Company Girl Coffee 5.22.09

Good Morning! First things first! Grab your cup, and we'll enjoy the sunshine on the patio this morning. :) I want to thank all of you Company Girls out there that stopped by my blog to read the extended answers to Rachel Anne's interview questions this week. I was so encouraged by all of your kind words.

I am so excited for Rachel Anne as she gets closer to publishing her first book! I've got a feeling I will be purchasing more than one copy of "Company Girl," that will be published in fall of 2009. How great of her to include us in the fun by holding a photo contest! If you haven't visited the Company Girl website yet for the contest details, I would encourage it! There are some great photos entered already!

This weekend my husband and I have the incredible opportunity to take our older three kids (7,6,&5) to a Mariner's baseball game over in Seattle. The younger two (4&2) will be staying here with their Aunt and Uncle. Our friend that lives over in Seattle managed to get us some tickets. We're staying the night at his home on Saturday and then both of our families will go to the game together on Sunday. This is a friend that we haven't seen in years, so just spending time there catching up with him and meeting his family will be wonderful. Taking our kids to their first baseball game is just a bonus!

Today I am having a friend of mine over for lunch. Her daughter is coming with her to test out the new swing set. BC and LR love it when she comes to play. The swing set is a HUGE hit with the kids! I'm so glad we bought it. It was an great investment in a lot of back yard fun! Have a great weekend all!

Two Things

Psalm 62:11-12
One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

Several years ago, my husband had surgery on his foot and he had to be in a full leg cast for a while. When the cast came off, that leg was noticeably smaller than his other one. The muscles had gone unused for so long that it appeared his leg had shrunk! He began physical therapy and the doctor talked to him about muscle memory. Muscle memory refers to the accelerated muscle retraining phenomenon when a muscle has been trained, detrained and then retrained again. In my husband's case, his muscles were weak because they were not being used at all. The muscle returned as he continued to do his exercises. Another example would be if you take a long break from working out you will be able to get your muscle back much quicker than someone who has never worked out before.

Memorizing Scripture is a bit like muscle memory. The more you meditate on the Word, the easier it becomes to recall it in a time of need. This year I have made a commitment to memorize 2 scripture segments a month. I have been trying really hard to stick with it. I write the verse that I am currently memorizing on a 3x5 card and put it in my kitchen window, where I read it often. There are days when I try to recall my previous verses, and I struggle through it. My ability to retain more than one verse at a time is still weak, but I am working on it!

When Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh, the Lord said to him "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

You, O God, are strong...

Even David, a man after God's own heart, had his moments of weakness. After his encounter with Bathsheba he wrote "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions." (Psalm 51:1) There are times when my own shortcomings cause me to feel failure and shame.

You, O Lord, are loving...

Two Things. David heard them. Paul understood them. I believe them. Where do you stand today? Do you need to be reminded that God is both strong and loving?

Dear friend, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)

10 Things Tuesday in 7 Minutes!

I have about 7 minutes before the timer for dinner goes off, so let's see how thankful I can be in 7 minutes! :)

1. The new swing set is up! The kids are loving it and having lots of fun.
2. I am thankful for all the projects that are getting done around our house and yard.
   
3. I got to spend quality time with my sister in law today on her day off. What a blessing!
   
4. I am finally caught up on laundry again! (Until tomorrow!)
5. I have a delicious dinner in the oven and it smells great!
6. I get to go to a Mariner's game this Sunday with my oldest three kids!
7. I was so honored and thankful to be interviewed for Rachel Anne's first Company Girls newsletter. How fun!
8. I love this beautiful weather we are having...even if I am sporting the "windblown" look!
   
9. I love the way that God speaks to me through His Word!
   
10. I am thankful for a husband who encourages me grow in the gifts that God has given me.

That's all I have time for! Now I'm off to eat Sausage Rice Casserole with my family. :)
-Melissa

Company Girl Interview

Welcome to my blog! If you are a first time visitor, then this will be the perfect way for you to get to know me better. I started this blog a little over a year ago to record my thoughts and the comings and goings of this family of seven. Most of all, I just wanted a place to talk about what matters to me.

Before I even dreamed of having my own blog, I stumbled onto a blog called Raising Five. Katherine is a woman after my own heart. She is an incredible woman of God that is raising five children of her own. She is full of all kinds of wisdom! It is from her blog that I found her sister, Rachel Anne, and Home Sanctuary. Rachel Anne has not only taught me that sanctuary is in the small things, but that there is so much more to being a homemaker than cleaning and laundry!

I am honored to be a part of her first newsletter. I only wish that our interview could have been face to face. One day I will meet her in person, but for now, I am a devoted Company Girl, pride and true! :)

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy the complete answers to the questions in our interview.

Q: As a mom of 5 young children, what is your secret for getting out the door all together?

A: I line them up and count heads! Seriously, I make sure to get ready first. Otherwise, I get caught up in helping everyone else and I rush out the door frazzled. Those who are old enough get ready on their own. If I know that we are going somewhere in advance then I have the kids put out their shoes and anything we are taking with us, by the door the night before. (Book bags, bibles, etc.) Don't forget to allow time to fasten all those seat belts!

Q: How do you manage to have some personal time, or is that impossible?

A: My kids know that from 7:00-7:30am I sit on the couch, read my bible, and pray. That's mommy and Jesus time and that's all there is to it. When my children were babies I used to watch tv shows like Joyce Meyers and Life in the Word while doing a midnight or 3:00am feeding. I have learned to take what I can get. I used to think that "quiet time" meant no one else in the room and no noise going on around me. What I have noticed is that as I have explained to my children how important my morning devotion time is to me, they respect that and don't interrupt me unless it is very important. I have even seen my oldest (7) reading her bible during this time. This makes my heart leap with joy! In addition to that, I participate in Women's Bible Study once a week, listen to CDs in my kitchen, and keep a variety of books on my nightstand to read before bed.

Q: What advice would you give to a new mom who is trying to get organized?

A: It's not about arriving at "organized." It's about finding out what works for you in the season you are in. If you have to write out a list every day from brush your teeth in the morning to wash your face and go to bed at night, then do it! At least you will be able to look back at the end of your day and know that you accomplished something. I recommend a bare-bones plan. Sit down and write out time blocks without using the clock. For example, label your time blocks "morning routine", "afternoon routine", and "evening routine", and refer to them often. Keep it simple. Revisit and revise your schedule as your needs change.

Q: Do you have a favorite verse?

A: Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Q: What is your biggest challenge in raising a "large" family?

A: Adapting discipline to fit the needs of 5 very different children. Not only are they different in age, but their personalities are so different! Each of them is unique by God's design and they respond differently to rules and boundaries. We have the same rules for all of them, but the consequences to breaking those rules often vary with each child.

Q: What do you love most about being a mom?

A: Without a doubt, it's the way that my children love me unconditionally. They remind me of Christ's love for me every day. They hug me without letting go first and they are not afraid to say "I love you mommy" a thousand times a day!

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

A: Actually, I'm somewhat of a homebody. I love being an at home mom and I don't really have much of a desire to travel to far off places. I don't even like to drive more than 10 miles from home! But if I could go anywhere, it would be to the ocean. Not your busy, tourist attraction beach, but a quiet, secluded, sandy beach somewhere. That way I could take long walks with my family, play in the waves, build sandcastles, and even spend some quiet time alone with my Lord watching a peaceful sunset over the vast ocean that He created. Some of my fondest memories are of summer vacations spent on the Oregon Coast with my grandparents.

Have a great day everyone and remember, Sanctuary is in the Small Things!

Company Girl Coffee 5.15.09 "Project Back Yard"

Hi girls! I didn't have much time for coffee yesterday because I was busy in the back yard! We have lived here for almost 5 years now and nothing to show for it in our back yard. To my husband's credit, we did try to grow corn and strawberries our first summer here. The problem was, I was very pregnant, (with three toddlers running around already) and he was very busy! The garden got a bit neglected and the heat got the best of it.

Anyway, this new "project" of ours was sort of forced by a collapsed shed this winter. Luckily, we didn't have anything of significance stored in it at the time! After having the insurance company come out and investigate the damage there and in our attic, we began to research our possibilities. Considering that we never used our shed, we made a list of the other things we could do with the space. A new garden spot? A sand box/play area for the kids? A patio? The possibilities are endless.

Two things we knew for sure: We wanted the old shed torn down and hauled away, and we wanted the lilac bushes removed. I have two other lilac bushes in my yard, so no quarrels from me. Thus began the hard work! The shed was torn down thanks to our friend Tim, and the lilac bushes were removed with a little "joint effort." The truck and chain method worked really well! As a bonus, they took out the three bushes in the front by the driveway that have been nothing but a pain since we moved here! My job through all of this was to keep the kids corralled while the men worked. (It's harder than it sounds, since we have five curious helpers!)

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking!
The last picture here is my DH spreading new grass in the cleared out space. I am amazed at how much bigger our back yard looks now!

Next project: Assemble the new swing set that we purchased for the kids so they have something to do in our big back yard this summer. :)

Have a great weekend all!
-Melissa

Siesta Scripture Memory 5.15.09

Here is my Siesta verse 10! I'm almost half way with my commitment to memorize 24 verses in 2009! This time I stuck with the verse that Beth Moore picked out because it serves as a reminder to me how important it is to recognize God's hand in my life.

“Be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV

For Beth Moore's explanation as to why she chose this particular verse, visit here. Everyone has a personal testimony to share. In my own life, I have seen the evidence of God's work time and time again. His provision, His healing touch, His direction, His hope. He has walked with me through many trials and replaced my despair with hope on numerous occasions. My heart rejoices at the opportunity to share what He has done in my life and how much that means to me.

It reminds me of one of the verses I memorized early on in my walk with Him. "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." -1 Peter 3:15

This month as I meditate on this Deuteronomy 4:9 I will be focusing on all the wonderful things that God has done in my life and watching for opportunities to share His love and faithfulness with my children and those around me.

Think about it: How prepared are you to give your testimony when the opportunity presents itself?

10 Things Tuesday

Today I woke up late, after a night of tossing and turning. Apparently my son BC didn't sleep much better than me because when I went in to wake him up for school, he informed me that he was up at 3:30am throwing up. I sighed, kissed him on the forehead and said "I'll go call in your absence to the school." Even with a tough start to my day, there's always something to be thankful for. Here are my 10 things for the day.

1. Even though my son is home sick today, he seems to be feeling better. Tired, but better.
2. Bible study is coming to a conclusion today. Although I am sad about that, I am thankful for all that I have learned during this session. We are having a "feast" together this evening to conclude our time together.
3. I'm so thankful for a fun Mother's Day weekend. There was homemade cards, homemade icecream, lots of laughter and plenty of love!
4. I'm thankful for our back yard project. It's only in the beginning stages now so it looks like a mess. It will be a huge improvement when it's done though. In the mean time, the kids are having a blast helping with the work!
5. I am thankful for the people in our lives that are willing to help us with the above project. It makes our job a lot easier and affordable.
6. I'm thankful for the scent that the lilac bushes are giving off in the breeze. Such a sweet fragrance!
   
7. I am thankful that the client I mentioned last week put an offer on a house and it was accepted! Praise God for the extra income!
8. I give thanks every time I think about God's grace for me. His grace is sufficient for me, His power is made perfect in my weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9
   
9. The virtue of the month for Kid's Inc. is Obedience. I'm thankful for the opportunity not just to teach my kids about the importance of obedience, but to practice this virtue myself. I've already learned that just as obeying God comes with trust, my kids will obey me as they learn to trust me. What a valuable lesson!
10. I am thankful for the mystery revealed, which is Christ in me, the hope of glory! Col. 1:27

Stop by and see what others are thankful for at 10 Things Tuesday, and link up your own list.
Have a great day!
-Melissa

Rainy Days and Mondays

Rainy Days and Mondays sung by Karen Carpenter is an old favorite of mine.

What is it about a Monday that makes it so hard to get moving? Is it because I have to get my children back on morning routine after two days of sleeping in? Could it be that I have a hard time getting motivated after a relaxed weekend with the family? Maybe it's the anticipation of a long to-do list as I do most of my house cleaning on Mondays.

Actually, it's probably a combination of all these things. This morning though, I think it also has something to do with the fact that the weather took a turn for the worse. It was so nice yesterday for Mother's Day. Today the clouds have rolled in and the rain has taken over.

It's time to turn on a little upbeat music, get to work, and I'll be "Singin' in the Rain!" in no time! :)

What do you do to get motivated on days like these???

Happy Mother's Day!

Favorite childhood memory with my mom:
Oh, there are so many to choose from! If I must choose, I would say that the simple activity of spending time with her on our back patio over the years. The memories there begin as a small child playing in the tiny kiddie pool and grow into long talks on lawn chairs over coffee.

Favorite memory thus far with my mother in law:
Having her in the hospital room when my son BC was born. We walked the hallways together until I couldn't handle it anymore. Then she sat quietly talking with my DH until I finally said "ok, it's time to push." She still can't believe I was so calm. :)

Favorite memory as a mom so far:
Holding each of my babies for the first time ever in the hospital room.

I am so blessed to be both a daughter and a mom.
Happy Mother's Day!

-Melissa

Company Girl Coffee 5.8.09

Come on in, friends! Today I want to spotlight a friend of mine, Andrea. She's another Company Girl that lives in my town and I lean on her in so many ways as one of my closest and dearest friends. We have a blog together where we share our thoughts, dreams, and even our day to day tasks. I love that I can depend on her whenever I need advice or even if I just need to talk something through. She not only inspires me but challenges me to be a better person in every way.

Let me tell you a few things I admire about Andrea...

She's a devoted wife. No matter what he may be going through, she supports her husband. She loves him not only with her actions, but with her words. She does her best not to speak harshly to him or about him.

She is a wonderful mom. Whenever I'm stumped, I call her up for advice. She's a great sounding board and often helps me look at my situation in a new light when it comes to my kids. She motivates me to try new projects and fun things with my kids. Just yesterday she was telling me about her "summer plan" that she was creating so her kids won't get bored this summer. :)

She strives to create a peaceful atmosphere in her home. It's not always spotless, but it's cared for. This week she started her Spring cleaning and that nudged me to get the ball rolling too! She is also creative with her decorations and furniture. She has never complained about the amount of space she has, or not having the things she wants. If she wants or needs something, she'll search for it on Freecycle or Craig's list. She's so thrifty!

She's hard working. She took a job at her son's school to help with the household income. She also works childcare for a Bible study once a week. She's very aware of what their budget is and tries to help however she can. As I said before, she's very thrifty and hunts for the best bargains.

Did I mention creative? Check out her blog and what she accomplished over spring break! She knits and her things are beautiful! She made me a hat for my birthday that I almost wish I could wear during the summer, it's so nice! :) She even bought ME some knitting needles and yarn when I said I wanted to try to take up knitting. (It's a work in progress...)

Most of all, she's an incredible friend. I wish that I could say I've never let her down, but there have been moments where I just plain dropped the ball. She has always been so quick to forgive me when I come to her though. I love her for that. Her friendship means the world to me.

I am very pleased to spotlight Andrea this week and brag about her over coffee. She is such a positive influence in my life. If you that haven't met her yet, stop by her blog Life With You sometime and say hello. :)You'll be glad you did!

Love you Andrea!

Have a great weekend all!
-Melissa

10 Things Tuesday

10 Things that I am thankful for today...

1. Coupons that mean more than 50% off of what I am buying!
2. A fun new game for my kids to play.
3. New grass that's finally growing in the back yard.
4. The sound of the wind blowing through the trees.
5. Tiny fingerprints on french doors.
6. A new client for my DH.
7. A funny joke that my son told me.
8. A new snow globe for an early Mother's Day present. :)
9. A beautiful sunset.
10. Bedtime stories and prayers.
    

Well, I'm off to tuck my kiddos in!
Don't forget to count your blessings and be thankful every day!
-Melissa

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse 5.1.09

It's the beginning of another month already! With that comes another memory verse. If you are wondering what Siesta Scripture Memory is, visit the LPM Blog here. I am so excited how the Lord has been weaving scripture into my life to encourage me and help me grow this year! He is so faithful to remind us of His promises, in just the right moments. Sometimes I can hardly wait to see Him face to face! What a glorious day that will be when we are all in heaven together!

Until then, my heart is encouraged by this verse:
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8

May you find joy as you continue to love Him,
Melissa

Company Girl Coffee 5.1.09

Good morning girls! Happy May-Day! Where in the world did April go? Honestly, I'm glad May is here. It's one of my favorite months. The edge has been taken off the cold, but it's not too hot to spend sunny afternoons at the park or in the back yard. :) One of my favorite childhood memories is making May-Day baskets with a childhood friend. We'd fill them with flowers, drop them on a neighbor's doorstep, (one for each of our moms too) and run! I am going to make a basket with my own kids today.

Something has been on my mind all week that I want to share over coffee this morning. Actually, it started last week as I did my homework for Bible Study. It's been stirring in my heart and it came to head on Tuesday when I watched session 7's video. The question I have been asking myself is this: "Can I be content to just live out my life without ever being in the spotlight, and just find joy in the ordinary?"

Here's the deal. Humans crave attention. We want to be great at something and be recognized for that. I've been good at a lot of things in my time, but never really GREAT at anything. Don't get me wrong, I have talents and spiritual gifts that God has blessed me with, just as He has blessed all of His children. I value the person He has created me to be and I know who I am in Christ. I love being a mom, wife, and homemaker. Some days I just wonder if there is more potential there that God has in mind for me that perhaps I might be missing. It's all this study about destiny and providence that has gotten me to thinking. (Beth Moore studies have a way of doing that to me.)

Here are a few quotes from last week's lesson that really struck me to the core of my being.
"To live for the greatness of God is to live the great life."

"Spending ourselves for something infinitely greater still fans our parched souls with the God-given need to matter, but relieves us of the relentless pain of being the 'it' person at the center of it."

"Every one of us who embraces the glory of God as our purpose will end up doing great things precisely because we do God-things. His holy hand resting on the least act renders the ordinary extraordinary."

Did you catch that? The ordinary becomes extraordinary with the holy hand of God resting on the least of our actions in this life. That's where it hit me. Nothing that I do in this life is ordinary to Him when I am serving Him.

Let me leave you with one final quote from the video session.
"To serve God is to serve people and to serve people is to serve purpose."

There's only one thing I long to be "great" at in this lifetime, and that is loving Christ. In John 15:9-13 Christ said to his disciples "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Dear heavenly Father, grant it to me that I may experience that kind of love!

Blessings to all of you as you grow in the love and knowledge of Christ,
Melissa