Monday Meanderings....

*Bible Study:

I am looking over this study and trying to come up with something for a good character study for the girls. Any ideas?

*Memory Verse:

Actually it's a few verses but I want to work on this particular passage for the next couple of weeks. I just feel that it's very important to my life right now to carry this verse in my heart.

Ephesians 3:14-19

For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family^a]">[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

*Husband Encouragement:

Help with outside chores that he usually does so that he has more time to relax in the evenings instead of being rushed around before bed and being even more stressed out and tired. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't do ALL of the outside chores but he does a lot when he comes in so if I get to those in the early evening (watering the chickens, gathering eggs, weeding the garden) he will have a few less things to do!! I, especially, will work on mowing the yard this week! It''s horrible!!

*Menu: already posted

*Zone:

~working on clutter this week (the house & the yard)

~the utility room

*Training them up:

~Fruit of the Spirit study that I mentioned

~ working on self control!!!! Any ideas on that one???

~Picking up after themselves! We have really gotten away from this for some reason and Mama is putting her foot down this week! :)

*Physical goals:

~walking every day

~playing outside with the kids at least 3 times this week! (it's hard to get all 3 outside to stay outside) lol

*Just General Goals:

~Go to bed when Charlie does not at midnight or later!!

~Get up with Charlie at 4 am and I can go back to sleep if needed but get up and at least talk to him!!

~Make his lunch every day & write a love letter to put in it!

~Make cookies with the girls

~Get some more school organization accomplished!! (we are going to officially start after Labor Day)

~Keep the car cleaned out!

That's all I can think of but if I think of any more I will be sure and add it later.

Have a great week!

~Julie~

starting over again......

I have went almost all the way through The Love Dare and maybe I am just being completely ridiculously hard on myself but as I am doing the Husband Encouragement Challenge along with The Love Dare, I am finding so many things that I am just not getting! Call me hard headed but I believe that my husband deserves MY VERY BEST and I will continue to do this Love Dare and the Challenge over and over probably for the rest of my life. I don't want to ever again, get caught in a rut in our marriage. And, I can definitely say both of these marriage tools are working! My husband is so different and considerate (he was before but now, A NEW LEVEL!!!) I am different. I am more thoughtful. I put Charlie's preferences and wants FIRST, most of the time. It is changing me so much but I want to continue to be changed!! I want to continue to be challenged and I want to feel that pain of being pruned because I know it is working!!

I only have a few minutes on the computer as I am trying to limit my computer time and be more disciplined. So, I am going to share with you Day 1 of the Love Dare. I am starting over!! Well, here goes:

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in Love." Ephesians 4:2 NIV

"Love will inspire you to become a patient person. When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation. You are slow to anger. You choose to have a long fuse instead of a quick temper. Rather than being restless and demanding, love helps you settle down and being extending mercy to those around you. Patience brings an internal calm during an external storm." pg.1

"This Love Dare journey is a process and the first thing you must resolve to possess is patience. Think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. But it's a race worth running." pg. 3


TODAY'S DARE: DAY 1:

"THE FIRST PART OF THIS DARE IS FAIRLY SIMPLE. ALTHOUGH LOVE IS COMMUNICATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, OUR WORDS OFTEN REFLECT THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART. FOR THE NEXT DAY, RESOLVE TO DEMONSTRATE PATIENCE AND SAY NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AT ALL. IF THE TEMPTATION ARISES, CHOOSE NOT TO SAY ANYTHING. IT'S BETTER TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE THAN TO SAY SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET."

Okay, here goes!! Starting over again! Be praying for me!!

Love,
Julie

more of my rambling...........;)

I ran 1 mile today and walked a mile and a half. Pretty good for not running for a few years! I have been a little busy having babies! :) It felt so good to run and today was such a gorgeous day to run! 74 degrees and windy with a touch of rain in the air.......aaaahhhhhhh....... I had forgotten how much I love to run and just be alone, just me, the road and God.

I don't know how many miles I am going to be able to get since I am home all day with the kids and I don't have babysitting close by. Charlie usually doesn't get home until late so that's out. Hopefully, Mom will watch them a couple of days a week for an hour so I can run and the other days we will just walk and I will do some walking videos in the house with the girls. :) That's always fun! They love to exercise with Mama! And, I can always get in some running time on Saturdays and Sundays and I am thinking that will be enough for me! I am not in this for the miles. I just want to be healthy for myself and my family. I want to feel better and be the best wife and mother I can be. That's why I run.

I bought Claire's stuff for her Princess party this weekend. Hopefully, I wil get invitations mailed out this weekend. We also have been invited to a valentine's party on Saturday so I got everything for that, too. I am making Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese or buttercream icing (can't decide yet) and placing candy hearts on top. She picked out Princess valentines for the girls and Car valentines for the boys. They got pencils with their Valentines. I thought that was a cute idea.

Tomorrow we are making supper and baking cookies for a family that goes to our church. Miss Tammie's mama is sick so we are going to make her feel better. They don't know yet, it's a surprise! Hopefully, I can get it done. If not tomorrow, I will take it Tuesday. Also, we are going to make a Valentine's garland and work on our letter of the week (A). shape: square number: 1 and nursery rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle, our theme is Cows and our vocabulary word is calf. We are reviewing or that's the plan anyway!! We are working on grasping objects with Drew and he's getting pretty good at it! Oh my goodness, he is growing SO fast!!

Friday night we all curled up in blankets and watched "Facing the Giants". That is such a favorite around here. We could watch it again and again. :)

Charlie heads back to work tomorrow and I am not ready for that at all. Check out the "My Husband Rocks" t-shirts on my sidebar. I am going to order one and wear it with pride. He definitely deserves it. I have such an amazing husband. Oh Lord, you have blessed me more than I EVER deserve and I thank you!!!

Well, I have to go. Just wanted to touch base since I have been gone all week. I probably won't get to blog much this week, either. I have so many things to do and such a busy week planned with the kids and Charlie.

Talk to you soon, though!! Have a blessed week!!

Love,
Julie

another wild post....

Didn't get to go to church services today. Lily was sick. She's better now. I hate it when my kids are sick. I wish I could take their place every time. Poor babies. :(

Got my running shoes yesterday. Nikes. Silver & kind of a mauve purple. I will have to take a picture. I know a lot of people don't like Nikes for running but I do. These fit the best out of all the options I looked at. Also, I wore Nikes for 7 years playing basketball and they never really hurt my feet. Maybe I won't like them so much after I put some miles on them but for now, they are great!! :) Also, a GREAT price!! Charlie & I both got shoes for what I would have paid regular price for mine!! I LOVE a great deal!

Still haven't found the perfect computer. Still looking. I am such a tightwad. I also have to buy a new printer so I am just cringing at the prices. Laugh if you want. I am serious. This is why my computer is ancient and about to kick the bucket on me. I just hate to buy anything expensive. See above on running shoes. Haha. :)

So, it's a lazy Sunday. I am going to head out in a little bit and get Valentine's for the kids Valentine's party next week and stuff to make them a box.(SO excited about this!!!) I also need to get their Valentine's presents from Mama & Daddy and Charlie's gift. Also, I have to get final things for Claire's birthday party (her birthday is the 15th.) So, I have A LOT to do today!!

Going to do some baking and cleaning. Already did 6 loads of laundry and 2 loads of dishes. Cleaned our bathroom and dusted from the wood stove soot. Argh..... well, hey, it's heat and it's free!!! (we cut our own firewood off of our property)

So, now I am off to go running while the kids nap... I don't know how much I will be blogging this week. Kinda busy!! Lots to do and plan!! Family: I am mailing birthday invitations so you should get them sometime early this week. Sorry it's so late! But, that's how we roll around here. :)

Have a great week, everyone and remember, to keep up the Husband Encouragement Challenge!!! Also, the 31 Days of Praying for your husband are great, as well!! Do these along with the Love Dare and you will be knocking Satan out right and left!! :)

(If you need information on any of the challenges or the love dare just email me at mama2clairelilydrew (at) gmail (dot) com. using the symbols, of course, not the words! I will be SO glad to help you in any way!!)

Love,
Julie

*LOVE, LOVE this on the bottom of my shoes:

"I run like a girl; try to keep up" ;)

It's Friday!....

I am SO glad it's Friday! It has just been one of the LONGEST weeks, ever! We did LOTS of messy (but FUN) crafts this week and with Drew having a cold and wanting to be held all of the time, I just feel like nothing was really accomplished. But, looking at what I just typed, I realize that the most very important things were done. :)

Sunday, February 1st, I am joining Kelli, one of my very first blogging friends in The Husband Encouragement Challenge!! I did this last year and the difference in my husband was just remarkable so I am doing it again this year; come on and join us!!

And, I won't be posting on my challenge for a little while but I hope to catch up when I get back. I am taking a blogging break this week to focus and regroup. I need to spend ALL of my extra time praying for my husband and my children. I love Kelli's idea of praying on the bathroom floor if I have too; I HAVE done that before... :)

Well, so, I hope to see ya'll sometime after next week! I have some pictures to post so I may get back to that sometime this week if I have the time. Other than that, I won't be posting until after this week! Talk to you then!

Have a great weekend and next week, everyone and please consider joining us in the Husband Encouragement Challenge!!! It's life changing, I promise!!

Love,
Julie

reflections for wives....

"Wives, in light of the Lord's instruction to us, we have to ask ourselves the hard questions on a regular basis: Do I care for my home in a way that helps my husband or serves me? Do I manage my time in a manner that assists my husband or serves my own agenda? Does the way I serve others support my husband or promote me? Do I ask for my husband's input before committing myself to a plan? Am I oriented to him and the work to which God has called him? We honor the Lord when we minister to our husbands in ways that enhance our God-given roles as companions and helpers.

~Carolyn Mahaney

*image courtesy of allposters.com