Just a few days ago my friend asked me how to politely turn down people constantly approaching her trying to "witness". She apparently gets stopped constantly by people ready to hand her a Watch Tower magazine.
I told her what I do. I usually politely say "I have a Church that I love and I love Jesus with all my heart, I also own a Bible and yes I know what it says I hope you have a wonderful day and God loves you very much." Most of the time they walk away and leave me alone but I rarely encounter them...or so I thought.
This morning my doorbell rang and it was a Jehovah's Witness. I wasn't the one who answered the door my husband did, I don't know what he said but I could see other people walking around in other areas of my neighborhood as I looked through my window.
I immediately thought; What boldness! Boldness because they are walking around a neighborhood knocking on random doors sharing what THEY Believe to be a good message AND they are showing passion about what they believe in.
It made me feel a little guilty because as a Christian I know the truth and I know about God's love and his miracles but am I passionately sharing this wonderful message of hope? am I as bold as these people who do NOT have the truthful message about who Jesus really is?
How many people have they approached who have turned their backs and been rude? how many lost people have they approached that have opened their minds and hearts to hear this distorted message of God? It breaks my heart to think of the people who have been misled BUT it also gives me and admiration for those BOLD enough to share their message no matter what.
What if all of us who call ourselves CHRISTIAN were as passionate as them? what if we were bold enough to even open our mouths up to the people we see on a daily basis who we know that need to hear about JESUS?
I know that I need to do a better job at opening my mouth, I don't ever want to feel like I could have shared God's word with someone but did not do it out of feeling awkward or inadequate.
This morning I was inspired and I prayed for them because in reality they are lost and have been given a false message. I pray that someday they can learn the truth and be just as passionate to share the real story of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. I prayed for wisdom in knowing what to say when I am approached and show God's love to them and be a true "witness".
Monday, February 6, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
* Fundraising *
I am always up to help a good cause. Sometimes though I can get myself stuck not being able to say NO! Especially those cute girl scouts and those oh so yummy cookies. I'm always the sucker for the sales people at the door because I over analyze them needing to make the sale for their comission or whatever. I'm thankful that Carlos is tougher than I am when it comes to those types of things or I would end up with lot's of unwanted magazine subscriptions and funky carpet cleaners.
On the other hand, I don't mind being a part of fundraising for something that I know will benefit those less fortunate or help with some sort of research.
Recently I registered to do an MS walk in April. I decided to do the walk because I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with MS, she was a former co-worker of mine and has two little girls. I want to be able to do "something" to help so I joined her team for the walk. I am thrilled that Carlos also agreed to do the walk with me and that it has become a family activity. Our goal is to raise $200 towards MS research. I think we can do it.
I decided that everyone that has a sweet tooth would be willing to shell out a dollar for a cupcake if it's for a good cause. I hope to prove my theory to be accurate since this Sunday I'm doing another fundraiser, this time for Church. Our women's ministry has paired up with Project Hope for this year with the emphasis on helping victims of human trafficking. Project hope helps to aid the ladies who have been victims of this and get them a place to live and to get back on their feet. The most important thing for these ladies though is that they get to hear about Jesus.
On Sunday we are selling about 240 cupcakes all made and donated by different ladies who attend the Church. I hope this was a bright idea on my behalf because all those cupcakes better get sold! I have good faith that they will though, nobody can resist a cupcake right?
On the other hand, I don't mind being a part of fundraising for something that I know will benefit those less fortunate or help with some sort of research.
Recently I registered to do an MS walk in April. I decided to do the walk because I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with MS, she was a former co-worker of mine and has two little girls. I want to be able to do "something" to help so I joined her team for the walk. I am thrilled that Carlos also agreed to do the walk with me and that it has become a family activity. Our goal is to raise $200 towards MS research. I think we can do it.
I decided that everyone that has a sweet tooth would be willing to shell out a dollar for a cupcake if it's for a good cause. I hope to prove my theory to be accurate since this Sunday I'm doing another fundraiser, this time for Church. Our women's ministry has paired up with Project Hope for this year with the emphasis on helping victims of human trafficking. Project hope helps to aid the ladies who have been victims of this and get them a place to live and to get back on their feet. The most important thing for these ladies though is that they get to hear about Jesus.
On Sunday we are selling about 240 cupcakes all made and donated by different ladies who attend the Church. I hope this was a bright idea on my behalf because all those cupcakes better get sold! I have good faith that they will though, nobody can resist a cupcake right?
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Balancing Act
There is no doubt that I have early birds living in this house. It doesn't matter what time my kids get to bed because they get up early regardless. Early for me? 6:30 am even 5:45 am sometimes.
I am thankful now that I do not have to rush to be anywhere. I can take my time making the kids breakfast and even do some of the morning school stuff with them all while still in PJ's. I realize that in just a few more months this will change.
I always say that being a mommy is the hardest job I have ever had. It's only been about a year and a half since I have been a "stay at home" mommy and I am still getting used to the balancing act.
I have moments when I feel truly overwhelmed by everything that I need to accomplish. I like a clean and orderly house, I like to do art with the kids, I love to teach them, I HAVE to cook, there is laundry to be done and the list goes on.
Balancing being a mom and JUST those duties alone is a tricky job let alone the other commitments I have in my life. I don't ever want to make my kids feel like I would much rather do something else than be with them. If I can put something aside to give them my full attention then I try to do that.
There are times when the kids do need to do things on their own because obviously NOTHING would get done If I sat around and played all day, but some days are meant to do just that! I am reminded that these moments are precious and I need to truly make myself sit down and enjoy them. It is hard with my tendencies to be such a neat freak and want to get things done, but I am learning to balance it all and enjoy my TIME.
This is a beautiful poem I read in a book and the author is unknown but it touched my heart.
I am thankful now that I do not have to rush to be anywhere. I can take my time making the kids breakfast and even do some of the morning school stuff with them all while still in PJ's. I realize that in just a few more months this will change.
I always say that being a mommy is the hardest job I have ever had. It's only been about a year and a half since I have been a "stay at home" mommy and I am still getting used to the balancing act.
I have moments when I feel truly overwhelmed by everything that I need to accomplish. I like a clean and orderly house, I like to do art with the kids, I love to teach them, I HAVE to cook, there is laundry to be done and the list goes on.
Balancing being a mom and JUST those duties alone is a tricky job let alone the other commitments I have in my life. I don't ever want to make my kids feel like I would much rather do something else than be with them. If I can put something aside to give them my full attention then I try to do that.
There are times when the kids do need to do things on their own because obviously NOTHING would get done If I sat around and played all day, but some days are meant to do just that! I am reminded that these moments are precious and I need to truly make myself sit down and enjoy them. It is hard with my tendencies to be such a neat freak and want to get things done, but I am learning to balance it all and enjoy my TIME.
This is a beautiful poem I read in a book and the author is unknown but it touched my heart.
LOVE
If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in it's place, but have no love-I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have no love-my children learn cleanliness, not Godliness.
Love leaves the dust in the search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive. As a mother there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of these is LOVE.
-Unknown
I am still learning how to balance it all, keep the house clean enough and spend time with the kids. Not just hanging out but quality time, the kind that makes them feel like I truly care and I'm truly listening to them and their heart. I never want to make them feel unimportant or disregarded by me I want them to know I love them more than anything else and NOTHING is too important for me to stop and listen to them.
I am thankful for God's grace in allowing me to be the best mom I can be and for his help in the toughest job I have ever had.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
* Growing and Building *
The only type of carpentry experience I have is from wood shop in sixth grade. I recall making a clock that I gave to my mom as a gift (doubt she still has it) and a stool that I still have in my closet that I have re-decorated and painted a million times through the years. That reminds me that I should add it to my "spray paint white" list.
Since July of last year, Samuel has been attending the free Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics. I wanted to register him because they were free but also because I felt it would be fun for him to practice a new skill. The kids receive a free apron and goggles upon registering for the clinic on their first visit. They are typically for children five and up but most projects can be completed with a supervising adult. Since then, Sam has completed about a dozen "projects" with his dad's help. Some of the things include; a boat, castle, dinosaur, choo choo train, binoculars, tow truck, fire truck, police truck and plenty more.
At the completion of each project he gets a small badge that he can add to his apron. You can imagine how colorful and wonderful his apron looks by now. He is very proud of himself every single time he completes a new project. Here he is at yesterday's clinic after making a dinosaur.
Carlos is the talented carpenter in our family so it was no doubt that he would be the one to accompany Sam to make these projects. I know that these trips to Lowes will serve for special moments shared with father and son but I also hope that they help to develop a love for carpentry and using tools for Sammy. It would be very "handy" to have two skillful boys in my house right?
Since July of last year, Samuel has been attending the free Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics. I wanted to register him because they were free but also because I felt it would be fun for him to practice a new skill. The kids receive a free apron and goggles upon registering for the clinic on their first visit. They are typically for children five and up but most projects can be completed with a supervising adult. Since then, Sam has completed about a dozen "projects" with his dad's help. Some of the things include; a boat, castle, dinosaur, choo choo train, binoculars, tow truck, fire truck, police truck and plenty more.
At the completion of each project he gets a small badge that he can add to his apron. You can imagine how colorful and wonderful his apron looks by now. He is very proud of himself every single time he completes a new project. Here he is at yesterday's clinic after making a dinosaur.
Carlos is the talented carpenter in our family so it was no doubt that he would be the one to accompany Sam to make these projects. I know that these trips to Lowes will serve for special moments shared with father and son but I also hope that they help to develop a love for carpentry and using tools for Sammy. It would be very "handy" to have two skillful boys in my house right?
Friday, January 27, 2012
* Driving through the Country *
We were invited for a fun play date today. Our friends live in Aguanga and it was our first time coming over to their home. It was a lovely drive up the hill and literally through the woods. Samuel was excited to find out that his buddy lived "in the mountains".
It was quite windy today but we were still able to take an amazing walk in their back yard. They have about five and a half acres of land with lot's of things to explore. My kid's had a blast looking for sticks and special treasures to bring back inside the home.
We played for a while in their trampolene and Samara practiced a little bit of her jumping skills even though it was tricky to do so when all the other kids kept jumping and knocking her down.
After a while outside, we headed in for lunch and to get cleaned up from the dirt. Samara had a blast playing with Abbie who is the exact same age as she. They were both born on September 3rd, 2009. Samuel and Jaziel are the same age as well and they are best friends "brothers" from Church. Samuel likes to pretend that they are brothers and he was super excited to get a chance to play with his buddy today.
We had some yummy home made fish tacos and avocado and the kids ate sandwiches and watched a short movie.
It was a beautiful day in the country and the drive wasn't bad at all. It took us about thirty minutes to get from the city to their home. We look forward to another visit and some more new adventures with them.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
* Pennypickles Workshop *
Pennies and Pickles everywhere! Today I decided to take the kids for a local adventure. We visited Mr. Pennypickle's Workshop in Old Town. This is a children's museum that has been voted number one by Nicklelodeon kid's choice. It's been around for a while and I have been waiting to go. Yes "waiting".
I wanted Sam to be old enough to enjoy it and now that he is four I thought it would be the perfect time. Children two and under are free so of course Samara came with us too.
It was a beautiful day perfect in the sense that it wasn't too hot or too cold. We arrived on time for the first session and it wasn't crowded at all. While inside, we discovered multiple rooms with small hidden crawling spaces that led to other rooms. This was a highlight for Sam not so much for Samara. They had a glow in the dark room and a ton of hands on experiments and things to explore. They even had a science presentation for the children.
I think we were at the museum/workshop for about an hour and a half before the kids started to get a little bored. There is plenty to do in Mr. Pennypickle's house and even adults will be entertained by all the neat experiments and optical illusions. One of my favorites was looking through a peep hole into a long "Willy Wonka" type corridor. Samara's favorite was a giant wardrobe that you could step in to that had a magic mirror inside. It was really just a two way mirror but she loved it and kept saying it was "Narnia". Samuel of course enjoyed all the buttons and knobs that were available for him to play with and explore.
I would recommend this place for anyone looking for something fun and inexpensive for the kids to do. I am sure that weekday's are probably best since it's probably not so crowded. I will definitely take the kids there again perhaps again in the summer when it's too hot to be outside anywhere!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
* Shopping Made Fun *
I would much rather do household shopping on my own than with my two children. Don't get me wrong I love being with them, but sometimes shopping takes a little longer when having to stop and "look" at everything or when we have one too many bathroom breaks.
However there are a few stores that I truly enjoy taking my kids to because they make for a fun shopping experience. Here is a list of some of the one's we enjoy together.
We love the yogurt from Trader Joe's and usually have to make a bi-weekly trip to stock up on that delicious yogurt. The kids also love the fruit leather strips and the ceral bars. There are way too many things I personally enjoy from there to name but it's one of our favorite places. Another fun perk is that the kids know they have to search for a certain stuffed monkey. This stuffed monkey get's hidden through out the store in different spots every day. The goal is to find him and when you check out tell the cashier and she or he will give you an ORGANIC Lollipop. Is that fun or what? They also have monthly themed coloring pages the kids take home bring back and then get hung on the wall at the store. When there are holidays they also have holiday themed stickers and the kids usually get a roll of them when we visit.
Another store that I don't mind taking the kids to is Walgreens. Now I visit this store weekly due to my couponing and Register Rewards that I talked about in my bargain blog. This store is fun because the staff has come to know and love the kids. They know them by name and they are usually so sweet and nice to the kids and that in itself makes for a pleasant shopping experience.
We also like to visit Sam's club. Samuel thinks this place was named after him. One morning after some of the employees finished a brief morning meeting, they did a Sam's club cheer. Samuel got excited and thought they were singing about him. "WE ARE NUMBER ONE, S.A.M WHAT DOES THAT SPELL?" ha ha. When the manager learned what my son's name was, she made the employees sing the cheer again just for my Sam. I wish I would have taken a picture of his face it was priceless. Needless to say we enjoy going to "Sam's Club".
Ralphs is a store we visit on occasion when they have good sales and I have good coupon matchups. However when we do visit, we tend to have a pleasant shopping experience because Samuel get's to push around a "real" shopping cart sized just for kids. I put certain things in his cart and he absolutely loves it. They also give him and Samara a balloon at the end of the shopping trip.
Albertsons is another favorite and again I only shop there when I have coupons and good matchups. We like it though because the kids are part of their FREE Healthy Eater Club. This means they can choose up to one free snack per visit. This includes; bananas, bagels, cheese and apples. They also like it because they have a cart that has a car in the front. So they can "drive" while I shop.
We have discovered ways to make shopping fun because sometimes I don't have a choice and must go with the children. On the days when I can go by myself, I choose Target and Walmart so I can take my time browse and coupon. It is nice to know though that God extends grace to me when I shop with the kids and sometimes feel overwhelmed and i'm thankful for the places that I know will be fun for us all.
However there are a few stores that I truly enjoy taking my kids to because they make for a fun shopping experience. Here is a list of some of the one's we enjoy together.
We love the yogurt from Trader Joe's and usually have to make a bi-weekly trip to stock up on that delicious yogurt. The kids also love the fruit leather strips and the ceral bars. There are way too many things I personally enjoy from there to name but it's one of our favorite places. Another fun perk is that the kids know they have to search for a certain stuffed monkey. This stuffed monkey get's hidden through out the store in different spots every day. The goal is to find him and when you check out tell the cashier and she or he will give you an ORGANIC Lollipop. Is that fun or what? They also have monthly themed coloring pages the kids take home bring back and then get hung on the wall at the store. When there are holidays they also have holiday themed stickers and the kids usually get a roll of them when we visit.
Another store that I don't mind taking the kids to is Walgreens. Now I visit this store weekly due to my couponing and Register Rewards that I talked about in my bargain blog. This store is fun because the staff has come to know and love the kids. They know them by name and they are usually so sweet and nice to the kids and that in itself makes for a pleasant shopping experience.
We also like to visit Sam's club. Samuel thinks this place was named after him. One morning after some of the employees finished a brief morning meeting, they did a Sam's club cheer. Samuel got excited and thought they were singing about him. "WE ARE NUMBER ONE, S.A.M WHAT DOES THAT SPELL?" ha ha. When the manager learned what my son's name was, she made the employees sing the cheer again just for my Sam. I wish I would have taken a picture of his face it was priceless. Needless to say we enjoy going to "Sam's Club".
Ralphs is a store we visit on occasion when they have good sales and I have good coupon matchups. However when we do visit, we tend to have a pleasant shopping experience because Samuel get's to push around a "real" shopping cart sized just for kids. I put certain things in his cart and he absolutely loves it. They also give him and Samara a balloon at the end of the shopping trip.
Albertsons is another favorite and again I only shop there when I have coupons and good matchups. We like it though because the kids are part of their FREE Healthy Eater Club. This means they can choose up to one free snack per visit. This includes; bananas, bagels, cheese and apples. They also like it because they have a cart that has a car in the front. So they can "drive" while I shop.
We have discovered ways to make shopping fun because sometimes I don't have a choice and must go with the children. On the days when I can go by myself, I choose Target and Walmart so I can take my time browse and coupon. It is nice to know though that God extends grace to me when I shop with the kids and sometimes feel overwhelmed and i'm thankful for the places that I know will be fun for us all.
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