Thank you for making Jesus famous to my children

March 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment

I watched him intently in my rear view mirror while driving home as carefully as I could. With each passing bump in the road, he winced. And after nearly an hour of praying exhausted Word-thirsty prayers and offering Jesus my thankful heart in weak one word utterances, we were nearly home.

I wanted to stop and grab dinner for my other three sons and amazing husband who had been left at home without us for eleven long days and nights. Nothing fancy, just a small gesture of thanks and a need to make this night a little easier after eating hospital food and drinking too many cups of coffee for too many sleep deprived days in a row.

Thank you for making Jesus famous to my children || DevotionalMotherhood.comI pulled up to the drive-through window to pay for our meal. As I handed my card to the woman just within reach, she smiled sweetly with tears in her eyes and said, “No need, it’s all taken care of. The woman ahead of you just paid for your meal.”

I had no words. Glancing up at the minivan ahead of me and seeing little hands through the tinted glass windows in the back, I knew.

This was a fellow mom, someone I’d never met, maybe with sons as well…just wanting to bless another mom.

My son in the back seat, a witness to this blessing, then asked me why someone paid for our whole meal. I told him it was because of God and His desire to bless us through another kind soul. I could see his young boy-mind thinking. I thanked God in that moment for so many things, but mostly, I was thankful my son was able to see God’s goodness shining in what has been the most challenging year of our lives.

Days later…I still couldn’t stop thinking about this sweet mom who impacted our lives so much. I desperately wanted to thank her for making Jesus famous to my children. Even though our other three sons weren’t there, they were most certainly blessed as well. Join me over at The MOB Society to read the thank you letter I wrote but would never get the chance to personally give to this mom.

Filed Under: Thankful Tagged With: , ,

If my life had a soundtrack, THIS would be it…

February 21, 2014 by 1 Comment

If my life had a soundtrack, THIS would be it... || DevotionalMotherhood.comYou know those times in your life when you’ve really identified with a particular song or artist? I remember many songs that have resonated deep within my heart during certain seasons of my life. I had boxes and boxes of cassette tapes, mostly mixed ones I had created myself. In later years, I collected all of my favorite CDs and would listen to particular songs depending on the mood I was in or the circumstance I faced. But one thing I remember…there was never a song I would have claimed as “MY LIFE SONG”.

But now that I’m one year shy of 40 and my faith walk has taken me on the wildest ride of my life, I know one thing more than anything else…

I NEED JESUS. Everyday. Every hour. In every moment of every circumstance, I need my Heavenly Father.

So, I heard a song last week that took my breath away and truly spoke to the very essence of who I am. It’s one I’d never heard before, but the words…they met me where I am now and where I’ve always been…in that constant place of needing Jesus. If my life had a soundtrack, THIS would be it…just this one song, over and over again. And not for a season or because it suits me for this hour, but because it speaks to the condition of my heart and soul every single day.

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

 

“Lord, I Need You”

Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You’re the One that guides my heart Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need YouWhere sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I’ll fall on You
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

You’re my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

If your life had a soundtrack, what song (or songs) would it be?

Filed Under: Faith

God pursues the hearts of our children

February 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment

I wish I could remember the exact day and time I gave my life to Jesus, but my memory won’t let me. I know I was young, somewhere around 8 years old. This little girl grew up in a large church, attended Sunday School and VBS. And after every Sunday Service, I’d beg to go into the church’s bookstore so I could pore over the rows of books on every subject for my age.

We need to remember that God will never leave, nor forsake our sons, so we can rest assured that He is actively pursuing their hearts. || DevotionalMotherhood.com

I was hungry to know more about this God who loved me so much. I wanted to know more about my part in His BIG story. Even at such a young age, I felt desperate, restless, to understand how God and I fit together.

On the timeline of my life, this is when my lifelong pursuit for God and my quest for His Truth and my identity, in Him, began. But it wasn’t an easy journey. Those years between His rescuing of my soul and the several rebellious years I spent searching for something “other” than what was right in front of my face, they were wrestling years.

I’m sharing my heart over at The MOB Society about how my own Salvation led to my deepest desire ever….the Salvation and rescuing of my four sons! I hope you’ll join me for the rest of this story…

Filed Under: BOYS, Motherhood

REJOICE anyway, even when you’re tired

February 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Dear sweet weary mom,

It’s simply music to my ears and comfort to my often weary soul when I can connect with another mom who knows the characteristics of how deeply exhausting being a mom of boys can be. We love them to Heaven and back, wouldn’t trade them for anything…but there are days when we wonder how on earth we’ll make it through the day (or next minute).

Their boy-energy seems to literally re-create itself every 30 seconds, all day long. So in turn, keeping up with their physical demands often make it hard to even begin to address their spiritual and emotional needs.

Can you relate to this, as well?

REJOICE anyway, even when you're tired || DevotionalMotherhood.com

I get it. I really do. I’m a mom of four young sons who bring my mama heart such incredible joy each day. And yet, they also drive me down to my knees in prayer regularly. Often, my knee-worn prayers are the desperate, pleading-with-God, sort of prayers, uttered in tired tones with worn out words.

When the day is long and my patience is short, I feel defeat creeping in.

When I’ve warmed the same cup of coffee seven times and then can’t find where I’ve set it down, that old familiar feeling of helplessness rises.

Join me today over at The MOB Society to read the rest of this post, because I’m sharing some great news about how we can keep up with our sons (and daughters) and thrive in the day to day of crazy busy motherhood.

Filed Under: Motherhood, Parenting

The Art of Selfless Communication With Your Spouse

August 9, 2013 by 1 Comment

When God created Adam and made a home for him in the Garden of Eden, who was his friend? Who did he talk to and have fellowship with? It was God, himself. In those long conversations together, I’m sure that Adam was learning art of loving communication. That first picture of a man completely and utterly dependent on his Creator is one I think of often. It’s a beautiful illustration of faith and trust.

When God created Eve, she was given an earthly best friend immediately. She had her God, but she was given a beautiful gift in the man who was also her husband. Adam and Eve needed and depended on God desperately, but I often wonder what their marital communication must have been like. Just two people alone, without our present day distractions, communicating.

My husband, Jeffrey, and I have been married for seventeen years. In the beginning of our marriage, it felt as if we were the only two people in the world. Just us and our God. We loved to sit for hours just talking, soaking up one another and discovering the depths of eachother’s souls. I was fascinated by each new thing I learned about my man. As time went by, as with most married couples, life happens, outside distractions set it and the world suddenly feels like it’s against you. And then that peaceful place that used to be all yours feels a bit crowded and it gets a little harder to communicate the way you used to. This is why God has so much to say about the way we love our spouses.  

He knows how hard this life can be. He knows how many distractions we face every single day. And still, He calls us to love Him and love each other above all else…even though it can be hard.
So in a world where we are surrounded by so many others telling us to make sure we stand up for our own rights and seek happiness above all else, the rules of engagement for marital communication seem to be blurred. 

If we are self-seeking while trying to effectively get to the heart of any matter with our spouses, how on earth will we ever get anywhere? All this self-centered communicating will only serve to make the enemy happy and cause division in our marriages. Satan would love nothing else than to destroy a marriage by making us think that God doesn’t know what He’s talking about. Sound familiar? That’s exactly what Satan did to Eve in the very beginning. Satan is still up to the same old tricks, which is why it is so vitally important that we believe God instead for the gift He gave to us in the first place. LOVE.

God’s message of love is spelled out within the pages of His word and is where we will find all the answers we need for learning how to communicate with grace and humility.

Here are five things He continues to show us:

1. If possible, each day we need to find time to check in with our spouses. Often, we spend so much time apart during our days. And with children, once we’re home together at night, the focus is on them. And often, by the end of the day, sadly, my husband gets my “leftovers”. I know this about myself and am seeking God to work in my heart about my attitude of weariness at the end of the day. God instructs us to “…not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  (Hebrews 10:25) We can apply this in many ways throughout our day. Connecting with one another through quick phone conversations, texts and emails when we’re not together can really go a long way toward making the other feel encouraged. We also make it a habit to set time aside each evening to re-connect and once a week we have an at-home date night after the kids are in bed.

2. If both husband and wife are having a tough day, it’s really easy to begin battling for first prize in the “I feel miserable inside so I deserve the moon” contest. I know this routine. I used to argue with my husband and compare my day to his, which always resulted in division and was rooted in pride. Instead, we need to approach one another with humility and just be open about how we feel instead of entering that self preservation mode. Marriage is a union that we need to protect.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3

3. Love does not keep a list of wrongs. If we are to grow in our faith and ultimately grow in our marriages, we need to forgive one another of past wrongs and move forward. Keeping these mental lists will only hold our spouses hostage over things they cannot change and prevent the healing and wholeness that God so desires for our relationships.

4. Nothing will kill healthy communication between a husband and wife more than criticism. It will only cause the one being criticized to build up walls and shut down. Pointing out our spouse’s faults while forgetting our own is a sure way to cause division. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. -Colossians 3:13

5. One of the best ways to breathe life into your marriage is to learn how your spouse feels loved the most. What is their love language? Reading Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages was really eye opening for me and revealed so many new ways for me to connect with my own husband and ultimately strengthen our marriage.

Learning how to have Godly communication does take time. It’s something my husband and I have both had to work on diligently through times of ease and seasons of difficulty. For us, we’ve had to become students of the Word and work intentionally at learning how to serve one another in and through our daily communication. And honestly, even though it’s work, there is so much more joy when we choose to live on the same page with one another instead of on opposite sides of the fence.

Filed Under: Marriage

Mom’s Homeschool Toolbox {Curriculum, Resources & Encouragement}

August 5, 2013 by 2 Comments

Our 2013-2014 Curriculum {PreK – 4th grade}

This year we are still sticking with our Unit Studies approach to homeschooling and adding in many other different things. I suppose this makes us a bit more on the eclectic side as we pull our resources and materials from all over the place, but Unit Studies will remain the foundation for everything we do. So, for instance, when we are learning about habitats in Science, we’ll apply our themed approach by pulling in all kinds of resources (mostly from the library and online) to support what we’re learning. And even though our boys are not doing the same grade level work (PreK, Kindergarten, Second grade and Fourth grade), much of what they’ll be learning can still be combined and adjusted for the levels they are at. (the beauty of Unit Studies…and homeschooling!)

*affiliate links included* 

Don’t forget to Follow Devotional Motherhood on Facebook and Pinterest  to receive encouragement as you walk this journey of Motherhood. 

Unit Studies

  • Homeschool Share: Most of the studies we do come from there. All of the rest are pulled together from our library and online…all free. Later this week, I’ll share some more Unit Study GOODNESS. So be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW us so you don’t miss anything. We’ve got a fun and unique twist on our Unit Studies.
  • How We Learn With Unit Studies 

Mini Unit Studies

Bible   

                    Connect to God’s story.
                    Uncover something about life.
                    Experience something together.   

   
Language Arts 

Math  

Science / Social Studies

Art


Foreign Languages 

Physical Education  

Online Educational Supplements 

For Mom 


More resources for Moms here at Devotional Motherhood (and other places I write):


**This page contains some affiliate links. I do not receive anything for you clicking on them, but I do receive a small percentage of the sale if you purchase from that link that helps to keep this site going! 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A Family Bible Study Devotional {Review & GIVEAWAY} :: Learning to Speak Life: Fruit of the Spirit

July 26, 2013 by 20 Comments

Have you been trying to find a way to incorporate family Bible time in your home? 

Raising our children in a world where teaching our young how to be independent and self-reliant means that we as parents need to be all the more intentional in sharing our faith with the generation following us. They need to know that we can’t do this life alone. We weren’t created to. God wants our children to know who He is, How much He loves them and how to follow hard after Him all the days of their lives.

Making Jesus famous to our children is the most important part of our parenting them. It’s also our biggest privilege. So when God calls us to show our young blessings how to obey His commandments. especially His first commandment, loving God with all our heart, soul and might, we shouldn’t take that lightly.

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:7

**Affiliate Links Included.

So when my very good friend, Carlie Kercheval and her husband, Michael,  sent me a copy of a book they wrote together, called Learning to Speak Life™: Fruit of the Spirit to review, I was beyond excited. So, excited, in fact, that I was more than happy and honored to write an endorsement they included in their book. It’s that good.

Learning to Speak Life™: Fruit of the Spirit is a real breath of fresh air…something truly God-inspired for families desiring to seek God together in their everyday lives. As a wife and mother of four kids, I know how being intentional with the precious time we have together is so very important. With humility and obedience, Michael and Carlie have poured their hearts and souls into creating a Truth-filled Family Bible Study that will build our faith in God, our relationship with Jesus and the family relationships we have with one another. Each lesson is packed with simple and fun multi-sensory ways we can learn, apply and be filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit with our children each day. Learning to Speak Life™ in our homes is a journey definitely worth taking.

With four boys, ages 3, 5, 7 and 9, it hasn’t been easy finding ONE resource we can use in our family devotional time together…until now. We love how easy this devotional/bible study is to use and have been AMAZED at the conversations surrounding our time in the Word together. We’ve been spending one week on each fruit and it’s been a perfect fit as it’s geared toward children, ages 3-12.

Each chapter focuses on one fruit of the spirit and includes the following: 
  • A Scripture to read and discuss. You can encourage older children to memorize it.
  • A section called What is…? For example, What is Love? Then a definition is given according to the bible and provides lots of room for questions and discussion. 
  • The third section is called Confessions. I love this section because it’s where we begin to learn HOW to speak life together. Each day during that week’s lesson, and according to the fruit being studied, it is the goal to get everyone to speak out loud five confessions. For example, “I declare that no matter what I face today, I will walk in Love.”
  • Copywork, to help plant the seeds of God’s Love in their hearts. 
  • Role Playing to help your family act out and reinforce what each fruit of the spirit looks like when done the way God intended. We all LOVE this part! And for parents, what a great tool for inspiring our children to make good choices. 
  • Silly Sayings: oh yes, my boys LOVE this fun section too. They’re encouraged to say each saying as fast as they can. 
  • Each chapter also includes a Story to help everyone get a better understanding of what the fruit looks like in our day-to-day lives when we obey God. 
  • In every chapter Family Discussion Time is included which revolves around a set of questions used to help promote, like I said before, AMAZING conversations about the fruit of the spirit. 
  • Family Projects are a part of each chapter. What a great way to put fruit in action as a family unit. 
  • There is a section dedicated to Prayer regarding each fruit. Even our youngest is a very active part of this. 
  • Digging Deeper is a beautiful addition to each chapter for families desiring to go a little deeper with more Scripture references, resources and ideas to further family growth. 
  
GIVEAWAY

Michael and Carlie are graciously giving away ONE FREE COPY of their book, Learning to Speak Life™: Fruit of the Spirit, to one of my lovely readers. Is it going to be YOU? There are a few ways to enter this GIVEAWAY. And I’m going to make it SUPER EASY to enter. Here’s how:

IMPORTANT

For each “Like” and “Follow” you’ll earn one entry to win this book. Please leave me ONE COMMENT here letting me know who you LIKED and FOLLOWED and I’ll be sure to enter your name into the drawing for the appropriate number of entries. This giveaway ends on August 5, 2013. I’ll draw the winner on August 6. That’s it. Easy Peasy.

Now, if you just can’t wait to get your own copy of the book, you can certainly purchase
Learning to Speak Life™: Fruit of the Spirit right now by clicking on this link.


Linking up with the Hip Homeschool Moms.

Filed Under: Bible Study, Family, Reviews

Dear Weary Mom, {whose children aren’t getting along}

July 12, 2013 by 4 Comments

Dear Sweet Weary Mom, 
Do you know how often I think about you…standing at your kitchen counter or carrying a basket load full of clothes, not sorted, to the laundry room. Your young ones race past you, grabbing your legs with one hand, yet trying like crazy to chase hard after the one who just offended them. Another retaliation waiting around the corner.

I  know those days, those very long days when no one is getting along. The kids just cannot seem to find any common ground…or worse, they’re searching for the uneven ground that is the foundation for all bickering, fighting, teasing and mayhem.

Oh, it’s exhausting. Torturous on a mama’s heart and mind. I know. 

You stop. And you wonder how on earth you’ll make it to the end of THIS day. (you will make it through this day weary one.)

But in this very moment, what is the fix? Where is the silver lining? There are no words for how frustrated and broken, and dare I say, hopeless, you feel over the constant battles of children who cannot seem to get along. YOUR kids… who seemingly search for the low road. Every. Time.

I know because I experience these battles, daily. 

I watch my boys offend one another on every level and see their mama, brow furrowed, face in hands with her already-warmed-four-times cup of now cold coffee sitting next to her. And all I feel is defeat in that moment. 

We can’t make them change. All we want is for the fighting to stop…there’s and ours. We want a quick fix. A magic wand to wave above us and Peace to reign in my homes.


Is that what you want too? Peace to reign in your home? 

Well then, a magical fairy-landish sort of band-aid would only serve to rearrange bad behavior and skip the heart matters all together.

So, Mama, in this present moment…what are we to do when our hearts are pounding and
thoughts are swirling at top speed? We’re anxious and beginning to lean hard into ourselves…carrying on that one way conversation with the one who is the wrong One. We are talking to ourselves, trying to find answers that are not there.

So, what do we do? We do the next right thing. We get down on our knees, wherever we’re at, even in front of our children….and we pray. We pray a simple yet bold prayer of courageous Asking, Seeking and Knocking…that kind of pray.

We ask God to increase our faith in this present moment. We pour out our brokenness and ask for forgiveness of unbelief, pride and worry over what feels like a hopeless battle of constant sibling rivalry, disobedience and disrespect. And we ask God to help us remember that if our children COULD do things the right way every time or even more often, they would.

So would we.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. -Romans 7:21-25


And then with the kind of confidence that can be felt by a mama who just prayed a bold and brave sort of prayer….we stand on His promises and we expect great things. We cling to His grace and rest in Hope. Because He can change our children. He can change us too. And when He does, it’s for His glory and His eternal purposes.  

Jesus isn’t in the business of rearranging our hearts. He’s much too gracious and Loving for that. What He does is lasting and beautiful and deep and real…healing, redeeming and refining those deep places.

Remember weary mama, even though we want all the fighting and bickering to stop this minute, and our heads to stop spinning and our hearts to stop hurting…what’s more important is that we admit our need for Jesus every single day, every single moment, and seek Him on their behalf and on ours for HIS intervention and Love…the kind that covers all sins. Theirs and ours. 

With love, 
Megan

Linking up with the beautiful community of moms over at Hope for the Weary Mom. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A week in the life of a Homeschool Family ::The Homeschool Mother’s Journal /1::

June 24, 2013 by 4 Comments

This week, I decided I would begin regularly participating in the Homeschool Mother’s Journal over at So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler?  I’m really excited to finally have a great way to begin sharing more of what we do around here each week. It kind of makes me grin that I’m starting this little feature here at the beginning of Summer break. Even though we are taking a much needed siesta from our typical lessons, we have plans to continue our learning right through the Summer.

    In my life this week…
    This week was a trying one for all of us here, on many levels. We spent 6 out of 9 days in either the ER, the hospital or seeing our regular doctor. Dragging four boys around to many of these planned appointments and unexpected ones too, was definitely not on my to-do list for the week. But, we’re used to spending lots of time seeing doctors and my boys have learned how to be more patient because of it…to which I am grateful.


    Our 7 year old son, C had surgery on Friday to fix his Bone Anchored Hearing Aid implant. It was loose and also causing him quite a bit of pain, so he hasn’t been able to wear it normally. Even now, as he waits for it to heal, he can only wear his aid on a strap around his head which causes his hearing to be quite a bit less than what he’s become so used to with his implant. Thank God for the ASL we learned starting when he was a tiny baby, as we’ve needed to fall back on it quite a bit these past couple weeks.

    Note to self: brush up on sign language and make continuing to learn the language more a part of our everyday learning.

    Thanking God for sustaining us during these difficult days. (above photo: yep, that’s me all gowned up to take our son to the Operating Room.)

    My kiddos favorite thing this week was…

    • Spending time with Grandma JoAnn and Cousin Terri
    • Ice Cream at Baskin Robbins
    • Long bike rides with Daddy


    Things I’m working on…
    Oh, friends, my list is long. As we settle into Summer, we are gearing up for a week long camping trip soon…something this family of 6 has never done before. My husband, Jeff, has taken the bigger boys a few times, but this will be our first time going all together as a family. So, I’m packing. Washing laundry, making lists, washing more laundry and making lists. It’s impossible for me to pick out clothes for four boys NOW, when they need these clothes to wear during the week. I can set a few things aside, but really…they go through so many clothes. I may just make them wear the same thing all week, just to keep my laundry heaps to a minimum…now that I’m mostly caught up.

    I also have a lot of updating to do here at Devotional Motherhood, which I’m really excited to share with you soon. And, I’ve got quite a few blog posts I’m wrapping up this week.

    I’m also in the throws of school planning for the Fall, like many of you. We are looking forward to MANY changes to our routine and schedule that I know are going to be such a positive thing for our family as a whole. We’ll still continue homeschooling some at night, but instead of leaving our days wide open for whatever we feel like…they will be a bit more structured. I’ll be sharing more about that and why, soon…along with all the fun unit studies we have planned for the year.

    And…I’m working on a couple books, three actually. Well, four if you count the one I’m also writing with my boys. So excited! A couple of them are a collaborative effort that have been in the works for a while now. And one is a true story God has been writing on my heart since I was a little girl. I can barely contain how thankful I am that I GET to write for God! Truly, it is all Him. I could never write what’s on my heart unless He was a part of the process. He Authors, I write.

    And I’ll just throw this one in here….I need to start exercising EVERY DAY! There. Done. I said it. Will someone keep me accountable, please?

    I’m cooking…
    I should just leave it at that…I’m Cooking…and thankful to be doing so. When our home became a water disaster back in March, forcing us to move out and into a one bedroom (with four young boys) apartment with a very tiny kitchen and NO OVEN…cooking was difficult at best. Now that we are moved back home and our home is no longer a construction zone, I have my kitchen back. So thankful. By nature, I’m not a great cook. I’ve never really enjoyed it either…but slowly, as the Lord leads and my heart is turned more and more toward Him, my desires are changing. I WANT to provide better, healthier meals for my family. MUCH healthier.

    So, we embarking on a total overhaul of our eating habits beginning July 15. Why wait? Because our pantry if full and trying to make these changes while on vacation would not be a recipe for start-up success. So, July 15th, it is. This will be a HUGE undertaking for my family, as we haven’t been the healthiest eaters. In fact, quite the opposite. But, it’s time. God is leading us toward a healthier lifestyle and we need to follow Him on this. And it will be another journey I’ll be sharing here at Devotional Motherhood.

    I’m grateful for…

    • The AWESOME (and much needed) date my husband and I were finally able to go on. We were reminded of just how much we miss one another when we’re living life side by side, but often the constant noise and DOING part of life just keeps you going on auto-pilot and it’s easy to take one another for granted. Dating your spouse is so important!
    • My Mom, Mother-in-law and Cousin who stepped in to help out with our boys when we needed to be at the hospital so much this past week. They lightened our load and eased our burden so much. 
    • All of our beautiful friends and family who lifted us up in prayer when we needed it most this week. 
    • The new habit of waking EARLY (5am) so I can start my day in the quiet with Jesus. My Good Morning Girls online bible study group, led by my sweet friend, Shonda Knowlton, is such a blessing to me. We are reading the book, Anything, by Jennie Allen and spending time deep in the Word every day. And my Hello Mornings online group is amazing too, as they help keep me accountable to getting up and out of bed to be with God each day. I value my online friends so much! 
    • My boys! Oh, they just keep me on my knees. Motherhood is hard. It’s amazing and it’s beautiful…and it’s hard. I’ve had many reasons lately to be deep in prayer for my sons, deeper than usual, it seems…..and for that, I’m thankful. I’m thankful to God that He hears every single one of my prayers.

    I’m praying for…
    …so many things. But, my heart this week, is for my sons. I’m praying that God would increase my faith and help me remember that they are His. I am praying for softened hearts and a way for this mama to communicate with them at the heart level more often.

    I rewarded my kids this week by…
    Letting them watch way too many cartoons because they were all sick, even after we decided to pull the plug on MOST TV, declaring a MEDIA BREAK for the Summer  That was frustrating for me because we had done so well the week before without the added screen time each day. Attitudes were improving all around and we were actually beginning to enjoy our days without the early morning and sometimes late afternoon cartoons. Good habits are so hard to make, aren’t they.

    But, I think cartoons may be helpful when you’re not feeling well. 

    It’s a new week, though. Everyone is feeling much better and we’ve got some outdoors to get to.

    Something I am ogling or have my eye on…
    Unit Study ideas and resources on Pinterest.

    A photo of my guys…
    I gave my boys buzz cuts this weekend. Love these boys to pieces.

    Be sure to head over to So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler? to link-up and read other Homeschool Mother’s Journals from this week. 

    Filed Under: Homeschool Highlights, Homeschooling

    This Mom’s Summer Reading List

    June 2, 2013 by 5 Comments

    I love Summer for so many things. And here in the Pacific Northwest, well it rains…a lot. So, my chilly-damp-bones long for warmer temps and dryer days.

    You know what else I long for?

    Time.

    Time to slow down…to notice things. To really take in the beauty and heart warming moments of  calmer days and a slower rhythm. Summer brings the long awaited pause and rest my thirsty soul has waited for all year long.

    And with the slower moments and the quieter breathing there will be a nourishing of deep Truth-telling my heart is craving as I look forward to my Summer reading list…a short stack of books I can’t wait to set my eyes on and soak in.

    So, here it is…

    1. Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by Lysa Turkeurst


    This is a book I bought shortly after reading rave reviews all over the blogosphere. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and prayed as I hit “Add to Cart” that it would truly speak the kind of truth to this often highly emotional mama of four boys. It’s been sitting on my book shelf for a few months now beckoning me to read it, but to be honest…I’ve been a little nervous. It’s hard to make wise choices in the midst of raw emotions…and my emotions are so often raw. After reading that my dear friend Stacey Thacker is also planning to read Unglued this Summer, I was reminded of why I need to read this book. My family, too, will thank me.

    2. Anything: The Prayer That Unlocked My God and My Soul by Jennie Allen

    I’m REALLY excited to begin reading this book in June as I join Shonda and my online group of new sister-friends through Good Morning Girls. I can’t wait to dive into this book and breathe in it’s Truth. I have a feeling this might be one of those life-changing sorts of books. You know, the kind that really challenges your faith and causes you to grow.

    THAT is why I’ve decided to use the book Anything for my first Living in the Word reflection study right here each Wednesday beginning June 4.

    I’ll meet you all here to share what God is teaching me through a particular book. I do hope you’ll let me know you’re here and even share with me what God is laying on your heart too.

    3. Everything: What You Give and What You Gain to Become Like Jesus by Mary DeMuth

    This is another book I’ve read so many amazing reviews for. Here is one such review I read on Amazon by a woman named Amy Wisden:

    I’ve just finished Everything, though, and I’m stunned. I’m not sure I can find a way to articulate just what this book did to me, but suffice it to say that Mary DeMuth’s inspired words left me with more hope than I’ve had in a long, long time, as well as a resolve to let go of the chains holding me to my past once and for all. I thought Jesus was my Everything already–I really did–but oh, how this book has challenged me in ways I never imagined.

    I can’t NOT read it. So, I’ll be reading this one for sure this Summer. Can’t wait!

    4. Living Your Life As a Beautiful Offering: A Bible Study Based On the Sermon on the Mount by Angela Thomas 

     
    I’m already reading this one with my friend Jenny. We both wanted to learn more about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I’d never done a study on this section of Scripture before and really wanted to immerse myself in the very Words and teaching from our Savior, Himself. This is actually a DVD accompanied study, however, to save money…we decided to stick with just the members workbook, which I purchase used, and I can honestly say, it’s enough. I’m sure the DVDs are amazing, but so is the book. It’s rich with Truth and filled with such authenticity by the author. I love the way she writes from her heart and causes me to go deep.

    So what’s on your reading list this Summer? I’d love to know.

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    Filed Under: Bible Study, Reading
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