30 Days of Pinterest in Hindsight

I thoroughly enjoyed my doing my 30 Days of Pinterest posts.  I feel as if I found my creative side again.  Or, my need to be creative on a regular basis, rather.  I suppose I thrive on that sort of thing, and in the past 7 or 8 years, I have thrown it on the back burner, only to bring it up in a rush when planning a party or doing a shower for someone else.  It was nice just to be creative for me.  It was somewhat therapeutic to know that despite the tantrum(s) I endured that day, the dishes that continuously fill up my sink, the laundry that seems to grow out of hampers, or the (daily) vacuuming that one with toddlers and preschoolers must do, I could just sit and do something creative.  I could wrap my mind around something different for a change.  And the fact that I didn't get everything done all day is okay.  I don't need to feel guilty for doing a little project here and there, even though the dishes aren't done.

(I found this print on Pinterst, and the link only had the image, so no photo credit here.)

I had a few people say in the past month, "How do you do it all?"  The answer to that is simply, I don't!  I am learning that I not only need to give my kids, husband, and others grace, but myself as well.  Giving myself grace is the hardest of all.  If the dishes aren't done when Troy gets home from work, or the expectations that I have made for myself haven't been met by that time, it is so easy to beat myself up.  This is why I love the verse 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.  That God that His grace is all I need!  It is sufficient!   And, not only that, but His power is made perfect in weakness.  How, then, could I beat myself up for not getting the dishes done before dinner???

Photo credit: http://www.bethanyaleshire.com/2012/03/power-in-weakness_10.html

So, to all who have read my blog over the past month and wondered, "How does she do it all,"  just remember, I don't.  I still struggle with being gracious with myself.  I still struggle with the pride that comes crumbling down when other people see my weakness, or see my dirty dishes (gasp!).  I have to constantly remind myself that Christ has all that covered.

With that said, I will be doing a weekly Pinterest post as best I can in order to keep my creative side alive.  

For your convenience, here is a list of links to all the the 30 Days of Pinterest Posts:

Day 1:  Coconut Sugar Scrub

Day 2:  Family Devotion Basket

Day 3:  DIY Jewelry Cleaner

Day 4:  Lego Soap Dispenser

Day 5:  Dosage Chart on Child's Medication Bottle

Day 6:  Fridge Snack Box

Day 7:  Vegan Breakfast Cookies

Day 8:  Refrigerator Redo

Day 9:  At Home Paris Date Night

Day 10:  Cookie Dough Bites

Day 11:  Green Pina Colada Smoothie

Day 12:  Speed Cleaning 101

Day 13:  DIY Verse of the Week Chalkboard

Day 14:  Command Center Redo
Day 15:  Tea & Coffee Bar
Day 16:  Regrowing Food From Scraps
Day 17:  Balloon Rockets
Day 18:  Cleaning with Lemons
Day 19:  DIY Chevron Striped Lampshade and Lamp Redo
Day 20:  Mod Podge Letter
Day 21:  Felt Story Board Travel Case
Day 22:  Watercolor Painting with Kids
Day 23:  Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Day 24:  Homemade Microwave Popcorn
Day 25:  Super Duper Lego Picker Upper & Lego Storage
Day 26:  Mod Podge Picture Frame
Day 27:  DIY Garden Hopscotch Path
Day 28:  Family Valentine's Dinner
Day 29:  Grilled Cheese
Day 30:  The Recycled Garden

Strength for the Weary

My friend Tiffany lent me a book called Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney (CJ Mahaney's wife). It is a study of how we, as moms, wives, and even single women can apply Titus 2 to our daily lives. The excerpt below was particularly encouraging and I thought I would share it!

"Strength for the Weary

But what if you have lost your smile? How do you find renewed joy to sacrificially serve and tenderly love your children? Our only genuine source of refreshment comes from God. In Him alone do we acquire fresh strength to carry out this enormous task of mother.

So may I encourage you to size some time alone to meet with God? This should already be out daily practice, but in seasons of weariness, there is tremendous benefit in withdrawing for a more lengthy time to pray and read God's Word.

Now some of you mothers with little ones might be asking, "How is 'alone time' possible? I cannot even go to the bathroom by myself, much less consider an extended period of solitude!"
Maybe your husband could arrange this time for you, or possibly you could trade off with another mom. Whatever it takes, it's worth he effort to make it happen!

Taking time to meet with God is a practice modeled for us by Jesus Himself. We read in Luke 5 that multitudes were coming to Him with their needs: "Crowds of peoples come to hear him and to be healed of their sickness. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (vv 15-16, NIV, emphasis mine).

Doesn't this sound like a description for motherhood---everyone coming to Mom with needs? Yet look at what Jesus did. He withdrew to solitary places and prayed.

Now if Jesus needed to withdraw frequently and pray in order to receive His Father's help and strength, do we suppose we need such times any less? So if you are weary, or if your joy and vision for motherhood is waning, take some time this week to be alone with God."
~Carolyn Mahaney

Weekly Passage (Review)

One night list week, I was laying in bed thinking about the passage below. I was thinking about how easy it is to "throw in your lot" among sinners (friends, peers, co-workers). This could be anything from joining in a gossiping session with the ladies at work, giving in to the pressures of materialism with the rest of the world (and for that matter, debt), peeking at the websites with scantly-clad men/women on them, kissing or your boyfriend/girlfriend at bit too much (or going farther than that...). The opportunities to join the world in sin are countless. May we take heed to the advice in these verses! My pastor preached a great sermon on this subject a couple weeks ago. He spoke on 1 Tim 4:12 (Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.) To be a good example in all those things listed in 1 Tim, we must stay away from those sins/sinners that tempt us to join in! I pray the Lord guides my path so I may do just that.

Proverbs 1:8-19
The Enticement of Sinners

8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;
let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, do not walk in the way with them;
hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood;
they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.

Weekly Passage

This week's passage is actually just last week's passage repeated...it was a long passage and I am trying to somewhat memorize them, so I gave myself another week of reviewing those verses. Those verses are Proverbs 8-19. Please click on the link above if you would like to review the verses!

Weekly Passage

This is a little late, but better late than never!!! I am continuing in Proverbs 1:8-19. I find it no coincidence that this passage really relates to the verses in Micah just put in the post below. Isn't it funny how sometimes God just brings these similar passages out of two completely different books to your attention?

The Enticement of Sinners

8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;
let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, do not walk in the way with them;
hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood;
they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.

Weekly Passage

In order to challenge me to memorize scripture more often, I'm going to post a passage at the beginning of each week to remind myself to continually read that certain passage throughout the week. I'm starting in Proverbs. Feel free to join me in this effort and read along!
This week's passage is Proverbs 1:1-7.

The Beginning of Knowledge

1:1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

*I love verse 7...its a good reminder to seek after (and not to ignore, neglect, despise) wisdom and instruction.