Have contempt for contempt...

I'll come right out and say it...

I like to argue.

No, not really.  

But I've been told that I do.

Actually, I just like to be right....

and coincidentally, since I'm the domestic leader of my home, what I say goes!!

Momma IS always right.

Does this sound familiar?

Oh boy...does this resonate with me!  I don't like to argue.  Really, I don't.  Yet my mouth gets in my way more often then not.  Especially at home.  And with the ones I love the most.

I have to note here that my husband is a patient and very quiet spirit.  

He has to be to put up with me...

and stay!

Praise Jesus, He blessed me with such a man.

 

Mommy's get tired.  We get burned out.  We carry the weight of the world and every emotion in it on our shoulders.  With work and chores and meals and cleaning and laundry and teaching and raising and baths and discipline and dishes....

So when daddy gets home

"Take the kids.  They're all yours.  I'm taking a bath.  Don't bother me."

"And while you're at it...unload the dish washer, take out the trash, walk the dog and don't even so much as complain about it because if you had had the day I've had..."

Again, I ask, does this sound familiar?

 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

~Ephesians 4:29

So often I totally overlook the day that my husband has had because I'm only focused on the day I'VE had.  And in the moment he comes home, the day that I've had is all that matters in my mind.

That's how being right (being selfish) can land me in an argument.

That's how my totally stressful, overworked day, can turn into crap really quick.

For what?

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

~Titus 2:3-5

The truth is you may not enjoy arguing per se, but when you just have to get that point across, or cut that ugly glance, or have that last word or boss, that's what you're doing...you're stirring an argument.

I'm reading a book and it's theme is so simple, but is so hard for us humans to master in a lot of ways.

"Have contempt for contempt."

con·tempt(per dictionary.com) is : 1) the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless; disdain; scorn. 2) the state of being despised; dishonor; disgrace.

This is a challenge.

But I'm inviting you along with me to have contempt for...

attitude, being right, feeling sorry, nagging.

I'm encouraging you to have contempt for...

the contempt our behavior may create in our husbands and children towards us.

It's a two way street you know.

A vicious cycle if we allow it to be.

Because life is a blessing.  Marriage is a rich union ordained by God and you are your husband's partner for life.  There is no greater gift then children and they learn by our actions.

And we honor God when we are living in obedience to Him as well as to our families.

Dear Jesus,

My morning was a relatively peaceful one, Lord.  Thank you for that.  But so many mornings or days or evenings are not.  Dear God, that is of my own doing.  It is of my own indiscretions and my prayer is that no matter the day or what's going on in it, that you will stir my heart with this message, Lord.  Please remind me to have contempt for contempt.  To cling to you in everything.  To be a blessing to my dear husband and precious children.  And no matter the day's emotional climate, to be thankful for ALL that you have allowed me to live out and experience.

I love you.

I'm sharing this as part of Motivate Me Mondays over at Fifth Street Palace

as well as 

Make Your Home Sing Mondays over at Mom's the Word.

Check them out!

Would you help me get to 100 followers??
My goal is to reach that (or more) by May 17th!!

I think we can do it!

And to give you a little extra incentive, on that day ALL of my followers will be entered in a really super, Fantabulous Giveway (details later so stay tuned)!! It might include something pretty and kitchen-y :)!!

 Be a blessing today,

DIY Party Favors: Bookmarks

With Emma's 2nd Birthday Party coming up, I'm in the market for party favors for all the kid's goody bags.  And though I'm going to go with the staples (bubbles, cheesy toy and coloring sheets) I wanted something a little original.

Now, I by no means consider myself artistic.

But I surprised myself with this project. 

We're big fans of reading here so I thought a bookmark would be fitting.

Here's what you'll need:

stencil (not necessary if you can draw really well)

a black marker (I used a sharpie)

a pencil

tape (or those srapbooking glue dots)

colored paper (cardstock or regular construction paper)

scissors (or any kind of cutter~ can use the fancy edge ones too)

laminating sheets

hole punch

yarn

Step 1: You're going to trace out your picture.  We used a train stencil because we're having a

Thomas the Train Party.

Step 2: Then you're going to want to outline it in black marker.

Step 3: Trim it up.  I trimmed rather close to the edges because I'm overlapping it on a contrasting color. 

I wanted that second color to show as a boarder.  Here's where I used my scrapbooking cutter with the decorative edge, but scissors are just fine, too.

Step 4: Now that it's the shape and size you want, write the child's name on it. 

Get as creative as you want with your print.

Step 5: Take your contrasting color paper (also trimmed slightly bigger than the first sheet) and place it under your traced picture.  Adhere it with tape or those glue dots.  Leave some space at the top for a hole punch.

 

Step 6: Next, if you want, you can write a little message on the back thanking them for coming to the party.

This step is optional.

Step 7: Following the instructions on your laminating paper, laminate your bookmark and trim the edges.

Step 8: Hole punch the top and feed some yarn through it, tying it off so it doesn't come undone.

Step 9: Repeat as many times as children there are attending your party!

There you have it!!  A cheap and neat party favor to WOW your guests with...nevermind they are all kids=)!!

I'm sharing this as part of Works For Me Wednesdays over at We Are That Family!

and

Things I Love Thursday over at The Diaper Diaries!

and

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge!

Would you help me get to 100 followers??
My goal is to reach that (or more) by May 17th!!

I think we can do it!
And to give you a little extra incentive, on that day ALL of my followers will be entered in a really super, Fantabulous Giveway (details later so stay tuned)!! It might include something pretty and kitchen-y :)!!

Blessings,

Every Day is a Gift...

We went home to VA this past weekend to celebrate Emma's birthday with my parents.

It's always challenging traveling with a two-year-old and a dog.

We desperately need a van.

And Emma is cutting her molars.

Away, she will only sleep with Jon and I.

As much as I love spending time with family...

It was good to be back in my own home.

In my own bed.

But while we were gone (and even now that we're back)

something stuck with me.

At my dad's there was a little decorative plaque hanging on a door 

and it said, "Every day is a gift."

Emma kept going back and forth, back and forth to it.  

Touching it.  She even kissed it once.

Then finally she ran up to me, grabbed my hand and pulled me over to it.

She pointed to it.

"Jesus!" she said.

"Jesus is King!"

This lasted for a little bit then she moved on to other things.

And as confused as I was (in that moment) to how she got "Jesus is King" out of the door hanging...

Today I get it.

The wisdom of a toddler...

We all have two-year-old days.

Months.

Years.

Things aren't comfortable.

We're cranky.

We miss out on sleep.

And life seems like one big road trip in an over crowded sedan.

But Jesus IS King.

And every day IS a gift.

From Him.

Won't you be encouraged in that?

Won't you take some time today to practice being in His Presence, amidst all the craziness of your life?

And be thankful.

Because everything, EVERYTHING (every joy, trial, challenge, blessing, lesson and day) is what it is

Because God loves us.

Have faith in that and let it change how we do life.

(I'm sharing this as part of Motivate Me Monday over at Fifth Street Palace.  Check it out!)

Looking for Marking Monday?

Go HERE!

And finally...

Would you help me get to 100 followers??  

My goal is to reach that (or more) by May 17th!!

I think we can do it!
And to give you a little extra incentive, on that day ALL of my followers will be entered in a really super, Fantabulous Giveway (details later so stay tuned)!!  It might include something pretty and kitchen-y :)!!

Blessings,

Marketing Monday!!

 Hey all you Trendy Treehouse Friends!!

Welcome!!

I hope you'll stick around and check things out for Marketing Monday!

I have a new style of apron in My Etsy shop and more will be added soon, so make sure you pop on by there as well!!  I'd be happy to talk custom orders :)!!

Also, would you help me get to 100 followers??  My goal is to reach that (or more) by May 17th!!

I think we can do it!

And to give you a little extra incentive, on that day ALL of my followers will be entered in a really super, Fantabulous Giveway (details later so stay tuned)!!  It might include something pretty and kitchen-y :)!!

And if you haven't already, go ahead and check out Marketing Monday over at Trendy Treehouse!!  Your opportunity at getting a "free advertising" day for your blog, etsy shop, etc. and meeting lots of cool people at the same time!!

Blessings to you on this beautiful Monday!!

Writing Nooks in the Bedroom: Part Deux

Remember this picture?

You can read all about it HERE!

This of course is the BEFORE shot!!

Let me tell you.  I have been a busy little girl on this writing nook of mine!

I took the desk that was serving as my sewing table and put it in this corner then threw in a few decorative touches and PRESTO!!  Instant creative sanctuary!!

I have to note though, I'm missing a desk chair.

And...

Nannie and Papa are gone, too.  But they will return!!  I promise!!

They were in a frame that was too big for the picture and it just irked me. 

If I'm going to have a space of my own (and in order to crank out masterpieces) it can be nothing short of perfect.  Nannie and Papa are getting a new frame and they will be back where they belong in no time.

For the time being Toulouse Lautrec resides there.

I've also got a few little shelves to put up, but I'm holding off on that.

Anyway...

Are you ready??

TADA!!

AFTER

And a close-up...

What do you think!?!

I'm all set right!?!  Well, I need a computer, too (note: I'm currently using the hubster's laptop for bloggin' purposes)!  But for now I'm going ole skool and using a trusty pen and notepad.  Yep...that yellow notebook right there holds it all.

Which, by the way, I have most of my outline already mapped out!!  Woohoo!

Have no idea what I'm talking about?

Read about my writing adventure HERE!

Do you have a space you're working on for yourself?  Is so...do tell!!  And get right on it!  You'll be so glad you did!!

I'm sharing this as part of Things I Love Thursday over at the Diaper Diaries!  Check it out!!

Blessings,

Home Is: The Love of Aprons

Grandma's Apron

~Author Unknown

When I used to visit Grandma. I was very much impressed,

by her all-purpose apron, and the power it possessed.

For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.

The strings were tied and freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.

The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;

the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

She used it for a basket, when she gathered up the eggs,

and flapped it as a weapon, when hens pecked her feet and legs.

She used it to carry kindling when she stoked the kitchen fire.

And to hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.

She used it for a hot pad, to remove a steaming pan,

and when her brow was heated, she used it for a fan.

It dried our childish tears, when we'd scrape a knee and cry,

and made a hiding place when the little ones were shy.

Farm produce took in season, in the summer, spring and fall,

found its way into the kitchen from Grandma's carry all.

When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.
I'm sure the apron she chose that day, was her Sunday best.

Aprons, for me, have provided both beauty and feminity in a world of dirty dishes and hot pots.

I love that I can embark on creating a new generation of aprons for my own family and yours as well.

My girl's girl might even be writing an apron poem for me one day!

I can hope!

Please visit Reluctant Entertainer for a whole heap more of aprons today over @ Sandy's Wednesday

"Home Is:" feature!!

&

Over at We Are That Family!!  Check them out!!

The apron shown above and many others can be found at my Etsy shop, Lima Bean Designs.

Blessings,

Sacred Marriage...

I have this vision of what marriage should be.

I went into my own marriage with this very vision.

Unfortunately, I didn't take into account that two sinners were entering into an eternal union, therefore things probably wouldn't turn out exactly as I thought they would.

That's not to say there aren't joys in marriage.  

There certainly are.

But we have to work for them.

We have to wake up each and every morning and make a choice.

A choice to love.

A choice to be selfless.

A choice to keep our sarcasm to ourselves.

A choice to squash the need to always be right.

A choice to not worry about the little things.

I often feel I fail miserably at making these choices...

inevitably choosing wrong everytime.

I started reading a book last night that said something astounding...

a rogue idea really.

An epic sort of statement considering the world we live in.

"If you want to be free to serve Jesus, there's no question- stay single.  Marriage takes a lot of time.  But if you want to become more like Jesus, I can't imagine any better thing to do than to get married.  Being married forces you to face some character issues you'd never have to face otherwise."

~Sacred Marriage: What if God Designed Marriage to Make us Holy more than Happy

By Gary Thomas

Interesting.

A little scary.

But so hopeful.

Won't you be motivated today in striving to be more like Jesus?  Not just in your marriage, but in all that you do?  It's a challenge, now doubt, but what in this life isn't?

At least we can know we have a good and graceful Savior walking with us every step of the way.  Guiding us in how to live and love, just like Him.

(I'm sharing this as part of Motivate Me Monday over at Fifth Street Palace.  Check it out!)

Blessings friends,