Reaching my September goals is off to a good start.  With Builder home last week there are things I didn’t even try to add in…we were too busy processing produce and enjoying family time.

Read:
God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew
False Intimacy
The Red Badge of Courage, I’m removing this one for now.  I started it, and have no interest at this time.
Swallows and Amazons, our family read aloud

Personal Goals:
Increase full pushups to 15, decrease girly pushups to 10 (for 25 pushups daily), in process
Ab routine, continue100 crunches, in process
Swim 500 3 days weekly
Complete my evening “must dos” each night before bed
wash face, lavendar steam
read to kids
pray and bless each child
read a few pages before sleep

Homemaking:
grape jelly
jalapeno jelly, we have grown an abundance and our youngest likes most things spicy…so we’re going to try it.
Salsa

Reorganize kitchen cupboards. Our gluten & dairy intolerant daughter has moved back home. She needs room for her “food.”

Business & Ministry
Bottle our first batch of Home Brewed Vanilla extract
3 Blog Posts week, if fits
Write to each of our Compassion sponsor kiddos

Next week I plan to

Read:
False Intimacy, Made to Crave and Relentless Pursuit
Swallows and Amazons (family read aloud)

Personal Goals:
Increase full pushups to 15, decrease girly pushups to 10 (for 25 pushups daily), in process
Ab routine, continue100 crunches, in process
Swim 500 3 days weekly
wash face, lavendar steam
read to kids
pray and bless each child
read a few pages before sleep

Homemaking
Process the boxes of apples & make applesauce, apple pie filling and apple butter

Business & Ministry
Bottle our first batch of Home Brewed Vanilla extract
3 Blog Posts week, if fits
Add new pictures to GBC’s Sponsored Children display
 

We have been given so much.  And then there is more given.  Fruit for the picking, boxes of fruit for eating, freezing, jelly making & apple buttering.  Jars of purple sweetness and peachey goodness for the sharing and spreading.  All this at the end of a summer of highest heat, fire and smoke, dry dry winter that came before.

counting, always counting, to #1209

Snuggling on the sofa
Lids popping in the next room

Hurrahs when the pop sounds
Beloved playing geography games with his daughters
Extra set of hands in the home
Generous neighbors
Free apples in the fridge
Bowl full of neighborhood peaches
The anticipation of a family drive tomorrow

The beauty of nature’s gold

The job God has provided, which provides for so much

Glimpses of the forest dwellers
a funny sister

this opportunity, to join the community singing the song of amazing, rich, millions of grace ~ Ann and Laura

Father God,

Two years ago you laid 2 precious children on the heart of our family.  Lesbia and Bryan.   Builder and I didn’t know at all the work you would do in us, in our 3 daughters when we made the decision to sponsor these children.

As we wrote letters to them, and prayed for them, our family ministry grew.  We began to see how each one of us can be involved in the life of a child far away, how we can be a blessing and an encouragement to the child’s family and become a partner with the ministry leaders in their communities.

Father, this changed the way we look at so many things.  It has adjusted our dreams and goals, helping us to see where we are building our own kingdom and strengthing our resolve to seek Your kingdom.

Thank you for bringing this opportunity to us, the opportunity to change the world, one child at a time, the opportunity to see beyond ourselves and build into something eternal.

with gratitude,
Michelle

are you interested in investing in the life of a child living poverty?  please click here.

sliding on the skateboard thingy

once a year

back to school pictures for Mae

all of my daughters and Grandad

my handsome harvest gatherer

this little cutie tested for her purple belt

a week with Beloved home on rotation has been full of very fine moments.  Linking with Amanda and with Amy.

Three weeks into “back to school” season I realized I really needed to get a handle on the kitchen.  After taking a week to plan, I spent a whole weekend in the kitchen with helpers coming and going.  One freezer we stuffed full of casseroles and gallon bag crock pot meals.  In another freezer we stashed snacks and breakfast foods.

The next week…a hot meal each day.  So my gratitude list has a lot of practical items this week.

through 1203

The heater in the van!
Morning glories on a crisp chilly morning
Freezer full of meals
Dual crock pots working
Kitchen helpers
Hot meals after busy days
Jars of purple goodness cooling on the counter
More to harvest
Bowls of tomato red
Family fellowship
All 5 around the table
Quiet drives
Practice dreaming

linking with Ann and Laura

Summer came along and many things took a back seat.  Looking over my goals and updating each month was something that happened most casually.  It is very encouraging to me as I set my September goals to see that “habits” kept things from coming a complete stop!

In September I plan to:

Read:
God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew
False Intimacy and The Red Badge of Courage
 Swallows and Amazons, our family read aloud

Personal Goals:
Increase full pushups to 15, decrease girly pushups to 10 (for 25 pushups daily)
Ab routine,  continue100 crunches
Swim 500 3 days weekly
Complete my evening “must dos” each night before bed
     wash face, lavendar steam
     read to kids
     pray and bless each child
     read a few pages before sleep

Homemaking:
grape jelly
jalapeno jelly, we have grown an abundance and our youngest likes most things spicy…so we’re going to try it.
Salsa

Reorganize kitchen cupboards.  Our gluten & dairy intolerant daughter has moved back home.  She needs room for her “food.”

Business & Ministry
Bottle our first batch of Home Brewed Vanilla extract
3 Blog Posts week, if fits
Write to each of our Compassion sponsor kiddos

 savoring a  fine moment from the week

gifts through #1190

Dinner made by 13 yo hands that gathered from the garden, chopped the veggies and added them to the dishes
Peaches from the tree
Sunflowers bobbing in the breeze
Smiling moon
Heavenly blue morning glories lift my eyes
Easy lunches
1^st week back ended with hope
Spur of the moment fellowship
The blue moon, 2^nd full moon this month
Excited ballerinas, Clara & Party Girl friends
Another letter!  2 in 1 week!
The knowledge that God is in all the spaces, bumps and turns
Blessing words from a friend

choosing joy and linking up with the gratitude community,
michelle