Valentines Challenge

I'm late with this post, but it's okay because Derreck is at work this week, so I can't really surprise him with anything until he gets home. So next week I will be doubling up! Since I haven't done the surprises yet, I'm not going to list what I have in mind, just in case he reads! But this is the challenge for this week!

This week's challenge is: be a little more creative with your praise. Surprise your husband with these 10 fun ways to praise your husband:




1. A love message on the mirror!

2. A love message packed in his lunch


3. Use sidewalk chalk and write a love message on the driveway.

4. Write a list of ten things you admire about him and then read them out loud to him.


5. Make a toast to him at dinner with friends. Or raise your glass at dinner and list the things you admire about your husband for your children to hear!


6. Buy or make your husband a trophy and engrave it with the words "The Best Husband in the World." (I found a cheap trophy at a party supplies store - the kids loved presenting it to daddy)


7. Write a poem - even if you can't write - it can be goofy. Include in it references to your favorite movies, restaurants, places to go and memories. He will enjoy the trip down memory lane and the laugh!

8- Blow up balloons and put a loving message in each one. Fill your bedroom with balloons as a surprise.


9- Take a roll of receipt tape and write a long message with the things you admire and respect about your husband - then roll it up and put it in a bottle for your husband to open and read. (I made many of these for my husband in college when we were dating long distance. I mailed them in packages.)


10. Get creative with your selflessness!


"When you touch your husband's deepest need something good almost always happens!"~ Dr. Emerson Eggerich

So I challenge you today to not just show your husband you love him but show him that you LIKE him!

My First Blog Award!

Yesterday Blog Love awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award! With this honor I have to:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.


2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

I really don't think my blog is as stylish as most, but I am really excited to know that someone thinks my blog is interesting enough to give me an award!! I like the blogs that I can learn things from and more importantly they need to be Biblical principals! Anything that helps me get closer to becoming the Proverbs 31 Woman is what I want to learn!

The blogs listed below are my favorites and are good  sources of Biblical truths!

1. Women Living Well
2. With Gratitude
3. The Sexton 3
4. Reach in, Reach out, Reach up
5. Blessings by Blog
6. Our Journey of Love
7. A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
8. Bring The Rain
9. Kelly's Korner
10. Genesis' Blog!
11. Christian Frugal Mama
12. Don't Waste Your Homemaking
13. Walk With Me By Faith
14. Jenna's Journey
15. Chapters

I love to learn new things (especially if it has to do with God!) and I love to read! So when I find a blog that does all of this, I get really excited! Keep up the good work ladies, but most importantly...

Write about how God is moving in your lives!

25 Days Until Valentines!

Courtney over at Women Living Well has been busy again! She has came up with a Valentine Challenge. I am really excited abut this challenge, because sometimes I forget to put Derreck before everyone else and he gets pushed further and further back. So with this challenge I can focus on putting Him back in second place where he belongs! (Second, because God is always first!)

Week 1 starts TODAY! Look for ways to praise your husband verbally. Praise him in front of the kids, friends, family, co-workers, on facebook, tweet it - get praise out anyway you can! Try to mention something noteworthy he has done - in his role as provider, father, husband, lover, or friend. If the thought of trying to come up with one terrifies you, then pray right now that God will give you new eyes to see your husband as God does. Then open your mouth and say something kind and uplifting to your husband today and tomorrow and the next day until Valentine's Day arrives!

We don't really celebrate Valentines Day like everyone else does, with all of the cards, chocolate, and flowers. Since we got married on Valentine's we honor our Anniversary. So it is a very special day to us, even if we don't go all out for the heartsy things.

This year we will be married for 9 years!!! It's crazy how fast time is going by.

For the past 9 years Derreck hasn't always walked a Godly walk. I thank God everyday, that he does now though! I thank God that Derreck is a man that lives his life according to the Bible at home, church, work, and in town. Derreck is a great man of Faith, and I know the only way he gets that faith is by listening to the Holy Spirit. Without Derreck being the Spiritual leader of our house, we couldn't have the marriage that we have today!!!

So today I want to thank my husband for taking God serious and being the leader he should be. I tink this is what I love the most about you Derreck!

I'm Still Alive!

Derreck noticed last night that I haven't posted anything in awhile. So I thought I would post something tonight and let everyone know that I am still alive.

We have had the kids for 3 weeks and 2 days. Some days are better than others, some days are worse than others! For the most part though, it could be A LOT worse!!!

The main thing that I am struggling with right now is keeping calm even when I have to repeat myself 10 times, to get them to do a simple task. After about the 3rd time I say something, I tend to start raising my voice. I know that when I do that, it's just going to make matters worse, but the human in me just keeps doing it. I don't want to be known as the foster mom that yelled all the time! So if anyone has any tips on how to get children to listen the first time, I would love to hear them!!! (Seriously)

Since they have started school it seems like it takes forever to get all of their homework, chores, and baths done. By the time they get those few things done, it's bed time. So they don't get hardly any play time. Which makes me feel like a slave driver! I did read a blog the other day that said something about "wanting to teach her kids all kinds of things, and that kids will be kids, they are going to find time to play in between the things you teach them." This made me feel a little better, but then I keep thinking back to my childhood, and all I can remember is the HOURS we spent outside. So I am on the fence about this. I know school work is VERY important and has to be done, otherwise their grades will reflect the lack of work. But my goodness, does it have to take so long!! I don't want them to get behind on their work, I want them to make good grades, and do well in everything, and learn as much as they can, but I am finding it hard to keep their focus long enough for them to do what is required. (Any suggestions, would be greatly appreciated!!)

All of this is wrote, not to complain at all. This is how our life is right now, and I would be a liar if I got on here and wrote that they are perfect little angels, and we have time to get everything done, and we get to play every night before bed time! This is very different from what I am use too. (VERY) However, I honestly don't think I would change things. Our house isn't quite anymore. It's not as clean either! But, we have kids in it now! And that is something we have prayed for for almost 9 years! So with every obstacle that I am face with I am praising God, but I am also asking for guidance from HIM!

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

Happy Birthday to a Great Man

Happy Birthday to a Great Man

"If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

Titus 1:6-9

These verses out of the Bible describe my husband. I am proud to call Derreck my husband. I am so thankful that the Lord saw fit to put us together. He strives to walk justly, according to God's Word.

Derreck, I love you and I just want to thank you for being a good husband and a good father. Thank you for protecting, directing, loving, and caring for me and the kids. I know things are always perfect for us, but I also know that we have a good marriage, one that is striving to honor God. You are so good with the kids, even when I can't keep it together. Thank you for being a Godly man that leads his family on what the Bible says and not societies view point. 

Happy Birthday Mister!

P.S. Since your not home for me to make you a cake, here is a virtual cake.  Just picture it saying:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE DERRECK

I LOVE YOU!!!!

Peace on Earth Challenge

How 2010 Went for Me!!

This is the final week for the Peace on Earth Challenge that Courtney from Women Living Well started. I did a pretty good job of keeping up the the challenges and keeping peace in our home for December, if I say so myself anyways! We did have a very busy month with get togethers, birthday parties, Christmas, church programs, and getting kids. It seemed liked the month of December flew by, but very quietly at the same time.

I have thought a lot about the birth of Jesus and also His death. He only lived on this earth for a very short time, but accomplished so much. If it wasn't for His miraculous birth, then we couldn't of been saved by the shedding of His blood. God did send His son to save the World, so that we should not perish, but so many people don't get the fact that you have to really BELIEVE! Believe that He can save you, change you, heal you,and even  help you. The same God that created the stars and makes them stay in the sky, is the same God that saves you. He doesn't just forget about us, and we should forget about Him (ever).

Courtney made a list of topics for us to evaluate from 2010 and here is how I feel:

1. Evaluate you walk with God in 2010:

• I did read God Word a lot more than in previous years, but not daily. And I have been slacking on my 6:00 am commitment to God, so that is something that I will be working on doing. I do pray on a daily basis, but I know that I don't ''Pray without ceasing" like it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. So, I will definitely be making a better effort of spending time in prayer.

2. Your Marriage:

• I do feel like our marriage has grown stronger over this past year. We have been married for almost 9 years, with no kids, but hardly ever living alone. With all the different people that has lived with us, we have had to change different habits and ways of doing things. Since we have been alone for most of this year, we have been able to spend a lot of time together, and being ourselves. Honestly, I felt like a newly wed this year, with all the attention  I have got from my husband. In 2011 I think I will work on making sure that I have a gentle answer for my husband, even when I don't feel like it. I know most of the arguments that we have are because I let things get to me, and am quick to raise my voice in response. "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

3. Your Children:

• I am so excited and blessed to finally be able to answer this! I just want to cry tears of happiness!! We now have 3 foster children living in our home, I will be posting more on them later. One question that Courtney asked is: "What is one thing that each of your kids need from you in 2011?" I am not going to list the kids names yet on here, because of privacy, but I will use the first letter of their names. (I) - is the oldest, and I think just needs to have encouragement to help build up his self esteem a bit. So I will be encouraging him in all of the good things that he does. (S) is the middle kid, and to me it seems that she needs some one on one attention. (M) is the youngest and the most independent. I think that he needs to see that we are always here to help him, if he needs it. All of the kids will be working on daily Bible reading and learning how to pray from your heart and not just the same prayer everyday.

4. Health:

• I really don't want to go here! LOL I didn't stick with any healthy habits this year, but that is something that is going to have to change! I know that my body is a living temple to God, and I should treat it as such. I don't drink, or smoke, or any of that bad stuff, but, I could eat a lot healthier and exercise more. So in 2011 I will be working on cooking, fixing, and eating healthier and smaller portions of food. Also I will be working on getting regular exercise by my self and with the husband and kids!

5. Ministry:

• We have finally found a church that we can use the gifts that God has given us, and still be encouraged and be mentored by the older couples. (It's really nice to have older women to look up too!) So we are getting a Puppet team going finally! So in 2011 I will be working on being more serious about using the Puppet Ministry to reach the youth in our church.

The last part of Courtney's challenge is to choose a theme word for 2011. I have thought about this since last night, and prayed about what God would have me to choose. My word is COMMIT! Proverb 16:3 says, "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." I want to commit my day, my marriage, my kids, my health, and my ministry to the Lord in 2011!

Peace on Earth Challenge

This past weekend was great. We had three kids for 3 days, and we had a great time. It was a very busy weekend for me, what with cooking, and cleaning and laundry. Plus we were trying to get to know the kids, and allow them to get to know us, all with trying to have fun! We went to the movies, the zoo, we ate out a couple of times, and most importantly went to church with them.

From what we learned from the kids, they are not use to going to church consistently on Wednesday or Sunday nights. We however are at church every time the doors are open and love the fellowship and learning that we get during this time. We love to learn about God and we love to teach about God! Below is a couple of verses that pertain to this topic.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 10:25

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20

We have to stick together and lift each other up, encourage each other and pray for one another! If we don't gather together Satan can easily get into each of lives, and eventually into our churches! But each of these starts with us guarding our own personal lives. To do this we need to put God first!

As of right now the plans are that we will get the kids again on the 26th and it will be a more permanent arrangement, instead of just a visit. We look forward to teaching these kids about the love of Jesus and the peace that He brings to our lives!

This weeks challenge is: Christmas is just 5 days away and so much of our time is often spent helping the children to remember the "Reason for the Season". Now it's our turn. Once the kids are in bed get yourself a HOT drink (again we are warming the body as we warm the soul.) Get ALONE and turn out the lights by your Christmas tree, a lit fire, or a candle and just be alone with God. Pray, talk to him, I encourage you to sing Christmas carols or songs praising him, and just rest with Jesus.

I have not done this yet, but I look forward to doing it! I would like to wish everyone of you a very Merry Christmas, and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season and He should be placed first in our lives!