Pinterest

A few months ago I was asking....what in the world is Pinterest? I had heard the term popping up all over facebook but I had no idea what it really is, until now.

According to their website,  "Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard.  Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes." 

For me, instead of saving cool ideas in My Favorites in my browser, I can create a board with a topic and pin my favorite things onto the board.  It adds a picture to your pin, links back to the website where you found it and allows you to add a comment. 

What would do without Pinterest?  oh yeh, spend lots of time sorting through my favorites trying to remember what I saved.

So you may be asking, how do I join?  For now, it is by invitation only, so you'll need to ask a friend who is already a part of Pinteret to send you an invite. 

I wanted to write more on how to organize your boards and pins but I have been sick the last few days, so I'll have to save that for another day.

Happy pinning!

2012 Book List

Last year I had a difficult time finishing the books on my book list.  A few of them I started but did not finish while others I never even cracked open at all.  I know one of the reasons I had a hard time finishing all the books....unless the book is a fiction book, I want to be able to take in and learn from what I am reading. With everything that goes on in being a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to 4 girls, some days I just don't have the time to use my brain when I read.  So instead of reading what was on my list, I ended up turning to fiction books instead.  They are easy reads and don't require my brain.  :)

Hopefully I will be able to use my brain a bit more this year and read some of those books that got tossed by the wayside.  Since I received a Nook for my anniversary this past year, I really have no excuse because it is even backlit, I can read in bed after my husband is asleep.

This coming year, I am focusing on 12 books.  One a month.  Let's see if I can finish what I start in 2012.

         Crazy Love by Francis Chan

     The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace

         Have a New Husband by Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman

         Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

     Saving Savvy by Kelly Hancock

     Radical by David Platt

     Margin by Richard Swenson

     The Pastor's Wife by Jeniffer Allee

     Loving by Karen Kingsbury

     Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins

     One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

     Nurture by Lisa Bevere

What's on your reading list for this upcoming year? 

Do you recommend any particular books that you have enjoyed reading?

This is the Stuff

In light of my statement in yesterday's post about not being able to find my keys or cell phone at times, I just had to share this video with you.  Hope you enjoy it!

Getting Organized

I love to organize!  As far back as I can remember, I love to put things in order, line things up and keep to-do lists.  I specifically remember a time when I was about 13, that I went to my Aunt Sue's house and organized her pantry for fun.  LOL  At this point, you might be saying, YUK!  Who would organize for fun?  But that is just who I am.  Still to this day I love to help others organize and find places for things in their homes.

Now I am not the type of person that you read about or see on TV where they are professional organizers but their homes are disaster areas. I am not THAT bad.  I keep things in order around my home, for the most part, though at times I can't seem to find my keys or cell phone.

As we are getting ready to move from South Korea back to the United States in the coming months, organization is important.  Our belongings will take anywhere from six to nine weeks to get back to the USA and we need to decide what we can live with and without on either end of the world.

I am in the process of purging and semi-packing (the Army will actually make sure everything is packed), at least moving things that we no longer need to our walk-in closet.  I have taken over six bags of donations to the thrift store and there is more to come.

Not only am I organizing things on this end in South Korea, but once we get stateside and our HHG (household goods) arrive, I will be doing it again.  When we came to Korea, we were only allowed to bring one half of our belongings with us, so for the last two years, the other half has been in storage in Texas.  I know some of the things that are sitting in storage, such as our treadmill, eliptical and Bowflex but besides those items, I'm not looking forward to sorting through everything else that has been packed away.

Sometimes the task seems overwhelming, but I know that if I break it down into bite-sized pieces, it will be easily managed.  So if you have a task ahead of you that looks seem unmanageable, break it down, a little at at time, day by day and you'll be surprised that you can actually get it done.  Plus, if you invite over a friend who is willing to help, it actually can be enjoyable with the right company.  Don't give up!!

New Beginnings

There is just something about the first day of the week, the first day of a new month or even the first of the new year.  For me, those days are good times to start something. Like a diet, a new routine or to kick a plan into action.

http://www.clipartheaven.com/

While I am not one for New Year's Resolutions, I am using the first day of this new year to start some new things in my life, or some old things that need to be new again.  A few of the things that I am beginning are  1)watching what I eat, 2)having daily devotions with Katelyn and 3)to blog on a regular basis.


 I don't want to say that I am dieting, because I really need it to be a lifestyle not just a diet. Plus it needs to be something that I can stick to and not forget about.  My goal is to give up all soda and fried foods.  Not that I buy soda on a regular basis or cook fried foods, but these two things become quick go to items when we are out.  A burger with fries and a soda are just so easy and usually cheaper than a salad.

I have devotions with the two little girls each night but I have noticed that the older ones are not always making the time.  For Christmas I bought Katelyn, The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo.  Each night before bed, she and I are spending time together doing the daily devotions.  I hope that it doesn't just become a routine but that through the time in the Word together, we both grow closer to the Lord and in our relationship with each other.

I want to be consistent with blogging.  For me, I do really well for awhile, then I seem to fall off the wagon.  I am planning to be more organized with my blogging and even what I blog about.  This next week, my goal is to put together a plan for blogging.  I am hoping that I can encourage women to be better mothers, daughters, wives, sisters and friends through the words that I right.

So do you have any goals for the new year?  Is there something that you have wanted to do but just haven't made the time to try?  Why not use the first day of the next month or even the first day of this next week to start something new.

⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6 NASB

Happy New Year!

It's officially 2012!  Happy New Year to all of you!  May you find this coming year full of God's grace, may you experience His presence and power in your lives and may you know him more intimately in this coming year.

For our family, 2012 means that we will be returning to the United States following my husband's two year tour in South Korea.  We are beyond exicited!  Please pray for our family as we make this transition over the next 4 months.

I know that God has great things in store for us and I am excited to see where he takes us!

Be blessed this coming year!

31 Ways to Pray for Your Children

This list of 31 Ways to Pray was done by Bob Hostetler.  I first received it as a prayer card at my church quite a few years ago.  I will be a workshop speaker at the upcoming PWOC Asia Regional Conference and will be handing this prayer card out to those in my class.

1 Salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory"

(Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).

2 Growth in Grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'"

(2 Peter 3:18).

3 Love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them"

(Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).

4 Honesty and Integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection"

(Psalm 25:21, NLT).

5 Self-Control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do"

(1 Thessalonians 5:6)

6 A Love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'"

(Psalm 19:10).

7 Justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do"

(Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).

8 Mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'"

(Luke 6:36).

9 Respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands"

(1 Peter 2:17a).

10 Strong, Biblical Self-Esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'"

(Ephesians 2:10).

11 Faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts"

(Proverbs 3:3).

12 Courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions"

(Deuteronomy 31:6).

13 Purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions"

(Psalm 51:10).

14 Kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'"

(1 Thessalonians 5:15).

15 Generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'"

(1 Timothy 6:18-19).

16 Peace, Peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'"

(Romans 14:19).

17 Joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'"

(1 Thessalonians 1:6).

18 Perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'"

(Hebrews 12:1).

19 Humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'"

(Titus 3:2).

20 Compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion"

(Colossians 3:12).

21 Responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'"

(Galatians 6:5).

22 Contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'"

(Philippians 4:12-13).

23 Faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them"

(Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).

24 A Servant Heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'"

(Ephesians 6:7, KJV).

25 Hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit"

(Romans 15:13).

26 The Willingness and Ability to Work Hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'"

(Colossians 3:23).

27 A Passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you

(Psalm 63:8, KJV).

28 Self-Discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'"

(Proverbs 1:3).

29 Prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests"

(Ephesians 6:18).

30 Gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'"

(Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).

31 A Heart for Missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples"

(Psalm 96:3).