Quiet Time/ Organization Dayspring Giveaway!

Quiet Time, Bible Study, prayer and reading, devotions ... whatever you want to call it. For me this week, it was non-existent. Just didn't make it a priority. The urgent took over, even the un-urgent.

Distractions here, not enough time there and before I knew it I had gone a whole week without "cracking open my Bible." I put that in quotes because (sshh, don't tell my pastor father) I've been reading my Bible on my iPad through YouVersion. I opened the app once or twice and then got distracted and never actually read it.

You can feel it when you do this. I know I did! Frustrations came easier, outbursts happened a lot, guilt shoved itself in my face occasionally. But the Holy Spirit didn't leave, He just kept prompting me.

And today, I started right. I caught up on my reading plan, Fearless Journey through YouVersion. I took notes... two pages worth and I remembered that grace is always present.

What's working for me these days? What tools do I use?  Well, there is the reading plans from YouVersion, a journal, and pretty colored pens... lots of pretty colored pens! I do a lot of writing out Scripture. I find that helps cement it in my mind and I love coming back and reading over the Scripture, knowing that God's Word does not return void.

Some of my problem this week was too many opportunities, too many things to do... I didn't say "no" when I should have! I'm so thankful for all of it ... a side job, a special card order, my family, my writing class, prep for Allume, baking for church functions... and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head ... there was also dentist/doctor's appointments and family activities and church activities ... and I'm stressing myself out just listing it all.  Problem is I didn't say no and now I'm drowning.

Enter a family planner... will it help? I don't know, but I hope so!!  I had the opportunity to review some product from Dayspring... maybe you've heard of them? I've mentioned them once or twice. :)  This month, I received a fun Peanuts theme Family Planner and a perpetual calendar

Peanuts - Smiles and Blessings - Perpetual Calendar

don't look too close, I think my spider plant needs watered

My kids are loving this calendar, always trying to get there first to change the calendar to the next day, and anxious to check out the cartoon on their birthdays, etc. so it's definitely adding some smiles and blessings to our day... just as promised!

Peanuts - 16 Month 2013 Family Planner Wall Calendar

I had so much fun using my pretty pens to write in our names on the side to keep us all organized and filled in the month of October... it filled up FAST!  I love the pocket in the back holding cute little calendar stickers... and my meal planning info (when I use it). And it's BIG! I had to clear the side of my fridge for it, but I love that I can read it... and fit a lot in one day (maybe that's not a good thing). Anyway, I am thoroughly going to enjoy using it for the next 15 months (it started in September) You should totally go get one. (did I just say, totally?)

Or you could just try to win one here, on my blog! Yep, that's right, I am one of the lucky ones chosen to do a giveaway of this fine Dayspring product.

To win this helpful family planner and festive perpetual calendar, just leave me a comment on the blog telling me...

What tools do you use to spend time with the Lord?
What are your favorite organization tools or Christian studies?

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, October 24 at 10:00 pm EDT (right before I head off to Allume!!)
Giveaway open to US residents only.
Please leave a way for me to contact you in the comments (email, twitter, blog... something!)

disclosure: The Dayspring links in this blog are affiliate links, but I don't know if they work, because no one has ever clicked a link from my blog and ordered anything... so feel free to click one of these links and buy something (Dayspring products make great Christmas gifts), so that I can see if they work!

The Red Door

I talk often about my mountain... this property we live on, this house we inhabit! I give thanks for it EVERY DAY!! I do not EVER want to take it for granted. In my mind, it was a long time coming and that is part of what makes it so sweet today. The story has been brewing in my head, and I want to get it down in writing! Thankfully, Write it, Girl, gave me the push I needed. (WARNING: There is a lot of back story and I might jump around a bit)

It really began back in the summer of 2004. I became pregnant with baby #2. I found out in the fall that it was a girl... Our first born was a boy. We lived in a 2 bedroom trailer. And like I'm so good at doing, I panicked a little bit and worried and fretted and stressed about when they could no longer be in the same room because they were opposite sex. (and then I added a larger home to my "Impossible Prayers" journal.)

She came in April of 2005 and fit just fine in the room. Toys and books were in the living room; dressers, changing table and cribs in the bedroom.  Then we had baby #3 in September of 2006 AND baby #4 in January 2008. Yes, FOUR kids in 4 1/2 years!! One boy and 3 girls... but still there was nothing on the horizon for a larger home.  We started to get just a little cramped... I started to get just a little depressed ... it was a struggle ... I was overwhelmed.  I worried and prayed and fretted and prayed and got mad at God and worried and prayed.

On the street before our trailer park, there was a gorgeous, LARGE home (not one we could ever afford, but I still dreamed of the day it would go up for sale). My son was drawn to it as well. It had a beautiful red front door and red garage door. My son wanted to live in that house, too. So I told him to start praying about it... and he did. At 4 and 5 years old he would pray for the house with the red door and the red garage and pretty soon his sisters were praying for it, too.  ... Oh me of little faith, I prayed, but I didn't pray believing.

Then in Summer 2009, I did Beth Moore's Believing God bible study and I worked on claiming God's promises... and believing them!!  Then in week 5, we studied Moses, and the people of Israel and their exodus from Egypt. I don't remember all the details (it was almost 3 years ago), but the important points had to do with the color RED, the blood on the doors, etc. And I remember thinking about the house with the red door and the reminder of walking thru the door. AND I started to BELIEVE and to pray, believing.  I told God then and there, that I knew he was capable of giving us THAT particular house with the red door and the red garage, but if not, I was also believing that when He chose to give us a house, it would have a RED DOOR.

This house on the mountain... it's not ours, we don't own it. We are caretakers. The 2 families before us were both from our church... so it's a word of mouth kind of situation. I remember when the first family was moving out and I remember thinking then that I wanted to live up here. (even though I had never been here and really didn't know all that was involved) and I was disappointed that they didn't ask us. But God knew the timing wasn't right. Our kids were babies, I was overwhelmed, to be 20 minutes from town, to have my husband have the extra responsibilities on the property, so many reasons.

Then in December 2009... just 5 months after I really started praying believing, the then-caretakers approached Wes to see if we would be interested in caretaking and living "out here on the mountain." I started praying like never before, knowing nothing about the house... just that it was bigger than my trailer!! :)  It was a waiting game as they were waiting for a pastoral position to open up for them somewhere, but it was really exciting to think it was a possibility.

Late February 2010, we finally had an opportunity to go and visit the home. I was soo excited and so nervous driving to the house. We drove up the long (half mile) driveway, pulled up to the house and I almost started crying RIGHT there...

Because there to greet me was a RED front door.

I knew then and there I was entering my future home, it was just a matter of when!!

It wasn't until July that we found out they were candidating at a church in New York.  We found out the second week of August that they were taking the ministry and moving in 2 weeks time.  I packed my trailer in record time and we moved in on August 27, 2010.

I am loving my red door. I have had so much fun actually hanging things on the red door and am thankful for the reminder of the promise from God that He will always take care of me and meet my needs... in HIS time.

All Glory to God!