30 Day Challenge - Colostr-YUM

Our family is taking on a new challenge.

It is a Colostrum challenge.

For 30 days, we will take this daily and "see what happens".

What is colostrum you ask?

If you are a mother, you probably heard about colostrum before you had your first baby.

This perfect gift begins with the formation of life itself. Colostrum is a food produced by mothers, it is not milk, but precedes milk production. Colostrum’s benefits are fine-tuned by nature to deliver increased immune efficiency, metabolism support, tissue repair and regeneration.

My daughters and myself are allergic to milk. We have been told we can take this product without any allergic reaction since it is not an actual milk product. I am praying this is true.

It contains these wonderful health promoting agents (plus more):

Immunoglobulins

Also called antibodies, work on pathogens.

Thymosin

Composed of two protein-based chains, known as alpha or beta chains, which are separately present in bovine colostrum. The chains act on the thymus gland independently or stimulate activation, development and maintenance of the immune system.

Proline -rich polypeptide (PRP)

Helps regulate the immune system, keeping it in balance between under- and over- activity this can be extremely beneficial for those with Autoimmune diseases.

Leptin

A small hormone-like protein that can suppress appetite and lead to body weight reduction.

Enzyme inhibitors

Also known as “permeability factor,” are actually small proteins that slow down or inhibit the enzymatic breakdown of proteins. They provide protection to the immune, growth and metabolic factors as they pass through the digestive tract.

Insulin-like Growth factor (IGFSF)

The complete family of naturally occurring growth factors that functions like the captain of a ship, triggering the events that activate cell growth and reproduction, protein synthesis, and the release of energy (glucose metabolism).

Our family has dealt with the following issues:

acid reflux, food allergies, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome, auto-immune disorders, underactive thyroid, chronic inflammation and pain, migraines, leaky gut, vertigo, mood disorders.... 

I would really like for our guts to heal and our immune systems to be balanced.

How about you? Do you suffer from any of these conditions ? If you are interested in joining our challenge, go to Anovite to find out more information.

You will have the option to purchase the product at either the retail price or wholesale (think Costco) with a yearly membership fee.

But for now, you can just follow along vicariously through our journey and see if it is all they claim it to be. 

{{ fingers crossed }}

I have to say that I'm a bit nervous. So is my darling hubs. He made a funny face when I asked if he would join along. But he is so supportive and encouraging that he is willing to try it out with me and our daughters.

** Update **

We received our product - and the crowd goes wild!!!!!!!! Well, some for different reasons. I cannot say that my daughters are sold on the idea yet. ha !

I forgot to mention that one of the allergies we have is to dairy. My youngest daughter and I had a bit of a reaction (nothing violent) after taking the first 1/4 tsp, so we are starting MUCH slower now.

Since it is such a wonderfully rich probiotic, I would suggest anyone to start slow. My hubs and other daughter seem to be tolerating it just fine, so they will take 1/4 tsp 2 x daily this week and start to ramp up to the 1/2 tsp. My youngest and I are taking a pinch at a time (I am taking it more than she is because I think it is SUPER yummy). I am hoping our bodies will adjust and we will be able to increase our intake.

I'll keep you posted on affects soon.

Here's to our health!

To make a long {health} story short....shorter

Ok, so I could totally drag our health story / journey on and on (kind of like the wonderful story of the Hobbit going on and on for 3 very long movies), so I'll condense it a little.

Dairy

Dairy from a cow is a wonderful gift from God, especially raw, unpasteurized milk. It is a blessing unless you're allergic to it, which it turns out myself and my daughters both are allergic. This allergy was the cause of all the pain (and turns out itching from eczema) I experienced for years. We did a 30 day challenge and did not even need to wait the entire time. It. Was. Obvious. Dairy had to go. That was a learning curve (especially 10 years ago when things were not labeled as well as they are now).

Cancer

I. Hate. Cancer. Everything. About. It. But blessings do sometimes come through the storms of life and the cancer journey we took with my Dad had lasting effects on our lives. One huge thing we learned is that it matters what you eat, whether you are battling cancer or just wanting to fuel your body the best way possible. Veggies matter. Lots of them. The more colorful the better. Artificial anything is bad.

Gluten

Oh the smell of yeast filled bread baking in the oven or a yummy banana quick bread baking on a cold winter day. It is heavenly, again, unless you're allergic, which it turned out my youngest is highly allergic to gluten. We learned that it does NOT matter if the allergist and dermatologist both tell you that the horrible eczema on your daughter's face is not caused by a gluten allergy - it can be. They don't know everything (but they will send you a bill which makes it seem like they think they do). We eliminated gluten, the eczema went away. I eliminated gluten in my own diet and I was able to go off thyroid medication and stopped having horrible abdominal pains. My other daughter went off gluten and she stopped having so many headaches and throwing up for no reason. So gluten is so super yummy as long as you are not allergic.

Probiotics and Immunity

One of the most devastating things I learned was how important it truly is to have a vaginal birth and to breastfeed your babies (of which I did neither for my daughters). My babies were both C-sections (one emergency and the other by choice because a VBAC scared me to death). Because of this my daughters had terrible immune systems. That was compounded by the constant ear infections as babies which meant several rounds of antibiotics for their little bodies. Their immune systems were shot. It is no wonder they caught every cold and virus that came through our community.

But now, after several years of learning more and more, we are stronger. The Lord has been gracious and prepared my mind to be in a place where I was open to "alternative" healing. We have tried acupuncture / acupressure, chiropractic care, essential oils, supplements, cleanses, and more.

There are so many wonderful benefits from those healthy choices, but for true healing, there is one methodology that has proven to out do them all.

What is it?

You'll find out in my next post.

Stay tuned.

Our Medical Journey

Migraines

Eczema

Ear Infections

Sinus Infections

Strep Throat

Vertigo

Food Allergies

Constipation

Diarrhea

Food Intolerances

Chemical Allergies

Seasonal Allergies

Joint Pain

Nerve Damage

Raynaud's Phenomenon

Hypothyroidism

Fatigued Adrenals

Brain Fog

Severe Fatigue

Gall Stones

Appendicitis

Ovarian Cysts


Do any of those sound familiar in your life? This is a list of the conditions that we face or have faced in our family. The way that we face these challenges has changed a LOT over the years and I would love to share part of our journey with you in an effort to encourage you to ask questions for your own health. Just because someone with initials after their names says something does not mean that we just do whatever they say.

Sometimes they suggest what they "think" is best. Sometimes different doctors have different opinions.

Our bodies are more complicated than modern medicine knows how to address.

I never used to even question what the pediatrician or doctor told me to do. So what changed?

My eyes were opened, unfortunately my children have suffered at the hands of my ignorance. Now we are taking our lives back.

Step #1 in our journey happened when I was pregnant with my first born. I was sick. I had horrible pain. At one of the numerous visits to the OBGYN (and I really loved my doctor and trusted her completely), I asked her about it. She said she didn't know what it could be.

So my medical career on google began. {I know you're laughing because you're guilty too}

What did I discover? Great advice! Track what I was eating with the pain and see if a fatty meal triggered the pain. Well that was easy since I love, love, love ice cream.

Boom! That was it. That meant there was a high possibility that it was gall stones, a common ailment in pregnancy because of the changes in hormones.

Another visit to the OB. She gave me some painkillers to take when the "attacks" hit. Then she sent me to a surgeon who suggested the issues may go away after having the baby.

So the last two months of pregnancy I just endured with little to no fat. It was a little like torture, especially since I also turned 30 in that time - no cake, no ice cream. Boo!

Back to the story.

To skip over the boring bits, I'll summarize. My baby girl was born via emergency c-section. I was so worried she would be deprived on my boring diet, especially since I was losing a pound a week instead of gaining. Nope. She was covered in rolls and weighed over 8 lbs.

The pain did not go away and 4 weeks later I had my gall bladder removed.

The end. The pain went away and I felt great!

Oh I wish that were the end. I had all the same pain, and now the pains from 2 surgeries. It was horrible. I was in a very low place. When I called the surgeon and told him, he said to keep taking the Percocets. What? I was a mom with a newborn and needed to get back to work soon {I was still working out of the home at that time}. I cannot keep taking strong pain killers.

So I just dealt with the pain. A lot of pain.

2 years later. I found relief.

But in the mean time, I had to learn what it meant to be an advocate for my new baby.

Stay tuned for the next part of our journey...

Another change of direction

Going - In Faith

One other big change has been where we live.

God has directed our family to move to another state, hundreds of miles from where we called home our entire lives. Neither my husband nor I have ever lived out of state. We did move away from our respective hometowns, but we were close enough for birthday parties, family visits, holidays, etc.

But we both felt the tug on our hearts to step out in faith. It took 3 years for it all to become clear and a reality. We moved to a town where we knew no one. We weren't able to even identify a church we would attend before we moved (which we did not feel comfortable with).

But God {two of my favorite words}...

God is not only good, He is generous and gracious.

He directed us to a house on a quiet street with wonderful neighbors.

He directed us to a church just a few minutes from our house (we are still pushing the limit for getting there on time, though. Some things never change - ha!). 

He has grown our faith and trust in Him in ways that cannot be described.

This has all been a wonderful testimony for our children. They have been witnesses to how scary it can be to move states away, but how wonderful it can be to trust in God.

Have you ever stepped out in faith like this? Comment below and tell me about it. I'd love to share in the beautiful way God has directed your steps as well.

Blessings

Top 10 Books

I was challenged recently by my Auntie M to think of 10 books that have influenced my life. She probably thought I forgot about this challenge because it has been some weeks (months), but it keeps popping into my thoughts and I think, think, think {kind of like Pooh Bear}...

In no particular order, except for number one, here are 10 books that have influenced who I am as a Christian, Wife, Homemaker, Mom, Teacher....

1. Holy Bible  - Lord, please may be this always be Numero Uno. The Bible is the source for wisdom. It is how we know God. It is how we understand our place and purpose in the world. It is how we understand life. It is where I find out how great God is, how small I am, how great my sin is and how precious His Salvation Plan is for me {and the universe}.

2. Holiness - J. C. Ryle

3. The Excellent Wife - Martha Peace

4. Shepherding a Child's Heart - Tedd Tripp

5. Pathway to Freedom: How God's Law Guides Our Lives - Allistair Begg

6. The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother's Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America's Food Supply-- and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself - Robyn O'Brien

7. Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate - Jerry Bridges

8. Peacemaking Women: Biblical Hope for Resolving Conflic - Tara Klena Barthel & Judy Dabler

9, The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (Third Edition) - Susan Wise Bauer

10. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs - Emerson Eggerichs


Looking over this list tells a LOT about who I am, doesn't it? I love to read so it was hard to narrow it down to a short list of 10.

What does your list look like? I would love to know your top influencing books! Reading is such a fabulous blessing!!

{Contains affiliate links}

A Time of Reflection, Pt 2

So 20 years ago, I was a High School senior dreaming of what I would be when I grew up and preparing to start tackling those dreams.

I pointed out in the previous post that, even though I would have told you that I was a Christian, I was not walking with the Lord at all. Mistake #1.

Fast forward 10 years. I am married {to an unbeliever - mistake #2}. After several months of trying, we are finally pregnant! We called everyone we knew to tell them the good news. We even came to an agreement on a name for the baby {if it were the boy we were hoping for}.

I had an early ultrasound since it was my first pregnancy. There we found out that we were not in fact pregnant. My body just thought that it was. The technical term is a blighted ovum, which means something went wrong during the fertilization and there was not a baby in the growing fetal sac.

Devastated. My entire world came crashing down. My foundation was built on shifting sand and it just imploded.

It hurt so badly and deeply to even think about, so I began to numb the pain. I escaped reality. I looked for anything or anyone that made life fun and happy, even if it was temporary. My husband was not being supportive or loving {I mean who could love the tornado I had turned into anyway}, so I looked for love in other places.

At the time, one of my best friends was also going through a very difficult emotional situation. We often referred to ourselves as train wrecks. We were out of control friends searching for anything to make us happy. I was a horrible influence on her and she was a horrible influence on me.

But we would have both told you that we were Christians.

10 years ago...

I lost the baby I longed for.

I ruined the marriage I thought would last forever.

I pushed everyone away and hurt anyone who dared get in my way of having fun.

I was on my way to breaking all 10 commandments.

I ran as far away from God as I possibly could.


God was going to show me that it took more than walking an aisle or being dunked in water to be a follower of Christ. I had to lose everything so that I could clearly see the glory and grace of God.

Whoever says “I know him”

but does not keep his commandments is a liar,

and the truth is not in him {1 John 2:4}

 

Whoever says he is in the light

and hates his brother

is still in darkness. {1 John 2:9}

 

Do not love the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him. {1 John 2:15}

 

 

Ashamed and broken. Hurt and alone. I had broken so many hearts and I cannot even imagine how God was feeling at this point, looking down on the mess I had made of my life. It took a while to get back on the right path to God, but at least I was starting to search again. At least it was becoming very, very obvious that I needed to be back in church.

 

Hebrews 12 tells us, "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 

 

I was not being punished for my sin - Jesus took care of all that on the cross. I was being disciplined in order that I might seek the Lord. I was being disciplined to save my life.

I am ashamed of my sin, but I am thankful for the Lord's forgiveness and mercy. My life has changed so much in the last 10 years that it is hard to remember who I used to be. Of course, there are ramifications to the sin I committed {mostly emotional scars and temptations for sin} that I will carry for my entire life - but I have found love, forgiveness, grace, mercy and eternal hope in Jesus.

Have you experienced forgiveness through Jesus? Do you know for sure that you will go to heaven when you die? If not, I highly suggest you learn more about Jesus and how to become a genuine Christian.

Do you ever take time to look at all you have been saved from and the person you used to be {the "old man"}? I think remembering who I was makes the salvation I find in Jesus even more sweet.

Blessings.

 

 

 

 

 

A Time of Reflection, Pt 1

This year, 2013, is going to be a very significant time in my life. It has only just started and I can already feel myself being pulled into thoughts of the past {some good, some not-so-good}. This is year marks the anniversary for so many different things in my life that I cannot help but be pulled back onto memory lane and view it through my current world view {aka, the lens of age and experience - imagine how thick those lenses will be when I am my grandparents' ages!}.

First, it means that 20 years ago, I was a Senior in High School. Ah! I know, I look so young {lol!)! But seriously, 20 years?! How on earth did 20 years fly by so quickly?!  I was not a popular kid or even an unpopular kid. I had many friends and a couple trusted BFFs. Of course, like any normal HS girl, I bounced around the thoughts of "love" for this boy or that boy, but there was not a significant "boyfriend" {until after I graduated}.

At 17, I thought I knew everything there was to know about everything. There are a few HUGE regrets I have {even though I know God uses it all for His glory and for my own good}.

Purity - Not having a good biblical view of purity and understanding why God has all these rules. I wish I had an understanding that went beyond the mean, legalistic, narrow-minded rules to the beautiful, God-honoring, pure view of marriage. When a person has a goal in mind, and that goal is beautiful, sacred, wonderful, fun, and secure, it makes the rules "worth it". But when there is  no goal in mind, the rules just seem unreasonably harsh and are easily thrown out the window with the "everybody else is doing it and they seem to be enjoying themselves - a LOT" kind of excuse. When you see how the beautiful, pure bride represents the church and the handsome, strong husband is Christ, it sheds a whole new light on marriage and relationships.

Knowledge vs. Relationship - Even though I thought I knew everything about everything as a teenager {and if I didn't, I had enough control of the English vocabulary to use an avalanche of words to convince anyone that I did - lol!} I did not have a full understanding about what it meant to be a Christian. Oh, I had read some of my Bible and been attending church, but it was not a sound bible teaching church and they didn't teach {or at least I didn't listen if they did} about what it means to have a relationship with Christ. They taught about sin and hell and that we all need a Savior {that's a good starting point}, but they didn't tell us what to do after we walked the aisle, confessed Christ as our Savior and were baptized.

Mom - One thing I regret most of all is the way I treated my Mom. My mother is a jewel. I know everyone thinks that about their Mom, but mine really is. We did not have an ideal situation at home, but my Mom was determined to keep our family together. She loved {and still does} my father so much and was willing to stand by him through extremely difficult decisions. At the time, I remember thinking {and actually saying to her - unfortunately} that she was the biggest doormat ever and there was no way I would ever let a man treat me that way! I recall times when my Mom would not make a decision about something until she could talk to my Dad and I would roll my eyes and give the big, full-body sigh {you know the one that gives the message that "I am so smart and you are so stupid"} in unbelief that she would respect or even care about what he thought.

Looking back - my Mom is an excellent example of a biblical, submissive wife. She is not perfect, but she tried her best to honor and respect my Dad, even if  I didn't think he deserved it. She loved him when he was unloveable. She took seriously those vows they said 38 years ago - for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, to death do us part. The only way she was able to do this was by the grace of God. My Dad did not make it easy on her - but neither did I. That is the part that I regret. I wish I could have seen her through the eyes of Jesus. I would have helped her more instead of condemning her. I would have loved her more to help fill the painful wounds in her heart. I would have willfully helped out more {instead of begrudgingly}with my younger sisters. My mom truly is a jewel and I wish I could have seen her beauty when I was such a "smart" teen.

Dad - Ok, so I talked about my Mom, now I'll admit my regrets about my Dad. You can already tell that he wasn't perfect, but I love him so much! You see, we all have our own personal walks and some of us make decisions early in life that impact our entire walk on the Earth. We make decisions to be involved with things that are addictive or we are exposed to abuses as a child that impact how we handle life - some more than others. It is only by the {common} grace of God that we are not all partaking in the amount of wickedness that we are capable of.

With that being said, my Dad did a number of things that I am sure he regrets that were sinful and not godly. However, he did many good things. He is such a loving father and tried to make up for the difficult times by making sure we knew he loved us. Even though his walk wasn't perfect, he loves the Lord. He made sure that we knew God is the Creator of everything. He made sure we knew that we are all sinners in need of a Savior.

I regret not seeing my Dad as a person who was drowning in his own sinful choices. I only saw him through my self-centered agenda and concentrated on how he wasn't meeting MY needs. I didn't see him through the eyes of Jesus - Who loves my Dad unconditionally. Oh, Jesus hates the sin, but He loves my Dad. I needed to just love my Dad, too. I needed to be compassionate and loving, especially when he was broken.

You see, it wasn't that many years later that I was trapped by my own sinful choices and broken. I am thankful that Jesus was there to pick me up, instead of treating me like I treated my Dad - smug, self-righteous, know-it-all, I-told-you-this-was-going-to-happen. I love my Dad and am so very thankful that God chose him to be my father.

Sisters - I was so self-centered that I did not care much about my little sisters. I should have been a good role model and had a desire to mentor them. Did I? Nope. I was so selfish that I looked at them as burdens {since I had to watch them so much of the time}. Oh the regrets!!!  It breaks my heart to think of my daughters treating each other the way I treated my sisters. Amazingly, we are still friends today {even though we are not as close as some sisters are} and I pray this relationship will grow through the years. I would do almost anything for my sisters today, although because of past hurts, they do not tend to ask.

So basically I would have told you I was a Christian when I was a teenager, but I was ignoring the greatest commandments. I did not love God with my entire heart, soul, strength and mind and I did not love others more than myself.

We all have stories of regret. The key is deciding how to give it to God for the glory. Remember, if we are His child, He has allowed all of this for His glory and our good. I hate that all this happened, but God used it to shape who I am today. Without a gross picture of my own depravity, I would not see my need for a Savior.

This was 20 years ago; next up {and even more painful} is what happened 10 years ago...

Healthy Living - First Thoughts on Juicing

Ok, so I got the juicer and I am super excited {can you tell?}!

I cannot say that after making 3 juices that I feel like 1000 bucks or anything, but I know I am providing my body with extra vitamins and nutrients that I would not ordinarily have in my diet. I mean, kale - who just eats kale? Not this girl. I do eat a lot of veggies, but it can be rather sporadic. This is a way to incorporate extra veggies in my diet {and my family's diet once they get used to the juices or I find a recipe they love} that doesn't depend on my mood or what "sounds good" for dinner.

One thing I am noticing is the amount of "waste" that is put off when juicing. It is a lot. So this has me thinking about reusing these pulps and skins in soups and such. That will mean a little more prep time and strategically juicing in a specific order {I don't really want apple peels in my veggie soup}, but I think it will be worth the effort.

I also think we will start composting. This would be an excellent source of nutrients for our garden!

Speaking of gardening...I cannot wait for spring to arrive {I know, it is only January} so that I can start planting veggies in our own garden that we can juice. No more wasted tomatoes!!!! We will juice {and can} all the extras {Lord willing}! I think we will grow a lot more dark green and leafy veggies {kale, spinach, broccoli}. I think we may also plant a small herb garden to add even more flavor to our juices!

I told you I was excited!!

Here are the recipes I have tried thus far:



Green Drink

3 stalks kale
2 handfuls of spinach leaves
3 carrots {leaves removed}
1 apple

Add all veggies and fruit to juicer and enjoy!

Orange Dreamsicle

4 oranges, peeled
2 carrots
1 banana

Juice the oranges and carrots. Then whip the juice and bananas in a blender for a creamy smoothie. Add a few ice cubes if you like to cool it down.

I cannot wait to try something else!

Do you have a juicer? What are your favorite recipes? I'd love to try them out!

I'm back!! Happy 2013!

Happy New Year!

Many of you are new to my blog and I'd like to personally invite you to grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join the conversations this year. I had to take a little time off from writing last year due to the intense homeschooling schedule we have, but I am hoping to better organize my time {the hint of a resolution} and be able to blog more starting TODAY!


Since it is New Years Day, many of you are thinking of making resolutions. I read through the post I wrote last year on New Years' Resolutions, or "goals", and was inspired all over again! I highly suggest you click over for some great suggestions.



For 2013, I am planning {Lord willing} to do the following:

Read through the Old Testament in a year. This shouldn't be too difficult, but it will get me into God's word {which I love} and still allow time for other reading. And to make this even more special, I get to read from the new MacArthur ESV Study Bible that my loving husband got me for Christmas {even though we agreed not to get each other presents this year}.

Start juicing! I have been watching many documentaries {some really good, some terrible} about food and I am inspired to start juicing. I have ordered my juicer {here is the brand I chose} and am anxiously awaiting delivery. Once it is here and I have it figured out, I may even attempt a 10 day juice fast {gulp}. I suffer from many health issues - nothing life threatening, but they do interfere with my quality of life - and I truly believe I can find relief, if not total healing, with a change in my diet {adding in superfoods and many vitamin rich vegetables}. I'll be sharing my adventures in juicing with you in case you want to give your body a reboot. {smile}

 

 

Read "Fierce Women; The Power of a Soft Warrior" and allow God to change my heart and attitude. My Mom suggested this book after hearing the author on the radio and my sister got it for me for Christmas. Admittedly, I heard the same author, actually her husband, on the radio and wanted to get a copy of the book as well. I felt the conviction just from the radio interview - and now that I am a couple chapters into the book - wow! I am definitely a fierce woman and unfortunately, my tongue can be "a restless evil full of deadly poison", just as the Bible describes it in the book of James 3. I need help in taming my tongue and attitude to use the qualities God gave me for His glory, not as a way to get my own way and bully those around me {including my loving husband}. Look for future posts about this book, and maybe even a giveaway. I can't save all this conviction for myself!

 

 

Back on the healthy side of things, I am also planning on drinking more water. Again, on one of the documentaries I watched, they suggested starting out your day, before even a sip of coffee, drinking a liter of water to jumpstart your system. I actually started this a few days ago and L.O.V.E. how it makes me feel. It gets me into the habit of grabbing a glass of water, not only in the morning, but throughout the day. Nothing bad can come from this - well, except maybe having to take a potty break during the middle of my run at the gym! Just a little embarrassing....  {giggle}

 

 

Just like last year, I will also be looking for more ways to love and bless others and spread the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. The more and more I see happening in our world, the more I believe that Jesus may be coming back soon. I want everyone I know to be caught up in the rapture with me and none to be left behind. The book of Revelation does not describe a fun party time when the Christians leave the Earth. I have been reading about it in my Bible reading program from last year and it is a fearful thing to be in the hands of an angry God {J. Edwards, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" for more}.

 

 

 

 

10 Ways God was Glorified

If you have been following along, you know that I just returned from a mission trip to the Three Angels Children Relief organization in Haiti. It was an amazing trip and I know that God was glorified!

How?

1. God was glorified by His global church worshipping Him together on Sunday. It was fantastic to be in a body of Haitian believers and singing worship songs together {I in English and the crowd in Creole}. It reminds me of how wonderful it will be when peoples from every tribe and tongue worship the Lamb of God in heaven.

2. God was glorified because His followers not only sent items (diapers, wipes, medicine, clothes, shoes) to the poor in Haiti, but we went there and took our love. It is the ministry of presence and it is vital. It is one thing to air ship items to the people, but to hand it to them with a hug and a smile glorifies God because as we all know - God is Love.

3. God was glorified as we worked hard each day. God gave us these bodies. He made us strong {some stronger than others}. He made us capable for good works. We glorify Him when we use our bodies and strength to help others. As I workout at the gym, part of me wants to be skinny {don't we all?}, but the bigger part of me wants to be strong. I want to be a good help meet for my husband and I want to be able to help work for the Lord. That happened in Haiti. We painted. We cleaned. We lifted and packed and moved and swept and hammered and pulled nails and you get the picture. All sorts of manual labor {even sealing the cistern} and all for His glory!

4. God was glorified as we loved on the babies at the orphanage. The weak, the impoverished and infants cannot give anything to society. In many cultures, it is acceptable to even kill the unwanted babies even after they are born {it breaks my heart to think about abortion killing unborn babies, but some even kill them after they are born! I cannot even fathom the idea!}. The orphanage provides a safe, loving and wonderful environment for the parents who have children that they are not able to care for to be raised and wait for their forever family. We were a part of this process by loving on the babies. It is definitely a *God Thing* when this gal {pointing at myself here} who is not necessarily a baby person scoops up those lil' Haitian babies and instantly falls in love. God put a love for those babies in my heart and He is glorified!

5. God was glorified as the children attending the Christian school witnessed our presence. They may be saying in their hearts - why would these English want to come here? They are told that it is all because of Christ and the love that He put in our hearts - and therefore, God is glorified.

6. God is glorified through the testimony of our church - working with Three Angels by sending money, goods, people, Bible teaching, love and prayers. The Haitians involved with Three Angels know when Centennial Bible Church visits and they look forward to each visit. They eagerly sign up to receive notifications of the next visit. Centennial Bible Church glorifies God!

7. God is glorified as we bring the jewelry and purses back to sell. Many Haitians have learned the skill of sewing or bead/jewelry making and they need the opportunity to sell their goods. Since the average Haitian makes $1 a day, they are not able to purchase these goods from each other {they need that dollar to buy food and provide shelter for their families}, they send their crafts home with Americans to sell for them. This way, they are able to provide basic needs for their families. God is glorified as we assist in the selling of their handmade crafts!

8. God is glorified when my husband takes a week off of work - not to go on an elaborate fishing trip, golf in the Carolinas, hunt in the Rockies or even just relax on the beach. He took a week off of work in order to stay home and care for our girls while I {a SAHM} went on a mission trip to Haiti. I am sure that to the world this appears strange, but it was a loving sacrifice my husband made for our Lord and for me. I am so blessed and God is glorified through my husband's sacrifice.

9.  God was glorified as families from our church made meals for my husband and daughters while I was in Haiti. I could sleep a little easier knowing they weren't eating Wendy's each night for dinner. They even planned a trip to the movie theater and watched my girls so my husband got a bit of a break. God is glorified as we lovingly provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ. God was definitely glorified through our friends!!

10. God is glorified whenever you read this story and proclaim, God is Good!! So please pass this along so He will continue to be glorified.

Top Ten Summer Activities

I have so many fun things I want to do with my family this summer, and I think my list may just be too big! Does that ever happen to you? Kind of like when your Mom used to say that your eyes were bigger than your stomach?  So many things look fun but the calendar just doesn't allow for it all {plus I think it is very important to allow for down time in children's lives}.

So here is my list of the Top Ten Things I want to do this summer:

1. Bible Study: I want to study a book of the Bible with a good friend and also involve my daughter. This summer the book of the Bible will be Job.

2. Book Club: I usually choose a fiction or helpful book (both need to be glorifying to God) to study with a group of ladies over the summer. I have already posted that we are studying Six Ways to Keep the Little In Your Girl and it proves to be an excellent, God-given choice. I am so thankful that He put this book in my hands while my daughters are still young.

3. Potty train my daughter. lol! I know this is not really something that is in my control, but it is something I strongly desire to complete this summer!

4. Complete our Park Passport by spending time exploring the local parks in our area. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful parks to choose from and I can't wait to explore them all! You can click here for a free printable for your own family.

5. Go camping. My husband loves camping and the great outdoors. I know it has been a desire of his for a very long time to take our kids camping and I am hoping (really hoping) we can make this happen this summer. Our church is having a "family camp" this summer, but it is in a hotel. I am sure my husband would appreciate something a bit more rustic. :)

6. Visit the Indiana Dunes. I am wondering if we might combine the camping night and a visit to the Indiana Dunes? Have you ever camped there? Was it a good experience? I follow their page on Facebook and it looks like a wonderful way to spend a couple summer days!

7. Teach our 6 1/2 yr old daughter how to ride her bicycle well so that we can go on family bike rides. Ok, so we already go on family trips when she is on the tagalong bike with Daddy (and I have our 2 *almost 3* year old in the bike trailer), but there are times when I want to take the girls out when Daddy is at work. If she could ride her own bike well, and I could pull the trailer, we could make this happen {and it will be SO MUCH fun!}.

8. Host a children's outdoor party. I am not sure if this will be a birthday party, summer party or a back to school party - but I have so many fun ideas floating around in my head for fun games and activities that I can't wait to entertain some kiddos!! Check back for posts about how it turns out.
Soapbox:  I am not a fan of birthday parties - although I love my girls and want to celebrate their birthdays - because they seem to elevate one person (birthday girl) over the others. They seem to be full of things I generally try to avoid - greed, jealousy, pride, envy - you know, sins. But we do love kids' games, hosting parties, fun food, smiles, giggles and just fun in general - so we try to  host at least one party each summer.
9. See fireworks. My birthday is just before Independence Day so fireworks have always been very special to me (I used to think they were all for MY birthday) and I love sharing that with our daughters.

10. Spend as much time outdoors as we can! You might notice that our list of activities are mostly outdoors and that is because we love to be outside! Summer is awesome for getting sweaty, dirty, chlorine-y (that's a word, right?) and bath-worthy! We love swimming, running in the sprinkler, digging in the dirt, boating around on the paddle boat or canoe, walking at the park, hanging upside down on the jungle gym (ok, that is reserved for my daughters now that I'm officially old), chasing birds, catching fireflies and soaking up some Vitamin D from the sun. I want to spend as much time doing this as we can this summer. So I am going to get off this computer and get outside!

What summer fun activities do you have planned this year? I'd love to hear them!

Knot No-Hem Shorts

The Crafty Critique has this super cute tutorial for Knot No-Hem shorts and I couldn't wait to make a pair for my darling daughter. There is always a stack of jeans in her drawer that are too short, but fit fine at the waist. I tell her that I'm going to stop feeding her vegetables so she'll stop growing (and stay my baby girl forever!) - but she insists that won't work. She is so smart. {smile} And how cute are these shorts anyway with a band of fabric - any color you want - to accessorize the edge?

This would also be helpful for those {raunchy} shorts that are so popular. You know the ones. They are missing legs. Obviously this is a rough time with our economy (and over in China where all our clothing is made) when they can't afford to put legs on the shorts. Now you can just add a band of super cute fabric and make them a proper length.

So here is the finished product - what do you think (don't mind the horrible lighting)? Are you going to make some for your daughter? I know she'd love them!! They took less than 30 minutes - and that included my daughter choosing the fabric. :)

2012 Summer Bucket List

Do you have a summer bucket list created yet? Do you know what this is? It is a list of things (some big and some smaller) that you would like to do over the summer break with your family. This is a great way to make sure summer doesn't slip by too quickly. Remember, we are building memories that will be treasured for a lifetime (even after we are gone). Get out a pencil and paper and jot down some ideas (and have your kids help brainstorm) that you would like to add to this summer's adventure. Then take some  time to turn these ideas into a *work of art* to hang in your kitchen. This way you can refer to it often - like when the kids are declaring they are *bored*.

My darling daughter and I have been working on ours. Here is a glimpse into our bucket:

• Camping (back yard and state park)
• Catching fireflies
• Visiting Conner Prairie and going up in their balloon
• Attending an outdoor concert
• Memorize Scripture
• Play in the sprinkler
• Paint rocks
• Attend VBS and invite friends and neighbors
• Learn about a new missionary
• Go fishing
• Have a new family over for a cookout
• Swim as much as we can
• Lay out on a blanket and look for shapes in the clouds
• Play with playdoh
• Spend time on the canoe and paddle boat
• Make a *passport booklet* for the local parks we plan on visiting
• Summer Reading program through our library

Do you create a bucket list with your family? If so, what fun and interesting things are on your list this year?

 

 

 

Top Ten - Goals for this week

I am a list person. If it is on a list, I tend to get 'er done.


So here is my *to do* list for the week. I am going to print it off (I need to add *buy printer ink* to the list so that I am able to print it off - oops!) and post it in my bathroom so that I remember where my focus needs to be placed.


Ten Goals for the week of 3-11-12


1. Read and listen to my Bible readings every day. I have been working through a daily Bible program and have found such depth to the passages if I can not only read them each day, but also listen to them. I have the YouVersion app on my phone and love the audio that is available. This makes reading and listening to the scriptures convenient and frees me from any excuse I have used in the past.


2. Beef Kabobs: I am going to try a new recipe. I *love* to cook, therefore, I love recipes, cookbooks, online recipe collections (with reviews from people who have tried the recipe is an added bonus - www.allrecipes.com is my fav). This one was sent by Crystal & Co and I can't wait to try it out.


3. Finish the new spring dresses I have started for the girls. They are super cute and I cannot wait to see my girls dressed up in their new dresses. I'll be sure to post a picture when they are done.


4. Drink more water. I drink water, but I need to drink more. In order to make sure I do this, I am going to fill a 46 oz jug to make sure I drink at least that amount each day. I had better get it in early in the day or I may be making several trips to the "little girls room" in the middle of the night.

5. Behold the Beauty:  I want to review this art curriculum and use it with my daughter over the summer. She is such a *learner* that taking a full break from school over the summer is not beneficial. School and books are a great way for she and I to spend quality time together and it will be so much fun to teach her *art* this summer! I can't wait to order this book this week!

6. Play / work outside as much as possible. It is spring here in Indiana and our family loves to be outside! It is time to clean out the flower beds and see the wonderful new growth beneath the dead leaves. Spring is such a great reminder of how we, as believers, come alive when we are born again!

7. Write and post the next 2 articles in my "You think you are a Christian because you {fill in the blank}" blog series. This is such a challenging article and I want to make sure that I do the research and prepare these articles in such a way that they are both truthful and full of grace and love.

8. Take a load of stuff to Goodwill. I have so many bags of clothes and household items that I keep putting aside to take to Goodwilll and I need to just take it.

9. Run 15 miles this week. I am not sure if my knee will let me complete this goal, but I like having goals so I am leaving it on the list. I started today off with a 4 mile run, so that leaves 11 more miles for the week.

10. Last but definitely not least, become an Aunt again! My sister is expecting her first baby and is due on 3/15. I am so thrilled to be an Aunt again and to have the blessing of seeing my girls with a younger cousin (they have been the youngest on both sides of the family so far). I am also thrilled for my sister to enjoy being a Mom. She did not think she was able to have children, so to not only get pregnant, but to also have a pretty easy pregnancy is truly a blessing straight from heaven! Thank You Lord for the life you have created. Lewis Patrick - we cannot wait to meet you!!



So what is on YOUR list for the week, besides entering my current giveaway (click for details on how to enter).


Linking up at

The Baby Shower

Oh, my sister is expecting her first baby and I am so excited for her!! I can't wait to have another nephew and I know my girls will be thrilled to have a little cousin to hold and dress up (watch out Aunt Shannon - he'll be sporting click-clack dress up shoes and princess attire before you know it!).

Saturday was the baby shower and let's just say that lil Lewis will not have problems finding something to wear. :)

I made him a little rag quilt (learned how to make these via youtube. How blessed are we that we can just go out and watch videos of anything?! That is a post for another day.) and sewed a boppy cover to match. It was kind of hard to let that go - it was SO snuggly! My girls both snuggled with it before I wrapped it up.

My darling daughter and I are dairy free. Since I was bringing her as my date, I wanted to make sure there was something especially yummy, special and dairy free that she (and I) could enjoy. So I made some chocolate covered strawberries and Oreo truffles. If you have not had these before, you are missing out. They are wonderful!

Here is how I made them:

Oreo Truffles

1 package of Oreos
1 8 oz package of cream cheese - softened
(we used dairy free cream cheese)
2 - 8 oz packages of semi-sweet Bakers chocolate


Crush the Oreos in a food processor into fine crumbs.

Combine cream cheese and Oreo crumbs until well mixed (you could do this by hand, but I didn't want to end up with tennis elbow, so I used my mixer). Refrigerate for 30 minutes so that it is easier to handle.

Melt chocolate squares according to the package directions.

Roll Oreo mixture into 1/2 balls. Cover these with the melted chocolate using two spoons (one slotted) to keep the crumbs out of the chocolate.

For half of the truffles, I added about 1/2 tsp of mint extract to the melted chocolate (super yummy!). Nothing beats chocolate mint in my book!

These will harden pretty quickly. If you would like to decorate with sprinkles, you will need to put these on right after you have dipped them into the chocolate (before the chocolate hardens).

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Budget - What's that?

I am excited to purchase a copy of Crystal Paine (better known as the Money Saving Mom)'s new book,
The Money Saving Mom's Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year .


I have degree in Computer Technology. When I was taking the classes to fulfill the business portion of my degree, I took the one and only class I hated: Accounting. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE math! But I loathe accounting. I am not sure the difference, but it is huge (or maybe not so big since they say it is a thin line between love and hate).


Either way, I am not an accounting girl and I have never, ever, in my entire life, followed a budget.


But we need to.


I always used the excuse before of being a working woman and not having extra time to sit down and design a budget. But now, I am a SAHM. Although I am still busy, but in a different way, I see the great need we have to control our finances.


That is why I am looking forward to reading this book. I have no idea where to begin with a family budget.

The description on Amazon is:

FROM ONE OF NIELSEN’S TOP 50 POWER MOMS COMES ADVICE YOU CAN TAKE TO THE BANK—LITERALLY !

Crystal Paine, who has helped busy women everywhere take control of their finances, presents her most effective strategies designed for families of all sizes and income levels.

With hundreds of inspiring “why didn’t I think of that?” TIPS, plus WORKSHEETS, Paine breaks down your goals into easy, manageable steps so you can:

• Achieve a complete financial makeover
• Set up a realistic budget
• Never pay retail
• Slash your grocery bill
• Organize your time & your home
• Use coupons wisely
• Pay with cash only
• Live simply
• Become debt free
• Choose contentment
• Make every dollar count

I know, you want a copy now, too. It is on sale officially January 10, but you can pre-order your copy today by clicking the link above.

Do you have a resolution to control your family finances and start saving money? This book can help!