A Mother's Heart #3

A Mother's Heart
Chapter 3
What Values Are Really Important?

1. The Bible gives us knowledge of what God values. What creative ideas do you have to make Bible reading a part of your busy life so that you can learn to value what God values?

2. What five areas in your life do you want to succeed in?

3. What times this past week do you think your child would consider quality time with you?

4. What areas of instant satification threaten to keep you from living by what God says is important?

A Mother's Heart #2

A Mother's Heart
Chapter 2
A Vision For The Task

1. Look to the future. Twenty years from now what will you wish you had done today? What are you doing today that will you give you peace twenty years from now?

2. If you made a list of three things you'd like to do differently, what would you include?

3. Reread Jowett's words on "Needless Regrets" and in prayer offer your regrets to God. Ask Him to set things straight, to bring healing, etc.
(going to have to buy the book now huh?..LOL)

4. Of the following, choose one and write out a specific plan for each action:
a. Teach my children what is good
b. Enrich their lives with beauty
c. Train them in obedience and respect
d. Stimulate their interests
e. Encourage them to attempt new things
f. Pray for them

A Mother's Heart

I was shopping at Goodwill the other day and I came across this book called A Mother's Heart by Jean Fleming. I am only to Chapter 4 and I really think this is the book for Mama's to top them all (at least so far). I was published a long time ago and then revised in the 90's. I am very surprised I have never heard of it before now. I was thinking I would do a chapter by chapter review as a series, but I don't think that would help. There are questions at the end of each chapter and they are really deep. As I try to be a more consistant person I am going to attempt to blog the question for reflection as soon as I am done with the chapter..... Here goes:

Chapter 1 A Call To Mother's

1. As you consider your calling as a mother, how do you define your job description?

2. You do not mother in a war-torn land or in a covered wagon, but you none the less face specific difficulties. As a mother what challenges do you face?

3. What qualities do an "all there" mother and a "good shepherd" have in common?

4. In light of your reflections, what decision might make to be more the mother you want to be?

Change

Ha ha changed the name of my blog again.... I like change... So keep an eye out for more changes coming to a blog near you ;)

I'm Not Perfect....

I was writing a message to a new friend today when a revelation came to me... Before I proceed I am no prophet or theologian...obviously! I do not in no way claim to know anything about anything nor am I PERFECT. So there it is. That is my absolute point. I am so un-perfect! Is that even a word? I was writing a message to this new friend and I started babbling about how refreshing it was to read her blog because she blogs about "real" things. "REAL" meaning her struggles and such. I seem to relate to everything she writes about. I get so frustrated reading all the other WONDERFUL blogs and about their seeming WONDERFUL PERFECT lives, and feel like I'll never measure up... but who's measuring? Me of course! And I thought Jesus! So I am here now sitting at my laptop humbled. Humbled because I NEVER EVER will measure up to these other women because I'm not supposed to. I was made by our Creator as a separate woman. I have a mind, body and soul that is different from everyone else. I was made into who I am and I decide on what I do with that. He did give us free will! So instead of being frustrated about these other beautiful, amazing, talented women, I need to search the Scriptures and be who I was made to be in the best possible way I can on this earth! HOW REFRESHING! I can (with lots of prayer) let go and be me! So I am going to list what I need to work on for accountability purposes and hopefully I can start a blog series with other bloggers on this same topic. Let's be the women the Lord called us to be, not what we or the world thinks we should be!!!

My Flaws (according to me)

1. I want to Homeschool my girls. (I'm scared to start/nervous/apprehensive)
2. I procrastinate
3. I have un-diagnosed OCD (when it come to cleaning my house)
4. Being a wife (whole other topic/too mush to list here)
5. Selfish (who isn't)
6. Quick to give advice, not quick to listen to it....
7. I Watch too much TV/Technology (or I let it baby-sit)
8. I don't pray enough and it's usually selfish anyway
9. I don't read the Bible enough or memorize it or apply it....
10.CONSISTANCY (everything could be summed up into this one HUGE flaw!)

There it is. I have aired my dirty laundry on the internet for the whole world to see!

Sorry!

I know my last post stated that I would be doing a series on 31 days To Clean, but life got in the way :( My Mom came up for a visit and I just couldn't get enough time in a day to do EVERYTHING! I'm the worlds biggest procrastinator! However, I will be trying it in June! SERIOUSLY! I hope that you, my small readership, can understand! Thank you!!!

31 Days To Clean Having The Martha House The Mary Way

I am so excited to start this new series of posts! I just purchased Sarah Mae's new ebook 31 Days To Clean. Starting May 1, 2011 me as well as tons of other bloggers are going to read the book daily and follow it's challenges. If you click on the button at the top of the page it will direct you to the list of other bloggers you can read during this challenge!

This is from Amazon:

"Whether you need to be more like Mary and approach housekeeping from a God-pleasing heart, or you need to be more like Martha and get your physical house in order, this book is for you!" -Angela, HomegrownMom.com

Product Description
Journey with Sarah Mae for 31 Days as you get your home and your heart in order. Give Sarah Mae 31 days and she'll give you not only a cleaner home, but a vision for one.

31 Days to Clean is about the "why" and the vision and the heart for taking care of your domain. Each day you will be encouraged with some thoughts and ideas on the heart of cleaning, and then you will put those ideas to action.

After each days reading, you will be given two challenges:

The Mary Challenge -Something you do that encourages/engages your heart
The Martha Challenge - Specific cleaning tasks

31 Days to Clean is a faith journey towards ruling, subduing, and loving. It is about forgoing perfection and instead choosing life.

"What do you think of when you consider doing laundry, washing dishes, and cleaning the dreaded bathroom? Are you discouraged? Do you feel overwhelmed? I have to say I feel that way ... often. In all my live-long days I haven't seen my home as a ministry. Can I serve Jesus and others as I clean my home? Sarah Mae proves I can. As a wife, mom, mother-in-law and mentor to teenage moms I'm going to cherish this book and share what I learned. Cleaning is more than just fighting germs. It can be a ministry of the heart!"
-Tricia Goyer, author of 25 books, include Blue Like Play Dough: The Shaping of Motherhood in the Grip of God

Amish Prayers

Amish Prayers by Beverly Lewis

Beverly Lewis simply amazes me. Her books are always a blessing. Even though she didn't "write" this book, the love she has for the Plain People shines through the pages. This is going to be a great bedtime read with my husband and children. The compliation of prayers are great for times when prayer is hard and our Lord seems so far away, a beginning point in our personal devotions. I am not Amish, but the simple life intrigues me. Just reading the prayers, I can picture the family in various parts to their day thinking on these things. This is possible because Beverly Lewis does such an amazing job with her fiction books at telling a detailed story about their day to day routines of the simple life. I hope you will pick this book up and open your heart to it.

This book is supplied to me free by Bethany House Publishers. There is no obligation on my part to give a positive review. All opinions expressed are freely mine.

Paradise Valley

Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer in my opinion is going to give Beverly Lewis a run for her money! I am a LOVER of Amish fiction. I have read everything Beverly Lewis has written. I never thought I could honestly enjoy another author of Amish fiction. I WAS WRONG! Dale Cramer paints this story of an Old Order Amish family forced to move to Mexico because of changing laws in Ohio. He writes characters into an actual event in history with such love you don't want to put it down. You get faith, hope, love, suspense and danger wrapped up into a well written novel I didn't want to end.


Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for sending me this book to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Larkspur Cove by. Lisa Windgate

Larkspur Cove was the kind of book that you wanted to go on forever. I had read a review that said "I wanted to pack up and move to Moses Lake." I have to fully agree with that statement. The descriptions of the surroundings and the fine details of the characters are like digital images in your mind. The author draws you into the characters lives as if you are them! Highly recommend this book! Thanks to Bethany House for sending me the book to rewiew. The review is completely my opinion.