March Scripture Writing Plan--I AM

*A printable link is located at the bottom of this post.

I started this new year with a purpose of being intentional in growing in different areas of my life. One of those areas is reading my Bible, but I didn't want to read for the sake of saying I read. I wanted to be intentional in learning and digging a little deeper. I wasn't sure how I was going to juggle that with everything else.

I've always liked the Scripture Writing Plans I'd seen on Pinterest. I had pinned several over the years, but never incorporated them into my bible reading. In January, I decided to do one and just see how I liked it. Well, it turns out I LOVED it!

I made a commitment for that month to lay aside social media and my phone in general at bed time and take that time to do my daily reading. I was surprised at how much I came to look forward to this time every night, and how much peace I had. With the small but intentional act of reading my bible every night, I was reminded of how important it is to my spiritual growth.

As February approached, I knew I had to find a new scripture writing plan. My sweet friends recommended some great plans and I picked one, but the Lord was already showing me so much in January and I really wanted to be able to share it.

I started making notes of scriptures relating to God's promises with the thought of writing a bible study. Then, I felt the nudge to take those notes and make my own scripture writing plan for March. But His ways are not our ways and I couldn't get past the feeling that there was more.

I was SO excited to share "His promises are I WILL" as the March writing plan, but I heard that still, small (persistent) voice in my head saying, "Before you (they) know what I will do, you (they) need to know who I AM." Ok Lord, I hear you. That back-and-forth conversation about one month of scripture writing turned into four months of scripture writing plans.

After we journey into I AM and I Will, we will look at ourselves and see what the bible has to say about us by learning who HE says YOU ARE and what YOU WILL do as believers of Christ.

I hope you'll take this journey with me. I will be completing each of these plans as if someone else wrote them for me to learn from. I've never done this before and I'm no theologian. I'm just a crazy-busy wife, mom, and student who is trying to be more disciplined. With that said, I may have made some mistakes. I tried to keep the verses from 1-5 daily. Some days the scriptures are back-to-back in the same chapter. I split them up when I felt each section needed special emphasis.

So friends--grab a notebook, pen, your bible, and this printable. Then, join me and let's be intentional in our growth.

Click the link below to download a free printable version:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_O3Z99-Ce5VLU8tZFVabUpkS19sQktkY1lfamlNdlU5LVZR/view?usp=drivesdk

When Life Feels Like a Big Mess

This is a true story straight from my family’s crazy life. It is a few years old, but when I came across it today; it spoke straight to my heart once more. I decided to share it just as I wrote it then:

Through a messy situation yesterday, God spoke straight to my soul. This story is about a 3-year-old and poop. Yep, poop! So, if you can’t handle poop stories, feel free to scroll on now but if you can, read on. You will laugh, but hopefully you will receive the message through the mess.

Potty training hasn’t come easy for our youngest one, which means the process has been trying for mom and dad also. We were at the mall when she says she has to potty. Ok, no problem. I take her while dad and big sister go to the next store.

Somehow, I do not realize she has already pooped (I warned you) as I am helping her onto the toilet. Let’s just say we had a mess!! Now, let me insert this. Said 3-year-old cannot stand ANYTHING on her that is not supposed to be there. A stray piece of hair can attach itself to her fingers and she will start screaming.

So, here we are in a public bathroom stall. We are in a MESS! She is having a fit. She does not know what to do. This is not a simple fix. Her voice is frantic. Mine is this calm I can’t explain because I am telling you that it was not a pretty situation.

The conversation went something like this:

Miracle 2: Mama, it’s a mess!! It’s a mess!!

Me: I know sweetheart. It is, but I am going to take care of it.

Miracle 2: Mama, please fix it! Get it off!

Me: Sweet girl, look at mama’s eyes. Do you trust me?

Miracle 2: Yeah

Me: Ok, then trust that I know what I am doing. I am going to fix this. You’ve got to sit still and let Mama take care of the mess. I know what I am doing.

Miracle 2: Ok, but it’s a BIG MESS!

Me: Yes, it is but I can, and I will fix it.

As I am talking to her, I’m telling you right in the middle of our big mess I felt like God was showing me that’s how we can be. We have this huge mess (life situations) that is really bad. We don’t know how to fix it on our own. We ask God to help us, but then we keep telling him how big our mess is.

He KNOWS.

He CARES.

He just needs us to TRUST that HE KNOWS what He is doing.

Sometimes that requires us to sit still and wait patiently. He will get us through those situations that seem hopeless.

We just have to trust.

I Didn't Turn The Other Cheek

Sometimes I wish I could say whatever I want to people and walk away without ever giving those words a second thought. Actually, there was a time when I was that person but somewhere along the way that girl grew up and with God's help she stopped doing that. Well, mostly...except maybe occasionally she finds herself in situations where her actions aren't exactly proper. Actions that have deemed me the silent, crazy one by those who know me best. My sister loves to send me memes like "Hey! Your crazy is showing. You might want to tuck that back in!"

Tonight was one of those nights. I placed a simple order inside a fast-food restaurant. One kids meal & one Egg McMuffin, NO cheese. Order #176. 

I waited and waited. 

Order #177 got their order. 

Order #178 got their order. 

Ok, I'm still waiting. #177 even commented that she was surprised to get her order before me. I kindly responded that my sandwich was a breakfast sandwich (at 7 pm) with no cheese so likely the delay. 

I never acted upset. I never inquired about my food. It was obvious to me that they were busy and the cook, she was having a hard time keeping up. I didn't have to remind her because her manager said, "I need that Egg McMuffin" at least 7 times. Well, I saw the cook assembling said sandwich. I saw her grab the slice of cheese and I saw the order on the screen said NO cheese. As she's placing cheese on my food, I politely said, "The muffin is NO cheese." The cashier assured me it was in the system that way. Cool! Maybe that wasn't my muffin.

The manager once again says, "I need that Egg McMuffin." The cook, with her eyes firmly on me, abruptly informs her that it's in the bin. The manager hands me the bag & mumbles that she's sorry it took so long & asks if I'd like a free dessert to go with my meal. I said, "No thank you. I'd just like to check that there is no cheese." I open it and there is the cheese. The manager offers to remake it. The cheese hasn't melted so I just pull it off, toss it in the bag, and tell her it's all good since I was able to take it off.

Then, it happened!

As I'm walking away, the manager tells the cook she put cheese on the muffin. Very loudly, the cook says, "Well, she (talking about me) should have said something when I was making it!"

Dear Mary-and-Joseph and sweet Baby Jesus! I am sorry to say, that while I feel I "turned the other cheek" back-and-forth over this muffin; all my cheek-turning skills were quickly forgotten! I was already at the door when my skills abandoned me. Right there, in the crowded lobby where Order #179 was still waiting for their food, I yelled as loud as I could that I DID say something when she was making it! Then, I proceeded to walk out the door. 

So, why am I pondering this at 2:45 a.m. when I have to be at work in the morning?! One reason could be that the coffee I drank too late in the day today has me wide awake. Another reason could be that even though I had a right to defend myself, I should not have shouted across the lobby making myself look just as ridiculous as the cook. I'm going to go with the second reason.

Even though it truly felt her actions were intentional; I have no idea what may have been going on in her world. The only thing I'm certain of is this: All the good I thought I was accomplishing by being patient while waiting was of no worth the minute I opened my mouth with a response to rival hers. While I can't change my actions, I can choose to end my night admitting my short-comings, asking the Lord for forgiveness, and praying an earnest prayer for the cook who prepared order #176. 

When Words of Wisdom Ring True

I suppose it is a natural human instinct to want to share with others the wisdom we have acquired over the course of our lives. When you become a parent everyone, and I mean everyone, has something they need to tell you regarding how to parent your child. I’ve heard all types of things during my almost thirteen years of being a parent. I have learned things I did not want to know and then, there were many times I gleaned from the wisdom that was shared with me. A few phrases have stuck with me throughout this time as a parent and maybe they have stuck with you also.

It won’t be like this for long.

Cherish the time you have with your kids because it goes by so fast.

The house can wait, play with your babies.

As those phrases are shared with you, you’ll listen. You’ll think you really understand. If you’re like me, you’ll even hang the It Won’t Be Like This For Long sign on your wall. You’ll hang it because you know difficult days will happen and you desperately want to remember what’s most important on those days when you think your to-do list is so long that you can’t possibly stop and take a few minutes to play that imaginary game with your little one. Oh, the times I have been guilty of this.

Then, quicker than you could ever imagine, something will happen that will make those words of wisdom ring truer than true in your life. It will make those statements ever clear. It won’t happen just once, it will happen again and again. Each time those words ring true for you, they will hit you hard and make you evaluate how valuable this life is. Like many times before, this happened to me today.

Today it was a pair of shoes I found while transitioning my young child’s closet from Spring/Summer to Fall/Winter. Right there, on the pile of things I had been saving for my youngest, sat my oldest daughter’s ball cleats. It’s been several years since she played ball, yet turning the shoe onto its side revealed dirt that seemed like it was just placed there yesterday while she played her heart out on that field.

It’s crazy, really. 

Those little shoes were probably bought a size larger, so they would last more than one ball season. Yet, so quickly I find myself examining those little shoes at a very different season of my oldest one’s life. She was around 8 years old at the time those little shoes fit her feet. She was a little blonde-haired girl who would not wear a hairbow no matter my attempted forms of persuasion. Now, she is about to be a teenager and that blonde hair is a sun-kissed melody of brown and blonde. She stands nearly a foot taller than her mama. And, those cleats with seemingly-still fresh dirt, would not fit half her foot.

I am thankful for this season of life even though the seasons seem to change faster and faster with each passing year. I am thankful that something as simple as a pair of shoes can serve to remind me of the short span of time that my husband and I have been gifted with to pour into our children. I pray we consistently take time to evaluate what is truly important and make decisions that will prayerfully serve our children throughout their lives, so they will understand what it means to cherish the time God has given us, and the importance of using that time to diligently pursue His calling.

Raising Kids in this Gone-Crazy World

I can't sleep for thinking of all the things I have heard or witnessed over the last few days concerning children. These are stories of girls who are taking desperate measures to secure the attention of a boy, stories of elementary students bullying others with such hateful comments, and stories of lives taken at such an early age because a person felt they had no hope. These are not made up stories. These are not stories I read in a news article. These are the real-life stories of kids who live right in our own local neighborhoods--and these are just a few and just the ones I know about.  Some of these kids have terrible home lives and some of them are kids who are seemingly living the American Dream. I'm not writing to propose a perfect solution. Quite honestly, I don't even know what I hope to accomplish here. Maybe writing it all out equates to some form of therapy for myself or maybe something I say will spark some hope for someone.

 

I've used social media platforms many times to talk about the importance of talking with our children consistently about life. I've said that in my house we don't have "The Talk," we have "Ongoing Talks." I still believe that doing so is imperative to raising children who are better prepared to face the challenges this world gives them on a daily basis. Notice I said better prepared because I'm not certain any of us are ever fully prepared for the curveballs life will inevitably throw at us.

 

The most difficult aspect of being a Fire Family isn't worrying about the safety of our firefighter, as many might believe. I rarely have that concern because I am confident in the training my husband and his colleagues receive. I am confident because his department is comprised of leaders who understand that training isn't a one-time deal. It's ongoing. There are times that ongoing training requires my husband/their daddy to be away from home more than he is already required to be. A regular 24-hour shift or ongoing training may mean that my husband has to miss a special event. It may require him to adjust his schedule or me to adjust mine. It definitely requires consistent communication.

 

As adults most of us understand that sacrifices are often necessary to our success. However, too often we only correlate that to our careers. We must understand that our kids need us more now than ever before. As my oldest daughter completes her first year of middle school; I am finding this to be more and more relevant with each passing school year. In a world where everything is constantly pulling for our attention, she needs me to lay aside those distractions and spend uninterrupted, quality time with her.

 

You see, for me the most difficult aspect of being a Fire Family is having one-forth of the puzzle pieces to our family puzzle missing every third night. Sure, you can put the puzzle together but without all those missing pieces it will not be complete. There will be empty spots. The pieces surrounding the missing pieces aren't as strong because they depend on the support of the other pieces. It can quickly become a confused, jumbled mess.

 

Here's the thing, I can't change the outcome of the puzzle without the missing pieces; but I can choose to change my outlook about the situation. For me, that means making wise use of one-on-one time with my children when my husband can't be present. It means I spend quiet time with my little one while my oldest is getting ready for the next day. Then, without fail, once I get the little one settled in for the night, that oldest one who may have been holed up in her room doing what preteen girls do, is usually laying across my bed with that knowing look on her face. The one that silently tells me that even though it is a school night, we probably aren't closing our eyes anytime soon.

 

Even on those nights when I really just want a few quiet minutes of my own, I know that God has given me these quiet moments to spend listening to my girl talk about things that are important to her. She has questions--lots of questions. And believe you me, she doesn't want some sugar-coated, gloss-over-the-topic type of answer. Like her mama, she wants the straight truth. Now, I give it to her in doses that I know she can handle, but I do give her the truth.

 

Is it always comfortable answering those questions?  NO! NO! NO! But, I want her to know she can ask me and not feel like she has to ask a friend who may not have the right answer.

 

Do I think I have the perfect parenting advice?

Do I think that my "ongoing talks" will spare her from making mistakes?

Absolutely not! I am fully aware that I get it wrong many times and I am just as aware that no matter what I tell my daughter, one day she will have decisions she has to make on her own. All I know for certain, as her parents, we have provided an environment where she can ask questions and she understands that she can ask those questions without worrying what we will think of her for asking them.

 

Possessions, wealth, buying our kids every little thing they want--these things don't give them the most important thing. They need LOVE and that requires attention. These are two things don't require anything of us other than our time. Please join me and make an effort to break away from life's distractions and spend some time with your kids. If you don't have kids--find a kid to spend some time with. They need us.

Life Lesson in a McDonald's Booth

Have you ever been to eat at a place where the regulars go?

You know the place when you walk in because the waitress knows them by name and knows exactly how many creams and sugars they need in their morning cup of Joe. Those are the places where I love to find a corner booth by myself and eat while enjoying the overheard conversations of the regulars.

Recently, I found myself sitting in the corner booth of a McDonald's because (1) I needed a place away from the distractions of home to get some assignments done, and (2) they have the best coffee in my little town! I was surprised to see that even McDonald's has a group of regulars who come for breakfast. They were enjoying themselves and I was enjoying their lighthearted conversation from the comfort of my corner. I really don't know what they were talking about. The conversation didn't matter. The smiles on their faces did.

Then, I heard a few short words that took me completely away from my intended purposes.

Stop, that's not nice. Now, get back to work.

This very bold statement didn't come from the regulars. No, it came from the restaurant manager and was directed at two female employees who were saying something that wasn't so pleasant about someone else.

Have you ever had a spiritual revelation in the most oddest of places? He made his statement, then he carried on and they returned back to working instead of downing someone. All I could think about is how our heavenly father must feel when we talk about his children. I can just hear him say:

Stop, that’s not nice. Now, get back to work.

There is work to do for his kingdom. We don’t have time to fill our days with endless chatter, backbiting, gossiping, and the like. Our conversations need to be about lifting up people, not tearing them down. When we have disagreements with someone, and it will happen, we need to do as the Bible instructs and go to that person; NOT everyone else.

If women in the church house can't get along, how do we expect to win other women to Christ?

Are there people who are deliberately deceitful? Yes, but we can't allow their actions to cause us to disregard God's intended purposes.

We must stop talking about other women. We must stop calling Sister so-and-so to ask for "prayer" about the situation when we know good and well that our real aim is to find someone who will listen and take our side. We are talking about people's lives. We can't let petty things, which are worth little value, keep us from doing kingdom work. We must be vigilant in our efforts to seek peace.

 Stop, that’s not nice.

Now, get back to work.

 

Time Crunch Calls for Crunchy Chicken Strips

It's the middle of the week. You've been running around busy all week. The last thing you want to do is stand in the kitchen cooking an elaborate meal. I know that's how I feel during the week. The problem I have is finding a meal that didn't come from a drive-thru window, but is still quick and something the whole family will eat.

Mr. Handsome tried this recipe on us one night, and I am so glad he did! I have adopted it as one of my go-to, quick meals. And, my kids actually LOVE it! My youngest is not much of a meat eater, but she asked for 3 servings of this the last time I made it! It is super easy. Sometimes we add a vegetable or two, other times we just add some chips.

This recipe is in my favorite cookbook, Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book 15th Edition. At our house, we call this yummy goodness Goldfish Chicken. However, the proper name is Crunchy Chicken Strips.

You will need:

• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• 7 Cups Bite-Size Cheddar Fish-Shape Crackers or 14 Oz. of Pretzels
• (I use 1 bag of Goldfish Crackers)
• 1 1/2 Cups Bottled Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
• (I use about a half bottle of Ranch dressing)
• 2 Pounds Chicken Breast Tenderloins (thawed)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Coat pans with cooking spray. (I use 2 glass baking dishes or a cookie pan)

2. Crush crackers. (I do this in a large zip top bag). Transfer to shallow baking dish. 
Pour the ranch dressing into another shallow baking dish or bowl.
Dip chicken tenderloins into dressing, coating both sides.
Then dip in cracker crumbs, coating both sides.
Place evenly in cooking dish.

3. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F.).
*The cook book suggests rotating the pans halfway through baking, I never do this but feel free.

Voila, a no-fuss, quick meal!

The Better Homes Cook Book shares the following storage tips for any left-overs:
Cool remaining chicken strips for 20 minutes. Place in airtight container; cover and chill for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. To reheat strips, preheat oven to 400F. Arrange chilled or frozen strips in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, until heated through (allow 15 minutes for chilled and 20 minutes for frozen strips). 
*I just pop them in the microwave for about 1 minute. IF there are any leftovers, that is.

For the Love of Butter

 

We are an on-the-go family.
I don't sit still for long. Just ask my husband, he tells me often that I need to learn to relax.

Is that even a possible skill to learn?

Busy or not, we have to eat. I love a good, family meal that includes everyone sitting together at the dinner table.

I also enjoy trying new food.

My husband, he can cook! They say firefighters have this skill and are notorious for their fire house meals. I don't know about other firefighters, but mine has the skills! 

I love cooking but he takes things to a new level, so I certainly don't mind handing over the kitchen to him.

My sister leads a very healthy lifestyle. I never mind being her guinea pig when she makes a new dish.

I just love food, but I do try to eat all that bad-for-me-stuff in moderation.

But, I must admit somedays...SOME DAYS...I need starch and buttuh' !!!
Do y'all know what buttuh' is??!!

B-U-T-T-E-R
Smooth, creamy, bad, bad, bad for you.
Yes, that stuff.

I need it in epic proportions. You know, Paula Deen-sized proportions.

I need to sit on my couch with a big bowl of grits. Y'all know what grits are, right? If you don't, you need to.

Anyhow, grits...a really big bowl of them covered in butter. Then, add 2 fried eggs cooked in butter. Top it off with a glass of sweet tea.
My, oh my!

What is your favorite comfort food?

The Reason I Have Peace on Election Day

Today is the day. The day when Americans decide who will become the next President of the United States of America. Does it baffle me that across this great nation, these are our two choices? You bet! But, I refuse to let my voice be silent—as an American and as a woman. My vote has been cast, and now I pray and wait. I will not spend today walking around in fear of what is to come. I know the man who holds the master plan. His name is Jesus Christ and in the words of the late Dr. S.M. Lockridge: That’s my King!

When you know the king, you know that his perfect love cast out all fear. When you know the king, you know that He can move mountains. When you know the king, you know that in the end He is victorious. When you know the king, you know that you can lie down tonight in perfect peace and that you are kept in the palm of His hand.
 

 

Be wise today. Know what you believe in and take that mindset to the polls. You are not going to like everything about either of the top-running candidates. I’m not here to tell you who to vote for. I am here to ensure that you understand that it is important to take the time to make your voice be heard. Do what YOU can, then let God handle the rest. Don’t be consumed with worry or fear. As Priscilla Shirer says in the video above, "He is the ruler of all rulers, the leader of all leaders...He cannot be explained away." He remains in control.

 

If you are feeling uneasy today or you just need a reminder of who your creator is, take a few minutes to watch these videos.

 

Peace to you on this Election Day!

 

Sidelined—Benched—Taken Out of the Game

Whatever term you use, it’s that moment when the player is removed from the game and has to watch from the sidelines as the game goes on. Sometimes, that is what it is like being a firefighter’s wife.

I wake up each day to a new game of Life. Except in this game, the players are real. When Mr. Handsome is leaving for a fire shift, I squeeze him a little tighter knowing the game could change in an instant. Sure, it’s true everyday and in every profession, I’m just offering you a taste of what it’s like for me—for my sisterhood of fire wives and their families.

The game can be going well. Then, without a moment’s notice—sidelined, benched!

There is nothing like watching your own game of life from the sidelines. Recently, there was a restaurant fire in our town. I was at home working on something on the computer. I had no idea anything was happening until I received a text message inquiring if my husband was on-shift. He was. Then, it was explained to me that there was a fire. Fortunately, that text came from my sister who worked within view of the fire so I was able to touch base with her throughout the ordeal. However, that didn’t stop the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing my husband and his fire family were battling blazes.

Social media frenzy makes this situation and others the hardest part of being sidelined. When this fire happened, there was a Live Facebook video made on a local news page. The comments from people who like to hype up situations never consider the families affected. There were graphic comments made suggesting that people were laid out, unconscious in the restaurant parking lot! Yet, there was not a single soul harmed in this fire. Can you just imagine what sidelined life would have looked like had I not had my sister close enough to the situation to assure me that those firefighters and other first responders were fine?

It was several hours before I heard from my husband that day. This is only one occasion. There have been countless. There will be countless more. The feeling of uneasiness while waiting on that call or text that says all is well will never cease. Yet, I know the game must go on.

For me, that means relying on my faith in God and the assurance that this is a well-trained fire department.

This is Fire Life.  

 

Messy Memories

I’ve always heard “A little dirt won’t hurt.” At our house it seems to go a bit more like:

A little paint (all over the table) won’t hurt.
A little tea (spilled on the floor) won’t hurt.
A little cheese (dry, hard & old) won’t hurt.
A little crafty stuff (everywhere) won’t hurt.

My dining room table is a work of art where the piece changes landscapes with each new project. It started with an accident where I (yep, not a kiddo) got a bit of pink paint on the table years ago. I left it there as a reminder that life happens. It’s an OLD painted wood table that was once a pretty baby blue color. My mom painted it a nice coffee-with-cream color before it came to live with us. As time has gone by, the cream has chipped in places and you can see the blue—along with all the other colors we’ve added while creating. I mean, seriously, who has time to cover the table with a tablecloth or something when your mind is racing to create?!

Just last week, my oldest decided to create a design on paper using a black Sharpie. Let’s just say despite our cleaning efforts, the design is also now a part of our table. Just yesterday, she was creating something and now there are little white, aqua, pink, blue and maybe even red specks accentuating last week’s Sharpie design. They will come off but I’m not in a panic to make it happen.

Did you catch my phrase: A little tea (spilled on the floor) won’t hurt?
It doesn’t have to be tea. It is anything in liquid form that my youngest can spill. We aren’t really talking tea here; well sometimes. Mostly, we are talking about little teapots, little teacups, bowls from the pretend kitchen and endless tea party sets she has accumulated. She fills them up with water quicker than I can get the first spill cleaned.

Mr. Handsome recently upgraded us to a side-by-side fridge. Yep, the one with the water dispenser in the door. Don’t even suggest that I can put the thing on lock. I’m raising Little Einstein’s ‘round here. She has worked around that and has tea party debating skills that would make my lawyer friend’s heads spin.

Let’s move on: A little cheese (dry, hard, and old) won’t hurt.
By now, you know this is about more than cheese. My oldest dreams of being on Chopped for Kids or any show like that. Most days this summer she has cooked her own breakfast. I am more than willing to make it for her, but she is like her mama and has the need to create. So, I let her with the understanding that clean-up is part of the creating. True to being a perfect mix of her mother and father, she is like her daddy when it comes to cooking. She finds it necessary to make use of every pot and every utensil possible. An admitted fact from my man about himself, by the way. One that I gladly accept if it means I get to enjoy his amazing cooking creations. So, why did I say dry, hard and old cheese? Because, even after all her cleaning attempts, and she really works hard—I will find remaining evidence of her cooking escapades every time.
She has a new love for making food in the waffle maker. She has even used it to make eggs. However, her favorite thing to make in the waffle maker is a cheese quesadilla. Thus, you can imagine what I mean by dry, hard and old cheese.

And….I saved the best for last: A little crafty stuff (everywhere) won’t hurt.

Ah, yes.

As I am typing, I look up to see a yellow, round pom-pom thingy, some dried balls of hot glue, tiny scraps of paper, a basket of craft paints, crayons, markers, pens, coloring books, beads and so forth all within my reach or within a few steps. My dining room has become a craft room even though we have a craft closet. Before one project is complete and cleaned up, another project is in the works.

Why am I telling you this?
Is it so you can make certain we never come to craft or cook at your house?
No, because 1) I eliminated that invitation just by posting this. Ha-ha, just kidding, and 2) I do teach my kids to respect our belongings and most especially those of others. If they do something like painting with their Nana they know they better put something on her table to protect it. She isn’t trying to remember that life happens via some paint marks on her dining room table. That would be crazy, right?!

I’m telling you because even though I’ve spent this summer or my entire parenthood cleaning spills, discovering dried particles of food in the least likely places, and relinquishing my beloved crafting supplies to my children—I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Before you panic, we don’t live in a house where mold is growing or bugs are roaming because of food waste (and I do scrub the table). My kids aren’t even allowed to have drinks anywhere but the dining room or kitchen; occasionally the living room when we do something like a movie night. They hear me say “Make sure you clean that up when you’re done” more times than I care to admit. Some days I drive my own self crazy trying to keep things in order and some days I just say forget it. I love an orderly home but I am learning that I can’t let it control me, us.

I want to spend my child raising years enjoying making memories with my kids. I want them to be creative. I want them to understand that life really does happen. I don’t want to lose my temper over drink spills. Sometimes I do and it is never worth it. I want to allow them space to learn, grow, love, and be loved. If that means making memories with messes, then so be it.

When my husband has the time to create our beautifully planned farmhouse table, I will protect it well. Until then, we will continue to make memories and messes on our coffee-with-cream-and-paint-splattered table. I encourage you to take time to make memories, even if they are messy. There will always be something waiting to be cleaned. There will always be cooking and laundry. I realize those things have to get done, but we can easily obsess about them. This time with our children is precious and will pass all too quickly.

Take a break. Make a mess. Make lasting memories.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

A few days ago This Chick spent a few hours with the Miracles making Homemade Cinnamon Rolls while That Dude did some work and the Dog (Dela) stared at us from her view on the back porch between the window panes of the french doors. She can be at the far back of the yard, yet instinctively she knows when we start cooking.

We used a recipe from our Watkins Vanilla Classic Recipes Cookbook. Therefore, some ingredients call for Watkins brand products. We did not use those products. We used what we had on-hand and still had amazing results.

 My advice after making these:

1. Make sure you read the directions first. There are several times that you will have waiting time while your dough rises.

2. Gather all your ingredients first and measure them out. To me, this makes the process much smoother.

3. If you prefer a thicker and sweeter icing, consider making your own cream cheese icing instead of the glaze used in this recipe. We LOVED these cinnamon rolls, but all agreed that cream cheese icing would have been amazing!

*I will include a basic cream cheese icing below the cinnamon roll recipe. It is delicious and very simple.

Homemade Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

4 ¼ to 4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 package quick-rising active dry yeast

1 ¼ cups plus 4 to 5 teaspoons milk, divided

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided

2 teaspoons Watkins vanilla, divided

5 teaspoons Watkins ground cinnamon, divided

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Combine 1 ½ cups flour and yeast in large bowl, set aside.

In saucepan, heat 1 ¼ cups milk, granulated sugar, ¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt just until mixture is warm (120 F to 130 F), stirring constantly.

Add this to the flour mixture along with the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl often. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes.

Stir in as much remaining flour as possible with spoon (dough will be soft). Knead in enough remaining flour to form moderately soft dough, 3 to 5 minutes total. Shape dough into a ball; place in lightly greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 to 1 ½ hours until double in size. (Dough is ready to shape when you can lightly press two fingers ½ inch into dough and indentation remains.) Punch down dough and divide in half. Place each half on lightly floured surface and smooth into a ball. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Roll half of dough into 12 x 8 inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread with 3 tablespoons butter. Combine brown sugar and remaining 4 teaspoons cinnamon; sprinkle half of mixture over dough. Roll up dough from short side; seal edge by brushing with water. Repeat with remaining dough. Slice one roll into 8 pieces and the other into 7 pieces. (According to recipe, but will depend on how thin/thick you slice your pieces). Arrange slices cut sides up in prepared pan. Cover; let rise about 30 minutes or until nearly doubled.

Bake for 25 to 40 minutes or until light brown. (Ours baked in about 20 minutes, so make sure to check your rolls often). Immediately invert rolls onto wire rack, then invert again. Cool slightly on wire rack. Combine powdered sugar, remaining 4 teaspoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl; drizzle glaze over rolls. Serve warm or store in airtight container.

Basic Cream Cheese Icing/Frosting Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese

½ cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered/confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Right out of the oven--before icing. Oh, so good!

A How-To On Receiving Free Products by Mail

How Do You Get All That Stuff For Free?

I get asked this question all the time. It never gets old because I love helping my family and friends save money! I’ve shared the links on my personal Facebook page, but since those easily get lost in the newsfeed, I thought it would be a good idea to do a post with all the information in one place.

I couponed for a LONG time, but when Miracle 2 came along I fell off the coupon train. I haven’t been able to find my way back for, well…let’s be honest…FOUR years! I do love couponing but I like to hit the stores alone. Since that is a rare occasion with little ones, I just lost interest—that whole time and season for everything type of deal. Right now, my season is soaking up all the time I can with my babies.

When I have a few moments, like the one I am having now because Miracle 1 is making a video of some sort and Miracle 2 is in deep concentration watching a video, I like to checkout freebie sites and review sites. Freebie sites are sites and/or Facebook pages that post links to free items. These are typically coupons for free products or trial size products that are sent to you in the mail. These sites also provide links to exceptionally priced items, as well as sweepstakes. Review sites are sites that you sign-up to become a member. Membership is free on all the sites I use and only takes a few minutes to complete. These sites want your feedback on products. They will send you products to try in exchange for honest feedback.

There are SO many freebie sites out there, but most post the same freebies on all their pages. For that reason, I just stick to one site. My favorite site right now is Freebie Shark. For convenience, I usually just go to their Facebook page to check-out the freebies and deals. You will have to click on the links they provide and sign-up for each deal that interests you separately. I highly recommend having a separate email account that you use when you sign-up because most companies will want you to agree to receiving their email newsletter in exchange for the freebie they are offering. I only spend a small amount of time doing this. Some people do it every day, some just when the notion strikes. I am somewhat the when-the-notion-strikes chick at the moment, which is more like when my kiddos are content doing their own thing. We just enjoyed a bag of Lay’s BBQ Potato Chips due to the notion striking me to check the site and sign-up for the deal.

My latest and most favorite thing has been review sites. I love these sites because they send full-size products in exchange for my honest reviews. Another plus to review sites is being able to include my family in the fun. The items they send are based on surveys they ask you to complete. This is great because you receive items that you and your family will actually use. I currently participate in three different review sites: Influenster, Smiley 360, and BzzAgent.

Influenster has a mobile app. I love this app because I can do everything right from my phone. Influenster’s review goodies come in a cool box called a VoxBox. My little people know when a VoxBox arrives and they get excited! Once your VoxBox arrives, you have to check it in. Then, there are tasks that you have to complete. A task might be posting to Facebook about the contents of your newest VoxBox. The instructions are simple and easy. I’ve only been an Influenster for a few months. So far, I have received full-size shampoo and conditioner, chips, Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt, and 3 full-size bottles of Body Armor drinks. The boxes usually come with coupons for other free products to try also.

BzzAgent is another of my favorites. Once you become a member of BzzAgent, you answer surveys to accumulate points. The points determine the number of BzzAgent Campaigns you are offered to participate in, but they also award points that are redeemable through another site called My Points. My Points can be redeemed for gift cards. Kohl’s, Starbucks, Home Depot, and Amazon are just a few of the gift cards I have received from My Points. Back to BzzAgent…

I recently received BIC Razors and Daisy Squeeze Sour Cream from BzzAgent. Both products came with several coupons. The company would like you to share these coupons with family and friends as you “Bzz” about their products. The Daisy Squeeze Sour Cream Campaign also came with recipe cards.

The third review site that I recently started using upon the advice of a fellow review friend is Smiley 360. I haven’t done as much with this company. Basically, I signed up and they started sending offers to my email which they call Missions. The coolest Mission I’ve been sent so far is the opportunity to receive a Sleep Number pillow in exchange for visiting a Sleep Number store and checking out a specific Sleep Number bed. Sounds easy enough! I still have a few weeks to complete the assignment, so we shall see!

If you would like to give review sites a try, you can easily click on the links below to sign-up. Remember, once you receive an item to try it is important to follow-up with reviews. Read the directions and make sure to include any wording they tell you to. For example, if I share anything about the Body Armor drinks, I must include the hashtag #BODYARMORMom and I state that I was given the item for free in exchange for my review.

BzzAgent

Influenster

Smiley 360

MyPoints

Disclosure: All items mentioned from Bzz Agent, Influenster, and Smiley 360 were sent to me FREE in exchange for my honest reviews. All reviews are made based upon my own personal and honest experience with each product.

 

Damage Control: When Your Words Create a Storm

Lists.
I have one for everything because I don't want to forget anything. I can remember a zillion things, yet forget the most important thing on my to-do list. Oh, and my list must be written. I love the modern conveniences of technology; but there is just something about putting pencil to paper.

Admittedly, I've always struggled with knowing when to keep my mouth shut or maybe it's more of a knowing how to say what I need to once I've opened my mouth. I've said way too many things in this lifetime that I wish I could take back. I haven't always acted Christ-like.

My family can attest to how God has helped me tremendously in this area. I often joke that when I asked for His help, he made me silent. The girl who would once "go off" on anyone, now has times she can't say a word because she knows one word would turn into a flood of words.

We can all agree that a raging storm usually creates a large mess that someone has to clean up. It can take a really long time to clean up storm damage. Often the damage is not repairable. That's how our words can be which is why this chick had to pray for a change.

I had read the words of Proverbs 15:1 countless times since childhood. Then, one day I read them and knew that they had to become more than words on a page for me--more than advice read but never put into action. But how?

For myself, that meant doing what I do best when I need a reminder. I wrote the words to Proverbs 15:1 on a chalkboard that hangs in my kitchen: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

That was a defining moment for me. Our kitchen is the hub of our home. On school mornings that is where Mr. Handsome typically finds me after his fire shift. It's where my kids know to look first for their momma. It's where we prepare meals that become part of memories once we're all at the dinner table. It can also be a tense place when trying to prepare a meal or clean-up while the other tasks on my to-do list remain undone.

I read those words every morning before beginning my day. I read them over and over and over some days. They were a lifeline for me when something or someone would frustrate me. I'm not just talking about at home. I'm talking about everyday, life in general, frustrations. For nearly a year I left Proverbs 15:1 right there.

Then, when I felt it was time to change it, I couldn't.
Why?
Because I was scared I would forget the words. I had come so far. I didn't want to hurt anyone else with my words. As I stared at the verse with eraser in hand, I was reminded of the scripture in Psalm that talks about hiding the word in the heart (Psalm 119:11).

As a little girl, out of fear I would sleep with my Bible like a child sleeps with a stuffed animal--snuggled up tight. I knew the Word of God was powerful. I still believe that power, but I also understand the importance of studying and memorizing scripture. We are blessed to have the B-I-B-L-E so accessible. Sadly, that is not the case for many.

I need to hide the word in my heart.  I need to study it. Will I still make a mess of my words on occassion? Yes, because I'm still a work in progress. We all are.

I will have to apologize. I will have to right some wrongs and participate in storm clean-up. My hope is that those clean-ups become less frequent as I continue to learn how to control my words and actions according to God.

We all struggle with something. Maybe your struggle isn't your reaction to other's actions. It can be anything that causes you to fumble in your walk with Christ. Do not give up just because you fall down during a storm.
Get up. Do the clean up. Then, fill your head up with HIS truth.

Heroes and Holidays: When Your Fire Fighter Spouse Has to Work on a Holiday

Happy Memorial Day. We are a blessed nation. So many lives have been lost serving our country while fighting for our freedom.

With that said, let me begin this post by acknowledging the fact that countless jobs require us to work holidays. My career before having children was in retail management. I know first-hand what it is like to be at work wishing I was home with my family. Which is among the reasons I was reluctant to begin this blog. I know there are far worse scenarios than my husband having to work a 24-hour shift. I realize he could be stationed on the other side of the world for months on end. I am the product of a single parent household, so I also understand how fortunate I am to having a loving spouse who is there to do this thing we call life together. However, I also am aware of how quickly life can change and how my husband and all other first responders put their lives on the line each and every day. For those of us who are on the other side of that at home, the dreaded reality of what could be is a thought not always easily suppressed. That is why I wanted to begin this blog. If my family is trying to figure it all out, then I am certain we are not alone. That has already been confirmed twice today. Once from a seasoned fire wife and once from a new fire wife. So, here is to Heroes and Holidays.

If you ask any fire fighter or first responder that I know, they will never call themselves a hero. That’s not a title they set out to attain with their position. To them, they are just men and women with a job to do. Yet, when they pull up to a burning house, rescue someone stuck inside a car, or offer a listening ear in an intense moment—they become that person’s hero. And to those of us so fortunate to call them family, those of us who see the pain in their eyes when they did all they could for someone and it wasn’t enough—they are our hero. So days like today when others are celebrating with cookouts and family outings, it can make for a long day when your spouse or significant other is on shift.

My husband’s very first fire shift was Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving was always a special holiday for us. My mother-in-law and most of my husband’s siblings live several hours away. We are a large family so it is hard to get everyone together. This was the one time of year that we knew we could all be together. Fire Life changed that and all holidays to follow. For us, there was no waiting around for the time that he would have to work a holiday. That first year I believe we hit every holiday or the eve of every holiday. We had a lot to learn!

Christmas was no exception. I think the first two years, my husband worked Christmas Eve. That wasn’t too bad, but it still wasn’t the same. I was used to Mr. Handsome helping me get everything just right the night before and all of us waking up together Christmas morning. We are always last minute getting presents wrapped. Let’s just say one Christmas Eve my husband spent some down time wrapping presents at the station. I believe he also had to put a bike together that first year. Our pictures show him still wearing his fire department t-shirt because he came straight home from his shift and we were all waiting for gift time.

My favorite and most crazy holiday adjustment was Miracle 2’s second Christmas. My husband had to work CHRISTMAS DAY! How in the world were we going to pull this off??!! It was going to be the first year that she really understood what was going on. We didn’t want to do Christmas on Christmas Eve. Many people do and that’s cool. We just wanted to find a way to stick to our tradition. My mother and sister always spend the night and we do Christmas Eve fun together—cooking for Christmas day, decorating gingerbread men, playing some games, whatever low-key things we can think of. Well, that night we sent to daddy to bed a bit early. With my mom and sister’s help, we took care of the final touches and grabbed a few short hours of sleep. Then, we all woke up in the wee hours of the night to have Christmas so it would feel like Christmas morning. My man went to work tired out I am sure, but the fact that he was willing to make that sacrifice to keep a tradition and make Fire Life work for us makes him all the more my hero!

We’ve made many other adjustments to our holiday routines including trips to the fire station with cookie cake, gift bags, and balloons so we could have a quick birthday celebration since Mr. Handsome’s birthday seems to consistently fall when he is on shift. We may or may not have shown up in the Wal-Mart parking lot with a birthday surprise once because it was his birthday and he was spending his shift in the heat of May collecting donations for Give Burns the Boot.

I think the key is finding ways to still celebrate the holidays, the milestones, and all the other important events with the most important people. Some holidays we will be fortunate to spend them with our fire fighter. Other times we may have to do it early or later. Like today, my husband had to work a side job. (That aspect of Fire Life is another whole post.) Actually, he just got home. So we decided a few days ago that we’d do our grilling at night and our girls could “Night Swim” in the pool. It might not sound like anything special to you, but our two miracles have talked about night swimming for days! They are excited and that makes it worth it all.

How does your family make Fire Life or any other Work Life that interferes with holidays work?

Just Do It

Welcome to the first blog post for Family Fire Life. I am excited to begin this journey and see where it leads. While several blog post ideas have been running through my mind, I’ve had a hard time deciding on an initial post. I decided that I should talk with my crew (aka my little family) to see what their thoughts might be.

A few nights ago, like many nights when my husband is not on shift, we were all laying around in the living room. Miracle 2, who is four, was climbing all over her daddy who was laying on the floor taking it like a champ. Miracle 1, who is eleven, was lying next to them. Most likely, she had also been a culprit to the climbing all over daddy episode. I think it is their favorite thing to do when he is anywhere nearby. Ok, ok…back to the story. I was close to them on the couch. I told them that a new blog owner would like to interview our family. This blog owner would like to ask them how we make Fire Life work for our family. Of course, they knew I was referring to myself and didn’t mind letting me know that this new blog owner needed to get busy making some posts to said blog. Once the jokes ended, my sweet Miracle 1 answered my question with four powerful words: We Just Do It!

Yes, we do!

That does not mean life is always peachy. In southern slang, that means things aren’t always just wonderful and without frustration. We still find ourselves making adjustments to make this work for our family. I would confidently say that Miracle 1 has been most affected by the adjustments of becoming a Fire Family. She was six when her daddy became a fire fighter. This is the same little girl who fell asleep countless nights on her daddy’s chest. The same little girl who snuggled up next to him to watch Disney classics because he is such a good sport. The same little girl who can still recall the day her daddy jumped the softball fence to rescue her when she sprained her ankle playing ball. Her hero. Now, every third day she has to share her hero with an entire community.

The situation is a little different for Miracle 2. She has only known life as a Fire Family. We often joke that she is happy when it is the 3^rd day (daddy on shift) because that means she gets to sleep in the bed with her momma and sister. All joking aside, there are days that I lose count of how many times her sweet, four-year old voice tells me she misses her daddy. She definitely understands that he is not present that day; however this schedule is all she has known.

So, how do we just do it as Miracle 1 said? Some days pushing through those 24-hour shifts holding onto the fact that 48 hours await us on the other side is a task. Other times it truly isn’t so bad. Like anything in life, we know there are pros and cons. Mr. Handsome’s schedule may require him to miss some important events like recently when he had to miss Honor’s Day for our oldest. Yet, other times it allows him to be at school events during the day like Field Day, which wouldn’t be possible if he had a traditional work schedule.

For us, it is all about being present when you can be. By present, I don’t mean every activity that is on the calendar. I mean in the here and now. Taking time to put down the phones, turn off the TV, and take it like a champ when God’s miracles want to climb all over you, talk to you about a dozen things all at once, or just snuggle up next to you and watch the next Disney classic. That’s a little of how we just do it in our life.

And isn’t that how it really is with all of life? It throws us curveballs or strikes us out more than we care to admit; but we have to get back up. We have to try and try again until we figure out what works for us—for our family. What works for my crew may not work for you and yours but when we allow ourselves to be transparent and toss out our preconceived notions of others; hopefully, we will find that each of us has a wealth of information waiting to be shared with others who are on the same journey of learning life together.