Granola Bytes

Hey, it’s 2012! Happy New Year – from a new state!  We finally made it – we moved.  Go here if you have no idea what I’m talking about. Hopefully you’ll forgive me for the absence; I do intend to devote a lot more time to my blog, now.  I have several topics rolling through my mind. Warning: this post may be a bit random and disjointed!

So, for those of you who don’t know….for almost 3 months, we lived apart.  John lived and worked in Tennessee 5 days a week, while I lived back at “home,” in Indiana, with all the children.  I didn’t talk much about it on this here blog or Facebook because I didn’t want to make it public knowledge that I was living the majority of the time, out in the middle of nowhere country, by myself with the children.  Just didn’t seem safe; know what I mean?  And let me tell you something…it was hard.  Not just for me, either.  It was hard on all of us. John driving up to IN on Fridays and back down to TN on Sundays week after week was grueling.  The children and I missed him so much.  He missed us equally, and never once did he complain about that drive!  He’s just that kind of guy.

Not only that, it just seemed as if everything that could happen in that time, well, happened.  Sick children, car damage, trip to the emergency room for an injured child, household repairs, etc. Of course it would all happen when I have to go it alone, right!?  And poor John…he did so well to try to be encouraging over the phone, email and texting.  All he could do was try to encourage me with his words and prayers.  I did not want to burden him with complaints, yet at the same time, he wanted to be apprised on the happenings at home.  It’s such a tricky thing, not to complain but at the same time be honest!  For example: “well, the baby is teething and cried all day and the toilet flooded, but I’m in bed and it’s warm and cozy!”  Get my drift?

But, we made it. We made it; we made it; we made it! I’ll spare you all of the details, but suffice it to say that God is so good and is sovereign in all things! Always providing, always faithful.  Trust me, we prayed a lot….to the point where I wondered if God could get tired of hearing from us. John called me every single morning and prayed for me at the start of each day. There are just so many things we went through, experienced, learned, etc. during this time that it’s hard to know where to start.  I hope to use several experiences from this to spur a few posts.  Tonight, I just want to touch on the update and maybe this next thing.

“Home is where the heart is.”  We’ve all heard that.  This has a totally different meaning for me now.  The “bigger picture” is only starting to become clear.  I wrote in my follow post that I was really quite comfortable with how things were. I have to admit that being shaken up so much didn’t quite go over so well with me, at first.  I mean, we were so happy there in our new home! Finally out in the country.  Finally in a home we loved. Finally near some dear friends.  Know what I mean?  (Pardon my incomplete sentences….)

And living apart for that time?  Home didn’t feel like home at all.  John being away was more than a void….it’s hard to describe, really.  There was a huge part of us missing, and we all felt it.  I dealt with behaviors  that were new (and not good!) from the children. I didn’t sleep well.  Meal planning was different.  Our schedule was a little different.  Everything was just….off.  It wasn’t right!

When we sold our house, I was completely unprepared.  It was the week before Thanksgiving, and I had resolved to believing we would be apart through the holidays and into the New Year.  I was making mental plans for how to make it through to at least February! Getting out before Christmas was just an unbelievable job. I reached a new level of exhausted, truthfully.  I didn’t have much time to think about anything else except…how tired I was.  How much I was going to miss my friends and family.  How I had no idea where we were going to live or what it would be like.  You get the idea.

But now, we’re on the other side, and I can tell you a different story.  See, sometimes when we’re in the thick of something, we can’t see outside of our own circumstances.  God is working all the while, but we’re too distracted to see it — or dare I say, we truly cannot, because His work isn’t complete.  So we’re just trusting.  Faith.  Sure, there were days when my sister or a friend would come to my rescue, and I would praise God all night long for it!  But there was more.  A LOT more!  God is in every detail.

• Too many times, I would get to a rough point, and just the right person would call.
• Too many times, something would blow up on me, and just the right person would be available to help me. Not just someone – the right one.
• When the van broke down, John was actually home for a weekend. Odds were not in my favor there.
• When all 8 of us descended up ye local ER, the doctor just *happened* to be a believer who loved children AND homeschool, and who also did not mind our stance on vaccinations. Been to the ER a lot w/my parents.  Not too common, folks. Very rare, in fact.
• The day I fell down the stairs and really sprained my foot (separate post forthcoming – hurt my foot worse than it seemed…), a dear friend happened to be keeping my girls that day and was happy to keep all 6 while I got myself checked out.
• Long story, but when we sold our first house, we lost a significant amount of money due to the housing market crash.  In selling this house, we made up that exact amount – to the penny.
• When it came time for us to look for a house in TN, there were NO houses in a 4-county radius that were bigger than 1400 sq ft in our price range.  The weekend we came to look, a new house came up at the end of a lease and was listed – it has 5 bedrooms. It is 8 minutes from John’s office.
• The landlord of said house is a believer and has grandchildren – who are homeschooled.

So, we’re talking about almost 3 months of this stuff.  God is in this, folks. No coincidences. I could go on and on. The devil is REAL – and he tried his darned best, I’ll tell you (see forthcoming injured foot post).  But every time we faced opposition, good – God – prevailed.  He brought us through. And here we are.

So, home is where the heart is…that is the first lesson I learned from this that I would like to share with you.  Maybe, just maybe, I put too much value in our physical location back in Indiana.  It’s funny…I had all these fears and expectations about how weird this would feel and how odd it would be in a new place.  But…you know, it’s not weird.  We’re whole again.  We’re a family.  We’re together.  Do I miss my friends and extended family? Of course.  I just feel like I have a new perspective.  My “home” is with my family, and our family is committed to Jesus.  Our family is committed to following His will.  It is not always our own…

Wow, long time, no write….my apologies.  If you know me personally, you already know all of my “excuses!”  If you don’t, rest assured life has been extra crazy for me.  I promise to try harder not to abandon my beloved blog!

Fall is upon us, and with Fall come the dreaded fall colds and flu.  We just got over our first fall cold.  Odd, since it usually doesn’t hit us until November…but, we have been under some extra stress lately. I’m blaming that!  I thought this would definitely be a good time to continue my list of Granola Essentials.  If you haven’t already, please check out my earlier blog post, Granola Essentials – Part 1, for my first list of essentials to keep around the house.  In that article, I focused on the essential oils that I keep.  In this post, I would like to share the other herbs and remedies we keep on hand.

True Colloidal Silver – Cultures have been using colloidal silver for centuries.  Silver has antibacterial and antiviral properties, and we use it during most common illnesses. Click on “True Colloidal Silver” to see the type of silver that we use and prefer. Now, a word of caution: I would suggest that you really research any type of silver that you purchase.  Our family has had a very good experience with this brand of silver, but as always, do your own research. There are strong opinions for and against the use of silver (pretty much the case for all alternative medicine, really), which is another reason you should be particular about the source of your purchase.

Elderberry Syrup -  Elderberry has antiviral properties that have proven effective against various types of influenza.  We use Elderberry for the common cold and flu symptoms.  I encourage you to read the Wikipedia article, especially the section regarding the flu!  You can find elderberry syrup at health food stores.

Liquid Chlorophyll – Chlorophyll is a VERY useful supplement to keep on hand.  It builds immunity and is beneficial for many systems of the body, including female reproductive, digestive, and circulatory.  When you are sick, it promotes good mineral absorption to keep the body strong and fighting.  We especially like to use it during any type of stomach flu or digestive issue, as it is a strong detoxification agent for the digestive system.  You can find chlorophyll at many health food stores.

Olive Leaf – Another cold and flu reliever.  We have found this to be most effective against the worst colds involving chest congestion or bronchitis. I would caution you to USE AS DIRECTED…some people cannot tolerate Olive Leaf, as it is a very strong herb, so be careful to follow the dosage instructions.  You can find olive leaf at some drug stores, major retailers, and most health food stores.

Lemons, Ginger Root and Raw Honey – I call this the “Triple Threat!”
Lemons – A good source of vitamin C and also antibacterial.
Ginger Root – Effective against nausea, diarrhea, and nasal congestion.
Raw Honey - Effective antimicrobial/antibacterial agent, among other things, and it tastes good! Note – you should absolutely use RAW honey, not pasteurized honey from the store!

When we have a cold going around our house, I keep these three things on hand to make an effective tea.  Let me share the recipe with you!

Peel and cube a stalk of ginger root and put into a small saucepan with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, turn off the burner, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.

In a small cup or mug, juice 1/2 of a lemon and add 1-2 T of raw honey.  Pour the hot ginger water over the lemon and honey.  Breathe in the steam and sip slowly.  Drink 3 times a day.  Keep the ginger in the pan on the stove for up to 24 hours.  Add as much water as you remove each time to keep a supply of good, steeped ginger for up to a day.

Nasaline – You’ve probably heard of the Neti Pot, a method of rinsing the nasal passages with saline solution.  We use a Nasaline Nasal Irrigation Syringe. I will spare you the details, and just leave you with my testimony that this has been much more effective for us in clearing out the nasties! We purchased one at our local health food store.

I hope this list proves helpful to you.  As always – I am not a doctor, nor do I claim that these things will work for everyone, all the time, especially if you have other health problems and/or allergies.  These are things that we have discovered to be helpful to us over the last couple of years, and I encourage you to do your own research and talk to others who have tried these things as well. I’m also testing a few “new to me” techniques that I might be able to add later on. 

God Bless!
Heidi

I’ve been trying to think up another blog post for some time, but funny…I just can’t seem to muster up the energy or focus to blog.  I want to continue my series on home school and granola essentials…but alas, I’m just not feeling it.  So maybe I just need to ramble a little bit.  Every time I start to write about something specific, other “stuff” wants to come out.  So I guess I’ll write the other stuff…which I’ve come to realize are some burdens on my heart.

I think maybe I also need to vent a little bit.  Even I’m prone to that….though I put up a good face sometimes.  The past couple of weeks have been hard.  Keeping your house spic ‘n span for showings while you have 6 children, 5 of which are under the age of 7, is….tricky.  Things can get out of hand pretty quickly in the area of cleanliness.  Every trip to the bathroom or to the sink for brushing teeth brings the opportunity for a mess – x 6.  You get the picture.  #6 is an independent walker now, and her current favorite playthings are the toilet scrubber and the toilet itself.  No mess there, right?  And I may have mentioned once or twice that sleeping isn’t her favorite pastime, either…

Overall, I’ve just been uncomfortable with a lot of things.  Admittedly, there are times when I feel like just giving up.  One of my best friends was just diagnosed with breast cancer.  She is a young mother of 3….just 35 years old.  I sat with her during her consultation, where the doctor just laid it all out. This is what you have. This is what it does.  This is what we’re going to do.  K?

Just imagine that.  Just stop for a minute and try to think about what it might feel like for you to think you are completely fine…but that’s just on the outside, and you really aren’t fine.  Inside, there is a silent killer that is taking over.  We hear stuff like this everyday, and we’re just completely numb to it; are we not?  Everyone knows someone who has or has had cancer.  We’re desensitized.  But every now and then, something comes along a little closer to home, and mortality is staring you in the face.  There are no guarantees.  Your entire life can turn on a dime, and you’re up for a crash course on faith. And if you have children, imagine trying to explain that to them…

But my dear friend, she is a believer.  Christ rules her heart, and if you know her, it shines.  She is less afraid than the rest of us!  Honestly, she has already won the victory.  We take so much for granted.  This has just really been weighing on my heart lately.  This life we are given is so brief.  The Bible tells us it is but a mist that goes away. More on that in a minute.  We are surrounded by so much strife – have you noticed?  How could you not notice?  The world is never satisfied.  People are never satisfied.  I know people who have come into large sums of money, only to end up broke and unsatisfied.  I also know people who are quite well to do who are equally unsatisfied.  I know healthy people who are unsatisfied, but I also know sick people who are unsatisfied…

So what’s my point?  The world is sick.  Way to focus on the negative, right?  Stick with me for a minute.  If you are on Facebook, consider what you read from others.  Do you watch tv or read the news?  Our world is SO broken!  I was thinking about it all tonight, and I believe the Lord laid this on my heart.  I heard it in my mind: James, Chapter 4.

¹ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Whew.  I gotta go back and read that again. Sobering.

One reason I love the Book of James is because James doesn’t depend on any particular literary structure to get his message across.  He just says it.  So let’s break it down:

What is the cause of quarrels and strife? Our worldly desires.

Who/what is the enemy of God?  The world!

All problems can be traced back to sin.  Our world is full of sin and sinful desires!  So now what?

Submit yourselves to God.  Resist the devil.

Yes, the devil is real.

Come near to God and he will come near to you.

The devil has a stronghold on this world, but where God reigns, Satan cannot set foot.  Don’t let him over the threshold of your heart.  Keep Christ Jesus at the gate!

Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.  Oh, do I ever struggle with that.  Clearly, though – it’s not our job.

And, if you had any doubt that tomorrow is not guaranteed, well, just go back and read the last paragraph.  What is your life?  You are a mist…

And perhaps the most sobering…do you know the good you should be doing…but aren’t doing it?

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it…

We don’t think of that as sin, do we?  I don’t always.  So often, we think, “oh, someone else is taking care of that.  Good thing!”  Or we even disguise our selfish ways by phrasing it in such a way like, “oh I’m so glad the church family is taking care of this need for you!” while we casually step aside.  That’s….a sin?  Yowch.  Or it could be different from that even.  It could be within our own family, our relationship with our spouse or our children…it could be a secret sin we have within ourselves…where we know what is right – we just don’t…do…it.

Let us all analyze the desires within.  Are these worldly desires, or do they bring glory to the Lord?  Do they focus on good or self?  I am as guilty as anyone.  Here is my prayer tonight:

Lord…open my eyes…show me everything that I’ve been missing.  Help me to always know that this life is bigger than what I know.  Help me to see the good that I can…and should do.  Break my heart for what breaks yours. Guard my heart from the devil and his schemes.  Grant me a discerning spirit, to know right from wrong…to be able to differentiate good from evil.  Thank you for your promises.  Thank you for your constant grace and mercy.  Thank you for your Son, Jesus, without whom nothing is possible, but with whom all things are.  Thank you….thank you, Jesus.  Amen.

We can’t change others, but with the grace of God, we can facilitate change within ourselves.  Let’s start there.  Be the change you want to see.

Heidi

I apologize for my long absence since the last post.  As you can imagine, things got a wee bit crazy!  We worked really, really hard cleaning and purging to get our house listed on the market.  Having our house up for sale makes for an increased workload for the whole family.  Everyone is responsible for more upkeep than usual, since we may get a call just hours before someone wants to come and look at our house.  Well, with 8 of us under one roof, and 5 of us being ages 6 and under…it’s a job – I’ll say that!   In addition to this, it’s time for us to start school for the year – what timing!  But I’m super proud of how everyone has followed through with little to no complaining…and a special shout out to our oldest.  He has been unbelievably helpful and responsible in keeping things tidy.  I don’t know what I would do without him – for real.

I would say the most common thing I hear lately is, “well, how are you handling/feeling” about the impending move.  The “time” is quickly approaching – end of September.  Our house hasn’t sold.  We don’t have a house picked out, nor have we had any time to actually go look for one.  Every day that passes brings us one day closer to more uncertainty and more difficult decisions.  I can’t say that it’s….fun, really.  And in the spirit of honesty and transparency, I’ll share that I’ve had a few “moments,” if you will.  Not gonna lie.  Last week, I did not display….ideal Christian thinking or attitude.    It’s been hard.  I had myself a nice pity party.  A sample of my thoughts:

This sucks. (very Christlike)
I’m tired of cleaning.
I don’t want to leave my friends.
Who needs new friends, anyway? I don’t, really. Mine are pretty awesome, thankyouverymuch.
I don’t want to leave my family, especially my children’s grandparents.
It’s very scary for me to visit new churches.  Don’t wanna do that, either. I’m really, really bad at it.
I don’t want to find a new dentist, doctor, midwife, eye doctor, insurance guy…etc.
I love my house.  I love our land.  Perfectly fine with what I got, really.  Don’t wanna shop for anything else because….well, this was perfect.

That’s the short list.  And the more tame one.  I had a serious case of the “I don’t wanna’s” and “why me’s.” And I’m sure I could justify it without too much effort.  I mean, who really wants to do this?  I have a very full plate just living my “normal” life, let alone having to pack up my family of 8 and move hundreds of miles away to an unknown place around unknown people.

So, I had to give myself a wake up call…kind of slap myself around, if you will.  I had to snap out of it.  It is so easy to get yourself down in the dumps and be consumed by your own negative thoughts.  I was bringing myself way down, and as a bonus letting everyone shower me with sympathy. I was focused on what I think I deserve.  But you know what I deserve?

Death on a cross.  That is what I deserve.

Pity party over.

Look, life can get you down.  I am not immune.  We have a choice, though.

Sidebar: I am thankful God loves us enough to give us a choice.

Anyway, it is easy to wallow in your own sorrow.  Too easy.  But when we’re “wallering” (as my dad would say), God cannot be glorified.  Quite inconvenient, is it not?  When we’re “we”-focused, we cannot be God-focused.  No….instead:

³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

II Corinthians 10:3-5.

The war is within me.  The selfish, sin-dominated part of me wants to pout and complain….and also, be scared, to be frank.  I’ve been dominated by fear, at times.  But no – this is not right, either.  Anxiety should not rule the day:

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7.

Notice that it says, “with thanksgiving.”  I kind of forgot about all that last week.  It made me feel pretty pathetic to think about how selfish I was.  I have more than most in this world.

I am thankful for my husband.
I am thankful that he is employed.
I am thankful for our children.
I am thankful for our family.
I am thankful that we have basic necessities, which we admittedly take for granted every single day – food, water, shelter and transportation.
I am thankful for a personal Savior in Jesus, who loves me unconditionally through my wallering.

And on and on with many more things than there is space to list them.

So, that is that.  I won’t promise that I’m never going to feel discouraged, sad, or tempted to be fearful going through this transition.  But through it all, I want to exhibit gratitude and peace that comes from the Lord.  I am so undeserving of the Lord’s favor….and He has shown me so much favor in this life.  Shame on me for doubting Him, His love, His will and His plan. Shame on me for losing hope – for with God, there is always hope:

²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:26-28

God’s promises still stand today.  Praise Him from whom all blessings flow, in whom “all things work for the good of those who love Him.”  Who am I to argue with all that?

Heidi

P.S. For reasons I cannot explain in a public forum, I had to temporarily remove my last post explaining our move.  It should be up again VERY shortly.  So if today’s post is a little confusing, please forgive me and keep checking back.

We get comfortable in life, don’t we?  And we tend not to think about it because…well…we’re comfortable.   If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Right?  I know now more than ever how true this is for me.  We tend to think we’re all good and have it all figured out…when life is going well.  When John and I moved here just over a year ago, it was so clear to me that we were in God’s will.  We had found the perfect house on the perfect land for the perfect price at the perfect time with the perfect job that keeps John at home.  Only God could have orchestrated it.  Now just because we’ve been comfortable certainly doesn’t mean we haven’t been thankful.  We have been so thankful for this incredible blessing.  And boy, it’s been comfortable.

About a month ago, John came downstairs after his usual weekly teleconference with work.  The look on his face said something, and he said we needed to talk.  He waited until all of the children were out of earshot, and he said, “the company is moving.”  Me: “…and?”  John: “They want me to go with.”

Well, that’s uncomfortable.

I mean, we just moved here. I still have a few boxes!  Just hung the last of our pictures.  Just got our library cards. Just….everything. Just everything.

My mind was reeling.  Even worse was that I really couldn’t talk about it, because their clients didn’t know yet.  I am female, and I couldn’t talk about it.  I almost would have rather experienced a physical kind of torture.  I felt, at times, as if I might explode!  Women need to relate…er, talk.  So I was left to deal with it alone – well, as alone as a Christian deals with things. So God received my full arsenal of complaints.  I’m sure I sounded like quite a feet-stomping, tantrum-throwing, roll-myself-on-the-floor brat! But I did unload, and that is okay with Him, I know. I am thankful for that.  I just couldn’t understand.  Why?  We love it here! We have the best friends ever – I mean, EVER.  Our family is here.  This is our home….

For a couple of weeks, we discussed it as a couple and we prayed, until this last week when the company had our family out to visit this new town.  We just arrived home after midnight Friday night/Saturday morning (today is Monday).  I will admit that I didn’t go into the trip with a very good attitude.  I had tried to tell myself I would be impartial, look at all the pros AND cons, etc….but, for probably the first time in my life, I struggled with my emotions. I don’t think of myself as an emotional person. I try to be very rational.  But even this was a little much for me.  I found myself on the verge of tears a few times, and you must know – I do not cry. It’s not my nature. I just don’t. I didn’t even cry at my own father’s funeral until I was in the privacy of my own bedroom. I. Don’t. Cry.  Yet, here I was, stifling back tears on more than one occasion.

Before we left to go on this visit, John and I decided to pray separately.  I did not want either of us to influence the other, so we didn’t tell each other for what we were praying.  I’m telling you, this needed to be neon sign clear to me.  I knew that only one power would convince me to do this, and that was the Lord himself.  And the company certainly tried, to their credit.  The trip was very nice.  We were very welcome in this new town.  We had an opportunity to meet with anybody who was somebody, air our concerns and ask questions.  I mean, they really do get an A for effort! We toured, we listened, we talked, we questioned, all to exhaustion.  But still, I am a hard sell.  We were there for 3 days.  I was completely emotionally and physically depleted and spent Saturday in my pajamas not taking phone calls!

But more than any man could tell us what we should do, we needed clear direction from God.  So, for that is what we each prayed, in our own specific ways. And I do mean specific.  God cares for all of us enough for us to be specific with him.  I remember a pastor’s wife explaining this to me one time, that we should be specific in our prayers so that it’s even more clear when the answer comes.  I figured if there were a time I needed it to be clear, it was now.

Now I won’t tell you the details of John’s prayer, since those are his private thoughts for him to share.  He shared them with me after the trip.  God clearly answered his prayer – and not just a little, but in abundance.  It was his neon sign.  I would, however, like to share with you my personal experience.

I wasn’t sure what to pray for because honestly…I wasn’t sure I could be impartial and not interpret things my own way.  So I finally settled on this: I wanted to hear it.  I prayed that I would “hear” what we are supposed to do.  It sounds kind of silly, I guess…but I felt that this is what it would take for me.  But I had no idea what I would be listening for.  I just kept praying, “Lord, let me hear it.”  And though I shouldn’t be surprised, I was, because I did indeed hear it.  It even took 3 or 4 tries, because I am quite dense.

Thursday morning, I woke up with a song in my head. Not unusual in and of itself, but the song choice was odd, because, well, I didn’t know the song.  I just kept singing the chorus in my head, thinking “hm, that’s odd. Where have I heard this song?”  Brushed it off.

Friday morning, SAME song in my head when I wake up!  Again, I think, “This is so weird! I don’t even know this song. Wonder where I have heard it…”  Told you, I’m dense.

Friday night, on the way home, the song comes on the radio!  “Oh,” I think to myself. “that’s the song! I guess I heard it on the radio.”  I listened to the lyrics…

“I Will Follow,” by Chris Tomlin

Where you go, I’ll go.
Where you stay, I’ll stay.
Where you move, I’ll move.
I will follow.

All your ways are good.
All your ways are sure.
I will trust in you alone.

Higher than my side.
High above my life.
I will trust in you alone.

Where you go, I’ll go.
Where you stay, I’ll stay.
Where you move, I’ll move.
I will follow you.

That’s about the first half of the song, and about how far I made it before my breakdown ensued.  So much for that whole “no crying” thing.  I cried like a baby, right there in my van.  Of course, John had no idea what was wrong with me.  It wasn’t until later when we shared each other’s prayers and answers that he understood.

So, there you have it, folks.  God is good. We serve an Almighty God and wonderful Savior who wants to speak to us.  When we ask, He will answer.  One way or another, He answers us.  We are not just his puppets, milling about in the sea of life full of “coincidences.”  We are His children, whom He loves, whom He sometimes makes uncomfortable for a greater plan that is not our own.  I don’t know what comes next.  We are not promised that this journey won’t be without challenge and heartache.  We are not promised understanding on our end.  But we are promised that peace is among those who follow the Lord…that in His will, we will find blessing.  We are promised that God wants what is best for us, and that sometimes doesn’t jive with our own plans. Oh, how I wish to stay comfortable…but truth be told, we don’t grow much when we are comfortable, do we?

I hope you can see that the Lord has made His will clear to us, that we need to “follow.”  So, with that, we will be relocating very soon to The Volunteer State – Tennessee.  I still can’t believe it, but I know now that God has ordained this, and He will take care of us.  We covet your prayers on this journey.

Oh, and by the way – by Sunday morning, I was already starting to feel discouraged (does that make me high maintenance?).  Anyway, we went to church, walked into the sanctuary, and guess what song came on the loudspeakers the minute we sat down? Yup, you guessed it.  God is good, all the time….all the time, God is good.  And because of that, we will follow.

Heidi

My dear friend Kim has been asking me for some time to make a list of things that we keep on hand for various issues and ailments.  I’ve been such a slacker in this!  Lately, I’ve been getting asked a lot about what we use, so it’s time.  So, without further ado, here it is, Kim!  Here are the things that we keep around and why…and where you can get some, too

First, I’ll start with essential oils.  Essential oils are great for so many things, from cleaning and aromatherapy to many facets of healing and nutrition.  When we were introduced to essential oils, our friends were using Young Living oils.  We have occasionally used other brands for more common oils, but we have had a good experience with Young Living and continue to use them most often.  For the purposes herein, I will link to Young Living’s website for the oil descriptions, but note that you can and should feel free to try other companies or sources!  The following are the oils we keep on hand:

Thieves Oil – We use Thieves Oil routinely for its antibacterial and antiviral properties.  During cold and flu season, we rub it on our feet anytime we are out in public (oils absorb well through the feet).  I put a few drops into unscented hand lotion to use as hand sanitizer.  We apply it anytime we’ve been around someone who was ill.  If we are ill, we apply it regularly and also diffuse it into the air.  There are also other Thieves products, such as soaps and personal care products, which you can see if you follow the link.  Oh, and it smells good.   Thieves is specific to Young Living, though other health food stores and websites do sell replicas.

Peppermint Oil – Peppermint oil is absolutely refreshing.  It does a bang up job of curing a headache and clearing sinuses when applied to the temples or back of the neck.  A drop or two in a glass of ice water is very refreshing and is supposed to aid digestion.  It is also nice to have on hand to use for aromatherapy for a “wake up” call on a tired afternoon.   You should be able to find peppermint oil at a local health food store.

Lavender Oil – Lavender oil is a must have.  It has a very soothing scent and is used commonly in children’s products.  Applied on adults, it helps with sleep and stress.  However, many people do not know that lavender oil is also very good for the skin – cuts, burns and skin irritations greatly benefit from the use of lavender.  Our oldest got a bad case of prickly heat rash the other day, and upon application of the lavender oil to his rashes, they instantly cleared up and the itching ceased.  My dear husband was burned a couple of weeks ago, and he confirmed that the lavender instantly stopped the stinging.  I also used lavender during a stressful part of one of my pregnancies by taking lavender baths.  It helped immensely.  You should be able to find lavender oil at any local health food store.

Melaleuca Oil (aka Tea Tree Oil) – This is an oil I am definitely not willing to live without.  Tea tree oil is so versatile and has helped us with many different things.  It cured John’s dandruff (we had tried everything!).  It is an antiseptic and can be used for cuts, burns, bug bites, etc.  I tend to alternate using this with the lavender oil for skin ailments, but if I need a disinfectant along with the soothing, I start with tea tree oil first.  I used this to help remedy a nasty cold sore that I had, and it was the only thing to take away that awful stingy/itchy feeling.  I’m picky about having a good quality oil and always order mine directly from Melaleuca.

RC Essential Oil – Basically, your all-natural Vicks VapoRub on steroids (well…chemical-free steroids ).  We keep RC on hand for colds especially.  It smells wonderful and is very handy for respiratory ailments applied directly on the skin and diffused into the air.

I would like to advise that you should never use oils without reading the labels carefully, especially on young children.  Different companies make their oils in different strengths, so it is very important to use them cautiously.  It is generally a good idea to dilute oils using a carrier oil, such as olive oil, the first few times you use them until you are sure how your body reacts to the oils.

This is all I have time for tonight!  Hopefully Part 2 will come sooner than later, where I can list some of the supplements and homeopathic remedies we keep on hand as well.

Blessings,
Heidi

To everything, there is an associated cost and risk.  Sometimes there is a monetary cost associated with doing something, and sometimes there is a cost associated with NOT doing something.  Sometimes there is a risk in doing something, and sometimes there is risk in NOT doing something. I get confronted with the “cost” issue of eating organic ALL the time. I mean, all. the. time.  It is by far the #1 comment that I get.  “How do you afford it?”  “I could not afford it. I can barely afford what we eat now.”  “I will not pay more for a product just because it says ‘organic’ on it.”  And, somewhat often, “you’re a fool for believing a label,” or something to that effect.  I hope that in this post I can work through some of this with you and help you develop a different perspective.

One must realize that there are many different factors contributing to the cost of what you buy in the store.  One of the biggest cost factors is convenience.  We Americans LOVE convenience! We’re busy, busy, busy – too busy. But that’s the subject of another post!  So, when someone complains about the increased cost of a convenience food – well, it’s hard for me to listen, because guess what – you probably shouldn’t be eating it anyway.  So, put back the organic poptarts, okie dokie?

I will address one convenience food, however: cereal.  We do allow some cereal at our house.  It is not the main breakfast food, but it is available – my growing boys can eat two bowls of cereal and eggs for breakfast without blinking!  It IS possible to pay a reasonable price for better cereal.  First of all, there are some decent options that are not certified organic, but that have no high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, or hydrogenated oils.  Mom’s Best Naturals is one of those brands.  My local Kroger ran a special on these recently for $0.99/box if you purchased 10 boxes.  I think we can all agree that is a good price!  Kashi and Cascadian Farms are two of my favorite brands, and I almost ALWAYS pay less than $2/box when I use coupons during a sale!  Also – CHECK YOUR GROCERY’S CLEARANCE RACK.  Organic products often land on these!  The rack is usually in some obscure place, like the back wall by the freezer or something.  I recently scored about 10 boxes of cereal for $1.49/box BEFORE my coupons!  You can also make your own granola. It’s easy, and granola recipes are very versatile!

Also consider making your own bread, pizza, muffins, cakes, cookies, etc.  Really – it’s not very difficult.  I promise.  It may seem intimidating at first, but truly – do it once, and you’ll never go back!  The cost will make up for itself in some instances, and the taste will in others!

When it comes to produce, two things.  First of all, this is an instance of “you get what you pay for.”  There are certain things you can purchase that are conventionally raised (not organic) with some level of comfort.  Bananas and pineapples, for example, do not absorb pesticides well, and since we don’t eat the thick skins, we don’t consume what has been put on them (if anything was put on them at all).  So, go ahead and buy regular bananas and pineapples.  However, the pesticides used on apples are applied directly on the very thin skin of the apple, and the skin is something you should be eating.  Go here for a helpful article on the amounts of pesticides found in certain produce items, and do your best to buy organic when it matters most.  Pesticides are no joke when it comes to your health, friends.

Consider where you are shopping.  Are you shopping at a small market, where prices are higher across the board? It would be worth your time to drive to a Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Whole Foods, etc.  Even Walmart is beginning to carry a larger selection of organic foods.  Visit a farmer’s market – you may be shocked at the low price of items local farmers are selling out of their own gardens!  And it will be much fresher than something store-bought!

The following point is something I just…I just cannot stress enough how strongly I feel about it.  Here where I live, our FAVORITE meat farm is Simpson Family Farm.    Purchasing meat is probably where you will incur the most cost increase….but allow me to be blunt – when it comes to meat, it is my opinion that you cannot afford to eat conventionally raised meat on a regular basis. I know that is a strong statement, but we have made this change as a family, and we will never go back.  There are so many reasons for this!  Your chance of contracting a food-related disease, such as E. Coli, when buying organic, pasture-raised meat, is minimal.  Animals that are raised naturally, humanely, and organically rarely fall ill.  They eat what they are supposed to eat, live where they are supposed to live, and are treated how they should be treated.  The meat looks better, smells better, tastes better, and requires no treatment at all.  The flip side?  It costs more to raise them – period.  I would love to, and probably will do, another blog sometime on food regulations and industry, but it will be a long, arduous topic.  These local farmers are doing their best to provide you with a quality product you can trust — big name manufacturers (conventional farms, feedlot operations, etc.) don’t need your business!  They’re making plenty of money off of restaurants and the average consumer.  They also abuse animals, feed them unnatural feed laced with pesticides and herbicides, and send to butcher ill animals that can sometimes hardly walk.  Then the meat has to be cleaned (oftentimes with ammonia) before it is delivered to the store, because it contains various forms of disease.  The local farmer’s animals are his livelihood – there is something to that, trust me!  He is raising these animals to support his family and to gain lifelong customers – not to make a quick buck.  Their profit margins are minimal – but their commitment is often unmatched.  The animals are fed mainly off of pasture, and their other feed consists of non-gmo, pesticide-free feed that costs much more than their genetically modified counterparts.

I encourage you to take the plunge and just try some naturally raised meat, locally if you can.  The reason animals in mass factories are treated with antibiotics is due to being raised in unnatural or unsanitary conditions.  We are lead to believe that animals just get sick, so they need medication.  This is simply not true!!  An animal raised properly RARELY becomes ill to the point of needing medication!  Thanks (or no thanks) to the widespread use of antibiotics in our food, more drug-resistant strains of bacteria are forming that cannot be treated with medications (superbugs, if you will).  The implications of how our meat is raised are reaching much farther than the grocery store shelf, my dear friends, and this very issue is leading to a public health crisis.

The final perspective I would like to give you is this one.  One of my favorite cartoons hangs in the office of the herbalist that we see.  It is of two men standing side-by-side.  One man is clearly overweight who cannot “afford” to eat better.  Above him is the lists of medications he is on and medical treatments he has received.  The other man is of average build, and above him is listed the costs of a few vitamins, supplements, etc.  Why?  Because when you make a decision to eat better, your eating preferences and meals change.  Convenience foods take a welcome exit from your life, and you will be surprised at how much that was costing you.  You appreciate food more, feel better, look better, and think differently about what you eat.

To give you a personal spin, in the last couple of years that we have made these changes, I have personally been sick, I think, twice, and neither time did it require medication to recover.  The one time I ended up VERY ill and in the hospital was from severe food poisoning I contracted from chicken I ate at a restaurant!  Go figure. My children have been sick once in the last 18 months that required a trip to the doctor, and I think one other time in the last 3 years.  John hasn’t been to the doctor for an illness in at least 3 years.  And our oldest, who routinely had to make trips to the doctor at least three times per year hasn’t been in at least 2 years as well.  For me, the proof is in the pudding.  We ate better, then we felt better, and eventually, we now look better as well.  Did I mention that John has lost nearly 90 pounds in this journey?

Be encouraged to try to make changes.  Food is fuel for your body, and not a comfort mechanism.  What you eat will either hurt or help you.  No – we are certainly not perfect! I have a serious weakness for Chick-Fil-A!  There is my confession for the day!  But when you do what is right 90% of the time, your body can make up for the other 10% – though I continue to learn, by getting food poisoning, for example, that sometimes that doesn’t apply either.   Do some research and figure out where your food comes from, and decide to make just one change today!  With a little effort, it doesn’t have to cost you a monetary fortune, and you will incur a savings in another form as your health begins to thrive.  For us, one cost has offset the other, and the benefits have extended far beyond our bank account!

Heidi

This Sunday is Father’s Day. Man, do I ever struggle finding the right gifts on this day.  My own daddy is in heaven, celebrating with our Heavenly Father.  I can only imagine what it will be like when everyday is “Father’s Day!”  I am so thankful my dad gets to do that!  My father-in-law has everything he could ever want, so I really have to think out of the box for him.  I purchased flight lessons for him one year, and he loved it. I was proud of that one.  But the other years haven’t been as remarkable.

For my own hubby, I’m just at a loss most years. I try to really make the day about him, letting him sleep in, choose meals, etc.  Gifts, though, are hard for me.  I have a hard time thinking of anything adequate to express what he means to us as a family.  He’s a techie, so yeah, there’s a vast assortment of gadgets and gizmos he would always like to have.  And obviously men don’t always view the “meaning” of gifts the same way…but I really want to do a good job, right!?  Thanks to a friend, I was able to pull it off this year.  John really wanted a bike trailer for his bike so a couple of the children could ride along with him.  We could not afford one, so I really wrote off that idea.  Then, God really blessed us with friends selling their used one – which is in terrific condition and doubles as a jogging stroller – and was perfect for our tight budget! Yay!! Isn’t God awesome??  He’s even in the little things!

Even so, while I’ve been feeling pretty good about that, there really are no words to express what John means to us as a family.  I can honestly say that I love him more now than the day we were married.  I feel so undeserving.  Truly, he’s not just any man.

Not just any man would have even considered dating me, let alone marrying me, a single mom with a lot of baggage.  I mean a lot.  More than I care to admit.  Yet, he did – willingly, somehow.  He saw through the outside cover, and yet was ok with what was on the inside.  He had hope for me that no one else had.  I’ll never know how he could have been attracted to me, yet I am so thankful that he was.

Not just any man would have been able to work full time, go to school 4 nights a week, and deal with a sleep-deprived new mother of twins who was also taking care of their 7 year old and helping daily with her dying father.  That…was the hardest year of our lives.  No getting around it.  To have twins was one thing – everything else on top of it brought us to the brink of insanity.  Yet, John pushed through and finished his degree. He was a terrific father and a rock for me during one of the most trying times of my life.  I was ever so thankful for him that year!

Not just any man would have held me, smiling and laughing the 3 more times I told him I was pregnant yet again.  He has welcomed with joy and open arms every baby we have had!  And while I do not know what God has in store for us, I know that John would feel the same with any future children.

Not just any man would do anything to make sure his family is cared for –  or would insist that I be at home where I am needed, with no pressure to ever contribute financially for our family.  He has always gone above and beyond to ensure that we have what we need and then some, and I can truly say that God has blessed John’s efforts.  We have experienced miracles when it comes to his employment, and I am so thankful that John has stood fast in God’s promises for our family.

Not just any man takes his health seriously and wants to do his part to make sure he can be around for his children.  I am so proud of John’s efforts to maintain his weight and strengthen his body.  Two years and 85 pounds later, he looks and feels great. I am incredibly proud of him!

Not just any man wants his wife to homeschool.  My fellow homeschool moms – can I get an “AMEN?”  Oh, he has to put up with so much.  Requests from me to buy more things, new curriculum, books, musical instruments, time out to plan, conventions, entire walls dedicated to educational posters…oh, I don’t know how he puts up with me some days.  I’m sure that some days I’m a real peach. Ahem.  Or not!  Yet, he has such pride in his voice when he shares that I homeschool his children.  It makes me blush and get that gooey feeling inside. 

Not just any man would trade in the comforts of the suburbs for the country life.  While it is beautiful, it is also a lot of WORK.  He has accepted this with open arms as well, and we have already had plenty of laughs along the way  in learning this new way of life.  I don’t know many guys who would be so excited over a flourishing new garden, frogs, deer, and children running free in the fields.  It warms my heart.

Most importantly, not just any man seeks God’s will in life and guides his family to the best of his ability according to the Holy Scriptures.  John reads them to us, talks to us about them, and leads us in prayer.  John takes his role in our family seriously, letting God lead the way. I believe that he loves me as commanded, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.  I am so thankful.

There are so many “little” things John does everyday that I take for granted.  Not just any man gets up and makes his wife an iced coconut mocha every single morning.  It’s always waiting for me faithfully next to my computer when I get up.  Not just any man tells his wife that she is beautiful every single day, more than once.  Not just any man changes diapers without being asked, participates in the bedtime routine, weeds gardens, throws frisbees, grades schoolwork, chases children…

I could go on forever.  These are just some of the reasons why I love my husband. God has been so good to me.  Without Him, none of this would even be possible.  John wouldn’t be the man he is without our Lord; this I know for sure.  The gift that John is to me everyday is part of God’s portion of blessing bestowed upon me. I am in awe of His goodness and faithfulness to a sinner like me.

So, thanks be to God for the wonderful gift of my husband, the father of my children.  And thank you, John, for being the best husband and dad a girl could ever want. I love you so much. Happy Father’s Day!

Heidi

I feel like I’ve been a little…well…irritable lately. I don’t mean to be irritable.  Shoot, I don’t even like being irritable.  But now I’m starting to wonder if “irritable” is the right word at all.  Things are bothering me.  All. The. Time.  It’s weird.  Normally things don’t always bother me.  But I find that lately, there are a lot of things, well, kind of getting on my nerves a little bit.

There is a worship song we sometimes sing at church called “Hosanna.”  One of the lines in that song is, “break my heart for what breaks yours,” “yours” being a reference to the heart of God.  I’m starting to think that this is what is happening to me, but my feelings are manifesting themselves in the form of irritation and, oftentimes, anger!  Allow me to explain.

Ask my closest friends, and they will tell you that I’ve been saying this a lot lately: Just because something is “normal” does not mean that it is “okay.”  I fear for our society.  We have allowed so much sin to become “normal” that we are completely blind to it!  Wouldn’t you agree? Think about it — think hard.  What was once shunned is now accepted.  Yes, one could argue that the progression of time has allowed some things to become acceptable that are not truly bad.  However, the opposite could also be argued — that we are trained to accept that which God has commanded us against.  A few examples:

Dress

Let me be the first to admit it: I am ashamed of how I dressed as a teen.  No qualms about it.  I did not understand “modest is hottest” or anything of the sort.  I dread to even think of some of the things I wore as a young girl — but I do know the trouble it brought me.  There is no denying it.  When I see young girls today, I cringe.  It breaks my heart to see mothers dress their daughters by today’s standards. My girls are little right now, but even so: I am careful, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay that way.  But I am determined to buck the trend and not dress my girls in revealing clothing.  And moms – let us analyze ourselves as well. I recently revamped some of my wardrobe.  I’m not saying we have to dress like nuns, but come on — you know what needs covered.  Do this to protect yourself!  Do not dress your girls to attract unwanted to attention, and don’t dress yourself to attract inappropriate attention.  Let us not deny that we sometimes have that desire for attention — but let us make sure it’s coming from the right place: our husbands.  And if you are single, trust me….you want a man who fears the Lord, and who will seek you out to be a blessing to you – not for what you are (or are not) wearing.

“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”  I Timothy 2:9-10

Language

I also cringe fairly often when I hear speech out in public.  When did it become okay to use foul words and demeaning language so regularly??  Blame it on tv?  School?  I don’t know, but I will say that no, I do not think it is ok!  Of course, I am guilty of the occasional slip!  But this is not what I mean.  When I hear people talk…I hear anger, bitterness – that type of thing.  Out of the mouth, the heart speaks.  What does your speech say about you?

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13

Oh – and a note about children.  It is not okay for your children to disrespect you with their words.  Don’t let other parents fool you into thinking that bouts of disrespect are “normal,” therefore you should not “worry” about it.  I am learning this daily with my own children.  You must, must teach them to respect you – and others – with their words, before it is too late.  It is crucial!  These things are learned – don’t give up.  I’m not!

Food

Food is fuel.  We often see it as something else – a reward, comfort, fun, etc.  I’m not suggesting that we not enjoy eating!  However, what are you eating is how you are choosing to fuel (or not fuel) your body.  We were not created to live in the drive thru!  Our children are suffering – obesity, cavities, and diabetes, for instance, are thriving in our nation.  Let’s face it – we’re not eating at home.  Most of the time, we don’t know where our food comes from.  God cares about our physical bodies!  Take a step in treating your body better by eating better.  You really can make small changes a little bit at a time!  The Scriptures are littered full of nutritional regulation and restriction, which goes to show that God does care about what we eat and the state of our physical bodies. While God loves us enough to let us choose what we eat, not everything is good for you.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  I Corinthians 6:12-13

I see that this post is quickly getting too long, so I’ll try to wrap it up.  I certainly don’t want to be irritable.  What I am going to do is to try to turn that thought into praise – praise to God for making me more sensitive to what is happening around me!

‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  Matthew 13:14-17

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  II Corinthians 10:4-5

Be aware of what you see and hear.  This is my prayer – that we could take those things and make them captive to Christ, in order to better ourselves for His kingdom!

Heidi

Easter has come and gone.  Despite all the rain (and we are OVER all this rain!), we made the most of it by spending time with our family and celebrating our risen Savior.  I am in the process of reclaiming my kitchen from the explosion of Easter candy.  My waistline will be thankful! Granola confession: I have a serious weakness for Easter candy!!  I love it ALL.  Pastel M&M’s (as if the colors make them taste different…but I always fall for it!), robin’s eggs, Reese’s anything, Cadbury eggs, and my Easter must have…PEEPS!

I don’t know a lot of people who like Peeps.  They are fun, cute, colorful, marshmallow-y, empty-calorie goodness.  My dear husband was so good to buy me ONE box…just enough to satisfy my annual craving, but not enough to totally sabotage my weight. I do that well enough on my own with Starburst jelly beans and M&M’s…   My Peeps this year were the pink ones.  Yay!

Aside from Easter, though, we have our everyday peeps – our friends!  A very wise and dear friend of mine recently reminded me, “birds of a feather flock together.”   Oh, how true this is.  I LOVE my peeps!! I’ll tell you why in a little bit.  I honestly feel that most people do not consider how important this is – who you associate with on a daily basis has so much influence on your life!  I look around at people in my own life, and I can definitely see this truth played out in reality.

The Scriptures are not silent on this issue!  The book of Proverbs is chock full of relevant advice on this subject. Just a FEW…

“Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.” Proverbs 14:7

“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28

“In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.” Proverbs 22:5

“Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” Proverbs 22:24-25

It is vital that we consider with whom we share our lives.  In your walk of life, who walks with you? “He who walks with the wise becomes wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20

It doesn’t say, “a companion of fools is foolish,” or “a companion of fools looks bad.”  It says, “a companion of fools suffers harm.”  Ouch!  I have unfortunately witnessed this in many forms throughout my life – with myself and with others.  Hanging out with and associating with people who do foolish things is not worth the risk. It WILL bring you harm in some form!!

I found this list to be interesting:

There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Proverbs 6:16-19.  I think this is a helpful list of the types of qualities to avoid in people. Proud, snobbish people, murderers (seems obvious enough, but you might be surprised), people with evil intentions, people who do not think before they act, who blaspheme God, or just plain troublemakers.  Just stay away!

What is a friend?  “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17  A friend loves you regardless of your flaws.  You can depend on her (or him, for the guys!) to lift you up when you are down, or to share in your joy when you are up.  She will keep you accountable to the Word.  She’ll listen when you need and talk when you need it.  I have GREAT friends like this! I love them all for each of their special qualities.  I have friends who are great listeners, who encourage me when I am down but who also do not let me get too high on myself.   They offer me Godly advice when I need it, and sometimes when I don’t think I do!  And most of all, they don’t tell me what I WANT to hear, but rather what I NEED to hear….because my closest friends are believers, who love the Lord with all their hearts.  I wish everyone could have friends like these.

Think about those you call “friend.”  Is it time to trim down your real life “friends list?”  I encourage you to pray about your friendships.  Do not under estimate the power of being a good friend, either! What kind of friend are you?  Are you a giving friend?  Or do you tend to take from your relationships and never give?  I know that for me, it can be a humbling conversation with myself!  Let us all aspire to be better friends.

Heidi