Biblical Womanhood

Thursday, July 03, 2008

In New York harbor stands a lady,
with a torch raised to the sky.
And all who see her, know she stands for
liberty for you and I.

I'm so proud to be called an American
To be named with the brave and the free
I will honor our flag and our trust in God,
and the Statue of Liberty.

On lonely Golgotha, stood a cross,
with my Lord raised to the sky.
And all who kneel there live forever,
as all the saved can testify.

I'm so glad to be called a Christian,
to be named with the ransomed and whole.
As the statue liberates the citizen,
so the cross liberates the soul.

Oh, the cross is my Statue of Liberty,
it was there that my soul was set free;
Unashamed I'll proclaim that a rugged cross
is my Statue of Liberty.

-Neil Enloe

Have a blessed fourth of July celebration!

We're really excited about having some quality family time with Jesse off work! We're planning a breakfast picnic tomorrow morning (homemade cinnamon rolls and fruit) while watching our community July 4th parade. After the parade, my husband and I are dropping our girls off with friends and sneaking out for a date (all by ourselves--something we've only done a handful of times since having children!), and then we're heading to our friends' home for an evening of fun, fellowship, food, fireworks, and festivities!

Note: We'll be skipping Frugal Friday this week (save your great ideas for next week!). See you Monday, Lord-willing!

Graphic from AllPosters.com

Guest Post: Ten Tips for Avoiding Burn Out

Guest Post from "Toblerone" who blogs at Simple Mom

Busy stay-at-home moms are, well, busy. And unfortunately, the moms themselves are the ones who usually go by the wayside--we wake up at 3 a.m. to nurse and then yawn through the day. We teach our children the alphabet, but barely have time to read to learn something new ourselves. We spin multiple plates, and ultimately fall down burned-out, exhausted, and if we're not careful, bitter.

How do we take care of ourselves in a God-glorifying manner? I am not advocating not doing any of the above. It is a blessing to have a precious baby to feed, I love watching my daughter's eyes brighten when she learns something new, and I wholeheartedly accept that God has a myriad of tasks for me that make up my wonderful job of MOM.

But I think He wants us to take care of ourselves, too. After all, we're His daughters. If we teach our children to live a life pleasing to Him--while neglecting to nurture our own selves for His glory--how soluble is the message we're sending?

Here are 10 tips for avoiding burn out throughout the day:

1. Go outside. When I've been inside all day, I get lethargic and mopey. A 30-minute walk with my kids in tow will re-energize and lift my spirits. An hour-long trip to the neighborhood park will realign my attitude about my day's remaining tasks. Summer is here, so now's the time to take advantage of great weather.

2. Read the Word. We all know the story of Susannah Wesley covering her head with her apron so that she could have time alone with God amongst her 19 children. We may not need to do that, but we definitely need our time with the Father. Spend 15 minutes in your favorite chair, reading your Bible. Read it aloud while your kids color--you'll be surprised what the Holy Spirit will do within you just to hear truth spoken in your home. Not to mention your kids!

3. Take a shower and freshen up. This isn't always possible, but if it's 2 p.m. and you're still in your jammies, nap time would be a great time to get yourself clean. You'll feel so much better (and prettier, too).

4. Get creative. Finger paint with your kids. Bake something you've not yet tried. Dig in the garden. Find a craft that's both fun for your children and useful for you. A few hours of creative freedom does a world of good for me.

5. Go to bed! Seriously. Give yourself a bedtime and stick to it. When you get enough (or at least more) sleep, you'll have a transformed attitude and renewed energy.

6. Set a timer. Allot a specific amount of time for your daily tasks, and pepper them throughout your day so you don't burn out. When I tackle the entire kitchen in one fell swoop, I'm often too wiped out to accomplish much else. But if I schedule four 30-minute sessions of cleaning with 15-minute breaks in between, I'll have more energy to move on to the next task once the kitchen is done. Less chance of being crawl-to-bed exhausted by nightfall.

7. Monitor your computer time. I wrote about using a great little free online tool, and it has really helped me. If you log how much time you spend checking e-mail, reading blogs, or just surfing, you'll be shocked how much time will go down the drain. When you intentionally cut yourself off, you'll be more productive and more "with" the real world--which really will encourage you.

8. Make realistic to-do lists. When you list 25 things on your daily to-do list, you're setting yourself up for failure. When you plan on 10 things, you up your chances of crossing everything off (one of the best feelings ever!). When you're done, you can play with your kids, sit in the backyard and read, or even get a head start on tomorrow's list. You can make a master weekly list so you don't forget those 25--or 30--things, and leave them for the next day. There's always tomorrow.

9. Read a book. Even if it's one page before you konk out for the night, you'll stimulate your mind, and depending on the book's topic, you'll learn something new. What you read can also provide lively discussion at the dinner table with your husband.

10. Smile. Make a concerted effort to go about your day smiling, and sure enough, you'll probably feel better. You may look goofy, but your kids won't care--in fact, you'll probably lift their spirits, too. While you're at it, why not try laughing? As a mom, you've got plenty of fodder to keep you snickering!

"Toblerone" is a stay-at-home mom with a graphic design business. She and her family live overseas (for security reasons, she can't say exactly where on the internet), and can be found blogging at Simple Mom.

Graphic from AllPosters.com

Labels: Avoiding Burn Out

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Giveaway: 5-pack of personalized place mats from Olive Kids

Winner of the two CDs from Genevan Foundation: Catherine

Today's giveaway is especially for those of you with younger children in your family--a 5-pack set of personalized placemats from Olive Kids.

These colorful placemats will be sure to add a cheerful touch to your dining room table. Your children will love them, and best of all, you can choose from a wide variety of designs to pick the perfect match for your child's personality and interests!

Olive Kids recently sent us the above bedspread and sheet set for Kathrynne's room, along with a matching personalized framed print. Let me tell you, Kathrynne was thrilled and I was excited to find something cute, feminine, fun, and high-quality for her room.

From their website:

Olive Kids designs kids bedding , kids lamps, borders, kids clocks, kids rugs, kids bedroom accessories and personalized kids products to help create a fun and creative room for kids. No TV characters, just fun, colorful kids bedding for boys and girls at a great price!

To enter to win your own set of personalized place mats:

::Visit Olive Kids and browse their extensive collection of children's room decor and more.

::Choose one of your favorite products and leave a comment with your top pick (be sure to include your name and blog link or email address so I can get in touch with you if you win!).

::This giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S.

::I'll choose and post a winner next Wednesday.

Labels: Giveaways

Lovin' That Man of Mine: Speak words of encouragement

"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." Proverbs 14:1

Have you been building up your man recently? While I know that every man is different and has different needs, I think it is pretty universal that men need to be affirmed. They need to constantly be hearing words of encouragement, love, and admiration.

Proverbs 31:26 says of the virtuous woman, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." I was recently looking at what that word "kindness" means in the Hebrew. Guess what? One of the meanings is "rarely [speaking] reproof". While I believe there is definitely a time and a place for a wise appeal or even a gentle, loving reproof, what characterizes our speech should be kindness.

I find it very helpful to ask myself each day, "How often have I built up my husband in my words today?"

Stop and put yourself in your husband's shoes: think of the stress he may be undergoing; think of the burdens he's bearing; think of the trials he's facing. When I do this, I usually overwhelmed with gratitude towards my husband for all he does!

If you find it helpful, you might consider making a list of at least ten specific things you are thankful for in your husband. Once I sit down and start writing, I often have trouble stopping at just ten!

Don't just think it these thoughts of gratitude or just write them down--take time to express them your husband. Verbalize to him every single day your appreciation for him and your admiration of him.

My husband tells me that it means the world to him when I take even just a few minutes every day to communicate how much I love him and how thankful I am for him. It's such a simple thing, but it can have profound impact on his day.

Since my husband is currently working in a job where he spends a large part of his day on the computer, I try to write him an email at least a few times per week for no reason but to tell him how much I love him and express gratitude for specific things he's done recently. It always amazes me how much this means to him. It might take me two minutes to compose and send and it often will put a smile on his face and a spring in his step for the whole day!

What creative ideas do you have for expressing admiration and appreciation for your husband?

Labels: Lovin' That Man of Mine

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

From a Grateful Daughter: Lessons Learned from Godly Parents - Part 1

I well remember those days growing up... you know, those days when it seemed like everything went wrong: the baby was fussy and wouldn't nap, the house was a mess, there were piles of dirty laundry overflowing out from the laundry room, everyone was in a bad mood, and after a few hours, mom would end up in tears saying, "I just can't do this any more..."

My parents didn't choose to have seven children and school us all at home because it was easy. Not hardly! In fact, when we first started homeschooling--back when I was in second grade--homeschooling was very uncommon; we knew only a handful of other homeschooling families, we were the only homeschoolers in our church, and you better believe our relatives thought my parents had practically lost their minds.

Yet with very little support, my parents stepped out in faith and followed where the Lord was leading them. And I'm sincerely grateful that they were faithful to God's calling--even when the going was tough. Their sacrifices and perseverance in spite of difficulty and their Godly example to me has forever changed the person that I am.

In this series I want to express my gratitude to my parents for their profound influence in my life me in hopes that it might be an encouragement to all of you parents out there to keep on, keeping on. Your labors are not in vain--even on those really difficult days.

Labels: Lessons My Parents Taught Me

Encouragement for young moms: Your hard efforts will pay off

Lee commented on this post:

I'm amazed that you get so much done. I feel like I'm forever trying to get things done, but with the 2-year-old and the 6-month-old, all I really get done is diapers, potty training, and nursing. It just amazes me.

Lee, don't fret! It sounds like you are doing a magnificent job! Focus on loving and taking care of your babies right now and don't worry about how much other mamas get done. There are probably a lot of things you do that I don't.

And please remember, I have a 3-year-old and a 12-month-old. I think that is a huge difference from having a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old. Since Kathrynne has turned three, she has taken on so much extra responsibility and become so helpful to me. I couldn't do the half of what I do if she weren't so helpful!

I remember the first day she took herself potty all by herself. I about fell over! I couldn't believe that my child could do something all by herself as I'd become so accustomed to having to do almost everything for her since she wasn't old enough yet.

Just a year later, she can now help fold the laundry, pick up her toys, empty the trashes, entertain Kaitlynn, get her own breakfast, get her own drinks, bring me things, put things away for me... and she's almost even perfected getting herself in and out of her car seat!

My biggest encouragement to you would just be to be faithful in lovingly training, guiding, and nurturing your little ones right now. If all you get done are the bare basics, that's entirely okay. Loving and caring for your children is much more important than a host of other projects you could spend your day doing. And in a few years, your hard effort will pay off!

Labels: Mothering

Monday, June 30, 2008

Making My Home a Haven: A peek into our day today

I had all these visions of the pictures I was going to share along with this post, but alas, my camera battery died and the replacement I thought I had turned out to be no good. Oh well!

It's been a rather productive day around here, despite interruptions (they're the stuff life is made up of, aren't they?!). My morning began with the usual early-morning routine: nurse Kaitlynn, read my Bible, start some laundry, make Jesse's lunch, head out for a morning run, take my vitamins, and put Kaitlynn back to bed.

After Jesse was out the door, I settled down to check my email, moderate blog comments, and post a few quick posts over on MoneySavingMom.com. Then the girls were up and it was time to start our normal mid-morning routine: breakfast, my shower, girls' baths, fix hair (Kathrynne's been asking for "two braids" every day, so the fixing hair part is taking a bit more time since I'm still learning how to do that hairstyle on her!), clean up the kitchen.

[We had numerous interruptions in the morning so we didn't get in our usual Bible Time during breakfast; we'll add that in to our afternoon school time.]

The girls helped pick up their toys while I picked up the main floor, switched the laundry, cleaned the bathroom, picked up our bedroom, emptied the dirty water from the carpet cleaner (don't ask me how long I'd procrastinated on that task--ick!), and took the sheets off our bed.

Kaitlynn went back down for a nap and Kathrynne painted at the kitchen table and then rode her bike around and around the kitchen table (yes, I know! Isn't that against some cardinal rule of mothering? Oh well! Now you know the truth...) while I finished straightening the house and folded a load of laundry.

Kaitlynn usually only sleeps for an hour or so during her morning nap, but she ended up sleeping through lunch so we skipped our usual after-lunch school time and had our afternoon quiet time earlier than usual.

As soon as Kaitlynn wakes up, we'll have our Bible Time and afternoon school time and then head out for our weekly grocery shopping trip. We're planning to stop at the library, too, since we've read and re-read all of the books we checked out last week.

The girls and I normally have a really great time doing the grocery shopping--they are both at easy stages and I bring snacks along to make the shopping trip extra fun. And the library is one of their ultimate favorite places to go so they always eagerly look forward to our weekly trip there!

I put some chicken and vegetables in marinade last night before I went to bed so we'll be grilling out for dinner and eating on our deck (we recently were given one of those handy-dandy Off! PowerPad Lamps and we're hoping it works like it says it does so we don't have to ward off misquitos!). As a special treat, I'm buying ingredients at the store for s'mores. The girls have never made these before so we're going to finagle a way to roast the marshmallows over our grill.

Should be a fun family memory! And isn't making special memories with your family so integral to a home that is a haven for your family?

Labels: Making Your Home a Haven

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Making Your Home a Haven Monday: Refresher Series--Tackle the Bathrooms!

Happy Monday morning! Are you rested from a quiet weekend and ready to "hit the ground running" today in service to the Lord and your family?

Today's Challenge:

1) Refresh Your Spirit (5 minutes)

As we've been doing in our recent challenges, take a few moments to sit down with a glass of iced tea or cup of coffee and quiet your heart before the Lord. Pray, read Scripture, and just encourage your heart in the Lord.

I encourage you to pick a special verse to meditate on today while you're going about your homemaking tasks and write it down on an index card and put it in a central location as a reminder.

If you have a moment, share with us what verse or verses you are meditating on today.

STOP: Is your morning routine done? Don't move on to #2 until it is!

2) Take Time to Plan (5 minutes)

In addition to writing out a short to-do list numbered in order of importance today like we did the past few weeks and thinking ahead to what you'll have for dinner tonight, take a moment to plan some special way to bless your family this week. Maybe it will be something like breakfast in bed for your children, or a treat for your husband, or a special family activity. Think of something special you can do which will express your love to your family.

Share your to-do list today and tonight's dinner menu, if you have a chance. Also, tell us about the special idea you came up with to bless your family this week.

3) Do Something! (15 minutes or so)

Today we're going to focus on a quick pick up, run some laundry, and then tackle the bathrooms. Light a candle, put on your apron, turn on some uplifting music, and get working!

Set your timer for five minutes and do a quick pick up of your entryway, living room, and laundry room. Also, while you're at it, start a load of laundry.

And then let's get busy cleaning the bathrooms. If you have the time, feel free to deep clean them from top to bottom. However, if you are short on time, just pick up and put away anything that's out of place, spray and wipe all surfaces with all-purpose cleaner, and change the towels. A quick-clean like this can take less than three minutes and can make a huge difference!

Post pictures of your shiny clean bathrooms when you're done to motivate all of us! I can't wait to see how you bless your families with a home that is clean, clutter-free, and a welcoming haven! Lord-willing, I'll share a peek into our day later on this afternoon or evening.

Graphic from Art.com

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Would you like to join us in this "Making Your Home a Haven" Challenge? Just do one or more of the challenges listed above or something else related to "making your home a haven" and post about it on your blog. Come back here and leave your link below so that we can be inspired! As always, if you don't have a blog, feel free to tell us about your accomplishments in the comments section. Thanks for joining us!

Labels: Making Your Home a Haven

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Frugal Friday: Smoothies

Summer is here and that means lots of hot and humid weather in the great state of Kansas. What's the perfect treat for a hot summer day? Smoothies!

We loves smoothies in all shapes, kinds, colors, and sizes at our home and I've found quite a few ways to make them rather inexpensively. Here are just a few ideas:

::Buy yogurt in 16 oz. containers when it goes on sale for $1.50 or so. We prefer vanilla or plain yogurt for our smoothies. I add about a 1/2 cup per four servings. You can also make your own yogurt. I've done this before with good success.

::We also sometimes use homemade kefir instead of yogurt. If you have a source for fairly inexpensive milk, this is especially a great option.

::Use whatever frozen or fresh fruit is on sale. Bananas are always a good staple item to throw in smoothies, we get ours at Aldi for $0.44/lb. You can freeze them or use them fresh. We prefer frozen as it helps give a thicker consistency to the smoothies. When frozen or fresh strawberries, raspberries, peaches, blueberries, kiwi, or blackberries are on sale, I try to stock up for smoothies. You can also check for prices from u-pick places, find a friend who has their own fruit trees or plants, or grow your own!

::Add in water, juice, sweetener and/or ice cubes to your liking. We usually add in 1/2 cup or so of apple juice or whatever other flavor of juice we have on hand. This just helps the smoothie mix up more quickly and be a bit "smoother". I also sometimes add in honey or Stevia to taste.

::We like to add flax seed to our smoothies for extra nutrition. Just add around 2-3 Tablespoons per four servings. You can buy this in bulk from the health food store or find it in the health food section of many grocery stores.

How we make our smoothies:
I put the whole flax seeds into the bottom of the blender first (flax seeds are most nutritious when ground) and turn it on for 15 seconds or so until they are fully ground. Then I add the fruit, yogurt, and juice and blend until smooth (we prefer to use at least some frozen fruit to help give the smoothie a thicker, icier consistency). I add in extra juice, if needed, and Stevia, if desired. Pour into tall glasses and serve with straws! Delicious!

By buying the yogurt on sale and the fruit on sale and using at least a third or more bananas in the smoothies, they work out to be quite economical. And it's a very nutritional way to start off your day! Also, you can make a batch of fruit smoothies up and then just freeze into popsicles molds or Dixie cups with popsicle sticks for a refreshing afternoon snack.

Related: My friend, Jessica, has a great Blueberry Pineapple smoothie recipe here that we've been using a lot recently.

Does your family make smoothies? If so, what are your favorite things to put in them?
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Have a frugal tip to share? Post about it on your blog and then come back here and leave your link below so we can all be motivated and inspired. Remember to keep it family-friendly and to post directly to your blog post, not to your blog homepage. If you don't have a blog, you are welcome to leave your tips in the comments section. Thanks so much for participating!

Labels: Frugal Friday

Guest Post: On the way to a more structured life

Guest Post by Sherrin Drew from A Deeper Love

I've long wondered how to implement a workable schedule, and tried it a few times with a sheet divided up into 30-minute time slots. Crystal has rightly pointed out that starting out like this generally does not work!

In contrast, Crystal's encouragement to do the same five things in the same order every morning seemed very achievable. It was not dependent upon completing things in time. I just needed to get through the five things each morning.

Here are my five things:

Have breakfast and pray. I use my daily prayer cards while I prepare breakfast and while eating. Usually, my husband is not up yet.
Wash, dress, and make the bed.
Do my exercises for my back problem.
Scripture memory and Bible reading.
Go for a walk.

This routine has been an invaluable help in getting the most important things done. Previously, I would often put these things off in order to do other things that seemed pressing at that moment. Then, before I knew it the afternoon would come around and I hadn't been for a walk. Often at that stage it was time to think about dinner or about other tasks and the walk never happened. Or I would stay in my pajamas while working, and feel bad when I was still wearing them at 9 or 10 am.

Now, I have a routine to remind me that it is important to prioritize these basic things. The other things can wait! After developing this I felt a greater ability to add some more structure to my day. I now also have general goals for what I will achieve before lunch, before dinner, or before bed. Aiming to get my daily cleaning task done before lunch, or before 3 pm if that fails, helps me to feel calmer at dinner time and in the evening.

I still feel frustrated at times about how long it takes me to get through my morning routine, and wonder how it will need to change in other circumstances. However, this system is a tool that can be adapted for different seasons of life. I am currently a homemaker and a student. I have particular needs because of chronic back pain, including sitting down between activities. Someone else will have different circumstances and needs. A routine is simply a tool to help you to order your life, whatever that may look like. It can be adapted and improved all the time.

Sherrin Drew is a new wife and homemaker in Tasmania, Australia. She loves her husband Dave, fresh food from the garden, children, reading, beautiful pictures, hot cups of herbal tea, and memorizing Psalms. Most of all, Sherrin desires to be passionate about the God who has saved us and about the people He has made. Sherrin finds that the Internet can be a great way to be encouraged and to communicate God's love. She has a blog called "A Deeper Love".

Labels: Home Management and Organization

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Home Education at our House: B is for Butterflies (And help! What are your favorie children's books?)

Thanks for all your great suggestions and ideas last week, here's this week's lesson plan:

Week #2: The Letter "B"

Bible Time: Read one story from the Bible and review ABC Bible verse book

Memory Verse: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."

Character Theme: Forgiveness/Peace-making using first story/poem from Teach Them To Your Children

Song: "Be Ye Kind"

Tracing Sheets: B is for Bumblebee

Letter Review: ABC letter-readings from Alpha-Phonics (at the back of the book for those who have this book--I just have her read half a page per day and plan to review these at least a few times per week while we're studying A, B, and C. We'll continue on like this with each letter so that in 26 weeks, she should be very familiar with all the letters and their sounds).

Science Study: Butterflies (we checked out books from the library on butterflies and are also raising our own butterfly using this kit, thanks to Jesse's family)

Books to Read (1-3 per day, all somehow related to diligence/working/helping):
Just Four*
God's Happy Family*
More About Copy-Kitten
Little Church House Takes a Ride
The Big 10 For Little Saints
*These are Little Jewel books (highly recommended!) available from Rod and Staff Publishers.

Lengthier Book to Finish (read a chapter or so per day): The Family Under the Bridge

And could all help me out here? We are quickly running out of good books to read and could use some suggestions: what would be your top five or so recommended books for toddlers/preschoolers? I'm especially looking for shorter pictures books which teach Biblical principles and/or character qualities, have realistic pictures and characters in them, and are wholesome. Leave a comment with your top picks and I'll add them to our library list or see if I can request them from PaperBackSwap.

Labels: Home Education at Our House

Lovin' That Man of Mine: Have fun together!

I loved all of your great thoughts and practical ideas you shared last week for ways you bless your husband show him love. I especially thought it was so great to hear about how different our husbands are. This is one reason it is important we learn from others and glean from others but we always remember that our job is to love our own husband. The way we love our own husband might very well look entirely different from the way someone else loves their husband.

Today, I want to encourage you to have fun with your husband. I really believe one of the glues which has kept our marriage strong in spite of many winds of adversity over the past 5 1/2 years has been that Jesse and I have fun together. We are constantly laughing together, teasing each other, playing pranks on the person, cracking inside jokes, and just having a blast together.

My husband is a huge tease and he loves nothing more than a good laugh. So I learned early on in marriage to keep things lively and always be looking for the humor in every situation. I try to keep a running log of everything funny I come across each day to share with him via email, when we're talking on the phone, or when he comes home from work.

Whether it's something one of the girls did or said, something I thought give him a good ribbing over, or a hilarious story I read in a book or on someone's blog, I do my best to always have something funny to share with him when we're together. He loves it and often we both find ourselves howling with laughter together!

A merry heart truly "does good like a medicine" (Proverbs 17:22) and a good laugh is the perfect stress-reliever to a long day or a difficult situation. It's also a great way to forge a close bond with your spouse. It's hard to hold a grudge against someone when you're having a blast together!

What about you? How do you and your husband have fun together? Tell us about it in the comments section. [Remember this is a family-friendly blog with young readers so let's keep it G-rated. :)]

Graphic from AllPosters.com