It might look like a mess, but it’s art in the end!- video

Does your life ever look llike a mess?

Do you ever wonder what good this current problem, challenge, or heartache can ever produce?  


If you're like me, you want to believe God's promises that everything works together for the good, but sometimes......well- you wonder.  

The house is a mess, the children are a mess, your emotions are a ticking time bomb and your marriage is a real piece of work.  And this is supposed to come together?  

And yet,  I invite you to look back over the past few years of your life.  Do you see the many, many ways that you are better now than you were then?  Do you see how some of your past challenges have made you the person of strengh that you are now?  Both the little and the grand victories you've experienced are the foundation upon which you stand in confidence as a woman and as a mom.  

Don't doubt your current situation.  It may look really, really bad.  

But, if you hold on, even to the very last second, an incredible and surprising will be revealed.  

So, I encourage you- HOLD ON!

Check out this short video to really bring home what I'm sayin'-

 

Wasn't that incredible?!?!

I literally screamed out loud at the end!  Wow!

I never saw it coming.  I thought, oh boy, this may just be another American Idol scam.  No real talent, just wanting 15 minutes of fame, and then BAM!

Instantly God showed me, that's exactly what He is doing in the lives of those who follow Him!  He will take our lives, craft a masterpiece, but He only reveals it at the right moment.  We can look and look and look and not get it!  But when God, just like the artist, does the grand reveal- people come to their feet.  They are wowed by the glory of God in your life!  They can't help but take notice.

May God get the glory in your life today.  May He reveal Himself through you today.

Remember: God + Your Purpose + Divine Connection to Other People = A Powerful Moment, indeed.

Were you as surprised as I was at the end?

What mess has God used to make art in your life?

5 Ways to Reduce Your Grocery Bill

One of the biggest expenses for most families after housing is …. food!

 

Let’s face it.  We have to eat right?!

We can cut the entertainment budget, or shut off cable.  We can wear our old shoes just a little while longer, but every day we must eat.

So if you are looking for ways to save more money, yet still feed your family, here are 5 tips our family uses to trim the grocery bill.

 

1.     Treat meat as a condiment

My good friend Konni shared this tip with me.  I loved it the first time I heard it.  Instead of  making meat a dish by itself, add it to the dish.  Mix meat throughout the dish.  When cooking chicken, remove it from the bone and serve it shredded or in slices.

Less meat = Ka-ching!

 

2.     Use smaller serving plates

The typical dinner plate is HUGE.  Look for smaller dinner plates or even use salad plates as a dinner plate.  If you fill up a salad plate, it doesn’t feel like anything is missing.  This allows your serving sizes to shrink without feeling deprived.  Smaller servings= you can do a whole lot more with a whole lot less. 

Less food to serve = Ka-ching!

 

3.     Pretend you are running a restaurant

Set out an appetizer.  Fresh fruit.  Or cheese and crackers.  Or fresh veggies and a yummy dip.  Encourage everyone to dig in and enjoy!  During the appetizer- use this as a time of sharing, laughing, and for the little ones they can practice serving.  Allow them to serve the appetizers to the family.  (Pretend waiter or waitress) 

Having an appetizer begins to tame the hunger pains and may allow you a few extra minutes  in the kitchen if it’s been a long hard day. Appetizers allow you to serve less at the dinner meal because the family is not as hungry. 

Less food consumed = Ka-ching!

 

4.     Use what you have in your pantry before shopping.  Be creative.

Sometimes we go grocery shopping not because we don’t have food, but because we don’t have the foods we like.  Challenge yourself to see how many meals you could prepare with what you already have.  What kind of creative dishes could you come up with from the items you have on hand?

Dig deep in the freezer.  What’s hanging out in the back of the pantry?  You might be pleasantly surprised.  By not going to the store= you save money simply by not shopping. 

Staying out of the store = Ka-ching!

 

5.     Drink plenty of water BEFORE while preparing the meal. 

Dehydrations feels like hunger.  In the book, The Bodies Many Cries for Water”, Batmanghelidj shares that our bodies signals a need for water in many ways.  One way is through hunger pains.  So the next time you feel hungry, do a check-in and see if maybe you just need to drink some water. 

Only eating when you’re hungry = Ka-ching!

 

Give one or all of these a try.  Make it a personal challenge to see how much you can trim from your food budget and still feel well fed and cared for.  Make this fun!  Get your family Involved!  

 

What are some other creative ways you can think of to trim the grocery bill?

photo credit: Polycart via photopin cc

Divine To-Do List

Do you ever struggle to focus when you're trying to pray?

Ever heard the advice to have a “daily quiet time”, but inwardly you know the loudest place on earth is the thoughts in your head?

If that describes you, then we're in the same boat my friend.


For years I struggled to pray and have a "quiet time". 

I wanted to be a “good” Christian.

I would rise early, because you know the holiest believers rise early, right?!- at least that's what I thought.  So I would try to force myself to be a morning person.  I would get up early, drag myself out of bed, and tip-toe around the house trying to read the Bible by night light.  Why the night light?  Because it seemed that in my house light seems to make noise.  Noise that wakes the heaviest of sleeping children in the house. 

Or maybe it was my blinking that woke them.  I really don’t know. 

No matter how quiet I would try to be, someone would seem to hear me and come join me for MY quiet time.  M-Y attempt to be a “good” Christian.  Didn’t God see me trying to DO this?!  Ugh!

I wasted so SO much time frustrated. 

Either someone would wake up with me or if I was all alone, I would be SO tired I couldn’t tell you what I read on the page anyway.  My eyes went across the words, but nothing was sticking.

So I had a choice, get up and try to have some token of a quiet time with the Lord, or stay in the bed and feel guilty for not spending time with God?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s the thing…. Is it possible to NOT spend time with God? 

NO!  He is everywhere.

Our goal should not be to spend time with Him.  Uh-oh- did I lose you?  Stick with me for a minute.

We should not focus on spending time with God, He's always with us.  Our goal is to increase our awareness of Him in the everyday moments of our day. 

See Him in the face of the little one who wakes up to join you in your Bible reading.  See His provision in the morning meal you prepare each morning.  See Him in your marriage.  See Him in the grocery store.  See Him.  Recognize Him.  Acknowledge Him.

So the next time you are trying to pray and your mind wanders.  Don’t judge yourself as unfocused or off track.  See Him, even in that.

When you pray, keep a notepad beside you.  If something comes to mind, write it down.  Consider it your Divine to-do List.  A to-do list straight from Heaven itself. 

Now,  all that you do today is a divine appointment.  Whether it’s washing dirty laundry or planning the evening meal, or calling a friend that’s been on your mind.  Your daily to-do’s are Heaven sent and you are freed up to see God in any “interruptions” to YOUR plan, because God is busy setting His plan in motion.

 

How about you, do you ever struggle to have a daily quiet time?


photo credit: Visions By Vicky via photopin cc

No More Perfect Moms

Jill Savage's new book is HERE!!

If you buy it this week, February 3- 9, 2013- you can also get ~$150 in FREE bonuses!  

Don'tcha just love freebies!  I know I do!

So, hop on over to any of these online spots to get your copy :

 

 

 

Hearts at Home HeartShoppe
Amazon (paperback)

Amazon (Kindle)

Barnes and Noble (paperback)

Barnes and Noble (Nook)

Christianbook.com (paperback)

Christianbook.com (eBook) 

 

Then email a copy of your receipt to: NoMorePerfectMoms@moody.edu

And here's a list of ALL of the freebies you will get-

 

6 Sixty Minute Audio Workshops (MP3 format) from Hearts at Home

  • Desperate for Wisdom – Dr. Juli Slattery
  • How to Fight for Your Marriage – Dr. Juli Slattery
  • It is Well with Your Soul – Jennifer Rothschild
  • Multiple Intelligences – Dr. Kathy Koch
  • Ten Stress Strategies Every Mom Needs – Jill Savage
  • The God Who Sees You- Tammy Maltby

4 Printables from Hearts at Home

  • 10 Stress Strategies Every Mom Needs
  • “Love Is”–I Corinthians 13 for Parents
  • Mom Rules
  • How to Fight Fair In Marriage

3 Free E-book’s (including PDF, Kindle, iPad, and Nook editions!) from Moody Publishers

I truly enjoyed this book!  Jill's message breathes a fresh air of freedom into the life of every mom who reads this book.  Expect to be freed up in how you view your body, your man, your children, your home, your everything!  

 

It's time to let go of the heavy, impossible burden of "perfect" and embrace our everyday lives!!

 

Who do you know that needs to hear this message today?

True Confession Time- guest post

This guest post was written by Tami L.  If you have ever felt like you are not measuring up.  Like maybe everyone else has it together, but not you.  If you find yourself wondering how the "other moms" do it.  Then I hope that you find encouragement in Tami's article below.  If you could use more encouragement, be sure to check out "No More Perfect Moms- 40 Moms Speak Out" and enjoy a great read by Jill Savage- "No More Perfect Moms" releasing Feb 4th.


Guest Post by Tami L.:

I have a confession to make.  I am not a Proverbs 31 woman.  

Does that shock you?  

Maybe not—maybe you don’t quite measure up to that yardstick either.  Don’t get me wrong--I have the desire and the motivation (most of the time), but it just doesn’t always seem to come together for me the way it does for her.  I’ve never specifically realized this until today.  I was reading an article about all the ways we can strive to be like the beautiful woman of Proverbs 31, and the more I read, the more I felt…well, inadequate.





Let me first say that the article was wonderful and had many helpful suggestions.  It was not condemning, not boastful—it was all about great, godly ways we can improve ourselves as women.  

But why is that what we always hear about Proverbs 31?  

Why do we always hear about the things that we should be doing as wives and mothers—when there is truly another side to the story.  

As I read that article, and as I read back through Proverbs 31—do you know what it did?  It made me truly look at myself—and see…(drum roll please)….all that was lacking.





Where do I even begin??





How about with this--I do not get up early.  As a matter of fact, I overslept this morning.  

Even the mornings when I don’t oversleep, I am not usually up before everyone else in my house.  I know it is great to have that time to prepare.  I know our days would go smoother.  I know my husband and children would benefit greatly—but it just doesn’t work out that way most of the time.  I am just too much of a night owl—no matter how hard I try not to be.

I can’t sew.  

Really—not at all.  I took a sewing course in high school—and almost failed.  I couldn’t wear the outfit I made to school (even though it would have given me extra credit)—because I couldn’t get it on.  However, I have recently discovered that Patch Attach iron-on works wonders!

Housecleaning is not my forte either.  

I am always looking for ways to get the clutter and mess under control—but it always seems to be just out of my grasp.  I’ve tried daily household chores for each family member, various cleaning schedules, organizational methods and more.  It gets better, yet somehow it never seems to workout just right for us.  Come over unannounced some time—you’ll see.

I don’t always speak with wisdom.  

Sometimes I do—but a lot of times my mouth gets me in trouble.  Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain.  Well, actually a lot of times.  Worse than that—it is hard for me to admit it when it happens.

My children do not always call me blessed.  

Sometimes they call me unfair.  Sometimes they call me mean.  Sometimes rightfully so.  Although, my oldest child just walked in, hugged me, and called me “the best mama in the world”.  That’s pretty close to blessed, huh?

Am I writing this so you all can see just how miserably I fail to measure up?

Well, yes and no—though these confessions are only the tip of the iceberg.  Am I writing this as a pity party?  No, not today—though I‘ve had my share of those too!  

I’m writing this because today God showed me something about myself in Proverbs 31—and it wasn’t about the things I need to strive to do better.  He helped me to see that the  Proverbs 31 woman is an ideal—she is indeed who we look to in trying to figure out how to be a more devoted mother, a better organized wife, a more virtuous woman.  

But why is that “ideal” in the Bible if I am always going to be just short of her level of Godliness?!  

Does God put her in the Bible so we will all be running on this hamster wheel until we fall over from exhaustion?  

Does He put her in there so we can struggle with insecurities for the rest of our lives?  

Is it so He can gloat over us as we try so hard to be that perfect example of beauty and love?

No—that’s not the God I serve.  And it’s not biblical.  I realized the answer is very simple—are you ready for this?  Mrs. Proverbs 31 is there to show me my very deep need of God’s grace and mercy.

If I could do everything that the Proverbs 31 lady could do, why would I even need God?  Why would my husband?  Why would my children?  I don’t WANT to be self-sufficient.  I want to be GOD-sufficient.  I want to lay my life—with all of its inadequacies and failures—before the throne of my Almighty Savior.  

I want HIM to make up the difference.  I want my children to see Him make up the difference—so then THEY will let Him make up the difference in their lives.

Or, better yet, here’s what the Bible says about it in Romans 4:4-5 (in the Message version):   “If you're a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don't call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it's something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.”  

Being a hard-working mother, an always-got-it-together wife, a Godly woman who always makes the right choices—those are definitely jobs that are “too big for me”.  Thank God for His Gift.

Will I keep seeking out ways to get the clutter under control?  You bet.  

Will I keep struggling to wake up earlier in the morning?  Most days.  

Will I try to keep my tongue under control?  Of course.

 But I’m going to do LESS of all that.  I am going to do MORE talking to Jesus about the ways I need HIM to make our family and home complete.  Instead of trying to get an extra load of laundry in, I am going to take the time to have a quick heart-to-heart with my Maker.  

When I start beating myself up when I just can’t get everything done, I am going to ask for mercy and grace to serve Him in the ways that are truly important.  I am going to ask God to show me HIS priorities—and not only to help me arrange those priorities, but to forgive me when I don’t get them right.  

I am going to do less trying within myself to measure up and more laying myself at the foot of the cross.  When I am inadequate, I am going to strive to show my children how God makes up for those inadequacies.  In the many areas I am lacking, I am going to let God’s mercy fill in the gaps.

I’ll never receive the award for Proverbs 31 “Woman of the Year”….but that’s OK.  I am overflowing in God’s grace and mercy—and to me, that is truly a crown of honor.

Proverbs 31:10-31 (NIV)





10A wife of noble character who can find?


   She is worth far more than rubies.


11 Her husband has full confidence in her


   and lacks nothing of value.


12 She brings him good, not harm,


   all the days of her life.


13 She selects wool and flax


   and works with eager hands.


14 She is like the merchant ships,


   bringing her food from afar.


15 She gets up while it is still night;


   she provides food for her family


   and portions for her female servants.


16 She considers a field and buys it;


   out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.


17 She sets about her work vigorously;


   her arms are strong for her tasks.


18 She sees that her trading is profitable,


   and her lamp does not go out at night.


19 In her hand she holds the distaff


   and grasps the spindle with her fingers.


20 She opens her arms to the poor


   and extends her hands to the needy.


21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;


   for all of them are clothed in scarlet.


22 She makes coverings for her bed;


   she is clothed in fine linen and purple.


23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,


   where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.


24 She makes linen garments and sells them,


   and supplies the merchants with sashes.


25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;


   she can laugh at the days to come.


26 She speaks with wisdom,


   and faithful instruction is on her tongue.


27 She watches over the affairs of her household


   and does not eat the bread of idleness.


28 Her children arise and call her blessed;


   her husband also, and he praises her:


29 “Many women do noble things,


   but you surpass them all.”


30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;


   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.


31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,


   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

My radio interview on KLGO Austin

Click the image below to hear my radio interview with Mariah Wilde on KLGO- Austin

and visit http://familylinkkids.com to learn more.