License to Live

Does anyone on here remember that show Full House? That cute little girl who was the oldest sister? I recently saw an interview with her (video at the end of this post) and I was struck by something she said.

"What I realized was that because I had led such a good life and a moral life I did not see my need for God. I thought I was doing it very well on my own. And it wasn't until I was shown the ten commandments, and through the mirror of the 10 commandments reflected the sin in my heart. I thought I was so good because I wasn't doing drugs or an alcoholic so I thought the little sin that I was doing in my life wasn't anything compared to the big sin that other people were doing. And that I was using God's forgiveness as a license to live my life the way I wanted to. And when I saw the filth in my own heart and realized that God holds a higher moral standard than the word does, I saw my need for Him. I saw my need for Christ. And it was at that point through the gratitude of what Christ did on the cross for me, did I want to live a life that was pleasing for HIm. I wanted to walk the walk and live my life everyday for Him." - Candace Cameron Bure (bold mine)

What struck me was that this could be my children. I am raising my children in a Christian home. It can be very easy for them to think that because they are forgiven in Christ, they can live a life they way they want to. Without seeing a true NEED for Him. Without living FOR Him. VERY convicting even for myself. I know myself and I know there are times when I quench the Spirit and continue to do things (like blog or scrap) when I feel led to do something else. I too need to make sure that I acknowledge MY need for Him.

The rest of the interview is really good and I encourage you to watch it. What a wonderful testimony of how a husband can be won without words.

CUTE Vintage Sewing Cards FREE to download and FIREPROOF THE MOVIE

Vintage Sewing Cards and there are even vintage paper doll outfits you can print out too. WAY CUTE!!!

Now onto the weekend. YES! We got to see Fireproof this weekend! It was so funny because I was so scared we would NOT get tickets (I anticipated it being sold out). When my girlfriend and I got there, 30 minutes before the show, we had sent the husbands in ahead of us to obtain seats, I asked how crowded it was.

The guy laughed and said there were only two other people in there right now. My girlfriend laughed and said "those are our husbands." Thankfully as show time approached the theater filled out. There were empty seats, but only the "bad" seats. Almost every good seat was filled!

I was SO HAPPY we were able to support the movie on opening weekend. And hope you were too, but if you were not, there is still time to support the movie!! I will warn you BRING TISSUES! I had no tissues and I cried through the whole movie. (of course I cry at Hallmark commercials, but better safe than sorry - BRING TISSUES!) If you have seen the movie, let me know! If you go to see the movie LET ME KNOW!! I want to hear from you!!! :D

Current Web Readings

Periodic Table Videos
WAY cool!!!

Homemaking by Pamela Lancaster

Family-Centered Training After High School

Is The Shorter Catechism Worthwhile?

Felt Board Tutorial

Under Loving Command
Child training according to Scripture.

Pillowcase Backpacks
I LOVE finding new ways to use pillowcases! SO do a lot of others because I get more hits on this blog for my pillowcase dresses

Make Your Own Journals from Your Own Photos
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE!!! I am going to TRY to make at least one, but would LOVE to make these as Christmas gifts this year. AND what a GREAT way to put your Christmas letter out so it can be read al year?!?! Make the front and back cover pictures with captions about your past year?!?! GREAT gift for the grandparents who don't get to see enough of their grandkids. LOVE this!!!

Making Sticky Notepad Covers
Another cute gift idea

FIREPROOF your marriage

This weekend the movie Fireproof opens in theaters. This movie is done by the same people who brought you Facing The Giants.

I know finances are tight for most all of us, but PLEASE SUPPORT THIS MOVIE THIS WEEKEND!!

If this movie makes a lot of money this weekend, it allows the opportunity for it to open and show in more theaters across the country. This movie has such a wonderful ability to impact marriages that are hurting or in trouble. With the divorce rate now over 50% (even sadly among "Christians"), there is a desperate need for this movie to be in theaters.

The link above will show you clips from the movie, as well as help you find a theatre near you who is showing it.

New Math

OK, so I admit it. I am a math geek. I LOVE MATH! I wanted to be a math teacher until I got to Calculus in college. LOL! :)
I still took specialty classes in college (yes, I have my teacher's certification and degree in Interdisciplinary Studies). I can so totally relate to the NEW MATH!!! It is one of the reasons I love homeschooling math!!!

ENJOY THE VIDEO!!

Love Notes

A friend of mine posted about how she writes her children love notes. She said her kids LOVE them and it always encourages them and is a great way to tie heart strings with your kids.

I had the best intentions to do this with my kids, but always kept forgetting. Well a few nights ago, after a day where they kids were incredibly wonderfully sweet in spirit, I made SURE to write them each a letter. Since we have been trying lately to focus on the heart, I made sure to praise their sweet spirits.

I put all three notes on the floor so the girls would be sure to see them when they woke up. It was SO GREAT to wake up to giggles in the girl's room as I heard AA read everyone's letter to them. It really encouraged each of the girl's.

I am not sure that writing notes to the girls is something I will do every night. I don't want it to become something that they expect. But I definitely will be writing notes more frequently!

Cute Video

My children and I love this video.


If you want to listen to more songs and/or buy their CD, you can here.

Does the family look familiar? They should! :) They are Jewel's family from Eyes of Wonder

Current Web Readings

Family Fun Doll House
Made entirely of household items you prolly already have!!! This is SUCH A GREAT IDEA!!!

Clothespin World
Links all about making clothespin dolls. Would be GREAT for the house above! ALSO, image what a great gift it would be to put together a kit for your daughter to make her own! Include all the supplies and directions!

Clothespin Butterflies
MUCH simpler and easier to make for younger children. But SO BEAUTIFUL! I can imagine a room decorated with these!!!

Tutorials from Craft Pudding
These are GREAT! I especially love the button cover one!!!

Vintage Paper Dolls

Making Boxers From Old Pillowcases
Video and tutorial!

No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
YUMMO!!! There is a video too!!

Loving Notebooking

Praiseworthy Things
This blog is one I came across when the owner commented on my blog. This is a BEAUTIFUL blog and one I have added to my RSS Feed Reader!!! :)

Family Fun: Hymns with Kids

I love hearing my kids sign Amazing Grace! They also LOVE to sign Nothing But The Blood of Jesus.

A while back (a year ago?), I was learning a hymn a week. Learning all the verses. And I would sign them to the kids and they LOVED it.

But I recently read a wonderful post on hymn studies with kids. There are some great links there, which I won't repeat here.

I learned the hymns by visiting Cyber Hymnal. The music is not the best, it is MIDI (am I the only geek who knows what that is??), but it is enough to help you get the tune. And all the words are there. And there is almost ALWAYS a Bible verse scrolling along the top that goes perfectly with the tune. Sometimes a picture and also a little bit of history about the song.

Voddie Bauchman (you know what a fan of his I am, listen to the audiolink here for how Voddie uses hymns in his worship...it's in there) uses hymns in his family worship.

I found this video quite interesting. BE SURE TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING. In reading the comments on the video, it is clear that most people who get angry do because they didn't listen all the way through.


I love how Voddie put it, and how the video puts it. The point of singing praises to God is to PRAISE HIM. We should be singing music that encourages our walk with the Lord, teaches us about Him, and His will. Songs filled with His word and His truth. But a lot of the music out there today is feel good music. Music, that while Christian, is meant to make a person feel something, be it good or bad. And most hymns are not just songs that make us feel, but that draw us into a deeper relationship with the Lord.

I don't know. I think about it this way. (Again this is MY personal conviction on this!) Children learn through music SO EASILY! Think about it. I start singing "Two all beef patties special sauce..." And I am pretty sure 9 out of 10 people can finish that! My second daughter is really good about music. She can hear a song once and sing it (or at least hum it) after that. She can recognize most tunes after just a few notes. If music is an easy way to reach my children, and things they sign now they will remember into their adulthood, do I want it to be little songs and diddies that have no meaning, or do I want it to be songs that impart God's love for them? I take it back to two Bible verses:

Deuteronomy 6:6-8
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes."

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Bike-Schooling??

Yep. A couple of ordinary school teachers felt there were spending too much time with other kids and not enough time with their own. So they turned home schoolers and are now biking from the tip of Alaska to the tip of the South America with their ten year old twin boys!

Family on Bikes

I have always romanticized RV-schooling. And I really would LOVE to do that. But I do not think I could give up all my books! LOL! Or my dear dear friends!!! But I am hoping that one day, we can rent and RV and RV school Route 66! Wouldn't that be SO COOL! What better way to learn American history (math and science too!) Maybe someday when beloved gets so much money we don't know WHAT to do!! :D Hey, a girl can dream, can't she??

New England Primer

I love how back when our country was founded EVERYTHING was centered around the Bible. Even teaching the ABC's! Here are some links to the Primer that was used in every school. It has Bible verses and even a copy of the Westminster Shorter Castachism.

New England Primer - plain text, retyped from original

New England Primer a digital copy of an original, includes pictures

Primer from archive.org

Primer reprint of earliest known edition

A Must Read Book...

I got a letter in the mail yesterday talking about this book called
Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States By Benjamin Franklin Morris

This advertisement went on and on about how important this book is to read. How it shows that America was truly founded on Christian principles. They talked about how the book has long been out of print, but is now back in print and you should buy it from them blah blah blah.

Here is a bit about it from another site:

This book, which was out of print until very recently, is a reference that all American Christians should have. It uses original source documentation this makes an overwhelming case for the Christian foundations of our country. It was originally published in 1864. While the reading can be interesting, your primary use of it will be as a reference for discussions on whether our country was founded as a Christian nation.

So I went searching and found out that this book is public domain. I absolutely HATE it when someone finds a public domain book and republishes it and then charges a ton of money for it (almost $40!!!). I have no doubt this book is a great as they say. But I feel it is just WRONG to charge so much for something that is supposed to be FREE. The only reason someone should pay for this book is if they are doing it in support of the organization selling the book (or they really REALLY want it in a hardback format and don't want to read it online or print it out themselves).

I had the most difficult time finding a copy FREE online. So here it is. A FREE copy of Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States by Benjamin Morris

Jut click on the DOWNLOAD PDF link once you are there!

From Archive.org - my favorite source for out of print books (I don't know why I did not think to search there first)

From Google - downloadable and online searchable!!

GIVEAWAY - HOMEMAKING BIBLE STUDY

***UPDATED: THE WINNER IS STEPHANIE!
stephanie said...
This sounds so interesting as well as beneficial for me and my family.

Thanks
Stephanie
******


THIS POST WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP UNTIL GIVEAWAY!!!

Just comment below for your chance to win a Homemaking Bible study from Navpress!!

For an extra entry, post about it on your blog and come back and comment on this post.

Winner will be chosen Monday, September 15th.

Current Web Readings

Felt Garland
I LOVE LOVE LOVE ideas that use up little bits of this and that. This is a GRETA way to use up little bits of left over felt and embroidery floss/cross-stitch thread. Start NOW so you can be done in time for Christmas! This would be so FUN to make in front of a warm crackling fire (yes, it is cold enough here to get the fireplace going). :)

Tote-able Towel
This is THE BEST and EASIEST toteable towel pattern I have seen! A GREAT gift (can you tell I am looking for the last bits of Christmas gifts to make for this year?? LOL!!)!!

Five Stones Game
I LOVE Junie Moon's site! And she has put up the CUTEST example (with links to directions and instructions on how to play).

Sewing Blogs
As if I did not have enough time on my hands to read the over 2000 blogs I have in my feed reader, I find THE ULTIMATE LIST of sewing blogs. OH THE JOY!! So pretty, so many tutorials!

Change a Tank Top to a Onsie
This is a GREAT way to reuse and recycle!! Especially those hand me downs! HT: My Half of the Brain

Sew Accurate Seams
Seam guide to tape to your sewing machine to help you have PERFECT SEAMS! If you sew, you need this. Period. And it's FREE! HT: My Half of the Brain

Waterfall Card
This is so cool! HT: Suzical

Just Tutes
I was pretty sure I had shared this before, even RSS feeded it, but I must have lost it. This blog has several FREE patterns for cute CUTE things. I came here for her peasant blouse and stayed for all the other GREAT stuff she has!!!

Esther
WONDERFUL and Biblical insights into this wonderful woman and her life!

Voddie Bauchman on Sarah Paulin on CNN

YOU GO VODDIE!

Wow, it is AMAZING how people can twist Scripture. Voddie really brings back the truth.

Family Fun: Soapy Fun

My beloved is the best and bought me a recent copy of Mary Jane's newest book Outpost. I LOVE IT!! :)

There is a SUPER cute idea in there for guest soap for the bathroom.

Take a bar of soap and cut it into squares Take a cute fabric and tear it into strips. Tie each strip around each piece of soap. Place tied squares into a decorative dish or basket for guests to use.

This is something easy that the kids can help with. And imagine their joy when grandma uses the soap THEY tied and decorated!!

(Picture from Mary Jane's book - if you think THIS picture is cute, wait till you see her book!)

WELL, here is a video showing how to FELT all those little pieces of soap. This is a GREAT idea for using up little bits of leftover soap, or new soap. OR, cut up it up and felt it and place in a decorative dish or basket for your guests to use. Be sure to watch the end of the video. There is a CUTE idea for a girls party!! And what a great family fun project! Each girl can make their own felted soap (no more arguing over bars of soap in the tub! :)


Something else that is GREAT fun to do (which I **THINK** I have shared before, but I blab so much I have no idea if I have or not) for those who make their own soap...

Take your soap shavings before they are hardened (when you are shaping the soap) and put them all into one of those buckets you can get from the bakery (that they keep icing in). Then, have the girls reach in every so often to grab shavings and make their own shapes of soap! This is also great fun to do at birthday parties (ask me how I know!). Or for rainy days. My daughter made the letters L O V and E so I have a little soap dish filled with love from my daughter. :)

And if you do not make your own soap, maybe you know somebody who does who can give you their left overs! :)

Needle Felting

OH I am so excited to hear about this craft!!

I came across a video tutorial today which I think would be GREAT to make!

Part 1:

Part 2:

Changing The Heart of a Rebel

I LOVE listening to S.M. Davis. His stuff is convicting and empowering/encouraging at the same time. Right now I am listening to his Changing The Heart Of A Rebel sermon. This is good not only for those who have children who are rebelling, but those who want to PREVENT their children from rebelling.

Here are some personal notes:

The heart is the most important thing. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR CHILD's HEART!

First you lose their heart, then they harden their heart, then their heart is able to be stolen from you.
lost heart > hardened heart > stolen heart

What if you have lost their heart? WIN THEM BACK! The same things that allow others to steal your child's heart, can allow you to steal it back!

If you have lost your child's heart be careful not to HARDEN the child's heart! ANGER hardens the child's heart.

Fear of explosions of anger cause a child to withdraw into a shell and they take their heart with them.

DO NOT PROVOKE YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH. Ways to provoke a child to wrath:
criticising or needling the child
holding them to too high of a standard or having high expectations of them
they have to do too much to earn your praise
compare them to others
make them do something they are terribly afraid to do
don't communicate enough with them
spend too much time outside the home
watch TV too much
get buried in books (or computer) too often
don't listen to them

LISTEN to your child and then SPEAK KINDLY while touching them.

Proverbs 24:3 says a house is build by understanding. Seek to understand your child. Tell them you WANT to understand them. Don't belittle them because you think they are making a big deal about nothing. LISTEN to them. If it is important to them, IT IS IMPORTANT!

Meet your child's needs. Not just what you think their needs are, but what she shares her needs are. (personal note here, a few nights back, beloved asked each of the girls what they need - without having heard this sermon - and it was amazing to hear their answers. Things as simple as more hugs!)

Only the heart can keep the heart. The first thing to do at any sign of rebellion is not to get frustrated and pull away. You need to pull them CLOSER!! Stop being so critical and harsh. PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE! They need to feel accepted. Praise is like a powerful magnet drawing the heart of a child drawing the child to you. But criticism is like a polar magnet pushing them in the opposite direction. When praise or criticism is done in the presence of others it multiplies the effect, drawing them even closer or pushing them further and further away.

Once you get a heart back, have a heart check EVERY DAY! Make sure there are NO BARRIERS! Do something EVERY DAY to tie new heart strings between you and the child. Spend at least ONE HOUR A DAY with the child.

PRAISE THE CHILD!

You can listen to it yourself free online! Changing The Heart of a Rebel by S.M. Davis
There is also a fill in the blank worksheet from Dr. S.M. Davis
Or read it online Part 1 and Part 2

Hidden Freebies On Currclick

I found some unadvertised freebies!!

Be sure to go here and register (it is free) first, if you have not already done so. You need to be a member in order to download the freebies!

Popcorn Unit Study

Horse Portfolio Cover

Free Spelling Program

Free Sewing Unit

A Rose By Any Other Name

Dr. Seuss

Unit Study on Clocks

Family Worship and the Catechism

After listening to Voddie Bauchman, we have been teaching our children the children's catechism.

I must admit that when I heard families that I highly respected and admired using the Westminister Shorter Catechism with their children, I felt it was not for us. I wanted my children to have a personal relationship with the Lord and not just be pounded with these questions and answers.

But I HIGHLY encourage you to listen to this FREE ONLINE sermon of Voddie Bauchman. It really has changed my thinking. And even if you do not want to do the catachism, this is STILL something that every family should listen to.

I also found this great resource list online:
Teaching God's Word. It is for men to teach their families BUT it can just as easily be used for women. :) There is a set of flash cards for the Shorter Catechism there.

I also found an online game like memory for the Shorter Catechism. Click on the "activities" tab.

Current Web Readings

Gospel Quiet Book
This can easily be adapted for a Christian or even Jewish quiet book!

More Quiet Book Links
These are such a great idea for the younger ones to keep them busy in church or even the ride to the car. Not only that, you are teaching your children about God.

Indiana Jones Birthday Cake
So beloved (and I admit I am too) is a HUGE Indiana Jones fan. I even bought him Indiana JOnes pop tarts for his birthday! LOL!! I am SOOOO gonna have to make this cake for him next year for his birthday!

Doing Things Isn't Enough
A WONDERFUL read for those who feel they have to do. A quote from the article:

I propose that we are absolutely guaranteed to waste our lives if we live solely with the goal of accomplishing things. Yep, you read that right. If you learn Chinese before the age of twenty, move to China by age twenty-one, and become a full-time missionary in record time, what of it? Why would that matter at all? If you learn how to cook gourmet dinners with whole foods, graduate from with honors and start your own business, what would you have accomplished?

The accomplishments themselves are empty. They’re useless, and what’s more—they’re a waste of time and energy. That is, unless those actions are propelled forward by something deeper.

Bowl of Berries
Oh these cookies look so YUMMO!!! Gotta check it out!

Ribbon Hair Clips
These are so simple that it would be SO FUN to have kids make these at a birthday party as take home favors!

Hollyhock Doll Tutorial
The best I have seen yet!! THANK YOU FOR THIS!!

Dandelion Daisy Chain Tutorial
WONDERFULLY DONE!! This looks like so much fun!

As We Walk
Walking in faith and home schooling. I am so loving this blog!

A Whole Month Of Home Sewing

One of my favorite blogs, Sew Mama Sew is having a whole month of sewing for the home tutorials! Be sure to check it out!! :)

Family Fun: Sticker Tag

I wish I could take credit for this AWESOME idea!!

Sticker Tag

Missing Out

The other day I was on the phone with a dear friend whom I rarely get the pleasure of talking with. I heard giggles in the other room and promptly ended the call saying

I have to go. I hear giggles in the other room and I am missing out!

How many times do I get busy and miss out on enjoying my children? It is no wonder so many parents don't see children as a blessing. They are probably missing out on the joy children bring because they are busy with other things.

Maybe most parents would try to quiet the kids down, or leave the room so they could carry on the conversation.

What would matter most when I am on my death bed? That I put my kids aside so I could finish an edifying conversation with a friend, OR that I enjoyed time with my kids? I am creating a legacy with them every time we laugh together! And what a GREAT legacy!!!

I think there is something special to the phrase LAUGH OFTEN!

This layout below is an older one, but one I felt went perfectly with this post. It is from 2006! It is amazing to look back and see how TINY they were, and how even my then 3 year old, now 5 year old looks so much older!

image is clickable

Side Note:

You have to have to HAVE TO take just 2 minutes and go read Best Prayer!

Respect

I was listening to an Dr. S.M. Davis sermon (which one I cannot remember, I was half asleep when I heard it) and he mentioned respect.

He said that the reason we don't wear shorts to church is out of respect for others and respect for God. The reason to dress your children in nice clothes is out of respect for others and respect for each other and for the parents.

And I started to think about it. Is what I am wearing showing respect for my beloved? A lot of times I dress in clothes that are very VERY comfortable (i.e. way too large for me). So I asked Brian about it. He said that while he does want me to be comfortable, he really likes to see me in clothes that are form fitting. Not tight and "wow look at me." But clothes that are baggy are frumpy looking. And clothes that are a little more form fitting are just plain nicer. He feels respected when I wear nicer clothes like that.

He had never really thought about feeling respected by the clothes I wear before until after I mentioned it to him.

So we went through my closet and I got rid of most all my baggy clothes. I still have my box of maternity clothes. And I have a few not so baggy, but not form fitting and nice clothes for camping. It feels so good to have much less clothes cluttering up the closet (the dirty laundry room) and my mind (I have NOTHING to wear)! LOL!! Secondly, it feels so good to know that when I do grab something out of the closet to put on, it is something that will please my beloved and make him feel respected.

Now onto the children and THEIR closets!!! :D

Mom Said Wow

I feel horrible.

My daughter came and showed me something that daddy had just taught her. She did it all by herself. She was so excited. I was excited for her and said "Wow! That's great honey." but I guess my mind was focused elsewhere.

She ran back to Daddy exclaiming with perfect happiness "Mommy said ... Mommy said WOW!"

It's the pause that gives me pause. (sorry, I had to do it) But seriously, why did she pause? I had to think about it. Why, out of all the things I could have said to her, did I say something so simple and unfeeling as "wow"?? A word that was not even around to be defined in Webster's 1828 Dictionary!

I need to increase my vocabulary! :D And guess which cute little youngsters will be doing it right along with me?! :D This will be fun! :) I plan on printing out a short list (maybe 20) of words that show a lot more care and concern than just "wow" for the excitement and joy that my daughters bring me when they share their life with me.

Current Web Readings

A Change Of Mind
A good reminder on how to be JOYFUL as a mother (of one or of many). WONDERFUL must read post!

Free Crochet Patterns
Fond this on Ravelry (Rebecca are you signed up for this yet?) Anyways, a VERY popular pattern for the socks (scroll down once on the page) brought me to this page, but she has this cute little collection of patterns for beginning kids!! Just scroll down to the almost bottom. :) FUN FUN FUN!

The Children's Hour
This is a list of books that are highly recommended by a highly respected preacher. I have been very pleased with all the recommendations I have seen so far, and really enjoyed his other blog.

Ugly-Beautiful and the Follow-up with pictures
How to take the ugly and se the beautiful. A wonderful post. I really liked the follow-ups with pictures. GREAT examples!!!

ABC Fabric Magnets
Oh it does not get ANY cuter than this!! What a GREAT way to use up your stash! These would make AWESOME Christmas gifts for young ones and would be pretty quick and easy to make! :) LOVE these!!!

Planner From Old Book
Check out this ADORABLE planner made from an old French Lesson book!!!

No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Oh how I LOVE my cast iron!! I MUST try this!!

Sally Stitch
These are GREAT! Vintage sewing cartoons!!! HT: My Half Of The Brain

Chalkboard Placemat Tutorial
This is PURE GENIUS!! What a GREAT thing to make and take when you are going out to eat! I know what I want for Christmas!! 5 of these!! LOL!!!

Sponge Balls
What a GREAT alternative to water balloons! AND reuseable (the balloons aren't).