What I Want to Say to Young Moms

I was expecting my first child before marriage, in the middle of college, my boyfriend and I were both teenagers, and not living for Jesus. Things looked pretty bleak for us as we got married and we wasn’t off to a good start. BUT GOD 🙌🏻🙌🏻 got ahold of both of our hearts and we repented of our sin and decided to live our lives for Him. He hasn’t called us across the world (yet) or up on a platform for all to see. God called us to live behind the scenes raising children for Him. 

God had to continue changing our hearts because we were both selfish and it took truly dying to self to answer the call to stay at home and homeschool our children. 

There were days I wanted to throw in the towel and I often felt like what I did didn’t have much value and that I wasn’t REALLY serving God when my life was full of mundane matters.

 Making 3 meals a day, changing diapers, settling sibling squabbles, teaching a child now how to write their name, comforting a crying child, nursing a sick child, doing the dishes and laundry, just to do it again and again and again day after day. 

But now I’m an older mom and have more wisdom. 

Wish I had the same amount of wisdom when I was young. 

Maybe that’s why God tells the OLDER women to teach and instruct the younger women to love their husbands, children, and be keepers at home in Titus 2.

 Us older moms still don’t have it all figured out, but we have traveled further down the road and have learned from our many struggles and even failures.

 Some advice I’d give to you young moms is to accept God’s calling on your life. “In acceptance lieth peace.” (Amy Carmichael) Have an eternal vision for raising your little ones.

 “Without a vision people will perish”.

 It’s what keeps you going on the hard days and helps you not give up. 

Things will not always be the way they are now.

 

If things are easy, things will get hard. Sorry, it’s the truth. Life is full of ups and downs. If things are just plain hard now, things will be completely different soon. The colic will end, the sweet little baby snuggles will be over, the sleepless nights will become a thing of the past.

 Love is spelled T-I-M-E. Spend quality time with your children, and if possible, consider homeschooling them. 

Care about what they care about. If something is important to your child, it’s important. Care about the baby doll who has a hurt toe, the little boy whose toy truck got stuck in the mud. Play along with those children. You can’t expect them to tell you the big things when they’re older if you wouldn’t listen to the “little” things when they were young. 

Nothing beats a poor attitude and bad mood than putting on a big smile, choosing joy! Don’t live by your feelings! We can choose to live by God’s Spirit every day and not according to how we feel. Cause sleepless nights make us FEEL lousy. Turn on the praise music, speak life giving words to your family. Don’t let how you feel ruin your family’s day. 

Be careful what media outlets you have in your home. What music are your kids listening to, what movies are they watching? What friends are they hanging around? 

We can’t expect a steady diet of trash to produce anything good. Be militant. This is completely counter cultural, but as an older mom who learned the hard way, I’d highly recommend waiting until your child is 17 or even an adult before having a phone with internet access. GABB phones offer cell phones without internet.

 And if your young child does have one, please don’t allow them to be on it at night after bed! Too much temptation for a child to handle. 

Don’t neglect prayer or God’s Word. This should be #1!! God’s Word says unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain who build it. Meaning everything we do is worthless without God. 

Yield to God every day and let Him love and live through you! Lastly, enjoy the ride. 

It doesn’t last long.

 The days are long, but the years are short. 

You’ll be a Grandparent before you know it and begin the next stage of sharing God’s amazing truth with the next generation of warriors!

What God Says Vs. What Satan Desires

"And so train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:4-5 "And having a reputation for good works:" what are those good works? 

 "If she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work."

 1 Timothy 5:10 "So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them."

 1 Timothy 5:14 "But those who won’t care for their relatives, ESPECIALLY those in their OWN HOUSEHOLD, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers." 

1 Timothy 5:8 What satan wants- Neglect to train the younger women properly. Instead teach them to despise their husbands and to compete with him, to see their children as inconveniences and not as blessings from the Lord. 

 Make them see their children as a hindrance to ministry. 

 Teach the mothers to be self-indulgent in all they do, overspending the hard earned money of the husband, spending too much time cleaning, on hobbies, or social media.

 Lure them out of the home so that they will be too tired to guard their children's influences.

 Instead of being kind to the members of their household, they will be irritable and short tempered.

 Makes the home anything but a refuge and a place of peace and rest so that the children would rather be at their friends or anywhere else. 

 Make the women believe they are self-sufficient and that no man will ever tell them what to do.

 Encourage the wives to show disrespect to their husbands and to treat them like can never do anything right.

If all women would do this, the Word of God would be reviled and the home destroyed.

The Silent Witness of a Smile

I’m sure we can all attest to the impact of a simple smile. On days we are in an “off” mood and someone smiles at us, we are instantly encouraged and uplifted. We also can attest to the way we feel whenever we are around people who never seem to smile and have a look of doom and gloom on their face.

God’s Word says that a happy, joyful, heart makes a cheerful face and that those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy! I don’t know about you, but I know my face doesn’t always convey radiance of joy, but I believe that it can and it should!
The flesh likes to live according to how we feel, but feelings constantly change. We are commanded in Galatians not to live according to our flesh (emotions), but by the Spirit, the life of Christ residing in us. That means we have to choose joy!

As Christians our face should be a walking billboard of the transforming grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ! Having a downcast countenance changes the entire atmosphere of our home and affects everyone we come in contact with. Try it and you’ll see! Make it a point to look at your children and husband and smile at them. Watch their reaction and remember the power of a smile!

What message is our face sending to the world and to those around us? Is it a message of joy and hope in the Spirit or a message of defeat, despair, and self pity?
I once heard that our countenance reflects what is going on inside of our heart and is the index of our soul. If we are harboring bitterness, un-forgiveness, un-confessed sin, ingratitude, or self pity in our hearts then it will show up on the countenance of our face.

Our countenance can be a silent witness that can eventually give us the opportunity to share verbally the power of the Gospel to change and transform lives! So smile at someone today! :)

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. Proverbs 15:13-14

All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:15

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Psalm 3:3

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. Psalm 34:5

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 42:11

Who is as the wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. Ecclesiastes 8:1

Why We Don't Want Children

http://www.ephrataministries.org/remnant-2012-07-why-we-dont-want-children.a5w
EPHRATA MINISTRIES:
Michael Fisher - Bedford, PA

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Ge. 1:28

In the beginning, the first command God gave mankind mandated the reproduction of the man and woman, with the purpose of filling the earth with people. God would receive glory and pleasure by the expansion of the human race across the earth He had created.[1]

The fall of man meant that the growth of the human race would be accompanied by all the problems caused by Adam and Eve’s sin. As one specific consequence of the fall, children would be born in great pain. However, we understand from Scripture that children were considered a great blessing—not a curse.

One of the most familiar statements in the Scriptures about the blessing of children comes from Psalm 127:3-5:


Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Twice this passage emphasizes that children are a gift from God. It also seems to suggest that a “full” number of children is something to be desired, and is a source of happiness.

The past hundred years have seen considerable change in family demographics in this country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average household size in 1900 was 4.60 persons. One hundred years later, in 2000, this number decreased to 2.59—a fairly dramatic change.[2]

These numbers reflect society as a whole. However, it seems more than likely that this trend is reflected in Christian subcultures as well. Conservative Christian groups are often characterized by larger families, but many of these groups would likely show a decrease in family size over the past century if a scientific study were done on them.

Conservative Anabaptists have typically been among the last bastions holding out against societal changes. However, even in these groups, a similar trend seems apparent. A 2006 study by Cory Anderson noted this trend in the Beachy Amish churches.[3]

Some time ago, a midwife lamented to my wife and I that she was obligated to purchase stocks of birth control products at Walmart for the Plain ladies in her community who were too embarrassed to be seen buying them.

The bottom line is clear: we are having fewer children. And it is not by accident.

The primary reason for the decrease in family size over the past hundred years seems fairly obvious. Discoveries in science and technology have brought access to easy, reliable, and affordable methods of birth control. No one needs to have children unless they intend to do so. Now, more than ever, having children is optional.

There are valid ethical debates about birth control methods. This discussion will not enter into those questions. Rather, the question to be addressed is one that is more basic: Why do we want to prevent conception in the first place? Why don’t we want children?

All methods and means of birth control have the same purpose: the prevention of conception. The motives behind the desire to prevent conception will be the focus of this discussion.

As Christians, we should be more than willing to examine our motives in the light of Scripture. Are we willing to take an honest look at our motives, critique them, and even modify behavior if necessary?

Why?

What then are the reasons we want to prevent having children? The following list of reasons is intended not so much to overtly approve or condemn any particular motive, but to begin in our minds the process that was described earlier of getting to the root of why.[4] The process begins with examining our motives in the light of what the Scriptures have to say about this topic. I believe that for the most part we well know what God thinks about this. The following list is probably incomplete, but here are a few possible motives for not wanting children:
•We dislike the stigma attached to large families. Large 15-passenger vans full of children are embarrassing spectacles, as are the string of children at the grocery store. People make jokes. Even Christian people chuckle, “Yeah, God said to be fruitful and replenish the earth, but he didn’t say it had to be done by one family alone!” Everyone “knows” that children in large families are deprived of proper attention and care. Obviously, too many children, not spaced apart enough, are “evidence” of poor planning and management on the part of the parents. Nobody wants that kind of image. Making sure there are two or three years between children is as important to our image as keeping our property landscaped nicely.[5]


Have you ever noticed ...
◦how the world seems to have more concern for animals than for humans?
◦how there is a fine of up to $5,000 for killing a bald eagle, yet abortions are acceptable?
◦how our culture thinks it nothing to spend hundreds of dollars on pedigreed dogs, yet does not want children?

It is nothing new. Consider this quote from Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215):


But those who are more refined than these keep Indian birds and Median peafowls, and recline with peak-headed creatures; playing with satyrs, delighting in monsters. They ... overlook the chaste widow, who is of far higher value than a Melitaean pup, and look askance at a just old man, who is lovelier in my estimation than a monster purchased for money. And though maintaining parrots and curlews, they do not receive the orphan child; but they expose children [ed. - leave them out to die] that are born at home, and take up the young of birds, and prefer irrational to rational creatures; although they ought to undertake the maintenance of old people with a character for sobriety, who are fairer in my mind than apes, and capable of uttering something better than nightingales; and to set before them that saying, “He that pitieth the poor lendeth to the LORD”; and this, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.” ANF II, 278
•We may wish to pursue adoption or dedicate our lives to other ministry avenues. Some have suggested that with all the children in the world who are available for adoption, Christians should perhaps forego having, or at least limit the number of, their own children for the purpose of helping as many of these as possible. The adoption of children is without question as blessed a pursuit as that of having one’s own children. If there really are those who are willing to forego having a family of their own in favor of serving their fellow man in this way, it seems difficult to criticize this motive. This line of thought seems to imply that children can hinder ministry. It might be worth mentioning, however, that having children may open as many doors in ministry as it may seem to close. Perhaps having children interferes with our plans more than it hinders God in His plans.
•We do not view children as a blessing. Clearly, the Scriptures speak of children as a gift and blessing from the Lord. However, some parents may really view them as a bother. It is sad that a family should have any child who is not seen as a gift from God. Families, large or small, where there is not sincere love and thankfulness for each child are indeed a sad situation.
•We find it challenging to meet the needs of the children we already have. This is a very real giant that parents face. The responsibilities of parents, particularly of mothers, can at times be overwhelming. There is never a vacation for a mother. The clothing must be washed. The house must be cleaned. The meals must be prepared. This is in addition to the attention that must be paid to the physical needs of each child, as well as the educational, social, emotional, and spiritual needs. And although fathers can feel overwhelmed as well, often the mother is the one who bears the weight of this burden.
•We face health issues. Pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing are often complicated by preexisting health conditions. Even in the best circumstances, every birth is some sort of health risk. Childbearing may be physically impossible for reasons that are out of our control. Scripture speaks of God opening and closing the womb. Having children is not always a matter of choice.
•We are afraid. We may fear childbirth. We may be afraid we cannot provide for more children. We may fear having a dysfunctional family. We may fear what others think. We may fear loss of freedom. Fear seems to be coupled with a lack of faith. Faith is believing that He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” But fear militates against faith, and fear often leads one to trust in man’s wisdom rather than God.
•We can. With the advance of technology, we have easy access to effective birth control products. With the advance of science, we better understand the human body. Thus, we understand practices that help to prevent conception. We live in a modern Western society with new and “better” ways. We have health care choices that most people in history could only dream of. And so we prevent conception for no better reason than that we can.
•We may face financial issues. Children are expensive. When a child is born, it can cost a family anywhere between a few thousand dollars and everything they own. Each child is a financial risk. The possibility of sickness, injury, or other problem poses a constant financial hazard to a family. The cost of sufficient housing can be considerable for a large family. Even though as a whole we live in a financially prosperous society, economic success does not always translate into a family-friendly lifestyle. Stress, along with countless technological and social interferences made possible by affluence, encroaches on family time.
•We may have a better understanding of the responsibility of parents. Perhaps the parents of large families that we have observed seem to have had their large families almost by accident, without having a clear purpose and vision. Never before have we had so many resources, books, and sermons on child training. Perhaps one result of this is that some feel that they have a clearer concept than some others of the seriousness of parental responsibilities, leading them to be more intentional in their family planning.
•We feel that preventing conception reflects proper consideration of the husband for the wife. 1 Peter 3:7 is sometimes quoted in this regard: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel …” Even if there are no clear health, financial, or other reasons to prevent having children, it is sometimes suggested that doing so is simply a loving gesture of courtesy and consideration towards the wife.
Large families
Almost nowhere in our culture is having large families promoted. Have you ever seen an advertisement featuring a family with six or eight children?

•We have been influenced by secular thinking concerning the problems of population growth. Our culture not only outright, but also subliminally, teaches that small families are the way to go. As conservative Christians, we may scoff at the dire predictions of earth-conscious environmentalists who declare that having children at all is helping to doom the planet, but we may be succumbing to the more subtle influences that end up pointing us the same direction. Almost nowhere in our culture is having large families promoted. Have you ever seen an advertisement featuring a family with six or eight children? This thinking permeates our culture, and we may be shaped by it more than we realize.
•We don’t really know why. Just like some people seem to have had large families seemingly almost without thinking about it, we size our families smaller in the same sort of aimless way. We have no vision or strong compelling reasons to have children. Family does not excite us.
•We don’t have the time. A friend once lamented about the lack of time in his busy community, which is known for being saturated with Christian churches:
“The community is thriving, and there are seemingly always things to do, and good activities to be involved in. Committee meetings, PTF meetings, graduation ceremonies, school programs, ball games, prayer meetings, revival meetings, support group meetings, chorus practice, benefit auctions, fundraisers, and the list goes on. But it all comes with a price. With all this activity, there seem to be precious few evenings to simply spend at home. And even at home we have our distractions. E-mail, cell phones, and Facebook allow us to stay in touch with more people, from all over the world, than ever before. And so our already-stretched lives get stretched even more.”
Where in the world are we supposed to find time to have children? Educations need to be completed, businesses must be established, and of course the newly married must have time to enjoy and learn to know one another without distractions. Yes, certainly, children are wanted, children are valued, and children are blessings—when we find the time.
•We may lack the support of our community. Some communities are well known for the practice of having young ladies volunteer significant amounts of time and effort helping mothers with small children. Sometimes more experienced families are able to offer encouragement by example. Not all families are blessed with this sort of community support. In some cases, those who might be available to lend a hand to overwhelmed families might have other interests. But it is possible for a family to feel alone and overwhelmed, which makes the idea of having more children less appealing.
•We don’t like giving up control. To leave open the question of how many children we will have seems irresponsible and scary. A woman of average health might conceivably have children as often as every year or two. Is managing this natural course of events any different from cutting one’s hair, mowing the lawn, or taking Tylenol to help a headache?
•We are selfish. Recently, a friend was telling my wife about the first years of their marriage. They waited a number of years to start their family, because they were enjoying the free lifestyle provided by two sizable incomes and no children. “We were selfish,” she said simply. Selfishness seems to be a primary reason that people don’t want children. Other reasons may often be simply a cover for pure selfishness. Children interfere with our personal interests, our freedom, our time, our resources, and our plans.

As we have focused on our own hearts in this way, hopefully the Spirit of God has made the connections, or in some cases revealed the disconnects, between our reasoning and the teaching of the Scriptures. As we allow this process to reach its completion, the course of our lives will be altered, perhaps radically, as we attempt to align our thinking and our actions with God’s expressed word in relation to children.

Big house; small family
The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing, but in our culture we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture.

In conclusion, there are a few things that should be clear to us in thinking through this issue. We understand that there has been a distinct shift in family demographics in the recent past. We also know that, relative to other parts of the world and other times in history, we enjoy unprecedented prosperity and unparalleled access to health care. Financial success and generally improved health, however, have not caused an increase in family size in our society and in our communities; rather, the opposite is the case. We are wealthier and healthier than past generations, and therefore seemingly better able to sustain larger families, and yet our families are shrinking. It seems clear then that much of our reasoning in limiting our family size can be attributed to pure selfishness.[6]

In a widely circulated quote, Doug Philips notes another irony about our culture. “The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing, but in our culture we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture.”[7] Clearly, our values as a culture are reflecting values other than those the Bible promotes.

A final clarification should be that it is not at all necessary to have children in order to be blessed of God. In fact, the single person or the husband and wife who are childless or whose family is limited by circumstances out of their control can expect God’s special attention. “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land” (Ps. 68:5,6).

If we were to act primarily by the values in God’s word and of His kingdom, instead of the self-centered, materialistic values of our generation and culture, how might we think and act differently in terms of planning our families?

There are single persons or childless couples whose “families” far exceed those of others both in number and in blessing. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord” (Is. 54:1).

If we were to act primarily by the values in God’s word and of His kingdom, instead of the self-centered, materialistic values of our generation and culture, how might we think and act differently in terms of planning our families? Fifty or a hundred years from now, what investment of ours will matter most?

May you advance on a journey that leads you toward what God wanted the world to be in the first place, when He spoke of a verdant earth filled with His creation, which would continuously glorify Him and bring Him pleasure.


And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. Ge. 1:31

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Lu. 18:16 ~


[1] Ed. Note: God loves people. Satan hates people. While it is true that Satan hates a holy man more than a carnal man, he simply hates all men and is on a mission to destroy humanity. Think about this mission in the light of birth control.

[2] No. HS-12. Households by Type and Size: 1900 to 2002, U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/statab/hist/HS-12.pdf. Accessed 2/12/2012.

[3] “Contemporary Beachy Amish Mennonite Birth Rate Trends and Evaluations” by Cory Anderson. http://www.user.shentel.net/coryaa/birthrates.htm. Accessed 2/29/2012

A Mother's Gift

Two thousand years ago in a stable all forlorn,
Wise men brought to Jesus precious gifts when He was born.
“What precious gifts do I have that are worthy of a King?
For I’m a lowly mother, Lord, what treasure can I bring?
I know that You seek hearts, Lord, that will trust You and obey,
So I give You mine, Lord Jesus, take it, Lord, I pray.
But, I cannot seem to find the time to give You of myself,
These little ones do drain me and deplete my store of wealth.
My days are full of diapers and feeding hungry mouths,
Of washing, cleaning, ironing--this work it takes me hours.
And when at last there’s quiet and all are asleep in bed,
I think that I might serve You, but nod off to sleep instead!"
But, as I dream in slumber, Your voice to me does speak…
“If you were like the wise men, you’d know the gift I seek,
For these men in their wisdom knew gifts cannot be used
If they are always hidden with tinsel and subterfuge.
They unwrapped their treasures; you too must do the same,
Removing all self-consciousness, even sin and needless blame,
For the wondrous gift of motherhood is given by God above
And when you mother children, you show My greater love.
So let not your heart be troubled, weary mother, for you see,
When you are building children, then you are serving Me.
This gift from every mother whether she be great or small
Is a very special gift, one I treasure from you all.
For I too had a mother who suffered shame for me,
She nurtured me and clothed me, wept, and mourned like thee.
I know to have a mother who will give her very best
Is a very worthy treasure, so come to Me, dear mother, and
I will give you rest!
By Val Stares, Above Rubies Director in Australia

The Difference Time Has On Our Perspectives

10 THINGS I WILL NEVER SAY IN 10 YEARS:

1. I wish I would have spent more time on my phone/computer.
2. I wish I would have kept my house perfectly organized.
3. I wish I would have spent more time alone reading a book.
4. I wish the childhood days would have gone faster so I can live for myself.
5. I wish I would have spent less nights rocking babies so I could have more sleep.
6. I wish I hadn’t read so many bedtime stories to the children.
7. I wish I would have put sports/fishing/hunting before church.
8. I wish I would have made more money to buy more toys and nicer clothes.
9. I wish I would have had more babysitters.
10. I wish I didn’t have so many children.


20 THINGS I WILL PROBABLY SAY IN 20 YEARS:

1. I wish I would have spent less time on the computer.
2. I wish my house were filled with children once again.
3. I wish I would have read more books to my children.
4. I wish the days would slow down.
5. I wish I could rock a baby just once more.
6. I wish I still had children at home to take to church.
7. I wish I would have lived more in the moment.
8. I wish mothers could see how fleeting the childhood years are and enjoy them more instead of wishing them away.
9. I wish I could have had more children.
10. I wish I would have praised my children more often.
11. I’m glad I invested so much time in raising my children.
12. I'm glad we didn't allow media devices to control my children.
13. I’m glad we sacrificed “having it all” so I could give my all to God’s will for my life.
14. I wish I would have spent more time with my Grandparents.
15. I’m thankful I didn’t give up on my marriage when it got hard.
16. The older I get, the less I think I know.
17. I wish I would have worried less and prayed more.
18. I wish I would have loved more and judged less.
19. I wish I would have taken more pictures.
20. If only I knew then what I know now.

A Mother’s Daily Petition

Her day begins before the waking of the sun.
As her children sleep peacefully upon their beds, she retreats to her place of refuge to plead for grace and mercy for the upcoming day.
She knows this position of ministry is too difficult for her to face alone and that schedules and willpower alone will cause her to be a failure. She must seek wisdom, strength, and power from her Beloved Savior Who lives to intercede on her behalf. And so begins the prayer of a mother….

Another day-
Strength, Lord…
To wash dishes, clothes, floors, sticky hands, and dirty faces.
To fill hungry bellies with nutritious and delicious food.
To fill hungry souls the Living Bread of Your Word.
To wear a smile, knowing that much work means many blessings.
To act, talk, and respond the same inside of my home as I would if outside the home.
To do Your work faithfully, joyously, courageously, thoroughly, honestly, and gratefully as “unto the Lord.”

Another day-
Patience, Longsuffering Lord…
To remember mercy when the day is filled with whines and tantrums, considering if the children are just repeating what they see me do.
To read the same book again and again, to teach the same lesson with enthusiasm and not sarcasm.
To encourage, to love, to cherish, to teach.
To remember making a mess =making memories.
To do the mundane tasks of motherhood and making a home with a song in my heart and praise on my lips. Its not only what I do that matters, but the motive of my heart that You see.

Another day-
Eternal vision, Lord…
To see myself not as a housewife, but a homemaker.
To view my home as the most important sphere of influence.
To see past the temporary to the eternal soul that will never die when looking at my children or those you call me to minister to.
To see myself not only as a diaper changer, but a world changer, one child at a time.
To remember that I can’t honor You if I don’t honor my husband.
To see that being faithful begins with being faithful right now in this very moment or task.
To see every annoyance, every unforeseen obstacle, every interruption as divine appointments allowed by Your loving hand with the purpose of conforming me to Thy Image.

Another day… to die to self, to love others, to do all for the Glory of God! And so I begin this day with Your strength, patience, and longsuffering, remembering that how I live today will echo throughout eternity. Teach me Thy way, O Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Adapted from “Petitioning” published in the devotional called “Tea Leaves”. Martha Stoltzfus Barkman.
(Mrs. Ervin)
“Be not weary mother, for in time you’ll reap, For now is time to plant and plow, no time to be asleep. “

Could Have Missed

I am daily reminded how easily I could have missed out on having my last two blessings. I have had C-sections with all my children and was told by doctors that I needed to be done and that having another C-section with so much scar tissue could be life threatening. My husband and I both decided to sign a paper that gave the surgeons permission to tie my one tube that remained during the birth of our 3rd child to prevent any further pregnancies. During the surgery I heard the surgeon tell me that he was unable to tie my tube because I had so much scar tissue that he couldn't even find it to tie! I looked up at my husband and told him that it was alright. Right away I knew that God had intervened! Since that day we have added two more blessings to our family.

Could Have Missed

We almost didn’t have you precious ones.
We thought because of health that we would just be done.

But the doctor was unable to perform the surgery;
It was at that very moment that God planned differently.

We chose to trust the Master’s hand and put aside our fears;
A baby boy we welcomed after waiting several years.

We could have missed the fragrance that a newborn baby brings;
The way a baby listens when his mother to him sings.

We could have missed the snuggles while we watch our newborn sleep,
The thought of never knowing you makes my heart begin to weep.

We could have missed the toothless grins and playing pat-a-cake,
The sound of squealing in delight of seeing a snowflake.

We could have missed their tiny hands holding on to ours,
Or smiling when our little ones pick weeds and calls them flowers.

After seeing what we would have missed we’re reminded now each day;
That our life would be much different if we would have had our way.

Daily we are humbled by all we could have missed,
No longer ‘gainst God’s plan do we struggle and resist.

A baby girl we welcomed because God intervened,
Before she was created her days were all foreseen.

I know His ways are perfect, though not always understood.
I pray that I’ll be faithful in His gift of motherhood.

The Unruly Woman vs. the Noble Woman

She can be found at every corner- gadding about.

 According to Cambridge dictionary gadding about means to visit or travel to a lot of different places, enjoying yourself and not worrying about other things you should be doing.

This is the life of the unruly woman-
She will not submit to her calling as a wife/mother. She is headstrong, which is considered an asset in worldly eyes.  She often volunteers for every activity under the sun and can even be found teaching Sunday school, leading Bible studies and prayer groups. She is found attending every community affair and is involved in as many outside activities that she can.
There is only one place that you will not find the unruly woman- in her own home.

She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home. Provers 7:11

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

To the unruly woman, the domestic duties of caring for a husband and children are beneath her.  She doesn't dare waste her time when she has much more important matters to tend to.  The unruly woman convinces herself that she is doing ministry because many of the things she is doing is considered an honor by the christian circle.  She often hears the praise of men for the sacrifice she makes with her time to serve others, while those of her own  household is daily neglected.
The unruly woman usually takes care of the outside needs of her family such as clothing so that she can impress others, but the inside needs- that of tending and discipling her little lambs are neglected as she pursues her own dreams and ambitions and leaves the tending that should be her job to the daycare or babysitter.
The unruly woman feels that she is superior to the mothers that "waste" their lives and their talents wiping noses, changing diapers, and will never understand why on earth anyone would ever willingly sacrifice their life to stay at home.  She can never be found cooking wholesome meals for her family, in her prayer closet, or holding her children in her arms while reading them a story. She is much too busy for such things.  If for some rare occassion she is found at home-perhaps when a child is sick, she quickly turns on a movie so her children will be quiet while she checks her email or updates her faceebook status.
The unruly woman can be very religious and moral and may know the scriptures, but sadly she doesn't  know the Lord she is reading about.
The unruly woman knows nothing of sacrifical love or dying to self. Her children are often viewed as hindrances to ministry instead of the primary ministry that the Lord has called her to.
The unruly woman isn't ruled by the Lord, but by her own fleshly desires.  She is rather successful in ruling over her husband by her unsubmissive spirit and argumentative attitude. Instead of seeing herself as God calls her- the husband's help meet, she sees her husband as someone that is there to meet her own needs. She thinks the Bible verses that talk about submission are outdated and not relevent for today.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.  Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24

The unruly woman's family is driven by activities, entertainment, and media. They are always gadding about-  going to and from ballgames, music lessons, daycare, shopping malls, sporting events, among many other things.  They are never found around the dinner table with a home-cooked meal or having family prayer and devotions.  They are too busy to build meaningfull relationships with the Lord or with those of their own household, but somehow manage to find the time to spend on facebook and other media sites.

Titus 2:4-5
That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7

The life of the noble woman is much different.
She enjoys making a home.  She sees her home as the place where true ministry begins. She realizes that one day she will have to give an account to the Lord for the souls of her children that the Lord has entrusted to her care. She takes her job very seriously and guards against any outside distractions or anything else that may harm her family.  She is often found in her prayer closet for she knows that without the Lord she can do nothing.  She seeks direction, wisdom, and strength from the Lord each day and is purposefully living life with the end in mind.  She often grows weary, tired, and gets discouraged after caring for her home, and those of her household all day, but she knows that God's Word is true-
...Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3

She knows that even a cup of water given in His name will not go overlooked.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. Matthew 10:42

The noble woman is often mocked by other christians who label her as being too family focused and of neglecting ministry.  But the noble woman isn't shaken, for she knows the truth and patiently awaits the harvest of all her labor. Serving Christ by loving her husband and children and training them up in the ways of the Lord is the very least she can do for all that Christ has done for her.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8

The noble wife is also involved in outside ministry.  After she has first been faithful in her own  home, she then becomes a blessing to the homes of others.  She and her children are often found bringing a hot meal to someone that is sick, writing cards of encouragement, or meeting any other needs that the Lord lays on her heart.  She teaches her children how to share the gospel with lost family members and is always looking for opportunities to share and do good to others.

Who can find a noble wife? She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10

A seed is useless until it is cast into the soil where it will die in order to become something greater- a plant, a flower, a tree.  In the same way, my dedication to life at home as a mother is a seed of sacrifice.  I give up my own desires and sacrifice my gifts and talents so that new life may come from me. I am buried in the rich soil of homework, homeschooling, chracter training, disciplining, and the myriad responsibilities of making a home. To many in my generation, my decision to stay at home is a fruitless sacrifice, a waste of feminine intelligence and abilities. To me, though, it is a small sacrifice if by it I may send my children into the next generation bursting with spiritual life, ready to change the world for Christ. Fruitless? Only by the world's standards. By God's it is a worthy sacrificce that will  yield a harvest of righteousness. 
Sally Clarkson


The biggest sacrfice for me has been in the areas of relationships and harmony. Once I dedicated my life to biblical motherhood, I very quickly found myself crashing into relational barriers where before there had been none. All of a sudden I was "too commited" to my home and family and not involved enough in outside activities that would provide my children a "balanced life."
 Sally Clarkson

Are You Task Driven or Relationship Driven?

Lately I have noticed that I tend to be more task driven rather than relationship driven.   I have unmeaningly valued accomplishing tasks, rather than engaging in one on one relationships with my children and my husband. 
I am an introvert and being task driven is usually my default. At the end of the day, it's nice to think of all the tasks that I have accomplished and see visual evidence/fruit of my labor.  We often feel the more we do, the more productive our day has been. We like to see quick results from our labor. The clean closets, the empty laundry baskets, the sparkling windows, the shiny, clean floors. We could clean 24/7 and there would still be something left to do.  If we're not careful we can become only task oriented and neglect building relationships with those around us.

You might be to task oriented if you...

feel like you are never able to rest until you have the perfect environment.
are lacking joy and you're always in a hurry.
make promises to your children and don't fulfill them.
are always saying phrases like, "in a little while", "when I get this done", "maybe later", but later never comes.
often find it difficult to be still while you are praying or reading God's Word.
feel like you are wasting time if you take the time to do nothing, except to enjoy your surroundings.
live life like you are on a time schedule and resent interuptions.
are led by impulse, rather than God's Spirit.

If we are too busy each day to read God's Word, to pray, to laugh, make memories, and enjoy life with our children, then we are too task driven.

Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:6 ESV

 I don't want to live life striving after the wind.

I want my children's soul to be nurtured and their heart to be fed.
I want to sit around the dinner table without thinking about the dishes that need done.
I want to play a game of Scattegories without thinking I could be doing something better or getting things done around the house.
I want to be like Mary who was able to forget about the work that needed to be done and just sit at the feet of Jesus.   
I want to be Jesus driven, not task driven.
I want relationships to be top priority.

If you feel overwhelmed and the joy you once had in homemaking is gone, perhaps you are being task driven and not relationship driven. The Lord isn't a harsh taskmasker. His ways are not burdensome, but light.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Next time your child asks you to do a coloring contest, go for a walk, or to just sit and visit; look them in the eye and say with all your heart, "I'd love too!" Just watch the smile you'll receive and know that you've chosen what matters most- relationships.

The Blessing of Home

I love the sound of little feet pattering through the house.
I love to hear my 3 year old thanking God in her prayers for corn as she enjoys the fruit of her daddy’s labor.
I love the smell of a freshly bathed newborn cuddled in my arms.
I love to see my children lay on the floor with their daddy as they read through the daily Proverb each night before bed.
I love the excitement on my daughter’s face as I surprise her with a freshly made batch of play dough.
I love to read the thoughts from my 11 year old about becoming a missionary that she’s written in notebooks around the house.
I love to see all the unique, strange, and crazy things my son finds while exploring at the creek.
I love to look outside and see my son following close behind the steps of his dad as they do their evening chores together.
I love trying to make my home a haven that my husband enjoys coming home to at the end of the day.
I love to hear the voice of my 3 year old yelling, “yea, daddy’s home!!” as she hears her daddy’s truck pull in the drive after working all day.
I love to listen to my oldest daughter read me her creative writing papers and mention how she finally understands why I home school and that she wants to home school her kids one day just like her mom.
I love to hear my two girls say I love you, I love you most, and love you mostest every night before bed.
I love to see the smile on my oldest daughter’s face as she makes a dessert all by herself and we tell her it’s the best we’ve ever had.
I love the anticipation we feel as we bring home a new bundle of joy.
I love castles made out of blankets.
I love going to bed at night thanking God for a house full of children snug in their beds and that He called me to be a wife, mother, and a keeper of my home.
Thank-you Lord for the blessing of home.

A Letter To My Unborn Son

                                                              
Dear Precious Child,

In about 1 more month I will finally have the opportunity to behold the face of a miracle that I was told by doctors I shouldn’t have due to medical conditions, but God… (notice those 2 small words- because they change everything) … but God… had other plans. God loves to show how strong and mighty He is and how man’s wisdom really isn’t wisdom at all. God healed me completely of my medical condition within the first month of pregnancy! The arrival of your birth humbles me, knowing that God has entrusted yet another child to my care- the responsibility to raise you to be a warrior for Jesus Christ in a world that is hostile to even the name of Jesus. Right now you are snuggled safely in my womb unaware of the cruel world just outside. A world that views children as disposable and burdens. Oh how I treasure feeling your tiny feet kicking around in my tummy, your tiny hiccups in the wee hours of the night- feelings I wouldn’t even be feeling if God in His providence had not intervened. During the birth of your sister Ellie your daddy and I had signed papers to give the doctor’s permission to tie off my only fallopian tube to prevent another pregnancy due to the warnings from the doctor’s that it would be life threatening to proceed with another caesarean, but to our surprise the surgeon was unable to perform the surgery. I knew at that very moment that I had just witnessed God’s hand intervene and that my womb would possibly hold another miracle from God. I’m telling you all of this because I want you to know that you were created for a purpose larger than anything you could ever imagine. Before a single cell of yours was in existence, before your heart began it’s first beat, before your lungs inhale it’s first breath- God had your days numbered and He takes great delight in you- His special creation created to bring Him honor and glory. You, my son are wanted and already loved beyond measure. In this world you will be hated, mocked, slandered, misunderstood, and taken for granted- but don’t ever forget that you, my son are a child of the God who created the heavens and the earth… you are royalty if you remain in Christ and be faithful to the end. Please remember that your identity isn’t found in your college degrees, your career, or what other‘s think of you, but is found only in Christ. I pray the chubby little feet that I get to kiss in about a month will walk the narrow path, the tiny hands that will soon wrap around my fingers will be hands of a prayer warrior, and the heart that will beat against my chest as I sing to you sweet lullabies will be a heart that is fully devoted to Christ with sincere love and devotion. While you have been entrusted in my care to love, nurture, and protect- I am fully aware that you belong to the Lord and that I am unable to succeed in this calling without the indwelling Spirit of Christ living through me to guide and instruct me.

　

Anxiously awaiting your arrival,
your mother, Kristin


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Live in the Moment

With this pregnancy I have found myself doing alot more sitting than I'm used to and alot more living in the moment, although not intentionally. I really am ashamed at how many moments I have missed throughout the years because I've refused to allow myself to just sit and soak in the moments.  We live in a culture where we are praised for being overly busy. We call this being productive- a real go-getter.  I call this missing out on life.  In the time I have allowed myself to just sit and be available to my children I have become so much closer to each of my children.  I have read more books, sung more nursery rhymes, answered deep questions about God,  listened to fears of not being the only boy anymore in about 2 months, made up stories about bunnies and ponies while my 3 year old and I sat and cuddled on the couch.  I've always known that my children are blessings, but over the last few weeks I have really come to see how fleeting these childhood days truly are.  And it makes me sad how we as mothers try to rush through the different stages of life looking for better days, not realizing that these are the better days.  Each stage of life is a precious stage.  One day before we know it our house will be quiet and clean and we will look back on these days wishing that we would have enjoyed the moments more.  Soak in the laughter of your children, the smell of a freshly bathed baby, the army of children piled in your bed because of a thunderstorm, the endless questions about frogs, indians, and fossils.
Take it all  in and live in the moment. 

Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. Don’t rent them out to tomorrow. Do you know what you’re doing when you spend a moment wondering how things are going to turn out? You’re cheating yourself out of today. Today is calling to you, trying to get your attention, but you’re stuck on tomorrow, and today trickles away like water down a drain. You wake up the next morning and that today you wasted is gone forever. It’s now yesterday. Some of those moments may have had wonderful things in store for you , but now you’ll never know.”
 Jerry Spinelli (not sure who this is, but loved the quote)

Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
Psalm 39:5

Letting Go of Expectations and Finding Peace in Chaos

I am 29 weeks pregnant. Need I say more? ;) Most days I have so much drive to get things accomplished, but the energy and strength just isn’t there anymore. God is teaching me that many times we have added stress because we have set to high expectations and that peace isn’t found in perfection.

Peace isn’t found in having a house that is so clean it looks like a museum, or kids that are always well-behaved and obey the first time they are told to do something, or having everything checked off on your to-do list for the day, having your home school schedule planned out for the entire year. That is temporal peace that never satisfies the soul. Our striving for perfection is really a fleshly effort in trying to control our environment. We plan for the future, but forget Who actually holds our future. What if we let go of our expectations and let God guide our day instead of our expectations or our to-do list?  I believe our days would look completely different if we included God in every moment.  So often we are planning for the next day, week, or even next school year that we cease living in the present.

A few things that would be included in a perfect day would be to:

Wake up before the children to spend time in prayer and in His Word.
Eat breakfast as we do morning devotions
Pick up the house until it’s in perfect order while the kids are joyfully doing their home school.
Use every moment to set a godly example to my children and to lead them to Jesus.

As we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect day.
A lot of times I get up to read my Bible and pray and find that my children decide to wake up early right along with me. Instead of thinking, “there goes my quiet time” and seeing them as distractions, go with the flow and see it as a blessing instead. Have your morning prayer and devotions with your children.

When you’re house is a mess and you feel like you just can’t keep up, ask yourself if having a messy house will even matter a year from now or 10 years from now. Don’t let the things that really doesn’t matter change your mood for the day. What will matter 10 years from now is that your children saw you put God and your family first before having an orderly house. Remember, peace isn’t found in perfection. If we are seeking peace from having a perfect environment we will live our lives in disappointment. As mothers there are days when we blow it. We lose our patience and let words fly out of our mouth that tear down instead of build up. We look more like a 4 headed monster than the example of Jesus we are supposed to be for our children. When that happens, teach your children the meaning of grace and humility. Humble yourself in front of your children, admit how wrong you were and ask for their forgiveness. I have learned that when I humble myself, my children become quick to ask for forgiveness when they wrong me as well. Our days are often imperfect than perfect. Life happens- our children get a flu bug that lasts an entire week, the joyful baby you anticipated has colic and cries most hours of the day, the motor goes out of the car, a loved one passes away, your husband loses his job, a close friend betrays you, the doctor calls to tell you that it’s cancer.

Planning our days gives us a fake sense of security. Why are we so afraid to trust the God who created the heavens with the few hours we have here on this earth? We say we trust, but do we really? I’m not saying that any type of planning is wrong or sinful. I am saying that we shouldn’t find our peace and security in our planning. Maybe if we did more praying and less planning we would see God work even more in our life.

In about 2 months my days will be filled with around the clock feedings, dirty diapers, and sleep deprived days. I often ask myself how in the world I am going to home school 3 children while caring for a newborn plus all the other responsibilities that go along with motherhood and being a wife. But God will be there in the midst of all the caos and He’s enough. How often it’s in the chaos that we feel like God is distant, but that’s when He’s the nearest. His Word whispers encouragement to our hearts if we will only listen, “Be still and know that I am God”, “Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  Peace can be found in the caos if you let go of your desire for perfection.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:16

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

　
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

　
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

　

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you
Isaiah 26:3

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

　
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

Led Astray- Are We Really Pro-Life

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3 NASB


It saddens me to think about the views that christian women have that are down right unbiblical.  Just a few years ago I was one of those women who had been deceived in many areas of my life. 
One of the areas that we have been led astray is in the area of childbearing.  Even though I didn't say it, I believed that I was in charge of my body.  I decided when and if I would get pregnant by the use of birth control pills.  I considered tying my fallopian tubes in hopes of preventing future pregnancies.  I gladly signed the papers, but for some reason (God's hand), the surgeon was unable to tie my tubes due to an excess of scar tissue.  At the exact moment I heard the doctor inform me that he was unable to tie my tube, I knew that God had other plans.  Just last year I joined a ladies Bible study from Nancy Leigh DeMoss titled "Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Us Free".  I don't remember her exact words, but she stated that God should be Lord over ALL of us- including our womb.  She also mentioned that it was God who opens and closes the womb.  It really got me thinking. I went straight to the Word of God (something I should have done in the first place) and I studied and found the following verses:


God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28 NASB


How great it is for christian families that are devoted to Christ to embrace the blessing of children and to train them up in righteousness and in the ways of the Lord! Think of the impact we could make as christians if every christian woman allowed God to be Lord over their womb. For example- my parents were only supposed to have one child. I grew up and am on my 4th child.  If my kids grow up and have 4 kids that will be 16 great grandkids. If those 16 children grow up and have 4 children each that would  be 64 great, great grandkids for my parents.  That would be a total of 84 people that are alive within 100 years just because a couple decided to have 1 child. This total can greatly be affected because not all children will have 4 children. Some may have none, one, or 10.  This example shows the impact that christians can have on a society if we embraced motherhood as a blessing and each family raised their children up in the fear and wisdom of the Lord. 


Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Psalm 127:3-5


Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table. Psalm 128:3


Even though we as christians are against abortion does NOT mean we are Pro-Life.  In fact, most christian women are pro-life just as long as they are not responsible for raising them.


We have more than a handful of reasons why we don't want any more children which include:


1. We can't afford another child. (Can you afford a new car, a cell phone plan, a manicure, to get your hair done, Sonic happy hour?)
This isn't meant to condemn, but to challenge you to think.  We need to think about the "why" behind our beliefs.  Does our beliefs come from the views of a heathen and feminist society or from the Word of God? 


2. I can't handle anymore... the kids I have already drives me crazy.
I hear this one all the time.  Most of the time, the kids are driving us crazy  because we see them as burdens instead of blessings.  We don't want the inconvience. We are selfish and want to spend our time on what we think is important. We haven't taken the time to discipline and instruct them in the ways of the Lord.  We will always reap what we sow. 


3.  I have one boy and one girl so I'm done.
Have you asked the Lord if you're family is complete? Most of the time we don't even think about asking Him. 


4.  I want to go back to my job and get the kids in school.
Is this what we base our life around? Our career?  The kids being in school so we don't have to be "burdened" with their company?  Again, I'm not doing this to condemn you. Several years ago I had this same reason for not wanting anymore children. I wanted to be done. I had my boy and my girl. Friends and family told me that it was the perfect time to stop having children.  I wanted to finish college and get the kids in school so I'd have time to do other "important " things.  I thought anyone who homeschooled had lost their mind.  Then one day God called ME to homeschool.  I've always thought God has a sense of humor, but this had gone a little to far. I only had one baby in the house and was on my way to an empty house during the day and some "me time".  But you know what, I obeyed and God changed my heart. He gave me the DESIRE to homeschool and He gave me the love for my children that I was lacking and revealed my selfish motives. 


God doesn't call all women to be mothers.  He may call you to have one, two, three, ten, or 19 like the Duggars. 
Some of you may have already had your tubes tied and made choices that you cannot take back.  God forgives.  All you have to do is repent and admit the choices you made in ignorance.  I could have easily been in your shoes.  Believe me, I tried to have my tubes tied. 


I look at my 3rd child and know that I'm looking at a miracle.  I already had a boy and a girl.  Why would I want anymore? She could have never been born and I would have never known what I was missing.  Her fine blonde hair, saucer blue eyes,  and a sweet little voice calling me "mama" I might have never known. Eliana (Ellie) Faith is my miracle baby.  The doctor told me after one child, "no more children", "protect your health", but God had other plans.  God has preserved my health. 
Today I am almost 12 weeks pregnant with my 4th child.  I am due in December. 
This child is also a miracle baby.  I signed the papers at my last c-section in hopes of tying my tubes. I couldn't handle anymore children. We couldn't afford anymore.  We were done.  I had always said I wanted all my kids before the age of 30.  I just turned 32.


Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21


Are we devoted to Christ in all areas?  Do we base our beliefs on the Word of God or do we let society determine our actions?  Let's be faithful to spend time studying His Word and seeking His will for our lives so we can be sure we're not led astray from Christ.

Linked up at Far Above Rubies

Top Fifteen Reasons Why I Love Homeschooling My Children

1.  Because this is what God has called me to do!
2.  I enjoy having my children home.
3.  I get to spend more quality time with each child.
4.  My children are learning life skills- how to manage a house, how to keep up a garden, how to  care for  livestock (goats, chickens, ducks, bunny), etc.
5.  I get to see my children's academic and spiritual progress for myself.
6.  I get to customize our curriculum so it is perfectly suited for each child.
7.  We have grown closer to the Lord as a family.
8.  We have learned how to work as a team- everybody does their share of work around the house.  Instead of my children complaining about working like they used to, they love to work because it gives them a sense of accomplishment.  My daughter will help clean up the kitchen without even being told. 
9.  My children are learning how to think for themselves instead of falling prey to peer pressure.
I've watched my daughter become less materialistic when it comes to clothing.  She is content with what she has and chooses her clothing based on what the Lord wants her to wear, not her friends.
10. It's soooooooo much cheaper! In fact, it is possible to homeschool for FREE! We choose to purchase our own books and curriculum, but it's nice to know that their is an unlimited amount of free resources available if need be. 
11. No more homework that takes up our entire evening. This is a big one! My daughter used to spend hours doing homework while we could have been spending time as a family.  She was only in the 4th grade at the time.
12. Less stress on my kids. They can relax and do their work with limited distractions.  They don't have to study for a big test that makes or breaks their grade.  I remember my daughter having a test that could drop her grade by two letter grades. This was 4th grade Science! I can maybe see that in a college setting, but not elementary. 
13.  We can spend more time studying the things we are most interested in.
14.  We can develop musical talents.  My daughter hated practicing her piano. Every evening I would have to make her practice. I finally let her quit piano until school was finished that year. With the amount of homework she had, she didn't have the time.  After we began homeschooling, she gladly took up piano and I can gladly say that I've never once had to remind her to practice.  I hear practicing her piano off and on for hours a day.  She has a love for music- piano, guitar, and singing.  She gets to develop her gift in that area to glorify God. 
15.  My children don't have to be exposed to the filth that is in most schools today.  I'm not sheltering my children, I am protecting them.
 It's not easy being my child's primary teacher, but it's so rewarding.  I would have never chosen this path for myself.  God literally picked me up and placed me on the path of homeschool, and for that I'm so very thankful.

Those Who Have Young

He tends his flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

he gently leads those that have young.

Isaiah 40:11

Snow Days!!

Snow days are some of the BEST days!! Where we live school is cancelled when we get only a few inches of snow. A big snow for us is usually 4-5 inches. Last Tuesday we had one of the biggest snow storms in almost a century! We had around 18-20 inches of snow with drifts around 5-6 feet! Tonight we just received another 3-4 inches of snow and a phone call that school was cancelled yet again! I love snow days with my kids, although my almost 2 year old doesn't care much for it. While the kids had snow ball fights, my youngest Ellie stared up at the trees to watch the birds sing.

The Call of Motherhood

"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness."
— Elisabeth Elliot

"What a traditional woman did that made her home warm and alive was not dusting and laundry.... Her real secret was that she identified herself with her home, [and]...it is illuminating to think about what happened when things went right. Then her affection was in the soft sofa cushions, clean linens, and good meals; her memory in well-stocked storeroom cabinets and the pantry; her intelligence in the order and healthfulness of her home; her good humor in its light and air. She lived her life not only through her own body, but through the house as an extension of her body; part of her relation to those she loved was embodied in the physical medium of the home she made. My own experience convinces me that there is still no other way to make a good home than to have attitudes toward home and domesticity modeled on those of that traditional woman.... Advertisements and television programs offer degraded images of household work and workers. DIscussions of the subject in magazines and newspapers follow a standard formula.... It is scarcely surprising, then, that so many people imagine housekeeping to be boring, frustrating, repetitive, unintelligent drudgery. I cannot agree. (In fact, having kept house, practiced law, taught, and done many other sorts of work, low- and high-paid, I can assure you that it is actually lawyers who are most familiar with the experience of unintelligent drudgery.)"
~ Cheryl Mendelson, Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House, pages 9-10.

"Women are told today they can have it all-career, marriage, children. You need a total commitment to make it work. Take a close look at your child. He doesn’t want you to be bright, talented, chic, or smart-any of those things. He just wants you to love him. He will be the one who pays the price for your wanting to have it all. Think carefully about having that baby. Not to have it would be a great loss. To have it too late greatly increases the health hazards for you and the child. To have it without a commitment to it would be a great tragedy."
~ Beverly Sills, addressing a graduating class of Barnard College in New York.

"So long as we insist upon defining our identities only in terms of our work, so long as we try to blind ourselves to the needs of our children and harden our hearts against them, we will continue to feel torn, dissatisfied, and exhausted…. The guilt we feel for neglecting our children is a byproduct of our love for them. It keeps us from straying too far from them, for too long. Their cry should be more compelling than the call from the office."
~ Danielle Crittenden, What Our Mothers Didn't Tell Us, page 143.