Christmas is a BIG deal!

Merry Christmas Eve! I sit here blogging in my bed and rather feeling sorry for myself. I'm sick at Christmas time. My throat and neck are in a ridiculous amount of pain. I relented and saw the doctor this morning because I did not want to spend Christmas day in bed. The last time I remember being sick at Christmas was when I had the flu as a teenager, and that was pretty crappy too. 

As I sit and think about all of the things I should be doing and all of my favorite traditions I'm missing, I am reminded that Christmas really isn't about any of it those things. Christmas happens whether or not I make it to the Christmas Eve service at church. It happens whether or not I get to drive around and enjoy lights, while listening to Christmas music and sipping my peppermint latte. It happens regardless of how many gifts I have purchased and lovingly (or hastily) wrapped. 

Christmas happened a really long time ago because our God wanted to relate to us. He sent Himself in the form of a baby, the most vulnerable life form possible, so that He could experience human life and relate to us. That is HUGE. He understands life. He gets it. He knows what it is like to grow up, to be tired, to be hungry, to work, to feel betrayal, to be tempted, and so much more. Christmas happened because God loved us so much, He gave us Jesus. He gave US Jesus. Christmas happened a really long time and it continues to happen every year, because we celebrate our Savior. The Savior the world waited for after so many, many years of thinking God was seemingly silent.

Christmas is about remembering Jesus. Plain and simple. May your hearts be filled with peace this year as you celebrate our Prince of Peace. 

"Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name."

The best laid plans...

It's been nearly 2 months since I've last posted. I've had lots on my mind, but very little time to express it. 

We've been talking for months about me going back to work in a part-time capacity. We decided that the summer wasn't the best time because of our schedule, so I started applying for jobs in July and starting working during the last week in July. I generally work between 25-30 hours a week. It's been a decent transition. I pretty much work every night, except Wednesday and most weekends. We are pretty focused on  complete debt elimination (except our mortgage) within the next year. Thankfully, we really don't have nearly as much debt to pay off as we have in the past. Just the van and some credit cards. Honestly, it stinks because I no longer have my nights and weekends free, but this is what works for us right now. We still believe that homeschooling our children is what our family needs right now, so this schedule enables me to still spend the day homeschooling them. I won't lie. It is hard spending 20-25 hours a week homeschooling and then working on top of that and somehow still trying to find time to buy groceries, clean, and all of those other things. I miss seeing my husband every night. When I get frustrated or stressed, I remind myself that this is temporary. A year from now it will all be worth it. It is pretty easy to keep going when I remind myself of that fact. In addition to me working, Chris has been shooting Friday night football games which is a great way for him to make extra money doing something fun. We are super thankful that opportunity presented itself this year. 

But "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry".  Saturday night I worked until close and didn't get home until 11:30. I was tired when I got home, but I needed a shower and needed to throw my work uniform in the wash. Well, after my shower I made the mistake of laying down for "just a minute" which of course turned into passing out into a coma. Fast forward to Sunday morning. We had a full day of church, house projects/errands, and then me going to work again at 4:00. I scrambled up out of bed so that I could wash my work clothes. I snatched up the laundry basket and hurried down the stairs. I misjudged the last step and thought I was on the floor, so I stretched out my right foot and totally missed the last step and rolled my ankle. I cried like a baby and immediately knew this was more than a sprain. Chris had to work (church), so he set me up on the couch with an ice pack and gave the kids strict instructions on how to behave while he was gone. My foot continued to swell and I couldn't put any weight on it while he was gone. We went to an urgent care facility that could perform x-rays after he got home, so that I didn't have to deal with the ER. We found out that I have a fractured 5th metatarsal. 

So I've gone over 37 years of my life without breaking a bone and it finally happened as I'm going too quickly down the stairs to wash work clothes. I really wish my story was cooler than that. I wish I could tell you that I was rock climbing or saving a cat from a tree, but nope. I don't do things the cool way. I broke my stinkin' foot going down the stairs. Pretty cool, huh? 

Honestly, I'm very upset and angry. Why on earth didn't this happen when I wasn't working?  Why didn't this happen during the summer? Why did this have to happen while we are trying to gain momentum with our debt snowball?

Then I am reminded by my heavenly father to slow down. Don't lose my focus. This setback is only temporary (hopefully only a week). In the grand scheme of life, that really isn't a big deal. 

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

Proverbs 19:21 You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail.

I'm not sure what all this means yet, but I know that God is in control. I know that His plan is greater than my plan. Right now, I just need to sit back and relax and trust God.





 

Talking to our children about the HARD stuff (and books to help)

Inappropriate touching. Molestation. People hurting innocent children. Sex in general. It has been weighing heavily on my heart for months now. I mean, we talk to our children. We've explained to them that their private parts are private. We try to be open with them, but it just doesn't feel like enough.

I want them to learn all of these things from us. I do NOT want them learning them from other children, or God forbid....someone harmful.

I had some amazon gift cards and some free time to research, so I decided I would order a vast array of books to help me broach this topic. I've read them all and now I'm going to start Sex Ed. with my children. I'm going to give an overview of the books I ordered and then I will post an update once we've read them all together.

*I have included amazon links in the book titles. These are affiliate links. You pay the same price and I receive a small portion from the transaction.*

The first book is Your Body Belongs to You. I bought this book to use with Sam and Kadie. It is definitely geared for a young child. The age range is 3 - 6 years old and I feel that is appropriate. It is a short and sweet book. It briefly covers the way people touch us and that is usually okay, but if we don't want to be touched - that is okay too. It calls private parts anything that is covered by a bathing suit. It briefly touches on how no one should touch our private parts and the importance of telling someone if this happens. From my own personal review, I think this will be a good transitional book for some heavier and more in depth books. We will read this book first.

Side note: I like how in the parents note in this book, it stresses the importance of allowing a child to refuse touch. If we do not teach our children that it is okay to refuse a hug, kiss, or any other socially acceptable touch, we are teaching them their feelings do not matter. We are making them powerless over their own bodies. We are unknowingly teaching them that their body is not their own.

Next we will read, Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts. This book is more of a sex education book. It is designed for ages 3 and up. It is a tasteful picture book that covers all of our body parts and explains how babies are made and born, without going into terribly graphic details. My only problem with this book is that the male photos are of a circumcised male. For those of us with intact sons, we may need to explain why our child's penis looks different than the one in the drawing. I feel that they could have shown examples of both. I think I will read this one with all of my children. It is pretty informative and I think will satisfy the curiosity of my younger children for sure.

I Said No! A kid-to-kid guide to keeping private parts private - This book was written by a mother of a child who experienced something unpleasant at a sleepover. It is written from a child's perspective and is really fantastic. It is very in depth on private part touching. It says we should have categories for people who can/cannot see private parts. Parents, caregivers, doctors would fall under the green flag category. After the page conclusion, there is a prompt to discuss the green flag people with your children. The other category is a red flag person - basically any one else who has no business seeing your child's private parts. The author gives many good examples of red flag situations and prompts to talk about other red flag situations. It makes it very clear that it is okay to shout, NO!!! It also goes into detail about how to tell someone if you have been seen or touched by a red flag person. I love this book and I will read it to all of my kids and likely read it regularly. I mean seriously, if you only want one book, this is the one in which you should invest. I feel confident this book will prepare my children very well for any situations that they might encounter.

Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept is for ages 3-12 years. This story takes place in the times of knights and castles. It is about a little boy who is molested by an important person in the castle, where his mother cleans. It  identifies the power of the abuser and the fear of the child in an amazing way.  I feel this book will be perfect following, I Said No! It really helps the child understand how scared the little boy felt and how he didn't want to tell his mom. He was brave and told her and he felt so much better.

It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families. The age range on this book is 7-10 years. I will be reading this one with Harrison. It is a WAY more in depth version of Amazing You! It is a picture book with a lot of detailed pictures and explanations in a child friendly manner. I  also like that it shows both intact and circumcised penises, so that one child is not alienated or feels like something is wrong with him. It covers all topics. The page about sex is very  matter of fact. It also covers heterosexual and homosexual relationships in a very concise matter. Regardless of your belief on the matter, I think it is important that our children understand that all families are different. It covers conception, child birth (both vaginal and cesarean) and breast/bottle feeding. It even covers adoption. It also has a section on inappropriate touching. I like that this book is laid out into chapters. It is way too much information to cover in one reading session and will likely be something we read together over a period of time. It is also designed in a matter where you can skip chapters that you don't feel like your child may be ready to read. All in all, I think Harrison will like this book, although it may embarrass him. If you are pretty conservative, this may not be the book for you, but honestly I think you could still use it because it is so thorough and you can tailor it to your needs.

The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls. I bought this book specifically for Kadie, even though she isn't quite old enough yet. It is for ages 8 and up. This book is highly recommended for pubescent girls. It is illustrated and covers all of puberty. I won't be reviewing this one for a while, since we still have a couple of years before she is ready for this book. Just from the looks of it, I think this will be a book she looks through by herself.

Lastly, I bought The Boys Body Book, Everything You Need to Know for Growing Up You! It seems to be the male equivalent of The Care and Keeping of You. This book covers puberty, hygiene, health, social skills, family relationships, dating, online safety, peer pressure, bullying, and stressful situations. From what I can tell, it will be informative and easy for Harrison to read. I think Chris and Harrison will go through this book together. He could easily read it by himself, but in our unique circumstances, I feel he would benefit having an adult explain things.

So there you have it. This is our Sex Ed. for the next month or so. It makes me sad and angry that we even have to teach our children about some of these subjects, but the reality is that we absolutely MUST. Knowledge is power and if this material helps my child avoid a bad situation, it is 110% worth it. However, general sex education is necessary. Most of us that ever had "the talk" with our parents probably remember it as a painfully horrifying conversation. However, research shows that children who grow up in homes where sex is openly discussed, are less likely to participate in risky behaviors. Sadly the age of puberty has dropped, so these discussions can't be put off until our children are teenagers.  And let's face it...we want our children to learn about sex with our personal values as opposed to some kid from class. Quite frankly, no matter how much you shelter your child from sex, they are still hearing about it from TV, music, online ads, billboards, and the list keeps going. 

I would love to know of any book recommendations or resources you have used. Feel free to add them in the comments. 

~Peace out. Gonna start talking about all this hard stuff with my little homies.

Sweet Gracie Mae

We said good-bye to one of the sweetest and  most loyal companions we've ever know today.

In December of 2002 my dear friend, Angel, found a stray plot-hound in the Cherokee National Forest. We were still newly married and only had cats. We very much wanted a dog. So we welcomed her into our home and named her Sadie. Little did we know, she was in heat when we took her into our home. My dad's dog got her pregnant....like immediately. So on February 27, 2013, we welcomed 8 plot-hound-lab mix puppies into our home. Sadie gave birth in the barn and Chris transported them inside the house and we bought a big plastic baby pool to keep them contained. Well, that only kept them contained for a few weeks. They were a bunch of adorable rascals and were all over our apartment. I don't remember the mix of boys and girls, but most of them were black with either white or brown trim. There were two brindle girls. We decided to keep one of the spunky brindle girls. We carefully searched for homes for all of the puppies. Chris's best friend even took one. We were childless at the time and Gracie was our furbaby.

We bought our first home in October of 2003 and moved Gracie with us, along with our two cats. Sadie (her mom) was a hunting dog and either got lost or stolen before we moved. Gracie was lonely so we adopted a crazy pound puppy, named Copper. They were good buddies and had lots of good times together. Copper was a lunatic and even though she was tiny, she could jump our 6 ft. privacy fence. When Harrison was hospitalized as an 8 week old, Copper jumped the fence and escaped. Gracie was buddy-less again. This time she wasn't as lonely. I think she realized how crazy her sister was. 

She loved jumping and kissing

Wrestling with Chris

Laying on her monogrammed bed

We moved back to the farm in January 2006, and Gracie was happy to be reunited with her dad, Rex. She became more of an outdoor girl and learned to hunt. She also went for daily swims in the pond and daily runs in the woods. She was happy. When we moved back to Chattanooga, in October 2008, we tried to take Gracie with us. She escaped the fenced in back yard and was gone for nearly a week. Once she found her way home, we knew she belonged at the farm with her dad and the ability to roam freely. My parents welcomed her back to the farm and she lived happily ever after.

Gracie was active up until this past winter. She was a healthy and happy girl and was still as sweet as can be. She started wearing down and by mid June, she started going downhill fast. She lost a lot of weight and had a hard time walking. She lost most of her appetite this last week. These past two days she lost control of her back legs and her bladder function. We all knew it was inevitable and today was the day. Our sweet Gracie Mae's body was shutting down and it was time to have her put to sleep. Chris held her head, pet her ears, and she gazed into his eyes until she took her last breath. We buried her today on my parent's farm. It felt like the right thing to do, since she loved it here so much. We are going to miss her  like crazy. A little piece of my heart left today with her.

Rest in Peace, Gracie Mae Holbrook. February 27, 2013 - July 9, 2014. There will never be another dog quite as awesome as you were.

#TrueBeautyIsLivingLife Part 2

Just over a month ago, I wrote this post declaring how I was going to wear shorts and a bathing suit this summer. I feel like it is time to update my homies, as we are well into summer.

I am excited to report that I've lost count how many times that I've worn shorts and a bathing suit this summer!

Now, let me just say that it hasn't been easy. I often find myself catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and not loving what I see, but I immediately stop myself and focus on what I do like love.

Since I've made my incredibly freeing declaration, I've been swimming, played in the river, gone on some fun little day trips with my family, visited my sister and her family in Memphis, and a girl's trip with a good friend. All of those have included me wearing shorts and/or a bathing suit. And guess what? I had fun. Lots of fun. I've had one of the best summers that I've had in a long time. With minimal worrying about my thighs or other squishy places, I might add!

Guess what else I'm in love with? Adorable cotton sundresses. And guess what? They are not all maxis. Don't get me wrong. I still love my maxi dresses and skirts. I mean, what hides unshaven legs better than a maxi dress? But I'm super in love with knee length sundresses. Sleeveless at that! I'm getting so brave, I might even order a fatkini. If you aren't familiar with a fatkini, I suggest you do so...like now.

http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/07/10-reasons-i-love-my-fatkini/

What I have come to realize during my journey of self acceptance, is that throughout the years, my body sort of hovers around my current weight/size (within 15 pound and 1 size either way). So I decided that I'm going to love myself at my current size because I deserve to be loved. Some days are easier than others. It is a process and I'm getting there.

I pray that my daughter doesn't remember a mom who is always yo-yo dieting and losing/gaining ridiculous amounts of weight. I hope that she remembers a confident mom who taught her to have fun, love people, and to dance even if you shake more than everyone else. I hope she will remember swimming, playing in the river, riding bikes, hiking, and making crafts. I hope she will remember how we twirl in our pretty dresses and both have matching black maxi skirts.

I also pray that my sons will be impacted positively as well. I hope that they do not choose a lady based on the size of her hips, but the size of her heart. I hope that if they fall in love with a plus size lady, they are not ashamed. But most of all, I pray that they won't even think twice about falling in love with someone outside of the normal beauty standards. 

Beauty isn't a one size fits all sort of thing.

So, if you are still struggling with this whole body acceptance thing, I encourage you to look in the mirror and make a list of all of your awesome qualities. Then find some body positive bloggers to follow. I've started following a few new blogs and instagram accounts. It has opened up a whole new world of looking adorable as a fat girl. Those girls own it and look amazing and I'm pretty sure we can too!

~Peace out, homies. Remember, it's okay to love your back fat and belly rolls. 

The Rich Man

The Rich Man (Mark 10:17- 31)

¹⁷ As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. ¹⁹ But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.”
²⁰ “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
²¹ Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
²² At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” ²⁴ This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. ²⁵ In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
²⁶ The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
²⁷ Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
²⁸ Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
²⁹ “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, ³⁰ will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. ³¹ But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then

 We studied this passage in Sunday school this morning. We read it, retold it, and discussed the implications of this passage in our life. We are also challenged to share it with others. I decided I would write about it.

There are a few things that stand out to me in this particular passage. The first being in verse 21 where it talks about how Jesus felt genuine love for the young rich man and the exchange between them.

This young man probably truly believed he was doing everything right. He probably thought Jesus was going to pat him on the back for keeping the commandments. But Jesus looked at him and felt genuine love. What does it mean to have genuine love? Jesus knew that this young man wasn't keeping all of the commandments. His wealth was his idol and it was keeping him from placing his entire value in the kingdom of God. Because Jesus felt genuine love for this young rich man, He spoke the truth. He knew the young man's heart. Sometimes the truth hurts. The truth certainly made this young man sad. I mean, he probably wasn't expecting Jesus to say that. If he had expected it, he might not have asked. 

I do not think the God requires most of us to sell all of our possessions and give away the money to the poor. I do however think that He expects them not to be barriers to our faith walk. 

When we have people in our world that don't know from where their next meal will come and we are planning a weekly menu with our stocked kitchens, there is a problem. A big problem. I don't believe God intended for us to be this way. And believe me when I say that I'm calling myself out just as much as anyone. 

So many people view material wealth as a blessing. Wealth is not a sign that someone's faith is stronger. It does not mean that God loves that person more than you and has shown them favor. 

Then why do we seek it? Why do we cling to it? Do we actually want to obtain wealth so that we can be more generous and help more people? 

Matthew 5:3 [ The Beatitudes ] “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 

God expects us to take care of the poor.  

Is our money in the collection plate enough? Is our once a year donation to a charity helping impoverished countries cutting it? Does purchasing those sparkly Toms really help that child in need? 

Does He want us to do more? How much more?

Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

So what does this mean for me and very likely you? Well, I think that the Bible is clear that we should not let money and possessions become our idols and we should give generously. But I think in addition to challenging ourselves to be more generous, we can look at this passage and ask what our own idol is? What is keeping us from seeking God completely? What is keeping us from following Him with all of our heart, mind, and soul. It may surprise you. I am challenged in many ways after dissecting this passage.

Matthew 6:33 
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

I challenge you to evaluate your priorities this week? Are they in check? Is there something that you need to release in order to follow Him completely. 

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." - Leo Tolstoy

Ask yourself hard questions this week. Make yourself a little bit uncomfortable. 

-Peace out. 

Serenity

Psalm 143:8
"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. "

I prayed that Psalm to my heavenly Father yesterday morning in an uber girly room at a beautifully serene bed and breakfast in Rogersville, Alabama. 

I trusted Him. I walked in a beautiful meadow of wildflowers that He made just for us. All a part of His masterpiece. I was enveloped in His peace. Every step that I took I could sense His calming presence. 

I struggle with anxiety. It comes and goes and here lately, it has definitely been coming more than going. Just walking around the peaceful fields and being able to listen to the quiet. Listening to the squish of mud under my feet. Hearing the song of the cicadas. In tune with the melody of birds.  It spoke to my soul. He spoke to my soul. He touched my soul. 

Later on that day, I walked around a pretty park in the Shoals and viewed Coldwater Falls. I was surrounded by His peace once again. The cold water on my toes. The mist from the falls and the cool breeze upon my skin. He was there showing me His goodness.

Psalm 34: 8 
"Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him."

Walking around the birthplace of Helen Keller, Ivy Green, and feeling inspired by her story. 
Determined to have an even better school year with my children after listening to the words of Helen's speech to the Lion's Club. Helen's teacher took the time to learn about her and therefore she broke through the "dark, silent, imprisonment". Feeling courageous and ready to tackle the new school year because of the promises He has made to me. 

2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
 

Experiencing deep conversations and plenty of goofiness with a dear friend that connects us in a spiritual way. Knowing that God crossed our paths for a specific reason and thankful for a friend who understands me so well. 

Photo creds: Sarah Tullock

God gently reminded me of His peace. He reminded me that I can be strong and brave. I needed the reminder.

- Peace out.

 

Boring people are bored

"Mom, I'm bored. "

"Boring people are bored." That is always my answer. 

They hate it when I say that, but  then they almost always find something to do before I assign them an activity. Now, I don't actually think that only boring people are bored. But it gets their inner creative juices flowing.

Let's break this down a bit. 

Bore - verb (used with object), bored, boring. 1. to weary by dullness, tedious repetition, unwelcome attentions, etc. 2. a dull, tiresome, or uncongenial person. 3. a cause of ennui or petty annoyance: repetitious tasks that are a bore to do.

Boredom - the state of being bored. 

Boring - adjective. Causing or marked by boredom. The state of being weary and restless through lack of interest. 

When you think about this in terms of literalness, boredom shouldn't be something that constantly plagues us. As an adult, I can certainly think of boring things for which I've listened. Boring speakers, preachers, presentations, etc. The subject matter may not be something of interest to me. You will certainly encounter things that are not fascinating, interesting, and exciting. But that isn't what I mean. When you are at home and in your leisure time, there is absolutely no reason to be bored. 

I mean have you looked outside lately? Have you seen what God has given us to enjoy? People. There is no reason to be bored. If you live in my area of TN, you have mountains, water, and a ridiculous amount of beautiful nature. Now if it is a day where the weather isn't permissive of allowing us to enjoy nature, what is one to do? Well, how many hobbies are out there? I mean really...out of all the things to do in the world, there isn't one thing that you could be learning or doing? For most of us, we have the internet at our disposal. You can pretty much find a tutorial on how to do anything on You Tube.

I think the problem in our current culture is that we expect to be entertained. Don't even get me started on children who expect to be entertained. Within five minutes of one of my children complaining of boredom, they usually end up drawing, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline or swimming, building legos, playing dolls...the list goes on. TV, movies, and video games are not our first resort, especially during pretty weather. And quite frankly, people who do nothing but spend their free time watching non-stop television are pretty boring. I'm not dissing TV, movies, and video games, but I'm saying it should not be our go to.  Don't get me wrong. I have a few favorite TV shows and I love to watch a good movie, but it isn't the only thing I do. 

We need to ask ourselves why we are bored? Are we unsatisfied with life and our experiences? Are we yearning for something else? Are we spending all of our free time playing addictive iPhone games or scrolling aimlessly through our Facebook feeds? Are we fulfilling our innate need to expand our experiences? We need to get out and live our lives and learn new things.  However, we also need to learn to be content. But being content doesn't equate being bored. There is a fine line and many of us find this confusing. When I look in the scriptures to see what God says about boredom, I'm drawn to the following passages. 

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" - Philippians 4:5, NLT

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have." Philippians 4:11, NLT

Honestly all of Philippians chapter 4 is full of wise advice on contentment.
 
"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT 

"Each time he said, My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a

I don't know about you, but I think the bottom line to finding contentment and an end to boredom can ultimately be filled by Christ. Whether it be using that time of boredom to bless your family by cleaning the house, reading Scripture or a new book, learning a new hobby or perfecting an old one, or loving on your friends and family - I  think the message is clear. God has given us so many things to rejoice and so many opportunities to serve Him and others, that we probably aren't really as bored as we think we are.

- Peace out, my homies. I hope you can find contentment and joy this week.

 

The gift of friendship

Pooh and Piglet. Copper and Todd. Scooby and Shaggy. Batman and Robin. Han Solo and Chewbacca. Dawson Leary and Joey Potter. Ruth and Naomi. David and Jonathan. Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe. Kevin Arnold and Paul Pfeiffer. Laverne and Shirley. Frodo and Sam. Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

What do all of these have in common? Nothing - except the fact that they have some pretty sweet friendships. What is a friend? Well, the dictionary tells me it is a person attached to another by feelings of affection, or personal regard. 

“A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.” – Elbert Hubbard

I've really been reflecting on my friendships lately. I'm incredibly thankful for each and every one of them. One of the neatest things that happened to me in the past 5 or so years, is that my friendships have really broadened. Some of my dearest friends are 10-15 years older/younger than me. For the longest time, most of my friends were within 5 years of my age. Honestly, I was only cheating myself. Now, there is obviously a time in our lives that such a large age difference would place you as someone's babysitter or vice versa. But then there comes a point when age doesn't seem to matter. When you form a strong bond with someone – age is irrelevant. 

One thing I love about having friends who are older than me is that they can give me life advice. Chances are, they’ve been there and done it and can tell me all about it. If I fall down, they can help me up and wipe my wounds because they may have experienced the same pain. It is also one of the joys of having younger friends, because I can do the same for them. 

I’ve formed some strong bonds of friendships over things like music, love of cloth diapering, faith, and parenting. Then there are the friends who just get you. They are a rare and precious gem. You have found your “anam cara”or your soul friend. My dear friend Sarah, taught me the Gaelic phrase that describes our friendship perfectly. I’ve been blessed with a few soul friends.  Even though some of them may not be nearby anymore, I still love them the same.

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” – Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

 ^“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their hard work.  If either should fall, one can pick up the other. But how miserable are those who fall and don’t have a companion to help them up!” – Ecclesiates 4:9-10, CEB

Friendships are an amazing thing. I honestly cannot imagine my life without my home girls. Laughing hysterically. Singing at the top of your lungs. Tears of sorrow and joy. Hugs. Texts. Crafting. Advice. Praying. Just simply being. All of these things are wonderful parts of friendships, if you allow yourself to be vulnerable. You don’t have to be in constant contact with these friends. Friendships as an adult look different than as a child. It took me awhile to understand that. As your enter different stages in your life, you recognize this. You appreciate that special time and savor it. 

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Another important thing, I’ve learned is that you may have friends in different seasons of your life. Sometimes you and your friend are in different seasons, but you always have that special love for your sweet friend. True friends are the ones who understand those seasons and are always happy to see you or hear from you. 

Good friends are blessings from the Lord. Be thankful for them. Reach out to those special friends this week and let them know how much they mean to you. 

“The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.”- Proverbs 27:9, NLT

Peace out my dear friends. 

How I got my kids to try new foods and actually LIKE them!

Anyone that knows my family well knows that mealtime is a struggle. I dread it every single night except on Mexican Monday, formerly known as Taco Tuesday. Taco night is the only night my children eat with no battle. It is the one night that I know they are getting quality grass fed meat. Quite frankly, I feel like Taco night sustains them for the week. 

It hasn't always been this way. When we were a family of three and Harrison was a toddler, he was a pretty good eater. I wasn't an adventurous cook at the time. We fed him a ton of those disgusting Gerber graduate TV dinners. Yuck. That poor child. He ate a decent variety of meat, fruits, and veggies. He even liked a few exotic things. Fast forward to sometime after his second birthday. The food drama began. He would refuse to eat things that he normally loved. As he grew older, the list of things he enjoyed became fewer and fewer. As a nine-year-old boy, he weighs about fifty-five pounds and you can count his ribs. He will only eat ground beef, certain types of chicken nuggets, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, apples, bananas, perfect grapes, oatmeal, cereal, cottage cheese, yogurt, very limited types of cheese, crunchy tacos, spaghetti, cheeseburgers, almonds (sometimes) and a handful of other things. He will eat most junk food though. 

Kadie started out as a pretty good eater too. She isn't quite as picky as Harrison, but her list of foods that she will actually eat is not much longer than Harrison. Her picky phase started closer to age three. Sam has been the best eater of the three, but he is starting to get a bit pickier and doesn't really expand his palate. We personally feel that most of Harrison's food issues are because of his texture issues and sensory processing disorder. He will literally make himself gag to the point of vomiting with many foods. Because he is the oldest child and the example that Kadie and Sam see at dinner every night, they follow his lead. When Harrison sits down at the table and expresses his disgust for a meal, they usually aren't far behind him. 

So, this leads me to the epiphany. Friday night, we had Asian beef cooked in the crock-pot with broccoli and other stir fir type veggies. To make a long story short, Harrison had a super rough time with dinner and ended up getting sent to bed because of his attitude. Later I explained to him that I worry about him because of his eating habits and the only reason I want him to try new things is so that he grows to be healthy and strong. We are trying to teach our children that we eat to nourish our bodies, so the choices they make need to be quality foods most of the time. Harrison has actually been evaluated by a feeding therapist and qualifies for therapy, but our insurance won't cover it. Anyway, about ten minutes later, he was crying in his room. I went to check on my pitiful boy. He told me that he wanted to try new foods and be healthier, but he didn't know how and that he just didn't like most foods. I explained to him that it actually takes 7-15 times to try something before you can say if you actually like it or not. Thanks Dr. Google for that tidbit of info. Now, I've told my kids hundreds of times that they have to taste something more than once to decide if they like it, but it actually struck a chord with him on this particular night. So, we decided right then and there to make a food list. I told him that I would do it with him because I have texture issues with most fruit. On our food list, we wrote down all of the foods and drinks that he wanted to try. I explained I would put a tally mark beside each time that he tried it and that after 15 times of trying it, he could wait until the following year to try it again if he had not acquired a taste for it. So we made up a list of foods together, which consisted of mostly fruits and veggies. We put a lot of the things that we grow in the garden on the list. He decided that night to try an orange because they seem like they might be delicious. Sam loves oranges and eats several a week. So Harrison ate one orange wedge and sucked the juice out of another wedge. He was so proud of himself! And we added a tally mark next to the orange because we both ate some. 

The following night, we made a big garden salad with grilled chicken chunks. We had lettuce, raw zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, yellow pepper, radishes, avocado, garbanzo beans, sunflower seeds, cheese, and croutons. This seemed like a great time to try new foods. We explained that we expected him to try everything, but that he didn't have to eat all of it. I also had a back up food so that he wouldn't go hungry. Well, Sam and Kadie wanted in on this too and of course I obliged! We coached the kids through each bite. We took the bites of the same things together and talked about the way each bite would feel in our mouth and how it might taste. This worked really well. We weren't angry or disgusted and the kids were all really willing to try new things so that they could get those tally marks. 

I was absolutely astonished at the results. There was no gagging, no fighting, and no crying. Everyone ate their food; tried new things and we had a very peaceful dinner. That NEVER happens! Harrison thought lettuce was okay and added tomatoes and garbanzo beans to the things that he likes. Kadie liked cucumbers, tomatoes, and radishes. Sam actually ate most of his salad without complaint. 

Then tonight, I made chicken salad to eat on sandwiches and crackers. Chicken salad has never been something any of them would eat. Quite honestly, I make really yummy chicken salad, so they are really missing out. Kadie and Sam ate every single bit of theirs and Harrison didn't like his. However, he did eat tomatoes. Kadie ate a plate of cucumbers and tomatoes with hers too! 

So I added something to up the ante. My kids are competitive, so I decided to play on the competitiveness a bit. The child who eats and enjoys the biggest variety by the end of the summer will earn some sort of prize.

I'm sure you could be really creative with the food lists. We just wrote the food names in different colors of markers (to match the food). We are keeping ours on the refrigerator for easy access. We are also making a huge deal celebrating their successes. High fives, cheering, clapping - you name it. I'm eager to see what kind of variety of food my kids eat by the end of the summer. My goal is to introduce them to something new a few times a week. I'm curious to know if this works for anyone else. Keep me posted. 

Peace out!