Wednesday In The Word

I hope that you all are enjoying the first few days of fall.

In my devotion the other day I came across a verse of scripture that is refreshing and instructional and I want to share it with you. It is my prayer as you read these words that God will speak to your heart and into your unique life and set of circumstances.

Proverbs 2:1-8
My son, accept my words. Store up my commands inside you.
Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding.
Call out for the ability to be wise. Cry out for understanding.
Look for it as you would look for silver. Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure.
Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord. You will find out how to know God. The Lord gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
He stores up success for honest people. He is like a shield to those who live without blame. He keeps them safe.
He guards the path of those who are honest. He watches over the way of his faithful ones.

It is a good thing to notice these words: accept, store, listen, apply, call out, cry out, look, search.
These words require action on our part. How many times have you heard some one say, "I just wish I felt God." Of course we all have times when we feel closer to God than others but more times than not we sit idly and just expect for a sense of God's presence to come into our life with absolutely no action on our part. This verse makes it very clear that a rich relationship with God comes from some serious intentional action on our part. If we seek Him, He will be found.
When we practice the words of this verse, these are the words that will become part of our life:
understanding, wisdom, knowledge, success, protected, watched over.

From the Rooftop:

Spending time with God is not a passive activity

Spending time with God is an activity of vulnerability toward Him

Shouting out to Him will change your life

God hears and understands

The byproducts of an active relationship with God are rich

I am praying for you and me that we call out to the one that has known us since before we were born and begin to enjoy His benefits.

I love you,
Glenda

Trash Yor Marriage in 8 Easy Steps

I was doing some Internet research for my Bible Study and came across this great article titled Trash Your Marriage in 8 Easy Steps. The title made me laugh and then I was curios. Click here to link to the article. If that doesn't work cut and past http://bible.org/article/trash-your-marriage-8-easy-steps. Enjoy!

Proverbs 14:1 "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with HER OWN HANDS."

Happy Weekend!
Annie

TNT Tip: Not Going Organic? Try the Next Best Thing

I have tried to go organic, really I have. I went for several months buying only organic milk and talked with my pediatrician about the pros and cons of organic baby food. However, after trying to buy organic for several months I decided it wasn't for me. There are several reasons for this but the main one is cost. My husband and I have taken control of our finances (with a lot of help from Dave Ramsey) and I have decided that organic foods are simply not in our grocery budget at this time. (I know that this is an important issue to some, and I appreciate that. This tip is not an attempt to refute the virtues of organic food, but to offer an alternative.)

I shop faithfully at Aldi. I love their produce and it is far cheaper than my mainstream grocery store. However, I realize that their produce comes with waxes, pesticides, etc. so I have started using a neat product called Environne Fruit and Vegetable Wash. This non-toxic product washes off the outsides of fruits and vegetables that have wax, pesticides and oils on them. It is quick and easy to use. You can apply it directly to foods like apples and peppers, or you can clean large amounts of produce like lettuce and grapes by swishing them in a big bowl with water and a squirt of the wash. I bought mine at Trader Joe's. However, if you don't have a Trader Joe's, you can order from the Environne website or Amazon.com.

Like me, you may not be able (or willing) to go organic in your kitchen. However, this is a small step I can take to eliminate harmful residues on our food, and that makes me just a little happier at my dinner table.

Love,
Amy

Free-for-all Friday: Decorating a Dining Room

This dining room is a hard room to really bring together and establish in our homes as a functional space. Here are a couple of ideas that I have come up with and I am in the process of executing. I have found that now our dining room is decorated, we use it so much more!

First, pick a fun color. I am on my second I have to admit. I went from a traditional gold to a deep purple. I have included in my decorating a couple of antiques that I have gotten from my grandmother. If you do not have any, you can have a blast at the Flea Market looking for plates and vases to display.

Second, you need to decide on how to decorate the walls. I always wanted to hang our wedding pictures in there but never found a clever, trendy way to do it until now. We are coming up on our 10 year anniversary so I finally took two wedding pictures and had them blow up from 4x6 to 5x7 and had them changed to Sepia coloring. I got a side by side frame and then I am going to write a poem on the back and give as a present. :)

The next idea I have is to get a china plate from both my mom and my mother in law's patterns and hang them with plate hangers both along with a piece from my set. Plates are a great way to decorate in this room because you could also get some trendy ones to bring in some color and you can always change them out!

Hope you have fun and I would love to see and hear some of your ideas on how to conquer this old school room in a fun way~

In this picture you can see my new color and also how I found a mantel at Pottery Barn for $50 and used it as a shelf on this wall.

Wednesday On The Road With My Main Man Practicing What You All Preach See You Next Week

Training Up Tuesday: I'm Sorry & I Forgive You

Well, I’m certainly not the first person blog this, and this may not be the first blog you’ve seen in recent weeks regarding apologies and forgiveness in light of recent events of politicians, athletes, and musicians “blowing it” and then offering public apologies. But, we would be re-missed if we didn’t discuss this topic on RWAV for Train Up Tuesdays.

As parents, we can be thankful for public examples that allow for teachable moments. It seems to make it easier for us to use others’ poor (or good) examples. However, why stop there? Any basic lesson in how we learn shows that we learn best by what is consistently modeled before us as opposed to simply what we are told. In other words, won’t our children learn best not by teachable moments afforded us by individuals/celebrities with whom they have no relationship, but rather moments modeled to them by those they look up to the most - their parents/family? When was the last time that you, Mom, held your child in your arms and apologized for “losing it” with them or for portraying a less-than-desirable character trait? Do you see it as “unnecessary” or think that it makes no difference? Please reconsider. While I think “I’m sorry” is a great first phrase to learn to say or to sign, we often “force” our children to say “I’m sorry” for their mistakes just as we tell them to say “thank you” without explaining why it is important or without encouraging them to learn to express this themselves (yes, I’m guilty of this at times, too!). When they witness the sincerity of our own apologies, they learn lessons in empathy and why it helps to say “I’m sorry.”

If you are an FB-er (Facebooker), no doubt you or one of your friends mentioned the apologies of Joe Wilson, Kanye West, or Serena Williams. I found it interesting that most people are focusing on whether or not they thought the apologies were sincere. It caused me to question “How many times are we supposed to say we are ‘sorry’ for it to be considered legit? How many tears, quivers in the voice, or other expressions does it take to make the apology acceptable?” This led me to recall another question regarding forgiveness, “How many times must I forgive?”. As Christians, it is our duty to be quick to forgive, not once, but often...even if there aren’t continual apologies, and perhaps, even if the apologies don’t meet our expectations of how they should sound. Our accepting of the apology, however, should always sound believable.

Mom, are you quick to forgive your spouse and your child? Is there sincerity in your voice when you say “I forgive you.”

TNT Tip: Why Has No One Told Me This?

Do you like to make homemade oven fries? I do, but whether I make regular oven fries or sweet potato fries, mine ALWAYS stick to the pan. No matter how much I grease it I always have french fry bottoms left in there to soak in the sink after dinner. About two weeks ago I was watching Tyler Florence on the Food Network. He was making burgers and fries and here's what he said to do: While you are cutting up your potatos to make oven fries, preheat your baking sheet (in an oven set to 425). After you mix your cut potatoes with olive oil and salt, spread them in an even layer on the HOT baking sheet. They will sizzle like crazy, but they WILL NOT stick.

Ever the skeptic, I tried it this week and let me tell you - it worked like a charm! I turned my fries halfway through baking and they came right up. When I was ready to serve them, they lifted right out again. You better believe that I'll be making a lot more oven fries now! I'm also going to try this next time I make roasted vegetables. Why has no one told me this before?

One of my favorite products

I use chicken broth/stock a lot. It's a great way to add extra flavor to rice, soups, gravy, and more. One of my favorite things came from my mom 2 Christmases ago: Minor's Chicken Base . She gave me a container of this goopy deliciousness and I didn't know what it was; now I'll never be without it.

Minor's Chicken Base is a product that you add to water to make chicken stock. You just scoop out about a teaspoon and add it to 8 oz. boiling water to have instant stock. Brilliant! What makes this a favorite in my kitchen is that I never have to buy chicken stock in a can or box, nor do I have to buy chicken buillon cubes. Think about it: If you buy a box of stock, it must be used within 2 weeks of being opened. That can be wasteful if you're only using part of it. The 16 oz. container of chicken base will easily last a year in the refirgerator. At about $11 a container, I'd say the chicken base is a good value!

Have you ever heard of Minor's Chicken Base? What would you use it in?

Love,

Amy

Wednesday In The Word: Yes and No

Lately, as I go about my day and listen to people communicate, listen to speeches, watch people on tv or read the paper it seems that there is a popular pattern of lingo in America. My husband and I see and are keenly aware that it has infiltrated the Christian world as well as the secular world. We don't really have time to go into all the particulars at the moment but it is alarming if you really pay attention. The most alarming is that it is a language that is not black and white and allows people to say just about anything they want weather it is the truth or not.
I have really been listening to some speeches on TV and one day an issue is addressed one way but when that doesn't seem to be working the next day the speaker will say it a different way hoping that ultimately that will get him what he wants. Only thing is, the second speech has totally contradicted the first speech. It is confusing and it seems to me that the world is in a state of confusion right now. This whole matter may be one of the reasons.
Why can't we just say and do what my mother used to say, "say what you mean and mean what you say." That would be revolutionary right now it seems.

The bible says Matthew 5:37
Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one

From the rooftop:

God and His Son Jesus are the Truth

Satan is the father of lies

If you don't know what the truth looks like in a particular situation turn to the Bible to see what it says about the Truth

Let your words be the truth and not shadows of the truth

Tomorrow when someone ask us a question could we concentrate on simple, truthful answers

It is so easy in a world that is not as black and white as it use to be to just go along with what everyone else is doing. When standards have been lowered it is tempting not to hold our own lives to the standard that we once did. Why don't we all get on our knees before a Holy God and ask Him to help us to be as He is, people of truth.

I love you,
Glenda

Training Up Tuesday: Love Tokens for Your Child

Last week we spoke about teaching our children to express love through thank you notes and love letters. Did you help your child follow through on it? If so, did both your child and the receiver of the letter beam with joy at this small, yet precious token?

This week, let’s turn the tables a little. Let’s put an unexpected smile on the little ones!

Some moms put love notes in their kiddo’s lunchbox for school. There are SO many creative ways to do this from what I’ve seen. There are a few really cute notes you can find online by googling “lunchbox notes” and can print onto paper or stickers. Check out these adorable fruit labels. Of course, there’s nothing like a simple handwritten note, either. Perhaps, you write or draw something silly for your little wise guy. Maybe you write lyrics to a favorite song for your music lover. Or perhaps you know your precious one is having a tough time, having a difficult test that day, or just needs to be reminded of the encouragement we can find in God’s love letter to us! Write out a scripture to help them get through that day. Lunchbox notes create a connectedness when they aren’t with us (hmmmm...sounds like what God’s Word does for us, too). They also help to

build a love for reading.

Maybe, like me, you have a “pre-reader”. Last year, I let my little guy, Mr. C (who was 2 going on 3 years of age) go to a preschool program 2 days a week for 3 hours per day. He had a lunch time and I wanted to send love notes, but he couldn’t read yet. So, instead of traditional love notes, I put thought into his food. Perhaps it was cutting his vienna sausages (please, no hate letters on that!) into trains or octopuses (which became easier with time!) or sandwiches into various favorite shapes with the aid of cookie cutters. Sometimes it was stickers or a drawing on his napkin. He loves cuckoo clocks, so I have even made a sandwich into that (sort of).

As I mentioned last week, my husband goes through seasons of travel. We looked for something he could do or collect to mark each trip and to let the little ones know he was thinking of them. We didn’t want it to be costly, but things like collecting a rock or shell from a destination weren’t as easy to do as we thought either. Eventually, I came across this idea to create a flip book using postcards, a hole punch, and binding rings. Even if my husband never leaves the hotel or convention center, he can almost certainly find postcards at the airport or hotel before leaving. You can often find postcards for a quarter! If it is a long trip, he mails the cards to us, which always makes going to the mailbox a treat. But even if he simply brings the cards home in his bag, it is always something the boys look forward to.

The book is simple to make. First, collect your cards; then, you can laminate them, if you prefer. Punch two holes in one card first, as your “guide card”. Make sure all cards line up with the “guide card” before punching holes in them, too. The last step is to insert your binding rings through the stack. This is a book that can expand with time. It’s also a great tool to use when teaching geography. You can point on a map where daddy has been (or let them hold an appropriate map puzzle piece) and show the post card from that trip. You will be surprised how this gets soaked into their memory!

These are just a couple of everyday ways to let your little one know you are thinking of them even when they aren’t with you. What creative, inexpensive ideas have you come across that you use?

You've Lost That "Lovin" Feeling

Have you?

Have you gotten so comfortable with your husband that the spark is gone?

I'm going to be honest with you, I have been there. I want you to know that I am madly and deeply in love with my husband. I always have been. But in 12 years of marriage, there have been times where the spark has seemed to fade. I noticed the "spark" was missing one night while at a movie with Paul.

We were in the theatre watching "The Notebook". There is a "scene" in the movie (c'mon, you know which one I'm talking about:) where they get hot and heavy. When Paul reached over and grabbed my hand during that scene, I felt something. Something I hadn't felt in a while. I got tingly and giddy inside. I was ready for the movie to be over, if you catch my drift! I didn't realize what had happened at that moment, but over the next few months, God revealed to me that I was relying on a good romantic movie to get me excited about my husband.

Now, I'm not in ANY WAY saying that a good romantic movie is a bad motivator for getting "in the mood", but I had gotten to a stale place where it took that to make me gush over my husband.

I heard Beth Moore talking about this very same thing at a conference. She said she would pray "Dear God, help me to tremble at my husband's touch". So, I started to pray for that very same thing. And, I added a few more things to it. Like, "Dear God, help me to melt when he walks in the door, help me to fall in love with him in new ways, help me to really WANT him."

You know what? It works. As I have prayed for him, God has given me a new passion for my husband. Try it! Begin to pray for God to bring back the spark in your marriage right now!

Your husband, a Masterpiece

Ladies:

I was having a conversation with a young woman who has been married about a year and is expecting their first child in January. We talked back and forth about the struggles of the first year of marriage along with the struggles of becoming parents. She has a lot on her plate and I wanted to encourage her in her marriage because it feels like yesterday I did not know how I was going to persevere through the same trials.

In thinking over the past ten years, I am able to see a few of my "mistakes" and wrong thinking in and about my marriage. One of the greatest gifts a woman gave me was telling me to look at my husband as the Lord sees him and not as I want to see him. Simple, powerful and completely life changing. If I look at my husband as "fearfully and wonderfully made" then that knocks out all arguments against him that he is not God's perfect masterpiece. It is like looking at a painting and wanting it to have different colors, shapes, and images. If I want the painting to be different then it is not what the artist was inspired to create. I need to sit back look over the painting and appreciate the design that was given to the piece. There is a lot of art out there and it is all very different and unique. The same with God's creation of His children.

The point is to look at your husband as a masterpiece of the Lord and appreciate who he is today and look forward to what God will do with him tomorrow if He chooses to give him another day. Life is a vapor, a mist, fleeting and then we are gone. Chose to live today in this moment content with where God has you while looking forward to your glorious meeting with Him someday face to face.

In Love with my Husband,
Annie

Savory Smackerel: Roasted Veggies!

If you're like most home cooks, you get stuck in a rut of side dishes. I get so tired of the old standbys: broccoli, potatoes, green beans, etc. Roasting is my new favorite way to fix vegetables. It may seem intimidating, but according to my go-to kitchen book, Secrets from the Southern Living Test Kitchens, roasting is simply "to cook food in an uncovered pan in the oven with dry heat . . ." Turns out we've all been roasting for years!

I started roasting vegetables this summer after my sister served them to us at the beach when it was her turn to cook. She learned the technique from Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. Roasted Vegetables sounds like an autumn side dish, but I've been roasting veggies all summer. I like sweet vegetables, so I always throw in a sweet potato, red potatoes, peppers, onions, zucchini, etc. You can roast pretty much any vegetable! It's a great way to try new ones too.

Roasting is awesome because it brings out the natural sugars in vegetables so everything tastes sweeter. All you need is olive oil, salt and pepper - it couldn't be easier! Trust me, I am not a fan of peppers but when they are roasted they become sweet and delicious. Try it and see! Roasted veggies are a great accompaniment to grilled foods, Sunday roast, even spaghetti! Another plus? Roasting helps nutrients stay in foods, as opposed to the nutrients boiling out into water. Come on, have I convinced you yet?

Roasted Vegetables

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and cut up a variety of vegetables into chunks (peel beforehand, if necessary). They will shrink a bit as they roast.

Spread out in a roasting pan or a baking sheet. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat all veggies (maybe try 3-4 tablespoons?). Follow with a liberal dusting of salt and pepper.

Use your hands to combine all of the ingredients, making sure the veggies are all coated in oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once. You are looking for tender vegetables and slight color on them. I love a good charred edge - so much flavor!

Love,
Amy A.

Free-for-all Friday: Iron Away!

Growing up, my mom ironed all of my dad's shirts. I don't remember her ever taking any of them to the dry-cleaners. She still irons them today! When I was in high school, I remember her taking me to the laundry room and teaching me how to iron a man's shirt. When I got married, I couldn't wait to iron my husband's shirts! I just assumed every wife did that, but after a few years, I gave in and started taking them to the cleaners. Recently, I decided that with the way the economy is, I could help do my part by ironing my husband's shirts again and saving money. Every once in a while when the kids take their naps, I will have an "Ironing Day" and I'll spend my 2-3 hours ironing in front of the television.

So, in case you want to save a few bucks, but don't think you know how to iron very well, here is a step by step tutorial for you. (Don't laugh at my ironing board cover...it has a few burned spots!!).

1. Unbutton the shirt all the way (cuffs, too). Take out any collar stays under the collar. Lay the front side of collar facing down, spray with your favorite starch, and iron:

2. Most men's shirts have a seam on the back, right under the shoulders. Take this seam and lay it flat on ironing board, spray with starch and iron. You can also get the upper chest part of the shirt while doing this:

3. Take the cuff of one of the arms and lay it flat on the ironing board, spray with starch and iron, getting the lower arm area, as well:

4. Take the sleeve of that arm cuff and find the seam on the bottom of sleeve. Holding the shirt by the seam, lay flat on the ironing board, spray with starch and iron. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with opposite arm:

5. Starting with the left side of the shirt, lay flat on the ironing board, spray with starch and begin ironing from top of shirt to bottom, working your way around entire shirt. I like to use the steam setting on my iron to get around the buttons really well:

6. Most shirts have one pleat on the back, but some have two pleats on either sides of the back. I like to steam these pleats to make sure they are nice and crisp:

7. When you are finished, replace collar stays and hang shirt immediately, buttoning the first few buttons on top. The end result? A nicely ironed shirt and money in the bank!:



Love,
Donna

Thrifty Thursday ~ Coupon Confessions

Coupons have changed my life. Next month will mark a year that I've been using this new method to shop and save money. It's transformed our family budget and become a ministry too. To some, I'm known as the coupon girl. Many times people admit budget and coupon mishaps to me. Somewhere in their confession the phrase, "I'm sure you'd never do this!" inevitably comes up. In an effort to provide you encouragement, I want to share some of my money saving blunders.

• I let three weeks of coupon inserts pile up without cutting or filing. Result: I couldn't find any coupons to match sales and paid full price for many items.
• I went an entire month without going to the ATM for our cash only budget. Result: We used our debit card and went over budget in every category. Over budget. Over budget. It rings in my ears!
• I used more than 20 coupons at Harris Teeter. Result: I had 15 coupons that didn't double and my total was $20 more than anticipated.
• I used a coupon binder (and even taught about it in my classes) for six months. Then, I switched to the coupon box and love it! Result: I wasted money on binder supplies and hours of precious time filing in those silly baseball card slots.
• I lost my coupons in CVS. Result: Tears. Yup, after I spent 45 minutes planning the trip, getting all the stuff, and planning my transactions I couldn't stop the tears. I did find the coupons stuck between binder pages. (Another reason to use the box...hahaha!)
• I intentionally skipped triples and then super doubles at Harris Teeter. Result: A much needed coupon break. Although, I did hate hearing about all the free stuff that I missed!
• My motto in my class is "It's not a good deal for your family if it makes you go over your weekly grocery budget!". Result: I've broken my creed- more than once.
• I've thrown away rain checks because I let the coupon expire that went with it. AND, I let my cell phone rebate expire as a result of poor organization. Result: At least $30 down the drain! Aghhh.
• I neglect to plan out our weekly meals. Result: Stressful dinner prep and eating out too often.
• I forgot to buy a paper while on vacation. Result: Many weeks of missed deals.

My admissions have one purpose--to shout from the rooftop "Get back on the coupon wagon!". It doesn't matter what set backs you've had. Start back today. Every little bit of savings helps.

Wednesday In The Word

Today is a great day to encourage you. Lately, I have been so impressed with the hearts of ladies I talk to and women that write on this blog to encourage other women out there. So may I give a huge SHOUT from the rooftop and say you are blessing my socks off and I know a lot of other women share my affirmation. Many of you are young moms trying to honor the Lord in your marriages, raising your children, in your friendships and in your finances. Others are trying to make it without a supportive husband or have felt God call you to serve Him and you are doing it all by yourself. It is amazing to see and I am so proud of each and everyone of you.

My husband travelled when my children were young, as I know many of yours do as well. My oldest daughter told me recently that when she would hear me say, "the Lord would not put me through more than I could stand", that she would feel like I was upset with her in some way. I was horrified because all I meant was that I was tired from managing a household and taking care of children and I sometimes would feel like I might not be doing the best job. Needless, to say moms are misunderstood often and it is good when we can clear things up! In moments that I would be overcome by fatigue I would call on the Lord to give me the energy and physical resources I might need for that day or night. It wasn't pretty or perfect sometimes but God helped me and He will always help you, call out to Him!

The Bible says in I Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

From the rooftop:

Be careful what you say around your children :)

Give your day to the Lord

Give your worries to the Lord

He cares for you

He will carry you

I am praying for you and I am so grateful for each one of you. Have a blessed week.

Love,
Glenda

Train Up Tuesday: Snail Mail Expressions of Gratitude and Love

It’s an age of all things electronic when it comes to almost all forms of communication - instant messaging, texting, Skyping, Facebook. Good, old fashioned letters and cards seem to fade from thought, yet who doesn’t just love it when a “thank you” or love letter is written in pen or even crayon and delivered unexpectedly? I say “unexpectedly” because it seems so much faster and easier and normal to type/text/Facebook.

I want to give you a few ideas on how to teach your little one the value of these types of notes. First, consider the simple “thank-you” card. After my husband and I were married, I tried to be intentional on getting out thank-you cards to those who bestowed their love in gifts to honor our marriage celebration. I never “seemed to have time” to do them all at once, so I did what I could when I could. I thought I had gotten them all out until MONTHS...and I mean MANY months later, I found probably 30 or so under the seat of my car (oh, did I just say that?! Guess now you know how often I was cleaning out my car, too)! YIKES! I was embarrassed...too embarrassed to give those cards out even at that point! That was a kick in the right direction, however. When my oldest son was born, notes went out a little quicker...but come on, I was a new mommy and hadn’t quite adjusted my time management (still working on that, too by the way). For his first birthday, though, I took extra care and time to have his photo made with a message “from him” thanking people for helping make his day special and handed them out as guests would leave the party or would mail them to the few who mailed birthday wishes to him. It was evidently a hit. I would go to friends’ homes and see that thank you on their refrigerator. Now, I do it each year for both my boys.

Now that my oldest son (whom I’ll refer to as CA) is 3 and loves art (like his momma!), we try to be diligent to send thank-yous to anyone who gives him something or does something that he is grateful for. I’m already seeing appreciation develop in him. He will say “thank you” voluntarily for things to people, which is what we all want in training our children. We don’t want to have to tell our little ones to say thank you; we want to train them to do that themselves without our prompting.

A second idea is simple letters of love to just make someone’s day. For most of our married life, when I haven’t been able to go on a trip with my husband, I send letters with him for each night he’s away. He says it’s the part he most looks forward to during his trips. Before kids, the letters were mushy, gushy, and sometimes a page long. Now, I’m happy to have a 2 sentence coherent thought to write; not that I love him less, but let’s face it, it’s a little difficult it to complete a sentence with little ones around you. I like our letters now, more than ever, because they are sprinkled with crayon markings, stickers, and other sweet surprises. CA helps me with these notes now for “Daddy”. This year, we started something new. A blank book for CA to draw/write in and for me to write in as well. I bought these fabulous, inexpensive blank books here. We are almost through with the first book. My husband has loved his special book! He told me he often runs his hands across the pages to feel the impressions that his boy has made while drawing for him. In a day where Skype is a great tool, it still doesn’t replace the connection that my husband feels by touching what his son has made. CA is earnest about making sure we write in “Daddy’s book”. He’s equally driven to make certain that daddy doesn’t forget to read it each night he’s away. (My husband does his part to return his love as well, but I hope to share that with you in the coming weeks.)

Now don’t get me wrong, I get happy to see my inbox lit up like most of you, but I’ll take the feel of crayon on construction paper ANY day!

So what creative ways do you have for helping your little ones learn the art and appreciation for writing/drawing letters? How do you help teach them the value of expressing gratefulness and love to others? Post links to your favorite ideas, please.

The Great Date Experiment

Let me set the scene for you:

Paul picks me up at the house at 5:30. 1st highlight of the evening - there was an element of surprise. I got dressed up for him and we weren't both just in our bathroom getting ready together at the same time.

I got in the car..."Well, where are we going?"

He pulled out "The Great Date Experiment" and told me to read #1 on the first page.

It said to pick a place to go for an appetizer. Then, after that we had to choose an inexpensive place for dinner. (Paul took me to a quirky, fun, taco place in Atlanta where I had my first ever FISH TACO!) At dinner, he pulled out the papers again and we were to ask each other questions like.."When did you KNOW I was the ONE?" 2nd highlight - we had a tool! We didn't talk about our kids, jobs, house, or to-do list. We just talked about us. I really felt like we were on a DATE date. I remember when he prayed for our food that night at dinner, he held my hand and rubbed over the top of my hand with his thumb. That's something he did 12 years ago when we dated. And that night, I got that tingly feeling all over again!

After dinner we went to Target - still following the instructions - and were to pick out a very inexpensive gift for each other. We had 10 minutes and were to meet each other back at the front of the store with our gifts. I got Paul a cycling magazine and he got me a battery operated solar light! We laughed out loud in Target about that one. It's in my back yard though, and every time I see it, I think about our fun time together. 3rd highlight - gifts!!! That's my love language, so it was perfect!

Next up on our agenda we had to take pictures of us (as a couple) on our phone and change our phone wallpaper to US! 4th highlight - being in downtown, taking pictures, having that picture on my phone to remind me of a great date!

There are 6 dates in The Great Date Experiment. We are on date #3. They have inexpensive date ideas and you can download the dates for FREE! Click here to download your first date. Oh, and let me encourage you to watch the video introduction on the site. It's funny. Come on, get going!

Next week, I'm gonna share more about how to pray for God to "bring back that lovin' feeling". If you've lost it. Begin to pray now, "Lord, help my heart to melt when I see or touch my husband." I dare you.

Love, Angela

Back to Dating...

Ladies:

A simple way to safeguard your marriage is to have regular time alone with your mate. Setting aside time without kids, without other people and just hanging out is a powerful way to show your husband he is important to you. I mention the part without other people because I know the temptation is to invite another couple to go out with you. I love people, I love hanging out with my friends and their husbands BUT you need alone time on a regular basis so that there is time to just enjoy one anothers company.

Now, don't tell me that you don't want to leave your kids with a babysitter or there is NO ONE to watch them. Ladies...LET GO! God is sovereign over your children. Yes, make wise choices in who you leave your kids with but get busy researching and find someone to help you out so you can have time alone with your husband. Ask friends, ask neighbors, look at who is serving in your church nursery, ask family, look into a credible nanny service that does background check and interview different people! There are trustworthy people out there you just have to make the effort and ask God to help you find someone.

The date night doesn't have to be elaborate and expensive. Depending if it is day or night you can...pick up fast food and take it to a park for a picnic, take a walk around a community hike and bike trail, walk around the mall and window shop, have coffee at Starbucks and just talk, go dancing, think about what you did when you were dating and just settle into your husbands lead and remember the times you thought he was "amazing, wonderful, and the man of your dreams!"

Warning: This may be awkward at first if it has been years since you were alone without your children. Take it one step at a time and you will be amazed at how showing your husband you need to have alone time with him will soften his heart and open his mouth to telling you what is in his head. I pray you all rekindle the passion you felt when you first fell in love.

Love, Annie

PS Make sure you get yourself looking your best for him as well!

Free Museums & Free Chick-fil-A!

Hey, y'all! This weekend is the first full weekend of the month, and we all know what that means! It means that Bank of America cardholders get FREE admission to many museums around the country. Last month, here in Atlanta, we checked out the High Museum of Art with this great deal. A few months ago, we hit the Atlanta History Center. The promotion is called Museums on Us, and it is a fabulous opportunity to see some great museums and other attractions. (But it's not just for Atlanta--participating museums are all across the country! Check the site to see what is free in your area. Thank you, BOA!)

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Who doesn't love a good Chick-fil-A sandwich? Better yet, who doesn't love a FREE CFA original chicken sandwich? You can get one on Monday (Labor Day) from 10:30 a.m. till closing time just by wearing a sports team logo! Word on the streets of the ATL is that even Little League logos and such count. Who knew?

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Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Wednesday In The Word: My Child

How great is His love that we should be called children of God.
I John 3:31

Nathan.
My Child.

I always loved His name and I never tired of saying it, even when the tone in which it was said may have meant he was in trouble. He was born November 17, 1980. We quickly learned that he was persistent, articulate and funny. He was a gift from God to Preston and me. We raised Him to understand who God was and what a faith in Christ meant. Nathan came to faith early and always had a keen spiritual insight and discernment about people. He was not perfect and struggled through adolescence which was heartbreaking but recommitted his life to the Lord in 2003. From that moment on, he grew in his faith and all he wanted anyone to know was that Jesus loved them.

My last memories of him was of him telling a grocery clerk, “Jesus Loves You.”

He had an urgency about letting everyone know that fact. Perhaps it was because he was keenly aware of what a life was like when you weren’t assured of God’s love.

We physically said good bye to Nathan for the last time January 6, 2006.

January 24, 2006 the phone rang some time in the evening and I will hear the words forever. “We have found a body.” It was Nathan.

They had found Nathan’s body at the base of Tahquitz Mountain in the cervix of two rocks. It was a climbing accident. I don’t remember much of the next hours but I do remember collapsing on my bathroom floor and screaming, “My Child, My Child. Jesus Help Me.”

Despair overcame my heart in a way that I had never known. The next day as I rocked back and forth in my rocking glider, it was as if God said, “Glenda, Nathan is MY child.”

It hit me like a lightning bolt but was absolutely correct. Preston and I had received Nathan as a gift from God. We had cherished that gift and the part we had to play in that purpose was apparently over. It hurt but this fact had a way of bringing me where I needed to be, closer to Jesus.

I continued to agonize over the severe loss our family felt. I felt an intense grief over never being able to tell Nathan I loved him again and absolute panic over weather he died knowing how much I loved him or how much everyone in our family loved him. I went through his whole life over and over again in my mind. I would laugh when I thought about funny things he would do or say, cry when I thought about how amazingly thoughtful and kind he always was and cry uncontrollably when I would wonder if he knew the tremendous respect and love we had for him. It was the most vulnerable moment of my life. One moment I would feel great joy over all the ways we had been able to watch him accomplish, and then I was weighed down by ways that I could have been a better parent. Every time I would go down the road of defeat, it was as if God would meet me there and assure me over and over that Nathan was His child and he would take care of him now.

I learned early in this sea of grief that God will never leave you or forsake you and He will be faithful to pull youthrough the paths that seem so dark that you can not even find your way because if you know Jesus, You Are His Child.

I began to think about what it meant to be God’s child. My life, Nathan’s life, your life, no one’s life has the depth that God intends for it to have with out being HIS child.

If you have asked Jesus into your heart by asking Him to forgive you of your sins, YOU are HIS child. John chapter 1 verse 12 says. “After you receive and believe you are given the right to become children of God.”

Right there in that verse, your life becomes fuller and begins to unfold with new dimension. You immediately obtain a right that you did not have before. It is the right to be the child of a perfect Father. We are offered a type of life that is only offered to members of His family. I have to realize in the midst of my brokenness over the loss of Nathan, that as Nathan’s parent I was only a shadow of what a parent is. It is only in our relationship with Christ that God shows us a complete picture of what it means to be the most perfect parent. What earthly parent does not want the best and most perfect gifts for their child?! This fact makes me rejoice that I was faithful to train my child in the ways he should go while he was here on earth but when my job was over he was given every good and perfect gift from a perfect heavenly Father! It makes his absence more tolerable even though it still hurt and we miss him. Nathan does not have to deal with anything on this earth that is complicated or difficult anymore. He gets to worship and behold perfection. What parent would not want that for their child?!

That is exciting! You are the child of a perfect Father. No man can ever attain to the perfection of this MIGHTY FATHER. He loves you with perfection, His plans for you are perfect and you can trust Him because He is perfectly dependable. Let’s just take a look at the things that are perfectly God.

His works are perfect. Deut. 32:4

His knowledge is perfect Job 3:4

He makes our way perfect. Psalm 18:32

His law is perfect; it revives the soul. Psalm 19:7

He is perfect in beauty. Psalm 50:2

His power is perfect. II Corinthians 12:9

His gifts are perfect. James 1:17

His Love is perfect.

I don’t know about you but when you lose someone you love to death, nothing seems very perfect. It is hard, but we have to take a deep breath and look at what we face in the light of who God is. He is perfect. Therefore, I can put my sorrow on His shoulders and He will perfectly care for Me and you too. That is a comfort and it makes what I am going through not only bearable but have some meaning.

Are you at a point in your life that you do not know what the next day or minute will unfold for you. I am praying for you that you will not be overcome by fear but that you will rest up against Jesus. He will perfectly love and care for you.

I love you,
Glenda

Training Up Tuesday: Have You Heard of MOPS?

Hi, lovely sisters on the Roof!

Cooler temps, falling leaves, the smell of newly sharpened pencils and erasers. Autumn marks back to school time for many of you moms. School isn’t the only thing back in session, though. For those familiar with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) September is a time for getting back together with likeminded moms. I embark on my first adventure as a MOPS participant this September at my church, and I’m very excited!

You may be asking what I’ve been asking, “What is MOPS?” Well, it depends on who you ask. The MOPS Coordinator my group, Claire Belles gave me a clear definition that MOPS.org provides: “MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. MOPS International exists to meet the needs of every mom. Moms with different lifestyles who all share a similar desire to be the very best moms they can be! MOPS recognizes that the years from infancy through kindergarten are foundational in a mother-child relationship and are filled with unique needs.”

Or perhaps, you may be able to relate to Nikki Mans’ (Creative Activities Leader for her area MOPS for 4 years) description:

“Simply put, it's a place where you can escape for 2 hours (Yes, I use the word ‘escape’ as in: break free from captivity or confinement), have free babysitting, hang out with other moms, eat a lovely breakfast (You actually get to sit without interruption & eat your whole. plate. of. food.), hear an inspiring message, make something creative (my fave!), discuss your latest mommy highs-n-lows, learn some things about yourself...& more!”

So, why are we talking about MOPS on Train Up Tuesday? Because, to be an effective trainer, we as moms need effective training, coaching & cheering; all of which one can find at MOPS meetings.

I asked Nikki, “How has (MOPS) enabled you, inspired you, taught you to ‘train up your

child’?”

“One of my favorite things about MOPS is being able to ask questions of the other moms about whatever it is I'm going through: whether it be potty training (Aargh!!), sleeping through the night, finding my sanity, ideas for alone time with hubby, etc.

Mostly MOPS has taught me a lot about myself. I always had so much guilt as a new mom because I felt I wasn't being a good mom. This would make me angry at myself and sometimes I'd get angry at my children and I'd yell and everything would just boil inside, which caused MORE guilt and a vicious little cycle that repeated. I learned to let go of those expectations and find joy in my uniqueness as a mom. I am a much more relaxed mom now than I used to be. Being a mom is super-duper-deluxe hard work & MOPS helped me to feel like I wasn't alone. MOPS made me realize how ‘normal’ I am & how ‘normal’ the things I am going through are. I have a support system.”

Nikki found MOPS when she needed it most. She was an “overwhelmed & stressed out mom of 2 kiddos both under 2 years old.” She needed “ME time,” even if that time was with other women like her who could provide adult conversations and a time of rejuvenation. While enjoying her time with other ladies, she could rest in knowing that her little ones were being well cared for in the MOPPETTS program.

Doesn’t this sound just like something you or a girlfriend could use in her life at this moment? If you haven’t registered to be part of a MOPS group it isn’t too late! Many women join throughout the course of the MOPS’ year. Visit the www.mops.org website for more information on the program or to find your local chapter. The nominal yearly fee that most groups charge cover the membership to MOPS International (includes a book, a monthly magazine and weekly email encouragement) as well as costs for supplies for MOPS meetings.

You can also find some great MOPS inspired crafts and thoughts by visiting Nikki Mans’ whimsy love page http://whimsy-girl.blogspot.com/search?q=MOPS.

Are you already a member of MOPS? How has it helped you most?

How would a group like MOPS help you “train up a child”?

Thanks to Claire Belles & Nikki Mans for providing me with information on MOPS!

Love,

Ashlie