Second Month Goal Review

We've completed another month of 2016! I started out the year strong. How did I do in February? Let's review my goals and find out!

1. One arts and crafts time per month with the kiddos

Since it's February, I knew we could do something Valentine's themed (as long as I could get everything organized and together before the second Sunday of the month. My daughter's class was passing out valentine's and she had decided that she wanted to make her own so that made the decision of what to do quite easy. We gathered up supplies and she got to work.

Meanwhile, we needed something fun for my son to do. He likes stamps and stickers so I thought he could make his own valentines with those supplies. He also wanted scissors since his sister had them so I obliged.

My daughter enjoyed personalizing each valentine for her classmates. Some had stickers. Some received stamps. She drew special designs and wrote specific phrases for others. She seemed to have a blast and was proud of her completed projects. 

One of her completed valentines

My son's valentine was quite colorful

I decided to also attempt a Valentine's craft to make our home a little more festive. Our house has decorations for Sept-Dec but the rest of the year it's fairly plain. I think it turned out lovely.

2. Blog at least twice per month

I am trying not to use my monthly reviews as counting toward my twice per month goal or it would be too easy. After posting my January reviews I was struggling with something to say. Thankfully the holiday gave me something to write about and helped restart my brain's idea center. I ended up with three non-review posts for February! My latest one was reaaaalllllly long and I was a little concerned that people wouldn't want to read so much. But I reminded myself that God will do what he wants with my posts and I'm just to trust him with my story.

3. Grow in gratitude, contentment and generosity

This month I participated in a mug swap with a Facebook group. It was fun trying to find fun things to send to an unknown woman that she'd enjoy. Last year I would have been more concerned with spending money on someone I didn't know but I focused on it being an opportunity to show love to another person. Each participant also donated money to one of the group member's adoption fund. Of course, it wasn't completely unselfish because I did receive my own package from a thoughtful woman. Steps, right?

Jen Hatmaker had a "Share the Love" event where people could register themselves or someone else to receive a free copy of her latest book, For the Love. After the registration period, other people could pay for one or more copies of the book to be shipped to one of the registered people. I chose to send out a book. The exciting part is that 2250 books were sent out - one to everyone who signed up for one!

This month was also the first children's consignment sale of the season. I thought one way to grow in generosity was to use any money made from selling our old clothes, toys and books to bless others however the Lord leads. Ten percent will be given to our church and the other ninety will be used for opportunities the Lord provides. I struggle off and on with spending money because I don't earn any as a SAHM. I try to focus some on saving money but that seems different than bringing it in. With this little bit of extra, I hope that I will feel freer to give.

I worked on memorizing two more scripture verses this month. They are below.

Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Psalm 68:19 - Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

I am continuing to try to avoid impulse purchases for myself. I know I really don't need anything so if I can focus on enjoying and appreciating what I do have, that will be progress. My mother-in-law decided to get rid of one thing from her closet each day for Lent (I assume clothing closet) and I think that's something I could do as well. I haven't started but removing forty things would definitely be a bit of a challenge and an opportunity to be grateful for and content with what I already have. I'll report back next month and let you know if I did this.

How are you doing on your goals for this year or month? Are you participating in Lent? If so, are you giving something up or did you add something?

Love and Good Books

Over the past couple of years, I have been desiring to live a life that is obedient to God and reflects the love and life of Christ. I have struggled with what that looks like and am slowly gaining understanding (and hopefully also beginning application of my understanding). In my search, I keep seeing and hearing the same pieces of scripture. 

The first section is found in Matthew 22. An expert in the law asked Jesus, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" (v.36). I feel like that's what I've been asking God. What is the most important thing to be doing as a Christian?

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ' Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (vs.37-40)

And there I have it. All of life can be boiled down to this: Love God. Love others. It sounds so simple and yet it is quite challenging. Love requires sacrifice and vulnerability and openness and second chances and time and resources. Love is not always convenient or easy or fun. But love is good and right and freeing 

I recently read something Jen Hatmaker had to say about loving our neighbor as ourselves. I hadn't really thought about the truth she shared but it definitely resonated with me. In her new book, For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards, she writes:

When Jesus said to "love your neighbor as yourself," I don't think He meant judgmentally; but that is exactly how we treat our own souls, so it bleeds out to others...We "love" people the way we "love" ourselves, and if we are not good enough, then no one is.

 You can only love and accept others as much as you yourself feel loved and accepted. You can't give what you don't have. In order to love others better, I must pursue God and let him fill me up with his love to pour out to others.

The other verse that has been written on my heart this past year is Micah 6:8: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Throughout scripture we are implored to love and care for orphans and widows and the poor and disenfranchised. We are to champion the causes of the powerless, the weak, the hopeless. I feel like Micah 6:8 is encouraging us to seek to do right by and for these people groups. They are people God loves and desires to see cared for and loved tangibly here on earth.

I am still trying to figure out what that looks like expressed in my life. I am seeking opportunities to help others in addition to caring for my family. God is faithfully providing avenues to be of service while I try to see if I might have a larger, more consistent role in caring for others (right now having young children at home makes it tough to commit regular or large quantities of time to outside things).

I'm reading Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity (Also by Jen Hatmaker - I highly recommend reading her books. I've only read these two but I'm sure they're all fabulous and challenging.) which speaks a lot to this subject. I really don't want it to become one of those "good books I read" that had no actual impact on my life. I want my life to be different because of the things I learned in the book. The way God is working, I think it will.

In my mind all of this is related. Love God. Love others. Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. You know who this sounds like? Jesus.

Out in August. Pre-order at Amazon or B&N!

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Yesterday's message at church was based on Matthew 5:4, Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. It made me smile (seems contradictory I know) because I have been going through a grieving process of sorts recently in the loss of a close friendship. It didn't really occur to me that this is what I've been doing until Aaron began talking more in depth on the verse. I see that it is good that I am trying to sort everything out with God so that I will be able to move forward into new friendships without bringing along any bitterness or hardness of heart.

And the verse is accurate. Jesus has come right along with me to give me hope and encouragement and peace throughout the process. No one wants good things to end but that is life. If we continue to try to hold on to what was, we will miss what is and what could be.

Another thing that humbled me was realizing how small and insignificant my "loss" is compared to others. There are people dealing with lost jobs, poor health, a family member's illness, death. It almost seems silly to mourn a lost relationship in light of those. And yet I was reminded that God still cares about my loss just as much as the losses of others. How incredible my God is! He loves me so much that nothing is too small or insignificant to him. If it matters to me or you, he cares. Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19).


Praise the Lord, my soul;
 all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul;
 and forget not all his benefits -
who forgive all your sins
 and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
 and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
 so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
             ~Psalm 103:1-5~