Recommendations from this week...

Ahhhhh, a weekend's rest!

Saturday has always been the day that I try to do very little, as Sunday is a busy day for us, but recently, Hubby has been working extra shifts and our boys go to Kickboxing lessons on a Saturday afternoon.

As we have been without a car for a while now, this means a bus trip and a two hr class for us to sit in on. 

Daddy usually takes the boys, but with his shifts, it's been Mama's turn. So no day off.

However, a cancelled lesson means a day to relax, so here are a few of the websites and blogs I have been interested in this week.

Links

Is your vision of your personality too narrow? @youngwife'sguide (this is me!!)

10 Things you didn't know about sugar post on thehuffingtonpost.com  (currently on day 3 without sugar, feeling a little off, but I'm the girl who passes up on dinner to eat pudding, so I shouldn't expect any less really!)

Week 15 of 52 ways for more Serenity in life and home @Domesticserenity

Ferments @realfoodlover (trying the ginger beer ferment as we speak)

Enjoy!

Balance: the whys and wherefores

It never takes much for me to get out of balance.

I am an extremely faddy person. I get fixated on things and they become all i think about. then I want to try things myself, and praise God I have an accommodating husband!

I go mad and then..... 3 weeks later I'm done. 

This happened with simple, green, clean living. 

I saw some blogs, read some research and that was it, I was away. 

I wanted to change everything at once, because when you know this stuff, you cant un-know it, can you!?

Well, you guessed it, a lot of my "simple living" ideas went out the window very quickly. 

Then I felt guilt for not doing it! 

The things we put ourselves through, eh! 

So I've been praying, and I feel we have come to a place where I need to start taking a more relaxed approach. 
A great tip I saw on another blog was work out what matters to YOU, not what you have seen others do. 

It is important to us to homeschool our children. It is important to us to eat nourishing real food, but sometimes we like to eat takeout, and once in a while, that's fine too. It's important to us to limit the amount of chemicals in our house, and I want to reduce my sugar intake. but most of all, it's important to us to model a life with Jesus to our children, by living a life with Jesus in front of our children, mistakes and all. 

So, I share with my kids what God is doing in my life, they see the changes that are taking place in me and DH, and we encourage them in their own walks.

THAT'S important to me.

NOT all the other stuff. Praise You God, for showing this stubborn woman a different way.

Parenting dilemas

So how do we deal with consistent disobedience?

I am struggling with my beautiful, willful daughter at the moment. 

We have been battling over internet usage, but we always come to the same place. We give a little, trying to build trust, and she gets caught sneaking. 

We have tried taking all privileges away, we have pin-protected all devices that don't belong to her, we have tried allowing some access with parental monitoring, nothing works, she always seems to find a way around it.

I understand that this is a heart issue. 

She is challenging our authority, and is deceived into thinking that she is pulling the wool over our eyes. 

I must admit, as I write this, that I have been praying for the wrong things. I have been praying that I will parent her right, and that she will step into Jesus' plan for her life, when I should have been praying for Jesus to open her heart to His ways and that the Holy Spirit will reveal to her that her heart attitude to this is wrong. (she is born again and baptized)

Godly parenting is such a joy and a privilege, but it is also one of the most challenging, eye opening roles one can have, beaten only by Godly marriage, i think! 

Prayers would be appreciated right now!!

Awesome, in the true sense of the word..

I was watching part of the Hillsong conference on TV this morning and a speaker called Louie Giglio was on there, taking about how great our God is. 

The guy has a great dvd about the stars and solar systems and how they all sing to the Lord as part of creation's song.

I've seen this dvd before and was amazed, so when I saw him speaking, I was intrigued as to what he was talking about this time.

He began talking about our cry, how our words and our worship are so important, and that battles are won with the new song that Jesus gives us. 

I love this, as a worship leader, as so many Christians miss how important praise and worship is. It is NOT just a warm up to the preacher, NOR is it to make you feel sweet and nice! 

It is to remind us, and everyone else, how amazing God, the creator of the universe, is!! This is so powerful, because the enemy does not know what to do with someone who will praise God in every season.

Louie went on to talk about the stars again, and the sounds that they make. He played sound bites of 2 different stars and played them together and they made MUSIC!! 

Seriously, they made music. 

Not altered, not synthesized, they honest to goodness made music when played together. 

I was in tears. The creation does indeed worship the creator.

And God wants our voice to join that symphony. He wants it so much, that He sent Jesus to pay our debt so we could. 

God is AMAZING!!!!!

Different.......but not

The first day as Little Bud Gee........ and he has been a little toe-rag!!!!

You know how it is, right? Temper, tiredness, and rules! Not always a good mix.

Anyway....

We were visiting with some friends today and on the way there (a very long walk) we got to talking. My 11 yr old, Smudge, was saying how much his feet were hurting. This turned into a full blown conversation on how amazing our bodies are and how God made us.

I love that we get to bring God into our every day life, and it made me realize that even though I sometimes doubt, I am making a difference. I am making a difference right where I am, to 4 future grown ups, who will go on to influence their worlds. 

Being a mama is the best job in the world. 

Please Jesus, help me get it right......

It's Official!!!!!

It's finally happened!! 

Little Bud is legally ours. 

This morning, the judge granted the adoption order to make the child of my heart into a legal member of our family. 

3.5 long years in the making, to say we are pleased is a GIANT understatement!! 

We have full parental rights, and he is ours as if he was born to us.

Life can be planned and lived properly for the first time in years. 

Praise my Abba in heaven for blessing us and entrusting us with this little boy.

We take very seriously our responsibility to train this child in the way of the Lord. 

Thank you Jesus!!!

He's ours!!!!!

:-)

D day (or A day to be exact)

Tomorrow is the big day. 

Tomorrow is the day our family of 5 officially grows to 6. 

The Judge will approve tomorrow what we have known in our hearts for 3 1/2 years; that Little Bud belongs to us. 

It has been a long drawn out process, with many twists and turns, with many frustrations and setbacks, but we are finally there. 

When we first realized that we wanted to keep this little broken foster child that we had waited and waited for, we thought that it would only be a short time, as God had given him to us, right?! 

WRONG!! 

This has been one of our biggest blessings, but it has also been one of our biggest challenges in waiting. In believing. In persisting. In growing. In waiting, again. 

But every bit of it is worth it, as we wait one more day to receive what Abba Father gave us 3 yrs ago. 

The honor of being this amazingly resilient little boy's family.

Breathe through it....

I knew it would end like this!

I have been fighting with my sewing machine for a good 2 hrs today!

I agreed to alter a skirt for a friend, and I haven't used a sewing machine for years, but I thought it's like riding a bike, you never forget....

Cue 2 hrs of repeatedly trying to get the needle to pick up thread!! 

I have been working with the Lord recently about having and keeping my peace in all situations. So, of course, I need to go through some situations where I have cause to lose my peace!

I'm keeping calm with the children for the most part, so today, it's the sewing machine. 

Actually, I prayed through the whole thing, and when I knew I was about to get cross, I walked away and decided to do it by hand.

It took a little longer, but it saved my patio door, and my peace.

Looks like Abba is helping me in more ways than one at the moment!

Summer reading

I am an avid reader, and that is mainly due to my mama's influence. I can devour a book in a day, if I get the chance, and have often got into trouble by staying up all night to get a brilliant book finished, just because I couldn't put it down. 

So I thought I would share what I have been reading over the lazy days of summer.

I have been reading a lot of Francine Rivers' books lately and still my favorite has to be Redeeming Love, a fictional story based on the book of Hosea. I have read this book at least 5 times and will always go back to it. I love the way Rivers deals with tough subjects without glorifying them, or using titillating language. I have always found her so easy to read and well paced, giving good description, but not laboring the point.
I also love her 'The Mark of the Lion' series, a trilogy about a Roman family in the first century AD and the effect of a small Jewish slave girl on their lives. This literally slays me every time, I find myself asking the same questions as the heroine, "Am I doing enough?"

I've also been re-reading 'The Shack' by Wm. Paul Young. 
Now this book has been the focus of some very heated debate, but I have got SO much out of this book and would urge everyone to at least give it a chance. Dealing with the age old question, "can God be good and allow evil?", this book is thought provoking and always speaks straight to my spirit.

So those are the books that have drawn, changed, entertained and spoken deeply to me this summer. How about you?

School time approaches...

School thoughts are now creeping in to summer.....

Ordering supplies, organizing curriculum, cleaning the room/chairs/table down.

Boo is asking me every day why on earth we are starting to think about school with 3 weeks left before we start back! I keep telling her, this is what mamas have to do! They have to think ahead and get organized. Otherwise the curriculum wouldn't be here on time. There would be no pencils when you reach for one. 

The other thing she doesn't realize is that I am the sort of mama who, if I don't do it now, as I think about it, I will forget and it won't get done at all!

I am a list mama. I need to write it down and have a plan. I absolutely don't always get everything done, but at least it's on the list. 

We have a family calendar with 6 columns on and I always, ALWAYS tell the children and my dear husband that if it's not on the calendar, we are not doing it. If you make an appointment, it goes on the calendar, even if it's just a coffee. DH's work shifts are all on there for the year, all birthdays, all kids activities, everything. 

I need it writing down, to make sure it doesn't get forgotten. That way, I don't get double booked and have to let people down, (which I hate) and I am not late (which I hate more!) 

That's how I have figured I work best (after years of frustration and trial and error) and like I said, that doesn't mean mistakes don't happen, or everything gets done (my kitchen floor is being ignored at the moment) but those are few and far between now. 

How do you manage your house? Are you a list-er, or are you a little more carefree?
Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you.

Fear of others...

I have a little dilemma.

We, as a family, have made a decision that I fear is going to be disapproved of, and I am beginning to be fearful of the repercussions of this decision. 

Don't get me wrong, it is absolutely the right decision, and we are pleased with the choice, but I have always been a people pleaser, and hate when people I respect disapprove. 

I am really trying to work with my Father to please Him, and not others, but it is still hard. 

The people that may disapprove are not really that important, they will not be around for very much longer, and I know I am being foolish.

I have to give myself a good talking to, and the word says to bring every thought captive to Jesus (2 Cor 10:5) so I know I just need to pray when I feel fear. Perfect Love casts out fear, so only Jesus can help me. 

DO you suffer from pleasing people? 
How have you cracked it?

Marriage Time......

No kids!!!!

Yesterday, hubby and I had the WHOLE day to ourselves!!!! 

I know!!!! 

A close friend of ours took the children out to the beach and the cinema for the day, and Papa and I were left wondering what to do with our time!!!

We decided to go out for a quiet lunch, to a pizza restaurant, and had some chilling time at home. We could eat when we wanted, we could go out if we wanted, it was lovely!!!!

However, when the children still weren't back at 8pm, I was starting to miss them! 

I love having my hubby to myself, and I love the break from the constant calls of "Mum, tell him!!" "mum, can I...." "MUUUUUUUMMMMMM"
but.....
I wouldn't trade them for the world!

I love my loony, crazy, irritating, amazing, beautiful children, and are glad when they all come home again!!!

Pondering....

I was talking to a lady at the bus stop a couple of days ago, as you do, and she was making a joke about being allergic to children.

She said she didn't like her own kids when they were young, so she was definitely allergic to mine!!

She was trying to be funny, but it really struck me in a sad way. 

That used to be me! 

I hated school holidays, when it meant I had to be home all day with my children. I hated having to find things to occupy them all day long for those long summer months, and would be close to throwing a party when term time appeared on the horizon once more!!

How things have changed. 

It made me so thankful for the revelation that my children are a gift from God. That they are here, and mine to take care of, for such a short period of time. That, although I have bad days, they are to be cherished and appreciated for just being children. For having their own personalities, and quirks. 
Some of our favourite phrases as a family are coined from what the children have said. It is unique. They are unique.

So I am most definitely NOT allergic to children, I love them. And that lady doesn't know what she's missing out on.....

Light and easy

It's been quite a deep spiritual time of learning for this mama lately, so I thought I'd lighten up, and give a really easy basic white sauce recipe that never fails. 

It can be used in so many dishes, as a cheese sauce, a mushroom sauce, or parsley, anything really, and it's a no-lumps, never-fail recipe, so I love it. 

(We put this on Lasagna, instead of the true sauce, we just prefer it.)

Basic White Sauce
225ml Milk
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour

• Warm milk in a pan (do not bring to the boil)
• In a separate jug, combine oil and flour until smooth
• Add a spoonful of warm milk to oil/flour mix and transfer all liquid to the pan
• warm on a medium heat until sauce is required consistency

Voila! Add cheese/mushrooms/herbs as desired and bob's your uncle!!! 
No fail white sauce!
Delicious it is too! 

Lay it down, mama, Lay it down...

Guilt.

It comes to us all at some point, especially if you are a mama. 

At the moment, I am trying to crack the guilt. Crack it and leave it far behind me. 

I feel guilty about the stupidest things, that's the kicker!!!! 

I forgot to put hubby's pants in the drawer, I let the kids play too long on electronic games, I should have spoken more kindly to my daughter, I should have, I didn't, I wish I......

Now I know that I should feel guilt over some things. If hubby and I have had words, and I was out of order, guilt will hopefully push me to say sorry, but once I have, if he accepts that apology, I shouldn't feel guilty for another week!!!!!

It's not right if our whole life is characterized by guilt. Christ died to take our guilt, so it is very selfish of me actually, to carry around what He died to take from me!!!

It is my job to lay down that guilt, when I recognize it, and accept His complete forgiveness. Guilt only makes things worse and it is not from God, it is from the enemy of my soul, and I am nothing to do with him anymore!!!! 

Learning is tough. Parenting is tough. Jesus is tougher! He can take the load. We can't!