TAYLOR-MADE LIFE

"Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you..."

2010-05-11T15:08:00.003-06:00

I've been reading "Teach them Diligently" by Priolo (incredible parenting book!) and was hit by a MAC truck with a TRUTH the other night. Priolo was talking about "progressive sanctification" (continuously becoming more like Jesus) and he wrote:

"The Holy Spirit is the Principle Agent Who sanctifies, working in the hearts of all true believers to make them more like Christ. But He does so by MEANS of the Word. A person simply cannot change in the ways that are pleasing to God apart from the Word. The Holy Spirit must have His most effective weapon (the Sword of the Spirit) if He is to so change you and your children. Like regeneration (the new life you get when you give your heart to Jesus) sanctification is an act of God. But unlike regeneration, it is an act of God that requires your cooperation. The single most important way you can cooperate with Him is by getting the Bible into your heart."

He goes on to say: "I've met an astounding number of Christians who believe they can grow in grace apart from regular and continuous time in the Word (ie Bible reading, study, memorization, meditation, and active listening to Bible preaching and teaching). At the risk of overstating my argument, let me say it this way: It doesn't much matter how much time you spend in prayer or fasting, in fellowship with other Christians, in ministering or in witnessing to others; if you're not spending time in God's Word (or to be more accurate - -if God's Word does not richly dwell in you), you are, for all intents and purposes, handcuffing the Holy Spirit. Oh, it's not that HE is unable to work if you don't cooperate. It's that He has not promised to work apart from the Bible. ...To the degree that a person allows the Word of God to fill his heart, the Spirit fills his life." Then he gives scriptures references throughout to support his point...

Am I the only one who's been a Christian THIS long and hadn't yet put these two things together?!?! Yes, it's imperative to read your Bible. Yes, doing so changes everything. But THIS...this is new to me. The link between the Holy Spirit and the Word.

I wish I had more time to share on this, but for now, here it is for you to ponder with me...

A Mother's Job Title from A-Z

2010-04-29T08:32:00.001-06:00

Accountant
Benefits Supervisor
Coach
Development Director
Epidemiologist
Financial Advisor
Grief Counselor
Health-care Practitioner
Interior Decorator
Judge
Kitchen Manager
Lender
Mediator
Nutritionist
Outreach Coordinator
Pharmacy Supervisor
Quartermaster
Resident Services Manager
Systems Analyst
Taxi Driver
Underwriter
Victim's Rights Advocate
Wardrobe Clerk
X-ray Vision Expert
Yard Maintenance Administrator
Zoo keeper
...And she has to be such a diplomat that she could referee a baseball game between the Knights of Columbus and the Ku Klux Klan! ;O)

AWESOME!

2010-02-10T22:27:00.002-07:00

...see more at www.despair.com

Recipe for Rice Milk

2010-02-08T23:17:00.003-07:00

Found out that "Rice Dream" made by IMAGINE products is owned in part by Wal-Mart and Monsanto (among other huge corporate conglomerates that I have moral issues with) so I've been experimenting with different recipes I found online to save money and make a small "stand". :O)

Did the math too - if you buy it at the store you'll pay around $.40/cup but if you make your own it costs around $.15/cup. The way we go through the stuff at our house that's a nice chunk of change we're now saving each month!

After some "tweaking" here is OUR version of rice milk - we all agree that it's pretty darn close to what we've been buying for so long...

~~~~~~~~~

1 cup uncooked brown rice (long grain or golden rose), 2 cups filtered water, let sit overnight (at least 4+ hours). Blend well in blender on "high" - 1-2 minutes. Strain through a metal fine-mesh strainer 3-5x (scraping the pulp away from the base of strainer so milk can flow through faster). Add more purified water to milk till amount reaches 3 cups. Add 2-4 tsp pure maple syrup, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch of "real salt". Chill and serve! The milk will separate after sitting for a while (because it's not full of all the "other" junk that lengthens it's shelf-life) so just shake or stir it well before pouring.

~~~~~~~~~

....hee hee...I feel like such a rebel! ;o)

52 diseases/illnesses CURED!

2010-02-02T11:33:00.014-07:00

I've been trying to tell everyone about the documentary we recently saw that is changing a myriad of things in the way we live and eat... "The Beautiful Truth". You can watch it instantly on Netflix and I've found it on a few different websites to watch for free (google it).

As a "teaser" I'm going to type up the list of the 52 illnesses/diseases that the "Gerson Therapy" has cured - yes CURED - are you ready for this????!!!

Acne
Addictions
AIDS
Allergies
Anemias
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Arthritis
Asthma
Cancers and Leukemias
Candidiasis
Chemical sensitivities
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Constipation
Crohn's Disease
Cushings's Syndrome
Depression/panic attacks
Diabetes
Emphysema
Endometriosis
Epilepsy
Fibroids
Fibromyalgia
Genital Herpes
Gout
Heart and artery diseases
Hemorrhoids
Hepatitis
High Blood Pressure
Hyperactivity
Hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia
Immune deficiency
Infertility
Intestinal parasites
Kidney disease
Liver cirrhosis
Lyme disease
Lupus erythematosus
Macular degeneration
Migraines
Mononucleosis
Multiple sclerosis
Obesity
Ocular Histoplasmosis
Osteomyelitis
Osteoporosis
Phlebitis
Premenstrual syndrome
Psoriasis
Shingles
Stroke
Tuberculosis
Ulcerative Colitis

I'm still reading veraciously on the topic and finding more - like the fact that some of the advantageous "side effects" of the therapy are: sight restoration in glaucoma, self-correction of herniated disks (which would be incredible for Sean's acute/chronic back pain), pulmonary improvement in asthma...and more.

Lots more to say on this topic and on the topic of health in general...but alas - 4 children are calling! :O) Here are the 2 books I'm reading to learn more and figure out how to implement for my family...

View our Public Gallery

2009-05-30T13:02:00.002-06:00

Instead of picking and choosing which pictures to post here...since I'm SO behind on this...I thought I'd just upload them all to one place and give you all access to them. ;o) SEE LINK BELOW...

I didn't edit or remove any (including the ones Ava took one day as she walked around our house) so I'm sure there will be many that you'll just click past quickly...but this way I can be back up to date with you all!

The most recent are from a couple weeks ago and they span all the way back to before Thanksgiving last year...

Enjoy! :O)

http://picasaweb.google.com/amandatmail

Introduction to Christ

2009-05-06T13:16:00.004-06:00

A friend sent this to us and it really moved Sean and I...thought we'd post it here for you all to enjoy! ;o) Be sure to mute or pause the music that starts playing when our page uploads (scroll down a bit on the right side of the page)...

On the other side

2009-04-20T22:07:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone! I hope all the right people have been notified of Magnus' arrival and all the basic info about him. I literally haven't spoken to ONE person outside of my bedroom since Magnus was born...I have an amazing group of women who are pampering me so I can rest and just focus on Magnus for the first few days. I know that things will change once the dust settles so I'm trying to take advantage of the help I have right now. I promise, I'll get more phone time in as the days pass! :^)

Let's see...things you all might want to know? Home birth was amazing!!! I'll post a more specific "story" in a few days, but here are a few details...

Sean was spectacular - he worked almost as hard as I did doing different things to help with the pain that only he had enough strength to do...I couldn't have done it without him! I LOVE LOVE LOVE you babe! And my Mom was right beside him...pressure here, massage there... Cole was right next to me most of the time rubbing my arms and my back, bringing me cool cloths... Ava was the errand girl - handing me ice chips, sips of water and juice, and quietly bouncing around with excitement. I have my Dad to thank for keeping Selma busy downstairs during the process...and my Grandma Josey quietly sat in the corner of my room on a chair...praying the whole time! What a blessing! I didn't know how many things could be done to help relieve the pain (not that it was painless - ahem) but my amazing Dr. and Midwife, Karen, kept things moving forward like a well oiled machine!

Everything happened very fast once active labor began. Everyone was pretty surprised. Only about 1.5 hours from the time the more concentrated, focused breathing was necessary until Magnus arrived. I remember thinking, "only a few minutes ago I was 6 cm but NOW it's time to push - I can't help it!"...crazy...I think I pushed 3 times and he was out. In typical AMANDA fashion, I was very "vocal" at the end so my throat was pretty sore afterwards...

Magnus is a champion sucker! He started nursing 5-10 minutes after he was born and is already a pro! He's so cute. Very alert. Smallest of the Taylor kids by half a pound - another surprise to us all - but this Mom is thankful considering how fast things progressed. We had the birth tub standing by for a water birth, but literally didn't have time to get in it once things kicked in. But no worries, Cole, Ava and Selma have all taken a dip since the birth - I mean, how many of us have a little swimming pool right in the bedroom! How fun is that!?! We've got some cute pics of it that I'll post as soon as I can access Sean's computer...

I'm doing WAY better than I ever have after a birth. Healing fast! My best friend, Melissa, is in town and she has jumped right in, managing my care, chasing Selma, directing Cole and Ava and staying up late to clean up... Melis', will I ever be able to repay you???

I'm so blessed and thankful right now. SOOOO glad it's over. So glad I don't have the birth "looming" over my head anymore!

I'm going to get scolded for posting this instead of sleeping, but I just had to connect a little with you all! I'll get back on-line in a day or so and try to get more pics posted here. I know Sean has e-mailed a few more, but I'd like to show the "story" in pics as well...so I'll do my best!

Well, it's time for Magnus' next feeding so I must run! Thanks for loving us and for all the prayers! Keep 'em coming...this Mom is going to have to learn some new juggling tricks with 4 now! ;o)

Love to you all!

MAGNUS KNUD TAYLOR...

2009-04-19T21:47:00.004-06:00

(New Dad posting)

Magnus Knud Taylor was born 4/19/09 at 4:55 PM. Mom and Baby are doing Great! Dad is an emotionol wreck! (= Magnus weighed in at 8lbs, 6oz and was 20 1/4 inches long. Officially the smallest but hairest of the Taylor Babies. Active labor lasted for about 1.5 hours.

Expecting. Change.

2009-04-08T19:55:00.005-06:00

If you only knew how often I've sat down to update this blog...and sat...and sat...not knowing where to begin. Then my laptop closes and I resolve to try another day. Then another month passes...and another...

So much has changed. So much has happened. So much learned. Many old things have passed away and new things have come. Appropriately - SPRING is here, not only all around me, but I feel in my Spirit as well...

But alas - to try and nutshell everything is impossible. So as a good friend told me - just start where you are. I like that! So here I am.

38 weeks pregnant. That sentence in itself should speak volumes for me - amen?!? Right on schedule with 65 lbs gained (no I'm not shy about it anymore - it's just what my body does so I've resolved to make peace with it this time) - and doing better this pregnancy than I ever have. Is it God's grace? A lack of time to think about myself chasing and schooling 3 kids? A different diet? Finally a consistent schedule and a routine for myself and the kids? A new outlook on life? A new Mentor who challenges me to stop being "a hearer of the Word", but now to be a "doer of the Word"?

Yes.

So, in line with the title of this posting - we're expecting...and we're expecting change...and we're expecting it SOON! Our family will be growing from 5 to 6...well...anytime from this moment on, I suppose. I AM "full term" now so our little bundle could come tonight (unlikely, but possible) or get nice and fat and make us all watch the "due date" come...and then go...while every tightening of my tummy makes my heart skip a bit. Only time will tell.

But it's the change I'm grappling with now. The expected change. The new normal we will all have to mold to. I've recently read this amazing book called "Stepping Heavenward" by Elizabeth Prentiss and in it I've found one of the most amazing quotes for motherhood...

"Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which it dwells is worthy all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart; welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest!" - E. Prentiss

The first time I read it I cried. Then Sean came in the room so I tried to read it to him and could barely get 2 words out between sobs. A few days later, my Mom was over so I attempted to read it to her and in like fashion...after the first line, I handed her the book to finish reading it aloud and when she finished, both our eyes were brimming.

I think what touched me the most was the yielded heart this mother has toward her new baby and what it will cost, and how starkly it contrasts with the way the world looks at the changes of motherhood and all of it's "inconveniences". Don't get me wrong. I have no doubt I'll be struggling with my flesh every day as God peels away the layers of sin in my life that are uncovered as I seek to disciple and mentor my children. It's arguably the hardest job on the planet for a reason. But I'm trying to look forward and find hope in who God is molding me into...even now as I wait.

So (Janey) as requested I start here..."where I'm at" and if I keep my eyes on my heavenly Father, the expected change will come with blessings from obedience and not exhaustion with overwhelm. Only time will tell. So I covet your prayers while we wait...

Hello Again!

2008-12-03T21:43:00.003-07:00

Well...it's been a while! The move really threw me off and in order to prioritize life the right way I had to let the Blog thing go to the BACK BURNER for a while. To be honest - I'm letting quite a few things in my life "go" right now...e-mail being one BIG one.

I just signed out of my e-mail for an undefined amount of time in order to re-capture some time and get ready for baby boy on the way. I'll be back, don't worry - just need to prioritize life better and this is just one of a few things I must put aside for a while in order to focus on what's most important.

I doubt there is anyone on their death bed saying they wish they would have spent more time on e-mail...I don't think I'll look back and regret this. To be honest, it's a pretty big weight lifted! It's amazing how this "little" activity and that "little" commitment can take up so much of our lives!

I guess there are times in life when one has to take inventory, take some things out and put things BACK in the right order...that would be me right now! ;o) Tired of running into the same life obstacles - tripping up on the same issues. It's time to stop being just a 'hearer' of the WORD and really purpose to be a 'Doer'!

The theme in my life lately has been "grow up" which to me means being mature enough to give up some of the things I "enjoy" in the present to find the freedom I long for in so many areas. It's time to do hard things...so I took the proverbial "chain saw" to e-mail for a while. Ahhhhhhhh - it's almost like spring cleaning! ;o)

Well, when I get some time, I'll upload a BUNCH of pics that we've taken since my last post. Our fun family has had a lot going on! See you soon!

Shift is Happening...a must see!

2008-10-21T12:26:00.001-06:00

No this video is not about MySpace - it's about more than you can imagine!

Moving toward CHANGE

2008-10-03T22:34:00.013-06:00

A post one last time from this house.

The movers come tomorrow - or I should better say, "God's people" come and help us move in the morning.

::::

Life is funny. The way God ebbs and flows the things of life through one's fingers.

We've moved a lot. Not a surprising statement from us. But I think moving is cleansing.

It's hard, don't get me wrong. And good friends become better friends as their sacrifice pours into your life.

But there is something about taking inventory of your life in cardboard boxes that somehow makes things more clear.

Stuff becomes real instead of camouflaged into the backdrop.

How life is $pent is obvious as people lug each load onto the truck.

There is a death - of sorts. Some sadness. Some regret.

A lot of things flood the mind as each room is cleared.

::::

Then new life comes. New insight. A new palette.

A cleansing has occurred - through sweat and tears - and its refreshing.

Almost like the smell of the earth after a hard rain.

So to this house we say, "Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the lessons learned inside these walls...The family we've become under this roof."

And to the new?

"Hello, it's nice to meet you"...and we look around at the new scenery...

Wondering...

Will this be the place where God finds us more moldable than before?

Will we learn from history and surrender the calloused areas...finally?

Jesus, go before us and meet us anew. Help us come empty so you can fill us here. And thank you IN ADVANCE for the goodness and mercy you will bring. We accept.

Bye Bye sweet little peeing varmint...

2008-09-25T15:35:00.004-06:00

So, yeah...that was short lived. Our precious little Mercy went to another loving home yesterday and we've got a large carpet cleaning bill awaiting. Thankfully the "re-homing/adoption fee" we charged made us $100 over what we paid for her, so we'll be able to afford the cleaning!

She was adorable and fun a lot of time, don't get me wrong...but you can only step in so many "wet spots" before the frustration outweighs the fun - ya know?!? With me feeling "yuck" most of the time and Selma being the little "active toddler" she is...a puppy...well, it was just too much for us to manage during the day, and Mercy needed a dogie-door and a fenced yard.

Even Cole and Ava were fine with it (makes you wonder who got sent on the clean-up errands...hmmmm). No one shed any tears and the gal that adopted her simply adored her and has another small dog that Mercy can play with during the day. So that should be nice for Mercy.

Now...if Sean or I even think about getting another pet in the next 3 years...just shoot us, okay?!? ;^D

Camera Fun

2008-09-21T23:47:00.004-06:00

The kids and I got silly with the camera the other day...thought some of the pics came out pretty cute. Since I'll be getting LAARRRGGEERR as each day passes (Baby #4 is 10 weeks along now), I thought it would be good to document some of the thinner times - you know - for inspiration in about 9 months! ;o) I especially like the lightening bolt coming out of my head on the last one...

Climbing to my Knees

2008-09-17T22:31:00.013-06:00

"His curriculum for me is life and His Word." - Betty from the blog, "Betty's Bits". Something I read today that profoundly touched me.

True, isn't it?

Life? Well, it's been an uphill climb most days lately. I think, "How can I complain? Look at all the blessings..." then the Devil sourrounds me with soft-edged lies that aren't uncomfortable and I allow to stay.

Let's see, just a few of the swirlings in my head...

~Money's tight (understatement of a lifetime)

~Pregnancy woes (but Amanda, the LIFE inside HIS grace bestows - "shame on you" Evil whispers)

~Child training (1 step forward, 10 steps back to look in mirror once more)

~Homemaking ("Where's the sippy cup!" I yell. "You found it where?")

~Health (God is bigger than the box I feel safe studying in)

~Home (another address change, boxes, chaos - but provision, a roof, God's Will shining through the cracks)

:::

As I hear words come from my mouth to a friend today, God whispers, "listen"...

Unconditional trust in my Creator. Why He put the tree in the middle of the garden. Relationship without trust is nothing. The trial is where the TRUTH can be found. Climb. Climb.

So life, once again, floats just out of reach, bobbing up and down, playing in the air, tempting me to jump and capture, hold fast, keep steady. But God says NO. It has to float so my wind can carry it.

The answer today is to sit still. To breathe out slowly and let his Word pour over me and heal all the self-inflicted wounds from just today.

TRUTH like an ointment.

"And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil."

...Then Jesus said, "...her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little..."

...Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven...Youre faith has saved you. Go in peace." Luke 7:37-50

:::

Help my boldness in falling at your feet, Lord. Everything is there.

River God

2008-09-16T23:27:00.001-06:00

The last 5 years...my theme song...

"Of blogging, secrets, porn and truth"

2008-09-13T20:41:00.015-06:00

A friend of mine told me about the Blog "Holy Experience" (thanks Janey!) - http://aholyexperience.com/ so I went for a visit...and spent over an hour there. Ann Voskamp is a homeschooling mom of 6, a homesteader, a Jesus lover and very gifted (and published) writer. She falls somewhere between poetry and art in the way she writes - it's beautiful. (I also highly recommend an older post of hers called "How we Homeschool".)

I asked her permission to publish her most recent post to my Blog b/c it spoke to my heart so much on why this "blog thing" has captured me so (especially with all my "confessing" as of late). I think you'll enjoy reading this. But get a hot cup of tea and put on your slippers...peace is in her writings and I think you'll truly be blessed and calmed. And if you have speakers...enjoy that too...

Of blogging, secrets, porn and truth
We're coming home in the dark last night from a little country fall fair. And in the thick black on the other side of the window, I find words for things never seen in the glare of day. Only vaguely, uncomfortably felt.

~ That this scratching the curve of a heart, out here in an online space, often breaks mine.

~That I don't know how to walk the tensions of blogging, this public forum...

(How many posts in a row can you put out there about what a mess you are, this home is? Is that fair to your family?

How many posts can focus on the beauty He's raising from your ashes, the things He's drawing you into, without coming across as sacchrine?)

~That blogging (writing?) is a form of nudity and I'm endlessly plagued by this: am I unintentionally guilty of participating in stay-at-home mommy porn? faith porn? life porn?

I'm not interested in contributing to some false propoganda about life.

(Mothering is tenderly beautiful ... and the most anguishing thing I've ever done. God is granite real ... and sometimes I can't find Him. This life is exquisitely stunning ... and a gory mess.

Depending on where you stand, where the shadows fall, how you see, it looks startlingly different.

What is real? What is honest? What is Truth?)

By the time we park this van with all these sleeping kids in the garage, and the garage door draws close on the stage of stars, and we trip over the dozing golden lab sprawled out in the dark by the back door, and kids stumble to their beds, those discovered words and questions are settling down. Settling down into me. But I don't have answers.

I lay in the dark and pray. Flick on the light and try to find more words. And the book on the nightstand falls open to this:

:::

"Maybe nothing is more important than that we keep track, you and I, of these stories of who we are and where we have come from and the people we have met along the way because it is precisely through these stories in all their particularity... that God makes himself known to each of us most powerfully and personally.

If this is true, it means that to lose track of our stories is to be profoundly impoverished not only humanly but spiritually....

In these pages I tell secrets...because that is one way of keeping track and because I believe that it is not only more honest but also vastly more interesting than to pretend that I have no such secrets to tell. I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are your secrets. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it is to be human." ~Beuchner, Telling Secrets

I close the book and turn out the light. I lay there. True, that.

And I feel Him close, touch-His-face close, answering these questions that gnaw.

This morning, still in the dark, I find this entry in the archives. I've been here before, wrestling this down:

:::

“In these pages I tell secrets about…myself because I believe that it is not only more honest but vastly more interesting than to pretend that I have no such secrets to tell. I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are your secrets.” ~Frederick Beuchner

I yell on Sunday mornings, about things of grand import, like socks left on floors and back mats all wrinkled. And then I leave for Worship Service.

I sigh when dry cereal is scattered across the floor and, as I sweep up the mess, I lecture with great profundity about carelessness… to a seven-year-old.

I whisper prayers in the deep black of night, “Father, would you graciously bestow one more baby?” And He shakes the core of me with striking truth: “Love the ones you have.”

I know it: I don’t want the demands of love. I chafe for easy. I am broken and incapable of more. And I cling to this: “Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out.” ~Ps. 65:3

:::

In a span of dark, He's led and I've stumbled into some of the answers, or part of them, for this day.

If I lose track of the stories, I'll lose track of part of me. Lose track of His voice in this life. Telling our stories, keepings traces of His graces, even in a venue such as this, may indeed be important, sacred work, because in these stories, God meets us. We listen to our life and hear God.

And maybe other who listen, hear Him too?

Perhaps in sharing our stories, spiritual disciplines of reflecting and telling the truth, even in this public space, others too just groping along might find more of their way?

What is real and honest and truth is as simple and as complicated as laying bare a heart and words before His eyes and letting the Spirit lead.

Maybe it as simple as stripping it back and saying yes, I have secrets, ugly ones, and I do not pretend otherwise.

True, others may read the stories as photoshopped "faith-porn." But maybe it's a matter of how one sees. And that maybe the nakedness of writing isn't about porn and propoganda, but a return to Eden.

And maybe, just maybe, telling the secrets of the dark bring us out into the Light.

'Harley' a dull moment around here

2008-09-10T22:42:00.002-06:00

One of Sean's clients came over tonight to bring him some paperwork on a home she just put an offer on, and out of the kindness of her heart, she humored our kids with a ride around the neighborhood. They were SO excited!

Ava was first and when Rhonda pulled away from the curb, Ava started laughing so loud you could hear her over the signature rumble of the Harley tail pipes until she was about 100 feet away! When it was Cole's turn, he did the same thing. The laughter was contagious! I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids, or Sean and I as we watched and laughed from our driveway.

We all need moment's like that - where we just simply can't contain our joy...Amen?!?!

God's recent artwork

2008-09-10T22:00:00.001-06:00

Just a few pictures of a beautiful Sunset God blessed us with a few night ago. It was so breathtaking, even the kids were on the back porch admiring it. One of those things you just need to stop and take-in before another day breezes by in the blink of an eye...

A little medicinal healing from the backyard

2008-09-10T21:29:00.007-06:00

Sean and the kids were wrestling last night and on accident Sean slammed his head into the wooden foot of the ottoman (kinda hard to explain so just go with me here). I'm not sure I've ever seen him in so much pain! The way he screamed, I totally thought he was kidding! So I looked at him and said, "Yeah, whatever Babe..." (because he typically fakes that he's been hurt and then jumps up and attacks the kids when they're not expecting it). But this time, grabbing his ear, he yelled, "I'm not kidding!" Then he jumped up and ran into the bathroom to get a better look at his battle wound taking sharp breaths to manage the pain.

Within minutes, it was evident that he had truly hurt himself badly. The point of impact was swelling fast, filling with blood about the size of a large pea. We thought we were going to need to cut it to relieve the pressure (which made me think of the Rocky movie where Rocky says to his trainer, "Cut me Mick!" - there is a T-shirt...anyway...).

After I supplied him an ice pack, I went to my "medicine cabinet" to see if there was anything in there that might help the swelling and pain. Then I got a brilliant idea! Earlier that day, Ava and I had discovered the medicinal herb Plantain (Plantago major) growing in the park behind our house (it's actually the 3rd or 4th herb we've found out there) so we picked some and started a tincture of it with apple cider vinegar (it's the best toner for oily skin, acne, even good for bites and such...but I digress). I dawned on my that God had provided the perfect solution in the 'weeds' out back!

The kids and I threw our shoes on, grabbed our flashlight (it was 10:30 pm - our kids were just heading to bed but I couldn't resist this perfect homeschool moment!) and headed down to the park to find more Plantain (the fresh herb in a poultice is best for wounds). Sean wasn't especially excited about our neighbors seeing the kids and me out there at that hour trapsing around with a flashlight - he joked that someone might call CPS for us not having our kids in bed yet. But I assured him that most of the neighbors probably thought we were "homeschooling kooks" anyway so it wouldn't do our "reputation" much harm. ;o)

The kids and I were back in a flash and I quickly rinsed off the Plantain leaf, bit off a nice chunk, and began chewing - and of course, the kids followed my lead (they are so brave - what a proud Mama I was to see them chewing away). I then went and got 2 small band-aids, spit out what remained in my mouth (before Sean saw, so he wouldn't know exactly what I was "applying" to his wound) and made a very nice little dressing over the swollen, blood blister. You can see my handiwork below (as you can see Sean had some fun during picture time)...

Plantain is a great pain reliever and it's great for swelling so I was very pleased that I was able to get it so fresh to his wound! Sean was a great sport! He even let me take pictures so I could show all of you!

It's times like this where I wish he would have had 2 identical wounds so I could show him how the treated one compared to the untreated, but alas...he didn't hit his head twice this time. Maybe next time...hee hee...

Today, the whole area is pretty bruised up (thank you Sean for posing for one LAST picture) but this morning there was no swelling and he says it doesn't hurt at all. Only I can sit back and be so pleased with myself for working hard to be my family's "healer" once more (an "apprentice" of sorts to the true Healer)...it feels so amazing to have learned of something that can help in a crisis...and to know that God put it EVERYWHERE for us (the only place Plantain doesn't grow is Antarctica)! He truly does "give us everything we need for life and godliness" 2 Peter 1:3.

Why Mothers with Toddlers should never have e-mail...

2008-09-02T16:29:00.003-06:00

Since this has become such a "confession" place for me from time to time I thought this would give you all a good laugh! I just went to check my e-mail for a second - - I swear!!! One of the kids had left a marker out from a coloring "break" we had during Homeschool this morning and well...I think it's pretty obvious what happened! Selma Brave was SO proud of herself! Too bad it isn't Halloween...I could have dressed her up as a cat and called it good!

Have you ever seen such pure delight?!?!?

Can I take off the cap again, Mom?
Ahhhh - there...
Mom? Why do you keep snapping photos of me and laughing?

This last picture is of her taking off, away from the camera absolutely delighted with herself! I had to drop the camera super fast to catch her before she attacked something else with the marker...

And we're going to have FOUR??? ;o)

Fun with Swim Goggles

2008-09-02T15:00:00.001-06:00

My two girls were bored over the weekend when Sean and I were cleaning our carpets (anyone want a little puppy named Mercy?)...

I thought they were so cute with how creative they got, thought I'd post some pictures. I'm not sure what Ava's superhero name should be...any ideas???

Back Porch Campout

2008-08-23T19:55:00.005-06:00

Sean, Cole and Ava were headed to a camp out with some friends last weekend until I fell ill with one of my "flare-ups" so Sean decided to hold true to his promise and have a camp out anyway...on our Back Porch! The kids were so excited you'd think we were on our way to Disneyland (no comments please from the CA friends)! Here a few pics of the big night.

This would be Sean and Cole getting psyched out for the fire-building they were about to conquer.

"I've secured the fire-wood Mom - I can feel pioneer woman strength coming out of my pores!"

Ava doing a FIRE DANCE - she saw it on one of those 'quality' Disney films that subtly teach our children everything we didn't know they needed to learn...

The camp out PLOT...beats dirt, weeds and bugs any day (oh wait, most people like that...sorry, City girl coming out unexpectedly). Cole and Ava waiting for Daddy to come out and start Ghost Stories!
They had a great time - all except for when Mercy peed on their sleeping bags (yes, ALL of them)...any one want a dog??? ;o)

My 'Thorn', and some thoughts about my Homeschooling journey...

2008-08-22T22:20:00.023-06:00

Today is my first full day out of bed in 8 days. I have acute, chronic infections that render me useless and in forced stillness (or writhing agony) every few months and they usually last 12-14 days. Ice is my only relief and at times that is useless too. This has been my "thorn" for 18 years. I'm finally working with a fantastic Christian Naturopath and we're narrowing down the ROOT of the problem since almost every form of symptom relief is no longer working. We're discovering that my health problems are mainly due to an IMBALANCE in my LIFE which has lead to an imbalance in my body. Hmmmm, funny how that works!

It looks like the imbalance in my body has to do with a combination of Adrenal Fatigue, Hormone fluctuations, some Food Allergies and yep, you named it, STRESS... and that all stems from a lack of Balance in my daily life. In our society we are quick to try and find a pill or potion for most ailments (physical and mental alike) but I truly believe God cannot heal our hearts and minds if we put a shell of numbing pharmaceuticals around them and fail to seek the REASON God is allowing what He is. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for seeking symptom relief, I just don't think it benefits us in the long run when it's our first thought every time.

Anyway, a mentor of mine e-mailed me a few days ago and quoted James 1:2-4... "Consider it pure joy my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith, develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking in anything!"

Even though I've read this verse many times before, that day, the verse literally jumped off the page. Especially the part about "perseverance must FINISH it's work so that you may be MATURE and COMPLETE, NOT LACKING ANYTHING!"

As some of you know, the theme in my life right now is "GROW UP!"...not a fun theme to grapple with, but since I didn't learn to do hard things when I was young, I grew into a "Kidult" (Kid/Adult - term coined in the wonderful book "Do Hard Things" by the Harris Twins) and now at 34 I'm having to learn the tough lessons of life and growing up, right along side my kids (well maybe 2 steps ahead, but that's about it!).

Hmmmm...since my day-to-day with the kids plays such a role in the balance (or more rightly said, LACK of balance) in my life, I must digress here for a moment...

I remember when I was first convicted by the Lord to homeschool. Little did I know that it would be the caveat for Him humbling and softening my heart so he could teach me lessons about me AND my health.

I was working full-time out of our home and had both my kids (1 and 3 y/o at the time) in childcare. On the fateful day the Lord spoke to me about homeschooling, I was having a "business meeting" at my home. One of the gals in my Unit was a homeschooling Mom and I remember asking her about it - homeschooling had always intrigued me. She told me a few things about why it had been so amazing for her family and I quickly responded with the answer I so often now hear, "I think you're so amazing for doing that, but I could never do that!" Then I continued, "My son and I really clash and I know we'd be at each other's throats all day long - we are way too much alike!"

Her response was quick and direct (like one of those moments when God stops your world and says, "listen very carefully to what is about to be said"). She looked at me squarely and said, "THAT is EXACTLY why you should homeschool." I was dumbfounded. She then proceeded to tell me that if I was in a hurry to "take time off" from my son by sending him off to school, and wasn't willing to work hard to connect with my son's heart and figure him out...WHO WOULD? Certainly NOT a teacher with 25 other kids to take care of! He was MY child and God had given him to ME to "train up". But she didn't stop there when I was visibly choking from shock. She continued that if I only had a few hours after school each day to really connect with his heart, I'd most likely be spending that time coordinating after-school events, exhaling from the long day, prepping dinner, coaching homework, etc and that would leave me NO time to "tie strings" with a heart that was already somewhat disconnected from mine. And that would only lead to a deeper and deeper disconnection over the years. And then she quickly shifted and said the most beautiful words I've ever heard next to homeschool - "spontaneous"! She enlightened me to the fact that you don't have to be perfect and ultra organized to homeschool and that she was actually very spontaneous about her days and that worked great for her family.

I remember her words swirling around in my head for months after that, God wouldn't let the thought get far before He'd bring it flooding back. To make a long story short, by the time my son was gearing up for pre-school we decided to give homeschooling a shot and we've never looked back (we'll glanced maybe on hard days, but not for long). ;o)

Had I sent them off to school, I don't believe I would have ever been faced with the extent of my immaturity and all the ways I was lacking as an Adult and Mother (we can put on a happy face and slide by many of our sins, putting protective walls around them, if they aren't pointed out to us often - and BOY does homeschooling shed light on our own sins and inadequacies - WOW). How many times a day can I be brought to my knees without just deciding to STAY there permanently!!!!! Ugh!

Anyway, had I not made the decision to homeschool, I don't believe God would have had the same incredible, spontaneous opportunities to work on me for the whole of my heart. Planned learning is never as powerful as unplanned...and the nature of homeschooling is necessary interruption! God needed POWERFUL opportunities to get through to me and cut away at my rugged character, and He knew for me, it would take the venerability of regularly doing something out of my comfort zone. Only that could allow him to FINISH (or begin finishing) his work in me and help me see His perfect plan for my health and my heart.

Which brings me back to the start of this blog.

My Dr told me that I needed to plead with God to show me why He had given me this thorn of chronic ill health (not typical Dr advice I know, but she was speaking God's truth to me and she is just amazing that way - Hi Karen!). God doesn't allow ANYTHING useless to plague our lives - it all has a purpose. He brings the sun and the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous - both for His greater purpose.

Soooo - I began to plead. I prayed (like any immature child would at first) that He would take this thorn from me. Just "fix" it. Then I grew tired of praying (for the little time I actually devoted to it) and I cried and begged, pouted and clenched my fists. But no change. No "miraculous" cure came. After 18 years, WHY was God not showing me His GRACE and curing me??? WHY was He allowing this awful agony to plague me for so long??

Then, in his wisdom and patience, (and after I had surrendered to Him in some other major areas of my life) He "threw me a bone". I'd had a long conversation with My Dr one day, and suddenly the light bulb went on for her and she said, "Amanda, you've got Adrenal Fatigue" - which for some is just a technical term for your body saying "Hey you! You're totally burning the candle at both ends, being irresponsible with your time, allowing lack of discipline and adrenaline to fuel your life and your body is finally FED UP and yelling STOP!"

All at once, it was as if the heavens opened and God showed me WHY the infections remained. This is not everyone's lesson, but it WAS mine! God showed me that the infections were a consequence of my immaturity and the lack of balance in my life. Not some unfortunate ailment I had gotten by happenstance. I hadn't CAUGHT an imbalance, I'd CREATED it! I mean, whatever happened to 'growing up' and setting limits, going to bed at a responsible time, eating well for the benefit of good health, being responsible for my own health, obeying the Scriptures no matter who rolls their eyes, setting goals and sticking to them, and "with thanksgiving, presenting [our] requests to God, [so] the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, [can] guard our hearts and our minds (ie - relieve our stress level) in Christ Jesus"? These were just a few of the things I had refused to give to God over the years. I didn't want to GROW UP and do the harder, responsible things - and my body was exhausted!

We all have a weak-link (unfortunately we have sin to thank for that). For some it's heart trouble. For others it's skin issues. It could be weight gain, anxiety, Candida, asthma, back pain - the list could go on forever. The human body was created to keep an amazing balance and successfully does so, most of the time. But contrary to what society, TV and the pharmaceutical companies would like you to think, our body can only take so much before it gets tired. There ARE things (many things in fact) that can cover your symptoms and give you a false feeling of health (while your body runs weary under the surface). But more often than not, the answer is not a spray, pill or potion - it's cutting out this, saying no to that...it's living responsibly.

Our Immune systems can only fight so long against irresponsible living before that sin will begin to breed an army of something to overpower it's sick and exhausted defenses. That something, is different for everyone. For me it was a combination of things out of balance. And I ignored them for so long, the weak-link in my system literally took over my entire body (systemic)...and would remain the conqueror until I saw things for what they really were (grew up) and started doing the HARD THINGS to regain balance in my life. Remember, God doesn't allow ANYTHING useless to plague our lives - it all has a purpose.

One of the first lessons of growing up is accepting responsibility for your actions and the consequences that may follow. If we never allowed our children to face the consequences of their actions would they grow up to have the character we dream for them? Would they learn how to take responsibility for their lives, their health, even their future children's characters? Probably not. We would start them on the path to adulthood in an uphill climb. So what do we do? We LOVE our children and let them learn HARD lessons to HELP them develop perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work so that [they] may be mature and complete not lacking in anything!"

So in a fairly round-about way, as I was sitting in my bed a few days ago, sulking at my situation, and God brought the verse in James to me, to reminded me of how much He loves me and WHY He has allowed my sin to continue through to the consequence of my ill health. Had He "rescued" me from this years ago, when would I have slowed down or been humbled enough (desperate enough for Him) to learn the lessons my character needed to be shaped and molded? Well, I'll tell you this, if it's taken 18 years of chronic infections almost e/o month to shake me into this powerful understanding...it's hard for me to believe anything else could have gotten through to me!

So here I sit, tears filling my eyes, THANKFUL for a God that loves me so much He wouldn't let this lesson get away. He got my attention on a matter essential for the character He has had in mind for me since the day of my conception. Even when I was being disobedient and was too childish to learn the lesson over the years, He never gave up. He just waited patiently and kept bringing the lesson back until I could finally see it. For some, the lesson God wants to teach is the same one over and over, then other times He gives it different faces but it's Name is still the same. Ultimately, however, HE LOVES US enough to pursue the completion of our character when we get sidetracked or stopped trying on our own. "He knows the plans He has for us," and He won't let us thwart those plans! They are too magnificent! He won't stand for us "lacking anything"! THAT IS A LOVING GOD!

So although it's hard when I'm in the midst of my pain, it was a blessed reminder to "Consider it pure joy [Amanda], when you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith, develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking in anything!"

I'm WHAAAAAAAT?????

2008-08-16T12:35:00.007-06:00

Do you see that faint horizontal line? Yeah - even though it's faint, it means something very definite (you can read the paper for yourself - and it's the vertical line that counts anyway)! Condom baby #2 is on it's way - Taylor Kid #4!

So I heard this joke yesterday:

Man is walking through the airport with 6 kids. Woman stops him and asks if ALL 6 kids are HIS. He answers, "No. I work for a Condom company and these are the customer complaints that were sent to us this week."

I'm in as much shock as you! I was 8 days late, but I have a short cycle (26 days) and when things are stressful (which they have been as of late) I've gone as long as 5 days over before so I kept thinking nothing of it b/c we've been using "protection" (is this blog still G-rated after this post???). Anyway, yesterday, I finally took a test and my whole body started shaking when I saw that faint little line. I tore through my bathroom to my bedside where the directions (shown above) were lying, and scanned the "pregnant" area in hopes of seeing "if the line is faint, you're not pregnant"...but alas...it said quite the opposite!

I couldn't decide weather to laugh (hysterically, mind you, until I fainted from lack of oxygen) or cry. THIS WAS NOT PLANNED (hence the reference to Condom baby #2 - Selma Brave was also a "scratch-your-head-in-bewilderment" baby)!! Most of you know how much I LOVE being pregnant and how EASY it is for me (insert sarcastic voice here), but obviously God had different plans!

So I go into Sean's office and drop the stick on his desk (at this point I'm still in disbelief, and almost annoyed at God's timing - just being honest) and Cole comes in the room. Sean can't seem to figure out the directions so I inform him that it's positive...putting force to my words, "EVEN THOUGH THE HORIZONTAL LINE IS SO FAINT". Cole says, "What is positive?" Sean looks at me and says, "You're Pregnant???" I nod and Cole grabs the stick and starts inspecting it, pulling off the "pee protector" (that's the technical term) and squishing it with his fingers. Then Sean looks over and says, "You might not want to touch that, your Mom just peed on that part..." at which point Cole darts out of the room in a panic to find some soap and water. It was a nice giggle moment for Sean and I, to break the INTENSE reality that was hitting us both like a MAC TRUCK!

Sean immediately got up and came over to hug me. He was smiling and had joy all over his face. "Number 4 is on it's way, Babe," he said. "We've always talked about having 4."

"Yeah, but do you know what this means," I said. "It means, back pain, sleeping in a recliner, gaining 75 lbs...I was NOT ready for this right now."

"I know, but it will all work out - it always does," he said. Then he said, "Let's stop and thank God right now and praise Him for this baby." After taking one look at my face, he then said, "I'LL PRAY!" I guess it was obvious that I wasn't in a "thankful" state yet...

I'm not sure it will sink in for a while, but now that I look more carefully I've had several signs that something is "going on" inside me. I've had back pain the last 2 weeks (I know, lucky for me, it starts as soon as the sperm meets the egg) and I'm battling one of my "infections" right now which tells me there has definitely been a hormonal SHIFT recently. So there is LIFE in there and it looks something like this:

Kinda more like a deformed jelly-bean at this point, but LIFE nonetheless!

The kids were ecstatic when they found out! Ava was screaming, running and jumping all around the house and Cole was running and laughing. The first thing out of his mouth was, "We're going to have 4 kids like the Blank Family" (Kathy, bet you guys didn't know you were the standard, did you?)...I thought that was super cute!

So we'd appreciate ALL your prayers for a safe and healthy gestation. The first trimester is the most fragile and I'm only 4 weeks along so we've got a while yet before we're out of the woods. I'd also appreciate you prayers for my "infection" - that this is the only one I have to endure during this pregnancy since they are mostly untreatable while pregnant and they make me pretty miserable.

I'll keep you all posted ON HERE as things progress...Thanks again for loving our growing family!

Woman Sings While In Labor

2008-08-15T19:46:00.005-06:00

There are no words...just watch and worship.

Cardboard Testimonies

2008-08-15T19:46:00.001-06:00

This is so powerful...take a moment and be moved.

EASY Key Lime Pie UPDATED

2008-08-14T16:38:00.001-06:00

*I have since tweaked this recipe so it would SET a lot faster and firmer. The recipe below is updated to show the better recipe...

Are you ready for the easiest recipe for Key Lime pie ever?!? Just be sure to give yourself at least 4 hours to chill it before you need to serve...

Prep time = 10 min
Chill time = 4+ hours

Ingredients:
1/2 can Sweetened Condensed milk
1/2 can frozen Limeaid juice
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Graham Cracker pie crust
1 lime for zest

Combine first three ingredients in COLD, metal mixing bowl (helps the whipping cream to set faster) and mix with hand mixer until soft peaks form.

Pour into pre-made pie crust. Chill 4+ hours to set. Serve with zest of Lime on top for looks.

ENJOY!!!

Found this recipe in the July copy of "Real Simple" magazine. It's SUPER yummy! I've made this 4-5 times now and when I go to the store to buy the ingredients I now buy 2 crusts and enough whipping cream for 4 cups so I can make TWO pies (since I have 1/2 of the SCM and Limeaid left over after making one)! This way, I have one for the original purpose and an EXTRA for a neighborly visit or some other altruistic reason! ;^)

Story of Stuff

2008-08-14T15:22:00.003-06:00

Thanks Leia Davis, for sharing this with me...what an eye opener! I'm so glad I took the time to watch! Worth every minute...

www.storyofstuff.com

How to Wrestle with God...and WIN!

2008-08-10T18:53:00.006-06:00

Genesis 32:22-31

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.

24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"

"Jacob," he answered.

28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."

But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?"

Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

At church today I was overcome with emotion when one of our pastors gave a sermon on "Wrestling with God". It comes right in the wake of my previous e-mail on miserably failing in 1 Pet 3 living and God really touched me on many levels. So I thought I'd BLOG my notes (in somewhat RAW form) - for my review and memory retention and for anyone who decides to read.

God wants me to wrestle with Him. He even sometimes creates scenarios where I am forced to wrestle with Him. But before I am able to do so, I must be ALONE with Him...

Vs 24 So Jacob was left alone...

If I stay busy and preoccupied in life, God will never be able to get alone with me. But when I am alone with Him he can touch my heart in ways I never imagined. Even JESUS himself, withdrew from others for alone time with God - that's how much I need it. So take inventory on how much alone time I take with God. I will be able to tell where I've prioritized God in my life by looking at my datebook and checkbook.

I need to be AUTHENTIC with God.

27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"

"Jacob," he answered.

Do you remember the last time Jacob was asked his name? It's when he deceitfully went to his ailing father and told him he was Esau in order to get his father's last blessing (Genesis 27). This time, Jacob was being honest and humble. Telling someone his name, meant telling them WHO he was (the name Jacob means 'he grasps the heel' - figuratively, 'he deceives') - simply saying his own name "gave him up" for who he had always been. This act of saying his true name, showed his new humility. In Psalm 139:23-24 it says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." That is the kind of Authenticity God wants from me. When I put everything on the table. Everything.

Jacob RECOGNIZED his need and that is what I must do. Jacob wrestled with God ALL NIGHT...

24So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

Jacob needed something and he fought all night for it. When was the last time I was persistent and relentless in prayer for something? Jacob started out wrestling with God and ended up CLINGING to Him...

26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

He refused to let go, refused to stop wrestling until he got a blessing.

29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?"

Then he blessed him there.

Have I ever wrestled with God for a blessing? All night? Even for a few hours? This is what God is calling me to do. And when I do, my life will be ALTERED...

28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob...

Jacob got a new name! In essence who he WAS, was now changed.

...but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

Jacob's new name meant a change of situation in his life and a call by God to live a different way.

He also received a new WALK...

31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

When I wrestle with God my walk will change. I can't just live like I did before. People will SEE the change in me. My greatest problem is NOT my circumstances, but rather the CONDITION of my heart!

This is what God spoke to me during the sermon... Amanda, I can change your NAME, who you are - forever - if you'll do the hard thing and Get real with me. Make ALONE time with me a priority. WRESTLE with me. And CLING to me until I give you the blessing I've promised you. And I will seek YOU out. I will get in your path and pick a fight with you and PLAN for YOU to win so you can see victory and receive ALL the blessings I want to lavish on you! When you wrestle with me, there will be pain - don't give up...be relentless. Your very CHARACTER will be changed and you will walk and live in such a way that others will notice my good works in you and praise your Father in heaven!

Thank you Jesus - for the promises hidden in your Word! Now, teach me to wrestle, Lord...I'm ready.

Confession time...and some musings...

2008-08-09T00:35:00.000-06:00

Life is all about being REAL right now, so here is a picture of me exasperated by my flunking grade in 1 Peter 3 living lately. Breathe Mom - it's just a funny picture - everyone reading this has seen much 'less becoming' expressions on my face over the years! :^D

Ahem...remember the post "A Challenge for wives"? Okay so I think I asked you all to pray for me as I worked on staying "quiet" and submitting to my husband - right? So what happened!?!? You all super busy??? *wink*

Can you tell I've fallen FLAT on my face more times than I can count, in the last couple weeks?!? I've even memorized the scripture 1 Peter 3:1-3, but old habits die HARD! It's all good in theory, but when my faith was put to the test, I flunked miserably...like 4 times in a ROW! Whew, God is molding me right now! It hurts!

I'm going to NOT be a sunshine-life-is-all-roses blogger right now and come right out and say...my theme in life right now? Grow up!!!! I'm 34, and as Alex and Bret Harris say in their new book "Do Hard Things" - I'm a KIDULT (an adult who still has kid tendencies b/c they didn't do hard things in their youth to practice successful adulthood - paraphrased by me).

I work with High Schoolers at church (girls Bible Study) and it is sickening to see where the generation of kids today is headed...mostly b/c their parents are KIDULTS just like me! We were sold the line of goods that Youth was meant for fun and responsibility and character would be had when we graduated from college, got a job, got a family, some kids and a dog and "settled down". Unfortunately, when we became "grown-ups" all the habits we practiced over and over during our youth were, at this point, carved and sealed into our character. And best of all - our entire society continues to rally around us, confirming what we supposedly DESERVE, telling us to BE TRUE TO OURSELVES (ie - "if you don't like who I am, there's the door") and convincing our government that laziness and lack of character is a SYNDROME and should be subsidized.

Homeschooling has taught me a lot about me (can't turn away from the little mirrors that run around me all day long - aka "my kids") and keeps my whole heart much more accountable to the Lord. I mean, who can I blame if my child is impatient, selfish, prideful, deceitful, rebellious, lazy etc? The kid down at the park? Um, no. You got it - they learned it from me (or Sean...love ya babe!) - doesn't get more accountable than that! Can't tell you how many times God's molded my heart while confessing some sin to my kids! "What you just did is deceitful - - and you know what? Mommy used to really struggle with being deceitful to your Daddy...this is what I used to do...this is what I used to say...and this is how much pain it wrought..."

I keep looking at my kids and realizing that if I'd "waited until I was ready" to have them, I would have missed out on all the amazing things ONLY THEY could teach me. I mean, talk about HONESTY...they don't mince words when they see sin or hypocrisy in my life!

But I digress...

Basically, God has taken me, turned me up-side-down, and furiously started shaking the immaturity out (can you picture a little kid trying to get a penny out of the slot of a piggy bank - yeah - that's the picture) and unfortunately there are little pockets that keep some of the CHANGE from falling (pun intended). Yet, God, in His infinite Grace, has given me glimpses of who I WILL be and it warms my heart and gives me strength to keep working hard. And let it be said from the mountain tops that I'd be no where without my STEADFAST husband who embodies perseverance in the STORM. Thank you Jesus, for this amazing MAN!

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for your prayers during this season of crazy, intense, exhausting, growth. I joked at the beginning of this post that maybe no-one was praying and that is why I was flopping so terribly...yet in my heart I know that it was BECAUSE of some of your prayers that I was able to eat crow (ie - repent) and take another step toward God's better version of me. So thank you for your time on my behalf!

Okay - enough jibber jabber...I'm off to battle again, wish me luck! Deep breath...ready, set, GO!

Daddy and his GIRLS

2008-08-08T23:16:00.004-06:00

Sean and the girls were having some fun in the living room tonight so I decided to get the camera out. Selma was tired and kind-of cuddly...and Ava...well...not so tired...

Sean was holding Selma in a cradle hold so she could look at the ceiling fan above her. She was so cute and relaxed in her Daddy's arms...

Oh Daddy Dahhhhhling...

This is Sean laying on his back (trying to get some relief from his recent, acute, back pain) playing "peek-a-boo" with Selma...

And this is Selma's version of a kiss - she just lays her head into you.

I love that smirk she gets on her face when she's playing...

And then there was Ava. She decided to do a "spastic dance" all around the living room...it was so funny! Good thing my camera captures ACTION SHOTS! Ava, you're amazing!

Ten Great Puns...

2008-08-07T20:17:00.003-06:00

These really gave me a good laugh - needed that today!

TEN GREAT PUNS!

Here are the 10 first-place winners in the…
International Pun Contest:

1. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The flight attendant looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger." [carrion: rottenness; anything vile. Webster...just in case you didn't know...I didn't - :^)]

2. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says, "Dam!"

3. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

4. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, "I've lost my electron." The other says, "Are you sure?" The first replies "Yes, I'm positive."

5. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

6. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and they were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."

7. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."

8. These friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that only Hugh can prevent florist friars.

9. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail, and, with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him a "super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis".

10. And finally, there was the person who sent ten different puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

The Town of Allopath...

2008-08-02T15:37:00.002-06:00

A funny cartoon that is very eye-opening...

http://www.mercola.com/townofallopath/index.htm

Enjoy!

T-shirt Survey! Vote NOW!

2008-08-02T10:39:00.016-06:00

Okay all - I guess I'm just missing all the "Summer of Hope" (http://www.summerofhope.com/) activity so I started working on next year's t-shirts. Figured I could get the hard part done ahead of time so there would be less last minute design drama - well, truth be told...I just love doing it!

I thought I'd put out a survey on what I've done so far...

If you were involved in this ministry and had to wear the T-shirt to all "Summer of Hope" activities (and hopefully choose to wear it afterwards on a summer day)...which one of these would you want to wear???

#2 #3 #4#5

(just so you know, the Sun inside the "O" is the same one on the Filipino flag)

I'll post the winner in a few days... :O) If you can't see the picture well enough, just put your cursor over the picture and click on it - a larger version will open.

To vote: Use the "VOTE" box to the right of this post OR click right below these words where it says "click here to comment". If you have any suggestions - DO TELL!

Until we meet again...

2008-08-01T22:18:00.009-06:00

This morning at 5:00am my alarm went off. The "Summer of Hope" orphan ministry for which I've been spending almost all my free time volunteering, was coming to a close in 2 short hours. Rolling out of bed felt like a privilege!

I've been intimately involved in this amazing ministry since February, as the "graphic designer" - a title I've never felt comfortable with, considering I have no formal training! I told the Boise Coordinator, Beth McDonald, that I thought "computer piddler" would be a more appropriate title...but she wouldn't hear of it.

I had the pleasure of designing the new Logo for the ministry this year as well as the T-shirts and the city-wide "Hope Run/Walk" posters. It was a blast using my creative energy for such a worthy cause! There were some nights (right before deadlines) that Beth and I would be on the phone at 2am, working out last minute changes before things went to print. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time!

On July 8th 10 precious children walked through the airport security doors and all of us knew our lives wouldn't ever be the same. I remember snapping pictures as they met their host families with tears filling my eyes.

This amazing ministry has unheard of results... In the last 5 years, 66 out of 78 children involved have been adopted!!! It's truly an investment with incredible returns!

We were going to have 6 kids this year (4 came last year) and then in a matter of a few weeks, 4 more were added which meant we had a whopping $35,000 to raise in about 8 weeks in order to get 10 orphans here! Everyone worked so hard. It was awe-inspiring to watch people who'd never met, come together and give every spare minute of their lives (day and night) to unknown children who live over 7,000 miles away.

The kids did great with their host families, had a whirlwind of activities and made life-long friendships. Needless to say, there wasn't a dry eye at the airport this morning when we waved goodbye.

The best news of all is that 5 of the kids have secured adoptive families and the other 5 (just in the last week) now have families looking at adopting as well! Incredible! What amazing success!

Here are a few pics of the airport farewell and 2 of my graphic endeavors...

Host Mom with one of the children...

The group praying right before the kids left...

Holding on just a few minutes longer...

This is the T-shirt Logo I created...

...and the flyer that was posted in 500 locations around Boise...

What an adventure! Soooooo looking forward to next year!

CUTTING out bad spending...

2008-07-27T14:42:00.003-06:00

So, it's official. I no longer have ANY credit card or check-card in my wallet. Only a driver's licence and a library card. It's CASH only from now on until the last penny of our debt is gone.

I fought against this last step in our commitment to be debt free with all my might (truthfully...it was ugly...and I'm pretty ashamed about it to be honest) but alas, they are gone...cut up...destroyed...forever...*sniff*

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...is it just me or is it easier to breathe now? Who removed the noose from around my neck? It's been there so long I was beginning to think that gasping for air was normal...I digress...

Mostly it was the convenience factor that made me fight so hard for them. I mean, who wants to walk INTO the gas station instead of swiping the card at the pump? And using a calculator at a grocery store can be somewhat humbling (not to mention if I miss calculate and I have to ask the checker remove an item from my bag b/c I literally DON'T have enough cash - the horror!).

The reality is that I'm ready. I've seen the distruction of my ways for too long now. I need some discipline in this area (a good old spanking would have done wonders for me 10 years ago!) and I'm ready to follow my husband's lead in this area, no matter how hard. Had I followed his lead in this 13 years ago when we married, I'm confident we'd be in a different place today. Yuck! I hate saying that...but the time for saving face has LONG gone!

I watched this video a few days ago (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ) and as I watched and longed for our churches today to have this kind of raw, honesty...I realized that until I could walk on that same stage and put my sins in writing for all to see, God couldn't mold my heart into a place that reaps His peace and blessing (and I'm not speaking of financial blessing when I use that word).

So here is my "stage" (for the 3 of you who probably read this little blog) and as God teaches me new things in this area, I'll journal about them here. It's going to be nice looking back in a few years and seeing how God has worked in my life. In the meantime, thanks in advance for being patient with the musings about my journey...our journey (thanks Sean for hanging in there with me!).

If any of you have any great tips for saving money, I'm ALL ears!

God's MERCY in our lives!

2008-07-26T13:21:00.004-06:00

Meet "Mercy" our new family member!

Last night, Sean and I had our FIRST night away from the kids since Selma Brave was born 16 months ago! My parents took the kids for 24 hours so we could have some time off, and spend some much needed quiet time together. It was amazing!

After dinner and some great conversation (which, as some of you know, is harder with little ones running around) Sean got on-line to see if there were any good movies at the theatre (we've got free movie tickets we still haven't used). Nothing sparked either of us, so I decided to make a key-lime pie from a "fake it" recipe I'd found (I'll have to post the recipe in another blog - it is SOOO good and super easy!) and while I was in the kitchen, Sean called me into the office to "look at something." By his tone, I thought he'd gotten an e-mail with bad news...but when I walked around the corner, he was googling over a picture of 2 puppies.

Sean had gone on Craigslist, and about an hour earlier a family had posted an ad for these brother and sister puppies. They were only asking $75 each for them (normally they run $300-$500 each) and Sean was in love!

I'll be honest that I was weary at first. A puppy is almost like a new baby and it's not as if we don't already have a lot going on! He's been looking at pictures of dogs for the last 6 months, but I've been pretty against the idea so he's never pursued it. But these 2 puppies were already 4 months old, kennel trained and supposedly potty trained as well. The family was moving and could not take them along so they had to find homes for them. Sean sported his best "puppy-dog eyes" at me and...well...what can I say...

It was 9:50pm on Friday night, and Sean picked up the phone to call them. I couldn't believe he was going to call so late, but he had tried to e-mail them and it didn't go through, and he knew that if we waited they would be gone by morning (little dogs always do). Surprisingly, someone picked up, and after a friendly conversation (Sean is the KING of those), and the mention of us being "night owls", Sean was getting directions to their house and said we'd leave in 5 minutes!

We got there at 10:45 at night and by 11:30 we were leaving with a new dog! The family even threw in a kennel and some dog food! What a blessing!

We had been talking about God's mercy most of the day (how He so freely gives it to us, and how we can show it to others in big and little ways) so when it came time to give her a name, it was a pretty quick decision. I love what it reminds me of whenever I say her name!

She has been amazing! She loves to play, but is very mellow when you pick her up. She loves to cuddle, fall asleep on your lap, and play with pine-cones. When we went to pick up the kids from my parent's, they couldn't believe she was ours. Cole kept saying - "she's OUR dog???"

Anyway, here are some pics of our fun, new puppy...we're having so much fun with her and she is fitting in superbly!

Her favorite place to nap is between the cushions on the couch...

She is already Kennel trained and after crying for about 3 minutes, she curled up and slept through the night her first night at home!

Just to give you an idea of how tiny she is - this is Sean's shoe! She's 1/2 miniature Chihuahua, 1/2 miniature Dachshund...just like our beloved Dasie (may she rest in peace) but will grow up to be WAY smaller!

Here are some shots of the kids when they first met her...

Welcome to your new Home, Mercy! We already love you!

Fridge-Raid Potato Salad

2008-07-22T23:46:00.003-06:00

I'm kinda tickled with myself. We have a surplus of potatoes (a slight lack of communication between Sean and me before grocery shopping trips) so I'm trying to use them up as often as I can right now. For dinner tonight, I decided to start some taters boiling without solid plans for how they were going to be "dressed".

As I was preparing the rest of the meal, I had a "Rachel Ray" moment! I started gathering bottles of this and that and I'm pretty proud of what I came up with. I think it tasted really good and Sean liked it too... The kids? Not so much, but I don't remember the last time they did a dance about what I fixed for dinner so they don't count! Cut me so slack - they are 8 and 5! Selma, however, devoured it! That's got to count for something!

Here is the "recipe" (give or take, nothing was actually measured):

6-8 large RED potatoes, cubed and boiled until tender

Dressing:
3/4 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup Mayo (grape seed oil, vegan version - but I don't think it will matter what kind)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs Spicy Brown Mustard
1 Tbs Honey Dijon Mustard
Handful of chopped Flatleaf Parsley (from my own herb garden by the way)
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 oz (or so) Dry Salami chopped into bite-sized pieces

Mix all ingredients together, stir into potatoes and serve warm.

Serves about 6-8.

It almost tastes like those plates of meat, cheese and mustard that Sean puts together sometimes when he's craving the "Hickory Farms" sausage and cheese he gets during the holidays. I couldn't stop nibbling on it before dinner and I kept thinking of the GREAT FAME this one-of-a-kind recipe would bring me! I just KNOW that no one else on the planet has ever made a potato salad like this! (Just humor me and nod your head)

Let me know if you venture out and try it - I'm dying to know what another family thinks! Just don't tell me if you hate it - I don't think I could handle that kind of rejection! *wink* :^D

Homeschool Classroom

2008-07-22T23:29:00.004-06:00

We're doing a bit of school through the summer and today we had some "weather" - crazy wind, temp dropping from high 80's to low 60's in a matter of minutes, heavy rain, etc... YES, this is the sky off our back porch...kinda unfriendly...

...I had just tasked Cole up for the morning with his school-work and when it got quiet I went searching for the kids. This was Cole's chosen "desk" this morning. He wanted to be outside in the wind and weather, so he grabbed a towel (for warmth), took his books and got through most of his work on our front porch! (Note the folded 60-foot slip-n-slide to his left...we have so much fun with the hill on the side of our house - weather permitting of course).

Ava joined him after a few minutes. It was so cute, walking out the front door and seeing these two just quietly sitting together while Cole worked out his math problems. I love the friendship these two are building.

A challenge for Wives...

2008-07-22T00:07:00.011-06:00

So I was talking to a friend of mine this morning (I have removed the names to protect the innocent) and our conversation went to marriage roles. She and her husband had recently been in conflict and as we talked about the ins and outs of their argument, God directed us back to Scripture.

I'll be honest, originally it was to look at the husband's role so we were trying to find where it says for them to "live with their wives in an understanding way" (1 Peter 3:7) - but you know how God works...yeah, I know...and He lead us UP a few verses to 1 Peter 3:1-2.

I'll quote it here: "Wives, likewise be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear."

I know, it's not a popular verse for most Wives of today b/c of how severely our society (and even our churches) has twisted and diluted Scripture to fit what's more comfortable, but to nutshell what God has been teaching me over the last 3 years - I'm either going to believe what the Bible says, or I'm NOT, and since I've chosen TO believe...in part AND THUS as a whole...on I must read (and humbly learn) without prejudice. Reference: "Created to be his Helpmeet" by Debbi Pearl for more insight on this topic.

So back to the verse. My friend and I were both struck by the "they without a word" part and the next 30 minutes of dialogue went by in a flash. Both of us being strong, intelligent, educated Women who Love the Lord, began to grapple with the idea of NOT speaking up when we disagreed with our husbands. Some of you are hyperventilating right now - just take a deep breath and hear me out...

Let's break it down: "Wives likewise be submissive to your own husbands..." pretty much means that we need to follow the lead of the man WE decided to marry. Right? As far as I can tell, the Scripture does not put any conditions on this command like "except if he likes that really ugly china pattern, then YOU can take the lead"...it's pretty cut and dry. We submit. Period. There is a myriad of rabbit trails this conversation could take, but for now just try to follow my train of thought...

Next part: "...that even if some do not obey the word..." Um, yeah...even if they aren't leading you perfectly, even if they aren't walking in the Light, even if they don't know Christ, even if they majorly sin in some way EVERY day, and EVEN sin against YOU quite often (I think we all know I'm not saying if you're getting beat-up stick around...stay focused)...

Next part: "...they, without a word..." They = our Husbands. Without a word = Wives NOT saying a word, not speaking up, not "sharing our opinion" unless invited, (and I would venture to include body language in this "communication" we're supposed to refrain from)...

(Breathe)

Lastly: "...may be won by the conduct of their wives when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear." Won = Spiritually, Emotionally, Intellectually, it's not specific - this is such an amazing promise to us and if you've noticed, there is NO promise like this to husbands... by the conduct of their wives = how we act/respond. When they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear = When they see our Chaste: In language, pure; genuine; uncorrupt; free from barbarous words and phrases, and from quaint, affected, extravagant expressions (Webster, 1828) actions accompanied by our respect for and obedience to God.

Okay soooooo - the socially acceptable idea is that because the Bible says that "all men are created equal" and that God created US in His image "male and female He created them" that it is not only our RIGHT to speak up if our husbands are leading us in a way we disagree with, it is our DUTY. I mean, what if they screw up, Right? What if they lead us into poverty? What if they see the error of their ways and live in regret - we need to save them from all of that and SPEAK UP, right?

I'm thinking, NO.

I'm thinking we don't do the comfortable thing and open our traps, but we stay quiet..."without a word" it says. And we REST on the promise that we can WIN our husbands by our actions and by our submission.

Which do you think requires more trust in our Creator? Speaking up or shutting up? How much do we REALLY trust God to guide our Husbands? How much do we really trust God to guide US THROUGH our Husbands? Isn't it really more a TRUSTING GOD issue and not a "what-if-my-husband-screws-up" or "says-something-I-don't-agree-with" issue?

I'll confess, this has been one of the biggest thorns in my marriage - my mouth and my lack of willingness to shut it. I've been so worried about showing my knowledge, experience, or truth be told - pride - that I've nit-picked my poor husband to death on the little things and subsequently made him question his own leadership in the big things. I say "be my leader like God commands" and then I turn around and "share my thoughts and/or feelings" in order to "communicate in a healthy way" and in the meantime Sean can't move forward...then I have the audacity to get upset that he's not leading better. What a pill I am! And he certainly can't trust me to be his "helpmeet" if I'm constantly questioning him and holding him back - um, NOT helpful!

My friend and I also realized that, knowing our good-hearted husbands, if we are obedient to God in this, they will finally start feeling supported and respected and the result will be that they JUMP at the chance to meet our needs, to hear our hearts and even lay in the path of a speeding bus for us. Ya know?

I'm sure there is much more to be said on this topic, but it's 1:30am and I need to turn in for the night. I will close by admitting that after reading this today, I re-read the verses to Sean so he could hold me accountable in my decision to unequivocally and quietly follow his lead. I know God will bless our relationship as a result...I'm just curious about the first opportunity God gives me to practice this new discipline. Go easy God!

Real MEN!

2008-07-21T23:45:00.006-06:00

Just wanted everyone to see my two amazing Men blessing Mommy's socks off! Cole does the dishes as his chore and last night, Sean jumped in there with him and they cleaned the whole kitchen after dinner (including the floors)! Since Sean had his shirt off, Cole promptly removed his to be like his daddy...

Cole sneaking a sip of Sean's Pepsi while he wasn't looking...

Did I mention they were singing "Macho Man" all the while?

Off to the side (she had just finished her chores), Ava picked up the Marshmallow gun and began loading...I knew I was in for it...

And I was right!Where was Selma? She was just being adorable in the living room - like always!

Beautiful Harmony

2008-07-18T15:21:00.005-06:00

I was busy getting some housework done and I looked outside to find that Cole had taken Selma Brave outside just to play with her. When I first saw them, he was smiling with such joy and delight - it really moved my heart how much love I could see in his eyes for her. He truly is an amazing older brother! So here is what I was able to capture before Cole saw that I was taking pictures through the window...

Do you see the flower Cole put by Selma Brave's ear?

Then Ava joined them. I don't know if there is any music more beautiful than the music of my children playing and laughing together. It was one of those slow-down-and-take-in-the-view moments that God gives when you most need it!

Thank you Lord Jesus, for these 3 priceless blessings!

Softer?

2008-07-18T08:53:00.006-06:00

You know how parents can be. (pause here for effect) Both my Mom and Dad have told me separately that they think the picture I chose for our first family blog looks "hard". How on earth do you TAKE pictures of YOURSELF and then choose the best one?? It's weird enough snapping photos of yourself while trying to look normal...much less picking the best of the bunch for the whole WORLD to see! I mean WHAT PRESSURE! And you all know, the whole world IS looking at THIS blog - right??? *wink*

Anyway, I thought I'd humor them and post another one...or SIX. I mean, let's just get honest about how ridiculous most of the pictures I took really looked! You never know what fate the camera is going to choose for you when you press that button and smile - all the while hoping no one walks in on you and discovers your vanity! And then you sort through all of them and try to find the one with the least chins, most relaxed smile, best head tilt, and the hair...good luck there! And half-way through the process you realize lipstick is also an option! Good thing I didn't do a wardrobe change or I would have been at it all day!

So here they are!

Mom? Dad? Do you have a new favorite?

Okay that looks too tired...

Oooooooh - too close! Yikes! Let's try again...with some lipstick this time...

Is is just me, or do I look like I'm not playing with a full deck?

That's okay - but maybe I should tilt my head down a bit...

Too "affected"...sing along with me, "I'm a model, you know what I mean, and I do my little walk on the cat-walk...'cause I'm too sexy for my..." (remember that song from High School??) AHEM - I digress...

Well, that one didn't work either! What on earth is going on with my mouth here?

So here is the one I chose:

So now it's time for a vote! - - Shameless ploy to get people to comment on my blog because they don't have anything better to do...Shhhhhh

Would you have chosen the one I did? Or another one?

Ready, set, GO!

Efficiant Clothes Folding from China!

2008-07-17T23:43:00.001-06:00

My Chinese is limited (ahem) but no need to understand the language - the video is very clear! This is going to save me a ton of time...can't wait to teach the kids how to do this!

New life!

2008-07-17T01:20:00.002-06:00

I had the experience of a lifetime tonight...I had the honor of attending a home-birth with my good friend (Naturopathic Dr. and licenced Midwife of 18 years) Karen Erickson. I can't begin to explain how amazing it was! The mother shall remain nameless b/c this is OUR family's blog and what happened tonight is entirely HER experience, but she did so well and baby girl is healthy and beautiful! 8 lbs 2 oz, 21 inches long...

It was so incredible sitting there, watching and listening as a woman experienced her most powerful moments. I'm so amazed at what women are capable of... The process changes us at our very core - forever. Turns us into someone else...and it's the beginning of God's perfect molding of our lives through our children (if we allow Him). How amazing God is that He lets us to be a part of CREATION in having children. He could have kept all the fun to himself, but He didn't. We get to be a part of creating life...

Thanks Angela for taking my kids at a moment's notice so I could experience this - I practically threw them out the window as I drove by your house and you were completely gracious about it all - as you always are! And thank you, Lover, (aka Sean) for once again dropping everything so I could live and learn the way you know I love to! You so bless my soul! And Karen...thanks for your friendship and for trusting me to be your sidekick during this miraculous event! You were inspiring to watch...you make everyone feel so safe in your care!

And now a prayer for new Mommy (this was #4 for her) that she finds a "new normal" soon and that she and her husband find rest in God-given pockets each day. May God bless you and keep you!

Ahhhh Bed...today was a good day indeed!

Important produce to buy ORGANIC

2008-07-16T15:54:00.003-06:00

Lets start off with the ones you DON'T need to worry about and DON'T need to buy Organic:

Fruits: Kiwi, Bananas, Mangos, Papayas, Pineapples...

Vegetables: Asparagus, Avocados, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onions, Cabbage, Corn, Peas (sweet).

~~~~~~~~~~

Before I give you the list of produce that SHOULD be organic I thought I'd show you the list of pesticides that were found on 91% of the apples tested:

2 4-d, Acephate, Azinphos methyl, Benomyl, Captan, Carbaryl, Chlorothalonil, Chlorpropham, DDT, Diazinon, Dicloran, Dicofol, Dimethoate, Diphenylamine (DPA), Disulfoton, Endosulfans, Fenbutatin oxide, Fenvalerate, Formetanate hydrochloride, Imazalil, Iprodione, Lindane (BHC gamma), Metalaxyl, Methomyl, Mevinphos Total, Myclobutanil, O-Phenylphenol, Oxamyl, Parathion ethyl, Permethrin Total, Phosalone, Phosmet, Phosphamidon, Propargite, Pyridaben, Thiabendazole

AND THIS IS JUST APPLES!!! The above pesticides are those in just ONE of the twelve most contaminated foods. Imagine the extra efforts our bodies must exert in attempting to detoxify these foreign toxins out of our system every minute!

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Here is the list of produce that, whenever possible, you should buy ORGANIC:

Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Lettuces, Cherries, Imported Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Potatoes, Red Raspberries, Spinach, Tomatoes, Strawberries.

Also included (although NOT produce) is MEAT, DAIRY and FISH!

It's so important for us to keep a watchful eye on what our families consume. A family friend of ours Dorcus Gerace (a published expert in Macrobiotic eating) once told me that "the only food in a grocery store that supports life is that which is found on the outer edges (produce, grains)...ALL other items (those found on isle after isle) only promote death."

I know, there is so much to worry about in this day and age, but FOOD is one thing we Mom's CAN control in our homes and every baby step toward good health exponentially benefits our families!

You can do it!

Happy Anniversary Baby!

2008-07-15T23:42:00.003-06:00

Today marks 13 years for Sean and me! So Sean took me out to eat at a well known Boise Restaurant called "The Cottonwood Grill." About 6 months ago, one of his clients gave him a gift card to this place for a large amount so he's been saving it for something special...needless to say, we ate VERY well tonight!...
And we even managed to save room for dessert (well sort-of...even when you're full there is ALWAYS room for a chocolate brownie sundae!)...

We had such a nice time just the two of us. One of those quiet conversations about life, God, health care, the end of the world...you know...quality time! :^D After we were done (and we even have $37 left on the card to go back and have dessert and coffee sometime for a future date!) we went on a walk beside the river that runs along-side the restaurant.

While walking we ran into an Anne Frank/Human Rights Memorial that was amazing! The statues and quotes everywhere were so inspiring...I'm really glad we took some time to slowly walk through it. It was beautiful...

This was my favorite part...an iron book with the following engraved quote written by Anne Frank on Tuesday, April 4th 1944:

"I want to go on living even after my death! And therefore I am grateful to God for giving me this gift, this possibility of developing myself and of writing, of expressing all that is in me."

What an amazing girl!

Soon after, I decided to call home to check on things and discovered that Selma was having a rough time so we promptly ended our night and headed back to reality...a good reality, but reality nonetheless.

Thanks babe, for sticking with me through the good and bad, thick and thin, laughter and sorrow, times of need and times of plenty...you're God's perfect gift to me! Lord, be kind enough to he and me to bring us to old age together...

Not for the weak of stomach!

2008-07-14T22:54:00.005-06:00

It had been quiet too long... All parents know what I mean by that. We have a little system in our house with a play-yard, gates and closed doors now that Selma Brave is toddling at the speed of light...but today...well, it failed!

Back to the quiet house...so I ask Ava why Selma is so quiet and she says that she doesn't know where she is. Immediately I make a dash for the living room to see where our little cruiser has disappeared to (meanwhile Baby Einstein is playing for an audience of ZERO).

When I round the corner my heart drops - - the bathroom door is OPEN!!!!! The following is what I encounter:

Knowing I can wash her hands and the toilet water was (ahem) "clear" - notice I didn't say "clean" - I decide to let this be a memory making moment...

Until...

Yeah - this is OBVIOUSLY the LAST picture I took...her hand went up right as I was snapping the photo and suddenly cute moment was VERY OVER... BLARGH!!!!!

So Selma Brave can officially tell all her friends that she was only 15 months when she got her mouth washed out with soap for the first time! It still makes me feel faint when I look at this picture...

Let's hope tomorrow is less...well...eventful!

Taylor Money Makeover

2008-07-14T07:54:00.007-06:00

On July 4th after fireworks and putting the kids to bed we sat down and started to watch the Dave Ramsey show on TV. We were both very inspired (and convicted) and loved what we were hearing b/c we've been trying to master this area of our lives for quite some time - especially since our move to Idaho when the "Taylor-made Life" truly began. :^D

Anyway, tomorrow is our 13th Wedding anniversary so I decided to get the book and workbook "Total Money Makeover" for Sean for an anniversary gift (he doesn't need any more cute boxers!)http://www.daveramsey.com/shop/The_Total_Money_Makeover_by_Da_P123C48.cfm Sean has been reading the book since it came a couple nights ago and all I can say is WOW! The first couple chapters have been a HUGE wake-up call!

I think the biggest for me was the fact that YOU DON'T NEED CREDIT CARDS TO HAVE GOOD CREDIT! He totally debunks that LIE from the pit of...ahem...that has been perpetuated by the Credit Bureaus and the "financial experts" they PAY to continue spreading it (has anyone heard of Suzie Orman?)! I LITERALLY was telling my best friend (hey Melis') about this a couple of weeks ago b/c her husband was talking about cutting up all their cards just to be smart - and they don't even HAVE credit card debt (Gooooo Craig)! Bottom line, says Ramsey, if you've got money in the bank and you can show that you're current on all your bills the last couple years - you can get a home loan.

Oh my goodness - and then there is the part about how the credit card companies market to children and teens (have you seen MasterCard Barbie?!) And how something like 61% of those that filed bankruptcy last year were college students in credit card debt, WITHOUT JOBS!

You've just got to get this book!

So Sean and I have decided to cut out everything until we're debt free...no cable TV, no eating out, no soda for Sean (it's a miracle I know!), making homemade bread and snacks, etc, etc...we're going to question everything until we clear our minds of the lies we've been told our whole lives. Just talking about it is so freeing!

So pray for us! We've got a long road ahead, but we're going to do our best to make it an adventure! Ready, set, GO!!!

Mom's gone...let's go explore!

2008-07-13T17:59:00.006-06:00

Sean and the kids went on an outing on Saturday morning while I was working at a Homeschool curriculum sale. If you volunteer to help out getting everything organized the day before, you can go early at 7:30am the next morning (before the general public comes at 9am) and get first dibs! I came home with 3 boxes of cool math games, music books, science kits, classic literature, chapter books, educational software and more...most things were $3 and under! The best buy was the set of "Rosetta Stone" Spanish language curriculum I found (normally over $200) for $49! Gotta love a good buy!

While I was gone, Sean took the kids to the Boise Green Belt (the tree-lined river that runs through the middle of the city)...

...he's been great about doing "dad duty" whenever I need him to if I've got something on my calendar that needs to be "kid free".

Doesn't Cole look like he's having a blast?!! :^D Maybe it was time for lunch when this picture was taken? Hmmmm...

Brave

2008-07-13T17:44:00.004-06:00

Selma Sophia Brave...has gotten so few pictures taken of her since she joined us almost 16 months ago! So I got the camera out and tried to snap a few of her a couple of days ago...she is soooo scrumptious!

New to all of this!

2008-07-12T19:11:00.003-06:00

Okay - I finally bent...I'm officially a "blogger" now. I'm even taking pictures of myself with the camera for my "profile"...It's all your fault Leia! :^D

I stayed away as long as I could but I'm having so much fun keeping up with others using this medium that I decided to join in. If it can really be a 5-10 min commitment a day I think it might work - and if for no one else but us, I'm excited about recording our "adventures" as we move toward God's plan for simplicity and wholeheartedness. Welcome to the Taylor-Made Life! I hope you have fun reading about our ins, outs, ups and downs...they are all for a greater purpose, Amen?