Helping my children WALK with Jesus!!

Keys for Kids!!! We LOVE it! Growing up it was a part of our family devotions. I loved the stories as a child and learned so much about God. Today, I am the parent helping my children learn to WALK their everyday life with Jesus and we use Keys for Kids as part of our tools.

We have used Keys for Kids for five years and this year we started using the PODCAST version. After all those years listening to MOM (me) read (the printed version of Keys for Kids) the kids find it MUCH, much, much cooler to listen to Uncle Charlie! I have to admit, hearing his voice brings back wonderful memories of listening to the Children's Bible Hour when I was young.

The stories in the Keys for Kids really make WALKING out the word of God come alive. The stories are very relate-able, realistic and interesting. The Godly principles taught will last a life time.

So, what do my kids have to say??
My oldest son Wesley (age 13), says that Keys for Kids is a good devotional to use because "the stories are good and apply to real life even though I am getting a little old for them". My daughter, Robyn (age 11) enjoys Keys because "It helps helps me get through the day because they help me learn what to do". My son Ethan (age 7) says he likes Keys for Kids because "I love God and they help me learn about my life and what to do." My son, Nate (age 6), says Keys is good because "we love God and it helps us to learn not to say bad words and other bad things and it helps our heart".


If you are looking for a way to help FEED your children's SPIRITUAL life you might enjoy Keys for kids, too!! If you are already using Keys, what is your favorite thing about this devotional?? Did you use Keys for Kids when you were growing up??

Have a BLESSED day, BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Babies on the way!!!

25 Baby Chicks to be exact! They will be here the middle of April.... really ready for spring, now!!
We haven't had any chickens since last fall and I'm ready for farm fresh eggs again. Nothing compares to an egg collected right out your back door. Here is a picture of my old flock... so much enjoyment!

Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Take advantage... FREE February eddition of Simple Family Supper

The month long give away is winding up.... MARCH is almost here!!! You have no idea how much I look forward to SPRING!!! Ok.. off subject. DOWNLOAD your FREE copy of my February Simple Family Supper Menu Plan Kit E-book today.

ENJOY some wonderful SIMPLE suppers with your family. This menu plan does not have dates.. you can jump in anytime, any month of the year.


Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Choosing Simplicity: Choosing to ENJOY what we have

Sometimes it is easy to think that living a "simple life" is all about giving things up. To some extent that is very true. We have chosen to "give up" many things that a majority of Americans live with. Some of the things we live without are a bit more radical (such as NOT using our furnace) and some are pretty easy (such as not eating out much). My favorite thing to live with out is DEBT!! We only have our very affordable mortgage and a SMALL work truck loan that will be paid off soon. Talk about less stress than when we began our journey to simplicity 6 years ago!

Instead of focusing on giving things up we choose to focus on enjoying what we choose to keep. For example, my husband and I both LOVE coffee. We do not buy coffee out, but instead choose to ENJOY good coffee made at home for a fraction of the cost. I even splurge and buy real half and half to put in my coffee. Every morning we enjoy a nice cup of coffee together in our own kitchen and Chris packs a thermos to go along with him to work. We have travel mugs that we put to use also. We ENJOY the coffee we make at home and don't lament about "not being able to stop at starbucks". I have also experimented with some great coffee recipes and make a mean Frozen Mocha Frapachino!

Choosing Simplicity is about BALANCE! Some things you give up, some things you keep. The bottom line is that we really ENJOY and appreciate the things we keep in our life. We choose to have a POSITIVE attitude and focus on ENJOYING life rather than have discontentment for all the things we don't have. There are days that one of use will slip into discontentment, but it doesn't take long to get back on track when we are reminded of the many wonderful blessings of living a simple life.

Last night my husband and I went out on a date! We did eat out (!) and we ENJOYED it!! However, we also enjoy our times out when we eat at home before we leave. It really is all in the way we CHOOSE to enjoy it.

ENJOY what you have in your life and CHOOSE carefully what you keep. I have been surprised by how much sheer delight I can have in the most simple of things.


Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather


ENJOY supper together with your family!!!! Download your FREE copy of my February Simple Family Supper menu plan kit E-book today!

It's OK to have some convience foods in your kitchen!!

Really, it is OK!! Big weight off the "cook from scratch" shoulders.

Perfection is a killer. We too often hold ourselves to unrealistic expectations. Yes, I want the BEST for my family. I want them to eat healthy and yummy food. However, ultimately what is BEST for them is having a CHEERFUL Mom!! When I get over stressed I'm not always so cheerful... in fact we had some extra stress this week and some things had to give.

There are days that convenience food is PERFECTLY perfect for our family. This week we had cold meat sandwiches and frozen pizza!! Yep, and they were yummy! Yesterday was a more "normal" day and I was able to get some yummy bacon, cheddar and veggie chowder in the crock pot. We sat at the table and ate a made from scratch, whole foods meal. Know what?? It was great food but the time together at the table is what matters most! Whether it is a frozen pizza, PB&J's, cereal or a made from scratch meal it is the FAMILY time that matters most!!

So, let me give you some encouragement.... it is OK to have some convenience foods in your life. Your kids NEED a smiling mom!

For the LOVE of FAMILY I want to help you be a smiling MOM! Download your FREE copy of my Simple Family Supper Menu Plan kit E-Book today!!!! It has everything you need: 4 weeks of menus, easy to prepare recipes and detailed shopping lists.


Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Choosing Simplicity... Back up Coffee maker

Paradise = Morning Coffee!!

Back up comes in VERY handy when the coffee pot decides to be DONE! I knew that our coffee pot was on its last leg but I wasn't worried about replacing it just yet because we have a CHEAP extra one stored in the basement.

This week our well worked coffee pot decided to completely QUIT. My husband woke me up at 5 am in distress.... "The coffee pot is dead!". I calmly reminded him about the extra one and we didn't have to fumble our way through the day without our morning jump start!! Yeah, for the extra one!

We have now replaced the daily use coffee pot and the extra (mega CHEAP) one is back in its box to be used some other day. We also use this extra coffee pot when we have company and we need both regular and decaf.

Happy coffee drinking husband!!


Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather


For the LOVE of FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!
Download your FREE Simple Family Supper E-book today.

Sometimes I'm a grump....

Yep. Grumpy. Not pretty.

Not good.

Not cute.

What to do about it??

Admit what is really at the root.... what is really bothering me?? Sometimes life is HARD!

Should I really take it out on my family? NO!

Oh, Jesus, forgive me!! Family forgive me!!

Deliberately CHANGE my attitude.. yes, that can be done. Hard, but very, very possible.

Rest in GRACE, move on.

Smile, be thankful, be content.

Give a hug, receive a hug.

Eat some chocolate!

Turn on some praise music

Get some extra sleep.

How about you?? How do you handle the grumps??

Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Don't be grumpy about supper!! Download the FREE Simple Family Supper menu plan kit E-book today! For the LOVE of FAMILY!!!!

A very special #100 indeed!

How exciting 100 followers... and #100 is a very special lady in my REAL life!!! Brook and I have been friends for 11 years. She is a fantastic woman of God, wife, mother to 6 and friend. I am blessed to call her friend, one I can always count on! Thank you, Brook, for being such a good friend. Visit Brook's website... she is a very talented seamstress and I have been blessed by her handiwork many times. She specializes in all things baby.... adorable, quality and practical.

Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Download your FREE copy of my Simple Family Supper February Menu Plan Kit E-Book... For the love of family I am giving this e-book away for the entire month! Grab your copy today and let others know!!! Thank you!

I'm at 99 followers.... Who is going to be the amazing 100??

Crazy... 99!!! Wow! Who wants to be the special #100?? Click the link in the sidebar to 'follow' to be the one.

Don't forget to download your very own copy (FREE for this month) of my Simple Family Supper February Menu Plan Kit E-book. Enjoy some stress free suppertime memories with your family.


Have a BLESSED day, BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Life can be REALLY hard!

Sometimes life stinks. Sometimes the "WHY's" ring loud in our hearts. Sometimes we can do nothing but shout "God this makes no sense"! Trusting God and leaning on him are all we have left.

This week some of our dear friends walked through (are still walking) through a journey that I can't even imagine going through. Our friends delivered a beautiful full term baby girl on Wednesday, February 2nd and then Jesus welcomed that little girl into his arms one week to the day later. Baby Alicia had many, many health problems. Our friends had known from the first ultrasound that there were many issues, but it does not make releasing their daughter any easier.

Please pray for Karmon, Justice and their three older children (ages 8, 6 and 2). The services are on Monday, Valentines day of all days. Please pray for comfort and peace for them.

This will definitely be a first for me.... going to a funeral with a tiny casket. I really can't wrap my heart around the deepness of the grief....

Heather

Doctors only gave her months to live... God had different plans!!

Way back in 1999 I met Amanda McClung. We became fast friends and became Bible study buddies until she moved away (her husband is in the military) in 2003 (Miss her very much). Amanda's life was turned upside down in March of 2009 when she was diagnosed with sage III colon cancer. She was given only months to live, but GOD had different plans!! We serve a BIG God and He still works miracles today! Amanda is alive and well living 100% cancer free!! To God be the glory! To read a wonderful article about her complete story go HERE. You will be encouraged! Pass on the word... Our GOD heals!!!!!!!!!

Have a BLESSED day, BE a BLESSING!
Heather

For the LOVE of FAMILY I am giving away complete copies of my Simple Family Supper February Menu Plan Kit E-book. DOWNLOAD your copy today!!!!

Make me a woman who......

Lord,

Make me a woman who loves you more than I love what others say about me or think of me.

Make me a woman who guards her heart.

Make me a woman who loves You more than I love how I appear to others.

Make me a woman whose heart is pure.

Make me a woman who returns only love.

Make me a woman who grows more and more to care about those around me–especially those hardest to care about.

Make me a woman who sees with compassionate eyes.

Make me a woman who doesn’t always have to be right.

Make me a woman who loves truth more than popularity.

Make me a woman who chases after Your heart.

(Thanks Generation Cedar for this!!!)


Added by Me: Lord, Make me a woman that fights to keep family a priority! A woman that deeply loves my husband and children. Make me a woman that understands that I can make a difference for eternity by focusing on building my family up!!! Make me a woman that makes a difference through the power of the Holy Spirit working in my life!

Don't forget: for the month of February I am giving away as many FREE copies of my Simple Family Supper February Menu Plan Kit E-book as I can. BUILD your family... share some simple meals together!! Let the Simple Family Supper menu plan take the stress out of supper and allow you to share some wonderful family time. Download your copy today and pass on the word!!

Have a BLESSED day, BE a BLESSING!
Heather

The fight is on and my family is not going down!

The battle line has been drawn. We will not give up. We will FIGHT to the end.

What are we fighting for?? Our FAMILY! Family in our modern world is under attack and the casualties are continuing to mount.
It is war and we have to stand up, take up our weapons and fight.

In my own family we have had a couple of seasons where we took some good hits and had some deep wounds to bind. With the power of God He heals and restores. It takes constant determination to keep family the focus and keep us strong, connected and operating in love.

One of the best weapons to use in this war for our family is shared meal time. Eating together brings us closer to each other. Conversation, laughter, TIME! Jesus set this example for us by sharing meals with his disciples and with many others. We all have to eat.... we can use this time to BUILD relationships!!!

I want to help you!!! The entire month of February I am giving away a FREE complete copy of my Simple Family Supper February Menu Plan Kit E-book. Download your copy today and use this tool in your fight for your family. Treat your family to a SIMPLE, easy to prepare, meal tonight!!!!

This menu plan kit includes:
*4 weeks of menu
*all the easy to prepare recipes
*weekly shopping lists
*tips and techniques

Please share this give away with others.... It is my heart's desire to equip as many families as possible with some meal time help!!!!

Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather

Month long Simple Family Supper E-Book give away!

I love FAMILY and I want to bless your family!

For the entire month of February I am giving away a copy of my Simple Family Supper February Menu Plan Kit E-Book. Please download your copy today and let your friends know it is available for them, too.

Eliminate the "What is for supper?" stress and ENJOY some quality family time. Simple Family Supper Menu Plan Kit 25 page E-Book contains:

• 4 weeks family friendly Menus
  

• EASY to prepare recipes
  

• Organized shopping lists
  

• Tips, techniques and hints
  

• Bonus dessert recipes
  

FAMILY TIME!!!!!!

For the month of February I will be focusing on FAMILY meal time and why this is such a passion of mine. I really want to be a blessing to your family. Download the FEBRUARY menu plan kit today!!!! Spread the word and help me get this tool into as many hands as possible.... bringing families together one meal at a time!!!!

Thank you!!!

Have a BLESSED day,
BE a BLESSING!
Heather