Holiday Giveaway Week! DAY ONE: $50 Blessings Unlimited Gift and $25 Apple Valley Natural Soap Gift Certificate | Visionary Womanhood

Check out this great giveaway at Visionary Womanhood.  Blessings Unlimited is a great company that offers beautiful and inspirational products for your home.  Not only will your home look amazing it will be encouraging to every person that comes in!


Holiday Giveaway Week! DAY ONE: $50 Blessings Unlimited Gift and $25 Apple Valley Natural Soap Gift Certificate | Visionary Womanhood

The Parable of the Necklace

Within the last few months I have been praying daily for guidance.  And for the past few months I have been in waiting mode.  If you truly know me then you understand that patience is not my greatest attribute.  Wait, who are we kidding, I have absolutely NO patience! 

A few months back my hours at my part time job were cut in half.  Financially, that just wasn't enough.  I won't go into all the details but we are trying to decide if I should pursue full time work outside the home, my husband attempt to find a second job that will work with his floating schedule, or my husband find a new job entirely.  My heart's desire is to stay home full time with my babies. 

After waiting for two months I became very frustrated!  So while I was getting ready that morning I yelled prayed for God to give us an answer.  Within a few minutes I received a call for an interview for a full time position.  The job is something that I went to college to do but it means leaving my kids for 8 hours every day.  Financially it would be a great blessing and help us get out of debt and into a house of our own twice as fast.  But... it is not my heart's desire. 

"God, what are You doing here?  Do you even care?  Why aren't You bringing me home?"

By now you're wondering what this has to do with a necklace right???

I have been taught since I was a small child that God cares for me.  He created me with a purpose and will not forsake me.  I know these truths in my head but I still haven't grasped them in my heart.

So, this past week I decided to go looking for some outfits for family pictures. (I was blessed to have a gift card to one of my favorite stores and my mother-in-law agreed to take our pictures for us!)  As I was trying on shirts I kept thinking and praying about our situation. 

"Why are You not listening to me?  Why do You not care?"

Wow!  I sound like my almost 2 year old whining because He can't have something.

Anyways... I found what I needed and left the store.  When I got home I realized that I had left my favorite necklace in the dressing room.  I called the store as I was driving back and asked if someone had turned in a necklace.  "I'm sorry, there was no necklace in the dressing room and no one has turned one in."  I went on back to the store and searched high and low and while asking God to help me find it.  While I was praying I will confess that I was actually thinking, "He doesn't care.  He's not going to help me.  He never does."

Maybe I'm the only one here who feels that way sometimes.  Things don't go my way and I automatically resort to the false truth that God truly could care less about me.  

I left the store empty handed and mad.  Later that night I was talking with my husband and asking him why things weren't working out.  What did I do wrong?  Why won't God take care of us?  

I whined for the next 2 days.  

But God in His graciousness did not forget me.  

Don't you love that phrase! "But God".  He does not forget us.  He does hear us and He does care for us.  Just like I want to make my boys happy He wants to make us happy.

Two days later I went back to that same store with my mother.  As we were waiting in line I decided to should go to customer service and see if my necklace had been turned in.  The friendly worker said that a necklace had been turned in the night before but my description didn't match the lost & found log.  She went to look at it anyways and guess what... it was my necklace!!!  

But God showed me grace!  

I didn't need that necklace.  I could easily live without it.  But God knew that I really liked it and He in His grace gave it back to me.  

I don't know what our future holds.  I don't know how our financial situation will be resolved.  But I do know that I am God's little girl and He does care for me.  He does hear me and does want to give me my heart's desires.  He wants to take care of me and use me to bring Him glory.  

But God... such powerful words.

My prayer for anyone who reads this (if anyone does) is that you will embrace those two precious words.  He does hear us and He does communicate with us.  You are never alone if you have believed.  

But God...

How has God shown His grace to you?  I would love to hear your stories of But God!


This post is linked with:  Thankful Homemaker, Women Living Well, The Better Mom

Busy being a Mommy

 

I promise I am still very much alive.  It has been quite some time since I last posted anything.  I promise, I do have a very good excuse.  I've been busy being a mommy. 

 

Parenting two little boys is definitley different from parenting one little boy.  When I finally think I have a moment to myself one of the boys figures it out and comes running or starts crying.  Even the BATHROOM isn't off limits!!!

 

But you know what... I LOVE IT!  Every single moment is full of joy.  Even those moments when I want to hide under the covers and scream I find joy.  My two fussy, cranky, precious, happy, funny, adventurous little boys are true blessings from the Lord.  

 

So all of that to say, I have not had time to write lately and my number one priority after God is my husband and babes.  In addition, my computer has recently passed on and trying to post from my iphone is too difficult for my limited technological ability.  So hopefully in the future there will be more time to share my heart and story with you.   

 

I do want to leave you with just one thought...

 

God is really working on me right now.  Recently my 20 hours of work a week was cut down to just 10.  Financially we are very strained and my husband is looking for a second job to ease the burden.  We are definitely in a season of waiting.  Waiting is hard.  There's no other way to describe it.  Please be in prayer for us that we will seek God with all of our heart and be able to discern His word.  And also that we will be an example to our children of those who wait on the Lord.  We want our lives to reflect Christ to them. 

Thoughts on that "Gray" Book and that "Magic" Movie

I have no doubt that this will make me very unpopular.  I posted the article below on my Facebook page and already at least one person has posted a status about it. 

"Fifty Shades of Gray" and "Magic Mike" have become blockbuster and best selling hits.  Many women (and men) have went crazy over them.  Christian women included.  And yet I wonder if our God is pleased with this excitement.

Please understand that I am not judging you if you have read this book or seen this movie.  I myself am a big sinner and I have destroyed my purity in the past.  I know the allure of the world but I'm grateful for those who showed me truth.

This article took the thoughts out of my head and presented them in an organized and nonjudgmental format.  I hope her words inspire you to look to God's word and prayer for guidance on not only this book and movie but every idea that may cross your way.

50 Shades of Mike (In Which I Am VERY UNCOOL) ~ MelissaJenna.com

That little book called Habakkuk ~ Part 3

Check out the introduction and part ~ 2.

Habakkuk is becoming very real too me.  As you know my desire is to be in my home full time with my babies.  However, financially that isn't possible right now.  I have a wonderful part time job that uses my degree.  I have been praying that God would bring my home full time very soon.  And just as Habakkuk does not receive the answer he was expecting, I received an answer that was from left field.  Due to budget cuts, my hours at work have been drastically reduced to only 5 per week.  My first thought was maybe this is a stepping stone into coming home.  However, after speaking with my husband I realized that we could not survivce financially with that very small income.  It now looks as though I will be hunting for a full time job unless God places me in another part time position. 

At the moment I'm on the verge of tears.  I've studied Habakkuk in depth for a few weeks now and prayed that God would teach me truth from Habakkuk's story.  Well, He did! 

I know this sounds awful but the story isn't finished.  As we will see today Habakkuk prays again to the Lord.  Get ready because the Lord really convicted me over this second prayer.

Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.

Habakkuk 1:12

Habakkuk had just poured his heart out to God and received a very surprising response.  Instead of bringing peace to Judah God was going to send the Babylonians to invade and conquer Judah.  I wonder if Habakkuk's jaw dropped at God's answer.  How could God do the opposite of Habakkuk's pleas?  Surely God didn't fully grasp the situation.  So Habakkuk turns around and prays again.  He objects God's plan of punishing Judah further.  He points out God's absolute power and cries that God's plans are even worse than the current predicament.  He pleads for God to rethink His plan and then pronounces with great confidence that he will wait for God's response.

I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Habakkuk 2:1



God responds back with both hope and bad news.  The Babylonians are still going to invade and conquer Judah.  However, God acknowledges the evil of the Babylonians and gives a vision to Habakkuk of the Babylonians punishment.  The Babylonians are not being blessed in their evil acts, they are being used by God for a temporary time and then they too will face the consequences of their sin. 

What really stood out to me in God's second answer is His admonishment to the righteous.

See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness

Habakkuk 2:4

The Asbury Bible Commentary points out that no matter what one goes through one can still choose to remain faithful.  So even though things aren't looking good for Judah (or me) God is still the same God that He was during good times. 

I wonder if Habakkuk was expecting a certain answer because he thought that he was a Godly man and deserved God's favor.  This is where God convicted me.  I honestly thought that if I was a "good girl" that God would give me what I wanted.  When I received the news about my hours at work I was shocked.  I asked God why He would allow this when I wanted to be at home full time!  It breaks my heart to think about being away from my babies even more.  I can barely keep up with my housework while working part time outside of the home.  How am I going to do it while working full time? 

I do find comfort in that God does see the big picture.  He knew my days before I took a breath.  I hope that I can follow His admonishment and be faithful in my dismay. 

God was working on Habakkuk's heart and we will see the fruit of that labor in Habakkuk's final prayer.  Hopefully I will be fertile ground for the work God is doing on me.

Has God given you the opposite answer that you wanted?  Do you expect God to answer you the way you want to be answered?  I would love to hear what God has been teaching you!

This post is linked with: Thankful Homemaker



Weekend Reads

I hope you all had a fantastic week!  My precious little Jacob turned 3 months old on Tuesday which was also my parents' anniversary!  I have truly been blessed.  Below are links to some posts that I really enjoyed and thought you might too.  Have a great weekend!

Family Fun: Make Seed and Bean Art ~ A Delightful Home ~ I wish I were more creative.  I would love to do this super fun craft with my boys one day. 

Discussion Guide for the Disney Cars Movie ~ The MOB Society ~ My dear Jackson loves the Cars movie so I know this will be a great discussion to have with him.

Are You a Porcupine Wife? ~ Roo Mag ~ This was a guest post by Courtney from Women Living Well.  Definitely made me think about how I speak to my husband.

Diapers and Divine Appointments ~ Visionary Womanhood ~ This really spoke to my heart especially since I had just finished changing 2 diapers in a row!

Are You Living 'The Good Life'? ~ The Imperfect Housewife ~ Very convicting!

That little book called Habakkuk ~ Part 2

You can read the introduction here.

When we open our Bible (or Bible app) to the book of Habakkuk we first see Habakkuk complaining to God about the destruction and injustice surrounding him. 

Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Habakkuk 1:3

Habakkuk lives in a time when the kings of Judah have yet again forsaken God.  They have decided to follow their own desires which result in injustice, wrongdoing, destruction, violence, strife, and conflict.  Habakkuk's first complaint sounds a lot like our world today.  The world has chosen to follow its own desires and completely ignore God.  Where there is no light there is darkness and we certainly live in a dark world.  Habakkuk is a God-fearing man and the state of his people breaks his heart.  Do I as a Christian have a broken heart for the world around me?  Do I cry out to God for those who don't know Him?  And in my own life, do I follow after God's heart or do I follow my own desires? 

How long, Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?

Habakkuk 1:2

This is not Habakkuk's first cry to the Lord.  He has been praying and grieving for his people before this "first" complaint and yet God has not answered him yet.  Are there times when we feel like Habakkuk?  Have we been praying and pleading for God to intervene and heard nothing in reply?  I have.  My desire is to stay at home full time and my husband and I have been praying to God over this issue for almost 2 years and yet I am still working outside the home.  Does the silence mean that God doesn't hear me?  Certainly not!  As we will see God does here Habakkuk's complaint.  He hears our complaints everytime we come before Him.  We want an answer right now at this very second but God sees a big picture that we don't.  He answers in His good timing.  We expect to hear the answer that we want but as we see in Habakkuk we don't always hear that answer.

I am raising up the Babylonians, 
    that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
    to seize dwellings not their own.
Habakkuk 1:6

Whoa!  Wait just one minute here.  Habakkuk was pleading with God to intervene.  God was supposed to do away with the injustice and violence.  He is supposed to bless Judah with peace and abundance.  How many times do we feel this way?  "God, You're supposed to bring me home right now and bless my husband with a job that provides for us."  I don't think Habakkuk was planning on hearing the answer he got.  God, seeing the big picture, answered Habakkuk with some very bad news.  Instead of blessing Judah with peace He is going to send the Babylonians to punish Judah's sin. 

We are not promised our every heart's desire.  God has a plan to work out in our lives and sometimes that plan isn't pretty.  That's a result of sin.  Our fallen world does not promise happy endings.  However, if we are born again we will find a happy ending in eternity one day.

Reading the book of Habakkuk has been very hard.  I guess I was hoping to find good news that promised me my every heart's desire.  I didn't find that.  But I did find that God does know the big picture.  He does hear me and will answer me in His timing.  Stay tuned next week for Habakkuk's second complaint after his unexpected answer.  Trust me, this is not the end!

Do you expect God to answer your heart's desire?  Any insights from Habakkuk's first complaint and God's first answer?  I would love to hear what God is teaching you!

This post is linked with:  Better Mom Mondays Link-up, Women Living Well Wednesday Link-up, Raising Homemakers

Me: 1 / Laundry Pile: 0 and Menu Plan Monday

I won!  I beat the laundry pile! 

Before you think I'm crazy, I'll explain.  Last week I was unable to post because my laundry pile in my bedroom tried to eat me.  We were in a long hard battle and at one point I thought I wouldn't see the light of day ever again.  However, I persevered and won in the end!

Okay, that explanation verified your suspicions of my craziness.  Oh well!  Last week I realized how much I had been letting my house go.  My floors were filthy.  My laundry pile growled at me!  I would have posted pictures but I was a tad ashamed and afraid of the growling laundry pile.  My priorities are first God, my husband, my children, my home, and then everything else.  So barring any unforseen calamities (aka: growling, leering laundry piles) I will pick back up this week and will post some more insights from Habakkuk tomorrow. 

Menu Plan
Sunday
Breakfast: granola bars in the car on the way to church
Lunch: cookout with my family
Dinner: cheese quesadillas and apple sauce

Monday
Breakfast: waffles and bananas
Dinner: tacos, seasoned potatoes and onions

Tuesday
Breakfast: sausage biscuits and scrambled eggs 
Dinner: chicken nuggets, fries, salad

Wednesday
Breakfast: cinnamon rolls
Dinner: pizza and green beans

Thursday
Breakfast: french toast sticks and bacon
Dinner: Date Night with the Hubby! Wherever he wants to eat.

Friday
Breakfast: cinnamon rolls
Dinner: poor man's steak, mashed potatoes, peas, corn bread

Saturday
Breakfast: banana nut muffins
Dinner: spaghetti with marinara sauce, tossed salad, garlic toast

That little book called Habakkuk



As I mentioned yesterday, my husband and I are teaching the high school Sunday school class every other Sunday morning through summer to give the youth leaders some time off.  For the past 2 lessons we have been teaching from the book of Habakkuk.  This is my husband's favorite book of the Bible.  Before we were married I had never studied Habakkuk in much detail.  However I have learned a lot from this small 3 chapter book.  I thought I would share what I have learned with you over the next four weeks.  Today I will give a brief introduction and overview of the entire book.  Next Tuesday I will cover Habakkuk's first prayer and God's answer.  The Tuesday after that we will look at Habakkuk's second prayer and God's answer to that complaint.  On the fourth Tuesday we will look at Habakkuk's last prayer of praise.

How many of you have had questions in your life?  I'm sure we all have asked how, why, and when about things that are on our hearts.  Right now I am questioning when God will answer the desire of my heart and bring me home full time.

"Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    there is strife, and conflict abounds."

Habakkuk 1:3 (NIV)

Habakkuk was a man who also sought answers from the Lord.  He saw suffering all around him and it broke his heart.  He begins the book asking God why all these bad things are happening.  God then answers him and says that things are going to get worse.  Definitely not the answer you want to hear.  Habakkuk then goes on to ask more questions and makes a point of telling the Lord that he will wait for his answers.  God then answers the questions and gives Habakkuk hope.

"I will stand at my watch
    and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
    and what answer I am to give to this complaint."

Habakkuk 2:1 (NIV)

Habakkuk ends his book with a third prayer full of praise.  He believes and trusts that God will follow through with His promises.

"yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

He enables me to go on the heights."

Habakkuk 3:18-19 (NIV)

Habakkuk sets an example that we should still follow today.  God does hear our cries and is faithful to answer us.  Are you ready for His answers?

"For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end

and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

it will certainly come and will not delay."

Habakkuk 2:3 (NIV)

I would love to hear any insights that you might have from reading Habakkuk!

Please share in the comments.

This post is linked up at:

Thankful Homemaker Homemaking Link-Up

Women Living Well Wednesdays

Homemake By Choice

 Visionary Womanhood

Menu Plan Monday

Hi everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  Saturday my husband had to work so in the afternoon I took the boys to my parents house to play outside.  Where we currently live we have a very small yard with no room to run around and play.  We are house hunting at the moment so I will keep you updated on that little adventure.

On Sunday we went to church and it was our turn to teach the high school Sunday school class.  We have been taking turns with the youth leaders to give them some time off during the summer.  We continued in the book of Habakuk which is a great book of the Bible to study.  The main theme of the book is that we don't always get the answer we want when we pray.  However, God sees the big picture in our life and His answer is always the best even when it involves Babylonian slavery.  We can always trust God to lead us in the right direction.

Anyways, I thought I would share our menu for this week with you.  Maybe you can get some ideas for your own menu.  Menu planning is really a great way to save money and reduce the stress of figuring out what's for dinner every night!  I only plan meals for breakfast and dinner since I work during lunch time.  I'll post more about menu planning later on and explain how I do it.

Sunday
Breakfast: eggos and granola bars in the car on the way to church
Lunch:  family (we eat with our parents for lunch on Sunday's)
Dinner: grilled cheese sandwiches and fries

Monday
Breakfast: cheerios and bananas
Dinner: tator tot casserole, steamed broccoli, corn bread (my inlaws are coming over for dinner and I love to cook for others!)

Tuesday
Breakfast: waffles and bananas (I'm trying to use my bananas before they go bad)
Dinner: spaghetti with marinara sauce, salad, and garlic toast

Wednesday
Breakfast: banana nut muffins and scrambled eggs
Dinner: biscuits and gravy, bacon, and eggs

Thursday
Breakfast: waffles and bacon
Dinner: Date Night!

Friday
Breakfast: oatmeal and fruit
Dinner: grilled pork chops, scalloped potatoes, peas

Saturday
Breakfast: biscuits and gravy, sausage patties, eggs
Dinner: hamburger helper, sauteed green beans, corn bread

I would love to hear what's on your menu plan this week!  Do you menu plan?

This post is linked up at:

The Better Mom Mondays Link Up

Welcome to My Homemaking Story!

Welcome!

My name is Laura and I am a wife and mother.  I have been married to my handsome husband Jon for 3 years now and we have 2 precious little boys.  Jackson is 19 months and Jacob is 2 months.  

At this point in time I do work outside of the home as a part time social worker with at risk teens.  My desire is to be at home full time so my husband and I are praying and waiting on the Lord to move.

To be perfectly honest, this is the third blog I have started.  With my first two blogs I tried to be someone I wasn't.  I didn't pray about starting a blog. I was all about stats and link ups and series.  I even felt ashamed to admit that I didn't stay at home full time.  However, I know that this is just a season and the Lord has put me in my current position for a reason and when He sees fit He will bring me home.  Therefore, I am no longer ashamed to admit that I work outside the home.  God has provided my family with all of our needs and I know that He will one day provide my husband with an income that will support our growing family.

My desire for this blog is to share my story.  I want to share encouragement and inspiration and at the same time be authentic and show my failures (which are daily unfortunately).  I also want this to be a place that others can share their hearts.  That is why I chose the name "My Homemaking Story".  This is a place where women can open their hearts and be honest about where they are at in their life story.  

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for an interesting story...

Dear Lord,

I ask your blessings on this new endeavor.  You know my shortcomings and my failures.  I ask You to help me be authentic with others and humbly tell my story.  Thank you for your abundant blessings in my life and the chance to share my testimony with others.

I lift up every person that finds this blog.  May you bless them and keep them and shine Your light upon them.  Please help them to find contentment in You and You alone.

Laura