My friend Heather at The Bernardings is hosting a Giveaway on her blog. This is what she has to say:
In the spirit of Mother's Day, I am hosting a blog giveaway.
All you need to do is comment here about how the Lord has made you the mom you are today or the mom you hope to be someday (newlyweds, expecting first baby, etc. )
Then write a little blurb on your blog(if you have one) about my giveaway. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment on my blog so I can contact you if you are the winner. {You can do one of these if you prefer: (me at mommy dot com) so you don't have to post your e-mail.} The drawing will be on the morning of May 10th! This will be a random drawing that is not based on the "quality" of your comment.
This is not a grand giveaway and I am not crafty, but I wanted to do something.
I will be giving away a 5 CD series by Loretta Walker, "Home Sweet Home" She addresses child rearing, marriage, and gladness!
I really like this song sung by Ivan Parker. This song says what is truly in my heart! I hope you enjoy it!
I Choose
Master, may I be so honest
Could I admit the way I feel?
I’m hurting, it seems that you’ve forsaken
I wonder, is Your love for me still real?
Though my friends think that I am happy
Unaffected by this trail
They can’t see the pain I’m hiding
Just under my smile
Master, I can’t live this way anymore
So today I make my choice
Chorus
I choose to believe that You are faithful
And my heart is in Your hands
And this mystery that I face today
Is part of a greater plan
I choose not to be discouraged
When the sun will not break through
I have the choice of trusting you
So Lord this is what I choose
I know this road will not be easy
I know I’ll have my weaker days
And Satan will tell me I don’t mean it
When I say, “I’ll trust God all the way”
But that doesn’t really matter
I refuse to hear him out
With my faith I’ll find the power
That will overcome all doubt
Lord, I’ve never felt so strong
As when I’m resting in your arms
Chorus
I choose to believe
That this mystery that I face today
Is part of a greater plan
I choose not to be discouraged
When the sun will not break through
I have the choice of trusting you
So, Lord this is what I choose
This is what I choose
Gonna trust you, Lord
I choose
I receive devotionals in my email from Above Rubies written by Nancy Campbell. This one is well worth the read! It speaks volumes!
Wear the Right Clothes!
Ephesians 2:22-24, "Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which was corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness."
" When you were born again by the Spirit of God, you received a new wardrobe. It is a very expensive wardrobe, paid for by the precious blood of Christ. You have so many beautiful garments hanging in this wardrobe. You have lovely dresses of love, joy, peace, longsuffering gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). You have delightful garments of tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness. (Colossians 3:12-17).
The strange thing is that although we have this expensive wardrobe, we don't always bother to wear the clothes. We are so used to our old shabby clothes of the flesh. We feel more comfortable in them. They feel familiar, so we stick with them instead of trying out our new wardrobe. To put on a beautiful dress of gentleness or patience can seem foreign because we are not used to wearing them.
But they belong to you! They are yours! Imagine if your husband purchased a very special and pricey dress for you. You couldn't believe how posh it was. But you never wore it. You thought it was too good for you. How would your husband feel when he paid so much for it and wanted to be proud of you wearing it?
I wonder how God feels when He gives us this glorious wardrobe, purchased at an enormous price, and we never wear the garments? He gives them to us but He doesn't put them on us. He tells us to PUT THEM ON. "Put on the new man ..." I love the J. B. Phillip's translation which says, "Fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living ... And put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life ..."
Make sure you put on a new garment each morning. Have you had a lousy night with the baby waking all night? Are you going through a fiery ordeal? Put on the garment of praise. (Isaiah 61:1-3). Let me tell you a secret. You won't feel like putting it on. You'd much rather put on your dirty old dress of grumbling and complaining. But do it by faith. Don't worry about your feelings. Put on your praise garment. Start praising and thanking the Lord. As you do it by faith, you will actually wear it.
You can change garments as you need them throughout the day. Are the children getting on your nerves? You feel your anger rising. Quick! Change into your garment of long-suffering or patience. Put it on by faith. Thank the Lord for His patience which is in you because He lives in you.
Are you starting to shout and yell because everything is getting on top of you? Put on the garment of gentleness. Thank the Lord for His gentle spirit which lives in you. This is the new man. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He lives in you now.
All these beautiful garments belong to you. They are yours. All you have to do is put them on by faith!
Strip off your old shabby garments. Wear your new ones each day. Live in them. Let Christ live His beautiful life through you.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
"Thank, you Lord, for all the beautiful garments that you have given to me. I am sick of my old rags. They look so ugly to everyone. Help me to put on your beautiful new garments which reveal your beautiful life in me. Amen."
AFFIRMATION:
I may have little in my literal wardrobe, but I have access to the most glorious garments in my spiritual wardrobe. Praise God. "
PO Box 681687, Franklin, TN 37068-1687, U.S.A.
My husband and I have decided that over the next few years we are going to fix our house up (inside and out) and then sell it and buy our "Dream House". Well the first step in this long process is to start decluttering! We have so much "stuff". We have been in our current house for 11 years, and what a lot of junk I mean "treasures" we have accumulatded over the past 11 years.
Now, I could box everything up and save it for the summer when Yard Sale season starts, but I want it out of my house NOW!!!! So I have been putting it on Freecycle, and people are wanting my junk I mean treasures! What a blessing it is to get this stuff out of my house! As I see each person leave with a bag of books, or a box of "treasures" it is like another burden lifted from my shoulders! What a blessing!
Well, I have people coming today to pick up more things, and then I am off to start sifting through another 11 years worth of "stuff".
Just thought I would share a little of what is going on here at "A Place to call Home". Nothing really exciting, but just a little peak into our day!
Hope you all have a blessed day!
My children attend the local Christian School this year, but we will be Homeschooling again next year. I have Homeschooled in the past with some success, but also with a lot of failures! Last year was a disaster!!!! We used Abeka for everything ~ now don't get me wrong, I LOVE ABeka, but it was just too much for me. My children are in grades 4, 6, and 8 and I found it too difficult to do everything required with ABeka when my children are spread out so much . We ended up finishing school last year the first of May ~ not because we were finished, but because of sheer frustration! We only had about half of the years work completed, but I just couldn't continue! The kids were frustrated, and I was frustrated, I just didn't see any point in continuing.
This year off has been good for me. I have a better outlook on Homeschooling next year. We will not be using ABeka, but a variety of different things which I hope the children will find more interesting. I think they are getting tired of ABeka as some of the subjects tend to be a little repetitive. So we shall see how things go. I am excited about a new School Year, but I know that I have to be better prepared for each day, and be more firm in my rules and expectations of my children. I tend to be too much of a softee.
I found some really good books at a used book sale over the weekend which I will put to use next year! I can't wait ~ I am so excited ~ and I would be lying if I didn't say a little scared as well!
A Place To Call Home 
