Happy to be called "Mommy"

Love Debt

Bethany — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:41:24 GMT

I was listening to a message by Voddie Baucham tonight. It is a sermon called, "Love Debt". During the message, I was convicted of a sin I have ignored or somehow missed for a long time.

I realized that there are some people I have intentionally withheld my love from over the years. Please note that I am not talking about society's idea of love, but the unconditional love that stems from Christ.

There are some people in my life that I suppose that I "gave up" on long ago, thinking to myself, "What's the point?", because every time I reached out to treat them with kindness or love, they would not return that love or treat me in the same manner.    (In fact, sometimes these people took advantage of my love and treated me badly in return).    I guess I justified my wrongdoing of withholding love by telling myself that there was no point in even trying anymore because they obviously didn't care...so why should I?

I am starting to realize that my problem was that my motives in loving these people was wrong. The very reason that I chose to show them love in the first place was tainted with sin. It was manipulative behavior and was not love. The reason that I chose to love them was that I was expecting something in return.    I didn't love unselfishly. I expected to be loved back.

By the world's standards, this isn't such a ridiculous idea to expect this. But from a Biblical standard, it is not the way we should love, because it is not the way Christ loves us.

Christ loved us even "while we were yet sinners". He died for us while we were still His enemies.

What if Christ had loved me the same way I "love" my neighbor- with conditions?
He certainly would not have suffered, bled, and died for such a person as I.    I sin against Him every day...yet every day, He shows me unconditional love.     Why would He do that if love is something which requires that conditions be met first?

Here is the Biblical definition of love:

Love is patient and kind;
love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never ends.
1 Cor 13:4-8

Ouch. By this definition, I fall so short of truly loving so many people.

If I have ever felt irritable or resentful of someone, I am not loving them.
If I am ever arrogant in my heart towards another person...I am not loving them.
If I am not loving my neighbor, I am sinning. I should repent.

Let me clarify that loving them does not mean letting them do wrong things without speaking up about it and letting them know that they are wrong.

It simply means that we choose to love them (see the definition above) because they are a human being created in God's image, and we owe them a love debt.    We owe them love because we are no better than they, no matter what sins they have committed.

Even if they are not a Christian, we should love them, perhaps even all the more...because we were once as they were and the only thing that separates us is not that we are better than them, but that we have been given a gift from God- undeserved forgiveness.

We should want that for them more than anything and should never arrogantly believe it is something that we accomplished by our own might or goodness.   None of us pursues God.... It is God who draws us to Him. We should pray for this person and seek that God would draw them to Him as well.

So this is what I was convicted about tonight and I wanted to share my thoughts.

Here is the sermon, if you would like to listen as well:

My Second Hobbes Toy

Bethany — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:51:24 GMT

I was asked by someone who saw my previous Hobbes Toy (from the comics, Calvin and Hobbes) if I would sew one for her. I have not taken the time to sew in years, but made a pattern up and got to work. The toy ended up looking cute! I hope I can make another one soon for my family, because they all wanted to keep this Hobbes for themselves.

When i was sewing, I was reminded of how much fun sewing is. Maybe I can find time to start doing that some more after this.

I painted the face with black and white acrylic paint.

Renewing our Thought Patterns

Bethany — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:37:21 GMT

We become what we think about all day long. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

How true is the above statement!    Our thought life is so very important in controlling how we feel and what we do each and every day.

When I was a teenager, I suffered from depression for years. I won't go into the details on why, but thankfully that is in the past now (only because of the encouragement I found in God's Word), but on occasion, I find myself sinking back into that old mire again.

A week or two ago, I felt gloomy. Actually, gloomy is a rather mild term for how I was feeling. All day long, it was as if there was a huge fog of depression over my head and I couldn't see through the fog to feel positive, no matter what I tried.

Throughout the day, thoughts would enter my mind- thoughts like, "Everything is going wrong and I don't have the ability to do the things I need to do. Nothing is going right. I am overwhelmed. No one even cares!" Those words would continually play in my mind and would make me feel so discouraged.

I allowed it to continue.   As time went on, my miserable feelings seemed to get worse, and grew in volume as I started nursing the pain (self pity) and remembering things from the past that had ever hurt me that I had forgotten about until that point. I ended up having experiencing a fearful anxiety that just wouldn't go away.

The way I felt on the inside presented itself on the outside, and I could see the way it affected others in my family- it seemed like my negativity was a contagious disease that plagued everyone I came into contact with.

At the time, I was able to convince myself that this pattern of thought was something that was happening to me, and that it was something I could not do anything about. That was a lie.

Where did I first go wrong? I went wrong when I allowed that first tiny negative thought to take root in my heart.   I should have plucked it up and prayed immediately, followed by battling those thoughts with Bible verses that would have reminded me of how blessed I really am - and about having a spirit of love and forgiveness instead of being bitter. I should have counted my blessings.

I was being selfish, actually. I was thinking only of myself, and feeling sorry for myself. It is impossible to feel depressed when you are feeling grateful.    It not only affected me, but my whole household.

After being miserable for a long time, I cried out to God and tell Him how I was feeling.   I told Him how sad I was. I told Him that I didn't understand why I was feeling that way but that I was sorry for allowing a spirit of fear and depression to take over me.   I expressed to Him all of the things that had hurt me and why I was sad in the first place, and then gave those burdens to him.   I asked for His help to do better in the future.

The next day, I felt renewed and did not have that cloudy fog of emotions anymore. I was amazed at how different I felt from the day before. It seemed like I could see things so much more clearly now, and a burden was lifted. I knew that God had forgiven me and that I could start things right again.   I saw so many blessings where the day before, I couldn't seem to find any!

I saw a difference in my family as well.   Not only is negativity contagious, but so is positivity!   When your thoughts are on your blessings, what comes out of your mouth will reflect what is on the inside.

I have failed in this area before, and I will most likely fail again, but what I have learned is that I should always be diligent about planting positive and pure thoughts and allowing those only to take root in my heart (one good way is through reading scripture and praying), and to be consistently pulling out all of those nasty weeds that seem to appear in the garden of my heart before they choke out the good.

Phillipians 4:8
"...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Phillipians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove to be what is good and acceptable and perfect in the will of God.

Michelle Duggar's Miscarriage

Bethany — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:03:30 GMT

I'm sure most of you have heard about Michelle Duggar, (from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting), has experienced a miscarriage of her 20th baby...Jubilee Shalom Duggar.   Michelle was in her second trimester.

My heart goes out to her and her family for their loss.

I know God has a plan for their precious baby, Jubilee. Her short life will reach the hearts and lives of thousands of people worldwide... and already has!   The Duggar family has the faith of God during this difficult and heartbreaking time and have used this as an opportunity to help encourage others to see what a blessing children are.

No matter how many children you have, nothing makes it easier to deal with the loss of a child. The only thing that can truly help heal the hurt is knowing that God has a purpose for every single life. If not even a sparrow falls to the ground without Him knowing it, how much more a little baby?

Just look at this beautiful video letter from Michelle to her daughter, Jubilee- you may need a tissue:

Jubilee Shalom Duggar

I am thankful for the Duggar's example of showing how good God is in the midst of our greatest sufferings and losses. Everything works out for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The Duggar family has the assurance that one day they will meet baby Jubilee in Heaven. If you have lost a little one, you can be assured of this as well.

If anyone out there has experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth and is looking for comfort, encouragement, or answers, I recently wrote a book called, "Answers in a Time of Miscarriage", which you can find on Amazon.com or at this link: www.preciousinfants.com/miscarriage.htm

If you cannot afford a copy, I will send you a digital copy for free. Just send me an email to mail (at) preciousinfants.com.

Caleb's Essay about Ian

Bethany — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:51:28 GMT

I found this while grading Caleb's schoolwork and thought it was sweet. I wanted to post about it so I don't lose it. I'm sure one day Ian will get a kick out of it.

Essay: Character Sketch

Ian

|Has two extremely different modes.
***************
..Happy Ian
*
....Playing with a pencil and a paper.
.......Makes real good scribbles.
....Gooing
.......Says "Ah-GAAAH", and "Ooooh!".
..........ah-GAAAH might mean "Cool."
..........Oooooh means "Yada-yada. I'm bored"
....Asking for a bottle
.......He has different ways of saying it.
.........ba-BAAAH means "Can you find my bottle?"
.........mu-muh... means "I think i'm hungry!"
.........muuh-MEH means "I am hungry."
.........mu-MEH!! means "GIMME MILK!"
...........Also translated as "I WANT _____"

..Angry Ian
**************
....Hitting stuff.
......Says "MEH!" when hits.
......Leads to In the bed.
........MEH! means MILK!!! or HUNGRY!!!!
....In the bed.
......Crying his head off.
....Delayed milk travel.
......Leads to Hitting stuff if not taken carefully.
......Or to bed.

Jennifer Blake Photography Family Portraits

Bethany — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:28:46 GMT

I think my sister, Jennifer, is one of the most talented photographers there is out there. I am truly amazed and inspired every time I see her newest photography sessions. I know it takes a lot of work and effort, not only to take the pictures, but also to edit each picture after it is taken to make them look just right.

I was so happy when Jennifer told me she would take photos of our family this year before she left the state (her husband is in the marines). The pictures turned out incredible! She took 419 pictures in all, but here are some of the best....

You can view more of Jennifer's photography at this link. Please "like" her facebook page if you get a chance.

And you can also view more from this photo session at this link.

Finished West Side Furniture Sign Restoration

Bethany — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:58:20 GMT

Here was the last project that I finished in the last week-

Just like last time, getting up in the lift was kind of scary...not only was it high, but I had to maneuver it a lot to get it above the awnings to the right spot.   It took me about 10 minutes each time just trying to get the lift in the right place to begin painting.

The weather was kind of cold but it wasn't as bad as the day before.   Before I got up close to the sign, I just assumed it would be a fairly easy project. But when I saw it up close, and realized how large and long it was, it really made me scared that I wouldn't be able to meet my deadline.....look how long it stretches!

I thought, "Should I just leave it be and not start this one? It's just too large of a project for me. I can't do this!"
But I remembered the building owners saying how excited they were about the sign being done, and I just decided to try anyway, so as not to let them down.

I just decided to work on each small part at a time and not think of it as a whole.

I trembled in fear a lot up there in the lift, because of the way it sways back and forth. I kept thinking, "I'm going to die....I just know I'm going to fall to my death."   I'm sure that was a bit of an overreaction, but remember: I'm new to this!!

Over time, however, I got used to being up there and it didn't seem quite as frightening. Except a couple of times when I almost gave myself a heart attack using the driving joystick instead of the lift joystick.

After about 3 hours of working, this was all I had done:

And I thought to myself, "OH NO, now I've really bitten off more than I can chew. If it took me that long to do those three letters, there is NO WAY I can get it done before Sunday. No way on earth."

I kept praying that God would somehow give me the strength to get it all done in time.

He answered my prayers, because in the next two hours (after getting lunch and feeding the baby), this is how far I had gotten:

Now I had hope that it could be done! And I felt motivated the rest of the day...and I worked until it was dark. Then I was absolutely exhausted- not to mention homesick. This was the longest time that I've been apart from my kids and I was really feeling it.   I missed them so terribly.   I felt so emotional and cried when I got home.   I couldn't wait for it to all be over. I love painting but am not used to being at it for so many days in a row, away from the kids- and my husband.   Many times, I have taken my kids with me when I'm painting, so this was just new for me.   I couldn't wait to be home on a regular schedule again!

The next day, after getting some rest, I felt energized again and worked really hard. The building owners had asked me to change the word "mart" at the end, to "est. 1914", so on a grid paper I drew out the words and used the grid to transfer it to the wall. I was worried it wouldn't work or look good, but it ended up working out well! I was so pleased. I was done before 2:00 PM!

Here is the building when I finished it:

As soon as I finished, the man who owns the building asked me if I would like to paint the trim on the windows.

Since the lift would only be there till Sunday, I told him I would need to start right away...so his wife left to get the stain for the building, and I got started around 3:30 PM.   I finished the first coat on the trim above and below the windows by 5:00 PM, and this morning at 6:00 AM I started the second coat and was finished by 7:30!

So I'm finally done with all of the painting projects for this year! Hurray!

Steele Furniture Sign Part 2

Bethany — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:21:43 GMT

Wednesday morning, bright and early, I got up and took Annah to the babysitter in town, and went to the Steele Furniture sign to get started.   As terrified as I was of getting up that high, I knew that I had already promised to do this...and I kept reminding myself that courage is being afraid to do something but doing it anyway.   I want my kids to see my example and see that I don't let fear make me quit something that I am planning to do (even though I was tempted to quit many times before I started). Besides, if I am going to eventually do larger murals, I have to get over my fear sometime!    (Before this week, I didn't even know I had a fear of heights!) I started near the top so I could go down as I worked, not up!

Here's a video of the lift, so you can see what I was afraid of:

It was pretty cold Wednesday, and very windy...but I was wearing coveralls and had hand warmers in my pockets, and that helped a lot!    I had told James the day before that the only reason I was able to get the Cullman Banana supply mural done so soon was because I had given myself a deadline of 2 days, and somehow that is what I ended up doing- deadlines get me moving fast! So he gave me a deadline for this one: 4 hours for each side. He told me he knew I could do it.

To my own surprise, I ended up getting it done in 6 hours...three hours per side!   I was really shocked that it was done so quickly, because the task seemed so daunting at first.   I thought it would take about 2 days at least.

Here is a picture of the sign before I began:

And here is one side when I had it finished:

And the other side....

Steele Furniture Sign

Bethany — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:32:34 GMT

James drove the bucket lift to the next location today, and I got up on it for a little bit to feel it out and see what I was up against. The Steele Furniture sign seems so small from far away! I thought it would be much easier than I realized it was going to be once I got up there and saw it close up.

It wasn't really the size of the sign that bothered me so much, but the height of it. It is really, really high, and I have to extend the bucket lift way up in the air, almost as far as it can go. For my husband, who tried it first, it wasn't much...he's used to doing stuff like that, having worked at the Cable company for years and being in lifts multiple times over the years. But for me, completely new to this...it was very scary up there in the air, shaking back and forth with the wind! It was steady enough at first, but it got really windy all at once while I was up there, and shook the basket pretty hard - scared the living daylights out of me. lol I will just have to get used to the shaking. Hopefully tomorrow won't be as windy as it was today!

This was my view from the basket...

As you can see, I'm going to have to work around some messy, broken lights. They are going to be a pain to work with, but hopefully it won't be too much trouble.

Here's another closeup.

And here is what the sign looks like from the sidewalk. Seems so much smaller from there.

I'll be sure to post progress once I've started!

Finished Cullman Banana Supply and White Tulip Flour Mural Project

Bethany — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:49:32 GMT

I really enjoyed working on this restoration project this week!   I have never operated a bucket lift before, but once I figured out the controls, it wasn't so hard at all.

The weather was beautiful Saturday...just a little bit chilly. It actually turned out to be a really busy weekend to be doing my painting- It took me about 20 minutes circling the block before I could actually get in, because they were having a Christmas event in town and the mural was on a road where there were lots of people, and there were police directing the traffic.     There were Santa Clauses everywhere driving people around in horse drawn buggies, and people walking around drinking apple cider- it smelled delicious. If I had known about this prior to scheduling the week James took off work, we probably would have chosen a different week to do it!

Once I got in, though, I was able to get a lot of painting done.   I had to go back for the baby every couple of hours, but I managed to get halfway done with the mural in the first day!

I didn't go back Sunday because we were going to have family pictures done after church, but I got back to work Monday morning.    Thankfully, the weekend traffic was over and it was much easier getting in and out. I worked until it got dark, trying to get it finished- I knew it was going to rain the next day, and I was hoping that I could just finish the last little part. However, it got dark before I could finish.

The next morning, I drove with the babysitter to town, while it was already raining. My thought was that maybe the rain would go away and I could get that last little bit finished. I was determined to get it done!   Unfortunately, it kept raining and raining. Reluctantly, I went back home around 10:30.   At about 2:00, though, I noticed it wasn't raining and thought that maybe if I hurried, I could get there with enough time to paint that last little part. So I asked Bonnie if she would help me watch the baby in the truck while I painted some more. She sat in there and took care of the baby, and I finished in about 1 1/2 hours!

As I was almost finished, I noticed it was sprinkling rain....I prayed, "Please God, let the rain hold off till I get finished! Please just let the rain hold off until I am finished and am able to put away the rest of the paints!" He answered my prayer!   I finished the mural, put away the paints, took a picture of the mural...then got back in the truck, and almost immediately, the rain started pouring!

It did not harm the mural, in case anyone wonders!

I'm so happy to have done this in less than 3 days! If it wasn't raining today, I'd be out working again, but I might have to wait till tomorrow to get started on the next project (I'll be restoring another old sign in town). I might change my mind later and just work on it during a dry spot. lol I have three projects in total that I am hoping to get completed this week.     One down, two to go!

Here is a picture of the one I'm working on next:

Above picture from this link.

Cullman Banana Supply Restoration

Bethany — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:10:55 GMT

Remember the Cullman Banana Supply and Jazz Feeds mural I restored about 6 months ago? See here.

This week I'm going to restore the front side of the same building now, where there is another Cullman Banana Supply mural there. It's about 100 years old, from what I was told.

I'll be starting on Saturday...James is (generously) going to be taking off work to watch all of the children, except Annah. I have a babysitter who will be watching her in a building about a block or two from the mural site, and she will just bring Annah to me every couple of hours so I can feed her. Looking forward to it!

Thought Bubbles

Bethany — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:39:36 GMT

These are the Moments

Bethany — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:15:48 GMT

These are the moments that make life wonderful.

There is nothing more precious, in my opinion, than seeing brother and sisters loving each other.

Duggar Family Portraits Received!

Bethany — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:51:54 GMT

I was thrilled to receive an email from Michelle Duggar this morning, saying thank you for the portraits! I am so happy to know that the portraits got there safely and that the family actually has them!

Here is part of the email that she sent:

Dear Bethany,

Wow! What a surprise!
Thank you so much for the beautiful portrait pencil drawings of our children! What a blessing & precious keepsakes!
Your sweet note & words of encouragement were greatly appreciated!
Thank you for blessing us in such a special way!
And tell the children thank you for their kind notes! We will enjoy their picture in our dining room on our prayer bulletin board.

With Gratefulness,
Michelle for the Duggars
2 Cor. 12:9

Isn't that so sweet? What an awesome way to start off the day!!!

Low Carb Resources

Bethany — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:05:40 GMT

I have been meaning to make this post for a while but time kept getting away from me due to the Duggar drawings you can see in the post below.

I was asked about what low carb websites and books I've found to keep myself motivated. Here is a list of all of the websites I am currently visiting on a regular basis (I may forget a few, but if I do I'll come back and add them):

Recipes

250 low carb recipes can be found at "Your Lighter Side". This is where I got the idea to make the cauliflower crusted pizza that was so good. There are many really good recipes here!
You can find a lot of good alternative bread recipes at "Ginny's Low Carb Kitchen". Desserts too.
Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal is full of wonderful ideas for foods of all kinds.. she finds one delicious treat and turns it into a "healthified" treat that is actually good for you AND tastes awesome.

Informational resources

The author of the blog "Fat Head" (Tom Naughton), is a comedian and has produced a documentary called "Fat Head" (available on Netflix), which is a rebuttal to Morgan Spurlock's, "Super Size Me". Among other things, the movie explains with the fact show a low carb diet can help you lose weight and make you healthier altogether. The blog that Tom writes on a daily basis is full of resources and facts that have helped me make the decision to remain low carb long term.

Jimmy Moore, of Livin' La Vida Low Carb, has a wealth of information on his website. Years ago, after attempting many different diets and failing, at 410 pounds Jimmy finally started a low carb diet, and within 1 year he had lost 180 pounds, and his health improved tremendously!

And here is a list of low carb cookbooks or informational regarding the low carb lifestyle:

Books

The Bean Queen's Cookbook

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Protein Power

Low Carbing Among Friends

Why We Get Fat

Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism

Livin' La Vida Low Carb

New Project Finished- Duggar Family

Bethany — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:11:52 GMT

A few years ago, when the Duggar family had 17 children, I had this idea to draw a portrait of each of the children and send it to the family...the reason being that they are such an inspiration to my family and have helped us in so many ways, and this would be a way to say "thank you". A BIG thank you!

It seemed like time got in the way though, since I already had so many other projects going at the time. So the idea sat on the back burner for a while. It really is a huge project and I felt a little overwhelmed by the idea. But now that they have 19 children, I got the idea in my head again and decided to just go for it!

When I first started, I assumed it would take a few months time to complete, but I was so motivated about this project, I was able to finish drawing all 19 children's portraits in just 13 days! I never would have guessed it could be done that quickly, but I guess when you really want something done, it is easier to get accomplished. Maybe God was helping me along.

The tools I used were a mechanical pencil, kneaded eraser, cap eraser, tissue, and tortillion.

So that is what I've been busy with for the last couple of weeks! Here are the portraits:

(Jackson and Johannah)

(Josiah, Joseph, Jordyn, Jennifer, Jackson, Johannah, John-David, Jill)

(James, Josie)

(Josh, Jinger)

(Jason, Jeremiah, Justin)

(Jana, Jessa)

All of them together!

Oh yes, that is a lot of Duggars!

I'm really excited that it is all done now, and will be sending these to them in the mail ASAP. It was a lot of work, but it is worth it!!

Another Update

Bethany — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:49:16 GMT

Bonnie's 10th birthday was 2 weeks ago...I now have two children whose ages are double digits...hard to believe!      For her birthday, we surprised her with something she's been asking for for months- she got to get her ears pierced!    Not only that but we thought it would be a special thing if she and her sister could get them done the same day.      So now Annah has some really pretty "diamonds" in her ears now.

Bonnie was thrilled and loves her earrings.... even though when she got them pierced she cried for a minute. Here's a video of it- I thought it was really cute:

All of the kids asked me recently if they could make a short film about Little Red Riding Hood. Only they wanted to call it "Little WHITE Riding Hood", because Bonnie had a white hoodie that she thought would be perfect for it...so I let them use my Flip Cam and this is the movie they shot. (They asked me to be the mother at the beginning.) Caleb edited the movie...I especially love Noah's funny faces and the editing at the end (the scene with the grandmother).    Watch and see if you don't get a kick out of it:

In answer to Tania's question in the comments from my previous post, yes, I have a lot of low carb resources and books that I will post here shortly!

And Divachic, thank you for your spaghetti squash idea. I really appreciate it!

Low Carb and Healthy Almond Crackers

Bethany — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:00:11 GMT

I know a lot of you have been wondering if I am still on the low carb diet after having the baby....The answer is yes!

I was so grateful to find that a couple of weeks after having Annah Grace, my daily blood sugar levels went down dramatically...and now they are far out of the diabetic range....I'm not diabetic anymore!

However, I know that I can still become a type 2 diabetic if I continue eating carbs like I used to (especially since it runs in the family), and I have found that I really do not have such a strong need for them anymore, now that I have found so many great tasting alternatives....so I am not going back to my normal diet. I will continue eating low carb and high fat and protein.   (James and my kids are also on my diet for the most part).

It is not only to prevent diabetes, but it seems that every day I find new reasons to continue eating this way. One wonderful thing I have noticed is that I am not sick all of the time anymore!     When I was eating excessive amounts of carbs (mostly things with refined flours and sugars) without thinking about it, I was getting sick every time I was around someone sick.   Almost every month I caught some new flu or cold bug that was going around. It's not like that anymore. I have not been really sick at all since I went low carb, and when I did manage to catch something my family had, I only had a fever for a couple of hours, and after that, it was gone! (The rest of the family was not so fortunate, but they were not so strict on the carbs at the time either). There is good reason for all of this, and it's very simple...eating refined sugars and flours depletes your body of the nutrients it needs to provide you with immunity to sickness. I want the foods that I eat to actually be beneficial in some way to my body.

At first, removing these foods from the diet seems near impossible. If you go to the grocery store, about 90 percent of what you'll see there is carbohydrates from refined flour/sugar...it makes it extremely difficult to remove them from your diet, but it is actually possible with a little hard work and creativity....and so worth it!

After a while, it becomes easier, as you get used to new recipes, etc.      I used to think I couldn't enjoy foods without having pasta, bread, potatoes, rice etc. I thought "what else is there??"...but it seemed like my tastes actually changed over time and I find myself disliking the taste of buns on cheeseburgers, pasta for spaghetti or casseroles, etc.   There are better tasting and healthier alternatives out there...you just have to be willing to look- and it's really not that much more expensive, to be honest!

Anyway, I didn't mean to write a book about this...just wanted to basically say that yes, I am still low carbing!

I found a recipe a couple of months ago which is very delicious, and very crunchy - a perfect little cracker to eat and dip with....and my husband loves it and has requested it many times!

   I found it at Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal.
Not only are they great tasting, they are also easy to make (only four ingredients!), and quick (which is what I am always looking for in recipes)!

Here is a picture of my crackers (I used cheddar cheese, where Maria used aged gouda)....they are always gone in a hurry. Here is the recipe.

Teaching Love

Bethany — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:23:59 GMT

To me as a parent, the most important thing I want to teach my children is to love each other and others around them. I want them to be lifelong friends.    What are some ways that you teach your children about loving each other?

Here are some ways that I try to encourage a loving attitude in our home:

Being a good example.

This is not always easy, and I still have a lot of improving to do in this area!    When I am offended or frustrated, I have to remember that the way that I respond is my children's example.   Do I want my children to react to offenses in the same way that I am reacting? If not, then I need to change something about the way I am behaving.    If I act grouchy or irritable when I am not feeling well, then I cannot expect my children to do much better. I want to be the kind of parent that my children can and should imitate.    I look to Michelle Duggar as a very positive role model in this area and strive to be gentle, compassionate, and understanding like she is with her children.    With Christ's help, it is possible!

The way my husband and I interact is also an opportunity to be an example for them.   Our children's little eyes are always watching, and I always want them to see that James and I are best friends and treat each other as such at all times.

Telling them how much I love them every day.

It seems obvious but it is sometimes easy to get so caught up in a busy lifestyle and forget to make an effort to tell each child how much you love them.    Sometimes we just expect them to just "know", but it is so important to remind our children as often as possible how important they are to us and how much we love them.    You can never tell them you love them too many times. If your children know they are loved, they are going to automatically be more loving to others.

Telling them about how much God loves them, and encouraging a spirit of gratitude..

Never miss an opportunity to tell your children how much God loves them. Bring God up in everything. Remind them constantly to be thankful for what they have been blessed with.   Say things like, "Aren't you so thankful that God gave us your little brother/sister? I love him/her so much, don't you?", "I am so thankful that even though we are sick today, we are blessed because it could have been so much worse, and God is really taking care of us, isn't He?", etc.

Having them write encouraging notes to each other.

About a year ago, my husband and I started writing weekly notes to each other. We make sure to include 5 or more positive things about each other in those notes. Examples: "I really appreciated it when you helped me with the laundry yesterday. ", and "I enjoyed eating out with you the other day.", and "I love the way you looked in that blue shirt." These are just tiny little statements, but they have had a tremendous impact in our life. Doing this has really helped our relationship to flourish in such a wonderful way, and has made us closer than ever before. (Also, I really love looking back on all of the notes and remembering all of the good times we've shared).

I realized recently that since this approach was so good for us, it might also be a good idea for the kids to do for each other as well, so I started having them write a small note to each sibling each week. I have one journal for them to share for this purpose. Their notes need only has to be one sentence each- one for each sibling- and it really forces them to think of the positive things instead of dwelling on negative things about each other.

Here are some examples of the children's notes to each other:

From Noah - "Ian, I like playing hide and seek with you."
"Bonnie, I loved playing cowboys and indians with you!"

From Bonnie - "Caleb, I like the song you made up."
"Annah, you have the cutest little face!"

From Caleb - "Noah, I like it when you play on the trampoline with me!
"Bonnie, you draw really nice pictures!"

I also write my own notes to them in the same journal.

Nipping their fights in the bud.

Kids can find anything to fight about, and mine argue every day. As soon as I hear one starting, I first have to try to rid myself of my own bad attitude...because my first impulse is to groan and say, Not again...seriously, when will they ever learn?", and I'm tempted to just yell, "Stop it already!" ...because it's easier than dealing with it. But then I have to remind myself that it is MY behavior they learn from. It is my job to teach them by example and to train them. When I remember this, I take each child and ask them if they think they are showing each other love (The answer is always no, of course). I try to be patient and listen to their complaint IF it appears to be a legitimate problem (if it's not, I tell them to treat each other with kindness and do not worry with details because they are irrelevant). Then I tell them about a loving and peaceful way that each one could do to solve the problem.    (The only way to have JOY is to think of Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last).

Humbling my self when I am wrong.

This is not always easy for me!   Sometimes if I have had a hard day and one of the kids does many things wrong during the day and I get frustrated and respond in a grouchy way, I will not want to apologize because I feel like it will somehow make the child feel like their behavior is being excused. However, nothing is further from the truth!    When I actually humble myself to apologize when I am wrong, I am teaching them by my example.   They are learning from me how to behave, and will be more likely to apologize to each other when they have wronged each other, instead of clinging to their pride.     It may not be an immediate result but over the years I have seen a positive impact of my being willing to apologize to them- they are following the example that has been set for them.

1 John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Been MIA

Bethany — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:24:26 GMT

Boy, I have really neglected this blog the last couple of weeks. I've been getting adjusted to my schedule with the new baby and things just seem to get so busy. There are many things I want to write about, but it's just finding the time to do it that gets difficult!

It was so wonderful to be able to introduce a new baby into the home, and I am so thankful that God blessed us with little Annah Grace. All of the children really love her...and nothing makes me happier than that!

I was wondering how Ian would react to her, and thought he might be jealous- but to be honest, he just wants to kiss her all of the time!    The only problem we've had with him is that he thinks she is a toy - HIS toy- and wants to be able to carry her around the house. I of course don't let him do that, but I definitely let him kiss her, and he does it at least 20 times per hour.   He just loves her!

I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from September.

One fun thing that I've found out last month is that I can double up the babies in my two Ergo carriers. It is a little bit heavier than it is with just one, but it's doable (even though Ian is a whopping 30 pounds)!   Aren't they so cute together like that?

The other day, Ian was sleeping, and Noah said that he wanted to pose like he was sleeping with him. I thought it was so precious!

I tend to love pictures of the kids sleeping, especially if they're with someone. Here is a picture of miss "Anna Banana" sleeping with her daddy.

Here's another sleeping photo (no, they don't sleep all of the time!)...Ian and Annah...I can't believe how big he is after just a little over a year! He looks like he could swallow her whole. lol

I just love this picture of Caleb and Annah together. Caleb is growing so much and he's beginning to look like a little man.   He is one of the most caring boys I have ever known.   I am so thankful knowing that Annah has three older brothers who will be there for her when she gets older. What a blessing!

When I was just a few days away from having the baby, a photographer named Brandi Hoffman contacted me saying that she would like to do a maternity photo shoot with me and the children.   She wanted to do it for free!    She told me she would like to do it that Saturday but I had told her that if she didn't do it sooner, I may not make it that long!   She took my pictures the next day (August 2), and I ended up having the baby two days later!

It was so kind of her to take all of the photos without charging us anything. And she worked in the hottest part of the day- it was over 100 degrees that day! Brandi is a great photographer!

You can see all of the photos that Brandi took by clicking either of the two pictures below, or by clicking here. (and yes! My belly really was that huge! WOW.)

I love this picture! The only thing I wish is that James could have been there so it would have been complete. He was at work that day.

I thought this photography session was nice enough- but Brandi took it a step further and offered to take pictures of the baby and kids and me when Annah was 2 weeks old also- again, for no charge.    She did such a great job.    The photo I recently posted of all five of the kids together- that was Brandi's work. She managed to take some great pictures even though the children didn't want to cooperate most of the time.

You can see all of those photos by clicking here or by clicking the photo below. There are just too many to post here.

I hope you have all been having a wonderful September!