A Question of What Matters

This post is an entry from my hand-written journal on 6/6/2013...

This week Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary asked a question that I happen to ask myself quite frequently... "What Matters to You?"

When I started my blog "Seven Matters," I came up with the subtitle "What Matters Most to this Family of Seven."  I started out by writing about the Small Things challenges that Rachel Anne would give us to create sanctuary in our homes each day.  From there, I began to expand into the different activities, memories, and other fun things that come along with having such a big family.  It became a "journal" of sorts.  At the time I had 5 small children and I was still a full time at-home mom.  Life was busy, but I always still somehow found time to sit down and write.  I've always loved to journal, so this was a new and fun way to do just that.

Fast forward six years or so and I am in a totally different stage of life.  I would say that most of the same things still matter to me in the areas of being a wife, mother, and homemaker.  Now that all of my children are in school though, I have added titles like part-time-working mom, classroom volunteer, and taxi driver!  I am finding it a little harder to sit down at the computer to write, so I've gone back to writing in a notebook when I find a minute here and there. 

My youngest, age six, is finishing up kindergarten.  Kindergarten!  I can hardly believe it!  I still remember the shy, reluctant boy that clung to my hand the first day of school, unsure of what to think.  Every school day this year he has wanted me to wait with him in line outside the door until the bell rings and his teacher comes to lead the children inside.  (As I type this, I did that for the last time today, and boy was it hard!)  When it was too cold to wait outside, we would sit in the car reading until the bell rang while my other children would play in the gym.  He's grown a lot more independent this year but I will cherish those moments together for many years to come.

My other kids are going into 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades next year.  I can't believe I will have TWO Middle-Schoolers next year!  Talk about independent.  It's a whole new world, the pre-teen years.  They start to question the rules a bit and no longer just follow along because mommy said so.  On the flip side, they are developing more responsibility and character.  Their actions become their own and they are, in my mind, great kids.  The most exciting part for me is watching them grow in their own faith and trust God more and more every day.

So what matters to me?  Family.  That sums it up in one word.  I can't make time stand still.  My children will continue to grow and have birthdays and move on each fall to the next grade level of school.  But one thing doesn't change.  I am, and always will be their mom.  And I love them more and more every day!

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3 NLT

Siesta Scripture Memory Team Vs. 6

I can't believe I'm on my 6th memory verse already!  That means that we are almost 1/4 of the way through 2013!  Although I am glad that Winter is melting into Spring, it certainly seems like the first three months of the year have gone by in a heartbeat.

I know I didn't post my verse at the beginning of this month.   I haven't spent much time on the computer at all, really.  When my laptop broke down last month I was a little sad but it has been a real eye opener to me about how wise I need to be about where I spend my time.  I have been spending way less time on facebook or playing my favorite game of words with friends, and way more time focusing on my family and home.  It has been a really busy month so far anyway, schedule wise.  So I took Beth Moore's advise and chose two verses together to memorize and meditate on this month.

Psalm 92:1-2 say:

It is good to give thanks to the LORD
And to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning
And Your faithfulness by night.

I can't tell you how many times I have looked at my note card and repeated these verses out loud already this month.  Over and over the words resound in my heart.  Give thanks.  Sing Praise.  Declare His lovingkindess and faithfulness. 

I remember singing a simple praise song in church as a teen that goes like this:

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart
I will enter His courts with praise
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made
I will rejoice for He has made me glad...

The Psalmist goes on in Psalm 92:4 to say "For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands."  Sometimes you just have to belt out a good praise song to the Lord and everything feels better!  These days my favorite song to crank up the volume and sing along with is "Strangely Dim" Francesca Battistelli.  The song is all about fixing our eyes on God so that everything else around us- all our doubts and worries- will fade away as we turn them over to Him.

Yes, He has made me glad.  By all that He is, and all that He has done.  By holding my hand on some days and carrying me through others.  He is so good.  And I will declare His lovingkindess in the morning and His faithfulness by night.

 

Company Girl Coffee

Good morning girls!  I don't have much time to post today because today is a big day for us!  We have been dabbling in an on-line business on the side for a while now, and decided to take the next step this weekend.  We sell close-out spellbinders and we have an e-mail/ad campaign going out to 20,000 people today plus it will be on the Paper Craft facebook page.  I am so excited and hopefully this will bring in a lot of business and add to our customer base.  We stumbled upon this popular product quite by accident and I can't believe it has grown this big.  It has helped us get through some tough financial binds, that's for sure.

If any of you own a spellbinder machine and love to craft/scrapbook, we have the best deals around!

Check us out at http://saveonhobbies-com.myshopify.com/ .

Thanks for stopping by for coffee today! Hope your weather is as nice as ours...I think Spring might finally be right around the corner even though it's only 40 degrees out there.  Have a great weekend!

Melissa

A question from my phone

I took my daughter to a gi specialist this week.  She has been having problems with constipation most of her life.  I have two other kids that have similar problems.  So my main goal of this visit was to be sure we are still on track with the right treatment.  It was a good visit and I feel as if I am helping my children by educating them about good eating and bathroom habits.

However...I do need to change and add a few new healthy things to our diet.  Fruits and veggies are essential but so expensive.  My question to you is how do you feed your family healthy snacks and meals on a budget?  I need some fresh ideas!

Thanks for you input.  I appreciate it!
Melissa

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse 4

Goodness!  It's already time for another memory verse.  I knew a few days ago which one I was going to pick.  I was listening to a program while I was folding clothes, and a verse caught my attention.  I don't really have time to elaborate right now, but someone may need to hear this truth today as much as I needed it this week.  The words come directly from Jesus and I heard them loud and clear ringing through the depths of my heart as I folded my children's clean clothes on my bed that morning.


“You did not chose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
-John 15:16 NASB

"I chose you, and appointed you..."

Whew!  I don't know if I'm the only one, but boy did I need reminding of that this week!  I think sometimes we believe that it's the other way around.  That we chose Him.  We invited Him into our heart and that was that.  But no, HE chose US.  He pursued a relationship with us and is still pursuing us on a daily basis.  That is worth memorizing and repeating and shouting out loud, if you ask me! 

But not only did He choose us, He appointed us to go and bear everlasting fruit.  If that means I need to fold the laundry one more time, then that is exactly what I will do!  And while I'm at it I will be praying and asking for Him to pursue the five little blessings He has entrusted to me with the love and passion that caught my attention so many years ago.

I hope you know how much He loves you and is pursuing you today.

Blessings,
Melissa   

Simple Spaces - The Linen Closet

Is it Friday already?  Time for some coffee!

I lost track of the days this week.  Partly because it is conference week for my kids so they haven't had school yesterday or today.  I went to four conferences back to back yesterday morning.  I really enjoy all of the kids' teachers this year.  They are fantastic.  I am happy to report that aside from a little handwriting neatness that we need to work on, they are all doing great!  We are approaching the 100th day of school and I can't wait to see what is in store for my kindergartner this week.  Should be lots of fun!

I have been without my computer this week and I am working from my husband's now...I can't believe how much I rely on my computer for my schedules and meal plans!  I have gotten so used to making a grocery list from my meal plan and then not looking at it until I wake up each morning.  This week it has been a challenge to remember what I had on my plan without being able to look at it.  I guess I will go back to either posting it here, or just keeping a hard copy printed somewhere.  My hubby took my laptop to the shop and apparently there is something wrong with the mother board, which means bad things.  They may not even be able to recover everything I have stored on it.  (Which also includes our finances, so that's not good.)

All computer problems and wacky schedules aside, I did get to my simple space this week so I wanted to share it here with you today. :)  I chose the linen closet this week because it has really been bothering me.  Since we moved in here over a year and a half ago, it has become the stashing ground for just about everything!  But no more!  It is now "simply organized," and I am loving it!

Before - A Cluttered Mess!

 

After - "Simply Organized!"

The bottom half -used for spare linens, pillows, and sleeping bags.

The top half - used for overstock items (lotions, toothpaste, medicines, etc.) I am still searching for more containers to store these items and simplify even more.  There's nothing like a good container to help organize things!

How do you feel about using containers/baskets around the house to organize? Do you like to use labels?  What is your favorite organizing tip?  I'd love to know!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Siesta Scripture Memory Team Verse 3

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."
-Colossians 2:6-7 NASB

Normally I would not choose two verses to memorize at once.  In this case though, I couldn't stop at so walk in Him.  The second verse holds so much promise!  Firmly rooted...built up in Him...established in your faith...overflowing with gratitude...WOW!  Such strong words and powerful pictures of what happens when we receive Christ into our hearts!

So let the memorizing begin...I'm up for the challenge!

May you be blessed by His Word in wonderful ways,
Melissa