Category Archives: Inspirational I recently received several emails—one being all the way from Australia (I so appreciate my Aussie readers! Can I come visit you one day;)—all inquiring about our devotional time with our children and just wanting for information and direction how this special time works in our family. For many parents today, we live in a […] Here is some really cool info for ya! Did you know that according to the Jewish calendar—today…the day many Christians celebrate the resurrection…that Thursday, April 1st was actually Nisan 17…the day according to Jewish calendars when Jesus arose? SO…the actual Passover day on Monday of last week was the Nisan 14 day the day we […] Cool…. like there was no coincidence that you became such an inspiration and amazing woman I call friend?! Yeah….. no coincidence. 😉 Just ordained. Did you get the book on Biblical Holidays from the site you referenced in this post? My daughter’s best friend, who also happens to live next door, is Jewish and this looks like a fun way for us to do life together as Christian and Jew (and hopefully one day all Christian with Jewish heritage!)  As we pick up learning about a traditional Seder…we reach the point in the night where the children’s questions are answered…Why do we eat unleavened bread on this night? Why do we eat bitter herbs tonight? Why do we dip our vegetables twice? Why do we eat reclining on this night? And the story is […] Okay, now that is just freaky!!! I send you an e-mail wanting to know why we haven’t seen the Lent tree lately and before you can read my e-mail this new blog post pops up! 🙂 Freaky friend minds on the same track. 😉 xoxo ♥ that is so beautiful how your daughter thought about mary pouring the perfume on Jesus feet! Ok, I know you sent me an email with your new blog…is this the one or is this or other one? I think I may have lost your email so if there is another one, could you let me know! Thanks girl! Not always easy. And tonight is one of those—not easy…tired of waiting…this was fun but I’m ready for my baby now moments;). Slowly we have been creaping up on on our agency’s waitlist. We are unofficially #12 on the boys list…getting much closer to single digits—and I’m just getting anxious and ready. Bare with me […] Oh Andrea, I totally understand the longing and aching heart right now. Sometimes I feel like it will consume me. I know we’ll be holding our children soon enough, but the wait is so hard. Praying that you hit single digits quickly. I can’t believe Ethiopia just added the 2nd trip! TEARS!!! But then again you have a habit of doing that to me. I think we are sharing the same heart right now because this is exactly how I feel. I have tried to explain it to others that are not in the process and they look at me like I am silly. However, the only way I can explain it is for them to think of one of their children being in another place on the other side of the world. They would stop at nothing to get to them because they long for them and want that child in their arms. That is how I feel. I know God has placed Elijah in our hearts and I want him in our home. I know you know exactly what I am talking about. Thank you for the verses. I have been focusing on those. Your words are definitely how I felt as I waited, too. Still waiting with you! Much love girlfriend! sending virtual hugs ♥ Looking forward to seeing that little face! I so understand the ache of waiting. It is harder for me than ever before. During our wait for referral, we didn’t know if it was boys, girls, or ages, so it wasn’t as hard. But, now that I know them, I can hardly stand this waiting. God is using it to refine me and realize that truly “Whom have I in heaven, but you, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” Ps. 73 I’m so thankful for His strength during the wait. Praying to hear of a court date today! I’m praying for you in this wait. God will not be late in keeping His promise! Andrea, that was beautifully written. You are not alone in your longing. I’m praying for your family, including your sweet one in Ethiopia today. Trying to dry my tears before my break is over at school and the kids come piling in. Andrea, would love for you to add me to your family blog. I read everyday and have missed seeing those beautiful children of yours. Saying a prayer for you & your family in the wait. Andrea, your writing is exquisite and I feel the exact same way each night when I try and close my eyes. I think of HER constantly, believing that she is already born and waiting with an eager heart to know her, hold her and love her. I would love to continue to follow your family blog. I love hearing all about your sweet family. We are richly blessed and getting so close in this adoption journey. Peace to you. 🙂 […] caring for me. And I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the verse laid on my heart written in a post before I ever knew my son’s name. I LOVE this verse for SO many reasons…and it truly applies to our weekend in more ways than […]  OK…I posted about Wiphan‘s new shirts yesterday…but just in case you missed it or that picture didn’t quite give you the FULL picture—here’s momma me sporting it to church this mornin’. Yep. I think you can sport this baby ANY season b/c it’s light and long sleeve—and you can dress it up or down. BETTER […] Love it all ~ you show it all off so well, beautiful Lady! I am headed over to check out those beads and the chicken purse. I have my Wiphan Tee ~ but have a feeling I will be buying some more. You look marvelous my friend. Love the new shirts. Hope you had a restful weekend. You were in my prayers all weekend. Also, thanks for linking our ornaments in the post below. I am so all over that chicken purse!!!!! Must support my girls! (my chicks that is!) LOL I ♥ it!!!! That. Chicken purse. Is. Hilarious. Just about fell on the floor laughing about that one. 🙂 |
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Wonderful post and can I just say… I love you! You are a breath of fresh air! I am a teacher and sometimes work with women who claim to be believers but sometimes have such ill will towards me and I think it’s just because I long to serve Him… your post always make me feel like I’m not alone. thank YOU!
Also, we use books to teach our children. We’ve finished the Narnia series and are now reading Little Pilgrim’s Progess… my boys are 6 and 5 and they LOVE it! It’s been so awesome to try to delve deeper into the meanings in some of those books.. I’ve also learned a lot.
AND of course we’re still reading through the Bible with you and have read many of our readings out loud to the boys.
Love this post, Andrea!!!
JENNY…we are reading Narnia RIGHT now!!! They are 4 and 5 and LOVING it! Were we seperated at birth;)?!
Love this post Andrea! HUM…..ladies are emailing you for advice on teaching tender little hearts in the daily….I do see that book in your future:) My husband and I have been shocked at how much our kids absorb when we simply read scripture to them. (Even the OT “hard” stuff!) At 2 the big “rite of passage” occurs in our home…we don’t let the kids go to nursery or children’s church….we worship together as a family. We are shocked that by the time they hit about 4, they can accurately tell us what the sermon was about. Man, kids are soaking it all up! Which is kindof scary…what are we surrounding tham with to soak up?!? Love this post 🙂 And I cannot wait until your book comes out….I see in it the future baby gift I give to all of my friends 🙂
Great post! I actually struggled with finding appropriate verses for my 3 year old to memorize. You gave some great ideas here! It is so tempting and easy to just go on auto-pilot with kids and get through the day without stopping to consider my children’s hearts.
Loved your post today. Was lead to your blog by Jenny and so glad that I came over for the read. Such an encouragement and a great reminder of the value of our families. We use the Ginger Plowman chart as well and I love the ease to finding information that we face DAILY! I enjoy taking verses out of the chart for a specific issue that maybe we’ve really struggled with at that time (oh wait – did I just admit my family struggles – oh, yes I did) and printing them to hang in our home. At the top of the page I try to put a “life applicable” quote (from myself) that helps them see how this goes from scripture to application, then I put the verse. We will work on it this way for just a week talking through it and memorizing. The next week – I add the heart probing questions from the chart at the bottom to help teach them how to handle sin when it happens. I want them to learn how to confess and repent, but also how to do it differently next time. It’s been good for us all! I will have to look into the mealtime book – that looks great! We have children 7, 6, 4 and at Christmas we decided this last year to read the Christmas story from Luke 2 every night from December 1st through Christmas….I was amazed at my oldest two quoting the scripture and my youngest filling in so much of it along the way. They soak it up and what an investment! Blessings to you and yours.
Dear Andrea, Finally I have gotten to reading properly thru your post, I have had a crazy 2 weeks here (school holidays here in Oz). Thank you thank you for all your great tips and humble manner of encouraging us. You are truly being used for God’s glory. I was really blown away by your life motto – I have been trying to live a more regret-free life lately; hadn’t thought, though, of the when I’m 80…… so I’ll add that into my thinking too now.
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