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!

The Wishing Stars

If wishes were miracles all wrapped in disguise,would we wish a little harder?

I've heard it said before that "wishing is for fools and praying is what real Christians do".......

I believe you can tuck wishes into prayers.

 I must confess, I've wished upon many "first stars I see tonight" only to get no response.

When you begin to realize, when things start to make sense......When you come to understand that you were created by Him, for Him.....We were created to LOVE HIM; then your wishes become HIS.

A wish is a desire expressed. God created the wishing stars........

We tend to confuse the power of His design with the power of the Designer. We prayerfully wish to the Designer, not the Design.

When you dream through God's eyes you envision His path, His desires.........His wishes.

The stars are shining  and singing sweet praises to their one and only Creator. They are the evidence that proves He is their Designer. 

What? You did not know that stars actually sing? 

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy Job 38:7

Please take the time to watch this video above, it is worth your time!

Today I still make wishes, but not to the stars...... I have a lot of wishes all tucked up with prayer and I send them off to my Creator!

Super Mama With My Cape Tied on Too Tight

I say it all the time.....I try and make it known as much as I can.......I'm constantly reminding myself and  others, I'm sin soaked.

I never want to appear fake or that I'm this Super Mama with her cape tied on too tight. I never want to fly so high that I will never be able to come back down. He constantly convicts me when I feel the need to take flight and leave my humble position I try so desperately at times to hold on to.

And my children keep me on bended knee, because honestly I can't walk this Mama journey alone. And don't we all want a pat on the back for things done right, for moments filled with accomplishments? For as much as I get right there is still so much more I tend to get wrong.


 Life has seasons...... As the years go by I feel I am being seasoned to all those things I never had the patience for. I'm understanding now what it means to be a Wife and Mama. And I want to share with you what I have learned so far.......

I use to worry about what may come. Over the years I have learned that because of that worry I filled my mind with the un for-seen that never took place....Oh to have had precious thoughts that could of filled my mind instead. I learned that worry means I didn't trust HIM enough. My Faith was so weak......

I use to fret over things out of place and toys on the floor. And now, well I have to be honest I still fret a little but not near as much. I was once told by a very wise woman in my life that the mess was the sign of life being lived.....All real and not fake. I've learned that the Better Homes and Garden houses were just that....they were meant for the Magazine, not real life. And Oh Beloved I want to be REAL.

I've learned that you can't hug and kiss too much.......Actually I'm still learning that one because when I'm dead dog tired I tend to forget how important that love touch is. I become selfish and draw into myself. So now I try and envision moments with out them and would I be satisfied with the time I spent with them? Or would I remember the times I pushed them away and said "not right now".

I believe your kids need to see you mess up so that you can teach them GRACE and FORGIVENESS. So they know that YOU. ARE. REAL. TOO.

I believe you need to Give more GRACE than you should receive GRACE.

And sometimes a Daddy's tough love is just what they need and you should never interfere with that kind of love.

I use to try and find that "me time" and found that I was left wanting more.....I was never satisfied with just a few hours here and there. I discovered that what I really needed was "HIM time". He truly is relief for a weary soul. And now I find that I don't want to leave my babies at all.....Because all too soon they will be leaving me. I'm 17 years into raising my son and I still can't believe his little chunky hand use to fit inside mine, how I use to play with the soft blond curls on top of his little head.......

I believe now more than ever that there is no higher calling than being a Stay @ Home Wife and Mama. If you stop and think The Mama has the power to change the world for her hand is the one that rocks the infamous cradle.......

I've learned that instead of talking about needing change you can be the change right where you are. You have to start somewhere, it might as well be with you! And oh beloved once you start your journey of change, watch it trickle on down through, like a water fall washing over every one around you.

I told my Sunday School class today, "Saul turned a 180* flip into Paul. So when the  people around him were watching, they saw a man changed.....A man that every one thought, was impossible  to break from his stone cold heart and his evil driven ways, but only through Christ was it possible for Saul to flip to Paul."  You Can flip too, through CHRIST......I did.......

I've learned that with out Christ I have nothing......................And with HIM I have EVERYTHING!

And even though sometimes there are those mornings I forget and rise with out Him; I'm learning how much I need Him....Not just in the mornings. I'm finding I carry on little conversations with Him through out my day and ya know, I believe I'm falling in love more and more everyday with the one who holds my soul.

But, most importantly..........When God is first, your everything else just falls into place. Honest! I speak from experience! *Smile*