Wanna Know How To Cultivate a Servant's Heart in Your Child/Children?

You wanna know how to cultivate a servant's heart?

You start young and show them Christ.......

You say yes when they ask if they can help. No matter how busy you are. No matter how much time you don't have to show them...show them anyway. Even if it's in really small ways. They feel, no matter how little the task, they are helping in really BIG ways.

Not only do they feel good about helping, they feel loved because they've been included. And the icing on the cake? They learn a new skill. Teach your kids to be self sufficient. Give them responsibility. Trust them with the little things and gradually it will grow to the BIG things.

It's okay to push a little hard. Encourage them! Tell them, "YES YOU CAN, JUST KEEP TRYING!"

And eventually those little things become HUGE accomplishments! Let them know that they are an important part of your family. Tell them you need them to make this family run smoothly. We all need to pitch in. We are a unit and when one part of the unit is down, hurt or broken, someone else has to pick up the slack and do double duty.......

It makes a big difference when they see that they are an important piece to your family puzzle and that with out them they are missed and needed. There is an empty space, a hole......

We work together to take care of each other....It's important. THEY are important!

And sometimes it may take a little longer for one child to realize his importance, his place in the family....But Keep keeping on....Don't give up! They will come around. I'm slowly seeing evidence of this in one of our own.....

Sometimes they just need a little more push, a little more reassurance that they are needed. That they are LOVED. Yes I have discovered that all my kids have similarities but, at the same time they are all quite very different. Which means they need to be disciplined different and yes, sometimes even loved differently.

Let them know your learning too. Sometimes Mama and Daddy, Well we are gonna make mistakes. And as much as we need to give them grace, they need to learn grace too.

Sometimes it's a p-nut butter and jelly sandwich that starts them on the road to self reliance. All of my kids knew how to make a sandwich early. By age 5 they could make their lunch if Mama was tied up doing something else. Yes there was a mess at times and yes sometimes you have to let it go. P-nut butter does clean up. I promise!

Most of all they are watching you.....Every gesture you make. Every gift you wrap. The time that you give to strangers and friends even when you don't have the time to give. Every time you say yes and the times you say no. The times you encourage and the times you just walk away......

When you sacrifice your time they will notice. If you don't sacrifice your time, you will notice the evidence in their future. Cultivating a servant's heart takes Prayer, time, patience, love, and GRACE.....But it's so very worth the sacrifice!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I often wonder if this is where I am suppose to be at times.....And how much time should I devote to here? I often read posts (and I have been one that writes them too) that say "I'm quitting FB or Face time or Instagram or Twitter!"

 And here are the reasons why:

There are too many horrible things flying across the web.

 It takes up to much of my time.

 It's a huge distraction.

It's not real quality time.

This virtual world keeps you sucked in a vacuum, away from reality.

My family is being neglected.

And all the while I wonder, are places like these really a bad thing? And why do we as Christians turn and run when we see too much ugly inhabiting the places and spaces we are free to roam? I recall God's word telling us to be a light, to go out into the world. And so many times we turn and high tail it outta here!!

And isn't that the problem?.........We forget who we are? We forget what we were called to do?

Yes I believe places and spaces like these can become a distraction....And yes even a temptation. BUT a doughnut can also become a temptation and a distraction...Trust me I know! The funny thing is? God gave us the freedom to choose our time wisely. He gave us the freedom to choose healthy. He gave us the freedom to choose between good and evil!

The old familiar saying "Everything in moderation" rings so true! unless it's of the dark one, then it should never be in question.

And so many times we choose to just completely walk away....Don't get me wrong there are moments we need to walk away....from arguments, gossiping, filth and anything that tares someone else apart.

But to be a light means we need to go and inhabit those dark places. We have sat silent, turned and high tailed it outta here for way too long! All because we are afraid of confrontation. We don't want to offend.....

Well beloved I'm offended by how spineless we Christ followers have become!

So as many times as I myself have wanted to turn and burn.......I stay. I try and use my time wisely. (still a work in progress) For as many as the percentages say there are Christ followers, WE should be blazing and lighting up these spaces with LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, TRUTH, SUPPORT, and GOOD. The "dark one" high tails it outta here when there is LIGHT.

So many times these places have become a place to request prayer and to lift up praises.....It's a useful tool for fast communication. And with the way this world is we need to stay in touch with each other. We need to support each other!

So I am here to stay. I will choose my time wisely. I will choose what I see and say wisely. That I speak all that is pure and lovely and used to build others up. I choose to have a spine!

Disclaimer: Please hear my heart I am not judging any one or saying they are spineless who may have chosen to give the virtual world a break for a while....I completely understand the need to break away from it all. Above all else you need to do what you feel is right for you and your family. You need to go where you feel GOD tugging you..........

He Never Said Anything About Being Safe

I grab pictures and thumb through files. Anything I can hold onto just to hold on to what I'm not ready to let go.  And I tap these words to share with you not because I have it...Or that I have arrived, but because conviction shows up outside my heart's door step and I want you to know, I want you to see I'm traveling this road too.......Maybe at a different time and maybe this road you will never take, but I feel I must share anyway.

You see as strong as I feel I should be, I'm not really that strong at all. I make a phone call because I need to hear that burly voice that I fell in love with all of 42 years ago. I still have not quite recovered from last year's episode. My Daddy on the table with no life inside his vessel for a whole 11 minutes......And I breathe deep when he says "Hello my dear!" I smile wide cuz he's a huge part of my world and I have so much more I want to share with him before he says "So Long for now"........

What I know is that I can not cling to this life. What I know is I can not love with out GOD loving me first. But what I feel is weak........

I'm an encourager. I love to build people up. Tell them it's gonna be just fine. Tell them to just do what comes next. To do that next thing. "God's Got this!"

And I don't mind telling you that this life seems scary....And in my heart of hearts I know what is TRUTH and that's what I cling to......But sometimes I worry about this flesh of mine interrupting all that is good. I worry about worrying and about missing those that have gone before me. I worry about the emptiness.......

And the one person that keeps me grounded when this life of mine takes flight may not always be here for me every time I need him.

But that's just how unpredictable my God is....... Sometimes He takes away everything until you feel you have nothing but, HIM......And then you realize HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN YOUR EVERYTHING!

Writing this helps the sin soaked part of me realize how much more I need to cling to HIM and not to this life. And sometimes words are so much easier than actual real life living........It's one thing to encourage, and stay strong, it's another to actually be what you type, to be who you say you are in CHRIST.

And Beloved I want to be who I say I am. I want to feel HIS strength because none of this I can do on my own. It's hard to feel safe when your serving an unsafe GOD......... And He never said any thing about being safe this side of heaven, But He did share TRUTH and PROMISES kept. He's all about being the shelter in your storm and that in itself is a comfort to me.

Trials are bound to happen. It's inevitable.......To make us stronger, wiser, ready to win the race. So many souls don't have the finish line in sight, but we could be the water girls and boys on the side lines cheering them on.......

And isn't that what this life is all about? To be the encourager, the one who builds people up, the one who tells you to do the very next thing cuz God's got this!

And I love it when HE brings me full circle in a post.

One of my favorite scenes in "The Chronicles of Narnia"

“Is Aslan quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver. “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or just plain silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

ARE. YOU. REAL?

I smile wide and talk much of what I know to be true. I tap letters and words and confuse quotations with commas, but I type on because that's how I come clean. That's how I show you the dirty corners of my life.

 I laugh nervously at the cluttered up floors when my niece comes over to visit as she trips over a toy. But I know she appreciates my messes. She knows my lived in, floor cluttered, dishes in the sink kind of messes are just real life......

And you can't be fully cleansed if you don't walk life honest and true. And I know I tell you over and over I need to be REAL because anything less is more failure in my sin soaked life. Being real is being tangible, touchable, approachable, lovable, gracefully acceptable.....And me? I'm all about GRACE.....I'm still learning GRACE.....

It seems I'm living this life in a whirlwind that keeps on spinning out of control and I'm trying to get it to stop so I can get off and ask for directions......

My peace only comes when I open God's Atlas......He seems to be telling me, showing me more and more how I need to just BREATHE and then LOVE. Love the diversity and the tangled up messes. To learn to LOVE uncertainty, because HE  is certain that He's Got this! My job is not to worry about the future. He is already there. I can't change the world with my words, but I can change the mess inside me.

With anything it always starts with just one.....One thought, One mind, One Heart, One Word, One tear, One sacrifice........

You can't stop the world but, you can start a LOVE REVOLUTION with-in you.

REVOLUTION: A sudden, complete or marked change in something............ or someone.

Anger breeds darkness and covers all of what's innocent and true. Hold your tongue from the lashing and whipping of hurtful words and speech. Love what is pure and true. Speak only what is encouraging to others. TRUTH is LIGHT........ Arguing and disagreeing separates and destroys. The "dark one" seeks to destroy all that is GOOD.

Forcing opinions or beliefs on anyone makes them run away, but LOVE makes them want to stay........

Love is UNITY. LOVE is REAL and I'm all about REAL.

ARE. YOU. REAL?

Rosemary Moments

Little flower girl digs her chubby fingers into the rich dark earth....Her nails filled thick with dirt. And she plants and pokes holes and sings God songs. I smile wide and soak it all in. She comes clumping along in her pink cow rubber boots wanting to know how to wash the thick layers of dirt off her hands.

I tell her to rub them in the Rosemary. And as she is washing her hands the fragrance fills the air and fills my senses! Have you ever smelled Rosemary after a gentle rain in the evening right at dusk? It's heavenly.....

 It's the little things like Mama telling her to wash her hands in the Rosemary, that she will always remember. And when ever she comes across it's fragrance, it will quickly whisk her away from where she is at any given moment and bring her back to Mama's garden. Bring her back to the God songs and the sunflower seeds.

Big events don't have to be planned to be remembered, for life to be remembered. Times cherished just have to be spent together even in the small ways. In the little everyday ways. It's what you do with your time...It's how you spend your time teaching, planting, caring, growing together. It's how you handle your moments. What you say. What you don't say. How you live, how you LOVE.....

It's making extra pie dough just so she can be with you....Doing the very same thing you do. Because these are the moments they will never forget! These kinds of moments are what they will cherish long after your time here.....The simple Rosemary Moments.

I remember those Rosemary moments...............

How To Live This Life And Still Have JOY

What I have lived and know to be true is that change is hard but, it is needed to grow. To be stretched is to venture into new territory and find another kind of wild peace......Because no matter where you go, His untamed LOVE always follows.....

What I know is, happiness and laughter should not come from taring someone else apart. If you find yourself in laughter because of someone else's failures or struggles then maybe you need to look with in and find what's failing in you........

Being judgmental should be left to the supreme Judge of this life. You can not judge what you have not lived. BUT you can live in a way that makes others see LIGHT. I believe people need to bring more GRACE to the table than judgement.......

I believe that WE can not fix all things. Some things are better left to God. Some things are none of your/my Business. You never know how God may be working in one's heart. He doesn't need us stirring the pot when He has them on simmer for a reason.

At the same time I know that when God says to move we need to move. When He says to speak, we need to talk in accountable love. We need to learn to listen to His undeniable Voice.We need to be able to separate our desires from His, so that in time we desire what He desires......That's how we live for the King. We empty ourselves of all that drowns us in sin and He fills us up with His Glory.

What I know is that ignorance is not bliss. It's a silent, deadly killer of precious life and freedom. And we all need to be aware of our surroundings. We need to inform and be open enough to be informed. It is then we have the right to make a clear, justifiable decision.

I believe that we have a choice. The freedom to choose JOY.

I believe that we should laugh a whole lot more than we do. Hug more often....even when it's awkward and you just don't feel like it.....

I believe that you should keep secrets when you are told to keep them.  I believe that if you love someone, then you will have respect for them...cherish them and not talk bad about them....I believe that even if you don't love that someone,WE should still keep our mouths shut.

I believe we have no right to complain about the simple things, complaining just makes life all that much harder on you and those that have to listen to you. Because I know that there are those that have it so much worse than you and I and they still have their JOY. They still feel blessed when it looks like they have absolutely nothing. They truly believe they have all they need while praising their Savior. I believe we need to learn from those brothers and sisters.

I believe you should always look for the good in someone even when you can't see their tiny flame flickering, because GOD may be stoking the embers.

I know that if you need someone to believe in you all you have to do is look up. No one believes in you like the Holy Father does!

What I know is that this life is but a whispered breath....There is no time for putting off and putting one on hold to fulfill an empty act that will mean nothing to their future and the future of those that will become your grands. What you do today matters to all of their tomorrows.......Whether you are 25, 45, 65, or 95 this one concept is critical! People live in a way that they have seen and watched others live. How are WE living?

Because Comfort Has No Motivating Motion

The older I get the more I notice life around me. The more I notice God surrounding me.......And I wonder where would I be if He hadn't given it all for me? Where would we all be with out the selfless act of love and sacrifice? The birds of the air, how they sow not or reap and store away in barns, and yet our Heavenly Father feeds them...How much more important are we then they?

How he hangs the sun and drenches the clouds with it's light. How the beams stream through the glory holes. Only He can paint this way.......

If we never take the moments to slow things down, breathe in deep, all of this....

Little boy in Daniel Boone mode, growing fast and learning lessons, some hard and some come naturally.....And as he grows I'm growing to. Being stretched and molded right along with him. And I know sometimes he wishes I would love on him more. He wishes I would put that "next thing" down and spend more time with him. More than just instruction and demands...More of me. Love takes action. Love is a verb. Love is sacrifice......

And I have to wonder am I sacrificing enough? Or am I a little bit too comfortable? Because comfort has no motivating motion. Leads you no where but, to the place of self.......That's not where I want to be....that's not what I want them to learn from me.....

And it seems my thumb may be ever so slightly turning green....the garden is a humble size small...And I am thankful to be learning the growing. And Good Lord willing, My garden will expand and feed plenty.....Because what He gives no matter what the size is always bountiful. Always just what I need, daily.

It's things like this that make me grateful for a man who patiently and silently believes in me. Oh how I love this man of mine! His actions are what speaks volume. Words never really meant much to him. They never mean anything unless you move and prove what you say is true......Real......He is Real... And I'm all about REAL and WORDS. I love words. That's how I communicate. He's all about ACTION. In all my crazy schemes and dreams I find he always provides for me and I am blessed with so much more than I have been giving back......And I wonder does he know? Does he truly know what he means to me? Am I showing him enough through my actions? Because I can write and talk all day long and I know it really wouldn't mean that much to him......

And these pictures may seem very random to you....But to me they are more than just a picture. They speak loudly of this life I'm living. These random shots are what I notice. They tell a story. They make me look up and look around at all that's been given. They make me remember I need to give more of me and less of what will never really matter in this life.......I need to put more love into my actions. I need to be in motion. I need less words and more LIVING. Because when we are living we are truly LOVING and GIVING back just a portion of what's been given us...........

If we all just gave a portion back of what's been given? Oh beloved would there be any need?

Oh My Goodness! Chocolate!!!

Okay I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical before I tried this recipe. If you are a woman then you already have the grand title of Chocolate Connoisseur.  And this my friends, is chocolate to die for! Well I may be exaggerating just a bit, but it is really, really good. The kicker? It's even healthy for you. Now I am not saying you won't get pudgy eating it, but there are health benefits eating it in moderation. Ah there is that M word again.......

So who knew that you could make your very own decadent chocolate and I'm not talking about the kind you make from semi sweet chips. That would not really be considered homemade chocolate, now would it? All you need is 5 ingredients:

Raw Cacao powder: (Full of antioxidants, iron and magnesium)

Vanilla extract: ( Full of Vanilla bean and yes vodka but you only need a tsp or two.)

Raw organic honey: ( Now honey is loaded with natural sugars, so this is where the moderation comes in. I suppose you could use stevia YUCK! Nasty stuff! Leaves a horrible after taste and I've tried several brands.  and to no avail I can not wrap my brain, taste buds or any thing else that has to do with my senses to get myself to like this stuff!)

Raw organic Coconut Butter: (Full of everything good for you! You can read up on 101 uses for coconut Here.)

Raw Unrefined Coco Butter: Mmmmm Smells wonderful! I get my Coco butter Here.

Take 1 cup of Coco Butter melt in a sauce pan on very low heat. Add 1 Cup of Coconut Butter, 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup Cacao powder. stir until melted and combined. Lastly add a tsp. or two of Vanilla.

Pour into a baking dish and let it set in the fridge. Mine looks melted because I was too impatient and could not wait to try it. You will want to store this in the fridge because it will turn to a thick syrup if you leave it out, although that would probably be great for an ice cream topping! It tastes just like an Almond Joy!

And this Chocolate is kid tested and Mama approved! They loved it and so did I!

Just Another Iron In The Fire

When you feel your days are all blurred together and nothing seems as it were, it's best to look up and hold on tight. This morning I had to break away from being inside and all the thoughts that seem to hold me captive. The ones that never let go and seem to suffocate and strangle hold until you think you can't breathe, til you feel stuck fast in pain knee deep.

You see it's always the pain of letting go. And little boys and little girls they seem to grow so fast. The days they come and they fly.  The days that are all wrapped up in anticipation of spending the night at grandma's house, they flee all too quickly. All too soon the little boy's best stuffed animal will be packed away in a box and put in his closet because at the time of packing he just can't seem to let it go.

And Mama she remembers........She always remembers little things like this.

Mama remembers the nights she stayed up with her 4 year old son in her lap making sure he drinks every half hour and checking his temperature and praying the numbers stay down......She remembers a little girl that could only be rocked upside down. It was the only way she could fall asleep. She remembers flowers being picked by her little man and watching him run across the field in his cow boy boots just to give them to her.

She remembers holding their little chubby hands and kissing their sweet smudge up faces. She remembers being on her knees praying and asking for forgiveness when she just knew she had screwed things up. She remembers a little girl that would be calmed down by the sweet song "You are my Sunshine" and she would smile wide and her face always seemed to glow just as if the Son was always shining down upon her.

She remembers her little man always asking her to marry him. And she remembers having to tell him that she was already married to Daddy. She remembers his eyes when she told him no........

The days leading up to an empty nest, they come whirring in like a funnel cloud. This funnel cloud, it comes down upon you and sweeps all your memories up and you search frantically through the debris and the rubble of it all. And some how it just doesn't make sense to you and you wonder if it ever will....

You wonder through all the confusion of having to let go if you will ever be normal again.....Will you stop feeling so empty?........

It's just another iron in the fire....

I ask my dear Mama friend if I could help with "The letting Go" Her baby boy is graduating ....I told her I can feel her pain. And she types these words out for me...."Just fill in the gap with me and pray. God is doing a wonderful work in me, burning all the earthy flesh can be quite painful. Love you my friend."


And this is what makes us Beautiful in God's eyes.....The refining fire. The only fire that can burn away the need to hold on and the pain that comes with letting go. It's the iron in the fire that makes the earthly flesh melt away. Prepares us for a new season. Prepares us Mamas for the Mentoring and the Matriarching...

Oh Holy God, I lift all my Mama friends up to you that are going through the fire. I pray that you hold us tight, because honestly sometimes the pain of letting go is just too much to bare.......

But our hope is in you and your plans are BIG. And you know all about "The Letting Go"......

Your love proves more powerful than even the love of a Mama.....And as the change takes place  and our wings are drying, waiting and ready for the beauty to be revealed, please hold close, because this Mama she remembers the little things. She hurts and she's trying to let go gracefully......We need your mercy and grace to take flight to the next season of this life......

The Question I Get Asked The Most........

Their questions they come and they go. Having a large family tends to make them curious. The question I hear most often? It's this, "How do you do it?" "Because I certainly would never have the patience to do what you do!"

Most times I just smile and say something like...."I do it because I love doing it!" "And yes, I have those moments when I question myself and if I will ever get through the hard parts and the loud, crazy, messed up days, and those moments the really hard ones, you just do it!"

But the more I think about my answer the more I feel I'm being too vague. I want to share with you something that you already have if you are a Christ follower......If the Holy spirit dwells within you.

You see I sometimes forget and I'm writing this not only to share with you, but also to remind myself that I have all those qualities it takes to raise 6 children, to homeschool, to be a faithful wife, to keep a home and make the meals with out complaining...Without raising my voice. I have to be honest I'm still a work in progress. I don't always get it right. BUT I never give up! I keep moving forward....

This power that you and I have? He is called the Holy Spirit. And when He takes up residence in your heart He gives you The Fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22

That means you and I have the power to LOVE with JOY, PEACE of mind and with PATIENCE to pull through the hard moments. We can teach and serve with KINDNESS. Show them GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS. We have the power to do all OF THIS LIFE with GENTLENESS and SELF CONTROL. We only need to trust and ask Him to lead our lives, because with out Him, we are none of these things! Because when we say we can't or that we have no patience...We are denying His dwelling and refusing His power.

Dear Sisters in Christ, I encourage you today, to dig deep and pull up faith. He has planted the seed....Are you reaping the harvest?

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

You and I, we have what it takes! WE. CAN. DO. THIS! Because "THIS" is so IMPORTANT! Remember where our priorities lie....Remember who our priorities are..........Remember you were called to the Highest of callings!

Heart Strings

And this Mama She feels the slight pull on her heart strings early on in the week. She tries really hard not to notice them. She blows them off and digs deep till the tightness goes away.

I slip into bed with my man who was already there a few minutes before me. I breathe deep and tell him I hate this part about being a Mama. And he asks "Why?" as if he didn't know........ Sometimes I really believe he asks the obvious just so that I can talk myself through the tight tugs and pulls that seem to stretch my heart a little bit further, a little bit more each time......

And moments like this?....My Mama never told me about. She never told me how the heart hurts as it's being stretched. And I know it's because you could never possibly explain the love of a Mama....Never really quite understand until you become one yourself. And Mama if your reading this I want you to know how much I understand and feel the growing and stretching pains that you have endured yourself..... And I'm sure you would tell me those growing pains, they never seem to stop......

They leave all packed and ready to go at 7 a.m. And the little boy that used to ask me to marry him is now 6 foot tall asking me not to cry in front of him. I hold it in the best I can....If he could only see, if he could of witnessed these years and how fast they flew by...for me.

And Sunshine comes up all pucker lipped ready to plant one smack dab on my lips. The way she does when she's all goofy and lovable. And I believe if there was a way to stop time I would of right there at that moment until I was ready to let go. Because letting go always seems to sneak up on you. You can prepare yourself all you want......I must tell you, you are never completely prepared.

I had a talk with God last night and as I was asking Him to prepare my heart, I told Him the only way I know how to get through the letting go is to know that He loves them so much more than I ever could....And that gets me through......

I want to share something with you that you probably already know...... Hold onto each an every moment. Accept them all as blessings. Say "Yes" more often. Dig deep and find patience....These forever moments never last forever! Give in, be goofy, laugh more than you already do.......hold on tight but not too tight to where you can't let go. Love them out loud so they never have a reason to doubt you love them! Pray boldly with them, in front of them and when they are not even around.

Because Mama they leave way too soon and you will find that you were never prepared to let go this early!

Sunshine girl told me not to cry until they left because she didn't want to cry with me....Well Sunshine I'm still doing okay...A few tears here and there. But I bathed you all in prayer and WE serve an Amazing, Almighty God who loves you both more than I ever could. And I'm still learning, still trying to figure out how to let go.......I must tell you my hearts strings are being pulled and at times it feels like they are going to snap! I love you both with all my heart! Forever and For Always!

Love,
Mama

SHATTERED

I come all broken and my life all crazy. I forget to slow down and this twirling about all frantic makes my head spin.....makes me forget things that shouldn't be forgotten. But I have to ask if I'm broken enough......

I go about my every day and miss moments meant for them and make them my own. I dig deep and pull up faith and I have to wonder if it's enough Because I don't think I'm hitting the mark. 

And I hear Him in the quiet places of my soul and I find I have yet to be shattered. Shattered to the point of letting Him take every last piece and putting me back together the way He wants me to be. He tells me that I only give Him small broken pieces here and there. You know the ones that you and I are not quite sure what to do with so we throw it away....or give it back to Him.

And I am reminded of a broken vase. If you have all the pieces and you glue them back together it will still be able to hold water for your flowers. But if your missing just one piece, what you put in will all leak out.....

That's me, I'm the broken vase with the missing pieces. If I want Him to work in my life I need to be shattered. I want Him to take all that is broken and recreate a beautiful mosaic.  So I won't leak out selfishness, impatience, and frustration. So that when I serve, I serve with His eyes, His heart, His Love....Because beloved I can't do this on my own.......How easy it is for me to forget. How did I ever think I could be partially broken and serve with a leaky vessel? 

And even though I'm scared to be shattered....I believe being SHATTERED is the only way to be WHOLE.

Teething Nummy

It's hard to go about life and manage a home when you have a miserable teething baby. Yep that was me a couple of days ago. Little Zoey was anything but easy to comfort. I had nothing to give her. I thought about the oils but in all honesty I thought they would be too strong or hot for her......And yes when you are lacking sleep and your brain is fuzzy you forget about things like dilution and coconut oil to make things more palatable for little ones.

So on day three of all the fuzzy, miserable teething, craziness, it dawned on me that I should make my own teething nummy. ( I call it "teething nummy" because I can't think of anything else to call it, and plus I like it!) First I have to back track. I was desperate to relieve her and I of all this stress brought on by her toofers that I took some peppermint oil and put one drop on my finger and then rubbed it on her gums....

Her first reaction was a little worrisome because when I first applied it she breathed in and sucked in the menthol and it slightly took her breath away. So after her being surprised and a little upset there was complete silence not because she was knocked unconscious by the menthol, but because it relieved her from the pain. Now I must tell you that it was amazing because for 3 whole days she would not sleep unless she was in my arms and for the first time she was sleeping like a , you guessed it...She was sleeping like a baby!

Well now I knew I was onto something and I knew I must do this again, but not straight peppermint oil. Ya' all are probably thinking what a knuckle head I was to do that....But I was desperate!!! *Smile* And it worked so quit judging! And it's better than the chemical laden OTC stuff!

Any way So I figured out that I needed to dilute it (this was after the fog started to clear from my no sleep fuzzy brain) I was thinking Coconut oil, but what to put with it? My niece came over and mentioned she saw something on one of the bogs she follows so I looked it up. And this lady used coco butter and clove oil. Well you know I have to be different! I'm not really normal that way....They use to call it rebellion when I was growing up. Now at 42 I wouldn't call it rebellion, I just like to be abnormal. Cookie cutters that are all the same really bother me. I like variety. Change is good!...ANYWAY..........

Here is my abnormal version of my very own Teething Nummy:

1/4 Cup Coconut oil

1/4 Cup Coco Butter (Food Grade)

12 drops Clove oil

12 drops Peppermint oil

Put the Coconut oil and the coco Butter in a small sauce pan over low heat until melted. Take off the burner and add your oils. Gently stir and pour into a jar. Put it in your fridge and it will set up. After it has set up completely, pull it out of the fridge and it will turn into a cream like substance.  The smell is AMAZING!  Smells like a Peppermint Patty and really there is no taste to it! Perfectly, Naturally, Abnormally, Delightful! 

I'm Not home Yet!

My heart is aching for what use to be simple to grasp. For what we once were as a nation. And now I'm standing here looking at a Fundamentally transformed society that I don't even recognize to be the freedoms and virtues I grew up with........

And some say I'm just old fashion, I'm stuck in the past and I should move on. If I were to be really honest with you I would tell you I really hate the road that the American people are choosing to coast along at a fast rate of speed.

We were founded upon principles, good solid Christian principles and you can argue with me and tell me I'm wrong but the facts still hold truth and truth still holds fact.

They all came over on a ship to get away from a tyrant government. They fought hard and died hard. They never quit fighting because freedom to choose and freedom to live the way they wanted to, was so worth the battle they had to endure.

It took  many years to break free from what kept them enslaved.........

And this once Great Nation stood strong and powerful. She did not back down to her enemies. She did not apologize for her strengths and her virtues because FREEDOM had come at a huge cost. She pitched in and bailed out those who needed her. She is still pitching in and bailing out..........

Now we are sacrificing our freedom for so called "Safety" and we are freely giving it away.

Our families are being torn apart at a rate so fast it's out of control.

Good healthy competition between our kids is now deemed unfair.

God has been stripped away from our schools and we are now finding our children indoctrinated with sharia law....And no one is speaking out. Our Parents are not crying out!!!!!!!

God's sacred marriage between Man and Woman is slowly being dismantled State by State. And we say nothing for fear of offending.....

The Freedom to say the name Jesus in public has consequences and a man was sent to jail for it. Right here in America!

But we can share the muslim brotherhood with out fear........

Our babies are being murdered at a rate of about 1 million a year, but we save sea turtle and eagle eggs because they are more important.....

The role of a stay at home Mama has been devalued so much that our Mama's actually believe they have no patience to stay home with their kids and that motherhood is nothing but a huge undertaking with no benefits. They believe that just having 1.2 kids is plenty and any more is a tragedy.

Our children are being sold into human trafficking...Yes you read that right! Right here in the good ole' USA.

Our rights are being stripped away day after day and we sit silent.......We can't even drink a large soda if we want....or drink raw milk if we choose. But it's safe to drink and eat the chemical laden foods and drinks the government deems safe.

The land of the free is now being transformed back into the very same thing our ancestors fought so hard to get away from.

I may lose friends over this post and that's okay. You see I remember growing up and knowing and living all of these freedoms. I know what it feels like to be free. And even if I'm trapped in bondage here in America, I will never be enslaved by big government or tyrants because I know of the One who sets captives free! And you can't stop me from sharing and speaking the name  JESUS! All I know is I'm not home yet. This is not where I belong!

Caramelized Onions Over Cheddar Burgers

Want a quick and easy, tasting pleasing supper? This is what we had the other night.....

Caramelized onions over a cheddar cheese burger, with oven baked potatoes and lightly sauteed zucchini.

This is ground beef from our very own home grown steer that we raised. I added lots of salt, pepper and seasoning. I also added 3 eggs because we have an abundance of them and I try and use them up in as many ways as I can possibly think of. Plus they help hold the burger together!

  Then I made them into nice big, round, plump patties....

Plopped them in a fry pan...Excuse the blurry picture. Don't know how that happened......

In another fry pan I melted some butter and threw in some sliced onions. You don't want to over cook these cuz then you will have mush!

Oh I need to back track a little bit before you start your burgers get your taters in the oven drizzle olive oil over them and crushed garlic, sprinkle them with season salt and turn the oven to 400*.

Keep your eye on them and at about the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking turn the broiler on and get them nice and toasty!

While your melting your cheese on your burgers throw your zucchini in the pan that your onions were in and lightly saute them.

Place your caramelized onions on top of your plump, juicy, cheddar melted burgers. Mmmmm so yummy!

Plate your hot steamy food, wait til all the family is sitting at the table and if your anything like my house we usually have a few kiddos who beg to be the ones to say GRACE over our grub, And then dig in and eat slow so you can savor each bite!