Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tubby's Beard
My boy always talks about his Beard.He wants to be like his favorite person. His Daddy. So a sweet friend made him this one. He loves it. But doesnt like the attention that comes with it. ;) So he wears at home. But it is too cute not to share!
Momma`
Survival Podcast!
We went to visit our friend Jack Spirko for the weekend a while back and made this podcast. It was scary for me. I dont do well talking to people. But is is Audio not video so you cant see me shaking. ;)
We had a great weekend! The children found English Walnuts and cracked them between 2 rocks and had a yummy very much earned snack. We had great food and fellowship. We love getting together with friends. Jack and his wife are wonderful! And so kind! We grilled and had fun! Fall is my favorite time of yr!
Here is the TSP Podcast if you are interested in listening. It is long. (HR or so)
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/making-soap-knives-homesteading-roehrman#comments
He also did a Video podcast with a review of the Mammoth Tusk knife Daddy made.
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/long-awaited-review-of-my-custom-made-mammoth-tusk-knife
Momma
Silly Willy,
My baby girl turned 6 yesterday. For yrs I wondered if she would make it that far. God is Good!
I was on bedrest with her for a good long while. It was a hard testy pregnancy. When she was born she didnt breath on her own for about 10 minutes. It was scarey to see the same doctors working on her that worked on Fontie when she was born. I love NICU nurses and doctors but never want to have to see them again in the hospital. But they did well. Both my girls are perfectly fine.
Willy was later in the hospital for 5 days due to lung issues at just a couple mths old. I checked on her several times in the night for yrs. Wondering if she would be OK. Not sure why I was so worried. Most things dont bother me at all. But we had just hit several bumps in the road I guess.
She is a beauty. She is spunky, funny and so loving! She can do anything she wants too. She is a very determined child. She makes awesome fried taters. (Which is somehow a first food our children seem to want to make)
She came up with a lovely recipe she calls 'Sprinkly'. Which Her Grammy made sure she made right away. It had Marshmellow creme, crushed M&Ms,and they had to be frozen to be eaten. (did I mention she is a sugar bear?) I need to get a picture of them from Grammy.
Yesterday her menu for the day was simple and to the point.
BREAKFAST: Meat and potatoes
LUNCH: potato casserole and Apple Dumplins
SUPPER: Meat with broccoli and cheese
DESSERT: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate frosting (MUST have melted chocolate chips in it) With sprinkles on top. And she decorated it. It was lovely!
Lunch and Supper were combined. Grammy came and stole the children so I could finish gifts. Willy came home with a beautiful new dress,shoes, tights and a manicure. <3 She was on cloud nine!
She is so sensitive a couple gifts made her about cry! Love her tenderness!
She is our Silly Widdle Willy ;)
Momma
Monday, November 28, 2011
Mothers, Do you need to hear this? I did.
In one of our recent seminars, a mother complained to Debi, “The children frustrate me so much...I tell them to do their school work, and they just piddle around. I tell them to clean up their rooms, and they fuss over who is to clean up what. They are always irritating one another. It frustrates me so much, trying to cause them to maintain a good attitude. They are always complaining and whining about something. I get frustrated and spank them, but it seems to do no good. They just don’t seem to care. They pick on each other continuously. I get so frustrated....” Debi interrupted her mournful complaints to answer, “Yes, it is an attitude problem.” The weary mother hastily agreed, “That’s it! They have bad attitudes.” Debi responded, “No, it’s you that has the bad attitude.” The mother’s widening eyes and gaping mouth expressed her dismay as she stood waiting for the forthcoming explanation.
Are you a frustrated parent? Is your brow drawn tight as if pulled by draw strings? If parenting is not enjoyable, be assured, you have a bad attitude. When your children look into your face what do they see? They are not fooled. They know what you feel toward them. Your face is a graph of approval or rejection. Verbal “positive affirmation” is not enough; in fact, it is worse than nothing if there is not genuine delight in your heart. Children can see through a parent who is made of muddy water. If they see disappointment and criticism they will answer in kind. Discontented parents breed discontented children. Your attitude is the root of the family attitude tree. A bitter root cannot produce sweet fruit.
Parental attitudes are highly contagious, and the children usually come down with a worse case. “More is caught than taught.” And children seem more highly susceptible to catching a bad attitude than of being taught to have a good one. They can catch the disease of bad attitude while being passive. On the other hand, they must exert themselves to have a good attitude.
Your children are playing follow-the-leader. They are deaf to your words, but they “hear” your attitude loud and clear. Example has always been more effective than theory. Where parents are constantly modeling the bad attitude; a good attitude is just a theoretical concept to the child. Try as they may, they can’t quite fathom the meaning of a good attitude—it has been so long since they have seen one. If you dress your children in tight pinching shoes, don’t blame them for having sore feet.
The bad news is that you are responsible for the condition of your children. The good news is that you don’t have to be frustrated over attempting to change them. You only need to change yourself. Since their attitudes are reflections of your own, you need only change your attitude, and the reflections will change.
I know you are only expressing your displeasure over their foolishness. You are using your disapproving scowl as a threat to induce them to shame. They are supposed to so crave your approval that they make great sacrifices to win your smile. It is not working is it? Actually, you are working against the very thing you desire to achieve.
There is a natural principle you must understand: Children living under condemnation are not motivated to good works. None of us seek to please someone who is condemning us. You have trained your face to display a nearly constant look of disapproval, disappointment, and frustration. You may nag or gripe them into relenting to your will, but you can never bad-attitude them into a good attitude. Children cannot be intimidated into positive character. To stand off and criticize their performance will not induce them to a rectifying shame. No one has ever been motivated to climb out from under a pile of disapproval to win the praise and affections of his or her accuser.
The law of human nature is such that condemnation and shame cause an alienation that only produces more disobedience. Paul said
“The motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death (Romans 7:5).” “Because the law worketh wrath... (Romans 4:15).”
But if you become so disappointed with their failure that you assume an air of judicial condemnation, they will unwillingly accept the blame, but THEY WILL NOT HAVE THE MORAL COURAGE TO CHANGE. Law and condemnation never produce righteousness. If you are always ready to show them what is wrong, but do not constantly exemplify what is right, they will cower under your judgments while continuing to grow into the likeness of your graceless bitterness.
The parental spirit of displeasure holds the child in “death.” A new spirit in the parent will allow the child to serve from a joyous spirit and not from the strengthless bondage of legal depression. In our relationship to God, it is called “newness of spirit.” “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:5-6).”
Mother, if every time you looked at your husband you saw dissatisfaction and disappointment, if he sighed with defeat over what a lousy wife you are, would you feel inspired to make improvements? Absolutely not! You would withdraw. If your are spunky in spirit, you might fight back and give him further reason for rejection, but if your are broken in spirit you would quietly withdraw. You would then seek friendship and approval elsewhere.
Your children will begin to develop positive character only in an atmosphere of forgiveness and acceptance. The first step to recovery and the ground on which it continues is the parent’s smile. In our book, To Train Up A Child, we have a chapter called Tying Strings. Parent, you need to tie strings of fellowship through your smiles, strings of trust through a display of trust, strings of respect through mutual respect, strings of kindness, grace, and forgiveness. You can not disapprove your children into heart compliance, but you can example them in, smile them in, care them in, patience them in, and woo them in with a heart that exemplifies Christ-like character.
If “the joy of the Lord is our strength” surely the joy of the parents is the strength of a child. If fellowship with God provokes His children to holiness, what will be the result of a child’s fellowship with his parents? The best training is done under the supervision of a smile. There is a time for discipline, rebuke, spanking, and even controlled anger, but such should be temporary signposts on a path of communion that you walk with your children. If they see your delight and appreciation, they will have the courage to try to maintain that sweetness.
Parent, relax. Lay back. Slow down. Enjoy the trip. If you can’t train your children to meet your high standards, lower the standards until they can reach them. We are not talking about the law of God. We are talking about muddy feet, carrying out the garbage, picking up dirty clothes, doing school work, etc.. Put the bar low enough so that with the effort they are willing to give, they can clear the hurtle and finish each day a winner. Raise the bar a little at a time so they can improve, but will always be a winner. If you set the standard, not beyond their abilities, but beyond their willing efforts, you will cause them to cease trying. They will be like the kid in public school who is already behind two years. He cares so much, to keep from being further hurt, he pretends not to care at all. He is just killing time until he gets old enough to quit.
Find a place to confess your sins, and then go smile at your children.
<3 Michael Pearl www.nogreaterjoy.org
Our plans for today...
Willy's Birthday is tomorrow. We are working on getting her gifts made. It is fun. But really thinking out of the box for me. She is as Girly as they come. I adore lace and such but never know what to do with it.
My goal with her gifts is that they DRIP. Drip with laces and such. The fancier the better. I am really looking at every idea I can. But getting it done while she isnt looking is the key.
Daddy took her out on her Daddy date last night (She chose SUSHI! Yum! Wish it were a MOM Date!)and I was able to get several things done. But not quite there. I was gonna build her a Bed but decide that would wait til Christmas. Birthday list is long and time is short. But I cant wait! I found 2 patterns I need to decide which one to use...
I cant believe my baby girl will be 6 tomorrow!
My goal with her gifts is that they DRIP. Drip with laces and such. The fancier the better. I am really looking at every idea I can. But getting it done while she isnt looking is the key.
Daddy took her out on her Daddy date last night (She chose SUSHI! Yum! Wish it were a MOM Date!)and I was able to get several things done. But not quite there. I was gonna build her a Bed but decide that would wait til Christmas. Birthday list is long and time is short. But I cant wait! I found 2 patterns I need to decide which one to use...
I cant believe my baby girl will be 6 tomorrow!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
12 Parenting Essentials
1. Love Love is many a thing, from a feeling that might be selfish, to a service done in secret. Love can be the crest of an emotion, or it can be the toil of assistance.
Love can be forgiveness, or it can be judgment, a balm to soothe, or a surgical knife. Love can be decidedly blind or painfully seeing—praise or rebuke.
If love wore one expression, if its hands were always open, if it gave and never retained, then it could exist as a sentiment without thought. But true love places a supreme demand on the resources of wisdom, for manifestations of love are as varied as human need.
If the end of love were passivity, the absence of conflict; if it laid aside principles for peace, laid aside conflict for cordiality, it would not be a virtue. It would be vice.
That love sometimes leads one into desperate sacrifice, with no certain promise of return, that it requires trading one goodness—your own—for another, makes it as rare as manifestations of deity.
Love must be ready to embrace or to refrain from embracing, to give or to deny. It requires expenditure and vigilance. Love must be ever alert—a delicate, shifting balance of law and grace. The final measure of love is not the cloak of emotion it wears, but the service it renders. Certain love is not found in the good feelings but in the high cost to the one loving.
Rather than say, “Children need love,” we must define the acts of love by which children will realize their full potential. For the sentiment of love can be as harmful as that of hate. As all the Law is contained in this one commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” so parenting is nothing more than the activity of love. But as the law meticulously defines the expressions of love, so the works of love must be defined.
2. Security
Not just physical security—sometimes parents cannot control the circumstances—but security of soul. It is not only that parents provide food, shelter, and clothes, but that children feel their commitment to do so. This is not about what you do; it is about atmosphere, the very breath of home-life. The soul of a parent is the source of this security. Outward circumstances cannot touch that secret place where children feel their parents’ love and good will. Morale is of utmost significance in business, war, and sports; how much more in a child attempting to win against the world? The child must be able to assuredly say to himself, “I am worth having people care about me.”
This inner security is absolutely essential to healthy development. Without that peace of soul that comes with knowing that you are supremely valued and that there are people in the world who have an unswerving commitment to your happiness, then a child has no ground on which to stand while growing up.
A well ordered and disciplined environment can be helpful, but it is not essential. Children living in poverty, occasionally evicted from tenement houses, cast upon the street with all their belongings, and ridiculed by their peers can still be rich in emotional security. Children of single parents can also be secure and stable. “Disadvantaged minorities” need not be disadvantaged in providing emotional security for their children. Providing for a child’s physical needs is insufficient in and of itself. It takes a giving soul, not just a giving hand.
3. Acceptance This does not mean that children are to receive unconditional approval, but that whether parents are approving or disapproving, children never feel that they have been dismissed. Our present age is pervaded with the “to each his own” approach to human relations. It is the assumption that there are no absolutes. Allow the child “free expression,” never reject any conduct, maintain a positive face regardless of behavior. The error of this is apparent in its fruit.
But the relationship parents have to their children is different from general society. It is the parents’ duty, as well as their instinct, to accept and care for their children until they leave the nest. Regardless of children’s conduct, they must know that their parents have an unconditional commitment to their ongoing development. For someone else to value your life is to have a life that is never without value. To have someone else forgive, when you cannot forgive yourself, leaves the door of forgiveness ever open. To have someone accept you, when your conduct demands that you be rejected by all, places you under demand to act so as to deserve the sweetness of that acceptance.
4. RespectChildren are future adults—little people. They have the same souls, the same feelings, pride, shame, desire to be accepted, to be approved. Children have opinions, ideas, and views that they like to share. They may talk you to death, but often what is tiresome to an adult is significant to a child.
A child has a right not to be tickled until it hurts, not to be bullied aside simply because he is smaller. If a child is to respect himself and others, he must be shown respect. A child that does not respect the person, rights, and feelings of others is usually just reciprocating in kind. A human being without self-respect is lower than an animal. Children estimate their value according to how they are valued by others.
5. CommunicationCommunication is the vehicle of society. Interpersonal relationships are built on communication. It is essential for intellectual development. Several studies have shown that infants isolated in their cribs, away from human contact, score much lower on IQ tests taken later in life. Children that are not the objects of communication become incommunicative. Read to your infants. Show them things and give a name to everything. Talk with, not just to, your three- and six-year-olds. Listen to your teenagers and learn from them.
6. TimeNot just “quality time” but quantity time. Know this, that when you are not spending time with your children, someone else is. When you received your child into this world, it was like receiving a beautiful book with all blank pages. Like a daily planner, each fifteen-minute interval has an empty line beside it. Your child’s history is not yet written. The sum total of life is the accumulation of minutes—minutes listening to someone, talking to someone, seeing or hearing something said by another, or minutes consumed watching a video produced by a disreputable character from Hollywood. Everyday, you write in that book, line by line; or you take your child to a baby sitter or to school, and you turn the book over to someone else, and they too write into your child’s life. The hour you spend with your child is not more influential than the hour someone else spends. Value time enough to spend it on your children.
7. BoundariesChildren must learn quickly that they are not the center of the universe. Others have needs and rights as well. Self-restraint is essential to society. Animals do what they want to do and what they are big enough to do with impunity. Humans must consider what is right—thus boundaries. Just as nature contains innate laws that carry consequences when violated, so the world of mind and soul is governed by laws (boundaries). Boundaries exist even where they are not recognized. When a two-year-old takes something away from a three-year-old, he discovers a boundary.
Children need to have it deeply instilled that they are subject to irrevocable boundaries. Boundaries with no consequences are no longer boundaries. That one should design his own boundaries and be responsible to no one is anarchy. Self-control is the pinnacle of human existence. The essence of sin is lack of self-control. It is the parents’ responsibility to clearly legislate boundaries and enforce the keeping of them.
8. StructureDoing the same thing each day at the same time is structure. Any individual, not just children, left to do as he pleases from one moment to the next will likely do nothing unless it is immediately gratifying. To determine ahead of time what needs to be done and then doing it at the allotted time enables one to do the unpleasant with regularity. A schedule prevents one from procrastination. It relieves boredom, gives a sense of security, and minimizes stress. Good habits of scheduling one’s time are best established early in life, before four years old. Without structure, the child lives as an irresponsible rogue. Structure allows children to set goals and sacrifice to reach them. It is the road to betterment.
One of the most common concerns of parents is sibling squabbles. Children that are on schedules are far less likely to gripe, complain, and fight.
9. Belonging / SignificanceChildren must feel they are a vital part of something significant. One feels himself to be a part of that to which he lends significant contribution. A child that is served, but not called upon to contribute, will have low self-esteem. Everyone needs to be needed.
“Positive affirmation” is degrading if it is not based on genuine performance. Children will appreciate praise to the extent that it accurately reflects their real performance. False praise is received as manipulation. When children are part of a family team overcoming real obstacles, they know they are needed. Their contributions are essential, so they are essential. To struggle together and win together is the wedding of souls.
10. ExampleBe what you want your children to be. “More is caught than taught.” Children read actions better than words. They are imitators, taking on the likeness of the ones they most admire. If you cannot walk your talk, don’t expect them to. When the older child develops bad habits, the younger children will follow his example and probably take it a step further in the wrong direction. Likewise, if you get that first child in control, you have a good example for other children who come behind.
11. Crisis managementLife often moves from one crisis to another, especially for children and teens. There is frustration, disappointment, rejection, failure, sickness, pain, etc. The ability to view supposed crises as opportunities greatly lessens the stress in life. A person with that kind of outlook is called “brave, resilient,” or “wise.”
You might call this, “coping skills.” When you are there beside your child for eighteen years, you will share responses to life’s knocks. They will learn from you how to deal with anger and conflict.
12. The meaning of lifeA human without purpose is a parasite. In the heart of everyone is the faint knowledge that “I have been placed on this earth for a purpose higher than pleasure. I have a destiny to fulfill.” As Christians, we know our destiny is to “be conformed to the image of his son (Rom, 8: 29).” We must teach our children to live in light of eternity.
By Michael Pearl www.nogreaterjoy.org
Love can be forgiveness, or it can be judgment, a balm to soothe, or a surgical knife. Love can be decidedly blind or painfully seeing—praise or rebuke.
If love wore one expression, if its hands were always open, if it gave and never retained, then it could exist as a sentiment without thought. But true love places a supreme demand on the resources of wisdom, for manifestations of love are as varied as human need.
If the end of love were passivity, the absence of conflict; if it laid aside principles for peace, laid aside conflict for cordiality, it would not be a virtue. It would be vice.
That love sometimes leads one into desperate sacrifice, with no certain promise of return, that it requires trading one goodness—your own—for another, makes it as rare as manifestations of deity.
Love must be ready to embrace or to refrain from embracing, to give or to deny. It requires expenditure and vigilance. Love must be ever alert—a delicate, shifting balance of law and grace. The final measure of love is not the cloak of emotion it wears, but the service it renders. Certain love is not found in the good feelings but in the high cost to the one loving.
Rather than say, “Children need love,” we must define the acts of love by which children will realize their full potential. For the sentiment of love can be as harmful as that of hate. As all the Law is contained in this one commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” so parenting is nothing more than the activity of love. But as the law meticulously defines the expressions of love, so the works of love must be defined.
2. Security
Not just physical security—sometimes parents cannot control the circumstances—but security of soul. It is not only that parents provide food, shelter, and clothes, but that children feel their commitment to do so. This is not about what you do; it is about atmosphere, the very breath of home-life. The soul of a parent is the source of this security. Outward circumstances cannot touch that secret place where children feel their parents’ love and good will. Morale is of utmost significance in business, war, and sports; how much more in a child attempting to win against the world? The child must be able to assuredly say to himself, “I am worth having people care about me.”
This inner security is absolutely essential to healthy development. Without that peace of soul that comes with knowing that you are supremely valued and that there are people in the world who have an unswerving commitment to your happiness, then a child has no ground on which to stand while growing up.
A well ordered and disciplined environment can be helpful, but it is not essential. Children living in poverty, occasionally evicted from tenement houses, cast upon the street with all their belongings, and ridiculed by their peers can still be rich in emotional security. Children of single parents can also be secure and stable. “Disadvantaged minorities” need not be disadvantaged in providing emotional security for their children. Providing for a child’s physical needs is insufficient in and of itself. It takes a giving soul, not just a giving hand.
3. Acceptance This does not mean that children are to receive unconditional approval, but that whether parents are approving or disapproving, children never feel that they have been dismissed. Our present age is pervaded with the “to each his own” approach to human relations. It is the assumption that there are no absolutes. Allow the child “free expression,” never reject any conduct, maintain a positive face regardless of behavior. The error of this is apparent in its fruit.
But the relationship parents have to their children is different from general society. It is the parents’ duty, as well as their instinct, to accept and care for their children until they leave the nest. Regardless of children’s conduct, they must know that their parents have an unconditional commitment to their ongoing development. For someone else to value your life is to have a life that is never without value. To have someone else forgive, when you cannot forgive yourself, leaves the door of forgiveness ever open. To have someone accept you, when your conduct demands that you be rejected by all, places you under demand to act so as to deserve the sweetness of that acceptance.
4. RespectChildren are future adults—little people. They have the same souls, the same feelings, pride, shame, desire to be accepted, to be approved. Children have opinions, ideas, and views that they like to share. They may talk you to death, but often what is tiresome to an adult is significant to a child.
A child has a right not to be tickled until it hurts, not to be bullied aside simply because he is smaller. If a child is to respect himself and others, he must be shown respect. A child that does not respect the person, rights, and feelings of others is usually just reciprocating in kind. A human being without self-respect is lower than an animal. Children estimate their value according to how they are valued by others.
5. CommunicationCommunication is the vehicle of society. Interpersonal relationships are built on communication. It is essential for intellectual development. Several studies have shown that infants isolated in their cribs, away from human contact, score much lower on IQ tests taken later in life. Children that are not the objects of communication become incommunicative. Read to your infants. Show them things and give a name to everything. Talk with, not just to, your three- and six-year-olds. Listen to your teenagers and learn from them.
6. TimeNot just “quality time” but quantity time. Know this, that when you are not spending time with your children, someone else is. When you received your child into this world, it was like receiving a beautiful book with all blank pages. Like a daily planner, each fifteen-minute interval has an empty line beside it. Your child’s history is not yet written. The sum total of life is the accumulation of minutes—minutes listening to someone, talking to someone, seeing or hearing something said by another, or minutes consumed watching a video produced by a disreputable character from Hollywood. Everyday, you write in that book, line by line; or you take your child to a baby sitter or to school, and you turn the book over to someone else, and they too write into your child’s life. The hour you spend with your child is not more influential than the hour someone else spends. Value time enough to spend it on your children.
7. BoundariesChildren must learn quickly that they are not the center of the universe. Others have needs and rights as well. Self-restraint is essential to society. Animals do what they want to do and what they are big enough to do with impunity. Humans must consider what is right—thus boundaries. Just as nature contains innate laws that carry consequences when violated, so the world of mind and soul is governed by laws (boundaries). Boundaries exist even where they are not recognized. When a two-year-old takes something away from a three-year-old, he discovers a boundary.
Children need to have it deeply instilled that they are subject to irrevocable boundaries. Boundaries with no consequences are no longer boundaries. That one should design his own boundaries and be responsible to no one is anarchy. Self-control is the pinnacle of human existence. The essence of sin is lack of self-control. It is the parents’ responsibility to clearly legislate boundaries and enforce the keeping of them.
8. StructureDoing the same thing each day at the same time is structure. Any individual, not just children, left to do as he pleases from one moment to the next will likely do nothing unless it is immediately gratifying. To determine ahead of time what needs to be done and then doing it at the allotted time enables one to do the unpleasant with regularity. A schedule prevents one from procrastination. It relieves boredom, gives a sense of security, and minimizes stress. Good habits of scheduling one’s time are best established early in life, before four years old. Without structure, the child lives as an irresponsible rogue. Structure allows children to set goals and sacrifice to reach them. It is the road to betterment.
One of the most common concerns of parents is sibling squabbles. Children that are on schedules are far less likely to gripe, complain, and fight.
9. Belonging / SignificanceChildren must feel they are a vital part of something significant. One feels himself to be a part of that to which he lends significant contribution. A child that is served, but not called upon to contribute, will have low self-esteem. Everyone needs to be needed.
“Positive affirmation” is degrading if it is not based on genuine performance. Children will appreciate praise to the extent that it accurately reflects their real performance. False praise is received as manipulation. When children are part of a family team overcoming real obstacles, they know they are needed. Their contributions are essential, so they are essential. To struggle together and win together is the wedding of souls.
10. ExampleBe what you want your children to be. “More is caught than taught.” Children read actions better than words. They are imitators, taking on the likeness of the ones they most admire. If you cannot walk your talk, don’t expect them to. When the older child develops bad habits, the younger children will follow his example and probably take it a step further in the wrong direction. Likewise, if you get that first child in control, you have a good example for other children who come behind.
11. Crisis managementLife often moves from one crisis to another, especially for children and teens. There is frustration, disappointment, rejection, failure, sickness, pain, etc. The ability to view supposed crises as opportunities greatly lessens the stress in life. A person with that kind of outlook is called “brave, resilient,” or “wise.”
You might call this, “coping skills.” When you are there beside your child for eighteen years, you will share responses to life’s knocks. They will learn from you how to deal with anger and conflict.
12. The meaning of lifeA human without purpose is a parasite. In the heart of everyone is the faint knowledge that “I have been placed on this earth for a purpose higher than pleasure. I have a destiny to fulfill.” As Christians, we know our destiny is to “be conformed to the image of his son (Rom, 8: 29).” We must teach our children to live in light of eternity.
By Michael Pearl www.nogreaterjoy.org
Jew- Bee fingers....
Jewbee sucks his fingers. He is my first child to do this. I must say despite the cuteness. I hate it. Really I do. I'll never allow it again. Why?
1. He doesnt do it when 'I' would want him too. Like in the car...
2. When wanting to nurse he'd stick his fingers in his mouth and not be able to eat. Which made him mad. If I kept his hand outta the way he'd fuss and not eat cause He was being held against his will.
3. I dread weaning him from it.
4. Fertility returns much sooner.
5. I hate to see him have to 'self- mother'
6. It really stalled my milk supply. NEVER had issue before.
Opinionated arent I. ;)
The other day we had a Thanksgiving meal with our bible study group. I held Jewbee and my little nephew. Since my sister was serving food. My nephew sucks his thumb. (which is adorable- I really wish it wasnt cute!) Jewbee his fingers.
Not sure what was going on in J's head but he decided the thumb didnt belong in his cousins mouth. It went in or almost in and he removed it. My nephew is not old enough to get mad at him about it yet. It was really funny! But I want Jew-bee to have a bully come steal his like he was doing to S!
The picture above was my boy last week feeling icky. He never showed any signs of sickness but was so tired for a couple days.
Momma
Cooking supper with the boys...
Sweet Boys helping me cook. I gave Tubby the job of flipping tortillas with me. He had a lot of fun! It makes him so happy to help!
Jewee needed something fun to do also. I gave him a bowl with some taco meat in it and he found other toys. This child gives a smile automatically for the camera! It is too funny! 10 mths old. But I do suppose he is smiling most all the time anyways!
I am so thankful for my children. If they want to help I let them as much as possible. If you dont why will they want to work with you when they are older? I am sure Jewbee felt he was working with us. Even though he was just making a mess. He smiled so much the job was way more fun for me. I need my babies as much as they need me. <3
Momma
Friday, November 18, 2011
Can Your Knife Do This?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmipRU-a5nk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
My blog...
I am unsure why I can not embed any you tube videos. Or even link them. The other day I could copy and paste anywhere I wanted except my blog. Daddy didnt even know why.
Now I can copy and paste but blogger keeps saying the HTML code is broken. I tryed several ways to post a video below. Nothing worked. So a link to the blog I found it on...
http://clarkchatter.blogspot.com/2011/11/rescued.html
It is a lovely blog and lovely movie trailer! I have followed this blog for years. The family is amazing. Worth the time to read a little about them. I wanta be like Ginger when I grow up!
Momma
Now I can copy and paste but blogger keeps saying the HTML code is broken. I tryed several ways to post a video below. Nothing worked. So a link to the blog I found it on...
http://clarkchatter.blogspot.com/2011/11/rescued.html
It is a lovely blog and lovely movie trailer! I have followed this blog for years. The family is amazing. Worth the time to read a little about them. I wanta be like Ginger when I grow up!
Momma
Thursday, November 17, 2011
MOM!!! It Snowed for my birthday!!!!
Yesterday we got our first snow of the year! I was praying hard that it would be short lived. The Willy saw it and was so excited! I forgot how exciting snow is to children. I am not a fan. They have to tell me each year how great it is.
We hurried out to take pictures. It was gone at least as fast as it came.But they did get to run out and enjoy 5 minutes worth of snow. ;)
Momma
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Co Sleeping...
Really?
I have a lot of thoughts on this. Now to see if I can get them in order and call no one names. ;)
1: Most SIDS deaths are in CRIBS. I don't fit in a crib to sleep with my baby.
2: How'd the baby get the knife? If he gets cut he will cry and his parents will hear and help him. They are right beside him. (yeah comment was stupid but not as stupid as the ad)
3. How many deaths from co sleeping have you heard of that the parent was not drunk or high?? Both make them unresponsive. And not in a place to parent anywhere. Even if the baby were in a crib.
4: SIDS has been greatly associated with VACCINES that this health Dept. pushes. IMO it is a blame shifter. They are causing problems and want to blame parents. Parents get informed about vaccines! Mercury, Aluminum, and formaldehyde are not ingredients that make for healthy babies.
5: If suffocating were the reason of SIDS then sleeping in a crib away from other humans is unsafe. If a baby is 6 inches away from you, you'd feel him squirm trying to get a better breath. And could help him.
6:Knives are not dangerous. Vaccines are.
7: this ad makes me mad. It is unfair and biased. The article said 2 things that stood out to me. One blacks in the Milwaukee area have higher SIDS rates. (Do blacks cosleep more than whites? If yes then do they drink and get high more often too? Or is it because they are poorer and get more shots to keep government support? Honest questions here.)
Two the article said that Milwaukee had a larger rate of SIDS that third world countries. (Why?? Is it because they are richer and can afford a crib down the hall where they cant see or here it? NO. Is it due to sleeping with their parents? And siblings? Being able to nurse whenever. And have little to no vaccines in their tiny bodies? I think YES.)
We cosleep. Always have. Always will. Our children are all alive. Healthy and independent. I wouldn't want to sleep alone. I wont do that to my baby either. Get informed. Ignore scare tactics.
Momma
P.S. Baby sleeping on back thing. What happens if they spit up? I'd think they'd choke. How do your babies sleep?
MT Knives...
This is a mammoth tusk knife Daddy made for a Friend Jack Spirko from
It is my 3rd favorite knife he has made! It was hard to do. Mammoth tusk is more delicate than ironwood! It was a great process to watch. And has a really cool WOW factor.
This is my second favorite knife. The grain of the wood was amazing!
Really beautiful! Felt so nice to hold! Was hard to sell this one. A artful piece!
I wear a knife too. LOVE IT! I do everything with it!
Open packages, cut food in the kitchen, cut stray strings, make PB sandwiches at the park.
The list is endless! But I am not without a sharp knife. That is worth it's weight in gold!
So many times I have gone to a friends and had to use a dull knife. (Let me tell you that is painful! )
His knives he has started. Crazy that these will be beautiful knives soon! They are nothing to look at yet!
2 more beautiful knives! Everyone needs a Neck Knife!
Momma
Adoption...
It is National Adoption Month. Adoption in a near and dear thing to me. I had to post on it.
This is a picture of friends that adopted their son. It speaks so highly of the love adopted parents have. His Daddy had just got home from his deployment. I love this picture makes me feel so many emotions to look at it! Their love. He is young! And to be away from Daddy so long is so sad. I am thankful.Thankful they are willing to fight for us. Thankful they are willing to sacrifice their time to better help others. They are family due to adoption.They obeyed God and took care of a small baby that needed them. And they needed him. God is good! Families dont always happen the 'traditional way'. I think if they did we'd have more orphans in our world.
God adopted us. I believe we need to look at it more. Pray on it and see if it is what God has for our lives.
There are over 3.8 million orphans in the world. Could you imagine living with no family in a crowded orphanage? Or worse yet living alone on the streets? Never knowing what you'd eat, sleep or if you'd live much longer?
My Dad adopted me. For which I am forever thankful! He was a wonderful Daddy and loved me. I never would have guessed he adopted me. I do NOT believe that adopted children are less than biological. It is something I dont like to hear. We have seen several adoptions. None were ever a bad thing. They are loved and love their parents.
Adoption is a hard road! I have heard of failed adoptions due to working with other countries. The cost is high. The paperwork is long. But I know it is worth it!
If anyone wants to share their adoption story here I'd love to post it! Reading adoption stories is one of my favorite things!
Momma
www.simplycleansing.com
Our website is back up and running! We are working on adding products and expanding the store. Please check back often!
Momma
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Jocelyn,
A couple pictures of our cow. We are wondering/hoping she is pregnant. I was off on dates. (lost my notebook) And was sure she'd be due in September. But after thinking about it remembered we got her at thanksgiving last yr. She later (unsure date) went into heat. We had her AI'd. Next month she was again in heat. We AI'd her then (January?) and she has not come into heat again. Now it is November. Her bag is small. Her belly is firm and has been at least a week. Not sure what else to look for short of a test. Any cow people with thoughts on it?
Cinnamon!
We added a new soap to our Store! We are excited! I LOVE the smell of warm spices in the fall and winter! It is Cinnamon! Lovely! Makes me want cinnamon rolls! Not a horrid side effect. ;)
Pear-O has been playing with pictures and asked last night if she could take the pictures of soap. I think she did well. I was cutting soap and setting it out on the shelf and in no time 3 children were there to help! Just because they wanted too. I am thankful for children that are willing hard workers.
Our main site had some server issues and will be back up in a couple days. But for now you can order our soaps and 100% BEESWAX CANDLES! on our other blog.
http://www.simplycleansing.blogspot.com/ our main site should be ready by the end of the week.
Momma
Monday, November 14, 2011
Ergo Baby Carrier!!
This is my very favorite baby item! I got one when Tubby was a baby. He lived in it a easy 8 hrs a day! Never caused pain!
I am a huge fan! They are the greatest invention for Mommas! And Daddys! My girls love to wear it too. We are attachment parents and love to wear our babies!
I bought my first Ergo from http://www.thehomegrownfamily.com/ they are a great business! Fast service and very kind! A homeschool, healthy eating and baby wearing friendly business! I highly reccomend them!
Great selection too!
My first Ergo broke after several hundred hrs of baby wearing. And I called the Ergo baby carrier makers. They replaced it for free! And it was a nicer one. Same build but has lovely embroidery on it. Both companies have my respect!
I believe every parent needs diapers, a couple outfits, a car seat and a ergo! Everything else is fluff and unneeded. If you have one what do you think of it?
I am a huge fan! They are the greatest invention for Mommas! And Daddys! My girls love to wear it too. We are attachment parents and love to wear our babies!
I bought my first Ergo from http://www.thehomegrownfamily.com/ they are a great business! Fast service and very kind! A homeschool, healthy eating and baby wearing friendly business! I highly reccomend them!
Great selection too!
My first Ergo broke after several hundred hrs of baby wearing. And I called the Ergo baby carrier makers. They replaced it for free! And it was a nicer one. Same build but has lovely embroidery on it. Both companies have my respect!
I believe every parent needs diapers, a couple outfits, a car seat and a ergo! Everything else is fluff and unneeded. If you have one what do you think of it?
Blogging...
I have really missed blogging. Working hard at getting this blog and our Soap business blogs running full time again. Lots happening! Busy here!
Just made several hundred bars of yummy soap. Adding a new scent to the blog soon! Working on growing the business.
We did a Podcast with Jack Spirko. He does www.thesurvivalpodcast.com He and his wife are really great! We love them Both. Daddy made a Mammoth tusk knife! It is a beauty! In my top 3 favorite knives he has made!
Girls are really learning right now! Pear-O and Fonte are writting stories for the Vision Forum Contest. I hope to post them later! They are great! They have so much potential. Unschooling somewhat really gets them to do things that are hard because they want too! I would have never tried due to fear of failing. But they do not have this fear! I am so thankful!
They have such a knowledge that I didnt have opportunity to know as a child. They are all hard workers and love learning!
I am blessed to be a momma of 6 Jems!
Momma
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