Dig up your gladiolas in the Fall and don't allow any obstacle to occupy your praise.

 

This week felt like summer. Windows open...seventy-something degrees everyday.

We dug up gladiola and dahlia bulbs from the garden...

...cleaned off the porch..

...took away the half-eaten-by-squirrel pumpkins and dead, crispy mums..

...transferred some outdoor vines into pots for the inside...went for walks.

From my devotion today:

The devil will use anything and everything to derail your faith. He begins to defeat you the moment he takes hold of your worship. If he can take away your willingness to praise God, then the spiritual warfare will tilt in his favor. The enemies of truth, love, grace and hope always come after your worship first. It's the same as a terrorist's first strike at the source of your power, fuel and motivation. So cherishing, guarding, and practicing your praise must be a priority in order for you to thrive. 

Do not permit... 

...failure.fear.anxiety....to occupy your praise!

The Bible does not require you to be happy in order to praise God.

Sometimes you must choose to praise while you're...

...wounded.hurting.aching.crying...you still have to praise.

Don't let the devil steal your worship.

Don't allow any obstacle to occupy your praise!

{You can find this study on the YouVersion Bible App...

"Called Outside Your Comfort Zone"... by Samuel Rodriguez}

XxOo

Since you asked, or maybe you didn't...my yearly November post you've been waiting for..or not.

 

It's everyone's favorite season, right? ...so why do you early Christmas people have to rush it?!

I know, I know...I too LOVE Christmas trees and twinkly lights and green wreaths...

...but not until after Thanksgiving. 

I won't get into this too deep as I have already been called Grinch by family members and friends...the election is tomorrow and America is on edge and cranky and a lady in Target told her nine year old daughter she sincerely hopes my baby DIES because I had my mask down. Yikes...the hatred is out of control.

Back to November....

I just love enjoying the season we are in...and we are IN FALL! 

...until the end of the month in Liz's world. 

So yes, this is my soapbox post I do every November first..give or take a day. {smile}

November is one of my favorites...it's the month of anticipation for the holiday season.

Chilly enough for fires in the wood stove and hot chocolate and cinnamon-y apple pies...

...yet warm enough to not freeze while going for a walk and iced coffee is still a thumbs up! ...and we still wear sweaters with no coats... yet sometimes a scarf is a necessity. 

November is pretty much perfection in my mind.

XxOo

The worried stages of pregnancy...hidden in the terms and conditions we never read.

 

We see the plus sign...the two lines...the positive.

Immediately our female minds begin to twirl and swirl...

Shock.

Excitement.

How should we tell our husbands.

Baby names.

Baby clothes.

We are in love with this little one already.

We share our news..we are sooooo happy...and then.

....and THEN! ...we feel a pinch. see some blood. have a cramp.

The worry sets in...and the questions begin?

Is the baby okay? Am I going to miscarry? Was it the unheated lunchmeat? Was it last night's "adventure" in bed? Did I walk too fast? Did I walk to slow? OH my goodness... cue the panic and tears!!!!

What? You're saying Yes! Yes! Yes! to yourself as you read this?

Of course you are...becaaaaaause ...this is NORMAL!

We can't see what is happening inside of our bodies...and we have trouble handling the unknown.

Our only choice is to.... wait ...and pray and wait and trust and pray and wait...

...so badly we want to get to the magical week of 12, 16, 20..whatever it may be.

Then..phew.. we feel safe.

UNTIL....

We hear a story of a baby in the NICU born at 25 weeks and hooked up to life support.

A whole new worry sets in. 

Oh...It doesn't stop there. 

Let's talk about the 3 worrisome phases of pregnancy.

Phase 1. 

Am I going to miscarry? Can I eat this? Did I kill my baby with a second cup of coffee? Can I run? Can I stretch? Can I lay on my back? Is the sun dangerous? 

Phase 2. 

Is my baby okay? Will he/she be born early? Are they growing enough? Do I get this blood test? Am I diabetic? What is an RH factor for?

Phase 3. 

Why isn't the baby moving? Is this a stretch mark? Is my bladder going to fall out when I push out the baby? Am I going to die in childbirth..it still happens you know! What about my husband? Will he remarry...will she be a good mom to my unborn baby? Will my husband love her more? Who will take care of the other children? Will they wrap the antique Christmas ornaments properly? Will they remember to feed my sourdough starter? The new wife better sleep on the couch...Grrr. She better not touch my husband! He's mine! She's there only for companionship and to cook dinner!!! Will she cook healthy? Ahhhhhhhh.......

These thoughts are very real to us, aren't they? I'll be honest here....

I'm writing from phase 3...practically on death's doorstep thinking this could be my last Fall season. 

Here it is ladies.....we need to RELAX!!! WE are not in control. God is.

...and if we trust Him..then whatever He has in store is what we need to be okay with.

This doesn't mean we won't have heartache...because we will.

However...worrying doesn't change anything.

In fact..while worrying...we lose the joy of the process. We lose any hope of peace God offers. 

Aaaaaalll this to say....

You are not alone with these thoughts. 

Most women have them....I'm even going to go out on a limb and say all women have them.

It's in our nature to worry about the precious life growing inside of us. 

Most likely..you are going to be fine!!! If you're struggling...message me and I'll walk you off the ledge. Haha.... ;) 

Join us next time when we discuss...

How to worry after your baby is born and then toddler worries and then new driver anxiety and then college and moving out and ladies, ladies, ladies....FYI...it never stops!!! We don't realize what we signed up for! It must have been hidden somewhere in the terms and conditions we never read.  

Dear God...please give peace to all of us moms worrying about our precious offspring. 

XxOo

Sometimes thoughts from a foggy, autumn afternoon...

Sometimes life can be difficult.

Sometimes we have to search for the good that's right in front of us.

Sometimes we take that good for granted. 

Sometimes we make moments of regret...be as intentional as you can be each day.

Sometimes {actually..all of the time} we have to be careful with our words...verbal messes are hard to clean up.

Sometimes we forget how big and good and gracious and loving our God is.

Sometimes we refuse the peace that God is pretty much shoving into our faces!!! 

Sometimes it's okay to eat five chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven.

Sometimes it's okay to ask your husband to pick up a pizza on his way home from work.

Sometimes it's okay to go to bed at 8:00 and watch Gilmore Girls reruns.

Sometimes we need to tell a friend it will all work out..and sometimes a friend needs to tell us the same.

Sometimes we need to take responsibility.

Sometimes we need to not be so harsh.

Sometimes we wives have to stop being nit-picky and remember how amazing our husbands are.

Sometimes it's okay to not be okay...but it's not okay to live not okay all of the time..okay? 

 

XxOo

{Photos taken by my Sophia and Frankie with my camera they stole from me as they were leaving

on a walk that I ended up NOT going on! They're getting creative, aren't they?}

Firewood..one of my {300} love languages.

After days and days of rain and chilly temps...we've been tossed back into late summer this week.

The weather is warm..which brought back the bugs..so many that we can barely go outside without being bit by a "lady bug" battle thing or those super tiny, black bugs...they hurt! .

..and let's not get started on the bees.

It's 73 and sunny outside and we are IN THE HOUSE!!! 

The garden, for the most part, has finished...there are some herbs left to dry, beets left to pull and actually! ..some tomatoes and sweet peppers are ripening! It was a lovely surprise when I found them.

Firewood is one of my {300} love languages...and Jeff is awesome at this!

Our old wood stove is my favorite part of winter. {and Fall and early spring}

This past weekend we stocked up on wood..and more will arrive Saturday. 

This was not a chopping wood year, but a buying wood year.

It's easier, faster and doesn't cost nearly as much as running our heat!

Not to mention...our house stays SO much warmer! Have I mentioned how much I love the wood stove?

Having teenagers living in the house makes decorating for the seasons a lot more fun.

I am not the only one bringing home pumpkins and mums and fancy, fluffy, tall grasses for containers.

...and candles! I was gifted a pumpkin, caramel, drizzle candle that smells amazing when it burns.

Daughters are great. ..and sons too...he brought the mums home. Haha!

I love that my kids love Fall as much as I do.

XxOo

Satan is good..he is really, really, reeeeaaally good!

 

If you think you can beat the devil...you can't.

If you think you can outsmart the devil...you can't.

If you think you can overcome his demons on your own...You! Can't!

Satan...he is bigger. stronger. smarter. craftier...and much more creative than you.

You canNOT win against him.

Satan..he wants you. He wants a fight.

Whether you believe or not...he's coming for you.

Beware.

He loves to work quietly in the dark...where the pitch black makes it impossible to see.

He loves to hide in secrets...where no one finds him.

He is great at slipping in and slipping out unseen.

He's life's greatest fooler. 

You're not strong enough. You need help.

...I know a guy. 

There is only One..One who can win against him.

He actually will fight FOR you! 

You only have to hand over the war and stand behind Him.

He is stronger. He is bigger. He is smarter. He will win. That is fact.

“Therefore understand today the Lord your God is He who goes before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you.” (Deuteronomy 9:3)

“God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If He does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.” (Psalm 7:11

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” (Isaiah 43:2)

The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.

 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. {Ephesians 6:12}

YOU can't win alone.

But with God...you WILL win! He promises.

Satan can go to hell..{literally..he will!}

Don't let him take you down with him.

If you've gotten down this far...God loves you.

He did not create you to leave you out in the cold, dark world.

He wants you. He is here for you....He is waiting for you.

Talk to Him. He's listening.

XxOo 

Not this week...but next.

 

It's sort of like my own little blog tradition...to write about how I'm not starting school yet.

This week every year, we almost always do a beach day...or some type of field trip. 

..but today is rain..and cold..and the whole week is covered in clouds forecasting cooler temps.

...and then there's Covid. Everything looks a bit different in the public world, doesn't it?

I thought about starting a few days early..but honestly, I'm not ready.

I also lost a child's main school book I ordered back in spring. Sigh. 

...a good portion of today has been spent unsuccessfully searching shelves and cabinets trying to locate it.

Two children did art projects and two were working their summer/fall jobs.

I'm thankful my kids have opportunities to have jobs. It's so good for them.

..learning to manage money and see the worth of a dollar...realize what it takes to earn it.

I'm looking forward to this next season. I always do.

I know so many of you are beginning a homeschool journey of your own this year..Enjoy!

Don't stress yourself..I promise you're enough and your children will do great!

Happy new week to you.

XxOo