What’s New?

I keep up with so many friends and family online!  I love that.  I thought I’d post about the new things we have had going on in our lives in 2013.  Honestly, I can’t believe we are already in mid-April!  Time sure does speed by.

One of the first changes in my life began in January.  The second week of January I got this book!

 

This has been such a good thing for me!  I hope that you may consider picking it up and joining me if you struggle as I do in this area.  This is really a healthy way to eat..not a fad diet.  It’s not a Biggest Loser, drop 15 pounds a week type program.  I have never felt deprived or hungry.  Never!  Great food to eat and I am starting to feel better.  I am down 30 pounds so far!  I have a ways to go but, slow and steady wins the race…or so they say.  Here is their website: http://www.trimhealthymama.com  If you buy the book, let me know!  I’d love to help you or be a cheerleader if you need one!

In February, we traveled on a work trip with Shan to Massachusetts!   This was a big highlight for me!  We went to Plymouth Rock and got to see the Monument of the Forefathers!  If you haven’t watched Kirk Cameron’s movie, Monumental…YOU NEED TOO!  It is excellent!  It will be eye opening for you, I promise!  The boys got a kick out of how excited I was to see the Monument in person!

 

We also lost our minds and helped rescue four goats in February!  I don’t know what we were thinking!  We  knew nothing about goats!  NOTHING.   A farmer was taking baby goats from the mamas and leaving them to die.  There were over 40 babies to be rescued.  Their pictures broke my heart and so we were off on a new adventure.  This has NOT been easy!  If we had it all to do over again we would’ve learned a lot more before we got them.  This was a special circumstance with the orphaned goats.  We have bottle-fed these little girls, bathed them and  they have been out in the barn now for about 6 weeks!  Shew!  We have one little sweetie that has had the worst time.  She is the smallest and the kindest by far!  Daisy.  She almost died of a parasite two weeks ago.  She was near death when we got to the vet.  4 hours and $180 later we took her home.  It was touch and go for a while but, she is recovering.  She still has issues with two of her legs from all she went through.  We will find out soon if we can keep her or if she needs to be put to sleep.  This will be hard on all of us.  She is the sweetest thing ever!

Here are all four of them with the boys not long after we got them. Bunny, Daisy, Cocoa and Lucy!

 

Here is sweet Daisy!

 

March was full of work around the farm, goats and homeschooling!  We also enjoy our church family very much and getting to spend time with them!  Helping friends move, fellowship time and going to church are some of the highlights of our week!  Noah has spent a lot of his time starting our garden!  He has a special love for plants and flowers that we enjoy encouraging!  He has a lot of plants started and ready to go when the weather permits.

April was our 14 anniversary!  We spent a special night out on the town with some of our dear friends.  We enjoyed  a wonderful meal at a Brazilian steakhouse in Columbus, Ohio.  Our friends had their anniversary a few days before ours.  It was a night of laughter and fellowship.  Shan and I enjoyed our trip there and back.  It was nice to talk and share some time together on our big day!

 

The next big event in our family should be the birth of a new nephew!  My sister, Lindsay is due anytime and I can’t wait to meet him, snuggle and take some pictures!

There is the re-cap so far!  We are looking forward to some wonderful spring days outside!  I’m sure you are too.

Put-On

I love how God helps us replace the sin struggles in our life with good things!  He doesn’t leave us empty handed wondering what to do next.  His word is complete and full of helpful, life-giving information!  In Colossians 3 He has shown us the things we need to rid from our lives when we are followers of Jesus Christ but, that’s not the end!  He then tells us what to put into our lives as a beautiful replacement!

Colossians 3:12-17

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

I really enjoy Dr. John MacArthur!  He has some great resources on this passage that I really enjoyed!  I wanted to quote him a few times but, the whole article was so good that I couldn’t!  I will just link it here.  He takes apart this whole passage and goes through each “put-on” and explains in depth what they mean.  Instead of me trying to say too much, just read what he says.  His sermon is full of truth and great practical, godly wisdom.  We are taking off our old self/old clothes and putting on a new wardrobe that is all about being like Christ!  I truly encourage you to read his thoughts.  I linked part 2 but, part 1 is wonderful as well.

http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/2148/putting-on-the-new-man-part-2

 

Put-Offs

Yesterday while I was doing my bible time I became stuck in a passage.  Colossians 3. Since I was 18 years old Colossians 3:2 has been a favorite verse/life verse for me.  ”Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.”  God has used verse over and over again to help me focus on Him.  So, it’s not as though this passage was something new.  In fact, it was underlined and highlighted from reading it many times before.  I love how God does that.  He takes something you’ve read many times and brings new light and life to it.  It is His word and a light unto my path.

Col. 3:5-11

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:  sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,free; but Christ is all, and in all.”

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.”  That is the phrase I kept repeating.  Dying to myself..to my earthly sin and desires.  The passage goes on to mention what I’ve heard many folks call…the “put-offs”.   Actions/habits/sins we should put away when we come to know Christ.  I love when it says, “…put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being RENEWED in knowledge after the image of its creator.”  We are continually being renewed if we truly know the Lord.  He is making us to be more and more like our Creator!

How?  How can I put to death the things I struggle with daily?  Maybe that’s your question. Maybe your thoughts are, “I struggle with the same sin over and over again.  I can’t seem to stop!”  I’ve been there my friend.  I am still there at times.  Here are a few of my thoughts.  We must all have a short account of sins.  We must take inventory of our heart daily…even more than once a day!  I’m not perfect or close to perfect at this.  I am learning daily.  Most churches today don’t even mention this word: repentance.  Some churches mention the word repentance when it comes to salvation.   Few church talk about daily repentance.  I am thankful to be apart of a body that is in the minority and does teach us to walk in humble repentance.  No, our church isn’t perfect nor is everyone that comes but, to see a group following hard after the Lord and His word is so different for us!  We are thankful.  No gimmicks, stunts or emotionalism…just the gospel.

The list in the passage of put-offs is full but, I say it can be so much more than what is listed.  I know some of my sin struggles aren’t listed and I’m sure you can think of some too.  Putting our sins to death isn’t always easy but, to live a life that pleases Christ we must try!  Daily.  Ask God to forgive you for the sins that you are struggling with.  He promises He will!  Ask Him for help and strength to walk in obedience to His word.  1 John is a great place to start if you need some more direction.

“No sin, whatever it is, shall ruin any man if he shall come to Christ for mercy. Though you are black as Hell’s midnight through iniquity, yet if you will come to Christ, He is ready to cleanse you. It is sin, after all, that lies at the door and blocks your way to the Savior.”—1895, Sermon #2411  C.H. Spurgeon

Next time….the put-ons!  Hope you’ll study with me!

The Perfect Mom?

You already fully know that being a perfect mom is impossible!  Should we try to do our best, yes.   Some days our best looks much different than others.  I often read mom blogs and sometimes I can get very discouraged!  I know that may seem odd but, many moms portray a perfect home.  Their pictures show a perfectly clean house, well groomed kids, peace-filled days and all sunshine and roses.  Well, my home isn’t like that.  In our house there are toys, folded laundry on the couch, books in stacks and dishes in the sink.  I’m not saying everything should be a mess but, I am saying that there are more important things than a spotless home.  My boys don’t get along in perfect harmony and most of the time Titus is one character or super-hero or another.  What I do see is progress.

One Sunday, one of our elders, Tom mentioned something in one of his sermons that has never left mind.  We get frustrated at times with our kids because we want them to be way up here and they are way down here.  BUT, we forget that they used to be way down here.  There has been progress, just maybe not at the pace we hoped for.  (Of course hand motions would help but, I hope you can see get the picture.)  This illustration comes to mind often when working with my boys. With hard work, they are taking steps in the right direction.  Daily I try to keep on top of discipline issues and to use God’s word to instruct them.  Yes, I often mess up.  Sometimes I become upset or angry at their behavior.  I have dismissed myself at times and taken some time in another room to calm down so I can deal with things rightly.  Sometimes….I’ve blown it and had to ask forgiveness.  We are all making progress.  My beautiful sister in law, Noel posted a quote that keeps going through my mind from Ann Voskamp.

“My kids don’t need a SuperMama.  They need to see a Mama who needs a Super God.”

OH HOW I NEED HIM!  This thought brings me to another sermon by our other elder, Owen.  I wish I had notes from this sermon!  He used a term that I’ve grown to use and love.  He said  that a good leader leads on his/her knees in humble repentance.  This is a leader that can be followed.  I have been praying that I can lead my boys during the day in this way, in humble repentance.  What’s that mean to me?  Well, to me it’s asking forgiveness when I fail to do things God’s way.  If I get upset or angry, don’t discipline when I should(let things slide),  lack patience, etc. (the list is endless.)  I don’t want perfection from them and they know mama isn’t perfect.  I’m trying to show them that we can never be perfect but, a sign of a true Christ follower is someone who repents and tries again.  I’ve been studying 1 John with Noah and Titus during the day.  It is a great book to read with your kids!  It is so full of wise, helpful scripture verses when it comes to walking with the Lord.

These thoughts may seem scattered to some.  I am trying to say….don’t be discouraged when you aren’t her.  When you aren’t that blogger you enjoy reading or even a friend that you admire.  God made you… YOU!  If you are a child of God, you are on your own walk with Him.  We are all going through the process of sanctification at our own pace that He’s set!  I am sure that some of the bloggers you read don’t really have a perfect life as it seems.  They are human and struggle with sin.  We all do.  The key is to abide in Christ and to let Him lead you each day.  When I start the day off wrong and don’t ask for His help..I will fail quickly!  Sometimes I will give the boys both a little something to do quietly while I go to my room and read my bible.  Take even 15 minutes to re-focus!  If I do mess up…repent.  Being humble in front of them is a good thing!  They will learn to ask forgiveness and to make things right if you do it when you fail.  What good does it do to discipline your kids for being unkind or for …you name it…if you are doing it yourself!?  I’ve been there and done that!  I’m guessing that offense was even learned from me!  OUCH!  That will make you re-think some things.

Let God lead you.  Be a mama who walks with her kids in humble repentance.  Be ready to say, “Forgive me?” Pray with them.  They are watching and learning from us.  I want them to hear the gospel daily and to see it through how we live.

“So your top priority as a parent is to be an evangelist in your home. You need to teach your children the law of God, show them their need for a Savior, and point them to Jesus Christ as the only One who can save them. If they grow up in your home without a keen awareness of their need for salvation, you have failed as a parent in your primary task as their spiritual leader. Teach them the gospel and ask God to perform His sovereign work of regeneration.” John MacArthur 

If you stumbled upon this post and are scratching your head and saying, “What does repentance mean?”, here’s a link you can read that will explain it.   http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/A330/What-Is-Biblical-Repentance

Perfect mom?  No.  But, I am a mom trying to live out biblical womanhood  and striving to be more like Christ.  Don’t look up to me or to any  mama blogger thinking she’s perfect or someone to copy.  Copy Christ!   Be like the one who won’t disappoint you.

Ephesians 5: 1-2

 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

What’s in a Word?

For the past few years I’ve been picking out ONE WORD that will help me focus on my goals for the coming year.  Shan and I were just talking about THE WORD and how funny it is that so many of us get excited about a new year, planning budgets, making lists and setting goals.  I have a list of things I want to accomplish.  I’ve taken time to write them down, pray about them and think about it all before the ball dropped in NYC!

* Spiritual goals (bible reading, memorization, etc)

* Health goals (losing weight, exercising, becoming healthier)

* Financial goals (saving, etc)

* Project goals (working on the farm)

* Serving goals (how we serve others)

* Homemaking goals (learning new skills and improving others)

* Witnessing goals (reaching others with the gospel)

* Family goals (growing closer)

As we plan, we also look back and see what all God has done for us this past year.  I want to keep track much better of what each year looks like and how God has worked in us and blessed us.  What a wonderful thing that will be to look back through in the years to come.

Do you plan?  Do you have a word or goals set each year?  If so, what is it?

OH….I guess I didn’t share my word….REFORM. As a family I think we are going with RENOVATE.

I hope you have a wonderful 2013!  May God bless you as you glorify Him!

Grandpa McKanna

Yesterday, November 12th, 2012 my grandpa, Clyde J. McKanna, Jr. went to be with the Lord.  I have some very sweet memories of him that have been slowly playing through my mind the past few days.  Hot tea, red barns, combines, beagle dogs, corn, pond, golf, newspaper cross-word puzzles, music, hymns, sing-alongs, holiday gatherings, farm house, pigs, plaid shirts, fedora hats, flannel, suits, blue chair, head of the table, cherry pie with homemade whipped cream, huge smile, bright bright blue eyes, Lima Bean chorus, house slippers, truck, large bell by the pond, fishing, swimming, ball games, family dinners, Grandma, church and family.

 

This list may seem odd to you but, if you know my grandpa each thing will make sense.  My grandpa was born and died in the same room of the old farm house.  91 years separating those moments in time, his dash. Great joy were experienced in both moments.  New life and his parents joy in His arrival.  Grandpa seeing His Savior face to face for the first time.  Both joy-filled times in his life.  I am thankful for the 37 years I was able to spend with him.  Many lessons learned from his life and how he lived it.  

 

This song below is what he asked to be played at his funeral.  The man who wrote the lyrics is even from Ohio.  I am thankful that though he is gone now that I will get to spend an eternity with him in Heaven.

 

Beyond the Sunset

by Virgil Brock

 

Beyond the sunset, O blissful morning,
When with our Savior heav’n is begun;
Earth’s toiling ended, O glorious dawning -
Beyond the sunset when day is done.

Beyond the sunset no clouds will gather,
No storms will threaten, no fears annoy;
O day of gladness, O day unending -
Beyond the sunset, eternal joy!

Beyond the sunset a hand will guide me
To God the Father, whom I adore;
His glorious presence, His words of welcome,
Will be my portion on that fair shore.

Beyond the sunset, O glad reunion
With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before;
In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting -
Beyond the sunset forevermore!

 

 

Happy birthday, Titus!

Today by baby boy is 6 years old! I still cannot believe it!  Titus brings so much life and joy to our home!  I cannot imagine life without him.  Titus is quick to love and hug someone when they are sad or hurting.  He prays for people who are sick or have asked for prayer.  Titus also has so many great questions about God and we love how He is already looking for ways to please Him! Titus definitely keeps us laughing and smiling!  He is always full of funny comments and hilarious faces!  I did a mini interview with him today and here were his answers!

Favorite Colors:  brown, yellow, green, red

Favorite Toy: Iron Man legos

Favorite Animal: dogs and parrots

Favorite Snack: oreos and goldfish crackers

Favorite Game: Sequence

Favorite Sport: basketball

Favorite School work: writing my letters

Favorite Song: “My God’s Not Dead”

Dear Titus,

Six years old came way to quickly for your mama!  Doctor’s told mommy that she wouldn’t be able to have any more babies but, God had different plans for our family!!   God gave us you!  We are so surprised, shocked and excited to know you were on the way!!  I remember when I first saw you.  You looked so much like your big brother! You came 4 weeks early and you were such a blessing to us.  Noah wanted to name you but, daddy and I had other ideas for names.  We love to pick Bible names for our kids.  Noah was picking Bible names BUT, at 5 years old his ideas were…Rabbi, Goliath and Moses.  Those weren’t on our top three!  When we saw you we knew for SURE that you were our Titus Daniel.

Mommy just wants you to know how proud I am of you!  You are doing better at obeying every day.  All we want as your parents is for you to live your life for the glory of God.  We pray EVERY DAY that God will call your heart unto His salvation.

When you look back I hope you will remember your 6th birthday and how we were in Miami, FL with daddy on a work trip.  We swam a few times today and are going out to dinner in a few minutes.  You are excited to eat some pizza! Tomorrow we are going to go out for the day to the Miami Children’s Museum of go Jungle Island.  Fun times and great memories!

We love you so very much!!

Mommy