one thing needed vs. many things

If you are a mom and a lover of Jesus I am sure this will resonate with you. Actually, if you are alive and breathing and love Jesus this will probably resonate with you.

*If by some slim chance I am the only one, Lord lease help me! :)

I am a list maker. Not that all of the things that go on my lists actually get done, but I make lists, none the less. It helps me to get all the stuff thats in my brain out on paper. Does you brain ever feel jumbled and full?? When I wake up the listing in my brain begins.

Make bed. Get dressed. think i should do p90x. Fix breakfast. need to mop . Do dishes.Talk to Jesus. Change diaper. try to read bible. ***someone calls MOM!!!***.Pickup toys. need to empty dishwasher. wonder if we have enough money. Talk to Jesus. Fold landry. Feed Rabbit. nurse baby. check email. check etsy shop. work on new prints. change diaper. read to karis. put hosanna to sleep. read bible. feel unworthy. talk to Jesus. change diaper. call eric. eat lunch. do dishes. pick up toys again....AHHHHH. and it continues....

Today my brain was feeling a little overwhelmed. There is a big difference in knowing the truth and walking in it. Financially this last month has been tight. Completely out of our control, but tight. Around the house there is a constant lis of "need to do's".Jesus has provided enough. He has supplied what we need. I remember momentaily that I have what I need, but more listing begins.

Karis needs shoes. Our bathroom needs to be finished. I need to have a garden. We need to pay off our credit cards from the house renovation. We may need another vehicle soon since our car has 170,000 miles. We need to sell our rental house. Our rabbit needs a house outside. Eric needs a raise. Need. need. need.

Before I know it, I have convinced myself of a lot of things that I need. Some of them are legitimate. Some of them are wants.

But what do I really need?

If you know eric and I, you know that one passage that we treasure is Luke 10:38-42. We feel like it gives such a clear picture of what response that Jesus wants from us. What posture He sees that I need in my life.

³⁸ As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. ³⁹ Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

⁴¹ But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! ⁴² There is only one thing needed. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

So many times I get caught up in legitamate needs and duties. Sometimes I get caught up in things that don't really need. I allow both the legitamate and illegitamate take me away from the one thing that is needed. I have found that when I am running around like martha, even if it is only in my mind, the one thing that I really need gets neglected.

According to Jesus, the posture of my life should be that of mary. Sitting. Listening. Being with Jesus.

Don't misunderstand me-- the mopping must be done. clothes must be washed... etc. But in comparison to all other things that have to be done, sitting with Him is the one thing that is needed. I need water to live. I don't need Coke. I need air to live. I don't need a house. I need food to stay alive. I don't need dessert. I drink coke. I have a house. I LOVE dessert. But they aren't needed to survive. If the mopping doesn't get done...we will survive. If I never have dessert again...I will survive ...* I think, lol*. But water. I can't live without it. Air. Can't live without it. Food. Have to have it.

Life at His feet. I NEED it. There are many things I can concern myself with in this life, but only one that is needed.

And so, today I am reminding myself again, let go of themany things for the ONE thing. In the midst of everything, quiet yourself and be with Him. Shut down the list and listen to Holy Spirit. He's waiting.

Until next time my friends!

Love you

-andrea

My House Favorites Wednesdays

Starting something new on the blog this week...Gonna share with you some of my favorite things around our house!!

So ...lets go!!

First thing that I love...OUR CHALKBOARD WALL!!

The girls both love it, as you can see by all the lovely scribbles. Over to the left you can see Karis' crosses from where she wa telling us the Easter story:) If you have kiddos, the chalkboard paint is a great investment!! I am so glad I decided to paint it in the kitchen!!

Second thing I LOVE...

Our art-from-my-parents-old-fence:) This is a line from one of our favorite songs, "More Than Ashes" by Merchant Band. Its my great reminder everyday to refocus on what really is important and why we're really here. Listen to the song...it'll change your lfe:)

And last but not least for this wednesday....

my little ladies:)

I love them. They keep me on my toes and keep me trusting Jesus, because at the end of the day, I really have little to give them apart from Him.

Love you guys...what are some of your favorites in your house!!

-Andrea

The Lord is My Shepherd

Have you ever read a scripture that you've read a hundred times or more and you read it again. And then it just HIT'S you in a way it has never hit you before?

Psalm 23. I have few words for this ncredible passage of scripture. The revelation of who Jesus is and how He feels about us and what He gives us...yeah. It's all in this little passsage-youv'e-heard-a-million-times-since-you-were-a-kid-in-sunday-school.

I don't think I'll ever be quite the same.

Passages like these have changed my life

"I shall not want...[ I shall not lack....I have everything  need]"

"He refreshes and restores my [life...my self....my soul]"

"I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me"

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies"

This is Jesus.

The Good Shepherd.

My perfect leader.

In Him, I will lack nothing.

I have no need to fear ANYTHING.

Although my enemies may surround me, He has prepared a banquet for me.

He is so good.

He is better than any other leader.

He is wiser.

He is stronger.

And His concern is for ME.

Again. I have no words.

Read it again if youhavent in a while. I pray you see Jesus again as He is.

Our good good shepherd.

A Year Later

Has it really been over a year since my last posting??

I can't believe it! Guess I should do a quick catch up!!

Our Karis Rayne is 4. Four!! Already?!? I keep saying that to myself. She has such a happy heart...and such a funny little imagination. She has 3 imaginary friends, who make their appearance most days - Monster, Zoe and Dabby. Monster was stuck in a tree out in the backyard for about a week recently. I tried to get the "fire department" to come, but Karis insisted that at her birthday party, he could jump down if all her friends were out there. And He did. Bet he was hungry after a week in a tree! She loves to play outside, pick flowers, tell hosanna what to do and help in the kitchen. She has started to help unload the dishwasher now-- thats her "job to do". The time has surely passed quickly.

Zanna, Zanna, Zanna Hosanna...our smiley, cool-as-a-cucumber, still nursing ALL night little lady. Her toothy grin brings a smile to our little family and everyone she meets. She follows karis EVERYWHERE! She has grown so much since her first days in the NICU last year. She's still a petite little thing, but keeps us on our toes. She has rejected the traditional way of crawling and scoots around like a little chimpanzee. It is really HILARIOUS! She is always investigating, always picking up something off the floor to eat, yuck, and talking in gibberish. She has brought another ray of light into our lives.

Don't know what I did before these two little beauties:)

Well, I know the floor got mopped more often. lol

We have spent the last 2 months working outside on cleaning up the yard...much progress has been made-- Eric has cleared out most of the jungle" that surrounded the house. Maybe we'll get to have a garden...*maybe* . We've started painting the outside of the house...it has really needed it! Now it looks like we actually live here!!

This year has met us with financial challenges, spiritual challenges and health challeneges. Karis has been sick every month since october. Asthma...allergies...bronchitus...sinus infections...antibiotics...Without insurance all this adds up quickly. We also found out that the couple that rents our other home will be moving. A lil more financial pressure. Then we received an $800 electric bill this last month. Yeah. $800. Really. A little more pressure. And all of those things seem to be the icing on the cake of what has been this year. But in this verse I have found refuge:

No matter what the pressure may be, because our lives are given to Jesus, the pressure is WORKING FOR US! Money may come and go. Illness will come and go. But Jesus remains faithful. He remain at the right hand of the Father praying for us!! And that is and encouraging thought in the midst of what could be discouragement. He is so faithful.

Until next time my friends:)

Macaroni Nursery Works Crib Bedding

I have a set of Macaroni Nursery Works Crib Bedding for sale...it is like brand new--it was rarely used since the baby ended up in our bed:)

Here is the link where it is listed on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nurseryworks-Macaroni-Crib-Bedding-Children-/120850726913?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2343c001

Leave me a message if you have any questions!!

Big Bang Photo Giveaway!!

CHECK IT OUT!!

http://beautifulphotoprops.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/07/the-big-bang-photographers-dream-giveaway.html

Grocery Budget

I have been wanting to write this blog for a while now, as it may be of some help to many of you moms who are trying to save money...who isn't trying to do that! When eric and I were in Hamilton, we had a REALLY tight budget . Like, month to month we weren't sure where the money would come from to pay the bills. The Lord was so incredibly faithful to us, and we were never late on one bill. We never went without groceries, electricity or a car...etc. Probably the second or third month there we realized that we needed a grocery/food budget. You don't realize how much money you waste by NOT planning ahead for meals. You know-- those nights you look in the fridge and freezer and think- "I can't make anything from this!". Even though you have food, there's nothing that really goes together? Maybe that hasn't happened in your house. Before making this change in our house, i would make a sort of grocery list of main things that i knew we needed, and then pick up the rest as we shopped, off the top of my head. What you end up with, most of the time, is a big grocery bill and the need to go back for more stuff lot's of times throughout the month to pick up things that you forgot. And then, when you don't have what you need, you end up going out to eat...and nowadays, not only is fast food bad for you, but its expensive! So, to solve my grocery dilemma, I scoured the internet for advice from others on the best way to plan ahaed, shop smart, use coupons and schedule meals. I was upset when i did not find the "perfect" way to do this. I ended up taking a little info from everywhere and I guess you could say we found something that works for us. It is still being tweaked when it needs to be...

First...set a monthly budget (ours is $200) .Get a notebook to write all your grocery stuff in-- I have one with pockets in it to hold my calandars and receipts etc.

Before we started planning, we went to walmart (at the time we were in Hamilton, and that was the only grocery store) and went through the store princing everthing that we would ever buy...lol. You can look online for a master grocery list to help you-- or you can just do a walk through at the store. Write down what it is you would buy and the regular price of it. Heres what mine looks like:

This list will allow you to do what we did next:)

Next...Make a list of all the dinner meals that you fix. Examp. Chicken and Rice Casserole, Baked Chicken, Tacos, Spaghetti...etc. I have a list of about 25 different meals.

Now...From that master list of dinner meals we made a master list of a cost breakdown for how much each of those dinners would cost...for example:

SPAGHETTI: Total: $7.15
Noodles:$1 Sauce $2.14 Hamburger: $3.18 Mushrooms $0.54 1/2Onion 0.29= $7.15

Make sure you include everything that you need for the meal- sides and all. My first page of my master meal price list looks like this:

Now you have a great tool for yourself-- a list of dinner meals and how much they will cost you to make, in order to stay in your budget.

Now you're ready to make your dinner calendar! I use a blank monthly calendar that I print from a website called kristens guide -here's the link: www.kristensguide.com/Printables/Calendars.asp. I use the blank monthly calandar to make my meal schedule. It looks like this once its filled in:
.
To keep our $200 budget for the month, each week we cook a regular dinner 3 nights, have sandwiches/soup one night, eat out one night, have dinner at our parents one night a week and one night we find something to eat ourselves. **That usually means some sort of leftovers in the fridge or sandwiches**
I go through the master list of meals/cost and put write them into the calendar. I have found as long as I stick to the above plan for each week, our budget stays under $200 . *Note: The $200 does not include our eat out budget. That has its own budget.*

From that meal schedule I make our grocery list...that looks like this (this is the one from this months grocery trip)

After i have gone through and marked everything that i need to buy for the month for dinner then I go in and mark the things we need for breakfast and lunch. We keep lunch meat, canned soup, ramen noodles, cereal, pb and j, and fruit on the list every month, getting them as needed. Obviously, if I am having a salad with dinner at the end of the month, i don't purchase it at my big once a month shopping trip. Things like that I usually get in a quick grocery run in to get more milk, bread or fresh fruit.

Then-- just stick to the schedule and the list! I am not a huge coupon user but i am subscribed to several sites online that send me coupons in the email and mail. The key to coupons is to only use them for things that you normally would buy, or a special treat! Be sure to check sale papers and prices of store brands to make sure you're getting the best deal. I always buy the store brand of canned foods because they're cheaper...BUT sometimes green giant will be running a sale...or during holidays there may be great sales on things that are CHEAPER than the store brand. It takes a little more thinking while you're shopping, but it really pays off at the end of the month. Watch for sales, esp. on frozen chicken, when its buy one get one free and buy in bulk if you're budget can allow. While it may cost you more this month, if you stick to your meal schedule, you will save money over the next several months by making buys like that.

Wow. That was a lot. I'm sure there are things I've forgotten:) Message me if you have any questions or advice:)

Until next time!