Binky, Oh, Binky....

The binky habit...How do you break it? We've tried numerous times. Maybe this time it will stick.

M has been clinging to his binky in the most stubborn of ways. One of my favorite issues with the binky I wrote about here. I can't believe that was over a year ago.

Anyways, back to the present. M has been wanting to hide his binky so that we can't find it. He didn't want to give it up. So last Sunday, the binky fairy came and took it away. He will be four years old in February. It has been quite the problem. I cave in every time he's cried for it. He has been binky free since then.

Sunday night was the roughest. He hasn't asked for it but a handful of times since. He's excited to collect his stickers to go to Chuck E. Cheese. I'm happy for him and a little sad to lose my "baby time." However, it is time for mommy to grow up, too. One of the things M said earlier last week was that he didn't want to grow up and be a big boy without a binky and that he wanted to stay a baby and use it.

That broke my heart.

I know it's time.

I know it's the right thing to do.

I know I should have done it sooner.

But I hung onto it. Then I got to thinking. I'm like that with my sins. They're comfortable. They're mine. I don't want to let them go. I don't want to change. Yet, my loving God gently encourages me to let them go. He wants me to trust in Him and Him alone. God wants to release me from my sins that so easily come to me to make me a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come). God wants to mold me in the image of Himself...and yet, I fight and struggle with the things that are good for me. I cling to things I no longer need in my life.

And so, as God molds and shapes me everyday, may I repent and turn my sins over to the one who took them away by His death on the cross. May He be glorified in my life!

A Blessing!

Okay, one of my dreams was to meet another blogger. I've been following different blogs and meeting different people online. Didn't think it could happen. Then, I got the idea to invite Lynn from Spiritually Unequal Marriage to the retreat for my session. She came! Here we are together! What a blessing! Thanks for coming, Lynn!

What Kind of Love

A few posts ago, I placed some verses from 1 Corinthians 13 with blanks for us to fill in our names. How have we been showing love to those around us? I've been continuing my Bible study on love and was reading some mini-biographies on different people. It's amazing what people have sacrificed for God. I often feel like I haven't sacrificed enough. How more can I show His love? What more can I do? After all, He gave EVERYTHING!!

Philippians 2:5-11 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What ways are you showing love today?

Thankful Thursday ~ A Thirst that is Never Quenched

Visit Laurie at Women Taking a Stand for more Thankful Thursday entries!

I've been thinking a lot about thirsting for God over the last year. It's become a theme in my life; so much so, that it was the topic of my lesson this past Saturday. I am thankful that the God I serve is a fountain of water. He satisfies my soul in ways that only He can. He is a never ending well no matter how often or how long I drink. God is more than enough for me!

In my lesson, I've used this quote from John Piper from A Godward Life.

"When you drink my water, your thirst is not destroyed forever. If it did that, would you feel any need of my water afterward? That is not my goal. I do not want self-sufficient saints. When you drink my water, it makes a spring in you. A spring satisfies thirst, not by removing the need you have for water, but by being there to give you water whenever you get thirsty. Again and again and again."

Thank you, God, for creating my thirst and for satisfying it! You are amazing!

School Projects

I just wanted to share some of our recent homeschool projects.

First, we celebrated Veteran's Day by making memory ribbons. The kids cut out ribbons, wrote names of past and present service men and women on white cut out stars, glued the stars to the ribbons, and sprinkled glitter. Yes, I used glitter with my three year old!

M's ribbon

L's ribbon

 Have I mentioned how much I love this science program? I think Apologia is the best! We've been studying the animals of the oceans. This week we started studying sea turtles and sea snakes. I've learned a lot of new vocabulary...wait a minute, M and L learned a lot of new vocabulary. :) I've never really heard of words like oviparous, viviparous, and brumate. Anyways, one project was to draw a life size sea turtle. Here she is on our sidewalk - nine foot long by six foot wide. What an amazing job L did!

Our sea turtle

L and M next to our big sea turtle!

Catching Up

It was such a wonderful week-end! I met many new friends and renewed many old friendships! Now it's back to the real world and homeschooling, cleaning, cooking, etc. I am thankful that God has placed me in this part of my life. He is good!

I took some pictures of our recent science activity that will be posted later. I need to download them onto the computer. See you soon!

Family Photo Friday

Such big blue eyes!

Thankful Thursday ~ Veteran's Day

Today, I wish to thank those who have served or are serving our country. I take for granted the freedoms I have because of those who lay down their lives. In the past, I've not often thought about it. However, after living in an area with many different bases for a variety of branches, I have gained a greater appreciation for their sacrifices.

I am blessed to call many Marines and Navy service men and women as friends and my heart goes out to them today. I wish to say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Visit Women Taking a Stand for more Thankful Thursday!

Wednesday's Word

I've spent a lot of time this week working on my message for the upcoming women's retreat. Here's some of the scriptures I've been meditating on:

• Psalm 34:8 - O, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
• Hebrews 13:5 - I will never leave you nor forsake you.
• Job 36:26 - Behold, God is great and we know Him not; the number of His years is unsearchable.

Pray for me over the next few days as I wrap up the lesson and teach on Saturday morning. I appreciate it!

A Challenge

How loving are you? This week in my devotions I was challenged to reflect on how much I love....

Take 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and place your name in the blanks:
_________is patient and kind; ______ does not envy or boast; ______is not arrogant or rude. ______ does not insist on its own way; _______ is not irritable or resentful; _______ does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ______ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I don't know how you did, but I know I need to show more love (especially in regards to irritability and resentfulness). God, please work on me!

Family Photo Friday

L and I celebrating our birthdays on 10/16

Thankful Thursday - Just The Little Things

It's Thankful Thursday over at Women Taking a Stand.

The other week, when L was sick with a cold, I was helping her change into pajamas and brush her hair. From her 10 year old wisdom, she looks at me and says, "Thanks for taking care of me." I was so humbled by her sincere thankfulness, knowing that at times in her life she wasn't cared for. I've heard words from her that mothers only dream of. :) It was a touching mommy moment.

Then, another day, M looks at me and asks where he got his cuddles (his favorite sleeping toy - a giraffe). My response - "Sissy and Mommy bought it for you the day you came home to live with us." His little boy smile grew wide, his arms opened and hugged, and the words "Thank you, Mommy" poured from his mouth. Again, another touching mommy moment.

The one thing I love about my children is their thankfulness. Where do they get it? I can't say it is always from me. I reflected last night on my past week. Oh, boy, did I ever mess up!

Here's how it went:

Occasion	My response	What I should have done
Battery dies in the car	Complain that we missed a volleyball game and interrupted Dad on a very important work day	Been thankful that the car wouldn’t start at Sonic where there was food and bathrooms instead of the little dirt country road I had been on earlier
Didn't get informed of volleyball schedule change	Complain that I had another appointment that I needed to change and inconvenience another family because of someone's inability to communicate schedules	Been thankful that we've had an opportunity to still get to volleyball and minister to the other family
Wanting to go out for dinner and a movie with only my hubby	Sad and grumpy – washed dishes with a vengeance and yelled at kids	Been thankful that we had a nice home-cooked meal with dessert and a new DVD from Netflix
100+ pigeons who have made my yard, house, fence, and telephone wires their new home	Hide inside the house and complain about the noise the birds make on the roof and flying around the yard	Still working on this….

Okay, so I am still a work in progress and am going to turn the little things into praises for God. I need to thank Him for so much. He has blessed me abundantly and I neglect a simple thank you. I loved Laurie's post on Gratitude or Gratefulness. I want to be more grateful! I want to see God in the little things!

Colossians 2:6 and 7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Let us be overflowing with thankfulness!

Housewife Day

Today was National Housewife Day! Didn't even know such a thing existed. Check it out here. So in honor of all stay-at-home mothers - HAPPY HOUSEWIFE DAY!

October in Review

Hope you enjoy our past month's activities.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com