Funds We Need To Start:

Porch Repair Fund- Use some tax rebate money.* Estimated cost $1200*Our porch was built when our house was, and the builders skimped and used untreated wood. Well, rain and untreated wood don't mix, so we have wood rot on our porch. We are going to replace with nice, treated wood.

Deck Fund- *Estimated cost-$600* We would love to have a deck added on to our house. It would be a great blessing for having company over.

Flooring Fund

Baby Fund- Need to save $2500 for midwife.- No, I am not expecting, but it would be a great blessing to have some or most of this money, even before I am pregnant. My insurance did not cover our midwife, last time.

What funds do you need to start/are working on? How are you using your tax rebate, this year? Ours should be $2100. We were planning on saving it or investing it, but when our porch started falling apart and literally blowing away, we knew we should repair it. Thankfully, we have a fully funded emergency fund (3-6 month of income), so we do have a safety net. We don't want to touch it unless dh was out of a job. Blessings!

Is Anything Messier than Cream of Wheat????

Prayer Jar
Have you ever promised to pray for someone, and then felt terrible, when you finally remembered to , weeks later? This has happened to me far more frequently than I would like to admit. Keeping lists of people to pray for has helped me immensely. I decided to make a prayer jar to keep prayer intentions in, out of a simple soup can, some scrapbooking paper, and a little lace. I want my children and I to get into the habit of praying for loved ones, missionaries, those suffering with cancer, families with recent losses, etc., throughout the course of the day. What a blessing at each meal to pull out a prayer request and to lift up that person in prayer. I typed out a sheet of names of missionary families (including what country they are serving), those with illnesses, and friends and family members, and cut them apart, and put them in this jar. Any time someone else has a new prayer request, I can add to this jar, and when prayer is answered, I can remove that request from the can. (With a prayer of thanksgiving, of course!) Making something useful out of trash, definitely Works for me! Other jars that would work well might be mayonnaise jars, mason jars, old jelly jars, peanut butter jars, etc.. Having one for each child would be a neat project. What special ways have you found to remember to pray for others? If you have any prayer requests, we would be happy to add them to our prayer jar.Blessings!

Arts and Crafts
Charlotte Mason felt that learning handicrafts at a young age, would be of great benefit to children.With that in mind, I was delighted to happen upon this amazing, new website, The Crafty Crow. It contains a huge variety of fun crafts for children and it includes a ton of great pictures.I love these mini-books, lookie-loos (what fun on a trip!), and this nature box. I love the links to the step by step directions! What fun crafts have you been making, lately? Blessings!
Graphic courtesy of art.com

Raising Missions-Minded Children

"If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king." -Jordan Groom


One thing that I feel called to do, as a Christian mother, is to instill in my precious little ones, a genuine love for the lost, in various nations throughout the world. One of my greatest goals is for my children to be missions-minded. It can be rather easy to be narcissistic in this country, where so many of us have a variety of luxuries. (Though of course, our tendency is to feel that we are ever so deprived.) So that is a definite challenge for us, as we seek to raise our children to live for others. I was delighted to read John Piper's succinct post on 10 ways to help children love missions. (Thanks, Jessica!) One thing that I have done in the past, is to write down our church missionaries' names on a small sticky note, and put their name on the map, on the country they are serving on. (If you have a picture of missionary families that you want to pray for, that would be great to put on the country they are working in.) I want my children to remember that there is an entire world out there, starving for Christ. It includes America, but it goes far beyond our country's boundaries. This is one reason why I point out other countries to my children, on the world map.
This kit would make a wonderful unit study for kindergarten -fourth grade students. It includes 4 readers, the activity books (which includes songs, coloring pages, activity pages, etc.), and a cd with the songs in it. For students a bit older (or if you adapt it for your younger children ) , these biographies and these unit studies would be a lovely way to learn about missions, geography, and history. If you wish to study the missionaries in chronological order, they are included in this chart.
One great blessing of studying missionaries, both past and present, is to partake in their contagious zeal for lost souls. What a privilege it would be to see our own children learning to not take their faith for granted, and to reach out to others.Kids of Courage , the Voice of the Martyrs for children, has some great, free activity books (downloadable) regarding believers in Africa, Egypt, China, etc.. Another idea for teaching your children about missionaries is to print out a map of where the missionary served or continues to serve, and to learn about that area, and the missionary.
May we zealously encourage our children to have mission-minded hearts! I would love to hear what your family has done in raising your little ones to be mission minded. Blessings!

Expelled: The Movie
****UPDATE BELOW****
Ben Stein, best known as the "dry eyes guy", is the star of a new movie that I am very excited about, Expelled. I have not seen it, yet, but I am thrilled that it is playing at local theaters. Ben Stein presents the truth in this documentary that there is another side to the theory of Evolution. I am so grateful that this movie has been made. What a wonderful discussion piece to encourage dialogue with non-believers! Kevin Swanson interviewed the movie's producer, Mark Mathis, here. I pray that God will use this movie in a mighty way, for His Glory.
*********
Saturday, April 26th

Today, our family was blessed to see Expelled. This is a superb movie because it truly shows the truth of what is going on in modern academia. Anyone who dissents with the theory of evolution, is often expelled from their jobs as professors or scientists. The tragedy that exists is that as Americans, we are endowed with the wonderful honor of freedom. But in higher education, one is cast out if he casts any doubt on this theory. Why can't other theories be explored, such as intelligent design? Ben Stein does a superlative job in this documentary, interviewing both evolutionists and believers in intelligent design. One thing that saddened me was that some evolutionists will even admit that something intelligent had to have a hand in creating life, but that this intelligence had to be aliens or the like. This is simply circular reasoning, because these aliens would have had to have started somewhere.
Another facet that I like to this movie is how it was clearly demonstrated that ideas lead to actions. The parallel was even drawn between evolutionary theory and Naziism. If one truly believes in survival of the fittest, then there is no crime in ridding the world of those one considers "lesser". But if we are all equal, created in the image and likeness of God, then we are all precious. The point was even made in the movie that abortion and euthanasia flow from the evolutionary mentality. The truth of Planned Parenthood and their eugenic agenda was even mentioned.
One of the saddest parts of the movie was when a staunch evolutionist stated that he will simply return to the earth when he dies. This man has a brain tumor and he was very vehement that there is no God. He said that he used to be a Christian, but a college professor led him to study Darwinian evolution, in depth. It was at that point that he could not reconcile his new beliefs with his theology, so he rejected his former beliefs. This really awakened me to the reality that we must learn the truths about this earth, and to be equipped with the answers that these evolutionists have. I am grateful for the ministry of Answers in Genesis, which seeks to equip Christians with accurate, scientific information, and answers for our skeptic friends, who are living hopeless lives.
I encourage you to see this movie. Ben Stein is a very intelligent and fascinating person. His goal is for Americans to dialogue about evolution vs. intelligent design. True science consists of testing things and trying varied hypotheses. We ought not to be silenced if we disagree with what one man said, about 150 years ago. There truly seems to be an agenda in academia to prevent any dissenters from teaching another point of view. I am so thankful that this movie has been made. It is a true blessing, and I pray that it is a wake up call for many Americans.

Voddie Baucham has a wonderful review of the movie, Expelled,here.

Encouragement for Homeschool Mothers:
I received this, today, in my in-box, from Jeannie Fulbright, and it was a great blessing to read!

"When others share their blessings and successes with us, we must not allow ourselves to feel like we've fallen short. If they comment that their third grader is doing algebra and their son won the science fair or became an Eagle Scout at thirteen, or their daughter is spending all her free time helping orphans, those accomplishments do not negate God's wonderful plan for your family or child. Their success does not mean you are failing as a homeschooling mom. We must not allow these thoughts to enter our head. We can rejoice with our friend's wonderful blessings without feeling like a failure because God has a separate plan for every person He created. Every parent and child will be led differently, pursuing their goals and dreams at their own pace, in a different manner and expressing their uniqueness, well, uniquely! God has appointed different experiences, skills, opportunities, classes and paths for each child; some may seem more glamorous or glorious, but in reality - every person has been given a special and important purpose, ministry, or vocation, as well as an individual path to get there.

It's comforting to know that God has you and your children right where He desires. He has a unique path set especially for your family. Just as others and their children have successes, you and your children also have successes and will have more as you continue to follow God's unique path. Just as their children are gifted in some areas, so are yours gifted also. It's not God's plan that every child score 1500 on the SAT. Not every child will win an art contest, a science fair or the spelling bee. But every child of God is on a path that will lead to great success - for God knows the plans He has for them, plans to prosper them, plans for hope and a future. (Jer 29:11). Yes, every child of the King, no matter what they score on the SAT, or if they ever enter a contest, is positioned for success in God's eyes no matter what their endeavor. We only need to follow His course, not anyone else's. Your children are not one-size-fits-all and should be homeschooled and treated as individuals. Our homeschooling should be individualized because we are teaching unique people made in the image of God. The cookie-cutter mentality doesn't work; it's the reason American education is suffering. It's also one of the great reasons to homeschool!

As you seek the Lord, He will lead you to follow His perfect path. It won't look just like your friend's path, nor will your children look just like their children. God has seasons for your children's growth and a time set for them to find their passion, excel in their call, and become what He intends for them to be. No need to look at the course someone else's family is following and feel inadequate. God has given you everything you need to run the race on the course He has set for your family. And He has great plans for your children's future. But, when you step off your particular path and attempt to run on another's - you'll soon run out of fuel, feeling overwhelmed and defeated. When we run a race we weren't meant to run, we run weakly. When we run the course He has set for us, we run with His strength and energy, not our own."

Menu Plans for April 21-April 26

Monday- Sloppy Joes (Yummy...I haven't had these in a while!)
Tuesday- Thai Peanut Noodle
Wednesday- off- sister-in-law cooking
Thursday- Beef Burritos/Nachos
Friday- Homemade Pizza
Saturday- Mexican Rice Casserole

Breakfast choices: organic cereal, cream of wheat (a favorite around here), waffles, strawberry/banana smoothies, eggs

Lunch choices: pasta salad,sandwich wraps, pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with fruit
For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit Laura.

Trip to Krispy Kreme
Tonight, we had a fun trip to Krispy Kreme!Anastasia is good at begging for a little bit of doughnut. With those blue eyes, we can't resist!

Lily took this picture of my little man and I. Gotta love sprinkles!

Let Your "Servants" Work for You!
Whenever I read Victorian literature, I often reflect on how convenient it must have been, to have many servants to attend to necessary household tasks. On the whole, very few in our society have the aid of a "hired hand". Lest we become weary, we should be grateful for our modern servants, our household machines. These tools enable us to spend cherished time with children, free us up to homeschool them, and allow us to have an occasional respite for leisure. I often feel better about taking a nap, if my servants are "buzzing" in my house, working for me. Before I took a rest, today, I set my bread machine up to make bread dough for me, and my washing machine to wash diapers. Once naptime was over, I knew that I only had to "tie up a few loose ends" and a few of my tasks would be completed. Using these servants in an efficient way can be such a blessing, especially in busy seasons of our lives.

A Few of my Favorite Household Servants:

1.Crock Pot: Tired of rushing to get supper on the table by 5 p.m.? Utilize a slow cooker, and it will bake or cook your meal throughout the day. It can even cook your breakfast for you overnight, so that morning routines are a breeze. Slow cookers have the added benefit of using less energy than the oven, so you will save more money this way! (Mine bit the dust a few weeks ago, so I am praying for a great deal on one!)

2. Bread Machine: My bread machine has literally saved me hundreds of dollars in the two short years that I have owned it! I use it every Friday night to make homemade pizza dough, and sometimes for making breadsticks. I also use it to make dough for homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, and even homemade hot pockets! I got mine for $20 off of Ebay; what a great investment!

3. Washer/Dryer:Washing laundry can seem like a tedious task. But when I consider the "old fashioned" way of hand washing clothes, I feel spoiled to have a modern day washer and dryer.

4.Roomba:Though I don't have one of these (yet!), these look like an incredible helper! Imagine setting one of these to clean your floors, while you take a walk or play outside with your little ones!
Utilizing your household machines to work efficiently for you, is a great way to simplify one's life. That certainly works for me. What are your favorite household servants?

A Few Great Deals

CVS- This week, the Airwick Starter Kit is on sale for $4.99.Sign up here, and get a printable $4.00 off coupon. Final price: $.99!

Arm and Hammer detergent is Buy one, Get one, this week. Print two coupons here for a good deal. Buy One get one deals can be so great because you can usually use a coupon, even on the "free" item.

Scotch Brite Toilet Scrubbers Kit free with Coupon.

Food Lion- Free Pane Italiano Bread or $4.99 off a Bakery purchase with this coupon. Thank you, Denise.

What deals are you finding, this week?

Oprah and Christianity

On Oprah: Is Jesus the only way?


A Pastor refuting Oprah's New Age Philosophy

My heart aches because so many women, in our country, believe in the errors that Oprah has been teaching. She claims to be a Christian, yet promotes New Age philosophies. Please pray for her and for those she has led astray. Blessings!

What a Week....
My sweet Anastasia has turned 9 months. She now has her two bottom teeth popping through. (That is two more teeth than she had last week.) She is pulling herself up, holding onto the couch, in a standing position. She is such a little bundle of joy!

Watching one's children play together is such a blessing!

My little man diligently picking flowers for his mama. Oh yes ...he has a heart of gold.
Our weather has been in the 80's and we have enjoyed it! Lily's hair is a bit shorter due to the fact that she cut some of it herself. So I evened out the "do". It actually turned out cute...I was worried she had cut it too short.She looks a bit like Ramona Quimby to me.
My three little book worms....
As for me, I relapsed into a terrible sinus infection/flu illness, and I was sick almost all week, for the second week in a row. Which brings me to ask, when you feel desperately ill, and have no relatives available to help, what do you do? I set my children up with a few movies, games, etc. (exerting that much energy alone, was difficult), but it was still a struggle. Someone constantly needed a drink, help in the bathroom, a snack, or a quarrel with a sibling, mediated. I would love the advice of other seasoned mothers! I had one night of chills for 4 hours. I am so thankful that the worst of it appears to be over. Blessings, dear friends! I hope you are all well.

Congratulations, Lora Lynn!
I was so elated to hear that my friend, Lora Lynn is expecting her fifth blessing! Now, she is the happy mother of five children, four and under! (And I thought my days were full with three children, five and under!)lol She does a great job of "keeping it real" on her blog, and has such a great sense of humor.Congratulations, Lora, on the precious life within you, and may God richly bless you.

Menu Plan Monday
We are starting to be on the mend from the flu, and it was such a blessing to be able to have a nice homeschooling time, today. I am hoping to be able to make the following meals for this week:

Monday- Spinach Quiche

Tuesday- Kielbasa Casserole

Wednesday- off- Dinner with extended family

Thursday- Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Friday- Pizza

For more menu plans, visit Laura.

Frugal Science Activities
There really is a plethora of frugal science activities, which can be done for free, or cost next to nothing. Learning in a hands on way, can be so much fun!

• Use old egg cartons to fill with dirt, and plant fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc. Keep a journal to keep track of plant growth and observations. For children who cannot read yet, they can just draw daily or weekly drawings of the height of the plant.
  
• Sprout beans in an old plastic or glass mayonnaise jar. Study the root system.
• Create a Nature Journal with your children.
• Learn ornithology, the study of birds, with your children.Place bird feeders near a window, and put a picture of several types of birds near the window. Or keep a guide to birds handy, so your little ones can learn to identify birds, while the birds stop to eat. Here
are some free bird notebooking pages for your children to enjoy.This website is a great start for learning about birds. You can also look up bird types and listen to their calls at this website.
• Collect rocks, and identify them.
• Check out any of Janice Van Cleave's books from the library. They are chocked full of fun experiments and learning fun.

What fun things are you learning with your little ones this spring? For more Frugal Fridays, visit Crystal.

Under the Weather...
Most of us are enduring really severe colds. It is really keeping me off of my feet, which is difficult. Tomorrow is my turn to cook for our extended family. Oh dear! I covet your prayers!

Easter 2008

Easter was a lovely day here, and the children had a delightful time at a church Easter Egg hunt, after the service.

My precious Anastasia had a wonderful first Easter. She and Lily both have Easter names! Lily is our Easter Lily, and Anastasia's name means "Resurrection". I pray that they will always rejoice in the Hope, that God alone can bring!

Precious Lily almost found the most eggs, for her age group. She is a sweetie; a few days before Easter, she decided that she was ready to get her ears pierced. She was so brave; she did not cry or make a noise. Her mama, on the other hand, was very apprehensive, and starting to cry. Being a mama isn't easy, is it? Blessings!

All this for $2.50!
With the incredible coupons that I still had from Wellness 360, and the beauty coupons from CVS, I snagged some great deals for this week. (Right before the coupons expired.) I got a total of $80 worth of stuff for only $2.50 off of my CVS gift card, and I still have $25 ECB, the same amount which I had, when I walked in the door of CVS. Now, you can print out your quarterly 2% of ECB, if you have not, already. This quarter, since I am a newbie, I have spent about $75, and I have saved $430! CVSing is a lot of fun and I am very grateful to Crystal for teaching me the basics. I have started storing all of my surplus in the Extra large Ziploc bags. What do you use for CVS goodies storage? I am excited about all of this really nice body wash; it should be lovely in gift baskets. Blessings!