A New Year = New Goals

Hi everyone.  I know that it's been 4+ months since my last post and I apologize for that.  One of my goals for 2012 is to post on here at least once a week.  This week I'm participating in Sandra's Friday Favorites over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

About a month before Christmas I picked up a used desk for our room that became my craft desk.  It quickly filled up with homemade presents for my friends and family. 

For Christmas this year Scott gave me a brand new sewing machine.  It wasn't on my Christmas list but my wonderful husband sure does know me.  This little machine quickly became my favorite gift.  I placed it proudly on my craft desk but didn't get to it right away because I had no idea how to use it.  

On January 1st I packed up my sewing machine and headed over to my friend Andee's house.  She graciously showed me how to thread my machine and even taught me a thing or two.

I then brought my machine home and got right to work.  Being at my craft desk with my sewing machine is one of my favorite places to be.  Scott knows that if he can't find me in the house to just look in our bedroom.  He even set up a bird feeder right outside the window for me.  I love being able to look at the beautiful birds while crafting away.  God sure knew what He was doing when He brought Scott and I together.

Have a blessed day!

Anita

You never know what you're going to get.

If you were to ask me a year ago if I thought I would be where I am now or have had the experiences I’ve had I would of thought you were crazy.   It was this time last year that I decided to join a Life Group at Hidden Valley.  My Life Group has been one of the best experiences of my life.  These ladies are awesome.  I have grown so close to them and to God.  I have made some extraordinary friends who helped us out during a difficult time by showing us God’s love.  But let us fast forward to life now.

In the time since I joined my Life Group, I have read several books; one in particular really stretched me.  I read the book Radical by David Platt.  This book is truly amazing.  Radical challenges you to let God take over and have Him use you for His good.  As a result I have a new venture starting this weekend.  This Sunday is the debut of the 3-2-1 Movement at Hidden Valley Community.  Click here to see more information on this.

Have you asked God to stretch you today?  Go ahead, do it.  You never know what you are going to get.

Until next time~

Slowing down

As a mom, well even as a human, it seems to be in our nature to want to go fast.  From the time we learn how to get around as a little baby we always want to go fast.   That seems to be my pace lately. Fast. I want to clean the house fast, make dinners fast, get out of the house fast, well you get the idea.  I finished a book recently titled The Hour that Matters Most by Les & Leslie Parrott with Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna.  The theme of the book is the importance of having family dinners together as often as possible.  The authors also give the reader tips, ideas and recipes. You can check out my review of it here.  I am going to strive to slow down and enjoy dinnertime with my family more often.  We usually rush through it in order to get the kids in the bathtub to start getting them ready for bed.

I am also going to slow down my day-to-day activities.  Yesterday morning instead of tackling my usual chore list I took the kids for a walk around the neighborhood.  The girls love to go on walks and seems to calm them down when they are going stir crazy.  I need to remember that my priorities are not the same as God’s priorities.  Taking the time to go for a simple walk really clears my head and opens my heart to hear what God needs me to get done for the day.  I will leave you with this verse from Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

Until next time~

Control

Lately I have been struggling with control.  Control in all areas of my life.  Self-control, trying to control the cleanliness of our house, controlling our children, controlling our money and how it is spent, etc. you get the idea.

Then this past Sunday we went to church and Pastor Brian gave a sermon on Leadership.  Now I’m sure you are wondering how a sermon on Leadership has anything to do with control. Let me explain.  A few months ago I had a dream involving starting a project.  And when we went to church this past Sunday I started thinking about this project again.  Now in order to get this project started I need to have Leadership and ask God to help me with my control issues.  There are so many things that are going to have to be in His hands, things that only He can control. 

As I go through my daily activities I have to remember to stop controlling and ask God to show me what He needs me to do today.  I need Him to show me who He wants me to serve, love and lead.

Until next time~

Job, career or calling?

I've been pondering how I view being a stay-at-home mom and housewife for the past view days.  Then I read about it in the John Ortberg book I'm (still) reading - The me I want to be: becoming God's best version of you.

He says there are 3 orientations people take toward their work.  (Paraphrased from the book.)

• The first is a job.  You focus on a way to make money and pay the bills.  
• The second is a career.  Here your motivation is slightly different.  You focus on advancement and prestige.  Your feelings are based on how much success it is creating for you. 
• The third is to view your work as a calling.  Any work that has meaning, that can be a blessing to people and to the earth, can be a calling.  A garbage collector may see what he does as part of making the world a cleaner and safer place and therefore has a calling.

There are days when taking care of the girls can be challenging.  The weather isn't nice enough for them to go outside, making them crabby and bouncing off the walls.  I didn't sleep well the night before leaving me crabby and cranky.  And on top of those two things nothing seems to go the way I think they ought to.

After I read how people view their work it caused me to stop and really take it in.  Now instead of seeing motherhood and cleaning life as a job I see it as a calling.  I remind myself that God has called me, yes me, to be the mother of my 3 precious girls and wife of my amazing husband.   It's no longer my "job" to take care of them, do the laundry, clean the house and make the meals.  It's my calling.

How do you view your work?  Job, career or calling?

Until next time~

God's in the room

My mom is lending me her copy of the latest book they finished in her Life Group.  It's The Me I Want to Be, becoming God's best version of you By John Ortberg.  In it I recently read this sentence from page 134 "The goal of prayer is to live all of my life and speak all of my words in the joyful awareness of the presence of God."

There are a lot of days where I pray as if I'm just talking to myself.  I'll say "Lord, please keep me calm with the girls today."  But really I'm just talking to myself.  I forget that God is always here with us.  I need to remember that He's in the room with me, watching my every move and hearing every word.  I have to remember that He's present with us always.  He's the best friend that never goes away.  I can tell Him anything.

Until next time~

Thankful

I am feeling very thankful today. Yesterday was Mackenzie's last field trip of her Kindergarten year. (Her last day is Friday.) My mom and Marvin arrived very early in the morning to watch Kennedy and Lexi so I could help chaperon the trip to the zoo.  I am so thankful that they were able to help us out.  Not only was I able to enjoy the morning at the zoo watching my little girl with her friends.  My girls were able to spend some quality time with their grandparents.  Thank you Mom and Marvin!!

I am also very thankful that Mackenzie had such a wonderful teacher.  Ms. Mackman is very kind, caring, patient, smart, firm etc..  All the qualities that make for a great Kindergarten teacher.  I love watching her interact with the kids.  As parents we couldn't of asked for a better teacher.  Mackenzie adores Ms. Mackman and I know she is going to miss seeing her everyday.  Thank you Ms. Mackman!!

I would also like to say thank you to the principal at Olson Elementary.  Mrs. Emmerich is so amazing.  Every time I see her she always has a smile on her face.  She is such a positive person.  She is a constant presence in the school and all the students look up to her as well.  Thank you Mrs. Emmerich!!

Until next time~