Shout Out "April"......Here it is, Finished

Hope you like it

Pictures from the week.....

Austen helping in Blake's classroom




Last weekend...Tavis and Blake with Wayne





April helping Austen with his math (last Friday)









Blake Helping Mom.... with the dishes

Fabulous Friday..... Week Review

Fabulous Friday


Psalm 119:49-50
Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
This [is] my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

It has been a tough week, I must say a big struggle for me. I have just been clinging onto Hope. God always has a purpose through every storm. I want to grow from it rather then to get bitter about it. Today will be nice, we will spend the day with our sisters in Christ! It is always refreshing, and uplifting. I'm not sure of our plans for the weekend yet. Wayne has been working a lot and has had some struggles at work. I am praying we can spend some family time out doors....if the weather will allow us too.

Next week we are making it a week of NO TV, Video Games, and Computer from 8-6pm. It seems we have let the Games and TV get out of hand again. So this will be good for us. I will be doing my blogging before the kids get up in the am. I am hoping to get caught back up on the Love dare, we are going at it slow.

It was a busy week but somewhat productive. I stayed on top of the house cleaning until Wednesday....then it all piled up. We got all caught up last night. The boys and I have been swimming 3-4 days a week at the YMCA.
Austen and I worked at the school yesterday for half a day. Today we are off to our homeschool Friday group!
Have a Blessed Friday,
Brandie

Wednesday~ Weight Loss '5 Essential Weight Loss Foods'

1. Millet: A well-balanced diet should consist of whole grains instead of refined grains like white rice and pasta, and millet is a beneficial and delicious staple of this category of food. This non-glutinous grain is over 10-percent protein, has high amounts of fiber and B-complex vitamins, and because it isn't an acid forming food, is easy to digest.

2. Asparagus: When losing weight, it's important to favor chlorophyll-rich foods, including asparagus. Asparagus is a nutrient-rich vegetable packed with folate, vitamins A, C, and K, and fiber. Asparagus also contains a carbohydrate known as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that promotes healthy bacteria in the large intestine - which in turn promotes a healthier digestive function.

3. Pomegranates: Eating a balanced diet to lose weight should include eating fresh fruits, and pomegranates are a wonderful example of a healthy, nutritious fruit that has antioxidant properties and will help prevent cancer. While the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice have gained a lot of attention recently, you will be more likely to lose weight by eating the fruit fresh to increase your fiber intake and keep the calories down.
4. Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees and are considered an essential ingredient in the tasty Italian mixture pesto. Chinese medicine uses pine nuts to improve gastrointestinal tract and digestive functions, and pine nut oil is even used for appetite suppression. Pine nuts and other nuts are a tasty part of a well-balanced diet intended for weight loss.

5. Green Tea: It has been found that consuming large amounts of coffee and caffeine can lead to food cravings, increase one's appetite, and induce stress-related eating. Green tea is a wonderful alternative to coffee in that it does provide a little caffeine but also contains beneficial antioxidants. So drink up!A healthy diet also includes lean proteins like chicken breast, legumes such as lentils, and other whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. While fad diets may promise a large amount of weight loss in a short period of time, there's almost a guarantee that you will put that weight back on-and then some!

Eat five smaller meals a day, avoid processed foods, chew more slowly, and incorporate more healthy foods into your diet-starting with these five.

Dr. Mao

Homeschool~ Following Directions

Following Directions

What was I going to do? My son had studied all week long for this test, and if I accepted the way he had answered the questions, he would receive a score of 100%. However, there was one huge problem troubling my grading-he hadn't followed the directions. Although I had reminded him to read the instructions thoroughly, he had written his response in the blank instead of circling the correct answer. So what was more important, the fact that he knew the answers or that he had failed to follow the directions?

After praying, I decided to let my son be his own judge. Surprisingly, he was tougher on himself than I would have been and said, "Mom, it wouldn't be fair for me to get an A on this test." Together, we decided he should be penalized by receiving one grade lower for his failure to pay attention to the directions.Not following the directions usually has a more severe consequence in real life. That fact was first discovered by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When dealing with a Holy God, you simply can't skip over important details in His directions like don't eat from "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:17). Today, Christians continue to skip God's commandments when they feel it restricts their way of life. Thinking they're able to do God's will their own way, they fail God's test because they didn't follow His directions.Is your life one that reflects God's divine instructions from His Word? Do you skip over those passages that test your character like "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22), and "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15a)? God doesn't give instructions to make your life more difficult. He gives directions because He loves you and wants you to succeed in living for Him. Will you choose today to follow His direction in those areas you've been avoiding and receive His grade of "well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21)?

Lord, forgive me for thinking I can ignore Your directions and not suffer as a result. Cleanse my life today of those things that shame Your name, and help me to walk in a manner worthy of Your love. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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My Week~ Schedule and Deep Cleaning

1) Austen's Dresser (get rid of clothes that are to small)
2) Blake's Toy Shelves
3) Austen's School Desk

Not much for this week...I will barely be able to keep up on my regular list of house cleaning! But, small goals I know I can accomplish and feel good about it!





This week's Events

Monday~ Grocery Store and Swimming
Tuesday~ Cleaning, Post Office & Pharmacy
Wednesday~ Doctors Appointment, Swimming, and Church
Thursday~ Work In Blake's Class am, Evening family swimming
Friday~ Homeschool Group Day 9:30-1:00pm, Meeting 6:00

Marriage~ Help Meet~ Reverence

God admonishes us ladies to see that we reverence our man.

Eph 5:33
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she reverence [her] husband.

~ Make A New Habit

Try to show your husband noticeable esteem at least 3 times a day. Plan small habits you can establish that will make easier to remember, until giving him reverence comes naturally.

~Traits Of A Good Help Meet

1. She acknowledges the "good traits" in her man.

2. She speaks of her husband with esteem.

3. She defers to him.

4. She never responds to him with scorn or ridicule.

~Getting Serious With God

The word REVERENCE appears 13 times in God's Word. Eight occurrences have to do with reverencing men. Look up and consider each of theses uses of the word reverence. As you read, you will understand from God's Word what God requires of you in reverencing your husband. Make a list of ways you have not shown reverence to your husband, and then make a list of things you are going to start doing to correct them. Always keep in mind that, when you reverence your husband, you are reverencing God. It is God's will for you to do this service to your husband .

~ Taken From

Created To Be His Helpmeet By Debi Perl (Chapt. 13)

Reflecting on Todays Love Dare~ Note For Mrs. House

From What I posted on My Love Dare Blog www.daretolovechallenge.blogspot.com

This dare is really important, we really are NOT taught this in the world.
God has a perfect design for marriage but when we ignore the manual in which we should go by.......marriages are in shambles!I fell into the trap of lies that society taught.......When you have fallen out of love, or when things got to tough....It is time to move on with a divorce! Huhhhh! Marriage is very dear to my heart, I guess because the Lord has done absolute miracles in my own marriage. I have a GREAT desire and calling from the Lord to share what the Lord can do in your marriage if you are only open to cling to the HOPE in his Word...The Bible!

Now I must confess I am a work in progress.....My marriage is not where it is suppose to be but I really have a great desire to get there, and I know I have come a long ways from where I began.Yesterday, in fact was a day we totally regressed to some of our old patterns......fighting that flesh, and guess what we gave into the flesh I am sorry to say! In order to stay on top of your marriage there has to be some key things in place.

I love today's dare and I pray we can all take heed and learn from what God will teach us in these up-coming weeks of the Love Dare.

Lord,I am so weak, in the flesh and struggle to walk in the Spirit. You have given us this SPECIAL tool in our walk with you, but there are times we just lay that tool down and forget it is there to use. Forgive me Lord for my sin in my marriage, the pain and hurt I caused. I pray Lord, that you would revive my marriage again and help us grow to be examples of what a godly marriage looks like. Help me to focus on my shortcoming and work to be the godly wife, and not to focus on my husbands shortcomings. I feel like we are so far from that Lord, but I do know there is always HOPE, when you YOU are involved, when we allow your Spirit to work and move in our lives. I thank you for all you have done in my marriage and I look forward Lord to see what blessings you have in my marriage.Amen...

PS...To MY dear Sister In The Lord.....CAREY

I thank you for your gentle reminder yesterday, when I shared my struggles. You are a gem! I appreciate your friendship, and cherish it! There is nothing like godly counsel...points to the TRUTH in a loving gentle way!! God Bless you sister. Please Forgive me for my attitude in that moment!