31 Ways to Pray for your Children...

Bob Hostetler and his 31 Ways to Pray for your
Bob's article is wonderful and it touches upon what I am sure that many of us that pray for our children daily feel, it becomes prayers for what is on our hearts for them that day. We pray for blessings, protection, happiness, help with things they are facing or might face, prayers for HIS will to be carried out in their lives and that they may be a reflection of HIM in the way they live. My prayers are regular and heartfelt and I let Little Man listen to the ones that I pray in the morning as it is something we do together. However, I feel like I can do more.

Then, just as she has many times my dear friend J emails me with something wonderful and amazing. It was in PDF form so, I searched for a link of this online for all of you. I found it and linked it above. Enjoy it, use it and if you add to it, let me know.

Mommyhood...

Gosh, this thing called Mommyhood is so important. But, I am not telling you all anything new there, am I?

Have you ever stopped to realize that you are not just preparing them for their future here on earth, but also for where they will spend eternity?

Let that sink in and you will feel that load. It can feel so heavy if you are going to try and bare it alone. But, that's the beautiful thing, you don't have to. You can ask for help, HE is there to help guide your way, just seek HIS will.

Reading the bible in a year...

So, if you all remember, Little Man was trying to do this. Here is the post about it.Read old post here!
My heart is swelling because as I sit here almost a year later, he is almost there. He will be there and finished by Dec 31st. Something about this Little Man, all he does is set his mind to something and watch out! It's been amazing to watch and be a part of this.
I can say that this type of bible was perfect and would make a great gift for those kids in your life. There is a less challenging one as well if I am recalling correctly.

He's enjoyed it and I've enjoyed our discussions. So, I asked what he will do when he's done. Read it again of course. :) But, I think he is hoping for a new devotional this year. Be still my heart!

One of my Favorite Songs...

I am not good with titles and artists, but I can tell you the lyrics. :) However, I know this title and artists name. It's Blessings by Laura Story
Link it up here
Just wanted to share a favorite of mine. What are some of your favorites?

Inspire Me- I was touched...

I was touched by a comment that was left a while ago. The person was saying that I somehow inspired them in this blog land. I was honored. I was also taken back. Me, inspirational? I sometimes wonder why people keep coming back to read my blog. Let alone the fact that someone thought I was inspirational!

They pointed out my Faith. And since I try to live my life in a way that others will see my beliefs and know what I stand for, I was honored that in some way that has come though on this blog too.

But, I fall short at times. As hard as I try, I will never have the perfect words or thoughts all the time. But, I am blessed because I serve a God that knows that and loves me anyway!
Broken and Beautiful

The Mission of Motherhood -Chapter 2

The chapter Beautiful by Design talks about being created for a purpose, that children are a blessing, and that men and women were designed to be different. AMEN to all of that!
Yes, there is a purpose for all of us and it is important for us to seek HIS purpose in our lives.

Children as such a great gift and blessing. I let Little Man know that I feel he is a blessing and I am so honored that the Lord is allowing me to raise this amazing son.
The way my husband was built and the way I was built is different. It's our differences that I think make us balance out so well.

A few points that I liked from this chapter:

"Establishing my household as a place in which greatness of God and a devotion to him is lived out each day has given me focus. Loving my children and nurturing their hearts and minds while training their characters and leading them to know the Lord and his purposes has satisfied my soul's need for purpose."

"However, the common purpose for all women is to glorify God in whatever circumstances and boundaries of life we find ourselves, trusting him to show us how we can best use our gifts for him."

"The family as a whole is called to a bigger purpose than any one of them could accomplish alone."

"How well you are following God's design is truly a matter for you and your family and the Holy Spirit to decide."

Trust in God. "For it is in finding God and submitting to him that we will find the purpose and meaning that he designed us to experience."

Think you have fallen too short of God's standards? Read 1 John 1:9. Then, thank God that you were forgiven for those sins. For we serve a redeeming God, a God of second chances. And remember that God isn't finished with us yet.

How a walk can do more than just get you fit...

A walk with a friend and two of her beautiful girls left me filled to the brim. I love this friend. She is an amazing woman, has such a wonderful heart, listens, plants seeds, is an excellent mom, and has such a caring spirit. I am honored to be her friend. Thankful and blessed that she is part of my life and that our families share great times together. Looking forward to may future times together with them. She shared this with me and I felt called to share it with all of you.
Read here... and my hope is the words you read will help you today.

Thoughts on Tuesday...

Not that this will become a regular category. (Who knows maybe it will). But, more so because I came across this today and wanted to share it with all of you: Love Never Fails...

Now, my random thoughts. Recently in our Sunday School class we were discussing what the characteristics of church leaders should look like. I sat there and began pondering some questions of my own.
What if we used those principals to pick leaders in a community?
In our schools?
In our government and the world?
How different would these places look?
How different would our world be?
Your thoughts?

For your listening pleasure...Something Glorious

Devotional for Boys and Article Rules for Dating my Son...

Just wanted to share that with anyone looking for one for their sons.
Link to it can be found here. There is a kindle edition as well.

7 Rules for Dating my Son
This article first appeared in the January/February, 2011 issue of Thriving Family magazine. Copyright © 2010 by Phil Callaway.

The article can be found here.

Fireproof...

It was Valentine's day on Monday. (Actually, if I am being really transparent (as I like to be), it's still Monday here as I type this--because of the week I am going to have, I need to blog when I can.) But, for the rest of you it's Thursday and I have a suggestion for you, it's just a suggestion.

Have you seen the movie Fireproof? It came out a few years ago. It's a great movie. Here is a clip Fireproof. It's a funny thing, people think that this movie is just for marriages in trouble. It's not. It's for everyone. If you have not seen it, my suggestion? See it--with your partner. 

Want your own Love Dare? Get a copy of it here.

A song from the movie...Words I would say...

And one last thought for today: (So fitting for my life right now)
God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.  ~Chester W. Nimitz
Happy Thursday everyone. :)

Thoughts on Wednesday--Population Me....

I told you this week would be short and sweet...


Oh how easy it is to live when it's just population you.
But, is that God's plan for you?
What if you are missing out on your greater purpose?
I suggest you listen...My Own Little World
Now, I ask are you going to search for your greater purpose or live in population you?

Let me also link you up to a sports video. This teams coach did something that's perhaps out of the ordinary. But, then to see what happened because of it. Is well, heart warming, amazing and wonderful.
Not just about basketball

You are not alone...(bonus post on Friday)

So this morning I was off to a friends house to talk coupons, sales and such and another friend was coming to join us. What a great morning this was going to be. I know sounds funny talking coupons and sales could be so great, but you have to understand that being around these friends is awesome and wonderful nomatter what we are doing.

Anyway, on my way there, I saw a woman that was stuck on the side of the road. How awful I thought. I was already realizing that I would just be on time to meet them and I hate being late. But, my heart said Stop and help and so I did. I stopped. I've grown to listen to this heart of mine, even when it takes me off my plans.

Well, I found out she was an 81 year old woman and she was so kind. As I tried to push this car out, I realized there was no way I was doing this alone. Instead of giving up, we kept trying and I started praying (Should have done that first I know). I watched as others drove by wondering how they could drive by as we were chipping ice and trying to get it out. The lady was thanking me for stopping and trying to help. She had given up that I would get her car out. I told her, well I don't give up that easily. So, we chipped away at some of the ice and then tried again. I was praying and saying I couldn't do it alone. Just then another woman stopped to try and help us. What is it about us women?

While we were both trying to get her out, she began praying just as I was minutes before. I'd like to say that we were able to free that car, but we were not. However, I don't think that it was about freeing her car. There was a deeper meaning to this experience. It was the human spirit and the caring outside yourself. Showing love toward others. I cried out to God for help and he sent another woman who would stand beside me and push and pray. It was showing us that even when you are going through the trials in life (how big or how small) that he sends people to walk beside you. You may not be brought out of that trial right away, but you will have someone to carry the burden with you. Yes, there was a greater purpose this morning and even if it was only to have 3 women realize that there still are those people out there that care outside of themselves. It was worth it.

Can you dance in the rain?

Not literally--although that would take you back to childhood wouldn't it? That carefree feeling of dancing in the rain on a warm summer day - pure childhood joy.

But, the rain I am talking about isn't that type of rain. It's the hard times that we face in our lives. How do you deal with them? Do you ever ask for them?


A while ago, I had a conversation with a friend about my losses and how I was dealing with lots of people around me having babies. I have to say that this friend has been one that has NOT said things that have made me wince. Instead, she was the one that said in no uncertain terms when we were going through our first miscarriage that it sucked (sorry about the language people). But, she was right, it did!

She didn't try to sugar coat it or say things like: your still young, you have plenty of time, there is a reason for it all, etc. Really, at that moment I didn't want to hear those things. Sure there is a reason, but I just wanted to cry, to be upset, to well...wallow for a bit. I wanted to be allowed to do this and be told I had the right. She did that for me. In a way that she will never fully understand, I held on to those words and the fact that someone realized that it wasn't easy and it helped.

Though, I don't talk to this friend daily or even weekly for that matter, when I do and when she checks in on this topic, I am able to be more open about my feelings. That is a gift that she has given to me. The gift of an ear that is willingly to listen and not judge. An ear that will allow tears and pain to come out if they need to. What a gift it is to have a friend like that. I am blessed to have a number of women in my life that are like that and to have an amazing supportive husband who gives me that ear anytime I need it.


Anyway, back to the rain and this friend. I was telling her that I was handling it. I told her that I needed to praise HIM nomatter what. Are the losses what I would choose? Certainly not, but I learned a long time ago, that HE knows best and HIS plans are better than what I could come up with myself.

Of course, she was one of the few asking how I was doing with it all. I think others would rather forget. I help them forget because I like to put on my stern upper lip and move forward. But, there are certain times of the year (when I would have given birth, when I lost the babies) that it's harder to get that stern upperlip. But, we manage, right?

That said, I've grown through all of this--the infertility and the multiple losses. I look at life different. I've grown in ways I may never have grown otherwise. HE has shown me that I am stronger than I thought and that with HIM I can get through anything.

I think these two songs are very fitting for the topic, not to mention they are 2 of my favorites.
 Bring the Rain 
The story behind this song: Bring the Rain--the story behind the song.
Praise You In This Storm

Guest Blogger returns tomorrow. Can't wait to see what he comes up with this week! I will also be posting some questions as to what you want me to cover with photography. So, be sure to check in and be sure to leave a comment so I know where to focus.

Have a wonderful day everyone!