Planting Seeds that Grow!

Every year I strive to have memory verses to be a part of our weekly routine. Every year, I fail. Honestly, because I personally don't like memorizing anything. Scripture, recipes, directions, etc. I mean if I don't just remember it, I'm done. I have so much going on that to sit and memorize anything is just not going to happen. I have tried and I will be one verse in and I am thinking, "did I mail that bill?", "what can I cook for dinner?" and "oh I need to add that to my to do list" I know that's horrible but it is what it is.. Truth. In saying that, every year it eats me up :( I know that it is very important to know Gods word and over the years I have remembered some scriptures just by going to church, reading or hearing it repeated and have taught them to the kids. So here I am again, planning for a new year and the desire is still there, the desire for my kids to grow up knowing, loving and depending on God's promises and to know that when things in life and mainly people let you down, they know that one thing remains the same and does not return void and that's the Word of God. "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

I think the number one reason I lacked in this area is because I am my kids number one influence. I try to be the kind of mom God wants me to be, but once again, FAIL to be perfect and I screw up alot and they see me for me. So I guess me and my "I'm just not good enough" thoughts kept pushing it aside because I didn't want my kids to think I was trying to teach them things that I myself did not do or practice. Then God showed me that its not only for my kids but for me as well. I NEED THIS. I need to know his word, I need to have it deep in my bones, I need to grow spiritually. As I was planning for this school year, I told myself I gotta do this and stick with it this year because its required of me as a parent and a teacher. "Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it."
Proverbs 22:6

So I started researching... Yet again.... And I came across Seeds family Worship. I thought to myself oh this is just another boring verse sung to the tune of some nursery rhyme- but I found a couple YouTube videos by them...I was Shocked as I listened the songs they were awesome!

CHECK THIS ONE OUT!

They created music to go along with scripture in a very fun unique and "memorable" way :) My favorite part is its just the scripture no added words. I don't know about you, but give me a song and if I like it, I'm singing it word for word not even realizing I had "Memorized" the lyrics. Seeds Family Worship is just what I had been looking for! I listened to a few songs and immediately fell in love and bought some albums and added it to our Calendar Time activities.

 Also not only did the songs rock but I found some FREE print outs HERE and HERE to go along with the scriptures and lessons.

They are not only for kids, but for momma and daddy too! I listen to them by myself even when I am not around the kids HAHA! If you are like me and have a desire to teach your kids scripture, whether they are big or small, homeschooled or not homeschooled, or even yourself for that matter, I totally recommend Seeds Family Worship! We have already memorized Philippians 4:6-7 and Lou has made up motions for it !! Butter shakes and dances and Cowboy of course says it the best way he can but does great!!


(I do not have a blog to make money. I simply add links to things I enjoy and think my readers would like as well. If you are interested in purchasing Seeds Family Worship click on the picture links and it will take you to their site. If you go through my site to purchase them I am an affiliate and will receive a small percentage of the purchase. No I will not see who purchased, but for anyone who does THANK YOU so much!)

Why A Facebook Page???

WOW! What a big step I have taken out of my little comfort zone. I enjoy what I do and like sharing it with my family and a close friend, but lately I had noticed I was starting to write a whole lot of information that was not really useful to my close family, not that they were even meant to in the first place, I just mean I was putting a whole lot more into them rather than your typical, "look what we did today" kind of posts. I wondered why my posts were starting to shift and move into different topics and directions. Then as I sat down to write one day I felt like God was saying, it was time to share. Of course I wanted people to see my blog but on the other hand, I feared it. I mean really, raise your hand if you like rejection... Yea well, me either. Obviously, rejection being a fear and weakness of mine, God, in all his humor, decided he would lend a hand, and give me a way out and a way to overcome that fear. So of course I was going to take my precious time and wait until I was ready, which would have probably been UH, never! I am a pretty much keep to myself kind of gal.

Well if you know God, he never gives up! I got another tug and knock on my heart...So I said, (and I am pretty sure it was out loud) "ok already, sheesh" (and I believe he probably smiled at my immature outburst) and started to tell a few people about it. Then a few hours later,  I got an email from a lady telling me how much she enjoyed my ideas and all the different things that I do with Cowboy, and she asked if I would link to her site and start to share my ideas with her and others. Well that made my day and probably my year. I was one happy momma!  It’s so funny what a compliment, even from a total stranger, can do for someone! I would encourage those of you reading, to give someone a compliment today, you never know how much they may need one, it could, at the very least put a smile on their face for a day, or you may even make their year, like in my case :)

 So long story short, I decided to take a Leap of Faith and make a Facebook Page to share with more people. I don't know what God's plan is for me as far as this is concerned, and I have not a clue who it’s for. It may only be for one person out there. Maybe there is someone who is trying to get started with home school and doesn’t know where to begin. Or maybe there is a momma who feels like she’s the only mom out there who loses it from time to time, and feels as if she is all alone and by reading this blog she will CLEARLY see she is not. I have no idea, it may just be for me just to pull me up out of my fears, whatever the reason, here I am.

I will go ahead and tell you, which you can probably already tell, I write like I talk. Im just real with it. Also, Punctuation is great and I loved it, but being a mom of 3 with limited time to type and read and proof etc, also made me hate it and have no time for it, I mean I try but usually get so annoyed at trying to be perfect I end up screwing it up anyway, so in that case why try? So if you are like the pinterest board, and it aggravates you when someone forgets a period or quotation,  all I can say is whoops :P Finally, for those of you who have checked out my site, and taken the time to like my page, even if you never come back, I just want to say thanks! I look forward to this new Journey I am on :) Learning In Grace.

Book Review: Bringing up Boys

I love to read, but I slack in that area because I hardly have enough time to do so, unless I need help with something, I make time to research and learn. Well like I said last week we had an off week, and I found myself with a little extra time. I have been dealing with an issue that I just needed help with. That issue is BOYS! Mainly, for now, and I am sure will change as Butter gets a little older, but Cowboy is definately all BOY and strong willed to say the least. Lou, obviously a girl, was very easy growing up and listened and obeyed very well. She has never given me problems when it comes to discipling other than very minor things. With that being said, I had not a clue how different a little guy would be. I thought honestly it was all in the way the parents raised them, which is right, but you deal with boys in a totally different way. I wish I could say Cowboy was as easy as Lou was. He sometimes likes to test me to the very brink of losing it! I had noticed I was becoming a yeller. Something I am not very proud of. I was losing all self control because I had no idea how to deal with someone so hard headed. So I sought out help mainly for myself to help me stop yelling so much and get some peace so that I could be a better mother and influence for my kids. No one wants to hear nagging and yelling all day! Nor, did I want to keep feeling so gulity for my kids seeing a part of me I was not proud of. That was in no way the kind of influence or character trait I wanted to be imparting into my kids. So I looked through different sites online, and one day I came across a book titled Bringing up Boys by Dr. James Dobson the founder of Focus on the Family. So I checked it out at the library. I came home that day and started reading it.

I can honestly say, it was so Eye Opening. I couldnt put it down. I read it all in a day in a half and it is not a little book. I guess that shows how starved I was for answers. I learned so many things not only about what makes Cowboy tick, but my husband as well. Boys are so different than girls and I always knew that but I didnt know why specifically, other than obvious reasons. I would totally recomend this book not only to mothers or grandmothers of Boys, but to wives as well  just for insight on what makes or has made their husband the way they are. It would offer up starting points for healing in marriages. Even If their marriage is great and without issue, it is so interesting to know what makes him, him and how his mind really works, not to say that it totally gives all answers, but it helps a lot! The following is the table of contents for the book. If you read it, I hope it helps you like it has and is helping me :)  

Snot on my shoulders

I apologize in advance for the following. I'm just gonna be real for a second...Is that OK? Alright, So here goes.... UGHGHGH I am a GERM A PHOBE!!! My poor baby Butter is drooling and snotting everywhere and I'm pretty sure at one point in the day, I said the words, "Stop Snotting on me!" Mature right? I know... but it just puts me on edge. I love my kids, and enjoy loving on them when they are sick but when it comes to ridiculous amounts of wet grossness, mixed with unending crying, I just have anxiety. I mean maybe I am a horrible mom for feeling this way but I know I can not be the only one out there who deals with these feelings.Then there is the opposite side of the spectrum and that is the invisible snot! The kind you can hear but can not see.. I'm really not sure which is worse for me to handle, the sound or the sight. Cowboy is dealing with that side. And for whatever reason he has forgotten how to BLOW his nose so I bet you can guess what I'm hearing all day long and the frustration that overwhelms me when I say blow and he sucks it in. Add that to constant whining back and fourth, and one aggravating the other, (mainly the bigger one not leaving the little one alone) I have been living on the edge dealing with snot and cranky boys for a few days now. Lou is still at her cousins house until this evening and I am praying that when she returns to boogerville, that she does not catch it again. They all just got over this coughing, runny nose nonsense and were fine for a week :( It saddens me because I don't like seeing them miserable, and my kids never get sick so this is really all new to me ! My husband has also been swamped with work, which is a love hate thing. I love that he is so busy and has work but it bites at the same time. This little green guy has become my best friend but yet causing me to be feared in the eyes of the little people :(

I know I have probably done things today out of frustration and said things to them that jolted their little spirits. They don't deserve that. I am not perfect. I mess up, and I cant go back and change it. I am trying to be transparent for the sake of just maybe one person out there may stumble upon this and know they aren't alone. I needed to write this for myself mainly to look back on to know that its ok to have bad days, we all have things that we deal with that makes us turn "Crazy" but its how we deal with it that matters. I have been taking deep breaths and praying constantly because I know this too will pass...Ive had to go in my bathroom a few times today and just pray God, FORGIVE ME, I MESSED UP....AGAIN and AGAIN.... please be my rock today, my helper, I need some Grace. Ironically enough, I have also laughed a good bit knowing that God is using this little situation to make me stronger. Snot of all things? I mean just reading that, its such a dumb thing. On edge over some snot and tears? It is such a small thing but its what has turned that bad switch on in my brain. In the past I have tried fixing things on my own, trying to control every situation on my own or wanting someone else to fix it for me. Basically telling God, I'm bigger than you are because I got this. Or thinking oh such and such will handle it. Putting my trust and faith in myself or someone other than him. Who am I without him? Who am I to think that Little ole me can fix it all... I still struggle in this area because I just recently realized what I was doing. But this marks a milestone in my life a small step towards a victory. I may have failed today and lost it but I also won in the sense that I gained wisdom and guidance. I put God before myself today, and let him lead the rest of the way. It was super hard and I still had my moments of weakness after going to him, but I can finally see what he means that his power will be shown through my weakness. Today is just one of many examples of why the title of my blog is called Learning in Grace.... And only one out of thousands of my weaknesses.... Note to self- His Grace is sufficient for you ;)

They deserve the BEST me I can be.