Can I Wear Pants and Still Love Jesus?

...or listen to pop culture music...
...or watch movies...
...or play sports...
...or wear make up...
...or have tattoos...

The list goes on and on, right!?

We have talked about modesty here in the past several times.  As a matter of fact, our most read post of the blog history is a post my oldest daughter wrote years ago called Modesty- a Command, Not a Conviction. Obviously it struck a chord with a lot of people.  Two other posts that sent people thinking was  What ARE You Wearing and Where Did Modesty Go?

Some people know exactly how they feel about the subject of modesty.  Some are just searching for answers and quite frankly, some of us are just terribly confused.

Modesty in the way we dress is pretty easy for me to understand.  Don't dress in a way that shows personal parts of your body to others.  Period. As we tell our kids, there is more than one way to share your body.  Low necklines and tight clothes often do that.  But after that, the lines get a bit more fuzzy.  Where do jeans fit in, and pants and shorts?  Does wearing those things make you love Jesus less?

How about music and movies?  Yes, things with filthy language and sexual themes are an easy out.  But what about sweet love songs, or timeless operas or old movies?  I may decide to avoid them, but do they somehow make you love Jesus less if you choose them?

And playing sports?  And wearing makeup?

See where this could go?

I do not claim to have all the answers.  Trust me I have been looking.

What I am here to say is don't be quick to judge!

It's that simple.

We can think we know the hearts and minds of others based on what we see and what we think, but the truth is no one can do that besides Jesus.

Don't mishear me.  God's rules are GOD'S rules and they are to be followed.  But man made laws based on personal convictions and ideas are a different thing.

Just think of the people we may miss in our lives because of quick, un-informed judgements.

I can love Jesus and not be JUST like you.  And vice versa.  Praise the Lord for those who understand that and love regardless.

May I continue to learn to love regardless!

Blessings,

A Little More Love

One last "spreading the love Wednesday" for you!

We have had fun the past two Wednesdays giving away Bibles, first one for children and this morning, one for families to Sarah M.

Our last giveaway- this one is for you ladies! This hardback journaling Bible is beautiful!

The single columns allow for space for notetaking or fancy journaling.

 

 Can't wait to share it with one of you!

But ladies, let's not let the love stop here.  Let's aim to spread love throughout the year and not just save it for February.  The world could use a little more love and a little less hate!

Leave me a comment to be entered to win and don't forget to let me know how to reach you if you win.  We will choose a random winner next Wednesday.

Blessings,

Spreading the Love in February

Welcome back!  Last week we decided in the middle of all the YUCK in the world these days and to combat the amount of it being spewed on Facebook, that we would try to do something radical- spread the love to others.  Our first Bible giveaway winner was Cheryl C- we pray she and her family will enjoy The Beginner's Bible for years to come!

We are ready to bless someone else with another Bible this week!  This time we have The ESV Family Devotional Bible!  We had the privilege of reviewing this Bible recently and love the format!

If you do not have a regular family time with your kiddos, or are just not sure how to start, this Bible can help you with questions to get you talking about what you have read.

 

Fill out the rafflecopter below for your chance to win!  A random winner will be chosen next Wednesday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings,

No More Joy Stealing!

I don't know about you, but I am so sick of hearing about politics.  I do not mean to be naive and act like the issues are unimportant, really I don't, but I am just not convinced ranting on Facebook or bashing people has ever solved any problems.  Last week I had a BLEH week and I finally realized that Facebook had really worn me down.  The hatred spewed and the hopelessness that people kept spreading completely stole my joy.  I LET it steal my joy.  No more!

Oh friends, do not think for one moment that I do not care how you feel or that I do not hurt when you hurt, but there has JUST got to be a better way.  We cannot allow our insistence of our rights to trump the rights of others.  I choose not to be a part of the negativity.  We need to love more and hate less.  God calls us to more.

I choose to trust God and keep my eyes on Him!  None of what is happening in the world has escaped His notice or is outside of His plan.


Don't believe me?  Pick up a Bible and read it!

 

So funny thing, as I pondered this post prior to writing it, I was also involved in some serious cleaning and purging.  You know, my whole 34 Weeks of Clean project?!  (Yes, I do what I assign people, I assure you!)  During that purging I found THREE amazing Bibles (aren't they all)  that I have reviewed and now have sitting around as extras, not being used.  Trust me when I say this family is surrounded by Bibles.  Except my Bible, which strangely disappeared in December, but that is a whole different post that is too hard to even write about at the moment.

So for the next three weeks, we are giving away those Bibles for someone else to enjoy!  If you know someone who would be blessed by one, enter!  If your Bible is falling apart from all the love, enter!  If you don't know about Jesus and want to, enter!  Share the word and let's turn social media around with something more lasting than the worries of today!

God has got this!

So we have a Children's Bible, a Family Devotional Bible, and a Women's Journaling Bible.  You are welcome to enter all three weeks!

Let's start with The Beginner's Bible!  Enter below and we will announce the winner next week, as well as show you the next one up!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy February friends!  May you be blessed with the Lord's love above all! 

Follow Him!- 52 weeks of Family Scripture Memorization

What kind of parent are you?

Gracious in your words and actions?
Merciful?
Patient?
Kind and loving?

Does it just depend on the day?

I would like to say that I am a great mom.  Always gracious and merciful and patient and loving.  But if I said that I would not be completely honest.

Because sadly, I am not.

I would like to be. I long to be.  And on some days I may come close.  But often stress gets the best of me.  Busyness takes up my time.  Anger creeps in.  I fail.

And then I do and say things that I wish I had not done and said.

But, God... well, He is not me.  And He never fails!

While I strive daily to do better and show my children what graciousness, patience, mercy, and love look like, in my human weakness I will never be perfect and sometimes I will fail.  

So instead of saying "follow me," I am trying to teach them-

Follow Him!  Jesus.  The one that is perfect.  

As we get closer to the Christmas season and turn our eyes to Jesus, let us remind our children that by following Him we can learn what graciousness, mercy, patience and love really look like.

And then let's take the time to show those things to those around us.

Blessings,

*For the rest of the year we will be focusing on scripture from the Christmas Story!  We hope you will join us!

Welcome to summer- 52 Weeks of family scripture memorization

Did you think I forgot you? Sorry, this post is a few days delayed...vacation got the best of me and while I managed to schedule all of the posts ahead of time last week, this one slipped through the cracks.  Maybe I should have changed the verse to one about diligence! ;)

Glad you are still with us!  I know it may seem like here we go again, but I really do feel that scripture memorization is important.  Especially for kids.  They are at a perfect age to learn quicker and more easily than those of us you are, ummmmm, older.  There are so many times in my conversations that I wish I could bless someone with a verse from the Bible but find myself not doing so because of lack of confidence.  What a lost moment!  I want my kids to better equipped!

So this week-

Yep, a pretty short one this week.  If you have slightly older kids, I would encourage you to have them memorize the rest of the verse.  Maybe even have a friendly competition to see who in the family can memorize the longest portion.  Then treat everyone who tries to ice cream at the end of the week.  (sounds like a good motivator to me!)  

Since many of your kids that regularly attend AWANA or similar programs are off for the summer, I hope you will join us in continuing to hide God's word in their hearts weekly.  

Blessings,

Home four years. Happy Home Day, CJ!

Happy Home Day, Son!

Yes, it has been four years since our sweet boy joined our family.  Four years since we traveled from Guatemala and landed in Houston with a new US citizen, and then on to Wyoming.

For those who don't know our story, here is a short version.  I wanted to adopt for years.  Longed for it really.  My husband did not.  Yep, no longing.  So for years I would bring it up occasionally, show him a few pictures of the beautiful orphans waiting for families, and he would reply, "if God wants us to adopt he will have to sky write for me."

A few months would go by, OK, maybe a few weeks, and I would bring it up again.  Him- same answer, waiting for the sky writing.

It went that way for years.

Then, God did a little sky writing.  He can use anything, right?  This time he used the military and sent my husband to Africa for 7 months unexpectedly.

And a few weeks into that adventure my sweet, wonderful, loving husband called and asked if I still wanted to adopt.  Ummm, YES!

If you asked him what changed, he can't really seem to  say, but obviously God changed his heart.

Fast forward many months and this is the referral we got...

3 days old

 

4 months old at referral

How could you not just fall in love with that sweet baby?!

God's timing is always best, but I will tell you that after waiting for years to get a yes from my hubby, waiting another 17 months to bring our son home was hard.  Very hard.  Extremely hard.

But he did come home...four years ago today.  And we were blessed beyond measure.

This kid brings me laughter.
And love.
And the sweetest kisses.
And sometimes challenges beyond belief.  ;)

But mostly he brings me the reminder that God is faithful, that He loves us, that He wants the best for us and that He loves the orphans of this world.

So do we.  We are called to.

James 1:27- Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after the orphans and widows in their distress..."

A Tree, A Homecoming and other random stuff...

Well, I should start with the homecoming...

Can you find her under the pile of boys?

She's back!  Woo hoo!  Can I just say it is so nice to have all my little chicks under one roof.  College may be good, but having everyone home is even better.  ;)

And then there is the last tree which I refused to put up until she got home.  All decorated and NOW the season can begin.

 

 

Not safe, I know, but someone was holding onto him!

We have been busy making cookies, sewing, singing, reading, watching Christmas movies and just being together.  Oh, how I love this time of year.  It is a time that forces our family to slow down and remember what is important in life.  Activities and endless busyness may be short term fun, but there is a danger in allowing even the good things in life to crowd out the BEST things.  I encourage you, my friends, to remember that FAMILIES, no matter what that looks like in your lives, are the BEST things!  Take time to enjoy them this special holiday season.  Hold them close and tell them you love them.  We all need to be reminded.

You are not alone, my friend!

Last week, I was at Hallmark buying a hand load of cards to send to my college girl and a few of her friends that have left the nest as well.  A BIG hand load.  So I felt the need to explain myself.  (I know, I know, it is a fault I am working on)  I mumbled something about just leaving my oldest at college and immediately the checkout gal gasped, manged to get out a weak "me too" and got teary.

ahhhhhhhhhhhh, someone just like me.  And if I had not had that annoying trait of needing to explain everything to everyone, I would have missed her and her sad heart.  Instead I was able to take a breath (to fight my tears), tell her I understood, and assure her we would get through and that I would pray for her.  And I will!  Just as a new friend of mine has committed to pray for ME every time she misses her son (don't you just love that concept?  Thank you Jan!), I now have another person I can pray for when I feel those heartstrings get tugged at.

How many people do we pass through the day, do you think, that are just like us...

hurting
lonely
tired
stressed
sick
or whatever...

that need a friend and a prayer?  Oh, that I may open my eyes and be that friend!  It is hard, it takes time and it takes commitment, but God calls us to love others none the less. 

Are we making the effort?

Am I?

Encourage one another and build each other up.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

940 Saturdays

That is how many Saturdays you will have with your child from the day the are born until they turn 18, according to Harley Rotbart from No Regrets Parenting. 

940 Saturdays!

That is really not that many, take it from a mommy whose oldest turned 18 recently and is getting ready to head to college. 

After reading that statistic I tried to see if I could remember as many of our Saturdays together as I could.  Some are easy- a party here, a vacation there.  But many just somehow slid into oblivion.  And that makes my heart sad.  Not that I should remember every minute mind you, I am over 40 now, but certainly I should remember many.

Am I just letting the days slip by one by one, or am I making the most of every minute.  Are you?!
Am I creating memories for my family or just wasting time on trivial things?  How about you?
Am I loving my children as best I can today knowing that soon they will be off on their own?  Are you?

CJ really is a happy boy, he just was NOT Having fun getting pictures that day! :)

Life gets busy with many important things, but NONE as important as family.  Let's vow together to make sure we show them how important they are...for 940 Saturdays and MORE!

My hubby and oldest are headed home tomorrow from a mission trip- planning a special Saturday to welcome them back.  Family Fun Friday just won't be quite the same without them tonight!

Kid Time!

I passionately love my kiddos.  Bet 'cha knew that!  But here's the thing I have been pondering...do they know that?  You see, when you have four kiddos, or two or three or up for that matter, God in His humor makes them all very different...just to keep you on your toes!  So each of my four sees mom and dad's love a little differently.

My firstborn...she is a physical touch gal...hug her, she's happy!
My second...she is a gift gal...enough said!
My third...he's a little harder to figure out, but gifts and time seem to work for now.
The four year old...TIME!  Play with me, are you going to play with me, who's going to play with me...you get the idea!

See what I mean...it is enough to make a momma's head spin some days!  Most days!  And it is easy to smile  and send them on their way while I get caught up in the business of the day.  So today I am challenged to purposely spend time with each of them, speaking their language in some small way...which will be big to them.  I can tell them I love them often, but I want them to KNOW it, to feel it to the very center of their core.
Kind of sounds like the Lord...He loves us, but do we know it...to the very center of our core?  Do we make time for Him as He gives us His touch, gifts, time and yes, even blesses us with playtime in our lives?  Let me assure you...He longs to lavish us with all those things and more!

John 3:16 "for God so LOVED the world..." 

So inspire me...leave a note on this blog and tell me... how do you plan to love your children today?  I really want to know!