Random Ramblings

"((Lamed)) She feareth not that the cold of winter shall hurt her house, for all her household folks are double clothed"

Pr 31:21

While the girls slept yesterday I got started on the Spring jobs, not cleaning, just jobs. Our dishclothes are shredding so what better for spring then a bright a cheery yellow one! Hubby finds it hilarious that I chat about how fun it will be to wash dishes with it! Have you started the "Spring Clean" yet? Well...um....I "was" going to start this week, but then it snowed, AGAIN. Um, nope no "Spring Cleaning" until all the white stuff is gone for good! So maybe next week.

I am a great procrastinator! If you need lessons I can give them!

This past week went by great! So far this week is also going great. The kids have been resonablely well behaved, the house is liveable, and Magoo has been ready for school on time. We have discovered that it takes Magoo 30 min to eat breakfast, so we must be eating no latter then 7:45 inorder to be putting on our coats and getting in the car by 8:15. So what has helped this week? Getting our priorities straight. By seeking to serve Yhwh through service to my family, wow, it really helped my outlook this past bit.


Had to include this cute photo. Princess was already for Meeting, and waiting for the rest of us so she sat herself down and "played" piano for us. It was so adorable and hubby and I both enjoyed stopping in the middle of the craziness that Sunday morning brings and watching/listening to her for a few minutes. Of course the fact she put on her "tea party" hat made it even more adorable!!

Well speaking of procrastination, we have bread to bake, a kitchen floor that desparately needs a wash, an article (on family life) to edit, a desk to clear, laundry to be folded and put away....and blueberry muffins tempting us for tea time....

I hope that Yhwh blesses you and your household today! I'm off to my jobs, and you know what? I feel blessed to be able to serve, not be moaning my state.

"Praise Yhwh; for Yhwh is good: sing praises unto his name;
for it is pleasant. For Yhwh hath chosen Jacob unto himself,
and Israel for his peculiar treasure. For I know that Yhwh
is great, and that our Adoni is above all gods. Whatsoever Yhwh
pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and
all deep places. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of
the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth
the wind out of his treasuries. " Psalm 135:3-7

The Constant Hunt

Part of raising a godly seed (Mal 2:15) is to find toys and books that they can play with and you do not have to worry about them teaching values or ideas that you do not agree with. After all as the parable goes, you can clean your house but then 7 worse things will come in! Of course the first step is to sit down with your husband and talk about what you feel is acceptable and what is not. Using Scripture as your basis is key as well, after all they are in fact not our children but God's children! (really want to do a post on that).

We frequently sort through the Goons toys, deciding if they have too many that cannot be used for Biblical play. In a perfect world that would be all that filled our homes, but the reality is that then they would have almost nothing to do or play with! We try to keep a balance. At least 1/2 of their toys most be related to scripture. We so not allow "magic" into our homes, so out goes Walt Disney and all that comes with that, and a lot of the fairy tales. Yes this has made it challenging in the past but now that we have learnt some "tricks of the trade" so to speak.

Now you are wondering "why is there an Indiana Jones" in this post?!?!?!?

This is to show what we do:
1) Always take the time to search through the clearance rows in the store, you would be surprised at what you may find. It only take a few minutes to briefly glance through them and see if there is anything there that you can use/change.

So we saw a stack of these figurines and the others in the set and after inspecting the package saw some potential...

Throw out all the unwanted stuff, this time it included anything that mentioned that it belonged to that set/movie/junk... stickers, notepads, info packs, the fake idols that came with them (HUH???)

Now we have an archaeologist and a high priest, complete with linen breeches! If you are serious
about finding Biblical toys you need to sign up for your local "Christian" book store's newsletter, there is one by us that every 3 mths has a 20% coupon off of anything, and also a great bargain basement. EBay is also a great place to check, especially around Christmas and Easter! Speaking of which we found 4 great Bible colouring books last Spring in a craft store for $2 each!

Basically you need to keep your eyes open all the time, thinking "hmmmm how could we use this?" Now another issue for some is that Biblical toys/books seem to be more expensive then just your regular worldly goods! Hubby and I feel that this is money that is not simply spent but invested. Instead of investing in stocks and bonds we are investing in our children's well-being and godly character building. We also save up and get stuff for their b-days and Christmas gifts when you would normally spend more. Also asking for them from others in the family for gifts as well.

When did we start looking for Bible stuff....before Magoo was even born, it takes time and effort. So if you see something and think, oh I'll get that for them when they are such and such years old, think again. Another difficulty is that frequently businesses that make these go out of business. Prime example is the makers of the "Heroes of Faith" figurines, I thought I'd wait until Magoo was 4 yrs but guess what, the next year (when he was 4) they went bankrupted! Thankfully we were able to find a bunch online and also in local stores that were selling them off for cheap!

Does this take extra time and effort? yes, but I see it as part of my job in raising a seed to manifest our Heavenly Father.

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Anonymous said...
So what do you do with your kids while you are fixing dinner?

-I love answering questions! Thanks for asking! Well a variety of things really. You need to look at how old your child is and what their ability's are. While I am making dinner Magoo and Princess set the table (plates, cutlery, butter, condiments, hot mats, etc.) which takes a while. Also they frequently are helping me bake and cook. Having said that there are times when that just doesn't happen. Otherwise they usually just play nicely in the living room (they like to be close). Crafts and such are out of the question here as the dining room table needs to be cleaned and set and that is where we do crafts.

If it is nice out they can go outside and play, with the understanding that they MUST stay where Mummy can see them ie: only in the backyard near the deck. Another activity I will pull out while cooking is the felt board, Princess esp. loves playing with that. Sprout is usually in the highchair in the kitchen with me, with a snack and some small toys so that I know she is safe and happy!

Hope that helped!

Serving Our Husbands

"Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." 1Peter 3:6

This topic has been on my mind the past couple weeks and so I found myself wanting to share some of those thoughts with you, my few readers. One the kitchen cupboard next to the sink and window we have stuck our weekly routine and responsibilities. Each day has its own list of jobs to be completed, helping me to keep ontop of the house and keep focused on the important work of training up our Olive Plants to grown up towards the Son of Righteousness. For a selfish, fleshly woman this is sometimes a daily struggle!

Written in scraggly hand writting diagonal on the sheet are the words "In serving my family I am serving my Lord". This is the model for my life that has been instilled by those faithful sisters that have walked and laboured down this road before me, paving the way so that it is easier to follow in their, and ultimately our Lord's footsteps. Yes, there are still days where I struggle with this, but those are days I find I need more of the word and prayer.

Is it my imagination or has this highest of callings for a godly woman been pushed aside, forgotten and indeed begone to be looked down at by not only those in the world around us but in the ecclesial world as well. Perhaps it is because that generation that has gone before us is passing away, falling asleep to await the ressurection call.

"That they (the aged women) may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children,"
Titus 2:4

In order to be taught dear sisters we must also be willing to LISTEN to them, they are so much wiser then we are, in our immature spiritual state. Then we in turn must pass on these lessons to the next generation, to those that look up to us, even when we are not aware of that fact. A dear older sister made the briefest of comments the other day. I mentioned how I should be making them apple pie when they visit and her reply was "oh yes it is his fav" referring to her husband. "It's yours as well isn't it, as you always request it?" I asked "Well, in truth I prefer cherry, but then apple has been _______'s favorite since he was a wee one" was the reply! I was stunned. I had been taught a very important lesson!

Reading through that famous section in Proverbs 31, we soon see that the virtuous woman was one who spent her entire day seeing to the needs of her household. She is portrayed as completely selfLESS, what a drastic contrast with the way in which we are taught to put ourselves first....after all "we have needs".

"The heart of her husband doth safely
trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil."
Proverbs 31:11

Nothing is done that her husband would not approve of, she goes out and helps him with his work! Putting our husbands before ourselves can be in such simple things as deciding what to cook for dinner that night. Hubby detests fish and simply put will eat it if and when he is dying of starvation. On the other hand he loves beef. I was brought up on fish and hardly any beef! The last time we ate fish was while Hubby was away in France, at his parents. Do I buy fish? rarely. Do we eat fish? only in the summer, when I can BBQ a nice steak for him instead.

Wives we must be on the watch for ways to serve our husbands. Does he like a coffee in the morning, but is to rushed to drink it before he leaves for work? send it with him in a travel mug. Cultivate the same tastes in music, sports, etc. You may love fast paced action packed sports but he may prefer a family hike. Put his likes above your own and make an effort to enjoy them, you may be pleasantly surprised to find them fun and interesting. Does he enjoy watching the birds? put out a bird feeder, ignoring the mess it creates in the garden. Has he commented on something he remembers from a garden in his memories? plants some of those plants. Does he prefer you in skirts to pants? change your wardrobe. He loves you in some colour you hardly wear? when shopping look especially for something that you could wear in it.

If we saw these as pleasing to our God would we not make the changes in a heartbeat? They are so simple. I used to think they were so insignificant that it didn't matter, I am beginning to think otherwise. Sarah understood that Abraham was her head, in all things. He was her "kurios" = supreme in authority, controller. Wow. The feminists would have a hay day with that verse now then wouldn't they. If our minds are in the right bent then it becomes not an effort to please our husbands but a pleasure.

Hubby made a comment the day that he came home. We were all waiting for him, watching out the window and when his red car drove up, burst out the front door to greet him. Latter that evening he mentioned that "I felt blessed seeing you had made yourself ready for my arrival". Yes, we had dinner ready and waiting in the oven, the children were in clean shirts, I had run upstairs and put on a skirt he likes me in and a fresh top, washed my face and brushed my hair. I thought he hadn't even noticed, but he had.

Now every day it is on my mind to try to be prepared and ready for him when he comes home. Ready to greet him at the door, ready to quietly serve him and see to his needs before he asks (putting on the kettle to boil as he parks the car). It is admittedly a lot easier to finish up dinner after he gets home so he can keep an eye on the children, but it is so much more enjoyable to be ready to serve it to him and the children at the set table. After all he has had a hard day out in the "nasty world" as Magoo calls it and should be coming home to a welcome Haven.

Just a few thoughts I wanted to share. I hope that someone finds it helpful, I know that I did!

Bitter Sweetness

We all bundled into the car to drive Magoo back to CHC this morning. March break is over, and the house is now too quiet! As other parents took their children to the Museum, the Science Center, the Petting Zoo, The Children's Museum in the next BIG city; I was feeling guilty! With Sprout that is simply out of the question! She is so loud and is in the midst of the "get into everything" stage. Instead we re-discovered the wonderful home that God & Hubby have provided for us, and the lovely area that we currently sojourn in, awaiting the call to leave all and follow Him!

Monday was spent at the playground (I love how living in the country means they find this such a treat!), cookies, hot chocolate and lots of story time

Tuesday was library day! Magoo loves playing a DK history game there, and we found lots of interesting books in the non-fiction section!

Wednesday was a difficult and gray day, until we ventured out to the children's choice of lunch...they choose McDonald's! Oy! The kids got their first Happy Meal....Magoo being the health freak that he is choose the cheese sandwich! "Mummy we gets' our own bag and look Mummy a toy!" yep, it was priceless! Then we headed to the store I have refused to enter for 2 years (Wal- Mart) to get Wellies for Magoo as Zellers didn't have his funny size...13. Mummy gave in a got "hum-brellas" as princess calls them as well.

Grocery shopping was actually fun, letting Magoo help, with his own little list. Meeting a dear sister in the Truth by accident there was wonderful, and turned my day back up the right way. I left with a smile on my face and a lighter step, perhaps it was providence as God knew that I needed to be uplifted that day. Lecture on Baptism that night was good, and even Magoo got some of it!

Thursday was by far the most exciting. Hubby took the day off and after a filling and energizing breakfast of porridge with raisins and dried cranberries, we all piled into the car. An hour and a bit latter (with a Tim Horton's stop for donuts and bathrooms) we arrived at the amazing second hand book shop we love, which happened to have everything at 50% off! Bliss! The children poured over the shelves, finding treasures while Sprout simply emptied the shelves! 2 hours latter Princess remarked "Mummy my tummy is feeling a little bit hungry"...it was 1:30! so off to a cute coffee culture place for lunch....and then into the car again...to see the Big Lake (Lake Ontario) and walk up the pier. Back into the car, did I mention we listened to "Mr Henry's Wild & Wacky but Totally True Bible Stories" the whole time! to go to the hugs pet store in the Great Big City nearby....the shark had been moved, but we enjoyed looking at all the amazing creatures God has created....and came home with a much bigger tank for our African Cichlids. We drove home to snow, the typical "it always snows on March break" snow.

Friday was a down day, well sort of. Off to SIL for tea, lunch and play time. Home for "naps" and regular readers will know that "naps" are! Baking Challah bread, archeology in the backyard & searching for tulips.


What a wonderful week with our Sprouts! Now today Princess and I are trying to get back to our jobs and put the house back in some sort of order.

"I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully." 1 Timothy 5:14 KJV

Today is a grey day. The sky is overcast, and it is an effort to smile. Sometimes it seems the burdens on this life are simply to hard to bear.

In an effort to lighten the mood around here the Goons and I are going out for lunch, and then grocery shopping.

I pray tomorrow will be better in all ways.

On The Board This Week

I keep forgetting to post this on Mondays, oh dear me!

Letter of the week: Q (Queen Esther)

Number of the week: 70 (Gentile nations)

Words of the weekd: Lord, he, to

Hebrew word of the week: (blogger won't let me put the Hebrew in!) "bah’- yith" = house (very neat study for the Mummies out there on the relation to Ben (son & children) & Bat (daughters)

"I am my beloved‘s, and my beloved is mine" Song of Solomon 6:3

Hubby has returned from France! The past week was full of sleepovers at his parents, baking with the Goons, clearing of clutter (well in truth a beginning of such) study in Leviticus, sewing and basically business to keep my mind away from the tears that wanted to well up because I was without my beloved. The above is on a necklace that he got and gave to me in the old quarter of Jerusalem from Moshe's shop (www.shorashim.net) and I wore it everyday that he was away. we have been testing Magoo to see if he has outgrown his allergy to berries and he has! Even the strawberry family, so now we can buy berries and he loves having them on salad, cereal & oats! Needless to say it is a good job they have been on sale all this month! So the beginnings of a berry patch are in the plans for this spring.

One of the very neglected areas in our home has been the arts & crafts section. Our olive plants love being creative and Mummy loves seeing them use their imagination. The problem was that it was such a jumbled mess that I despised trying to find the desired items amongst all the mess! It also took up the entire bottom half of the dining room hutch....problem! so we emptied the puzzle and toy drawers, put them in their new homes in the playroom. Bagged up the puzzles that were missing the odd piece for charity, and Viola a new home for crafts

The play dough and colouring books & some puzzles are still under the hutch, but now only take up half of the space! Hurray! The drawers are split into
1) Markers, crayons, etc.
2) Glitter (every mother's nightmare!), stickers, pipe cleaners, kiddie scissors
3) Paint, glue, basically stuff that needs more supervision
4) Craft supplies (paper plates, fake grass, fabric, felt, letter foams, foam stickers, etc.)

This has made craft time a lot more enjoyable and fun for the Goons and Mummy!

I have a couple more posts in mind. How we show respect and honour to our Husbands in how we greet them when they come home. Also some more toys that can be slightly altered to be Biblical toys! you won't believe what we found this weekend!

If you care which comes first let me know, otherwise we'll see which appears first! For those in Canada, enjoy your March Break!

Purim Preparations

Hence the fun orange colour for our post today! Tomorrow is Purim, so this morning Princess and I are baking up a storm of Hamantachen (with apple)! Yes we are still in our pjs (at 10am) and having lots of fun!








The rest of CHC is on a field trip today, so the teachers of K & gr 1-2 were looking for something fun to do with those classes as they are not included this time in the trip. Hence the huge amount of Hamantachen! Princess is very excited to be able to go into CHC this afternoon to join in as Mummy is helping out. We find it is a very good way to teach our children Biblical principles and to follow the command given in Deuteronomy 11:18-22 ;

"Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;"

to teach them of the Feasts of Yhwh. Not just simply having a day of celebration, but reading the scripture pertaining to His ordinances on how to keep them, and what they were designed to teach the children of Israel, and hence to teach us. I am thrilled that they are doing this today because with Hubby in France for the week it was going to be a less then happy as usual Purim.

Here is the first batch cooling under the shade of the tulips Hubby got me last week, a wonderful reminder of his love while we are apart!


Mazol Tov.....Have a wonderful Purim!

Doing the Happy Dance

Yep, finally I've reached the 5 lb mark, yahoo! 10lb to go. So after a 4 day break from Pilates (I was exhausted, the kids needed some serious play time the one day, getting ready for Hubby's next trip) I started again yesterday. Ouch! What had become pretty easy and bordering on boring, is not! I feel back to square one, but not quite. The weird thing is that my clothes don't feel any different on me yet....hmmmm.....thinking that is not the best of signs.

Oh, and before I go it is 15C, cloudy, but so warm! So our day is filled with spring jobs.
1) Wash all 12 screens and put them in the windows (I detest looking through mesh in the winter time)
2) Take off the snow-flake stickies from the windows and wash the windows inside (rain is threatening so not doing the outside today)
3) Find (this may take all day, they are in the basement....somewhere!!!!) and wash the spring jackets and wellies
4) Air out the house
5) Make the Spring clean out list by room....I think I will start with the study as usual, it is terrible!
6) Get ready for SS entertainment pizza party (I will take a salad) and get costumes for our class ready and packed.
7) Tea party with the Goons

"And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deut 11:19


I wanted to share something special which is now taking place in our home. Magoo has started to read simple words, and is sounding out longer ones! Now he is able to read most of his verse during the daily Bible readings.

We follow a daily reading planner (if you'd like the link just ask and I'll find it for you) that has 3 sections (2 OT, 1 NT) for each day. However we find it too much for the children to sit through all three and get something from them, so we follow 1 book of the Bible at a time, and do that reading with the children and then finish the other one our own. Usually I will do 1 reading with them in the morning after breakfast and 1 in the evening. We are doing Leviticus in the morning and Psalms in the evening. We involve the children by asking questions and then playing pictionary about that section, or act it out and look at books that have illustrations of the storyline or for example, we are looking at a book of the tabernacle right now with the readings in Leviticus.

Anyways I am thrilled Magoo is starting to read! So yes I had to grab the camera and snap a picture!