Simplicity

If ever there was a young lady who overly complicated her life, I would be the one. At a young age I decided my life would be anything but boring so I began adding all kinds of things, problems, people, situations (you get the picture) into my life to keep things "interesting". As you can imagine, years later, I realized what that self-made promise got me; lots of complication and very little boring. When I stopped to think about it, it wasn't what I was truly looking for. Unnecessary complexity never is. However, eventually I decided through trial and error that there really is beauty in simplicity-and I wanted to get to the core of it. I sincerely wanted to taste the sweetness of the simple life.

 
How can you find beauty in simplicity when your life isn't simple? The next question I would ask is, "what is simple"? Albert Einstein made it plain through his studies that everything is relative, so what is it then?
Ironically, simplicity is a word full of meaning. However, we're going to narrow it down to these three definitions: having clarity, plainness as a way of life, and possessing sincerity.

Sincerity

Sincerity does not overcomplicate. If you sincerely desire to raise a family, keep home, love your husband and nurture a marriage- then you truly desire to do it. Sincerity goes against the norm and does not use false pride or flashy show to live life. Sincere change in a woman

comes because she does things because she loves to, because she desires to for whatever reason she believes in. This definition does not say we are busy because we are sincere. It is merely saying that sincerity is the crucial beginning step to any change and the ingredient to keep it that way.
If life is too busy or complicated for you now take an inventory of your life and go inside to find the desire to slow down or cut down on the extras. What does that change entail? You decide. That change in your life could means cutting out the extra running around or getting rid of excess clothing to cut down on the laundry loads. Only you can look at your life and sincerely decide what needs to go to begin anew.

Plainness as a way of Life

I love newness, pretty things and am a very spontaneous person. (No, this isn't turning into a personal ad.) { smile } Because of this, I always thought plain was boring. As I've been living a more plain way of life, I've come to see that it is anything but boring. Simplicity is deep and meaningful, rich and organic. Simplicity is appreciation for the beauty of the earth, for the belongings we have, and for life itself. As we slow down and get back to the basics, to our roots, and to our core we discover more that is within ourselves and embrace the larger picture of life.

Clarity

When we get rid of the extra unnecessary things that clutter and complicate life we can see more clearly. When we're constantly cleaning the house because we have too many belongings sometimes it's hard to see past the clutter. When we're running around all day and barely make it home to throw a meal in the microwave and then collapse from exhaustion on the couch, how can we see past the tired eyes?

Clarity comes when we get rid of complexity. Clarity comes when we invite it in and slow our lives down to simple, loving tasks and less to-do's. It is true that there will be things we don't want to do but have to. How does this look in your life? What will you cross of your list and breathe a sigh of relief from?
From the simple bouquet of fresh flowers on the table to the homemade rolls baking in the oven, it's the simple things that make life so meaningful. Take time to stop and see the beauty of simplicity.

Easy Granola Recipe

If you are a busy mom like me, you are looking for a quick, healthy breakfast that tastes delicious. This granola totally fits the bill. It is so simple to throw together in the evening and lasts for about a week in an airtight container. And it's so much cheaper than buying prepared granola.  Now my boys were not so sure about this but once they tried it they fell in love. 

Another thing I really liked about this this granola is that it is totally customizable unlike the boxed version. Don't like almonds? Replace them with pecans or walnuts. Use raisins, dried banana chips or dried apricots as the fruit. You can add exactly what you want to make your perfect granola.

I personally love this granola with Vanilla Yogurt and strawberry slices.. Healthy, simple, tasty. Just what we need to fuel up for a busy day.

Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup assorted dried fruit

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir honey and oil in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit.

Raising boys

I am the mother of three boys ages 14, 11 and 8 who I love deeply.  We are moving into this new phase of life where they are trying to break away from me, they are trying to learn to become men.  I have been thinking and praying a lot about this lately.  One of the reasons for that is that it seems like I am always bumping heads with the oldest.  This has got me thinking, as a mom how do I guide him into manhood.  His dad is huge in his life and I have no doubt will be the biggest influence going forward but yet I am not willing to be regulated to the back burner, to insignificance.

So where's my role, what do I do now?  I know that I don't have any great answers but I do know that prayer will be one of the most important things I need to be doing now.  So things I am praying for myself:  Wisdom, patience, the ability to let go and knowledge.  Things I am praying for him: Wisdom, patience, knowledge, his future wife, clarity of mind and a learning spirit.

It  seems to me that some times I have no clue what to do next with him but when I feel that way The Holy Ghost will often remind me that just loving him is the best thing I can do.

Modesty

‎"Modesty is more than just the length of a hemline. It's about our conversations, how we treat people, and how we love others. Modesty protects our purity and the mystery of a person. In our society, it gets a bad rap. It's actually quite attractive." Model - Leah Darrow There is nothing more modest and beautiful than a woman acting like a woman, soft, feminine, frail, loving, kind, graceful, pure, but at the same time strong to the core. I have been thinking about modesty a lot lately and how much deeper it goes then just what we wear.  God highly values the quality of modesty. Women are explicitly commanded to dress and conduct themselves in modest ways (1 Timothy 2:9-10), and this quality should not be lost upon men, either. Unfortunately, the meaning and requirements of modesty have become contentious topics, especially since our society has all but abandoned modesty as a virtue. In fact this day and age we tend to scorn modesty. It has been fashionable among many religious commentators to speak of modesty in terms of standards of clothing. In this perspective, modesty is defined as "that which is not immodest," and the focus is on defining immodest clothing. Yet such a perspective is really putting the cart before the horse. Modesty is not exclusively about clothing-- instead, it is an attitude, a frame of mind, and a form of behavior. Modesty involves having a proper understanding of one's position in life-- someone who does not act arrogantly or presumptuously. In this sense humility and modesty are quite similar and intertwined. Modesty also involves a strong sense of propriety and restraint. Modesty demands moderation in thought and behavior. For all intents and purposes, modesty can be understood as the quality of not attempting to stand out-- someone who is not obtrusive, not demanding attention by their conduct or comportment. When we consider what Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (and Peter in 1 Peter 3:3-6), we can see that it is this more comprehensive understanding of modesty that is advocated. The focus of a woman's presentation, according to these Apostles, is not to be only in how they adorn themselves physically.But also, to focus on how on their service to God-- their good works and humble demeanor.  None of this is to say that modesty has nothing to do with clothing-- far from it. But modesty is not equated with a certain level of clothing, for people can be modestly clothed while conducting themselves very  immodestly. As with many elements of Christianity, modesty must be an internal quality that in manifested externally ( Mark 7:14-23, ). The woman (or man) who seeks to be truly modest will consider the clothing they wear and will make sure that it does not draw attention to themselves, either by exposing too much skin or by being overly ornate. They will make sure that it follows what the Bible says about the clothing of a woman ( or man) and not just what the have heard from pastors or Christian leaders. The godly man or woman is not attempting to draw the attention of other people for immoral purposes-- instead, they are trying to humbly serve their God in attitude and action! Modesty, therefore, is quite the challenge for humans. It would be far easier if modesty only involved wearing a certain type of clothing! Instead, if we would be modest, we must not attempt to stand out in any circumstance. We do not go out with the attempt to be noticed for whatever reason, "godly" or otherwise, and we must not think too highly of ourselves ( Matthew 6:1-5, Mark 12:38-40, Galatians 6:1-4). Instead, we go out with the humble attitudes of servants (Luke 17:7-10). We still strive to be godly and to be the lights of the world, but it is not our goal to do so to be noticed (Matthew 5:13-16). We seek the commendation of God, and God only exalts those who humble themselves and serve (Matthew 20:25-28, 23:12). To limit discussions of modesty to how much a particular garment covers the human body is to really miss God's purposes in advocating modesty for Christians. Modesty is about Mindset, attitude, and behavior. When we have developed modesty in our estimation of ourselves and how we conduct ourselves among other people, we will make sure that our clothing appropriately covers our body without excess in ornamentation so as to not draw attention to ourselves (1 Timothy 2:9-10). We will also strive to be modest in how we conduct ourselves among other people, not attempting to draw attention by sanctimonious behavior or in any way putting on a show of righteousness to be seen as righteous ( Matthew 6:1-5). We will go about serving God according to the gifts He has given us, seeking God's glory and not our own (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Peter 4:7-11). We will strive to be meek and gentle as our Lord and Savior (Matthew 11:28-30). In so doing, we will be better known for our character than our appearance, and we will have the prized internal beauty of the humble, modest servants of God. Let us not only dress modestly but conduct ourselves with modesty!   I think the bottom line of it all is that if you have inward modesty and femininity of the heart it will show outwardly. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. First thing is to pray and ask Godto show and convict you of any immodesty of the heart. The Scriptures calls us to be pure of heart for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8 What do my clothes say about desires? Do they show I am a wholesome or loose woman? The Scriptures tell me my heart is deceitfully wickedly…. Am I following my heart’s intentions when I put on clothes? Do my clothes reflect Scriptural principles spoken of in 1 Timothy 2:9″ Likewise, the women, when they pray, should be dressed modestly and sensibly in respectable attire, not with elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes” or do they reflect indoctrination of religion and the culture I live in? Do my clothes reflect rebellion of the heart? Am I set apart from the world in my choice of clothes or do I relate with the crowd? Does my appearance reveal a zeal to seek and please God or do they reveal that God and his standards comes after my comfort and lifestyle? If I were standing in a crowd of worldly people would I feel embarrassed because I am dressing femininely modest? If I were standing in a crowd of worldly people would I stand out or blend in? These questions here also helped me with looking at my intentions in wearing jewlrey and make up and help me decide that they were not for me. The following questions are about  clothes directly.     When I bend down or over does can anyone see right down my shirt? Can I use a safety pin on the inside? Should I have a cami underneath? Or is it indecent for anyone and should be thrown out all together? If I wear a button-up shirt can you see anything from the side in between the buttons? Is it too tight that I need to throw it out? If I put on a spaghetti-strap, tanktop, halter, or sheer blouse can I…. Uh, nothing can help with this. Throw out the halter and sheer blouse. Most of the time you should be able to wear the sleeveless shirts as undershirts but should not be worn by themselves as they expose too much skin. Can I see the lining of my bra through my shirt or by my collar? Can I see any part of my midriff when I raise my hands or bend over? Can you see any part of my cleavage, bending or not? Is my shirt just plain too tight? Does it tuck under or hug my bust? Do the buttons on the front scrunch to give the affect of a tight shirt around my bust? I try to remember  My shirts should be tight enough to show you’re a woman, but loose enough to show you're a lady Does my midriff show when I move or bend over? Can I find a longer undershirt to wear? No one can help to look when either your backside or underwear shows when you bend over. Don't embarrass yourself by wearing something that you may forget to “watch”. Does my skirt fit too low on my waist and is causing my shirts to expose my skin? Can I see my underwear lines through my skirt? Does it draw attention to my backside? Is my skirt too short? When I sit can someone see above my knees? That is too much skin. Change into something longer. You may be able to add a ruffle or another layer to that skirt later if its appropriate. Always remember to cross one leg under the other if you're a lady. Always make sure to wear a slip. This will prevent anyone from seeing through your skirt, helps keep your skirt from flyways, protects you if you have any, and is useful in other ways. I actually don't wear a slip with my longer denim and corduroy skirts. Is my skirt too flamboyant? Does it jingle, sway, or draw too much attention to me? The Scriptures says to be shamefaced (overly modest and shy) as to not draw attention to ourselves in such a way. When we draw attention to ourselves it should be Jesus light and example.  Personally I don’t swim often swim in public  and when I do I wear a skirt with shorts underneath and a tshirt. When you buy or put on a swimsuit make sure that you do the modesty check above. Make sure it doesn’t go above the knees, isn’t too tight, and doesn’t reveal any flesh. If you’re truly concerned about modesty it shouldn’t just be for clothes, but swimsuits, pajamas, exercise clothes, etc. You shouldn’t have double standards for these items. Before I started reading the Scriptures and finding answers there I couldn't understand why people would worry about clothing I thought they were just being legalistic and old fashioned.  I was not concerned with displaying displaying modesty and femininity outwardly and had bought into the feministic lie that if a man had lustful thoughts about me that was his heart issue not mine.  It truly is freeing when you let go and let God be in charge of you life. You won’t be ashamed of who you are and he will shine through you. Below are some links that I use: http://www.movingtowardmodesty.com/Principles.html http://www.achristianhome.org/ModestFeminine/ModestyFeminineAttireIndex.htm http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/modesty_ignored.html http://www.momof9splace.com/modesty.html http://www.dressingforhisglory.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=58_82_59

Mourning Routines

I wanted to talk this morning about morning routines.  I think a lot of women overlook the importance of a morning routine, I know I did for many years.  I also believe that a lot of women believe that a morning routine would help them but have no idea what one should look like or how to set one up.  I know I tried many different systems over the years including fly lady and others but none seem to fit my family. There is no one perfect routine that will fit every woman and every family, so what I want to do is to show you the steps I took to figure out what mine looked like.

1. I looked at what I was currently doing in the morning and what I wanted my mornings to look like.  When I first started this I found I was sleeping in and not getting out of bed until 8 or so, when the boys were in public school I wake up take them to school and climb right back into bed.  When I did get out of bed I always felt guilty and like I was wasting my day.

So what I saw was that I wanted to get up earlier in the day, I wanted to read my Bible and pray before the boys or JD woke up.  I also wanted to have coffee ready and either the news of music playing softly when JD and the boys woke up.  I love to have some sort of praise music playing in my house most of the day I once heard a Pastor speak on Psalms 22:3 "O' Thou that inhabits the praises of Israel."   He talked about how we have been grafted into the nation of Israel, into God's chosen people and that he inhabits our praise.  One of the things that struck me was the idea of surrounding your self with praise music because people tend to sing a long with whatever music is playing and I loved the idea of His Presence in my home all day. ( Sorry for the rabbit trail.)

2. Once you have seen the things that you want changed write them down and talk to your husband and children about them (you're more likely stick with it if someone else knows). For me it meant setting my alarm for 6 and getting out of bed no matter how tired I was.  I wouldn't even turn on the computer but instead would hit the coffee button wash my face, brush my teeth, get a cup of coffee and go sit on the couch with my Bible, a pen  and a notebook.

3. Start small don't worry about making every change right away and don't worry if you mess it up one day because God's mercy are new every morning ( one of my life verses because boy do I need it).

4. After doing this for a week step back and look at it.  Is it working?  What things do you need to change? What things do you want to add?. 

5. Do as much as you can before you go to bed.  If I wake up in the morning to a cluttered house with dishes in the sink and floors that need swept, I tend to start feeling overwhelmed and have a harder time getting things accomplished that day. So my morning routine actually starts the night before.

 

These are the 5 things that I find most important to my routine, now I know that I did not line out my routine for you but I am going to do that below, as with everything else I do in life it is a bit unconventional and doesn't line up with what most organizing experts say but it works for me.

Before bed: prepare coffee, tidy house ( make sure kitchen, bathroom and living room are tidy, make sure table is cleared off), set Bible, pen, notebook and any Bible study I am doing on table.

6:00; Wake up, start coffee, wash face, brush teeth talk to God and start music.

7:00 Make sure boys are waking up, help with breakfast, check email's. I also will quite often start a load of laundry here.

8:00 Breakfast is done the boys and I set at the table and go over our family verse, do a short Bible study and pray together.  We also talk about the day ( any appointments,school projects or plans).

8:30 Start school I help them as much as I can with Titus needing more help then the others.

9:00 I exercise and then take a shower and get dressed.

Now all times are approximate but I don't get dressed right away.  I don't like exercising first thing in the morning and don't like to shower and get dressed before I exercise.

  

Remember there are no wrong routines, just ones that work for you!

15 Favorite Spices

 

1. Garlic-I use it in almost everything I make.  I fresh but if I am going to use powdered I use Lawry's

 

2.Whole Peppercorns- If you can do this rather then pre-ground I guarantee you that the flavor is richer.

 

3. Oregano-I like to use the leaves and rub it between my hands to crumble it then add it to the dishes. Though normally associated with Italian dishes it actually mixes well with a large number of foods including roasted and stewed beef, poultry, game, marinated veggies, potatoes, cheeses and eegs combinations, onions, shellfish and roasted bell peppers.

 

4. Basil- Again I try to use fresh Basil, almost anything that you would put oregano in you could also put in Basil. For the most intense flavor, basil should be added at the end of the cooking process.  Prolonged exposure to heat will cause the oils to dissipate.

 

5. Paprika- Sweet paprika is mild and often appears in seasoning blends for barbecue and chili.  It is also used to add some color and taste to pale dishes such as deviled eggs.  I love to use this spice in goulash and chicken recipes. It is also used in many recipes for middle Eastern cooking.

 

6. Rosemary- A pungent herb with a slightly, minty, piney and gingery combination of flavors.  I use it with almost any meat, especially when it is roasted.  It also goes well with cheeses, eggs, a number of different veggies, potatoes and can be used with many other herbs like Chives, Thyme, Parsley and Bay.

 

7. Saffron-This spice is expensive but worth it because just a little bit goes a long way. I prefer to use the threads, remeber when using the threads it is best to soak each thread in 3 tablespoons of water for at least 2 hours before using. When determining how much saffron to use please remember that the flavor is stronger the second day.  In general, just a little pinch will do for a serving of 4 to 6 people.  I like to use it when making rice or risotto.  It is also great in soups, beef stew or tomato based sauces.

 

8. Sage-Sage has a piney, lemony, peppery flavor that is great for chicken or pork.  It also gives soup and stews a robust flavor. I also use it to enhance the flavors of tomatoes, corn, asparagus, squash, tomatoes, carrots,beans, onions,Brussels sprout, oranges, garlic, lemons and cheese.  I crumble fresh Leaves into the dish.

 

9. Thyme- It has a green taste with something of a clove aftertaste.  It blends well with lemon, garlic and basil.  I also use it as a garnish for salads and chowders.  It can be used with almost any meat, casserole, soup or vegetable dish.

 

10 Parsley- It has an easy gentle flavor and works well in blending other spices.  I love to use this with a roast or in soups. 

 

11. Bay Leaves-Bay leaves are highly pungent, with a woody flavor and have a slightly minty aroma.  They can leave a bitter taste is used to much, so be careful.  I normally use them whole and then remove from the dish once it is prepared. Bay leaves can generally be used in any dish containing liquid. I use it for soups, stews and tomato sauces. It is also go in shellfish boils, stuffing's and marinades.

 

12. Tarragon- It has a hint licorice in flavor.  I like to Use it to make a delicious herb butter for vegetable.  I also use to make a salad vinaigrette and for flavoring a roast chicken. It enhances the flavors of many foods but don't use to much as it can easily become overpowering.  I use it on any kind of meat along with potatoes, carrots, most mainstream vegetables and tomatoes.  It also goes well with lemons and oranges.  I use it in a lot of cream sauces, herbed butters, vinegar's, soups, sour cream and yogurt. 

 

13. Onion Powder- I love to use onion powder and it is one of the few where I prefer it powdered to the actually herb itself. IT often accompanies meat - especially mince and meat dishes such as shepherds pie and meat loaf which would be insipid without it. Onion is also widely used in soups, pickles and cooked vegetable dishes, sauces, hearty casseroles, and bean and lentil dishes. It is a common ingredient in marinades, and an onion studded with cloves is often a main flavoring in stocks and bouillon's.

 

14. Cilantro-It has a pungent taste that you either love or hate.  Again I use it fresh.  I also at times will use it in place of Parsley.  Some of my favorite things to do with it are make a fresh salsa,chutney or tomato salad.  I also love to use it to flavor marinades or in a crust for chicken.  It also goes in every Mexican dish I make.

 

15. Arrowroot-I use this mostly for thickening sauces. It works best on acidic foods like a fruit sauce.  It will not make the sauce go cloudy as other thickening agents do.  The lack of gluten also make it a great replacement for wheat flour when baking.

Kids Home school notebook

I had said I would post a little about the boys notebook.

So here is the cover for the Notebook.

Here is their responsibility chart.  

They have to have everything initialed every day before they can earn screen time.

This is their daily lesson log.

Here they record for me each day what we have worked on in school.

Next are their reading logs.  They write down what they are reading and how long they have read for.

These next two sheets are how we keep track of how much time they are spending on T.V.  

For every hour that they read they earn one hour of screen time.  We also allow them to earn screen time for chores, helping out, being kind etc... When we want to add time we can use the second sheet to write down how much time they have earned and how they earned it.  We also use it to track if they have lost time.  When they want to redeem time they bring their notebooks to us and we write it down in the columns for them.

Household Notebook

Ok here's thee rough draft of my notebook for 2011.  I will try to narrate as I go along feel free to ask any questions.  I will also try to give links to blogs or other websites whose materials I used when creating my notebook.  I also have a notebook for each of my boys and will try to get that up later.

Here is the front cover.  
I like things to be functional and pretty.

I bought the basic lay out for my notebook from fruit of her hands.  I love this blog she has some great ideas on lot's of different things.

This is the first page inside of the folder.

Inside of that are some Bible studies I enjoy.

Which I can share if you would like. I also have Proverbs 31 printed out and placed there and my prayer journal.

Next is my personal goals.

Just some thing I use every year to set goals for myself in the next year.  Again, I will share these if someone is interested. These include spiritual goals, health goals, family goals financial goals and any thing else that I have as a goal.  I very strongly believe that if you don't have a vision for your life then you have nothing to work towards.

Next is schedule

In this I have my Daily schedule

I can share a little more about what's on it if someone wants it. It is broken out into morning and early afternoon and then late afternoon and evening.  This helps me to know when things should be done by.

After this I list cleaning and the things that happen daily,weekly,monthly

As you can see I have it broken into days Monday-Saturday. Then each day lists the specific things that need to be done on that day.  I also include 20 minutes of working on a project of some kind.

I also list projects that I want to get done.

Next is the chore list, so that you know what needs to be done daily, weekly and monthly.  It also is a great for helping the boys know what the room should look like when it's clean.  This way IO don't have to remind them what it looks like every day but they know I just expect these things done when this is your room for the week.

Next I have menu Planning

I try to plan from Saturday to Saturday making sure to look at the sales that come out then planning the next weeks menus based upon what's on sale.

Then I list emergency number.

This includes Dr's numbers, relatives, our fire escape plan,poison control.

Basically I try to include anything that could possible be needed here.

Next is important numbers.

These include all insurance numbers, numbers for all electric,water and gas companies.  I also include health insurance numbers.

Then Financial

In here is a calendar of when Bills are do.  I also have a folder for receipts and one for the current bill.

Next Projects,  This could be anything from pictures of swing projects to detailed list of things I want to get done

Then I have a gift giving section.  If someone mentions something they would like I tend to write it down so I don't forget.  No picture for this one but it looks like the ones above but says gift giving.

 Then it's my calendar where I write down all of my appointments and such.  I also keep track of sports practices and game dates.

The last one is my home school section.  It grows throughout the year.  Right now all that is in it is the next weeks overview for each boy.

It allows me a quick look at what they are doing each day and whether or not they have a live lesson and at what time.  

You can follow my life here.

http://coloradoblessed.blogspot.com/

Groups I belong to

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BiblicallySubmissivehousewives/