Friday, October 29, 2010

Sara's Questions


What am I cooking?
By request of my husband, I've been experimenting with chicken on the bone. I usually just do chicken breasts, but he likes dark meat. To my surprise, it was good!

What am I reading?
Just have time for the Bible right now.

What am I praying today?
I was praying for people I met in Bosnia today.

What can my children do instead of watching TV?
Play outside-- My girls can entertain themselves for a while playing house outside. They don't have any brothers, but they each have their own house and visit each other from time to time and go on errands. It's funny. We also painted with watercolors today. That was fun.

What is one product that has made my life a little easier?
I'm not sure about easier, but the discovery of mint chocolate chips that I use in my old chocolate chip cookie recipe has made my life yummier=).

What am I grateful for?
A merciful Savior-- Jesus Christ-- who shows such mercy to me every day—Oh, how I need that!

What have I done for my marriage lately?
Making sure that we have time together just as husband and wife, not just mommy and daddy and two kids=). This has not been easy for us, but our marriage is so much better when we are looking to serve each other and just spend time together. This is something the Lord has been teaching me lately.

What's challenging me lately?
Trying to find time for everything and everyone, knowing how much I should be doing as a homeschooling mom and what can wait. Also, the Lord has been challenging me on some sin issues that are painful, yet so good for me!


How were you a mission-minded family this week?
Well, I guess every week it's the same for us-- Remembering our time in Bosnia for a month and talking about and praying about going there full time at some point. Trusting the Lord that we will or will not go all in His perfect timing.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Ponderings ~Karen

What am I cooking?
A lot of Mexican food. We are learning about Mexico. Next week Canada. Any good Canadian recipes???

What am I reading?
Lots of adoption books. It is our homework from the adoption agency.

What am I praying today?
A better prayer life and time to pray as a family (more than just blessing the food). I know it sounds ironic to pray for prayer, but I am asking God to help fulfill that desire. Finding the time and building the habit is my major roadblock. I know God will give me the wisdom to fix this problem.

What can my children do instead of watching TV?
Play with wooden blocks and plastic animals.

What is one product that has made my life a little easier?
Hot Dots. They kept my preschooler busy doing a "school" activity, while I schooled the other ones.

What am I grateful for?
a helping husband

What have I done for my marriage lately?
Telling my husband when I appreciate something he has done.

What's challenging me lately?
Celebrating the seasons. I wish I could whip up some tasty treats for fall or have a plan to make Christmas cookies. Life gets so busy, I forget to make some memories for my children. It doesn't help that I am seriously challenge in the Martha Stewart area. My flesh wants to be perfect in every area of motherhood, but I am not. No one is. But, I would like to improve to a reasonable level - to know what to make when having company, a good meal to take to a sick person, actually make Christmas cookies. I need to read the Hidden Art Of Homemaking.


How were you a mission minded family this week?
Reading the biography of Cameron Townsend aloud.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Heart of Frugality


Here's an interesting blog post on frugality by Tim Challies.  It's not what you might expect...

Excerpt: Over the weekend I came across some video of America’s self-proclaimed cheapest family. They got me thinking about frugality, a topic that is all the rage in Christian circles today (or at least in some Christian circles). I have discussed this issue once or twice in the past but want to return to it today. Why? Because a lot of people put a lot of effort into frugality and I think many of them do so without thinking deeply whether what they are doing is right or wrong. They are saving money and this must be good, right? I’m not entirely convinced. So hear me out.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

~Catherine

Monday, October 4, 2010

Our Children Are a Gift from God

While we set out to build character in our children, it is our character that is also built in the process. In fact, I wonder if we learn more about God from raising our children, than our children learn about God from us. Though, the discipleship of the children by the parents may range from non-existent to very active, even when the discipleship is on the heavy end, I bet the parents still end up gleaning more.

This leads to the fact that there is no accidental child in the sense God gave us each child to build certain character traits in us. Whatever that child's sinful bent is that we need to deal with day after day after day, it was meant for us. It was meant to teach us a lesson, so we need to look for what God is trying to teach us through our trials with our children. With so much to do, it is easy to get caught up in discipleship and disciplining, that we forget to notice what we are suppose to be learning as well.

Personally, this helps me see my daily struggles with my children in a positive light. I am growing closer to God. Along with my children's fruit, I will be harvesting my own.