All posts in Better Check Out Links

Thank GOD for Mercy! (seven)

by admin on January 17, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Feeling It (Thankful) with 1 Comment
(Who are those two kids with their first kid!!??)

We all develop emotional habits that effect our behavior. Certain situations create emotional reactions in us and those emotions can lead to other emotions and it can all become a nasty habit.

I have been a person who reacts to much in life with anger, in an attempt to keep down and protect my real feelings. I later reprimand myself to the point of depression for angry outbursts. I was SO THANKFUL to listen to a message today that once again directed my attention away from the I to the HIM. I am writing this out in hopes that the simple yet brilliant truth that hit me during the message will remain, stick, that I will GET IT.

We can learn so much from our babies… children come sign sealed and delivered with the ability to accept love and the wisdom to not turn away mercy.

So I get angry, so I am not perfect, so habits seem so strong they threaten to define me… I loose sight of all the Lord has to offer me through my bad behavior, MERCY being the biggest gift I forget about and then squirm about receiving. Mercy comes in and I need to get over myself. It doesn’t matter how rotten I have been I need to ignore my prideful pull toward making it right and being good on my own and let the Lord clean me up, forgive me and grow me into something beautiful. It isn’t about how much I screw up, it is about how much he loves me.

When I brought my babies home I loved them because they existed. I loved them into growing. No matter how rotten I can be the Lord loves and that is the beauty of mercy. Jesus Christ loves me into growing.

P.S. Here is the link to the sermon I heard today, RIGHT HERE… I hope to go through it again as my kids where pretty noisy for a large portion so I feel like I missed out… the mommies reading this aren’t surprised by that at all, he he he.

TTFN

Things You Hear That Make You Go WOW

by admin on January 14, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, My Year of Right Sacrifice-TIME with No comments

Today it was a message I heard on podcast, link to RIGHT HERE.

I have felt the idea of ‘hold lightly’ moving in me for a couple years now and this was just another part of the education for me.

TTFN

Warning, Not Making

by admin on January 9, 2011 in Better Check Out Blogs, Better Check Out Links, Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Feeling It (Thankful), Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Mama Heart Mushings with No comments

Watching your children face consequences is so very painful, so important for that child’s healthy growth but so very hard for a mommy’s heart. As I start to let my stubborn child face up to choices made I acknowledge this is a very new and scary place for me as a mother.

Always available to tell you the better way my love,
to help you find it,
but also to let you learn… insist you face consequences
and to love you any ways.

I didn’t think I would move out of the young stage so soon… it is hard to acknowledge that I physically can’t prevent my kids from all harms and bad choices anymore… that even though I still have preschoolers my older two are far beyond that stage and onto bigger things that are so much harder on my mind and heart. I can warn them but unlike my babies I can only MAKE them to a point now…

Following my mom’s wise advice I will be praying so MUCH for my children, so much more now even… it is so easy to pray for them when they are sweet babies and tender children but as they move into more ornery stages I hope I will be all the more disciplined a prayer warrior on their behalf.

I am moving beyond my comfort level as a mom already, LORD protect my heart!

Note: This section added January 10th.

P.s. Found this phrase, LABORING OVER LOVE or love laboring, and it hit me that that is how I have been feeling, in regards to my babies… Found it at the link above.

The author shared a concept that you never stop laboring over your children… painful but necessary and oh so much a part of love… I needed to read that… and just breath.

She seems like a very thankful lady so I must look into more of her writing as I work on a year of thankfulness myself. Right now I am truly thankful for her article and her concept, for it has calmed me down and helped me see the strength in being a mom, in being one mom among so very many, world wide, who deal with the pain of loving children all their days…

TTFN

DECEMBERS HYMN (last hymn of the project)

by admin on December 7, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, Holiday Messages, The Hymn Project with 1 Comment
Bring A Torch Jeanette Isabella

For my final monthly hymn I chose a Christmas carol. It originated from the Province region of France in the 16th century. I .chose a French Carol so I was sure I didn’t know it already. It is also to encourage more learning of this second language in our home. I will focus on learning the English first. It will later be a project for my oldest daughter and I to learn in French. A very pretty song but it was hard to find an audio for it so I am using a video to learn it this month. You can link to the video RIGHT HERE

English
Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella!
Bring a torch, to the stable run
Christ is born. Tell the folk of the village
Jesus is born and Mary’s calling.
Ah!* Ah! beautiful is the Mother!
Ah! Ah! beautiful is her child
It is wrong when the child is sleeping,
It is wrong to talk so loud.
Silence, now as you gather around,
Lest your noise should waken Jesus.
Hush! Hush! see how he slumbers;
Hush! Hush! see how fast he sleeps!
Softly now unto the stable,
Softly for a moment come!
Look and see how charming is Jesus,
Look at him there, His cheeks are rosy!
Hush! Hush! see how the Child is sleeping;
Hush! Hush! see how he smiles in dreams!
French
Un flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle —
Un flambeau! Courons au berceau!
C’est Jésus, bonnes gens du hameau.
Le Christ est né; Marie appelle!
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que la Mère est belle,
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que l’Enfant est beau!
C’est un tort, quand l’Enfant sommeille,
C’est un tort de crier si fort.
Taisez-vous, l’un et l’autre, d’abord!
Au moindre bruit, Jésus s’éveille.
Chut! chut! chut! Il dort à merveille,
Chut! chut! chut! Voyez comme il dort!
Doucement, dans l’étable close,
Doucement, venez un moment!
Approchez! Que Jésus est charmant!
Comme il est blanc! Comme il est rose!
Do! Do! Do! Que l’Enfant repose!
Do! Do! Do! Qu’il rit en dormant! [1]
(*) The word Hark! or Hush is sometimes substituted for Ah!

The video that I am learning this song from sings the alternate lyrics and they are as follows:

Alternate Lyrics:
Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella!
Bring a torch to the cradle run!
It is Jesus, good folks of the village;
Christ is born and Mary’s calling:
Ah! ah! beautiful is the mother!
Ah! ah! beautiful is her Son!
It is wrong when the Child is sleeping
It is wrong to talk so loud;
Silence, all, as you gather around,
Lest your noise should waken Jesus:
Hush! hush! see how fast He slumbers:
Hush! hush! see how fast He sleeps!
Softly to the little stable,
Softly for the moment come;
Look and see how charming is Jesus,
See how He smiles, Oh see how rosy!
Hush! hush! see how the Child is sleeping;
Hush! hush! see how He smiles in dreams.

TTFN

And The Tree Is Up For 2010

by admin on December 5, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Holiday Messages, Mama Heart Mushings with No comments

After having it up for a few days with no decorations the kids patience was rewarded with a family night to decorate the tree. They where so much quicker this year! So much less fighting as I just let them do their thing and rearranged what needed to be rearranged once they went to bed (he he he mommy trick). They had so much fun and it looks very sweet.We started the evening off right by putting our pjs on and having an applicable supper; popcorn and smoothies (applicable because it is all about the kids tonight). We then listened to some ‘Vinyl Cafe’ via pod-cast (online) and decorated. The story was very cute, by the way, it was called ‘Dave and the Elevator’, look it up if you have a chance. Listen on line at this address http://radiotime.com/program/p_134919/Vinyl_Cafe_-_Stories.aspx !

And if you want Christmas flare look up the Vinyl Cafe story called ‘Dave Cooks the Turkey’.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


TTFN

Beneath the Cedars

by admin on November 30, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, My Year of Right Sacrifice-TIME with No comments

Last Friday I wrote two posts after a very reflective evening out in the snow. The one I posted is LINKED RIGHT HERE and I decided to hold off posting this one. Since I am sick and not up to writing I’m posting it today.

I went looking for the apple tree behind the towering cedars. Whether put there intentionally or by accident, we have two apple trees (that are very happy and healthy) crammed in between our row of towering cedars and the fence. The trees looked so inviting, pasted with snow. As I pushed through the cedars I spotted a sitting branch. The ‘v’ shaped branch on my apple tree will be a perfect perch… but I thought better of it that night, considering my age and all. I also thought cumbered by my puffy winter clothing I might not be agile enough to make it up.

On a whim I peeked down under the cedars and found a tunnel. Images of ‘the old road’ (part of my parents farm yard) flashed in my mind, trees all along both sides so weighted down by the heavy snow that they had bowed, creating perfect tunnels all the way down the road on either side. It was a child’s paradise and we must have crawled about the bent limbs for hours that day. No one was about so I crawled on my hands and knees to the tunnel I had spotted behind the cedars.

I sat alone with everything concealed, other then my feet perhaps. Can you imagine the snow covered cedars, their greenery not quite reaching the ground thus my winter boots sticking out from below? Despite my boots, I felt the grand pleasure that comes with finding a ‘SECRET PLACE’… Don’t we all desire out own secret place, or at the bare minimum an oasis we can retreat to on our own? Though I walk in him always I felt like this was a physical place where I could get away from the din of family life and meet with Jesus there. Here’s hoping for more time to climb beneath the cedars!

TTFN

THE BIKE SONG by Mark Ronson

by admin on November 25, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, Music Flavor with No comments

Heard a song today that reminded me of my husband, he is one hardcore bicyclist and even does it all winter here on the prairies. The video was great for this song so click on this link RIGHT HERE and enjoy. The part about bike theft should specifically impress my husband as it is a real big deal for all bicyclists and it would be a dream to have it solved as it is in the video. Hope you enjoy this little indie groups song, I sure did.TTFN

Sentimental and Practical

by admin on November 19, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Little Things with 1 Comment

Sentimental? Yes, my family had an old record player and a varied collection of records. I think we all enjoyed listening to it well into our teen years! I am a romantic and so I love old things and record players have been on my mind since I saw the beautifully packaged new records at my local book store… ‘I can get (enter fav new artist here) on vinyl!!’ Vinyl Cafe is a family fav radio show in our house and… well… for many sentimental reason’s spotting that rack of new vinyls sparked a vinyl on the brain week.

Now, how can I make this practical??

Well of course it is practical to own something that suits my decor! Since I have a traditional and off kilter old fashioned in my own way living room of course I can’t have a stereo or i-pod station! It simple wouldn’t go! I would have to cover it, shamefully, with a doily as I have with my husbands electric piano. I must go with my decor and get a record player!

Who am I trying to convince? Well my husband of course (enter big grin and eyelash flutter here).

TTFN

Novembers Hymn

by admin on November 8, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, My Year of Right Sacrifice-TIME, The Hymn Project with No comments

I Know Not What Awaits Me is my November hymn selection and second last of the project!

I am a little uncertain about it. Though I really like the words I have yet to meet anyone who is very familiar with it and can help me out with the vocals a bit. Found a couple youtube videos but the singers seem to deviate from the original hymn a far bit, which is fine, I am for artistic licence and all, but it doesn’t help me learn the basics of the song. Anyhow, it took a bit for me to warm up to it but something about it makes me think it can become a favorite of mine. I think the vocals are just waiting to be given life.

The lyrics of the song are attributed to one Mary G. Brainard. I couldn’t seem to find anything on her. However, the music is attributed to Philip P. Bliss, who is very well known in the hymnal world. Click on his highlighted name for a link to a little write up about him. Let me know if you know anything about Mary G. Brainard.

I think this is a suited song at this time, nearing the end of my project and all… I am often wondering what is to be next and what was the really benefit to this little year long activity of mine? I hope to have something of meaning from it all to share with you in my very final hymn project post.

TTFN

Foodie Like Me?

by admin on October 15, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with 1 Comment

Any body else out there a foodie?

Garnet and I have been called ‘sugar hippies’ and I get ‘granola girl’ but I think I favor the term foodie.

I have been playfully throwing this term around the kitchen, the dining room and even the grocery store for that matter. This slang has many different definitions but one specifically suits my man and I.

Slang in Cookery– a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food.

Garnet and I enjoy food and most related topics. We get far to enthusiastic as we share new found favorites. Our beaming faces seem almost cartoonishly over done to many around us who just don’t get it. For me the enthusiasm stems from years of struggling with an appetite that would just dry up and my husband has so many diet limiting health issues that we had to start researching new ideas and options. So when you come from that kind of a problematic relationship with food whenever you discover GOOD FOOD you get pretty worked up.

If there are any foodies like me reading this lets together draw our attention to the posted photo atop my article. I have returned to the habit of making myself espresso each morning. Using my stove top Italian espresso perk makes it a little bit more work but I always end up smiling at my steaming black yum in a cup all the more, so it is worth it! The treat of choice with my yum cup is presently ‘Sahale Snacks’ biscotti crisps. They are sweet enough to aid the espresso down but not too sweet, I have a growing dislike of sugar. With walnuts, banana and dark chocolate hiding in amidst the crisp one is bound to find something new to ‘mmmmmmmm’ about in each bit, provided you don’t in hail them too quickly. Espresso anyone?

If you have a minute you should think about food and not just eat it, it might lead to a lot of fun!

P.s. I think I sense a new blog label coming on…

TTFN

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