Above Rubies Retreat & Mom Heart Conference

It is with great sadness that I make this announcement!!! The Above Rubies Retreat I had my heart set on going to this April has been postponed until April 2013 due to some major medical issues in the families of the ladies hosting it. The Lord knows the perfect timing for me to finally get to attend one of Nancy's retreats, so I will continue on knowing He is in full control!

I plan on attending another retreat next month with other moms from the FABULOUS homeschool group I attend... Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Conference. I am really looking forward to this weekend to get refreshed about how to shape my children's hearts!! I know my Father has much in store for me to learn about loving my littles the way He does. :)

If you aren't aware of Sally Clarkson or her ministry, The Wholehearted Child, you should check them out! Sally also blogs at I Take Joy. One more thing... here is the link to the Heartshaping Mom Conference I'm attending. The conference will take place in three different locations: Colorado, California, and Texas. Registration is going on RIGHT NOW for all three... So don't wait if you think you could learn a thing or two about shaping the heart of your children!!!



Be Proud of Your Calling!

Today I want to share a poem that I love so much, I have it framed. I like to display it where I will see it often as a reminder to have the proper perspective and right attitude daily about this role the Lord has blessed me with. It was written by Nancy Campbell. I have mentioned Nancy and her ministry before on here, but just in case someone missed that post, I'd like to say a tiny bit about her ministry again. Nancy is the founder of Above Rubies- a ministry encouraging women in their high calling as wives and mothers. She is also the editress of their absolutely FREE magazine, which always finds its way in my mailbox when I need encouragement or a reminder the most... but we know who's in charge of that timing! :)

Be Proud of Your Calling!

Dear mother in the home, beloved of the Lord,

Your power as a mother cannot be ignored,

You are the heart and the Queen of your home,

Making a haven so your children won't roam.

As you nurture and teach your children each day,

Discipline, train, and watch over their  play,

May your heart fill with joy and overflow with love

That God gave you these 'gifts' from heaven above.

Each dear child is a 'blessing' from the Lord,

No longer will you ever have time to be bored!

You have the greatest career in all of the land

As you teach your children to heed God's command.

Lift of your head; be proud of your calling,

It is work for eternity - totally enthralling!

I know that you often feel tired and worn,

But claim God's promise, His truth He has sworn.

"The joy of the Lord is your strength," God has stated

Whatever He's promised cannot be negated!

As you shine with His joy, you will be a beacon to all

That embracing God's children is His will and call.

Do not be intimidated by those who ignore God's way,

Who limit their children and leave them each day,

As you receive God's 'rewards' and at home with them stay

You will be a light to save others from going astray.

Your sweet, gentle spirit is precious in God's sight.

As you serve in your home with all of your might

You are revealing the spirit of Jesus the King

Who showed by example to serve in everything.

May God bless you and strengthen you each new morn,

May you know His faithfulness with each new dawn,

May God's presence be with you in a mighty measure

As you train your 'arrows' for God's purpose and pleasure.

I hope this poem has blessed you as much as it does me each time I read it! Be blessed today as you, once again, share the love of Jesus with your family as you serve them with a joyful heart. :)

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

-Galatians 6:9-10



Training Our Children with 'Life Lessons'

I LOVE when the house is clean!!! I love when things are organized and easy to find. Everything should have a home, and I feel so much better when it's all in its proper place.

Yesterday the children and I spent most of the day tackling our rooms, the clutter that was encroaching our personal space since the holidays, and defeating the dreaded laundry monster that haunts me when I've had the 'I don't feel like it' syndrome for a few days. That doesn't sound like it should've taken that long when I type it all out... but believe me, I wasn't finished until Dwight called to say he was on his way home, and it was time to start making dinner!

I was so proud of my little three and five year olds! They LOVE to clean... no joke... they really do. Give them a swiffer duster and a list to accomplish, and it's like watching ants get to work on a monumental task. I can't help but smile when they are so eager to make my load easier! They made their beds (not perfectly, but very well for their age... practice makes perfect, though, right?), dusted their bookshelf, picked up their room, and then moved on to our bathroom. They cleaned the toilet, sink, counter, bathtub (somewhat), took the trash out, and replaced the trash bag.

I finished what they left behind, cleaned the floors, and cleared away all the clutter that had collected on my dresser. They later helped me fold and put away four loads of laundry. They love to put the hangers on their clothes!

They love to help me clean, and I love it when everything is clean. So why do I wait so long to get things in order this way?? I hate it when I do that! So, I have resolved that today I will make a chore chart for all of us. Something easily attainable for them, and a reminder to keep our home in working order. I'm thinking about letting them put stickers next to the completed chore if they can do it without whining. If they can get stickers for the whole week, I'm thinking of rewarding them with something fun to do either as a family or something they can do alone (i.e. pick their favorite evening meal and help prepare it, go to the library, watch a special movie, etc.).

We don't just teach our children reading, math, and science. We should also be teaching them, responsibility, self-discipline, obeying instruction, and keeping a home (for our daughters especially). What are some ideas you have for involving your children to keep your household running smoothly? How do you use those 'life lessons' to relate to your children in a Biblical sense?

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

 1 Corinthians 15:58

What? It's 6:30am... already?

So, it's been...(thinking)...(still thinking)...Wow, it's been a long time... since I slept through the night without getting up for any reason!! I can't even remember the last time. It has to be somewhere between 18-24 months. Even then, it might've been "every once in a while". But it happened last night... a full night's sleep and my body doesn't even know what to think. I woke up when my alarm went off at 6:30 this morning and thought, "What? It's 6:30... already?"

Elijah is 17 months old now. Yes he still loves to nurse, and I love that he 'needs' and loves my comfort! I've never nursed this long. Honestly, I'd always thought I would hate to be 'needed' or 'confined' (as I referred to it) for so long. Now I believe that was my flesh yelling louder than the Spirit within me.

In Isaiah 66:10-13 God is talking about Jerusalem, but he likens her to a nursing mother. When you read this passage, you can see God's understanding of a nursing mother.

"Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance." For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem." (emphesis mine)

Modern trend is to nurse your baby (if you want to; if it's not too inconvenient for you) for the first few months because it's the best nurishment for your newborn, but after that point, well you should just do whatever suites you and your lifestyle. I can see that (maybe) for an unbeliever, but if you say you are a follower of Christ, you should be seeking to do things His way. And yes, He does have a few things to say about what He created you for... including breastfeeding.

I bought into the lie of popular trend with my first baby. I told myself it was inconvenient to go anywhere because then I'd have to 'expose' myself for his sake or go out of my way to go find some place private to nurse my baby. I took formula supplements with me when we went out in public, and by 5 1/2 months, he no longer desired nourishment and comfort from me. In fact, he didn't even want me to hold him to rock him to sleep. I resented the nights I was disturbed of precious sleep, and wished away so much of his first year of life because of my own selfishness.

Thankfully, the Lord sent some godly women my way to show me, through Scripture, what the Lord created my body for and how much He delighted in me when I chose His way instead of my own! I've also learned that, while breast milk is the best nourishment for my baby, it also brings them great comfort to suckle. God designed our body so amazingly! When our baby nurses, our bodies release the hormone prolactin which is a very strong 'love hormone'. It helps us bond with our baby. Our bodies also release the hormone oxytocin, which is what stimulates the milk's let-down. This wonderful hormone has a calming affect on Mommy which is generally why we always get sleepy when we're nursing. This hormone is also effective in helping to keep postpartum depression at bay.

In addition to these immediate benefits to Mommy, nursing also has long-term health benefits for her, as well. Studies show that prolonged breastfeding can be a preventative measure again breast cancer. I won't give all that information here, but if you're interested in learning about the findings, I'd be happy to point you in the right direction! :)

Now, I understand there are times when a mother strongly desires to nurse her baby, and for some reason, they can't get their baby to latch on, their milk never comes in, etc. I don't have all the answers to those unknown issues, but I know that the Lord is in control. If you find yourself in that situation and still can't successfully nurse your newborn, seek out a trusted source who knows many tricks to stimulate either your baby or your body. La Leche League International is a great source as well as any lactation consultant or midwife. Sometimes it takes a lot of diligence, but please don't be quick to give up hope so easily. There will be times when you aren't successful in nursing your baby. In which case, the Lord has graciously made a way for us to still nourish our baby using other forms of food which are designed to be as close to mother's milk as they can possibly get it.

I am abundantly thankful for this time I've had to nurture and comfort my sweet Elijah! I try to cherish every moment together while I have it. You never know, there may come a time when I myself will be unable to nurse my baby for some unknown reason.

Blessings today to all you Mommies... whatever it is you have to do, do it all for the glory of the Lord! :)

Happy Birthday Princess

Today is my sweet Hayden's 3rd birthday. I sat this morning thanking the Lord for giving me such a precious and joyful baby girl this day three years ago! What a blessing Hayden has been to our family!! She was happy and smiling even as a baby. She rarely cried unless she was hungry, dirty, or beyond sleepy. I affectionately called her "my joyful" when she was a baby. :) I jokingly said we should've made her middle name Joy instead of Grace.

In great Hayden fashion, my princess slept in until 8:30 this morning and then requested pink and purple homemade donuts with sprinkles for her birthday breakfast. :)

(Please don't judge the look of the homemade donuts... I promise, they tasted way better than they looked! And the pink and purple food spray didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped. :-/)

(I asked Hayden to say "happy" and this is what I got. Honestly, it's more like her normal picture cheese anyway. Lol! Gotta love that girl...)

(I had intended to finish this quilt for Hayden for Christmas, but I didn't. It's complete now though, and I think it'll make a great birthday gift! I'm sure she'll love it... simply because it's pink!!)

I could go on and on about all the things I love about her and how I want so many wonderful blessings for her! I'm sure most mommies have tremendous love and aspirations for their children. Truth is my greatest desire for her is to know and love Jesus more than any other man that she will ever meet; to look to Him alone for all her emotional and spiritual fulfillment; to allow Him to shape her view of herself. I pray she will learn how to rely on Him for these things from an early age and not waste many years looking in all the wrong places like her mommy did! Jesus loves her more than I ever could. I pray I can teach and show her that starting now!

Happy Birthday Princess... I'm so thankful Jesus gave me such a precious gift!!

Benefits of Bearing Children

Today I'd like to share a little bit from a book I'm studying, "Be Fruitful & Multiply" by Nancy Campbell. Nancy founded Above Rubies ministry 30+ years ago and is the editress of their free publication, Above Rubies Magazine.

In chapter 6 entitled "Build The Home and Leave A Legacy", Nancy gives these spiritual and practical benefits of bearing children. I LOVE what she writes... so I just had to share them with you.

"To bear children ensures that your name continues.

To bear and raise godly children is to build a home that will affect the destiny of the nation.

To raise godly children is to leave a legacy for future generations. The legacy of homes, land, and wealth is great, but these can be destroyed and vanish away. The legacy of children will last through the generations.

To bear children is to lay up treasure in Heaven. God is not only interested in populating earth, but in populating eternity. Parenthood has eternal rewards. It is not something that fades away. It lasts into the generations to come and also eternity. We need to guard ourselves from the trends of our day that lure our attention to "things" that will not last and pull us away from the tasks that are lasting, such as raising children."

I'm sure we all know these things in our head, but it's great to have periodic reminders for our hearts! If you're not familiar with Nancy or her ministry, you can check them out at here.

God Spoke To Me Through My Garden

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."

Psalm 19:1-4a

A few days ago, as I was out in our garden, the Lord brought this verse to life for me. He used our garden of all things to speak to me! Many who garden probably don't even have anything growing right now because it's gotten too cold. But my dear husband (who finds it fascinating to watch things grow and produce fruit... including people *grin*), has made sure we go the extra mile in protecting our own garden from the bitter cold this season can bring. (I admit, sometimes I wonder if all the extra work is worth the little bit of fruit we're harvesting from it right now.) So, that's why I was out there... uncovering the plants so they could get some sun.

It was then, God gave me this revelation:

Why in our Christian walk, and even as parents, do we not go the extra mile in protecting our children and those we love from the bitterness that the spiritual darkness can bring? We choose to homeschool our children because we feel that's what the Bible tells us to do based on Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (specifically verses 6-7):



"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently  to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (emphesis mine)

I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I could talk about the Lord's commands that often if my children were away from me 40 hours a week under the direction and instruction of someone else... in an institution that is completely anti-Christ!

Homeschooling is just one way we choose to "protect" the growing seed we've been given from the spiritual darkness. This choice is not widely accepted among our families, but God confirmed this decision in me through our still-producing garden. For that, I am thankful!

Do you receive ridicule from others for "sheltering" your children or being an "over-protective parent"? I believe the Lord calls us to first protect and train those in our care until they reach a state of maturity in which they are strong enough to stand on their own. Think about this for a minute. During the winter, the temperatures drop when it gets dark. The cold that comes in the night can stunt the growth of the plants, causing the fruit to appear much later than normal, or if it's a hard freeze, the plant can be killed altogether. Why then, in a spiritual sense, would we send our "seedlings" or even our "baby plants" into a time of bitter darkness without protection? Is it because it's "what everyone else is doing"? Is it because that's just the culture we live in?

When the Lord blesses us with seed, He requires great care and diligence on our part to protect, nurture, teach, and train that seed until they are stable enough to produce fruit and their roots are strong enough withstand the darkness that looms all around them. We need to "uncover" them when they are surrounded by the light of the Son so they can flourish and grow!

This job isn't easy; it may not always seem rewarding... but He calls us to it. And He says that it not only affects us and our children, but generations to come after us. He desires to give us a heritage!

I love this next passage of Scripture! I go to it often as a reminder of the promise the Lord has for me...

"Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God."

Psalm 78:1-8 (emphasis mine)

I exhort you to go the extra mile to give adequate "protection" to your seed from the spiritual darkness around them and not grow weary in doing so, even if it doesn't seem like you're seeing much fruit right now. God is faithful, and He promises to reward those who diligently keep His commands! Be blessed today as you fulfill your role as Mother...