“Mind your manners,” you may have heard the phrase uttered from you mother or grandmother a million times, but is it something that we as a society use today with our children? Manners seems to have gone by the way side much like other concepts that were so often used by those who have gone on before us.

We must get back to the basics of life and what is really important in life, especially back to our Biblical roots. The Bible teaches many of “life’s basics” one of which is manners. Surprised? Don’t be, God has a plan for every aspect of our lives, including manners. They after all were his idea in the first place. He set it forth beginning with the Golden Rule beginning in Matthew 7:12,

“Do to others what you would have them do to you.”

God also set forth instructions for us as parents about how we are to train our children, these scriptures include Proverbs 22:6, which says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” We must do our part as parents and then leave the rest to God. However our part comes first. He commanded us in Deuteronomy that we were to model the actions that we wanted our child to have.

“Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you-they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” Deuteronomy 32:46-47

This is living by the book, God’s Word, following his laws and precepts and teaching our children to do the same. As we often say to others, “it begins at home”. We must being by teaching our children the basic manners of “please” and “thank you” and expand into more social concepts such as, dining etiquette and social introductions.

What is in your heart comes out in your actions. We have Jesus in our hearts and we want to show others him by our actions. This is where manners can be of much importance. However, not only does this learning of manners do wonders for other people who are around your child, but also for their own self esteem and confidence as well. After all, with Christ in our childrens’ hearts and lives they can have all the confidence they need and when they present themselves as Godly and respectful individuals to others they can shine brightly. What mother wouldn’t be proud of that?

Wish you had the opportunity to teach manners to the children of today?  There is an awesome opportunity for Christian women over at Become a Manner’s Mentor that will allow you to do just that.  What an opportunity to invest in children.

I guess its the cycle of life, but I feel like I always end up in this vicious cycle. I’m going to be a better mom, I’m going to be a better housekeeper, I’m going to simplify my life, I’m going to coupon. There is any number of things that I have in the past said that I was “going” to do. However, usually I start and then somewhere along the way I fall off the wagon.

Sure, I fell off the wagon on couponing, okay, alright more than once.  I fell off the wagon on becoming a better housekeeper, yes, again, more than once. YES – - – BUT I’m going to do better. I’m going to take action. And while I’m at it, I’m GOING to get up earlier and take advantage of my mornings

The first step in this is actually getting up according to Kat at Inspired to Action.com wow I like her site because it talks about taking action and I am a “taking action” kind of gal. I don’t like twiddling my thumbs, I don’t like being bored, I always like having something to do.

The good news is since my kids started school almost 3 weeks ago (yes you read that right) I have already began getting up 6:15 ish. So I’m ahead of my game here.

But more than that I want to MAXIMIZE my time and get in the routine of exercising, prayer and Bible study (which I do but later now than I hope to) and just taking some ME time. Michelle over at So, I Married a Mennonite is blogging about her journey and though I’m a few weeks behind her I’m going to do the same.

So, if you want to read about my progress, check back.  I’m excited!

I desire to connect with other Christian women.

I desire to minister in some way even if  it is a small one.

I desire to take care of my family.

I desire to raise my children in a Christ-filled home.

I desire to be a woman after God’s own heart.

I desire to make my husband proud to be my husband.

I desire to leave a legacy.

I desire to love my neighbor as myself, even when that’s difficult.

These are just a few of the things that I desire today.  What about you my friend, what about you?

Over the past few months, I’ve been back and forth on this thing, this calling in my life.  I’ve stepped away from things I thought I was suppose to be doing.  I’ve struggled with doing other things, just to make an income for myself and my family.  I wonder over and over, do you do something because you can or do you do something because you should.  How do you determine what it is that you’re suppose to be doing?

God has always been my guide, I have always wanted to follow his call on my life, but sometimes this life gets in the way and I get confused.  Do you? Is it just me?

I need to make an income from my family.  There are skills that I have that I feel that God has given me that I use daily to make an income for my family.  In a way this satisfies a need.  In another way, it leaves an opening.  I feel called to ministry and at this time, the only ministry I feel that I have is to my own family.  Is this bad, certainly not.  Does it fulfill my calling, well it can, but I still feel an opening.

I guess I can’t explain it, I feel like there is so much being left undone.  I want to finish seminary I have seven classes left.  I have been working on this degree since 2003. I have felt called to seminary since age 14.  There leaves another opening.

How do I fill the openings and still satisfy my responsibilities in life to myself, my family and my God?

I am struggling with a situation in my life right now and this morning I am reminded through Scripture that others have endured such trials. God lead me to Job this morning. Job faced many trials and his prayer was that he come forth as gold.

“But he knows the way that I take when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:10

If Job can endure the trials God put him through, then so can I. I just wanted to share today that I live my life in an effort to be Holy, but not holy in a sense of being “holier than thou”, but Holy in a sense of being as the Bible says,

“For it is written. “Be holy, as I am holy”.” 1 Peter 1:16

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

I will not make excuses for attempting to live a holy life.  Also, I don’t believe we are suppose to hide from everything.  You cannot live life with your head buried in the sand.  You’ve got to face life’s issues.  You’ve got to take a stand.  What are your thoughts?

*Verses were copied from BibleGateway.com

My babies started school yesterday, my grandmother told me on Facebook that they aren’t babies anymore, but they are to me. I officially have a 1st grader and a baby girl in K3. She has had a bit of a time adjusting, a bit sad and ready for momma to come back for her by the time her 1/2 day is up.

Here’s a shot from the first day.

Back in May I believe it was I got the brilliant idea to transform what was my daughter’s room into my “office”.  Having wanted an office for years this was exciting for me.  Yes, my daughter is 3 and she still needed a space to sleep but the reality was, she wasn’t sleeping in her room, she wasn’t even really “playing” in her room.  Her room stayed a mess of clean clothes piled on the bed and her toys strewn from here to there.

When I decided to take the room as my office we moved her twin bed into our son’s room and since that very night all three of my children have slept in their “room”. It has been amazing really.  Now, we’re in the process of closing in the garage we currently have to create the boys (ages 6 and 2) a room together and my daughter will get the room they currently share for her very own while momma gets to keep her office.

My daughter’s room was a very faint shade of pink, which I didn’t mind so I decided to work with it and add touches of black and white to “accent”  Here are the before and after shots:

You can click on the thumbnails to see the before and after. I added the black butterfly decals over the big window. I painted my desk black and purchased a new black desk chair. I added a black and white snapshot of each of my three children over my desk.

There is much I’d love to do. We’re hoping to replace the hideous carpet with vinyl when we do the work to our house and I hope to get a beautiful rug instead. What’s your home office like if you have one?

Judging from the title you’d probably think that this was another, “yes I’m alive and here” post, but no, not this time.  This post my friends is about Satan. He my friends is ALIVE AND WELL.  Unfortunately, I’ve been experiencing that a little too frequently lately.

You see my friends, the truth is Satan tries to get to us in our weakest moments. I’ve been weak lately.  And thought I’d like to say that I “gave it all to God” at that very moment because as we learn as little children, “we are weak, but He is strong”, I didn’t. I tried to do it on my own.  Let me let you in on a little secret, “don’t”.  It’s just not worth it.

I am weak and HE is strong.  I need HIM, more of HIM (Jesus), less of me.  Are you with me.  Let’s make sure Satan doesn’t feel so strong in our lives today.

How can I quit writing on this blog?  Over 800 posts and yet I haven’t written in over a month.  I know, I know. . . you know honestly here’s the deal, when you have as much on your plate as I do, frankly something slides off.  As of now, it’s been this blog, in the past it has been one thing or the other.  I can’t promise what it’ll be tomorrow, except it won’t ever be my God, my kids, or my husband.  Those things all stay on my plate no matter what.

I still want to write in this space, but right now . . . life seems to be getting in the way. . .

It’s work, which is going really well . . . the business of Creative VA Partner is really taking off.

My kids are with me 24/7, which I LOVE, but it is time consuming.

My house is a constant project, laundry, dishes, mess oh my!

What about you? What have you been up to?

After a little over a month of a totally “different” schedule and routine around here I am hoping that this week will consist of “getting back to normal”.  The opportunity I just had to work at my alma mater, teaching a Summer Enrichment Camp was amazing.  I loved it and learned a great deal about myself as a result.

Some of the things I learned were simply reminders, for example, my love of teenagers was confirmed.  I love teens, I feel that they have so much potential and I was able to watch as so many of them truly “shined” this summer. I truly hope that they felt that way as well.

I also was reminded of the fact that I love public speaking.  I went into this hoping to confirm or deny whether or not I’d enjoy teaching.  Teaching, yes, I enjoy it but my favorite aspect of it is the ability to share truths and motivation with my student through speaking to them as a group. My favorite days were the last two days when I shared a presentation about internet safety. I felt the topic was timely, effected their lives and I was able to share the information not only factual information but encouragement from my heart. I truly want it to impact their lives.  I wanted them to not only learn something but to “think” about the results of their actions.

Besides these things, I learned how difficult it was to get up, get ready and go to work each day, especially with 3 children.  I have new respect for my husband who does it daily and for others as well.  In addition, I gained an even greater appreciation for being a business owner who runs my life on my own terms.

If the opportunity ever arose to teach again I’d take it, but I truly do feel I am an “entrepreneur” at heart.  I also feel that I must find more opportunities to speak.

Excited about what God has in store next as he is always full of surprises.  Hoping I can be a better blogger now too.