Your One Life, You Get to Decide
Your One Life
25 Monday Aug 2014
Posted in One Life, Uncategorized
Category Archives: One Life
Back to School Goals for August 11-16
11 Monday Aug 2014
Posted in goals, Homeschooling, One Life, Parenting, teens, Uncategorized
Back to School Goals for August 11-16
Two of my kiddos are starting back to school this week, but it is very different than in the past. We’ve home schooled since the beginning with them, but this fall Mae and Petal Rose begin a full time course load at a school with a hybrid early college program. So they don’t go full time (Monday through Friday) but it is still a significant amount of time away.
I am committing this next week to a little less of my own endeavors and plans, and a lot of watching & note taking to do my best to make this transition as smooth as possible.
Last week…
Intentional Relationships
Go to “Step into My Shoes” event with Chica
Backyard Smores & Stargazing – we did a few fun things, but not this one. Most nights we were falling into bed dog tired after dinner.
Receive Mae & Petal Rose home from their mission trip into a period of comfort and rest before they hop right into school classes on Tuesday
Intentional Self Nourishment
Get back on James 1 memory work
Reading: What He Must Be, Where There Was No Church, Pursue the Intentional Life, Families Where Grace is in Place and Sheba’s Song
Continue the nightly walk or bike ride (4x), Strength exercises (4x)
Making this One Life Count
Attend Step into My Shoes and spend time after processing. Not letting this the opportunity to learn and grow pass me by.
Other Pursuits –
Create syllabus for General Science (Petal Rose & Chica will be in general science this school year)
Clean one fridge
Organize laundry/dish washing roomDone, some plumbing and gas work and not things are a bit jumbled again. This will be an ongoing job until I can move dishes back to the kitchen!
Intentional Relationships
BBQ with young family friends on their way to Alaska
Be open to the new rhythm & changes this year brings
Intentional Self Nourishment
James 1 memory work, Justice Study
Reading: What He Must Be, Where There Was No Church, and Families Where Grace is in Place
Daily walk or bike ride (4x), Strength exercises (4x)
Making this One Life Count
Back to school outreach event on Saturday
Stay present and calm
Far More Than We Can Hope For
08 Friday Aug 2014
Posted in One Life, Uncategorized
Counting the gifts God showers upon me has been a life changing practice. Throughout the Bible one can find the encouragement, the admonitions, the command to give thanks. And I have tried to give thanks in all things. I have tried to see the blessing in the hard. But.
There’s always a But isn’t there?
But there is one thing in which I am unable to find any good. There is one thing where layer upon layer of a dark, dirty, pain filled wound there is NO GOOD. Despite the deep cleansing healing that the Father has done within my mind and soul the only good is that HE has cleansed and healed. All there has been to give thanks for is that HE is my HEALER, my Redeemer.
A challenging message was recently shared with our congregation that included the reading of Romans 8:28 and 29 with a few comments. In that message there were many nuggets to write down and ponder, but that one passage and the words spoken caught my entire attention. I don’t think I heard anything else of the message.
Tossed by the storms
Romans 8:28-29
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Honestly I have quoted verse 28 many times, I have sought the truth of this passage, wrestled with it, never being able to reconcile it with this one thing. Verse 29 was not familiar to me.
Verse 29, on the other hand, was not familiar to me. As verse 29 was read and commented on by our pastor, a good that only God could bring was illuminated before me. In all things He is working the good for me. The good? He uses my broken desperate need to conform me to the image of His Son.
~ the good is to be conformed to the image of Christ.
“according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
His purpose ~ conformation to the image of God.
For me, whom He FOREKNEW and PREDESTINED.
The evil things that happen to us are not, as far as I understand, God’s plan for us. He doesn’t plan evil for His children. (Jeremiah 29:11) But He can redeem the bad things, and the redemption can work to conform us (Romans 8:29) or transform us (Romans 12:1, 2)
And dear precious one reading these words, these words are for YOU. Broken, lovely You, whom He has foreknown and predestined, the dark bad things, the evil things are not His plan for you.
But the good He can make out of them is far more than we can hope for.
Back into a Grove, Goals for August 4-9
04 Monday Aug 2014
Posted in goals, One Life, Uncategorized
Back into a Groove, Goals for August 4-9
Since returning from working at Twin Peaks Bible Camp life took on a little different spin. We did most or all of the shopping to get 3 kids ready for their new part time school setting: uniforms, supplies, etc and helped 2 kids get out the door for their 10 day evangelism trip in a neighboring state. During all that we also had two laborers here for 3 days and our kitchen, dining room and basement bathroom AND 3 closets are now demoed down to the studs. Plumbing is moving, natural gas is being piped in and the major, final phase of remodeling our home is well underway.
I am cooking on the back patio, the dining table is in our living room, my fridge and freezer are in the pantry Builder built in the garage and we’re making coffee & washing dishes in the basement laundry room.
It is all manageable, but I am literally running circles during meal prep!
This is the first week where I feel I can set some goals again, and not just be juggling and “on call.” J
Intentional Relationships
Go to “Step into My Shoes” event with Chica
Backyard Smores & Stargazing
Receive Mae & Petal Rose home from their mission trip into a period of comfort and rest before they hop right into school classes on Tuesday
Intentional Self Nourishment
Get back on James 1 memory work
Reading: What He Must Be, Where There Was No Church, Pursue the Intentional Life, Families Where Grace is in Place and Sheba’s Song, and Fields of the Fatherless
On My Nightstand August 2014
Continue the nightly walk or bike ride (4x), Strength exercises (4x)
Cardiac & Dental Appointments
Making this One Life Count
Attend Step into My Shoes and spend time after processing. Not letting this the opportunity to learn and grow pass me by.
Other Pursuits –
Create syllabus for General Science (Petal Rose & Chica will be in general science this school year, sharing the text book)
Clean one fridge
Organize laundry/dish washing room
What I’m Into July 2014
31 Thursday Jul 2014
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What I’m Into (July 2014 Edition)
Read and Reading:
July was a good month for reading in my house. I posted about the books that I read. There is also a nice stack of books on my nightstand that I started or continued reading. The Valley of Vision was introduced to me while we lived in British Columbia a few years ago. I’ve picked it back up and am reading/praying through part 1. The other books I either started or continued reading are “Where There Was No Church”, “Pursue the Intentional Life”, “Sheba’s Song”, “Fields of the Fatherless,” and “What He Must Be”.
TV: Not much TV this month. We did spend a few evenings watching Star Wars Episodes 1-3.
Music: Before going to the Newsboys concert this month I purchased their “God’s Not Dead” album off iTunes. We also enjoyed seeing 1GirlNation open that concert, had the pleasure of meeting them and we purchased their cd.
Big project: July has ended with a bang. Many bangs of the hammer that is. Our basement bathroom & 2 closets were demo-ed and also our kitchen and dining room…all the way to the studs. So I’m cooking in the backyard and washing dishes in the laundry room. It is all pretty exciting and I can hardly wait to see it all finished. The project is scheduled to take about 7 weeks so I am sure my anticipation for it to be finished will grow with all those trips up and down stairs to do dishes and out door cooking.
Kitchen a little ways into the demolition
What I Love: Being home, having my family all around me.
I didn’t love this: Rain and very cool temperatures most likely cancelling our upcoming camping trip. That said, I am very thankful for the rain. Drought and fire brought loss of lives and many homes the past several years and I am so thankful for no fires and lots of rain.
On The Blog. While I bounce around and am not that great a writer, I am glad that I finally was able to put some words to paper and tell one of the dark parts of my story. It is with the hope that others may be encouraged to press on, despite the ugly hard places one may find herself.
In the blogosphere:
Poverty does not have the final say
This is just a bit of What I’m Into, July Edition 🙂
Summer Volunteer Work
23 Wednesday Jul 2014
Posted in Colorado Springs, Gratitude, Homeschooling, Life Long Learner, One Life, Parenting, teens, Uncategorized
Our youngest 3 daughters’ summer volunteer work includes acting as historical interpreters at Rock Ledge Ranch. The ranch has 4 historical sites, with junior docents working each site.
Summer Volunteer Uniforms, period appropriate clothing
The ranch allows guests to visit the different time periods of our area and learn about the people who lived there, and what life was like at that time. The historic buildings have been restored as close to their original state as possible. The National Register of Historic Places added the ranch in 1979.
One benefit to my kids through their volunteering at the Ranch has been their deeper understanding of our local and state history. Anything they now read about Colorado history, or even western US history, is greatly enhanced by their experience working at ranch. They also apply what they learn outside the ranch to their conversations at the ranch.
It has been a rich experience and one our kids look forward to each January when they complete the application for the following summer.
Ticket Booth, TB Hut
If you are visiting the Colorado Front Range think about adding Rock Ledge Ranch to your plans. Maybe you’ll get a tour led by some sweet junior docents and enjoy a peak into Colorado History.
Camping and Hobo Dinners
22 Tuesday Jul 2014
Posted in Garden and Home, Gratitude, One Life, Parenting, Recipes, teens, Uncategorized
We haven’t done a lot of camping in recent years, and I haven’t made “hobo dinners” since my daughters were pretty young. Early this summer the kids were after us to plan a “real” camping trip with Dad as last summer we girls got out and did some camping, but Dad was away working. So a camping trip was one of the first items put on the summer calendar!
And as this post shows up on the blog we are at camp, in a beautiful tent site on the river. Our hobo dinners are in the cooler all ready to be cooked for the next 2 dinners.
Two mornings while the kids were all at vacation bible school earlier in the month I set to work.
The veggies were prepped.
Shredded Carrots & Cauliflower
chopped carrots
Veggies all prepped
The ingredients all measured and mixed together for Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinners, using this recipe
Pretty Eggs
Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinner
I tore out 8 pieces of foil that were about the size of a small rectangle cookie sheet. I spooned the mixture onto the first sheet and began folding and shaping the packet. Once I had the shape I wanted I rolled the foil on top.
folding hobo dinner
Then I pressed and patted it all again to make a nice rectangle and folded the ends up somewhat like a present.
hobo dinner assembled!
Finally, I wrapped the hobo dinner with another layer of foil.
Five packets fit nicely into the gallon freezer bag, so I ended up with 2 bags for the 8 servings.
hobo dinners ready for freezing
Hobo Tacos is another set that I assembled. We’ll eat them with tortilla chips and fresh veggies.
hobo tacos
Keeping the hobo dinners in the gallon bags inside the cooler keeps everything nice, with no waterlogging our dinners and no contaminating the other items in the cooler. The bags of dinners also help keep the cooler cold!
Do you make Hobo Dinners? And what recipes do you fill them with? I’d love to expand our hobo menu!
Backyard Camping
21 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in Gratitude, Nature Study, One Life, Parenting, Uncategorized
Backyard camping has always been a fun activity for our kids. The idea of sleeping outside in the summer is appealing and we have the perfect backyard for it! While the sisters were all away at a leadership conference, Chica and I “went camping”. While I was busy with some other things Chica put up the tent by herself, inflated the air mattress and made the beds!
tent in the backyard
Finally I decided this summer to purchase a small fire pit. We’ve had other fire pits around the yard but after the fires the last 2 summers (black forest, waldo canyon ) I wanted something a little tamer.
Backyard fire for roasting hot dogs & marshmallows
Looks like we need to chop smaller pieces of wood! We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and sat around the fire talking. We have skunks and raccoons in our neighborhood and I was a little nervous about being up too late. We headed to bed in the tent before we had any visitors. It was a blast and I imagine the kids will be backyard camping off and on the rest of the summer!
Goals for an “Away” Week
14 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in goals, Uncategorized
It was a fantastic week for getting things done. While I think it is important to be available to help with VBS, I think in this season of my life it is equally important to have those hours to knock out some things. I was able to be more available to my kiddos in the afternoons and that was wonderful.
Intentional Relationships
Visit a different pool with the kids – between the weather and some conflict we weren’t able to get to the pool. Hopefully Chic and I can in early August.
Backyard Smores & Fellowship
Attend Cow Appreciation & Free Slurpee Events with Kids – that day the kids had VBS, volunteer work AND the VBS picnic. We didn’t make it to either “free” event. But that didn’t matter at all. It was a tremendous fantastic day!
Be Present
Intentional Self Nourishment
Begin Work on James 1 (memory work) Our teens are involved in a Bible Quiz event next summer. In preparation they are memorizing James, 1 Peter and 2 Peter. I am going to join in and see if I can keep up. Working on Ephesian 6 was going very slow and I got discouraged. I am not great at working alone on an endeavor like that.
Reading: What He Must Be, I Come Quietly to Meet You, The Good News About Marriage, The Warden and the Wolf King, Walking Prey, Interrupted, The Exodus Road (was available at the library and I couldn’t put it down)
Reschedule & Make Annual Physical Appointments for Builder and myself
Choose new audiobook Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn
Making this One Life Count
Salvation letters to Compassion Kids
Purposeful Pursuits – this week is largely about getting ready for Bible Camp week and then our family’s 3 night camping trip.
Blog posts scheduled for camp weeks
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My goals for this week ~ to be fully present and attentive. I look forward to the opportunity to share the Gospel and to encourage the young ones who will be with us.
Bless you all as you go about your week, and please check out this month’s giveaway!
This Moment
04 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in Gratitude, One Life, teens, Uncategorized
{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama and join in!
Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride
Oh how I love this girl. This week we had the opportunity for an early morning 6 mile bike ride together. No one else was up and wanting to go, so it was just her and me. And it was fabulous. We had a great 2 hour conversation.
Even though I crashed my bike towards the end of the ride, it was abosolutely the best time!
Thanks be to God for this girl, her words, her gift of encouragement, the way she is growing in wisdom and understanding!
By Quiet Waters 