Made to Crave?

There has been a post in the works coming for nearly a month now. And I have probably had a million ideas on what I want to write about during that month....

Friends, homeschooling, dieting, marriage, Christianity today...

But today I am not really in the mood for something serious, so here is what you get...

CRAVINGS, FOOD, ADDICTION to FOOD

I know, not the greatest post and I'll probably lose a few readers right about now, but this has just consumed so many thoughts lately.

Last year I lost about 33 pounds from Feb. 1 through April 30 and I felt so much better about myself. I did not read any books about it but I went on the dieting plunge with my Aunt Pam and, through the grace of God only, I was able to see food for its nutritional value and not something that I "controlled". In actuality, it controlled me!! Very much so. Not many would call overeating an addiction, but that's just what it is. I had grown up eating all the wrong foods and those habits went with me into adulthood. If I craved it, I found a way to get it. Food was for comfort and pleasure.

Now, I believe food should be good (as in palatable to the tongue) and should bring pleasure because it fills that hunger in your body & cells, but I now know that I must choose to find pleasure first in obeying God and not in feeding whatever craving I have. And if I choose foods that bring more lasting nourishment instead of chips/dip, chocolate, etc., then my cells are fuller longer. :) Make sense? If my craving were alcohol, I suppose I could be a recovering alcoholic. Or if my craving were pornography, I suppose I would dealing with those sins right now instead of the food. My "sin that so easily entangles" happens to be overeating/glutony.

Lately I have been hearing scripture through sermons and others on FB and receiving devotionals dealing with lusts of the flesh and being controlled by the Spirit instead of food, and I have really been convicted once again that, even though I have only gained back about 10 pounds of the 33, I have fallen back into the "being controlled by food" syndrome. I constantly pray for my will to bend to His and that I will focus more on serving Him/doing things for my children/being a godly productive wife/exercising & taking care of this "temple"/choosing the healthy alternative.

Here are some of the scriptures in Romans that have been helpful to me:

"...the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans words cannot express" (Romans 8:26).

"You, however, are controlled not the sinful nature but by the Spirit" (Romans 8:9a).

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31b)

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37)

I would like to ask if any of you have read the book Made to Crave? I have considered buying the book and seeing what the author Lysa TerKeurst says about filling your need with GOD. I think it's wonderful that she acknowledges that we as women were made to crave---it's that "something" that we crave.

I'll end with that as I resist the habanero dip I have prepared for my husband. :(

Merry Christmas and a Meaningful 2011

Yes, we're counting down the days until the New Year rolls in! And we just celebrated a 6th birthday for a very special girl in our family! Is certainly is the "most wonderful time of the year"! I wanted to share a very special gift my sister Kaye got us for Christmas. It was our request that we (Jason and I) not be given gifts this year but that the money that would normally be spent on us go toward people who actually *need* things. So here is what she came up with:

We received a card telling us that Aunt Kaye Kaye donated $75 to Hopeg*vers International so that an orphaned child in Ind*a could have new pants, a shirt, socks, shoes, sweater, blanket, toiletries, school supplies, a toy, and a brand new Bible, along with a sturdy chest to keep things in! Her contribution will also help provide the children at their Hope Homes with a special Christmas meal and a Christmas Carnival Celebration!

We were so excited to receive this card (even though Kaye Kaye had already told us what she got "us") and to actually see the child's hand print, name, and age that received the Hope Chest!! What a joy it is to know that we are helping orphaned children through my sister's gift. And in case anyone wonders, yes, we'd LOVE to continue this tradition for our birthdays and Christmases to come. Honestly, what do we *need*? Nothing except the love of our Father and we already have that!

I'd also like to share that I personally have been very convinced lately of the need and desire to honor God through our adopting a child in the next few years. And the orphanages that Hopeg*vers directs and oversees in Ind*a is very close to our hearts, so this gift is very special gift! Who knows? Maybe one day we'll be able to bring home one of the orphans directly impacted by gifts like the one Kaye gave in our honor. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

We love you! Thanks, Aunt Kaye Kaye!

Free Baby Sling!!!

I recently received an email for a promo code for 100% off on the baby carrier of your choice at www.sevenslings.com ! There are SEVEN to choose from!

These high quality carriers make great holiday and new mother gifts! Get an early start on your shopping so you can relax and spend time with family and friends during the season!

The code is "Thanksgiving".

Go to www.sevenslings.com , click on “Shop Now” and select the correct size sling or gift set you would like (be sure to visit the sizing page for instructions on how to select the right size carrier for you). Once you have selected the sling or gift set you would like - enter the promo code Thanksgiving into the promo code box and click “Apply Code”. This will bring your total from $39.00 to $0 for one of the carriers or from $44.00 to only $5 for a 3-piece gift set - all you are required to pay is the shipping fees!

This promotion code is valid once per transaction! You can use it more than once –you just have to open a new window to do so. Have a great holiday!

The email comes from Jenny Pierce, the owner of http://www.sevenslings.com/ .

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It cannot be true. It simply can't be time for Thanksgiving festivities and then a few short weeks leading right straight to CHRISTMAS and our daughter's 6th BIRTHDAY! She'll remind you it's 2 days after Jesus's birthday--so glad she remembers who comes first!!

So it's time for gathering loved recipes, baking, making lists and checking them twice (I already know who is naughty or nice!!), fun homeschool crafts and activities, family photos (you know according to the hubby, he only participates in family pics once per year!), and then choosing the PERFECT photo(s) for our Christmas cards!

Speaking of Christmas cards....

This year I will be uploading to www.shutterfly.com and choosing from literally HUNDREDS of styles of cards! I just love looking at all their new designs online without leaving my home and creating it all with a few touches of a button. I have been scanning the ones from this year and here are my favorites: "Wonder of Wonders" and "Dotty Holiday Monogram" by Stacy Claire Boyd (who is she anyway??) and "Kaleidoscope Stars" by Erin Condren (although it is square shaped and requires extra postage, so probably not a go). I also liked "Retro Plaid 5X7 folded card" by Haute Note. I have NO IDEA what pictures I will pull from, so I guess I need to see how many I have that I want to put into my creation first, huh? And then I need to head to the post office and see how much of a loan I'll have to take out to buy the postage for 50 cards!

Then, wa-lah, they are delivered presto to my mailbox, which we are sure to make the awaited trip out to the mailbox each and every day in anticipation of a special package (don't know what I think might come, but we have frequented EB*Y quite a bit being a homeschool family). :)

So all you bloggers out there, take note of this great deal: Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly... sign up: http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Here are some links you might find helpful in picking your design:

holiday cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

new years cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/new-years-cards

Christmas photo cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

O.K., go check it out!!

Beach Vacation 2010

God is so good! Thanks to Mrs. Bette, we were able to go with Papa Jeep and Bibbi once again for a week at the beach! This year it fell in October, but it turns out the weather was just WONDERFUL!! As I said, God is good and He is never late with His good gifts to His children!

I won't bore you with every picture of our beach vacation, but at this (LIMITED) time of the morning where one is still asleep and the other has eaten breakfast and wants jelly beans, I will give you a brief walk through our vacation at Garden City last week (most of you have seen them on FB, but it's mainly for those who are not a friend on FB--MOM!!)...

Where Does My Bank of Information Come From?

I have been asked more than a couple of times to share the websites I frequent and places where I gain a whole bank of information on child rearing, homeschooling, saving money, meal planning and preparation, etc. Here are the websites and blogs I use most often and highly recommend:

http://www.amommysadventures.com/
http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/
http://www.keeperofthehome.org/
http://www.thehappyhousewife.com/
http://www.faithfulprovisions.com/
http://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://www.southernsavers.com/
http://www.thriftymama.com/
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/
http://www.prayerofhannah.blogspot.com/
http://www.joyunspeakableandfullofglory.blogspot.com/
http://www.thepacepage.blogspot.com/
http://www.katlupesblog.blogspot.com/

I think that about summs it up. There may be a few more I'm missing, but I will try to add those if I find them. Hope you find them helpful! Leave me a comment if you have others you recommend as I always love to read other good, Christian websites that can help me!

Losing "Things" and my MIND!

It is not uncommon. Things disappear and reappear. Our children like rearranging our home and redecorating.

This one has been the longest missing so far. The cordless phone from our room disappears for a night and I look high and low for it. Then a week passes and I think it must be in a closet hiding in a shoe where the kids were playing hide-and-seek.

No such luck.

So while cleaning up their "fort" in the living room, I find lots of "missing items".

Low and behold, Dora must have needed a cordless phone for her latest expedition as I found it in Dora's purple back pack!

Sad thing is that now it won't charge on the charger and it won't turn on or anything.

Completely dead.

Much like my mind lately.