A season of busy is WAY better than a season of PANIC.

Goodness, I am starting to think that there should be a 5th season and just call it BUSY!


First of all, whoever came up with the cockamamie idea that "Homeschooled children are anti-social and have no friends" is a doofus. Can I get an Amen, homeschooling, Mamas? I don't stop running!  Between playdates, field trips, our community homeschool group, sports and play practice...my kids are WELL socialized, and so am I.  Praise GOD!;-) As busy as we are though, I am thankful...because I few short years ago...I didn't even leave my house.

One of the hardest things for me to adjust to, when I left the "real world" and became at SAHM (or WORK at home Mom, as I like to note) The thing I missed the most was my friends.At the time, the only interaction I had during the day was an 18 month old baby and I was 7 months pregnant...during Apple Harvest! I missed having SOMEONE to talk to. I would put the Dude down for a nap, watch marathons of Jon and Kate +8  and talk to the television! (don't judge)
 I was alone.  Isolated, not only by geographic location, but because of my belief in raising my OWN children versus remaining in the work force to raise OTHER people's children.

 After having a preemie, I became neurotic. I have NO shame admitting that.  My doctor seriously called me that.  It wasn't post partum depression, like everyone and their brother wanted to label me as,  It was pure and simple, PANIC.

When you spend days and days sitting at the bedside of this little life that you have been growing inside you, as he has a tube down his throat, eating through another tube in his stomach with a giant needle providing medicine in his head, your brain goes places. Its really hard to explain. You think about scenarios that NO ONE should have to think about, and few actually have to live. I would pray for solace. I would pray for peace in my heart.  I would pray for healing. And, then I would find myself bargaining with God.  Like...if you let him get better, and grow stronger, I PROMISE to...

The first time I got to hold Philip.  2 days old.

After we were home and beginning to have some semblance of normalcy, my brain would STILL go to that ugly place. I didn't do ANYTHING outside of the house without my husband or mother. I didn't trust myself. Seriously.
I did't sleep.
I was constantly up, staring at my baby.  Making sure that he was breathing.
Making sure that we had clear route out of the house in case of a fire.
Making sure that there was an alternate route in case the 1st route was obstructed.
 Making sure that my phone was charged in case I had to leave quickly.
Where was a weapon? Was it l ready in case someone broke in to our home and tried to steal my children?
Where are my car keys, ok, I have the spare set here next to the bed in case I need to leave during the night. Shoot, I wasn't going to be the one to drive anywhere...I was scared of that too!

 I had pants, shoes and my purse at my bedside in case....in case...

In case of WHAT?



Why?

I can 100% tell you why.

I was WAY to worried about the "things" that could hurt us, instead of putting my FAITH in the ONE that would protect us.

I was a Christian then...but I wasn't Christian.
Did you catch that?

I was A Christian, but I wasn't Christian.

Sure, I went to church, I prayed, I did a devotional...but I wasn't committing my BEING to Christ. I wasn't giving my thoughts to Him.   I hadn't totally dedicated my LIFE to Him.

Does that make sense?

God has a way of guiding you, through His word and prayer -that only happens when you LET GO and LET GOD.  I know that you have heard that saying before, right?  And it is TRUTH!



We don't have control.  We can't predict the future...and HE doesn't want us to.  What He wants us to do is to TRUST Him. THIS, my dear friends, has been the hardest task I have ever had to do. I had a professor, during my pastoral studies, that gave us all this assignment. He said to us, "Unless YOU have completely given yourself to Christ, you could never guide anyone else to follow His path" It was time to give up the WORLD and give in to the Creator of It All.

Know what?  It has been the BEST task that I have ever completed. Today, almost 5 years since the early birth of my middle man, Philip, I can say with 100% conviction, I am still HERE because I trusted God.

Are YOU ready to put your trust in Him?  I promise you, you won't regret it.

Great is His faithfulness. His mercies are new, EVERY morning.
lamentations 3:23




{beBlessed} and have a GREAT day!

Brown paper packages, tied up with strings...AUGUST FAVORITE THINGS!!!

August Favorite things!

1.        My Mom! (Happy Birthday!)

2.       My niece Lillian! (Happy Birthday!)

3.       Bubba cups- seriously this cup is amazing. 34 oz. at a time and the straw (you can get extras) is washable and durable and perfect for smoothie sipping!

4.       Pink pens

5.       Summer storms

6.       VACATION

7.       Dave Ramsey.  This man has changed our lives.

8.       Kristin Schmucker. I have never met Kristin, but our online interactions have been genuine, real, truthful and special.  I have been blessed to have “found” her and you could be too!  www.kristinschmucker.com  she speaks truth and makes pretty things to go along with it!

9.       Forgiveness

10.   Grace

11.   Rest

12.   YOUNG LIVING! I know that I have my YLEO on every one of my lists, but seriously people,  the longer I use these amazing gifts from God, the more I see and FEEL the difference they are making in my life.  (www.youngliving.com   I am distributor # 1401485)

13.   God’s promise

14.   School supplies! (Home schooling is simply the greatest!)

15.   Smelly markers

16.   Chart paper

17.   “Prah-jecks” (spoken with the BEST 4 years old vernacular possible)

18.   Singing babies

19.   The Lego Movie. (seriously, it is entertaining.  I was a skeptic.  Like, HOW could an ENTIRE movie be about little block head people and their removable arms?  WATCH it…Everything is AWESOME!)

20.   Beautiful  fruit growing on these trees.

21.   Garden Fresh veggies

22.   SMOOTHIES

23.   MY HUSBAND! (Happy Birthday!)

24.   Women of Faith! (If ya’ll have never been to a WofF conference…YOU HAVE MISSED OUT! This is the weekend that I look forward to ALL YEAR! You will feel ALIVE, EXCITED, REJUVINATED and LOVED…plus this year, Natalie Grant, Matthew West, Sheila Walsh, Patsy Clairmont, Lisa Harper and MORE will be HERE, in Rochester, NY, to share their hearts with YOU!!! Ticket’s are still available, contact me if you would like the contact info of our amazing event coordinator)

25.   The Bible

26.   My supportive, loving friends

27.   My family. Not just the 5 of us…but my extended family. I love you all so much and we don’t see each other enough and when we do…it is TRULY special.

28.   Road trips

29.   The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! (Seriously, ya’ll, let’s love on OUR country again. We may not agree with the politics and people enforcing them, but THIS COUNTRY IS OURS…WE can initiate the CHANGE!)

30.   Hampton Inn beds

31.   Yellow Gold (yes…I’m back to that again.)

32.   HEDUA ( a GREAT spot for Home Educators to “meet” up, learn from, share with and subscribe to their awesome magazine)

33.   The Well-Planned Day planner.  ( I LOVE this concept! I use the lesson planner and blog planner. They are my catch all for organizing EVERYTHING. If I had found this book while still teaching public school…I would have used it for my plans…it is THAT good.)

34.   Dressing your Truth ( I have always been pretty savvy in my personal presentation choices.  Consistently wearing “on-trend” outfits and fashionable accessories, make-up and hair styles. HOWEVER, since leaving the “professional” world and not having to “dress up” anymore, I have been more comfortable “experimenting” with my style. I came across a blog post by Carol Tuttle and explored further to find her “Dressing Your Truth” program. Lo and Behold…the “comfortable-experimental” style I had been going with…really was MY TRUTH. No wonder I feel uncomfortable and out of place when I try to present myself as being “professional and put together”…I am not representing MY truth. This program has taught me so much about perception, comfort and knowing MYSELF.)

35.   Kate Monroe. (Kate is a beautiful soul. A beautiful woman. A breathtaking photographer and a lover of the Lord. She is real. She is inspiring. www.katemonroe.com)

36.   Adoption. (some of you know how much my heart yearns to become a Mama to another child. Please pray for us, pray for a birth Mama to think of us, Pray for guidance and truth as we walk this rocky path)

37.   The Eye Doctor. (I am going next week. I had a HUGE realization, as we were driving across the country…I think I may need to wear my glasses all the time. And…whoa…I think I may need a different prescription.  I couldn’t read the road signs until I was right up next to them.  I think my days of awesome , huge vintage Hollywood sunglasses are over. )

38.   Fashionscents.( I can wear my YLEO with beautiful jewelry! www.fashionscents.com)

39.   John Deere.(well, not really. But my little boys sure do love John Deere.  We visited the John Deere Pavillion and store in Moline, Illinois. The boys had a FABULOUS time. I made a new friend. [the store manager who happens to be a former New Yorker] and can now order DIRECT for a fraction of the price! Amen, right?)

40.   Vacation Bible School (we did things a bit differently this year and spent a jam packed FULL weekend learning about David and Esther. The weekend wasn’t JUST for the kids.  I feel refreshed and renewed in my faithfulness.)

41.   Fluorescent Colored Pencils. (you read that correctly. They are awesome. They are perfect for Bible writing and they are ALL MINE. [no munchkin sharing of these])

42.   Weekly Bible study. (Necessary. Scheduled. Time with other Christians to discuss the word.  I HIGHLY recommend finding a weekly study in your area.)

43.   My daily bible study time. (Oh, how I LOVE my time in the word.)

44.   {beBlessed} Women’s Ministry ( this ministry is my baby…and it is GROWING. My heart is listening to God, and He is telling it to keep offering His word to women. You can find {beBlessed} on Facebook and if you are interested in attending a {beBlessed} event, you can comment here, email me or send me a message via facebook.)

45.   John Holt (I am reading a book written by John 33 years ago regarding the education system and the gift a parent can give a child via homeschooling. It AMAZES me how SPOT ON this man was…so many years ago!  Teach Your Own:  The John Holt Book of Homeschooling)

46.   The book of Ruth ( every time I read this book, I find something new, special or different that applies to my life)

47.   Younique Mascara (this stuff is RIDICULOUS!  3D fiber lashes. Natural. AMAZING)

48.   Pocket charts (it has been a long time since I have used pocket charts in my classroom. It was time to resurrect them. And I love it.)

49.   Smiles from a stranger (have you ever received a real, genuine smile from a stranger? I’m not talking about the forced smile, or social pleasantry, I mean a REAL smile.  One that is intended to make you feel GOOD, to show love for the human race and to let you know that, “Hey, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, we should love each other.”  THAT is a smile I like to receive.

50.   My Great Aunt Edith (small but mighty is the best way to describe this little bundle of fire. She is 94 years young, and last weekend had as many of her family members possible, present to celebrate her and the life she truly LIVES. She “gets it” folks. Love the Lord, Love your family, keep both of them closer to you than anything else, and you will TRULY. BE. HAPPY.)

{{beBlessed} and have a GREAT day...and weekend!!!

{

{

So much to learn from Samuel...

SPEAK
     I will listen
SPEAK
     I can hear
SPEAK
     to me softly
SPEAK
     I do not fear
SPEAK
     tell me how,  Lord
SPEAK
     tell me the way
SPEAK
     with words to guide me
SPEAK
     to YOU,  I pray.
HEAR
     my words of thanks, Lord
HEAR
     my joys inside
HEAR
     my needs the same, Lord
HEAR
     me when I cry
SHOW
     your will completely
SHOW
     me what to do
SHOW
     me how to serve, You

For YOU, I will be true.

speak.    hear.     show.
          PRAY
life.          love.
                          GRACE.

Amen.
   

Another suitcase in another hall...

I am SO excited about the next {BeBlessed} Women's Ministry retreat that I have been working on. I find so much joy in studying scripture,  structuring and sharing with women.  It gives me a feeling of wholeness...as if I was CREATED to do it. Maybe I was?

That is the focus of this particular retreat. Spiritual gifts.
What are they? How do you recognize them? How do you use them?

HOW did I get here? Not a a loaded question in the existential respect, but loaded in its concrete answer.
1. I was raised in a close knit Italian Catholic family
2. I have a degree in Musical Theatre Performance
3. I have a graduate degree in Education.
4. I have always been a writer.
5. I took a personal goal of reading the Bible, in its entirety, to the next level, by leaving the denomination I was raised in and confirming my Faith in another.
6. I homeschool my children
7. My husband and I are best friends, study the Bible together and worship and pray together.

Now....looking at the 7 statements above, one might think that one has nothing to do with the other...or why I believe that God grooms us to do...what HE wants us to do.

Still with me? I'll break it down...

Ok... My awesome family taught me the importance of attending church as a family and how a congregation of similar beliefs can guide and encourage each other. Performing and teaching are skills necessary to be an effective speaker. Reading the Bible in its entirety, forming my own conclusions and beliefs,  along with the ability to write this information down, in a clear and concise manner, aids in the creation of retreat materials. Being a servant to the Lord fuels my soul. Lastly, having an awesome partner while spending my days home with my kids is the icing on my cake.

I believe that God perfectly crafted these seemingly random aspects of my life as stepping stones of the path of my future.

Looking back on the last 36 years, I remember so many moments that have pointed me towards this current season of my life. I didn't always listen or follow the call or the pull. ..but hey..I am human.

Knowing, Christ, the way that I do now...is such a light in my life. Knowing what HE wants me to do - as I walk this earth, is an amazing feeling.

If you would like to see what you are called to do...send me an email, contact me via Facebook etc. Register for my Saturday Women's retreat on May 3rd here in Upstate NY.
Or, book your own retreat! I can come to your church!

{beBlessed} and Have a GREAT day!