Priorities

Before getting into what God seems to be trying to teach me about priorities, I've gotta brag on 2 of my top priorities...

Jack Edward is 4 months old already!

 He's grabbing at things, constantly smiling, is determined to sit up, loves his big sister, and is the most precious bundle of happiness on the planet. Oh, and he's 18lbs and 27in. Yep. There's a reason why I call him my Lil Squish.

The cutest pumpkin patch you'll ever see!

So God has been using blogs (since they seem to be my most recent obsession) to point out my time management and priority issues. It seems every major blog (translation: blogs that make money and have hundreds of followers) I follow is talking about managing time.

I'm notorious for wanting to do everything while actually doing nothing.

I wanted to join the crafting world. But when I couldn't seem to keep up with anything else, I finally decided that was not for this phase of my life.

I've been wanting to coupon badly. At MOPS last night, a lady came and told us all about how to do it. I was excited to minister to my handsome, hardworking husband by saving money everywhere possible. I spent the kids' nap time scouring the internet for coupons, printing, and cutting. I had to break to make dinner. When I opened the microwave to thaw the meat and saw a very large cockroach smashed in the door, I realized while we're living in this rental, it would be foolish to stockpile only to trash half of it from cockroach infestations. I think God put that disgusting... *shiver*... thing there to tell me to scratch couponing from my priority list for now. Sometimes God says no even to "good" things.

So I need to simplify, streamline... whatever other "s" words work here.

I'm still figuring out my priorities and how God wants me to spend my days. But I can't wait to be done wasting my days and finally lay down at night knowing I accomplished what God wanted me to. Maybe I'll sleep better!

This is the latest blog post I read that so far has been the most helpful! - Create a Time Budget

Obstacle Course

One of the many blogs I follow using Google Reader is focused on teaching your children. Jenae, the author, has taught me a lot about how easy it is to teach Marie! Also reading all that she does regularly with her babies has motivated me to spend more time giving Marie my total attention.

With that in mind, the other day I decided on making an obstacle course for Marie. I got the idea from the Micro Soccer Academy that Marie has learned a TON from. (Classes start Friday!)

First she had to jump over the boppy...

It was more of a step over.

Then she weaved around cones...

(At first I went searching the house for things for her to weave around when I remembered we have a whole stack of cones for Micro Soccer Academy! duh).

Then she had to crawl under Jack's playmat...

Followed by a somersault...

(Or at least an attempt at one...)

Finally, she kicked a ball at some toilet paper rolls...

(I always have tp rolls on hand! Multi-functional!)

After a once-through, she ran right back to do it again (skipping the boppy part) and I had to race to set the tp rolls back up. It was short-lived fun, but fun none-the-less. She later got all the cones, put them in a sort of circle and ran around and around. That may have lasted longer than the obsticle course, probably bc she got me laughing pretty hard!

(Sorry about the horrendous pics. I don't really have a good excuse).

I've found that spending quality fun time with my baby girl helps me be more patient with her, especially on days like today when we're both sick and crabby. Today's much needed fun time is going to be outside with the bubble mower and bike.

Can Halloween be beneficial to the cause of Christ??

Before October ends and Halloween is in the past, I've gotta share some of my thoughts on the whole idea of this holiday. It's interesting how little we think about the consequences of things like Halloween before having kids...

I've always enjoyed Halloween. My parents made sure to keep all the scary stuff out of it. We enjoyed dressing as crayons or indians and walking around our safe and pleasant neighborhood with all our friends. My favorite Halloween memory was at Indiana Wesleyan with my best friend. We went to class dressed up and left a crate with candy in it outside our dorm room door. I love Jamie.

Derek's family didn't participate in Halloween. Since we've been married, Derek has thoroughly enjoyed dressing up. (Today he was so mad at himself for not thinking of having everyone dress up at school). He loves dressing up the kids and the dogs too.

Marie and Lexi, aka "Hunny" pot and Bee (2009)

After we were married, I was so excited to pass out candy. Right now I cannot for the life of me figure out why I was so excited about spending money we've never had on candy that we usually ended up eating most of. Besides that, the first year, no one came to our door. The next year only like 2 kids came. The 3rd year, our first guest was a teenager who wasn't wearing a costume. ((That just irritates me)).

This year we plan to trick or treat with my little sibs in their neighborhood. Jack and Marie are both going as pumpkins. (I got both of their costumes on half-off day at Goodwill! Although I'm a little nervous about Jack's fitting. He's a big kid!)

So now we're almost caught up to my point... Last Sunday Pastor Blodgett spoke on alcohol (which someday I hope to be brave enough to post about, but for now I'll just say - I went into that message full of pride and left it convicted, humbled, and overwhelmingly grateful for First Baptist Church and it's pastor). While the focus was on drinking alcohol, the application is limitless. As I pondered what we should do as a family about Halloween, I thought about the passages Pastor B brought up... 1 Corinthians 6:12 and 10:23.

"All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify." (10:23, NASB)

So I thought, how on earth is Halloween profitable or edifying? It's fun, and who doesn't love candy?? But beneficial? I couldn't justify it. But I couldn't seem to let it go either.

The other day my little sister said something like, "You can make any holiday anything you want." How true is that. So we've decided instead of turning out all our lights and hiding from the neighbors, pretending like we're too good for this nation-wide holiday, we're going to make this opportunity beneficial, edifying, spiritually profitable. Our children are going to grow up enjoying dressing up, eating candy, and sharing the Gospel with every kid who knocks on our door.

Going up to someone to share the Gospel is not easy. But on Halloween, children and parents are knocking on your door, willing to take whatever you have to give them!! So now, to me, not only is participating in this "evil" holiday beneficial, not participating is seriously missing out on probably the easiest way to further God's Kingdom!

It doesn't matter how hard the world tries to shut out God, He is always there. We, as believers, have the awesome responsibility of letting everyone know that! Halloween is a great opportunity to slap Satan in the face and to teach our children about sharing the Good News in even the darkest situations!

Here's a link to a free tract download to be handed out with life savers!
Here's another cool idea to hand out - Scarecrow Lollipops with tract!

How do you plan on spending Halloween night?

Pumpkin Patch Fun

 The 3rd annual pumpkin patch photo shoot was very different. There were key things missing, or just not quite right.

• We were not in PA
• It was too sunny and too hot
• No Stacey
• No Natalya

But we did manage to get some good shots. We couldn't really see the screen of our camera because of the sun, but we're getting good at point and shoot blindly and quickly.

I do not love change.

But I do love my family to pieces.

Marie loves "pumpums"

Jack doesn't love them quite yet.

Marie picked out all our pumpkins except Daddy's. He wanted to pick his own :)

Overall it was fun, even though we were sweaty and grouchy and, in Jack's case, hungry.

Happy Fall everyone!!

House Update

I just love this place.

Well, there's not much to report. The basic house inspections have mostly passed. One problem that has popped up is the radon level is high in the basement. Apparently that's common in these parts. As long as we can find a way to pay for it, it's not gonna stop us from buying this house! We're still waiting to hear about the well and sewage... I think. Anyway, prayers that everything else comes back in tip top shape would be much appreciated!

Otherwise, the papers have been signed! So unless something major happens (like God says no!), we'll eventually live in this house! Eventually. While there is a closing date, the loan is still in the hands of government people. Enough said.

Here at the good ol' rental, we have some serious mice issues. But we've done a pretty good job lowering the cochroach population. The toilet broke last night. We were told it was completely new. When the guy came to fix it, he said the piece that broke was very old and just had to be replaced. It's just like our landlords to cut corners. They seem to be very good at it.

I'm learning to be grateful. I mean overall this rental is just what we needed. I'm praying that the reason we're having so many problems is because God is giving us a way to get out of the lease and move into our own home soon!

This verse encouraged me yesterday -

"Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it." Psalm 37:5-6