Wednesday, June 19, 2013

If Only...

Credit:allgroanup


After reading today's Seeking Him, I JUST HAD TO SHARE!

Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Sometimes we fuel our discontent by playing the “if only” game.
“If only we didn’t have to move . . .”
“If we lived closer to my parents . . .”
“If we had a bigger house, I wouldn’t be so cranky.”
“If I were married, I wouldn’t look at those magazines.”
“If I wasn’t married, I’d start to give to the church.”
Nancy: We get deceived into thinking we’d be happier with a different set of circumstances.
“If he was the spiritual leader he was supposed to be, I probably wouldn’t be leaving him.”
Nancy: The truth is, if we’re not content in our present situation, we probably won’t be happy with another set of circumstances. Joy comes when we focus on the love and faithfulness of God. He’ll be with us no matter what else is going on. That’s why the apostle Paul could say, “I’ve learned to be content whatever the circumstance.”
No matter what you’re facing, you can choose the pathway of contentment. Choose to trust God, and find His joy and peace.
With Seeking Him , I’m Nancy Leigh DeMoss.


Wow, I don't know about you, but this personally "hit home." Last week I was struggling with feeling overwhelmed and discontent.

I found myself continually thinking, "if only..."

If only...

  • My man had a job.
  • lived some place nicer.
  • we lived in a different town.
  • we had a yard.
  • we owned a home.
  • we could settle down and I could make our place more homey.
  • my husband would do this or that, or not this or that.
The list goes on and on.... :/

I am struggling with contentment and joy within our current trial. But God has been reminding me that I'm sinning and I need to hand it over to Him.

Just think about it Paul showed contentment and joy, while in prison under the city of Rome!! Wow!

I want to choose to trust God. My prayer is He will give me the joy and peace that comes with that. *smile*

Are you struggling with contentment? Joy?


For His Glory,





Monday, June 17, 2013

Natural Mondays Week 3



Welcome to week 3 of "Natural Mondays"!

I have enjoyed reading each link up post.

I you haven't read last weeks post from Homemaker's Heart, you should!

I very much enjoyed her post she shared with us on Balance. I personally have always struggled with finding balance. Now especially with life's upheavals it's been extra hard. But I am determined to get into a better schedule for me and chore schedule with the kids. If we can do that, then we can go into the school year with it and THEN  tackle a better school schedule! 

I also love that she reminds us to pray about our schedule. We should ask God to direct our day!

What about you, do you struggle with balance?? How are you overcoming that? 

Now it's YOUR turn...I can't wait to hear from you!!






For His Glory,



Friday, June 14, 2013

Listing the Consequences



Nancy Leigh DeMoss: I have a friend who carries a list around in his billfold. It reminds him of the consequences of sin.
  • Sin steals joy.
  • Sin removes confidence.
  • Sin brings guilt.
  • Sin gives Satan the upper hand.
  • Sin quenches God’s Spirit.
  • Sin brings physical damage.
Nancy: When he’s tempted to disobey God, my friend pulls out the list and reads it.
  • Sin causes an ache in the soul.
  • Sin breaks God’s heart.
  • Sin opens the door to other sins.
  • Sin produces fear.
  • Sin makes me its slave.
Nancy: He asks himself, Is this a price I really want to pay? Is this a price I can afford to pay? You may want to make a list of your own. Next time you’re tempted to sin, pull it out and read it before you give into the temptation.
With Seeking Him , I'm Nancy Leigh DeMoss


Wow, I needed to hear this today. I am guilty of several of these. I know I have been and have asked God to forgive me and help me overcome my sins; loss of joy, fear, etc. We can no longer afford our internet and it is being shut off at the end of the week. I am SO overwhelmed and struggle with fear over our financial situation. i am really going to miss Listening to revive Our Hearts! But I am also SO THANKFUL that God allowed us to be able to afford the internet through the end of math!! Math was an online program this year. Praise God!! 

I will have to type my posts and save them on word, then finish and post somewhere with internet. :)

I have to say I love the idea of making that list and carrying it with me! What a great reminder. You could go one step further and writing verses down to go along with them.

What do you think?


For His Glory,



Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Our Vacation and life lessons



God has been working so much in my heart and life the last few weeks, that I hardly know were to start! So I thought I share with you our vacation and God working in my heart while there.
My brother and sister in-law

A few weeks ago my brother got married and we were SOOOOO blessed! My mom paid for our gas so we could drive down and be there for the wedding. Thank you Mom! Thank you Lord!
My sister in-law, brother, and our kiddos.

It was my first time visiting my brother's house in GA and meeting my now sister in-law. Everyone else had been able to visit him and meet her before. SOOOO that was such a huge blessing plus, just being able to partake in my brother's wedding! *smile*

My younger sister, sister in-law, older sister, and me.

Plus, our there is something wrong with our van, but the Lord protected us and we got there safely and with no major delays! Our visit was WAY too short and we didn't get to see much of Savannah, but we are praying the Lord will open a way for us to visit again soon.

Naomi and I, Joseph and Josiah.

THEN...since our van made it there...my mother in-law paid for our gas to drive to MS and spend two nights at her house so we could visit and my husband could fix the van.

All of my family that was there.

I am STILL blown away that the Lord provided us with a vacation in the midst of unemployment! I have to remind myself of that when I feel overwhelmed by our situation.
Love this picture


I could have easily ruined our vacation though! I was really struggling with going to MS. I know my husband misses it there and he is really close with his mom. It brought on that ugly fear!! It didn't help that I was really tired at that point! But I found myself hiding in our room to cry and well...have a "pity party." I was angry that we rushed out of GA, though it was our first time visiting, to go to MS. Then we found out the issue we thought was wrong with the van isn't it (we still don't know what is wrong). THEN I found out we were getting home a few days later then I thought we had planned for and had to reschedule appointments. So I felt even more sorry for myself. Oh the shame!!

The girls loved playing in this tree.

We then spent two nights at one of my brother in-law's house. He and my husband are really close so I am glad our families got to spend some time together.

Naomi staying close to Mama. :)

They day we were heading over there, there where CRAZY thunderstorms (and a tornado watch), it was flooding all over the place. So while my husband was busy trying to get the water out of my in-laws house and prevent more from coming in, I was on the phone with my sister in-law. She had gone out in that crazy weather (she is soooo sweet, they had been away and just got home and still had us over!) with there 4 little ones to grocery shop. She calls and tells us that the van battery is dead and she will be late (which is fine because now we will too. Thanks crazy weather!). She was going to get someone at Wal-mart to help charge the battery. She then calls and informs us that they can't charge it due to the severe weather. She is stranded at Wal-mart and cant reach her husband and her phone was dead (she was using a Walmart phone). Oh my!! We get a hold of my husband's brother and he rescued her and the kids. We eventually get the flooding under control and made it to their house for bedtime (it was suppose to be for after lunch!). *chuckle* My sister in-law was still her smiling sweet self (though I'm sure she was exhausted)! That is having a true servants heart!

Naomi "hamming" it up!

We all REALLY enjoyed ourselves at my brother and sister in-law's house. Their 4 kids are about the same age and sex as our 3 kids. Actually when we still had Emma the only difference in age/sex is our oldest. Their son is 2 years younger then my daughter. They get along fabulously though! Always playing cowboys, etc. Our Emma and their oldest daughter are only a few days apart in age! Then our/their next two are only a few months apart in age. So is was so fun to see them all getting along, playing and enjoying one another! We would have loved to spend more time with them.

My man, Josiah and I. :)

One of the biggest things though, is God used my time with my sister in-law as a blessing. Besides enjoying spending time and talking with her (I always do), God used our conversation as a time of healing for me. 

Everyone's family that was there.


After talking with my sister in-law I found out she IS human! *laugh* I know God allowed us to have our conversation on purpose. I realized (even if my husband still doesn't think so *wink*) that she DOES make mistakes and we have some of the same struggles as a woman, wife, and mom! Before that I had seemed she was "perfect" and it has felt like my husband feels that way. 

When we start to think, "the grass is greener on the other side,"
we all need to remember that our circumstances are different, so our lives, strengths, and weaknesses will be different. My struggles are no greater then her struggles either. They may be completely different, but her struggles are just as real and hard to her as mine are to me and yours are to you! My husband's unemployment feels like it has been the hardest struggle so far (and I will talk more about that later).

Please don't think I am saying our shortcomings/sins are ok. I'm not saying that! My husband has some good points when he points out my shortcomings. "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Prov. 27:17 I don't like, them pointed out, but need that. 

What I am saying is, it's nice to know that I am not the only person with those struggles! That someone who I see as spiritually more mature still struggles with issues  such as, respecting and honor our husbands, self-pity, not being grateful, consistent discipline, being patient with our families, etc. (I am not saying she struggles with those issues in particular. But realized she's not immune to the same struggles).

Just like it's actually encouraging to know that someone like Billy Graham struggles too! It's not that we should be stagnant in our spiritual walk and growth and I don't enjoy seeing other's struggle. But it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one and that I can learn and grow and become more like Christ.



It's easy to think, "The grass is greener on the other side." But that's not true! Every person, every marriage, every family is going to have problems. i forget where I heard this quote but love it (I believe it was Nancy Campbell):

The grass isn't greener on the other side, but where you water it!

Have you ever felt a relief and perhaps even found it encouraging to know that someone else has the same struggles?


For His Glory,



Monday, June 10, 2013

Natural Mondays Link-Up Week 2



Welcome back to week 2! 

Woo! Last week just FLEW by!

Are you looking for an all natural non-toxic approach to biting bugs this summer? I hate spraying bug spray especially near my kids faces!

I sell an ALL natural-herbal Bug Repellent.



Forgot to spray yourself or the kids and got bit? No biggie, I also have a Bug Bite Salve!



Of course I have much more to offer and my brain is always going and creating new items. Time and money are an issue when it comes to creating and adding new things. ;) I will be adding some new items today.

In honor of June being a birthday month (my niece, husband, Naomi and I) and Father's Day...I am going to be having a sale! Starting tomorrow (6/11 through 6/30) take 20% off any order!! :) Use code: JUNE20

Ok enough rambling! Now it's YOUR turn...SHARE AWAY! :) 












For His Glory,



Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Me Instead of You!




     Life lately has not been easy and I shared with you how I have been struggling with fear, especially due to a decision my husband had made. But I am quickly reminded by God (often He uses an older godly woman who is a mentor) to not focus on my husband but myself. No, that doesn't mean I should ignore sinfulness in my husband. I can respectfully talk with him and then...pray, PRAY, PRAY. *smile* But there is more then enough work in myself that honestly, how does one have time to focus on other's shortcomings/sinfulness?! *chuckle*

     That being said I am working on remembering to ask God to change MY heart in the areas that need to be changed and to grow me more into HIS image. I also have been asking Him to teach me to know my husband better, to draw us closer, to see him through Christ's eyes, and to not continually focus on my man. *smile*

I had found this poem a while back at Above Rubies and want to share it with you. I pray you are blessed and challenged by it!



ME INSTEAD OF YOU!

There’s one odd fact in life I’ve found –
‘Tis sad but very true –
The faults that lie in each of us
Seem so much worse in you.
If you tell me a thing or two,
You’re heartless as can be,
But when I tell you all your faults,
I’m honest, don’t you see?
When tests and trials come your way
And you feel very low,
"Why be so weak and spineless?"
Is what I’d like to know.
But when it’s me who’s down and out
Somehow it’s not the same’
It’s just that folks don’t treat me right –
I’m really not to blame.
When you set out to tackle
The impossible it seems,
You’re trifling and you’re careless
And full of idle dreams
But when I do the very same,
It’s faith I’m clinging to;
Now isn’t it strange the change it makes
When it’s me instead of you?

Author unknown.


For His Glory,



Monday, June 3, 2013

Week 1 "Natural Monday" Link-ups!




Yeah! FINALLY week 1 of my weekly link-ups! 

Join me every Monday for "Natural Mondays!"

Spread the word! I'd LOVE to hear from other bloggers. :)












For His Glory,



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