Singles Awareness Day? Or Another Day to be Thankful?

Everyone knows what February 14th is almost as soon as they know their own birthday. 

It's Valentine's Day.  

It's the day when guys give their sweethearts flowers, boxes of chocolate, chocolate covered strawberries (the best choice in my opinion), fluffy, stuffed bears holding red hearts that read "be mine" or "I love you". 

It's got to be one of the restaurants' favorite days of the year. 

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 but for some of us, there is no "special one" yet 

some like to call it "Singles Awareness Day"

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In a sense, it's true, you are aware, perhaps more so than normal, that you are single. 

Is this reason to be depressed or have self-pity, mope around, or harbor jealousy for your friends who have been blessed with a relationship? 

Absolutely NOT! 

You are no less loved than they are just because you aren't married/dating/courting or haven't met the ONE. 

Today I've seen Facebook status after Facebook status about Valentine's Day or someone's special person. 

And each one makes me smile. 

I thought about three different friends who got engaged a year ago this week. 

They're all married now and I have even more friends to add to the courting/engaged/married list than I did last year. 

I am thrilled for them. 

God has given them an incredible blessing. 

A blessing most of us, Lord willing, will receive in God's perfect timing. 

But in all honesty it's not about US. It's not about the singles out there.

Let the couples enjoy the day. 

You can't do anything to change the fact that you're single. But instead of feeling sorry for yourself, I've got some ideas. 

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Pray for your future spouse 

(p.s. they're single this year too!)  :-0

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Think of ways you can show your love and gratitude to your family members.

Yes, even those little brothers who want to tackle you with a football style hug. That's their way of showing love.

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Rejoice with your friends who are celebrating Valentines for the first time.

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Most importantly, focus on the greatest gift of LOVE that was ever given.

The gift of Salvation. 

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

God sent His only Son to lay down His life for YOU. 

Greater Love has no one than THIS.

Me - a College Student????!!!!

(no, the picture has nothing to do with the post)

As most of you know I have decided to apply for college. Since my graduation last May, I have been at home helping my mom run the house in various ways, being a mother's helper to a few families we know, pursuing music and photography, sewing and reading. I have learned a lot in the past 9 months and I have been challenged in many ways. I am so thankful for the opportunity to stay at home and serve my family. When I decided last year not to apply for college, and knowing, or thinking that I knew, neither of my siblings would not be at college this next year, I thought last year would be my only opportunity to go so I figured that it just wasn't part of God's plan for me.

However just in the last few weeks things have changed. My sister has decided to stay up in Idaho for her junior year and continue taking classes. When she mentioned the possibility of staying, it got me thinking. Maybe this was my opportunity? Is this really what God wanted me to do? I spent many hours praying, talking to my parents, and thinking. Soon I felt very sure that this was the course God was leading to. I leave it in God's hands whether or not I am accepted.


There are several reasons that I want to go and for those of you who are interested in those reasons, stick around and I'll tell you. =)

-First of all my sister will be there which makes a huge difference. I don't think I would want to go without her or my brother. There is just something about having someone you know and love, who knows you so well, and who you trust to be there for you. Not to mention the fact that she's my best friend. =)

-I want to continue my education and be preparing myself to be the best wife, mother, and teacher I can be for my future family. I want to be well rounded and become a better conversationalist, be able to engage in all types of conversations about theology, politics, current events, books, and life in general. I have so much to learn in this area and I feel that the classes I can take at college will be a huge foundation and launching pad. Also, I am committed to home schooling my kids someday and to give them the best education possible, I need to be as well educated as I can be. In these single years God gives me, I want to use my time wisely and be a faithful servant. Ephesians 5: 15-17 says, "see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

-College will be the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It will push me out of my comfort zone, it will challenge me spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally, but "we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Rom 5:3) I want to be challenged. I want to be tested and push myself beyond what I think I can do.

-Over the last 4 years that my brother has been in Idaho at this college I have been there 4 times and have gotten to see the community, not to mention what I've heard and seen from my siblings lives up there. The small town is home to two solid churches, ample opportunities to serve, and great accountability.

-The college (New Saint Andrews in Moscow, Idaho) is a very small school with only about 200 students total which means classes are very small.
-The faculty really invests in the students and gets to know them on a personal level.
-It is a Christian college that focuses on liberal arts and culture (that is the only degree they offer). I would be taking Lordship (theology), music (which includes both music theory and concert choir), and rhetoric.
-There are no dorms so the students either live in apartments or with families around town (which is what I would be doing).

What is the Real Problem - the World or the Family?

Just in the last month or so I've given a great deal of thought to family and what a family should look like. I know there is no such thing as a perfect family, flawless parents, or angelic children, but as I look around me in different circles, whether at the "world" or in the realm of Christian families, I have been so disappointed and saddened by what I see. I see children who disrespect their parents, parents who don't see children as a blessing from the Lord, fathers who forsake their duty to shepherd and lead their wives and children, mothers who don't value time with their little ones, and kids that don't know how to interact in an adult world or with anyone outside of their peer group. Though it is disappointing to see any dysfunctional family, it grieves my heart to see Christian families nation wide falling apart. As Christians we are called to be different, set apart, and bear the resemblance of Christ. Parents are commanded to "train up [their] children in the way [they] should go and when [they] are old [they] will not depart from it" (Prov 22:6). Clearly this is not happening in our culture. Setting rules and standards, teaching kids about God, scripture, responsibility, honesty, relationships, roles as men and women, respect, etc. is so far from most parents' minds it is no wonder we find ourselves in a rebellious, dishonest, and self-centered culture.

Many of you have probably seen the movie Courageous that came out October 2011. The message was to call out fathers to be courageous, protect their children, take a stand in their families, teach their children to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, lead, and fight for their families. It is so important that fathers take their roles seriously. I know it is a hard job, no one said it would be easy, life as a Christian isn't supposed to be easy. It is a father's duty and responsibility to lead his family biblically. He is accountable to God for the way he led or didn't. And again, I know that there are no perfect fathers out there, but I see a lot of fathers who aren't even trying. Now, I don't want anyone to think that mothers don't have a role to play as well, because they certainly do! Mom's are extremely influential in their children's lives. I know. I have a mom. =) But dads are the ones who are commanded to lead their children and their wives, so the wives should be following in the husbands footsteps and carrying out his mission when he is not at home. When men fulfill their role as father and husband, leader, protector, provider, and shepherd, there is a great likelihood that we will see a revival in younger generations.

I cannot express how exceedingly grateful I am for my parents. They are so amazing and wonderful and I pray that someday my marriage will be as strong as theirs and that I will follow in their footsteps. My siblings and I have been blessed beyond what we deserve.
My father is a man of integrity who strives to lead his family according to scripture, who makes wise decisions, provides all we need and abundantly more, selflessly gives of himself for his family, loves his wife unconditionally, faithfully works hard both at his job and at home, and most importantly loves the Lord with all his heart.
My mom is the most amazing woman I know and I owe most of who I am to her, her love, faithfulness, and determination. She is passionate about things that matter, she always made it clear that she loved to have us around, she brought us along side her and taught us to love God, she spent hours upon hours teaching us at home, not to mention how much of her limited free time she spent researching curriculums and planning out a purposeful course of education. Mom has never stopped encouraging us to seek God's purpose for our lives, to live for His glory in all that we do, to put the interests of others above our own, to serve with a cheerful and grateful heart, to do anything we do with excellence, and to find our interests and pursue them with passion as unto the Lord. She is not one to make a rash decision or agree to something without learning all she can, talking through the pros and cons, and prayerfully seeking God's direction.
I think one of the best things my parents did for us was to teach us what was right and why. They consistently gave us biblical reasons for their decisions and now looking back at times when I didn't understand, I can see how wise they were and I am so thankful God gave them discernment. When people saw that my mother enjoyed her "cute little kids" some would say, "just wait till they're all teenagers!" My parents decided then an there that their kids were not going to be like other 'teenagers' of our culture and I cannot thank them enough for the commitment.

Family is so important. It is the family that makes or breaks the culture. If things are not right in the family, there's no way things are going to be right out in the world. It all starts at home.

Carpe Diem

Well hello there! Glad to see some of you haven't completely given up on me, even though I have been terribly unfaithful in my posting! Life has been crazy the last couple weeks. I feel like I'm still trying to get on top of the new year and show it who's boss. =)

I spent this last week in Santa Fe at our capitol staffing the New Mexico TeenPact class. It was a fantastic experience for me and God taught me so much. We had an amazing staff team with Bill Jack as our guest speaker/director for the week, it was a privilege to work with him. Something that really impacted me and challenged my perspective on the way I view each day was something that our program director told us and that was "you can never live today again." Of course we all know that we never get to relive the same day twice, but do we really stop to realize that we never get to relieve the same day twice? Every moment is here and gone like a wave upon the sand.
We can never take back the words we say or the tone of our voice, we can never change what has happened or what we've done, BUT we can change what we do in the future. We can determine to live intentionally and make every day count. We can determine to use our words to give life to others instead of giving words of death. We can choose to encourage rather than discourage. We can look for the positive and not focus on the negative.

We can live a life that will impact those around us for Christ's Kingdom spreading His light and love, or we can live each day for ourselves ignoring the purpose for which we were created - to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Carpe Diem - seize the day my friends! Let us take captive every day that we are given and not waste it on ourselves and the pleasures of this fleeting life. Let us focus, not on the things of this world that are temporary, but on the things of God which are eternal. 

What are ways we can be intentional in the way we live each day? What are things we can be doing in our everyday lives and in our homes that keep the focus on our eternal purpose?

Finding the Will of God

In his book Finding the Will of God, Bruce K. Waltke challenges his readers to rethink the concept of "seeking God's will for your life." For many people it is normal to talk about "finding God's will for their lives" as if God held some hidden secret about your life. It's not like that, but neither does God send down a letter with an outline for the next 10 years of your life.
It would be so nice if God would just reveal His plan for our lives so we'll know what's next. Right? Well, in some ways He does. We have been given the Bible which is a Christian's guide for life. All scripture is given to us for "doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). We have been given the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit and the ability to talk to our Heavenly Father who hears and answers our prayers.
In his book, Waltke emphasizes the importance of our relationship with God. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4) As we spend time in the Word, seek the Lord in prayer, meditate on scripture, and live according to His commands, God will draw our hearts closer to His and our desires will be more like His.
Our personal relationship with God shouldn't be something on our to-do-list each day, ready to be checked off, it should be a part of the way we live.

"As you develop a heart for God, you find that your desires change and become consonant with the heart of God."

"Instead of asking God to 'reveal His will' we should be asking Him to develop His character of wisdom in us."

"When you really love God and your neighbor, you can be very comfortable following your desires because they are not self-ambitious and self-centered."

"The person who truly knows the Lord develops a love for Him and a closeness to Him, so that He begins to shape one's Character and values. Soon He is filling up your thoughts with His thoughts, so that you have the mind of Christ and live according to Him. When you love God you live in His will."

"God's will is that you be holy, wise, mature, joyful, prayerful, and submissive."

P.S. I highly recommend the book. 

Musings of the Day

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put way from  you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." Eph 4:29-5:2

~How much more pleasant would our lives, homes, and relationships be if we applied these words to every area of our lives?
~"Be imitators of God as dear children." I've heard and said the phrase "children of God" so many times in my life, but I have so seldom stopped to think about what that should really look like. How do we imitate God? We must start by getting to know him. You can't imitate something if you don't know anything about it and the more you know about a person, the more you can imitate. God's Word was written for that very purpose, so that we might know and understand who God is.
Second you have to think about what the parent/child relationship looks like. To be a child means to be in under the direct authority of your parent. To be in submission, to honor, and to respect those in authority.  In our family, it was never permissible to question, back-talk, or disobey mom and dad. Of course we sin, we're human, and there are consequences for disobedience, but there are also blessings for obedience. It is the same in our relationship with God, our Heavenly Father.


"Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known Your truth to the children." Isaiah 38:17-19

~"You have cast all my sins behind Your back." PRAISE THE LORD!

CHRISTMAS -
Why do we decorate for Christmas? What is the purpose for things like greenery, Christmas trees, lights, etc. which don't have any correlation Christ's birth. What if things like trees have a pagan origin?

~First things first - we decorate because we are celebrating. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Savior! We all celebrate birthdays of our family and friends. Most of us with cake, gifts, and a verbal "happy birthday!" why should we not do so and much more in celebration of Jesus' birthday. Ok, so December 25th may not be His real birthday, but honestly, no one knows the real day, so lets just get over it and be willing to join with our brothers and sisters in Christ in celebration.
Ok, back to decorations - trees, lights, candles, wreaths, holly, etc. just shout joy and festivity! For me, having the visuals before my eyes every time I walk into the living room is a constant reminder of what this Advent season is all about. Amidst the greenery, tree, and lights, our house is also decorated with at least 7 nativity scenes. Anyone who walks into our house is going to notice what Christmas really means to this family. We are celebrating the gift of the Incarnation.
There are those among my friends and acquaintances who question the use of decorations because of their pagan origin, but we are in no way bound to the traditions of the pagans. In using a tree to decorate at Christmas, I doubt anyone is thinking about ancient Teutonic vegetation worship.

"Nichtzsche said that the difference between modern and ancient times is that modern man substitutes the morning newspaper for morning prayer." ~ Oliver Van DeMille (in A Thomas Jefferson Education)

"The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Homemade, Cozy Fashion

I made a birthday present for a friend of mine this week and I was very happy with how it turned out. The black is a knitted circular scarf which I've seen around quite a bit this season. The flowers are crocheted and attached to barrette clips. They work great for hair as well as on the scarf. The clip easily slips right through the knitting. 

I've seen flowers like this all over but decided that I could make my own, so I bought some felt, and elastic headbands and there ya go. This is one of the projects I was using the stash of buttons in the previous post for. 

Hanging of the Greens

There's just nothing quite like a hot loaf of artisan bread with some butter!

Our stash of buttons is finally coming in handy for a project, but I can't tell you what it is yet. You'll just have to stay tuned. 

Ok, now really. On to what this post is really about. Tuesday night we baked some special finger foods, turned on some Christmas music, retrieved the boxes from the attic, and set to decorating the house for Advent. We haven't gotten a tree yet, or exactly decided what type of tree, if any to get. 

 Scott made the sausage balls

Mom get several of these recipes from Pioneer Woman. Like the Pumpkin Smoothie, the Mozzarella Sticks, and the Holiday Bacon Appetizers. We also made sausage balls, buffalo chicken pockets bites, and chocolate, carmel, pretzel bark. 

The main part of our decorations are the nativity scenes. We have several. 

 We were able to get the greenery up even though Curtis wasn't here. But now that I look at it....this garland looks a little crooked. = /

 It wouldn't be Christmas without our advent wreath and candles (almost). =)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Advent

Thanksgiving is past and yesterday was the beginning of Advent. It hardly seems possible that Christmas is so quickly approaching. Less than a month! Advent is a time of preparation, preparing our minds and hearts to celebrate CHRISTmas. My family has been celebrating Advent for as long as I can remember, but it wasn't till recently (the the last couple years) that I really began to understand the purpose and meaning behind advent and really focusing our hearts on Christ.  I was listening to Sarah Brown's Christmas CD, which is my favorite, and as I listened to one of the songs it challenged me to think about the gifts we give to God. We are vessels, made for His service, but I think so often we see our lives as our own to do with as we please. We should be seeking to live every day for His glory. During this holiday season we spend more time thinking about things we are thankful for, Christ's birth, what Christmas is about, etc. and so it should be, but it seems like the rest of the year we glide on by, with less thought put on bringing glory to our Savior.  Here are the words to Sarah Brown's song. It's written for kids, but it applies just as much to adults. The wise may bring their learning,  The rich may bring their wealth, And some may bring their greatness, And some may bring strength and health;  We, too, would bring out treasures  To off to the King; We had no wealth or learning; What shall we children bring? We'll bring Him hearts that love Him; We'll bring Him thankful praise, And young souls meekly striving  To walk in holy ways: And these shall be the treasures  We off to the King,  And these are gifts that even  The poorest child may bring. We'll bring the little duties  We have to do each day;  We'll try our best to please Him,  At home, at school, at play: And better are these treasures To offer to the King Than richest gifts without them; Yet these a child may bring.

Thanksgiving

Adorable reindeer cookies Caity and I made (one of many kinds). 

 My cute little Teddybear in his onsie jammies and beard :-)

 The Turkey brine I used from Pioneer Woman. I can't believe that I didn't get any other pictures of the turkey. It turned out beautiful and I must say, pretty yummy. 

 We had a houseful for Thanksgiving, but again I didn't get many pictures. 

 Dear friends who come down to visit for a long weekend are certainly something to be thankful for!

 Dessert buffet 

 Friday afternoon we had a get together with lots of friends for fellowship, games, and dancing. 

 My dearest friend

The blessing of family and friends is something we should never take for granted. I am so thankful for the people God has placed in my life. I love my family, friends, and relatives. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Pear Strudel

After canning over 50 quarts of pears last week, we had some extra pears that needed to be used up so I found a recipe for pear strudel. Technically this recipe is for apple strudel, but the blogger said that it works great for pears as well. I used cranberries and pecans in place of blueberries and walnuts. I also found a recipe for homemade phyllo dough which turned out pretty good.