Joyfull Living

A special time to share a devotion or inspirational post is being hosted over at Spiritual Sundays. This is a wonderful opportunity to share and receive blessings and to prepare our hearts for worship on Sunday. As I was pondering what to share, I reflected over our week. My youngest son entered 2 nd grade two weeks ago. Usually he adjusts quickly and easily to new things and his previous school years have went beautifully. This year though, we are a bit stuck. He has cried every day - for two whole weeks. I have examined each issue and all the main points are fine, he likes his teacher, class, school, no one is bothering him etc. I think he really just misses me. So each morning, he cries and I walk him in, get him settled and turn around (with my heart breaking) and walk out. He always gets better through the day and is fine by lunchtime. I keep thinking that once we get over this hump, the school year will go much smoother. So the verse I chose for today is found in Psalms 30:5 ...

This will be a four day weekend for myself and dear husband! He has a doctor appointment in a town about an hour away from us, so we will be going there this afternoon. This is a bigger city than where we live, so we will visit the mall there and enjoy a dinner alone! Yeah! As most married couples find, it is hard to get away alone with all of the day to day activities of family life, so we are looking forward to our "date"! We also appreciate my mother in law for taking over the care of the children for the day so we can do this. She is wonderful! Please bear with me, more posting will be along soon, along with some blog repair!! Have a wonderful day.

The redecorating bug has hit me! Trying to redo the blog design and learn different techniques. My eyes are crossed from reading so much today! I have managed to delete all the blog links I had (not by choice!) and all the other nice things from the sidebars. Please bear with me and if you have any links for tutorials you like or some designing advice, please feel free to share!

Over at 1 60Acre Woods , Word Filled Wednesday is being hosted. WFW is a special way to brighten up your Wednesday with the beauty of God's Word and pictures. This is one of my favorite verses because it echoes the cry of my heart. Without the Lord, I would be a floundering, scattered, faint hearted person. But God's Word gives me the assurance that He will teach me His ways (which are always better than my ways), guide my path when I don't know which way to go, and give me a heart focused on Him alone. Praise God for the truth of His Word, His promises and the hope that is found only in Him. Have a blessed Word Filled Wednesday.

Discussion Questions for today's At the Well is: A “Call to Worship” is usually at the beginning of a church service to prepare hearts and minds for worship together. What do you do or think you should do at the start of each day to prepare your heart and mind as a woman living a life of worship? If you were to gather at the well with women younger than you in the faith, what would your call to worship be for them? Today's At the Well is being hosted over at Laura Lee's Life Song. Mornings are the best time of day for me. I get up before my children in order to prepare myself for the day. Each morning begins with prayer and Bible reading. I begin the Bible reading with a chapter of Psalms or Proverbs. Followed by another passage I may be studying. Since I have a lot of energy in the morning, my mind is usually racing to what needs to be done for the day. I once read a suggestion to read a Psalms/Proverb each day and it paralleled preparation for a doctor visit. A doctor vi...

After being cooped up since Friday, the weather today was nice enough to venture out. We took a quick ride to the Suwannee River to see what it looked like after the rain. Once we got there, we decided to go for a short hike: We are Florida Hikers - see our hiking boots?? This was also the first time we took our new puppy out. He loved riding in the truck! We also played around for the camera: Here are some pictures of the Suwannee River swollen and moving swiftly: It was a great afternoon outing, and it sure felt good to be outside!

Spiritual Sundays is an opportunity to give and receive blessings as we prepare our hearts for worship. Over at Spiritual Sundays, bloggers post an inspirational post to share with others. It is great to take some visits to other blogs and be inspired and encouraged. Today I will share a verse our family is working on this week. Family devotions are so important - a regular set apart time to read God's Word and to instill the things of the Lord into our homes and lives. I always am looking for something new for our family. Recently we began working through a book called "Life Training" by Dr. Joe White. Along with readomg the devotions, familes are encouraged to memorize Scripture. This week we are working on Psalms 1:1,2 1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Some thoughts on this verse that...

Our family now has one week of school under our belt. It has been an interesting week, youngest son started off great at his new school and then an attack of nervousness and missing Mommy hit him on Wednesday. His teacher called me and said that he was just having a bad morning and I went and picked him up. Thursday he cried all morning and in one of those difficult Mommy moments we must do sometimes, I told him that I could not come get him again that he had to move forward and walked him into school crying. He ended up doing fine! My oldest son who drives to school, locked his keys in his truck one day and had to get the school resource officer to get it open, which thankfully he did. School was let out Friday for Tropical Storm Fay and we will be cooped up in the house all weekend! Through the week, we worked on our morning routine and worked on getting adjusted to school days again. I ran across some tips for a successful school year and loved them! Hopefully they wil...

If you have watched the news lately you may know that Florida has been dealing with Tropical Storm Fay. Fay has slowly drug through Florida for four days now bringing wind, rain and flooding. Fay is right on top of our area of Florida today, but thankfully the effect is not as severe as it has been further south. Today school and work was out and we have been in the house all day. Here is a few scenes outside: So...we have had to find things to do inside - like Legos ... Someone gave us a bunch of collard greens, so I spent time cleaning, cutting and cooking them... This is my favorite sight of the day, this young man has golf fever and set up a course in the living room. He even dressed like a golfer, by himself, but apparently he hasn't worn these pants in a while!!! Here is the adventurous one...walking around outside in his rubber boots and raincoat... Then we made a cake...it turned out delicious... will post the recipe soon So, that is our day so far inside, I th...

This week we celebrated the first day of school at our home. I always like to get pictures of the boys on the first day of school, and here are some scenes from the day. We got off to a slow start... But we perked up and got going... on the way to school... Here are the two older boys, they are both in high school this year and can ride together, how cool is that??? Of course they never can get away from little brother, no matter how cool they look! It turned out to be a super day!

Visionary Womanhood is my "journal" of what the Lord has done in my life as a woman. You can read the preceding parts at Visionary Womanhood . To quickly recap where we left off, I was now a "career mom". Working 8-5, stressed, grouchy and neglecting my home. We ate out a lot, my husband had gotten a new job out of town and we hardly ever saw each other and things were a little out of whack. On evening on the way home from work I was listening to a sermon from a local church. The preacher asked " What Is Your Spiritual Vision?" He explained that vision is very important for a Christian. It gives purpose and direction to all of our actions and efforts. It causes us to be continually moving toward something. God has placed within each one of us a passion or desire and He equips us with everything we need to fulfill the vision He has given us. As I pondered the question, at that time I could not see two hours ahead in my life. It consisted of work, homewo...

This will be my second time participating in At the Well which is hosted today over at Cindy Bealls . The topic today is: Marriage - Building Up Your Spouse and the discussion question is : How well do you sweet-talk your spouse? Before I share my contribution, I want to share a few things. As a Christian woman, it is pretty easy to fall into a rut, doing things the same way, being so busy that we concentrate on only the necessities - keeping food on the table, keeping the family clothed, cleaning the house when time permits(!), etc. Recently I was reading "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George and one chapter was an encouragement to continue to grow always in the Christian walk. OK , I thought, sounds good, Lord, I want to grow in You and be a blessing in the lives of all those I am around , I prayed. Well, in my last post you can read about some changes our family is starting this week - today in fact! New schools, new job positions and teenagers which ...

Over at Spiritual Sunday's bloggers are sharing an inspirational post to celebrate Sundays. At our home, things are a bit anxious. The children start school Monday. One son goes into high school and one son moves up into a different elementary school. The oldest son is a senior this year and this will be his last first day of school. The boys will all do fine, it is Mom, who worries if they will find their way around, if they will know what to do etc. Then dear husband will be starting in a different position at his job Monday. This is a position with more responsibility, stress etc. It will be a big challenge for him. As I was pondering what to share today and was searching the Scriptures for encouragement for my anxious heart, I came across several Psalms that I will share today: From Psalms 37 - Trust in the Lord and do good...Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the...

I recently found this great idea for a great summer breakfast. Take pancakes and top them with cherry pie filling and finish off with a dollop of whipped cream. As our summer days are winding down, I put this suggestion to use and prepared this summer breakfast. Here is how it look all put together: When the boys woke up, this breakfast greeted them. As usual I mis-guessed their male oriented appetites - meat and potatoes please, no fluff, no fruit, just the basics please! Notice the plates with pancakes and bacon only! So, this was an attempt at a super summer breakfast! Maybe some memories was made.

“Problems can slow us down temporarily but they don’t have the ability to stop us.Only we have that power.” ~Wayne Cordeiro ~ Over at In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus the above quote is being discussed. Many bloggers have shared insightful thoughts and it is a blessing to read and share with others. Problems are a fact of life. They are real and they come without invitation, they come at unexpected times. They can be small as in annoying or they can be big as in crippling. The only thing you can anticipate or plan ahead for is that a problem will come. Since these problems will come, what can we do when they come? We must continue moving through them. They will slow us down and change a lot of things in our lives, but it is not a reasonable solution to stop and let the problem overtake us. As a Christian, we serve a God - the true and living God who sees and knows every single thing going on. These problems do not take Him by surprise. In fact, according to His Word - "All t...

" True greatness is a passionate love for Jesus Christ that shows itself in an unquenchable love and concern for others." Dr. Tim Kimmell There are four characteristics which place focus on others. Teaching your child (and practicing them yourself) will keep us growing in Christlikeness and love. 1. Humility: Do we take the best seat, parking place, first place in line? Christians are challenged to walk in humility, considering others as more important than themselves. Teach children to let others go first and always consider the feelings of others to encourage humility in their lives. 2. Gratefulness: Do we show thankfulness for every gift we receive? Does our attitude convey a spirit of gratitude and contentment? We can comment often how grateful we are for our home, warm bed, food. We can practice thanking our family for help, hard work etc. Teach children to write thank you notes, find something to be thankful for in every circumstance to cultivate grateful...

I just found a fabulous encouragement for Mondays: At the Well - In Pursuit of Titus 2. Come join me At the Well as we pursue our calling as Titus 2 women. Today the discussion is: Welcome Home Daddy! How can we lay a welcome mat of love for our husbands after a long day of hard work? How can we make our homes inviting places where Daddy longs to be at the end of a long day? How can we involve our children in this process and teach them to show reverence to their Daddy? In our home, my husband has a very stressful job. Each morning I cover him with prayer for his upcoming day. But, by afternoon, I am tired from working and usually beginning supper preparations, the kids are underfoot and many times it is not a welcoming time for Daddy. Reading others posts have inspired me to make this time of day more pleasant. Some things I plan to pay more attention to are: A happy greeting - smile, hug and kiss! A tidy house - each of our " daddy's " have a certa...

This is a continuation of a personal account of God's grace and guidance in my life as a Christian woman, wife and mother. You can read from the beginning HERE. For a quick recap, I was a mother of two boys, had gone through the loss of three pregnancies by miscarriage and was moving forward in the busyness of life. In 2000 my husband got laid off from his job which was the main source of our income. I had a part time job, but began to look for a full time job with benefits as my husband went to school for a different occupation. I was blessed to quickly find a 40 hour a week job with benefits, DH (dear husband) found a school and was in training there and again, we were moving forward from our setbacks. Before I share my work experience, I want to extend my respect and admiration to mothers who work full time. This was not God's plan for my family, but I in no way want to offend any full time working mothers. I admire and respect you deeply. As I left my part time job ...

Recently I have been reflecting on the joy of Sundays and have been sharing a special verse meant to encourage Christians as they prepare for Sunday - the day of worship. This week I found Spiritual Sundays where others share a devotion or spiritual insight. This is my first week participating and I am looking forward to preparing my heart for Sunday! Sundays are special in that our family is blessed to attend our home church where we hear God's Word and fellowship with church family. We are blessed to take part in church ministries which is a way to share with others. To be able to share, we first have to have something from the Lord ourselves to share. But thanks be to God, He fills us and equips us when we seek Him. The following is from Ephesians chapter 1 and is my prayer for Sunday: ...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlighten...

School is about to begin and as we get ready to send our children back to school, prayer is so important for them. Here are some practical ways to pray for children based on Jesus prayer in John 17. Please take time to read this special prayer on your own. That they will know God This should be our number one prayer that they will know Him personally and experience His power and presence in their lives. That they will have joy. Joy is not dependent on circumstances but true joy comes from allowing Christ to live through us. That they will be kept from evil. We are to be separate from the world, but not isolated. Our separation can be defined by the presence and power of God upon our lives. That they will be sanctified. May our children be sanctified or set apart and made holy by the power of God's truth. That they will be one. Unity or oneness begins in the home and flows into relationships and into the church body. That they will ...

This is a continuation of "Visionary Womanhood". You can read the previous posts HERE. Earlier I had shared the mother I was before God touched and changed my heart and life as a woman, wife and mother. Some Challenging Times As a young wife and mother of two small boys, my husband and I were open to more children for our family. When our boys were about 6 and 3, I became pregnant again. With our older boys, the pregnancies and birth circumstances were about as perfect as they could be. Great pregnancies with no morning sickness, no complications, fairly easy births. We had no idea this one could be any different. But at 6 weeks, I miscarried this baby. Another couple of years later we were blessed with a pregnancy. Realizing the fragility of life since we had suffered through a previous miscarriage, we entered this pregnancy a bit nervous only to be devastated by another miscarriage. Another year or so went by and another pregnacy test came back positive. I just knew...

Today is Wednesday where over at 160 AcreWoods - Word Filled Wednesday is hosted. It is a beautiful way to bless your Wednesday, seeing God's Word alive in word and picture. The verse and picture remind us of God's peace and the blessings He gives. May you have a wonderful Word Filled Wednesday !

The other day as my boys were out in the yard, the neighbors came for a visit - a girl and a boy. The boy promptly joined my boys on the four wheeler and posed for me. Please tell me, what is it with boys that they are so opposed to having their feet on the ground??!! Brotherly Love?? I just love getting a picture of my boys together! Then would you look at here...the girl came over and went right over to cuddle the puppy and when I brought my camera out, she so sweetly smiled and posed for me - with her feet on the ground! Isn't it remarkable how God made each one unique?

Mothering Before God's Vision As a young married couple, my husband and I always agreed that when we had children, I would be a stay at home mom. When the babies were born three years apart, I was happy not to be working an out of the home job, but was far from a stay at home mom. Our days were spent at my mother's with the soap operas going all day on the television, going to lunch several times a week at a restaurant. In fact, most days we were gone all day and many days, hurried home just before Dad got home and threw some kind of dinner together for the family. My home was usually clean, but not nurtured as my heart was not at home. When the boys got bigger and the youngest was ready for kindergarten, I found work outside the home. I reasoned that since the boys were now in school, they didn't need me that much. I found a part time job which allowed me to work around school hours. My spiritual life was mostly on the outside. I attended church, worked various jobs in the...

Wishing you Sunday Blessings! But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; w ith favor Y ou will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

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Our family has not had much luck with dogs in the past. So, for several years now we have not had any dogs. " We're just not dog people", we would say. Dog people have to spend so much time and energy on the pet and we just don't have the time etc.. Plus, dogs make such a mess in the yard, they tear up stuff - no we told ourselves, "we are just not dog people." Then, the youngest son began at Christmas time asking for a puppy. Anywhere we went where there was a dog, he was right there petting and loving it. We kept thinking, we really should get him a dog, but never did. Then remember if you read back a few posts, on this son's birthday, Daddy on a whim picked him up this cute puppy. The son is thrilled to no end to have his own puppy. But look at what happened to these " We're not dog people" people: This little guy seems to have worked his way into our hearts and home: Everyone takes a part loving the puppy, he gets walked,...