I have been so tired lately. I've been going to bed before 10 and sleeping until 7 or 8, and still waking up tired. I'm achy, edgy, and have headaches. This is not normal... I can usually survive on little sleep, with a quick nap in the afternoon. When I was writing over the summer, I had only a few hours, but I was able to keep going with a smile on my face.
At a party last night, which usually energizes me, I was draggin' my wagon, and sand filled my eyes all night. What is wrong with me?! I asked myself. I know I'm not pregnant, which used to be the cause of my sleepiness.
Then Lee diagnosed it last night - it's the caffeine.
For my birthday in October, I received a Keurig Coffee Maker. This was after almost ten years of virtually no caffeine except for rare occasions, having been pregnant or nursing for a lot of that time, and I was just out of the habit of drinking it.
But since my birthday, I've been enjoying and savoring that cup of coffee each morning! Delicious, with different flavors and creamers. And you can't beat the kick it gives!
Add that to some yummy hot cocoa on these cold winter months with the kids in the afternoon, and the new love of Sweet Tea I've discovered when eating out, and what was once absent in my life is now there in full-swing!
But it's only been two months or so. Can that really be the problem, or is there some underlying virus?
So I'm going to see. No more caffeine for me. In what I've read, some people are more sensitive to it, and I could see that before when I'd drink a cup at 4:00 and be awake all night. So for people like me, the highs are big but the crashes are big too... leading me to exhaustion and adrenal fatigue.
Anyway... enough of my self-diagnosing. I'm upping the vitamins and water in-take and replacing the coffee with herbal tea from my Keurig. I'll have to update you all with how it goes!
What about you? Have you ever had any interesting experiences with caffeine? Does any of this sound familiar?
Crank up your speakers and enjoy this message! I might have blown my speakers this morning as the kids and I sang and danced in the living room.
We were inspired by our Jesse Tree passage today, after reading about the flood, Matthew 24:35-44.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The Day and Hour Unknown
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,f]">[f] but only the Father.37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
The first song we listened to was this one... it's also good! :) Nathan loved jumping off the chairs to fly! :)
I started using Times Tales with my 9 year old this week, and my goodness, it's better than I could have imagined! She proudly was able to shout out times facts at the dinner table tonight! All without tears and endless drill. She actually asked, "Mom, do I get to do my math today?" And when it was time to review and put it away, she was disappointed. Later, she said, "Where are my math cards? I want to do it again!"
Is she some whiz kid? Hardly. She's brilliantly creative and artistic, but reading, math, and spelling are all toughies for her. So when I heard about this Times Tales Mnemonic program years and years ago, I said that when we got to it, this was how she was going to learn!
Haven't heard of it? My friend Dena is one of the founders! Check it out! Times Tales
Now if only they'd make one for addition facts. We're still a little rusty on those! You can't win them all...
I just read a blog from my publisher that said "Why every author should have a website." Then another blog was linked to it, "Top five things to have on your website." So, I thought I'd make a website!
We've had www.Emerickhome.com for a long time, so I added a section to my Author page. You'll find links to the books I'm working on, sneak previews, and other fun info! I hope this will be a valuable marketing tool once my first book, Duncan's Journey, is available in January.
Our most recent Safe Family boy left today.You may have seen us around with B over the last month.Perhaps you witnessed him screaming and thrashing because he didn’t want to leave Sunday School class.Or maybe you were the man who stopped B from running into the street when he ran away from us without our knowledge.(Thank you!)You could have been the stranger at the park who he walked up to and called “Daddy.”You may have been at Chick-Fil-A, annoyed that your meal was being interrupted by B’s fit.Or perhaps you were the shopper who stared at me and wondered, “How many kids does she have?”
There were some other events, however, that no one on the outside got to see.Like my daughter helping him into his car seat because years of neglect left him unable to climb on his own, even though he is three years old.The look of surprise on his face when we lit candles in front of him for his birthday.The act of sharing as my five year old learned to not hoard his toys.B’s enthusiastic squeal as he watched an ant crawl across the side walk.The pride on his face when he learned to jump all by himself!
The precious times, however, were at night, when I would tuck him in, kiss his forehead, and tell him, “Jesus loves you.”He’d smile back at me, eyes shining, and repeat, “Jesus loves you.”
And finally, there was the night when it occurred to me that he did not know how to hug.We’d hugged him before, of course, but he just stood there motionless.So I taught him to put his arms around me and squeeze really tight.When Lee got home, I asked B to show him what he learned.
He hugged me.Then he hugged Lee.Then he pointed with a shy smile on his face back to me, and I hugged him again.Then he grinned and pointed back to Lee.They hugged.This tender moment was repeated a dozen times.It is burned into my memory, hopefully never to be forgotten.
And that is what Safe Families is all about.We are not a perfect family.I lost my temper often and my kids had trouble sharing.But we loved him, hoping to show a sliver of Jesus’s love to him, and that is what matters.
B, we are praying for you, and trusting God with your future.
"That all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no one else." 1 Kings 8:60
I get daily emails about a lot of things. Most involve spending money. Groupon, Living Social, MoneySavingMom, FreeCycle, etc. I probably get 30 of these types of emails daily, or more. I appreciate them, but usually I just "click click click - delete."
I just subscribed to something that will come to my inbox daily that does not involve spending money - it is much bigger than that. It is about spending energy praying to our Lord for the unreached people of the world.
The Joshua Project has a link to getting a prayer request in your email daily for an unreached people group! I'd like to encourage you to check it out, sign up, and then ultimately pray! Click here for details.
My pastor, Mark Vroegop, recently blogged about the term "unreached." You and read it here.
Paul said in Romans 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation." Let's Pray to this end with boldness before the throne of God.
Do you ever ask yourself that? I know I do. We fill our schedules and do the dishes and run from place to place. We fight sin and practice kindness. We learn perseverance and faithfulness.
It's good to be reminded of the WHY. Here are a few verses to help kick-start your morning. They were inspired by a study on the words "waits eagerly" in Romans 8:19, and I'll let them speak for themselves.
For the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. (Rom 8:19)
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. (Romans 8:22-25)
...So that you are not lacking any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 1:7)
For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. (Gal 5:5)
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (Phil 3:20)
So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, who will appear a secnod time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him. (Heb 9:28)
I was encouraged in Romans this week, chapter 5:3-5.
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
So I outlined it. Suffering produces perseverance, which adds character, which builds hope.
And then I applied it to life.
Suffering: Disobedient Child
Perseverance: We can't give up. We must continue to consistently train and correct, trusting God's instructions.
Character: Through this, I develop patience, gentleness, and kindness.
Hope: Watching it work builds my confidence in God's plans. Plus, I have hope in the future when all relationships will be right, and there will be no more sin and disobedience.
I then took that same method and used it for various sufferings I've experienced and I'm going through with others. It was highly beneficial! And then praise God that with the Spirit, His love is being POURED into our hearts! Amen. :)
We just read "Three Weavers" as a family to my kids last night. It was WONDERFUL. It is a quick read, and if you have girls, it is a perfect introduction via a fable of how to talk to them about saving themselves for marriage. It's gentle enough for my 7 year old to like the story, and deep enough for me to read to them again every year until they're out of the house. I highly recommend it!
Haven't heard of Lamplighter? It's a publishing company that takes old, out of print books and reprints them for us! These books are rare treasures. The Three Weavers was written in 1832!
I found this clear explanation of the 6 main Home School styles and wanted to post it. I'm a Charlotte Mason girl, all the way! Except I like to use workbooks for busywork... and the girls love them! :)
What are the differences between the six basic homeschooling approaches?
Here is a brief summary of each of the six basic approaches.
Traditional Approach: Uses textbooks for the various subjects. Assigns a chapter in the textbook to be read and questions to answer from the content. Uses workbooks with fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions. If you’re interested in the traditional approach, you won’t have any trouble finding publishers who produce that type of curriculum. (We often refer to it as “school in a box.”) Some possibilities include Alpha Omega, Bob Jones, and A Beka.
Unit Studies Approach: Takes a theme or topic and incorporates all the school subjects (Language Arts, History, Science, Music, Art, etc.) into that topic. For example, when you study Ancient Egypt, you read books about Egypt (history), make a salt dough map of Egypt (geography), explore how they irrigated their farm land from the Nile (science), read a historical fiction book set in Ancient Egypt (literature), build sugar cube pyramids (art), learn how to spell “pyramid” (language arts), etc. If you’re interested in the unit studies approach, you would probably want to look at curriculum from Konos and Amanda Bennett’s Web site.
Principle Approach: Emphasizes America’s Christian history and Biblical form of government. Uses the four R’s of research, reason, relate, and record to create a notebook full of Biblical principles and reasoned essays. More information on the principle approach can be found at The Foundation for American Christian Education’s Web site.
Unschooling Approach: Basically goes with the interests of the children. No set curriculum. If a child is interested in butterflies, you research and learn about them until the child is satisfied. If he develops an interest in racecars, you give him information on racecars. Materials for the unschooling approach can be gathered from just about anywhere, including local bookstores, libraries, and most online bookstores.
Classical Approach: Children are taught in three stages, called the Trivium. The Grammar Stage (ages 6-10) focuses on absorbing information and memorizing the rules of phonics, spelling, grammar, foreign language, history, science, math, etc. The Dialectic Stage (ages 10–12) emphasizes logical discussion, debate, drawing correct conclusions, Algebra, thesis writing, and determining the why’s behind the information. The Rhetoric Stage (ages 13–18) continues the systematic, rigorous studies and seeks to develop a clear, forceful, and persuasive use of language. If you’re interested in the classical approach, you would probably want to check into curriculum from Veritas Press and information on Susan Wise Bauer’s Web site.
Charlotte Mason Approach: Based on the educational writings of Charlotte Mason, a turn-of-the-century British educator. She believed in respecting children as persons, in giving them all a broad education by using a generous curriculum, and in allowing them to read “living” books instead of what she called “twaddle.” These tenets are further developed in the methods she used. Charlotte’s idea was to “spread a feast” before the child and let him digest what was appropriate for him at that time. She sought to nurture a love for learning, not just present a body of information. Living books can be found in many places from many publishers. If you’re interested in the Charlotte Mason approach, you would probably want to check out books distributed by Greenleaf Press, Beautiful Feet, and Lifetime Books and Gifts. Wonderful book lists are also available in All Through the Ages from Nothing New Press, the books from TruthQuest History, and Penny Gardner’s Web site, among others. And be sure to check out our own CM Bookfinder and Simply Charlotte Mason Curriculum Guide!
Have you heard of Groupon? They are a daily deal in the Indianapolis Area. Subscribe, and receive the daily deal to your inbox. Discounts to restaurants, activities, spa services, you name it. I've personally bought rock climbing, restaurant, putt putt, and dental coupons through Groupon! Just today, I bought my husband's Father's Day Present... but SHHHH!!! He doesn't know! :)
If you're interested, click this link and I'll get a referral bonus!
Our family recently had the privilege of having two extra girls in our home for a couple of months through Safe Families. It was an amazing experience! 6 year old T and 4 year old H moved into the guest room. Their mom had recently had a baby and was looking for a new home. While with us, we learned so many amazing lessons:
1.) I learned to value my own children. Though it was fun having two extra children in the house, I realized that having "only" four kids is so much simpler! They understand our routine, can entertain themselves, and give me some time to do creative things I love - like blogging! So now that the other girls are gone, you'll hear a lot less complaining out of me. 2.) My children learned to value what they have. Being faced with praying for two little girls who didn't have a home was a reality check to the blessings we are surrounded by daily. 3.) We all learned to be a little less selfish. Anytime you have to go out of your way to share - your time, money, toys, food - it stretches you. We were stretched, but we're better for it.
Not to mention the amount of help it gave to the family we housed. I was able to give some one-on-one tutoring time with T to catch her up on her reading level. We were a safe place for them to go when they had no other options. We also developed a relationship and were able to help with housing and the move.
When it was time for the girls to leave, T said, "I know why I don't want to leave you guys. You teach me about Jesus!" Precious!
It was a perspective-changing situation for our family. Please consider looking into it, or at least having a conversation about it. What is simply a week or a month in the life of your family means the world to someone in need.
My parents used this with my brother and I, and I read it to my own children. I hope to re-read it in a couple of years to catch my 2 youngest in it. It's excellent theology in simple terms. I read it when I had a 6 & 4 year old.
I went through most of these with our kids after we finished Leading Little Ones. It's nice and simple, with stories that they can follow and participate in.
This is what I am using now. My nine & almost seven year old get the most out of it, but I'm amazed at how my 4 year old participates. It doesn't have the "fun" aspect that the younger kid devotionals have, but it's a nice "next level." Longer Bible reading and more complex questions.
Next Fall, I'm considering using this. My friend Robin likes it a lot. I also like the activities it suggests at the end of each chapter.
5. Many would encourage you to read the Bible to them! We usually are studying and memorizing a long passage of scripture. Try memorizing with them Psalm 1, Psalm 23, or the Fruit of the Spirit. Just add a little every day. You'll be amazed at what long passages they can retain! (It's good motivation for you too...) Be sure to add hand motions!
Most of all - HAVE FUN. If you love Jesus and love spending time with Him, then it will show when you lead them in the study of His word.
ENJOY!
Becky E
PS - I recently wrote a devotional through the 23rd Psalm that is being published and will be released (hopefully) 1st Q Next year... Keep your eyes open! :) (Selfish Plug...)
One of the girls staying with us through Safe Families asked out of the blue this morning, "How do babies get into their mommy's tummy?" I said, "That's a great question to ask your mom! Ask her how your baby brother got in her tummy."
I thought I had avoided an awkward conversation, and then Nate declared proudly, "I know how!" I gulped, unsure of what was to follow. "God PUT the baby into your mommy's tummy!" He then continued to explain that every child was put in their mom's tummy by God.
I guess our memory lessons on Psalm 139 left a lasting impression! :)
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
I have a book of Puritan Prayers that I like reading before bed. Usually I read a different one each night, but I've stuck with this one for the last few days and thought I'd share it. Read slowly and enjoy! :)
REFUGE
O LORD,
Whose power is infinite and wisdom infallible,
Order things that they may neither hinder, nor discourage me,
- nor prove obstacles to the progress of thy cause;
Stand between me and all strife, that no evil befall,
- no sin corrupt my gifts, zeal, attainments;
May I follow duty and not any foolish device of my own;
Permit me not to labor at work which thou will not bless,
- that I may serve thee without disgrace or debt;
Let me dwell in thy most secret place under thy shadow,
- where is safe impenetrable protection from
the arrow that flieth by day,
the pestilence that walketh in darkness,
the strife of tongues,
the malice of ill-will,
the hurt of unkind talk,
the snares of company,
the perils of youth,
the temptations of middle life,
the mournings of old age,
the fear of death.
I am entirely dependent upon thee for support, counsel, consolation,
Uphold me by thy free Spirit,
- and may I not think it enough to be preserved from falling,
- but may I always go forward,
- always abounding in the work thou givest me to do,
Strengthen me by thy Spirit in my inner self
- for every purpose of my Christian life.
All my jewels I give to the shadow of the safety that is in thee –
- my name anew in Christ,
- my body, soul, talents, character,
- my success, wife, children, friends, work,
- my present, my future, my end.
Take them, they are thine, and I am thine, now and for ever.
I've been asked recently about my process for once a month shopping. This is probably more info than everyone wanted to know, but I'm pretty passionate about it and had too much caffeine at Steak and Shake tonight. :)
For the last year and a half I’ve only been grocery shopping once a month.It has changed my life and our finances.I found these things to be true:
-The more I shop, the more I spend.I am not a big extravagant spender, but all the little things like toothpaste, specials, batteries, cute seasonal products, and sales add up.It is just better for me to never have to step foot into a store.Since that isn’t a reality, I try and go as little as possible.
-I’m a better steward of our food when I actually make it through our pantry.At the end of the month we may be eating Saltines instead of granola bars, but at least they’re getting eaten and not replaced with something more appealing.At times I’ve gotten desperate (graham crackers and leftover icing anyone?), but this has taught me so much about not being wasteful.
-Meal times are simple times.Though I enjoy cooking, I don’t have time for it right now, so nothing fancy is served in our house.I vary the menu each month, but my meals are simple with few ingredients.
It may take a couple of months to get your once a month shopping list down, but once you do, your life will be so much simpler.Here are a few steps to help you get started.
FIRST, make a simple list of meals your family usually eats.Depending on how meticulous you are, you can be as specific as possible.I am not a meticulous person, so I usually do something extremely simple like this.
DINNERS:
Monday:Chili or Tacos
Tuesday:Leftovers from Monday (Baked Potatoes and Chili or Taco Salad)
Wednesday:Ground Beef Meal (Casserole or Spaghetti)
Thursday:Chicken something or other
Friday:Pizza w/ Salad
LUNCH:
1.PB&J
2.Mac N Cheese
3.Tortilla Pizza
4.Tortilla Wraps
5.Hot Dogs
BREAKFAST:
·Cereal (16/month)
·Oatmeal (8/month)
·Eggs (4/month)
SNACKS:
·Chips/Salsa
·Brownies
·Crackers
·Goldfish
·Popcorn
Now, I might change this up a bit each month, but we usually eat pretty basic foods.If there is a sale on pork, I’ll have a couple of pork meals thrown in.If ham slices sound good, I’ll put that in the mix.Maybe we want chicken nuggets or pizza rolls for lunch because we’re tired of tortillas.I switch that up.Also, I might cook differently in the summer than the winter.Basically, you need a meal list to make your grocery list.
SECOND, start your grocery list.I start with dinners and write down how much of everything I’ll need for each meal.So… Ground Beef for Tacos and Chili and the ground beef meal – 1 pound each meal = 8 pounds.What do I need for chili?Seasoning Packets, green peppers, onions, beans.Tacos: lettuce, shells, tomatoes, cheese, Spanish rice.What casserole do I want to make and what goes into that?Spaghetti sauce needs tomatoes, basil, noodles, garlic bread, green beans.What kind of chicken am I going to make?Do I need cream of mushroom soup?What side dish?How many pizzas?
Then I move to lunches and breakfasts and snacks.It will take a bit of adjusting the first month, but keep track of how much cereal your family actually eats, approximately.I now know that I need to buy 6 boxes of oatmeal, 10 boxes of cereal, and 6 containers of sausage each month.
THIRD:think through OTHER STAPLES.I know that I always need to check other basics I like to have on hand that may not be evident in a meal.Flour, sugar, olive oil, dairy items (cheese, butter, eggs, sour cream), chocolate chips, carrots, apples, celery, pancake mix, bisquick, juice, toilet paper, salad dressing, etc.What foods do you always find yourself buying?Check your pantry to see if you are running low.Maybe you didn’t use your chocolate chips to make anything last month.
FOURTH:Go through your list and see if you already have items on your list and cross them off.I find it’s good to list everything and then go through my pantry to see if I already have 3 jars of spaghetti sauce.
FIFTH: Before shopping, organize your list based on store and location.You might do it by hand, but I use Excel.I type out my list and have 4 columns.Item, Location in store (like freezer, veggie, pantry), store, and quantity.I always keep everything on my list and do not delete.If I don’t need something, I make the quantity zero. Then I sort by quantity and move all the zero items to the bottom of the list.Then I can sort the rest by the store and location to make my shopping trip a breeze. Plus, I can copy and paste this list for the next month and skim through it to see if I forgot anything.
SIXTH:Go shopping!It’s a good time to clean out your pantry and fridge… you’ll need the space, so eat leftovers and throw away expired items. If it's pretty empty, wipe off the shelves.
Now print out your list of meals and put it on the fridge so you don’t have to think about dinners.Personally, I don’t follow my own schedule because I’m a rebel that way, and if I want to make tacos on Spaghetti night, well then I will.And if I want to make Spaghetti pie instead of plain old spaghetti, I do.But this way, I know what I have to make.
The first month is the hardest, and as you run to the store to get things you need that you forgot, write them on your master list so you don’t forget them next month.Like toothpaste or Q-Tips or Shampoo or Body Wash. However, if at all possible, try to wait until next month.Can you use some sample lotions you have in your linen closet until next month?
Also, for most of these items, keep an extra on hand and when you open the last one, jot down that you need to get another next month.This is a life saver and keeps me out of the store. I just have scrap of paper on the fridge to do this.
As your list grows, you’ll get a feel for what your family eats and consumes each month.
Other considerations:
- PERISHABLES:We buy milk and bread from CVS an extra time each month.Yes, it might cost us a dollar more, but the money we save in not stepping into “stuff mart” more than makes up for the dollar.Plus, it’s across the street from us, so there’s a gas savings there too, not to mention time.
Then, we get our produce delivered from Farm Fresh Delivery two other times a month.If this is not an option for you, then send the person least likely to impulse shop to the store or famers market for the 6-7 items you’ll need.Apples, Grapes, Broccoli, Green Beans, and Mushrooms.Nothing else.Eat what you have.Get creative if necessary.
- WEEKENDS/SPECIAL OCCASIONS:You’ll see that I don’t plan for weekends.This is for two reasons.I usually have enough food around or leftovers to get by on Saturday, and we don’t eat at home on Sundays.
If you have a special occasion coming up, like a few nights you won’t be home or something you know about, plan for less meals.If you usually entertain, add in an “entertainment meal” or two and get the necessary ingredients to avoid an extra trip to the store.I always keep a box of brownies on hand just in case I need a quick dessert.Who doesn’t love brownies?
Think about birthdays before you go and get the presents for the month while you’re out on your trip.Get creative if the kids are in the cart with you.I’ve distracted them in a different aisle and used a baby blanket to cover the items.Whatever works.
- QUALITY/COUPONS/COST:I’ve done this plan when I’ve been trying to live as cheaply as possibly and we ate hot dogs, grilled cheese, and spaghetti each week.I’ve done it when I felt a little more health conscience and it was all whole grain wheat, organic produce, and no high fructose corn syrup.I’ve done it with coupons (which was crazy and took a few hours of planning, but pretty worth it thanks to sites like www.moneysavingmom.com).I’ve done it by simply shopping at Aldi and only Aldi.
Overall, regardless of your situation or pantry space or lack thereof, if you want more time at home and less running to the store, you can do it.Give it a try.It doesn’t hurt, and I think it just might help.It did for me.
me. In what I've read, some people are more sensitive to it, and I could see that before when I'd drink a cup at 4:00 and be awake all night. So for people like me, the highs are big but the crashes are big too... leading me to exhaustion and adrenal fatigue.
