When My Children Don’t Have Me

Have you ever sat face to face with a divinely appointed, God directed conviction? It’s a love hate relationship to feel the Lord’s pruning. Though sometimes painful, you know your being formed into His image and reminded of His truths.

Allow me to give you some back story. I am passionate and driven girl. I love to write beautiful words, it comes so easily. I love using the creative side of my brain where my heart overflows. In fact, I get kind of cranky when I can’t get out the creative things on my heart.

It’s all good Jesus stuff I want to do…really.

Read the rest over at Raising Homemakers today!

Homemaker’s Friend Daily Planner Review

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If you’ve been here at Sweet Country Roots for long then you know I am a type B, fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl. I love it, but I actually drive myself kinda crazy. I drool over my type A friend’s lesson plans and schedules. I have tried many different planners, notebooks, and calendars but still end up with sticky notes from one end of the counter top to the other.

 

I was given the opportunity to review The Homemakers Friend Daily Planner by Sue Hooley. I was so excited to get some organizing ammunition sent my way. Thumbing through the pages, the planner did not disappoint! I realized that Mrs. sue was my kinda lady! Turns out she has been a homemaker for over 24 years with six children. She definitely knew what she was doing when she created this planner to help this scattered brain of mine.

 

The planner has tabs for the year, month, and week, which is pretty standard, but it doesn’t stop there. Included are tabs for task, projects, and shopping list that you can tear out and take with you.

 

Out of all of this, my favorite part of the entire planner is the, “Weeks section.” Below each day is space for me to write things down for that specific day along with that days menu right beside it for an easy glance. (Those things are typically on the sticky notes) She didn’t include time slots which I love! She knew a homemaker’s day never looks the same and isn’t easily predictable. For me the time slots would only add to my anxiety of never being able to stick to it.

 

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On a side note, it is actually very pretty with sweet scripture and quotes scattered throughout. And…. it fits in my pocket-book!!

 

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I would highly recommend this planner to any and every homemaker out there rather you are super organized or are quite the mess like me. Head on over to Sue’s Website Here at the Homemaker’s Friend to grab you one before the new year of planning starts! You won’t be disappointed.

 

You can find Sue and her other products over at HomemakersDepot.com too.

 

This is a very honest sponsored post and all opinions are 100% mine:)

Why I’m Not Afraid Of Stretch Marks and Wrinkles

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I saw it. Staring into my sleepy reflection at the end of a day that felt like two I saw the creases, the wrinkles in my forehead. I washed my face with ease as I tried not to add unnecessary lines to a once face of youth. I pulled over my t-shirt,  as it fell over a soft belly with a criss cross of stretched skin. Months of cocoa butter massaged deep can’t hide the growth of four lives that occupied me as their first home.

 

Swiftly, the thoughts flood in. The prevention, the brakes, the turning back the hands, the fountain of youth. I need it, how can I get it? How can I stop it? What’s next? How do I hold onto beauty?

 

Just as swiftly, the Lord whispers reminders and truth. My fountain of youth within my soul overtakes my worn in body. Every line in my freckled face is etched through the smile when he grabs my hand, the squinting back of tears when your mama heart is so proud, the silly faces made to sleepy babies. These precious lines etching my face keep the youth fountain within flowing and spilling over to all who come within my loves reach.

 

My stretched skin is proof of a divine plan. Proof of a God given blessing. Not all bodies make these kind of marks, but mine did.

 

I will soon cross over into my 30th year. I don’t want to spend the rest of my precious years fighting the inevitable. I want to LIVE and EMBRACE these sweet years God has given me.

 

I’m not afraid of the process of aging as I continue to mold and add sweet memory making lines. I’m not afraid to add another mark or two to this soft belly hidden under my blouse. In fact, I want it.

 

I want to age in grace, humility, acceptance, and joy. Let my inward youth spill over to draw others in and point to my Saviour deep within me. To have the dewy complexion of living a life spent up and used up, preserving nothing, using all I’ve got, and all I’ve been given. all for the glory of God.

 

Who’s ready to add more lines?

 

Photo credit pixabay

 

Sharing this with:  A Mama’s story, Raising Arrows, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Growing Home, Time Warp Wife, Thankful Homemaker, Mamal Diane, Teaching What is Good,  Mom’s the word, conerstone cofessions, A proverbs 31 wife, Some of the best things in life are mistakes, Let this mind be in you, A Wise Woman Builds her home, Deep Roots at Home, Graced Simplicity, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well, Hope in Every Season, Jill’s Home remedies, Little Natural Cottage, Our simple country Life, Raising Mighty Arrows, Happy and Blessed Home, Homemaker by Choice, Your Thriving Family,  New Life Steward, Hometead simple, Let this Mind Be in You,

Blog Words

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I want to write the good stuff. You now, the good stuff that melts hearts and makes the beats thump a little faster.

 

I only want His good stuff.

 

The grace, the beauty abounding in all my ugliness of words. I am so tired of shouting over the noise. I’d rather whisper to let His presence wash over. I want it to wash over our loneliness, insecurities, and mess. To let the waters wash over the bruises from a tarnished world. I want my words to peel back the layers of His goodness and tender love though we are so undeserving.

 

I desire my time here to be worthwhile, to mean something in eternity. Time is of the essence and far too precious to waste to not talk about the good stuff, His good stuff. The kind of stuff that wrenches hearts and praises our Creator.

 

As more read, I want God’s fingerprints to be seen all over it. Giving hope to anyone who can’t get out of bed, or who are up but want to crawl back in.

 

Lord Jesus may you take my words and penetrate souls in need of you. May I be so close as to feel your breath of life as I write through my mess. Let me never listen for applause or look for followers, but only incline my ear to your voice and be your follower. Take my stories and pen marks. Use me Lord to only glorify your name. Reveal your almighty purpose to those reading. Let your words transcend over the one day of social media and prick hearts for you.

 

Lord let the prick be the opening to all of the pouring you do. Let my words reach to the core, to the center of the prick, for your waters to flow in and overtake. Let me never forget the reason I breathe, write, and live; to fulfill my calling and bring glory to your name. Amen.

 

So tell me friends, what are your eyes waiting to read? Encouragement, inspiration, how to’s, one of my personal disaster stories wrapped up in grace? I would love to hear from you. I have created a newsletter titled The Good Stuff with intentions of delivering all of the good stuff  I find throughout the week that touched my heart in hopes God uses it to touch yours. I will share with you the crazy going on in my life to make you laugh, or be glad you’re not me! I will also share some great deals going around and occasional freebies. Sign up below for my newsletter, let’s connect, learn, grow, and talk about the good stuff.

 

photo credit pixabay

Why I Put Academics On The Back Burner

I have felt it. Felt the pressure hovering all around me as I attempt to wade through the waters of homeschooling the little ones entrusted to me. We all dream the dreams of raising inventors, world changers, and influential leaders. As mothers, the dreams lie within us all.

So we set to work...

 

Read the rest over at A Mamas Story!

Thank You Olivia Pope

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Photo Credit By ABC

 

You have exposed me. Exposed all of my hypocritical ugliness and for that I thank you, Olivia Pope.

 

I’ve watched with eyes wide open, on the edge of my seat, as I caught up on all I thought I had missed on Netflix. I was stoked to see that I didn’t miss the last two episodes. I am especially grateful I got to see the episode last Thursday night.

 

If it had not been for that episode… for Olivia Pope… for ABC I would have never had the opportunity for such great conviction.

 

I had almost forgotten for a split second that I believe in marriage, life, and love without agendas. I forgot why I pray desperate prayers for marriages to stick it through, I forgot why I cry and hold hands with women fighting for their marriage, I forgot why I write and educate women on the effects of abortion. I lost my voice, my vision. I forgot to fight.

 

Last Thursday the Lord breathed a renewed mission,vision, passion…whatever you want to call it.

 

That is to fight for the good and beautiful and to expose the ugly in disguise. I had been so fooled as I watched all of the affairs, killing, rape, and breakdown of families. My guard was too low, the filter too dirty. I let the garbage enter my home and heart.

 

Thank you once again for the wakeup call.

 

A wakeup call to not be of this world, to fight for the weak ones, to clean my heart filter, and guard my home, and honor my Saviour.

 

Teaching Contentment Instead of Thankfulness

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It’s everywhere. Signs, pictures, and images of thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation. My Facebook news feed is filled with beauty as friends participate in the, “30 days of thanks”. There are crafts everywhere reminding us of all the  blessings we have, filled with quotes on rejoicing and being thankful. Our family even has a thankful tree that the children and I do every November. Through out the month the children will say something they are thankful for. I write it on a paper leaf and stick it to our paper tree. We have a lot of goofy answers on those leaves:)…

 

Read the rest over at Raising Homemakers!

 

Photo credit pixabay

The Great Homeschool Sacrifice

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The older my children get the better we settle into our homeschooling selves. My oldest has conquered reading and is adding multiple digits, so I feel as though I have a couple of accomplishments under my belt for the other children down the line.

 

I gotta be honest, I am still  in a great struggle over here. My struggles seem to take turns jumping from different areas. Lately, it is the struggle of sacrifice that has taken front and center.

 

The time it takes me to homeschool I could have cleaned the entire house, written several blog post, read a couple of chapters out of my stack of books, tweazed my crazy eyebrows, painted my toenails, or could finally paint that wall I’ve been trying to get to.

 

The instant and delayed gratification are in a tug of war within my heart.

 

I believe with all of my heart that homeschooling is best for our family and is an endeavour worth pursuing.  However, my tunnel vision often starts to look around me as I feel the heart flutters of panick settle in.

 

What do I do? I start to blow up balloons for my pity party. I typically want everyone to come with pats on the back and words of affirmation. I know its terrible, I feel so ugly writing it, but its real!

 

Throughout all of my cycles of pity parties to sheer focus, the Lord continuously pulls me to Him guiding me every quivery step of the way.

 

Homeschooling is a lot like Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus. He puts one scary step in front of the other. All he has is faith and Jesus. His eyes are focused on the One and Only capable. He thinks… I’m walking on water! Look at me! This is Great! While Jesus’s loving eyes were fixated on Peter He never faltered, never told him to slow down or take it easy, but encouraged him on the faith-filled journey of his life with footsteps on top of water.

 

Like most of us, Peter looked around and panicked. As he was sacrificing his very life He cried, “Lord help me!” and there it was the hand. The hand that pulled Peter out of the now sinking water is the same hand that pulls us up from the pity party.

 

We too may feel as though we are sacrificing our life, we can’t breathe, feel trapped, and feel like we are sinking.

 

For all those like me who tend to pull out the streamers for the pity party every month or so, I encourage you to fixate your eyes on Jesus! He is calling us out on the waters so let’s go. Can you imagine if Peter said ,”Nah, I’ve got some things I need to take care of on this boat over here maybe next time. ” What a terrible story it would have been. Let Jesus make your story beautiful. The sacrifice is part of the miracle.

 

Are you struggling with something you need to hand over to Jesus? Subscribe and share!

 

Photo credit pixabay

Tips For Mamas to Survive Sick Babies

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The time is approaching. All of this gathering in the kitchen over the holidays is a lovely thought but it also means colds, sickness, bugs, and flu. I’m not kidding when I tell you I barely survived last year. For about two and half months we were all stuck in the house either coughing up lungs, giving breathing treatments, throwing up, settling fevers, you name it! It all knocked me flat on my butt. I am determined this year to be as prepared and ready as possible to help me stay sane and capable to take care of all the needs of my family.

 

Here are my tips and things I will do differently in hopes it helps some of y’all out.

 

1. Take as many precautionary measures as possible. Start serving out the shots of  Elderberry syrup the first sign of a sniffle.

 

2. Be very diligent about applying Thieves essential oil to the bottoms of all of their feet before bed. If they do get something, it certainly won’t last as long.

 

3. Get you a diffuser and work that baby overtime, continuously running day in and day out…I actually need to order more diffusers… I was borrowing them from people last year to stick in everyone’s room when they went to sleep. *I have been pre-ordering RC essential oil all year. It was absolutely amazing with all of the respiratory issues for my baby boy.

 

4. Have your Thieves cleaner ready to wipe down all surfaces were they have gathered, nothing fancy, but real quick to kill whatever is there. Plus it smells great.

 

5. Pre-make some homemade chicken and noodle soup to stick in the freezer. Have some other family favorites to have on hand. Dinner was a nightmare unless some members of our sweet family bought food, which was such a blessing!

 

6. If at all possible do a nightly laundry load of all the blankets, pillow cases, and pajamas from the day they had been wearing. Hopefully the germs won’t continue to spread around which is exactly what happened last year.

 

7. Plan a drive out. I think the cool fresh air and different scenery can do wonders.(Don’t do this when your little one has complained of a belly ache…yep, she threw up all in the backseat)

 

8. Get together your favorite movies or a list of favorite Netflix shows EVERY child will agree on. The last thing you want is tears because they can’t agree on something when they are feeling terrible already. Also try to pick ones that may be educational without them knowing. This is for the mom guilt as you watch your children stare at a screen all day, makes you feel a little better when you can say, “At least it’s educational”

 

9. Have some books ready. To help break up them monotony have some books sitting there ready to be read when they are tired of the TV..if that would even happen.

 

10. JUST HOLD THEM!

 

11. Sneak in showers whenever you can, feed yourself whenever you can, take elderberry, drink lots of water and PRAY!

 

12. I asked my husband as I was writing this for his input and he gave great advice which was to ACCEPT it. Quit going on with daily life and trying to continue your normal to do list. Just sit still, let them pile on your lap, and take care of them. LOVE IT!

 

Do you have any tricks up your sleeve to prepare yourself for taking care of sick little ones? Subscribe and share!

 

photo credit by pixabay

My Theory

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I have this theory about our tables and the stories shared around them.

I believe they are pivotal and generation changers.

So, daily I strive to do just that. Prepare my table, prepare my heart and home for stories that overflow. It’s in those chairs around the table where the memories are made. Not jut any kind of memories, but the kind you find yourself always trying to recreate from your own childhood.

Read the rest over at Story and Table

Photo credit pixabay
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