Honor your Husband - 30 Day Challenge

When God speaks to me, He often uses repetition. At first, I thought it was because of my normally stubborn nature, but then I learned that it is Hebrew custom to use repetition to stress the importance of something. So, I have learned that when God asks me to do something that He feels should be a priority in my life, He will do it repeatedly, but in different ways. First, it might start with a nudging of my heart, a planting of an idea in my soul. After this planting, He waters it by making this idea either be the new topic of conservation in my circle of friends, or brings others to me that are in need, or He leads me to areas that cement His will in place.
I've been feeling a pull to start a wives praying for their husbands group. God even gave me the people that He felt should be in this group. He even arranged it where one of the women was put back in my path. It's so awesome to be a part of His plan, and see where He draws the lines and fills in the blanks.

I was led to Fruit in Seasons's blog and have signed up for this challenge, which, along with my prayer group will help hold me accountable. I plan on blogging weekly about my commitment to pray for my husband daily, even when he is making me angry, not that he does it often, but it happens. I need to not dwell so much on what he does, but in my responses, because it's my own walk with God that I am responsible for and will answer for later. Here are my goals for this week:

• Be aware of my actions and to seek the Lord's direction/guidance before I respond. To not be so sarcastic or biting, even in humour.
• To love my husband unconditionally, and to pray in earnest for him as he walks with God.
• Trust his judgement.

http://fruitinseason.blogspot.com/2007/06/challenge-is-here.html

Why are we here?

I have been thinking a lot about our family and where we want to go, or where we want to be, in say 5 years, or even next year. For the longest time, I've been trying to ignore that thought, with excuses like, "I'm not the spiritual head of the family", or "Why do I have to be the one to start this" (this is said in a really whiny 2 year old voice). It's not like my dh isn't spiritual. He is. He loves God very much, and definitely has a relationship with Him. But we all go through seasons, and this is my dh's season of trying to find his place with our Father, and figuring out where he stands with Him. So God has been laying it on my heart for this vision for our family, and while my dh is trying to "find his way", it's my responsible as the mom of our children, and the wife of my husband to stand firm in the Word, and do my part, which is being obedient to what God calls me to do, and believing that he has already equipped me to do that which I have been called.
Which is this vision for our family. And while, I've been making excuses and trying to figure out how to go about this task, I've had the answer right here. In our curriculum, "Teaching with God's Heart for the World," there is a chapter titled "Finding Your Family Mission/Vision." I've already been equipped-God is so amazing! It's a 10 step procedure for the whole family to participate in. We have to remember that our vision has to be God's vision first. Seek Him in prayer first, and remember that God, "who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity," (2 Timothy 1:10). He has a purpose for all of us; we just have to seek Him to find out what that is.

1. Asking ourselves who we are as a family; what is our reason for existence; and what do we wish to accomplish.
2. Looking back at our family history and seeing how has our family been used by God, and what unique resources, gifts or talents does our family have.
3. Asking what do we believe. What are our family's core values beliefs. What is important to our family, and what behaviours do we want to encourage and discourage.
4. Who are we in terms of a family unit? Why do we exist as a family, and what should we accomplish as a family? WRITE MISSION STATEMENT based on these questions.
5. Looking at where we want to be in 3-5 years. What do we think we will be doing at that time, and as a family, what direction do we feel called to take by God to achieve our mission?
6. List short-term objectives
7. List Major Hindrances that will affect our family in reaching the mission/vision that we have developed. What stands in our way?
8. Determine strategic actions to overcome each barrier.
9. Write this all down in notebook.
10. Believe in our mission/vision statements and LIVE BY THEM!

Well, I guess it's time for me stop talking about our vision, and start doing. I pray that this has helped those of you who have chosen to read my blog, and if you are called to follow this plan, I pray that God blesses and directs your family as you seek His will and navigation.

World Expedition

My 2 youngest children and I went on an expedition today. I gave both kids a copy of a world map, and we traipsed through the backyard, climbing snowy mountains and regular mountains (slides), creeped through the "Prickly Forest" (a collection of prickly things that fall from our tree raked in a hole), spoke to the "wolfdog" (the family pet), inquiring of a treasure, and ended up in the deserts of Egypt (the turtle sandbox). Of course, this family trip was caught on film as most vacations are. Once back home, we munched on grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate cake, and finished off the day on our couches covered by blankets, since the inside of our house is the "Arctic Zone" (Dad likes the house set on 65 degrees). I couldn't have asked for a better day!

I love my schoolroom...

I've been waiting a while to have a room that would just be my school room. We've schooled at the kitchen table, the coffee table, on the floor, but it was always such a pain! The books were either trading places with the dinner dishes, or creating mountains on the coffee table, thereby blocking the view of the television, and if they were on the floor, you always stood the chance of one jumping out in front of you and stubbing your pinky toe, or your husband's... Good times...not! Well, I finally have my room! My books have a home! And they needed one. Needless to say, my husband does not share my passion for books, but he's accepting of it, as long as they stay out of his way...