Wise Advice From One of America's Top Moms: Michelle Duggar

I absolutely love 19 Kids and Counting.  The Duggar Family is such an inspiration to myself and millions of others.  Below is an article she wrote for TLC's Parentables:



Parentables.howstuffworks.com

You can buy their latest book, A Love That Multiplies or their first book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting!: Raising One of America's Largest Families--How they Do It from Amazon.com.  Click on one of the Amazon banners on the right side of this page to order.  I've read both and they are very inspirational.

My Best Friend Procrastination

Uh oh! T minus 6 days till school starts. Still need shoes and assorted supplies. I realized this morning today is the last day to relax and enjoy our afternoon ritual of silent reading. There is something so calming about us all reading and the house being deathly quiet. Tomorrow is swimming and church; Thursday I have to pick up DS from sleepover with friend; Friday is errand day; Saturday taking DH to airport for business trip; and Sunday is church. Friday is our last morning to sleep late. Boo!


Yesterday I got a $10 off $10 or more purchase at http://www.jcpenney.com   Woo hoo!

DD still needs school shoes and DS needs shorts. Both have told me they don't need shoes, there's are still good...lol. God love them! Growing up, DH and I had frugal childhoods so we usually make sacrifices to make sure our children have nice items. Granted, these items are always on clearance at a really great price. But I amazed at their selflessness (is that a word?) Every year when their birthdays and Christmas comes around, they both astonish me by telling me there is nothing they need and it takes them WEEKS to even come up with something they want. Following are some Bible verses my family try to live:

*Matthew 6:19-20*

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."


*Luke 12:15*

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."


*Philippians 4:11-13*

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."


*1 Timothy 6:6-10*

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."


*1 Timothy 6:17*

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."


*Hebrews 13:5"

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."


This is a hard lesson for me and DH but I'm pleased my children are learning it well.

See you later, alligator

FYI - I prefer alligators to crocodiles because I like their rounded snouts and non reptilian eyes...hee, hee

Let's Rock and Roll!

Ok, here we go.....  This is a new venture for me so please excuse my amatuerishness.  I decided to start a blog to chronicle the crazy happenings in my mind and life.  From the outside, my family looks perfect - husband, stay at home mom, twelve year old son, and eight year old daughter who excel in school and are quiet, well mannered, and intelligent.  We are far from perfect, as I will tell, but we have a love for each other and our Saviour.

Today started out as most days this summer.  Coffee, newspaper, check emails.  My children got dressed and cleaned their room without complaint while I started my domestic duties.  I use to constantly stress myself out with housework until I found flylady.net.  Truly, this website is a God send. Finished that and made way to seventh grade registration. No big deal, just time consuming.  Darling son (I will use DS to abbreviate) has math first period again and Teen Discoveries aka Home Ec second period, first semester only.  He groaned and was glad to leave.  He takes all Honors classes and is an A student but he's socially awkward.  He's a loner just like his mama.  Came home, ate, washed some clothes, and rested. (I have to take frequent rests because of overwhelming fatigue I've had every since I had mono two summers ago).  Packaged up some things I sold on Ebay and we left for the post office and library.  The darlings and I are avid readers so we left the library with a gazillion books to read before school starts in thirteen days :( 

So we return home with our literary treasures and collapse in the living room with noses in our books.  This has been the most relaxing ways we have been spending our brutally hot, humid summer days.  I don't know how I'll survive the return of school without these"breaks". 

Now it's time for dinner and I wish I could order pizza.  Alas, there is no money to waste after paying school fees.  Guess we'll have BLT's and call it a night.  DD (Darling Daughter) wants a friend to come over but I'm achy after my assault yesterday on four of our front bushes.  I've been getting stressed really easy lately and get these awful dizzy spells so I don't know about company tonight and hubby won't be home till late.

Sorry it's so boring; just trying to chronicle the everyday life of an Alabama Housewife.