Still Catching Up

I went black friday shopping for the first time ever. I must say, it was kinda fun. I didn’t get to the stores so early that my heels got run over, and I also wasn’t shopping for any big ticket items. I just love a good deal. I like to challenge myself to see how creative I can be and keep Christmas cheap, while still finding some great gifts. Overall, there were only  a few stores with “great” deals. Walmart and Kohls had several very decent deals. Walmart has streamlined black friday very well, they know what they are doing for the most part. Kohls on the other hand, had a line to the back of the store that was very unappealing. It almost wasn’t worth the deals to stand in line that long, but I decided to b/c there were some good deals that I wanted for gifts (and I had time).

We had a very good thanksgiving. We went down to my dad’s house in the morning and then followed him into town at noon and had thanksgiving dinner with his wife’s family. We ended up staying all day until about 6:30pm. We had such a fun day. We were pretty exhausted by the time we got home. I planned on getting some sleep before waking up for black friday shopping, but our hispanic neigbors decided they were going to blast their music and have a fiesta. My husband asked them once to turn the music down and they just turned it back up later. They were singing and carrying on over there, so my husband called the cops about the noise around 11:30pm. After the cops left they were still carrying on and then we heard them having a fist fight, so my husband called the cops again. Finally they settled down well after midnight. Needless to say I didn’t get that much sleep. We really can’t wait to get out of these townhouses with paper thin walls. Owning a home is going to be well worth it for that alone!

I’m still trying to catch up from my wisdom teeth removal down time. I’ve finally put a dent in getting my coupons sorted and cut. I am still behind but no as far. I sat and wrapped most of the Christmas presents last night, but now we have nowhere to put them in the house. My sink is full of dishes as usual, but all in all my house is not that bad. I’m learning to let go more and more to the little things like dishes and baskets of laundry. I’m realizing with 2 very young children, my expectations may need to be a bit lower so I don’t stress myself out too much trying to make things perfect. I can relax and spend more time with my kids.

On the way home from thanksgiving dinner, my husband and I had a very long and wonderful discussion about where God is leading us in our service to him. We’ve discussed attending theological seminary online to further our understanding of scripture and prepare ourselves to serve him more. Recently I came across RTS Virtual : Reformed Theological Seminary Online. It looks very good and I am going to look into it more.

The Country in the Girl

There is just something so confining about any town that I can’t get around. Something constricting the freedom that is waiting to be released within myself. In this tiny townhouse with no yard to run away from the traffic. Nowhere to go to be alone. At least, not really alone.

It’s so funny how teary-eyed I get when I think of the country. But how can a kid really be a kid without at least a yard to run free in? Let alone a field. I miss it so badly. The fences to duck under and climb over. Rows of haybales to hide in, sleep in. Barns to explore, hills to roll down, corn rows to navigate, places to spin and fall down. Secluded places in nature to talk to God.

We all have a place that is dear in our hearts. Where do you go when you close your eyes? Where is the place you long more than anywhere to be?

And so I’ve set a goal for myself this evening as I type and dream. I want my sons to know the country that is so dear to my heart. I want to take my sons to visit the country where my dad still farms. I want them not only to run free, but also to know the joy and hard work that is country life.

A few things I’ve learned in life…

There are two surefire ways to lose weight without really trying. 1.) Get pregnant and have outrageous queasiness for 4 months straight. 2.) Get all four of your wisdom teeth removed at once.

The best person to wake up to in the morning is a short, drooling, toothless person.

Becoming a mother taught me to let go of little messes. Becoming a mother of 2 kids under the age of 3 taught me to let go of the bigger messes. Being the mother of 2 kids under the age of 3 and having all four of my wisdom teeth removed at once taught me to let go of the BIGGEST messes.

The house won’t fall to pieces if dad is in charge for a week. Really.

Jello & Pudding & Ice Cream, Oh My!

Probably the reason I’m so very tired; I’m existing on jello, pudding, ice cream, and soup while nursing a hungry little 3 month old! The last few days have been ROUGH to say the least. A daze of consciousness between pain and pain medication; I’m finally seeing the end of the tunnel.

There is some good news. My recovery time has allowed me to think about things at a slower pace and start books I otherwise wouldn’t have started.

Firstly, I am almost halfway through The Deadliest Monster, an introduction to worldviews and theology. So far, an excellent read for any christian in better understanding the logic of our Christian faith and the fallacy of other worldviews.

Literate, witty, incisive and provocative, The Deadliest Monster is a remarkable book. Part worldview handbook, part theological primer, and part introduction to belles letters, it is a genuine delight to both heart and soul. I can’t think of a better book for home schoolers, Sunday School teachers, youth pastors, or Christian educators to use to understand all the implications of the biblical view of the nature of man. Jeff Baldwin has done us all a great service.

by George Grant, author of Grand Illusions

Secondly, I was introduced to an invaluable resource for Christians on the web. Christian Classics Ethereal Library contains hundreds, if not thousands of Christian classics for free on the web or in text download. Pay a small fee for PDF and other formats.

The mission of the CCEL is to build up the church by making classic Christian writings available and promoting their use.

Hot Cocoa Mix

This makes a wonderful Christmas gift to last all year long. Who doesn’t love Hot Cocoa? Mix up a batch or more for each family you gift to. Each “batch” makes 16 servings. Throw in some marshmallows for an extra treat.

• 3 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 cup powdered nondairy creamer
• 1/2 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

1.) In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in airtight container.

Instructions for making a cup of Hot Cocoa:

For each serving, place 1/3 cup mix in a mug and add 3/4 cup boiling water.

According to His Choice, Not Our Works…

Wisdom…. teeth

Tomorrow is the big day. I’ll wake up and nurse my precious Ezekiel one last time before I take an oral sedative… and PRAY that he will take a bottle well enough for daddy. I need all four of my wisdom teeth removed. I have ONLY ONE cavity that needs filled. I most dread having one of my front teeth removed. It is a baby tooth that never came out and the adult tooth grew in behind it. I’m only nervous because I’ll look as if I’m missing a tooth there for quite some time… and I’ll need braces at the beginning of next year. I really don’t want to be toothless. I REALLY REALLY don’t want to be toothless. I am 22 for crying out loud! But I digress… The work needs to be done and I’m glad I’ll be able to put it behind me, and hopefully be able to enjoy food again without impacted wisdome teeth and sore, swollen, bleeding gums.

Today I am listening to my personalized Pandora radio station Pop Mellow Rock.

I ran across an article by James White (Alpha & Omega Ministries) concerning the book What Love is This? by T.A. McMahon (The Berean Call). What Love is This? is a book attacking and refuting Calvinism as heresy and wholly unbliblical. However, much of T.A. McMahon’s book is, as James White puts it, “a poorly researched, badly argued, often shrill attack upon a straw-man caricature of Reformed theology.” If you have the time to skim through, please do. The article is called The Great Calvinistic Conspiracy by James White.

My Favorite Frugal Christmas Gifts

As usual, Christmas is nearing and my family is on a tight budget. With the purchase of a new home nearing, money is needed in many other places and for many other things. Christmas gifts get to be at the bottom of the list this year. It’s probably a good thing. For us, Christmas isn’t about shopping or buying. Christmas isn’t even really about trees, lights, or gifts. Christmas is about honoring Christ and his birth, God taking on the flesh of man. Good thing I have a few tricks up my sleeve for frugal Christmas gifts.

Hot Chocolate Mix – I think it’s becoming a tradition of mine to make hot chocolate mix for family and friends at Christmas time.

Chocolate Coated Coffee spoons

Milk Baths & Aromatherapy Baths – Mix any combanation of evaporated milk, oatmeal, herbs, essential oils, etc, into a washcloth or muslin cloth. Tie with a long ribbon, long enough to hang on the faucet while running a bath.

Gifts in a Jar/Muffin, Cobbler, or Brownie mixes

Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Fudge, or other treats – Tie up with colored celophane and package in a pretty basket, tin, etc.

Giant Cookies – let the kids decorate with frosting and sprinkles.

Nuts, Oranges & Apples- Fills stockings with these seasonal treats.

Mugs full of teas & gourmet coffee

I’m not JUST a homemaker.

My official job title is the keeper at home. I feel it is my duty to care for my family and be at home with my children, seeking to raise them in the wisdom, instruction, and admonition of the Lord. But as much as my life as my job title fulfills; I am much more than a housewife.

I enjoy being a student of the scriptures. My husband and I have a passion for the Word of God and it’s contextual contents. We seek to know the truth as revealed to believers in the Bible.

Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

I seek to be informed of the issues at hand in our country and world today; And when I approached the polls, I voted through my knowledge of the scriptures. I trust in God, that he knew the outcome of the 2008 elections before the foundations of the earth were laid, and that he has willed the present condition of our country to bring glory and honor to himself and bring about the revelations of the bible upon the earth.

On this earth and at this time I am many things. But in the end, I am one of God’s children. Let us seek the things of eternal value for ourselves and for our children, bringing Glory to God.