Joyfull Living

Today's Media Monday topic is 'Media and Our Homemaking".   Who would have ever thought of such a connection?  But as I found out in the early days of being a stay at home mom that moms need connections.  They need encouragement and fresh ideas.  All moms are homemakers - called to keep the home. They may work outside the home or stay at home, but none the less - they are usually the ones ultimately in charge of keeping the home. On the Internet, there are an abundance of resources for any area of homekeeping you may need.  But to lovingly put into action all this housework, I find my attitude needs to be right first.  Why do we keep house, how important is it and who does it affect? God has called Christian women to be keepers of the home.  It is not just a mediocre, mundane task, but it is a sacred and high calling.  Our homes are our greatest sphere of influence.  It is a place of legacy.  It is the canvas where creativity and individualism soars.  Our homes are prob

Although we live in the country and most times things are pretty quiet, last weekend we had some major action!  A neighbor who drives a semi stopped home since he was traveling through the area while  on a run – only to check his mail.  As he approached his home, his truck started filling up with smoke and became engulfed in flames.  He got out safely, but the flames, smoke and exploding sounds brought the neighborhood out.  Here are the photos from our local newspaper: Fully engulfed: Dying down some: Finally the end result: We are thankful no other damage was done to lives or homes.  The truck has been replaced and he is back on the road.  Thank you, Lord for your protection and grace.

This was shared on the Above Rubies Facebook page and paralleled the Pharisee and Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14 .   Of course...none of us moms really think like this(!), but it was very interesting and brings to life our humbleness and need for God's strength and help as we raise our children. Oh Gracious Heavenly Father, I want to thank you that you have made me different than the average mother. I am so glad that I homeschool my 8 children with another one on the way. We don't use birth control. I am glad that I made the decision to breastfeed them all for an extended period of time and that we eat only homemade organic food; the food that You intended us all to eat. God, I also only use natural fabrics in the clothing that I sew for my entire family. And, God, I want you to know that I am a responsible mother and don't use a microwave and refuse to use any plastics that leak harmful chemical in our food. I am glad you made me because I am such a great help to my churc

I am just not a dreamer!  The creative spark, imagination and the ability to dream big are not my strong points!  These are all good things, but just not big in my life.  So, when today’s Texture Tuesday’s theme was “Dream”, it took some deep thought! The one thing I love in the summer is the beach.  The sand, the waves, the vast beauty of the ocean draw me in.  So, my dream for this Texture Tuesday is sand between my toes and an ocean breeze blowing as I sit and gaze at the beauty of Gods’ creation. This was a picture from last year’s beach trip.  Textures used were: golden, just cause and love in layers.  Found an inspiring quote to add which will perhaps open up my dreams!

Today's Media Monday's topic is " Media and Our Parenting ".  This encompasses a whole lot of area!!!  As a parent, I became a 'huge media fan' when my third child was still a baby. I went to an Above Rubies conference and received a new vision to parenting.  That day began a journey towards understanding the blessing and significance of mothering, being a wife and a keeper of the home.  I found out that Above Rubies had Yahoo Group where ladies share through email, encouragement for being a woman who fears the Lord and loves her family.  Several times a day, I would sit at the computer learning how to become a better wife and mother.  New online friends were made and a new fascination was formed.  But the time spent on the computer didn't put those fantastic ideas into motion!  "Keeping house' doesn't happen on the computer!  But I did grow in the Lord and in His wisdom as I began to limit my computer time and put into practice what I was l

Ten years ago today, I physically gave birth to our youngest son.  He was a healthy 8 pound bouncing baby boy and filled our home with the joy and blessing that only a gift from God can. At his birth, my heart gave birth to a fresh realization of God's faithfulness.  Prior to my last son's birth, there had been three miscarriages.  Each one brought it's share of heartache, loss and pain.  After the third one, I felt in my spirit the Lord would bless us with another child, but that it would be His time and His way.  Since I decided (for all the good that does!!!), there probably would not be any more children, we gave away all of our baby furnishings, clothes etc. You can guess what happened years later right??  We found out we were expecting....truly in God's timing!  Fear immediately gripped me of losing this baby.  Physical symptoms of previous miscarriages appeared.  My faith seemed to take a nose dive, but again, I heard the Lord speak into my heart that there wa

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life, those closest to us may be overlooked.  We may not take the time to let our family know how special they are to us.  A recent homeschool idea I read was to put in a plastic page divider something that needs to be engrained in their mind or heart.  The idea was a 'school related' grammar rule etc. and put this in an eye level view - refrigerator, bathroom mirror or wall.  I loved this approach to put the Word of God plainly in view.  Our local Bible bookstore has inexpensive verse cards that will fit this purpose nicely.  Then today, this free printable was shared over at Eighteen 25 : On this page , there are several free styles of this phrase which reminds us and our family how blessed we are that God put us together!  What a great gift to add love and blessing to our walls and into their hearts.

In today's Media Monday series, the topic is "Media and Our Marriage".   This weekend my family attended a birthday dinner at a local restaurant.  Seated across from our table was a couple enjoying dinner together - no kids, just the adults.  As a mom and wife, I understand how rare 'date nights' can be.  Time alone for just mom and dad is important, but oftentimes circumstances hinder the time needed to go and enjoy an evening out.  The couple at the restaurant while waiting for their food, were both engrossed with their cell phones!  No conversation, no cherishing the time alone, just staring at a screen and enjoying the benefits of technology. I've mentioned in my last Media Monday post that I love technology!  But it is limited to my home and  computer.  There are no smart phones in our family and my cell  phone plan is so outdated (and cheap!!), it charges me for each text sent or received.  As much as I love technology, I love face to face contact and

Did you know that July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month?  I just found this out and had to share since it goes right along with the Media Monday series. Jacqueline Whitmore, , has made a career of helping organizations and individuals master the finer points of business etiquette. In 2002, she officially founded National Cell Phone Courtesy Month with the intent of making cell phone users more respectful of their surroundings. We've all had nightmare experiences with others regarding cell phones. Rudeness in public places, uncomfortable situations and that feeling of unimportance or second place for a moment are some repercussions of uncourteous cell phone use.  Here are a few tips that help us be friendly and courteous cell phone users: 1. Be all there. When you’re in a meeting, performance, courtroom or other busy area, let calls go to voicemail to avoid a disruption. In some instances, turning your phone off may be the best solution. 2. Keep it private. Be aware of you

Being a wife and a mother to three sons, there is not much pink in my life!  But as I looked for inspiration for a picture for Texture Tuesday’s Pink theme, I came across a crepe myrtle in my yard. This bush is durable, strong and when it blooms in pink – it is beautiful!!  Those are some traits I seek after in my heart! I used a variety of Kim’s ‘pink’ textures:  subtly yours, sweet treat, november and sweet tart.  Most blended in soft light mode.

What is the draw to media for you? Is it for information, wisdom, tips and tutorials, entertainment, connection or other reasons? And what good or bad effects has it had on your walk with God? That is a question posed in a series Media Mondays . Today's challenge is to share "Media and Your Walk With God".  How does technology effect our lives, especially as Christian women? From the moment I first got online, I loved it!  Being an avid reader, all this information at my fingertips excited me!  Email opened up easier communication and also filled a need for companionship with other Christian women as I joined many email groups and read message boards.  These were all 'good things', but began taking too much of my time and energy.  After getting a handle on my online communication, I began my blog.  This has been a huge blessing in my life as I have met many wonderful 'blogging friends', but also have the opportunity to share and encourage women in the Lo

In our daily lives, there are many things we ‘hear’.  The needs of our family, our duties at work, the call of our friends etc. are things that we need to heed to and listen to.  In the world around us we may be bombarded by the noise of our culture which often gives a different voice than the Christian way.  Conflicting words can bring confusion and added stress to our lives.  Which values do we hold to, what is the right way to follow?  What are we listening to?  How do we distinguish between the many voices clamoring for our attention and how do we know the right voice to hear and obey? In Psalms 40 this passage speaks powerfully of obedience to the Lord: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;          My ears You have opened.          Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come;          In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God,          And Your law is within my heart.” I loved the phrase

The challenge for Texture Tuesday is “Three”.  This picture came from last week’s summer church camp where our three campers were walking to breakfast. The textures used were love in layers – doubled in soft light blend and mayzee also in soft light, but with low opacity. 

We’re back from a fantastic week of church camp.  It’s always a bit of a challenge being the mom of 3 sons to spend a week with a cabin full of girls!  But, I’m learning.  This year we only had three girls in our cabin: They were some great girls with the sweetest hearts.  Through the week, they nurtured one another, laughed, painted nails, held hands and were such a blessing. We had some ‘heroic acts’, one girl jumped into the lake to save her friends (she wasn’t in any danger!), a little bit of drama and lots of fun times.  If only we could grow up to hold such special friendships: To watch these girls we needed good helpers: There were more ladies, but were not in this picture. There is nothing like sharing a week with a common purpose – to minister into the lives of others!