Tuesday Tip Jar

Nothing earth-shattering here this week but I thought I'd share our frugal juice idea...

Since the Vikings were old enough to drink it, I've always cut their juice 50-50 with water. Paritally due to the whole sugar-content-on-their-growing-teeth thing but also for the I-don't-wanna-spend-10-dollars-a-week-on-juice thing! LOL

We had an old side-by-side fridge with a water dispenser that made it easy to do as I was filling sippies. However, that fridge died on us a couple months back & adding water while serving juice was becoming more of a pain.

So, instead of making the juice as directed and adding water when it was served, I just improvised and flipped that idea around. Now, when I make juice from concentrate, instead of adding the recommended 3 cans of water, I just add an extra can or two into the pitcher.

It was kind of a "well DUH" moment but it's fixed a frustration of mine and that made it a tip I wanted to share.

For more TTJ, stop by Blogmommas today.

Sunday's Dangerous Tidbits

This is how our Sunday message started out today:

Which is more dangerous: James Bond or Jack Bauer?
Which is more dangerous: Peyton Manning or Brett Farve?
Which is more dangerous: Hulk Hogan or our middle school pastor (LOL)?

What does it mean to be a dangerous believer?
What might it cost you?
Paul knew:

"Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." 2 Corinthians 11.24-27

And, this is how the message ended:

1. Will I live safely for myself or dangerously for God?
2. What dangerous lifestyle is God calling me to?
3. What skills/knowledge is required for me to become dangerous?
4. How will I acquire this skill/knowledge?
5. Who in my life needs to be rescued?

So, are you gonna stay safe?
Or are you gonna live step out in faith and live dangerously for God?

Thursday Thanks Tank

Better late than never...

So much going on this week. It's the first full week back to school for Flicka - last week had a snow day. DaHubby started his college courses this semester: physics, chem, pre-cals, and one last nuke class. And, Pojke and I started back to Bible study and his weekly sports class at the YMCA.

But, in the "clutter" of life, there has been some shining moments to be thankful for...

I'm thrilled with my new "Just For Joy" study group. I hope this group develops into as wonderful a group as my "Esther" study group did!

There aren't enough "thank yous" for the children's ministry workers at the church we attend. Saturday night, Sunday morning, Wednesday morning, Wednesday night - it seems every time their doors are open, they've consider the moms of little ones and provided child care with wonderful curriculum.

I'm thankful for the insight and enjoyment I'm getting out of a chronological Bible reading plan I started with the New Year. The jumping from Genesis to Job and back to Genesis so far appeals to my ADD (LOL) and lets how much I'm actually reading kinda sneak up on me as opposed to constantly seeing how much more of the Book I have to get through! LOL

Knowing how it makes him happy (as well as thrills me to see it), I'm thankful for a worship pastor who jumped at the chance of an impromptu jam session with DaHubby this past week and who has asked him to play a Sunday morning in February. I couldn't be more thrilled.

I'm thankful that after 3-4 days of awful congestion and sleeping alone since I was keeping DaHubby awake with my cold that I'm finally feeling better.

Thankful for the wonderful time and wonderful friends who circled our dining room table last weekend to celebrate Pojke's fourth birthday. After a trip down to our area's new carousel and kids' museum annex, we had a wonderful time just chillin and talking and laughing while the kids played.

I'm thankful for an emergency fund (while now dangerously small) that was able to cover a new alternator for "Goldilocks" (aka our 2001 Ford Focus) and another emergency root canal for DaHubby.

And, finally, I'm just splitting at the seams thrilled and geeked beyond words to have completed my second week of my American Sign Language class. Four more weeks at level one then two more 7-week sessions and I *just* might be able to actually communicate with someone who is hearing impaired! LOL

Those are the things that are blessin' me this week. How 'bout you? Stop by Pam's bloggy home to see her TTT posts too!

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Dreamin'

The kayaks DaHubby and I built in the pre-Vikings era...
At one of our favorite places on earth...
*sigh*

For more WW, go here or here.

Tuesday Tip Jar

Well, I've been off the TTJ wagon for a few weeks as the Christmas/New Years season took hold...then Pojke's birthday sneaked up as usual right after New Years.

So, now I'm jumping back in today with what's probably not my best parenting moment but it's lowered the frustration level around here with trying to explain the passage of time to two often very impatient little raiders.

Flicka's dear sweet kindergarten teacher is tackling the concrete skill of telling time by the reading of the clock but there's been very little success at home with describing the abstract theory of the passing of time.

"How long 'til we (pick an activity)?"

And, no matter if I said 5 minutes or 500, the answer was always the same...

"But, when IS that?" or "but that will take FOR-EV-VER!"

So, I used their understanding of cartoons. LOL

Now, we'll be leaving in one "Diego" or 30 minutes. Or, Grandma's house is five "Turbo Dogs" away. Or, the drive to school if one-half of a "Veggie Tales" Or, you have one "Sid the Science Kid" to get your room clean! LOL

It finally gives them a point of reference to understand how long something will take or how long until something takes place. And, their understanding means less whining...well, a little less. LOL

For more TTJs, stop by Blogmommas' today.

What we're pondering this week...being dangerous

A Wind is blowing. God's Spirit is moving. And, there are things to be done.

We need to turn our faces into that Wind, seek Him, and find out where God is taking us next.

We want to be a "dangerous" church like the church in the first chapter of Acts.

A dangerous church works to accomplish what Jesus started.
Acts 1:1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach...

A dangerous church finds empowerment through the Holy Spirit.
(v. 2)...until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen...
(v. 5)..."for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now..."
(v. 8)... But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

A dangerous church finds motivation in the finished work of Christ.
We will not hide nor be embarrassed about the "messiness" of what happened on the cross. We will not be so seeker-friendly that we hide the Truth. We WILL talk about the Passion, the Crucifixion, the pain, the sacrifice...because it is THAT upon which our faith is based.

A dangerous church accepts the mandates of a witness.
Are you part of a "dangerous" church? Not resting on past laurels or coasting with recent success but reaching out to the world, following the Spirit faithfully into your neighborhood, and stepping out in faith to change lives regardless the cost?

(Taken in part from my notes from our pastor's sermon yesterday)

Wordless Wednesday: Flicka in Repose

For more WW, go here or here.

Happy Birthday my precious little man of God

You aren't even supposed to be here. The wisdom of this world said the odds were too great. But, my God is greater! You arrived from heaven on this date four years ago huge, heavy, kicking and screaming.

You were my "John the Baptist" in the womb - dancing and leaping each time Daddy and I were singing at church or at home. And, now you already have such a fine and quick brain for the stories and things of God. (We just have to work on your praying LOL)

While still growing within me, many prayers and prophecies were spoken over you. I have no doubt that they will come to pass. I still remember the day Pastor Deb and the ladies of the church laid hands on me and my very pregnant belly. You "jumped" liked nothing I had ever experienced and I felt the hand of God that morning. I can still feel it deeper than anything I've ever felt before. I'm in awe at the wondrous things God has planned for you.

You are feisty, empathetic, and a better share-er than any child your age I've ever seen. You are such a snuggle bug and a wonderful giver of hugs and kisses. You are braver than any preschooler I've seen having already have stood your ground against "giants" (a 6 year old) to defend and protect your sister. You are good with details and things being "just so" SO much more than either of your parents. Now if you could just apply that trait to keeping your room clean...LOL

Your daddy and I can not WAIT to see what God has for you to do in your life because we have been assured that it will be something great! Happy birthday, sweet boy. May God continue to overwhelm you with his blessings!

Warms a momma's heart...

The other night, I was digging in my closet for some long johns (did I mention we've received over a FOOT of snow in the last 16 hrs? LOL). And, I found 4 books I had ordered from Flicka's Scholastic Book Club at school to give to the Vikings on Christmas. Oops! :)

I had picked out a penguin book and a new Jon Scieszka TruckTown book we hadn't seen yet on snow trucking. For those of you with vehicle-obsessed little ones, I can't recommend Scieszka's TruckTown books enough...plus he's a native Michigander so it's all good in my book! LOL

And, Flicka's books included a Scholastic version of "The Princess and the Frog" and a book on the Nativity.

So, when I put the Vikings to bed an hour earlier last night to prep for our back-to-school schedule on Monday, I thought the new books might soften their angry, fussy respsonse. And, both Vikings had the reaction a momma always wishes for...

...they both *kissed* their new books!

And, then me, of course. LOL

Flicka LOVED her Princess book; Pojke started jumping and hollering over the Snow Trucking book.

And, THAT makes an English teacher momma's heart happy!

2010's Goals to Achieve

I've never been one for "resolutions" - well, at least I've never been successful at resolutions. But, now that DaHubby and I completed Financial Peace University in 2007, we realize how important setting goals are to achieve the things we desire for ourselves and our family as a whole.

My goal setting has always been more of a personal thing. Not sure if I've been worried about letting out some "secret" that I'm weak in certain areas or knowing that if I didn't succeed no one would know or care.

Also, as an adult ADD-er, goal setting is a minefield that could easily put me into counseling again. LOL Keeping goals manageable, accountable, measurable, specific, blah blah blah does not really meld well with my ADD tendencies. Most times I sincerely forget because I just get caught up in something else.

And, the thought of having to be accountable and consistent with ANYTHING for a WHOLE year, scares the ADD pants off me!

But, I'm always up for some self-abuse in the interest of self-improvement. LOL

I used 43things.com for most of 2008 and found a lot of success with it; in 2009, not so much. But, then after doing some more reading here about more realistic goal setting for ADD-ers and reflecting more about Dave Ramsey's "baby steps" to success I've come up with a few for 2010.

Build 1 month food emergency fund (to be done probably on a 5-pay month)
Restocking the emergency fund to chosen amount (first third of year)
Read at least a book a month (all year)
Paint Pojke's room and then Flicka's room (in the spring)
Paint kitchen (summer project)
Read the entire Bible (all year)
Keep a prayer journal (all year)
Start donating blood again on ARC's schedule (all year)

And, work on being more healthy with 4 specific goals here:

working out (starting at 2x/week & working up to 4x/week),
eating sweets/drinking soda only on weekends, (first half of the year)
eating more veggies and fruit (second half of the year)
food journaling (first third of year)

Now, all this being said, there needs to be room for flexibility.

First, I'm sure I've forgotten something. LOL Second, we have winter and spring semester to survive with DaHubby's schooling.

Finally, DaHubby graduates this year which means that, at the end of 2010, we could still be living in this house with Flicka at her current school OR we could have just completed a cross country move to a new job and a new school for Flicka.

Wherever God and DaHubby lead, we will follow so all the above are still subject to change...probably before March! LOL