Sunday, January 6, 2013

Ditto

Oh my goodness, I just had to pass this along.  This is priceless.  If you have more than than two or three children, you probably know how tiresome the comments can get about the size of your family,etc.  Kelly has once again done a fantastic job of hitting the nail on the head! 


What I would like to say when people make me feel like a freak for having children

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Writing again




It's been a while since I posted anything on this blog....ummm......like almost a year and a half!!  Wow!  A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.  And a new member has been added to the family.  February 11, 2012, Noah Aaron was born. Nevermind it was five weeks before his due date!  As a result, he spent 10 days in the NICU while we waited for his little lungs to develop.  Life with five has been pretty much like life with four.  WILD!  Our biggest "holy smokes- this is insane" was from two children to three.  After three, we just got used to the crazy.  :)

Having five children, ages seven and under, is very time consuming as one can imagine.  Especially with home schooling.  So the blog got pushed to the back burner.  Way in the back.  But as of late, I've really started feeling like I should start blogging again. 

I am not a writer.  I don't journal or keep a diary or anything.  So writing is not a passion for me like it is for some.  When I started this blog, I had high expectations for myself and my posts.  I had all kinds of posts floating around in my head but because I couldn't get them "perfect" I never wrote them or published them on the blog.  I allowed my expectations to become a burden and I eventually just stopped writing.

I feel like I've grown some in the last year or so.  On the inside.  Thankfully, the outside has went down a bit.  :)  The Lord has been so patient and gracious with me.  Any growing or maturing that I have done is only because of Him.  Aren't you glad "He's still working on me?"

Because of where I am now, (or at least think I am!) I don't think writing will be a burden.  My vision is to write more about our day to day life.  To be more real as a person and not worry so much about the perfect post.  Sharing even a little bit, even if it's imperfect or scattered, is better than sharing nothing.  I can't encourage anyone if I don't write anything at all. 

My goal is not to have a thousand followers or this great blog name.  If I can help just one mama- just encourage her to keep pressing on in this beautiful journey of being a wife, mother, and follower of Jesus-then I have accomplished much. 

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

My 2013 Book List



The new year has inspired me to set some new goals for myself.  I am notorious for starting a book and not finishing it; so my goal is to not only start these books but to actually finish them!  Some of these books have been collecting dust on my bookshelf but most of them I will try to get from the library or Amazon.  Here is my 2013 booklist, in no particular order:

Created to Be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious by Debi Pearl  (I have already read this book, but I need to read it every year! I can't recommend this enough!)

What is a Family? by Edith Schaefer

The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity by Sally Clarkson

A Mother's Heart: A Look at Values, Vision, and Character for the Christian Mother  by Jean Fleming

Shaping of a Christian Family, The: How My Parents Nurtured My Faith by Elisabeth Elliott

Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman

Laying Down the Rails (Simply Charlotte Mason Presents) by Sonya Schaefer

Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival by Nanci Leigh DeMoss

Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by Lysa TerKeurst

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

Unstoppable: The Incredible Power of Faith in Action by Nick Vujicic

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

All of Grace by Charles Spurgeon

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider

Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson

Grace-Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel

Teach Them Diligently: How to Use the Scriptures in Child Training by Lou Priolo

Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys by Melanie Young

Graceful: Letting Go of Your Try-Hard Life by Emily Freeman

You Can Raise a Well-Mannered Child by June Hines Moore

There are 22 books listed so if I read two a month I should accomplish my goal!  I'm sure I'll come across new books I want to read so hopefully I can add more to this list.  I will try to post my thoughts on the book when I am finished reading it. I think I will start a Pinterest board and pin each book as I finish it.  Maybe that will help keep me motivated!  :)