What are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

It has been a crazy coupla weeks here... I know all of you out there can relate.  Part of that crazy took me away from writing for a brief spell.  It was overwhelming, I kept wondering what to do about all the hopes I have laid out (especially in the newsletter) for this site.  I've been excited to ramp up blog-posts and content.  At the end of it all, though, I had some revelations culminating in a hefty journal entry/prayer.  I love those moments!  Afterwords, I popped on here and poured out the following message which I felt I ought to hold for editing but now feel completely ready to share with the world!  I hope it inspires your heart too....

***

I am a writer.

I never said those words of myself until a few years ago.  It took a good friend saying it of me to someone else before my eyes could be opened to the truth of one of the things God created me to do.  I would love to say i am a good many things I am simply not....

I am not a pumpkin or apple orchard farmer... my own apple tree and garden are in desperate need of help beyond my expertise.

I do not specialize in animal husbandry, I have too much empathy for that.

I am not a field missionary to a foreign land cuddling babies in orphanages, though I still dream of one day coming close to that.

No.
I am a writer.

I am also a teacher and a mom and a wife. I hold my own in crafting as well as planning and hospitality, I am passionate in learning about and understanding scripture, and I am an idealist along side being an optimistic realist.  Seriously.

But the one thing every thread of my life has in common is writing.  I love to write about it all.

I think an important part of "Success" in life is realizing who you are... what your strengths and weaknesses are.  Isn't that why those 'strength and weakness" questions are asked when you pursue a career?  When you try to act outside of your natural abilities, or outside the areas God is super-naturally equipping you to perform in, you will flounder and, often, fail.  If you don't fail... at the very least, you will feel dis-satisfied and perhaps even empty.

Even within our given Call, we are not immune to the need to know where we've been, where we are going, and all the ways that do and do not work to being part of the Greater Plan.  We need to understand these points on self, whether it is to garner prayer points for strength and focus or to be conscientious of growth and transformation needs.

Recently I launched my newsletter.  As I pieced it together I was reminded of how much I missed doing newsletters.  Back in the paste and print days I had a monthly crafting newsletter averaging 8-10 pages and a serious subscriber base just within our small-town community.  I love to blog and I love to write.... yet I think the newsletter is my favorite mode of communicating my writings and the things God is impassioning me on.

Yet, in that newsletter launch came the high-hope promises of certain content on the blog.  Ideas and dreams which, in another person's lifestyle, might work.... but in mine.... sadly, I can never seem to maintain that kind of blogging regularity.

Fact: I have an at-times demanding husband (he wants crazy things like time with me and clean laundry.... I know, strange, right?) with a weird work schedule

Fact:  Even after 3 months, we are still trying to get use to hubby's long weekend hours alongside our homeschool schedule (let alone that laundry and time spending thing!).

Fact: I homeschool and our mode of learning is an eclectic sort of school-at-home hybrid with high demands on teacher mom.

Fact: I have made the mistake in my past of choosing work over my kids and regretted it deeply... I only have 3 more years before they are all graduated and I don't want to say, "Sorry, I can't spend time with you today because I am writing to make a weekly blog deadline I self-imposed," and miss it.

Honestly, I don't know how some of you moms do it and I envy your ability to have those weekly blog parties activated on cue while popping out well written (and illustrated) articles throughout the week as well.  Keep up the great work!!  As for me... I can't do it, no matter how much I want to or try to.  It doesn't work for me.  (Yes, I have tried to create a back-log, but I can never seem to get enough regular time to keep enough regular content in the cue.)

My weakness is that I let life distract me.  Sometimes that is a good thing.  The whole Carpi Diem mindset because I don't want to get to the other side of life and say "I wish I had......"

My other weakness is that I try to keep up with everyone else (irony... I am a Jones trying to keep up with others!!  haha)  I want to be part of the hub... but I can't always.  I need to learn how to be ok with that.

My strength is in my passion (which can also be a weakness at times) and knowing I was created, in part, to write.  After 8 years of blogging and watching many others come and go, I still keep plugging ahead.  It is my niche, even with all my flaws in doing it!

I'm Ok with that.

So what is the point of all this?  Well, first of all, to admit to you, my dear reader and virtual friend, that try as I might to keep regular weekly content on this blog, I am hopelessly flawed in my ability to do so.

Second of all is to share, openly, that I will do all I can to keep content on the blog regularly, but my platform is moving more heavily to the newsletter.  It is the context I function best in.  All those years ago doing monthly newsletters as long as I did... I never missed a deadline once.  I had all month to string together content, do research, and plug in great graphics.  I still went for hikes with my kids, spent afternoons at the beach and cuddled up for movie time with hubby while he wore his freshly cleaned clothes! It fits me and knowing that about myself instead of denying it and trying to do something I am not equipped for.... is liberating.

I'm still unpacking all of the intricacies of this new admission within myself.  I just finished scrawling out SIXTEEN PAGES of revelation in my journal (no joke!  I told you I liked to write!)  But I do want to apologize for making promises I can't keep.  I will be working harder to be mindful of what I really am capable of - what exactly God is calling me to do - and not get over-zealous in taking on more than I can handle!

Thank you for reading, for visiting me.  I do consider all who wander across these pages to be friends ♥  I pray, in whatever God has called you to, you are always honest with yourself... real about your strengths and weaknesses, not trying to walk on ground God hasn't called you to, but rather, to walk and stand, within all your abilities and inabilities, right where God wants to work best through you!

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, 

that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, 

what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

Blessings,

Click on this link to see some of the great blogs I am linking with today...

Be sure to go to the sidebar and sign up for my Monthly Newsletter (I promise, I won’t spam you!)  It looks like this:

 

Why am I doing this give-a-way?  #1- I'm super excited to share this book with YOU!  #2- I'm just as excited to share my new newsletter as well!  The bulk of my site's content will be shifting to the newsletter format and, there will be some exclusive content you won’t find on the website!   Even though the first issue has already e-mailed, I want to be sure word gets out on subsequent issues.  You can click here to read more about it.

 So, to be entered for a chance to win a FREE copy of "What Every Christian Ought to Know" by Adrian Rogers simply sign-up for my monthly newsletter*.  That's it!  Easy-peasy.
(If you already signed up prior to this announcement, don't worry, your name will automatically be entered!)   UPDATE*** There will be TWO blessed winners each month, not just one!!

*Give-a-way rules: Must be a U.S. residentcontact me to discuss alternatives. The drawing will occur on August 1, 2017 with a winner being randomly chosen. The winner will be contacted that day and will be announced on Facebook and this blog.  If the winner does not wish to have name announced, this must be stated when contacted for mailing address.  A copy of the book (up to $10 value) will be mailed directly to the winner from Amazon, shipping times may vary. I will contact the winner for address information using the e-mail submitted to my newsletter database.  If you do not want to receive your package directly from Amazon, the winner needs to let me know when I contact them for their address and we can discuss alternative source methods.  No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited by law. 

Creative Inspirations {Link-up Party} #1

Did you catch last week's article about this new great thread here on Faith and Home?  I shared about it in my monthly newsletter as well (if you aren't signed up yet, see info at bottom of this post).  Despite my crazy busy week and completely skipping on my other regular threads because I was painting decks (to fulfill insurance claims after hail damage) and re-arranging work spaces, and prepping back-to-school.... I did promise to get this thread LIVE and so here I am!

Because of the whole deck painting, space arranging, and school prepping, I don't have MY creative outlet examples pictured to post.  I know, I'm setting a bad example, and I am sorry for that!  I did take a video of our new studio, but sadly, I think my camera dumped it - or there was user error involved - but I like the camera dumping excuse better!  You can follow me on Pinterest to see the pictures I did manage to upload there!

I do have this for you:

It's a website (click on image to be whisked away!)  I think I found Jennie at Litter Girl Designs through Pinterest.  I was attracted to her doodle style drawings and her inspiring articles on journaling and, most particularly, art.  The article above inspired me to start an art journal and to be more artistic with my daily journal as well.  There are other great resources on her website for both the budding and experienced creative pursuits of anyone out there.

I also have this one which I am going to start linking up with weekly (especially as I start sharing my own creative pursuits)

There are some AMAZING blogs linked up here with some delicious and crafty ideas.  I'm looking forward to jumping around a few (or more) posts this week.  Especially the one about Homemade Cheese-its since my kids are fiends about this snack!!

This week's creative inspiration:
Just do it!  That's right... don't try to justify or quantify creativity... just do it.  Even if you feel like you aren't good at it!  Want to sew?  Sew.  Can't make a straight stitch?  Practice.  Want to paint?  Don't know how?  Pinterest and You Tube are great free resources for a multitude of hobbies and crafts.  Afraid it isn't the 'grown up' thing to do, a waste of time, to set time aside for random acts of crafty pursuits?  If you take time to watch t.v., surf Facebook, read this blog, or try the latest exercise fad... why can't you take time to be creative?  IT's OK!  I say: give yourself permission.  Who knows where the path will lead you.  Maybe it will always just be a quiet little hobby.... maybe you will become the next Joanna Gaines!!  Maybe your creative pursuit will lead to relationship building and Christ sharing and Kingdom growing.... but you don't know until you just.do.it!

If you would like to jump in on the creative inspirations I shared in July's newsletter as well as in last week's article, you can still print the PDF below (click on image). This print out highlights each week's (done whatever week you want to) theme.  There is also a page 2 with more in-depth instructions, hashtag keywords and Facebook reference-ology.

Remember, you can share any creative pursuit... photography, painting, drawing, sewing, gardening, building, etc. etc. etc....!  The print out above even gives ideas on how to share your faith through your creativity.

I hope you'll join me in linking up below and I pray you experience the presence of God and share his Glory through your creative pursuits this coming week! .... and BE CREATIVE because He is Creative♥

Blessings

Click on this link to see some of the great blogs I am linking with today...

I will share a Creativity challenge print-out on the first Saturday of each month.  Do you NOT want to have to wait until the first Saturday of the month to see the new challenges?  You can get the latest monthly challenge before the new month starts by signing up for my monthly newsletter.  The newsletter issues on the last Thursday of each month and, among other great content, the latest installment for the coming month's Creative Challenge will be available for early download through the newsletter.  Hop over to the right side bar to sign up!  (it looks like image below)

And now for our link-up party!

An InLinkz Link-up

What's in a plan, zooming in (Lesson Planning part 2)

Summer is wrapping up, isn't it?  My daughter just confided to me yesterday how facing the last week of summer break coming up here, she feels supremely challenged to squeeze every last ounce of fun out of it that she can.  Me, on the other hand, having FINALLY finished lesson plans this past week AND copying/prepping for our launch day and first day of school... I am looking at all the items on my bucket list I didn't get to.

• Cleaning the Garage out randomly kicked this one out in 3 hours yesterday when we managed to sell a few big items taking up space in there!!  Scored school supply money AND a tidied up garage (though hubby STILL needs to unpack his work area from when we moved in 2 years ago!!)
• Organizing attic storage 
• Paint my 'study'/office work space
• Help hubby finish house repairs from hail damage we got last year
• Go on localish adventures
• Tend yard and garden
• Back-log blog articles
• Read more
• Breathe more

Bum ankle from a messed up ligament, crazy hot days, and hubby's new weird work schedule all seem to cramp plans.

However, we are moving along.  I, too, am bit by the 'gotta cram it all in this coming week' mode.  While I know it won't ALL get done, I'm gonna do what I can!

As for now, I promised some Lesson planning details last week and I am aim to deliver before I shut down my computer and grab scrubbers and paint brushes to liven up my work space today!

Why I write out my lessons...
I'm a crazy list lady.  I will list everything and anything... mostly from pen to paper, but sometimes on the computer with fancy bullets to-boot! I love sitting down and writing out what the kids will be doing for the year.  It's my 'thing'.  Maybe writing out lesson plans is daunting to you.  Maybe you are good at winging it or you have a great pre-made lesson plan.  I'm mostly none of that.  Instead, I have a bad memory and a bucket-full of good intentions that, if I don't write them out, I will loose them to the abyss of yesterdays.

Because I am a list maker and, admittedly, a recovering control-freak, I also don't typically just follow the dotted lines of provided lesson plans (on the rare instances I get curriculum which has them).  Nope, I am the take-the-fat-crayon-in-my-fist-and-scribble-outside-the-lines kind of person.  Or, grab a felt-tip marker and doodle in the margins!

I also have often hodge-podged our curriculum or, as alluded to above, bought textbooks without getting the pre-made lesson plans.  I had to corral all the great ideas and good intentions somewhere...

Hence, lesson planning season.

How I lesson plan...
I actually start by determining our school year.  The picture above is a photocopy from my bullet journal I tried to keep this summer!  I drew out the school year so I could begin fielding our schedule.  Normally I I print a computerized one but this worked good too. I kept it on a clipboard with some paper for quick notes and scribbles.

 

Some of you do year-round or just work until it fizzles out.  I think those are great ideas.  For us, we have 3 June birthdays with the kick-off one coming early, on the 6th.  No one likes to do school on their birthday (in our house, it is a 'holiday' everyone takes school off for!).  So instead of juggling the multiple time off at a time of year when (they were younger) the laughter of neighborhood kids is drifting in our windows because these sprightly public schoolers heard the last bell ring for their school year... we decided to always be done by that first birthday date. 

With that in mind, I plan out how many weeks and days with floating breaks at various points in the year.  I have also learned to plan for sick days!  This year I am trying to cram 36 weeks of curriculum into 33 weeks (especially since I may still need to travel back to Chicago to help my dad through chemo and such).  I scheduled our fall time off (Thanksgiving week, Christmas, etc) but I am leaving the spring open with floating weeks off this year so we can take them as we need them.  I'm hoping this works better than how I have done it before (scheduled spring and it often didn't jive with our life!)

Then I field the subject.  History was my heaviest this year because we are Hodge-podging it with a base in Abeka's World History for high schoolers and picking up over halfway through the book, weaving in living books (can you see my Charlotte Mason influence?) and other outside resources and research opportunities.

With younger kids I was always advised: With math, plan 2-3 workbook pages (I always did 2) and with all else, 20-30 minutes of sit-down time with breaks in-between.

For new homeschoolers this may be a trial-and-error situation with a lot of grace for yourself and your kiddos.  Figuring out how long it may take you to read out a lesson or text and approximately how long it will take them to do their end of the deal.  I will admit to some trial runs on my own to gauge out timing!

With older kiddos: I plan 45-60 minutes for the main classes (history, science, math, Language arts) but I have also learned to work one section at a time for better retention.  This means they may finish sooner.  When I want to add in special research projects and such, I usually try to schedule an extra day on top of any text learning so they have plenty of time to complete.

Now, and this is where you who are leary of this whole process may really get weak in the knees (sorry!).... I look through their text and calculate how many sections it has.  For history, I skimmed through and observed where each end-of-section question area was.  On particularly long and meaty sections (especially with maps I know I will want them to copy) I make tally marks of how many extra days I think we should plan for. 

Once the tally is taken, I compare it to how many projected school days we have.  If there are more sections then days I begin to observe where shorter units can be combined or others can be skimmed or skipped altogether.  (I hate having to skip, but even public schools do this)

rough overview of history (left page has more on back)

I draw this out as I go on a notebook paper... a sort of rough outline, and I reference it as I zoom in for the details..

I use a lesson plan sheet I designed.  Once-upon a time I use to coordinate all my subjects to intertwine and draw them out in a legitimate lesson planner.  Then something would come up and we would only get a half-day in or someone would be sick and we would go NO day and next thing I knew, my lesson planner was all off kilt and not even on schedule.  So, I split the subjects.  There is still some intertwining with some of them.  But for us, the split works well.  And instead of blocking out my lesson plans, I list them out.  I tend to hope they are being done by certain days and I will even notate that in the margin, but I hold even these plans loosely because life can and often does get in the way of my best intentions!

This year I typed of History as well as Brenden's Speech and Devotion Writing class.  The texts were meatier and I wanted the ability to quick-adjust and re-write as I combed through the details.  Then I printed them out.

With the list planning, I just start down the line with each lesson in order.  I begin with their text book, skimming each section, noting headings and where extra material might fit in (like maps in history).  On my lesson plan page I label "1" for chapter 1 and ".1" or ".2" and so on to indicate each section of the chapter.  If I split up a section I say "1.2a" etc. Some texts, like their Algebra, already label their sections like this, in which case, I simply follow the text's labeling. 

I add a title, usually the section title, to help me when I reference back to the material later in the year.  I can tell, without opening the book , what topic we will be studying when. 

Under the Materials section I add descriptions of what we will be doing in that lesson and any quizzes or worksheets, etc, I may need.  I often notate in the margin as well with "Ⓒ map p 213" so I can even more quickly scan and have supplies ready before hand.  I also put the page numbers to make it more clear as to where we are in the book!

In the history lesson plan above you see "READ-14" etc, this is a reminder to them and to me (sadly, we are THAT forgetful) to read their literature section of this unit.  The number is what day they should be on in their reading- they are responsible for calculating out what pages to have read by when in order to complete the materiel by the due-date. I have carefully selected 'living books' to go with units in this subject this year.  We will be starting with Oliver Twist.  Consequently, I usually plan about 4 weeks for each literature unit if the book isn't too meaty.  Less if it is shorter. 

I try to be as thorough as I can because I have found, if I am not, we will take the lazy route!

I keep referencing my rough overview as I go, to be sure I am not going too far over my calculated plans.  With math, we have about 22 more lessons than school days so I have a post-it stuck with those plans for keeping tally of days I am able to shave off as I go by combining short units or skipping altogether.  If I get to a pre-determined section of the text and I haven't shaved enough, I will skip certain sections which are either repetitious or I know to be repeating in subsequent curriculum. (like the Geometry and Calculus unit in our Algebra 2 text)

Above is an example of what I do when I DO have lesson plans with the curriculum. Biology only took about a day to organize since I did decide to loosely follow the book's prescribed plans.  You can see the post-it notes I added in margins to indicate extra activities I hope to filter in.  The notebook page above this page shows how I fielded the schedule, using the approximate amount of lessons the book had I could then loosely factor how long I needed to complete the course and where I may need to trim up a bit.

Because numbers don't stick in my brain well, I tend to recount the lessons every so often, compare to my calendar dates, and verify I am not projected to go over. 

math is handwritten because it is more concise

Yes, it is tedious, it is a process and I have learned to do it with many distractions (after all, I am a mom of 4!).  Yet I do enjoy it and the few weeks it takes me (with breaks and excursions) to do the planning in this kind of detail is well worth it when we can sail into our school year and have time to relax and have fun in the off-school hours because I don't have to plan as I go.  Kind of like those cook once and eat all month menus!!

When I am done I file the lessons in my 3 ring binder under subject tabs for reference.  In the past I have photo-copied my lessons for the kids to have in their own binders but, honestly, Ashley only used them some (and she is graduated now) and Brooke used them for her self-paced classes but this year, we have a lot of combo classes and her self-paced ones have the guide right in the book.  Brenden didn't use them at all because I usually sat with him to work out introductions.  So this year, they all go in my binder!

I plan to write important due-dates on the board and have them practice recording them in their planner.  I want to prepare them for slotting out time and being prepared for tests and such in college.

The most important ingredient to my lesson planning is prayer.  I pray before I start for God to guide the plans.  He knows better than I do, the days we need off and the time we will have.  Anytime I started to get frustrated or overwhelmed, I pause and pray.  Sometimes I am trying to schedule too much in one time frame or I am relying on my own sense of time or directive and not allowing God to work.  I become like Jacob, wrestling with the angel.  So I will pause and pray and try to walk more like Abraham and, while sometimes things don't make sense, the way I see the peace of God directing my plans, I trust God and that He knows what my kids need most (and how and when they need it!)

I pray this helps you... either as information and inspiration or as a guide to try your own!  However this article finds you today, I pray God would guide your lesson plans, in whatever form they take, so you might enjoyed a blessed school year ahead!

Blessings,

Click on this link to see some of the great blogs I am linking with today...

Be sure to go to the sidebar and sign up for my Monthly Newsletter (I promise, I won’t spam you!)  It looks like this:

 

Why am I doing this give-a-way?  #1- I'm super excited to share this book with YOU!  #2- I'm just as excited to share my new newsletter as well!  There will be some exclusive content you won’t find on the website!   Even though the first issue has already e-mailed, I want to be sure word gets out on subsequent issues.  You can click here to read more about it.

 So, to be entered for a chance to win a FREE copy of "What Every Christian Ought to Know" by Adrian Rogers simply sign-up for my monthly newsletter by July 31, 2017*.  That's it!  Easy-peasy.
(If you already signed up prior to this announcement, don't worry, your name will automatically be entered!)   UPDATE*** There will be TWO blessed winners each month, not just one!!

*Give-a-way rules: Must be a U.S. residentcontact me to discuss alternatives. The drawing will occur on August 1, 2017 with a winner being randomly chosen. The winner will be contacted that day and will be announced on Facebook and this blog.  If the winner does not wish to have name announced, this must be stated when contacted for mailing address.  A copy of the book (up to $10 value) will be mailed directly to the winner from Amazon, shipping times may vary. I will contact the winner for address information using the e-mail submitted to my newsletter database.  If you do not want to receive your package directly from Amazon, the winner needs to let me know when I contact them for their address and we can discuss alternative source methods.  No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited by law. 

Creative Inspirations

 

There is just something about that blank page staring up at me, begging to be inked on... no wait... a blank canvas thirsty for paint.... no wait... a stretch of material hankering for stitches..... no... wood for color or glass for spraying....

I can't decide.

I'm a sort of 'Jack(ie) of all trades, master of none' when it comes to arts and crafts.... and gardening and baking and ANYTHING to do with creating.  I like to dabble.  I guess that's why I owned a business for a small stretch of time, "Crafted Creations by AJ".  Ahhhh, those were the days.  I dabbled and then I stuck a price tag on it.  But everyone dabbled so few people bought... then the recession hit and no one bought!  CC by AJ folded but I still dabbled.

As kids have grown and life has gotten busy, I tended to do less dabbling than I use to.  Although, I still do invest energy in little things here and there, like amateur photography when we are on hikes or knitting and crocheting as we watch movies or pass quiet time.  However, life is transitioning again and I find more in-depth creative outlets to be relaxing and fulfilling....  life just seems off-kilt when I am not creating.

I know not everyone will share my sentiments here, however, when we consider we are created in the image of a creator God who slathered out the rolling oceans and dabbed on beautiful sunsets... He formed such magnificent vistas like mountains and valleys and master gardened bright sunflowers and fields of swaying grass.

Is it any wonder a body often years to create?  We are created to be mini-creators. 

Only, we don't form something from nothing like our amazing Father did.  We get to use all of the awesome somethings He set into motion to create more somethings which reflect His glory and Creative Power.

So, recently, my latest dabbling turned to more seriously consider photography -though I think I could use some serious hands-on tips with my new camera-  Still absolute amateur over here.  I decided to try a photo challenge.  Type that in Pinterest's search perimeters if you are curious.  I LOVED the inspiration but, as busy homeschooling mom, I was quickly overwhelmed by the daily-ness of the challenges.  My 14 year old, without a care in the world, was trucking through each daily theme while I was woefully behind.  Already, failing at photography!

Then there was the outlet... what do I do even IF I met the challenge?  Sure it is awesome and fun, but who do I get to share it with, where is there a community who shares my heart for clean, wholesome creativity?

Through these summer months I have pondered and tossed the idea around while my new camera sits snug in it's little case.  I started thumbing around Pinterest and doodles began to strike my fancy.  I've (copy-cat) doodled some pictures for my 14 year old to color... pre-adult coloring book style.  Then I break out my sketchbook and begin to challenge myself to variations.

The spark ignites a fire and suddenly I'm burning with an idea:

What if I started a creativity 'challenge' where there is only ONE topic per week plus ONE open-ended option to get creatively expressive with God's Word (that is a total of 8 challenges for the month for you math enthusiasts).  Oh, and the challenges can be done in any order on any day.

What if I doodled out my ideas in neat little boxes and scanned them in and shared them in my newsletter and then here on the site and asked others to join me?

What if I opened this challenge to all ages and stages and just made it this fun community of creative people, who use all sorts of mediums, who want to encourage each other and share what they are creating?

What if I created a weekly link-up meme for fellow bloggers with the option for ANYONE to hash tag share on Pinterest and code-names on Facebook for those of us (yes, I'm talking about myself here) who are too busy lazy to actually upload our pictures from our phone to our computer!!!

What if, each week when I opened the meme I shared what I have been doing and, from time to time, tips, tricks, websites, and tools I pick up as I go to encourage the creativity of others.

What if, I featured some of my favorites from other creators who tried to follow some of the themes each month and put the spot-light on others (if they don't mind it) so we can all be mutually encouraged?

What if I also periodically shared ideas for turning that creative nature into a way to reach others for Christ or simply fellowship with other believers?

Well, No more what-ifing... this thing is for-reals!

In July's newsletter I intro-ed and launched "Creative Inspirations".  The print out below highlights each week's (done whatever week you want to) theme.  There is also a page 2 with more in-depth instructions, hashtag keywords and Facebook reference-ology.

If your creative outlet of choice is fabric or gardening, I challenge you to think outside the box on some of these topics.

New monthly themes, drawn up like the one above, will go live on the website the first Saturday of each month.  If you want to be able to see it sooner, see the post-script below.

One thing NOT detailed in the PDF above is this:  You do NOT have to complete every single topic and if your project is taking a while to complete, partial completion is more than welcomed in sharing.  As a matter of fact, share anything creative, as long as it is wholesome and reflects the expressed values of this website.... just do whatever you have time for and share it!

I hope you will join me in these creative adventures.  The link-up meme will go live next Saturday for anyone interested in a link-up party!  I hope to see you there... I mean, here!

I pray you experience the presence of God and share his Glory through your creative pursuits this coming week!  Grab the family if you like... and a few friends or church group.... and BE CREATIVE because He is Creative♥

Blessings

Click on this link to see some of the great blogs I am linking with today...

Do you NOT want to have to wait until the first Saturday of the month to see the new challenges?  You can get the latest monthly challenge before the new month starts by signing up for my monthly newsletter.  The newsletter issues on the last Thursday of each month and, among other great content, the latest installment for the coming month's Creative Challenge will be available for early download through the newsletter.  Hop over to the right side bar to sign up!  (it looks like image below)

Building Homes and Finding Hope

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, 

and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

 Jeremiah 29:7

Let's paint a picture.....

Jeremiah had been prophesying the Word of God and warning the people God gave him that captivity and exile were inevitable as the result of their way-ward behavior.  And, what do ya know, he was right. 

The false prophets tried to shrug this off and tell the people they wouldn't be gone that long.  No Worries.

Re-enter Jeremiah and his "Letter to the Exiles" where he expressly says, 'get comfortable, it's gonna be a while.... a looooong while.'  Like, long enough to get married and have kids and build a life... that kind of while.  He even tells them to Build homes!!  Well, God tells them, He uses Jeremiah to deliver the message.  Building a home is a serious, long-term commitment.

Truly though, being in the bleakest situation of their lives as a nation, this letter, found in Jeremiah 29:1-23 is a beautiful letter of encouragement.  Like the good Father God is, he must punish His disobedient children, but He does not forsake them.... he still plants a sprig of hope and waters it with encouragement to get them through the dark days ahead. (Do read the whole letter, link in text, you will see what I mean)

As I meditated on this Word recently I felt God reminding me of the correlation to my own life.  Especially the last 4 years.  Granted, my displacement is not a 'punishment' for sin, rather, I am where I am because God called us to travel and then planted us here, in south-central Montana, not knowing a soul in the world in this place.

Since we have been here we have known some of our deepest heart-aches and faced some of our toughest challenges as Christians.  We have never been more tempted to loose hope or more discouraged in the plight of the church body.  We even contemplated our escape for a time!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 

plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

- Jeremiah 29:11 

Yet, at every turn, we have seen and continue to see God.

We see him through songs and Scripture and 'random' calls and emails from friends far away who felt the need to encourage us.

We see him through His provision of home and vehicles and jobs which sustain us pressed down and poured out.

We see him when our children, who should be causalities of this war we face, are instead growing and thriving in their faith and understanding of His Word and what it is to be in relationship with Him.

We see him.
We trust him.
We know him.

And while we don't always know or understand what He is doing, we can be encouraged to not give up, not loose strength or hope or purpose because His purpose is being fulfilled each day we get up and step out.

We build our houses.
We grow our families.
We pray for this place.

This is God's place and we are sojourners.  He put us here and now and, even if we can't find stable ground in our surroundings, we can find a solid rock in Him and pray as He purposes us to.... as God through Jeremiah purposed the captives to pray for the pagan nation of Babylon.

As I studied up for this week's word, I was thumbing through the Chronological Bible for timeline references.  I love what the authors had to say on this section of Jeremiah:

Jeremiah wrote to the captives in Babylon...instructing them to move ahead with their lives and to pray for the pagan nation that enslaved them.  Life cannot grind to a halt during troubled times.  In an unpleasant or distressing situation, we must adjust and keep moving.  You may find it difficult to pray for those in authority if they are evil, but that is when your prayers are most needed.... When you enter times of trouble or sudden change, pray diligently and move ahead, doing whatever you can rather than giving up because of fear and uncertainty. [p1029, Chronological Life Application Study Bible]

Oh, sweet friend, maybe life is trucking along, perfectly great for you today.... I will praise God with you for that!  But perhaps it is not.  Maybe you live in a place you wish were different, whether that is the house or town or state.... maybe you are having a tough time in a relationship whether it be family or friend or church.... Wherever you are today, I pray you would be strengthened by the passages in Jeremiah today which remind us that, #1, these things are temporary and, even if we have to make our homes in this place of trouble for right now, it will pass and #2, God has not abandoned us.  He is present and prepared to hear our prayers and comfort our hearts.  He wants to work through us to those around us and it may very well be through our hurt or physical and/or emotional displacement that He might reach the population at large.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  

I will be found by you, declares the Lord...

- Jeremiah 29:13-14a

Blessings,

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There is some exclusive content you won't find anywhere else on my site along with a monthly encouraging word on faith.

Newsletter Details and Give-a-way Announcement

The new Newsletter has officially made it's debut.  It was a ton of fun to create and is my new favorite part of the Faith and Home collection!  I hope you were able to sign up for the debut issue but if you missed it, don't despair... each month I will kick out another!

Last month I discussed WHY I am doing a newsletter and hinted at some of the content to pique curiosity.  Now that the cat is out of the bag, so-to-speak, I thought it was time to give you more details!

Faith and Home Times is more than just a fancy new heading... though I do love the look and the great images I am able to find at pexels.com!  No, it is a chance for me to bullet-point the core of the Faith and Home website.

Each month I will have a short, exclusive, featured article on:

• Faith - a short reflection of something God has planted in my heart for the month
• Home - a tip relevant to that coming month and the Art of Housewifery
• Homeschool - a special article on matters of homeschooling

Also included each month as FREE printables:

• A 4-box lay-out of the month's Sunday Scripture Pictures from my Facebook page which can be printed in full-color, cut out and hung around your home or handed out to others for encouragement (exclusive to newsletter subscribers)

• A monthly menu with recipes and quick tips for most of the meals (another subscriber exclusive) 

• Early option to print the month's Creativity challenge (in-depth details coming this Saturday for those who didn't subscribe and catch this announcement last month)

Which brings me to other newsletter features... early peeks at upcoming content on the website.

I hope to expand the newsletter content and offerings as I get use to the new platform- and pray and wait on where all God will take us with it.

I love the different context a newsletter provides... it feels like I get to be closer with YOU!  And, because I love the book, What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers so much I have decided to extend my sign-up give-a-way!! Here is how it will work:

Each month between now and the end of December, I will give away TWO copies of What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers to two blessed winners* who have signed up for my newsletter at any time during 2017!  

That's right....

If you sign up, your name stays in the 'jar' (yes, I have a literal drawing jar cause I like old-school stuff like that!) every single month giving you 2 chances every single month to win!! Once (or if... but I like the sound of once) you win, then your name will go on my board of winners... (I have a literal one of those too! yup, old school!)

So, if you have already signed up for the Faith and Home Times, you are in the running.  If you haven't, sign up soon to increase your chances of winning!

Also, if you want to sign up for the newsletter but you DON'T want to be entered to win the book, that is ok.  If/when your name is drawn, I contact you by email before announcing publicly.  At that time you can let me know you are not interested in the book give-a-way and I will pick someone else.  Sound good?

If you have any other questions about the newsletter or the give-a-way, please don't hesitate to let me know.  You can comment below or shoot an email to: amanda@faithandhome.com  I also take requests under consideration for content!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings,

Click on this link to see some of the great blogs I am linking with today...

*Give-a-way rules: Must be a U.S. resident, if you are not a U.S. resident, and would like to enter to win, please contact me to discuss alternatives. The drawing will occur on the first of each month from now until January 1, 2018 with the winners being randomly chosen. The winners will be contacted within 24 hours and will be announced on Facebook and this blog.  If the winners do not wish to have name announced, this must be stated when contacted for mailing address.  A copy of the book (up to $10 value) will be mailed directly to the winner from Amazon, shipping times may vary. I will contact winners for address information using the e-mail submitted to my newsletter database.  If you do not want to receive your package directly from Amazon, the winner needs to let me know when I contact them for their address and we can discuss alternative source methods.  No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited by law. 

Easy Go-to Pasta Salads and Kitchen Command Centers

So you just found out there is going to be a potluck cook out and you don't know what to bring.... or maybe you did know but you procrastinated or got too busy with kids and gardening and LIFE but you want to WOW the other guests' stomachs with something tasty, filling and homemade.  I have just the solution!

I invented these salads years ago as I juggled 4 kids and company and found those "Suddenly Salad" boxed options just not up to par for quantity or quality.  I discovered I could spend less on ingredients that would get FAR more for my money and appetite.

These salads can be a meal in themselves and will feed even the most demanding crowds (even if that "crowd" is only 2 feet high and lives under your roof!)

Italian Pasta Salad
1 box cork screw or rainbow pasta, cooked and cooled
3-4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 package pepperoni (open package and quarter cut the slices)
1 can black olives, drained and sliced
1-2 cups Parmesan cheese (fresh or grated)
1 bottle Italian dressing

Mix first 5 ingredients together (Parmesan to taste) then add Italian dressing until pasta salad mixture is well coated.  Serve or cover and chill until ready to eat.
*Optional add-ins: sliced green pepper, sliced red onions, fresh spinach

Ranch Pasta Salad
1 box wagon wheel pasta, cooked and cooled
1 small bag frozen peas
1-2 cups thinly sliced and diced carrots
1 package bacon bits or 1-2 cups diced ham
1 bottle ranch dressing

Mix first 4 ingredients together, add ranch dressing until pasta salad mixture is well coated.   Let sit 30-60 minutes so peas can thaw just a bit.  If it is really warm in your kitchen, cover and set in refrigerator during this time.
*optional add-ins: sliced red onions, small chunks of cheddar cheese

Bon Appetit!


Kitchen Command Centers...
Consequently, when it comes to tracking menu items and events (and even those pesky household chores) I have a new command center set-up!

This would work with a dry erase or chalk board as well, but I like how this particular scenario works for us since our house is, shall we say, intimate... I don't have a ton of wall space! 

The top pages are our daily chore check-list:

We've been having a hard time staying regularly on-top of our daily to-dos with hubby's new schedule and our strange summer this year.  But we really started kicking into gear this past week (finally) and put the new command center check-list setup to the test Friday with some hard core cleaning.

While I have used this checklist for almost 2 years now, I usually had it with my housekeeping notebook; not so accessible to the family at large. As we dove into the dirty work Friday, it was great to see everyone checking the list on the fridge without me even reminding them to!  We blazed through our chores in record time with the team-work this centrally located reminder prompted!

This is my new weekly overview page for our command center.  The only items entered on this sheet are ones which affect the whole family or my kiddos specifically.  I set this up in Word using the "tables" feature (same with my weekly chore lsit) and then printed it off, embellishing with Washi tape (my new favorite crafting 'tool'!)

click on image to access PDF for printing to put to personal use

The "Daily Dos" section is for special things like Bible Study class or excursions or company coming, etc.  This is different from "Chores" which I usually scribble inside of with a general reference like, "floors" or "bathrooms" and often point to our main chore list for the details of the activity.  I use the bottom section, "This Week" to field things I am not certain what day will work best but helping everyone remember they still need to get done.

The 'kids' (aka, all my offspring from teen through adult still living in the house) are really enjoying having this information readily available in our 'command center'.  The amount of "what's for dinner" and "whose day is it to do laundry" I've been asked at the most inopportune times has decreased drastically!  The girls are enjoying their alternating dish days too and I see much less complaining and forgetting as a result!

Funny how life circles around!  Years ago we kept chore charts on the fridge for my kids when they were little.  For a while, they sort of outgrew that... and now we are back to square one... with a more mature theme.

What quick fix recipes do you have?  How about chore and task wrangling?  I would love to hear from you!  Speaking of which, Monday, August 14th, I am planning to post an article along the lines of "Last Bash of Summer".  I'm looking for ideas from YOU.  Does your family have a special party... a special dinner... do anything memorable to have a last-bit-of-summer blow-out?  If so, I would love to hear about it!  Either type a blog article or (if that is not your thing) throw together an email (pictures welcome) and send your link or content to amanda@faithandhome.com.  Don't forget your name and any other track-back info you want shared (don't worry, I will NOT share your email address).  I will share ALL applicable and family friendly input in my August 14th post!  I look forward to hearing your ideas!  All entries due by midnight August 10th.

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Would you like to receive a month-full of dinner ideas for FREE? 

In my NEW monthly newsletter you will receive this great FREE printable pdf feature in your in-box at the end of each month!  Some recipes and how-to's are even included!  Sign up on the side-bar and, when you do, this month's menu will be sent with your registration confirmation so you don't have to wait for the next newsletter to issue!

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I pray the good Lord will guide you in all your to-dos and ta-das this week!

Blessings,

Click on this link to see some of the great blogs I am linking with today...

DEADLINE TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!!!

Be sure to go to the sidebar and sign up for my Monthly Newsletter (I promise, I won’t spam you!)  It looks like this:

 

Why am I doing this give-a-way?  #1- I'm super excited to share this book with YOU!  #2- I'm just as excited to share my new newsletter as well!  There will be some exclusive content you won’t find on the website!   Even though the first issue mailed last week, everyone who signs up by midnight on tonight will still receive this month's issue!

 So, to be entered for a chance to win a FREE copy of "What Every Christian Ought to Know" by Adrian Rogers simply sign-up for my monthly newsletter by tonight at midnight*.  That's it!  Easy-peasy. (If you already signed up prior to this announcement, don't worry, your name will automatically be entered!)   UPDATE*** There will be TWO blessed winners, not just one!!

*Give-a-way rules: Must be a U.S. residentcontact me to discuss alternatives. The drawing will occur on August 1, 2017 with a winner being randomly chosen. The winner will be contacted that day and will be announced on Facebook and this blog.  If the winner does not wish to have name announced, this must be stated when contacted for mailing address.  A copy of the book (up to $10 value) will be mailed directly to the winner from Amazon, shipping times may vary. I will contact the winner for address information using the e-mail submitted to my newsletter database.  If you do not want to receive your package directly from Amazon, the winner needs to let me know when I contact them for their address and we can discuss alternative source methods.  No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited by law.