Womanly Excellence » Family

Our Home: Peace, Joy & Love

Marli — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:41:00 +0000

Are the fruit of the Spirit being seen in your home–love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22)?

I have noticed that my kids have been quite fussy and whiny the last few days. They have also been unkind. Yes they are boys and yes they are kids and they will have their little fights, but I am sensing that it is more than that right now.

Because of this, in my prayer time this morning I began praying peace and joy for our home and family. I prayed that God’s perfect peace would cover us and that the joy of the Lord would fill us. Because the kids have been so whiny and fussy, that is what I wanted to pray for- that they would have peace and joy. As I was praying (which involves listening!) I felt the Holy Spirit urge me to also pray for love…godly love. I was not sure what to pray exactly, because we are a family and we love each other. But as I obediently began praying for love, 1 Corinthians 13 came to mind. This is a passage we all know, but as you read it, think about it and your home and your family.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I know as I read it, I realized some of the things it says Love is NOT has been occurring in my home.
As a family, are we patient and kind with each other?
Are my kids behaving rudely or selfishly? Are they bragging?
Are we as parents easily angered?
All these things are not love. So I am praying godly love in our home and family. And we know that God is love (1 John 4:16), so if we are obeying and living for God we will love!

Happy 1st Birthday, Jadyn! (lots of photos!)

Marli — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Click “Read the Full Post” to see lots of photos of Jadyn’s 1st Birthday Party!

Birthday cakes!

First taste of cake

See my birthday bow?

Attempt at using a fork.

What a mess! (so much for the fork)

K, I’m done.

cousins

Mommy & Brothers helping me open presents.

kissing (or maybe eating) the baby
Wow, she must really like that box! (it’s your stroller, Amy!)

Hi Daddy!

all the kids

Daddy doin’ his job

Riding my new pony, yeehaw!

My big brothers playing with my new purse and stroller!

All my presents!

Falling asleep in my high chair…

night night Birthday Girl…

Stay-at-home-moms

Marli — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:47:00 +0000

This is a quote from an ebook called “Handmaidens of the Lord” by Crystal Paine. Although I have not read the book (yet) I did see this quote on her site on www.biblicalwomanhood.com.
I think there is much truth spoken in this passage of her book…

Being a wife, mother, and homemaker is not a very highly esteemed profession in our current culture. I’ve even been told that to be “just” a wife and mom is to live with “half your brain tied behind your back.” For some reason, our society finds it completely acceptable to be a teacher or a nanny for other people’s children, but to teach or care for your own children full-time is not a “real” job… Despite popular opinion or what the feminists may want us to believe, being a daughter, sister, wife, and/or mother is the greatest profession any woman can have. A woman who stands behind her man (be that a husband or a father) and seeks to make him successful is so much more powerful than any woman who stands on her own. A woman who devotes the bulk of her time and energy to motherhood or caring for and loving little children is shaping the next generation. All the glitter, wealth, fame, and academic achievements in this world cannot compare to these noble callings. -Handmaidens of the Lord

I pray the the Lord helps me to be the wife and mom He desires me to be. And I pray that any of you who have this call upon your life will be blessed as you bless your husband and children. Let us teach our children what is most important in this life; let us train them in the way that is right.

I know there are so many things I need to improve on and change…right now that is a schedule. Sometimes things come up and it gets my whole schedule out of whack. I guess that is ok, you just have to deal with it and get back on track. The important thing is that I keep my priorities in order. That I am honoring and pleasing my husband, praying for him.
That my children are receiving what they need from me, whether that is just attention or something more physical, that they are happy, that they are being taught about who God is and how to pray and worship. Also that my home is kept in order…when my home is in order everyone is less stressed. I know where everything is so I am not searching franticly for something when someone needs it. And honestly it can be frustrating being the only one who really spends time doing this in a family of five. The boys are now getting old enough that I need to teach them this as well and make them responsible for their toys and the clothes in their room. (This is easier said than done!!!).

This is somewhat off the topic but while I am thinking about it, I believe it is so important for families to eat dinner together at a table. I love to cook for my husband (if it were not for him, I don’t know what I’d cook for just me and the kids!). I choose my meals based on what he and I would like and the kids eat what I cook. (If I cooked what the kids wanted, they’d be eating macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets every night!) I will NOT prepare different meals just because they do not want what is placed in front of them. I personally believe that if we offer our kids the food we are eating and train them to eat what Mommy cooks, we will end up with less picky kids. I’m not saying they will not dislike anything, we all dislike something. Sometimes I am very surprised at what they eat on their plate. Had i not given them a little of everything, I would never have known and they would never have tried it. Also, my two boys have different tastes…Jeremiah is not a big fan of red meat and likes veggies and loves salad! Jacob is our meat-eater! I still make sure to give them both a balanced meal and encourage them to at least try it. I do NOT believe they should be forced to “finish their plate”…that just leads to a habit of overeating!

OK…I’m off my soapbox Atleast it’s my blog and a place for my opinion!!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Jadyn Nicole Creeach.

Marli — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:23:00 +0000

We had our baby girl in October and I created her birth announcement (of course!). I am very happy with the results I also did the photography and photo-editing.