Ordinary Life

I recently joined a local band of rowdy homeschooling mommas. Okay, so we aren't really rowdy. We're all rather reserved actually... unless you hit our hot topic or favorite curriculum  buttons... then we may have opinions to share... or mildly suggest. But, rowdy or no, we are banded together birds o' feather (who like to maintain our autonomous natures, thank you kindly.)  The important thing is we are ' banded together ' - something I had let go of for awhile  (Sometimes my 'autonomous' overflows and I forget that I'm not an island adrift nor The Lone Ranger.) It is nice to be back in community with like-minded yet completely unique folks again. It has been a little while since we were last plugged in with a group.  {Here's one time . This was another .}  Between my overflowing autonomy and busy, bustling every day life, it just didn't seem like we had the time. But alas, as is usually the case-some of the best things are things we MAKE T...

DIY Laundry Detergent "It's better, cheaper & smells fantastic...MAYBE"  Basically, one of everything pictured ( below) : Washing Soda Borax Baking Soda Grated Pink Zote Soap (or FelzNaptha) Epsom Salts & Scent (or scented softening crystals) (2 boxes equals proper amount) Oxygenated Stain Remover DIY Laundry Detergent Ingredients I will start by saying that my results may be different than the glowing review of the recipe I followed because I used varied ingredients. I am not convinced that any one substitution made would change my overall experience with the results. The substitutions are as follows:  1 Bar of Zote Soap instead of 2. The package looked like 2 bars in one wrapper, so we didn't bring enough home. I don't believe there would be a major difference even if the second bar was added because it seems that this soap doesn't dissolve very well before the washer has started- there are always chunks of it still floating about.  Epsom Salts &...

While looking for something celebratory for my nephew's birthday, I came across   this piece  for mothers. In the interest of equality, I share this equally challenging & powerful piece on the calling of fathers. I am grateful for the good fathers I know. If you are a dad, I hope you celebrate the gift that God has given you in the form of your children and take to heart the call to disciple them & ready them to be presented back to their Giver someday. 

As I was looking for something 'sentimental' of sorts, to mark my nephew's 5th birthday and to celebrate his mom and dad's 5th anniversary as parents  (Reagan made them parents for the first ~but not last~ time)  I came across this piece on motherhood. It seems to be an excerpt from a mother's day sermon at a church I've never been too. It is a really good thought.  It made me thankful for all the godly mothers I know. It also made me want to encourage those who may not value the calling God has placed on the life of a mother... especially friends and family who are moms but think that it doesn't count as much. I hope you will be encouraged if you are a mom. I hope you will pass this on if you know any other mothers that need to be reminded... or perhaps told for the very first time. And...if you happen to be a father? Well... there's something in there for you too  :) Big Smiles Until We Meet Again 

The folks at 31 Status want give Proverbs 31 a modern translation, live that translation out loud and encourage young ladies to choose likewise . I'm just learning about this group - (thanks to looking for more material by Janette...Ikz ) but it resonates with my Titus 2 leanings.  Perhaps we'll have a 31Status Chapter start up in our neighborhood....

This artist/spoken word piece aired on Wretched recently... it captures well what I'd like to tell those who wait...and for those who should've but didn't?  Our God is greater... He really is. He is a God of Mercy and Grace and Restoration. He can mend the broken and restore what the locusts have eaten... if you allow Him to. Look for more by Jeanette Ikz in the near future- I like her.

I have two daughters and one thing I hope to prevent is the breaking of their hearts...or  worse, multiple fractures. I appreciate shared wisdom from " Titus Moms " to that end. The article I am sharing is about the instruction  we often give young girls to "guard your heart" without taking into consideration what that heart looks like. The author looks thru the empty, over-used terminology and suggests a common sense approach to training young ladies' hearts, not just "guarding" them. I recently discovered the blogs (and books) of Douglas Wilson and his wife . Wilson is the author of " Evangellyfish " which is what led me to the blogs. Sidenote: I liked Evangellyfish. (a lot) You may too, if you' ve been to church at all in the last decade (or  even if you've just watched one on t.v.) This particular article is for my Pink Mommas because we've recently been talking about guiding our girls into their teen years and beyond...: Gua...