Spring Cleaning!!

"Everyone come here, I have an announcement!"  I said to the children yesterday.  They were so excited to hear me say: "No school for the month of June!" (ahem... well my 15 year old protested and I assured her she could continue with school~ she has a goal!)

Another of the older children commented in a relieved tone, "And I thought you were going to announce Spring Cleaning."   (hee hee hee)

"Welllll....."  I had to admit, "yes, that too."  

"No school starting today through the end of June, and I want to do some spring cleaning.  We'll use Sarah Mae's 31 Days to Clean again." 

"Mom," says one, "why don't we just focus on one room at a time and just get it done?"  Ah yes, a girl after my own heart.  (I suppose that would have been my reason for writing a supplement to Sarah Mae's eBook, I thought it needed more cleaning projects!)

But I digress... So, who's with me?  31 one days to a clean your home?  (Or less if you just love cleaning!)

Sarah Mae is doing a "reboot" of her eBook, and she'll have different challenges every weekday morning, that I'll link to here each day starting Monday, June 4th.

So, if you'd like to follow along, and need a copy of 31 Days to Clean, you can get the PDF version HERE   for 50% off with code: Reboot

Oh yes, here is her crazy video too!

The Focus of a God-Fearing Woman

Focus.  Focus is an absolute essential for the God-fearing woman.  For without it we lose our vision and to have no vision is to perish.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18

At times in our life we may not even know what to focus on!  We may have become so overwhelmed, so consumed with discouragement that lost focus and vision long, long ago.  So long ago in fact that when we finally do desire to regain order, we know not where to begin.

We need look only to the LORD to learn His purpose for our lives:

• Love and be obedient to our own husband (Titus 2:5)
• Reverence our husband (Ephesians 5:33)
• Love our children (Titus 2:4)
• Diligently teach our children the ways of the LORD (Deuteronomy 6:7)
• Be keepers at home (Titus 2:5)
• Manage our homes (1 Timothy 5:14)
• Raise children (1 Timothy 5:10)
• Shun gossip (1 Timothy 5:13)
• Follow good works in the realm of our calling as wives, mothers and homemakers (1 Timothy 5:10)
• Be not idle (Proverbs 31:27)
• Fear the LORD (Proverbs 31:30)

Simply put, this means we do what our husbands ask of us, teach and train our children, keep our homes clean and orderly, reach out to those in need around us, avoid endless chatter on the phone or online, turn off the TV and computer, and we get busy with our own home and our own family.  So much so, that we have not the time for gossip and meddling in the affairs of others. 

This is our fundamental design.  This is our focus. This is our life as a housewife being renewed for the LORD.

Capture the LORD's vision for your life!  Weary not in well doing!

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The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking eBook is Here!!

For the past six months or so a dozen godly women (photos below) and I have been working on The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking. A project to encourage one another. And today (Today!!) is the day we are overjoyed to share it with you!

I want to invite you to that place, the place of simplicity and homemaking. Yes, it can be reality. We all need encouragement, as God's word instructs us to "encourage one another and build one another up." 1 Thess 5:11

Chapter topics include:

• Foundations in Christ
• Marriage
• Motherhood
• Missions
• Home Education
• Family Economy
• Family Health
• Hospitality
• Time Management
• Organization
• Giving
• Housecleaning
• Leaving an Eternal Legacy

Chapter 1 excerpt:

"Every homemaker, however seemingly insignificant, has the opportunity to change the course of history for the glory of Jesus Christ if she will commit her whole life to serving the King, regardless of the emotional, physical and spiritual challenges that come with that assignment."

For 24 Hours Only The Heart of Simplicity: Foundations for Christian Homemaking eBook is 50% off!

Just $4.99 until midnight tonight.  After that, the cost will goes up to $9.99.

Simply use the discount code: simple50    

You can get The Heart of Simplicity Here:

Women in Combat?



Photo Credit

 Stacy McDonald of Your Sacred Calling shared this on facebook yesterday.  I clicked on the link today and read the Fox News article... Why I don't ever want to see women in combat, on the front lines. 

"Already, the side effects of abandoning traditional female stereotypes--like the notion that girls ...have a unique role in nurturing and protecting children--are apparent," says Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team.

He went on to say:

"...I do not believe women should serve as combat soldiers. I know they are fully able to do so. I know they would acquit themselves spectacularly well. But I can't deny that I value the special place of women in society as a protected gender. 

One mother hugging son minutes before being depolyed~Photo Credit



and:

"I can't deny that I think it would bleed out some wonderful chivalrous quality in men were we to collectively send women to the front lines to bleed out...  our nation could be doubly demoralized by women coming back from war in body bags in equal numbers to men." 

 

Photo Credit



Combat is no place for a woman.  Men weren't created to nurse infants just as women weren't created to fight and protect a country.   Sisters, you are doing a good thing, the right thing, by being a keeper at home.  Loving and serving your husband and children.   



Seeking Approval of God, or Man?

Oh boy do I struggle with this one!  I don't know if it's human nature or upbringing that make it so difficult for me.  Maybe a bit of both?   Back in the 80's I attended a "preppy" (a.k.a. snobbish) high school.  I never felt like I measured up to the majority of the other girls there, who it seemed, never wore the same outfit twice and were all given a set of car keys to their super cute, very own car on their 16th birthdays.

It is a blessing to be past that time in my life.  To be able to reflect on how superficial it all was, and attempt to observe patterns in my life now to see if I'm still feeling (and acting) like a 16 year old kid who is just trying to please others.

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."  Galatians 1:10

So I wonder, who am I striving to please?  Man or God?  If I'm kinder to my husband and children when others are watching, I'm seeking the approval of man, not God.  If dinner is almost ready and the house and children are clean when my husband brings a client home with him, but it's not usually so, I'm seeking the approval of man, not God.
If I.... well, you get the idea.  Here is another verse that I love.  I think of it often:

"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin."  James 4:17

I *know* how to treat my family, I *know* what my husband's preferences are regarding meals and housework.  I generally know the right thing to do.  We all do.  No claiming ignorance here!  But when we only do the right thing around those whom we are seeking the approval of (or even avoiding criticism or condemnation of) we are not pleasing God and we are in sin.


We can be conscious of our actions, and our motives.  This week, let us seek the approval of God.


Weary not in well doing,

The Heart of Simplicity

How we invest or time on earth will impact eternity in a million ways.  I've been blessed to work with about a dozen godly women on a project that we pray will be a blessing to you! 

View the trailer below, visit us on Facebook, and come see the website for The Heart of Simplicity eBook.

And keep watching for the release of this so very encouraging resource, for sale soon right here at Renewing Housewives, for a special introductory price!

Be Renewed!

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Renewing our minds, it's something that's required of all of us.  We need it to know and to prove the perfect will of God.  There is so very much in our world that distracts us from knowing our LORD.  So much that distracts us from our holy and sacred callings!

• Sports
• Internet
• Celebrity gossip
• Telephone/texting
• Keeping up with the Joneses
• Comparing ourselves with others
• Being "busy" but not productive

We simply must reject those things that hinder our walk with Christ.  We must not amuse ourselves and ignore reality.

We are told in 1 Peter 1:13:

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Prepare your mind for action!  Do you have have vision for next year?  Next month? Tomorrow?  Remember, the people of God perish for a lack of vision.

When you wake up in the morning, remember who you are in Christ!  Remember what it is He has called you to, and that it is a glorious calling.

Helpmeet, mother, homemaker... it is He that has called you to this extraordinarily important work.

Be renewed!

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Raising Homemakers

Guest Post~The Dash Lights in Marriage~Pamela Spurling

Titus 2'sDay guest post by dear Pamela Spurling:

Dearest Sisters ~

I trust the LORD is helping you, guiding you, and providing for all that concerns you and I pray you are well. I look forward to writing to you each week and pray the LORD will guide my thoughts and be my provision as I write to you. Many things have come up this week — things that are hard to hear, but don’t shock or surprise me as they used to do, still these things grip my thoughts and grieve my heart more than ever. As you might guess, these things to which I refer pertain to marriage… more disappointment, moral failure, distractions and infidelity. Each time I listen to stories, when I hear of the demise of a marriage or hear of another divorce, I grieve. I grieve when I talk with a sister whose marriage is failing, or whose love for the LORD has waned or whose become enamored with the world and all the seemingly lovely lures of this life. I grieve when a sister ignores the warning signals, or moves through life undaunted – as if unfaithfulness or infidelity or disloyalty or dishonour isn’t appalling -- or more to the point: sinful.

Over the years I’ve listened to many messages, many sermons. And every now and then a particular message or sermon will profoundly affect me---will hit me where I live, so to speak. Those are the sermons that some people might say go from preaching to meddling. I like them – in fact, I think, deep down we all like the sort of message that will hit us where we live or impact us for change or shake us out of complacency. I long to hear messages that boldly address hard things.

For most of us, hearing those sorts of sermons is pretty rare as they are few and far between. We may smugly go through life largely unaffected by things around us. We’re not unruffled though, for we may every day get ruffled about something. Everyday we may face things that get our attention and elicit a strong reaction. But that’s not the kind of reaction I’m seeking to address – I’m not really talking about that at all – I’m talking about things affecting us, things that prompt an about-face or a radical change. Those things don’t seem to come along very often, but when they do, you can believe that If you’re open, the LORD will speak through many sorts of circumstances that will have lasting impact for good on our lives and in our homes. We might think of all this in terms of “dash lights”—understanding what they indicate and learning to watch for them to illuminate and then being “instant in obedience” to act. I’m entitling this letter: The Dash Lights in Marriage and I hope this picture will come to your mind if/when you face warnings in your life. I do pretty well with pictures –they stay with me a long time.


The Dash Lights in Marriage

When considering the dash lights in marriage, there are many facets or areas we might consider –things we might think about and do sort of a “check up” or evaluation to see where we’re at and how we’re doing. I pray to be candid because of the seriousness of the matter.

What do the dash lights indicate or what questions do they prompt?

Have I left my first love?

Is my walk with the LORD as it should be? Am I daily in the Word, in prayer and meditation and am I intent on obeying all known promptings of the LORD immediately? Do I keep a short account of sins committed against God? I seek to answer these questions and get right with God just now.


In my behavior...

Am I willing to confess and make amends quickly? Do I keep a record of wrong? Do I have love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things? Does my love fail for my husband? Am I childish in my dealing with my husband... am I petty? Do I seek my own way, am I easily provoked and do I think ill or evil of my husband or react unkindly to him? Am I hypocritical or double minded in my speech or actions? I seek to answer these questions very honestly and make necessary corrections and get right with my family members and with the LORD just now.

In my private life...

Am I daily striving to improve? Am I seeking to eat and live in a more healthy manner? Am I endeavoring to be attentive to my husband's interests? Do I seek to understand his world? Do I guard what I watch, what I listen to, and what I read? Do I guard my thoughts? Do I lust after the things my friends have? Do I look around at other husbands and their abilities? Do I compare them with my own husband or use them as a measure of his shortcomings? Am I guarding against negative or critical thinking? Am I remembering to hide God's Word in my heart and to be daily renewed by the hearing of the Word?

In my walk...

Do I set about ordering our home in a manner that is pleasing to him, or do I simply seek to please myself in the organization, decorating, scheduling and tone of our home. Do I take into account his preference for how my day is planned? Do I consider his suggestions when I have a problem, or do I make excuses for my behavior and reject his help. Do I respect his ideas and demonstrate it in my behavior? I pray to be honest and to correct the areas in which I have deceived or defrauded myself or my husband. Am I secretly doing things my husband has expressly asked me not to do?

In physical/ marital intimacy...

Do I desire to be attractive in my appearance for my husband? Am I attempting to be desirable to him? Do I find ways to complement him and demonstrate to him that he is desirable? Am I learning how to give him pleasure and am I willing to learn to love him in ways that *he* needs to be loved---even if I find it foreign to my personal idea of what's pleasurable? (I am *not* talking about sinful behavior!) Am I seeking to be pliable in my outlook. Do I manipulate or use the marriage bed for personal gain? Do I play games with his emotions or lead him on? Do I seek to know his "need quotient" and find ways to meet it?

In all the areas above, we can go before the LORD and with a sincere heart seek to make wrongs right and to walk in His ways, that we might make it our personal desire to "walk worthy of the LORD, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

We used to have a van that had no gas gauge, the speedometer hadn't worked for years, and the dash lights were undependable and the windows leaked. One would think that this was a very unreliable vehicle and would likely think it was time to take that van to the wrecking yard---it still worked enough to be useful and we had grown accustomed to its problems. Eventually it did need to be replaced.

Now we have a different van and not only do the gauges work, but lights come on when something doesn't work – but you know, at first I was so accustomed to ignoring the lights that the new properly working lights alarmed me and it became necessary for me to "relearn" to keep an eye on them and to understand what they were signaling. I want to relate something to marriage and use the van as an example. Sometimes we become so accustomed to a damaged or inferior situation that we learn ways of coping or side stepping the problem. We may have ignored warning systems so long that we are no longer sensitive to the serious adversity they're indicating. But when we ignore the signals long enough, they are no longer alarming to us and we don't react to them with the intent to fix the problem, instead, we ignore them to the point that they may no longer even get our attention---or if they do, we might bang on the dash to get them to stop. Then when the car stops running and/or will not start, we acknowledge the problem and struggle to find a way to repair it and generally the solution is costly. Had we taken seriously the dash lights, had we taken note of the needs of the vehicle in the very beginning and sought to make early repairs, utilizing the proper fluids and tools and kept the levels in check, and had we set up a maintenance schedule, our vehicle would have been smooth running and dependable. Now, you and I know that this analogy breaks down at some point.

If we ignore the warning signals in marriage, we may surely wake up one morning wondering how in the world did our marriage slip away? When did we first begin ignoring the lights? Let's begin at this moment evaluating and praying over the condition of our marriage, seeking God's guidance as to trouble spots, our shortcomings or areas of sin and to begin making the necessary, perhaps even painful repairs, confessions and adjustments.

Are the Dash Lights Flashing? We can seek the LORD to show us the way and begin making necessary adjustments today… we know He is good all the time and His ways are best.

I pray for you this day in your home and especially in your marriage: "That ye might walk worthy of the LORD, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

With sincere love,


Pamela Spurling

Happy Mother's Day!

For all you do in your homes. 

Each and every day. 

Happy Blessed Mother's Day!

Guarding our Homes

Visionary Womanhood is an extraordinary blog!  I'm honored to be a regular Contributor for Natalie.  Today I'm there writing about our dominion as women in our homes.  How can we guard our homes?

Please join me today... Watching Over the Affairs of Our Homes

We Should Not Raise our Daughters to be Homemakers (??)

<<>>  Okay, I'm kind of excited today!  A few weeks ago June Fuentes asked if I'd like to write a guest post for Raising Homemakers?  Ahh!  Me? Really??  YES!  It's my favorite blog, and(!) I'd had something on my mind since the beginning of March that I thought would be great to share with her readers....

So today, would you join me at Raising Homemakers where I've written about an alarming movement in homeschooling circles....

Raising Homemakers, Like Seriously?? 

Movie Night~Farmageddon Review



Farmageddon


Over a year ago we heard about a new film coming out.  We were eagerly awaiting it's release, and finally it is here!!

Farmageddon is phenomenal DVD!  We just love the encouraging types of DVDs we offer in our family webstore, but we also find the films like Agenda, The Monstrous Regiment of Women, or Indoctrination necessary and a blessing to our family as well.

Farmageddon is one of these films.  Exposing "the battle over food rights in America. Farmer's and consumers start food co-ops and buying clubs or homesteads, and then are shut down by the government in the name of food safety."

The film is excellent and very very informational.  It was appropriate for our entire family and was quite the discussion starter with even our 4 and 6 year olds.  It was not produced by Christians and does not have a Christian worldview, however, the information presented is factual and if you are interested in learning about how the goverment takes over small farms over and over again, you'll want to see this film.

Farmageddon is on sale this week (ends 5/11/12) for $14.95

The 60 Day Juice Fast!!

June Fuentes' husband just put out a new eBook about health, juicing and losing weight.  We're going to give it a try here in our home!! 

Just $2.99, click the "buy here" link below to purchase your copy.  And take a minute to watch the trailer...

BUY HERE

A Reply to Anonymous~Trusting vs Tempting God

An anonymous comment from "Trusting God with Finances and a Growing Family": 

"... I feel as though [my husband and I] ought to give God total control of everything (finances, children etc etc). However, my husband believes that living with such abandon is not trusting God but tempting Him. He references the passage in which Satan tries to tempt Jesusone does not test God. When I consider that perspective I can concede where my husband is coming from, but then that also leaves me in a mess of confusion in regard to determining when we are trusting God and when we are tempting God. Any thoughts on the notions of trusting God versus tempting God using Matthew 4:1-11? Thank you!!!"

Husbands can often struggle with this. They as the providers of their families feel a huge responsibility when it comes to more children and being able to support them.  We as wives can help ease that burden. 

Sometimes I like to put myself in my husband's place, to see things from his point of view.  And when I do, I can see why he is hesitant in certain areas.  Men were created to take dominion and want to be in control.  So when it comes to turning that all over to God, it can be a bit scary for them.

I would suggest to anonymous, if she's reading, that she looks up the words "tempt" and "test" using that passage and compare it with Malachi 3:10.  I spent about an hour using this online Bible study tool, and it was interesting what I found.  (just type in Matthew 4:1, or Malachi 3:10, etc. then click on the word you want to define).

Giving over control to God isn't tempting Him, it's what He requires of us.  Testing or proving God is very different than tempting.

As a wife in this situation, just obey the LORD by obeying your husband.  If he's just not quite ready to "give God total control of everything,"  wait and pray.  Keep reading 1 Peter 3 and follow the directions given there. 

The LORD is sovereign.

Shared at:

Raising Homemakers

Raising Homemakers

Homemaking. We live it, we talk about it, we may even speak, blog or tweet about it. But are we teaching it diligently to our daughters?

The thought occurred to me the other day though, "Am I raising my daughters to be homemakers? I never say anything specific about it to them." Remembering however, that that "more is caught than taught," I sighed a bit of relief!

• When your girls leave to go on an outing with Grandma and they see that you've cleaned up while they were away, you're raising homemakers.
• When your 3 year daughter gets up early from a nap and sees you folding laundry or mopping the floor, you're raising a homemaker.
• When you encourage a young mom at church by saying that staying home with her babies is the right thing to do, with your daughters in ear-shot, you're raising homemakers.
• And when you help your 16 year old respond in a forum to defend "raising homemakers..." you are raising a homemaker.

We know that this wouldn't be possible without the grace of our merciful LORD. We also know that raising our daughters to follow the ways of the LORD and to one day be "joyful mothers of children" and a "managers of their homes," doesn't just happen by default.

We must diligently raise our children in His holy and righteous ways. The world is just waiting to force their own ideas upon them and subvert our Christian heritage and teachings. But we can be encouraged on the days we don't read Proverbs 31 to our daughters or remind them that being a help meet to one man someday is the LORD's highest calling for women, that they are still learning His ways and what His roles are for women.

Live joyfully for the LORD day in and day out.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths!

 

And the Winner Is......  Leann B.   Congratulations!!

 

Spring is such a beautiful season!

To celebrate, several other bloggers and myself have teamed up to offer you this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway, and one reader will win a BIG prize: $360 in PayPal cash!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run from today, April 18th until 12:01 a.m. on April 25th. It's open to everyone and one winner will receive $360 in PayPal cash. The winner’s name will be displayed on this post after the giveaway ends.

 

 

 

Good enough to Share :)

A quick breeze down my facebook wall this morning, and a friend had shared something that caught my eye...  So I clicked over to read, and it was so good, I'm sharing it with you all too.  Take a few minutes to read this, many if not all will relate...

Your Children Want YOU

Weary not in well doing!

The Spring Blessing Blowout: $360 PayPal Cash Giveaway!

Spring is such a beautiful season!

The first buds of the year are blooming, grass is getting greener by the day, and temperatures are on the rise.

To celebrate, several other bloggers and myself have teamed up to offer you this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway, and one reader will win a BIG prize: $360 in PayPal cash!

We pray that this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway is truly a blessing to one of you. We're thankful for the time you spend with us here, the thoughtful comments you share, and the encouragement you've given. You have been a blessing to us!

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and send in as many entries as you like using the Rafflecopter widget below. There are many blogs you can "like" or follow to gain entries, and you can take your time doing it. Have fun!

*Please note that comments left on this post are NOT counted as entries; you must enter through the Rafflecopter form below.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run from today, April 18th until 12:01 a.m. on April 25th. It's open to everyone and one winner will receive $360 in PayPal cash. The winner’s name will be displayed on this post after the giveaway ends.

 

 

 

Winning our Husbands by our Behavior

A Reader's (Danielle) comment from:  Trusting God with Family and a Growing Family

"...Please pray for our family in this area. I know the Lord's call for me is to at home but at this time my husband doesn't feel we can do it on our own. So I honor him and continue to work...  I have to trust that the Lord will speak to my husband's heart about this and the day will come when he too will see that we can rely on the Lord for all of our needs just as it says in Matthew."

Danielle, the LORD will honor your obedience to Him through obeying your husband.  I'll be praying for you, and hopefully a few ladies here as well.  Our promise is in 1 Peter 3:1

"...wives, be in subjection to your own husbands that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation [behavior] of the wives..."

I've seen it happen over and over again.  In my own life, and in the lives of others.  The LORD rewards our faithfulness and obedience.  When we let the LORD work in the lives of our husbands, He surely does! 

It's helpful for me to remember Abraham and Sarah.  God promised them a son, and she thought it wasn't happening fast enough, or couldn't or wouldn't happen, so "helped."    ...We know how the story ends, and if I were Sarah, I'm sure I would have had a few regrets.

Obey God in all areas, especially in the area of husbands who are not "obeying the word."   The LORD changes hearts when we quit trying to "help." 

Weary not in well doing!!!

Trusting God with Finances and a Growing Family

I was asked a few questions after a sweet new friend from Florida purchased our Homemaking 101 DVD She had asked how many children we have and I was delighted to tell her that we are currently expecting our 11th...

She responds: "‎11!?!!! Wow! I have just one, I can't imagine 11! I want more children but my hub is fine with one...."

So why do we have so many?  Well... me being an only child, I always knew I wanted more than just one.  And honestly, after 5 we were "done" too!  Well, my husband was anyway ;)  Then when #6 was "accidentally" on the way, Jason and I learned about letting God plan our family.

We went back and forth several times, and were "done" after #6 as well.  Then again after #8.  But after #9, our Jenna with Down Syndrome, we again looked into "God planning our family," and became very convicted about it.  And here we are now looking forward to the 11th!

She mentions finances and having more children:  "...I know [my husband] looks at the financial aspect. How have ya'll been able to do it?"

The LORD, of course, Him and Him only.  Practically speaking though, I've never worked in or out of the home our entire married life.  There are lean times and times of plenty, but the LORD always cares for our needs.  Jason and I were both born and raised in sunny California, and while he made a great living there, he was gone so very much. 

Our last year in CA we lived in a beautiful home, absolutely gorgeous.  It was in a very nice and safe neighborhood, but... Jason's commute was almost 2 hours each way, each day.  He was rarely home, and on the days he was, he had yard work and errands and all the things that he couldn't get done during the week.  (You may be thinking I could have helped with the yard work, but being 7, 8 and 9 months pregnant, and then with a newborn, I wasn't able to mow, weed and edge the front yard like he wanted it done and he was happy to do it.  It just took more time from the family.)

It didn't take either of us very long to realize something had to give.

I'd always wanted to live in another state, and 7 months after we moved into that amazing home, we put it up for sale.   Just 5 months later we were packing up and heading out east.  That was 10 years ago.  We came here and bought a dozen rental homes that give us our income.  The rentals provide for our basic needs only, nothing extra. 

Jason is incredibly entrepreneurial and he supplements our income with construction, handy-man jobs, mowing lawns, buying and selling things, and now videos.

Basically, we try to follow the LORD in every area of life, and finances is no exception.  And again, He always provides!

It's always a blessing to see the ways He continues to provide for us and our growing family.  It's a blessing to trust Him to provide and not worry and stress over finances, no matter our family size, no matter any circumstance.

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:31-34