Summer Survival Calendar & Action Guide

Recently I stumbled across the 2013 Summer Survival Calendar over at The Confident Mom.  I was so happy to find the calendars with all kinds of summer activities each day!  It seems that every summer I have all these great plans for fun summer stuff with the boys but precious little ever gets accomplished.

If you've been reading my blog at all you know that I'm a huge fan of Hello Mornings also.  Well the lovely Jenni over at Hello Mornings is doing a mini challenge using the 2013 Summer Survival Calendar.

To join me just grab your 2013 Summer Survival Calendar, then click on over to Hello Mornings!  Be sure to come back here to discuss specific steps on the challenge too.

I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else is planning for summer!

In Christ,
Paige

He Has Risen!

He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.             Matthew 28:6

Teach Them Diligently Conference Early Discount Ends Tonight

Hi everyone.  I wanted to let everyone know that the early bird discount for registration to Teach Them Diligently Conference ends tonight so if you are planning on joining me in May at one of the 3 locations you better take advantage tonight of the discount.



I'll be attending the Nashville location so if you are attending the conference leave me a message and lets try to connect while there.

Come and be refreshed!

In Christ,
Paige

My One Word for 2013

I've had my One Word for this year since before the end of last year.  Now is the first time I've had a chance to post about it.  If you are not familiar with One Word 365 check it out HERE. 

My One Word for 2013 is Intimacy.

Are you ready?  This could get long.  Websters Dictionary defines Intimacy as the state of being intimate. Intimate is defined as 1. A. Intrinsic, essential. Intrinsic is defined as belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing.  B. belonging to or characterizing one's deepest nature.  2. marked by very close association, contact, or familiarity.  3. A. marked by a warm friendship developing through long association. 

I'll just let that sink in.  What more is there to say really? 

It's going to be one of the best years ever.  

Meal Planning

Alright.  I know I was lost down the rabbit hole for all of 2012 but that time away from blogging has reaped many rewards for me and this is just one of the many I plan to share with you.
                                                                   
Back in July my friend told me about Plan to Eat.  We were talking about being able to reduce grocery spending.  I don't know about you but reducing our food spending is a high priority in today's economy.  So I signed up for the free month trial back then and used it a little.  Honestly the cost kept me from renewing my membership even though I really was impressed with everything about Plan to Eat.

I've also followed Kat at Inspired to Action for quite some time.  Fast forward to Black Friday weekend and I get an email with a post from Kat at Inspired to Action saying that she loves Plan to Eat and they are having a Black Friday sale.  They were offering 50% off a yearly membership. Well I had already spent every spare penny on buying Christmas presents.  We were done with Christmas shopping on Black Friday weekend this year.  I digress.  Needless to say I wasn't able to take advantage of their sale.  Out of sight.  Out of mind.  I forgot about it until last week when Kat posts again and says she's going to do a Meal Planning Bootcamp.  AND!!!!!  The lovely people at Plan to Eat had offered another coupon code for those doing the Bootcamp with Kat.  30% off!!  So guess what I did?!?  Of course I used the coupon and signed right up.  I've been entering my recipes today and getting ready for Bootcamp to start tomorrow.

If you are staring at the fridge and pantry at 4 or 5 every day wondering what to make for dinner and then ordering take out or going through the drive through then take a look at Plan to Eat. They offer a 30 day free trial. So get your free trial right now and then join me over at Kat's for her Meal Planning Bootcamp.  After your free trial you can take advantage of the 30% coupon.  The coupon code is PTEBOOTCAMP.  It doesn't expire until March 1st.  Click here to sign up.  Be sure to add me as a friend after you sign up.  My user name is AnointedHsMom.

Then take a peek at Kat's posts regarding her Meal Planning Bootcamp and join me next week as I get my meal planning and grocery shopping under control.

Hope to see you there!
Paige

Admission of Guilt

If you're like me you're seeing a person standing before a judge and the judge says "How do you plead?"  There I am cowering and I say "Guilty Your Honor. I did it.  Throw the book at me!."  The truth is I'm racked with guilt this morning and I've already tried, convicted, and buried myself under the jail.

Let me back up just a bit for those of you that only read my blog occasionally (Why would you read at all? I haven't posted in over 6 months! :o)  I realize that most of you have no idea whats going on in my life so let me take a quick moment to bring everyone up to speed.

Things are good for the most part.  We have started school and it's been trying but I can see that we are going to have one of the best years yet once we get the beginning kinks worked out.  I've spoken before about Inspired to Action and the Hello Mornings challenges that Kat has.  Kats website and her free materials have inspired me and helped me make some changes.  I've been involved in 3 challenges and while going through this summers challenge I started to feel like I should get more involved with these challenge. In June (or was it early July?) I got an email that they were looking for volunteers to lead a group of ladies for the Fall 2012 Hello Mornings Challenge.  I knew I was supposed to do this so I submitted my info. So here I am.  I'm an Accountability Captain (AC) to 20 women.

I'd like to tell you that I'll wax elegant like my precious and beautiful friend Erica, who has a way with words, about my thoughts, struggles, and enlightenment's, etc. but the truth is I won't.  I'll most likely be sloppy, unintelligible, and down right whiny sometimes.  I'm OK with that.  I hope you can be OK with it too.  My desire is to be raw and open with you here in this minuscule piece on the world wide web.

Fast forward to this morning.  Well really last night.  This morning was Day 1 of the Fall 2012 Hello Mornings Challenge.  Last night I didn't get to bed on time.  I was up at 6 this morning but I didn't Maximize anything about my morning or so I thought.  I checked in to my group while laying in bed.  Guilt is starting to creep in.  After I checked in I almost went back to sleep.  Oh I'm handpicking the nastiest jury I can find by this point.  My Bible study is on my Kindle RIGHT BESIDE ME on my night stand.  I'm so pathetic. Here I am with this group of 20 women who are depending on me to encourage them, love on them, and pray for them.  How can I love them when I loath myself?  How can I encourage them when I'm chewing on dirt and gasping for air under the jail?  (See a pattern evolving here?)

Then I remember it. I remember the post a few days ago at Inspired to Action about Why I Was A Great Mom This Week.  It was all about how us Moms focus on our failures and never stop to think about what we did accomplish and succeed at.  I'm feeling a bit more encouraged thinking about that so I pick up my Bible study and remember that we are studying 1 Peter.  I've always loved Peter.  We are kindred spirits if there ever was some.  I may not display the image of God very good most days but I wouldn't hesitate to cut someones ear off to protect and defend my Savior no matter how misguided those actions are.  I'm hot headed, deeply passionate about those I love and fiercely protective of them.  I'd soak myself in gasoline and walk through fire for Him if that's what was necessary.  Really I would.  Thank goodness I don't have to at this time.

Peter was intimately acquainted with guilt.  He had to be.  Of all the disciples he probably had the keenest sense of who Jesus was.  He knew Jesus only second to John I think.  I know all the disciples knew who Jesus was and had a limited understanding of the what that really meant but Peter's answers and actions tell me he understood the deity of Jesus differently than the other disciples.  There was a simple depth to Peter that I don't completely see in the others.  Yet he denied Him at the most critical time.  My heart breaks for Peter when I think of this.  It breaks because I can image doing the same thing.  I KNOW the consequence of his actions.  Honestly it makes me sick to my stomach with guilt.  I know Peter felt the same way.  I can't imagine the weight of the guilt Peter felt.

What did Peter do with that guilt and remorse?  Did he let it define him?  Paralyze him into inaction?  Maybe for a short time but not very long.   Peter is a stark contrast to Judas who hung himself in his guilt.  Peter could have easily chosen to let the guilt consume him and ended up just like Judas.  But he didn't.

Am I going to let the guilt consume me?  Am I going to be defined by failure and guilt?  I have a choice today.  I chose Life.  I chose the one that Loves Me Still.  I've dug out from under the jail and I'm headed to the Living Water for a shower.

Are you going to let failure and guilt take hold this morning?  I beg you not to.  I implore you to remember that no matter what mistakes there is no one out of reach of the Living Savior.  He Loves You Still!!

Happy Hello Mornings everyone!

iPad Giveaway

Apps School is giving away and iPad 2 with a whole bunch of apps.  Go to http://www.apps-school.com/giveaway.htm to enter.

Really. Who doesn't want an iPad?

Ready? Set! GO!

Late in 2010 the Lord began a work in me that took me by surprise.  It started first with this video. Then came the video that the Lord continues to speak to me through.

For the first time last year I named the year with one word. 2011's one word was New. I felt like the Lord told me to name 2011 the year of NEW.  I can honestly say that there are many NEW things about me and my life but while in 2011 I felt as though nothing was new.  I didn't realize that there were new things happening inside me. In the moment (year) I felt like a failure.  I felt like nothing was new at all.

Well December of last year (I love saying that!) rolled around and I began to pray and seek God for 2012's one word.  At first I wasn't getting anything. I prayed and I could hear the crickets chirping between here and heaven.  I began to wonder if last year's one word was just something I wanted and not what the Lord had spoken at all.  That would explain why nothing felt new.  Yes I was starting to see the error of my ways in naming 2011.

One night about a week before Christmas I was drawn to You Tube to watch something a friend had told me about. Note that I wasn't praying about One Word 2012 or even thinking about it at the time.  While there I watched the above video again after not watching it for a while.  I usually watch it every few weeks but life had just kept me from going there to watch.  As usual the video went straight to the deepest part of my soul.  I was reaffirmed in some things the Lord had told me previously and then.....right there on the screen was the word GO.  The Lord said "Paige, GO now. 2012 is the year of GO. Go do all the things your mind lingers on in the dark of night when sleep is scarce. Go and move out into the calling I've given you. Above all else be ready to GO whenever I tell you to."  My whole body was electric in those seconds. I almost didn't believe what I heard.  GO and not be still?  GO and not be patient?  Go and not "Not right now. You aren't ready yet."? GO!  Really?

Lord did You just release me into the ministry You have crushed my heart with?  Did You?  Really?

I wish I explain what all GO means but I truly can't fathom it all right now.  I'm still a bit in shock.  There are a few things I consider minor that I know He told me to act on and I'll be doing those soon.  Subscribe to my blog in your favorite reader to stay up to date.  All I know right now is that I am NEW and last year was a holding year while He made many things NEW inside me.  There are not words to describe how different I feel. I look the same. Sound the same yet inside me is a different perspective that is starting to come through around my family.  Of course there is still a lot to be changed into His likeness but I'm making progress and I know it.

2012! Here we come!

What's your One Word for 2012?

I Wasn't Prepared

I wasn't prepared for what I read just a moment ago over at Lisa Notes.  She wasn't prepared either.  Her post hit me like a brick. Living in Nashville I see homeless people all over the place. I can't help but wonder if I'd been more prepared what could I have done in the past.  I just know that I'll take this idea and get prepared from now on.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10


 

Joshua Got His Green Belt in Tae Kwon Do!

I've got video and a few pictures to share of Joshua testing for his green belt and then the promotion ceremony.  He's thoroughly enjoying doing Tae Know Do and I'm excited at how good at it that he really is.  I look for him to go very far in this. His goal is obviously to get his black belt and then keep it. Here he is testing for his belt.



And here he is receiving his green belt.


Now I've got to buy sparring equipment! I don't know if I'm ready for that.  Here is a picture for his Meme because I know she loves the still pictures.

  Love you Mom, Dad, Fred, and Joan!

Hello Mornings

I've followed Kat over at Inspired to Action on twitter and through her blog for quite a while.  I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been familiar with her blog yet never read there much.  A few weeks ago the Lord began to do some things in me and I found her blog and began to read.   I was instantly impressed for a couple of reasons.  1. She totally must have a camera in my house. 2. She has written some excellent things to help me and anyone else that cares to read them and put them out for FREE.  Now I have no problem paying for the work that people write or create but put quite simply money is very tight right now.  I can't express how blessed I am that her materials are FREE.  Did I mention they are FREE right now?  

One thing I struggle with is is going to bed at reasonable time and getting up early in the mornings.  I've always struggled with this and I hate that it's so hard for me to do what I need to do to take care of my family and myself properly.  I WANT to get up before the sun rises and have my quiet time with the Lord but I don't.  I WANT to be up and showered before the boys so that I'm ready to tackle the day with them but I don't. I DON'T WANT to be exhausted and short tempered with my boys and husband but I am.  I DON'T WANT to be consistently behind in house work and laundry but I am.  The answer is so simple.  Go to bed early and get up in the morning early.  By doing this I would have my sweet time with the Lord before the day. I would be showered and ready to cuddle with Jacob when he wakes.  I love having a few minutes to sit and hug him and discover what's in that brilliant little 5 year old mind.  If I woke early I could have Bible study with Joshua.

I've read so many books, blog posts, Cd's etc. on this very topic.  We as Christians and homeschoolers have multitudes of help out there to us and I've used facets of all of those materials.  But I never was able to make them my own, so to speak, and follow through with them.  It's hard to take someone else's specific answer to prayer to their own issues and make it your answer to prayer to YOUR specific issues.  If you know what I mean.  All the other materials out there have helped and I've used them in some fashion.  Kat's materials have been different.

So what made Kat's materials different for me you ask?  I'm so glad you asked!!  Kat kept things simple and gave step by step actions to take to help you begin to Maximize Your Mornings.  She doesn't cram her specific morning routine at you and tell you you are failing if you don't follow it to a T.  She includes forms for you to fill out that will help YOU develop YOUR OWN morning routine.  The best part?  Maximize Your Mornings is only 32 pages long!  I  was able to read it in one sitting and the forms were not time consuming in the least.  They were direct and to the point.  Time is of the essence for me.  If I'm sitting down not doing anything something is not getting done (I won't bore you with how many loads of laundry aren't done and how bad my living room and school room look right now). I needed straight forward and Kat gave it to me.  Kat has also graciously included calendars that will help you pray for your kids and husband and so much more.  Really!!  All FREE.  Did I say that already?  Be sure and read through all of Kat's resources HERE.

So this next week begins a NEW journey for me.  I'm going to set my alarm and get up early no matter what time I go to bed.  I'm going to do that until it's a habit for me.  I'm going to do my best to go to bed earlier.  If I'm up earlier and getting things done it should be easier for me to go to bed without feeling like late night is the only time I can get some things done....or feel like that's the only alone time I can get.

I know this will be hard.  I know there are days when I will want to just give up and go take a nap.  But I'm committed to changing things. I'm tired of feeling like a failure.

Is there anything that has motivated you to action lately?  Tell me about it.  I'd love to hear all about it.

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, I Don't Like What I See

It's 9:45 and the lights just went out.  I'm laying there with heart aching after reading about the suicide of Trey Pennington.  I'll ready admit that I didn't know Mr. Pennington.  I didn't even follow him on twitter.  What weighed so heavy on me was how hopeless he must have felt to make the choice to end his own life.  I thought of how hopeless I've been at different points in my life.  Many years ago I was very near suicide.  As the tears begin to flow I try to conceal them from my husband laying next to me.  I don't want to have to explain my shame if he asks me whats wrong.  I'm consumed with the children who are starving, dyeing of preventable diseases.  How hopeless must they feel?  That hopelessness eats them up from inside.

I'm standing in my (admittedly) small kitchen railing about the injustice of having to endure this travesty of a kitchen, house even.  I'm angry.  I'm fussing because there aren't enough pots and pans to cook the way I want to. My kitchen is the size of some families HOUSES.  I wish I could tell you I realized my own travesty right there in my kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks.  Sadly, I did not.

That night the tears flow hot and I look in the mirror and I don't like what I see.  Shame and disgust eat me up from inside.  I cry out to Jesus and tell him just what I think of myself.  I fully expect the disappointed silence.

His arms around me pulling me up into His lap, holding me tight, so there's no question Who has me.  He says "I know but I still love you." and I feel it in my bones.  I KNOW He does still love me.  Really?  This black heart?  You still love me?  INCONCEIVABLE!!  How?  Why?  "Because you hate the black Paige.  You keep pressing into Me so I can wash you white as snow."  I do?  I don't feel like I do.  I feel like I stand and spew black sickness all over my kitchen and house because I'm a self absorbed, whining, bratty child.  No more words, just arms so strong and safe I know the truth that is HIM. He need not speak.  I know and feel His truth in His all consuming grip.

You've probably noticed a bit of a focus change here on my blog over the last few weeks and even this year.  God wrecked my whole idea of life before Christmas 2010.  I've not known what to do with myself, this blog, since then.  The last few weeks the Lord has been making my call clearer.  Things carried from childhood are starting to make sense.  Things that didn't make sense before are getting clearer.  Praise the Lord!!

I'll still write about homeschooling and my family.  I'll just be sharing more about how I'm learning to live in this first world with one foot firmly planted in the third world.  There is so much He wants us to learn.  So much He wants us to do.  Life won't be dull if you'll step into God's story with me.  You won't be able to control it at all but in the end that's where the Life Abundantly will come from.

In honor of Shaun Groves new record Third World Symphony I'm starting a Third World Thursday meme.  What is Third World Thursdays you ask?  Every Thursday I will post something in regards to third world countries, the children and families that live there, their living conditions, how I'm helping a child or family in a third world, how I'm reconciling our first world with their third world, Compassion or any other child advocate organization, projects these organizations are creating to help release children from poverty, a child that needs sponsorship or clean water or food.  You get the idea.  If you are blogging about third world issues, children, needs, or even how to live more simply so that they can simply live, this is the place to link up.  The linky will be active from Thursday to Wednesday for each week.  Come and join me as I seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus for the least of these.

Ready! Set! Go!

Meet the Newest Member of Our Family!!!

I can not tell you how excited I am to post this news!!  This was a long time coming for our family too!  Today Joshua and I ended up having a very serious heart to heart talk about many things but in the end we found ourselves at the Compassion website looking over profiles of kids that needed a sponsor.  I picked the country and Joshua set about looking over boys profiles and reading about each one.  He settled on this handsome guy and I immediately felt that this was the child the Lord would have us sponsor.  We prayed about it and we both agreed that this young man was the one.  So without further delay let me introduce you to....

Dawit from Ethiopia

Dawit is 12 years old and his favorite activities are soccer, swimming and singing.  Maybe one day we'll get to hear his sweet voice singing praises to the Lord. 

We'll be patiently waiting (yeah right) for all our paperwork from Compassion so that we can begin writing letters to Dawit.  I can't wait to tell him how much Jesus loves him and how much we love him too.  

Stay tuned as I hope to be able to share about Dawit and the work of Compassion frequently.

Praising Jesus!

Paige

Third World Symphony

I'm 2 days late for this and that truly breaks my heart.  On August 30th Shaun Groves newest album debuted.  Third World Symphony has been a long time coming for Shaun Groves.  You can listen to the whole album AND you can download for FREE the single titled All Is Grace.  Remember your purchase of Third World Symphony will help many a child be released from poverty.

Go on!!  Why are you still here?!?  Get on over there right now and check it out.

I've Chosen Walls

It never fails.  Her words catch me and incise my heart.  I'm weeping before I know what happen.  She's talking about my life, right, otherwise this wouldn't chisel away at the hidden pain and reduce me to rubble.

I'm asking myself the same thing Ann Voskamp asked herself a few years ago.    "Do I count the times I have chosen to stare out at the obstacles, chosen obstructions, as my spiritual landscape?"

8 months into this year of New.  So many new things have already happen.  So many things still just the same.  The same because I chose walls.  I chose to look at the obstacles and believe that they win. The view looks impossible.  "But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those the love Him."

  My heart shattered for "Jake" the motherless and fatherless child in China.

No money. A house already bursting at the seams. No medical insurance. My enduring failure to be the woman, wife, mother that I want to be.

Still no sponsorship of any of the millions of needy children in the world.  Struggling between each paycheck yet living a life so full of indulgence. Shame. Guilt.


Walls, created and chosen by me, lying about my view.  5 months left to choose my view.  5 months for the Lord remove this heart of stone and replace it with His heart.

"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."    Ezekial 36:26

P.S,  If you are interested in more information about adopting "Jake" please send me an email and I'll put you in touch with the right people.