One last post...

before I dismantle the computer and put it back in its box to be shipped to our new home.

Please pray for us as the movers pack us up and move us to the world's 2nd largest city! Pray for us as we try to simplify and make some changes within our household. Pray that we will find a church and supportive community in our new city. Pray that our new home will be convenient for Jason & work. Praise God that we are only moving one time zone away and that the flight is only about 6 hours. Praise God for the cool weather this morning. Praise God for 4 years of wonderful marriage and adventure with my best friend. Praise God for my healthy boys (that never stop eating). Praise God for walking with me always and carrying me through the challenging parts.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. I am going to try and update on my phone while I'm away from computer, no promises on consistency or quality. I'll miss you while I'm away! Thanks for sticking with me!

And it begins...

Hubs is home from his Israel trip. The craziness begins now. Which means the movers will be coming to get our things soon... therefore, I will have to pack up my ginormous pc. I am going to try blogger on my android phone (any tips, please send them my way) but I am making no promises. I'm hoping it'll be (at most) a month until I see my computer again. Times like these when I wish I had a MacBook Pro 15.4-Inch Laptop but I'm just sayin'. If you're new and have no idea what is going on with us right now, see this post. Thanks for sticking with me and for praying for us, too. We really appreciate it and I'll miss you while I'm away.

Set Me Free

Craftiness! Making a Bible more beautiful!

This is the Couples' Devotional Bible (NIV) that I have been sharing from. I got it for about ten bucks on amazon. I wanted to dress it up a little bit (cuz that is what I like to do) with some pretty paper and ribbon. I also wanted to make it special, just for me and hubs.

Here it is! I love how it turned out!! Like, so much! I want everyone to have a gorgeous Bible, too, so I included a few pictures to guide you through. If you grew up making bookcovers for your books in school, this should be fairly easy. Picking the paper is always the hardest part for me. This is paper that is no longer available from Stampin' Up but they have other great paper and ribbon to coordinate. The heart and "Combine your hearts as one." stamp are from a retired set, as well. I printed out the Jason & Emily -established 2006- from Photoshop.


First, if you want a ribbon bookmark(s), you need to measure it. Make sure it comes down past the bottom of the book... and then make it long enough to reach mid-spine for plenty of room to attach it with double sided tape (or sticky strip).

Then you fold the paper to fit your bible (just like the good ol' days).

Then insert your book flap. I needed to use two pieces of paper to cover the whole thing, the back side is about 8 inches of paper. I attached the two pieces at the seam with a piece of sticky strip. Then insert the back flap and voila, you are done with the cover!

You can add anything you want to the cover or if you use super pretty paper then you may not need to add anything.

Couples Devotion 6/24

Verse of the day

Genesis 6:9

Passage of the Day

Genesis 6:5-22

WALKING WITH GOD by Kamilla Denman

I hadn't been reading my Bible long when I found what I had been looking for: "Abraham walked with God.... Noah walked with God...." How could I walk with God?

Most of the time when walking, those partners who are walking together are silent. Certainly, they make comments, but there is a silent understanding that they are seeking the same sights and experiencing the same sounds and smells. In fact, the better I know the person I'm walking with, the less we have to say and the more we enjoy the walk.

But what about walking with God? I saw that I could pray without ceasing as simply as I breathe without ceasing. Prayer could encompass my nonverbal communication with God. Just as I reach out to touch my husband, I can reach out to God without words. Just as I smile at a close friend, I can offer a smile of appreciation to God.

As I began to focus on walk rather than talk, I sensed more keenly the times when I walked in my own direction. I discerned my distance from God more clearly. Now, it is harder for me to go on with business as usual when I am not at peace with God or with another person. For me to walk with God, my whole self-body, soul and spirit-needs to be in order.

Marriage Builders

• In what ways do you reach out for fellowship with God?
• How would you characterize your "walk" with God-comfortable, close, distanced, awkward? What might make walking with God a more natural habit for you?

Additional Scripture Readings

James 2:20-26

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Galatians 5:25

Cherries... eww.

I am not and have never been a fan of cherries. My husband loves them! We got some at the store before he left on his trip and we were really [ridiculously] busy until the moment I dropped him at the airport, so he didn't get to eat them. I have no clue what to even do with them. So, I started pitting them with a straw and I went through about four straws before I found a silly straw in the junk drawer. This works really well, fyi. This is a horrible picture (taken by a toddler) of my hands but I looked like a surgeon! Now they are pitted and freezing. I wanted to save them to make something for hubs when he gets  home next week.

Any ideas? Please? I have close to a pound of them.

Couples Devotion 6/23

Verse of the Day

Genesis 4:4

Passage for the Day

Genesis 4:1-16

CHARITABLE GIVING by Ronald Blue

Giving money to help meet the needs of the church or to help feed the hungry can seem financially impossible, especially for the cash-strapped newlyweds. That's why every couple needs a giving plan that is consistent with the financial priorities set forth in the Bible. If we don't, then life's inevitable surprises (car repairs, illnesses, another bill in the mailbox) will consistently interfere with our desire-and our ability-to give.

Unfortunately, much of our giving is one with discretionary dollars-that is, the money that is left over after the bills are paid and our family is supplied with food, housing and clothing. The problem is that for most couples there simply isn't much money left over; and we feel frustrated and guilty that we aren't able to give more.

That's why it's good to avoid leaving the amount of your gift to whatever cash is left over at the end of the month. Instead, set aside a certain amount every week. When you do this, you are setting aside money-as a first priority-to be given away. And you are removing some of the temptation to regard those "giving dollars" as discretionary finds to be used for family or personal expenses. 

MARRIAGE BUILDERS

• How satisfied are you with your present level of charitable giving?
• How can you make giving a higher priority each month? each year?

Additional Scripture Readings

Exodus 23:19

Proverbs 3:9

2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Previous Days-
6/21 Devotion
6/22 Devotion

Christian music has come a long way baby

Unbreakable lyrics


Songwriters: Cox, Justin; Drennen, Glenn; Drennen, Wendy; Hawkins, Rob; Richardson, Dawn; Shorb, Philip Lee;

Where are the people that accused me?
The ones who beat me down and bruised me
They hide just out of sight, can?t face me in the light
They?ll return but I?ll be stronger


God I want to dream again, take me where I?ve never been

I wanna go there, this time I?m not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it?s unmistakable
No one can touch me, nothing can stop me


Sometimes it's hard to just keep going
But faith is moving without knowing
Can I trust what I can?t see to reach my destiny?
I want to take control but I know better


God I want to dream again, take me where I?ve never been
I wanna go there, this time I?m not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it?s unmistakable
No one can touch me, nothing can stop me


Forget the fear it?s just a crutch
That tries to hold you back
And turn your dreams to dust
All you need to do is just trust


God I want to dream again, take me where I?ve never been
I wanna go there, this time I?m not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it?s unmistakable
No one can touch me, nothing can stop me


God I want to dream again, take me where I?ve never been
I wanna go there, this time I?m not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it?s unmistakable
No one can touch me, nothing can stop me




© ALLEN VAUGHN AND RAY; MEADOWGREEN MUSIC COMPANY;

Random Travel:Berlin

Berlin is seriously one of my favorite places in the world! There is so much history and culture. It is a beautiful city that is very clean and modern. Traveling around the city is very easy and most everyone speaks English. This is Checkpoint Charlie.

This is a portion of the wall that still remains.

This brick path represents the wall where it once stood.

It is amazing, to me, that a city can be so melancholy but so optimistic at the same time. So much heartache and devastation has not held this city back. They are recovering with grace and dignity and emerging from the ashes brilliant, unique and awe-tastic! (I made that last one up!)

If you get the chance to visit Europe, I highly recommend Berlin, it was of my favorite places that we were blessed to visit.

Couples Devotion 6/22

Verse for the Day

Genesis 2:18 

Passage for the Day 

Genesis 2:8-25

Blended Gifts by Jeanne Hendricks

No matter what a wife or husband happens to be or do, marriage is teamwork. God doesn't give individual gifts  to frustrate a marriage, but to enhance it. He doesn't lead two people into marriage to see sparks fly, to pull a husband and wife in two opposite directions. He leads them into marriage to blend and maximize their usefulness.

Much of the tension that I see in marriages comes from grasping and holding onto what we consider our individuality. No matter what our gifts, talents or personalities, when they are given to God, he will blend them with those of out spouse because that's what marriage is all about.

I think of a friend of mine who was a nursing instructor. It was her life. When her husband was called into vocational ministry, with great fear and trembling she quit her job at the school of nursing. The interesting outcome was that God gave her nursing back to her-wrapped in a bonus. Their move enabled her to use her nursing skills at a church-sponsored clinic. God moved both her and her husband into new areas of opportunity. But my friend had to be willing to trust God to do the blending. 

Marriage Builders
Has there been a time when you put one of your individual dreams "on hold" so your spouse could pursue a dream? Was the eventual outcome positive for both of you?

How has God "blended" you to maximize your usefulness for his kingdom? how can you both be more open to his blending?

Additional Reading

Acts 18:1-3, 18-26

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Yesterday's Devotion!

My New Hero!

As you may have noticed, I have made some changes to my blog layout. I thought that changing my layout from two columns to three would be impossible but I googled it and found an AWESOME and super easy tutorial! Three Column Blogger is my new hero! I really thought I'd be up all night but it took less than 30 minutes! Seriously, I am very happy. Had to share!

Couples Devotion 6/21

While my husband is traveling I am typing out the new devotional we are going to do and emailing it to him. It takes me about 30 minutes. I figured all that typing should be shared with the world! So, for at least this next week you can follow along with us. Maybe it will be motivation to start with the love of your life. We are using the Zondervan Couples' Devotional Bible and it is NIV (New International Version). This is a newer version that is available at amazon, I got an older one used for about $10 (and I made a gorgeous cover for it). I'm assuming the devotions are the same. Thanks Heather for the recommendation! Let us begin...

Verse of the Day
Genesis 1:27 
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.


Passage of the Day
Genesis 1:1-31


God's Romance by Tim Stafford
The Bible's first marriage story (Genesis 1-2 begins, like all love stories, with a problem. The chapter reverberates with the regular drumbeat of "good" as God creates the universe. But then something is unsatisfactory. Having made Adam, God discovered something "not good" (Genesis 2:18). God's society was inadequate for Adam; he needed the company of another creature. So God made a partner for Adam-Eve-and presented her to him.


Adam's reaction was immediate and passionate. "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." In effect, Adam exclaimed, "This is one of my family!" He was attracted because he felt a kinship.


Sometimes it is claimed that marriage offers intimate possibilities because of the differences between the sexes-the way in which male and female, as opposites, complement each other. Genesis brings a very different emphasis: It was because of their similar make-up, not because of their differences, that they were able to become intimate partners.


No code of behavior could produce this; it was a gift from God. Something of God is seen in the unashamed nakedness of Adam and Eve. As Adam could delight in Eve because she was like him, so God finds particular delight in this man and woman because together they are like him. There is a fellowship among the three. They feel mutual kinship, and they delight in one another.


Marriage Builders
You are probably well aware of your differences. But what are some of the ways you are similar?


How have your differences and similarities strengthened your marriage?


Additional Reading
Genesis 2:15-25


Proverbs 5:18


Song of Solomon 2:3-4

A Marriage Blessing We thank You, O God, for the love You have implanted in our hearts. May it always inspire us to be kind in our words, considerate of feelings, and concerned for each other's needs and wishes. Help us to be understanding and forgiving of human weaknesses and failings. Increase our faith and trust in You and may Your prudence guide our life and love. Bless our marriage, O God, with peace and happiness, and make our Love fruitful for Your glory and our joy both here and in eternity. Author Unknown

School Supply Sale!

Get ready for school now!


Learn for yourself what teachers, daycare providers, and homeschoolers already know: DiscountSchoolSupply.com has thousands of products for early learners at the best prices available. DiscountSchoolSupply.com stocks all the top brands, including Crayola®, Elmers®, Colorations®, Angeles®, and BioColor®, and supplies everything from creative arts and crafts materials and exclusive curriculum resources to infant/toddler toys and classroom furniture. DiscountSchoolSupply.com also offers a wide range of hard-to-find allergen-free and eco-friendly products to keep classrooms clean, safe, and green. And what?s more, at DiscountSchoolSupply.com, you'll find free delivery on in-stock orders over $79, same-day shipping, and an unbeatable 110% lowest price guarantee.

A Verse For You

The righteous man leads 

a blameless life; 

blessed are his children after him. 

Proverbs 20:7 

June Stamp Club!

At stamp club this month we learned some fun new techniques.

The "Love You A Latte" card is a mini card that we used a dot technique on, using the brush end of the marker making dots rather than coloring. The "Happy Birthday" uses ink with an aqua painter on watercolor paper.

This one was fun! First we cut the striped paper against the stripes and then re-mis-aligned and glued them down, then trimmed off the excess edges. We also tried out the water color crayons, using them to color the stamps and then spritzed them with water before applying the stamp to watercolor paper. Love the quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, as well. And the ink smeared a little bit but I imagine that is what it looked like when Eleanor first typed it out!

Super Excited!

I started my very own Community over at BlogFrog! We can have discussions and get to know each other there!

And even more super excitement!!! Are you ready? Starting mid-August I am going to be leading (if you can even call it that) a Bible study there! We will be doing Lord, Give Me a Heart for You: A Devotional Study on Having a Passion for God from Kay Arthur!

Go to my Creative Disaster Community and get all signed up (FREE!) and let me know you'll be joining in the fun! There is also a widget to the left of my blog that you can click on any time to jump to my community and forums!

Then go to amazon and get your used copy for super cheap and join in this awesome study! I really am so excited about sharing this experience with you!

Watch Your Step!

please pardon the mess while i reconstruct! thanks!

Excellent Or Praiseworthy

This blog is wonderful! It is a devotional to help military families connect during deployments and is from Military Ministry.

Sleepless Nights

I subscribe to a great blog called Faith Deployed by Jocelyn Green. I wanted to share this post, it was posted today for me.

While I was sleeping last night I was having terrible and very real dreams about my husband leaving us. Not about him leaving for two weeks but forever by his own will and not God's. I shared this dream with him in detail today, it wasn't the first time. I've had dreams like these every month or two. I have this underlying fear of being alone. And even worse to be without the one that I love so much.

It is horrible to wake up in fear the way I do after these dreams. And a virtual hug just isn't the same. All I can do is tell my husband about my fear, if only for some reassurance from him. Then I try to remember that I have to turn to God. The One that will never leave me and will always be there in fear and change.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

So, rather than these verses helping me through a sleepless night, I pray they help me have a peaceful sleep with dreams of the wonderful things to come.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8

Espresso Cake Recipe

Frosting:
3 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup (one stick) softened butter
1 pound of confectioners (powdered) sugar
1/3 cup cooled espresso (or 1 tbsp instant espresso granules and 1/3 cup milk)

Cake:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (I always use more!)
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (omit if you use salted butter)
1/3 cup cooled espresso (or 1 tbsp instant espresso granules and 1/3 cup milk)

about 1 cup chocolate chips or sprinkles (optional, you could also use nuts)

Preheat over to 350 (f) degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan (I used a bundt).

Frosting:
Beat cream cheese ad butter until smooth, mix in espresso (or dissolve granules into milk and then add to mixture). Slowly add confectioners sugar. Mix until smooth. Remove 1 cup of frosting from bowl and set aside.

Cake:
Add eggs to remaining frosting mixture, add vanilla until blended. Combine flour, baking powder and salt then slowly add to wet mixture. Add espresso. Mix until well blended.

Pour into greased and floured pan sprinkle some chocolate chips on the batter, not too close to the pan and bake 30-40 minutes (depending on your pan and oven) or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove to completely cool. After cool spread frosting over cake and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Just a note... the white clumps are cream cheese and if you use a mixer you shouldn't have them, my frosting was too thin so I changed the recipe. And I go through mixers like nobody's business so hubs won't buy me a new one!

A Verse For You

Hebrews 11

The Triumphs of Faith

¹Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

²For by it the men of old gained approval.

³By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

⁶And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Crafty Re-purposing continues!

This is the pencil box I made to match my new journal! I was so inspired by my new friend, Mary and her awesome journal! And during this stressful time crafting makes me feel better, like Calgon! Say it with me "CRAFTING, take me away!" HAHA! Journaling and drawing in my journal has also helped take me away. I encourage you to make your journal your own, it doesn't have to start with dear diary. Mine has doodles and Bible verses and things that inspire me.

Mineo Stamp Club Flashback

This was very simple! We used decor elements vinyl stickers to decorate this pot. It was originally filled with candy but that didn't last long. Now I use it for the knobs on my stove.

Fakers or Not Fakers

I wanted to share this list from OrganicGal It is body products (you know, girl stuff!) that are really organic, natural or just faking it. Check out the list!

Crafty Re-purposing!

This was an old photo album that I made new! It was fairly simple. Just covered it with gorgeous Stampin' Up paper and some ribbon. Added cardstock paper for journaling and drawing. Presto chang-o! A beautiful new journal. Stay tuned to see the pencil box I made to coordinate!

YAY for Free Printables

simplemom
Executive Homemaker
Leo on the Loose
One Pretty Thing
Starfall
First School
Kaboose
Executive Homemaker
Free Printables

A Verse For You

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,

with a loud command,

with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God,

and the dead in Christ will rise first.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up

together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we will be with the Lord forever.

- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Se Habla Espanol

My husband received word that we will be moving to Mexico City this summer. It is very short notice and I am feeling a (big, huge) bit overwhelmed. I had plans for our summer and was really hoping to see more of the east coast. I was finally getting settled here and making some friends. We found a wonderful church. I'm still not done unpacking from our last move. I really wanted to have six more months here (at least).

God has a different plan.

Jeremiah 29

7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

11-14 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Praise God! But can I get a little help? I am wiped out just from receiving this news. I don't know where to begin. Please pray for myself and my family. This is really tough on our little boys. Just when things seem to get on track we will be picking it up and moving them again.

I'm hoping to keep up with my blogging. I might take a little break during the actual move. Things might slow down or get boring. I appreciate you even coming to read my blog and even more coming back to read more. It means so much to me that you are here. So, thanks a ton for hanging out and being patient and praying for us.

Mineo Stamp Club Flashback

This was among my favorite crafts to learn! We stamped on plain ol' white tissue paper and then used a heat embossing gun to melt the tissue paper into the was. Add a ribbon and gift tag and people will think you spent a fortune!

Simplify

Have you had the chance to read Joshua Becker's blog or book about simplifying your life? If you haven't then get over to his blog Becoming Minimalist. It has great inspiration for life in general but this post was written for me. He also has an e-book entitled Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life. You can preview the first 12 pages on his site. It is only $10 for the whole thing. Simplifying sounds like an awesome thing. One simple bit at a time!

I also love the simplemom, simplehomeschool, simplekids, simplebites, simpleorganic blogs. They share ways to make everything simpler.

If you are feeling weighed down by all the stuff in your life, maybe you need to have a simpler life. Purge the stuff and feel better, more appreciative for the things you do have.

Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 (New International Version)

⁴ I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. ⁵ I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. ⁹ I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

¹⁰ I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.

¹¹ Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

One Year Ago...

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These are yummy and healthier than their dessert-y brother. We are trying to cut down on boxed snacks and bars, leaning more toward healthier, fresher snacks and whole foods. Here is this yummy recipe!

1 cup (two sticks) of softened, real butter
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (or you could use molasses)
2 eggs (I use brown organic eggs)
2 tsp real vanilla extract
1 banana (the browner, the better)
2 tbsp ground flax
1 1/2 cups of 100% whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal (I used Quaker Quick Oats but whatever you like will work)
1 generous cup of raisins or other chopped, dried fruit

you could also add sunflower seeds or chopped nuts!

Preheat oven to 350. Mix banana, butter, flax, and sugar together. Add sugars and vanilla. Mix well, it will be lumpy because of the banana. Add the baking soda and cinnamon to the flour, then slowly mix it into the wet mixture. Add in oatmeal one cup at a time until oats are incorporated. Add raisins and any nuts.

I use stoneware to bake my cookies. They never burn on it! These cookies are pretty dense so I make them smaller than my normal cookies. I bake them for about 12 minutes. Then cool them on a rack.

Enjoy!