Choose the Better Things, Part 1 Posted on October 18th, 2011
Illustration Courtesy of BreezyTulip’s Studio
Thinking about homemaking brings to my mind many different ideas, but the main thing that stands out is the need for us mothers & wives to build our homes. The kind of building that you don’t see immediately with the eyes, but the kind that you understand with your heart.
Our homes do require a lot of work on our part to keep them running orderly and to be a healthy and thriving place to live, but let us not get so caught up in the workings of the home that we forget or neglect the better things. (Luke 10:40-42)
What are the better things? Nurturing and training our family. Building relationships that will endure and thrive in this chaotic world. Making the Lord Jesus Christ the center of your home.
We need to be building strong families that will serve the Lord and do the kingdom work that He has called each of us to do. As wives and mothers we have been given our assignment. You may want to run or hide from it like Jonah, but don’t—your family needs you.
If you are struggling in this area ask God to give you the desire and contentment that you need to see your job through to the end.
It will be well worth the eternal results.
Practical tips coming in part 2!
This post was originally posted at Raising Homemakers.
Always influencing Posted on October 13th, 2011
“Every woman, whether rich or poor, married or single, has a circle of influence within which, according to her character, she is exerting a certain amount of power for good or harm. Every woman by her virtue or her vice, by her wisdom or her folly, by her dignity or her levity is adding something to our national elevation or degradation.”
- John Angell James
Anniversary Sale Posted on October 7th, 2011
Photography by Jonathan Hedrick
I can hardly believe it has been two years since Breezy and Emily Rose started Noble Rose Press. When they published their first three books we had no idea what a wonderful journey this would take us all on. What fun as we turned our home into a mini-warehouse and began learning the ins and outs of having a home business and online store. The Lord has blessed their work and last year they were able to add three new paper doll books and a coloring book to their product line.
It has been such a delight and to celebrate, we are having a sale! So head on over to Noble Rose Press to learn more about it.
Do Not Grow Weary Posted on September 15th, 2011
Today on Doug’s Blog there is a very disturbing video exposing Pat Robertson advising a man to divorce his wife because she has Alzheimer’s. Basically, he says that since she is not worth anything to him now, he can dispose of her to the care of someone else and move on with his life.
There are always going to be those who give wicked advice and who point you in the wrong direction. Pray for wisdom and discernment everyday so that you will not be swayed or influenced by them.
At the bottom of the same post there is a second video of a man who has chosen another path with a wife who has Alzheimer’s.
Watch these videos and let your heart be encouraged. While the wicked seem to have a voice, there is still the love of Christ abounding in hearts. Hearts of husbands who would lay down their lives for their wives.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Gal. 6:9
*the above photo was taken by my daughter, Emily Rose, at our friends’ wedding. May the Lord bless them as they lay down their lives for one another!
A beautiful day…. Posted on September 7th, 2011
Today has been beautiful. The weather has finally cooled, the gusts of wind are blowing the corn in the fields that surround our home. The sky is full of clouds with bits of sun peeking through. The smell of concord grapes cooking is filling the house getting ready to be made into jelly. Low-sugar jelly made with coconut sugar, sweet bliss. Music has been playing…some of our favorites. And now a new favorite has been added to the playlist, at least this version. Enjoy.
Growing in Wisdom: Food + Give-Away Posted on September 5th, 2011
One of the areas that I have needed to grow in wisdom has been our diet. For most of our lives our family has eaten a typical Standard American Diet. When we saw our parents’ health decline several years ago, we made a few changes, mainly by making our own whole-wheat bread from freshly ground wheat berries. Oh, that was so good and satisfying!
Then about a year and a half ago something came along and rocked our world……………….read the rest over at Raising Homemakers and enter to win one of my favorite books, Health for Godly Generations by Renée DeGroot
Homemade Embroidery Pattern Posted on August 26th, 2011
A few days ago I saw this embroidery design and thought it was so sweet I wanted to make something similar. So, I enlisted the help of Breezy to make a special pattern that I could embroider. Oh, it is so lovely! I can’t wait to get started on it.
Thank you, Breezy! I hope you enjoy your kale chips in return. :)
Tutorial: How to Make a Nine-Patch Pillow Posted on August 19th, 2011
Spending time with our daughters while teaching them to sew (or learning along side them) is so rewarding. First of all you get the opportunity to spend that important time together, second you are teaching them a skill that they can use their entire life, third you teaching more than sewing you are teaching perseverance, patience, diligence, etc. Fourthly, you are helping them to learn to be creative!
Join me over at Raising Homemakers today for a tutorial on making one of my daughters’ favorite projects when they were little.