These two novellas by Sandra Bricker are a fun spin for anyone who has had a case of the Christmas grouchies or has just not been in the Christmas Spirit.
Joss does everything that she can to avoid all things Christmas. So she makes plans to set off on the Bah Humbug Cruise with her friend Reese. When Joss tells Reese about their plans for that year, Reese announces that she is engaged and that she will be going to meet her future in laws over the holiday season.
Joss embarks on the cruise alone, only to discover that the Bah Humbug cruise has been cancelled and she has been rebooked on the 12 Days of Christmas cruise. To her horror, as she prepares to disembark, she discovers that the ship has already set sail. As determined as she is to stay holed up in her room and avoid the holiday festivities, a certain, handsome Irish gentleman is just as determined to capture all her attention.
Reese arrives to meet her future in laws and meets with disaster and catastrophe along the way. As she tries to fit in and get to know the family, she causes horrible and unbelievable "bumps" in the road.
Both of these novellas were laugh out loud hysterical! I enjoyed both of them so much. The novellas were a fun detour from the traditional Christmas novels. I highly recommend Merry Humbug Christmas. You will not be disappointed!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Beware of the Detergent Pod!
The new detergent pods that have come out for laundry and dishes are very convenient. These pods enable you to just toss a pod in your laundry or just set a pod in your dishwasher detergent holder without having to measure and they are also less messy.
However, they can also be dangerous if you have small children! I learned this the hard way when our two year old got one and burst it inside his mouth. The laundry pod was clear, so we were unable to tell how much he had ingested. We immediately called poison control and told them the situation. Poison Control told us that if he began throwing up to take him to the emergency room. Before I even hung up the phone with PC, my child began to throw up. My husband immediately took him to the ER where they monitored him and checked him out thoroughly. When my husband went, he took the laundry container with him so that the hospital staff could see what was in the pod he had ingested.
Fortunately, our child was ok and had not ingested very much. However, when I spoke with Poison Control, they said that the situation could be very serious. The pods are fun colors many times and they look similar to candy to children. They also smell good. The pods are squishy and fun to play with, but they are also highly concentrated, so there is more poisonous material in a smaller amount of liquid.
I am no longer buying the detergent pods while my children are young. I have always kept all of my cleaning supplies up high to prevent my children from getting them, however, not having them in the house at all prevents this from happening. I am so thankful that my child was not injured or worse, but it is important to let other parents and childcare workers aware of these poisonous pods!
Photo credit: http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=d-1G38ft6V0egM&tbnid=rRZIwtxEKj8SrM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.orlandosentinel.com%2F2013-08-15%2Fnews%2Fos-detergent-pod-death-child-20130815_1_detergent-laundry-7-month-old-boy&ei=h0c6UtDcGqTS2AW87ICICA&bvm=bv.52288139,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGt8Zq6actaSM3ExlQXitmQebfIKw&ust=1379637453494527
However, they can also be dangerous if you have small children! I learned this the hard way when our two year old got one and burst it inside his mouth. The laundry pod was clear, so we were unable to tell how much he had ingested. We immediately called poison control and told them the situation. Poison Control told us that if he began throwing up to take him to the emergency room. Before I even hung up the phone with PC, my child began to throw up. My husband immediately took him to the ER where they monitored him and checked him out thoroughly. When my husband went, he took the laundry container with him so that the hospital staff could see what was in the pod he had ingested.
Fortunately, our child was ok and had not ingested very much. However, when I spoke with Poison Control, they said that the situation could be very serious. The pods are fun colors many times and they look similar to candy to children. They also smell good. The pods are squishy and fun to play with, but they are also highly concentrated, so there is more poisonous material in a smaller amount of liquid.
I am no longer buying the detergent pods while my children are young. I have always kept all of my cleaning supplies up high to prevent my children from getting them, however, not having them in the house at all prevents this from happening. I am so thankful that my child was not injured or worse, but it is important to let other parents and childcare workers aware of these poisonous pods!
Photo credit: http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=d-1G38ft6V0egM&tbnid=rRZIwtxEKj8SrM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.orlandosentinel.com%2F2013-08-15%2Fnews%2Fos-detergent-pod-death-child-20130815_1_detergent-laundry-7-month-old-boy&ei=h0c6UtDcGqTS2AW87ICICA&bvm=bv.52288139,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGt8Zq6actaSM3ExlQXitmQebfIKw&ust=1379637453494527
Thursday, May 23, 2013
To the Victims of the Oklahoma Tornado
Dear Moore, Oklahoma,
Today, as I was boxing up clothes and supplies to send to you, I began to think about what I would say if I could speak to you in person. First of all, I hesitated in writing this at all, because I don't want it to seem that I feel that my own smaller tragedy can at all compare to a disaster of this magnitude that has affected an entire city and community. My own story does not compare, not in the least. However, on an individual and personal level, I feel like I can understand to a lesser degree how families are feeling who have lost their homes and belongings. I don't know that anyone from Moore, Oklahoma will read this anyway, but I felt compelled to share my story and experience, nonetheless.
When tragedies like this occur, and the loss and destruction is so great, my heart hurts because I know on a smaller scale what it is like to have lost everything. Nothing compares to the tragic loss of life and my heart breaks even more for those who have lost their dear loved ones.
You see, in 2003, about 5 weeks after my husband and I had gotten married, we woke up early in the morning to our home filled with smoke because our home was on fire. We had gotten a puppy a couple weeks after the wedding and my husband got up because he thought he heard the puppy whine to go out. When he opened our bedroom door, he was horrified to see smoke and flames coming down the hall, blocking our only exit.
As my husband broke our bedroom window for us to jump out and escape, I remember throwing myself on the floor to try to breathe. When I jumped out the window and landed on the ground, nothing mattered except for the fact that my husband and I were alive and safe. I saw a quilt that my grandmother had made hanging from the window. My husband had grabbed it and used it as he jumped out the window to help prevent some of the glass cutting him. It is interesting how your mind works in an emergency. As the events of the day played out, our home burned completely to the ground and we lost everything inside.
In the days that followed, I remember that it was so hard for me to just do normal and routine things. It was overwhelming to even try to go to the grocery store, let alone try replace every single item we owned. Doing the simple things was difficult for me, yet it was in doing the simple things that my life became normal again.
It took me a long time to feel safe. In my mind, I would tell myself that God had protected us from the fire and that He would do it again, but that didn't stop fear from rising up. I realized how little there is that I can control. Every time that my sweet husband would leave the house, I would be bombarded with frantic thoughts that this could be the last time that I saw him.
For several months, the smell of smoke or the sound of breaking glass would send my heart racing. It was many years before I would attend a bonfire because I would remember so vividly the struggle to breathe as I lay on the floor of a room filled with smoke.
As time passed, God comforted my heart and I knew that he was greater than my fears. He showed me over and over again that I could trust Him, even when it was hard. I continued to learn that no matter what happened, He would take care of me.
What I want you to know is this.
1. It gets better. It gets easier. Today may seem overwhelming, but take it one step, one breath at a time. Do the simple things.
2. You are not alone. You have so many thoughts and prayers of caring people all over this nation. The minute the tragedy occured, caring people sprung into action to help you. People you don't even know are doing all they can to help life get back to normal as quickly as possible for you. We love you.
3. Expect miracles, both big and small. Sometimes, you may not even recognize the miracle until you look back on it later.
4. Don't give up hope. Even if the journey is long, don't give up.
5. God restores. Soon after the fire, my mom gave me a framed verse. It first was the promise that I clung to, believing for life to get better. This is the prayer that I am now praying for you.
"We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." Psalm 66:12
Today, as I was boxing up clothes and supplies to send to you, I began to think about what I would say if I could speak to you in person. First of all, I hesitated in writing this at all, because I don't want it to seem that I feel that my own smaller tragedy can at all compare to a disaster of this magnitude that has affected an entire city and community. My own story does not compare, not in the least. However, on an individual and personal level, I feel like I can understand to a lesser degree how families are feeling who have lost their homes and belongings. I don't know that anyone from Moore, Oklahoma will read this anyway, but I felt compelled to share my story and experience, nonetheless.
When tragedies like this occur, and the loss and destruction is so great, my heart hurts because I know on a smaller scale what it is like to have lost everything. Nothing compares to the tragic loss of life and my heart breaks even more for those who have lost their dear loved ones.
You see, in 2003, about 5 weeks after my husband and I had gotten married, we woke up early in the morning to our home filled with smoke because our home was on fire. We had gotten a puppy a couple weeks after the wedding and my husband got up because he thought he heard the puppy whine to go out. When he opened our bedroom door, he was horrified to see smoke and flames coming down the hall, blocking our only exit.
As my husband broke our bedroom window for us to jump out and escape, I remember throwing myself on the floor to try to breathe. When I jumped out the window and landed on the ground, nothing mattered except for the fact that my husband and I were alive and safe. I saw a quilt that my grandmother had made hanging from the window. My husband had grabbed it and used it as he jumped out the window to help prevent some of the glass cutting him. It is interesting how your mind works in an emergency. As the events of the day played out, our home burned completely to the ground and we lost everything inside.
In the days that followed, I remember that it was so hard for me to just do normal and routine things. It was overwhelming to even try to go to the grocery store, let alone try replace every single item we owned. Doing the simple things was difficult for me, yet it was in doing the simple things that my life became normal again.
It took me a long time to feel safe. In my mind, I would tell myself that God had protected us from the fire and that He would do it again, but that didn't stop fear from rising up. I realized how little there is that I can control. Every time that my sweet husband would leave the house, I would be bombarded with frantic thoughts that this could be the last time that I saw him.
For several months, the smell of smoke or the sound of breaking glass would send my heart racing. It was many years before I would attend a bonfire because I would remember so vividly the struggle to breathe as I lay on the floor of a room filled with smoke.
As time passed, God comforted my heart and I knew that he was greater than my fears. He showed me over and over again that I could trust Him, even when it was hard. I continued to learn that no matter what happened, He would take care of me.
What I want you to know is this.
1. It gets better. It gets easier. Today may seem overwhelming, but take it one step, one breath at a time. Do the simple things.
2. You are not alone. You have so many thoughts and prayers of caring people all over this nation. The minute the tragedy occured, caring people sprung into action to help you. People you don't even know are doing all they can to help life get back to normal as quickly as possible for you. We love you.
3. Expect miracles, both big and small. Sometimes, you may not even recognize the miracle until you look back on it later.
4. Don't give up hope. Even if the journey is long, don't give up.
5. God restores. Soon after the fire, my mom gave me a framed verse. It first was the promise that I clung to, believing for life to get better. This is the prayer that I am now praying for you.
"We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." Psalm 66:12
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Notes From My Coupon Class
Saving Money With Coupons
How I Got Started
I was about to have our 2nd baby and we had made the decision for me to stay home and no longer work. Obviously, this meant that we would not have as much money and so I asked the Lord to show me how I could manage our money better and to show me ways that I could stretch the money we had. A couple of days after that prayer, I came across some very helpful websites and my money saving adventures began! It didn’t happen over night, but slowly and surely the savings increased…kind of like a coupon snowball. J
Take A Deep Breath
Begin with the attitude that you will gradually save more each week. It will take practice to perfect your shopping trips. Don’t overwhelm yourself by expecting to save 90% off your bill the first week. Gradually decrease your budget over the next few months.
Be Prepared---It Takes WORK
Take inventory of your pantry and fridge. Know what you have and what you need. When you find a good deal on items that you use, STOCK UP! On the flip side, don’t buy items that you will not use. Just because something is a good price does not mean that you have to buy it. If it just sits in your pantry, you have wasted money, not saved it. However….you can buy items that you know you can donate to charity, like we did recently for Pleasant Hills Children’s Home.
Look through your sales ads before you go to the store, so you can match up your coupons and find the best deals. You can look at your store’s ad online if you don’t receive a copy it in your paper. I look at my couponing as a type of part time job. So the more time I invest, the more I am able to save. At this point, after I have clipped my coupons, I spend an hour to an hour and a half preparing for my shopping trip (that includes all my stores that I am stopping by). A well planned shopping trip and meal plan for the week is key to saving money. I plan my meal plans around the weekly deals, not my shopping based on my meal plans.
Be aware that it will take you longer to shop once you are in the store. You need to make sure you get the right size item that the coupon indicates. I am getting faster, but I usually end up spending a couple hours in the store for a “stock up trip” which is a full basket of groceries. If I am only getting a few items, I still know that I need to budget at least 30 minutes.
Try not to be brand loyal. There are a few items, such as make up, that I am brand loyal to. However, if you are not brand loyal, you will be able to save much more.
Take your coupons with you to the store. You never know what deals you will find at the store that were not listed in the sales ad.
Know what a good deal is. Be aware of what the regular prices are for items. Just because something is listed in the ad as “on sale,” does not mean that it is. I have seen items “on sale” that are actually higher than the regular price. This comes with a little practice and experience of being watchful of prices.
Also, look out for marketing scams, such as 10 for $10. Most of the time, you don’t have to purchase 10 items because the items are priced individually for $1 each. So just buy the amount that you need.
Shop weekly. I have tried to only shop once a month, because it is difficult for me to shop with my kids in tow, so I try to go when my husband is available to watch them. By shopping once a month, however, I found that I was not able to save nearly as much money because I was limited on what deals I could take advantage of. I now shop once a week, occasionally stretching it 2 weeks. Many times, I shop late in the evening because that is the only time I am able to leave the kids.
However, sometimes, the sale for the week is not worth driving into town for, so I do sometimes stretch my shopping trips to every other week.
Make the system work for YOU. What works for me and my family, may not be feasible for you. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time or energy to work the system exactly the way that I or anyone else does. Your time is also valuable. So don’t stress if you don’t have a lot of time to invest. You are not a bad steward of your money if you are not able to use the coupon system to its full potential. Use the resources I am giving you, and then do what works for you and your household. A lot of the tools I am giving you, do a lot of the leg work for you, so for those of you who have less time, the sites listed should be beneficial.
Tips and Tricks
Tip #1
Buy what you need, BEFORE you need it. The key to saving money with coupons is to buy the items you need from the store when they are on sale and you have coupons for the item. Most stores have rotate the items that they have on sale on a 6-8 week rotation, meaning that the item will be on sale every 6-8 weeks.
So, when you get your coupons, don’t use them immediately just because you have them. Watch your sale ads and see when it goes on sale.
Tip #2
Shop the stores with the best coupon policy. I personally shop at Kroger and CVS primarily, unless I see a really good deal elsewhere. However, these are my 2 store that I focus on. Try to find a store that has a DOUBLE and TRIPLE coupon policy. Our Kroger stores have this policy and so I am able to save the most money there. More on Kroger and CVS in a minute.
NOTE: I have found it helpful to focus on only 2 stores. If you shop every grocery store in town, then you are taking a lot of time and will be stressed out with no energy by the time you finish. If you have time to shop each store, then you will most definitely get the best deals, but most of us do not have a lifestyle that accommodates that much shopping.
There are other good deals available at other stores, but your time is also valuable. I do look at other store ads to see if there is a SUPER deal (such as low cost meat) and will make an extra stop for items such as that, but as a general rule, I limit my shopping to those 2 stores. You may enjoy shopping at other stores, but these are the stores that I have had the most success with.
Obviously, I keep an eye out for great sales at the mall for holiday and birthday gifts as well. I have had great success at JC Penney and Kohl’s with their sales and newspaper coupons.
Tip #3
Use more than 1 coupon on the same item. Depending on the store’s coupon policy, many times you will be able to use more than one coupon on the same item. I call this “stacking.”
EXAMPLES:
1. You can use a manufacturer coupon AND a store coupon on the same item.
2. Load electronic coupons on your Kroger card. You can go to shortcuts.com or cellfire.com and load electronic coupons on your card. These e-coupons will deduct on top of any coupons used for the same item that you bring to the store with you. If there is more than one e-coupon for the same item on the different sites, my understanding is that Kroger will take 2 of them in addition to your paper coupons.
3. BOGO: When you have a BOGO coupon, most of the time you can use additional coupons with the item. The store reads the BOGO coupon and deducts the price of the second item because it sees that you purchased two items. You can then use additional $off coupons for one or both of the items. Many times the store computer calculates the BOGO coupon separately, enabling you to use a coupon per item in addition to the BOGO.
Using this method, a couple of weeks ago, I bought 2 Steamfresh Meals for Two, priced at $5.49. I had a BOGO coupon and then two $1.50/1 coupons. So I got both of the Steamfresh Meals for $2.49. This deal could have been better if the store had also had the item on sale BOGO. J
This week, there was a special on Tide for $5.88. I had a BOGO, plus a $3/1 and a .35 (tripled to $1.05) so I was able to get to full size bottles of Tide for $1.89!!!
*Also, be on the look out when you are the store for items that have a coupon sticker on them. A lot of times, the store will accept the sticker coupon in addition to the coupon you already brought with you. I was able to get some Nestle Toll House cookies very cheap this way.
Tip #4
Check the clearance bins. I get almost all of my meat at Kroger from the discount section and save 50%-75% routinely. I have also found good deals in the clearance bins that I have had coupons for, so I always make sure that I take all of my coupons with me to the store.
Tip #5
Stock up! When you find a great deal, stock up on it! If you need to do separate transactions according to the store’s coupon policy, then do it. Take advantage of the sales. We have done this many times with our local Market Basket when they put their chicken on sale for .30/lb. or less. Brad and I will both go so that we can get double the limit.
Tip #6
Go for the younger checkers. This is kind of sneaky, but my experience has been, as has also been indicated on many blogs that I have read, that if when you check out you go to a teenage (preferably male) checker, they are not as likely to question you about your coupons. They usually just scan them so you will hurry up and be out of their line. Also, I make an effort to go to the same checker every time I visit the store. He know that I am honest and am not trying to scam the store by using expired coupons. By making an effort to have a friendly relationship with the checkers, they are less likely to hassle you and most of the time will go the extra mile to make the coupon work if there is a problem.
In saying that, I am always nice to the store employees. If there is a coupon that they refuse to take, for whatever reason, I don’t argue with them. I shop there all the time and I don’t want to get the reputation as the mean lady with all the coupons who holds up the line. I also try to shop at a time when the store is not as busy and if I can, I will let other customers go in front of me so they are not frustrated by how long I take. Most of the time, the customers behind me are very nice and are impressed by how much money I saved.
Why I Love My Kroger Store!!
The primary reason that I shop at Kroger is because of their coupon policy. They triple up to .39 and double up from .40 to .50. Everything over .50 is face value. They also have Mega Sale Events where they mark their items down CHEAP and I usually have coupons for a lot of the items on sale.
I also love them because they mail me coupons about once a week that are based on my purchases. My Kroger card keeps track of what I buy and then the store sends me coupons that they know I will use.
I can also load electronic coupons on my Kroger Plus card that can be bundled with other coupons.
Although I don’t meet the requirement yet, if you are 55 or older, you get a 5% discount every Tuesday…maybe I should start using my mom’s card….
The manager at my Kroger told me that the coupon limit was 10 per item type. So if I have 10 boxes of Cheerios, I can use 10 coupons. He did tell me that the cash register will automatically stop accepting the coupons if you try to use more than that. However, this is a big limit and there are not a lot of items that I would need to use more than 10 coupons on.
I have had nothing but positive experiences with this store. They are very helpful and never hassle me over my coupons. They are usually excited to see how much money I save.
Getting Paid to Shop at CVS
I get a lot of questions about how I save so much money with CVS. So here is the scoop on how the system works. The following links explain it in detail. But I will give you an overview of how I use it.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/qa-making-cvs-w.html
Basically, the store offers Extra Care Bucks (ECB’s) on certain items each week. ECB’s are store credit. So you buy items that generate ECB’s and then use the ECB’s to purchase items the next visit that will generate MORE ECB’s and the process continues. Once you start the process, you just continue to buy items with your ECB’s and when combined with strategically chosen coupons, you save money. I very rarely spend more than $5 out of pocket at CVS. Most of the time, after the ECB’s that I make on my shopping trip, CVS had more or less paid me to shop there.
SOY JOY BAR Example
Buy 4 Soy Joy Bars, get 4 ECB’s (limit 5) This means I can get 20 bars
I had 3 BOGO coupons and 15 ECB’s.
My out of pocket expense was $2 and they paid me $20 in ECB’s.
So I made a profit of $18 in store credit.
CVS accepts coupons at face value, however you can “stack” the coupons on a single item, like I explained earlier. When I spoke with the manager, she said that they don’t have a coupon on the amount of coupons that you use in your visit. They do reserve the right to limit you, however, the sale itself will usually set a limit on how many deals you can take advantage of to get the ECB’s, even if you still use coupons for items that are not on sale.
Obviously, the first time that you shop at CVS, you will not have any ECB’s to get items for free, so you will have to spend some money out of pocket. However, once you start the process, it works very well.
They also have a green bag tag that you can keep and scan each time you shop there for using a bag you bring from home. Every 4th visit, you get 1 ECB.
You can also join the CVS advisory panel and they will reward you with ECB’s for providing input for them.
Walgreens
Although, I don’t use the Walgreens system, it pretty much works the same way. The link explains their system.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/01/walgreens-101.html
I should add here that stores are not losing money when you use coupons. The manufacturer reimburses them for the coupons. The managers at Kroger and CVS both said that they encourage customers to bring their coupons.
How Do I Get a Coupon Stash?
My experience has been that once you start looking for coupons, they are really easy to find!! Here are a few ways that I get mine.
Sunday newspaper
Online sites (coupons.com)
Electronic coupons (shortcuts.com, cellfire.com, Kroger.com)
Ordering from websites (The Coupon Clippers, Coupons N Things)
Looking inside or on boxes of products I have purchased
Blinkie machines
Joining product and restaurant websites email lists (They send you coupons and links, email and regular mail) (vocalpoint.com)
Call or email companies and ask for them
Checking my blogs (they always post links)
Magazines (All You is a great one! This month’s issue had about $50 worth)
Ebay
Catalinas
Electronic coupons (shortcuts.com and cellfire.com) also Kroger has some on their site
Swapping with friends
Coupon trains
Coupon Organization
There are several different ways to organize your coupons. I have tried a couple. I have used the method used by coupon mom, which is where the site tells you what is on sale and what coupons are in each flyer from the newspaper. You don’t clip coupons. You write the date on the coupon flyer and then you reference the site to see which coupons match up with what is on sale. This method was a great starting method for me and it helped train me how to work the coupon system with my stores. I still use the site some.
I outgrew that method because I had many more coupons than just my Sunday coupons, so I was not able to use the system as effectively. Currently, I am using a card box with my coupons clipped and organized by category. The card box is small enough to carry with me into the store and I am able to get to the coupons that I need quickly if I find additional items on sale.
However, I am told that this method is yet another stepping stone and that I will soon outgrow it as well and have to step up to another method. J
Here a link that describes some of the organizational methods that are used.
http://moneysavingmom.typepad.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/organizational.html
Helpful Websites and Blogs
www.moneysavingmom.com
www.couponmom.com
www.myfrugaladventures.com
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/
www.afullcup.com
http://www.frugalfreebiesanddeals.com/
http://savingandgiving.blogspot.com/
http://discountqueens.blogspot.com/
www.southernsavers.com
Electronic Coupon Sites
www.shortcuts.com
www.cellfire.com
www.kroger.com
Sign up for free samples and coupons
www.vocalpoint.com
www.buzzagent.com
Find out what next weeks coupons are
http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/
Order extra coupons and flyers.
www.thecouponclippers.com
www.couponsthingsbydede.com
On Facebook, you can find our group under Deal Finding Divas.
The God Who Sees Me
When I was a child, my school went on a field trip to see President Ronald Reagan speak. Afterward, we lined the pavement where he would pass as they drove him away. As the car passed by, President Reagan was waving at all of the people.
As my parents questioned my sister and I about the field trip when we got home, they asked if we were able to see President Reagan at a close distance. My sister, who was younger than I was, calmly informed him that yes, she had seen the President, but not only that, he SAW HER and waved at her.
When I think of the passage where God is named "The God Who Sees Me," I always think of the time when President Reagan "saw" my sister. Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. However, when it comes to God, we can rest assured that He is a God who sees us and is intmately aquainted with the details of our lives. He cares and wants to be actively involved. He is not a God that is far off and does not know or care about us. He is the God who sees.
Genesis 16
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
1. Sometimes life is a struggle
The angel asks Hagar 2 questions.
Where are you coming from?
Where are you going?
She answers where she came from, but she does not know where she is going.
She is pregnant.
She is alone.
She is in the wilderness.
She does not know what to do.
Her future is uncertain.
Whoever said the Bible is not interesting? This story is filled with all the elements on a daytime soap opera!
Part of the situation was out of Hagar’s control. The whole plan to conceive a child was Sarah’s idea. Hagar was obligated to obey her mistress.
Part of the situation was Hagar’s fault. The Word says that when she saw that she was pregnant that she despised her mistress. She made Sarah mad. She did not handle the situation in the wisest manner. Sarah decided to play tough and sent her away.
2. God sees our struggles.
Genesis 16:7 says The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. Hagar was homeless, hungry, broke --- all alone and pregnant in a vast wilderness. She was a “nobody” with nothing to offer.
Worst of all, the very people who should have helped her … Abraham and Sarah … the people who knew God … they were the ones who were hurting her. But God did not abandon Hagar. God went to her … right where she was. Notice how specific this verse is. God knew exactly where Hagar was, and He knew just the moment when she would be ready to listen to what He had to say.
In your darkest moment, when your problem seems too ugly and twisted and complicated to solve, God sees you. God knows exactly where you are --- and He will come to you. Hagar didn’t expect it. Genesis 16:13 tells how she reacted: She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
Hagar gave God the name “El Roi” – the God who sees. This is the only time this Title is applied to God, and it came from a runaway slave who found herself in the middle of a hopeless, tangled mess. God sees your heartache. He sees your struggles. He understands your turmoil. God is there with you at your lowest point. He is YOUR El Roi – He is the God who sees you.
3. God offers us a solution.
Like a knowledgeable Consultant, God always knows the changes we need to make. He knows exactly what will make things better … and He knows exactly what will make things worse. In Hagar’s case, the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." Genesis 16:9
Hagar did part of what God told her to do. She DID return to Sarah. But Hagar did not do ALL God told her to do. If she had truly submitted to Sarah, things would have gone a lot better for her. As it was, hatred grew between Hagar and Sarah. Eventually, Hagar and Ishmael had to leave the protection of Abraham’s home. They ended up back in the wilderness … in the same desperate situation Hagar was in before. (We’re still suffering the ramifications of all this in the Middle East today!)
Sometimes God’s solution is not what we think it should be. I’m sure Hagar would have loved for God’s solution to be something else, like sending a rich and handsome man to fall in love with her and sweep her off her feet and carry her off to a castle and live happily ever after.
We see continuously that many times, the path that is best for us is not the easy one, but the road less traveled. But we have all lived long enough to know that the things in life that are worth having are worth the struggle. Any woman who has given birth can attest to this fact. J
However, we know that when we do things God’s way, even when it is not the easiest, the rewards far outweigh the cost.
CONCLUSION:
The main thing I want you to hear today is this: no problem is too big for our God. You will never hear God say, “I can’t see any solution to this big mess. Why don’t you just give up!” God knows exactly what you need to do to turn your problem around.
I’ve known people whose lives were completely transformed after they “Consulted” with God and followed His plan for their lives.
On the other hand, I’ve met people who started out doing what God said. But then --- after things got better --- they decided they didn’t need God any more. And --- like Hagar --- they ended up right back where they started.
When you face difficulties in your life, are you aware that somewhere above you is the watchful eye of “El Roi,” the God who sees? Will you allow God to be your Consultant? Will you obey Him?
No matter how ugly or complicated or hopeless your situation seems, remember that God sees YOU. He will show you what to do --- step by step --- if only you will listen and obey.
As my parents questioned my sister and I about the field trip when we got home, they asked if we were able to see President Reagan at a close distance. My sister, who was younger than I was, calmly informed him that yes, she had seen the President, but not only that, he SAW HER and waved at her.
When I think of the passage where God is named "The God Who Sees Me," I always think of the time when President Reagan "saw" my sister. Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. However, when it comes to God, we can rest assured that He is a God who sees us and is intmately aquainted with the details of our lives. He cares and wants to be actively involved. He is not a God that is far off and does not know or care about us. He is the God who sees.
Genesis 16
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
1. Sometimes life is a struggle
The angel asks Hagar 2 questions.
Where are you coming from?
Where are you going?
She answers where she came from, but she does not know where she is going.
She is pregnant.
She is alone.
She is in the wilderness.
She does not know what to do.
Her future is uncertain.
Whoever said the Bible is not interesting? This story is filled with all the elements on a daytime soap opera!
Part of the situation was out of Hagar’s control. The whole plan to conceive a child was Sarah’s idea. Hagar was obligated to obey her mistress.
Part of the situation was Hagar’s fault. The Word says that when she saw that she was pregnant that she despised her mistress. She made Sarah mad. She did not handle the situation in the wisest manner. Sarah decided to play tough and sent her away.
2. God sees our struggles.
Genesis 16:7 says The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. Hagar was homeless, hungry, broke --- all alone and pregnant in a vast wilderness. She was a “nobody” with nothing to offer.
Worst of all, the very people who should have helped her … Abraham and Sarah … the people who knew God … they were the ones who were hurting her. But God did not abandon Hagar. God went to her … right where she was. Notice how specific this verse is. God knew exactly where Hagar was, and He knew just the moment when she would be ready to listen to what He had to say.
In your darkest moment, when your problem seems too ugly and twisted and complicated to solve, God sees you. God knows exactly where you are --- and He will come to you. Hagar didn’t expect it. Genesis 16:13 tells how she reacted: She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
Hagar gave God the name “El Roi” – the God who sees. This is the only time this Title is applied to God, and it came from a runaway slave who found herself in the middle of a hopeless, tangled mess. God sees your heartache. He sees your struggles. He understands your turmoil. God is there with you at your lowest point. He is YOUR El Roi – He is the God who sees you.
3. God offers us a solution.
Like a knowledgeable Consultant, God always knows the changes we need to make. He knows exactly what will make things better … and He knows exactly what will make things worse. In Hagar’s case, the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." Genesis 16:9
Hagar did part of what God told her to do. She DID return to Sarah. But Hagar did not do ALL God told her to do. If she had truly submitted to Sarah, things would have gone a lot better for her. As it was, hatred grew between Hagar and Sarah. Eventually, Hagar and Ishmael had to leave the protection of Abraham’s home. They ended up back in the wilderness … in the same desperate situation Hagar was in before. (We’re still suffering the ramifications of all this in the Middle East today!)
Sometimes God’s solution is not what we think it should be. I’m sure Hagar would have loved for God’s solution to be something else, like sending a rich and handsome man to fall in love with her and sweep her off her feet and carry her off to a castle and live happily ever after.
We see continuously that many times, the path that is best for us is not the easy one, but the road less traveled. But we have all lived long enough to know that the things in life that are worth having are worth the struggle. Any woman who has given birth can attest to this fact. J
However, we know that when we do things God’s way, even when it is not the easiest, the rewards far outweigh the cost.
CONCLUSION:
The main thing I want you to hear today is this: no problem is too big for our God. You will never hear God say, “I can’t see any solution to this big mess. Why don’t you just give up!” God knows exactly what you need to do to turn your problem around.
I’ve known people whose lives were completely transformed after they “Consulted” with God and followed His plan for their lives.
On the other hand, I’ve met people who started out doing what God said. But then --- after things got better --- they decided they didn’t need God any more. And --- like Hagar --- they ended up right back where they started.
When you face difficulties in your life, are you aware that somewhere above you is the watchful eye of “El Roi,” the God who sees? Will you allow God to be your Consultant? Will you obey Him?
No matter how ugly or complicated or hopeless your situation seems, remember that God sees YOU. He will show you what to do --- step by step --- if only you will listen and obey.
Women of Wisdom
WOW!
(Women of Wisdom)
He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live. 5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding. (NKJV)
"Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!
Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!
Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch!
Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it;
never let her go—she'll make your life glorious. (MSG)
“Her words are ones that reveal wisdom and she provides positive and uplifting instruction with the words she shares"
WISDOM defined:
- the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; discernment, or insight.
- scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.
-wise sayings or teachings; precepts.
-wise act or saying.
Many people define wisdom as the accumulation of knowledge, but it is just as important for us to APPLY that knowledge to our lives.
Proverbs stresses over and over how important it is for us to have wisdom.
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great as a knowing fool. But how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” Charles Spurgeon
So what are some ways we can get wisdom?
1. Block the negatives.
In other words, guard your heart!
Proverbs 4:20-27
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.
The things that you put into your mind, your eyes and your ears will eventually take root in your heart. Seeking wisdom starts with feeding the right things into your spirit.
The words you allow into your heart will come out in the words we say. Your words have power, whether you mean them or not.
Proverbs 18:21
Words kill, words give life;
they're either poison or fruit—you choose. (MSG)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit. (NKJV)
James 1:26
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
What you allow into your heart and mind influences who you become.
“Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to occur in your life. If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life or work, all you have to do is change your mind.”
We are bombarded every day by images, information and ideas. There is a lot that we don’t have control over, so we must be diligent to be careful about what we do have control over.
- Start your day with praise and giving thanks. Start out positive. Decide to wake up and focus on the good things God has done each morning.
- Refuse to yell. Speaking in a lower tone helps to lower your emotions. No one likes to be yelled at.
- Skip the sarcasm and insults. Be sincere or be quiet.
-Allow the Holy Spirit to be your filter. Allow Him to check your heart before you speak or act. Is what you are about to say or do pleasing to the Lord? WWJD?
- Turn off the news.
- Turn off negative TV shows and music. Stop watching things that make you angry, irritated or annoyed.
- Find new people to be around. Your friends influence you, no matter what your age or season in life.
- Think happy thoughts. Focus on your blessings.
2. Feed the positives
-Watch and listen to positive and uplifting shows and movies.
- Keep positive music in the background.
-Take a media fast. Take time to shut out the noise of life and focus on listening to God and what He has to say to you.
-Fill your home with positive quotes and sayings.
-Memorize a Scripture each month (or week).
-Be a reader. Read books that focus on areas you struggle with or want to learn more about.
-Keep a blessing notebook.
3. Seek Out Wise Counsel
Wisdom comes to people from all walks of life and all ages.
-Search for people that are speaking words that will build you up and grow you to the place you desire. Surround yourself with encouragers.
-Search for prayer partners. We need to have people in our life that will lift us up in prayer. The world seeks to crush your spirit, but prayer partners can serve as barriers to those things the world throws in your direction.
-Make time to visit with different groups. Create opportunities to meet new people and open up opportunities for you to grow from their wisdom.
-Watch your own words. The things you say reflect the things you are hearing.
-Be willing to move on. Just because you were a close friend to someone at one time does not mean that they need to continue to stay in your life as someone who influences you.
-Find a mentor. Look for someone who is where you want to be and let them help to pull you up to their level.
-Mentor someone else. Feeding someone else’s wisdom will help push you to feed your own wisdom as well.
4. Learn for Yourself
-Know what the Bible says for yourself, not just what someone else says.
-Take notes when listening to a preacher or teacher so that you can do more research on the topic yourself or ask questions if necessary.
-Spend consistent time in the word.
-Be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. Ask questions respectfully, even good teachers make mistakes.
-Listen to the Holy Spirit. He will speak to you and guide you if you will ask Him and listen.
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him.”
5. Make Wisdom a Priority
-No amount of time spent watching TV, reading, or doing fun activities will be able to compete with God’s Word and spending time with Him.
-Ignore your excuses and choose to make getting wisdom a priority.
-Don’t look at the people around you. What does God expect from you?
-Look for opportunities. Where are you wasting time? What can you replace and use to spend time with God and His Word?
Make a schedule. Set a pattern.
Getting to an extraordinary life often comes by making exceptional choices.
To All the Moms
I saw this and thought is was so appropriate for women in every season of life. I am not sure who the original author is or I would give them credit.
I would also like to add that I am amazed by single moms out there. The few times that I have my husband gone and I have to take care of all my short people by myself have given me a great appreciation for the single moms that do it alone all the time.
"To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you
To those who experienced loss this year through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you
To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you
To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you
To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience
To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst
To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you
And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you."
I would also like to add that I am amazed by single moms out there. The few times that I have my husband gone and I have to take care of all my short people by myself have given me a great appreciation for the single moms that do it alone all the time.
"To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you
To those who experienced loss this year through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you
To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you
To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you
To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience
To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst
To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you
And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you."
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Life Doesn't Come With a Manual, It Comes With a Mother
With Mother’s Day coming this weekend, we turn our thoughts to our mothers and the role they played in our life. I was blessed with a godly mother who diligently taught me from the basis of Scripture and provided me with a solid Biblical foundation.
However, it is a sad fact that I am probably in the minority of children. Increasingly, the young people of our generation are left without the positive influence of a mother. Even if the mother is present in the home, many mothers have failed to pass on the torch of moral values and Christian standards to their children.
Think of this! We are among a generation that does not recognize what a mother is SUPPOSED to be! As young adults, is it now possible that when a mother shows up on the scene, they wouldn't know her? The lack of nurturing in their lives has serious consequences that cost us all. The media is filled with too many examples to name of women who do not set a positive example of what a mother and indeed, what a woman should be. They are critical but do not take correction. They want to lead in ALL they do but cannot follow. They spend tons of money but do not give. They criticize but cannot build anything. They want respect for themselves, but disrespect their husbands and fathers.
There is so much pressure on our youth to grow up too fast. Our girls are taught that they must be sexy with their clothes and makeup, have a cell phone, be on Facebook, and have a boyfriend, all before they hit puberty. Sadly, this is not an exaggeration.
Our youth are losing their innocence earlier and earlier. My heart has been broken so many time at the situations that our children, youth and young adults have to deal with. Not only are they abused in countless ways, they are exposed to adult situations and peer pressure that they are not equipped to deal with and they are faced with blatant as well as subtle attacks from movies, music, magazines, famous people, etc. that seek to break down families and the morals taught by the Bible. Lust, violence, profanity, taking God’s name in vain, substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships are not only a constant part of what is seen and heard, but these things are encouraged and celebrated. Is it any wonder that the people of this generation are lost and hurting?
There is a children's book entitled, "Are You My Mother." In this story, a little bird hatches and finds that his mother is not there. He does not know that she has gone to look for food. So he jumps out of the nest and goes to look for her. He ask different animals if they are his mother and of course, they are not. He is determined to find her. At the end of the story, a crane lifts him up and puts him back in the nest, where his mother soon returns. He recognizes her because she is a bird like him.
There is a children's book entitled, "Are You My Mother." In this story, a little bird hatches and finds that his mother is not there. He does not know that she has gone to look for food. So he jumps out of the nest and goes to look for her. He ask different animals if they are his mother and of course, they are not. He is determined to find her. At the end of the story, a crane lifts him up and puts him back in the nest, where his mother soon returns. He recognizes her because she is a bird like him.
We hear a lot of buzz about being a mentor. Lisa Bevere spoke at a conference that I attended a few years ago and she made a statement that has stayed with me. What I submit to you is that the people of this generation do not need mentors, they need mothers.
Mentors recreate themselves. Mothers invest their lives so that their children are better than themselves.
You cannot mother thousands. You can only mother how many you have capacity to invest yourself in. The sick heart of this generation needs mothers! Are you available?
What if we live our life as an example in front of them? What if when we are presented with an opportunity/invitation by one these un-mothered, we take the time and responsibility and privilege to mother them?
What if we live our life as an example in front of them? What if when we are presented with an opportunity/invitation by one these un-mothered, we take the time and responsibility and privilege to mother them?
1. Mothers know their children.
Most of the time, I can look at my children or simply ask a question and know how they are feeling. Mothers can look at their children and tell when they are sick, even when other people could not.
You cannot invest in someone if you don’t know them. We need to know their thoughts and feelings. What makes them tick? We need to know them and be involved in their lives. Mothers are all about relationship. When you take the time to get to know someone, the message you are communicating is that you care about them.
Sometimes the people who need us to mother them are not the people we are the most comfortable with. They may not look and act the way we think they should. That is the very reason they need us! They need women who are living life God’s way to step and show them that there is a better way to live…God’s way.
In “Are You My Mother,”at the end of the book, when the baby bird meets his mother, he knows her because she is like him. They are both birds. It should be the same in the body of Christ. We should be known as mothers because of the fruit of our lives. We shoud be able to be trusted because we are exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, good wors, and faith in our daily lives.
2. Mothers set boundaries and limits.
Thinking back to the book, “Are You My Mother,“ we see some interesting parallels to real life. No one was there to keep the baby safe so he was free to fling himself out of the nest! He never saw his mom. How would he recognize what he has never seen? He jumped out of the nest because there was no one there to tell him not to cross the boundary line of the inside of the nest.
One of the things that I have read over and over in all of my parenting books is that even though they may act like they want to be able to do whatever they want, children crave and want limits. They want to know that there is a boundary line. It represents safety for them.
Similarly, we need to model a healthy Christian lifestyle before those that the Lord entrusts us with. We need to be the wives and mothers that the Bible tells us we should be. This is not saying that we have to do things perfectly, because all of us fail. But each of us should be able to bring someone along on our walk with Christ as we seek to know Him more.
We need to be unafraid to share what God’s Word has to say about situations that people are dealing with. We need to be lovers of the truth. People all over our nation have swallowed lies that the enemy has told them and our society is crumbling because of it. We cannot be ashamed of the Word of God and the truth that is in it. This is not to say that we need to stand on street corners and tell everyone that they are dirty, rotten sinners, because we all know that approach is only going to repel people. However, we need to confidently speak the truth in love, assuring our “children” that we are only telling them because we love them and want the best for them.
We also need to be consistent. Another parenting principle that I have read over and over is that children not only need boundaries, but they must be consistent. Our standards cannot change.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9
3. Mothers take responsibility.
Then, this poor baby needed someone to look out for him, he was willing to let anyone be his mommy. No one was willing to take the responsibility of caring for him. Despite the constant rejection, the baby bird pressed on, unafraid to ask the next one, "are you my mother?". He was asking are looking out for me? Are you going to be there for me? Are you going to help me have the tools I need to succeed in life? Do you see anything in me worth caring for? Finally, one thing took the time to return the baby bird. The mother came back holding food.
My mother often says to me, “You are just like me! That is exactly what I would have said or done.” And just as often, if not more, my husband says about my little girl, “There is no doubt that she is your daughter. She does ___________ just like you do.” She stays up late and reads books when she should be sleeping...just like me. She gets excited about a bargain...just like me. She loves the home shopping items and is convinced she needs them...just like me. I learned behaviors from my mom and she is learning from me.
Let’s face it. The young of this generation are going to learn there morals and their values from someone. We are creatures of learned behavior. If their mother is not present, be it physically, emotionally, or spiritually, then they are going to find someone or something to take her place. The world is full of people and things who are willing and eager to shape the world view, morals and character of this generation. As the church, and as women, we cannot afford to pass the responsibility any longer. We must be actively seeking people to invest ourselves in.
Titus 2:1-5
Titus 2:11-15
Luke 17:2
The Scripture is clear that we have a responsibility to invest in, or disciple, the younger women. This is not only referring to those younger than us in age, but also to those who are younger than us in the Lord. Each of us has something that we can share.
You may say that you don’t have anyone to invest in. You may think that you don’t have much to offer. Ask God to send you people who you can mother and invest in. Each of us has something to offer. God will use us if we allow Him to.
We need to be speaking life. The world is filled with negative messages. We need to be the ones who are encouraging and building up the young around us.
I know I began by saying that life doesn’t come with a manual. Actually, it does. It’s called the Bible. However, it is urgent and imperative that we have mothers who will embrace their calling and show those entrusted to us how to use it. Let God use us to be the mothers He needs for this generation.
Friday, April 12, 2013
We Have a Garden!
This year, with the help of some wonderful friends in our church, we have attempted gardening again. The short people had a wonderful time helping plant the vegetables, so we will see how it goes this time. I am a little concerned because the day after we planted, there was a huge rain storm that left some large puddles on the sides of the garden. We will see.
So far, we have planted cucumbers, squash, snap beans, tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. I'll keep you posted!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Homemade Cream of "Something" Soup Base Recipe
I made this tonight and it came out great! So many of our recipes call for Cream of Chicken, Cream of Mushroom, etc. and yet I don't want to buy the canned products with all the stuff added in. So I made my own tonight with healthy and natural ingredients! I used whole wheat flour and organic ingredients. I wrote it down and added it to my recipe box.
"Cream of Something" Soup
Author/Source:
Kristi @ Onceamonthmom.comIngredients:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 1/2 cup main ingredient, diced
- 1/4 cup butter or substitute
- 1/4 cup flour or substitute
- 1 cup milk or substitute
- 3/4 cup broth
Cream of Something Soup Base Table
Cream of Something Main Ingredient Table
Directions:
Saute garlic, onion and main ingredient (mushrooms, chicken, celery, etc.) and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add “milk” and broth. Add sauteed garlic, onion and main ingredient. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring regularly, until it reaches desired consistency (about 10-15 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper and use as you would a can of condensed Cream of Something Soup in any recipe. If I make it ahead of time, I pour the soup into a pint canning jar and refrigerate it for up to four days.Freezing Directions:
You can freeze these in batches in pint or quart size bags or use as you would a can of condensed Cream of Something Soup in any recipe and freeze that dish. A great way to keep “cans” at-the-ready for your CrockPot recipes is to make a quadruple batch and bag each “can” serving in a pint-sized freezer bag. Place those bags in a gallon freezer bag, label and freeze. When you need a “can” of condensed soup, pull out a bag, thaw, and drop it in your crock!Servings: 1 “can,” about 1.5 cups
The Provident Housekeeper - Beginners Cleaners Ebook
I got this for free on Kindle the other day. It has a lot of great tips and ideas for recipes on making your own cleaning supplies at home. It's a great way to save money!!
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.amazon.com/
This short book is packed with information on how to make your
own cleaning products at home. The author begins by sharing important safety
instructions on what products you should not mix. She then gives a thorough list
of the items needed to prepare. Details on essential oils, their fragrances, and
uses are included which I appreciated since I don't know a lot about
them.
Step by step directions are provided with pictures showing the end results of how well the products clean. The cleaning products are divided by what item is needed in each room of your home. There are even recipes for personal care products such as shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste.
I found the book to be very helpful and informative. I have used a couple of these recipes in the past and have been very pleased with the results! What a great way to get started saving money and still have a very clean home! I am glad I found this helpful guide.
Step by step directions are provided with pictures showing the end results of how well the products clean. The cleaning products are divided by what item is needed in each room of your home. There are even recipes for personal care products such as shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste.
I found the book to be very helpful and informative. I have used a couple of these recipes in the past and have been very pleased with the results! What a great way to get started saving money and still have a very clean home! I am glad I found this helpful guide.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
Tonight, Brad was going to go to a wildlife dinner. They were having an Iron Chef contest using the ingredient of bacon. I had seen bacon cupcakes on TLC one day and thought they sounded interesting. So I looked up this recipe on allrecipes.com and we used it.
Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
After cooking the bacon, we put it in the food processor, so that the bacon was finely ground into bits. I saved a little of it so that we could use it as a garnish on top of the frosting.
The recipe suggested using canned chocolate frosting, but I prefer to make my own. My family has loved this recipe for a long time. Here it is:
Ms. Betty Chocolate Icing
1 stick butter
1 cup Nestle Quick
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 box powdered sugar
Melt butter and Nestle Quick together. Mix until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
*The recipe calls for 1/3 cup milk, but depending on how thick or thin you want it, you can adjust it as necessary.
I have to say, this recipe came out better than I thought it would. I may experiement with it and try using healthier ingredients and maybe add more bacon so that it has a saltier taste to it.
Brad said the cupcakes went pretty fast at the event tonight, so it looks like other people liked them too!
Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
After cooking the bacon, we put it in the food processor, so that the bacon was finely ground into bits. I saved a little of it so that we could use it as a garnish on top of the frosting.
The recipe suggested using canned chocolate frosting, but I prefer to make my own. My family has loved this recipe for a long time. Here it is:
Ms. Betty Chocolate Icing
1 stick butter
1 cup Nestle Quick
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 box powdered sugar
Melt butter and Nestle Quick together. Mix until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
*The recipe calls for 1/3 cup milk, but depending on how thick or thin you want it, you can adjust it as necessary.
I have to say, this recipe came out better than I thought it would. I may experiement with it and try using healthier ingredients and maybe add more bacon so that it has a saltier taste to it.
Brad said the cupcakes went pretty fast at the event tonight, so it looks like other people liked them too!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Chocolate Chip "Bean" Cookies
Several friends have asked me for the recipe for the Chocolate Chip Bean Cookies that I have been making lately. They are so good! If I had not tried them before I made them, I never would have believed that they had beans in them. Special thanks to the Pierce family for sharing this recipe and many other healthy recipes with me as we honor our commitment to investing in our health!
Melissa's Chocolate Chip Bean Cookies
1 can Great Northern Beans (rinse and drain)
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder (non aluminum)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup Stevia baking blend (NuNaturals brand) (can purchase at swanson vitamins online)
3 TBS xylitol
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter (organic preferred)
1 TBS vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup pecans (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Be sure oven is preheated or cookies will not turn out well.
Rinse and drain beans. Mix in a blender with eggs until well blended and smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients together (including stevia, xylitol, and xanthan gum). Add to bean/egg mixture. Add vanilla and softened butter. Blend until smooth. Add chocolate chips and pecans.
Bake a 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes.
*I also added a cup of oats instead of pecans and they turned out well.
The only item that I was not able to find in our HEB store was the Stevia NuNaturals. WalMart didn't have it either. The xanthan gum and xylitol were in stock, however it was cheaper to order them online. I ordered from www.swansonvitamins.com
Good luck!
Melissa's Chocolate Chip Bean Cookies
1 can Great Northern Beans (rinse and drain)
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder (non aluminum)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup Stevia baking blend (NuNaturals brand) (can purchase at swanson vitamins online)
3 TBS xylitol
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter (organic preferred)
1 TBS vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup pecans (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Be sure oven is preheated or cookies will not turn out well.
Rinse and drain beans. Mix in a blender with eggs until well blended and smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients together (including stevia, xylitol, and xanthan gum). Add to bean/egg mixture. Add vanilla and softened butter. Blend until smooth. Add chocolate chips and pecans.
Bake a 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes.
*I also added a cup of oats instead of pecans and they turned out well.
The only item that I was not able to find in our HEB store was the Stevia NuNaturals. WalMart didn't have it either. The xanthan gum and xylitol were in stock, however it was cheaper to order them online. I ordered from www.swansonvitamins.com
Good luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)