Love These Stair Steps!

Here are Seven Quick Takes just for fun:

1. I just love seeing my little stair step girls playing together. It is so much fun having three so close in age. They all love playing babies, house, and hearing stories.

2. Today we officially finished reading our My Father's World history for this school year. We school year around, but we wrapped up the Rome to the Reformation history cycle that we have been on. Next school year's cycle will take us into early American history.

3. I came across this quote from Martin Luther that I thought was powerful. "God created the world out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us."

4. Yesterday we came home from church to find that our Mama kitty had delivered ANOTHER litter of kittens. She had six kitties again all along the same color spectrum as last time. They range from a peachy color to orange. When we got home the children discovered them. They were still wet, so they were very new. Today I noticed that they all have umbilical cords. New life is just an incredible miracle that never ceases to amaze me. Speaking of new life, I finally watched Lilly Faith's birth on video this past week. Can I say it brought tears to my eyes? What a precious gift she has been to us!

5. Lilly Faith is taking baby steps. She is just adorable to watch. She has been using every kind of step stool, toy car, bench, etc. that she can find to push around the house. She smiles when we carry on over her efforts to walk.

6. Over the summer I have been doing a study with the children highlighting different character traits we want to embrace as a family. We focus on one trait each week. This week we are talking about being content and not coveting what others have. These character building lessons have been convicting to my own heart as I try to disciple my children.

7. Have you ever changed your phone number and then changed it back to the original number? Well, that is exactly what we did this week. I'm telling you there is never a dull moment out here. We changed to get better internet service, but after changing the phone we were informed that the new company could not provide us with internet service. They had signed us up for it but then changed what they originally told us. So, we are currently down to only one working phone in the house until some wires are rearranged. Isn't that crazy??? Yea, life is crazy sometimes but we have a lot to be thankful for.

Seven Quick Takes

Hello Friends, we have had a busy week as usual. Here is a seven quick takes for this past week:

1. Our precious baby girl turned one last Friday. Matt was able to take the day off, so that Annagrace and I could take Lilly Faith for pictures. She did great, and we got cute shots. After that we ate Chick-fil-a, and it happened to be cow day, so we received a free sandwich. I had to wear a cow hat to the register in order to qualify, but the girls loved the hat, and I loved the free sandwich.

2. Today we tried to take a family swim, but just as we got everyone into the pool it started thundering. Of course we got no rain, but Daddy wisely led everyone out of the water for safety. Therefore, we went upstairs and started the project of moving Lauren out of the little girl's room back into her own room. Abbie Joy recently started climbing the latter and took a fall this past week off of the latter. This resulted in a bad bruise on her leg. We decided we should separate the beds. It actually has worked out really nice. I think everyone was excited about the new arrangement.

3. I read this quote by C.S. Lewis and liked it, "If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad."

4. My husband is currently playing with my cell phone trying to decide which alarm to set so that I can wake up for VBS
tomorrow. He is having fun playing the different options. There is even a rooster sound that can wake you up or a woman singing, "Goodmorning." I opted for neither of those.

5. I am reading One Thousand Gifts by Anna Voskamp. It is a beautifully written book urging the reader to see all the beauty in the simple things. To cultivate a heart of gratitude and to see the things we often miss because we are too busy to notice. I have not finished but have been really moved by this book so far.

6. Matt and I are attending a Sunday School class on church history. Right now we are studying the church in the middle ages. It is very fascinating, and we are learning a lot. It helps to bring clarity when you understand the church through the ages and different heresies that have popped up over and over. It makes it easier to discern when those same heresies resurface in our current culture.

7. Want to know one of my favorite laundry tips? Dawn dishwashing soap lemon scent. That stuff is a miracle on oil stains. You can put some on a oil spot, let it sit, and then wash. It works miracles. Now that my oldest is a little baker I find tons of oil stains on her shirts. It is not a problem with my handy bottle of Dawn lemon scented dish soap. :) Have a good week, everyone!

Baby, How You Have Changed!

My Sweet Baby Girl turned one today! It is hard to believe that one year ago today I cradled a newborn baby in my arms, and now that baby is trying to walk, trying to talk, and loves to get around. Her name is Lilly Faith, and I love to think of her as my sweet flower. My prayer is that, as she grows, she will "Spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere." – II Corinthians 2:14
Today Annagrace and I took her to the mall and had her picture taken. Here are a few shots as well as a picture from a year ago.

Remembering the First Year

I am feeling a bit nostalgic tonight remembering that one year ago tonight I was preparing to get up the next morning and go into the hospital for Lilly Faith's induction. She will be turning one tomorrow. This year has absolutely flown by, and I love my baby girl so much. She adds such a sweetness to our family. Here are some pictures of her first year, and hopefully I will post more tomorrow.

"AND YOU Will KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE." - John 8:32






Happy Fourth of July! Today I spent time with my oldest and youngest daughters going shopping. After that I went swimming with my oldest. Tonight our dear Daddy grilled burgers for us, and we played outside. Due to the burn ban we made our own fireworks with silly string. We also enjoyed sidewalk chalk and LOTS of BUBBLES! Towards the end of the evening I enjoyed a walk up the road with my precious two year old. She is talking in full sentences and says the cutest things. Tonight she observed the cracks in the road and informed me that the road is broken. :) Happy Fourth to you all!

Seven Quick Takes

It has been awhile since I did a Seven Quick Takes but here goes:

1. We are all SEVEN of us currently sniffly. Lilly Faith has been teething over the past week, and Daddy and Mama have had many rough nights. Now we all have a cold. It really makes you appreciate the times when the family is well.

2. After two estimates from two different companies we have decided to bite the bullet and have shutters put in all the windows. After a year of many windows with no coverings we are finally going to have privacy in our home. That is a good thing. I am grateful.

3. I have been reading through II Kings about the many kings whose hearts were not turned towards the Lord. Some of the kings did have hearts turned towards the Lord but did not tear down the high places. It makes me ponder our own christian culture and how many times we as believers love the Lord and yet still have "high places of idolatry in our lives." It is a good self check.

4. What has the Lord been teaching me lately? Well, I really think He is showing me that curriculum is a good, helpful resource in our homeschooling adventure but not the most important thing. If you look at Detuteronomy 6 it says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul an with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them DILIGENTLY to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
This is what the Lord asks His people to teach their children; the ways of the Lord. I am finally realizing that God's Word should be the core of our curriculum that everything else flows out of. I have leaned too heavily on curriculum and worried too much about what curriculum I should purchase, etc. I have worried if I have not completed the whole program in its entirety. Many times we have rushed through Bible to get to "SCHOOL." The Lord is challenging me in this area and showing me that if we "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness ALL THESE THINGS will be added." Matt 6:33. In way of application I am finally seeing our time in God's Word, at the start of our day, as THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. We are taking that time to read His Word, work through character building books, sing our hymn of the week, and talk to God about what is going on in our family. Yes, it is taking time and perseverance to get through all of that when so many other things are calling, but I am finding it very rewarding. I am seeing fruit and encouraged by it.

5. Lilly Faith will be turning one year old on Friday. I do not know where the year went, but I do know that she is such a precious gift from the Lord. I love her gentle sweetness.

6. I have been reading the Duggars new book "A Love That Multiplies." There have been many very helpful and practical ideas in it. The thing I LOVE is their emphasis on teaching their children to love God, know His Word, and serve others. They are an amazing family, and the Lord has given them an incredible platform to share their faith with the world.

7. Some of our Crepe Myrtle trees and bushes have begun blooming this past week. We planted them after Christmas, and it is so exciting to see the beautiful blossoms. One of those little joys in life when we take the time to really see.

Have a blessed week, everyone!

Questions to Ponder

There are clear cut, black and white areas in Scripture and then there are areas that are not so clearly defined. Sometimes it is hard to know where to land on those "gray areas."
I recently heard a message by John MacArthur that had some wise insights on how to discern right from wrong and how to make wise beneficial decisions. I thought I would share some of his points. He said it is good to ask the following questions when trying to evaluate what is wise and best.

Will It Be Spiritually Profitable?

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything."

The question I should ask myself should not be, "Can I do this and get away with it. Rather I should ask, "Will this be spiritually profitable?"

The next question is, "Will this build me up?" Will this thing, activity, etc. build my spiritual strength? Some things are beneficial and some are just a waste of time. Life is short, so it is wise to use my time on things that build me up and further God's kingdom purposes.

"Will it slow me down in the race?"

"Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith." Hebrews 12:1-2

"Will it bring me into bondage?" Will this thing bring me into an imbalance in some area in my life or become an idol to me?

The answers to these questions may vary for different people and circumstances. These questions are a good guide on those gray areas where believers differ on their personal convictions. We can each take these questions before the Lord when evaluating any given situation or thing in question.