How We Roll: Essential Oil Blends for School

School is back in session!! 

And all the moms said, Amen.

For real though, I'm glad to see them off in the morning (like really glad) and I'm thankful to see them come home in the afternoon. And between all the things I do during the day, I worry about them. Just like every other mom out there, I want to make sure my kids are safe and taken care of and are learning and having fun and making friends. If they're not feeling well, they are not doing any of those things.

So, here are two homemade essential oil blends that they can easily apply and help me feel a little less anxious while they're away.

Roller Bottle for Headaches: 

What you'll need:

• 5ml roller bottle
• Essential Oils (need some? click here)
• Fractionated Coconut Oil

What you mix:

• Peppermint: 10 drops
• Lavender: 10 drops
• Frankincense: 5 drops
• Fill the rest with Fractionated Coconut Oil

Why I used what I used: 

• Peppermint & Lavender when used together helps to alleviate headaches
• Frankincense is a great anti-inflammatory and helps to focus and reduce stress. 

What they do?

This blend is rolled onto the back of the neck. 

Roller Bottle for Focus and Calming:  

What you'll need: 

• 5ml roller bottle
• Essential Oils (need some? click here)
• Fractionated Coconut Oil

What you mix: 

• Peppermint: 10 drops
• Wild Orange: 10 drops
• Vetiver: 10 drops
• Fill the rest with Factionated Coconut Oil

Why I used what I used: 

• Peppermint and Wild Orange when used together help to rejuvinate and focus. 
• Vetiver is grounding, calming and stabilizing. It helps to calm those wild emotions. 

 What they do?

This blend is rolled onto the back of the neck or the bottom of the feet. This is typically used in the afternoon when they are getting tired and having a hard time focusing. 

I tend to use the 5ml roller bottles because they are small and easy to carry around. The teachers don't mind them hanging out in their desks and they typically use them without being prompted. As a mom, I love that they can use them without disrupting the classroom. I love that they don't have to go to the nurse. I love that they have control over two very simple distractions that can hinder any kind of progress. And I love that it gives me a little less to worry about while they're away. 

Do you want to make these for your family and need a little help finding quality oils? Message me and let's talk!

Have you made something that worked well for your kiddos? Share it with me! I'd love to hear about it!

Midnight Madness! Sleepy Time Blend

Tonight we have open house. Yeah, I said it, open house. Tonight we learn who the kids will be learning under this year and what friends made it into their classes. Tonight we get all excited about book bags and new shoes and what’s packed in their little lunch boxes. Tonight … will be hard to sleep.

We’ve been working on getting to bed earlier. We all know that summer is a time for relaxed rules and schedules. And as much as the kids want to get a good nights sleep, their little minds are on full alert! So, here is a little blend I’ve mixed to help turn the mind off and turn the sleep on.

What you’ll need:

• 5ml roller bottle
• Fractionated Coconut Oil
• Essential Oils (more info)

What you mix:

• Grounding Blend: 10 drops
• Calming Blend: 10 drops
• Vetiver: 10 drops
• Protective Blend: 10 drops
• Respiratory Blend: 5 drops
• Soothing Blend: 5 Drops
• Fill the rest with Fractionated Coconut Oil

Why I used what I used:

• Grounding Blend: Helps to calm the mind and body.
• Calming Blend:  Supports restful sleep.
• Vetiver: Has a calming grounding effect and supports the immune system.
• Protective Blend: Supports a healthy immune system. (We want to keep them well for school!!)
• Respiratory Blend: Helps clear airways and breathing.
• Soothing Blend: Helps with tired muscles and growing pains.

Once you’re done, pop the top on and roll away! I roll this on the bottom of their feet and have them rub it in while we settle into bed. Sweet dreams are in the very near future! And hopefully some good grades as well. Are you having trouble sleeping at night? Can't turn your brain off when you lay down? This works for you too. Make one up for your family and let me know how it worked.

Want to make your own Sleepy Time Roller Bottle but need some Essential Oils? Email me here for more details.

What's In The Diffuser?

Whats in the Diffuser?

Well we’re down to the last few days of Summer Vacation. School starts back in less than a week. So that means it’s time to get the kids geared up and ready to go. Bed time has been moved back from 9 to 8:30. The school supply list has been crossed off, book bags have been packed and first day of school clothes are laid out. The “sleepy time” blend is in full effect. And in the diffuser, Protective Blend is on full blast.

We want to make friends and build relationships. We want to dive into this new year head first. But we don’t want to miss any of these foundational days. So, in order to build up that immune system and keep us all well, we are adding Protective Blend to just about everything. It’s in the diffuser. It’s added to the night time feet rub and we’re using the Protective Blend soap in the bathrooms now.

The Protective Blend has a combination of Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils. We use it topically for support healthy immune functions. We diffuse it to protect against environmental threats. I love that it comes in so many forms to use around the house as well. We have a hand wash, laundry detergent, and toothpaste! I absolutely love the toothpaste. As many types of toothpaste are a blast of mint early in the morning, this is a soft cinnamon.

Interested in adding this Protective Blend to your families healthy habits? Ask me how! 

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus: December Playlist and Schedule

Christmas is my most favorite time of the year. The smells, the music, the excitement mounting in the air. It's almost palpable. But the thing that draws me in is the hope. The hope of whats to come. We know what's behind us, but we have no idea what's ahead. We know what this last year has brought. We know the joy and the sorrow. We know the health and the sickness. 

For believers, we know that we didn't take one step of it alone. We know this because of Christmas. We know what we celebrate this time of year, the birth of Jesus, is not another birthday. It's not another holiday that gathers families. It's the Father gathering his children. He's drawing us near. He's gathering his family together to celebrate. He gave us Jesus as our great promised deliverer so that we don't walk alone. We walk in hope. Expectant hope that He is coming back. 

We wait. 

As they waited all those many years ago. 

Generation after generation. 

With Hope.

With Faith. 

We know He's coming back.

"Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: “It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I’m going to do battle against the snake. I’ll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I’m coming back for you!” And he would. One day, God himself would come."

JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

 Isaiah 9:6

So below is the playlist, all except "The Darkest Midnight" by Bono. It's on Michael W. Smith's new Christmas Album and was not available on Spotify. But it's amazing! Go look it up.

If you're looking for the Yoga that goes with the playlist: You can find me here:

As always, tis the season ... and things may change. But as for now, here is my December Schedule. If you have any questions, please comment or email me!

Check back ... I'm looking for a place to do a special Christmas Holy Yoga class. More details to come.

Tuesday: Resting in His Hands

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Tuesday; I am resting in His mighty hands today. As I type this I am sitting Tire Kingdom. I'm trying to get things ready for my family before I leave. So, when I looked down and noticed that it's time to get an oil change, the next obvious step is to take the family vehicle and get it prepped for me to be gone and my family to be safe. The good news: my SUV will be ready for my husband to drive all week. Bad news: I waited until my mom was out of town and no one could help me and so for the next few hours, I'm sitting in a waiting room waiting for my car. Now, my OCD listing checking self is going crazy. There are so many things that need to be checked off my list before I leave. But I have to laugh at the way God is so sweet that He's given me this time to sit and be still. Because I have no other choice!

The thing is, He always knows what we need. And He will give it to us if we ask. So, how did I end up "trapped" at the car place? Because I asked God yesterday to help me relax and find some rest before I leave this weekend. You have to be careful what you ask for because the gift does not always look like what you thought it would. But I'm thankful that me makes me laugh. I'm thankful that He gives and blesses me beyond what I thought was best. 

I'm trusting Him for next week too. Would you pray with me?

For my Family: Jamie, Brewer and Eva. 

Please pray first for their safety, that God would hold us all in His mighty hands while we're apart. Please pray for good health. It always seems that when one of us is gone, those left at home get sick or hurt. So, please pray for good health for all four of us. 

Second, would you please pray for our hearts while we're away from each other. I know we'll only be gone a week. But I'll be honest with you, this is the first time I've left my husband alone with the kids for a week. I trust that He'll be just fine, but it can drain you. God designed families. God's design was perfect with a partner to carry and support the load. When your partner is gone, grace abounds. Pray for grace to about when we feel the weight of the loneliness. Pray for grace to abound when we feel the weight of the responsibility. Pray for grace to abound when we are tired and at the end of ourselves. Pray for my sweet babies to be kind to each other and respectful and kind to their Daddy. 

Please pray for the other men and women who will be with me. We are all leaving behind family and loved ones. Pray for our hearts, our health and our freedom. God is working Friends. God is faithful. God will complete what He's started. Not one of us ended up here on accident. He has called and wooed us. He has worked in our hearts and in the hearts and lives of those around us. We know this full well. And that is what gives me the strength to get up, board a plane and leave my family behind for a few days. It's all for His glory. It's all for His Kingdom. 

And if you think about it, please pray that the dog gets fed. 

10 Things My Daddy Taught Me

My Daddy. Well, what can I say about my Daddy? While I grew up, my Daddy suffered from chronic migraines. Our house was usually cold and dark. We didn't have people over a lot. But to an introvert like myself, it was a perfect house to grow up in. 

My Daddy took his job as a Daddy very seriously. He worked hard to provide for his family and sometimes that meant long days and trips away from home. But he made his "at home" time count. He spent time with his family and we knew that we were loved. While I, like most kids, didn't have everything I wanted, I had so much more than I needed. The most important thing he gave me was a life surrounded by truth. 

My Daddy is not a man who is going to tell you how he feels very often. I mean, he's not going to say it in words, he shows it in action. There was a period of my rebellious teenage years when I felt completely disconnected from my parents. You know what I'm talking about because we all feel that way at some point. It happens when you're in the middle of a transition period. When you're trying to figure out who you are and you're pretty sure no one can let go of who you used to be. There was a time I felt that way. 

I don't know if he'll even remember this, but one simple act of love changed the way I would forever look at my Daddy.

I was going through my "grunge" period. (Yeah, I'm a 90s girl) My Dad was on a business trip to India. When he returned from any trip he always brought back gifts for us. This trip was no different. When he started to unpack I was a little distracted and really didn't care. I watched as my Mom was given a beautiful silk scarf. My sister received a beautiful beaded mirror with a brush. He stared handing out these really "girly" trinkets and bracelets. And then, he pulled out a bag and handed it to me. "Here Annie, I saw this and thought you'd like it." It was a plaid flannel button up shirt. Are you kidding me!? (If you are a child of the 90s you'll remember that was an integral part of the grunge girl outfit) 

He got me. That was the moment where I knew that my Daddy, though we didn't talk about it a lot, was watching me. I wasn't invisible to him. He loved me and cared what was going on in my life. And he wanted to be a part of it. So, from that point on, when he did speak, I took him a lot more seriously. And I loved him more deeply. I am so thankful for my Daddy. 

 

1.       Honor God.  He is my father and will never leave me nor forsake me. My Daddy may disappoint me, because he’s human. But God never will.

2.       Money doesn’t grow on trees. Only spend what you have. Tithe first, God will get his money one way or another, it’s better to give it willingly and with a happy heart.

3.       Music is important. Always listen to good music.

4.       Even though he said, “Once you’re out, you’re out.” I always knew (and still do) that I can come home if I need to.

5.       Work hard. But work smart. Respect your boss even if you don’t like them. God puts people in places of authority and by being respectful to them, you’re honoring God.

6.       Always respect your mother. I always knew that my mom was more important to him that I was. In today’s world that might sound harsh. But to me, as a kid, that meant that my parents’ marriage was safe. And the house I lived in was safe. It meant they were on the same team and there was nothing I could do to manipulate them into disagreeing with each other so I could get what I want. It made me want to look for a man just like my Daddy.

7.       Send thank you notes. Hand written ones. It was more about treating people with respect and letting them know you care. (I'll add that as a SAHM, mail is one of the highlights of my day.) 

8.       Dance with passion.

9.       Never call boys. This one I HATED growing up. I just didn’t get it. But now, it was about respecting myself and having others respect me too.

10.   Take care of your car. Get the oil changed before the light comes on. Don’t let your car get below a quarter of a tank of gas. Take care of what you have and it will last longer.

I love my Daddy and wish him the best Fathers Day yet! And to all you Fathers out there ...

Happy Fathers Day!!

Where Belief and Behavior Collide

I was raised in a wonderful Christian home. Not without its faults. My parents did their best to teach me how to Love God and Love People. They did their best to teach me what God was teaching them. I was (and still am if I’m honest) a headstrong, do it my own way, kinda girl. I’m a kinesthetic learner, I have to learn by doing. And most of my younger years was learning by what not to do before I learned what to do. Ya dig?

As a parent, I look back at my parents, and I am so thankful . They didn’t have it all together, but what parent does? They were learning as they went and I was the first born. My parents were not the only voices in my life. And I believe that they shouldn’t be. I don’t want to be the only voice in my children’s’ lives. That’s why Jamie and I are pouring into the community around us. We are doing our best to pour into the lives of our friends and our family. So the voices speaking into the lives of our children are strong and believable.

I was raised around some strong women. My mom, my grandmothers and my aunts. They all did their best to speak truth into my heart. But I was headstrong and didn’t come to an understanding of who Jesus was and how much he loved me until after I had graduated from high school. And it was hard.

There was a season in my life when I felt like I had grown up in the church and around beautiful Christian women and friends who had it “all together” and I didn’t have the right to ask for help. I felt like I had to figure it out all on my own. But Friends, if that’s you today, please hear me when I say NO ONE HAS IT ALL TOGETHER. We are all working it day by day. Sometimes we’re taking one step forward and two steps back. If you have questions, ask them. If you need help, ask for it.

Throughout the month of June, I’ve been working through the book of Titus with SHEREADSTRUTH and it’s been wonderful. I’ve been working through it with a new friend. And I want to go on the record as saying that I am so thankful for her! I am so thankful for the SRT community and the encouragement that I find there. I am so thankful for the way that God works in my life.

One of the best and most rewarding seasons in my life was working as a Student Ministry Intern at my church. I was horrible at it! I had no clue what I was doing. I was still very young in my own faith.  And I was supposed to be pouring into the lives of young girls and teaching them how to be women of God. I was just learning what that meant my own self. Let me just stop here to say this: You don’t have to know it all to teach someone else. But, you can’t teach what you don’t know.

I think we can look at a book like Titus and get really overwhelmed. I think we can see it as a list of rules to follow knowing full well that we’ll never be able to keep them. I know for me, if I don’t do something well, I see it as a failure and if I know I’m going to fail, well then I just don’t do it at all. But that’s the beauty of our relationship with Christ, right? We can’t do it well.  Just like our salvation, we did nothing to deserve it. We did nothing to make it work. The only thing we do is surrender. We surrender to mercy that’s given to us. We surrender to the grace that covers us. We surrender to Jesus who works in and through us for the sake of the kingdom. The beauty of our salvation is that it changes us from the inside out.

So the book of Titus, it’s a letter written by Paul to Titus who is building up the church on the Island of Crete. This particular culture was a very morally deviant place. Word had gotten back to Paul that some false teaching had seeped in from the culture into the church. So, Paul writes a letter to Titus giving him direction for getting the church back on track. I loved the notes in my bible, “The theme of Titus is the inseparable link between faith and practice, belief and behavior. The truth is the basis for its critique of false teaching as its instruction in Christian living and qualifications for church leaders.” I loved that … “the inseparable link between faith and practice, belief and behavior…”

1.       Set up qualified leaders. Because a health church must be lead by healthy leaders.

2.       Community is very important. The qualifications of a healthy believer need to not only be lived out in each man and women, but must be taught from one generation to the next.

3.       Any distraction from truth must be cut off. Don’t let the enemy take hold of anything. When we start to fight about petty things, we take our eyes off of the gospel and the ministry of the gospel. Don’t get distracted.

That’s pretty much Titus. If you believe God, do what He says. You will be known by your actions. So here is the big part for me. Community. It’s a big thing in my life right now because we are made for relationship! We are not meant to do this life alone. You can take it back to Acts 2 where the church was eating and teaching together, essentially doing life together DAILY! I believe this is one way that the enemy has really taken root in the American church. And it breaks my heart. We have been taught that we can do and have it all. And Friends, that is a lie. We can’t. We are meant to lean into each other for encouragement, for accountability and for ministry that’s bigger than we are. Friends, that encouragement is not words only. That’s mothers leaning into other mothers. That’s physical help for the purpose of mental  and spiritual healing. How many mothers out there can agree with me that we need some physical help? I’m not just speaking to mothers who work outside of the home or mothers who work inside the home. I’m speaking to all mothers! That’s husbands leaning into other husbands. That’s men asking the tuff questions of each other. That’s men encouraging each other in purity of heart and mind. That’s opening up your life in a way that others are not afraid to speak into it. And that is hard!

When we really get into the nitty gritty of Titus 2 where the older men and women are told to pour into the lives of the younger generation, that is a scary thing, but it’s oh so necessary. And again I will say, it’s one area that the American church is failing at. We have mothers hiding behind doors broken at the thought they are failing as a mother. We have marriages that are suffering because they have bought into the lie of having it all. And we need older, wiser voices speaking into our lives to encourage and push us toward Jesus. And we need it now.

Earlier I said that one of my favorite seasons of life was as a Student Ministry Intern at my church. I had only been a believer for a few years and was still very young in my own faith. I was scared out of my mind that those high school girls would figure out that they knew more than I did. There was a group of girls that were so thirsty for truth and would push me to study and grow. I had to if I wanted to keep up with them. You can not teach what you do not know, so I spent many nights pouring over God’s word just so I could answer a question. It was an unbelievable time of growth for me. And I am so thankful for it. I don’t know if those sweet girls will ever know how much they still mean to me.

 My point is, we think we have to know everything before we can pour into someone else’s life. And that’s not true. Oh Friend, it’s so not true. You teach what you know until you’ll all out of information and then you go learn something new and then teach that. Mentoring is not just sitting around a coffee shop table with your bible open, it’s a phone call in the middle of the day to make sure she’s ok. It’s sitting on a park bench with a mom while her kids play. It happens on a yoga mat holding hands during prayer. It’s passing along recipes and maybe even watching the kids while she gets to spend an hour at the grocery store alone. (Hopefully it’s a Kroger with a Starbucks in the middle. Yeah, that’s one of the main reasons I shop at Kroger.) It’s simply investing into someone else’s life for the sake of the kingdom. It’s loving.

So Friends, let me ask the tuff questions real quick …

1.       Who has invested in your life? Do you have a mentor? If not, look around for an older woman in your line of sight and ask her out to coffee. Be intentional.

2.       Who are you investing in? Is there someone who God has placed on your heart?

I love you Friends. I really truly do. I am so thankful for you and your voice in my life. I am so thankful for the comments here and through email and through other social media. I am thankful for the men and women who have spoken truth into my life over the years. Even when it was painful. I have no idea what I would be without them.

But most of all, I’m thankful for a God who loves me. Not some future version of me. But that He loves me right where I am. Without the Cross of Jesus Christ, my life would mean nothing. It’s all about the Grace that covers me. And Friends, I don’t want anyone around me to miss knowing that as well. How dare I pick and choose who gets to hear the gospel? So pray for me Friends, as I am praying for you, that I am living out the gospel through my words and my actions in such a way that others see Him and not me. Pray with me for us, the church, no matter where in the world you are, that our beliefs and behaviors collide.

A Masterpiece Beyond my Wildest Dreams

We got to check of a really fun thing on our Summer Bucket List yesterday! We went down to the Morris Museum of Art for the Mommy and Me Art Class. I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew was my kids were bubbling over with excitement! Brewer loves art. Eva likes to Color, but Brewer loves making any kind of art. So, we signed up!
 

We walked into the  museum just before 10am. My kids were in awe of the beautiful paintings and spun wooden bowls they had on display in the foyer.  Of course, Brewer wanted to touch every single one and Eva wanted to have dance party on the marble floor. I had a mild panic attach seeing our picture in tomorrow’s headline, “Family Destroys Art Museum In World Record Time!” But honestly, they did great.

We all gathered and together and our teacher led us down the hallway to visit todays painting.

John Baeder (b. 1938)
Col. Poole's Pig Hill of Fame1995 Oil on canvas

We talked about the painting for a little bit and then read, Minnie's Diner.

 

"Down on the farm one morning, Papa McFay orders his sons to hop to their chores. But from Minnie’s kitchen wafts a smell that gets the boys itchin’, and one by one, they succumb to the call of that sweet aroma. Each brother arrives at Minnie’s twice as hungry as his brother before — and looking for twice as much grub. Will they be in double trouble when Papa McFay tracks them down? With singsong rhythms and comical illustrations spiced with flavor, Dayle Ann Dodds and John Manders serve up a humorous lesson in multiplication."

The kids loved it! The plates got bigger and bigger and the kids giggled and giggled! When story time was over we all walked down to the art room. Our project for the day was creating a plate filled with all our favorite foods. Brewer and Eva thought and drew and colored and cut and glued! In the end they had a really amazing time.

I expected they would have fun, but what I didn't expect was how I would feel. I have not walked through those doors in many many years. It's one of those moments that your mind just can not reconcile. The last time I was in that building, I was a single woman in college. I was an art student. I spent many hours walking around those hallways. It's funny how smell can truly take you back.

I sat on the floor with my children, watching them giggle and squirm and was filled with so much joy. I wondered what they really thought as they walked past all those paintings. I wondered if they understood the beauty in them.

Rounding the corner to the art room, I was flooded with emotion as we walked into the same room I studied art in college. I can't really explain the feeling watching my children create in the same space I used to create. Looking at them filled with so much imagination, believing that anything they wanted to create was possible, I couldn't help but think of that young girl so many years ago feeling the same way. Who was she? How many of those dreams she had came true?

I am most definitely a different woman now. It was around that time in my life when I really started to understand that, as a believer, my life was no longer my own but Gods. And just like the sculptures we passed on the way in, I am ever so thankful that God took me, a lump of clay, and has fashioned me into something beautiful. We are in no way finished, He's still shaping and smoothing and cutting out pieces that don't fit anymore. But He's working. And this women standing in this room, she's different. She's changed. She's been so blessed. And she's so thankful.

 

We left the museum and I drove them around town a little. I showed them were I used to live and where their grandfather grew up. I showed them the house their great grandmother was born in. They kept asking, "Do you know anything else?" Oh kids, there is so much more I know, and don't worry, I'm teaching you. Little by little, I'm teaching you all I've learned. And I pray that you'll know far more and love so much deeper than I ever dreamed. May the Lord hold you in the palm of his hand as you learn to trust Him with your life. Because my sweet child, you can trust Him no matter what. The dreams you have, give them to Him. He is the creator of all things.

Brewer, that love you have for color that you don't quite understand, it came from Him. Let him paint through you. Together, you can create a masterpiece beyond your wildest dreams.

 

 

The Martin 2014 Summer Bucket List

Friends, I am a list maker and a list checker offer. If it's not on the list, we don't get it done. (Mostly because I wont remember to do it. Hence the list making ...) So, in the hopes that we don't go about summer as "usual" and hoping to let my kids have a little fun on their vacation, I've made a list!

And as a Type A rule follower, I've made some "rules" for my list:
1. We don't have to do everything on the list.
2. We can add things to the list.
3. We don't have to do it all in the first week! (that's a big one for me)
4. The List is only a guideline so we don't forget some special things we want to do.
5. The purpose of the list is to spend time together, making memories, loving on each other and those around us. If it becomes anything other than that, the list gets burned.

So Friends, here is what we'll be up to this summer! I hope to be checking things off soon. Hope you guys have a blast this summer. Keep safe, grow as a family, stretch your heart, love each other more. Learn more about who God is, who He created you to be and how you can teach your kids the same thing!


What's on your list this summer?

Give It To God

Sorry I was MIA last week. Instead of spreading this out over several posts, let me just catch you up all at once.

 

Mothers Day was a sweet day for me filled with Church, Family, a nap!! and some good Mexican Food for Dinner. I got to celebrate with my wonderful husband and my amazing kids.

 

On Monday morning I stood at my front door and waved goodbye to my husband. And I handed my week over to the Lord. Keep him safe and bring him back to us. Help me to manage my home well without him. And keep my kids from going nuts! God provided like he always does.

 

Here is what you need to know about me. I (most days) have the house clean and dinner prep ready when Jamie comes home from work. Between real life and making time for him, I don't have a lot of time for projects. I don't like to start something that I cant finish and have cleaned up before he gets home. So when he leaves, I go a little nuts!

 

We moved into this house a year ago and we still have some bare walls. There is nothing wrong with that, but I'd like to make it a little more homey. I want it to fee like we live here and are not just passing through. So with a very careful budget, I got to work. I made four pieces of artwork and hung them all. Here is a peek at one:

 

 

This one was easy. I had a pallet sitting in my garage that Jamie had taken apart for me. Funny, its been sitting out there for a while and the kids have used some of the boards for chalk painting. At first I was upset and now I love the way it looks! I had paint upstairs. I ran to Lowes and bout a few brackets and some handers. Done! So, it's not as crooked on the wall as it looks. This is hanging in my stairwell. You can see it when you walk in the front door.  I've been wanting something there for a while now. It makes me so happy!

 

When Jamie leaves I try to add as many yoga classes as I can. It keeps us busy and out of the house. So I taught a couple more classes than usual and it was so much fun for me and the kids. One night, we got home and they wanted to do some yoga with me. How could I resist?! So here is a picture of Eva working on her handstand. PS Yes that is a black tutu under a dress. She has a unique style and a bold personality. If you look closely, you can see she's also wearing an eye patch. So, this is a one eyed handstand. PPS notice the empty wall ...

 

 

We watched The Pirate Fairy. So for the rest of the week, we wore and eye patch. See:

 

 

After I worked on some art, I needed one room in the house to feel like home. I needed our bedroom to be a place of rest and refuge. So the easiest and cheapest way to do that is with a little paint. So, I went to Lowes.

 

 

This makes me a lot happier! And I knew Jamie would like it because it's West Virginia Mountaineers colors. Yeah, I'm a good wife.

 

But even after all that, the two best things that happened this week:

 

 

The first, I got to spend a lot of time with my kids. We snuggled, we cuddled and snacked and we talked. I love getting to hear their hearts. I love getting to see them grow and change. If you know my kids, they ask a lot of questions. And they asked a lot of big questions this week. That's why it's important for this Mama to stay in God's word. Because without it, I could never answer the questions these kids through at me.

 

 

This. I started a study on the book of Nehemiah. I can't really say anything right now except that it's bigger than this post. Keep an eye out. Because God is doing some pretty big things through Nehemiah. He's working and moving and changing. He's growing and stretching me. And I can't wait to tell you all about it!

 

Sunday, Jamie made it back safely and we had a joyous reunion! It's fun when he's gone, but I sure do love it when he comes home. And he loved the new bedroom! 

 

So what did you do last week?



The Top 5 Things I learned from my Mom

There is absolutely no way I could write down everything I've learned from my mother. She has been more than a teacher, more than a confidant, more than a friend. She means more to me than I could every tell you in words. So in honor of Mothers Day this weekend, here are the top 5 things I've learned from my mother.

 

1.       Put God first. Surrender and be brave. He is always faithful and He will always provide. Trust Him with your life and with your heart.

2.       Respect your husband and his family. Marriage is hard even in the best of circumstances. Fight for your marriage. It's not always about compromise, sometimes its about sacrifice and sometimes its about getting more than you'll ever deserve.

3.       Love your children. No matter what. They can test you beyond your last patience.  That is were the Lords strength will completely take over and you can do amazing things through Him. Thank you mom for loving me beyond anything I could ever repay.

4.       Work hard. Be tired at the end of the day. Take pride in what you do and do it all for the Lord. Give Him all the glory.

5.       Service. Take care of those around you. See people the way God does and love them. Give to others out of the gifts you've been given.

 

Thank you mom for loving me. Happy Mothers Day!

The Great Disconnect

I’m getting myself back together. I feel like January hit me like a train and has drug me straight into March. Are you kidding me? Can it be March already? In a town where “winter” means temps in the 50s, this year we’ve had temps in the teens, snow, an epic ice storm and an earth quake. All of these events happened in the dark, and by that I mean, we lost power … a lot. We spent many a night by the fire.  Kids have been out of school more than usual. (Not to mention the husband has been home too!) Needless to say, my safe schedule that keeps me sane has been thrown for a loop. But life is still moving. God is still working. And I feel like I’m trying to catch up.

Having said all that, my blog has been the one to suffer.  I mean, I can’t write or post if the power is out, right? Honestly, as much as I’d like to blame all of the above, it’s me. I’m still trying to figure out why I’m here. But rest assured, although I haven’t been posting, I’ve been working. I’ve been researching and I’ve been planning. So, today, I’m going to give you a peak at my attempt to organize my life.

If you have ever sat across from me and tried to plan anything, you’ll see me drag out my extra-large Moleskine weekly planner. Why in a world of electronic organization do I still carry a planner? I’m a pen and paper girl. I like to see everything right in front of me. I like to check off my lists and see a big page of scratching and feel like I’ve accomplished something. And I don't like to worry about hitting the wrong button and loosing all my hard work.

 

 

So Friends, here is a list of what I've learned about myself and why I'm addicted to Moleskine Notebooks.

1. I have to have everything written down. If it's not written down where I can see it, it does not get done. Period.

2. I can not have a "fancy" planner. If it's too pretty, I feel like I'm going to mess it up and I never write in it. If I don't use it, its useless right?

3. If I see an entire months worth of appointments, I get overwhelmed and shut the planner. I can only handle one week at a time.

4. I need lots of space for a list of everything that needs to be done. I can't use categories. I'll spend too much time trying to break my tasks into categories that I never actually get around to doing them. (Ask my husband)

5. It has to lay flat, but it CAN NOT be spiral bound or in a binder that can open. I abuse my planner. It goes where I go. Spiral planners come undone and tear apart.

5. I am also slightly addicted to Post-It notes. I have recently learned how to print on them!

Coming to this realization: The 12 Month Weekly Notebook Diary/Planner works best for me. It's a bound notebook that lays flat, has one week per page and a lined "notes" page per week. The soft cover is flexible enough that can take a beating and the paper is thick enough that my pens down bleed through!! I AM SOLD!

I write any day specific plans on the left side. I keep a running list of things that need to be done that week on the right side. I've printed out a small "quick month view" and taped it to the top. I printed a "day specific" Cleaning List on a Post-It. I use the Post-Its for anything that regularly repeat so that I don't have to rewrite each week. So far, this system has worked for me for the past two years. I absolutely love it!

Moleskine also makes great journals. Because of all the reasons I listed above, I also have several Moleskine journals. They are just so easy to use and easy to carry around. If you haven't used them before, I can testify that its worth the cost. They are not cheap, but the durability and ease of use are worth it.  I use one as a prayer journal. I use the other as a place to put ideas. You know, sometimes and idea comes to you and you have to write. I don't carry around my laptop, but I always have my Moleskine!

So Friends, I'm getting myself together. I'm getting my family, my yoga practice and my blog organized. I'm learning how to keep all the things that are important to me in my life. And in my life in such a way that does not completely overwhelm me. Starting in April, I should have a regular schedule down for the blog. I should be posting at least 2 times a week. That is my goal. I'll be posting about yoga and food and faith. Those things make up my life, they make up my family.

I plan to post weekly about yoga, poses and techniques and why its beneficial. I plan to post about food, what we're eating and why. But most importantly I plan to post about what God is teaching me. I hope that you'll join me, because I'd love to hear about your life too. Remember Friends, its all about conversation.

See Ya Soon!

From Tree to Tree

Jamie and I have been married for over 10 years. We've collected our fair share of Christmas décor. Of all of it, my Christmas Tree is by far my favorite. Its not fancy and in fact its the same fake tree we bought 10 year ago. (getting thinner each year) Our first Christmas together, Jamie started a tradition of purchasing me an annual Precious Moments ornament. On my tree are all 11. I love them. He started the same thing with our kids for their first Christmas's. Brewer has 5 and Eva has 3. There are ornaments from my great grandmother's tree. There are ornaments from Romania and South Africa. My first Christmas ornament from 1978 and several from my childhood. We've got West Virginia Mountaineers. We've got both of my kids first Christmas, from our honeymoon, handmade from the kids, & special gifts from friends ... to say the least, our Christmas Tree is not just a tree, it's filled with memories. Every branch has a story. My kids love looking for their ornaments and love hearing the stories of where each one came from. The best part to me is how I get to weave our story into the story of Jesus. It all comes back to Him.

Did you know that this life we are living, its not about us? We are all playing a role in His story. His story began with creation. God spoke and we were. Adam and Eve lived in harmony with God and with all of creation, until sin was introduced into this world. When Adam and Eva both ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they didn't become like God as Satan had promised, they became sinful. That very sin is what broke the harmony. You can read in Genesis all about creation and the first sin and how from the very beginning, God had a plan to restore and redeem.

 Jesus.

Throughout this story its always been about Him. He was promised. There was a time when the Israelites waited for Him. They had been told He was coming by the prophets and all they had was hope. And they waited. Not always patently, not always productively, but they waited and they hoped.

                   OT Prophecy                     NT Fulfillment

                   Genesis 3:15                      Romans 5:6-8; Galatians 4:4-7; Colossians 2:13-15

                   Isaiah 9:2                           Matthew 4:12-17; John 1:4-5, 12:46

                   Isaiah 53:10-11                  Romans 5:1-2

                   Isaiah 53:4                         Matthew 8:14-17

                   Isaiah 61:1-4                      Luke 4:16-21

Then one night, in the small town of Bethlehem, a virgin girl gave birth. The Angels broke through the night sky to harold His arrival to some shepherds on a hill, announcing that this child was a gift for all people. What they had waited for and longed for and hoped for was here. But many did not see and many did not understand. They thought He would come as a valiant King who would wage war and win and restore. But that's not what happened. Yet. First He had to come to live and teach and make confusing things more clear, and to die. He was buried and rose back to life three days later, defeating death. His death and resurrection was the way to restoration. As we read in John 3, Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it, anyone who believes will get this free gift of salvation.

But this gift, its just that, a gift and you have the right to refuse it. This right is called free will. Because our God, who loves you so much, will not force Himself on you. He calls you gently to Himself. He provides and protects and longs to be with you. But its your choice to accept or reject.

We are all playing a role in His story. The story of creation and the fall and hoping and longing and wondering ... He's made a way for you. A way for you to know and understand your role here. He's gifted you with talent and ability to be an active part of His story. He loves you and longs for you to love Him too.

So as we celebrate Christmas each year, I don't just see one tree, I see two. I can't see Christmas without the cross. It's why He came, for you and for me, to give us life more abundant and full. He came to save us from the wrath of sin. Not to destroy but to redeem.

Where ever you are on your journey here on earth, I wish the the very Merriest of Christmases!

He's Always Faithful

As a mother, the most important thing to me is that my children learn to love the Lord God with all their hearts. Not only that they love Him, but they trust Him and follow Him and bring glory to His name all their lives. When I was pregnant with Brewer I had already lost 3 babies. I've written a little about that here if you want to take a look. I say that because at that point, I knew what it felt like to loose a baby. So as we were preparing for Brewer, Jamie and I would pray that if this child would not know, love and glorify the Lord with his life, then please don't let him be born either. You want to pray something hard? That's it. As much as I wanted to be a mother, I could not fathom bringing a life into the world that would not love and honor the very God that I trusted to bring me that child.

On June 28th of 2013, as we backed out of our parking place at church, the routine conversation began. What did you do at church today? Eva said something about the picture she drew and Brewer said, "I asked Jesus to come live in my heart." Jamie threw the car into park and we both turned around, "What? Tell me what happened? Who did you talk to? Why did no one tell us about this before we left?" My poor 5 year old boy, the questions were being hurled at him faster than he could answer. Jamie and I stopped and looked at each other and be both told ourselves to calm down. Let the boy speak. "Ok, Brewer, tell Mommy and Daddy what happened?"

"Well Mama, do you remember how we've been talking about how Jesus died on the cross for me?" Yes I did. "Well, remember how you said that you couldn't tell me when it was time but Jesus would let me know when it was time?" Yes I remembered. "Well today I was in the Club House (our preschooler's time of worship & bible story) and Mrs. Myra was signing and Jesus told me it was time. He said it in my heart. So I sat down and I prayed to Jesus to forgive me of all bad choices and to please come live in my heart and show me how to make wise choices."

Jamie and I looked at each other kinda dumfounded. I mean, I always thought I would get to be there, I would get to pray with my son and see his face and hear his voice. But God reminded me that Brewer was first His son and given to me to teach him how to love God. It was personal. It was Holy. And it was between Brewer and God.

"What did you do after that?" "Well, I got back up and started to sing with Mrs. Myra again." "Did you tell anyone?" "No, was I supposed to?" It was as simple as that. A child, who for months had asked question after question, and thought, and questioned, finally believed. I was overjoyed! There are no words to adequately describe how a mother feels at that moment.

For the next couple of months we have spent many hours of conversation with Brewer. He's spoken to our Minister to Children. We've prayed and talked and prayed and asked and answered a lot of questions. I can say that he knows the choice he made. Its genuine and its real.

Today, in church this morning, we had a time of carols and communion. Brewer came to "big church" with us and for the first time I had communion with my son. At the close of our service, Pastor gave a traditional time of invitation. Brewer looked up at me and said, "Mama, I need to go tell Pastor that I already asked Jesus to live in my heart. Then can I get baptized?" This Mama's heart again was overjoyed! I am so proud of my boy. Today was a very special day in the Martin Family.

My prayers for my son have changed. I no longer pray and yearn for his salvation. Its happened, its been answered. Its sealed. He faithfully answered yes. Now I pray for his sanctification. For a maturity and a deep burning fire to know God and to make him known. And because of testimony's like my Friend Amanda's, I know that its possible.

Because He's Always Faithful.