heart, a heart that fears the Lord. A heart that is reverent to Him. I've been reading a different version of Proverbs 31:10-31 everyday. Here is the interpretation of that passage from "The Message".

^10-31 A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast
for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need,
reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows;
their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many women have done wonderful things,
but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises! , a heart that has reverence for God.

May God be glorified in me and you today!

My Favorite Hymn

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

1. Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
 tune my heart to sing thy grace;
 streams of mercy, never ceasing,
 call for songs of loudest praise.
 Teach me some melodious sonnet,
 sung by flaming tongues above.
 Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
 mount of thy redeeming love.

2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
 hither by thy help I'm come;
 and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
 safely to arrive at home.
 Jesus sought me when a stranger,
 wandering from the fold of God;
 he, to rescue me from danger,
 interposed his precious blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtor
 daily I'm constrained to be!
 Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
 bind my wandering heart to thee.
 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
 prone to leave the God I love;
 here's my heart, O take and seal it,
 seal it for thy courts above.

True Woman Makeover, Day 1: Revive Our Hearts

God Bless you today!

---

Friday Funnies

My best friend from High School sent this too me in an email. I have no idea who the author of these hilarious random thoughts are but I hope they make you giggle! A couple of them made me gafaw!

Random Thoughts by ??????

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

-That's enough, Nickelback.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it.

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

- Was learning cursive really necessary?

- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

- Bad decisions make good stories.

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

Monday Morning Wake Up Call

This one minute and 14 second film is really powerful: Evolution

We have to change our culture for ourselves and more importantly for our DAUGHTERS and GRANDDAUGHTERS!!!!!!!!!

Spread the word Beautiful Ladies!!!!

Wednesday Tip of the Week

Put markers in a locked container when your kids are 3 and under............ha ha! Just kidding! My sweet daughter is in that drawing all over herself and furniture and the walls stage!

My *real* tip of the week comes from a book called "Potty Train in 1 Day". A friend of mine loaned me the book after she was able to potty train her 3 1/2 year old son in one day using it's methods. I've used the methods with all 3 kids and although my kids weren't potty trained in 1 day, the tips were very helpful and did help greatly with the potty training process! I also added my own tip on to the tip from the book at the end:

Tip: Give them lots and lots of yummy drinks so they need to pee often. Special drinks that they don't get often like fruit punch, lemonade, Capri Suns etc, etc. The idea is more they need to pee the more opportunites they have to practice the potty. The book also suggested you provide plenty of salty snacks to make them thirsty.

Now this tip was tough for me as a "water and milk (almost) only" mom. I give my kids less than 4 oz of juice a day and stuff like Capri Suns NEVER enter my house. But, to get rid of diapers I'd even consider the most evil of them all............KOOL AID! I haven't gone that far yet but Baby Girl has been enjoying a Capri Sun or two a day and it does give her more opportunities to practice the potty than what is typical for her. Yes, I know we are going to have to wean her from Capri Suns but that's another day!

Oh! And my own tip to go along with the one from the book: If you are at home with your Little One on the day you are giving them extra liquids, you should drink extra also to make you need the potty more often. When you have to pee it reminds you to take your Little Trainer along with you! Of course this tip is useless long distance so don't try this if you are at work =}. (That's my attempt to be funny today......)

Happy Potty-ing everyone!

Traditional Tuesdays

Our family has fallen waaaaaaaaaay off the "Traditional Foods" wagon. And we feel terrible physically. I made it to the Natural Food Co-op yesterday and stocked up on nutritionally dense foods. I hope we can turn this around. My head hurts, my gut is a mess and I'm so tired!

Here is my favorite recipe this week:

Fresh Blueberry Cobbler

I made it this weekend when my sister-in-law was in town. It was different than other cobbler recipes I've made because the "crust" was on the bottom. It was fantastic! Probably the best cobbler I've ever had! I made it out of all "Traditional Food" ingredients including raw milk, organic butter from pastured cows, sucanat for the sweetener and whole wheat flour. The only thing I think I'd do differently is use whole wheat pastry flour next time, it was a bit dense but still very, very good! I served it with organic whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup. It was so good we all had a second serving the next morning at breakfast!

Monday Morning Random Fact

I'm back! It took me TWO WEEKS to recover from our vacation! The fact that I had raging PMS last week didn't help. I'm not totally back together but I think I'm ready to blog again!

Here's my random fact for today:

I got my first period when I was 11 years old. It was the very beginning of 6th grade and I was SHOCKED and HORRIFIED! I knew what it was the minute I saw that red dot in my undies but I thought it wouldn't come until I was at least 13! I was miserable all day. My mom and sister baked me a chocolate cake to cheer me up but the only decoration we had in the house were RED SPRINKLES! My sweet 9 year old sis thought she was being nice decorating the cake but I took one look at it and started sobbing.

How are you dear friends?

Friday Funnies

I didn't post "Thursday Thoughts on my Faith" yesterday due to the Hormonal Hurricane that's still swirling around inside me. I do have some thoughts on my faith, especially after last week "retreat" in the redwoods but I'll have to wait until my brain comes back to share.

My mom sent this video to me and if you haven't see it, it's a total gas! It made me want to get married again (to my DH of course!) Check it out:

Best Wedding Entrance Ever

And you have probably seen this one on youtube already but if you haven't enjoy this one too:

Best First Wedding Dance Ever

Finding the Humor in it...............

Like I posted yesterday I am DEEP in the throes of PMS. As I get older I recognize the signs a lot sooner. For years my period would start and I would have this incredible realization..........Ohhhhh, that's why I flipped off that sweet old lady in the crosswalk, ate an entire bag of Hershey's Kisses every day for the past week, hate the new haircut I got that I loved last week, am convinced that everyone hates me and am filing for divorce from the stupidest man to ever roam the earth! Now that Auntie Flo is here, it all makes sense and it's all good now. You've probably been there too. I have found now that I recognize"what in the world is wrong with me" during PMS instead of after the fact helps a little, and I mean a little but when you are in Hormone Hell even a little bit of peace of mind goes a long way.

After inhaling 2 pints of ice cream all by myself in 3 days, feeling so exhausted that I went to bed at 8 on Monday night and screeching at my son this morning for not putting on his shoes fast enough I realized that my "time of the month" was coming and I currently was experiencing Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. So for the past couple of days I've tried to give myself a break. I watched TV and ate ice cream while the boys were at school and my daughter napped today. I did some chores but not as many as I would do on a typical day. I made dinner in the crockpot at noon so I wouldn't be trying to do it when the Three Tornadoes are swirling around me and DH is asking me where "things are" (why do men never know where things are located in their own home?) And I googled PMS jokes for women to try to find some humor in the situation. Here are my favs:

Number 1: How many women with PMS does it take to screw in a light bulb? One.

ONE!! And do you know WHY it only takes ONE? Because no one else in this house knows HOW to change a light bulb. They don't even know the bulb is BURNED OUT. They would sit in this house in the dark for THREE DAYS before they figured it OUT.

And once they figured it out they wouldn't be able to find the light bulbs despite the fact that they've been in the SAME CUPBOARD for the past SEVENTEEN YEARS.

But if they did, by some miracle, find the light bulbs, TWO DAYS LATER the chair that they dragged from two rooms over to stand on to change the STUPID light bulb would STILL BE IN THE SAME SPOT!!!!! AND UNDERNEATH IT WOULD BE THE CRUMPLED WRAPPER THE STUPID LIGHT BULBS CAME IN. WHY??? BECAUSE NO ONE IN THIS HOUSE EVER CARRIES OUT THE GARBAGE!!!! IT'S A WONDER WE HAVEN'T ALL SUFFOCATED FROM THE PILES OF GARBAGE THAT ARE 12 FEET DEEP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE. THE HOUSE!! THE HOUSE!!! IT WOULD TAKE AN ARMY TO CLEAN THIS.................

Joke 2: Joseph and Mary

A couple was sitting around their apartment; she was clipping coupons while he was reading the bible. The old man said to his wife, "You know honey, everything you ever wanted to know about life is in here."

She returned, "Well, maybe not EVERYTHING, dear."

He replied back, "Sure, just name one thing I can't find in here."

She said, "PMS-you won't find anything about it in there."

He began flipping through the pages, going from one chapter to another, pausing for a few seconds only before going on to the next page. After about 10 minutes, he looked up at his wife and said, "Aha! Here it is, I told you everything was in here."

Then he proceeded to begin reading the script "... and Mary rode Joseph's ass..."

I found these jokes on PMS Central a very humorous but informative website about the dreaded Curse before the actual Curse. Among ideas on how to cope you can actually sign up for PMS alerts to your email box. To quote the site, "Use our email service to give you a head's up on the hormonal hurricane........." If only I had known about that service for the past 20 years? If you want to know what kind of PMS Personality you have you can take this Quiz there! It was hilarious and also informative.

In all seriousness I am thinking I should go see a hormonal specialist because my PMS symptoms have always been unpleasant but in the past two years since my daughter has been born they are getting worse. I honestly feel like I am mentally ill in the days before my period starts. The bloat is horrendous! It takes every fiber of my being at times not to scream at my kids or DH like a Banshee. Everything irritates me. My body feel sore all over and cramps start before my period when my whole life they've only come during. The worst part is I feel like a horrible failure at, well, everything for 3-4 days. I feel like I'm never going to lose weight, hated by all who know me and some who don't, like I'm a terrible wife and mother and I have done nothing good with my life. I can get down right depressed. OH! And did I mention I eat and eat and eat? It's like I can't get full. I've had problems with my hormones but it's never been this bad. I have a number for a doc who is an expert on hormone dysfunction and will supposedly spend 1 and a half hours with you on your first visit AND insurance pays for it. I am looking for a miracle, do you think there is one out there? Damn that Eve and her stupid apple......................

PMS Rant of the Month

I just have to type this out of my system somewhere so I will do it here on my blog...........

Our country is in the middle of a severe recession/possible depression, the healthcare system is a mess, we are at war with Iraq, North Korea's nuclear program is breathing down our neck, our country's family values are going down the toilet, millions of children in the world go to bed starving each night, AIDS is ravaging many African countries, autism is estimated to be 1 in 75 kids in the US, Swine Flu is knocking at our door, etc, etc, etc. But by all means, let's worry about President Obama's jeans! Let's spend time and attention on that! Thank you CNN for bringing this fashion error of the President's to our attention! How could we go on another day without discussion of Obama's "Mom Jeans"???? This media story makes me ill, I will post a link to it but please if you have better things to do don't click on it. Instead, maybe let's pray for the President and the leaders of our country to have great wisdom and forget about what their pants look like. This story on CNN is a horrible example of the "dumbing down" of the American people. As a matter of fact I'm pissed at myself for spending so much time on it. Here it is, but be warned, watching this will destroy brain cells: Obama's Mom Jeans .

Okay, I'm going back to my cave with a vat of Ben and Jerry's now. I'll be back when my hormones subside.

Thursday Thoughts on my Faith

Retreat. What a beautiful word. Webster's dictionary defines it this way among others: "to withdraw, retire or draw back especially for shelter or seclusion". It has literally been years since I've taken a spiritual retreat and it shows. As I look forward to the time I will spend at my beloved Mt Gilead next week I am stunned by the fact that I have gotten out of the habit of regular retreat. I used to do it all the time in High School and College. Church and Christian college gave me opportunities to "go to the mountain" several times a year. It was so helpful and refreshing to step back from daily life and spend 24 hours to several days resting in God's presence. Pulling back from day-to-day worries and reconnecting with the Creator was nourishment my soul desperately needed...........and still does.

My worries were so much less complicated and overwhelming in High School and College however the habit of regular retreats helped to put my life in perspective. It gave me strength as well to face challenges and see my problems in a new light. How much more intense and heavy are my burdens now as a wife and mother? As I sit here this morning I am wondering what taking a regular retreat would do for me now. If I dedicated several days a year to resting in God's goodness, provision and allowing Him to renew my spirit what changes would that bring about in my life? I have a idea what that would do for me but I will wait and report what it actually does for me next week. I am excited to rest! Isn't that a funny concept?

Pray for me friends as I head off to the redwoods to seek Living Water to refresh my mind and spirit. May God draw me near and rejuvenate my weary soul. I seek to find a renewal of my relationship with our Heavenly Father. I seek to behold His glory and be comforted by His presence. I hope you all find pockets of retreat in your week so you may be renewed for daily "battles".

"He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul............." Psalm 23:2-3a