Freshen Up!

Posted on October 12, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

Being a stay-at-home mom of four little ones under the age of 8 is such a blessing, but it can also be draining. It can be draining emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically. I’m on the go 24/7. There’s teaching, cooking, cleaning, feeding, changing, washing and anything else that has a “ing” in. It easy to lose sight of what we might look like at the end of the day.

Now picture with me your husband coming home after being at work all day. Hold up, don’t get crazy on me women, hear me out. He walks in the door the kids are running around, crumbs are all over the floor, and he looks up to see you with a yellow stained t-shirt, hair all crazy every way, bags under your eyes, and lets not even talk about your breath. Now again I know, it’s been a hard day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take five minutes and freshen up for your husband.

When we get married, our husbands should continue to be complimenting us, pursuing us, dating us, and telling us how much he loves. As for us women, we should continue to be aware of our looks for our husbands.

I remember saying to a friend one day, “Well, he’s married to me now so I don’t have to worry about what I look like”. Wow, really, Bethany? Thankfully God opened my eyes to a bigger picture and gave me wisdom about being a wife.

Freshening up doesn’t have to take an hour or two. Just enough time to put on a shirt without stains and the smell of spit up, comb your hair so it doesn’t look like you stuck your hand in a light socket, brush your teeth so your breath smells like when you were dating (you know what I’m talking about), and maybe put a squirt of perfume on. Then take some time to refresh your inner self, five or ten minutes to just relax, a couple of deep breaths, praying or even singing a couple of worship songs. Something that helps you smile from the inside out! No one wants to come home to a grumpy, frowny, up tight lump.

Trust me it won’t just be for him but it will also give you a little pep in your walk and you’ll need it when it’s time to clean the messy kitchen after dinner.

Special Delivery

Posted on October 11, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

Do everything without grumbling or arguing…

Philippians 2:14

Special delivery! When the kids were younger we would play UPS with our laundry. Each of my daughters would have a baby stroller or basket or kid grocery cart, to pick up their “special deliveries” (a.k.a. their laundry). One by one they would pick up a delivery and take it to their room. This would go on for twenty minutes or so, until all the laundry was put away. They loved playing this deliver game and I enjoyed the help with the laundry. I think teaching our kids about responsibility and chores at an early age is important but I also think it can be fun. It’s hard to grumble and complain when you are enjoying what you are doing 🙂

Now they have foldable totes with their name and pic that describes them. Even though there is only one delivery, they still enjoy picking up their special package.

On a side note, these totes also make it easier for Mama to organize the laundry as each load is done drying. I see a blue tote in the near future for our prince, Josiah.

Egg-xperiment

Posted on October 10, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

Egg-xperiment 🙂

Yesterday we had a blast experimenting with eggs. We took two glasses, one glass had plain water from the sink, in the other glass we added LOTS of salt to the water. First, we put the egg in the plain water and the egg sunk right away, then we took the other egg and placed it in the salt water. This egg floated because the water became more dense when we added salt to it. I had the girls take their science notebooks and draw their hypothesis before we did the experiment, then they drew what actually happened afterwards.

Then we took turns placing the egg in the middle of our hand and squeezing with all our might. We weren’t able to crack the egg as long as it was in the middle of our palm. I explained, by completely surrounding the egg with your hand, the pressure you apply by squeezing is distributed evenly all over the egg. However, eggs do not stand up well to uneven forces which is why they crack easily on the side of a bowl. This also explains how a hen can sit on an egg and not break it, but a tiny little chick can break through the eggshell – the weight of the hen is evenly distributed over the egg, while the pecking of the chick is an uneven force directed at just one spot on the egg.

For our last experiment with our white little egg, we took a glass of vinegar and placed the egg inside. Again I had the girls draw two pictures, one with what they thought would happen to the egg and one for what actually happened. We left the egg in the vinegar for a day and a half. The girls were surprised this morning to see that the vinegar had made the egg soft like a water balloon! I explained that the egg-shell is porous, this lets the growing embryo get oxygen, it will also let things through like pollutants and even the vinegar, which is an acid. By soaking the egg overnight in vinegar it became soft and pliable.

The girls gave these science experiments Five Stars!

“Focus”

Posted on October 9, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Do you ever feel like you are in a fog? Does your vision ever get blurry? You wake up feed the kids, clean the kitchen, school time, snack time, more school time, lunch time, craft time, do some laundry, start dinner, eat dinner, clean the kitchen, bath time, story time, put the kids to bed, read a book (maybe), your bedtime, wake-up, and do it all over again!

It’s easy to get lost in the day, it’s easy to lose your purpose, it’s easy to lose heart, and it’s easy to lose your focus. About a year ago, I started saying the word “Focus” when I needed to remember something. I would be standing in the kitchen looking around, wondering what was I needing to do, then I would say “Focus”! The funny thing is, it works!

Focus is something we all need in our life from time to time. A time to sit back and look at the bigger picture. If we could just see all the mopping, sweeping, cleaning, cooking, clothes washing, folding, diaper changing, teaching, no sleeping, discipline, training, praying, and loving has a great purpose, we wouldn’t be so stressed, weary, and impatient all the time. But instead, we would clean with a song in our heart, we would have a bounce in our step, our words would be filled with grace and encouragement.

As a photographer, I have to focus and refocus many times, until I get the right picture, the perfect picture. We need to do the same thing with our lives every morning and even during the day, until we get it right. We can get a clear picture by reading our word daily, talking and praying to God throughout the day, being thankful for all we have, instead of what we don’t have and keeping our eyes fixed on Him in every situation knowing He has it in His hands. Life can be amazing when we “Focus”!

Saturday Breakfast Tradition

Posted on October 6, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

“She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family…”

Proverbs 31:15

The sun is starting to come up, the little ones are still sleeping, it’s Saturday morning! It’s time to make some breakfast. Not the stuff from a box or the things in freezer. No, I’m talking about the stuff that comes from the heart. Homemade Sausage Gravy and Biscuits or Fresh Steamy Belgium Waffles or grits, eggs, bacon, and biscuits, or in this case Mickey Mouse Pancakes.

It’s a Saturday morning tradition, I remember my mom doing it for our family, and now it’s something I have the pleasure of continuing for my family. There’s nothing like everyone around the kitchen table, in their pjs, smiling from ear to ear, as you serve them a fresh hot breakfast. Traditions are essential to maintaining a secure sense of family identity. They create great memories and strong bonds.

Happy Saturday Everyone!

Seeing The Opportunity

Posted on October 5, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4

“Happy Chompo to me. Is how it ought to be. Happy Chompo to Frances, Happy Chompo to me,” read Alayna, from her book titled, A Birthday For Frances by Russell Hoban. The little sister, Gloria, was having a birthday. Her big sister, Frances, was not to pleased because Gloria had hidden, Frances’s sand pail and shovel last year. Wow, last year and she’s still upset. Frances, also wanted to eat the Chompo Bar that she bought for Gloria’s birthday present because she didn’t think Gloria deserved to eat it.

This book gave me an opportunity to share a couple of simple lessons. I asked the girls, “should we be upset about something that happen a year a go? Should we hold grudges?” Of course the answer was, no. But it was a great reminder that we should be quick to forgive. Toys will come and go, bend and break, but sisters are forever!

We also talked about selfish desires. Gloria wanted the Chompo Bar all for herself. It’s easy to hear the voice that shouts SELF! SELF! SELF! But it’s another to listen closer to the whispers that says give the whole thing, not just a piece, give your best, not just left overs, and share your things even when you want to play with them all by yourself. If you listen, even closer, you will hear God speak, don’t worry about your self, I will take care of you. Awww…I love God’s gentle whisper to my heart.

Leviticus 19:18

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge again anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Matthew 10:29-31

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

My Number Two

Posted on October 4, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.

Psalms 127:1

The divorce rates are between 40% and 50% in America today. Why do almost half of all marriages end in divorce? It’s very simple.

God designed a priorities list for married couples. It consist of putting God first, your spouse second, your children third, work fourth and so on. When we change the order in any way, we will encounter problems.

Having four kids all under the ages of 7 can really challenge the priorities list for me as the Mama. To be honest, I have to make a conscious effort to remember that my husband should be my number two and not all my little ones.

Friday, my number two made reservations at Disney’s Flying Fish Cafe. Since I’m still nursing we brought our little guy with us. I said a prayer before we went inside that he would be good and would take a nice restful nap. God answered that prayer and he did not wake the entire time we were at the restaurant! We feasted on Crispy Maine Coast Jonah Crab Cakes, Lobster Bisque, Red Snapper, New York Strip Steak, and an amazing dessert! Oh the dessert, don’t even get me started…okay, now that I mentioned it, I have to tell you about the dessert. We delighted in Caramelized Banana Napoleon, Beurre Noisette Milk Chocolate Mousse, and Creme Brulee. The food needless to say, was amazing, but the company of my number two was even better!

Take time to schedule date nights! Make sure to put the kids to bed early so you can enjoy time together as a couple without interruptions. It’s very important to build your life upon number one, but it is also important to know who that number one put as number two!

If we choose to ignore God’s design, we might wake up one day with a cold bed.

Thinking Outside the Box

Posted on October 2, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

What kid doesn’t love playing in the bath tub? Tonight I took turns with each of my daughters, one at a time, having fun with shaving cream in the tub, while learning.

For my second grader, I wrote out multiplication facts and she wrote the answers. My kindergartener has been having a tough time writing certain letters and numbers and has been getting very frustrated because she could not write them exactly like she wanted. With the shaving cream it was a different story, no tears or grumpy attitudes. She could erase and try again over and over, while feeling the soft foam squishing through her fingers. For my tiny tot, she traced shapes in the white fluff. They all had fun and didn’t even realize they were learning, but just enjoyed playing with shaving cream. At the end it was free play, to make whatever art piece they wanted.

Thinking outside the box will enhance your children’s hunger for learning, so don’t worry about pencils and paper, bring out the SHAVING CREAM!

What is your Heart Speaking…

Posted on September 29, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

“MAMA, Kayla took my toy,” screamed Alayna. Then she proclaimed, ” I had it first!” Kayla then shouted in her defense, “No, I had it first!” Most parents would ask, “Well, who had it first?” and this is how the problem would get solved, but I wonder if this is the right question to ask.

A couple of years back I went to a homeschool conference where speakers from all over came to share their wisdom and tidbits. One lecture stuck out more than the rest…the speaker spoke about the heart and taking time to examine it after the action.

We, as parents, are quick sometimes to correct the behavior and to get our children to behave the way we thing they should. But that doesn’t mean their heart is in agreement with the corrected behavior. This is proven when children keep showing the same wrong behavior over again. We need to dig deeper as parents to the root of the problem, the heart.

Maybe next time, instead of asking, “who had it first?” ask, “what is your heart saying?” Is it speaking selfishly or with bitterness. Yes, they are kids and kids are born selfish, but that does not mean they need to stay that way. We, as parents, need to make them aware of what their heart is speaking, when they display their wrong behavior. With this awareness and God’s help, I believe we will see a change in our children’s behavior, stemming from the change in their heart.

His Word

Posted on September 27, 2012 by fromthecommittedheart

We start our school day at 9am every morning, okay, 95% of the time :-). The first thing on the schedule is a couple of songs to wake us all up and get us moving. We then go right into Bible reading, while our minds are fresh. I started this year reading from my own personal Bedtime Bible Story Book, that I received when I was a little girl. This Bible takes the chapters and writes them in story form. Without fail Alayna, my oldest, always wants me to read more. One or even two stories aren’t good enough! It brings joy to my heart to know our children hunger for more of God’s word. For His word will supply answers and encouragement to our children in time of need. Like a flashlight in the night, His word will light their paths among the darkness of this world. The training and correction they will receive from God’s word will shape them into strong and intelligent men and women. If only we will take the time to read and share it with them. I cherish these cuddles on our soft comfy couch by the window, for this is where God embraces us all as we read His word.

Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”