2008 Goals

[ Posted by Maggie Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:21:49 GMT ]

This blog is well overdue. John and I set up goals for 2008 and I wanted to share them with you.

1. Not to miss a day spent in the Word and prayer. Some days this may be just 5 minutes reading a Psalm, other days it’ll be a bit more, but I want this to be something that takes me through life I want to grow a passion for God’s Word and the best way to do that is to be in it.

2. For us to each lose 40 lbs. That’s less than a pound a week and we could both use it. To help me I’m using this website. It is designed for pregnant moms and a way to modify it for nursing. It tracks my calories and nutritional info and exercise. They also have another site here for those not pregnant or nursing (men can use this one too). This has helped me make sure I’m getting in all the food I need and I lost 4 lbs the first week! One of the greatest things about it is it’s free!

3. Homeschooling. We both want our children to be homeschooled, but I have not been diligent to make it happen. Granted our oldest is only 3, it won’t be long before she’ll need some more structured schooling. So we’re starting preschool today! I purchased this curriculum and printed out the appropriate worksheets and purchased some craft supplies.

4. I desire to have a better working cleaning/organizing system for keeping our home in order, this has also been one of the biggest pit falls for me to homeschool and many other things that I would like to do. I’m going to give FlyLady another shot.

5. We have a few financial goals as well. My part of them is to work on spending less money on groceries and household items. So I’m going to try my hand at couponing and bargain hunting. I’ve found some great resources here. This is exciting for me as I’ve always felt like I spent too much money on our groceries, but also felt like I wasn’t being extravagant and I was trying to shop the sales, so I’m going to give coupons a good 3 months to see if it’s worth my time. I think it will.

6. This isn’t a top goal, but I would also like to re-do my blog, maybe even get a different site for it and write regularly. But for now all of you will just have to put up with my sporadic posts about random things as the other goals are taking top priority.

PS I am going to be going through previous posts and using different names for our girls. The oldest will be referred to as Princess Olive and the baby will be Princess Peach. We want to protect them as much as possible and so this will be our new standard.

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How the Lord Works

[ Posted by Maggie Thu, 03 May 2007 19:23:49 GMT ]

So as many of you know, I’m expecting our second little one. I’m ending my first trimester, feeling less fatigued, able to handle more smells and able to eat more healthy foods. I’m so thankful for this. But literally the same week I started to feel better my back started acting up. But the Lord is good.

I had a bad back when I was pregnant with Hannah as well, and I also have a condition called ligament laxity (loose ligaments), when I’m not pregnant, so when the relaxin starts doing it’s thing I turn to jello. So while this is not unexpected, it did come earlier than anticipated, and it’s a whole new thing with a 3 year old under foot.

What is very odd to me, is that the Lord is using this time where I can’t do much of anything to teach me (once again) about my responsibility, as a godly wife, to care for my home. I’m going through a book, A Woman After God’s Own Heart, by Elizabeth George, and learning how we are on assignment from God to care for our homes (Titus 2, Prov 31) and I am unable to do so at this time. But it is encouraging me to do what I can. I may not be able to sweep or vacuum or scrub bathrooms, but I can be cheerful when my husband comes home, I can discipline my daughter wherever she lands (I can’t lift her to take her to her room, but I can bring the rod to her), I can teach her God’s Word, ABCs, 123s, colors and shapes, I can make the bed and keep things tidy, and I can put a quick meal together. Also through this the Lord is crushing my pride, I have to ask for help, I don’t have a choice. He is also teaching me how to be joyful in trials.

I am learning so much and I have so far to go. I don’t do half of those things that I can do, and I often complain. I have various degrees of pain throughout the day, and am unable to take anything for it, but the Lord will not give me any more than I can handle, so I can handle this, with His help. He has provided us with good insurance that will take care of some of the chiropractor bills, and it is getting more manageable, but I still have a long ways to go. He has also provided us with a good friend that comes and helps me once a week, and a park right outside our door where Hannah and I spend many hours so I can rest and she can play.

This is getting very long, but I need to tell you all how wonderful my husband is through all of this. He works full time, comes home takes care of Hannah, puts us both to bed and then takes care of the kitchen and any other pressing chores before going to bed. And although he gets very tired, he does not complain and does not blame me for not doing it. The Lord has truly blessed me with him. :)

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Hodge Podge

[ Posted by Maggie Tue, 27 Feb 2007 23:57:58 GMT ]

I promised more about Hannah. Here new words: “I do it!” and “I did it!”. She really likes these phrases when crawling into the van. She can get all the way in her car seat now, she just needs us to buckle her. She keeps us smiling! :)

Potty training-She’s really coming along. She’s had a few accident free days now, including naps! Hurray! Of course she had three accidents today before noon, but that’s ok. I have been putting her in Pull Ups only for sleep times, and she seems to do ok with that, and I’m now able to wash our clothes and not just sheets. :)

Discipline-Still reading Shepherding a Child’s Heart. WOW! I have becoming more and more convicted of needing to be constantly in the Word and to pass that down to Hannah. I pray that God will give me an unquenchable desire to be in His Word and to take EVERY opportunity to pass His Word down to Hannah. Oh, how I desire for her to grow to love Him, and for me to love Him more and more.

New things- I started a Scrapbook Night in our Clubhouse and invited some neighbors and ladies from church. We had our first one last night. 3 people showed up, 2 ladies for the neighborhood and my cousin. We had a good time and I was able to work on my 2007 album. My goal is to keep current with 2007 and then work backwards. First the Grand Canyon (in progress) and then Hannah’s baby! Praise the Lord for digital cameras! We have everything on the computer, by date, so it at least won’t be too difficult to work backwards. By the way, if anyone (who I know) wants to come, let me know and I’ll get you the info.

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Discipline

[ Posted by Maggie Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:27:36 GMT ]

I have noticed another trend in my dear daughter that is a poor reflection of my parenting. She has started to fuss any time I ask her to do something. She also has not been obeying after the first time I ask. I realize that this is due to me not being consistent. I have given in to her fussing a few times and offered something else to do instead, and if it something that I do think she needs to do I just keep asking her in more serious tones.

Well I’ve started to re-read Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp and I started to apply first thing this morning. So today any time she has fussed when I’ve asked her to do something we’ve gone into the bedroom for some loving discipline. By nap time we didn’t need to go into the bedroom anymore. I’m not saying that she won’t need to again after nap time, but it’s amazing what consistency and loving discipline can do. My prayer is that these changes will not merely be outward, but changes of the heart as well. I so desire for her to learn how to obey my husband and I so that she may learn to obey our Lord as well. I also pray that I will persevere in this as well and continue to be consistent and loving.

Proverbs 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

Proverbs 23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

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Procrastination

[ Posted by Maggie Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:25:09 GMT ]

So I’ve found myself narrating in my head as I go along my day since I’ve started this blog. Is this normal, or am I crazy??

As I’m sitting here it appears my house is a disaster. The living room and kitchen are in disarray, the bathrooms need cleaning as do the floors. The only reason why I’m sitting here is because I’ve just been out with Hannah for about 3 hours. We went to gymnastics class, which is a parent involved class, so it provides me a work out as well and we’ve been to 3 different stores, so I’m worn out. Normally I would be tempted to take a nap, and I am, but I’m not going to due to the state of my home. I’ll just sit here and type while I sip on some iced mint tea and regain some energy.

I’m having the Rules and Regulations Committee for our HOA over tomorrow morning for our first meeting. I plan on making scones and fruit for munchies. So I’m pressed to get our home in order. The thing is last week I did a little bit each day and the only thing I had to do on Saturday before heading up to LA was tidy up, clean up breakfast and do a quick clean of our bathroom and we came home late Sunday night to a clean home, it was so peaceful. Well this week was a different story. Our suitcase is still not unpacked. There is clean laundry on the couch, dirty laundry on the floors, at least there is some in both the washer and dryer, last nights dinner didn’t get cleaned up after, etc. etc. So what changed?

Well for starters last week is a wonderful exception to the way things normally are, however I am working towards making it the norm. This week also had some things working against me: potty training, an especially draining time of the month, oh and I’ve been waking up earlier to go to the gym. But there is always something. If I’m not waking up early to go the gym then I don’t have the energy because I’m not in good shape, if it’s not that particularly draining time, then Hannah has not been going to sleep and so we’ve stayed up late, etc. etc.

My question is why do I procrastinate? I could have done a little bit each day, just like last week, but instead I wasted time, turned to my love of slumber and was just plain lazy. The Bible talks about this Proverbs 6 addresses the sluggard and there are many many verses that talk about be productive, making use of our time and pressing on. Oh, but a little sleep (which frequently turns into a lot of sleep). This is a big area of sin in my life. Please pray for me. Now I must go as my legs have rested a bit and I am ready to get to work.

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My First Blog

[ Posted by Maggie Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:52:42 GMT ]

Welcome to Maggie’s blog. :) (Maybe I’ll come up with something more creative later.) I have decided to start a blog for a few reasons.

1. To write down and remember all the little things, that I know I’ll forget. Like the new word Hannah said today, or the new way I cleaned the bathroom that took half the time.

2. To let our family and friends that are far away be better connected to us. We love you all so much and don’t want you to miss out on these little things either!

3. To share what the Lord is teaching me and my prayer is that He may teach you something too, through me. My desire is to grow more in Him and to glorify Him with my life.

So here starts my first post. Potty Training. I know, couldn’t I have chosen a more interesting topic? Well this is what is going on in our lives right now and this is what the Lord is using to teach me right now, so I am sorry but you will have to bear with me.

So our potty training adventure started last September, with the book “Potty Training in Less Than a Day”. Good book, has worked for many people, many people I’ve known even, well not for my little girl. She just wasn’t ready for this method and I was loosing my hair. Literally, my hair dresser asked me if there was anything stressful going on in my life because I was losing a lot of hair. So we then backed off and last week when I got my hair cut my hair dresser commented on how much my hair has improved. :) Well after several months of trying this and that and mainly using Pull Ups and only really being successful right before bed time (it was routine and a way for her to stay up later, so she didn’t fight it) we’ve decided to crack down. We have not used Pull Ups at home for several days now, and Hannah is doing pretty well. But she occasionally has this notion that this is her choice. I’ll set her on the potty and she won’t go and then 5 minutes later she has an accident. She did this all weekend when we were at a friend’s house and she was in Pull Ups.

So yesterday and today I was really getting discouraged. I was seeing my daughter’s defiance and at a loss as to what to do. Well after talking about it with my dear husband last night he suggested I talked some of our godly women at church. So this morning I sent out an e-mail asking for prayer and then gave the details and asked for help. I also remembered James 1:5 and asked God for wisdom, expecting it to be given to me. Well a dear friend read my e-mail and gave me a call. This wonderful woman gently suggested that maybe the problem was our lack of consistency in the past (she would know because I have gone to her with many of my trials) and suggested persevering and not turning back. She also knows my daughter well and knows how strong willed she can be especially when she does not know what to expect. Well Hannah is asleep now and I have talked to John and we will not be using Pull Ups any more (anyone want them?), and we pray that Hannah will quickly learn that this is the way it will be.

I have learned several things in this. 1. God is faithful to His Word (I knew it before, but always a good reminder) 2. Consistency is so important with all aspects of parenting. I find this over and over again with Hannah. When I am consistent in what I expect of her and following through with biblical discipline she is a joy to be around, but when I am not (unfortunately more often I am not) she pushes every limit just to see what she can get away with and often by the end of the day we are both frustrated and nothing was accomplished. A schedule helps too. :) 3. I need to be relying on Him more. I need to be in His Word and obeying it. I fear that part of my frustration in this endeavor was due to my relying on my own strength. How often do I do this. But I need to remember that “I can do all things through Him, who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13

I hope you have enjoyed my first blog. I hope to return often to share my life with you.

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