Pay It Forward - handmade gifts

I rarely try to comment on giveaways, but I had to comment on how much I appreciate Femininity in a Feminist World when she was doing the Pay it Forward post, because I do appreciate it. And then, I ended up being one of the first 3, so here we go:

The first three people to comment on this post will win a homemade gift from me. The rules say I have to get that gift to you within 365 days, but I hope to do better then that. I won't make a promise though!

Then, those three people will hold a "Pay It Forward" giveaway and send another three people homemade gifts. I thought it might be a fun way to have to find time to make something fun.

So leave a comment, and let me know how you are doing!

(Blogger seems to be having issues at the moment, so I can't see the link icon. I'll try to update it later, but meanwhile, here is the address to the above mentioned blog: http://femininityinafeministworld.blogspot.com/2009/02/pay-it-forward.html)

Husband Encouragment Challenge: Day 15

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 3:18a

My Favorite is an amazing man of God. He has a wisdom that is beyond his years of age, and it is a blessing to me almost daily. We have been together since I was 15, so I have had a chance to see him in the ups and downs of a walk of faith, and it has been amazing.

Right now, it is just amazing to watch him work hard to figure out how to be a Daddy who translates his faith to his little girls. I am not sure there is anything that could bring tears to a mama's eyes faster then seeing her little girl on Daddy's knee learning about God. Tears of thanks and joy and amazement. Growing up, I didn't even know to ask for a husband, let alone pray for one who could lead me the way My Favorite does. Not only is he a wonderful leader, he makes it easy to do my job of following, of submitting. I love his view on scripture, on parenting, on life situations. I have learned and grown in numerous ways because of this man.

He is purposeful in his love of me and the girls. He actively loves me as Christ loves the church, I can only hope to grown in my ability to follow him as the church should follow Christ.

Lord, thank you for my wonderful husband. You have created in him an amazing example of a Godly man. I see his desire to love you more, to understand his role as husband and daddy, to be more of what you want every day. I pray, my King, that you would help me to be the wife he needs to be the husband you command he be. You are a gracious giver of awesome gifts, and he is truly one of my favorites. In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, amen.

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30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge: The Rules

• You can't say anything negative about your husband ...to your husband...or to anyone else, about your husband.
• Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband...to your husband...and to someone else, about your husband!
  

Husband Encouragment Challenge: Foot in Mouth Disease

Here is the verse that came with the Challenge email today:

"With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love."
Ephesians 4:2

So what had I done yesterday that made this a perfect verse for today? Lied.

Yep, I told, or allowed for, what the world would call a "white lie." To my wonderful husband, no less. This is a sign of foot-in-mouth disease because I had just been "enjoying" the other wonderful sin of judgment earlier this week. One of our friends lies often and I had the audacity to say, out loud, "Hmm, I have my weaknesses, but that isn't one of them. I don't understand that one at all" (not to her of course, adding talking-behind-the-back to my list) Yeah, I know. I can see you cringe and groan.

So yesterday I found myself in a quickly snowballing lie. The worst part, if there can be a worst part since it is all awful, is that it is completely tied to the wonderful Valentines present he got me. He completely surprised me with an ipod full of audiobooks from behemoth.com, our new favorite site. He is so good at presents, I had no idea at all that he had that up his sleeve. None. I was totally caught off guard, blessed, surprised. I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning actually. To quickly tarnish it.

God gave me multiple opportunities to get out of the lie quickly, but I didn't even see what was happening. I do struggle with the sin of "fear of man." I am quick to care more about what others think, or how they feel, then to be or say or do what I know I should. And that is what the lie came out of. Honestly, I hadn't made the mental connection to fear of man being a sin until we were watching What is Biblical Femininity? this week, and one of the women brought up that it is a sin of selfishness.

I woke up this morning realizing what had happened, and knowing what needs to happen. I am really ashamed, embarrased and surprised at myself. My Favorite is currently sleeping, with a little girl curled up next to him. So I can't confess at the moment. I sent him an email confession, not to get out of doing it (pray I don't), but in hopes that it would help me not be able to talk myself out of it. This is not something I am willing to give a foothold to. Please pray for strength, this is the first time I have confessed anything in the 4 1/2 years of marriage.

Yep, 4 1/2 years today. Good morning handsome husband, Happy Valentines Day, we've had a great 4 1/2 years... I lied. Just what I was going for.

Husband Encouragment Challenge: Day 10

I'm not sure how I am doing on this challenge. I do know that I am way more aware of what I am saying and thinking then 10 days ago, and for that I will be thankful. I really appreciate the emails reminding me every day to check my heart and my spirit as well as my words and actions.

"Behold, you are handsome, my beloved! Yes, pleasant!"
Song of Solomon 1:16a

I think I tell him all the time, but just in case he doesn't know, I love how handsome my husband is! He is built just the right height for me, I tuck under his arm perfectly. He has broad shoulders and is built nice and sturdy. I appreciate that. His strong hugs and sturdy hands make me feel safe. His hands are just comforting, it might seem silly, but they are. When he reaches over and grabs my hand while we're driving, I feel happy and loved and protected and a whole lot more emotions that I wouldn't expect. Such a simple thing really.

For example, just this last weekend, we had an opportunity to go to the grocery store together, without the girls. It had been a while I guess, because I was just giddy! It felt like ages since I had held his hand and walked next to him. It hasn't really been ages, but I was able to really concentrate on us, on him, on how he makes me feel. I've been living off those few moments all week.

Thank you Lord, for giving me a husband who grows more handsome to me every day.

Husband Encouragment Challenge: Day already behind

I want to be purposeful about this encouragment, and for me, taking time to write it down is important. But I have 2 kiddos and that just can't happen the way I might wish it could. And I am determined to be perfectly content with that!

"Let him labor, working with his hands what is good . . ."
Ephesians 4:28b

My wonderful husband is a computer programmer/developer. He LOVES his work, and could do it day and night. Guys who do this kind of work have amazing brains, at least mine is always trying to figure out how to make it better and easier and more efficient. He thinks about everything, and makes everyone around him have to think. And that is a good thing, in my book.

One of my favorite moments in the day is when Teeny asks where Daddy is going. "To work" he replies. "Why?" she has asked since she was very young. "So you can have a roof over your head and food to eat." is the reply. One of my new favorite verses is this:

"But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
1 Timothy 6:8

My husband works hard, loves what he does, always wants to do more and better and does it for God and his family. We are blessed in his willingness to do so. Our cupboards and freezers are full, as are our closets and dressers. We have more then contendedness, moving on to abundance and an opportunity to share with others. Even in these hard times, he, under God's blessing, provides and protects us 3 gals here at home.

One of my desires is to become better, and more efficient and more frugal with what I have been given as a job (housework, groceries, food, serving, training kids) so that what he works so hard for can go further and grow stronger and continue on in generations to come. With all he has on his shoulders, he is still more then willing to advise and help me in my areas of responsibility. My goodness, what a blessed woman I am!

To My Favorite

"The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Proverbs 31:11-12

I started that challenge today. You said it would be major, and I'm knowing it will be even bigger then that. You more then anyone know how negative and judgmental I can be. But there is a better way, and you deserve it!

You aren't here for me to tell you how thankful I am for you. But I am. Who would have thought all those years ago that we would be here today? I have learned so much, and can only thank God and you for bringing me to who I am today.

There are so many things you do that bless me, things I probably never mention, that I could write post after post after post. But for today, I'll share the following. You do it often, but a few months ago, I stopped whatever I was doing to listen to you with our oldest girl. You were doing something in the kitchen and she was not behaving well. It was one of those moments where I feel like pulling my hair out :0) Instead, I heard you purposefully calm, and slow your words down, talking to her with such deliberate love. I was impressed and greatly encouraged. Not because you talk to her without love, but because it helped me remember to be purposeful with my words and the attitude behind them. And it reminded me that God has abundantly blessed me with you.

Thanks for taking care of us, I love you. And I love being your wife!

30 Day Husband Encouragment Challenge: Day 1

I happen to love the book "Lies women Believe and the Truth that Sets them Free" by Nancy DeMoss. It was one of the first books I got last week in my experimenting with paperbackswap, just so I can have it on hand. Well, it turns out Miss DeMoss has a 30 day husband encouragment challenge on her site, and I'm going to try.

I heard about it on My Pursuit Of..., a blog I found because of Before Five in a Row (BFIAR). So Robin took the challenge along with a friend. I don't know either of them, but know it is a challenge that could only be good.

Here are the rules:

* You can't say anything negative about your husband ...to your husband...or to anyone else, about your husband.
* Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband...to your husband...and to someone else, about your husband! (I'm assuming this means you should say something)

Yeah, read that again. NOTHING negative to anyone. I can't tell you how long I sat there looking at the rules thinking, "Yeah, I know that's what God wants... but could I actually do it? Do I really want to take that on?"

I am incredibly negative. More so then even I realize. Now, I don't think it will be hard not to say anything negative about My Favorite, he is pretty amazing. I couldn't have ever dreamed of any man as perfect for me as him. But to give you an idea of what kind of a challenge this is, I'll let you know me nickname used to be Eeyore.

Well, may this be a new start to a grumpy whiney heart.

I'm a Gentile

I think most of the people who read this little blog are Torah Observant/Messianic. As you can see over there on the side bar, my two followers are :0) Anyway, in case there is someone who stops by who isn't and wonders what a Gentile is doing following that old part of the bible, check out this post by First Fruits of Zion. I love the clarity and understanding they bring to issues that seem so confusing when I look at them.

I am a Gentile, and I give thanks to HaShem that He would be willing to graft me into the common wealth of Israel. What an awesome God!

Menu Plan Monday: 3 days alone

So My Favorite is out of town for a few days, which makes the house emptier then I like and makes dinner planning easier. Why? Because I like to have food ready for him as soon after he gets off, knowing he is (and we are) hungry and knowing how wonderful it was when he did that for me. Back when we both worked and had no little ones. But if he's not here, and Teeny really doesn't eat dinner anyway, I can be more relaxed and eat whatever.

But I invited my SIL and niece to dinner tonight so we will be dining on some corn tortilla quesadillas with tomato soup. Num.

Monday: Tomato Soup w/ quesadillas
Tuesday: Family Night with my dad, mom is out of town
Wednesday: Bean soup over brown rice (rice from freezer leftovers of last weeks stir fry!)
Thursday: Roast w/ carrots and potatoes
Friday - Sunday: Sandwiches, Congo Squares, Chili Dip (out of town for really late Christmas party)

Head over to orgjunkie.com for more ideas!