Goodbye 2015. Hello 2016!!

My top Instagram posts basically sum up 2015.

Happy New Year from all of us!

It was so wonderful to have everyone home for the holidays.  Having all my babies home for more than a few days is something that becomes more and more rare as they all get older.  I know it is hard to imagine this if you are still surrounded by a bunch kids under 10 years old but it will come for you one day as well.  Having kids a wide range of ages also brings new challenges.  Such as my littles are still up at the crack of dawn and my older kids want to stay up past midnight!  But God gives grace and I think it is so healthy for college/high school kids to be around young ones and vice-versa.  I think this is what the family unit is supposed to be, loved ones together of all ages!  We even had both grandmothers here for Christmas as well.  Such a blessing!
In looking forward to 2016, I only have a few resolutions that I will mention.  I try not to make too many lofty goals but I do pray about changes that I know the Lord wants me to make.

1.  Blog more, even if they are shorter posts.

2.  Step out of my comfort zone. (Like the mission trip I took this past year.  Don't be afraid to obey God and go where He leads.)

3.  Enjoy homeschooling more and attempt to make it more fun. 

4.  Be more ministry focused instead of self-focused.

5.  Pursue more friendships with like minded women and those God brings into my life. 

Some New Year's Resolutions

1.  Jump on the trampoline more....no seriously, play with my kids more.  Instead of always being involved in the one of the many tasks at hand, make time to be silly with them, play games with them, and yes, jump on the trampoline.


2.  Show more love and respect to my husband.  I know as I do this more, then my children will also do this more to him and to me.


3.  Eat more organic.  We've been eating just about all our produce organic for the past year and most of our meat and dairy, but this year I want to try to do just about all organic, but without upping my grocery budget.  Not sure how do to this yet, but if anyone has any ideas, let me know.


4.  Read through the Bible this year.  I haven't done this in awhile.  It takes reading 3 chapters a day, but I really want to do this again.  I'm looking for a good plan online.


5.  Start up "date night" with my kids again.  I mentioned this is my post last month on finding time to spend with each child.  We used to do this when we had 7-8 kids and really need to start this up again.  I think I'll put one night on the calendar for my husband to take one child out a month and then one night for me.  I need to get this organized and on the calendar soon!


Well, this is about all I can think of right now (at least all I can post publicly :)  Hope everyone had a great New Year's and is ready to jump into 2012!

Keep The Main Thing, The Main Thing

And what is the main thing for us Moms?  
I think it is raising happy, healthy, and godly children, but we so often get side-tracked.  I thought of this today when one of the pastors of our church was speaking. He was using the example of a lion tamer that he saw in a circus.  He said that the reason they hold chairs up to a lion to keep them at bay, is because the lion cannot focus on the four legs of the chair.  Normally a lion focuses on one thing and pounces on its prey or enemy, but with the four legs of the chair in its face, it cannot focus.  And so a 500 pound lion that could normally crush the little man, is brought under control.  He likened this to us humans. We try to focus on so many things that we are basically "frozen" and unable to either do nothing, as the lion, or do nothing well.  I thought about the 4 things that we as Moms try to focus on:


1. Our family-children and husbands
2. Our careers or vocations
3. Our ministry or volunteer work
4. Ourselves-staying in shape, looking good, keeping our house beautiful, etc.


Now, we all should focus on the Lord of course, but what has He given us to do?  What of the 4 things above should we really be focusing on? There is no way we will be able to do it all, or do all things well, but in the season of life when we have small children at home our focus should be on our family.  That is our ministry.  That is our vocation.  And as we focus on the Lord and what He has called us to do, I really believe He will take care of us so we don't need to worry too much about taking care of ourselves. Remember, "No" is a holy word and we must be able to say no to things that are just distractions. Our children will be young such a short time and we must love them, and instill in them godly training and character traits.  I think we need to ask the Lord to help us cut out everything in our life that is not essential, and keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing! And I'm preaching to myself here : )

Resolutions~

My New Year's Resolutions (which look a lot like last year's : )

1.  Hug more......not only my husband and children but all those God has placed in my life to love.

2.  Encourage more.......mostly my kids and not be so hard on them.

3.  Laugh more and not take things so seriously.

4.  Don't get so stressed out when my schedule gets interupted and is not going how I planned.

5.  Brag on God more, especially to people I don't know or don't know well.  Look for the little opportunities to talk about Him. 

6.   Enjoy each day to the fullest and not go to bed upset or angry with anyone.

7.   Get over having a perfectly clean and decluttered house.  I know I will have that one day and then be sad I do.