Thankful, so thankful

 

Day 5 of YES

From the book:

I Declare I am grateful for who God is in my life and for what He's done. I will not take for granted the people, the opportunities, and the favor He has blessed me with. I will look at what is right and not what is wrong. I will thank Him for what I have and not complain about what I don't have. I will see each day as a gift from God. My heart will overflow with praise and gratitude for all of His goodness. This is my declaration.

I like to think that I’m a pretty positive person.  I’m more of an optimist than a pessimist. But I’m not happy right now and I’m just a leetle depressed.  Christmas is rough on me.  I miss my parents so much at this time of year.  So many of the traditional activities of the season are things that I shared with them.

And it all just stirs up feelings and thoughts and memories – some of which I love and some of which I wish I’d forget.  All the things said, all the things left unsaid.  All the things that need to be forgiven.

But after last week’s tragedy and other events from last week, I definitely look at today with eyes of gratitude.  My babies are safe.  My husband is safe.  We are all ok.  We have a roof over our head, gas in the car, and food for our bellies.

Read More

Time4Learning: My Review

A few weeks ago, I was asked to review Time4Learning, an online education curriculum for preschool through 8th grade.

I was curious about it.  We have used another online learning site and really liked it but it is definitely for the preschool and kindergarten crowd.  I was interested in this because my kids could stick with it for a while.

I thought that the lessons were good.  However, there wasn’t a big “START WITH THIS THING RIGHT HERE!” so I had to decide where to start.  I thought that the concepts were excellent and in line with what we’re doing with our curriculum.  However, I felt that the graphics were really ugly, especially in comparison with it’s competitors.  Maybe they appeal to children more than adults but still…

Here’s the thing: Phoebe hated it and, after playing with it a couple of times, absolutely refused to do it.  She told me that she wanted her other computer game (the other online site) and she didn’t want to play this one anymore.

Had I had more time with the product, I might have been able to get her around to it eventually and I may try it again in a few months.  I thought overall, it had good material even if I thought it was ugly.

Disclosure: I received a full month of access to this product in exchange for my review. 

Read More

Trial by Fire.. sort of

Day 4 –

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

 

From I Declare (paraphrase):

It is not too late to accomplish everything that is in my heart.  He is giving me special grace to complete everything He wants me to do. He has every intention of bringing to pass the desires of your heart. Don’t let disappoints cause you to give up and settle where you are.  Every set-back gets you closer to where you want to go.

Forgive me for not writing more about what happened Tuesday.  It was a day from Hell.

Basically, hubby found out last week that Tuesday would be the day that the layoffs were gonna happen.  We’ve known for a few weeks that they were coming – his upper management told them about it right before Thanksgiving – but we had no idea when they would happen.  Hubby and I basically got ourselves ready for the worst case scenario – that he would be laid off with pay for a few weeks and health insurance through March and I started looking at his resume and basically getting myself and our budget ready for cutbacks.

I’ve talked before about our budget and how tight it is.  It is still tight but I was actually considering skipping Christmas presents altogether except for the kids with a potential layoff in the works.  We are still on a very tight budget for Christmas and I’m hand making a few gifts to cut back.

Our budget is tight because of several commitments that we made – medical bills namely.  We are on payment plans still because of all of the medical issues in 2011.  Two hospital stays, numerous emergency rooms visits, etc. really stretched our budget last year and it took a large portion of the first part of 2012 to finish shaking out all of the bills and what insurance would pay, etc.  Heck, I’m still fighting a couple of them (basically where I’ve paid the balance due and they’ve come back with another balance due kind of crap).  Also, hubby had to have some major dental work a couple of weeks ago and that’s a new ongoing bill (it takes forever to get crowns made).  2013 will see ALL of them gone, paid in FULL.

I haven’t been sleeping very well. Griffin is cutting his two upper 2 year molars and has been a bear.  He’s cranky, willful, hardly naps, and sleeps fretfully.  He’s been up the last couple of nights around 1AM and I have trouble going back to sleep after I get him back down.  Insomnia and Pinterest are either “besties for life” or Hell on Earth – depending on which side of the morning you’re on.  So the last couple of days I’ve felt hung over and tired and just worn out.

But this morning, I’m hopeful.  Hopeful that we’re headed towards better days… hopeful that we will finish the year strong… and grateful that we’re making it through the storm.

Read More

We're safe...

For now. More tomorrow.

Read More

Tomorrow's the Day

We find out tomorrow if hubby's job is being eliminated.

Read More

One Day at a Time

Day 3 of my Season of YES

God has given me all I need to overcome any problem or obstacle.

How do you make it through the tough times?  One day at a time.

I tend to lose my sense of humor when I’m scared.  And scared I am right now.  What am I scared of?  A million possibilities and I shouldn’t be thinking of any of them.  Anxiety eats at me like a cancer these days.  And yet, I know it does absolutely no good to worry about what may be. 

So when I feel anxious or start to worry, I start counting my blessings.  They are too numerous to list here and I can come up with hundreds of things to be grateful for.  Perhaps one day, I’ll start a gratitude journal or start posting them.  We’ll see.

I also find ways to make myself smile.  I wander through the funnies on Pinterest or just look for something to read or watch that’s funny.  I think I’ll do that today during quiet time.

On another note, I was enormously productive yesterday.  I got a post done here, I got two posts written for Disney Preparedness, I got the club calendar entered online, and I got the lesson plan for next week put together (it will post next week).  Today?  Not so much.  Except I have been working on a crocheted granny square…

Read More

Starting a new season…

Yesterday, I decided that I would start a season of YES.  A season of deciding to make some major changes in my life.  It’s 100 days of being completely faithful and declaring favor over my life. 

At first, I was going to keep a private blog where I wrote only for myself and for hubby to read.  I’ve been praying about this, and my heart is saying I need to do it here.  I don’t know why.  I just feel like I should.

Truth is, the crap is getting heavy round these parts.  Money’s tight – we’re just scraping by.  Hubby’s employer has announced that there will be layoffs very soon.  Christmas is fast approaching and I still haven’t bought gifts for anyone including my kids.

But I’ve got to look at the good news.  We’ve got a roof over our heads and we’re warm and cozy, and there’s food in the kitchen.  The car’s running good and there’s gas in the tank.  Jesus is still our savior and God is ALWAYS good.

Yesterday, I posted a goofy private video where I laid out some goals.  I won’t subject you to the video but I will share the goals for the season plus share today’s declaration of faith.

The declaration (Explosive blessings are coming my way) comes from Joel Osteen’s most recent book called I Declare. 

Here’s Ephesians 1:3-7

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Domestic Felicity includes everything that keeps my home from spontaneously igniting including keeping the house clean, bills paid, our business making some money to pay those bills, and staying ahead on home school.

Creativity includes everything creative that I like.  So often, I make expressing my creativity as something that I get to do when all the work is done.  It has to have a more important role than that.  It’s more important than that.

Today, December 6th, I declare that I will experience God's faithfulness. I will not worry. I will not doubt. I will keep my trust in Him. I will become everything God intended me to be.  I can do my part and believe that His Will is perfect and in perfect time.

Hebrews 13:6 (NASB) says:

The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?

I like Joel Osteen a lot and I get daily emails from him and I really like today’s email that talks about the anointing from God.

“...You anoint my head with oil...” (Psalm 23:5, NKJV)

Osteen then goes on to talk about what oil does: it makes things flow and makes things move more easily.  In cakes, you add oil versus other fats because it makes the cake moist but also lighter in texture not to mention taller than when you use butter.

So the anointing makes us better able to follow the journey that God has set before us.

Today, I will remember God’s anointing and faithfulness.  It may sound silly, but I’m going to think of cake and how the oil helps it to be delicious and moist.

Read More