Encourage those around you!

 I am working on a hurricane/other disaster prep post and should have it ready soon! There is so much out there. It's been kind of fun getting all this information together and starting to implement it a little at a time!

 Right now I just have to share something I am very excited about. God has truly done a good work in me! I have had the most productive couple of days. Remember when I reformatted this blog and was looking for my passion for homemaking and mothering again?? Well, it's back! I am just enjoying puttering around in the kitchen. I even made bread!! I have not done that since before Lily was born. She will be two next week. Yes, it's been that long. I have a ton of meals in my freezer. My room is not just getting cleaned (it's been clean since I wrote about it last!) but now I am reorganizing and decluttering. It's really looking better than clean. It's looking beautiful.

Today on a whim I invited some friends over. I was not running around like crazy trying to clean. The house was fairly clean just a little swiping here and there. I lit a pretty smelling candle and it was a great time with friends. I'm getting ready to rearrange the house again. Yeah, it's about a quarterly thing now. LOL Much of my inspiration has come from a wonderful older lady lately. Not much older though, her youngest daughter is the same age as my Kelsie. She has just been so encouraging to me lately. She also brought me a whole bunch of her old Keeper At Home magazines! WOW! Just WOW! The wisdom in those pages has brought me a whole new level of excitement. I am excited to try to share some of the lessons I am learning that are bringing me back to the heart of my mission. My home and family. Blogging is sporadic right now, because I am busy at home, but I am hoping to get the prep. post up and at least one other this week.

Be blessed and look for a young woman to encourage in her role as homemaker this week!

A Mother's Prayer

The history of John Newton is often mentioned as a proof of the deep and lasting impression which a mother may produce upon the mind of her child. He had a pious mother. She often retired to her closet, and placing her hand upon his youthful head, implored God's blessing upon her boy. These prayers and instructions sunk deep into his heart. He could not but revere that mother. He could not but feel that there was a holiness in such a character, demanding reverence and love. He could not tear from his heart, in after life, the impressions then produced. Though he became a wicked wanderer, though he forsook friends and home, and every virtue; the remembrance of a mother's prayers, like a guardian angel, followed him wherever he went. He mingled in the most evil and disgraceful scenes of a sailor's life, and while surrounded with guilty associates, in midnight revelry, he would fancy he felt the soft hand of his mother upon his head, pleading with God to forgive and bless her boy. He went to the coast of Africa, and became even more degraded than the savages upon her dreary shores. But the soft hand of his mother was still upon his head, and the fervent prayers of his mother still thrilled in his heart. And this influence, after the lapse of many guilty years, brought back the prodigal, a penitent and a child of God; elevated him to be one of the brightest ornaments of the Christian church, and to guide many sons and daughters to glory. What a forcible comment is this upon the power of maternal influence! And what encouragement does this present to every mother to be faithful in her efforts to train up her child for God! Had Mrs. Newton neglected her duty, had she even been as remiss as many Christian mothers, her son, to all human view, might have continued in sin, and been an outcast from heaven. It was through the influence of the mother that the son was saved. Newton became afterward a most successful preacher of the Gospel, and every soul which he was instrumental in saving, as he sings the song of redeeming mercy, will, through eternity, bless God that Newton had such a mother.

THE CHRISTIAN MOTHER

by John Abbott, 1833, Worcester, Mass.
Published by the American Tract Society

As I look upon my children I often wonder who they will grow up to be. I pray fervently for their hearts and souls. I pray that not only will they know the saving power of Jesus Christ in their live, but that they will live their lives wholly devoted to Him. I don't want my kids to think of salvation as fire insurance. We spend time in the morning pouring over God's word together. We spend time during our group time studying Who Is God? Last night we had a whole discussion about how our inward appearance can greatly affect our outward appearance. It's things like this that I hope will turn my children's hearts towards Jesus. No matter what though, I will always pray for my children, just as Mother Newton prayed for her dear John.

God is a God of mercy and grace. As my children grow I have seen times of doubt in some of their lives. I have seen one of my precious children question this God of the universe. It always sends me to my knees. I know I have to let this child grow up and make their own decisions. I know one day this child will go their own way. All I can do is give this child the tools and foundation to build their life on the ROCK. If they choose to move to sandy ground I will pray, pray, pray. I will never cease praying for my kids and I have told each one of them that.

Not too long ago, we had an incident where one of my children was battling a sin in their life. This child had hardened their heart and would not show repentance of this sin for any amount of begging and pleading. I finally looked said child in the eye and told them a mother's prayers never cease. I have seen some change in this child. While not the repentance I was hoping for I have to believe that they are working towards that just by the change in their attitude.

Cleaning my home and homeschooling are all important to me. Still, they come in dead last to my childrens' souls and relationship with our God. I would live in a messy house with ignorant children if it meant every one of my children could enjoy a lasting full relationship with Jesus Christ. I'm so thankful that I don't have to and that God has shown me that my childrens' hearts are receptive to the Word of God. I am thankful that I have time in my day to clean and homeschool and share Jesus with my children.

I just pray that my relationship with God is one that overflows into my home and my childrens' lives. Amen.

Everything I Once Hoped For

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” Epicurus

Here is everything I once hoped to have. I do get caught up in wanting my little hobby farm, a 15 passenger van, more kids and the list goes on. I remind myself that God is sovereign and has a plan for me. I look at all He has given me and know that really, He has truly granted the desires of my heart. I think it's ok to dream and plan for the things above, but it's not ok to loose sight of what I already have. It's ok if the things above are just dreams in the sky that never come true. God has my life planned out. He only wants good things for me. They may not be the things I think are good or perfect, but see, my life is only God's and nothing more. My wants, needs and desires are the wants, needs, and desires that He wants for me.

Thank you, God.

A Quiet Simple Life

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (New King James Version)
11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,


This verse has really been on my heart lately. I started thinking about what I really want. I want to live a quiet simple life. I want to enjoy my home, my children, my husband. If I'm leading a quiet life and working with my hands I really don't have time to mind anyone elses' business. Heck, I gotta enough of my own business to mind. :)

I will aspire to live a quiet life, to mind my own business and to work with my hands.

In other news, I found my camera. Look for some pictures tonight. I'm dressed to my shoes right now. I have worked on two "corners of my home this week" and pretty'd up a hot spot. Pictures tonight. :)

Always time to do the will of God

"One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy."
— Elisabeth Elliot (Secure in the Everlasting Arms)

What a great quote after a busy week and weekend. I'm looking forward to getting back on track this week!
Have a wonderful day filled with God's will.

"When we hold our thoughts up against God's standards of what is true and what is real, we can recognize and, with His help, learn to release many of our negative emotions, damaging thoughts, and destructive attitudes."
— Elizabeth George

I think every keeper of the home, should memorize Philippians 4:8. I think we should post this verse all over our house. What a great standard for the things we allow in our homes. For the thoughts we allow to enter our minds. Choose what is right, honorable and lovely!

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Phil 4:8

Obscuring your sense of God

"Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself."
— Susanna Wesley

I adore, Mrs. Wesley. When I find anything written about her I devour it. I will be printing this quote and putting it somewhere I can see it everyday.
How many little things do we let get in the way of our "relish for spiritual things" every day?
God says we are to have no other Gods before Him. Anything we put before God is a sin. I need to remember that as I go about my busy day.
Have a great day!