Home Educating Family Publishing

Home Educating Family Publishing

Click the link above to enter to win a homeschool t-shirt!

Home Educating Family Publishing

Be sure to check out the terrific giveaway of the Well-Planned Day planner going on now! Home Educating Family Publishing

Food for Thought

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."

--Agatha Christie

Quirky Quote of the Week

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

--Dorothy Parker

Update on Two Week Purge

I'm halfway into my two week extreme decluttering venture. I wish I could say the work is at least half done, but alas, that's not the case. However, I still have a whole week to work, so here is the plan. Monday morning is going to be dedicated to a thorough cleaning of the kitchen. Tuesday, I plan to finish the hall. We're having crazy weather right now, so I may have to work the porch cleaning in around that. I still need to deal with the den and my room, but that will come later this week (I hope!).

We have hauled some stuff to storage and two loads to Goodwill so far. Tomorrow, I expect to add to that. We did a major weeding-out off the girls' clothes and tomorrow we are tackling all the boys' clothes. I'll keep you posted as other progress happens!

Food for Thought

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities crept in. Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you should begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quirky Quote of the Week

No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office.

--George Bernard Shaw

Anyone Up For A Challenge?

This is a crazy time for us right now. The school year is winding down and summer is on the way. I have three kids getting ready for summer camp and another two getting ready for summer internships. Throw in a birthday or two and it's a bit crazy.

Adding to the level of chaos, is the house. My normally too-small, too-crowded house is filled to the brim right now, since I started cleaning out my mom's storerooms. I have hauled home more than I've had time to process, so stuff is stacked in every spare space. By "spare space", I mean down the front hall, in the corners of the den, large amounts of the library, a piece of my bedroom and most of my front porch.

I can't deal with the chaos anymore, and I have fourteen(!) books to review next month, so it's time to do something radical. I'm planning a two-week purge. I'm talking extreme decluttering. This is what I'm planning to accomplish:

•front porch completely cleaned off
•front hall completely cleared out
•all boxes and containers removed from hall
•access to library restored and space cleared to move around
•I have some food items that need to be put in canisters and put away
•clean out and remove dead freezer
•lay out some simple menus for next month when I'm going to be reading like crazy
•work on the kitchen, which is looking a bit ragged at the moment.
•get my clothes weeded out and everything I'm keeping put away.

Whew! That's a lot for two weeks, isn't it? Prayers and well wishes are certainly welcome.

Since misery loves company, if any of you have stuff you need or want to accomplish in the next two weeks, whether a little or a lot, feel free to join in. Leave a comment and let me know what you're planning to do before summer gets into full swing.

Unite for Life Webcast

Food for Thought

” When home ties are loosened, when men and woman cease to regard a worthy family life, with all its duties and all its responsibilities lived up, as the best life worth living, then evil days for the nation are at hand.”

--Theodore Roosevelt

Pearl Girls Giveaway Winner

Thank you all so much for following along with the Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. I pray you laughed, cried and were touched by the translucent stories of real life written by new moms, stepmoms, grandmoms, adoptive moms, and moms without moms. Iridescent reality. And how poignant that the translucent nacre which coats the sand stuck inside an oyster’s shell is called Mother of Pearl. Mothers surround children with their love and with God’s love so they can grow in grace. I hope you'll join us this December for the third annual 12 Pearls of Christmas series.

AND ... thanks too, to all of you who entered to win the beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. I'm thrilled to announce that the winner is ...


Jennifer (heavensent1)!


Jennifer, please email amy@pearlgirls.info with your mailing address.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. The purpose of Pearl Girls is to connect women so that together, we can make a difference in the world.  All proceeds of the Pearl Girls book go in full to two charities: Wings (women in need growing stronger) to help fund a safe house in the Chicago suburbs and to Hands of Hope to help build wells for schoolchildren in Uganda. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products to help support Pearl Girls.

Please stop by the Pearl Girls blog and connect with us there.

Quirky Quote of the Week

Never go to your high school reunion pregnant or they will think that is all you have done since you graduated.

--Erma Bombeck

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: Each Life is Unique by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Each Life is Unique by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. II Peter 1.3 (NIV)

Moms, God wants you to know that He has given you everything you need for life --- your unique life. He does not plan to give you what you might need to live the life of your best friend, or your neighbor, or even your favorite mother-model. No, God has called you to the life that He planned. I suspect that for most of us, it didn’t turn out to be the life we thought it might be… so long ago when we were young and dreaming of ‘growing up.’

On Mother’s Day I often recall my own dreams to one day be a mother. I grew up playing with dolls and looking to my own Mama as a model for that particular role in life. However, by the time I reached my thirties I was still not a mother! God did, however, have a plan. It just wasn’t what I imagined.

My own unique life would find me becoming a mother through the adoption of my first three children who were ages 9, 7 and 4; and then much later giving birth to our fourth child. Of course I was shocked when God revealed this to me, but I was ecstatic as well. It’s as though I could hear Him saying, “Well, you’re not getting any younger so I’m just going to just give you a jump start with three at one time!”

A huge blessing! A huge adjustment! A joy and a struggle. Change is often like that, isn’t it? We finally get what we want then we have to deal with it. May I just offer a bit of advice if you just got a great answer to prayer, but perhaps not in the way or form you imagined? Just receive it. Embrace it. And be willing to move forward into a new paradigm for your life. So what if you’re not like all the other mothers you know? So what if you’re not like your own mother? So what if your family unit is different? I guarantee God has a plan.

Not only did he want me to embrace my own story, but He called me as a mother to do perhaps one of the most important tasks of all --- to nurture my children to live their own unique lives. Not for me to try and squeeze them into what I hoped and dreamed they would be. Not for me to try and live my life through them. But to recognize how God made them, gifted them, and called them to their own special place.

All of my 4 kids are different from one another. Let’s take sports, for instance: I have one child who wins gold medals in international tennis competition, one who is a born equestrian, another who competes nationally in obstacle course shooting matches, and yet another who manages to dance onstage in 3 inch heels, do cartwheels and splits while singing at the same time. Now, honestly, I do none of these things. And yet they do.

I don’t remember placing my order with God for these things.  But I do remember when that tennis player turned 9 years old and I enrolled him in Special Olympics for the first time and how it changed his life… and ours. I remember getting a counselor job at an exclusive summer camp so that my daughter could take English riding classes. I remember being a Cub Scout leader (even though I knew nothing about boys) so that son could one day become an Eagle scout and pursue his love of the great outdoors. And yes, I remember enrolling my preschooler in dance lessons. Later when all the little girls were scared to go on stage for the recital, she exclaimed that she had endured a whole year of lessons just so she could go on stage.

Don’t compare yourself to someone else. And don’t live vicariously through your favorite reality show star. Live your own story. And Moms, raise your kids to embrace the unique life God has for them.
Remember, He has given us everything we need for life!

Lucinda Secrest McDowell, a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, is the author of 10 books including “Role of a Lifetime,” “Amazed by Grace,” “Spa for the Soul” and the new Bible Study “Fit and Healthy Summer.” She is an international conference speaker and enjoys being a Pearl Girl from “Sunnyside” – her home in a New England village. Visit Cindy at www.EncouragingWords.net

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: What is a Grandmother? by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

What is a Grandmother? by Suzanne Woods Fisher

“A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”
 Amish proverb

I arrived late in the night in Rhode Island, anxious to meet my two-day-old grandson, Blake, after a full day of flying. My daughter and son-in-law had just returned home from the hospital and felt like they had been in a train wreck. There was stuff everywhere.  Already, the needs of this little eight-pound bundle of joy were enormous: an all-terrain stroller, plenty of diapers, onesies, spit-up rags, an assortment of pacifiers to try out until he found the ideal one.

And he was perfect.

I know, I know. “Every mother crow thinks her own little crow is the blackest.” But this little dark eyed, dark haired boy really was perfect.

I spent the next seven days (and nights) getting to know this little guy. His schedule (he had none), his hunger cries (very similar to his every other cry). His pirate look--one eye open, one eye squeezed shut, as if he was still surprised by all that had taken place to him in a week’s time.

I felt surprised, too. How could my baby possibly have had a baby? How could I be a grandmother? I had just turned fifty-one. Shockingly young! How could a kid like me give up playing tennis three times a week to settle into knitting and crocheting and Friday night bingo? And shouldn’t I alter my appearance to fit this new label? Give up my jeans? Switch over to below knee-length calico dresses, thick black socks, practical shoes, gray hair pinned in a topknot. Think…Aunt Bee on Mayberry R.F.D.

As soon as people knew my daughter was expecting, I was bombarded with advice from my well meaning friends—even those who weren’t yet grandparents. “The best way to avoid getting on the nerves of your daughter and son-in-law is to not say anything. Ever.” Or “You’d better pick your nickname or you’ll be stuck with something hideous, like MooMoo Cow.” 

What should I be called? Granny? No…reminded me of The Beverly Hillbillies. Grandma? No…sounded like The Waltons. Grammy? No…it was already taken by the in-laws.

But no one really explained what it meant to be a grandmother. I didn’t know myself, not until I held baby Blake in my arms. In that moment, I realized that he was one of mine. He belongs to me. He will be on my mind and in my prayers, every day, for the rest of my life. There’s a bond between us that can’t be broken. He has altered my life forevermore.

I had become a grandmother. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: When Mother's Day is Difficult by Holley Gerth

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

When Mother's Day is Difficult by Holley Gerth

I have a confession (anyone surprised?). I have mixed feelings about Mother’s Day.

On one hand, I love celebrating all the women who have made a difference in my life (thanks, Mom!).

On the other hand, a long journey of infertility has left my heart with some tender places.

On May 8th, we’ll celebrate Mother’s Day once again. For many, it’s a time of appreciation and joy. For others, it can be one of the most difficult days of the year. This is often true for women facing infertility, families who have recently experienced the loss of a mother, and many other painful situations.

At one point in my life it seemed as if I couldn’t take another step. In addition to infertility, I was facing several other losses. I felt as if I were in a dark cave. But then I sensed the Lord gently and lovingly speak to my heart, “You may be in a cave, but you still have a choice. You can sit in despair or you can diamond-mine your difficulties.” I decided I was not leaving that time in my life empty-handed. I was taking every hidden blessing I could find. Of course, I still had difficult days. But choosing hope made a difference.

As a reminder, I now wear two rings. The one on the fourth finger of my left hand represents my commitment to my husband. The one on the fourth finger of my right hand is a simple silver band inscribed with the word “hope” and it represents the commitment I have made to God and myself to hold onto hope no matter what happens.

The story of an inspiring woman named Terrie also reminds me to hold onto hope. She endured the loss of four pregnancies and waited seventeen years before adopting a little girl. She told me, “I think one of the most important parts of this journey is learning to trust God. I don’t mean the flippant kind of trust. It’s easy for people to say, ‘You just need to trust God.’ It’s much harder when you’re in the middle of all this pain. But he is trustworthy. Through it all, God has given us an amazing story. I wouldn’t have chosen this road, but he has been with us. I can look back and truly say every step was worth it.”

I don’t know how my journey will end and you probably don’t know how yours will either. I also don’t know how many of you will be silently grieving your losses as we sit in church together on May 8th. But I do know that God sees each one of us. He knows how many hairs are on our heads and how many cares our in our hearts. Whatever you’re going through this Mother’s Day, you’re not facing it alone. As King David, a man who experienced many losses in his life, expressed in Psalm 34:18 NIV, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” May God surround you with love, fill you with hope, and give you strength for each moment—especially this Mother’s Day.

Excerpted from When Mother’s Day is Difficult.

Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer for DaySpring, a cofounder of the popular web site (in)courage, and licensed counselor. Holley loves chocolate, coffee, Jesus and connecting with the hearts of women through words. Her next book, a devotional titled God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman (Harvest House) will release this July. You can find Holley online through her blog Heart to Heart with Holley.

Food for Thought

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me".

--Erma Bombeck

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: A Mother's Day Wish by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

A Mother's Day Wish by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Heads up: Margaret McSweeney deserves a medal, or at least a commendation for giving everyone a much deserved Mother’s Day rest. Okay, y’all can be seated. I’m glad you agree, but you’re supposed to be taking a load off, remember? Oh, and full disclosure—Margaret didn’t know I was going to say that so I hope she leaves it in, and no, I didn’t do it just because I’m ridiculously nostalgic about the theme of her community, although I am. As the Belle of All Things Southern, one who is southern to the bone, I have a thing about pearls.

When I was a teenager, add-a-pearl necklaces were all the rage. They may not be as wildly popular anymore as they were back in the day but I still say they’ll always be a classic concept: a gift of a single pearl on a dainty chain given with the intentions of adding other pearls on important holidays and special occasions. Today, I see add-a-pearls as a beautiful reminder of the accumulated wisdom we learn from our mamas.  Oh, sure, we snicker as young girls because not all of their advice strikes us as useful and some of it seems positively fossilized, but hopefully, over time and with the Father’s blessing, we gain enough perspective to see that these mama-isms—the important values and the silly little lagniappe— are all increasing in value with the years.  By the way, that’s my Mother’s Day wish for each of you, that we’d each take the time and the responsibility to thread these precious heirlooms into treasures worthy of bequeathing to the next generation. Mother’s Day...

May I be honest? I’m looking ahead to the annual celebration with somewhat mixed emotions. I’m not feeling very Mother of the Year. Instead of cooking dinner for my most deserving mama and enjoying her company, instead of reveling in the love of my husband, kids, and grands, (known as the Baby Czars of All Things Southern), I’ll be on the road, touring with my latest book “Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy.” I’ve got Mama’s gift bought, wrapped, and ready to be delivered by my beloved hubby, and my grown kids understand that I didn’t choose the release date, but the facts remain:  I won’t be there. (Shameless plugs time, anyone? My daughter blogs at Kitchen Belleicious and is raising funds to build an orphanage in Rwanda at Shelter a Child http://www.shelterachild.com/ and my daughter-in-law celebrates the daily details of getting to know the Holy One at Providence, http://providence-carey.blogspot.com). I won’t get to enjoy Mama tickling the ivory from the piano bench of Melbourne Baptist Church and I won’t be overdosing on baby sugah. Sigh.

But, then, I mentioned mixed emotions earlier, didn’t I? Well, before some sweet soul cues the violin music, perhaps I should lighten up and come clean on what Mr. Harvey would call “the rest of the story.”  It so happens that while the 8th of May will find me miles from home, it’ll also find me in Savannah, Georgia where I’ve secured myself a little reservation at that famous establishment belonging to Mrs. Paula Deen, the Queen of Southern Cooking. Indeed, y’all, I’ll be suffering for Jesus at The Lady and Sons. I know. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

Regardless of where you spend it, I wish you each a Happy Mother’s Day. I’d love to think that everyone reading my words had a mother like mine, a woman of faith who taught me from childhood of the Risen Savior who saves souls and anchors lives. But, dear reader, if that’s not your past, I hope you know it can be your future. I pray you’ll be the one that begins such a legacy, and that you’ll be moved to start building that heritage today.

I’d love to see y’all on the road somewhere. Watch for me, and I’ll watch for you. I’ll be the one with an empty glass of sweet tea looking, always looking, for a refill.

Hugs,
Shellie

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, known as the Belle of All Things Southern is a radio host, columnist, author, speaker and founder of the All Things Southern online community, www.allthingssouthern.com. She loves meeting, greeting, laughing and learning with the whole wide world or as many who wander her way. Shellie once dreamed of writing great important things that changed the world, only once she started writing the world grinned and christened her a humorist. Shellie saw this as a problem at first, until she discovered that the laughter softens hearts, builds relationships, and invites her into people’s hurting hearts where she can share her own, which is exactly where she wanted to be all along. Look for Shellie’s latest book, Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy wherever fine books are sold.

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series:

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Adoption, a Mother's Greatest Gift by Tricia Goyer

I held the small baby in my arms, wrapped up in a receiving blanket to keep her warm from the chill of the delivery room, and a voice spoke to me. "Congratulations, Mom."

The congratulations came from an unlikely source--the grandmother of this child, the mother of the sweet birth mother who chose adoption for her baby girl.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. Thankfulness filled my heart--to God who'd answered my prayers and to the birth mom who'd chosen our family for her daughter. I also ached that my joy would be another's heartache. Working with teen moms for ten years, I was often an advocate for the young mother. I knew that while the weeks and months ahead would be a time of celebration for our family, they would be ones of heartache and grieving for this woman.

Adoption is a wonder and the beauty, and the sacrifice of it is never so clear as on Mother's Day. My new daughter is one-years-old now and she huge is a part of my heart. Her life is a gift to my days and her smile can make even the most dreary afternoon bright. I can honestly say there is no difference in the love I feel between her and my three other children. If anything the love feels even more special because she was an unexpected gift. John and I learned about her life just 2 ½ months prior to her being born. The years of prayers to expand our family were answered quickly and beautifully.

The sacrifice of adoption makes my heart ache, for I know on this Mother's Day another woman will be thinking about my daughter—her daughter. As I rejoice, I'll be crying tears for her. I'll also be sending up prayers that God will wrap His arms around her in a special way.

This Mother's Day I cannot help to think about Christ's sacrifice to make our adoption into God's family possible. Maybe it's because just a few weeks ago we were celebrating Easter, but I'm reminded anew that my gain required His loss, His pain. The greatest love, it seems, is not shown with flowers, chocolate or a diamond bracelet. The greatest love is shown when, because of your love for another, your desires and comfort are laid down for the greater good of someone else.

As Ephesians 1:3 says, “How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son” (The Message).

Perhaps you know an adoptive mother. Take time this Mother's Day to let her know that the beauty of her gift is not missed by you. Also, take time to thank God for adopting you into His forever family, thanking Jesus Christ for His sacrifice. I wouldn't be the mother I am without this Gift of Love.

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Beside Still Waters, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. www.triciagoyer.com

Quirky Quote of the Week

"If you're afraid of butter, use cream"

--Julia Child

(You gotta' love Julia Child! LOL)

Top Ten Tuesday: Sweetpea Lingo

Some days you need an interpreter around here. Sweetpea is becoming quite the talker, but she doesn't always exactly get the words right. The words babies come up with are half the fun of them learning to talk.

1. nuggle
When she gets cold, she will walk up and demand to nuggle.

2. hic hocs
After weeks of swiping anyone and everyone's flip-flops and wearing them around the house, she was thrilled when she got her very own pair of hic-hocs.

3. biper
When she's wet or dirty, she needs her biper changed.

4. sour and baf
This is how you get clean. You either take a sour or a baf.

5. naky
This is what you are when you get out of the sour or baf and haven't gotten dressed yet.

6. bell but
Your bell but is that little indentation that's in the middle of your belly.

7. itar
The itar is what Guitarzan plays.

8. toos
When Sweetpea smiles, she scrunches up her eyes and shows off her toos.

9. tatop
This is the device this post was created on.

10. sone
Someone answer the sone before it stops ringing.

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: A Merry Heart by Megan Alexander

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

A Merry Heart ... by Megan Alexander

Sometimes family is really all you need. This was reinforced to me when my Mother shared a story a few days ago about her mother, my Grandma. You see, when my Grandma was a very young girl, around age 10, she was diagnosed with polio. This meant long hospital stays, extremely limited interaction with children her own age and lonely days staring out the window from her hospital bed. In those days, with polio, they felt keeping the children very subdued and quiet was best, and this particular hospital was as drab as can be. It was also during the time of the Depression, which meant money was tight and life was tough. Day in and day out, she was given the best medicine and treatment, but she wasn’t thriving and recovering. Daily visits from adult doctors and specialists is not exactly stimulating for a young girl. Her health was so poor, at one point, a Catholic Priest had administered the "last rites" at her bedside.

One day, her older brother and sister decided to sneak some brand new baby kittens into her hospital room. Their cat Fitzy had just had babies, and the cute kittens were small enough to put in a basket. Upon entering her room, my mother says they quietly took off the lid and showed my Grandma the sweet little kittens and let her cuddle with them. Her mother, my Great Grandmother, observed my Grandma’s mood instantly lift. Her eyes sparkled and she squealed with delight at the cute kitties! Her whole demeanor changed and she came to life.

My Great Grandma took all this in and made a decision that day. She decided that my Grandma would heal much better at home. She promptly checked my Grandma out of the hospital and brought her home with her family. My Grandma did gradually recover, among the love and warmth of her family. You know what Proverbs 17 says “ A merry heart does good like a medicine.” Also, I can imagine that she healed emotionally and physically and spiritually as well and that combined strength wouldn't have been possible in the hospital alone.

When they left that day, the hospital instructed my Great Grandmother to massage my Grandma’s legs everyday, something she promised the hospital she would do, and she did. My Grandma was one of the few people we know who did not have a limp or shortened leg due to polio. And perhaps most importantly, the entire family was always praying for my Grandma.

I’m not saying that medicine is bad or not necessary. But there is no cure quite like the warmth of your family. Its like milk, it simply does a body good. As a pregnant Mom about to give birth to a baby boy, I am inspired to provide this same love to my child. May he feel the same warm love from his family that my Grandma felt from her’s.

And in this same way, we are called sons and daughters of God. Galatians 4:1-7
“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

God claims you and I as his children. This is a wonderful gift and identity that is good for our heart and soul, and something that is more powerful than all the medicine in the world.
 
Megan Alexander can be seen nightly as a television correspondent for the top rated news magazine show “Inside Edition”.  She also appears on the CNN program “Showbiz Tonight”. She especially enjoys reporting on stories with a heart. She graduated from Westmont College with a degree in Political Science. She loves speaking to youth and works with Girls Inc and National American Miss. She and her husband reside in the New York City area and attend Redeemer Church of Manhattan. For more on Megan, go to www.meganalexander.com. Megan’s mother, Mary, resides in Seattle and provided insight into this essay.

Multitudes on Monday #2

If you haven't read Ann Voscamp's amazing book, 1000 Gifts, I strongly encourage you to do so. It's good for the soul!

16. the baby dancing around in the floor

17. the rest of the kids and I laughing until we can't breathe at the baby dancing around in the floor

18. near misses (We came within 10 feet or so of being hit by a drunk driver this week. I came home shaken, but thanking God for His protection.)

19. knowing that as chaotic as things appear, Someone is in charge

20. Jarvis the cat, laying on my feet and purring

21. my silly cat, who will seek out a spot where a paper or book has been left as his favorite spot to sleep

22.. a child just learning to sing (My youngest is warbling the Elmo song, one of her favorites. I had to tell the children to agree on a song and teach her one at a time. Three different kids were teaching her three different songs. When they brought her to be to show her off, she combined the songs together into one.)

23. laughing at the baby singing (see #22)

24. cool weather in May (no AC!)

25. learning to simplify my wardrobe so it doesn't take an act of God to get me dressed and out the door

26. finding a bargain (I bought my daughter a new Sag Harbor dress with tags saying $42, for only $5)

27. a phone call from a friend

28. the duck who is keeping us entertained by making a nest in a hollowed out limb of the tree in our front yard

29. all the ducks who come visit from the pond down the street

30. watching the royal wedding and being thankful my own life isn't under a microscope like that

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: 3 DIY Mother’s Day Gifts that Celebrate Family By Beth Engelman

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

3 DIY Mother’s Day Gifts that Celebrate Family By Beth Engelman

This Mother’s Day, celebrate family with this crafty games the whole family can enjoy.  

Block Photo Puzzle
Not only does this 6-sided photo puzzle provide hours of family fun, but it’s also a great way to reuse favorite family photos.

Materials:
•    9 - Wooden Blocks (Use old alphabet blocks)
•    6 - 8 x 10 Photograph Prints or Colored Copies
•    Ruler
•    Scissors
•    Mod Podge and Paintbrush

Directions:
1.  Arrange blocks in a square and measure the length and width of the square.
2. Measure and cut print to the exact same size as the 9-block square.
3. Place blocks in a square on top of print. Position blocks so they’re lined up neatly and as close together as possible.
4. Trace and cut the outline of each block.
5. Glue print pieces to blocks using Mod Podge. Set aside to dry and then seal with 1-2 top layers of Mod Podge.
6. Repeat process until all 6 sides of the blocks are covered with different photographs.
Thank you to the creative folks at www.photojojo.com for sharing this idea!

 “Go Fish with the Family” Card Game
This gift is perfect for Moms who like card games. Another bonus?  There’s always room to “grow” the deck.

Materials:
•    Camera
•    Double stick tape, or a glue stick
•    Several pieces of cardstock (one color)
•    Scissors

Directions:
1.    Take pictures of each family member and develop the pictures in duplicates (3x5 or 4x6 is fine, just make sure all the pictures are the same size).
2.    Turn the pictures into playing cards by gluing or taping a piece of card-stock to the backside of each picture.
3.    Game ideas include “Go Fishing with the Family” which is similar to “Go Fish” but, instead of matching numbers, the object is to collect matching pairs of photos. “Memory” is another fun game to play.  Place the cards face down in a grid and try to find matching pairs of photos.

Family Bingo
In my house, Bingo is always a big hit because regardless of age or skill level, everyone has the same chance to win.  However this version is extra special because the playing boards are populated with pictures of family members.

Materials:
•    Color Coordinated Game Boards (download here)
•    Images of Family Members (use photographs, drawings or clip art)
•    Bingo Markers (pennies, pebbles or buttons)
•    Glue and Scissors

Directions:
1.    Create the game boards:  Download and print desired number of game-boards. Remember each player gets a different game board.
2.    Color-copy and paste images of family members onto each game board.  Remember to paste one person per square and make each board slightly different.
3.    Make “call-out cards” by writing the name of each family member in yellow, green, blue, purple and pink (which coordinates with the colors on the board)
4.    To Play: Game play is similar to traditional Bingo except the caller will randomly select a call-out card and then read the color and person.  For example, “Blue, Grandma Mary” means there is a picture of Grandma Mary in a blue square.  Just like Bingo, the first person to get 5 in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) wins!

Beth Engelman is a columnist for the Sun Times News Group’s Pioneer Press. Her column “Mommy on a Shoestring,” appears in over 30 local papers around Chicago area as well as on the Sun-times website where you can also view her Mommy on a Shoestring video series. She is also a regular on “You and Me this Morning” on WCIU and is frequent contributor for WGN America’s Midday News at Noon.  Recently, Beth was chosen by a celebrity panel from NBC Universal and iVillage to become one of 15 national  “mom” correspondents for NBC’s popular website, www.ivillage.com (over 3 million visitors a day) where she reports on issues that affect moms, families and communities such as bullying, divorce and weight loss.  For more information visit Beth at www.mommyonashoestring.com

Pearl Girls Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Series: PEARL PINS by Margaret McSweeney

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on 5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

PEARL PINS by Margaret McSweeney

At age 49, I am a mom without a mom. This deep longing for my mother continues to surprise me. During milestone moments, I imagine phone conversations with her.

“Can you believe that Melissa is graduating from high school in June? I’m so glad you will be flying to Chicago to be here with us.” 

“Wasn’t that a fun family dinner we all had last weekend to celebrate Katie’s ‘sweet sixteen?’ I am so glad you could join us.”

“Isn’t this exciting? I just got a new book contract. Will you please edit my manuscript before I send it in?”

Sadly, this will be my eighth Mother’s Day to spend without my mother. She has missed some poignant milestones in my life and in the lives of my daughters. Both Melissa and Katie were very young when she died so they don’t have a full reservoir of memories about Grandmommy Rhea. However, they do have the legacy of faith that she helped instill in them as toddlers. She loved to send Veggie Tales tapes, Children’s Bibles and devotional books. 

Melissa and Katie were blessed to have Nana, (Dave’s mother) around for much longer. Nana passed away two years ago. A few years before Nana died, she gave me a beautiful necklace with a diamond pendant made from her wedding ring along with a pair of diamond earrings. She asked me to give these special gifts to Melissa and Katie for their sixteenth birthdays. Even though Nana wasn’t around to celebrate, my daughters were so happy to receive such special keepsakes from her. Hugs from heaven.

Last week on Katie’s 16th birthday, I discovered an unexpected blessing that had been tucked away in a cardboard container of my mother’s things. A jewelry box with three pearl pins! I gave one to Melissa as a belated 16th birthday gift, and I presented one to Katie for her 16th birthday. This Mother’s Day, I will wear my mother’s pearl pin as a tangible reminder that a mother’s love (and a grandmother’s love) is an everlasting gift from God.  

Finding these gifts made me think about what I might leave for my own daughters someday. It isn’t the external value of the gift that matters, but rather the love that it represents.

Is there a special gift or letter that you would like to leave your children?

Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs.  After earning a master’s degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David.  Margaret is the editor of Pearl Girls, author of A Mother’s Heart Knows and co-author of Go Back and Be Happy. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She has served on the board of directors for WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger) for over eight years. For more information, find Margaret at www.pearlgirls.info and www.kitchenchat.info. 

Quirky Quote of the Week

"When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it." 

--Bernard Bailey

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Things I Love About Spring

 


There are lots of things to love about this crazy, changeable time of the year. Here are 10 of my favorites:

1. Wildflowers

Image by TexasEagle via Flickr

Here in Texas, the roadsides are covered with blankets of bluebonnets, Texas paintbrush, primroses and crimson clover. The palette changes as the season wears on and the bluebonnets yield to the black-eyed Susans, blanket flowers,  and goldenrod. I love them all...even dandelions!

2. Rain
From gentle spring showers to crashing thunderstorms, rain is one of my favorite things. Now, the humidity after the rain, that's another story.

3. Birds singing
I like to sit out on the porch early in the morning and listen and the world comes to life. There's a time when the birds begin to awaken that the morning is suddenly filled with song.

4. Open windows
I love it when it is finally warm enough to open the windows and let in the fresh air. The house needs airing out after being closed up all winter. There's a good reason for the saying "like a breath of fresh air".

5. Baby animals
Everywhere you look there are signs of new life. Every field is sporting calves or lambs or baby goats. The chirping of baby birds are evident. We have seen the local ducks laying eggs all over the place and are looking forward to seeing some downy ducklings soon, too.

6. Little girls in Easter dresses
Image by wesbolton via FlickrAt church last weekend, everyone was in their Easter finery, but the little girls who were dressed up were running and telling everyone to look at their pretty dresses. It was like little princesses everywhere.

7. Little boys in ties
My youngest son was so excited waiting for Easter to come because he just got his first necktie. He was absolutely adorable in it.

8. Easter pageants and programs
I was moved to tears by the one at my church. Sometimes we forget just how great the sacrifice was.

9. Sunshine
Just like in the Itsy, Bitsy Spider, the sun comes out and dries up all the rain.

10. Green
The new leaves on the trees are a vibrant, almost lime green. The new grass is peeking out. The basil on my windowsill is growing like crazy. Everywhere you look, something is green and growing.

Image via Wikipedia

What do you love most about Spring?

Multitudes on Monday #1

Last month I finally read Ann Voscamp's amazing book, 1000 Gifts. I'm now joining in Ann's Multitudes on Monday. Here are my first 15 gifts:

1. toothless smiles
2. new clothes for Easter
3. the wonder of the resurrection
4. wildflowers
5. thunderstorms
6. the pleasure of a burden lifted
7. gentle spring breezes
8. the smell of flowers carried on the wind
9. the squirrels playing chase in the big tree out front
10. the smell of homemade cookies
11. a little boy's excitement over his first necktie
12. the completion of a goal
13. finding unexpected treasures
14. family photographs
15. curling up with a good book on a rainy day

Reboot Camp Update and The Kinder, Gentler Challenge

Well, I'm back and finished with my ten week challenge. It's been a wild ride. and I would love to say I got everything on my challenge list done, but I would be seriously lying if I did. The truth is more like "best laid plans of mice and men".

I started out full of hope and with great energy. I ended up a little frustrated and worn out. Here's how it all went down:

First, the good news
•Bible reading challenge: I did it! I read the entire bible (ESV) between Valentine's Day and Easter.
•Prayer journal: I started one, but I do better just journaling as it strikes me rather than at a prescribed time during morning quiet time. I will actually end up doing more journaling doing my own thing.
•Bible study: I completed about half of "Becoming a Woman of
•Menu plan: Got the menu plan and shopping list figured out and it worked wonderfully,,,the first month. More about that further down.
•Church jobs: Completed care pastor training. I'm currently behind on transcription, but I'm waiting for a piece of equipment.
•Reading challenges: I got them all updated in my records and completed the Christian Non-Fiction challenge.
•Reading: I planned to read 12. I actually read almost twice that.
     In the Shadow of Evil by Robin Carroll
     5 Dreams of Every Woman by Sharon Jaynes
     Passport Through Darkness by Kimberly L. Smith
     Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider
     Dealing With Death God's Way by Pastor Lee Armstrong
     1000 Gifts by Ann Voscamp
     9 Days in Heaven by Dennis and Nolene Price
     That's When I Talk to God by Dan and Ali Morrow
     Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo
     Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander Mccall Smith
     In Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson
     The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis
     More Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson
     Max on Life by Max Lucado
     Bluebonnet Time by Lucas Miller, Harold Underdown, Flo Oxley and Amy Watson
     American Commencement by Michael Farris
     The Fun of Getting Thin by Samuel G. Blythe
     21 Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Neal D. Barnard MD
     Fast & Fresh Vegetarian by Marie Simmons
     The Bible (ESV)
     The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker
     Devotions for Lent by Credo Communication and Tydale
•Homeschooling: Got some good time in with the kids and have been working on one read-aloud that we'll finish this week and are starting another right after.

The Bad
•Vitamins: Nope. Didn't happen.
•Water: Increased water, for a while. Reverted to not enough water and too much iced tea.
•Beauty routine: I never got off the ground. I slathered on some lotion a few times when my skin was dry enough to crack, but beyond that, nothing.
•Home Sanctuary Challenge: I really wanted to, but life interfered.
•Creative challenges: None of these happened. Sigh.

The Ugly
•Diet: Did the No-S Diet for one month with no positive results.

•Exercise: Did Zumba 3-4 times a week for a month and then injured myself. More about that later.

•Changed the chore system and then changed it again. It's still a work in progress.

What went wrong
•The menu plan was going along great until my freezer died. Suddenly I was scrambling to use what I could to avoid loss and at the same time adjust my shopping to account for no longer having a freezer.
•The storage units I have been waiting to access since my mom died two years ago suddenly came available. Every spare moment and quite a few that weren't spare went into cleaning out two large storerooms and part of two others. Yes, she had four big storerooms. And they were packed.
•I was exercising faithfully until I injured myself moving heavy boxes and furniture in the above mentioned storerooms. It was a few weeks before my back quit hurting every time I moved.

What's next
Obviously, I bit off way more than I could comfortably chew. In addition, the storerooms and injuries threw me for a loop. From now until the end of May, I initiating what I'm calling "The Kinder, Gentler Challenge". Here is the plan for the next five weeks:
1. I'm starting a new bible reading program that will take me until the end of the year to complete.
2. I'm working to significantly clear out my house. My house was already pretty crowded, but I hauled home tons of stuff to sort out from my mom's storerooms. Now it's time to go through it all and clear things out.
3. I'm researching nutrition to make improvements to my eating and increasing my activity level to get healthier without straining the newly healed muscles.
4. I plan to read enough to keep up with my scheduled book reviews and complete at least one reading challenge.
5. Set up a comfortable area to write and craft.

That's it. Anyone else interested in coming up with 3-5 areas to work on over the next 5 weeks? What are you going to do?

Project: Simplify---Check it out!

The Next Seven Weeks

There are seven weeks left in the 10-week challenge. Here's what I'm doing with that time. Since this coincides with Lent, I'm going above and beyond.

My writing is going by the wayside right now, because there are too many other things going on. I just gained access to my mother's stuff (4 large storerooms full) and will be quite busy going through all that.

In addition, I'm doing major stuff to the house. In addition to the little jobs in Home Sanctuary, I'm also joining in on Project: Simplify. We are also re-purposing some of the rooms in the house. Between the massive decluttering, cleaning, rearranging, and addition of new-to-me stuff from my mom's storerooms, the house should look quite different by the end.

I'll be continuing with my efforts to finish the bible by Easter as well as several books I have to read.

To enable all this activity, I'm having to lay some stuff down. Here's where the rubber meets the road:

1. I'm giving up Family Feud and CityVille on Facebook. My older kids got me started on both of these (thanks a lot, guys!). Both are lots of fun and, especially in the case of CityVille, huge time suckers.

2. I'm also limiting my time on Facebook in general. I'll be popping on to do birthday greeting and I'm still going to be posting updates on the church FB page, but other than that, my interaction with FB will be limited.

3. I'm limiting my computer time. I will still be getting on each day to do certain things, but I'm cutting way back on fantasy shopping, general browsing, wandering through new blogs, etc.

4. I'm going on hiatus from this blog. I'll still have the book blog up and running because I have reviews scheduled, but I'm setting this one aside for right now.

5. I'm dropping several TV shows. I like watching TV, but a couple of shows I have a love-hate relationship with. I like the characters, but not the gore or darkness or whatever. Setting aside some of these shows will open up reading time and wean me off of them once and for all, so I'm going for it. I'm keeping Jeopardy! because it's fun and educational. I'm keeping 3 other shows for entertainment value and I'm still going to watch DVD's with the family as well.

Well, I think that's about it for now. If I think of anything else, I'll add it in. I'll be around until Wednesday to enjoy your comments. I will be back online around Easter, hopefully with pictures and tales of tremendous progress. Are you doing anything special for Lent, Easter or just Spring in general? How are you doing on the Reboot Camp?

Reboot Update and Announcements

It's been a, well, let's just say interesting, week. I have spent the week thinking about all that I have to do and want to do. I find myself extremely over-committed and frazzled and at a loss about what to do about it. After much consideration, this is what I'm doing.

Starting this week, I'm doing an eight week version of the Grand Plan to bring some much-needed order to my home. I'm tightening up our daily routine to allow us to be more productive and add some peace to our days as well. I'm still going to be working on all the things from the Reboot Camp as well. By the way, the bible reading and working out and diet are all going quite well. The writing, not so much.

In addition to all I'm doing, there are a few things I'm setting aside for right now. I simply have too much on my plate right now. I have not been accepting books for review and won't unless something really spectacular comes up. As it currently stands, my last scheduled review is on March 10th. After that, The Bulging Bookbag will be on hiatus until Easter. This blog will be on hiatus until Easter as well. Hopefully, I will have lots of progress to report at that time.

At Easter, I will be back online with new content and hopefully some surprises as well. I plan to make some improvements and add some features, so I hope you'll join me back here April 24, 2011. See you then. I'll leave the blog open for a few days to allow for comments, then I'm taking it private so I can work on it.

We Have a Winner!

Using the randomizer at Random.org, the winner has been chosen. Congratulations Meredith! Meredith entered at The Bulging Bookbag. Thanks to everyone who visited and commented.

One Week Down

It's been nearly a week since the Reboot Camp started and I thought it was time for an update. As with most endeavors, some areas are going better than others. Here's how it's going so far.

Spiritual
1. Bible reading is going very well so far. I'm using an accelerated version of what is laughingly called "Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers" (available here). The plan was originally used by the puritans, who could be called neither shirkers nor slackers, but I digress. Here's what I've read so far:
Psalms 1-62
Genesis 1-50 (that's all of it)
Joshua 1-17
Job 1-24
Isaiah 1-24
Matthew 1-12
Romans 1-16 (the whole enchilada)
Obviously, some days went better than others.
2. I did get my prayer journal started and have mostly kept up with it.
3. I haven't started a bible study yet, but I'll be starting one this week.

Physical
1. Kept up with the No-S Diet throughout the week. In that week I learned how much of my eating is habit rather than need. Hmm. I also upped my veggie consumption.
2. I did the Zumba abs workout 4 times last week. I'm not sure why they call it an abs workout since it made my arms, legs, and a few other parts hurt as well.
3. I totally blew taking vitamins and supplements, but I have set up my pill containers for next week and hope to get and stay on top of that.
4. I started out drinking water and ended up reverting to iced tea. I figured out that was because I was getting up earlier to pray and have more bible reading time, but I wasn't going to bed any earlier, so I was tired. My body wanted caffeine and I don't drink coffee, so tea was my friend. This week I'm starting a new thing. I will drink half my daily quota of water before I have a glass of tea, then the other half before I have any more.
5. I'm still working on the beauty routine. I only remembered to use the oil 2 days, but I did discover that it works great to take of waterproof mascara and other eye makeup.

Whew! I'll update on the other areas tomorrow. How are you doing on your challenges?

Book Review and Giveaway!

Now for something completely different. Not only am I reviewing this amazing book, but I'm also hosting my first giveaway! Amy Lathrop at LitFuse has provided not only the book I read, but another to give to one of my readers. I'm also including information about another giveaway. This review is being cross-posted on The Bulging Bookbag, so if you go there and enter the book giveaway, you'll get two entries. First, the review:

About The Life Ready Woman:

Are you a ‘Doing it all’ or ‘Do what matters’ woman?

Whether a stay at home; or working mom, an airplane-hopping executive, an empty-nester caring for multiple generations or a single juggling high demands of career and personal life, today's fast-paced modern world leaves women gasping for balance. We as modern Christian women want to look to the Bible for guidance on how to manage our lives -- but because the world of women looks so different today than it did when the Bible was written, it is hard to find chapter and verse that seems to apply to our situation today.

Thankfully, God has given us exactly that timeless, unchanging guidance for how to find peace, clarity, and God's best for our lives once we know where to look! The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World, reveals a profound biblical roadmap for how each of us can find the abundant life we are longing for, rather than the stressful, torn, how-do-I-balance-it-all life we often feel like we are trying to keep up with today. Actually being a LifeReady Woman means that you are clear about your life, bold in your faith, and able to find God’s best for you, and the end result will be that you not only survive but thrive in our do-it-all world.

God has given every wonderfully unique woman different skills and abilities, different desires, and different temperaments -- and every woman around the planet and through the ages is certainly living in different circumstances. But no matter what a woman’s life looks like, the Bible says that God has an individual mission and plan that He’s carefully designed for each of us. And He wants us to find it. Starting January 2011, The Life Ready Woman and the Life Ready Woman Video Series will help every wonderfully unique woman to thrive as she identifies and courageously pursues God's unique design and callings for her. LifeReady Woman puts you on a roadmap to make decisions that will lead to relief, delight, and fulfillment instead of regret.

Contents: 


Introduction: Being Life Ready
Part 1: God’s Plan and Purposes for All of Us
Chapter 1: I Am Woman
Chapter 2: A Satisfied Life
Chapter 3: What the Issues Actually Are
Chapter 4: A Biblical Definition of Womanhood, Marriage, and Family
Chapter 5: Where It All Comes Together: Discovering Our Design and Callings

Part 2: Getting to God’s Best for You
Chapter 6: Live from the Inside Out
Chapter 7: Embrace a Big-Picture Understanding of Life, Part One
Chapter 8: Embrace a Big-Picture Understanding of Life, Part Two
Chapter 9: Use Wisdom with a Man
Chapter 10: Steward Your Gifts from an Eternal Perspective
Chapter 11: Believe God, Not Your Fear
Chapter 12: Being God’s Servant
Notes

Copyright © 2011 by Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis. All rights reserved.



About Shaunti Feldhahn:

Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst, best-selling author of the book For Women Only, national speaker, and regular commentator in the media. She has been featured on The Today Show, PBS, TNT and Fox News- to name a few. You can learn more about her many activities by visiting her website Shaunti.com or get some great mom advice from her at MomLifeToday.com. She and her husband live with their two young children in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoy every minute of living at warp speed.



In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!

Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!!

Weekend To Remember Get-Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.

Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:

1. 2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
2. 2 Life Ready Woman DVD packs. $149 value each (Two different people will receive this gift.)
3. 5 The Life Ready Woman books. (Book will go to 5 people.)

To enter click one of the icons below then tell your friends. Winner will be announced on March 2nd on the MomLife Today website.

MomLife Today provides encouragement, advice and resources to help YOU with your daily Momlife! Because…every MOMent counts!

 My Take:


To tell you the truth I was a little concerned when I started to read the book. I thought it was going to be one of those so-called "Christian feminist" books that tell you that women can and should do and have it all. I couldn't have been more wrong. Shaunti won a firm place in my heart when she said "You can have it all, but not at the same time." Women today have been sold a bill of goods that they can climb the corporate ladder, raise and nurture their family, keep an immaculate home, cook gourmet meals every night and still look and feel ravishing for our husbands after the kids are in bed. No wonder we're disillusioned! Ask almost any woman how she feels and 9 times out of 10 she'll say "tired".


We can be and do so much and God has an incredible plan for our lives that utilizes the gifts He gave us. We just have to work within His calling, His timing, and His strength. This book would have saved me a lot of tears if I would have had it years ago. The Life Ready Woman was encouraging and affirming enough that I'm planning to have all my older daughters read it. There is much out there that heads into one ditch or the other, but I loved the balanced approach. I won't say I 100% agreed with every point, but, again, it was enough that I'm buying them for others.



About the book giveaway:
Leave a comment on this blog and/or The Bulging Bookbag and tell me why you think you'd like to read this book. I will pick one winner from the entries on the two blogs combined and post the winner February 28th. Please leave me some way to contact you or you'll have to come back here to see if you won. If the book isn't claimed in 7 days, I'll pick someone new.

Reboot Camp

Image by liftarn via FlickrThere are times in your life when you look at your life and realize a few minor tweaks will make everything better. Then there are times when you need much, much more. I'm in the second time right now. I'm looking around and thinking things could be so much better. I had all these great ideas and plans for the new year. Alas, almost nothing has been done with any of them. At a time like this, minor tweaking isn't going to cut it. You need a complete reboot, hence my new Reboot Camp. It is almost 10 weeks long and runs from Valentine's Day to Easter, one "love" holiday to another, so to speak.

My daughter Spitfire and I are embarking on this plan to make positive changes in our lives over the next ten weeks that will hopefully carry over into the rest of the year. We are each setting our own goals, because we have different things that need fixing. At the bottom of the post, I'll tell you how you can play along.

I'm working on five different areas:

Spiritual
These are the things I'm doing to do to help my spiritual growth.
1. I'm going to attempt to read the bible over the next 10 weeks. This is ambitious considering time constraints and the other reading I have to do, but I'm going to attempt it.
2. I'm going to start a prayer journal. I've been meaning to do this for some time, but instead have been relying on my own overtaxed memory to keep lists of prayer requests and answers to prayer. It's time to write things down.
3. Complete at least one bible study.

Physical
This includes, diet, fitness and physical appearance.
1. Follow a modified version of the No-S Diet. I'm kicking it up a notch by eating healthier foods during the non-S days and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
2. Exercise at least four days a week. I've been doing Zumba with Bookaddict, but it's been pretty hit-or-miss. Now it's time to do something more consistently, whether it's Zumba, interval walking or T-Tapp.
3. Take vitamins and other supplements. I have them but they aren't doing me a bit of good sitting in the bottle. 'Nuff said.
4. Drink more water and less other stuff. I already drink very little in the way of soda but I drink a lot of iced tea. I'm switching to more water and more herb tea and less iced tea.
5. Simplify my beauty routine. For a season, I'm packing up the daytime moisturizer, the nighttime moisturizer, the undereye cream, and the rest and using rosa mosqueta oil instead. I'll let you know what effect this has on my skin. I'm also paring down my makeup options in hopes that having a quick routine will ensure it actually gets done.

Household
This is about the cleanliness, organization, and systems of the house.
1. I'm instituting certain changes in the way chores, both the kids' and mine, are done. I'll post more details about this later.
2. We are working towards simplifying meal preparation and shopping. I have created a master menu and am working on a master shopping list. I'm also making changes to my pantry, refrigerators, and freezer to accommodate and aid this endeavor. Again, I'll be posting more about this as it unfolds.
3. Starting in March, I want to keep up with the Home Sanctuary challenges. When I was doing them before, my house looked better. This Company Girl has been seriously falling down on the job.

Creative
This encompasses writing and sewing and, well, creative stuff.
1. I'm going to attempt to finish my first novel. I started it several years ago during NaNoWriMo, and have played with it a little, but never seriously. I want to get it finished.
2. I'm going to work my way through at least one of my creative writing books.
3. A massive clean out of my crafting area is in order. Once again, I am simplifying. I'm narrowing down my stuff to needed supplies and basics, a few choice projects and the fabric and patterns for the upcoming season, along with a couple of reference books.
4. I'd like to complete half a dozen or so projects by the Easter. More would be even better.
5. Be more attentive to this blog. I plan to post regular updates on this project as well as other stuff. Stay tuned!

Other
This is a mishmash of other goals in various areas.
1. Keep up with church jobs. I'm working on the church blog, the church Facebook page and going through Care Pastor training. I would like to be more faithful about keeping up.
2. My reading challenges have been neglected while I was working my way through a pile of ARC's. I need to update my reading lists and see where I am.
3. I plan to read at least 12 books.
4. I'm revamping my homeschooling in several ways. We are trying some new curriculum and I'm carving out time to spend with the younger ones to shore up some areas they are lagging in.

There you have it. That's the plan. Can I do all it? I don't know, but I'm sure going to try. I can sure use all the encouragement and prayers I can get though. If you have goals of your own thus far unrealized and want to play along, write your own post about your plans and goals and link to this post. Then come back here and leave me a comment saying you're participating in the Reboot Camp and leave a link to your post. Feel free to join in anytime during the camp.