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Roller Coaster Faith 2007-06-19 02:46:41 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. He is a double‑minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:6;8
Have you ever experienced “roller coaster faith”? James calls it being double minded. One minute we are confident in what God is going to do for us and in us, and the next we are questioning whether it was really God or not. I truly believe that God is going to do what we are believing for, but when the facts say otherwise, well this is the real challenge isn’t it?
There is a difference between facts and truth. Facts are what you see in front of you. The unpaid bills scream at you of insecurity, the failed marriage says you will be alone, or the everyday struggles of being a mom says you are not able to be the woman you want to be. The truth is what God says about the facts. The truth says God knows the bills we have, and He will provide for us. “Therefore take no though Read more:Roller
, Coaster
, Faith
, Roller Coaster
Journey’s With Kelly…A Marathon Adoption of Epic Proportion 2007-06-18 06:43:10 The Meeting of a Sleep Deprived Mom and an Amazing New Son
Hello readers. I’m glad you’re are back to read another installment of the journey to bring Mitchell Feri home. I trust that as you read about my journey to meet him for the first time that you will see through this mom’s eyes what meeting an older child is like.
Early on a cold November morning, I unload my bags that I have stuffed to the gills with “stuff” for my boy. I have never been packed so efficiently. (That in part due to my wonderful friend, Melanie, who literally packed my suitcase for me.) I was too frazzled from moving across town to even think about how to pack. I could not wait to get on the plane just so I could sleep. The anxiety of leaving my oldest child behind for 11 days in brand new surroundings was at the forefront of my mind, but it did not override the excitement of knowing that I would see my 2nd child in just 48 hours.
As I greeted the other people that were comin Read more:Journey
, hellip
, Marathon
, Adoption
, Proportion
, Marathon Adoption
Calling All Smartmoms! 2007-06-25 02:53:07 My friend Andrea sent me her Cafemom blog, and I really love the concept. It is like a myspace specifically for moms. It is so simple to create your own page. So if you want to have a voice on the internet, and a way for family and friends to keep up with you and your family then check out cafemom. I think you will enjoy it. Check out mine by clicking the image below!
1smartmom321
Check out my profile at CafeMom
Read more:Calling
Fun Friday…God is Exhausted 2007-06-22 02:21:51 A little boy comes home from church one day and seems very concerned. “Mom, we need to pray for God”.
“Why do we need to pray for God, son?”
“Because mom, God is tired all the time, and we need to pray for him.”
A little confused the mother asks,
“What makes you think God is tired, sweetie?”
“Well in church today we kept singing ‘He is exhausted, the Lord is exhausted on High’ ”
You have to love children’s perspective! Have a great weekend! Read more:Friday
, hellip
Life. Live It Well. 2007-06-28 05:36:20 I wanted to share this inspiration with you today. My husband, Ben, created this as a reminder to us that adversity is on the road to success, and you should never give up. If you are going to live life, live it well!
P.S.- The song was written and performed by Ben as well.
For the Husbands! 2007-06-27 02:45:18 The best gift a father can give his children is to love their mother.
I know this blog is geared towards moms. However today I would like to help some dads/husbands out with helping out mom/wife. I believe most husbands want to make their wives happy but they are not sure what to do. While some wives, such as me, does not mind spelling it out for him, others will not. Thus I wanted to give some ideas for guys to show their wives love, to help them out without the wife saying it.
Dr. Kevin Leman says “Sex Begins in the Kitchen”. In other words, it is an all day affair of showing love. It is not deciding to turn on the charm at 10 oclock at night when your wife is exhausted. So here are some ideas that will bless her socks off. (and maybe her clothes! )
Small chores you can do:
-Take out the trash without being asked (5 minutes)
- Unload the dishwasher without being asked (5 minutes)
- Clean the kitchen after dinner. Do not put this off, do it right after dinner (20 minutes Read more:Husbands
Delayed But Not Denied! 2007-06-26 02:58:46 I had a comment on my post “Never Pray For Patience”, and I wanted to share her comment and my response:
“I watched Evan Almighty, and will not forget the line when Morgan Freeman (playing God) says “if you pray for patience, God will not give you patience, but opportunities to be patient.” This really hit home with me. I admit I have prayed for patience. But I have also prayed for God to do His will in my life. My question now is: when you’re waiting on something you want in life, to move or get a job, or the like, how do you know whether God is giving you the opportunity to be patient, or whether it is not His will? When do you “give up?” because surely it is not wise to continue to expect something that is not God’s plan for your life. Do you have to want nothing to be mature? Do I have to give up on my desires for them to happen? That is depressing to me.”
The Bible says that He will give us the desires of our he
Avoiding Information Overload 2007-07-02 02:06:28 How many emails are in your in-box? How many magazines are in your “to-read” (or sift through again) pile? How many blogs or information websites do you peruse on a daily basis–just for fun? Between magazines, blogs, websites, e-zines, pod-casts, books, newspapers, and T.V. shows, information overload is almost inevitable. It’s simply impossible to get through a single day without being flooded with new (and often exciting) information. The information is exciting because we seek out information on topics that interest us. You subscribe to e-zines on organizing because you’re interested in organizing. Right?
So while all this information is exciting–it comes with a bit of baggage: the information you collect represents to-dos on your mental to-do list. When you collect information, you collect tasks you want to do or feel you should do, even if that to-do is as simple as digesting the information in the newsletter or e-zine. Information overload sets
Fun Friday: For Those Who Don’t Cook 2007-06-29 05:49:29 I have heard some say they can not cook, well unless this is you there is hope. Otherwise, live close to where they deliver!
Have a great weekend!
A Blonde Diary
DEAR DIARY:
It’s fun to cook for Tom. Today I made angel food cake. The recipe said beat 12 eggs separately. The neighbors were nice enough to loan me some extra bowls.
Tom wanted fruit salad for supper. The recipe said serve without dressing. So I didn’t dress. What a surprise when Tom brought a friend home for supper
A good day for rice. The recipe said wash thoroughly before steaming the rice. It seemed kind of silly but I took a bath anyway. I can’t say it improved the rice any.
Today Tom asked for salad again I tried a new recipe. It said prepare ingredients; lay on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving. Tom asked me why I was rolling around in the garden.
I found an easy recipe for cookies. It said put the ingredients in a bowl and beat it. There must have been something wrong with this recipe. When Read more:Friday
Keeping the Toys Under Control 2007-07-05 02:27:36 I don’t know about you, but I would say the hardest part of cleaning up has always been the toys! If I would get one room clean, and return in a few moments, the kids would have dragged toys back into it again. My proud accomplishment over in a few moments.
Recently when we visited some friends of ours we noticed they had a rule in their house. “Toys remain in the bedroom or the playroom” My first reaction was, “For real?” I did not see how it was possible to have that rule. I saw how all night, not only did their children abide by the rule, but my daughters had no problem with it. I told Ben this was a novel idea we had to try!
The next day we explained the rules to Emily and Anna, and moved all toys into their room. In our home they do not have a play room, but their shared bedroom is twice the size of an average child’s bedroom, so their is plenty of play room. Plus the room is right by the living room, so they are never too far away. It has Read more:Control
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! 2007-07-04 02:21:35 I am going to be with my family today! I am going to worship God and remember why I have that Freedom. I am going to pray for the families who do not have their loved ones with them as I do, because they are making the sacrifices to provide us with the freedoms we have! Thank you to all of our soldiers! Thank you to the families who wait for their safe return!
Happy Fourth of July
If you liked this post, click here to buy me a coffee!
Community: Let’s Have Coffee 2007-07-03 02:56:09 I love Starbucks! It is my all time favorite place to go. If I need a break, or need a place to just sit and talk with a friend it is my first choice of meeting place. Why? Because Starbucks does not just sell coffee, they sell a feeling, a feeling of community.
The company knows that emotion, not logic, powers the decision to pay $3.22 for a double-tall latte, extra hot with a shot of sugar-free vanilla. The company’s campaign turns coffee into community. . It’s a place without the stresses of the home or the office, a neutral ground where there are always “friends” behind the counter. In our largely impersonal, digital and ethereal world, returning to the homey confines of one’s own Starbucks, staffed with people who care enough to remember something about us, provides a primal human connection.
John D. Markman
John Markman is right. Starbucks makes millions not on coffee but on a basic need that God has put in each of us, yet so many lack. We have inter Read more:Coffee
But God… 2007-07-09 07:42:52 You’re not the only ones plunged in these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ - eternal and glorious plans they are! - will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes He does. (1 Peter 5:9-11 Message)
“Ouch!” she exclaimed. “Mommy it hurts.” The mother stood over her daughter, tears flowing down her own cheeks as the doctor poked the needle in her. “I know baby but it will be over soon, I promise.” The daughter is not convinced that mommy is on her side. She knows that most of the time mommy seems to do everything to make her life happier. But at the moment, as mommy holds her down on the table actually helping this man inflict pain on her, she is not sure. She doubts her mother’s love. You see, this little girl does n Read more:hellip
Chicken Casserole 2007-07-06 07:27:22 A family favorite my aunt Doris created. It is the most requested around our family for her to cook.
Ingredients:
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of celery
3-4 chicken breasts
Mueller’s Dumpling Noodles
Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
1 8 oz. Cream Cheese (Softened at room temp.)
16 oz. Sour Cream
Directions
1) Boil Chicken
in Broth, remove from broth and let cool. Shred.
2) Boil Noodles in the Chicken Broth/Drain
3) Mix all ingredients (except stuffing) together.
4) Place the mixture in Casserole
dish, and top with Stuffing.
5) Cook at 350 degrees until edges bubble and stuffing is browned. (Appr. 15- 20 minutes)
Tips:
-Take out cream cheese earlier and let it soften at room temp. Or I lay it on the top of the stove while it is pre-heating.
- If you double the recipe, it takes no more time, and you can freeze the extra dish for another day. It defrosts and heats up beautifully.
- It can also be prepared a day or two in advance and kept in
Fun Friday!… Women That Make Us Laugh 2007-07-13 02:47:40 Today I share some great women’s quotes. Some will make you think (a little) . Most will make you laugh. Have a great weekend!
“Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.”
Caryn Leschen
“Every time I close the door on reality it comes in through the windows.”
Jennifer Unlimited
“I’m not going to vacuum ’til Sears makes one you can ride on.”
Roseanne Barr
“Inside every older person is a younger person — wondering what the hell happened.”
Cora Harvey Armstrong
“I refuse to think of them as chin hairs. I think of them as stray eyebrows.”
Janette Barber
“My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being, hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.”
Erma Bombeck
“The phrase “working mother” is redundant.”
Jane Sellman
If you liked this post, click here to buy me a coffee! Read more:Friday
, hellip
, Women
Helping Your Child to Read. 2007-07-12 02:21:09 My daughter, Emily, is a month from starting Kindergarten. She is very bright, and loves for us to read to her. She has been to pre-school, and is very prepared for kindergarten. However, as I have several friends that are school teachers and their kids are already reading, I wanted to know what is the secret in giving them the edge.
Unanimously I have heard that I must own the BOB books. You can pick these up most anywhere. What are the BOB books? Well, they are a series of early reader books. They average about $15-$20 for a set. They are comparative to the Dick and Jane early readers. (You can click the link above to visit their site and learn more.)
The next thing I was told was that I needed to focus on the “sight words”. These are the words that cannot be sounded out or pronounced, such as the word “the”. It is a word that you must simply memorize by sight, thus the term “sight words”. There are 100 sight words that are primary to their early r Read more:Helping
Organizing Arts and Crafts 2007-07-11 02:05:13 One of the most difficult things for me to organize has been the arts and crafts. You want certain things available to them that they can pull out anytime, but some things need to be monitored, such as paints and play dough. I created this cabinet to keep all their arts and crafts supplies in. Still, Emily would toss things in there haphazardly, as kids do, and I would constantly have to go through what was good and throw out what was bad. Plus, allowing them to get to the crayons would give them access to untouchable things, as well. ( I have “Do-A-Dot” Art on my walls as a result!)
Here was my solution:
1) I used our Computer Armoir that we no longer use for the computer anymore. (But even shelves will do).
2) I bought these snapware containers for $6 at Big Lots. You see, each container snaps to the other, so it is not easily accessible to my girls. Each thing is separated and organized, yet you can use the height space here. If you pull one thing out, that is the only t Read more:Crafts
Trial or Temptation? 2007-07-10 02:16:55 Don’t let anyone under pressure to give into evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give into evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare up of our own lust. (James 1:13-14 TM)
Yesterday I talked about the pressures of life that challenge us, the spiritual refining process that we all go through. It is true that these times are real, and that as James said we should not try to get out of the process until it is completed so that we can be mature and well-developed. Yet, James also warns us of not confusing the difficult times of the refining process with the temptation of our own hearts. This is what I wanted to be sure to be clear about. No confusion.
God will never “refine” you through leading you into sin. Just as a parent will not lead their child to disobey them to teach them or bring them into maturity. Peter says “If Read more:Trial
Clean and Clutter Free, So I Can Be Me 2007-07-16 07:54:15 Hello again. Last months post was about the meeting between my 2nd son and I had hoped to continue the story of our visit this month, but alas, life has kept me busy this summer. I thought I would just take a few moments to share about what God is saying in my life’s journey.
Summer is typically a time when I let things go around the house. Have tons of “hang out” days with my boys. Plan our week of family vacation. You know, the usual summer stuff. Unless you count reading home school catalogs by the pool as something constructive, I lead a fairly leisurely life during this time of year.
However, this summer God has been speaking to me about getting some things cleaned up and cleared out, in a very literal sense. The journey I have been on is one of clutter and the most unorganized part of my life journey to date. I had to search for the phone number to call the lady I have hired to come help me “dig out”. Thank the Lord she comes tomorrow. Str Read more:Clean
Just A Spoonful Of Mom’s Experience 2007-07-18 02:15:00 As a new mom, or even an experienced mom, we can sometimes find ourselves in a panic when our children are sick. The following are a few things I have learned along the way. Please feel free to add your comments (by clicking the comment button at the bottom) to add what you have learned that you did not know before.
~ When a fever spikes the best thing you can give your child is Tylenol (acetaminophen). If the fever is spiking before you can administer Tylenol again, try “piggy backing” it with Motrin (ibuprofen). This means if you give them Tylenol and it cannot be given again for 4 hours, but the fever is spiking again after 3 hours, then give them Motrin. The Motrin will more than likely be an 8-hour dosage, but you will be able to give the Tylenol again before the Motrin. If their fever is this bad however, you need to call the doctor; this is not a teething fever. This treatment is only to keep them comfortable.
~ While I am typically conservative with medicines, I
The Land of Just Enough! 2007-07-17 02:47:56 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would really obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people need more than bread for their life; real life comes by feeding on every word of the Lord. For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell. So you should realize that just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you to help you. (Deut. 8:2-5 NLT)
The last few weeks, I have been talking about struggles. Tests, trials, and tribulation, all things that develop our character, and our relationship with God. This has all been an outpouring of what I have been experiencing. We know we are in a season where God is providing just enough. It seems that God Read more:Enough
Fun Friday … Kids Say the Darndest Things! 2007-07-20 02:55:06 Today I thought I would share a funny story about a conversation with my daughter Emily. Let me set this up by saying two of my dearest friends, Melanie(28) and Shay (almost 33, Sorry girl ) are both single and have never been married. Because they are very close to me, like sisters I have grown up with, my girls are close to them and hear a lot about their single status. On a different subject, anytime Emily begins to grumble about what she does not have, we always make her tell us the things she is grateful for, and tell her that not everyone has all she has. Not everyone has a home, not everyone has parents, etc. You get the picture.
Now to tie the two together &hellip
;
The other night as Ben and I were spending time with Emily, watching TV, out of the blue she decides to tell us what she wants to be when she grows up:
“When I grow up I am going to build a building, with bricks.”
“You are? What for?”
“Well, it is going to be for poor people of all k Read more:Friday
Spending Time With Our Kids, Seems Easy Right? 2007-07-19 06:53:44 As a Stay at home mom we assume we have plenty of time to spend with our children. We are not like the working mom who comes home and must set aside specific time with her child if she is going to nurture that relationship. We are with them all the time, right? Yet being with them, and spending time with them are two separate statements.
One mom describes a day with her children to me recently. They went to the gym for an hour, came home and she played ball with them, and she spent the entire morning in the pool with them just the three of them. She spends time in the afternoon working with her daughter on reading. ( Her daughter is not in kindergarten and reading very well) And yes, before you say it… her house was clean with no maid. Probably because they have not been inside pulling out the toys all day.
I have to admit that I am guilty of finding that most days I have been with my kids and not spent time with them. I keep them active, we go to the park or the swimming pool Read more:Spending
, Right
The Pains Of Expectancy 2007-07-23 02:20:03 All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s spirit is right along side helping us along. (Romans 8:22-26 TM)
Whether you have been pregnant or not, we can relate to being pregnant. Some love being pregnant. I myself hated it. I threw up for three months. I wanted to strangle the person who made this time of pregnancy out to be just a little sickness in the morning. However, the end Read more:Pains
Thankful Thursday 2007-07-26 02:10:49 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. Psalm 100:4
I have not written a “ThankfulThursday
” in a while, so I thought today I would.
I am thankful for rainy Sunday afternoons. (I am actually writing this on a Sunday afternoon. Everyone is taking a nap, and my husband has piano music playing. It is the most peaceful I have felt in awhile!)
I am thankful for rainy Summer days. It is always a perfect day. (The air is a little cool inside, and you can curl up with your kids and watch a good movie, or read some great books. Don’t forget the cozy blanket, and the hot tea. Mmmmm!)
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. (1Chronicles 16:8 NIV)
I am thankful for my wonderful husband. I have said it before, but it bears repeating. He is always supportive of wherever my dreams take me, brings calm to my emotions, and truly appreciates me and value
Healing Your Mind 2007-07-25 07:17:25 I was listening to Joyce Meyers the other day. She was speaking about changing your thinking, and changing your negative words. She said she grew up in a very negative home. She thought that being negative was normal. As God began dealing with her on the power of her words, she knew she had to change her thoughts, and what she was declaring over her life. She decided to take action.
Now, I have written about Ben and my “dream board”. (click the link to read more) , Joyce has taken it a step further. You may have heard this before: Write out the things you are believing God to do in your life. Here is an example from mine: “I want God to do a miracle in our finances, and I want to have more than enough so that I can be blessed and bless others.” Once you have written out what you are believing for, then you need to find scripture to back it up. Like Malachi 3:10-11 “Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provision in my temp Read more:Healing
“Questions” and Answers to Spanking 2007-07-24 02:59:38 Recently, on a social site I frequent, I read the following &ldquo
;questions&rdquo
; a mom was asking concerning spanking:
You know, the question of whether to discipline by physical means - slapping, smacking, spanking etc has been raised a few times lately. I am not judging anybody who chooses to use these means of discipline, however these are some questions that have been going round and round in my head today…
1. At what age do people decide it is ok to do this to their infant/child?
2. At what age would they cease doing this to their child/teenager?
3. How would they feel if somebody else disciplined their child in this manner?
4. Do they consider that if they did the same to their spouse - that it would be domestic violence?
5. What if they did it to someone outside the family - then it would be assault?
6. Have they tried alternative forms of discipline?
7. Don’t they worry that their children will fear them - not respect them?
8. When does spankin Read more:Spanking
Fun Friday: God’s Infinite Wisdom 2007-07-27 02:12:05 A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while wife stayed home with the kids. He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:
“Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife gets to stay at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please
allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen"
God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man’s wish.
The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as his wife.
He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, set out their
school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries, paid the bills and balanced the check book. He cleaned the cat’s litter box and bathed the dog. Then it was already 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop Read more:Friday
, Infinite
, Wisdom
The Refiner’s Fire. 2007-07-30 11:19:27 “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Malachi 3:3
I have heard this story before, but recently someone forwarded it to me. She had no idea that the refiner’s fire seems to be my life right now. Maybe it is yours, as well. Read this story and remember, Only the most precious of things must endure the refiner’s fire.
“This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what
this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and
get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her
interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire
and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to
hold the silver in the middl Read more:Refiner
From Angel’s Husband, Ben 2007-08-02 11:31:40 Angel is currently at the beach in Panama City, Florida with several of her girlfriends … enjoying some much-needed, and well-deserved vacation time.
There was supposed to be an article published this morning on 1SmartMom about peroxide being a miracle cleaner, but it looks like that post was completely empty! (Maybe when she gets back from the beach, she can share that tip with you.)
Instead, I would like to take this opportunity to brag on my wife a little bit …
Angel is the love of my life, my partner, my best friend, and my confidante. She is incredibly gifted in many areas, not least of which is being the most supportive and loving wife anybody could ever have! She believes in me and supports me in my dreams, but more importantly, she has stood by my side through some really tough stuff.
I believe that we strengthen each other … where I have a weakness in one area, she seems to be especially strong. When we are facing a problem, or going through “the ref Read more:Husband
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