Joyfull Living

Do you know that your home speaks much about you?  Not the dark secrets of our lives we joke about 'if the walls could talk', but our homes are a projection of who we are, what we like and what we hold close.   Let's walk through our homes and pay attention to what our homes are saying: Walls:   What we display on the walls is what we like to look at but also where our heart is.  Family, art etc.  Scripture displayed on the walls of a Christian home shows the priority we place on God's Word in our lives and home.   Displays:   Are there bookcases or shelves for nick naks?  These things are often things of value we like to keep in our view.   Furniture:   How are seating is reflects our style - welcoming, cozy, formal etc.    Kitchen:   What's out on the counter?  It is usually what we use daily.  Is our kitchen 'busy' or stagnant (hardly used)?   Bathroom:   Again, what is on...

Housework is a never ending job!  And that is just the tasks that you can visibly see that need to be done!  As a child, I was not trained to clean house.  I learned the basics - cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, dusting and vacuuming, but that was about all!  Once I got married, I learned about all those areas that need to be cleaned such as ceiling fans, refrigerator tops and window sills! Readers Digest had an article about "Things You'd Never Think To Clean"   and they were right!  I only clean one of the four of these! 1. Telephone receivers. In his research, Dr. Gerba found significant numbers of illness-causing bacteria and viruses on telephone receivers. 2. Shower curtains. They get wet most every day, and they often stay wet, making them a perfect habitat for mold. 3. Indoor garbage cans. Particularly those in the kitchen and bathroom. Emptying them isn’t cleaning them. Regularly scrub them to make sure germs aren’t germinating. ...

At the end of last week, I posted my intention to participate in the Be My Valentine Marriage Challenge .  I've had the weekend to think of and work on ways to incorporate being a greater blessing to my  husband.  But...I've also found that after 24 years of marriage, I've let some things go!  I've not practiced the things that " praise, encourage, inspire, admire, build up, thank and appreciate my husband" like the challenge encourages.  A few opportunities came up and I realized it will take some deliberate choices to not simply go along with our days, but make an extra effort to make him feel special.    I'm reminded that love is active and is a choice.  Also that my attitude is the beginning point of my actions.  It's not just about what I feel or what my  mood is , but going beyond self and seeking what will be a blessing to him in words and actions.  How I look at little habits, words spoken or actions can m...

I recently read about a fellow blogger who 'names' each new year.  At first, that sounded odd, I had heard of resolutions, plans, purposes etc., but to 'name a year'?   Never!  The purpose behind this was what the Lord was teaching her and changing in her.  At the beginning of last year, I attempted to do a monthly "Journey to Excellence" .  It was a good plan where 12 subjects were chosen and I was to read, learn and blog about one subject per month.  Nice plan, but fell flat...therefore...no real change. This year, if any resolutions were to be made, they  had to include change.  Not just a list of things I wanted to see happen,  but a deep change in heart that only the Lord could do. A friend at church gave me a journal for Christmas.  The cover says "Every day is a gift, every moment is a blessing, every life holds a beauty of its own."   This was the perfect gift since I love journals!  In fact, I h...

  Valentine's Day always seems to catch me off guard.  It is a holiday that I love, but rarely 'prepare' for it.  Wtih three sons there is not a lot of fluff, (just give me the candy!), no ruffles or pretty packaging.  My wonderful husband usually takes me out to dinner which is a treat for both of us.  It is way too easy to fall into that easy going kind of routine.   Women Living Well is hosting a 4 week Be My Valentine Challenge that caught my eye.  Even though Valentine's Day is low key for me, the thought always get turned around to 'what I am going to get out of it'.  This year, I'm going to do a little preparation.  Although craftiness is not my gift, I can encourage and bless with words and actions.  This challenge is about ways to " praise, encourage, inspire, admire, build up, thank and appreciate your husband."  Can you think of a better gift for Valentine's Day?  This challenge begin with Week 1 ...

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. James 3:17 I love the book of James!  It is hard hitting, real and relevant.  After some challenging verses on the tongue and how hard it is to control, James moves onto wisdom.  Not just any ‘ole wisdom…but true wisdom.  The person who possesses godly wisdom will meekly show it with works, not just words.  After a list of what is not true wisdom – we read the characteristics of true wisdom, it’s main one being ‘pure’ and then a few others: peaceable – describing a spirit of tranquility and calmness. gentle – not harsh or demanding willing to yield – not suggesting to compromise truth, but releasing the attitude of always being right, not matter what full of mercy and good fruits – doesn’t simply judge but seeks to find the solution with good words and deeds without hypocrisy – ...

Homeschooling is a blessing that allows us flexibility in our studies. When warm and sunny January days come around, it is hard for us to stay inside.  So, today, we took our lessons outside! Teachers Desk: Dressing in shorts and flip flops: Only such fun can be found in Florida!

Have you ever pondered the question  "what's my purpose?"   We as Christians know that we serve a God who created us unique and gifted us and equips us to live a full and abundant life.  Many times we hear the words "He has a purpose for us".  But often we look, listen and struggle to find exactly what that purpose is.  Are we where we need to be - in the right job, relationships, church and  if we dwell on this issue long enough can make ourselves a little crazy!!    But there is good news!  God is not the author of confusion, but of order.  And, He gives us clear guidelines in His Word on some of the things He expects of us.   He only asks us to focus on ten essential things that help us fulfill His grand purpose for us as women who love Him, who love and serve others, and who reflect Him to the world. His list, found in Titus 2:3-5, con­tains these essentials on which to focus our time and energies: Be godly i...

Of course through the year, we made time as a family for some fun! In September, we took a couple of days to relax at the beach! Then in October, enjoyed the splendor of the mountains:

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”  I Timothy 4:8     Happy New Year!  2013 is here and hopefully our resolutions, plans or vision for the year are taking shape.  Getting in better physical shape is a big resolution for many people during this time of the year.    In  2012, I didn’t start off with any major fitness plans, but ended the year feeling great about my physical fitness level. January found me walking about 2 miles several times a week and doing some light weight work outs to keep toned.  December ended with my being able to run 6 miles without stopping, participating in 4 5K races and currently training for a 10K in March!  The end of the year left me feeling  fantastic, energetic, full of vitality and loving how my body looked.  But…it wasn’t easy.   Fitness takes diligence, discipline, perseveranc...

My youngest son became a fan of the great outdoors, he even brought our neighbor in on the action.  Many hours were spend outdoors building forts, clearing woods all of course…covered in camouflage! I found a new interest – growing and drying my own herbs: Flood of 2012: Our town suffered much damage from a Tropical Storm in June.  Thankfully, we didn’t receive any damage.  My son took me to investigate: Then my husband had to go check it out! A New Interest – Running! 5Ks with my youngest son and a great friend! Homeschool – We joined a homeschool coop this school year and enjoyed new friends and hands on learning:  

When reflecting back on the past year, I couldn’t remember all the highlights until I was going through the pictures on my computer (trying to get organized!).  Memories and moments came back to warm my heart.  2012 was a good year!  As I work to clean up my pictures, I’m posting them to cherish and resolve next year to capture more moments. Spring 2012 A neighborhood field burning got out of control: My front yard became the command station: High School Prom for my middle son: *His date’s mother was taking pictures on Prom Night and I had to be out of town for another son’s soccer game.  The night before he tried his tux on and let me do a 'pre-prom’ photo shoot! Graduation! Baccalaureate, Church Graduate Breakfast and pictures with the family! My Three Sons! Apparently this is going to have to be in stages!! 

In our world today, things can change in a heartbeat.  Nothing is a sure thing.  Who knows what this New Year will hold?  It can be scary.  Thankfully, God's Word is with us and when we get diligent, is in our heart.  God's promises are true and sure.  No matter what is going on around us, God is with us and His Word is true.  Here are a few promises from His Word to keep close to us for this year: God’s mercies to follow you, and pursue you, every every minute of every hour of every day. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. ” (Psalm 23:6) God to meet every single true need that should arise. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) God to lead you, counsel you, guide you, and give you wisdom. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understan...