Slow me Down, Lord

Summer can be such a busy time of the year! I still cannot believe how quickly June flew by and now it is almost July. Our days have been spent with trips to the park, homeschool field trips, playdates, lakes, vbs.. I did have a plan of what I wanted my summer to be. When the weather starts to bring hot days I like to spend as much time as possible in the water with my children, swimming is my favorite. My view has changed a bit and I want to put the rest of my summer in the Lords hands, guiding the children and I to spend our days how He would like us to. Its been so busy that I would like to slow down...to stop rushing, truly enjoy the summer months.

My great grandmother had poems, prayers and scriptures she cut out on her refrigerator. I remember always enjoying this prayer:

Slow me down, Lord! Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amidst the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills. Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory. Help me to know the art of taking MINUTE VACATIONS.......of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book. Remind me each day of the fable of the hare and the tortoise that i may know that the race is not always to the swift; that there is more to life than increasing in speed. Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well. Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me to send my roots into the soil of life's enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny. Amen.


How has your summer been? Do you need to slow down like me?

Blessings,
Sarah beth

Linked up with:
Our Simple Country Life
Women Living Well

Our Sweet days, random!

How has your week been? The theme of our week was fresh air! After a long winter, late spring..summer is here. Almost everyday the heat was in the 90's. My children have been enjoying vbs all week! Everyday I had from 9 to noon to myself, which was really intresting..too quiet! 

After vbs I planned something fun..one afternoon I made lunch ahead of time and we went swimming at friends, other days picnic at the park. I really love to bring a big blanket, sandwiches and enjoy lunch with my sweeties! Do you picnic alot?

I filled the wheelbarrow with water for mud cakes! On hot days, water fun is the way to go!

& for when they want to stay clean and cool...

Last week I enjoyed an old soda, strawberry crush with a friend...decided to turn it into a pretty vase..

Recently signed up for Above Rubies magazine..this is a free subscription and have heard wonders about it, sign up Here. The founder sent me a sweet thank you email with these words:
As a home-loving,
home-keeping,
home-nursing,
home-cooking,
home-working,
home-training and
home advocating mother,
you are the most important asset in this nation!
Life may often seem overpoweringly busy at times, but what else can you expect when you have the most important job in the nation?

*Isnt that encouraging!?*

What was on the menu at your house this week? We had 2 days of grilled chicken salad with homemade buttermilk ranch..mmm!

After a busy but blessed week I am ready for the weekend! Happy Friday!



Greater Health God's Way!

One of my biggest struggles is food! My habits are wreckless! I often skip breakfast, never been a big breakfast eater. I also tend to not sit down and eat lunch then just snack here and there...over eat at dinner time..snack later on in the evenings...it adds up! This is not a good way to nourish my body whatsoever! When it comes to excercise, again wreckless.. I love excercising but I never add it on my day like rest and eating.. its never a priority like it needs to be.

So here I am with a goal to get healthy, for me it is not about just losing weight but changing the way I view health, setting up solid habits and not the way the world views it but the way God does. His ways are perfect! With every struggle in my life He was the light in the dark...He ripped away so many bad peices and replaced them with good.. I know He can and will do the same with my health. & yours too!

Today I am sharing with you a book by Stormie Omaritan. She is famous for her amazing prayer books but I wish her health book was more known too!

This is not a diet book, this is a total health book...God's way! Not only does this book help with physical but it will strengthen your mental and spirtual health as well.

"Greater Health God's Way" kept me reading & reading!

Stormie says,
"The Bible says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hosea 4:6. How true! Sickness and premature death are commonplace, all because we have no knowledge of the Lords ways. We live so very far from the way God intended us to live. That's why there is so much pain and sickness, so many headaches, heart attacks, bad tempers, mental illness, and just plain lack of joy. We suffer a great deal just because of our own ignorance about God's ways."

She also says,
"It is not good to be preoccupied with your body, but it is wise to value the temple God has given you. The holy spirit of God dwells in and works through that wonderful body of yours. But how do you treat it? Do you feed it poorly, never allow it to have any exercise, keep it shut away from fresh air and sunshine, fill it with the poisons of unforgiveness and bitterness, never allow it any rest, and then criticize it because it doesnt look good and never does what you want?"

Stormie does not only discuss foods to avoid, foods to eat but the importance of sunshine and peaceful living. She also talks about the damange of stress.

Her book features 7 steps to inner and outer beauty. The 7 steps are:

Peaceful Living
Pure Food
Proper Exercise
Plenty of water
Prayer & Fasting
Fresh Air & Sunlight
Perfect Rest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I highly recommend this book! If you would like to journey with me, let me know and we can link up each 7 step..encourage eachother!

My first step is avoiding pop, juice, coffee, ect. I want to drink
W A T E R! & lots of it! I pray that the Lord helps me to crave water and only water!

I love fruity drinks so I thought why not naturally sweeten my water {without the extra chemicals and sugar} I simply add lemon and sliced strawberries. It gives my water a slight sweet taste: perfect!!

If you have any tips on managing your health the Lords way, please share =} 

Much love,
Sarah beth

Linked with:

Testimony of a young man~

Today I would like to for you to head on over to a different blog. This blog is special because it is my brothers and his very first post is a must read, His testimony. Its raw and real and beautiful to me. Visit Right Dirt Road

I am always asking the Lord for him to show me how I can serve him. One day in March He whispered, tell your brother to come live with you. Pretty intresting request! I was really excited and said yes right away..I wish I could say yes that quickly to the Lord all the time! ;} My brother lived in Michigan..sent him a text that read simply, "come here and live with us!!" After he got out of work he called me and basically said okay. The move was set in motion pretty quickly!

I said yes so quickly but days went by and fear started to leak into my heart. My brother is very young and didnt have the best habits..i was fearful that he would influence my boys and possibly him and I would fight. Even though, I love him dearly and we have always been close.

Not much longer after he came things started to happen.. we would fight and each time I did I ran to my room and prayed. It was hard to give it to Him and trust that things would get better but I just kept praying, sometimes in tears!

Finally.. our talks got more serious and more and more about Jesus. He was listening!!! He started by asking me alot of questions..i was eager to give a good awsner! He began by reading his Bible from the very first word. At times he would stumble, skip a day in reading. I told him pray to crave His word..he seen the Lord helping.. He started to be more prayerful and his mind was opening to the truth. I got to watch firsthand how the Lord transformed him, made him NEW!

My brothers habits of drinking pop, chewing tobbaco..pridefulness, selfishness..attitude and swearing were slowly drifting away..

The habits replaced was helpfulness, reading the bible, memorizing good christian music, prayer, loving.. 

He is encouraging me! My brother is not perfect, like me he stumbles in this imperfect world. But he is building a relationship with the king, Jesus Christ. He is on the road walking with the Lord..he is on the right dirt road. I am so proud of him and so happy that I trusted the Lord...it was not easy but it just shows how patient i need to be when waiting on the Lord to see his plan fold out.

Please visit his blog,
Encourage him with a comment, a prayer!

You can never change anyone but the Lord can..

Much love,
Sarah beth

Homeschooling Journal, Entry 2!

Happy Summer Homeschooling Moms! This is my 2nd journal entry..


In my life this week…
I have to say that since we are now on summer break, its weird! lol ;o) ~I find myself not sure what to do so I began to make a list of "to do's" together. The beginning of the week my children caught a flu bug, along with pouring rain we had very cozy days of cuddling, reading, watching old videos and me cooking simple healthy meals for my children. Doing what I could do with keeping the house clean and staying caught up on laundry. On thursday the sun was out and we have a bbq with friends and family, alot of fun!




In our homeschool this week…
With my children resting from the bug we enjoyed reading. My heart was bursting with my oldest reading the word and grinning afterwards, "I feel better." My daughter is learning basic add and subtract. My youngest reviewed his shapes, counting, colors, speech... since we ended school for the summer its been really relaxed, more so because of the flu! I cant wait to study nature this summer :}




Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
We hosted a bbq on thursday, I love opening my home and kitchen and enjoying my friends! The plan this weekend is to take a day trip to the beautiful Lake tahoe!




My favorite thing this week was…
My favorite has to be Monday with the pouring rain, big blankets and all 3 of my children cuddled next to me.. its good to be a mamma!!


What’s working/not working for us…
Working for us is the simple prayer of asking the Lord to guide these summer days! Asking Him to show me how to spend our time..


Questions/thoughts I have…
I would love to know how other mamma's spend summer days.. We usually are busy with beach days and time outside but lately the weather hasnt been  summery as usual.


Things I’m working on…
I am working on spending more time in God's Word. My goal has been starting each day with reading His word..but I really want to keep going back and feasting on His word. pray for me! ;}


Books I’m reading…
Bible & "Created to be his help meet"


A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
Sharing a link to my cousins blog.. a beautiful poem that all of us mothers need to read often! ;} hope it blesses you!
http://godshighestcalling.blogspot.com/2011/06/youll-be-wishing.html

Have a wonderful weekend!
 

You are a Strong Woman!

I love proverbs 31. God is good to give us ladies a detailed list of what a woman of God should be. I love this woman! Isnt she lovely? OH how I long and strive to be her! I often hear how the Christian woman character is to be meek, gracious, forgiving..  BUT

if you are striving to be a proverbs 31 woman you are also

                                      S T R O N G!

It takes courage to stand up for Christ in this world. Our ways are not popular but often looked at as weak! Its easy to sin...to push away the truth of His word. The world has twisted what it means to be a woman..

Wives tend to nag and complain..lead over her husband..it takes strength to keep calm, to find the joy, forgive and to submit to our husbands. I also have to say that being obediant to God's voice is often hard. But God is faithful and brings you peace and strength each time you submit, even if its something we dont think we can do or want to do. Each time I say yes to Him, I gain confidence, strength! I also see his plan unfold and learn that His ways are always better even if we cannot see right away..each YES I say to Him, the easier it is the next time.

"Walk by faith and not by Sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

You are a strong woman when you make the step to walk by faith!

"Who can find a virtuous woman?" proverbs 31:10

The term "virtuous" is from a noun meaning strength, efficiency, ability.

Girls, never let other people on this earth make you feel weak in your journey to walk with Him. There can be wonderful people who build you up and encourage you..others who are not being serious about their faith do not understand yours. I have had friends in the past, sometimes family members looking down on my choices..sometimes getting down right mad with me! which lead me to doubt. I want to encourage you today to never doubt how wonderful you girls are who chose HIS ways over your own!

"Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised." proverbs 31:30


I hope my thoughts today were a blessing and an encouragment! How have you gained strength in the Lord lately?

"The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything." ~author Unknown
 
Blessings, Sarah beth
 
Linked up with:

Homeschool Mother Journal, Entry 1

This is my first homeschool mother entry!



In my life this week: This past week was really different then our normal routine. We had more laid back days due to the holiday on Monday and daddy being able to work at home for a couple days, which was amazing! ;) We also had a dentist apt, next week is my youngest 2 children first dentist apt~yay! We had alot of cooler days... one evening we went to the mtn and enjoyed a ride on our 3wheeler!

My favorite thing this week: enjoying the laid back week with my hubby home more then usual, what a treat!

Places we are going: I know one place we are going so far, Elko Nv. My hubby won a mule deer tag for October..very excited for the trip and hunt! Also anxious for camping trips near Lake Tahoe and northern CA.

Things I am working on: I am working on making more foods and cleaners, homemade. I have perfected things from ranch to laundry soap. Now hope to make mayo and bake some bread!

Books I am reading: Bible, "created to be his helpmeet" and various childrens books! ;}

A quote, a video, a link or pic to share…

My handsome son mixing buttermilk biscuits for a yummy breakfast dinner! He is such a great helper~ I love you Jayce!

A Few of My Fav's: if you know me, you know I LOVE...

Yay its Friday! Linking up with Stringer Mamma today, every Friday she has a link up to list your favorites...join the fun!

I really wasnt sure which subject to choose lol so i thought I would just list some random things that i LOVE and kinda going with the question, if you know me you know that I love...

S W I M M ING!

~an old pic of us!

My husband calls me a fish.. my childhood memories are spending all day at the beach and my mother doing anything she could do to get me OUT of the water so we could go home. Once the weather is hot enough I am packing our cooler, telling my children to grab towels and trucks and other sand toys..oh and the camera..rushing everyone to head to the water. I cant explain my love for the water, I feel so at ease and rejuvinated.  I do not go to the beach to sit on the sand and tan.. nope, I am in the water, doing flips underwater and going as far out as i can. I race my brother alot but he always wins! I am blessed to have a family that loves the water too! The best part is my children swimming along with me. Last year my daughter had a small tube around her waist and followed me and my sister all over a smaller size lake. it was a blast!!! My son likes to see who can stay under the water the longest... and my youngest boy is in love with his life jacket.. he is amazed and giggles that he is the deep water near me..floating wherever the current takes him. My hubby enjoys the water too...alot more now lol

2 love of mine: Candles!!! Mmm i love the scent that fills my home.. especially if my home is leaning towards messy lol it still smells yummy! I go thru alot of candles...i light them in the afternoon and blow them out right before bed. I love the glow of the flame and comfort and warmth it brings to a room. My favorite scents are, cinnamon, apple cider, pine during christmas and berries.

If you know me you know that I love, CAKE!

~A cake I made last year!

Theres really nothing else to say, i love different flavors and buttercream frosting. mmmmmm!!

If you know me you know that I love,

a plain sheet of paper. I love to write and doodle.. create to do list and fill sheets of papers with prayers.. I love to write love notes to not only my husband but to Jesus. I love the way the pen feels against the paper..flowing out my words and thoughts.......... a clean peice of paper looks so fresh and clean and just speaks to me to write! It doesnt stay clean for very long lol

~Salmon spawning!

WILD~LIFE! I get super excited when I spot a wild animal.. i know that probably sounds pretty funny but I am always amazed when a beautiful animal crosses our path. We have seen alot of animals while driving, camping and walking. On my honeymoon we were excited to see a wolf and caught it on tape! I have seen gorgeous owls while driving at night on a dirt road...deer in my garden and our campsite! elk, pronghorns and wild mustanges.. lizards scattering quickly along a rock.. the beauty and differences in each animal are spectacular, God's creation always has me in awe!

Hopefully a few of these random Love's of mine gives you alittle more info on me! What are some of your random fav's...  if someone knows you, they know you love....

please share!

Blessings,
Sarah beth