Using our talents for God

  There is nothing that means more to me than using my life to serve and honor God and be a blessing to others. It is my highest goal and greatest desire in life!

 Apart from being a wife and mother- which is in its self a very great and honorable role along with being a huge responsibility to boot, I have been praying about what other areas or things the Lord might have for me to do. This has really intensified in the last couple of years.

   Last year I had had the great privilege of helping to organize and plan an Above Rubies Ladies Retreat in our area. This year I am organizing an Above Rubies Family Camp. Super excited about that, and having lots of fun working on the all the details that it involves.

  It has been in the back of my mind for some time now about writing a couple of books. And it has been more and more on my mind lately, though I just don't see how it is going to happen. Praying that if this is the Lord's idea and not just mine, He will show me how I am to make that a reality.
   The books I am wanting to write is a devotional, and the other a book of promises from Psalm. The book of devotionals will be composed largely of my writings here as well as more writings I have been busy at lately in my notebook.  The book of promises form Psalms will be filled with beautiful pictures, and then verses from Psalms that will be organized in categories. I already have my categories are written down, and lots of ideas for it in my head!!

   A new thing that has been on my mind a lot lately is starting a website ministry. I have this blog that has been a wonderful blessing for me.  I feel though maybe I could do more on a website, and reach more people that way as well. So praying for the Lord's direction in that. I will share that here soon as I do have a website. I will try to link the two together or something.

     Another thing I would love to do is to be able to sing better and to be able to speak comfortably in front of a big crowd.  Anyone who was at the ladies retreat last year will know my lack of speaking skills!! And I certainly did not dare lead in singing! I would so love to though! That is one of my dreams by the way. I am committed to practice singing with my children every day. A new goal of mine for this year. Practice makes perfect, right!? And every time I read to the children I pretend that I am speaking to a group of ladies!! That should work right!?

   I know that we all have different talents, and it could very well be singing and speaking is not mine, and never will be. But I am concerned about being guilty of having talents and not using them or using my time wisely. I believe the more we use our talents to bless God with, the more He will bless us with talents.

       We all have talents or gifts that we excel in, and they all differ from one another. What is important is that we use them always and only for God.
 May you be a blessing to God and to those around you with your time and talents!
 In Him,
Mae

nipping a bad word habit in the bud!

It has been an on-going issue in our house, the bad habit of name-calling to each other & things, and use of idle words.
 I have tried for a very long time to put a stop to those unkind, uncaring, and unthoughtful words, but habits are habits and are very hard to break it seems!
 So finally came up with this great plan!  I got this empty cocoa container. Wrapped it in colorful paper, then typed off this message.

"If you choose to say a bad word, you will all choose a chore from mom's chore list."

  Pasted that one side of my container, and then printed off a list off the bad words list* that are not allowed, and pasted that on the other side. And inside I put several slips of paper containing lots of  every day chores.
   *Noticed at the bottom of the list I also included anything unkind, and of course no swear words, so that I got all my bases covered.  Thankfully we have no issues with swear words with the children, (and that would take further punishment for sure) but I just included that on the list too for good measure. Also I added a couple more words since I took these pictures.

 I had a little meeting with all the children when I showed them my new plan! And told them how it worked.  They actually thought it was a great plan too!!  One of their main reasons was because they wanted to catch their mom too!! My little rascals anyway!!  :)
 Yes, this does included parents as well.  We need to  all get on board with this one. After all more than likely that is where all of their words come from in the first place ( in our house sad to say, but I know it is so true)

 So far on our first day we have had several chore assignments picked out! And I must admit I did have to pick out 2 as well!  But hopefully this will help to nip that bad word habit in the bud!!
  In the mean time we will be getting our house cleaned!! So it is a win win!!!

  ( Oh by the way now we are eagerly waiting to catch Daddy!!!)

   Hopefully this is not an issue in your house, but if it is I hope this plan will be a help to you too!!

Blessing to you, and your house!
~ In Him, Mae