My Husband~ Friday's Question

I got this from another fellow blogger....I thought I would try it!


This week's prompt has two parts:First, list at least one thing your husband did or said in the past week that reminded you why you love him. Everyone has to have at least one - even on a "bad week" - it doesn't matter how big or how small! Nothing that touched your heart is insignificant!And second, share a "Generous Wife Tip" - it can be on any subject - anything that you do or would like to do more often to make your husband feel loved and respected!

1) The other day we were in the car going to the doctor, and I said to him "Hunny, I can't believe we are both going to be 36" He said. I know, I'm exited we get to grow old together. :)

2) I love writing lil notes in his lunch. I also love getting up in the early morning to get him off to work.

Pictures.....park ect

Blake got to finally ride his new quad he got from Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas.



Brother pushing Blake on The Tire Swing






My Handsome Boys ;)







I had a great time with the kiddos.
And, it was a beautiful day here in the NW. I got a nice walk in!

A merry heart.....

As I have been reading and studying about my marriage God has been reminding me of some important things to be mindful of as a wife.

There are those days that from the moment you wake up until the time you go to bed, it is a struggle to even just go through the motions. As a wife and a mom we have a lot of responsibilities. We must continue to be reminded of our attitudes. For me personally, I deal with chronic pain. Pain wipes me out, and makes me crabby. As a mom and wife you can't just 'take the day off', we must press on through it. Today I am reminded of God's word that tells me about how my attitude can effect my family.

~ A wise woman sets a joyful mood in her home. Through laughter, music, smiles, and happy times, she creates a positive attitude. She knows that a lighthearted home relieves her husband of stress. - Debi Pearl

There are several verses to look at but let's concentrate on a few here.
Proverbs 15:15
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
Probably a familiar portion of scripture,
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
Proverbs 15:13
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Ladies, we set the tones in our home. Does our husbands come home to a peaceful home, or to a home full of turmoil ? Does he walk through the door to see us pouting and complaining about how bad our day was?

We are all going to have those days, but may we stop and ask the Lord to help us have a merry heart.

Happy Bithday Hunny!!!

It's my sweeties Birthday Today!

I am so thankful for the husband God gave me!

Marriage~ Do Dreams Become Demands p. 2

Happily married couples aren't perfect. They have merely learned to accept one another's humanity and to relinquish unrealistic demands and expectations. Instead of demanding perfection, they have learned to seek God and to depend on Him to work things out and meet their needs. Only as we learn to accept one another without condemnation will we really begin either to overlook faults that aren't significant or to change what really needs to be changed in our marriage.

Happily Married~ Debi Pryde

Homeschool

Daily Transcript
Program Audio--Click here to Listen Online.
Arming Yourself to Face Criticism

How do you respond when people around you don’t understand the challenges of homeschooling? Today on Home School Heartbeat with HSLDA President Mike Smith, speaker, author, and homeschooling mom Zan Tyler talks about how to deal with outside criticism.
Mike Smith:Zan, homeschooling moms have to deal with more than just their own feelings of inadequacy. How can they respond to the criticism they get from others?
Zan Tyler:Mike, yesterday we talked about the need for moms to build a powerful support system for themselves. This not only encourages them on the hard and depressing days—which we all have—it’s also the best way to equip ourselves to respond to criticism in a powerful and non-defensive manner.
Today I want to focus on the importance of moms educating themselves. We need to surround ourselves with informative and inspiring books on home education. I've been in the publishing industry now for five years and now work for Apologia Educational Ministries, because I believe in the power of good books and self-education. As the great nineteenth century preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “My books are my tools. They are also my counsel, my consolation, and my comfort, the source of wisdom, and the font of my education.” As Jeff Myers puts it, “Readers are leaders.” And there’s no more powerful way to educate ourselves and set an example for our children than to continue learning.
And then sometimes, we just have to be patient. As our children grow older, the fruit born in their lives academically, spiritually, and socially often speaks so loudly it silences the harshest critics.
Mike:Zan, those are some good reminders. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.

Easily Offended?

My oldest Austen has been struggling lately with some things. I have noticed a change in his countenance. I talked with him yesterday about what he was struggling with. He started telling me about being discouraged because of what others had said about him. There were some not so nice things said to him, but I knew I needed to try and get him to re-direct his thoughts. There are times in our lives where others will say hurtful things, sometimes they may be true and other times they may not. But I believe satan really likes to stir those thought and have us believe we are worthless and incapable. I also think that the messenger may have not meant it the way it was perceived. I struggle in this area as well. I tend to always think there is a hidden motive in peoples comments? As my son shared his dilemma, I gave him these verses.
2 Corinthians 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;


Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

For me there is never a day I can't uses these truths God gives me. This is a battle for many of us. I am a sensitive person. I would like to think I am not easily offended, but in reality, I struggle. The Bible tells us 'Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them.' This opportunity was great to be able to share with my son how we can battle this stronghold in our life. What is our thinking process? So we gauge our thoughts by Philippians 4:8?
As we battle with this,

1) let's first take our thoughts into captivity.......as 2 Corinthians tells us to do.

2) Then we must gauge that thought by asking these questions.........Is is true? Is it honest?
Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good report?
3)Third, if those above attributes are not true, then we must disguard that thought.
4) Lastly, pray .

Homeschool~ Group

Our Homeschool Group

Well goodmorning friends. I was reading through some comments and a dear lady asked me to blog about our homeschool group on Friday's.

A few years ago we (ladies at church) decided we would meet on Fridays. We through around some different ideas about things we could do. One of our ladies volunteered to organize it. Every month we put out a home-school calendar for the families. We schedule PE, field trips, holiday gatherings, quarterly presentation nights, yearbook committee, Choir, Art, testing (end of the year), and graduation (for graduating Seniors and students completing a full year, get a completion certificate). The church ladies also have a Bible Study going on Fridays so while the kids are doing PE the ladies can be involved in Bible study.

There has been points of frustration where some times we have a low turn out ( I think we have about 10-15 families). But it is understandable that as a parent we must make sure family comes first. There are also those who's husbands are not so aboard on having a organized homeschool functions. There has been many of times we have not participated. It is my goal though this year to be more involved, because there are those who do need it! As I have said in my last post, my best friend is struggling. She has a 2 girls 12,14 and then a toddler and a baby. We need to be encouragement to each other . I know for me it is a blessing to be able to meet and for the kids to fellowship.

Last year we had several field trips: Train Trip to Seattle , Toured The State Capital, Bonneville Dam, and then we had a fall craft day, and a Christmas ornament making day.

Hope This Helps, Let me know if you have any other questions.

Staying On Course?

Well I have not had much time to write about my week. There is never enough time lol. Hubby and kiddos are out getting dirty and fixing stuff outdoors, so I thought I would take a few moments to write down my thoughts.

I have struggled this week so far with consistency.....yup that again...UGH a battle, a stronghold. I know one reason I am struggling, and it's because I have not been getting up early and having my quiet time with God. I am just now getting caught up on grading. I am seeing Austen is struggling in his math again. I am looking forward to Fridays because a friend and I will be getting together with the kiddos and schooling together ;) She is in need of some encouragement on the homeschool front. I am praying we can be a blessing to each other.

My Goal for the rest of the week is to get up at my normal time and have my one on one time with God. My day sure is alot more organized and smoother when I do that ;)

Well family is back, night

Marriage.... Dreams Become Demands Part 2

Part 2 of 4

Demands are anything we believe we must have in order to be happy and fulfilled. To say we prefer a good husband or wife is healthy.God prefers that, too. However, we don't have to have an ideal spouse to be happy and we don't have to have an ideal spouse to enjoy marriage. Couples who enjoy a lifetime marriage of joyful companionship do so inspite of faults and failures. They are people who choose to overlook faults rather than find them.


Proverbs 17:9


He that covereth a transgression seeketh love............Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all sins.

Dear friend, ......... if we are looking for the bad in anything we are sure to find it! Stop dwelling on those things your husband is 'not' and be thankful for what he 'is'.
When you find yourself in this place, go to God in prayer, repent and thank God for an attribute you love in your husband. Do it a step up and when your husband gets home, thank him specifically for that :)

Until Next Time, May God strengthen our marriages!

Pictures~ Some of the flooding

Blake in his class on Monday


Flooding






Kalama River






Kalama Camp





A beautiful water fall along the Kalama River

My Lil man Blake :)

Parenting....Discipleship

Let us as parents not loose our focus on our goal in bringing up our children.

What is your goal dear mom?
Parenting, when understood biblically, is basically a discipling relationship. When God gives a child to a Christian couple, they must realize that their little bundle of joy is essentially a pagan.
Their biblical mission is to evangelize him and then to equip him for usefulness to Christ, which is, in essence, discipleship.
Ephesians 6:4

Is your 'goal' to raise a good kid? It goes above and beyond this.
Our goal must be to produce a disciple of Jesus Christ

Help Meet~ Marriage

If You fight his inadequacies, both of you will fail. If you love him and support him with his inadequacies and without taking charge, both of you will succeed and grow.

~Debi Perl

Marriage~ Do Dreams Become Demands? Part 1

To expect our marriage partner to fulfill a role that we believe is vital to our happiness weakens our marriage relationship. Dreams that are allowed to grow into demands or impossible standards of perfection produce constant agitation and disappointment rather than than fulfilment. Expectations destroy the atmosphere of acceptance that is so vital to a happy marriage relationship. This ultimately destroys the joy of being married.

A husband or wife's imperfections, sins, and failures may certainly be difficult or disappointing. However, our problems do not rob us of our joy, but rather the way we interpret and respond to our difficulties that produces our unhappiness. Our own emotion-back demands and expectations keep us full of anxiety and resentment. There may be nothing wrong at all with our preferences or our desires. They only become wrong when they become a condition to our happiness or a condition to our loving response.

Who are your relying on for your happiness my friend?

Shepherding a Child's Heart-1

Getting To The Heart Of The Behavior

The Scripture teaches that the heart is the control center for life. A persons life is a reflection of his heart. (Prov. 4:23)The heart is a well from which all the issues of life gush forth.

The heart determines behavior. What you say and do expresses the orientation of your heart.

(Mark 7:21)The evils (evil thoughts,sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly) in action and speech come from within- from the heart.

What your children say and do is a reflection of what is in their hearts. (Luke6:45) Behavior is not the basic issue. The basic issue is always what is going on in their heart.

The heart is the control center of life! We as parents often get sidetracked with the behavior.

Behavior irritates and thus calls attention to itself. Behavior becomes your focus.

We must as parents require proper behavior. "Why" ....... God's law demands it. Parents must help their children ask the question that will expose that attitude of the heart that has resulted in wrong behavior. How did his heart stray to produce this behavior? In what characteristics ways has his inability or refusal to know, trust, and obey God resulted in actions and speech that are wrong?

This is a tough thing, I think for parents, because it takes TIME.........you will need to sit down with your child and share the scriptures that speak on those specific sins. You showing them what God's law commands of them and why. God IS the final authority.