Making kids memories easier to remember

So, my friend showed me this brilliant little book I wanted to share with you all. Which got me thinking I will just post pictures of what my Amazon box contained today. I think you will love them if you have little kids of your own or grandkids, or kids you love and want as your own...but not in a scary creepy way.  Ha.  But, if you don't have kids around you or don't like kids, then I suggest you don't waste your time reading this blog post. (ha ha)


This first one is the School years book. School Years: A Family Keepsake of School Memories. By: Stephen Britt

 

 

It has little pockets on each page on the inside to store maybe a little picture or report cards, IDs, artwork whatever your heart desires.

This is the book my friend showed me that I LOVE! My Quotable Kid is by Chronicle books. I have some funny kids so this is perfect to record the goofy things or sweet things they say..

 

Look how these pages are set up! It has a spot where to write the date, who said it, and age. Lots of documentation if you have a fear of losing your memory as I do...haha

 

 

 

 

Last, but not least....hmm what does that phrase really mean? Any who, this is very cool too. It's an art portfolio made by Alex Toys. Its large so you can save those giant masterpieces. It can hold up to a 12X18 sized artwork and has many folders to organize them.

                   Oh, and that little middle rectangle is a 4X6 slot to put the artist's picture.

 

You can find these all on Amazon. Cheers!

 

 

Whats in your heart?

What is in your heart? hmmm, muscle? No, that is not what I mean. Check yourself and ask if your heart if full of love.  Lets do a love test to find out.  See how many of these questions you answer yes to...

Do you have anger towards anything or anyone? Do you think negative thoughts about anyone? Have you ever felt hate for someone? Is there anyone you have gossiped about? Have you ever felt selfish or greedy with your money or personal items? Have you ever thought you were better than someone else? Have you ever talked to someone with the intent to hurt them? Have you ever thought you were more deserving than someone else for the job? Is there someone you can't forgive for hurting you?  Have you ever felt that helping someone was just too much work for you?

Okay, heart check. How many did you answer yes to? Me, only one. ha ha (no, I am totally lying!)  Of course there are many, if not all that I have felt or did at some point in my life. Sorry friends. Its true. I am a sucky person, but that is a whole other blog page.

This is what I can share with you about your heart. I know as a Christ follower, we need to have these "heart checks". You need to see yourself in the eyes of honesty. It's not easy. But, if your heart isn't pure, your life wont be either.

 In Matthew 12:34 it says, you brood of vipers. How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the fullness of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

 The only way to have a heart of love, is to really know and have a relationship with Jesus.  I have seen my heart change over the years, and I wish it was perfect now. Since it is not, I still just pray the holy spirit will continue to convict me when I am needing that heart check...and when he does I focus on that area. But I guarantee you, tons of progress has been made in so many different areas of my heart.

Matthew 15:18 Jesus says, But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean....

Jesus came as our Savior, to live a life so we could watch him as our example to follow- to teach us. He was real and honest. He pointed out in his followers and the Pharisees when they were wrong. There is an important message Jesus taught us. He said we need to live and love from the heart- not from the "rules" of religion. So as a Christian, make sure you are not missing the big picture and beware of acting as the Pharisees did.

 Praying this reaches your heart and if changes needed to be made, you call out to Jesus for the Holy Spirit. He will open your mind to see what needs to be changed.

Blessings!

When life gets tough

   
 Writing from bed, 2 hours away from home, I can say this: Life can get hard. Things can get rough. Days may seem unsatisfactory, or down right crappy.  Nights can seem darker than they should, and life can feel out of control. 

 Life may take the turn for the worse- A loved one's health may be taken from them, a dark secret may be revealed in someone's life that may damage relationships, someone might battle depression,  a child or spouse may die, or someone close may need to hear about Gods unending love for them so they have comfort when they feel all alone and hopeless.

How do we deal with this? What can you do when you are handed bad news and your heart breaks?As a Christian, I have faith and believe God is there watching over me in all that I do, and all that I go through. I know and trust he controls all things- but that doesn't mean I will have a perfect life without pain or tragedy or trials.

Actually, God promises that we will have trials and we will have to go through tough times because we live in a sinful fallen world. In John it says,  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Sin is what makes the world ugly. Sin is where the bad comes from. But God can turn bad into something good to glorify himself and show his goodness even in the ugly.

Trials will strengthen our faith when we rely on him and see his hand helping us along the way. Jesus knows that the world is full of sin that is why he was sent to earth- to die on the cross for our sins, to be the perfect sacrifice. So we can be saved through him, and live a life in eternity with him. But we are stuck on earth now, living in the yuck NOW. What to do?

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

 

I'm going through some major trials right now, but because of the relationship I have with Christ, I know I will be okay. Prayer is all I have since these trials are not in my control. I know that what happens in this current season of life, I will make it out okay because I have God walking with me and leading me through this dark valley.

 

He is light I need when it feels scary and dark. It reminds me of how my kids need a nightlight when it is bed time because it makes them feel safe. How they can't sleep and relax unless they have the nightlights so they can see. Jesus is my nightlight, and I hope he is yours too.

 

Just remember, everyone will have a trial at some point in life- some may have more than others. But as long as you remember you are not alone, and you have a God who cares for you deeply.  You will get through it and you will see God's glory in it.  Remember that every trial in life is only temporary (2 Corinthians 4:17)  God promises to never give you more than you can bear. (1Corinthians 10:13)

 

So, as I type this out to encourage you who may be going through a yucky time, I pray that Gods light is shone on you and that you feel his comfort. He is there for you and hears your prayers.

 

 

 

I

 

Talk about Faith!

"You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."-Luke 1:31-34

Okay, so you are sitting there and an angel comes to say "hi" and tells you how God favors you and then says you will be giving birth to GOD.!! What?!  Wait I'm a virgin. wait, what? ME? Why?
These are the thoughts that would run through my head...after making sure I was not losing my mind and seeing things. Then it all sets in. Talk about pressure.   How might one even comprehend this information that was suddenly plopped into your lap? With faith I imagine. Faith is something you need to see the truth, to feel the comfort in tough times, and to feel His presence.

So, I remember when I was pregnant with my first child, and everything is hard enough when you are trying to be the best mom you can be. Making sure you take good care of your body, exercise, eat healthy and preparing in every possible way for the babies arrival.
 But if I knew that God, the Messiah was in my belly, I think there may just be a little more pressure...but again Mary had the faith. She sings a song praising her God, and thanking Him for blessing her for being a humble servant. (That's why she gave birth to Jesus and I did not, in to addition all the other reasons, haha).
So she had the faith that some don't- the kind of real faith that gets your through your anxiety, the worries, and concerns. She must have had faith that everything would go in accordance to His plan since it was all in Gods hands anyway- she obviously knew this baby was a miracle (She was a virgin people!) But either way Mary is an example of faith, that we all need to see.

After giving birth to her sweet baby, she later has visitors telling her how Angels announced the Savior was born in the fields, and Angels are celebrating his birth! Wow. I bet that was helpful to strengthen her faith just a tad more!  After hearing these amazing stories, it says this in the bible: (I love this verse in) Luke 1:19- But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Don't we as mothers do that with things we love about our children? I know I treasure special moments with my kids and lock them in a box in my heart so I can ponder them for the rest of my years. Mary did this with all the wonderful things she hears from the shepherds, the wise men, Simeon, Anna, and so forth that tell her how her child is the promised One. She doesn't know what the future holds exactly, but she knows she is the mother to Jesus, The Messiah Our Savior.

 I want the faith Mary had, and the only way to have that is know God personally and have a relationship with Him. Study the bible, pray and be still in His presence. He will bless you with that faith if you ask Him for it.  Mary maybe had more pressure as we see it...raising God and all-(not that big of a job right??!! haha) but she knew this was a humble reward, she was chosen by God, she was chosen as the mother of Christ. Big job, but bigger blessings than I can even imagine.  Faith. Would it be easy for Mary? No. But because of her faith, she knew the truth of her son and trusted God's plan for Jesus...which she would later see through a mothers eyes. Death on a cross. How did she get through that? Faith.

Steady as she goes.......what does that mean!?

   So I am sure some may wonder what this means. Steady as she goes? Really? Yes. I thought about what this blog would be called. I love imagery so I really felt this saying fit my life perfectly. 

This saying came from boat captains back in the day...because they had to  keep their ships well maintained through daily care so they would remain strong and steady in the midst of the storms.  A captain must take great care of his vessel, otherwise it could start to fall apart, leak and sink in the depths of the sea.

 Now I imagine my life as the vessel-the boat, and God as my captain. He is there to steer me, keep me steady as I go in my journey. I may crash sometimes but only if I am not letting Him steer me. In the voyage of life, I will sail the calm waters, the sunny and the rainy days, and even dark, windy storms. They will come and go and navigating through them is much easier with a perfect,  all knowing captain.

 I need a strong captain- or I will sink like the titanic! The only captain I want is God. He loves me and when I obey him He keeps me steady......so with that I will share my greatest adventures in this voyage of life with you.