A Whole Lot More Than I do.....

She comes to me with flowers.....My little Flower Girl. And she is one of the many precious reasons I'm letting some things go for a season. I've said "no" way too many times to that precious smiling face. I bet she will enjoy hearing yes for a change.

This little pumpkin, she stole my heart. The 6th time around I might add......And I have to say You really do love each one just as much as the first! But you do love them differently, because certainly they are all different.

What will I be doing while I'm away? Soaking in His word a whole lot more than I do. I'm sure I will be reading lots of great books right before bedtime.....I have visions of making, baking and creating with little hands and curious eyes......Saying yes a whole lot more than I do. Finding more time to live this life real.......

Oh I'm sure I will be back but, only when He says it's time.........In the mean time I will be taking lots of pictures and making lots of sweet memories. I wanna touch the lives of the ones who call me Mama. I wanna love on the one that keeps me grounded when this life of mine seems to take flight. I want them to know they are my priority. I want God to know He comes first.

I want to be filled with Christ so that others see only Christ in me........


He has asked me to TRUST Him and let go of what keeps me from Him.......I need to move. I'm going to move.........

Putting This Place On Pause

Precious Friends,

So many days and hours spent here in this place. So many times I have been convicted by the very words that have been tapped out  in the quiet of the night.

I've been known to make excuses for the reasons I stay. Yes I believe that places like this are good to help uplift and to encourage but, sometimes I have to wonder, I have to ask what my real motivations are......Why at times I feel so compelled to stay.

Because if I were to be real, a place like this can make you all puffed up. Make you feel like your accomplished.....Make you confused about priorities and where they lie in this life. Make you someone your truly not.

You know me I'm all about being real....and I must tell you.....

I'm a failure.....

I fail daily. I handle my day to day tasks like they are heavy burdens to bare. I've been known to throw my hands up in the air, raise my voice and call it quits.

I fail daily at soaking His word in.....And it's places like these that take me away from the living. I've been known to blog about precious moments and prioritizing our time. And yet I still fail at this very same thing.

God has pressed upon my heart time and time again that virtual worlds cause Real life neglect. I've been given precious gifts. I've unwrapped them, been in awe over them.......But have never really given my 100% to taking care of them the way that they should be taken care of.....

Oh and I know all about grace, but grace is not an excuse to keep on making the same mistakes.

I love to write. I love to share what works and what hasn't. I love to share what God has taught me and He still continues to teach me every day.

I must tell you that the only way to truly make an impact for His people is to be present with His people. The virtual world can not make an impact like the gift of a real person serving another real person. To touch, smile at and love with real precious, spoken, audible words. That's what people remember. They remember the actions not empty words.

I need to make time for Bed time stories and random hugs and sweet kisses. I need to make time for tea parties, movie nights, quiet walks and long talks. I need to live this life real!

That's where I'm at right now........

I need to be present for the precious gifts given and for all I may cross paths with. I need to be His child. I need to listen more than I speak. I need to be where He wants me to be. And I feel Him pulling me away from here and from FB. I don't know how long I will stay away. I'm sure He will let me know if ever I am to come back here. For now I must say so long. I loved being here. Truly I did. I've learned so much as I shared with you. Been convicted more times than I can count......

But, now is the time to take this very conviction seriously. I will be deactivating my FB account 1 week from now. I will miss this place and you all so much.

I pray love and sweet blessings on each and every one of you and may you all find that place He truly wants you to be.

In Christ I dwell,
Kimmy





 

Teach Them With Passion

It's morning and I put my feet on the floor with out thinking. My day begins with baby girl kisses and a 3 year old demanding her chocolate milk.......I race around, wake up big brothers and older sisters because we have a schedule to meet.

We cram ourselves in the car along with the United states map and my tote full of information on the Cherokee tribe. Our co-op is learning about Indians this month and this week it's the Trail of Tears. And there is so much more to learn even at the ripe old age of 43.....So much more I'm learning now than I ever have before. It's humbling to learn about the past and the lives that shed those tears. Strong people, those Cherokees. Determined and hard working. United and faithful to there people. 

I stand up in front of class. I tell them, "learning our History is so important." WE can not move on and grow...We can't stay United if we don't know our past. If we go about this life forgetting those who fought before us then we are doomed to repeat the failures.

I read the "Trail of Tears" and talked about Chief John Ross. How many times he had been betrayed and how many times he never quit.........Never gave up, because even he knew that FREEDOM comes at a huge cost.

American History is one of my passions. I believe children need to know where they came from and how we got here. I believe they need to be told truth. 

So what do you do when the rose colored glasses seem to have gone on sale and every one is drinking the orange kool-aid? How do you share what is bound to repeat itself again when they live in a state of utopia? 

You give them what you know. You give them truth. Don't stay too long and argue. If they continue to argue, It's clear they take no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing their opinion. Then you move on. 

This I know to be true, we need to reach our children...we need to teach our children Truth. Not watered down useless information that numbs the mind and hardens the heart. Tell them with passion. Let them know it's important. Their future depends on it! 

It's ironic to me that today I chose to talk about The Cherokees and how our Government kicked them off their land all those years ago.....And today our Government is kicking people out of their homes to prove their point.....Did I not say that history repeats it's self?

I don't want my children to grow up in a world that has no recollection of our heritage. I want them to know their God given rights.....I want them to know and read the Constitution and The Bill of Rights. I want to teach them with passion........I want them to have PASSION.

My passion for this great Country comes because of my passion for Christ. Because America's foundation is laced with GRACE. And people need to know TRUTH.

Pumpkins And Chickens

 Good Evening all! Fall is finally here and I have been canning up a storm with the help of Sunshine and Butterfly Girl. This is absolutely my most favorite time of year! I so miss the crisp cool mornings and the change of the leaves up home but, memories are such a precious part of life!


This is one of my favorite pics. This was taken quite a few years ago. My how my kids have grown!!

 Pumpkin Season is here and my pie pumpkins have arrived! I'll be sharing a few recipes with you and all the amazing things you can do with pumpkin!

 I also I wanted to share with you about this natural pest control for your chickens!
Natural Pest control. So much better than harmful chemicals and you won't have to worry about eating chemical laden eggs! Diatomaceous earth (food grade)

I use this to dust my chickens with to get rid of  fleas and other pests. It's also a natural worming medicine. Just mix it with your feed  the bugs will stay out of your feed and the worms will stay out of your animals....There are no harmful side effects unless you breathe it in due to it's very fine powder like substance...You don't want it in your lungs!

Stay tuned I will be Jarring pumpkin shortly. I will be posting my recipe very soon!

It's In the Brokenness

This life is busy. I watch my days blur into nights. I often think about time and how we seem to exist only to watch the minutes race by into years. Oh but this mama knows we exist for so much more than mere minutes.

As a Mama, I often have mixed emotions about pressing the pause button  and skipping to fast forward. And God? He must sit up there in all His glory just shaking His head with a big ole' grin, saying "Some day that girl of mine, she'll get it right."

I come before Him all messy inside, stripped of my pride because more often than not I have failed at the very thing I have been called to do.

And every morning I wake up, I should be thanking God for the very breath that's with in me. I should be on my knees thanking The God who gives Gracious second chances abundantly. And how do you go about giving Him everything you have when you feel like you have nothing left to give?

When your fresh out of smiles and your meek and gentle spirit  seems to be M.I.A.......

You give Him what you have left.....

Your fuzzy mind and aching feet. Hand over the raw fleshy moments......The "oh what about me?" attitude "Who will wait on me?" kind of days.  Give Him your messy lil' self and let Him know you've come broken.

It's in the brokenness....His grace is in the broken shattered pieces of your jumbled up days. And as He is piecing together your one of a kind mosaic take care to notice where and how He places each piece......

Because there will be days that you will want to look back just to see how far He has brought you. You will want to pull from the colors and watch them shimmer in His light.

And Mama, don't ever think for a moment that He won't use all those broken moments to help heal another Messy Mama. They will notice your prism colored glass and they will have to ask because they are desperately seeking to shine in a way that pleases their Father.

It's in those moments, the ones that are full of loud reality, screaming for grace that others  so desperately need to see.....They need to see that they are not alone in this. They need to hear how life isn't always Face Book perfect.

They need to see a Perfect God bring all the broken pieces together to make their mess Beautiful.

Mama He hears you. He knows your heart and how much you want to get this Mama thing right. It will never seem right unless you let Him take charge of all that's messy...All that's broken....Give Him every last broken piece of glass and watch what He does..........

Mama your not alone.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle

It's after supper and our oldest walks out the door, had some loose ends that needed tying up....Not 30 seconds out the door and my phone rings. His name lights up my phone like he lights up my life. And I can't sit still too long because then my mind races back to that little boy....Little boy all wrapped up in his mama's arms. I swore I'd never let go....

I answer and he tells me this: "You better come out here with your camera if you want to catch what I'm seeing!" I ask him what it is....He says "There is no time for that it's almost gone."

I grab my camera and run outside to capture what I almost missed......

 Mama friend shoots me a message says this is their second day in and she's already feeling overwhelmed. Her little boy has little boy things on his mind. He would much rather be outside working the fields with his Daddy.....much rather be pushing tonka trucks through the mud.....I bet he'd rather catch a frog and investigate what makes that thing jump the way it do.......

 She says he has no interest, he's not trying his best.........And she asks if I could pray.

You see she has other Mama friends that already gave up the call, sent their children to school so their day could be free. So there would be a lot less stress and more things to get done. And don't we all get tempted to just call it quits, to throw in the convenience towel? Life can be too hard, too crazy. We pile too much on our plate, but some how it's not ever the right things that are being piled up.

And being a Mama isn't easy........It's one of those thankless jobs.... you know the kind where you get no recognition for wiping noses or 2 a.m. feedings. No one sees you changing diapers for the umpteenth time today. No one sees all the behind the scene things that get done because you were there doing them......No one, but God.....And truly He is why you are a Mama in the first place. If He has blessed us with children...Shouldn't we then live and act like they are the BLESSING. I've often said when you become a Mama, this life is no longer revolving around you....And Beloved I hear you! I know how hard your days can be....I'm living them now....But when we learn to focus on the Lord, our days have more meaning and you begin to see clearly why You. Were. Chosen. To. Be. Their. Mama!

It's easy to lose sight of your purpose........It's hard to hang on to your calling when the world keeps tugging away.

So I shoot her back this humble message:

Just relax.....I know it's easier said than done.....But I will tell you a little story about our little boy when we first started homeschooling...

All he wanted to do was go out to the shop and be with Daddy. He hated school work and I thought he would never learn how to read! but as time went on something just clicked.....And he sailed through reading. He never was a strong speller but eventually he got a lot better.

I was on my knees in tears and I just knew I was messing up his life! But I will always remember a veteran homeschool Mama coming up to me and telling me that he would turn out just fine....And that I needed to calm down and let him learn at his own pace. And that I should stop comparing and reading those "What your child needs to know by grade ____." books.

I must tell you that I have never been more proud of the young man he has turned out to be! A good strong, gentle, kind, polite, hard working, sweet spirit kind of man....And if I ever had the chance to do it all again I would do everything the same except one thing.....I would loosen up and not worry so much about academics. Although they are important, they are not nearly as important as his character and his soul.

Know that your children are right where they need to be, along side you and your man. They are watching you live, love, work hard and handle everyday life situations. You are their Teacher....In everything you do they learn from you!

And today looking at my 6'1" little boy I can tell you this...I have no problem sending him out in to the world, because his Daddy and I have been preparing him for it for 18 years now and I know with out a doubt he will stand strong in Christ! And YES IT WAS SO WORTH ALL THE HEARTACHE AND CRAZY DAYS!

I promise it will all be worth every ounce of energy you put in!

Praying for you.....

You see this boy and I, we have a special bond as I do with all of my children. Each relationship is unique.......

He knows I love sunsets...He knows that I have often grabbed my camera and ran out the back door just to capture what I almost missed. He's my sweet sensitive one.....Although I believe I'm the only one he let's see that side of him.....Oh the girl that gets him one day will be so blessed! I've been praying for her all along....And some day I hope she cherishes him every bit as much as I do!

And Mama friend if your in that same weak spot.....the one where you think you are not ever making a difference in their lives, I'm here to tell you how wrong you are.....All the time that you invest into your little one will someday be worth every struggle, every tear cried and every knee falling prayer......You don't want to miss this. You are the Hand that Rocks the Cradle...

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE IS
    THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLD.

      BLESSINGS on the hand of women!
        Angels guard its strength and grace.
      In the palace, cottage, hovel,
          Oh, no matter where the place;
      Would that never storms assailed it,
          Rainbows ever gently curled,
      For the hand that rocks the cradle
          Is the hand that rules the world.

      Infancy's the tender fountain,
          Power may with beauty flow,
      Mothers first to guide the streamlets ,
          From them souls unresting grow—
      Grow on for the good or evil,
          Sunshine streamed or evil hurled,
      For the hand that rocks the cradle
          Is the hand that rules the world.

      Woman, how divine your mission,
          Here upon our natal sod;
      Keep—oh, keep the young heart open
          Always to the breath of God!
      All true trophies of the ages
          Are from mother-love impearled,
      For the hand that rocks the cradle
          Is the hand that rules the world.

      Blessings on the hand of women!
          Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
      And the sacred song is mingled
          With the worship in the sky—
      Mingles where no tempest darkens,
          Rainbows evermore are hurled;
      For the hand that rocks the cradle
          Is the hand that rules the world.

Book List for Early American History Unit

Early American History

September:  New World Explorers

We are going to learn about famous explorers such as Leif the Lucky, Columbus, Ponce Deleon and Magellan. They will learn how to tie knots like they do on a real ship! They will make a ship’s log and learn about Pieces of Eight and Gold Doubloons and their values.

Book List:

Usborne Book of Explorers

Leif the Lucky: by Ingri & Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

The Raiders Promise: by Lois Johnson ages 10 & up

Columbus: by Ingri & Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

Christopher Columbus, Level 3 reader: by Stephen Krensky

Where Do you think you’re going Christopher Columbus: by Jean Fritz

Draw Write Now Book 2, ages 5-8

The World of Columbus and his sons: by Genevieve Foster

Who was Ferdinand Magellan: by Sydelle Kramer

Ferdinand Magellan: by Carole Marsh

Ship’s Boy with Magellan: by Milton Lomask

Ponce Deleon Exploring Florida: by Rachel Eagen

Strawberry girl- Florida in the Early 1900’s: by Lois Lenski

October: Native American Indians

Ever wonder what it must have been like to be an Indian? We will go on an adventure and learn about the many tribes, their customs, traditions and what they had to do to survive in the wilderness.

Book List:

Buffalo Woman by: Paul Goble

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses: by Paul Goble

Lone Bull’s Horse Raid: by Paul Goble

Arrow to the Sun: by Gerald McDermott

When Clay Sings: by Byrd Baylor

Annie and the Old One: by Miska Miles

The Desert is theirs: by Byrd Baylor

The Gift of the Sacred Dog: by Paul Goble

Conquista!: by Clyde Robert Bulla

Pocahontas and the Strangers: by Clyde Robert Bulla

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims: by Clyde Robert Bulla

Paddle to the Sea: by Holling C. Holling

Good Hunting, Blue Sky:  By Parish

The Famous Battle of Bravery Creek: by Hall

Little Chief: by Hoff

Children of the Longhouse: by Joseph Bruchac

The Legend of the Bluebonnet, An Old Tale of Texas: by Tomie dePaoloa

North American Indians: by Marie Gorsline

A Tree's Tale: by Lark Carrier.

The Sign of the Beaver: Elizabeth George Speare

Moccasin Trail: by Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw
Indian Captive, The story of Mary Jemison: by Lois Lenski

November: Colonial Life

As we travel onward we will move into the Colonial Period. While we are there we will discover the very early days of America and how she came to be. We will try our hand at basket weaving making homemade butter and so much more!

Book List:

Jamestown, New World Adventure

James Towne: Struggle for Survival

The Pilgrims of Plymouth

Three Ships Come Sailing

A Lion to Guard Us

Who's That Stepping on Plymouth Rock?

. . . If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620

Pocahontas

The Thanksgiving Story

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims

If You Lived In Colonial Times

Benjamin Franklin

What's The Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good

Mouse Amos

Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia (Landmark Books)

Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer (Childhood of Famous Americans)

The Courage of Sarah Noble

Madeleine Takes Command (Living History Library)

December: Christmas Time in the Colonial Days

It only seems right that we continue our studies with the colonies on into Christmas where we will learn colonial traditions and crafts for the Holiday Season!

My White Knuckle Grip

I start my day to a little baby girl calling me down the hall way......And there are some mornings I have to stretch and breathe deep before I half sleep walk to her room because I'm not ready to start the day, but she is.....

I try and keep my mind on the tasks ahead. Empty me of me so I can be of use to Him. I live this life knowing that I have to constantly remember it's not all about me....it's all about them, you and others. All about supporting my man. Little girls who need more kisses. And not so little boys who still need their Mama. It's all about lives twisted and mangled. It's all about broken homes and crushed hearts. All about 3rd world countries and their people meeting and hearing about the Christ child for the very first time.

And the daily headlines can make any one go into a downward tailspin. Make them give up hope and lose their joy for a better tomorrow. But hope/joy is not in tomorrow. They are found with in your heart. Hope is not wishing, Hope is a guaranteed promise you can overcome your tomorrows. Joy is the covenant He made with you......

My day consists of step stools and Fairy Tales. Mismatch socks and cereal puffs. With out a doubt I am called to be his wife, called to be their Mama......And sometimes I take a tight grip hold. You know the kind where you white knuckle it until your fingers go numb......Fear will make you grip tighter than you were ever meant to. Fear clogs the mind, fills it with lies and drowns your hope/Joy.......

I go to lunch with a Dear Friend. My Beloved mentor......I've told her that before, how I love watching Jesus bubble over into everything she does. She shares with me her life and I share with her, mine......

She tells me about this dream....A dream that has consumed her life and over takes her soul. A dream that she is watching in real time. A dream that is becoming reality. She shows me Jesus in every word....Like a novel that you can't put down I am hanging on every miracle, every God thing. I swear my jaw dropped over a 1/2 a dozen times.

Only God shows up in those sorts of ways......No other way to explain it. Tell me prayer can't make a difference......Tell me those things are just coincidences.....Only a fool would believe that something comes from nothing.

And I walk away with this....that no matter what the headlines read. No matter what the world is doing and what this life holds here this side of heaven "Kimmy God is still sitting on His throne."

And that fear I was feeling earlier this morning for the future of the ones I cherish, dissipated. We are here for each other. We are here because He has given us a purpose. I loosen my white knuckle grip hold. I remember it's not all about me, but that it's all about mission minded dreams and little old women. It's all about the hungry and the raw nakedness of poverty. It's all about the lost seeking refuge in this strange and scary world. It's all about serving a mighty God who still sits on His throne. It's all about being apart of His plan and standing back in awe and watching it all fall into place.

It's all about letting go and serving. It's loving on those who don't have hope/joy so that they may live Hope and know Joy even when the headlines make life look bleak here.......

It's all about being JESUS to a lost and dying world.

It's all about knowing WE. ARE. NOT. HOME. YET..........

15 Minutes and a Whole Day Blessed!

Today I had to run down town 4 kids out of six in the car. And life is loud and crazy, but I've grown to having it be the norm.... And strangely enough, the quietness is welcoming but I begin to miss the noise when it stays away too long. We do what we had to do and we all pile back into the car. Just before we reach home I spot an elderly woman at her mailbox with her walker. 87 degrees outside and she is barely making an inch every couple of minutes. My Sunshine girl and I both looked at each other knowing that I had to turn around and go back so that we could help this old woman up the hill to her house.

 

I turn around and get to her drive way, sweat dripping off her brow and she is bent down low. I introduce my daughter and myself to her. Tell her that we are neighbors about a mile down the road. Then I politely ask if she would like some help....the look of relief flowed over her face and she couldn't  grab our arms quick enough as I carried her walker in one hand and her arm in the other. It must have been a couple hundred yards from her mailbox to her house up a rocky dirt driveway.

It took us all of 10 minutes to get up her driveway and to this very moment I have no idea how she makes that trek every day.

In that 10 minutes the Lord gave us time to talk. I shared Jesus with her and she shared her smile and her love for teaching.  "I was a teacher for 40 years for Lake county." She talked about classic literature and for me to make sure my children were reading the classics. We asked her to church, she accepted.

She sits down asks my Sunshine girl to guess her age. "Now don't be bashful!" Sunshine says 85 and the old woman came back with "I'm 98!" We left as if we were both riding on cloud nine, but before I said goodbye She grabs my hand and tells  me..."The Lord has blessed me so much because of you both stopping by to help me today. I'm so blessed and thank you, you have made this old gal's day!" I quickly tell her that we were the ones who were blessed.

Love moments like those! Those moments are there everyday, in big and small ways. It took 15 minutes out of my time and it blessed her whole day!

Not only should you look for the Blessings in everyday, we need to look for ways to BE THE BLESSING everyday! 

Chasing Bunny Trails

It's been some days since I have graced this place. It's grace that allows me to be here at all. I have come to the conclusion that in order to live this life, more times than not it's all about letting go.

I guess I tell you that all the time. I tell you that this sin soaked Mama has so much to learn. And many times I feel I'm learning at a slow rate of speed. Many times I've wanted to come here to this spot and share with you all the things that seem to be running across my mind like a scared rabbit just trying so hard to find a way to escape.

And if you know me well, you know that chasing rabbits is something my mind does on a daily basis. Trying to stay focused, but this Mama she has so many things on her plate. Too many rabbits chasing bunny trails in her head.

I have great plans and schemes. I dream of wonderful pottage gardens, and reading literary classics to my children. I dream of a constantly clean home with candles all a glow. I dream.........

Sometimes those things, they do become reality.

And sometimes? I just let them go.........

Because honestly, in the grand scheme of things dreamed it's this......That my children see me broken, imperfect, but trying everyday to get it right. Oh not by my strength......Through my weakness He gives me strength.

Mama friend texts me a message telling me her hair is falling out. Ah and I believe I'm not the only one chasing dreams and bunny trails. Sometimes God comes at us in quiet ways and other times He lets our hair fall out.......Makes us aware of where our priorities truly lie..... She tells me her dreams were getting too big. She was taking on too much. And she just needed to let some of it go.

After chatting with her I come back with this light hearted message.... "Good thing you were made aware of this early or you would end up being completely bald!" We both come back with LOL's and ;).

Because really in this life the biggest lesson is all about just LETTING GO.....AND LETTING GOD.

So as I write this I am thinking of all the things I have learned and all things I want to share with you.....And sometimes my priorities are screaming in the background and I just have to let you go.....But only for moments at a time.....I will be in and out sporadically......After I catch a couple of bunnies. *smile*

Bring Back What Was Lost

If I told you that you can live life slow and enjoy company on a Sunday, would you believe me?

If I told you there was a way to have Sunday dinner and invite a few friends over with out worrying about every little detail of the house being clean, would you invite people over and enjoy their fellowship?

If I told you, you could bring back the traditions and recipes, the routines and the way of life that was had years ago by our Grandparents, would you find a way to restore what was lost?

Do you know what we have lost over the years? Do you know what we are losing?

Those ways may seem old fashioned, out of date, but are they really? Look back and see how strong the structure of God and family were.....How strong this country once was because of that foundation and structure. When God started to be pushed out and families started to fall apart, so didn't the communities which began the break down of this nation. Don't believe me? Go back and look at history, it does not lie.

Can I tell you that I believe technology is a (not so necessary) evil........

When God communicates, He tugs and pulls on heart strings. Speaks over and over the very thoughts you have in your head until you get it. Until you hear Him. I've heard Him tell me in the past not to worry so much about a perfect house, invite people over anyway. They are not there to visit your house. They are there to fellowship with you. Does that mean you shouldn't tidy up? Of course you should, but not to the point that people feel like they are visiting  a glass house.

Can I tell you about my Great Grandmother who always had the table set with her very best china. "You never know who might come knocking at your door."  Even if it was just coffee and biscuits, she always had something to offer you. And by the way I used to love to put her homemade jelly on those biscuits........

When did we stop knocking on people's doors on a Sunday afternoon? Or any day for that matter?

It's heartbreaking to me how we have lost so much over the years. All because we are too busy. All because texting and FaceBooking have become our means of fellowship. All because we don't want to entertain the thought of someone coming in our home to see that people actually do live here and they are normal everyday people with the socks under the couch just like you and me.

Do you want to know how to restore America? It's not as hard as you think. No, you don't have to break out your Grandmother's best china. Although you could if you wanted to.  It starts around the dinner table. Start making your meals from scratch. You don't have to be perfect at it. Everybody had to start somewhere. Sit with your family, Pray with your family. Enjoy a good wholesome meal with your family. Strong families are the ones that communicate. No better way to communicate than around the dinner table filled with food!

America needs God first and foremost. But America also needs her families put back together again. God can put your family back together again.

Then after you have practiced up by fellow-shipping with your family, Try inviting a few friends over for Sunday dinner after church.

Leave the Door Open. My family and I started Open Door Sunday at our home a few years ago. It's been changed and rearranged over and over until we discovered what works best. We started strong with family, but then suddenly realized that we weren't getting any new faces and Me, I was pregnant and there were days it was just too hard. So we took a break for a while and then Opened our door back up. Every third Sunday we invite some friends  from church to come over and fellowship. Yes we still get together with family but, mostly on Holidays. And then there are those random occasions we just invite people over no matter what day it is.

Restoring what we lost means restoring God back to His rightful spot. He will restore your family. Then we restore our fellowship with our neighbors. Invite them over. Build a strong community.  Lean on each other. Put the texting and FB away while you are visiting. Let them know they are important to you!

And as you become better at opening your door ask your Grandparents and other relatives about old recipes and traditions. They need to be written down. We need to stop losing our past because their future depends on it!

Little boy and his dog

Some days life pulls the rug out from under you...Knocks the wind out of your sail......And then the night comes heavy and you feel you can't breathe with all the weight of the world heavy on your chest....

Little man took a hard blow yesterday. Found out that sometimes life is just too short. And oh if we could have a do over, I believe we would all go back and do some things differently.

And yet again so many times we may not get second chances........

Big brother sends him home trying to protect little man from what's about to take place. Some things you just shouldn't see no matter what.

Little man comes in the door unaware his little dog won't be following him to take the garbage out anymore. Won't be riding on the back of the mule the way she always had.....And my heart is beating fast. He asks me why he had to come home. One look in my eyes and he knew his little world was about to cave in around him. I held him real close trying to absorb the tears. Told him it was best she didn't suffer.

And how do you go about telling a little boy "everything will be okay" when he just lost his best friend? I tell him, "remember her happy".....He nods his head and agrees that's how he sees her.

I take him up to the shop, his Daddy comes out of the office calls him here and pulls him close. Little boy trying to be a man in front of his Dad, but the tears just don't stop. Daddy tells him the lessons to be learned by losing.....Most times those lessons are the hardest ones to learn, but they are the ones that make us stronger.....The ones that make us real and touchable. Ones that help us to encourage others in the future. Lessons that teach us to be careful, not only with pets but even more importantly with little baby sisters as well.

Big brother gives him a hug tells him he's been there more times than he can count, comes back home with us so he can help put his little dog to rest.

And yet there are blessings that come out of tragedy....

The Blessing of a close knit family reveals itself through death. Brothers and sisters they will quarrel, but when life gets hard, oh how beautiful it is to see them rally around the one that's hurt. To watch the love of a Daddy encompass his son and to hear him speak tender words in quiet ways to reassure him we are all here to help him through this.

Not too long ago little man had helped a family friend bury his dog that had died in a tragic accident. Little man stayed strong and helped dig the grave.....

Little man's heart overwhelms me........Little man has been shining very bright lately......And I ache because just maybe he has been shining this bright all along and I'm just now beginning to notice.......Mama is still learning life lessons too....Just life lessons of a different kind.

On the bright side, I see a puppy in our future!

Ship Wrecked

I've been questioned about my Faith...... been asked how I know when God shows up. And do I really hear him talking?


God shows up when you show faith.....Faith shows up when you show trust.....Trust shows up when you see Truth....And Truth shows up when you read His word.....

I have a conscience inside my head that seems to be running as my compass. With out that compass I'd be shipwrecked. The Captain captivated my heart and has been teaching me all about this sin soaked world and how to navigate the storms of this life for 20 years now.

And yes beloved, I had those over board moments when I thought I be lost at sea. When the waves seemed too overwhelming for this girl's heart to bare......

But He always seems to have a life vest right there waiting for me. He pulls me back on board, dries me off, calms me down and somehow I'm able to navigate through with Him at the helm.

I'm amazed when I see all the ways God shows up........

He showed up in my kids all last week.....Showed up and showed out......Two of my children went to Global Youth last week and came home captivated......Came home knowing with out a doubt That Christ lives in the very intimate places of their hearts. He grabbed hold, moved some stuff around threw some stuff out and made more room for His navigational equipment. He made room and filled their hearts with more of His love. And oh how I love to see them so filled up that they are about ready to explode!

Showed up in little man.....When I thought I was the one teaching him all about loving others as you would love yourself.....He pipes up and says, "But Mama I love you more than I love myself." As this Mama's heart swells to the point of feeling like it's going to burst......I was the one that actually needed to learn the lesson and little man was the one God used to teach me again. Little man's heart is huge! I've seen him worry about loved ones when he was unsure of their future. I've been there when he needed to talk about important God things.......I've tried to answer questions that were too smart for me to answer.......And at the age of 9 he gets it!

Butterfly girl sits in a bean bag chair, feet propped up, bible open.......If there ever was a better place to put your nose,I have yet to find it......and she amazes me with her love for reading and the Bible is at the top of her list.

This Mama sounds proud and maybe to a certain extent that might be true......But I am more humbled by God moving in and stirring their hearts......It's not about me or my man.....It's all about God. And he gets the glory. He gets the honor. He gets the praise.....

He is the moral compass guiding our family's ship. With out Him we would all be Shipwrecked!

You wanna know about my faith?.......Faith is in the fruit that we bare. Faith is in the hard times when we put our trust in the one true God and even though we are hanging on by what it seems is just a thread, He's tugging the string and reeling us back in.

Faith is knowing that with out Him I would of stayed the same......I would of stayed ship wrecked.....And Beloved if you knew me then and compare me to now, you would know with out a doubt that there is A GOOD, LOVING and GRACIOUS GOD.

The Beauty of Truth

 These ancient old steps and paths have seen many travelers from all walks of life. Shaded by 200 year old pine and oak trees. Their paths seem so dauntingly dark from a distance and yet the closer you get to them the more the light  reveals each step.

Reminds me so much of this life. How we look at our paths and wonder how can we navigate in such darkness. And sometimes we find darkness and stay and beg for the light to show us the way.

If there is a Christ dwelling then He is your light source. And the closer you walk with Him, the more light He shines on your path. Yes sometimes we sit in the dark places and spaces of this life and we ask why? Those are the times that we either draw closer or pull further away.

What are God's desires? He desires you. He desires that you choose Him. And most times the only moments we find the time to talk to Him is when anger or fear sets in. Can I tell you something Beloved, He wants to hear from you in all the ways, all the small ways of your life. Even in the ways that you think would never really matter, they truly matter to Him.

Reading the Book of Hosea this morning.....In that book you will find a loving, forgiving, merciful God....But you will also find a jealously, seeking loyalty kind of God. Who like every loving Father disciplines His children because He wants to see them walk the paths of life in the light.

His love and devotion prove true and He will allow nothing to destroy what has been established and He will do everything to preserve it......In the end of this Book His Loyalty wins the hearts of His people and they come to their senses giving Him the love He so fervently desires.

And when you walk out into the open and your path reveals life....Oh the Beauty of TRUTH shall be revealed.

Your path may seem dark right now, but God wants your undivided attention. He wants you to trust that He is the light to see you through to the other side. And Beloved, you just may be overwhelmed with the beauty of it all. The destination you were so fearful of was just a path you needed to take to get that much closer to a Loyal, Jealous, Loving, Merciful and Gracious God.....

The beauty of TRUTH is at the end of the well lit path.

'You are my People!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!' Hosea 2:23

God Bless this Mess

Mama friend stops by to pick up farm fresh eggs. I run to the pantry as she walks into my kitchen, sink all filled with dishes, counter tops all grimy. I smile and ask her how her day is going....She smiles back, tells me it could be better.

I laugh and I invite her to look around, because my days aren't perfect. She asks about our schoolroom, I bring her back through, past the couch filled with folded up clothes and towels. I pray she looks down so she won't trip on my 3 year old's toys scattered about.

We come back to the kitchen and we agree that there never seems to be enough time in the day to get it all done. My flower girls sits at the table I glance over to discover she has opened 4 yogurt cups all at once. I look at my Mama friend as I shake my head.

All my days aren't perfect.

And some how I believe we can minister through the mess.

She walks out the back door big smile of relief. I ask her "Doesn't it make you feel good to know that your not alone in this Mama journey?"

And she says "You know, it's really refreshing to see that someone else is not perfect just like me."

I tell her, "This is life"..............

And how many of us want the Better Homes and Garden picture in the magazine to be what our home should look like?

How many of us lose our way?  How many of us forget why we are here because we obsess over what is not real?

My house isn't always messy. There are days when everything just seems to fall into place. Laundry all folded and put away. Dish washer humming, Ice tea brewing, Washing machine sloshing and supper all baking in the oven. Those next to perfect days, they do happen.......But just as real as they are, the not so good days are just as real.

What matters is that we are real and tangible to the moldable little souls that call us Mama. You must ask yourself.....When you were a child, what do you remember the most? A Mama who never had time for you because she was too busy making her Home into a perfect Better Homes and Garden photo? Or a Mama that took time to be with her children and let some things slide through out her day?..... I don't know about you but, I remember time spent with Mama

We can always wake up striving to be that Mama that God wants us to be. I truly don't think God cares about the photo perfect Home in the magazine half as much as He cares about you and I being the best Mama we can be to those God given blessings down the hall.

God Bless this mess cuz every day life happens here. And we all know life is not perfect this side of heaven.

Lay Your Bible On The Table

The book lays open through out the day. When ever I get the chance and I'm passing through a room I stop, I sit and I soak in nutrients for my soul.

With my busy life and a teething baby it's hard to have a strict schedule. So I do the best I can and leave it open on the table in the kitchen or I bring it to the living room to catch a glimpse while I rock my baby.

If you want your children to have passion, let them see you read with passion. Let them know that you are willing to try anything just to get some Bible time in. Let them see how important it is to you.....how important Christ is to you.

Children are like mirrors...they image who they spend most of their time with. And Mama I believe whether you stay at home or you work out of the home, BE THAT MIRROR! As much as you can.....Even as tired as you are, they need to see what truly matters to you......They will see what matters to you.

There is no other way to stay grounded, filled up, replenished........If you try and live life with out Him, eventually you will crash and burn. 

Give everything over to Him. Lay it at His feet. Let him be in charge. The one that keeps your emotions in check and your heart guarded. You need Him Mama. I need Him........

And don't we all become rushed and we can't seem to find the time. May I make a suggestion?

Lay your Bible on the table. Any where in a central location. Leave it open. And when you pass it by, it's okay to stop every once in a while and soak in a few verses. It truly is better than nothing at all.

Random Ramblings?

There are many things that one can do to walk further away from Christ...Here are a few that come to mind.

1. Live like you have already arrived on the wisdom train.
 For when you feel you have finally arrived, it is then that you have just begun. Always remember you will never run out of room to learn and grow! If you find that trouble always seems to follow you. You must ask the question...Who am I following?

2. Live like you are the supreme Judge of all who may cross your path.
 We are all far from perfect.....I love the way "The Message" reveals this verse-
Matthew 7: 1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
I often wonder about people that always place blame on others and never take the blame for themselves.... The ones that never do anything wrong.....I'm leery of them. Can they really be that perfect? Can they really never have any part in the wrong that's being done?

3. Live like you were never given GRACE.
To Show Jesus and His undeniable LOVE....We must learn GRACE. Grace does not come shouting...Grace comes gently but, firmly holding those in need, accountable in such a way that they see GRACE attainable.

An Beloved when you find yourself doubting and your head is spinning with all that makes you dizzy.....Dig deep and pull up faith. For blessed are those who have not seen and yet still believe. Doubting is healthy, because doubting makes us curiously dig for facts. Makes us seek His face. And the more we seek His face the more we will find TRUTH. The more you will find Him in all the places and spaces that you once thought were filled with doubt. 

Be still and know that HE is GOD......When we are still, God MOVES in and stirs our hearts. He takes all that is broken and redeems the shattered pieces. He builds this beautiful mosaic and lets His light shine through the shards........Oh Beloved can't you just see your stained glass window?

Walking closer to Christ means: Always live knowing you have room to GROW. Live without Judgement, If you are with out sin you may cast the first stone. Live with Grace over flowing. Truly Understand what it cost for Him to give you GRACE. Be still and seek His face and the doubt will have no room to take up residence in your heart........

I write what's on my heart and many times I don't know why God has placed in me the passion to share things that may seem totally random to me But, I have to have faith that what I write is never random to Him!

May God bless your walk with Christ as you and I continue to grow and press on........ 

Lessons on the Farm

I can't say that I grew up on a farm......

But what I can say is that I grew up in a one red light town with rabbits caged in hutches out in my back yard. Mama had a garden full of Swiss chard and there were black berries as big as our thumbs out behind the old garage that no longer stands.

I can tell you that I spent many a weekend riding hay wagons and walking dirt roads. And my sister and I just couldn't get enough of chasing them old Muscovy Ducks up on my Grandmother's farm.

We would walk the pasture afraid of that old bull Because Uncle Ponch and Uncle Dave would tell us stories of how that old bull charges at the sight of red. And me? My favorite pair of jeans were red bell bottoms. I wore them all the time.

Daddy had a tractor named Susie and she would pull a creaky old manure spreader turned wood wagon behind her up oak hill every Saturday. The 50 acre lot needed clearing and we needed fire wood for the winter.

Living in the Country taught me hard work and responsibility.  Taught me about life and death.

I learned never to go near an untamed bull with red bell bottom pants. To stay clear of an electric fence, because girls with long hair can get tangled up trying to crawl under.

I learned the simple life was and is the better life.

I learned that chasing Muscovy ducks can get you in a world of trouble!

Picking wild berries and Black eyed Susans just seem to go together. You can't pick one with out the other.

I learned that old dogs named Woody, really aren't that scary.........really.

I learned that the heat from a wood stove is like no other. So worth all those hours piling wood down cellar. I even learned that you can create happy memories doing something you really never cared doing.

I learned that small town churches can plant seeds. And that those churches should never close their doors because some seeds can lay dormant for a while before they start to grow and produce fruit......I was one of those dormant seeds......

I learned all about playing in creeks and catching minnows. That staying outside was a given. My Mama had to beg us girls to come in.

I learned that there is world of things to do outside if you just unleash your God given imagination. Oh how I long for the kids of this generation to live what we have lived.

I learned that Farms are only as dirty as their farmer. That Raw milk isn't scary. And Fresh eggs are beautiful. I learned that being self sufficient is knowing stability.

I could go on and on........And maybe I will just have to say......

To be continued...........

Unplugged

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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!