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It Also Looks Like This

I would like to introduce you to Thomas. He is the 8 year old best friend of my son Jacob and the son of my dear friend, Joelle. These precious boys have been friends since diapers and are definitely two peas in a pod. They love to be together doing all those neat things little boys like to do. They run, climb, and jump and when they have done all of that, they fall into a heap laughing like only innocence allows. No matter how much fun they have the same conflict always arises. There is a constant disagreement with Thomas’s mind and his legs. After a short time of boy play Thomas starts to get an all too familiar ache and stiffness in his legs. He wants to keep going but his little body says no. You see, Thomas was born with Muscular Dystrophy, Becker Muscular Dystrophy to be exact.

When we think Muscular Dystrophy we automatically think of young, wheel chair bound, gravely ill, children or more recently, ALS, thanks to the recent awareness from the ice bucket challenge. Becker Muscular Dystrophy usually presents itself slow and steady. Thomas has experienced gradual changes in mobility throughout the years but the changes are definitely a challenge not only to Thomas but to his family. Without a cure, his days of depending on his arms and legs are numbered.

Thanks to MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association), they have been able to access state of the art services, help, and support they need to help Thomas strive. Great breakthroughs have happened thanks to the research grants and clinical trials and studies they have been able to fund. The MDA association has given hope to families when all seemed hopeless.

This weekend, when you flip through your TV channels and see the MDA telethon, would you please take a moment and make a donation. Even a small donation helps in giving hope to families like Thomas’s.

Our greatest prayer is that Jacob and Thomas can experience being old men together and that their laughter will continue to fill our lives for all of our days.

Jacob and Thomas doing what they do best

I am inspired by this family’s courage, their joy, and mostly their faith. If you would like to learn more about MDA or would like information on how you can help just click on the link. http://mda.org/ Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend!

If you make a donation we would love to thank you! Please use #mdaforthomas on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Jacob wants a lab coat for Christmas so he can be the Doctor who cures Thomas.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Tags: and a sprinkle of love, awareness, beauty, becker muscular dystrophy, belief, believers, bff, Bible, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, break through, brother, burdened, children, christ, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, courage, Creator, cure, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family friendly, father, food, friends, friendship, God, gratitude, Holy Spirit, home education, home school, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, hope, hope for a cure, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, life, little boys, Lord, love, Make a muscle, marriage, MD, mda, MDA telethon, media, miracles, modern medicine, moms next, MOPS, mother, motherhood, muscular dystrophy, parenthood, parenting, peace, precious, salvation, school, school age, school days, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, sibling, sister, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, wisdom, Woman, Word of God, word press

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Categories Faith, Family

Summer Vacation is Over…..

4 Aug

One of the reasons I love homeschooling is that it offers us limitless flexibility in our schedule. I noticed a few weeks ago that my kids were starting to get restless-which means that they stop finding productive or fun things to do and instead come up with new and creative ways to annoy one another (anyone relate, lol?). It was time. Starting now also gives us an opportunity to get a head start and take some time off in the Fall and do some fun field trips with less of a crowd.

I am not one to prepare and plan ahead of time (you can read about that here), I am forever in a last minute hustle, I am getting better, but still.

So after a week of preparations here we are at yet another first day of school!

Introducing the 5th Grader! She hopes to be an actress and singer one day.

Introducing the 2nd Grader, Jacob! He wants to be a Doctor when he grows up.

Introducing the 2nd Grader! He wants to be a Doctor when he grows up.

Hard at work! I love their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn!

Who says you need to sit at a desk to learn? The couch is perfect place to snuggle and read.

Who says you need to sit at a desk to learn? The couch is a perfect place to snuggle and read.

So, how do they REALLY feel about the first day of school? Giddy with goofiness 😉 It’s going to be a great year!

Three hours and then we were free to enjoy the beautiful summer day. We rounded off the day with breakfast for dinner and a trip through the sprinklers. A wonderful day indeed!

When does school start for you? Any tips or tricks in making your day run smoother? I would love to hear from home and public school families….because both are awesome!

Thanks for sharing in our day!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Tags: activity, and a sprinkle of love, annoying, anooyed, Bible, blessing, blog, bored, brother, children. child, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mom, Christian wife, christianity, conflict, cooking, crafts, curriculum, devotions, education, educational, Elementary school, Fall, family, first day of school, food, fun, God, gratitude, guidance, happiness, happy, happy family, health, Holy Spirit, home, home education, home maker, home school, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, homeschooling mom, house, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, laughter, learning, lifestyle, Lord, love, mama, marriage, mom, moms next, mother, motherhood, organized, parent, Pinterest, planning, public school, quiet time, recipes, salvation, schedules, school, school day, school days, scripture, Servant, servants heart, sibling, sibling rivalry, sister, stay at home mom, student, summer vacation, teacher, Truth, vlog, weary, wife, wisdom, Woman, women, word press, youtube

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Categories Faith, Family, Homeschool

Sweet and Sour Chicken

11 Jul

I love when my sweet girls want to prepare dinner. I love not just the practical skills they are learning in the kitchen but also that they are building a sweet friendship. If you are looking for a yummy and easy dish…keep on reading for the printable recipe.

Get a baggie and add the corn starch and chicken.

Get your ‘shakin’ face on! Imperative for the best results.

Whisk up a couple of eggs.

Add your chicken to the egg mixture.

Brown the chicken

I might be mixing up some extra sauce to pour over my rice 🙂

My lovely assistant pouring the sauce over the chicken.

Throw some bell pepper in there…it’s the right thing to do!

Voila! The sauce cooked onto the chicken beautifully. Here is my plate-steamed white rice (with a little extra sauce) topped with the glorious sticky chicken. Happiness on a plate!

Thumbs way up from my lovely assistants!

My sweet boys happily went back for seconds.

Delicious and simple! We love it over hot steamed white rice. We made extra sauce for the saucy lovers (ahem…mama). Give it a try…I triple dog dare ya’…..and let me know what you think! Thanks for visiting.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning!

Tags: affordabe, and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, budget, budget friendly meals, burdened, busy family, chicken, children, chinese food, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian family, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, cooking, cooking for your family, cooking with kids, daughter, daughters, dinner, easy, easy dinners, easy meals, economical meal, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family favorite recipes, family friendly meal, family recipes, fast weeknight dinners, food, God, gratitude, Holiday, Holy Spirit, home education, home school, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, Joy, kid friendly meals, kitchen, kitchen assistants, learning, legacy, life skills, Lord, love, lunch, meal ministry, meal plan, meal planning, media, menu planning, motherhood, oven baked chicken, parenting, Pinterest, prayer, printable recipes, quick dinners, quick meals, raising daughters, recipes, rice, sauce, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, sisters, son, special occassion, steamed rice, sweet and sour chicken, teaching, tips, Titus 2, traditions, training, transformation, tricks, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Food

Frogs and snails and all the Wonderful Things Little Boys are Made of

5 Jul

With an extra goodnight kiss he will roll over and easily fall asleep just like most nights. I will retreat upstairs and watch the clock and time will pass all too quickly. I will sit and think of precious thoughts like sweet baby breath on my neck, those far too early mornings rocking a well fed baby watching the sun rise, and that one book I read 3,000 times…..and I will think how I would give anything to just do that one more time.

Babies don’t keep and neither do kids. The years fly by, one quicker than the next and in the busyness you all of sudden think, “we are here, already?”.

I smile thinking of those first moments and years.

Tonight, in this dark room, I think of how he is now…smart and handsome as his daddy. Persistent, hard working, and loyal, character traits well beyond his years. He is a saver and a planner, so much so that his life is already planned. He is funny and goofy and his laugh brightens a room faster than the summer sun. He is brave even when he doesn’t feel it and he is always observing on how he can be his very best. He is kind, thoughtful, and tender hearted to those who are hurting or lacking. He would give you his meal, his favorite toy, or the shoes on his feet-he sure teaches me what it means to have a servant’s heart. He loves Jesus, soccer, chicken kabobs, chocolate fudge ice cream, his hero-daddy, his big sister’s, Ninja Turtles, but right now mostly his mama.

He is getting so tall but he still fits in all the crooks and spaces of my lap and even though these snuggles are getting far and few between when he finds me he knows it is all his. His sweet head resting on my shoulder I close my eyes as I rest my head against his,breathing in the sweet smell of little boy. Fleeting but lost in the moment for this will soon be just a tender memory.

Tonight as the clock quickly finds its way around a sweet little boy is dreaming sweet thoughts of presents and cake. For when he awakes he will be 7.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Tags: and a sprinkle of love, babies, Bible, birth, birthday, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, brave, busyness, cake, care, celebrate, childhood, children, christ, Christian, christian blogger, Christian mom, Christian woman, Encouragement, encouraging, eternal life, eternal value, family, fleeting, food, gentleness, Godly, happy, Holy Spirit, home, homemaker, housewife, Jesus, Joy, labor, lasting memories, laughter, learning, legacy, little boys, love, mama, man, marriage, memories, mom, mommy, mother, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, party, precious, raising children, raising Godly children, reflecting, reflection, scripture, seven, son, sweet, time, Truth, weary, wife, Woman, women

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Categories Faith, Family

Remember to Pray

4 Jul

Happy Independence Day!

I am reminded today to take a moment to reflect on the tremendous blessing it is to be an American. That despite all that seems to divide us here we are truly blessed to enjoy the freedom of difference.

We can easily take for granted that as Christians we can freely declare, worship, and proclaim that Christ is King without fear of persecution.

I am asking you, my brother’s and sister’s in Christ, to remember our persecuted brother’s and sister’s who are being persecuted but still hold fast to their beliefs no matter what the cost. I wonder if I would be so bold for Christ if under the same pressure.

Prayers for our soldiers who bravely give…… sometimes everything to protect the flag and country they love.

Have a wonderful celebration!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am pinning.

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Tags: 4th of July, America, American, and a sprinkle of love, belief, blessing, blog, blogger, brave, celebration, christ, christ the Lord, Christian, Christian mother, Christian woman, church, daughter, faith, family, father, fireworks, flag, Freedom, God, Heavenly Father, Holiday, Holy Spirit, homemaker, homeschool, hope, housewife, Jesus, Joy, military, mother, peace, persecuted, prayer, prayers, red white and blue, Soldiers, trust, wife, Woman, works

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Categories Faith, Family

Grace of God Brought us Here

24 May

11 years ago on a beautiful Colorado day I married my very best friend and the love of my life! I thought I couldn’t be any happier than I was at that moment but each year proves to be better than the last. We have been on such an adventure from births, deaths, illnesses, college, graduations, teenagers, moves, job changes, aging parents, and everything in between. With the constant changes of …life the one thing that has remained is that we have clung to each other through all of it and have grown from a couple of crazy love-struck kids to a couple who are weathering the storms and enjoying every rainbow together. We have learned to appreciate that each day together is a gift. There is no one I would rather spend time with or journey this life with. I am so blessed to married to a man of honor and integrity! A man who puts his family first and works hard to give us a good life. He is a man that I adore, respect and love! Without the grace of God none of this would of been possible! I thank God for sustaining us and for constantly working on my heart as a wife. Happy Anniversary, Sunshine! Thank you for choosing me!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning!

Tags: 11 years, and a sprinkle of love, anniversaries, anniversary, believers, Bible, blended family, blessed, blog. blogger, burdened, celebration, character, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian mom, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family life, food, glory to God, God, God's love, grace, Grace of God, gratitude, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, homeschooling, housewife, husband, husband and wife, integrity, Jesus, journey, Joy, life, Lord, love, man and wife, marriage, married, media, motherhood, parenting, peace, prayer, respect adore, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, understanding, vlogger, weary, wedding, wife, wife after God's heart, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

What do we Stand for?

20 Nov

Maybe we’re doing it all wrong. We spend so much time letting others know what we’re against, maybe, just maybe, especially as Christians, we need to be showing the world what we are for. I saw something today (in regards to the new Kmart commercial) that someone posted on my local news channel Facebook page regarding the said commercial and this person posted, “Yeah, just another thing for Christian freaks to complain about”. My first gut reaction was to reply and speak my mind to this person but I paused. This person might be on to something. It really got me thinking. How many opportunities in an average week do I have the opportunity to portray to the world what I stand for as a follower of Christ? The answer is many. I rub elbows with other mama’s, chat with neighbor’s at the mailbox, make small talk with the folks at the grocery store and all the while I have the awesome opportunity to be the face, hands, and feet of Jesus. Why then do I waste that time spewing so much negativity?

Why do we become interested in something in the first place? Probably because there is some sort of appeal to it. We want the Good News to be appealing. For people to stop and think about Jesus in a loving approachable way. If we constantly on our moral soap boxes we’re just stirring up unnecessary conflict and we lose that possible connection to start a dialogue that could potentially lead another to Christ. We need to preach the Good News and plant seeds but if we are lacking that neighborly love than all efforts to sow those seeds would be in vain. We can’t expect non believer’s to have the same filter we do. Once you invite Jesus into your life it is then the job of the Holy Spirit to convict us and help us to become right with God. Being a Christian is a verb and we want to use those actions to draw people to Him like in Mark 1:17, Jesus said, “Follow me I’ll make you fishers of men”. I am certainly not implying that we should idly sit by and not stand up for Christ. What I am proposing is that maybe we find more ways to be cohesive, to be that Christian that is relatable and not hateable. To get people excited about all that they would gain in knowing Christ and not all that they would have to give up to follow Him.

What do you think? I would love to hear from you.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, burdened, children, choices, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, conviction, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, followers, food, friends, gain, God, Good news, gratitude, Holy Spirit, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, knowledge, Lord, love, Mark, media, motherhood, neighbor, neighborly love, parenting, prayer, scripture, scriptures, Servant, servants heart, serving, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

Customizing Jesus

30 Aug

I heard someone say recently “My Jesus isn’t________!” (it was obscene, so I’ll leave out the actual words) I was floored. Not only was it shocking but completely Biblically unfounded.

Now, this just might of been a random person ranting and looking for validation for his lifestyle but I see and hear it more and more, people customizing Jesus.

How easy it would be to shop for a Jesus that embraces our sins and condones our lifestyles. Accepting that is doing favors for no one and actually it is depriving them of a real true Savior.

You can’t try on several Jesus’ until you find one that fits you just right. He is one size fits all.

He is loving and merciful but He is also holy and hates sin. Not just the “big sins” but all sin, it separates us from Him.

I know our society is quick to remind us that we should be seeking what makes us happy, because God is love, therefore He would want us to be happy. So, as long as we are happy God is happy. Happiness, though, is so conditional and momentary. That is not what God has in mind for you. Being a true follower of Christ will give you so much more than that. Really seeking the true heart of the Lord will find you seeking righteousness and that will lead you to joy. Joy brings you peace and contentment because you’re in God’s abiding presence.

Jesus is for everyone. He came to give you everlasting life. It is a free gift to all who accept it, but it is on His terms not yours.

Seek the Lord the creator of the heavens and earth, the lover of your soul and not the Jesus created by man.

To keep this from getting long winded, if you are wanting to know more about who God is click here for more information.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Let’s be Pinterest friends!

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, burdened, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christianity, compassion, death, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, everlasting life, faith, family, forgiveness, God, God's love, gratitude, happy, Heaven, holy, Holy Spirit, homemaker, homemaking, housewife, hppiness, husband, Jesus, Joy, joyful, life, lifestyle, Lord, love, media, mercy, motherhood, parenting, prayer, righteousness, salvation, Savior, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, sin, soul, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, Woman, Word of God, wrath

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Categories Faith, Family

Talking to our kids about Boston

9 Jul

This was something I wrote and shared on our MOPS blog right after the Boston bombing. My thoughts on talking to our children about such things–

It seems more and more we are having to be so deliberate to shield our children from never ending bad news. Shooting, war and now a bombing.

I still remember the morning more than a dozen years ago when I turned on the TV just in time to watch live as a plane took out the second tower. It was the first time I knew that I couldn’t hide the bad news from my then five year old, Alison. Minutes later my nightgown wearing barefoot daughter made her way sleepily to the living room. As she snuggled down deep next to me she knew that this morning was different. You don’t necessarily think when you are cradling your baby in your arms that one day you would have to explain evil to them. You are not prepared and I don’t think you can be. It is just one of those jump in head first and pray that what comes out is sufficient enough to be truthful and satisfying without ruining the innocence and wide eyed curiosity that only childhood can yield. How do you remind them the that here and now in my arms or at school or at grandma’s they are safe? I know we need to filter but most of the time it is unavoidable.

Several months ago. Another school shooting. This time it was Brouke’s turn to see what evil looks like. And now, an all American wholesome activity marred by destruction and devastation is plastered everywhere. The horror and destruction is all over the TV and on the lips of every adult.

It is a fine line and letting your kids steer your conversation will generally give you parameters to work with. Kids usually ask great questions and beyond what they ask is most of the time unnecessary. They will clue you in to what is in their heart and how much they can handle. With the little ones be selective, you don’t want to compromise their sense of safety. Older kids will be able to process more but all children will need extra love and reassurance. Speak scripture to them. Remind them not be worry or be anxious (Matthew 6:27) that God will deliver us from our fears (Psalm 34:4). Tell them that God will give them peace and that He is in control (Phillipians4:6-7). Remind them for every bad person their are thousands of good people. Let them get involved in making the world a better place by giving them opportunities to serve others and their community. It helps channel all their fears and gives them a sense of control over their environment. Mostly, trust your instincts. God gave you the children you have for a reason.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, boston, burdened, catastrophe, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, conversation, daughter, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, evil, faith, family, family friendly, forgiveness, Freedom, fun, God, grace, gratitude, heart, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, hope, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, learning, life, Lord, love, mama, marriage, media, mom, mother, motherhood, parenting, peace, Pinterest, praise, prayer, precious, safety, scripture, TV, violence

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Categories Faith, Family

This is not Heaven

1 Jul

“The song of the whippoorwill. Let her sing. Let her sing in the dark. let her sing at the dawn. Let her song remind you that you were not made for this place and that there is a place just for you. But until then, be realistic. Lower your expectations of earth. This is not heaven, so don’t expect it to be.”

~Max Lucado~

I just now read that. I had to stop and read it a dozen times. As I sat quietly looking this over, this thought came to my mind-“Will what you sow now be worth reaping in the future?” In Galatians 6:7-10 it says that “for the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

When we live for worldly things it creates turmoil and misery in our lives, well, actually our soul. When we give in to the lusty appetites of our flesh our only gift is endless disappointment. But, when we live under the influence of the Holy Spirit we reap everlasting life.

It is hard to comprehend sometimes. We are fallen and of the flesh brings immediate gratification. Doing something for eternal value sometimes can be uncomfortable and even painful. I needed the reminder that what I do or don’t do has eternal effects. Is what I’m planting going to have kingdom value for tomorrow and tomorrow’s tomorrow?

Not always, but God reminded tonight to be more mindful of my life and those who pass through it. To plant seeds of truth and life. To look up and remember this is only my temporary home. To find my joy in the Lord and to not make this place heaven because heaven will never let us down.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Tags: believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, burdened, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, future, Galatians, God, gratitude, Heaven, Holy Spirit, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, husband, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, life, living, Lord, love, Max Lucado, media, motherhood, parenting, prayer, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

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…..and a sprinkle of love

It Also Looks Like This

Summer Vacation is Over…..

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Frogs and snails and all the Wonderful Things Little Boys are Made of

Remember to Pray

Grace of God Brought us Here

What do we Stand for?

Customizing Jesus

Talking to our kids about Boston

This is not Heaven

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