tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8591151521101637842024-03-12T18:07:06.003-06:00Pillars of the PalaceAn Encouraging Blog for All Mothers...formerly known as Staying at Home and Making it WorkKindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.comBlogger235125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-1561448026930763592014-03-09T09:34:00.002-06:002014-03-09T09:34:35.195-06:00We're Moving!So it's been a solid three and a half months since I have checked my blog...can't believe it! Christmastime, family visits, a difficult last few weeks of my pregnancy, and last but certainly not least...the birth of our sweet son has shaken things up a bit!<br />
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Joshua Patrick arrived on January 18 at 6:46am! More on his birth story later, but the addition of one more tiny being to the house has brought delight, joy, love, and exponentially multiplying loads of laundry :-) (Oh, and throw a little bit of crazy in there, too!). We are adjusting, as he's now seven weeks old, and I am officially out of my nine-month pregnancy fog. Soooo grateful! I'm anxious to truly start blogging again and continuing with what the Lord has asked me to do. Stay tuned as the website gets another huge makeover. Soon, all of my content will be moving to:</div>
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www.pillarsofthepalace.com</div>
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I can't wait to continue this journey with all of you. Once it's up and running, you can expect spiritual and emotional encouragement for all mommies in any stage of life, financial tips and tricks, organizational tips and tricks, fun projects and recipes to try, and ongoing explanations and encouragements to stay at home and make it work. Until next time!</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-69920888114517767412013-12-02T13:52:00.007-07:002013-12-02T13:53:23.924-07:00Gratitude - Days #27, #28, #29, and #30<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi mommies! As I had mentioned, we traveled during Thanksgiving week, but I also had limited internet access. I missed writing, and I missed your reading! Here are our four verses on gratitude to finish out the month of November. I hope you have enjoyed this journey with me, and I look forward to doing some creative thinking and writing throughout December. I will also share deals and tips of how we do Christmas at the McNamee house! Be sure to check back frequently!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">We are nearly finished with our journey through scripture, searching for thirty verses teaching on <i>thanksgiving</i>, or <i>giving thanks</i>. My goal for this experience was to learn how God desires for us to show our gratitude by the examples that He has shared in His word. I wanted to get into the habit of starting my day with thanksgiving, instead of starting with my laundry list of prayer requests. I also wanted to compile a list of verses on gratitude with the intent of sharing them with my children as they grow up. It has been an awesome experience, and I have enjoyed sharing it with all of you! Only four verses left! Here are verses #27 and #28:</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord: Give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Chronicles 16:7-8</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">...Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I <u><i>thank</i></u> you that you have heard me." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">John 11:41</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the first verse, I love how the writer takes the time to tell us that David was speaking this psalm (or song) to others. He wrote a song of thankfulness to God and felt compelled to share it with whoever would listen. Wouldn't it be wise of us to consciously speak our gratefulness our loud, so that our children could learn by example?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In John, the words spoken are those of Jesus. Everything that Jesus said, or did, was meant to set an example. We know that God answers our prayers. He loves to bless us, but He also loves to strengthen our faith and trust in Him. While we know it is important to thank Him for whatever request He has granted us, I think Jesus is saying that it is just as important to thank God for simply hearing us and listening to us. He is a big God, the God of the universe, yet He takes the time to listen to us. In fact, He delights in listening to us. Today, I am grateful for that gift!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Finally, here are verses #29 and #30...</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u> to God. The service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of <u><i>thanks</i></u> to God." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Corinthians 9:11-12</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">God promises to bless us in areas that are important to him. Maybe He made you rich in compassion. Maybe He made you rich in the gift of encouragement. Maybe He made you a blessed mother, overflowing in the richness of patience! Perhaps He has made you rich, literally, in finances. Whatever gift(s) He has bestowed upon you, be sure to use it to bless others. It glorifies Him when we use our blessings to enrich the life of another. We could be generous to our husbands, our children, our family, our friends, or complete strangers. Whoever He allows to cross our paths, let's be sure to bless them with the riches our heavenly Father has given to us!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you <i><u>thanks</u> </i>forever." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 30:11-12</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommies, we will all go through hardships in our lives. It isn't <i>if</i>, it's <i>when</i>. Choosing to live a life of gratitude to our Lord, and choosing to set that example for our children, isn't because we have a perfect life without any heartache. How easy would it be to live in a state of thankfulness then! No, it's the fact that we choose to be grateful in the midst of trials that shows true devotion to Christ. A bit of encouragement to remember is that sadness, loneliness, frustration, anger, and mourning will not last forever. He is faithful to do just as He says above. He will always turn our hearts back to dancing, joy, and song. For that, and for so many other daily reasons, let's decide to live a life of gratitude, and let's decide to teach our children to do the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have loved learning His Word on a deeper level with you through November. Thank you for doing it with me! A little cheat sheet of our gratitude verses is listed below (whatever can save a momma some time!). They are all from the NIV of the Bible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Psalm 100:4</b> - </span><b> </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Enter His gates with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u> and His courts with praise; give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to Him and praise His name</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Hebrews 12:28</span></b> -<br /><b>Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be <i><u>thankful</u></i>, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Thessalonians 5:16-18</span></b> -<br /><b>Be joyful always; pray continually; give <i><u>thanks</u></i> in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 136:1-3, 26</span></b> - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the Lord, for He is good.</b><b> His love endures forever.</b><b> Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the God of gods.</b><b> His love endures forever.</b><b> Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the Lord of lords.</b><b> His love endures forever...</b><b> Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the God of heaven.</b><b> His love endures forever.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Colossians 3:15-17</span></b> -<br /><b>Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be <u><i>thankful</i></u>. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with <i><u>gratitude</u></i> in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving <u><i>thanks</i></u> to God the Father through Him.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Timothy 2:1-2</span></b> -<br /><b>I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and <i><u>thanksgiving</u></i> be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may leave peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Chronicles 29:13</span></b> -<br /><b>Now, our God, we give you <u><i>thanks</i></u>, and praise Your glorious name.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Ephesians 1:16</b> </span>-<br /><b>I have not stopped giving <u><i>thanks</i></u> for you, remembering you in my prayers.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ephesians 5:19-20</b> -<br /><b>Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving <i><u>thanks</u></i> to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 107:8-9</span></b> -<br /><b>Let them give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 107:15-16</span></b> -<br /><b>Let them give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Isaiah 12:4</b> </span>-<br /><b>...Give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2 Corinthians 2:14</span></b> -<br /><b>But <i><u>thanks</u></i> be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Philippians 4:6</b> </span>-<br /><b>Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>, present your requests to God.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Colossians 1:3</span></b> -<br /><b>We always <u><i>thank</i></u> God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 75:1</span></b> -<br /><b>We give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to you, O God, we give <u><i>thanks</i></u>, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 95:1-2</span></b> -<br /><b>Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation</b><b>. Let us come before Him with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u> and extol Him with music and song.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Colossians 4:2</span></b> -<br /><b>Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and <u><i>thankful</i></u>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2 Corinthians 9:15</span></b> -<br /><b><u><i>Thanks</i></u> be to God for His indescribable gift!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 69:30</span></b> -<br /><b>I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Colossians 2:6-7</span></b> -<br /><b>So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with <u><i>thankfulness</i></u><i>.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2 Timothy 1:3</span></b> -<br /><b>I <u><i>thank</i></u> God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Psalm 28:7</b> </span>-<br /><b>The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to Him in song.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Jonah 2:9</span></b> -<br /><b>But I, with a song of <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 5:3-4</span></b> - </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Chronicles 16:34-35</span></b> -<br /><b>Give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Chronicles 16:7-8</span></b> -<br /><b>That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord: Give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>John 11:41</b> -<br /><b>Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I <u><i>thank</i></u> you that you have heard me."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2 Corinthians 9:11-12</span></b> -<br /><b>You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u> to God. The service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of <u><i>thanks</i></u> to God.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Psalm 30:11-12</span></b> -<br /><b>You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you <i><u>thanks</u> </i>forever.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now...join me next time to get December rolling!</span></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-66942119287251138872013-11-26T07:26:00.002-07:002013-11-26T07:27:40.259-07:00Gratitude - Days #22, #23, #24, #25, and #26<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Welcome back! To you and to me! The stomach bug has hit the McNamee house for the second time this year. I have to say that the first round, in May, was more violent, but Daddy got it this time. It's never good to have the daddy go down! We're finally on the upswing, just in time for a family trip back to Kansas for Thanksgivings. It still amazes me how ill our bodies can become, yet they can bounce back just as quickly. Speaking of bouncing, Baby McNamee #2 doesn't seem phased at all by the stomach flu symptoms (no need to elaborate...)! Once again...God's design at its finest :-) For our first verse, let me give you one simple verse for us to think on all day as mommies...</span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I <u><i>thank</i></u> God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Timothy 1:3</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What a neat verse from our heavenly Father. Let's remember the family that God has chosen for us. Though they may be throwing up on you, praying for our sweet children and husbands <i>and</i> their well-being is a privilege given to us as mommies!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Here are our gratitude verses #23, #24, #25, and #26...</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to Him in song." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 28:7</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Isn't that beautiful? How often do we need God to give us strength and to be our shield? Daily, right?!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"But I, with a song of <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jonah 2:9</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How many of these verses throughout November have encouraged us to praise our Father heaven through song? He loves it! Imagine how sweet it is to hear our little ones singing, a real song or their own creation. I would guess that our God feels just the same way about us. Praising Him through music brings a smile to His face...every time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, let's all agree to keep our eyes on Him with thanksgiving and to try not to be lured, or have our children enticed, by things of this world. See the picture in preparation for the days ahead!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ephesians 5:3-4</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As silly as the picture is, there is a bit of stark reality that comes with it. Greed doesn't make God smile, it doesn't bring Him praise, and I imagine it saddens Him to see us act crazy after we spend a day devoted to gratitude. Now, don't get me wrong. Buying gifts for others and celebrating those special people He has placed in our lives is wonderful (especially when you get a great deal!), but I think we're all aware when that line gets crossed. Thankfully, He gives us enough grace to suffice for any moronic behavior we show as humans. Grace doesn't give us a license to sin, but instead gives us positive reinforcement and encouragement to behave in a way that is pleasing to Him. How cool to have the opportunity to teach that to our little ones! I hope we can all remember this as we draw nearer to Black Friday...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise." </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: transparent;">1 Chronicles 16:34-35</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I love the last part of this verse..."that we may glory in your praise." Isn't it cool that we get to share in the joy of the Lord when we offer Him our praise. While it shouldn't be our motivation, He blesses us when we give the credit to Him. He acknowledges our efforts when we first place the focus on Him. No matter our circumstances, He deserves praise and gratitude. When we are in the midst of a difficult situation...a sickness, financial struggles, a desperate desire for change in our home situation, etc., we often will begin to see Him work us through that season when our hearts switch from begging for a change, to thanking Him for all He has already done. What are you longing to be delivered from this season? Instead of getting caught up in a self pity-party, myself included, let's turn our words to those of praise for what He has done. Maybe He just needs us to be willing and grateful participants in order for His new plans for us to start to fall into place!</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I pray that each of these verses are a blessing for you today, and that God will bring them to your mind as you go about the busyness of preparing for this holiday season. Thanks for visiting, mommies!</span></span><br />
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-32421089056845128032013-11-21T09:15:00.003-07:002013-11-21T09:17:58.575-07:00Gratitude - Days #18, #19, #20, and #21<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">As we get closer to Thanksgiving, I'm sure you are all thinking of the fun plans to come! Are you traveling? Are you cooking? Are you saying "forget this...we're getting pizza!"? Usually, we have family to our home, and I cook the Thanksgiving meal. This year, we are traveling to Kansas to spend time with our families before Baby Boy #2 arrives! I will be helping with two of the meals (we're having a third at a restaurant!), but I am really looking forward to having a change of scenery and enjoying the trip :-) </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">As many of you have way too much on your plates this week (no pun intended!), I encourage you to still make time for a quiet meeting with the Lord each day...away from to-do lists, chatty children, and even loving husbands and family. In the past, my quiet time has been the first thing to go so that I can accomplish some other mundane task. At the end of the day, I find that I missed that time, and I actually wasn't as productive with my other duties since I didn't center myself from the start. My advice? Don't skip it! He will bless you for meeting with Him. This is only a suggestion, but it is one I have found to be helpful in my life!</span></span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Today's verse is exceptionally appropriate for this week, especially if your home will be full of guests, or if you will be a guest in another's. God leads me to the daily verse everyday. He is so intentional!</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and <u><i>thankful</i></u>." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Colossians 4:2</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's all make it a point to pray more this week! As the "general manager" of our household (my hubby is the CEO!), I am a watcher. I need to watch the money management, the food supply, the messes being made and the messes getting cleaned, the child, the pets, and a thousand other things. In the week to come, I will also be observing all of my family members, as we spend the holiday together. I will ask God to show me things for which I can express thanks, and also things or situations for which I can ask for His healing and His blessing. When guests are in our home, or when I am a guest in another's, I love to shower them with quiet prayers and blessings. Amazingly, even when tensions run high around family gatherings, the Holy Spirit faithfully shows up to calm situations, encourage relationships, and promote fun and relaxation. That is, and will continue to be, my prayer for this week!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For November 19...</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"<u><i>Thanks</i></u> be to God for His indescribable gift!" </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Corinthians 9:15</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While there are always many, many things to thank God for, ultimately our most fervent showing of gratitude should be for His indescribable gift, Jesus. Let's all make a daily habit of thanking God for His Son, Jesus, as we pray with our children. Our babies and toddlers should get used to hearing His name on a regular basis. Look for Jesus in their bible story books, express your thanks for Jesus as you go throughout your day, and make it a priority to make His name a household name! How sweet is it when our little one says "Jesus" back to us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">For November 20...</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 69:30</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">God doesn't just say, "you're welcome," when we thank Him. I think that it truly makes Him smile! Think about how we feel when someone expresses their gratitude to us, or when we thank our children for helping us. My face lights up, and I can see the positive effect it has on our son when I praise him. I imagine that God must feel the same way when we offer Him thanksgiving. It brings Him joy, it brings Him glory, and I know that teaching our children to live in a state of thanksgiving makes Him smile, as well. Isn't that kinda cool to think about?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, for the 21st day of November...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with <u><i>thankfulness</i></u>." Colossians 2:6-7</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love that as we learn more and more about Jesus and our faith, and remember it is an ongoing, never ending process, we are rooted in Him <i>and</i> built up in Him. He is our foundation, and He is our walls. When we choose to live a life focused on Him, He is so faithful to continually build us up in our calling as mothers. I never questioned my desire to be a mother, but I did question my desire to stay at home and be the primary influence in my children's lives. Now, two and a half years later, I'm <i>loving</i> staying at home. I firmly believe that if I had not decided to immerse myself in His teachings over the past few years, I wouldn't be in this situation today. For that, I am "overflowing with thankfulness!" He is so faithful to place overflowing gratitude in our hearts when we choose to love Him. His ways are so good!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As you prepare to start this week in preparation for Thanksgiving, I pray extra special blessings over each of your lives, especially as mothers. I pray for renewed strength, patience, and love for the Father, your husbands, and your children. I pray that this week will not be filled with stress or upset, but instead with gratitude and peace. Let's all remember the sweet calling placed upon our heads to provide an environment and example of peace for our darling children...crazy family gatherings, or not!</span></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-4118385431352281372013-11-20T14:11:00.001-07:002013-11-20T14:11:07.561-07:00Gratitude - Days #14, #15, #16, and #17<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All I have to say is that this must be a very busy time in November! As I was looking back over my verses from November 2012, I got behind at exactly the same time! Haha! I suppose that a Baby Shower, a traveling husband, a sick toddler, early Christmas shopping, and a broken car will do that :-) It's okay...I doubt God is keeping a tally of whether or not I post a gratitude verse each morning, BUT I do feel encouraged to finish what we started. Get ready!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For Thursday, the 14th...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u>, present your requests to God." </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Philippians 4:6</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For Friday, the 15th...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"We always <u><i>thank</i></u> God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus..." </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Colossians 1:3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For Saturday, the 16th...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"We give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to you, O God, we give <u><i>thanks</i></u>, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds." Psalm 75:1</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For Sunday, the 17th...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u> and extol Him with music and song." </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Psalm 95:1-2</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've searched through the Bible for verses dedicated to gratitude, I have found that many times God offers the "cure" for anxiety...it is giving Him praise and thanksgiving! While I still have to work at this on a daily basis, I'm learning that when I choose to live in a state of thanksgiving to Him for all He has blessed me with, it's really hard to be stressed out about my silly life. Try it! The next time you feel yourself getting worked up about a toddler tantrum, a cranky husband, a late dinner, pick your poison...try and turn your line of thought towards the blessings you can show gratitude for right at that moment. It's pretty neat how He bestows peace upon His daughters when we turn our eyes to Him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the other verses, their meaning is pretty straightforward. We should always remember to thank God for those people whom we are praying for, we should thank Him when we hear others spreading the good news of His loving nature, and we should enjoy praising Him with music and song. So many ways to think of showing gratefulness to our Creator right in His Word. So cool!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Join me tomorrow for verses to celebrate November 18-21. The toddler is snoozing, so I'm going to take a little nap to let his ginormous brother grow a bit more :-) Catch you tomorrow, mommas!</span></span></span><br />
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-59530126650559915792013-11-13T15:55:00.003-07:002013-11-13T15:58:24.944-07:00Gratitude - Day #12 and #13<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome back, mommies! Here are our two verses for November 12 and November 13:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"...Give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Isaiah 12:4</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As I read this verse, on our 12th day of gratitude through the Bible, the meaning of it really struck a chord with me. Not only are we asked to thank God for all He has done, but we are called to "make it known among the nations." He wants us to tell others of His greatness, and to <i>also</i> tell others of the things God has done for our world and, specifically, in our personal lives. Sometimes, I forget to give God the credit. At those times, it's good to remember James 1:17...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Every good and perfect gift is from above..."</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think it's so important, as the primary influence in our children's lives, to teach and remind them of this fact! God sends us gifts...both spiritual and earthly. God provides a way out, just like we talked about last time, in difficult situations with no clear solution. As our Creator and Giver, He deserves the credit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've really tried to focus on the habit of starting my prayers with a time of thanksgiving, instead of simply moving on to my laundry list of requests. As Caleb grows, I want him to learn how to do this, too. Lately, he is thanking God for whatever is on his mind...last night, it was his friend, Dominic, "big" Thomas, a spoon, the windows, the "scary" light outside, and his Deeda (Grandma). I can only imagine the smile on our heavenly Father's face as He listens to the sweet prayers of innocent children! We will never run out of things to be thankful for (our children's prayers are the perfect reminder of that fact!), and a great witness of God's love to others is to tell of the amazing things He has done in our lives. What if we personally spent more time sharing about God's awesome gifts to us instead of telling others how people should and should not act, according to scripture? What if our children witnessed us blessing God in our daily conversations with others, instead of complaining about what we don't have, or passing judgement on the ungodly behaviors of others? Remember, I never write about something that I'm not working on myself! Let's make a commitment today. Let's be a sweet example to our children of pointing out all the good things God has done for us, and given to us. Then, let's find a way to bring it up in conversation with others, not to brag about what we've done, but to bring praise to the Father. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I so love this journey that we are on through November. Let's move on to verse #13...</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"But <i><u>thanks</u></i> be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Corinthians 2:14</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Have you ever wondered if, as we operate in our calling(s), there is a triumphant procession leading us and protecting us in the spiritual realm? As believers in His Word, we can be sure that there is all kinds of activity going on around us, but it's just unseen to us in our human state. Imagine how God and His angels celebrate triumphantly as we share the love of Christ with our children, as we spend time fellowshipping with and ministering to other women, as we show love and kindness to strangers, as we choose to submit to our husbands, as we sacrificially say "no" to things of this world and instead say "yes" to things of Him. If you're like me, we tend to spend a large portion of our time learning what it means to become more like Christ. While that is what we are called to do, we are also called to recognize God's love, pride, and celebration of us when we are </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">already</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">showing the behaviors and doing the activities that bring glory to Him. He cheers for us! He instructs His angels to surround and lead us as we share what we know of Him to be true. Today, let's be grateful in the heavenly affirmation that He lovingly showers us with as women, as wives, as daughters, and especially as mothers...which I believe is one of the most highly-esteemed jobs in His sight.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Finally, I found this picture on a friend's Facebook page. Let it encourage you today!</span></span><br />
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-48051228547283475972013-11-11T07:22:00.000-07:002013-11-11T07:22:33.605-07:00Gratitude - Days #8, #9, #10, and #11<span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome to a new week! Enjoy meditating on these four scriptures of gratefulness, for November 8-11.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <b style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">"I have not stopped giving <u><i>thanks</i></u> for you, remembering you in my prayers." </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">It is so important to stop and show gratitude for the many people whom God has brought into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. As we remember to be thankful, we should also remember to pray for that person/those people. I am thankful for my family, my friends, my acquaintances, and for the many of you who read this blog!</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> There have been days when I have questioned whether or not I am doing the right thing with starting and continuing this blog. Whenever I get discouraged, receive a negative comment, feel like it's taking time that could be spent on more pressing matters, or simply feel empty of wisdom from Him, I ask God to send me some encouragement if he wants me to keep going. Immediately, like within the day, I will receive a text, a comment, or a story of how something I put out there has blessed the life of another mommy. He is so faithful to give us what we need. You all are so faithful to keep reading and to encourage me as I continue on my journey. I do give thanks for you, and I pray over each post that it may be a blessing to any woman who reads it. Today, let's all remember to continuously give thanks and remember to pray for those who are special to us.</span></span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs (and Christmas music!). Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving <i><u>thanks</u></i> to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." </span></b></div>
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<b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ephesians 5:19-20 (<i>"Christmas music" added!</i>)</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I will be honest that I got quite excited when I found Christmas music on the radio this weekend. I can't say the same for my mom and husband, as they both think that it's too soon, but if it were up to me, I would have my Pandora Christmas station going all throughout the year! It just makes my heart smile. I love how the Lord gives us those little kisses that speak individually to our own hearts. No, not everyone can handle "Silent Night" at the beginning of November, but He knows that <i>my</i> heart leaps for joy at those songs. Because of my background in music education, I feel that it is one of the main ways that my heavenly Father connects with me. So, whether it be Christmas music, or any other type of music, my heart smiles at sending praises back His way. I hope to instill the same love for music in the hearts of our sons. Unfortunately...Caleb would prefer that I <i>not</i> sing to him these days...ah, the toddler moods :-)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, how God loves to be praised. And, it is my own thought, that he especially loves the praise of sweet, innocent, children's voices. Developing a discipline and love of praise in our homes is one of the best ways to teach our children how to acknowledge the Lord and thank Him for all He has done. We don't need to have the best voices in the world! We simply need to go all out in praising the One who brings all good things into our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, let's enjoy some time of singing (unashamedly!) praise songs to our Father. Maybe it means Christmas music in the car, a worship CD on the stereo during dinner, or soft praise music played during nap time for our little one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And when you're singing Christmas music with your children at the beginning of November, at the top of your lungs...remember, that it's okay because:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">And finally, our verses for November 10 and November 11:</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Let them give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 107:8-9</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Let them give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 107:15-16</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love the fact that God's love cannot fail. It simply can't. It's not in His nature. No matter what we do, He will <i>never</i> stop loving us. His love is unfailing! He loves providing us with physical food and drink, and on a deeper level, He loves when we willingly receive His spiritual meat and milk! Thank Him for both! He also loves to break down barriers for us...both in the natural and the spiritual realm. Ever have a situation where it seems like the solution will never come, the direction will never be revealed, or there simply is no way out? Then, like a breath of fresh air, the problem resolves. That is God breaking down the gates of bronze and cutting through the bars of iron! What about spiritually? We were all lost at one point, and He broke through our hardened hearts and showed His glorious love to each one of us. Maybe you have had the privilege of seeing it happen with someone else...your husband, your child, or even a parent? God loves to problem-solve, but we must allow Him to do it in our lives! Today, let's all thank Him for fulfilling our basic needs and also for breaking down the barriers that need to be destroyed in our lives. His love is unfailing! Where we fail on a daily basis, He is faithful to never fail. For that, I am grateful!</span></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-69449801692084333702013-11-07T15:22:00.001-07:002013-11-07T15:23:27.182-07:00Gratitude - Days #5, #6, and #7<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome back! We're playing a bit of catch up today, so enjoy meditating on the following three scriptures about gratitude. Here is our verse for November 5:</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be <u><i>thankful</i></u>. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with <i><u>gratitude</u></i> in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving <u><i>thanks</i></u> to God the Father through Him."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Colossians 3:15-17</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We need to be thankful for the gift of peace that is freely given to us, we need to actively praise God through His Word and worship to experience that peace, and we need to be grateful for Jesus, God's own son, at all times in order to feel <i>this</i> kind of peace. Sometimes, I forget that peace can be achieved all the time. Peace isn't a feeling dependent on our circumstances, but actually a chosen way to live given freely to us by our Father. No matter what our day may look like, we are called to live a life of peace and to ensure that an environment of peace is created around our family. It's there to take, we must decide to accept it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">One way to receive that gift of peace daily is to worship regularly! An interesting story, if you let me digress for a bit...I'm really into politics. It isn't </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">who</i><span style="line-height: 18px;"> I am, but I enjoy keeping up with the news, talk radio, and watching the highs and lows of our nation attempting to govern itself. Much to my husband's dismay (not his cup of tea), I've been listening to a lot of talk radio while we do errands. At the same time, our son has decided that he does not like to be strapped into the car seat anymore. We are talking all out fits in the back seat! Amazingly...almost all of the time...when I put on the Christian radio station, he calms down. I watch him in the rear view mirror, gathering himself, wiping his tears, and calmly looking out the window. This example is just one in a hundred of how the words of praise to our Father can completely calm a situation and bring peace to all who hear. Sometimes, I go to the praise music channel and play it when he just needs to come down a few notches at home. If you aren't much of the singing type, simply hearing the words of praise is enough to usher peace into a situation. Try it. It's so cool! And, I suggest limiting the talk radio listening time. Caleb has talking about "Obamacare" the other day...no joke :-)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, giving thanks for God and for His Son will allow us to walk into peace, doors wide open and welcoming. Remembering that peace is a gift given through the death and resurrection of Jesus is the best way to experience the calm, and then to show our gratefulness for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I pray this is a blessing for each of you today. I also pray that you are enjoying this season of gratitude! On to our next verse for November 6...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and <i><u>thanksgiving</u></i> be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may leave peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Timothy 2:1-2</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am exceedingly grateful for the freedom we have to choose our leaders. I see that women from all over the world are reading this blog, and I imagine that some of you live in places where this right is not (yet!) yours. Therefore, it saddens me when people of <i>this</i> great country do not take full advantage of the opportunity to vote. Men and women have fought, and even died, over the years to ensure that the gift to make our voices heard remains protected. Especially as women, we need to celebrate the freedom to speak our minds, stand up for our values, and show strong examples of patriotic citizenship to our children. While freedom in Christ is free due to His blood shed on the cross, freedom in America is free due to the sacrifices of many. Now...what if you are less than pleased with the people leading us, and the decisions being made that directly affect our daily lives?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus is, and always will be, our ultimate authority regardless of who occupies any of the political offices. And because we are Christ followers and respect the living Word of God, we live by its commands. Look above at the verse on gratitude that I chose today. God asks us to show thanksgiving for kings (i.e. the President) and all those in authority. We don't have to agree with him, we don't even have to like him, but we do need to show our gratitude for the simple fact that we live in a society where he is in charge with established order, fair laws, and protected freedoms. I look at it as showing gratefulness for the office and government ordained by God, many years ago, for this great country. Showing respect for our President sets a fantastic example for our children to learn to respect all people who are/will be in authority over them, including God. We won't always agree with those in authority (think about how little your toddler may agree with you on a daily basis!), but teaching the value of respecting authority is a lifelong tool which our children will be blessed to have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, our verse for November 7...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Now, our God, we give you <i><u>thanks</u></i>, and praise Your glorious name."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Chronicles 29:13</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This idea is from nearly a year ago, but I have enjoyed using it with our son as we have started into our "school" routine in the afternoons. Last year, I posted a Pinterest idea about using the ABC's of scripture to decorate our play room. I took it a step further by attaching an ABC flash card to each paper, so that my son will become familiar with letters and the alphabet order. (See below for the verses that I used). My cards look like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Instead of simply telling you about this idea, I thought I would share the verses that I chose to use for this project. My goal in searching for scripture was the following:</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a scripture for each letter</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">scripture that is easily applicable to the life of a child</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">scripture that can be easily memorized</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a personal desire for each of these lessons to be instilled in our children (for instance, I have a strong background in music, so my husband and I have a hope to develop the passion for praise in our children...hence, the letter "S". We also feel it is important to take time to rest, therefore I chose a verse about the Sabbath for the letter "R.")</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I compiled my list from a variety of sources. I used blogs (a great resource is <a href="http://theprincessandthejedi.blogspot.com/2012/03/bible-verses-z.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Princess and the Jedi</a>), Google searches, a hand out from bible study, and my own personal Bible knowledge. It's colorful, cute, and Godly. The only thing that would make it better is glitter. Unfortunately, glitter and boys don't mix in our house, per my husband :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Feel free to use, to share, and to make this list your own. I pray that it can be useful to you as you raise your children to be thankful for the Word of God as they grow. Today, I am thankful for His Word. What a powerful helper in the busyness and difficulties of parenting! What do you need to give God thanks for today? A burst of creativity to help with parenting? A fantastic Pinterest idea to incorporate God's Word into your daily life? An extra long nap by your little ones to give you some extra rejuvenation time? Whatever it is, let's be sure to always give Him thanks, and to praise His glorious name!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>A - "As for God, His way is perfect." </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 18:30</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">B - "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Acts 16:31</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>C - "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ephesians 6:1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>D - "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 37:4<br /><b>E - "Every good and perfect gift is from above." </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">James 1:17</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">F - "For nothing is impossible with God." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Luke 1:37</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>G - "Goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life."</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 23:6</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">H - "Honor your father and mother." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Exodus 20:12</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">I - "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind."</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Jeremiah 32:27</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>J - Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me."</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew 19:14</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>K - "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 34:13</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">L - "Love is patient, love is kind." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Corinthians 13:4</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">M - "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 100:1</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">N - "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hebrews 13:5</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">O - "Obey the Lord your God and follow His commands." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Deuteronomy 27:10</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">P - "Pray continually." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Thessalonians 5:17</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q - "Quench not the Spirit." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Thessalonians 5:19</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">R - "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Exodus 20:8</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">S - "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ephesians 5:19</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">T - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Proverbs 3:5</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">U - "Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Proverbs 16:22</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">V - "Victory rests with the Lord." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Proverbs 21:31</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">W - "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 56:3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>X - "Let us eXamine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." </b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lamentations 3:40</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Y - "You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Corinthians 12:27</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Z - "Never be lacking in Zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b>Romans 12:11</span></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-49847626654514857372013-11-04T06:02:00.004-07:002013-11-04T06:02:22.968-07:00Gratitude - Day #4<span style="font-family: inherit;">This month, we're journeying through the Bible, looking for verses that address gratitude. For November 4...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the Lord, for He is good.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">His love endures forever.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the God of gods.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">His love endures forever.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the Lord of lords.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">His love endures forever...</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Give <i><u>thanks</u></i> to the God of heaven.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">His love endures forever."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 136:1-3, 26</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While it is so important to express our gratitude for the many gifts which God <i>gives</i> to us out of pure love, we must also recognize the importance of showing our gratefulness for who He is. In His Godly nature, He is good, he is God of gods, He is Lord of lords, and He is the God of heaven. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It isn't healthy to dwell in the fear of our blessings being taken from us, but if we were to tragically lose our home, our belongings, or even our husband or children, we need to be confident enough in who our God is to be able to get through the loss, and to love Him anyway. Regardless of what <i>will</i> happen in our lives as women, as wives, and as mothers, His love will endure forever. He is who He is regardless of our circumstances, and learning to express this gratitude to Him and for Him on a daily basis can only strengthen our love for Him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I pray that this will be a revelation for you today, as it was for me. Let's keep being thankful for our many earthly blessings, but let's also be thankful to our Father, simply because He is who He is. Be blessed, mommies!</span></span></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-15120621322075461202013-11-03T06:30:00.003-07:002013-11-03T06:30:44.250-07:00Gratitude - Day #3<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Be joyful always; pray continually; give <i><u>thanks</u></i> in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Thessalonians 5:16-18</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #ea9999;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For so many years, I wondered what God's will could be for my life. In my very first post, I shared the frustration I experienced over not knowing the clear and direct plan for my "job" or "role" in the Kingdom. As I've grown closer to Him, specifically over the past few years, I feel like there are actually two parts to the will that God has for each of our lives. There is His will for our part in the Kingdom, otherwise known as our calling. Then, there is the will that He has for every Christ-follower. The way He asks us to live, to behave, and to show His love to others so that they may come to know Him. This verse showcases the latter understanding of God's will. He desires for <i>all</i> of us, because we believe in God and His Son, Jesus, to always be joyful, pray constantly, and to give thanks in all circumstances. Not just on the great days, but on the bad days, too! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No matter what kind of day this might be for you in the realm of motherhood, let's all choose to be joyful, to pray, and to give thanks that we get to be followers of Christ. Be blessed, mommies!</span></span><br />
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-83460496225993047052013-11-02T07:34:00.003-06:002013-11-03T06:31:32.702-07:00Gratitude - Day #1 and #2<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy November (one day late!). Last year, we journeyed through the bible and found verses on gratitude...one for each day of the month. This year, I would like to revisit that topic by revamping my devotionals and adding some new ideas. I hope you will visit each day this month, and I pray that a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude fills your homes this year.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Welcome to a month totally devoted to gratefulness! I'm giving myself a challenge to find thirty verses, one for each day, that teach us as Christ-followers about being thankful to God and to one another. It will be fun to pray and search for scripture to encourage myself and all of you while we continue in the often thank<i>less</i> job of motherhood. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As mothers, we are instructed to live in an attitude of gratefulness. Let's attempt that precise lifestyle during November. Let's focus on being thankful for our lives, whatever they may look like, for this entire month. Before we begin, watch this video. Be aware...it may bring tears!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.godvine.com/Tears-of-Joy-fb-gv-4178.html" target="_blank">Tears of Joy</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Even if we don't feel very grateful, our children are overflowing with gratitude for us on a daily basis...even if that thankfulness is masked by a terrible two tantrum :-) You are doing a great job, mommy. Keep it up, and enjoy this this journey of showing gratitude to our heavenly Father...praising him all day long.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Here is the verse for November 1:</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> "Enter His gates with <u><i>thanksgiving</i></u> and His courts with praise; give <u><i>thanks</i></u> to Him and praise His name." </span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Psalm 100:4</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Whenever we go to the Lord in prayer, our first thought should always be one of gratefulness, not a laundry list of what we would like for Him to do for us that day. Staying in the habit of entering into time with Him in praise is a simple reminder that </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">all </i><span style="line-height: 18px;">good things come from Him. It may be an absolutely terrible day in the life of a mommy, but we can be grateful that we are still breathing, and that our children have life. We have shelter to sleep in, food to eat, and heat to keep us warm. It's so easy for us, myself included, to complain about what we don't have, when what we do have far outweighs the blessings of many around the world. I heard a quote recently that </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">said</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> something like..."What if tomorrow we only woke up to the things we had thanked God for today?" This isn't meant to make you, or me, feel guilty. Let's just consider it a gentle reminder that we </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">do</i><span style="line-height: 18px;"> have so much more than we realize sometimes. For that, let's be grateful to the Father!</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be <i><u>thankful</u></i>, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe..." </span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Hebrews 12:28</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I love what this verse is saying. Before God created the foundation of the world, He knew who His followers would be. We were predestined to love Him, worship Him, and spend eternity with Him. But because of our sinful nature, He had to send His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins. So then, by the suffering of Christ, we have received the Kingdom of God...if we choose to accept it. The gift freely stands and waits to be accepted. If we believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us so that we may spend eternity with Him, then we have accepted this gift. And then, we are part of His Kingdom...a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. It is eternal! That is absolutely something we should be grateful for!</span></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-33426105518167366892013-10-25T10:50:00.002-06:002013-10-25T10:50:49.008-06:00Under Spiritual ConstructionWelcome back...to all of us! I heard a beautiful quote from Nancy Grisham this week, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thriving-Trusting-God-Life-Fullest/dp/080101543X" target="_blank">Thriving: Trusting God for Life to the Fullest</a>. She said that we must take possession of the calling or anointing that God has placed on our lives. I have dwelled on that a lot, and I have begun to apply it to this blog. In April 2012, God asked me to begin intense study of His Word and then to share the nuggets of wisdom that the Holy Spirit revealed to me in text...to each of you. My first year was incredible. I loved bouncing out of bed, making my coffee in the darkness and stillness before anyone else awoke, studying the Bible, then writing my heart. But then something happened...life :-) Things got busy. We moved, I became pregnant, my child became a toddler, and my bucket began to feel empty on a daily basis. It is ironic that the very subject God had asked me to inspire, exhort, and encourage other mothers through was the one that was bringing me down. Because of the demands and blessings of life, my blog moved to the back burner. I wrote weeks ago about the guilt brought on by not holding to my end of the deal with God. My neglect of this ministry was putting His calling on the back burner. But, through this season, our precious Savior has revealed His faithfulness to me. This is still my ministry, but in my dryness, He has asked me to shift it slightly...<br />
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When I was blogging daily, I felt so alive, so in touch with His Word, and so purposeful in being a wife and a mother. When I received encouraging comments, I felt needed, I felt appreciated, and I had huge visions for writing a devotional book for stay-at-home moms, speaking at mothering conferences, and leading small groups for mothers. As my dedication dwindled, my visions started to fade. This made me so sad. Where did that passion go? Have pregnancy hormones truly sucked the passion out of me?! Well yes, some days they do :-) But, nearly every time I sat down to write, Caleb would need me, the phone would ring, my husband would want something, and my inspiration was zapped. My fuse is short (okay, nonexistant these days), and so the anger over not writing about being a happy and Godly mother overwhelmed me. The irnoy, huh?<br />
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Yes, I have done a smithering of posts over the past months, but you can tell that my heart has been elsewhere. It has been tired. The Holy Spirit and several other sources, namely my parents and my sweet friend, Rachael, have revealed to me that in order to be impactful in the Kingdom, we must make sure our needs are being met...not our wants, but our needs. If my bucket is empty, I'm of little use to my family or my ministry. If I have not allowed myself time for rest and spiritual/physical restoration, I can't do what He has asked me to do. I have began praying for times of rest. It can come in all types of duration and all forms of function. Today, my husband offered to take our son fishing with him for the entire day. You know what that means for a SAHM? A day off! What?!? I nearly fell over in shock when he suggested the idea. I had specifically been praying for a day where nothing was required of me. A selfish request, but I've identified my empty bucket and knew that a two-hour toddler nap wasn't going to fill it. Look how God provided! God has also shown me how other ways in which I choose to fill my time will drain me right now, instead of fill me. This can even mean time with friends, on Facebook, or catching up on your favorite Netflix show. I like all of those things, but they aren't filling my bucket right now. They are taking up precious time. I'm assured that it isn't forever, it's just for now. Sometimes we simply need to retreat, spend time with Him, and enjoy a 50% off Starbucks :-)<br />
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I want to encourage each of you that dry spells do not become unusable by Him. He has been working diligently on me behind the scenes. Namely, He has asked me to re-focus my blog. Jesus came to reach everyone, not just those people who were culturally like Him. If Jesus was in the business of isolation, imagine how many of us would <em>not</em> be spending eternity in heaven with Him. The name of my blog isolates mommies. Why would a working mother visit a blog titled, "Staying at Home and Making it Work?" Why would a mother who was forced to go back to work after a divorce want to subject herself to the pain of listening to another mother go on and on and on about the joys of staying at home? At times, I have discriminated in my writings. For that, I am sorry. Now, don't misread my heart. God has asked <em>me</em> to stay at home for my husband and my children. He has backed it up with scripture for both my husband and myself to read and accept, and He has blessed us in our obedience. I will still encourage women to consider the option. I will develop my "First Steps" page in order to offer practical life changes that can be made in order to achieve the lifestyle of full-time SAHMommyhood, and I will continue to write, as the Lord leads, towards the specific heart issues that I wrestle with as a stay-at-home mom. But, I will not define the words that God has asked me to share solely to the SAHMother. <br />
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I pray that you will continue to read, I pray that you will share this blog with your friends, and I pray that you will continue on the journeyhood of mothering with me! Join me next time as I explain the new blog title...Pillars of the Palace.<br />
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Be open to His changes in you. Be open to letting Him speak to you in your dry times. Be open to taking opportunities to run away with Him (to Starbucks, or wherever!). We are ever-changing creatures, mommies...created by Him to do His good works. We don't get to go to heaven until He has completed His work in us. Thank you for sticking by me as this page is under spiritual construction :-)<br />
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<strong>"...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6</strong></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-11427276505397634102013-10-03T16:36:00.001-06:002013-10-03T16:36:23.859-06:00He Meets the NeedsHi mommies! Isn't it interesting to ponder the difference between our "wants" and our "needs"? My son is in a stage of saying that he <i>neeeeeeeeds</i> everything (yes, it sounds just like that!). He <i>neeeds</i> a snack, he <i>neeeds</i> a train, he <i>neeeds</i> the "hi-pad," he <i>neeeds</i> to run, and on and on and on :-) Truthfully, he doesn't <i>neeed</i> any of those things. He wants them. How often do we say that we <i>neeed</i> something? Are we setting the right example for our children as we flippantly discuss what we need in our lives? I am the worst at this. I use "want" and "need" interchangeably. But, they are so incredibly different. Look at this verse...<br />
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<b>"And my God will meet your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."</b></div>
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<b>~Philippians 4:19~</b></div>
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Here is the revelation that God gave me this morning...if I don't have it right now, I don't need it. And, furthermore, I know that I have plenty of stuff that I don't need. God knows my true needs far better than I do. God knows what needs must be met in my life before I've even realized there was a void. Now don't get me wrong...I don't believe this verse gives us a license to be irresponsible. If we know that our car will need new tires this winter, and we have the means now to solve that situation, then we should budget and schedule to make that need a reality. But, if we obsessively worry about where the money will come from to put the new tires on the car this winter, that isn't giving our need over to the Lord. Yes, our amazing God of the universe cares about our tire situations!</div>
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In my walk with the Lord, I have learned that our heavenly Father is far more interested in building our personal faith day-by-day, than in setting up a nice cushy safety net for us. For those of us who are planners, this may seem somewhat cruel. He isn't cruel at all. Our God of Love is simply teaching us that our faith and hope can <i>only</i> be placed in Him. It can't be placed in ourselves, in others, in finances, in security, or in anything else you could name. The fact that He knows our needs and that the above verse promises that He will meet them in His timing should actually be quite comforting! I now have the freedom to not worry about a thing. If I need it, He will provide it. If I want it, He may give it as a blessing, or He may not. That is up to Him, our sovereign God.</div>
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I love when He meets a need before we knew that we had it. For instance, He knew that the terrible twos would run rampant throughout my home as I was sicker than a dog with my second pregnancy. There are days I have felt absolutely desperate for a break and for some relief from the chaos. As I was praying over what book my moms group would study this Fall semester, a sweet friend of mine offered this suggestion...</div>
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Seriously?! I had never heard of this book, but as soon as she said it, I knew I needed to read it. And now, I am privileged to lead the precious group of mommies in my group through the fantastic words of wisdom contained in these pages about motherhood. I could not have hand picked a better book for me and for the women in our study during this particular season. Thank you, Jesus, for providing something I needed, before I even knew to ask. If you are having a desperate season of motherhood, I wholeheartedly recommend this read. It will be well worth your time :-)</div>
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Because His Word says it, trust that the Lord will provide for your every need. Let's not get our "wants" and "needs" confused, but let's do make sure to thank Him for always providing for our every need...even those we didn't know we had. Until next time...</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-46860814826149823232013-09-27T08:04:00.001-06:002013-09-27T08:04:02.424-06:00Be Sure and CertainGood morning, mommas! It is a beautiful morning at our house...this momma had a cup of <i>real</i> coffee! It's amazing the difference a dose of caffeine makes for a weary pregnant mommy with a toddler. During Caleb's pregnancy, I avoided caffeine like the plague. I likened it to using cocaine, or something insanely detrimental for a baby's development. Well...once you have to chase a kiddo around the house whilst growing another big boy, I've found that I have started questioning my previous beliefs :-) That, coupled with the assurance from my doctor that no harm will come to our little one from one cup a day, I'm back to enjoying my pick-me-up. Who knows...maybe I'll turn into super mom first thing in the morning and get everything done (including blogging!) before Caleb wakes up. Ha! Not going to happen...but, I can dream!<br />
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I want to give you an uplifting verse to mull over today as you go about your very busy life!<br />
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<b>"Now faith is being <i>sure</i> of what we hope for and <i>certain</i> of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 (emphasis added)</b></div>
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Honestly, I've read this verse many times. But, something new struck me this morning. What are you hoping for this morning? What promise has God spoken softly into your life? What something do you long for, something that is in accordance with His Will? Just as we are <b>sure</b> and <b>certain</b> that God is who He says He is, we must also have the same faith in the promises which He has spoken over our lives--both personally and through the Bible. A small example of choosing to stand on faith and hope would be the following: wringing our hands with anxiety and succumbing to feelings of dread before your toddler awakens to terrorize the house isn't being certain and sure of God's plan for the day to come. His Word teaches us to show our children the fruits of the Spirit at all times...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We can't control our children. But, we <i>can</i> control our own behavior. If our choices align with the instructions in God's Word, we can be <i>sure</i> and <i>certain</i> that the day will go just as God intends. Don't get me wrong...just because we try our best doesn't mean a certain two-year-old will try his best, BUT it can't hurt the situation. It can only help.</div>
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Maybe you are mustering the faith and hope for something huge...healing from an illness, the return of a prodigal child, the salvation of a loved one, a breakthrough in your finances. Go to His Word. What does the Bible say about your current situation? A great resource for a topic search throughout the Bible is <a href="http://www.openbible.info/topics/" target="_blank">Open Bible</a>. Read repeatedly what He promises about your circumstance. Stand on the fact that His Word is infallible, and that He is sovereign. Often times, He allows difficult situations to enter our lives in order to push us to His instruction manual. Once you have learned His stance on the subject matter, practice living in faith and in hope that your personal situation will bring glory to Him.</div>
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Nervous "wishing" won't get us anywhere. Daily practice of sure and certain belief that His words are true? That's the ticket. Let's all promise to try this together :-) Enjoy your day...</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-43103628088347310192013-09-24T07:52:00.002-06:002013-09-24T07:52:28.214-06:00ABC Jesus Loves MeGood morning, mommies! Recently, I was introduced to a fabulous resource for home-schooling our littles. Before I elaborate, home-schooling throughout the school years is a personal choice which should be made within your family while considering personalities, time, resources, and willingness of every family member. Because our Caleb is an exceedingly social child who does well in group settings and has never been a homebody or needing excessive snuggles by his momma (sniff sniff!), <i>and</i> because many of the public and charter schools in our area are absolutely wonderful, we will probably send him to school for kindergarten and beyond. Things could change in the next few years, as he's only two, but my gut tells me that he will be chomping at the bit to have a teacher other than mommy by the time he's five!<br />
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In the mean time, though, he still wants to learn! And, I <i>need</i> to let my creative teacher juices flow! I've noticed how he's picking up concepts from his PBS cartoons (I know...parenting at it's finest!), and he's re-telling things he heard in Sunday school (warms a momma's heart!). I wanted to start some intentional "school" time with him during the day, but I didn't know where to begin. I met a new friend a few weeks ago, and she told me about this incredible site! Check it out at :<br />
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<a href="http://www.abcjesuslovesme.com/" target="_blank">ABC Jesus Loves Me Pre-School Curriculum</a></div>
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If you use this curriculum exclusively with your own child(ren) in your own home, then you may use it free of cost! If you are going to use it in a school setting with children who are not your own, then they ask you to purchase the materials. You can order the workbook to use with your children, or you can go through the weekly lesson plan ideas and keep a note in a journal of what you will try with your children (this is what we do). For instance, we are on Week 2 of the 2-year-old curriculum: <a href="http://www.abcjesuslovesme.com/weekly2/week-2" target="_blank">2YO Week 2</a>. On Sunday evening, I go through the page and decide what will probably be successful with Caleb. I write down what activities we will accomplish, and I pick and choose a few each day. We talk about the concepts throughout the day (i.e. color of the week, the number, etc.), but then we have devoted "school" time post-nap/pre-dinner preparation (no more than thirty minutes to one hour of time). Choose a time that works for you, but I've found that this particular time of day needed some structure.</div>
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Some other tricks I've learned for this program are to print your pages off at the library. Our library allows you 10 free prints per day! This way, you aren't using your own printer ink. Check out the suggested books from the library, so you aren't buying all of them. Add other activities that your child enjoys to the suggested plans (playdough to identify colors, reading books electronically on the iPad, etc.). Finally, make it a fun part to the day. Honestly, there have been a couple of days that Caleb won't have it. I'm not going to force it, as I want "school" to be something which he enjoys. Also, we don't even get to it every day. If we can do four days of school in a week, I'm happy! </div>
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A little something is still something :-)</div>
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Take it or leave it, but I thought this website was too cool not to pass on!</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-16273364481911187112013-09-11T08:26:00.003-06:002013-09-11T08:26:24.909-06:00We Will Never ForgetAs I sat down to write a post on daily organization today, I quickly flipped over to my Facebook page to get the low down on the morning's happenings. Immediately, I was reminded of the day. September 11. As a freshman in a Tuesday morning Introduction to Music Therapy class at the University of Kansas, I had no personal connection to the tragedy which occurred on the 2001 morning. But, I'll never forget a fellow student who announced that her dad worked at the World Trade Center. She left the room crying after the radio told of an accidental plane crash. We attempted to go on with class as usual, and when I got to the dorm a few hours later, the truth was beginning to come out. This was no accident. This was intentional. This was far more horrific than anyone knew a few hours earlier. So now, this day is a day to <i>remember</i>.<br />
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There is a firm difference between dwelling on past tragedies and remembering past tragedies. Dwelling and obsessing about terrible earthly events does not allow God's healing to run it's rightful course. Dwelling on tragedy makes us depressed, fearful, angry, bitter, and revengeful. But, dismissing awful calamities that affect us all during our time on this planet can have nearly the same dreadful consequences. Horrific things happen because we live in a fallen world. Pain is real. Physical death is part of life. Evil has a foothold as we wait for our Jesus to return. But, if we go to His Word, God doesn't dismiss tragedy. In fact, read below:<br />
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<b>"But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up." 2 Samuel 15:30</b></div>
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<b>"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...<u>a time to weep</u> and a time to laugh, <u>a time to mourn</u> and a time to dance...Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4</b></div>
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<b>"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4</b></div>
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<b>"Jesus wept." John 11:35</b></div>
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The Bible, our instruction book, instructs us to not only acknowledge pain and heartache, but to grieve with each other. Like me, you may not have personally known anyone who lost their life on that fateful day, but we do know that this day, September 11, is a dark day in our great nation's history. We are encouraged by God to weep with those who weep, and to mourn with those who mourn.</div>
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After becoming a mother two years ago, I have a new perspective with mass tragedy, or tragedy of any kind for that matter. Every single person who died that day was somebody's child. Every single person. Because each of us reading these words has the heart of a mother, we can offer a new compassion for those women who lost a child. We can pray that <b>"...the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard their hearts and their minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7</b> We probably cannot do a lot from our homes scattered around the world, but we <i>can</i> pray specifically for all of the mothers who lost their children.</div>
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Don't shy away from remembering tragedy. Turn to God's word for instruction on how to appropriately grieve, yet maintain great joy for another day in which we are each alive and well.</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-16149177860343749562013-09-09T07:21:00.003-06:002013-09-09T07:21:45.380-06:00Completion with JoyHello, sweet mommas! Have you ever had a period of time when you have been extra grumbly about something? Lately, I am <i>extra</i> grumbly about "homemaking." The word itself has annoyed me. I clearly understand that when my husband and I agreed to have me stay at home after the birth of our son, it meant that I would take over the logistical duties of keeping a house...cleaning, chores, laundry, paying bills, cooking, and Pinteresting :-) Well, really, if you want to enjoy living in the house you keep, you have to make it cute with projects! More on Pinterest later, though. I had an epiphany about the famed website this weekend.<br />
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But just as adults who work outside of the home go through "blah" times with their careers, I am a firm believer that it can happen to those of us in the home, as well. I've looked at my home lately and felt dread overwhelm me in my tasks of the day. Caleb has tossed oatmeal onto the floor for the 538th time, and I don't feel like scrubbing it on my hands and knees. While wood floors are desirable, they show dust bunnies like nobody's business...can I get an "amen" for carpet? At least the dirt is hidden better in the fibers :-) My windows are like something out of an old western movie with dust and dirt, there are cobwebs forming in the high corners, and the ease of cleaning our bathroom has disappeared with the introduction of BOY potty-training. Um...gross!<br />
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I say all of this not to complain, but to relate with you And, to preface my sweet kick in the pants I received from our heavenly Father last week. My devotional had taken me to Proverbs 31 for the week...yes, an entire week. Really, God? Super funny. Not only can I not stay on top of the bare minimum of homekeeping, but He has to show me the picture perfect example of a Godly wife and mother for seven days in a row! Well, several verses out of the Message version of the passage jumped out at me, and I want to discuss one of those today:<br />
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<b>"She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking."</b></div>
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Again, God...hilarious! Here I am struggling with the desire to pick Cheerios up off of the floor, and You draw me to a passage of the ideal woman flitting around her home, whistling as she polishes the baseboards. Truly though, His character is never to poke fun at us. <i>He was encouraging me</i>. <b>I am</b> skilled in the crafts of home and hearth. <b>I am</b> diligent in homemaking. Not because I say so, but because He says so. These verses speak to each one of us as mothers. He isn't condemning us for not doing a good job caring for our homes. He is encouraging us to ask Him for the strength to do it. All He wants from us is joy and gratitude for the opportunity to work hard, care for our children, and care for the home He has lovingly provided. He wants to be involved in the day-to-day lives of raising young children...even wiping up "accidents" in the bathroom. No prayer is too small for God. Even if you must wake up each morning, during a rough spot, and pray to God for the desire to complete the tasks set before you, including cleaning your husband's dirty and sour-smelling Camelback, then <i>ask</i> Him to give you the time, give you the desire, give you the patience, and to give you joy.</div>
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Keeping a home is an odd job...full of joy and satisfaction, but also full of yuck. Trust me, having a bad attitude about it doesn't help your spirit, and it seeps into the souls of your family members. Don't shoot for perfection (a fault of mine), instead you should aim for completion with joy.</div>
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Check back next time for my tips on organizing our days, homekeeping included :-) Until then, go whistle while you wash the sheets :-)</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-56753323810682007322013-08-26T08:09:00.002-06:002013-08-26T08:09:25.531-06:00Let Him Lead through the QuietGood morning, sweet mommas! I'm trying to get creative with a quiet time. For those that have gym memberships, take your littles to the playroom, and then go have a few minutes to yourself <i>before</i> you hit the treadmill. I have to tell you...it's lovely! First thing in the morning has become hit and miss for me, since our room is directly across from Caleb's room, and he seems to hear our every move. Once he's up, there isn't much quiet to be had :-) What about nap time? Right now, I'm usually lying down if he's lying down, but if I get an extra spurt of energy, I've decided that choosing to spend time with the Lord is probably more beneficial for me than watching a re-run of Grey's Anatomy. I've also battled insomnia with this pregnancy. Weird, huh? You would think I'd crash as soon as I hit the pillow, but I feel like my brain is too full right now! If I wake up in the middle of the night, it can be a wonderful time to have a few quiet moments with the Lord. Whenever you do it, try your best to make it happen. Not out of duty, but out of desire for a peace that only He can provide. On the days when my spiritual bucket is empty, I'm not as successful as I would like to be at all/any of my jobs. When we take the time to stand in relationship with Him, He takes the time to bless us with a sweeter attitude, a multitude of patience, and seemingly more hours to complete life. Take it from me, when I neglect intentional time with Him, the rest of my day pays the price. Get creative, and feel free to comment about the time of day that <i>you</i> spend with Him!<br />
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Speaking of the Lord helping us through our days, I ran across a precious verse the other day...<br />
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<b>"He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; <u>He gently leads those that have young</u>." Isaiah 40:11</b></div>
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This verse melted my heart! <i>He gently leads those that have young</i> speaks directly to each of us, as mothers. He is right here. He created us to bring these tiny little souls into this world, and He takes joy in guiding us through these early (and later!) years of motherhood. Spend some time with him each day, so that you may <i>allow</i> Him to lead you in guiding your young. Just a little snippet of a verse to make you smile today. I hope it comforts you :-) Until next time...</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-80903621224828266902013-08-07T08:09:00.003-06:002013-08-07T08:10:07.219-06:00Get Over the Guilt!Good morning, mommies! It feels great to be back! So much has happened since my last post on June 4, and I am more than excited to get back into the full swing of things, including my writings :-) The biggest news is that Baby #2 is still happily growing in my belly...16 weeks and counting!<br />
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The nausea has started to subside, but...oh my. Let me just say that there is a reason our sweet Lord makes babies so cute and cuddly. Their preciousness quickly erases our minds of the misery which ensued while the tiny miracles were under construction in the womb! I was sick with Caleb, but not like this. Not <i>anything </i>like this. And, if you can relate to the pregnancy sickness, you know that you're doing good to make sure everyone stays alive and somewhat fed throughout the day. Thankfully, our (now) 2-year-old is very much alive and well! And, I fervently pray that God will wipe his memory clean of his abysmal excuse for a mother over the past four months (I'm not going to dwell on it, though...more on that below!). To give an update on our little munchkin...here is a latest fave:</div>
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He is precious beyond words these days, but don't be totally fooled by the innocent look. He is a handful! My coming-back-to-the-land-of-the-living post isn't the place to elaborate on his latest behaviors, attitudes, and shock-worthy feats, but we'll get there :-) And thankfully, I'm sure he is a huge factor in keeping my baby weight at an all-time low in this pregnancy! He doesn't stop unless he's sleeping.</div>
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Since my last post, we sold our previous home, moved into our new home, and then dealt with a slew of problems related to purchasing a home built in 1924. I'm not even joking, mommies...there were several days where I threatened my husband with the option of moving into a Holiday Inn until we could get the messes under control in this new house! I'm talking leaky roofs, spiders as big as your face (okay, not really...but they were BIG!), one broken appliance after the next, bathrooms that smell like campgrounds no matter how much you scrub them, broken door handles, a skunk infestation, and a myriad of other shenanigans. Needless to say, our gift from God came with a few challenges :-) We have lived here for about six weeks, and things are finally starting to calm down. And as my first trimester symptoms have started to wane, I am better equipped to handle the issues. Eventually, this will be our dream house. Right now...we're in transition!</div>
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Before I conclude (thank you, Jesus, for letting my cherub sleep in on this rainy morning!), I want to encourage each of you to not wallow in feelings of guilt. Guilt is defined as:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">feeling</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">of</span> responsibility <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">remorse</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">for</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">some</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">offense,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">crime,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">wrong,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">etc.,</span> <i><b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">whether</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">real</span> </b></i><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;"><i><b>or imagined</b></i>.</span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333;">I have had <i>major</i> guilt in my heart, really since we decided to list our house in April. Guilt that I was being a bad mom as I busily prepared to list a house and find a house. Then, guilt that I was a bad mom after finding out we were pregnant and immediately setting up camp in the bathroom, thereby removing any chance of doing fun and educational activities with my little man. Guilt that I was a bad wife for not keeping up with the house and taking great care of my husband. Guilt that I was a bad mom to our second child for taking every prescription in the pharmacy to help me get through the day. Guilt as I dropped the ball on my responsibilities with my mommy ministry at church. Guilt as I said "no" time and time again to playdates and friendship-building outings. Guilt as I would forego my quiet time so as to get a few extra minutes of sleep each morning. Guilt as I watched my husband move box after box from one house to the next, as I was put on strict limitations due to bleeding. Guilt as I hired someone to clean my home, since the smell of cleaning products sent me through the roof. And...guilt as day after day went by and I was not sitting here, writing to all of you and to myself. It's not that God hasn't given me great topics to mull over and share with all of you. It's simply that I couldn't find the minutes in the day, or the strength, to get here. But...quite recently, the Lord has shown me that guilt is not from Him. Kindergarten lesson, huh? However, I'm sure you can relate to the fact that we all need a kindergarten lesson once in awhile. He is not the giver of guilt, shame, or regret. He is the Giver of just the opposite. He accepts us right where we are. He isn't angry with me because I haven't blogged. In fact, I feel like He has said, "Well done, my daughter. This has been a trying season, and you have done your best." </span></div>
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Mommies, be at peace when <i>you</i> have done your best. It certainly won't mean that all is done, you look amazing, your kids are perfect, your husband is totally happy, and you can flit around saying how "beautiful and alive" you feel during your pregnancy (um...can I just say that if you do feel that way during your pregnancies, please don't talk to me until this child is out of my belly!). "Doing our best" is subjective to the day. What is He asking you to do today? A to-do list a mile long for which the energy you do not have? Take a few minutes, ask Him to guide your steps today, and complete what is set in front of you. Call out the guilt for what it is, ask Him to remove it, and go on with your day...even if it simply includes lying on the floor and pushing trains around the room for your toddler to chase :-) Thanks for reading, sweet friends. It's good to be back!</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-3340247108571274682013-06-04T10:47:00.001-06:002013-06-04T10:48:14.245-06:00Family News!!!<b>"Blessed is she who believed that what The Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:45</b><div><b><br></b></div><div>God had told me that more babies were in our future, and He has kept His word! We are thrilled to officially announce that we are expecting! The newest addition to our family is due to arrive in January 2014. I am now seven weeks along. There have been many times over the past few weeks when I have wanted to shout it from the roof tops, but my husband encouraged me to wait until we saw that precious little heartbeat thumping away on the ultrasound. Well...we saw it! Baby is healthy, perfect, and beautiful! Okay, honestly Baby is just a little blueberry, but I think he/she is amazing :-) While there have many times when my eyes have filled with tears thinking of our heavenly gift, life has also continued...and things just got real!</div><div><br></div><div>I am sick. Like, sicker than sick. Like, there are days when I wish my husband would just let me stay curled up on the bathroom floor all day and bring me a few Cheerios to munch on every few hours. Isn't it funny, though, that our toddlers don't seem to show a ton of compassion when their mommy is hanging over the toilet. My typical writing time is around 6am when Caleb is still in dreamland. I now pray that God will keep him in a coma as long as possible, and I drag myself out of bed when I hear that the toddler's patience have reached their max! Sometimes, I write during nap time or after bed time, but if Caleb is laying down, so am I. So...all this to say, please don't take offense or worry at my absence. I'm alive! And, after visiting with my doctor yesterday, I finally agreed to start taking some major anti-nausea medicines. After he assured me that our child would not have three heads, I started using them as he instructed. And today...thank you, Jesus...I am up, writing, and not wholely depending on Thomas movies to entertain my toddler. Who knows...we may even play outside this afternoon! My poor child...I hope that this part of his memory is sweetly erased and that he won't forever hold his future brother/sister responsible for his lack of awesome mommy time during these few short months :-)</div><div><br></div><div>Whatever you are praying for, mommies, don't lose hope. Our Heavenly Father loves to answer our prayers with sweet gifts at times we would least expect. And, you can be sure, that if it's a good gift, then it came from Him! </div><div><br></div><div><b>"Every good and perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17</b></div><div><br></div>Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-60910934597129779922013-05-25T10:49:00.004-06:002013-05-25T10:50:18.176-06:00Mommy AffirmationHappy Memorial Day weekend, mommies! Hopefully, you get to spend some much needed time with your kiddos and your honey...remembering those we have lost, and appreciating those who are still with us!<br />
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I'm off to shop for bridesmaid dresses with my bestie, but I stumbled upon a <i>fantastic</i> Facebook post yesterday. I don't know the author, she is a friend of a friend, but her name is Leah and she provided some awesome affirmation for any mommy out there! Leah, if you read this...thank you for your wise words! Enjoy this, and have a fantastic weekend!<br />
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<i><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">To
the mom who's breastfeeding: Way to go! It really is an amazing gift to
give your baby, for any amount of time that you can manage! You're a
good mom. <br /> <br /> To the mom who's formula feeding: Isn't science
amazing? To think there was a time when a baby with a mother who
couldn't produce enough would suffer, but now? Better living through
chemistry! You're a good mom. <br /> <br /> To the cloth diapering mom: Fl<span class="text_exposed_show">uffy bums are the cutest, and so friendly on the bank account. You're a good mom. <br /> <br />
To the disposable diapering mom: Damn those things hold a lot, and it's
excellent to not worry about leakage and laundry! You're a good mom. <br /> <br />
To the mom who stays home: I can imagine it isn't easy doing what you
do, but to spend those precious years with your babies must be amazing.
You're a good mom. <br /> <br /> To the mom who works: It's wonderful that
you're sticking to your career, you're a positive role model for your
children in so many ways, it's fantastic. You're a good mom. <br /> <br />
To the mom who had to feed her kids from the drive thru all week because
you're too worn out to cook or go grocery shopping: You're feeding your
kids, and hey, I bet they aren't complaining! Sometimes sanity can
indeed be found in a red box with a big yellow M on it. You're a good
mom. <br /> <br /> To the mom who gave her kids a homecooked breakfast lunch
and dinner for the past week: Excellent! Good nutrition is important,
and they're learning to enjoy healthy foods at an early age, a boon for
the rest of their lives. You're a good mom. <br /> <br /> To the mom with
the kids who are sitting quietly and using their manners in the fancy
restaurant: Kudos, it takes a lot to maintain order with children in a
place where they can't run around. You're a good mom. <br /> <br /> To the
mom with the toddler having a meltdown in the cereal aisle: they always
seem to pick the most embarrassing places to lose their minds don't
they? We've all been through it. You're a good mom.<br /> <br /> To the moms who judge other moms for ANY of the above? Glass houses, friend. Glass houses.</span></span></i></div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-54437901021774946612013-05-21T07:56:00.003-06:002013-05-21T08:00:21.923-06:00Turn our FocusHello, mommies! I heard this song as I was making dinner last night, and her words have stayed with me throughout the night and this morning. I wanted to share it with each of you, as I feel it will speak deeply to some of you.<br />
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"Blessings" by Laura Story </div>
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Have you ever felt like the Lord has promised you and your family a season of blessings, but the current circumstances aren't lining up with His words? It's confusing, it's hurtful, and it's a perfect environment for the Enemy to insert fear, despair, and a litany of lies. I want to encourage each of you to hold fast to the words that our heavenly Father has spoken to you. I have spoken before about my bad tendency to obsess, worry, and over-analyze. I could write out every verse that battles anxiety, but it feels like I have a constant seed of worry that bursts into this grotesque, monstrous tree every so often.<br />
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Sometimes, the lifestyle of a SAHM feeds my anxiety problem. Yes, we're busy, but a lot of our time is spent doing mindless house chores, preparing food, or organizing something. We can be "working" while our minds spin out of control. To be honest, I don't have the remedy for this problem! But I do know that obsessiveness is rooted in the Enemy. I need to do a better job of recognizing thoughts that aren't of Him, and turning my attention to this verse. Our Lord has been <i>screaming</i> these words to me lately:<br />
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<b>"Finally, sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4:8</b></div>
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God is doing some amazing things in my family right now, but one certain trial, one potential earth-shattering disappointment, is looming. I don't mean to be cryptic, but I'm not ready to share the details. I will, sweet mommies. And through my story, I hope many of you are blessed by the evidence of His love amidst the storms. Clearly, I'm missing the great stuff God is doing because Satan wants to keep my attention on the hard stuff. It's a choice, mommies. It's a choice to protect our hearts so that we can be our best for our husbands and our children. I'm not at my best for the duties set before me when I'm obsessing in a cesspool of negativity. My prayer for each of us today is the verse above. Have a lovely day with your children, and remember to focus on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy :-)</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-59510444886268478472013-05-15T21:08:00.003-06:002013-05-15T21:08:58.722-06:00Choosing PeaceWelcome back! I'm not totally sure the Dalai Lama said this, but it's a great quote, and very applicable to the modern momma...<br />
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If you are fortunate enough to rise a few minutes before your little ones, you may know what this inner peace feels like. If you are fortunate enough to keep your eyes open for awhile longer after they fall asleep, you may know what this inner peace feels like. Or, if your toddler who never stops moving is tired enough to sweetly fall asleep in your arms, you may know what this inner peace feels like. Some call it the "happy place." Whatever you call it, I think it is so important for us as mommies to:<br />
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<li>Identify what it feels like</li>
<li>Ask God to bring it to us, <i>all the time!</i></li>
<li>Choose to stay in it as long as possible</li>
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Isn't it funny how our peace can disappear in a second? A friend gives you bad news. Your husband makes an off-handed remark that gets to your core. Or, my favorite this week, your toddler gets the stomach flu and throws up all over you...in the middle of the night. Yep, there it goes! My peace...But! It doesn't have to. I want to make a vow to stay peaceful as much as possible. Our God-given peace does not depend on the behavior and actions of others, or on the circumstances around us. I tend to view peace vs. circumstances as a cause and effect relationship. But, God has clearly shown me lately that this is not the case!<br />
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As mommies, I believe that one of our primary responibilites of the home is to foster an atmosphere of peace. How can we do that for our families if we can't do it for ourselves? I dream of Caleb growing up in a home that regardless of what hard things his daddy and I may be dealing with, he will remember a home of peace. Peace is defined as:<br />
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<li><span class="ssens">a state of tranquillity or quiet</span></li>
<li><span class="ssens"></span><span class="ssens">freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions</span></li>
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<span class="ssens">Isn't that second definition fantastic?! How many times do we lose our peace because of our <i>own</i> behavior or, more specifically, our own thoughts? This was never God's intention. If we know Him, and we know His Son, Jesus Christ, then we have the ability to feel His supernatural peace washing over us at all times...<i>regardless of our circumstances</i>. When my little man was throwing up for the umpteenth time this week, I sat back and held him and thought about the intricacy that went in to our heavenly Father's creation of the human body. Okay, maybe I was delirious from carpet cleaner, but I really was put at peace in the fact that his little body was behaving just as God designed it. Something foreign was attacking his cells, and his body was getting rid of the culprit. I knew he wouldn't throw up forever, I knew that I was the only person who could comfort him in the moment, and I knew that God would heal our son. I had peace.</span><br />
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<span class="ssens">That might have been a bizarre example of peace right now, but it's where my head is :-) I had a hard conversation with a friend today, we've run into a snag with our house contract, and I'm trying to prepare us to go out of town again. Through all of that, God reminded me of this verse...</span><br />
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<b><span class="ssens"> </span>"You will keep in perfect peace her whose mind is steadfast, because she trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3</b></div>
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Over the past year, I have been on a major journey of learning to trust God in what He is doing. The more I trust Him, the more peace I feel in the big things, and the small things. Mommies, I encourage you to identify how it feels when you are in "perfect peace." Ask Him to allow you to feel that more often. He doesn't desire us to feel like this:</div>
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I know that we have all that, and more, to do! But, we don't have to look like that :-) Let's learn how to do this job peacefully. The responsibilities aren't going away...but He may just desire that we practice a peaceful spirit while completing our tasks. Just some thoughts!</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-83957017555176673172013-05-12T20:14:00.002-06:002013-05-12T20:14:13.480-06:00Happy Mother's Day!!!Hi mommies! I've been busy with my boys today, but I did want to post a "sweet" and a "silly" in honor of our special day! Happy Mother's Day!!!<br />
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Today, and everyday, remember how much you are loved and needed. Even if our little babes can't find the words, their smiles and adoring eyes say it all. Enjoy this day devoted to all of us!</div>
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Kindra McNameehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192677990277086361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-859115152110163784.post-37055736801392848202013-05-11T20:54:00.002-06:002013-05-11T20:54:28.445-06:00A Story of Two HousesWelcome back! Tonight, I want to start by discussing a little parenting dilemma :-) Caleb threw his first full-blown tantrum this afternoon, and his daddy and I were at a loss as to how to handle this out of control toddler. You see, Caleb has grown quite fond of the Thomas the Train and Chuggington apps on the iPad. We used them, apparently too much, to pacify the little man on the exceedingly long plane rides to Columbus, OH and back last weekend. Well now, Caleb thinks he needs to play them <i>all the time</i>...whether we are on a plane, or sitting on the couch. The child clearly needs a bit of detox! Just a note...detox is NEVER fun. We had to move the iPad and the cover completely out of view for him to stop obsessing, we tried distracting him with everything imaginable, we tried to feed him, take him outside, put him in time-out, and even put him down for a nap. Toddlers have the strongest one-track mind. Our refusal to allow him to play came with some seriously strong consequences, over several long hours. Yes, he eventually succumbed to exhaustion, but not without upsetting the whole household before giving up. Here is our dilemma...<br />
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Do you discipline during a tantrum? The minute and a half in the time-out chair definitely allowed him to catch his breath, but he went right back to the wailing after he got up. I don't think I believe in spanking during a tantrum because, truly, the child hardly seems like he's in his right mind! I tried to hold him and comfort him, reassuring him that all will still be well in the world if he didn't get his game, but he took turns pushing both of us away. Is teething a factor? Probably. Was he overly tired? Absolutely. Was part of this just typical toddler behavior? Most definitely. So, here is my question for you...what do you do at your home in the midst of a tantrum? Time-out? Spankings? Loss of privileges? Time alone in their crib? Hug and comfort? I'm open to any and all comments. I have a strong suspicion that this will not be the last tantrum, even if we do accomplish a full detox from the train apps...oh technology, you are so good, yet so bad!<br />
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Thanks for letting me get that off my chest! On to the exciting happenings...nearly one month ago, The Lord told my husband and I to put our house on the market. It was a huge leap of faith, as we had no where to go, and we really had no good reason to leave our current house, other than the fact that it's a bit too pricey for our current situation. You see, we bought this house and then quickly found out that we were pregnant with Caleb. In the months that followed, we decided that I would stay home with him, which meant that our income went from two comfortable salaries to one. While He has remained faithful in providing us the necessary resources to live comfortably, this house has felt like more of a burden, rather than the blessing it was intended to be. We contemplated selling last year, but the real estate market had not picked up enough to warrant a good effort. Thankfully, it seems to have made a come back in the Colorado Springs area this year! After meeting with our realtor and agreeing to prepare our home and list it, we prayed. Lord...show us where to go. Show us what you want us to do, and open our hearts to the next phase that you have in store for us! Well, what do you know...<br />
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One week later, a cute little bungalow came up on the market, not even five minutes from our current home. We went to look at it the first afternoon it was listed. I walked in and cried...happy tears :-) Have you ever seen evidence of God simply loving you by blessing you with desires you have never even uttered aloud? This was that house. This was our dream house. It certainly would not classify as a dream house for many, but it does for us. It is the exact style of our first home that we fell in love with in Virginia. At half the size of our current home, it has beautiful hard wood floors, a gorgeous kitchen, original woodwork throughout, French doors off the master onto a lovely deck, a separate playroom, a series of "secret" closets and passageways for little boys and their imaginations, aspen trees all around the yard, an oversized garage with a manly workshop, a spot for an RV, a main-level laundry room, a mud room, a cellar (or a "bunker" if you ask my husband!), a formal dining room, picture windows with a view of the mountains, a guest room and bathroom, a scrapbooking/craft nook, lots of storage space, a log cabin playhouse, a swing set, a huge yard, tons and <i>tons</i> of character, and a hot tub. All of these sweet desires, many of which we have never spoken aloud, for over 100k less than our current house. This is the kind of house we have been waiting for...and I now know that God was just waiting for us to take a leap of faith on our current home before He would lovingly provide our dream home.<br />
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Long story short...our offer was accepted (not without a bidding war!). So then, the task came to prepare our current home for the market with massive packing, staging, and cleaning. Our goal was May 3, and we made it! Caleb sweetly helped along the way, and then happily went to play at others' homes while I finished up...after all, toddlers can only "help" so much :-) We literally vacuumed ourselves out of our house on the morning of May 4, and took off to see my amazing brother graduate from The Ohio State University. So proud of him! As we were pulling into the gate at the Columbus airport, my phone rang. Yea I know, it shouldn't have been on! It was our realtor. We received an offer, a GREAT offer, on our house! In less that 24 hours! If that isn't God, then I have no explanation. Yes, the market has picked up, but I didn't think we would get an offer that quickly. We did a few negotiations, and we were under contract by the next morning. Another couple came to see the house, and they told our realtor that if anything went awry with our current deal, they are next in line. Praise God!!! While it is absolutely wonderful to be under contract, I would be lying if I didn't express my extreme delight in not having to keep a house in "show condition" with a toddler. I truly didn't know how I was going to do it!<br />
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I say all of this to encourage each of you. While we have waited for two years for a shift in our house/financial situation, maybe you have waited that long, or even longer, for some type of monumental change in your family. Don't give up hope, mommies! He is so faithful to provide just what we need at just the right time, sprinkled with sweet blessings that could only come from the Father who loves us so much. Even through situations that can seem unbearably challenging, He can bring ease and fluidity. Sometimes He asks for our assistance, and sometimes He simply asks us to sit back and watch His beautiful work. Keep praying for that marriage, that child, that financial crisis, that parent, that attitude-shift. I pray that this story will be a testimony to His greatness, and I look forward to hearing your testimonies of His greatness, as well. Until next time...<br />
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<b>"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9</b></div>
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