February Goals

Wow! Where did January go!? It seems like it flew by. It was a good start to a new year. I participated in and completed a 31 day challenge to pray for my spouse! What a great new habit. I had prayed for him before but never that deliberately and consistently. God was moving. We started Mikah's home program and it is going great! My dad moved out and we gained a schoolroom. How fun! Lots of moving stuff around, some to the trash. :) We renovated a closet. Just need to figure out how to paint a door to match the stain on the surrounding molding...hmmmmm. And I created a new habit of taking cod liver oil...and I never thought I would say this, it doesn't taste that bad anymore!

On to February.
February 3 in 30 goals:

1. Less time online! More time for my children, my husband and my house. I am coming up with a plan, like no computer before 2pm or something. I will still want to check email every once in a while though because that is how my husband and I communicate while he is at work.

2. Workout at least 3 times each week and log my food and workouts into MyFitness Pal. I was doing great with this then I was sick for the whole month of November and then the  holidays came and went and I still haven 't gotten back into a good groove. Really need too! My body misses it.

3. Number 3 is staying the same. Be diligent in completely the 31 Days to Clean challenge with Joyful Mothering. I am not doing well with this but I am also not giving up! I am a couple days 5 days behind them but I don't care! I am finishing it! My house and my family will be better for it no matter how long it takes me. :)

Looking forward to another new month! Go here to link up.

Blessings,
Michelle

January 3in30- Week 3

My January goals are:

1. Take cod liver oil daily.
This is going great! I got sick last week and decided to up my dose. I don't know if it was the cod liver oil or something else but I was better the next day. 

2. Fill my water bottle 5 times each day and drink the water.
This is going better. I am thinking about it and remembering to at least attempt to drink water instead of coming to the end of the day and right before bed realizing I haven't had anything to drink.

3. Be diligent in completing the 31 Days to Clean challenge with Joyful Mothering.
I am content and happy with my progress on this. I am a day behind Joyful Mothering and I am okay with it because I am moving forward on it and my family has noticed. Tackling my kitchen cupboards this week and a couple other things. My stove, microwave and outside of the cupboards look great! I bought some pretty green and white drawer liner for my drawers and cupboards which I hope to put down this week when I go through everything, purge and reorganize.

How did your week go? Hop over here and join the fun!

New Spaces

I couldn't be more thrilled. Are house is trashed, more than usual. Things are everywhere and several rooms are in a state of disarray. No, that is not exactly what I am thrilled about. :) I do prefer cleanliness and order. Things are somewhat upside down at the moment due to a couple new spaces.

One is a little closet that has been collecting sewing and crafting odds and ends for about 5 years now. The other I will post pictures in a later post, maybe next week?
So how about the closet...I gutted it, painted it and my wonderful husband installed some shelves. He is still working on a new door and then it will be completed. At the moment the some of the contents of the closet are out and about, mostly in neat piles. Want to see?
*Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a professional or semi-professional photographer. They all seem to come out orangey. Oh, well. This is what you get. :)

I forgot to take a picture of just the painted without all the crafting goodness. If you can't tell from the next picture I painted the inside a fun blue. We have a large area rug in the room and I tried to pull some of the blue out. I know you will only see it when you open the closet! But it makes me smile just knowing the little surprise that awaits behind the door. Here is the in-progress after.

Now, to see if I can figure out a side-by-side view... (well, in my preview it is side-by-side...)

Idleness

Proverbs 31:27

She watches over the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

I am afflicted with the sickness of idleness. I know what I should be doing, what is needed. I just don't want to. I would rather browse the web, read, play games, check facebook, find new pins on pinterest, sleep...You get the idea. But what is needed for my relationship with Christ, for my family, for our homeschool, for Mikah and my relationship with my husband?

Ecclesiastes 10:18

Because of laziness the building decays,

And through idleness of hands the house leaks.

Ezekial 16:49

Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

2 Thessalonians 3:6

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

These warnings from scripture make it clear that we are not to be idle but diligent, working and busy towards that which God has called us. To be doing what is needed. And the results from such diligence? We find it in Proverbs 31.

Proverbs 31:26-28

She opens her mouth with wisdom, 
      And on her tongue is the law of kindness. 
       She watches over the ways of her household, 
      And does not eat the bread of idleness. 
       Her children rise up and call her blessed; 
      Her husband also, and he praises her.

Daily, laying aside my wants and desires, striving to do that which is needed over "eating the bread of idleness".

Does anyone else struggle with idleness? What is your affliction?

January 3in30- Week 2

My January goals are:

1. Take cod liver oil daily.
This went great except for the weekend. On the weekend my husband usually gets my son's water and food ready and I am not following my normal routine. I need to work on remembering on the weekend. I'll have a chance to practice tomorrow!  :)

2. Fill my water bottle 5 times each day and drink the water.
Major fail! There were a couple days I didn't even drink one bottle full. I did notice the days I get up and go workout first thing in the morning I was closer to my goal. Still a work in progress.

3. Be diligent in completeing the 31 Days to Clean challenge with Joyful Mothering.
This was kind of a fail and kind of not. I had completed the day 1 challenge but decided to take it a step further, which I can't really share on here because you should really buy the book. :) But I haven't completed Days 3 and 4. She is going at a slower pace for this reason so I am planning on working on them today and over the weekend.

All in all I had a very distracted week. I am not sure why, I have just been very unfocused and irritated. I started praying about it once I realized what was happening, I am kind of slow in realizing these sorts of things sometimes :) Praying next week I am able to be focused and diligent in doing what is needed for my family and myself.

How did your week go? Hop over here and join the fun!

My 2012 Reading List

I recently read a post from Stephanie at Keeper of the Home about her 2012 Reading List. I have friends who make reading lists and often thought it was a good idea. Well, I decided to move two of our bookshelves to a different room and discovered books that I haven't read or would like to read again because it has been many years since my last reading of them. I pulled them out and decided to make my own 2012 reading list. Some I have read before, some will be new to me but all them are already owned.

Books I Would Like to Read in 2012
(in no particular order)


Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee

The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

Stonewycke Legacy by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella

The Highlander and His Lady by Lisa Samson

The Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas

Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell

Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo

When You Rise Up by R.C. Sproul

Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Give Them Grace by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick

The Blessing by John Trent and Gary Smalley

There are many others that I don't own that I hope to own or borrow from the library and read. They are sitting in my Amazon wish list waiting for the right time.

The best book I read in 2011 was One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It is back on my 2012 list as a re-read as is Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell. One Thousand Gifts marked a big turn around in my attitude and life. Whether it was the book or I was just at a place of being ready to change I don't know. Probably both. Either way, it is a definite keeper and re-read!

January 3in30: First Week of the New Year

The first week of the New Year is almost behind us! With the first week comes my anniversary! On this day 9 years ago I made one of the best decisions of my life, apart from accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior and I said yes to my man.  9 years ago at this time today we were in warm and sunny Riviera Maya, Mexico. I was in the day spa getting my hair, nail and toes done up all pretty and my man was getting into the only tuxedo I have ever seen him wear along with the only sandals I have ever seen him wear.  Yes, I said a tuxedo and sandals! We were getting married by the beach after all.  :)  So here's a great big Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband and best friend!!!


This week has gone well. I love the holidays and I am so glad to be getting back to our normal routine. Did you notice the "and"?  :)


My 3in30 goals for January:

1. Take cod liver oil daily.

This is going really great. My son is 100% tube fed and in the morning before breakfast he gets a water 'snack' with probiotics. Along with getting his water ready I get out the cod liver oil. I take mine and then give him his water. Seems to be working nicely.

2. Fill my water bottle 5 times each day and drink the water.

This hasn't gone as well as I would like but I am doing better. I have filled my water at least three times each day and drank that amount. This is definitely an improvement on the past couple months.

3. Be diligent in completing the 31 Days to Clean book with Joyful Mothering.

This is going okay. I have not completed all the first weeks tasks but am going to work on that this weekend when my husband is home and I have a better chance of being able to focus on them. One thing I did accomplish was cleaning out the refrigerator. What a difference! I didn't realize it was that dirty until I was done cleaning it! My husband came home with groceries and asked where the new fridge came from. :)


All in all I am happy with how things are going so far. Now to keep it up.


How are you doing?

To join in head here.

January 3in30

In following my word for 2012, I will be rejoining in the 3in30 weekly accountability.

My 3in30 goals for January:

1. Take cod liver oil daily.

Okay, so I know some people will be turning up their noses. But really the health benefits of this stinky oil are amazing. I really feel this is something that will help me be healthy and have the energy to be diligent.

2. Fill my water bottle 5 times each day and drink the water.

Again, something I feel is important for my body, energy and health. For those that know me you may be laughing since I am almost always seen carrying my water bottle but for some reason the past couple of months I have not been drinking much water each day. I can tell. My body doesn't like it. So here it is as a goal for January.

3. Be diligent in completing the 31 Days to Clean book with Joyful Mothering.

I tried to do this when Christin held the challenge in 2011 and couldn't. This time she is going at a slower pace, doing 2-3 chapters/tasks each week. My house really needs a good purging and cleaning and I really need start a new habit of being diligent with my homemaking skills.

If you would like to join in click here.

A Word

Diligent: characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort

I desire this. I need this. I will be focusing on this for 2012.

In being diligent, I will be be focused on what I should be doing. I will be disciplined in following the Lord's will for my time and my days. I will be consistent in doing what is needed such as my daily quiet time, my homemaking and homeschooling. My husband and children will experience more of my love for them in real and tangible ways.

Titus 2:4-6

Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Count It All Joy

Joy.

That is what I regained in 2011. It was a hard year. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't the best. It wasn't the worst. It was fulfilling. It was filled with joy. I knew it was missing. I just couldn't put my finger on exactly how to grasp it. How to define that joy found in Nehemiah 8:10 "...for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

I searched and read and prayed and questioned and prayed and read and searched some more.  I did word studies. I pulled up all the uses of joy in a couple different versions of the Bible on Bible Gateway. I asked friends and family who liked that verse, "What does that kind of joy look like, what does it mean, how do you achieve and experience that kind of joy?" It is not that I wasn't saved. I am. I have been. I think I just needed to do some growing, some maturing this year. In a big way. And I did. I think. I hope. 

There are many verses I have been blessed to read in a new way this year. Many notes taken in my journal. And one book that helped me realize this kind of joy in a new way I have never experienced, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I am living life more fully now. With a thanksgiving that breeds joy. Even in the hard things. 

I am learning to live joyfully.

James 1:2-4  My brethren, count it all JOY when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

October 3 in 30 Goals

I can't believe September will be behind us in a few hours!

My goals were:

1. Start Mikah's new home program.
This did not go well. I did a few masks a couple of different days and got really discouraged at how upset he got. I guess this is something he and I are going to have work through. I can't not do it so I guess I will just have to keep reassuring him that it is okay and push through until he figures out it helps him. I did rearrange his room and set-up his patterning table. The last time we had it out he was still in the crib, now he has bunk beds and with the table setup it is really crowded in his room. I would like to figure out a better place for the table although I am not sure where else it can go considering we will be setting his inclined floor up in the florida room this weekend. I did sit down with a good friend and was able to talk out how to organize and implement his reading program. I also found a pocket chart that I think will work for holding the reading cards. I need to order this. So I guess there was progress made. We just didn't actually do any of the program with Mikah.

2. Restart school.
This went well. We got off to a slow start but are back on track, not completely caught up with our originally planned schedule but not so far off that we won't be able to get done what is needed.



3. Practice Eucharisteo daily.
This went good. I recorded a few gifts almost everyday. Especially on those hard days. It was a great practice to help refocus my attitude and mind on Who is important and that without Him I am nothing.

What's next?

The goals I have chosen for my October 3 in 30 are:

1. Stay consistent with school.
I want this to become a habit and it is not yet, for me or my children. We will be changing our schedule a little bit, adding circle time and a few other changes to hopefully help.

2. Start Mikah's new home program.
I am keeping this one since it was not met and it is important.

3. Declutter and organize the kids toys and books.
They are taking over our house! It is crazy! When we were pregnant with our first we said we only wanted high quality, simple toys that stimulated imaginative and creative play. Fast forward several years and our house is over run with toys most of which do not fit that criteria. We actually started a toy closet for toys, puzzles, games, Montessori type manipulatives, etc.. It is already full! My goal is to declutter so that everything will fit nicely in the closet.


To hop in or check how everyone else is doing, link up over here.

September 3in30 Week 2

How did I do? Well, with a holiday one day and then daddy home for three of the other days we only had one normal day so not very well...We LOVE having daddy home. It's just that when he is home we spend time with him and not on our regular activities.

1. Start Mikah's new home program.
We started masking. We did one mask, one day...I have been trying to figure out where to set up Mikah's inclined floor and patterning table again. Does that count? This should definately improve next week with a normal week to work in. A good friend of mine is also coming over to help me setup some things like his reading program.

2. Restart school.
Well, this kind of had the same false start as the masking. We did one whole day and then the rest of the week daddy was home and daddy is much more exciting than school. :) We did finish up our science lesson and will be ready to move into the next chapter on muscles next week.


3. Practice Eucharisteo daily.
This went the best out of everything. I made a point to take note of several gifts each day. My list is growing and my attitude was better.

Hopefully next week will be better.

To hop in or check how everyone else is doing, link up over here.

September 3in30

So I got lost in August. I really enjoyed this in July and it really helped me focus and keep on task so here's to starting over. :)

My 3in30 goals for September:

1. Start Mikah's new home program.

My first 3in30 goal ever was to fill out and submit Mikah's consultation papers. Well, I did that and we had our first phone call just last week so now we just need to get started again. We are supposed to work on the simple program she gave us for 6-8 weeks and then take a video of Mikah and send in the video along with new paperwork. Once that is done she will give us a much more detailed home program to be done for 3-6 months after which we will have the oppurtunity to take Mikah to the Institutes.

2. Restart school.

We started off great August 1st. Then everything kind of fell apart last week with a death in the family and out of town family members staying with is for a while. I need to look past the fact that we are 'behind' according to my planner, not try to fix it and just get started again.


3. Practice Eucharisteo daily.

I am not trying to be legalistic about this. It's just that this practice has been life changing for me and in turn for my family. My attitude is better, my prayer and quiet time is better. Sometimes when the simple things are in place the big things fall in place as well. This seems to be one of those simple things for me that leads to bigger things.

To hop in or check how everyone else is doing, link up over here.

What we do when we should be homeschooling...

332. Poop Messes

My Multitude Monday post is happening on Thursday from my other blog...

What a great heading for my first post...for two years? Almost two years? I guess I was pregnant with our little red headed fireball the last time I put my fingers to the keys and typed. Let the words flow out. But poop is a happening thing in the Starner house. Especially the size and quanitity of a certain young man's poop. My fingers are not enough to count the number of explosive poops that have happened recently. All requiring a dunk in the tub which is no small thing since a certain young man does not take to the water by himself. How messy! and stinky! But I love him. I can think of no other reason that I haven't really lost my cookies. Some know that at one point I couldn't even wipe a snotty nose or think about changing a peed in diaper without gagging. I will admit to still having this problem with other people's children but God in his divine mercy has bestowed upon me the ability to help my own children with these needs.
So poop happens. And this mom is struck with guilt and sadness. Both conveniently aligned to rob me of joy. Of peace. Of my sound mind. Guilt because was I not paying attention? Was I being lazy, not being a diligent and observant mom? Mikah is for the most part content. Content to do his thing. Zoom around the house, or should I say scoot, playing with this toy or that. His contentment reaches far beyond my own and is at times too much. When the red head calls or Ellie needs, or dishes are piling up...errr...falling out of the sink...well you get it, right? Those who aren't screaming and are happy and content may get left to their own. I have made it a point to not let this happen since I became aware that time was zipping away and Mikah was being left in its wake. But still the guilt monster does its little dance on my shoulder whenever there is a mess. Were you present? Were you not?
And then there is the sadness. I am not sure which monster stings the most. Which will leave more marks. The sadness because maybe I was paying attention. Maybe I was completely in the moment and it just happened. And Mikah couldn't tell me. He couldn't say, "Hey mom, I need to poop." Which is worse? I really can't say. They both have the ability to steal my joy that I fight to grasp.
So I make my list...of gifts. I am on my way to 1000. 332 and counting. Some are hard, like number 332, poop messes. Some are easy, like number 1, the still of mornings and number 2, God's words and number 3, Jesus offering thanks...The counting cleanses the air of the stench. It wipes the dirt from my eyes. It frees my thoughts from guilt or sadness and the joy seeps in. It soaks up the day's clutter and peace enters my soul.


#310-332...of counting gifts...more of the One Thousand Gifts that never end...

310. Family zoo day
311. School planning
312. Visits with old friends
313. 4 year molars
314. Innocent as doves
315. Camping memories
316. Ellie rising early
317. Reading the Word aloud to my once little girl
318. Parables in Matthew
319. Dinner in the slow cooker
320. Quiche crust
321. Chocolate milk filled circus cups
322. Gold finches crowding for a spot
323. Squirrels tumbling
324. Seeds blowing in the wind
325. A single leaf making its way to the earth
326. Butterflies laying eggs
327. Hummingbirds searching
328. Little girls waiting
329. Finding coupons
330. The little blessings on hard days
331. Tot school
332. Poop messes

Today, if you’d like to share your own marking towards One Thousand Gifts of thanks, of making your life about thanks to God — (please, jump in!) — just go here.

Offering Eucharisteo...

A few months ago I had never heard this word, it was missing in my life. I just was unaware of my need for thanks. I was wandering and wondering. I knew my Savior, just not about His giving thanks and how much I needed to do the same. Then I saw a pretty cover filled with pages. The beautiful words on those pages changed something inside of me. I had been studying the word joy. Searching for it, how to grasp it, how to live it out daily. God placed Ann's words in my lap, in my hands and I drank them in. I had no idea how thirsty I was. I read and then I started counting on my own. Every little moment, little gift, big gift. The size didn't matter. But the change in my heart was real. Still there. Growing. The beginning is here. And I am still counting...
#295~309...of counting gifts...more of the One Thousand Gifts that never end...

295. showers after sweating
296. ants at work
297. swim lessons
298. husband willing to run
299. grandparents still able
300. Anderson's day
301. new pens
302. new planners
303. homemade lunches
304. middle of the day ice cream
305. Jazzercise 5 days in a row
306. little boys throwing everything
307. sore muscles
308. new trucks
309. teaching moments

Today, if you’d like to share your own marking towards One Thousand Gifts of thanks, of making your life about thanks to God — (please, jump in!) — just go here.

July 3in30 Week 2

My 3in30 goals for July Week 2:

1. Fill out and submit Mikah's paperwork to the Institutes.

This has been something following me around for over a year! I finished filling out the last form not 24 hours after my first 3in30 post!! Somehow, putting it as my number one goal for the month made it okay for me to sit down and concentrate and get it done! I am so excited. My goal for this week will be to take it to the post office and mail it out.

2. Organize homeschool shelves, materials, and paper work.

This is going well. I was not at all excited about doing this but I have found some really great articles and other fellow homeschool mom blogs like Sam's and my enthusiasm is back. I ordered a new planner, The Well Planned Day and I am loving it! I also found my new favorite pens in the whole world! Frixion pens! They erase! Love them! I will be finishing typing up our letter of intent this week which we will mail August 15th.


3. Weight loss goal for the month ~ Continue Jazzercise and cut back on sugar, especially chocolate.

This is going great! I had a great week last week and lost 3lbs! I went to Jazzercise 5 days in a row in an effort to "shock my body" as I have been stuck at a certain weight for about 3 weeks. It was really discouraging me. This week I will be doing a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday Jazzercise schedule. I will also be going without CHOCOLATE...I have asked a couple other people not in the blogosphere to keep me accountable on that one :)

To hop in or check how everyone else is doing, link up over here.

Words to think on for today...

See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another.
Isaiah 48:10-11

Practicing the art of losing myself for His sake.

July 3in30 Goals

Starting something new...besides this blog. It is called The 3in30 Challenge. Basically you set 3 goals to reach for in the next 30 days. Each month you start over with 3 new goals. It is a way to eat the elephant "one bite at a time". Since I have been overwhelmed recently with all the "things" rolling around in my head that need done, I thought it would be helpful.

My 3in30 goals for July:

Fill out and submit Mikah's paperwork to the Institutes.

Somehow, this has not been done in the past year. I am embarassed about this, beat myself up and generally just don't understand myself. That being said, feeling guilty is not going to get it done. This will be tackled 15 minutes each day.

Organize homeschool shelves, materials, and paper work.

I have declared July our “get ready to get back to school” month. The plan is to start school August 1. This is the first year I actually have to submit paperwork to the school system and I have much to do to get ready for us to start on that day!


Weight loss goal for the month ~ Continue Jazzercise and cut back on sugar, especially chocolate.

I have been struggling with my weight since having Mikah. It is affecting decisions that my hubby and I want to make for our family, I am sure it is affecting my health, although I appear healthy right now and it is affecting my energy level as far as being the wife, mom and keeper of my home that I feel I should be. I am considering cutting out chocolate altogether since I can't seem to have just a little bit/ Each little bit turns into a whole chocolate bar or 5 cookies instead of one. This will be my hardest goal to meet and continue.

That’s my three goals for the month. If you would like to join too, visit here to learn more about it and link up!

Just like my life...

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