Finding Fulfillment Gods Way.

Lately I have been seeing a lot of things like this around: 

Find fulfillment in yourself, only you can change you. 

Fulfillment: 10 Steps to loving your life. 

Every change begins with your first step. Be strong enough to take it. 

Fulfillment doesn't come from your partner, it comes from within. 

Or pictures like this: 

Now, at first glance, this looks like not such a bad thing, find your fulfillment in yourself, don't feel you need a partner or friend to be your fulfillment/change your life. 

But there is something deeply wrong with this statement. 

And this sentiment is everywhere in our culture. The 'me' focused attitude. 

I'm telling you right now folks, if you try to find fulfillment in yourself... you never will. Ever. 

Christ is the only way you will find fulfillment. Christ is the only way you will ever find fulfillment in this life. You won't find fulfillment in a husband, in friends, in self actualization, in partying, or in clothing. 

Women are built with deep desires for emotional and social closeness. And we seek to fill this need with people, especially our husbands. We spend years hunting for the 'perfect man', for 'prince charming', only to find that once the shining armor comes off, that Prince Charming is just another guy who farts and has faults... just like everyone else. You try to make it work, but just like you're not perfect, he's not perfect, and something goes missing. Some need of yours is unmet. You decide he can't make you happy, so you leave. 

And that is perfectly acceptable in this world. 

No wonder the divorce rate is so high. 

No man will ever make you fully happy. Ever. 

The way to deal with that is lean on Christ. All of those things you need and want, Christ alone can fill them all. Christ will be the one person who will. 

When you feel like all the world is closing in and you're so alone... lean on Christ, and HE will be the one to fill your every longing. 

- Adele

Biblical Womanhood Sunday: Appreciating my husband, 51 ways to show him I love him.

(Hey everyone, so this WAS written on Sunday. But then Wiggles got REALLY sick. Long story short, we went to the hospital, she's fine now, but my post is a little late.)

Appreciating my Husband: I fail so badly.

51 ways to show him I love him. 

You see this photo? There is a very specific reason I chose this photo for this post. It's not because I look great in it, or because it's some magical thing my kids did that I think the whole world should gawk at. No, I chose this photo because it, it's little bitty self, a bunch of pixels on a screen, so sums up my husband. 

He's got my daughter in one arm, his arm wrapped around my son with his other.. and his elbow is holding me up from toppling on the floor. And he looks so HAPPY to be right there, being the glue holding us together. 

That is who my husband is. He is the rock every person in my house leans on.

He is the smile on my childrens face everyday at 3:30 when he gets off work. He is play time, and prayer time, and that soft voice after they've been rebuked by his hard voice. He is snuggle time and love. 

For me? He is my rock. My calm in the storm. My voice of reason when my emotional side is out in la-la land ignoring half the facts. He is the one single person who I can honestly say gets me. All of me. Who knows my weaknesses, and who isn't afraid to tell me. The person who looks at me and in one question tears down my facade and sees where I'm struggling, and isn't afraid to poke a bit to get me back on track, especially when it comes to my spiritual walk. 

My husband is, I'm convinced, the entire reason God brought me all the way out to Ontario. Because the person he is making me... needs this man beside her. Not only as her mate, but as her friend, and accountability partner. This man, in all his craziness, draws me closer to the Lord everyday. Like no one else has. Through being with him... my being with Christ has become richer and more deep than any other time in my life. Why? Because HE leans on Christ. His whole world is permeated with the love of Jesus, and he wants nothing more than to see Christ glorified in my life. 

I love that about him. 

Now, here's the funny thing. I find it really hard to tell him these things. I find it really hard to sit down and express these things to him out loud. Sure, I can write them here... but practically putting them into actions is HARD. 

So this is my brainstorm if you'd like, of things to do for my husband to help him feel more appreciated. I'm going to make a list of 51. One every week for a whole year. And I'm going to do them all. Why? Because he deserves to know how much we love him. 

Some of these will involve our children, some not. I'll choose at the beginning of each week which I'm gonna do, and I'll cross them off my list. By this week next year, I'll have done all of them. I'll keep you guys filled in on the progress made. Please note: Not all of these will be things will be things that he will notice at first. Some of these things... are things that will just make his life easier. That's part of this. My husband works hard at a physically intensive job. Doing small things to make his life easier is one way I can show him I love him. 

Some of these are repeated. This is because these are things I know he really appreciates. 

1: Place at least one note a day around the house of things I appreciate about him. 

2: Send the kids to a babysitter for the night, make his favourite meal, plus his favourite dessert, and have us time. 

3: Have a 'I love Daddy' day with Flash and Wiggles. Make handprint Christmas ornaments, and write something they love about their dad on the other side.

4: Don't ask him to do anything the entire week. Let him walk in the house and do nothing but sit. If he offers, say no, he deserves to rest.

5. Enter every contest I can to get spitz(Sports team around here) tickets. Hopefully get some. Surprise him with a sports night for him and I. Don't complain of how long the game is taking. 

** If I can't get tickets, we will watch an nfl(Bengals) game at home, and I will make nachos and cheese, and try to cheer for the right team. XD

6. Make a solid effort to never interrupt him while he is speaking, the entire week. (I'm really bad for this and it's one of his biggest pet peeves.)

7: Have the house clean everyday when he gets home, no matter what it takes. He loves coming home to a clean house.

8: Give him back rubs. Do some research on massage. Give him one every night.

9: Get dressed up. Everyday. Do my makeup, get well dressed, shave, do my hair, everything. If he asks, let him know it's for him. 

10: Make him a coupon book full of favours and things he loves. 

11: Take time to cuddle with him at least once a day. 

12: Praise him verbally at least once a day. 

13: Make his favourite cookies. 

14: Clean the car out while he's at work. 

15: Find ways to touch him. His hand, his back... anything. Be extra aware of touch this week. 

16: Make all three of his favourite meals. have them ready for him when he walks in the door.

17: Don't complain. Let a whole week go by where only pleasantness passes your lips. 

18: Have a wii night with the kids. Talk to the kids before hand and let him choose all the levels and things. 

19: Send the kids to a babysitter for the night, make his favourite meal, plus his favourite dessert, and have us time.

20. Find ways to touch him. His hand, his back... anything. Be extra aware of touch this week.

21: Praise him verbally at least once a day. 

22: Get dressed up. Everyday. Do my makeup, get well dressed, shave, do my hair, everything. If he asks, let him know it's for him. 

23: Give him back rubs. Do some research on massage. Give him one every night.

24: Watch a game with him. Be interested. 

25: Kiss him. Everywhere. Anywhere. Take time at least once a day to kiss him outside of our normal good bye kisses. 

26: Get a babysitter. Have us time, even if that means just sitting on the couch and watching a movie cause we're so exhausted. 

27: Save up the pennies. Take him for dinner on me. 

28: Do a chore he normally does to make your life easier. For me this is laundry. It's hard for me going up and down the stairs while pregnant, so he does it. But he hates laundry. So I'll do it for a week, hopefully getting it all done, so he doesn't have to. 

29: Get up before he does and have breakfast ready before he goes to work. For those of us who are night owls, this one might be a big sacrifice. :)

30: Tell your kids the things you love about him. In front of him, and not. 

31: Clean the entire house as a surprise for him. Enlist the kids if possible, have them make a sign telling Daddy how much they love him. 

32: Let him nap. In fact, insist he naps. At least once this week. :) 

33: Spend a night watching his favourite show. Specifically one you hate. Don't complain, smile and like it. 

34: Don't ask him to do anything all week. Let him just relax. 

35: Let him nap. In fact, insist he naps, at least once this week. 

36: Make his lunches and have them ready for  him everyday this week. Go out of your way to make them special.

37: Praise him verbally at least once a day.

38: Wii night with the kids! 

39: Get dressed up everyday. Let him know it's for him. 

40: Have the kids help making a special meal for him. Set the table nicely, get the kids dressed up, have a meal you all love. Enjoy the night.

41: Take at least an hour every night to simply cuddle with your husband. A little physical touch goes a long way. 

42: Be extra kind. Be very aware of how you are dealing with your husband and children. Don't yell, don't snap. Let kindness permeate your life this week. 

43: Don't complain, let only pleasantness pass your lips this week. 

44: Have the kids make him breakfast in bed. Spend the morning cuddling as a family. Make a backup meal in case the kids meal turns out really bad. :P 

*****WARNING: These next things are sexual in nature. Nothing graphic, but lets be  honest wives out there, our husbands are sexual beings. To neglect these things from this list would be a shame. I debated a long time about putting these in here, but the Bible talks a lot about sex between husbands and wives, and God delights in sex in marriage, so we should too. So here goes.******

45: Initiate sexual activities. There really is no better way to let your husband know you still think he's sexy. 

46. Whisper to him how much you want him. At least ONCE this week. In public is better.

47: Wear something you knew he finds you unbearably sexy in. If this is underthings... let him know you're wearing them in a public place, or while he's at work.

48: Do something in bed you aren't super fond of, but he loves. Revel in it. Learn to enjoy it. Take pleasure in knowing that his pleasure is your pleasure. 

49: Tease him. Touch him intimately through out the day until all he can think about is you. Make sure to follow through at night. 

50: Initiate. 

51: Spend some time honestly talking about your sex life with your husband. Listen, don't take offense if he says something you don't like.

___ 

So there you have it ladies! My list! I'm going to start this next Sunday! I'll let you know how it goes! 

How To Deep Clean Your Kitchen

Okay folks. Today's topic is cleaning. I know, we all hate it. But part of keeping your home in working order is clean. And once in awhile, your rooms, especially your kitchen, need a good deep clean. So here's how to give your kitchen the best cleaning you've ever given it, or will ever give it again. 

First off, a warning, you don't have to do this in one day. Seriously. This is a big task, don't feel bad if you need to space it out over a couple of days. 

Step 1: Prep. 

Get out your cleaners. Fill a bucket with hot water and your choice of all purpose cleaners, Lysol or Mr. Clean or even vinegar. Get out the Windex, and grab some old cloths for scrubbing things. Get out the oven cleaner and some rubber gloves. Fill up a bucket with floor cleaner, or just plain old hot water, get out your mop... Everything you will need to scrub this room. Once we get going, we don't want to be running around looking for what we need. Please note: Please don't use bleach. You prep food in here people, not to mention mixing it with some other chemicals can make poisonous gasses. Better to not risk it. 

Get two laundry baskets or sorting baskets, and a sheet or table cloth. Trust me. 

Open up your windows, and hopefully your doors. There are lots of chemicals used in cleaning a kitchen, and most of them smell rank and will make you high. Not cool. So open up those windows. 

If you can't get rid of your kids for a bit, put them someplace safe... like in their high chair. 

Step 2: The Oven.

Typically oven cleaners need a couple hours to set before they work, so start with this step. Follow the instructions on your bottle of oven cleaner, or sprinkle your oven with baking soda and then spray vinegar over it, or create a paste using liquid soap, baking soda, and vinegar. Apply this to your oven, and leave sit for 6-8 hours, then wipe clean. Simple as that. 

Please note: Chemical Oven Cleaners need to be Well Ventilated. They're highly toxic. 

Step 3: Clean off the clutter. 

Go to your table. If you're like me, it's probably covered in junk. Take all those things, and sort them. Dishes, stack on the counter. One laundry basket for things that go in other rooms, and one basket for things that need to be donated. Once your table is clear, wipe it well with a damp, hot, cloth. Scrub the caked on ketchup your kid dumped on it last night, and while you're at it, check under the edges for any food or condiments they hid or dripped under the table. 

Now lay down the sheet or tablecloth on top of the table. This is now your working space! Once you're done, any clutter or anything that happens now happens on your sheet. 

Step 4: Do your dishes.

Do all your dishes. For some people this is an easy step, and for some, this is a monumental task of epic proportions. 

Step 8: Wipe down all surfaces

Wipe down the windows sills, the fronts and edges of your drawers and cupboards, your stove, your fridge... every surface you can see when everything is closed. We'll get to everything else soon.

Starting list for things to clean off:

- On top of stove/stove buttons and knobs
- Fan blades
- Cupboard drawers
- Microwave
- On top of fridge
- Fridge Handles
- Cupboard handles
- Windows Sills
- Light fixtures
- Faucet and knobs
- Backs of Chairs

Step 4: Clear off your counters. 

Take everything on your counter, and put it on your table, on your sheet. Clear them completely off. Yes, completely. That means take off that spice rack that's been there since you got married, and that toaster that your kid smeared peanut butter on. 

First off, look at the things you put on the table. Do you really need all of those things on your counter? Do you use all of them daily or every couple days? If not, leave them on your table. It's time for the things you don't use often to find another home. 

Second step is take a damp cloth, and that bucket you filled with cleaner.. and wipe down everything you can. Wipe the counters themselves, the back splash, the fancy molding you loved when you moved in, but mostly it's just a dust collector, clean all the items on the table... everything. Clean every individual spice jar. 

Then put everything that survived the "I use this daily" test, back on the counter. If you need to rearrange how things are placed to make it easier to find/harder for kids to reach, now is the time to do it. You've got it all off anyways. 

Step 7: Clear Out Your Cupboards.

Remember how we took everything off the counter and onto the sheet? Do the same thing with all your cupboards. Let's start with the ones above the sink first. Take everything out, this means even that top shelf where you keep the dishes you got for wedding gifts and haven't used... ever. Wipe inside. You'd be surprised what kind of gross gunk can build up in cupboards. 

Now look back at your table. It's tempting, oh do I ever know it's tempting, to say you want to keep every serving tray and dish. But do you really need that snowman serving tray you inherited from your husbands great aunt? Probably not. Take this time to get rid of anything you haven't used in six months. 

That goes for appliances too. You have a baby bullet you haven't used in 3 years? Donate! You have seven trillion bugs from various places around the world? Maybe keep a couple to display, then get rid of the rest. Use one of your baskets to put all the donation things in. 

Once everything is clean and organized, put everything back into the cupboards. Then do the same thing for under your sink and any other cupboards left. 

Step 8: Clear out your drawers.

Clear out all your drawers. Wipe them out inside, and sort again. Donate what you don't use, and then organize properly what you do. 

Step 9: Clear our your pantry.

Same steps as before. Pull it all out on the table, wipe inside the pantry, clean off the boxes, sort out anything expired or not usable. If you have a spice cupboard or something similar, do that at the same time as this. 

Step 10: Clear out your fridge and freezer.

Same steps as before. Clear out, wipe, sort. Take out anything freezer burned and chuck it. This has the added benefit of you knowing what's now in your pantry and fridge. 

Step 11: Clean your windows. 

Take that windex and scrub away. If it's nice out, do the outsides too. 

Step 12: Clean anything we missed.

Sometimes people have special things in their kitchen. I have a bookshelf and our shoe rack. This would be the time I cleaned those things. This is your time to clean those others things.

Don't forget to wipe down your oven!

Step 13: Clean your floors.

 This means drag everything out into your living room you can. Garbage cans, chairs, potato bins... if you can get it out, get it out. 

Take your rugs out and give them a good beating, and maybe an air out, then store them in a safe place for awhile. 

Your floors might be covered in bits of this and that, so give it a good sweep first. Then mop, don't forget the corners and around the edges. 

Then mop, don't be scared to get down and scrub what you can. 

... 

GUESS WHAT?

You made it! We're done! 

You just gotta drag back in your furniture and bask in the uber cleanliness of your kitchen! 

It's a huge task, cleaning your kitchen this well. But so worth it. :) 

Good luck! Tell me how it went! 

- Adele

Teaching our Boys to be Young Men

Lately I have been really convicted about Flash. He's six, he will be seven in less than a month. And I just realized... he's becoming a little man.

I know, all if you out there reading this are like, 'Duh Adele, that's why they call them boys.' But that's not what I mean. Think of all the things you expect to find in a man, a real man. Protection, strength, wisdom, provision, leadership, to name a few. And Flash needs to know these things. He needs, as a young Christian man, to start developing these traits. 

The world is not going to help him do it. If there is one thing I am convinced about, it's that the Devil has his eye on my children, and the world is the Devils tool. 

The world will do everything it can to convince my son that he doesn't need to provide for his family. The world will do everything it can to tell my son he doesn't need to be the leader in his home. The world will do everything it can to tell my son that God's wisdom is wrong, and that he should be following some self-made theory of morality and guidance. The world will do everything to make my son ineffective. 

Flash is a self proclaimed Christian. We have spent months watching his life after he accepted Jesus into his heart, and it has been amazing to see him grow and mature in his faith. He wants so much to learn, and this is amazing to see. 

At the same time as I see this maturity starting in him, I see another ugly character raising it's head. We have had to deal with questions like "Why do I have to go to work? If I don't, I'll get money anyways." He's talking about welfare. Impressing on my son the need for him to work hard at everything he does is difficult when everything around him says that he doesn't have to. That he'll get a free meal at the end of the day, simply because he was there for the ride. 

The Bible says : 

2 Thess 3: 6-13

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.

Did you catch that? The man who does not work should not eat. This is a fundamental truth in the Bible. I have found myself more and more hunting down verses like this one, to teach Flash what he needs to know, but it seems sometimes like it's fighting an uphill battle. 

But this does not mean I don't do it. 

So I want to encourage you moms out there reading this: 

1. Don't trust the world to teach your children. 

Your children are your greatest mission field. They are young, impressionable, and oh so open to learning. 

Don't let the world get a grip in their little hearts. 

Satan is not going to be merciful because they are children. The world will not be merciful because they are children. Be diligent. Your children are taking everything in, use your influence as their mother to pull them away from the world and it's sin. 

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

2. Teach them the word.

Often, daily, every hour, every minute. 

Talk to them about God. 

Talk to them about his statutes and precepts. 

Talk to them about his mercy and his love. 

Talk to them of his judgement and strength. 

Talk to them about his sovereignty. 

Talk to them about Jesus. 

Memorize scripture with them. 

Read the Bible aloud to them. 

Anything it takes to get the word into those little hearts. Because right now is the time. You might think they're to young, you might think they don't understand. But if they understand even one of the twenty things you tell them in a day, that's still something. 

Det. 11: 18 - 21

“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.

3. Set an example.

These children are watching you. Closer than you know. Be their example. Read your Bible. Pray as you do your chores. Love the Lord. Be merciful and pure in conduct. Your children will see that, and it will speak louder to them than anything that comes out of your mouth. 

The conduct you set now will be the conduct they will pick up. You love to read your Bible? They'll learn to love it. You sin regularly? Sadly, they will pick up on that same sin. 

For women, it's hard to be an example for young men, because we are not young men. :) But know this, if you are example of a Godly woman... your son will want to find another Godly woman to be with when he gets older. The Bible says that a Godly woman will bring her husband around with her conduct. 

1 Peter 3:1

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.

Now, the context here is unbelieving husbands, but I think it fits with this concept as well. A wife who is living in the word, who is filling her role as a wife, in submission and grace, will encourage her husband to fulfill his role as a Godly husband. 

Your son will look for a wife like you. Set the example now. 

4. Love and submit to his Dad. 

I can hear it. I can hear the bristling skin as the women reading this read the word submit. It echoes through these pages even as I'm writing. 

But it's one of the few commandments given directly to women in the Bible. 

Eph 5: 22 - 24

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

This isn't conditional. It doesn't say submit if your husband loves you, or submit if your husband is a good husband. No. It says submit. 

And it will be  one of the strongest ways you will reach your sons. Loving his dad, submitting to his dads leadership. Why? Because this not only shows him what a Godly woman looks like... but it allows his dad to step up and set the example of a Godly man. And your son will, more than anyone, learn from his father how to be a man. 

Learn what it means to submit. It's not a bad thing. In fact, it's a very good thing. 

5. Never think it's to late, or to early.

So your kids are older, or maybe they're much younger. Only babies. Teach them anyways. Guard their hearts anyways. Start now. 

Your son is a teenager? 

Be a Godly woman, set the example. Guard his heart. Love his dad. Monitor what he watches on TV, take him to church, talk to him about God. He might fight you on it, but as much as he seems all grown up? He is still a child, in need of your guidance. 

It's never to late to make a difference. 

I wasn't saved until I was 18. Because someone took the time to really talk with me about God and what he expects from me. 

Your son is just a baby? 

Be a Godly woman, set the example. Love his dad. Monitor what things go into that little head. Guard his heart with that fierce ferocity only moms can muster. Take him to church. Sing Bible songs to him, talk to him about his amazing creator. Get in the habit now. Make it so he doesn't remember a time when God wasn't the focus of his life. 

Flash was saved as six, because every moment he was awake, Caleb and I talked to him about God. 

It's never to early to make a difference. 

Just my thoughts for the day,

Adele

PS: I'd love to hear how you are teaching your sons to be Godly men. 

Biblical Womanhood Sunday: Discipline

If these last couple months of being a mom have taught me anything, it's that my discipline is.. lacking to say the least. I struggle with the simplest of tasks sometimes. Just getting the discipline to get out of bed and put myself through my routine seems like a monumental task some days. Often the things that get missed are the things that are most important, Bible reading, prayer time, and spending quality time with my husband or children. 

Of course, this isn't just contributed to by my lack of discipline, it's also contributed to by my supreme laziness, and my stunning ability to worry. All sins. 

I have no discipline, thus I don't do things I need to do, such as Bible reading. I'm lazy, so I put off my chores, which I then use as an excuse not to read my Bible or pray, then when I have time with my children or Caleb... I worry about the things I'm not getting done that I could have done earlier if I'd just had more discipline and been less lazy. Nasty.

I'm embarrassed to say, this is not an abnormal day in my life. 

This is my commitment to prayerfully change. I want the full blessings God can pour out on my life, and my own shortcomings are getting in the way. But God can change that in me, and give me a new heart. 

- Natasha

The Power of Prayer

I was listening to this song: 

When I was struck again by the power of prayer. 

Not mindlessly praying before a meal.. but rather broken supplication before our Lord God. 

The Bible spends a ridiculous amount of time talking about prayer, cries for God to hear prayer, to consequences of prayer, and promises about prayer. Here's a small sampling. 

Psalms 102:17

He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

Matthew 17: 20-21

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Proverbs 15:8 

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Romans 12:12

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.

Four verses out of thousands. 

Usually the rule is, if the Bible says it more than once, it's important. The Bible mentions the word prayer, just prayer, not pray or praying... 128 times. 

Wow huh? 

Yet this is one of the first things forgotten in the flow of everyday life, and I am just as guilty of this as the next person. Life gets busy, and you say "I'll pray later." or you just plain old don't think about it... and then suddenly you've gone the entire day without spending those moments of communion with your maker. Those precious moments that we are so privileged to get to spend at his feet. 

This isn't just something to take for granted you know. This is kinda a new thing. For thousands of years, people couldn't go to God. They had to go through a priest, and even that priest only got to be in Gods presence once a year. We are so blessed to be able to go directly to God with our prayers, our praise, our wonder at his majesty. 

And yet we spit on the privilege we've been given and just... forget to go. 

It's like forgetting tea with the Queen of England. You just don't do that. But this is God. The supreme maker of the universe, the one who sacrificed his life for us, the one who loves us more than we could ever imagine... and he offers us the chance to commune with him everyday. Everyday. And we reject it. 

Gods heart must break for us. 

The power of prayer is amazing. One persons prayer can move mountains. One persons faith and trust that through prayer things can and will happen is enough that they can shake the very foundations of the world. Just one. How many people will read this post? 3? 4? If I'm lucky? 

Please. Take some time to pray today. Pray for your children... and their children, and their children. Pray for your neighbors, co-workers, family. Pray for your spiritual growth, pray that God guides your path. Pray that he guides your Pastor and keeps him and his family safe. Pray for those who don't know Jesus, that someone, somewhere would be able to plant the seed in their life. Pray for our government, that God would guide them in accordance to his will. Pray that God will give you courage to speak to others about him. Pray that he will show you when to speak and when to be silent.

You can make a difference. You could be the voice that makes a difference before the mercy seat. You can be a prayer warrior. 

Just take the time today to claim the privilege God has given you. 

- Natasha

Biblical Womanhood Sunday: Servanthood

Tonight in church, the topic was servanthood, and more specifically, the attitude of a servant. 

So this of course got me thinking of the women who exemplified a proper servants attitude in my life. 

One woman in my life has been very influential in the past year. The attitudes I have observed in her have in many ways shaped my own attitudes. She has just by being the example of Godly servanthood she is, convicted me enough to change my own attitudes. 

This woman let me live in her house for a month in between school and marriage. And in that month, and in the time since, I have learned a great deal about being a Godly woman from her. 

We'll call this woman Kate. 

Kate home schools her kids, all five of them, and does a fantastic job of it. She serves in the church in multiple areas, and never complains about it. When you ask the women of the church who is their best friend, the person they can turn to when they need to talk, need help, need anything really... they say Kate. Kate is always the woman who stays afterwards to clean up, comes early to help set up, and is always finding a way to help in the meantime. 

When you comment on this to Kate... she tells you you're being silly and that she's not that great at all. 

But her quiet, humble, service has truly stood out to me and struck a chord in my heart. She is always willing to give of herself, whether that's her time, her things, her shoulder, or her ear. 

This same attitude she wears seemingly without effort, is striking, and well worth emulating. 

Thank You Kate for being a Godly woman who convicts me to be a Godly woman in return. 

Natasha

SAHM Saturday: Loving your Kids.

Lately I have been struggling a lot with being Sam's step mom. I suddenly have a lot more respect for those fairy tale step moms who fall and mess it up, because it is so easy. 

Because it's not always moments like these: 

Sometimes we definitely have moments like these: 

I find that sometimes I have a very bad attitude when dealing with Sam. Usually this happens when he's tired and argumentative, and I'm tired and cranky.  Which with being 7 months pregnant and him just starting school... happens a lot these days. 

Suddenly all those things that drive me crazy... he seems to do all that much more, and I respond worse and worse to them happening. I get snappy and vindictive, and he pushes more because he's hurt by me being so snappy. 

It's a truly vicious cycle. 

Now, this does not make Sam right. Children are supposed to obey their parents. 

'Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.'

Ephesians 1:6

But parents are supposed to treat their children with love and not entice them to wrath. 

'And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord' 

Ephesians 6:4 

'Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged' 

Colossians 3:21

I have been reflecting this past day about what that means. Don't entice your children to wrath. When I was a kid, I thought this meant my parents could never tell me no. Because it would make me angry. But that's not what this verse means at all. 

It means something much more important, and something much harder than simply giving in to your child's every demand. 

It means learning to keep a proper attitude, even your child is driving you crazy. It means getting to know your child intimately, knowing their hopes and dreams and fears. It means knowing their interests, and making them your interests too, just to spend time with them. It means loving them even you really don't want to. It means knowing when saying no is the right thing to do, and when it's just you being vindictive. It's knowing when to discipline them, and how to do it lovingly and without anger. It's being sensitive to their opinions and feelings when making decisions that impact them. It's treating them with respect as fellow human beings. 

And most of all, it's guiding them towards Christ with your attitude and conduct. Because you, more than anyone else in that childs life, influence them. They watch you, more closely than you can imagine. 

For all those parents out there who struggle with attitude, pray about it! God promises to give the grace for any situation, that includes raising and dealing with your children. I know I certainly will be praying for abundant grace in the next.. oh say... 15 years. :)

PS: Kudos to my husband who pointed this out to me and started this train of thought.

-Natasha

Occupying your kids: Beyond TV and Wii

Lately I have been personally convicted about how much Sam (That's him up there ^) uses his toys. He has a whole playroom full of cars, train sets, coloring books, various space guns and action figures... PLUS his bedroom full of playdoh, coloring stuff, smaller toys, and board games.

Which almost never get touched. 

Every time we go through his toys, we find toys he's forgotten he even had because he so rarely plays with them. 

Now, I understand that this is just as much, if not more my fault than his. Lately I have been very willing to let him sit down in front of the TV and watch power rangers, or play the Wii, simply because I know he likes it. In the meantime, his little brain is being sucked into TV world and his many toys meant to build creativity and independence are left forgotten. 

I have made it my personal goal to get him away from the TV more.

Right at this moment, Sam is upstairs playing with Play Doh. I can hear him all the way down here. He's singing to himself when he's not having an all out war with his play doh over the shape it will be in. This makes me smile, because he's singing his Johnny phonics songs from school, which is fantastic, because he's been struggling with letter sounds and reading. 

This would not be happening if an hour ago, when Sam woke up, I had not said, "No, you may not play Wii or watch TV this morning." And had not every fifteen minutes from then said "No, you have a thousand things to play with in the house, and it's a nice day out if you want to play outside or at the park. You don't need TV or Wii." 

He's since given up asking, and I feel a sense of accomplishment that I didn't budge. Now, granted, it's only one day. But this proves to me, this one day, that it's possible to keep him occupied not using the TV or Wii and not drive me crazy. Which means it will be possible in days to come to do the same.

Horray for small victories, 

Natasha

Home Making: A Lost Art?

I'll be the first to admit, I miss the days when instead of being looked on with disdain by all but other house wives... home makers were respected. When it wasn't a bad thing for a young girl to say "I want to stay at home, raise my kids, take care of my house, and love my husband, as I honestly believe God intended me to do."

Now, before that sends half of you off into the stratosphere, let me explain.

Yes, I honestly believe that God intended women to be keeper at home. So many references in the Bible talk about women at home.

Take for example:

Titus 2: 3-5

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Emphasis was mine.

Women are fully capable of having flourishing careers in a huge number of areas. But I honestly think that the family unit, and the woman herself, most benefit from having the woman at home. Now, I understand sometimes this isn't possible, for financial or health reasons. But I will also qualify that by saying, that maybe if you can't stay at home... consider cutting back your life style. It's well worth it.

Anyway.

I miss the days when you didn't have to defend that belief. I miss the days when it was... almost expected. I miss the days when a little girl learned to take care of a home and raise children while holding onto her mother's skirt.

I miss the days when the home was not viewed as a cage, but a woman's fortress. Her area where she ruled with a quiet certainty of what needed to be done, and no one knew the workings of it as well as she did, where her husband and children could depend on her to keep it, and with it, them, in good working order.

I honestly think that the art of homemaking... is a dying one. In the right circles you see it making a comeback, but more and more, you see young women turning to careers and putting off families all together to pursue other areas of their lives. And, if... if a young woman dares say she wants to stay at home and raise a family, she's branded a destroyer of women's rights, and is proverbially stoned to death by an onslaught of propaganda from all sides.

She is told that somehow this choice of hers undermines her value as a woman, and that she is wasting her life by frittering it away in the kitchen. That one day she will regret her decision, and that nothing she could do there will be as fulfilling as leaving the home and finding her fulfillment in a career. Not only that but she is told that she demeans woman kind as a whole by making this choice, and that this choice is contributing to a chauvinistic, paternal society where she is no better than a doormat.

What a load of bull-puckey.

A woman's choice is her choice. The fact that she has the choice to stay home is a woman's right. There is no way on earth that somehow her choice to stay home demeans her or anyone else. Staying at home and raising her children, she is a beneficially, working part of society. She is a laundress, maid, babysitter, teacher, chef, expert negotiator, and chauffeur. She works every minute of every day, as hard as she can, often without thanks or acknowledgement from those who benefit most from her labours. At the end of the day, she has created a loving, warm, happy environment that her family can call home. She has raised children who, God willing, are well adjusted, polite, hardworking, human beings who also contribute to society.

How is this any less important than having a career as a business woman? A therapist, a physical trainer, an engineer? Why are these skills held up in high regard when the skills that it takes to make a safe and happy home are devalued?

I honestly don't know, but I plan to teach my daughters the art of home making.

I want to teach them how to care for a home, how to raise children, how to provide food for her family, both in cooking and preserving, how to create an atmosphere of love in everything she does, and most of all, how to honor God with every word from her lips and every move she makes.

Now, please note: My sons will learn to. :P They won't really have much of a choice. But I will teach them what the Bible has to say about male and female roles, and I will teach them that neither role is in any way lower than the other, but rather that they are equal, but different in kind. Because this is true. And I strive always to teach my children the truth.

Still thinking,

Natasha