I'm Guest posting

Over at Happily Domestic they are gearing up for the Summer Survival Guide 2011. There will be great posts and giveaways! So, hop on over during May and check out the great ideas.

Loving Your Church

Today, as I write this "the church" is referencing the church as a whole. In some places "the church" might be refering to the members as individuals, but not today. Please keep that in mind as you read this post. Today, loving your church is loving them as a whole. Each member and each leader put together as a whole. Showing the world your priorities as you love your church. Loving them so you can shine for Him in this world.

The biggest and best way to love your church is with your time. Making attendance a priority, not only on Sunday morning, but whenever the doors are open. If the church is going to function well, and as a body as Christ has created it, every member must be present. Christ has put each and every church together. He has called the people there with gifts that will compliment each other and work to strengthen other members but also to be an effective light in the community. Without all its parts no body functions as effectively and the church can't function as well if some parts are rarely seen.
1 Corinthians 12:25-27  ...so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

We can also love our church family by training our family. While I believe 100% that the father should be the spiritual leader of the home the mother's are with the children (in most cases) more than the fathers. If we are not continually reminding our children what dad is teaching during family devotions, if we are not supportive of him and following through with the rules and guidelines he lays down, we are undermining his God-given authority. If dads do not train their children in the ways of the Lord the church will not be as effective. It is not the church's job to offer enough children's classes to equip children for the Christian life. That responsibilty was given to the father's

Psalm 78:5 - .....Which He commanded our fathers That they should teach them to their children

If children are not trained at home the church can't focus on outward growth and saving the lost when their own members are not raising their children to love and serve the Lord. Love your church by equiping your children for service.

Matthew 6:21 ...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

Love your church with your offerings.

Bag Bread.

We dumped and poured and squeezed and squished.

We counted and measured and read the directions.

We made some messes.

We loved this project. (The article is published in my all time favorite magazine, Keepers At Home)

We kneaded and punched and dusted with flour.

We rolled and cut and rolled some more.

We waited and waited for the rise.

We made some more messes and wore flour and smiles.

Even the littlest hands joined in.

This was a super fun activity and full of all kinds of educational experiences for the kids. Here are the directions as printed in the Keepers At Home magazine Spring 2003 issue (Yes, I love it that much that I read and reread and reread some more!!)

Bag Bread

In a one gallon zip top bag place -

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp yeast

1 tsp salt

Seal the bag and gently shake to combine. Open the bag and add -

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp honey

1 cup warm water

Squeeze out as much air as possible and after sealing bag again, squeeze and squish until the dough is smooth. (My children needed a little help here). Then open the bag and add -

1 cup white flou

1/2 cup wheat flour

Knead 10 minutes longer. (By the end of this project I had decided that it was just easier and we dumped it onto the table at this point and did our final kneading.)

Let dough (Still in bag if you prefer) rise until doubled.

Grease bread pan.

When dough has risen punch down and remove from bag (or whatever you had it rise in) and place in bread pan (we cut ours into dinner rolls).

Let rise again and then bake at 350 degrees.

ENJOY!!!!

Meaningful Monday

Meaningful Monday.

10 things that I am thankful for to help me start the week off right.

1. A great family weekend.
2. Watching my dad play with my children. Generational love is amazing!!
3. A Svaior that rose for me. He loves me as me. No matter how I feel about myself, my weight, my hair, or my outlook. He love me for me.
4. Tiny green sprouts in my new raised beds. The hope of a great crop and a new season.
5. The safety of all that were the path of the storms that have devestated my area this weekend. Lots of damage but no lives lost. What a merciful God we serve.
6. My Bible. Might sound a little flipant but this week I have been studying and praying about a specific burden on my heart and it never fails to amaze me how the scriptures come alive and speak to us. My Heavenly Father speaks to me, gives me understanding and peace to wait on Him.
7. Laughter. Especially from my children. I never tire of hearing their laughter. It makes me smile everyday.
8. The rainy days. While I am getting tired of the rain and sloppy mud, it has made for lots of arts and crafts and bean playing and fort making. It's great memory making weather.
9. My dishwasher. I can't imagine, as I start a second load of dishes in less than 24 hrs, not having this amaizng appliance. I would be up to my eye balls in dishes today!!
10. Cloth diapers. I love using them. They are cute, safe, clean, and "green".

What are you thankful for today? Or, do you have a prayer request that I can pray for with you? I would love to lift that up for you. To help bear one another's burdens in prayer. Leave it in the comments or shoot me an email at asikes @ yhti. net (just take out the spaces) 

If anyone knows how to make those cool button things for my blog I would love some help. I would like one that people can grab for "Meaningful Mondays"

Couponing Questions?

So to answer a few questions I have had regarding my couponing this week I wanted to share a couple of my favorite websites with you.

The first is Common Sense with Money. She offers lots of internet freebie deals and has detailed posts from about any store you could think of with their weekly sales and where to find coupons to match.

But my new favorite is Money Saving Mom. I love her site for many reasons but the newest and biggest reason she has become my favorite is that on her site under her "Store Deals" drop down menu you will find a "Regional Store" option. Once on that page you can choose from the alphabetical list of literally thousands of stores. Just click a link and it takes you to the blog of someone that has paired up the sale items of the week with great coupons for you!! It saves a ton of leg work!!! And except for the little mom and pop stores around me I haven't found one NOT on the list. I love this feature.

As I go along on this coupon journey I am finding for me the biggest savings is on soaps, cleaners, and personal hygiene products. I don't buy a lot of packaged foods or name brand items so many coupons are not what I need. I have found HUGE savings on cereal. We now use cereal for snacks and meals and any other time we need some quick fill me ups.

The newest thing that I have learned is that you need to buy the paper to make couponing work to its fullest. When you start buying a paper that comes with all the coupon inserts is when I finally started to see the BIG savings. I buy the Post most weekends but I also use THIS site to help me know what will be in the paper so that I know if it is worth if for me that weekend or not.

Between buying the paper and following these sites (which gives you a heads up when certain companies have high value coupons on their websites) I have started saving a lot each week and it is really a fun and frugal endeavor!!

Do you use coupons? Any great sites or ideas you have found to help you save money on the items that we all use?

Meaningful Mondays

1. My children (and all the children from church) did awesome with their Easter program last night.
2. Another night of heart to heart talks with my husband.
3. A new begining each and every day.
4. A new focus, a new plan, and a unified spirit for my husband and I.
5. Little green plants popping their heads up in my raised beds!! It's spring!!
6. Church family and friends that love on you when needed.
7. The way that God supplies each and every need in sometimes the most unexpected ways! He is so good.
8. A sunshiny Monday morning to clean, do laundry, and praise my Heavenly Father.
9. Several plans this week to fellowship with other believers. It is always such a sweet time!
10. Security in knowing that even when I fail, there is forgiveness waiting for me. From Jesus, from my husband, from my kids. I do my best, learn from my mistakes, and ask forgiveness when needed. I am loved, I am cared about,

I was DIED FOR!!!!

What you are thankful for this Easter week? You are special to Christ. He has given each and every person the choice to have this security too. Do you know Him?



Mary or Martha?

Or some of both?

Have a "Martha" house, the "Mary" way.

Enter to win this HUGE giveaway over at Raising Homemakers.

Giveaway ends Friday the 15th.

Needed.

On this gray and cloudy day here in the midwest I thought some pictures of spring were in order. I snapped these beauties the other day and was so happy with how they turned out!!!

31 Things - April

My list of 31 goals for April. One thing, each day for every day of this month. And I am gonna have to step up my game a bit because this is one of the shorter months.

1. Plant raised beds.
2. Plant flowers in the pots at church.
3. Finalize details for summer outreach and schedule first meeting.
4. Log our end of school year hours.
5. Set up file to log summer hours in.
6. Study/Read/Memorize God's Word on a weekly basis.
7. Lose 4 pounds.
8. Run at least 3 days a week. -  I am only running to the top of my hill and back for now. I can see the house the whole time and I go while the two littles are sleeping. At least it is something.
9. Send at least four cards in the mail.
10. Host two sets of friends to dinner.
11. Clean my ceiling fans.
12. Wash my windows, inside and out.
13. Clean my oven.
14. Sell my china set, or at least post it on craigslist.
15. Bake cookies and freeze.
16. Bake bread and freeze.
17. Make at least three freezer meals.
18. Clean out storage room in basement.
19. Dig out super cool gym mats that have been stored away for years. (My girls are gonna love them!!)
20. Pack away all last year's books, papers, etc from school.
21. Do some "Gobble Up Math" with the girls.
22. Scrub my table and chairs.
23. Drink at least 3 quarts of water every day.
24. Birthday shop for the upcoming birthday "season" at our house. 3 months-3 birthdays May-July
25. Make copies of speed drills/math worksheets for summer.
26. Start our reading challenge. Making a caterpillar around the dining room.
27. Clean out past years of school papers and keep only a sampling.
28. Fill my flower pots on the front porch with flowers for this season.
29. Wash down my couch and love seat. Know anyone that owns a steamer?
30. Clean out drawers in kitchen. Organize and purge in anticipation of yard sale this summer.
31. Start looking at dehydrators. It's my next big "want" for my kitchen.

There it is. Late again but there it is. My list for April. 30 days. 30 chores. My goal is to accomplish things I often put off or let the everyday chores crowd out. I am loving the accountability and the fact that I am making time for things I want to get done. If you make a list I would love to see it. Post it and leave me a link. If I have enough takers I will creat a list so that others can come and see too!

Loving Your Children

Next in the "Love is an Action" series is loving your children. There are many ways to love your children and to do it intentionally and well. But today I want to focus on loving your children spiritually.

One of the most effective ways to love your children spiritually is to show them that their spiritual life is of top priority within your home. Church attendance, family Bible study, and scripture memorization are just a few easy ways to love your children spiritually. They will see that you are taking the time to invest in them and to show them how to live the Christian life.

• Church attendance isn't always easy. Life gets busy, we are tired, the baby is crabby, and on and on the list goes. But your children need to see that giving that time to God in corporate worship is important too. Our children learn from example. What are you teaching them through your life?

• Do you engage in family Bible study on a daily basis? It is important to make this part of your family routine. Our families need to be united and focused on living for Christ and how better to stay on the same track than to learn and grow and study together. Include some singing, act out a Bible story, play "Hang-Man" with Bible names and phrases, and maybe draw out the story you are studying. Make it fun, but make it challenging. It will amaze you what your children can learn.

• Scripture memory makes most Christians cringe. But it shouldn't. We are commanded to do it in Scripture and God will equip us to accomplish it if we try. Children are like sponges and they can absorb so much in such a short time. It will blow you away!!! Here are the passages that we started on with our children.

Psalm 23

The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10

If we start early memorizing with them it will be a way of life for them as they get older. Think of all the scripture that they could have memorized and with them no matter what this world threw at them. Powerful stuff!!!

So, if love is an action, let's show our children that we love them by caring for them spiritually.

How do you love your kids spiritually?

Meaningful Monday

It is Meaningful Monday time again. Can you list 10 things you are thankful for? The Lord is so good to us. Let's stop and take just a moment to return His gifts with a voice of praise.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

1.  A soft gentle rain to make the land green.

2. A cloudy morning listening to my children create, draw, and plan special cards for friends. They love to give gifts. Such a great testimony!

Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3. I am so thankful to be called into His ministry. It is an exhuasting job that sometimes leaves your heart hurting and your spirit empty. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is where God has called me and it is where I am happiest.

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4. God's watch care over my family. HIs peace and protection are all we need!

5. A weekend spent with sisters and my mom. Relationships that are priceless to me.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

6. Tiny seeds planted. A sign of spring and of new life to come.

7. Science experiments that work out well. Life lessons learned and ENJOYED! I love watching my children learn and love learning.

8. An approaching Easter celebration. Our hope was born on Christmas, but it was brought to completion on Easter. Without Easter, Christmas would loose its promise!!

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100

9. A homeschool group of families hungry to learn God's Word and to encourage and pray for each other.

10. A family so close that we all sit around on a Sunday night watching, encouraging and cheering on the baby as he tries to roll over for the first time!! It was better than any movie!!

Check it Out!!!

I was shocked when I compared this picture of Josiah at 5 months to the pictures (in the last post) of Jeremiah at 5 months. They look even more alike than I thought.

So Good.

Today has been so good.

We baked cookies this morning. We started early and my children were eating cookie dough at 8:30am!! Oh well, it's all about the "yes" mom thing. Memories are important too. So is health, but it's a balance.

We visited a sweet couple that are like grandparents to us. They were in an accident during a late season snow and they have been itching to see the children. I have been too scared to take them over because of injuries and pain. But they are recovering nicely now. What a blessing from Jesus!!

They were insistent on getting out and having lunch with us. This is something we have been doing with them since Samantha was sitting in a high chair!! Many, many priceless memories made over lunches with them!!

Now the chidlren are playing quietly. They are adjusting well to our no tv choice. We still do watch some as a family but it is out of the living room and off limits during the day.

I am nursing Jeremiah and then off to plant my spinach, peas, radishes, and carrots in my new raised bed!!

What are you up to on this beautiful (at where I live) spring day?

Oh yea!! Look who turned 5 months old this weekend?!?!

Meaningful Monday

1.  A beautiful and productive Saturday spent working with my family. A new raised garden bed, a tilled garden, a cleaned up yard and storage area and a rearranged living room.
2. Hearing my 8 year old sing her heart out to her Savior in worship. Brought tears to my eyes to hear her engage that way. It really is from her heart. Maybe I am (through God's blessings and leading) doing something right as a mother!).
3. Spending lots and lots of time with my mother as she stayed with us last week. Great memories and lots of help!
4. A great time of fellowship with my church family.
5. Good sales, great coupons, and a God who provides all our needs.
6. Five beautiful children that bring a smile to my face and brighten my day. They are truly my greatest blessing!
7. Clothes. When I brought out the spring and summer clothes I was ready to make a list of needed items. By the end the list was empty save one thing for Jeremiah. What a blessing!!!
8. A Godly man that leads our family, puts a high priority on his children's spiritual health, serves others with his whole heart and still loves this woman and her ever changing body even when I don't!
9. Green grass
10. The end of school is in site. Only math books to finish up this year. Moving on to summer schedule!!!

Can you take the "Meaning Monday" Challenge? Come up with 10 things you are thankful for. Leave them in a comment or write a blog post. Let's show others that even Mondays can be meaningful and blessed.

31 Things - The end of March

1.Take photos of my hats and get them posted to Facebook and my blog. Did this. Hosted a giveaway. Now making the hat for the winner.





2.Sew new velcro on the rest of my diapers.  - Got this done. I was one velcro kit short so I will have to pick that up on my next trip to Cotton Babies.



3.Hang a coat rack in the boys' room.



4.Move some toys downstairs now that our basement isn't being used anymore. Moved them slowly over several days and my children didn't even notice they were gone!!



5.Move toys from storage upstairs and organize play room better. Did this and it has made a world of difference.




6.Pick school books for next year and get my list ready for the used book sales coming up. Got this done!



7.Plan garden layout and buy seeds.  Seeds are bought and ready for spring!!



8.Plant seeds indoors and early crops outdoors. - Got my dirt and my cups. Gonna plant on Monday!



9.Organize pantry once the shelves are built. Doesn't look as if shelves will be ready. This will have to wait.



10.Finish church directory. Rough draft is done. Final editing to do and then print!!



11.Finish Mother's Day/Father's Day preperations.  Dates are set and ideas in motion. They are right on track to be stress free and planned well. (Thanks, Amy for the help)



12.Host a Puzzle Party for the kids so we can see what puzzles still have all the pieces.



13.Pull out spring/summer clothes. I am so blessed! I pulled out all of the clothing and everyone has enough. I need to buy Jeremiah a few rompers but that is all. And that will be FUN!!



14.Shop for next winter's clothes for Maggie.


15.Start Christmas shopping. I have officially bought 2 gifts!!



16.Sprout Beans This was great fun for the kids! We are watching them get bigger and bigger each day.


17.Clean out storage room in the basement.   This is done and it was a huge job. I was super blessed to have help from my mom.



18.Start baking all our bread homemade. I haven't bought bread all month!!!



19.Go on at least one date with my husband. We went out last week on a super "hot" date. We grabbed some yummy Mexican for dinner, ran to Wal-Mart and came home to watch a movie. We were home by 8pm!! And in bed around 11:00! I think we are getting lame in a "old" age!



20.Buy scrapbooks for Kate and Jeremiah. (I'm determined to do this again. Haven't touched it in years. But I love it!!)



21.Mail a card a week to a friend.  I made more phone calls and sent a few "just thinking of you" messages and emails, but nothing threw the mail. BUMMER. Oh well, maybe next month.



22.Host two families for dinner. I ended up hosting four families/parts of families this month for either lunch or dinner. It was a great time each and every time.



23.Wipe down my cabinets. This has been done!! It needed it badly!



24.Clean my dishwasher. (Sounds funny but it needs it!!) This is harder than it sounds. It's a work in progress still.



25.Finalize vacation lodging for Sept. This is just about done. Got to call in our reservations!!



26.Start making calls for a big outreach idea I have for this summer. Made the call. It's in the works!!



27.Pick on Easter skit and music and start practices. Practice starts tomorrow!!



28.Buy fabric for Josiah's bed spread. We were gifted one so this isn't needed anymore.



29.Make Kate a jean skirt to match Maggie and Samantha's. It isn't a jean skirt but I made a skirt this weekend. I'll post pictures soon.



30.Clean out under my kitchen sink. This job is done and it makes me smile each time I open the cabinet!




31.Take more pictures each week of my family and our lives. I have been much better about this. I am hoping to get a small camera for my purse to help me capture our lives more thoroughly.


Well, a few things will have to be added to April's list, but I got a lot more of the "extra" chores done this month. This list (and posting it here) kept me motivated to get things done. Be watching later this week for my new list for April!