Reading :)

I probably wont blog again for another week!

Last week Isabella graduated from getting single letter books to read at kindy to books with whole words!She was so excited to show me,and proudly reads the whole book!I am so proud of her!If you know me at all (and Steve) we LOVE to read,and its kind of evident in our home,the girls have a gazillion books and so do Steve and I (I am constantly asking him to buy me a big bookcase to put them all on so I dont have a bunch of little ones and still needing to find places to store the over flow :p ).We have tried our hardest to encourage our girls to love books and reading too,and its paying off!
Again,I am one proud Mum!

Music Class

Last term our girls had been enrolled in dance class.They got chicken pox right at the beginning and it would have worked out they would have attended a total of 2 classes!No way I was paying $120 for two classes haha. Steve and I had been a bit iffy about them doing dance as it was (negative body image,super duper strict classes,that kind of stuff).Isabella went more to play with her little friend and cousin then to actually dance.I got sick of before every lesson talking to her about her needing to listen and actually dance!

So we made the decision that this term the girls could try doing the Junior Introduction to Music Program at the University.Last Saturday was their first class.We arrived a few minutes late (the university is confusing,and dragging two pre-schoolers trying to find a class was a little hard haha),but Isabella happily said hi to the teacher and sat down with Steve after getting her name tag and instrument.Sienna on the other hand yelled her little head off!We had been so convinced that she would be the one to LOVE the class!Yeah...I had to take her out to the hall half way through and have a few words with her and after that she stopped yelling and crying,didnt want to sit with the other kids but at least watched .Im hoping that it was just because she was super tired (no more play dates on Friday afternoons!Will be early nights from now on.Did I mention the class starts at 8.30am?).
The class was really cool!They played with instruments,did some dancing,singing and rhythm work.I am really glad we swapped to this class!

I couldnt get many photos as Sienna was clinging to me like a barnacle,but heres what I got (of Isabella anyway :p )

 They were doing rhythm work here :) I didnt manage to get any of her face.

Sienna thought that climbing sculptures at Daddys school was way more fun than Music class!

Sewing love

ha ha last post,yeah right!
Nah I just wanted to put this up while I was thinking about it (and Im bored,my ankle has grown a golf ball on it again :p )

I mentioned ages ago that for Christmas Im making the girls calico rabbits.Well I finally finished both of those last week!
Over the weekend I made the girls a skirt each (and a matching one for their rabbit) and a spare for dress ups for their rabbits.Its not perfect,but I've put a lot of love into it all and hope that in years to come the girls will enjoy playing with them.

 Isabellas rabbit.I havent taken a photo of Siennas yet,but they are pretty much the same.

 Isabellas skirt and her rabbits.

 Sienna chose this material,I managed to cut and sew it in front of them without them asking what I was doing!

 One of the rabbits spotty skirts.Was going to do the other but twisted my ankle and cant work the treadle on the machine!Next week hopefully.I wanted them all to be poof-ier like this one but had to use what material I had on hand :)

Steve is hoping in the next few weeks to get the cots made for them.And because Im laid up with my gammy ankle I'm going to get him to give me measurements for the base part of the cot and I'll start hand sewing quilts and sheets for the bed :)

On a different project...I had purely forgotten to get around to putting these photos up!Bit lazy really :p But a few months ago I 3/4 hand sewed and 1/4 machine sewed (courtesy of Grandma giving me a sewing machine lol) a quilt for our bed.I really am just learning all this sewing business and none of it is perfect,but definitely made with love!

 I was a nice wife and let Steve choose the colours and material.I figure its his bed too,and its not fair to him if I make it all girly :p Like I said not perfect lol.

I had some left over material so made this breakfast cushion cover!Some days it does actually remind me to be more loving :p

Last post for the day (I had 6 verse of Proverbs to catch up on!).

 I've been hearing a bit about Halloween lately.As a kid Halloween was a giant,massive no,no in our house!I never dressed up for it,never went trick-or-treating,nothing.I never knew any different so it never bothered me.A lot of Mum's reasoning for us not joining in were religious.But I'm now wondering whether our girls should join in or do anything for it?I wouldn't do trick-or-treating,not in NZ anyway.Steve never did anything for it when he was a kid either.So do we or dont we?

Just something I've been pondering,and one of the things,as a parent,I worry about which decision to make!

Proverbs 24

Well I couldnt articulate any thoughts from this chapter that would have made sense to anyone,let alone myself!

But through reading Proverbs I am beginning to be a lot more appreciative of what I have in my life.Of the good things.

And yesterday I was so so SO grateful for Steve.He has like a gazillion massive assignments due this week (well not a gazillion more like 2 this week and 1 next week.But 2 this week were 3,000 and 2,500 words and next weeks is 6,000!) and he took the time yesterday to look after me :) On Monday night I was a dork,and in taking the rubbish out, completely twisted my ankle.I thought I had had bad sprains in the past but no!I couldn't walk on my foot yesterday at all,so Steve had to not only be my errand man but he had to get the girls ready,do kindy runs,do housework,dinner,bath time,the whole lot!And he didn't complain once.I married a great man huh?!

Then today,a lovely friend made me biscuits!And shes right,delicious biscuits help with sore ankles!Hahaha.I think its more the super kind thought that does.But I am grateful for both my old friends,who I can call up,and even though their baby is only a month old,listen to me sob my heart out and still love me and dont think Im crazy!And for the new friends,who are just friggin amazing and awesome,and yes make me biscuits! (but more than that,these friends who actually want to spend time with me and my family!Sounds super clingy and whatever,but today this is what Im grateful for!)

And for our little girls,who in my books,are the best little girls ever!Isabella made me a necklace yesterday,and even though I was told she tried to give it to her friends at kindy,bought it home,gave it to me and told me she hoped it made my leg feel better!And Sienna who is constantly climbing on our bed and the sofa and just snuggling with me,I mean how can that not make me feel loved and warm and fuzzy?!

Trying to be more appreciative of the good things in life at the moment.Makes for a happier me :)

Proverbs 23

Verses 22-25 'Listen to your father,who gave you life,and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth and do not sell it;get wisdom,discipline and understanding.The father of a righteous man had great joy;he who has a wise son delights in him.May your father and mother be glad;may she who gave you birth rejoice.'

I never quite know how to take any scripture that mentions parents.I love mine,but they are far from perfect!But you know what, I'm trying harder with them.I have tried my hardest (doesn't mean I succeed all the time!) to not talk badly about my mum anymore,because I am realizing now I am a parent myself,that no mum is perfect!And some of the mistakes she made,has made me a better person and a better mum.So some mistakes do work out for the better. I'm trying with my Dad to figure out how to have a more normal father-daughter relationship with him.Its not easy after nearly 16 years of wires being crossed constantly.
But the point is,I love them and I'm trying.
At the end of the day,I want them to be proud of me.
I want my Mum to know that what she taught me about God when I was a child and teen has stayed with me,I want her to be proud of how she raised me and how I have turned out. (and yes,I have thanked my mum,quite a lot actually,for being the reason I have any relationship with God!)
I want my Dad,well I just want to get to know my Dad and for him to know me!
But I really hope (and need to work on),being a daughter that makes my parents proud! (I cannot believe I am saying that!I never thought I would see the day when I would want their approval lol).I want Mum to see what she taught me,shining out and I want my Dad to see it and want it himself....
 I also want to raise daughters I can be proud of.Heck I already am!They aren't perfect and can drive me a little bonkers some days,but I love them and have never felt prouder of anything in my whole life!I hope that our daughters will not only want to emulate how I am as a wife and mother,but also how I am as a christian!Its kind of scary how much our little girls copy me and want to be like me so much,it has definitely made me pull my britches up and try and be a better role-model for them!
So this scripture makes me not only want this from my parents for me,but for me with our girls. (not sure if any of what I have written makes sense!)

Proverbs 22

Oh gosh,where do I start?!!!

Im not going to go in order here,so verse 6 'Train a child in the way he should go,when he is old he will not turn from it'

*sigh* I love this verse!!
I am far from a perfect parent (ok,insecurities coming through there :p recently someone mentioned I needed to do a parenting course,feeling a bit paranoid now).In the last week Isabella has been asking some hard questions ie: 'why doesnt Poppa love Grandma anymore?', 'Are Grandpa and Uncle Simon in Heaven together?', 'how are they in Heaven with Jesus,but Jesus is in my heart?', 'why is Grandpas body under a stone?I thought he was in Heaven?'....yeah.....It amazes me the things that she thinks about.Its awesome!But this week I was grateful that one day my Mum was here and able to help me answer some questions,particularly about God that I couldnt figure out how to simplify for a child to understand.At the end of it all,I realized we must be doing a good job of teaching her about God and about our faith for her to even think about those things!
Part of the reason we are even considering going back to church is so that our girls can make some friends with the same beliefs.That and I want them to experience Sunday School,Sunday School plays and a little part of me thinks sometimes,maybe a Sunday school teacher may have better words to answer some of her questions.
I know our girls are only 3 and 4,but I hope that what we are teaching them now about God will last them through their teens and adulthood.I hope that like Steve and I,they develop a love for God and even through all the hideous temptations that come with growing up,they will hang on to that love and *cross fingers* remember all the little things we are trying to teach them now.

verse 2 'Rich and poor have this in common:The Lord is the Maker of them all"
Pretty self explainatory!!Love it though!!!Wish more people in this world would read this and store it in their hearts AND minds!We are all one and the same arent we?All equal in Gods eyes :)

Proverbs 21

verse 2 'All a man's ways seem right to him,but the Lord weighs the heart'

haha kind of confirmation for what I thought about chapter 20!
Glad I serve and love a VERY understanding and loving God!99% of the time I try to have my heart in the right place but believe me,when it isnt,I know about it!So often I joke to Steve about doing or saying something nasty (let me explain,I feel like a doormat for others to wipe their feet on quite frequently,and sometimes I day dream about not being nice and polite for once and really doing and saying what I want too!),but more often than not,even though Im kidding,Im given a big ol' prod by God that that behaviors not loving,kind or what God wants from me or what I should want from myself.He knows my heart thats for sure!And I hope that most of the time I really do want to do what is right! (again,it is a good thing that God knows my heart at the end of the day!).

Something that made me laugh a little in this chapter was verse 19 'better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife'.At first the feminist in me thought 'hey!thats not fair!men can be like that too!' ,but Ive chosen to take it as a reminder (this may not be how everyone takes it,but its how Im choosing too) to be happy with my husband,to make more of an effort to not nag (he is not one of my kids,he is my equal and more often than not,my better half.Nagging him is not ok),to not take offense to everything he says (when PMS hits,the poor man gets a good 2 weeks of this!And lets face it,I can be quite serious,Steve can more often than not find a joke in everything!Times when I think he is being hurtful,hes not,its just his idea of a joke!Lighten up Natalie!).I need to remember he really is my partner in life,not a nuisance to just be put up with.I need to remember that God chose Steve for me,and me for Steve.It wasnt just a coincidence that we met,for me I honestly believe we were made for one another.I need to enjoy life with him more,to take time to enjoy him.I want this marriage to last the rest of our lives,and who wants to stay married to a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife?I wouldnt want to be thats for sure!

Good things to keep in mind and for me to work on :)

Proverbs 20

verse 27 'The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man;it searches out his inmost being'

I've mentioned this before,but for me its obviously something I need to keep thinking about.Sometimes I think 'God knows me,He knows every single thought' and some days that freaks me out,because my thoughts aren't very nice.Its kind of odd to think that He knows every teeny tiny thought...and that alone makes me realize I need to work a bit harder on 'love others as you love yourself' and 'love the Lord your God with all your mind,heart and soul',because if I focused on those things a bit more,if I operated out of love for others and God more,my thoughts would be a lot purer,a lot nicer and a heck of a lot more pleasing to God!Because if I could follow through with those two things,I really would be a lot more loving and my 'innermost being',I hope,would be a lot cleaner inside!

Lesson-nicer thoughts!Makes me nicer and happier.Others happier and most importantly,God happier (I hope!)Im not perfect,but I should probably try a bit more :)

Proverbs 19

Verse 2 'It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,nor to be hasty and miss the way'

To be really honest,this is the only verse that I could relate to my life right now.Maybe I'm just tired and cant think deeply enough about all the other verses! 

So,the first half of verse 1 'It is not good to have zeal without knowledge',I have mentioned in other posts about what happened when we left church.Now when I was a teenager,like a normal teen,I thought I knew everything!For some reason I thought I knew it all about God and religion too (though let me point out,Pentecostal churches don't like the word religion!But thats what organized faith is,religion!).It has only been through not going to church (and no Im not saying people shouldnt go to church!This is just my experience) that I stepped out away from all of the hype and really took time to evaluate my beliefs that I came to understand and love God a whole heap more.I actually read my bible in context and not just the little bits that were preached on,and I got a far better understanding of God,and what God wants for me and from me.Once I could think through it all without others telling me what to believe and do I began to have a real relationship with God.And I learnt,I dont know everything!Shock horror!!!And thats ok,and it is good for me that every day I learn something new about God and my faith,and ya know what?I would rather have that,where I can appreciate God and what He has given me,then think I know it all in fell swoop!

'nor to be hasty and miss the way'.There have been countless times where I haven't taken the time to pray and really see whether I feel peace about a situation,I rush in and it turns to poop!I have learnt (and still have to be reminded of this quite a bit) that is ok if someone asks me something,to ask if I can get back to them,to not rush into something.Steve and I strongly believe in letting our yes be yes and our no be no.So when we say we'll do something (outside of getting sick or something),we try our best to stick to doing it.But Ive learnt through the times where Ive rushed in and said yes,and not actually thought (nor prayed) about it,that I end up digging myself a much larger hole then if I had just told whoever that I need to think and I'll get back to them.So for me,this part of the verse is a awesome reminder!

Lesson from this-reading Gods word and getting knowledge is a very good thing (and not doing it just because at some hyped up event they told you too!),and that taking time out to think and pray can save a lot of heartache and misunderstanding!So reading Gods word and praying is good (who knew? :p )

Proverbs 18

Verses 2 'A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions',4 'The words of a mans mouth are deep waters,but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook' and 10 'The name of the Lord is a strong tower;the righteous run to it and are safe',all popped out at me today!

I feel like Proverbs,so far,was specifically written for me,for right now in my life! (funny how that works,guess God did know all this bible stuff would help :p ).

Sometimes I find it really hard to be positive when speaking to others,my life can get pretty boring (housework,kids,more housework,doing more stuff with the kids lol),and in the past I have felt that complaining gives us something to talk about!Not cool aye .I've started to learn (as in,really learn,not just because someone has told me,but because it is true!),that verse 21a 'The tongue has the power of life and death' is completely true!Even in friendships,yeah you have times where things are just crud and you need to talk about it,but remembering the positive things are even better!Its ok to have a whinge and a moan (who doesn't ) but for me I need to have a bit of caution and watch what I say.If I constantly complain (that being a negative thing),chances are negative things are going to happen,even if its that the person Ive been complaining too,getting fed up with it (and me!).
So for me that's where verse 2 and 4 come in.I think listening to God and His wisdom,and even if I just simplify it,where if I try and speak out of love as much as I can,that that will make a positive difference. Dont want to be a fool!

Verse 10,gosh in the last few weeks I have really learnt (not saying I'm righteous!) just how much of a strong tower God is in my life.I need to rely and lean on Him.It doesn't make life perfect,but it makes life easier knowing there is an Almighty being who is right next to me for me to lean on.I am so so SO glad that I serve a God who is there for me,and who somehow had all these things written down so I could try and have a happier,more peaceful life.So I could be a happier wife,mother,friend and relation.

Yup,thats what I got out of verse 18 :)

Last week one of my amazing friends told me she had this sitting in here garage!Asked how much she wanted,said $50...and this is what I got!

I am so incredibly stoked!!!!One of my aunties had an old sewing machine when I was little and I loved it!If I had the money I think I would buy all our furniture at an antique store :p It needs some tender love and care,but I love it! (and yes,for now it is partially a bookshelf :p I have too many books,and the machine doesnt work for now,so why not?!)

Proverbs 17

 verse 1 it says "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting and strife"

I read through the whole chapter and had far too many thoughts about them all,but going over it again,verse 1,for me,sums up the whole chapter.

Im not sure about the quiet part! (two pre-schoolers does not a 'quiet' house make!),but having peace in our home is so incredibly important!
But I reckon peace comes in different forms,I feel more at peace when Im listening to God and that involves so much!
Our home is full of peace when Steve and I are good in our relationship (amazing how much that one relationship can affect!),when we are both spending some time with God.All of that seems to go hand-in-hand though.If Im not feeling good in my relationship with God it affects my marriage,which affects the girls and means there isnt much peace.We arent perfect and there are definetly times where things arent hunky dorey,and Im not sure why I had neglected/forgotten the importance of not just my body or mind but my soul as well.That any one of those things affects the others just as much.

Something that Steve and I have placed a huge importance on is quality time with each other and as a family.Even before we had kids we knew it was important.For us it has meant I stay at home with the girls,partially so that I can get stuff done around the home,so when Steve is home we can spend time as a family (btw again not judging anyone else!This was our choice and each to their own).It means that the girls are getting a lot of positive attention instead of both Steve and I being tired by the end of the day and just wanting them in bed (though some nights I do still want that :p Kids are hard work ok?!).Hahaha we have literally lived the 'dry crust' instead of the 'feasting' ...Im not sure that any of this was Solomons intent when he wrote these things,but it is what I am getting out of them.This is how this verse particularly relates to me and my life.I really think our life would be a lot more stressful, full of "strife" if we didnt do these things.Gaaah not sure if Im making sense,but honestly these are my thoughts on it all!

So I guess,even just the word 'peace' made me remember again the importance of it!Just that one word!And what I need to do to have it in my life,and in my home.

(oh and again,the whole chapter is a reminder of being more Christ like,following God's wisdom and keeping my mouth shut!I think God knew how stubborn and thick headed humans could be and knew we would need to be constantly reminded of these things!)

I mentioned I wanted to try the 'clothesline' photo idea thing (yeah eloquent aye?!).

I got the ribbon and craft pegs for $8 from a $2 shop,and already had the pins.(you cant really see the ribbon as its white on white,so one day I will buy some colored stuff)

Excuse the messy side tables!Im really stoked with how it turned out,and I saved us $72 on frames! (though I will eventually put some in frames).I did the same in the lounge but am feeling a bit too lazy to take a photo and upload it and all that :p

Gotta love other peoples blogs and giving you great ideas!

What happened to my hair?

Just a quickie as,yikes,I have spent the last 2 hours on here!

Last night Sienna saw this photo and said to me "What happened to my hair?It looks like Daddys!"

I love this girl!And watching her grow and come out with gems like that are just so awesome!!!!!

Proverbs 16

Im caught up on the right chapter for the right day FINALLY!

I just want to say that I am loving reading Gods word again and trying to apply it to me and my life :) Its pretty awesome.

 verse 2 "All a mans ways seem innocent to him,but motives are weighed by the Lord"

What I got from this chapter was that God knows my heart.He knows my motives.He knows me.I doesnt seem like a lot to get out of a chapter of 33 verses,but this is what struck me the most.I know Im not perfect,and sometimes my motives are definitely not what they should be!

Something I need to work on,being a bit more pure of heart!Because even though others cant see inside my head,God can!

Proverbs 15

Skipped 14,it for me personally was going over things I have already thought.

In reading chapter 15 I found it reiterated what I had read in the previous 14 chapters.But thats good!Ive learnt (or rather been reminded) to listen to wise peoples advice,to keep my mouth shut sometimes!,to remember how important my marriage is,how much I love God and just how wise he is and how much I really do need to listen to that,for all of my body mind and soul to be healthy and happy!

I LOVE verse 13 "a happy heart makes the face cheerful,but heartache crushes the spirit".

 So friggin true!!!!For me I so often get stressed out over little things,I let other peoples problems get to me (there is empathy and then there is just madness!) and it literally reflect on my face!I am 25 and have wrinkles!Not cool lol.But yeah,I guess I need to give things back to God and move on and not have that yuck 'heavy' feeling in my spirit.I cant control what other people say and do and I need to stop letting it affect me so much!

Onwards and upwards from here!

Proverbs 13

Too many gems!!

But the one that stuck out for me is verse 3 "He who guards his lips guards his life,but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin".

I mentioned this before,but seriously,this is something I will probably have to work on my whole life!Steve and I have an understanding now (after 8 years together!),that if we are arguing and I walk away,dont follow me!Leave me be for a while.I will come back.But its something I learnt when I was in counselling when I was a teen (yes I was very screwed up!),that if I keep myself in a situation and get angrier and angrier,if I dont remove myself I will without a doubt say something hurtful and mean to the other person.It took me a while to figure this out.Even now there are times where I forget.But I figure it is far better for me to get away for a bit,or even hang up,then say something out of anger that will hurt someone and cause a bunch of issues that didnt need to be there!So for me,this is me guarding my lips.So for any family or friends that may read this,if I walk away or hang up the phone,it is me trying to be kind,not mean!It is me trying to do the right thing.I guess I have learnt enough about myself over the years to know this trait of mine!And to know its not one I like!!But I would rather zip my lips then hurt someone

Proverbs 12

verse 15 "The way of a fool seems right to him but a wise man listens to advice"

A big lesson Im learning through reading Proverbs so far is the massive comparison between being 'wise' and listening to wisdom and not being wise,and well choosing to be an ass.Verse 15 stuck out to me a lot!I don't often like advice,unless I've asked for it.If it is given without me asking you can bet I'm not going to like you for a while.But thats not wise is it?!I know,I need to be wise (theres that word again!) in who I listen too,who I let speak into my life.But its all a part of learning isnt it???Hope God understands that!I may not always listen,but I dont ignore intentionally.Lesson in this one is that I need to stop sometimes and listen to those 'wise' people in my life,and maybe I would learn a thing or two!

Proverbs 10 and 11

Im combining these two chapters as there is so much in them!
But for me the gist of it all is,if you listen to God,try your hardest to do what is right then you'll be blessed and prosper.If you choose to ignore God then things will get pretty hard for you!

Proverbs 9

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" verse 10

Right so fear of God is pretty understandable,Im not afraid of God,but I respect Him.He created the whole world for goodness sake!I think Im pretty right in thinking I need to show God respect.Not that I think He is going to 'smote' me or something if I dont,but I think if I follow Him and try my hardest to live a life that He would want me to that that is listening to some of his wisdom.I mean hes the oldest being around right?I listen to my Nan because shes older and has lived life and has 'pearls of wisdom' to pass on to me,so why would I ignore God??

Since leaving church I have spent a lot of time figuring out who God is outside of all the religious stuff.To me,God is an awesome powerful being,a being who loved me so much that he gave up his son for me so that essentially I could spend eternity with Him.He is a God who knows me better then I know myself,He is a God who loves unconditionally and beyond my understanding.So why wouldnt I listen to His wisdom?I listen to my Mum and Nan,I listen to my husband,and they all love me unconditionally,so I am dang straight going to listen to God!Not that I think Im wise,but I think thats a pretty smart thing to try and do!

Proverbs 8

"for wisdom is more precious than rubies,and nothing you desire can compare with her" verse 11.
"blessed is the man who listens to me,watching daily at my doors,waiting at my doorway.For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord" verses 34-35

Ive said this before,but for a few years now,I haven't picked up my bible,I haven't spent time studying it,listening to it,nothing.And here I am now,amazed at how much wisdom there is in this book!Bit silly huh?!I know this chapter is 'wisdom talking',and Im not quite sure what I can get out of this for me.As in,I question,is that God talking in this chapter?For me I had so often in the past heard the word preached and it be twisted into what some 'man' thought about (women too btw) it all,that I now question,was this God talking to Solomon and Solomon writing it down and saying it was 'wisdom's voice' ?Silly things like that.Either way,I know the God I serve is wise,and I know I should listen to Him far more than I do.Maybe if I listened a little more,life would get a little easier?
Lesson-listen to God more!I dont think life will ever be easy,but maybe if I listened a bit more,the way I handle things would be a bit easier?

Proverbs 7

I read this chapter and at first thought "my goodness,another chapter about steering clear of 'the adulteress 'But after thinking about it,what matters to me most in my life,are my children and my husband.I think its good for me to be constantly reminded (and it seems to be constant at the moment,seriously so many blogs I read are having posts about marriage) that I need to invest in my marriage,to try and make sure this doesn't happen.

It really did scar me my parents separating and then divorcing. I hated that my Dad had another partner that wasn't my mum and I was determined I wouldn't be one of those statistics.And yes I fully understand that we got married young (18 and 20) and we have only been married for 7 years,but I don't think that matters.I am so determined to make this marriage last,and I know that I need to be putting a lot more effort into it! (hard with kids aye,they are an excellent birth control and romance killer :p ).

I think instead of me sighing and thinking 'not another chapter about adultery' I need to see it as God reminding me of whats important in life and that I need to make an effort.

Proverbs 6

From verse 1-19 it seems like a lesson in not being lazy!
Verse 16-19 "There are six thing 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 to evil,
a false witness who pours out lies,
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers"

It all makes me want to be 'christ-like' to love others as I love myself and to love God with all my mind heart and soul.And to be super honest,with some of the stuff Ive had going on lately I have wanted to fight back and be nasty and horrible,but I have managed to stop and think (cliche coming) 'what would Jesus do?'.haha that whole thing came out when I was 12 I think,but honestly it is something that has actually stuck with me.I am a christian,and being a christian means I am a follower of Christ and want to aim to be like him.And that really means 'turning the other cheek','loving others' and following the above verses.I think especially as a woman (I mean what woman doesnt like to talk and gossip?) I dont want to be that woman who 'stirs up dissension among brothers'.A perfect reminder to keep my mouth shut sometimes or change the subject.If what I have to say isnt encouraging or 'edifying' (yes,I did used to go to church and still remember those words!) then I probably shouldnt say it.If I wouldnt say it in front of the person then I need to shut my mouth!

I dont know if this was the aim of this chapter,but its what I got out of it!

Proverbs 5

Gosh!!!Ive addressed the whole adultery thing in another post,how I feel about it and a few things Steve and I do to prevent it.Just a reminder really to stay vigilant.To put my marriage first.I read something the other day in another blog http://themomdiggity.com/ where she said "Your marriage comes first" and "I could talk on this subject forever, but I will save that for another day. I just want to encourage you to pour into your man. Remember that HE is the reason you have those kids and when they move out, he will still be there.

Do not neglect that marriage!!!"

And its so true!I love that the bible has these reminders.

Another thing that stood out to me in this chapter was verse 12 "You will say "How I hated discipline!How my heart spurned correction". There have been so many times in my life (that makes me sound old!Im not,Im 25 but have had a lot of living in those years is all!),where I have hated being corrected,whether it was by my parents,friends,leaders,whoever!Im not very good at it to be honest.Im trying though,trying when someone says "blah blah blah" to me about whichever situation they are talking about,I now try to step back think about what has been said,evaluate myself and see whether I think I need to take it on board (and pray about it too of course).I dont want to be the old 'man' mentioned in this chapter,I would far prefer to listen and even though it is sometimes painful,change and live a life without regrets!

(not sure any of this makes sense!But I dont think many,if any,people read this blog so for now it is my place to vent haha)

Proverbs 4

I dont have a whole heap to say about this chapter.To be honest reading verse 1 "Listen my sons to a fathers instructions" put me on edge a bit to begin with.
Ive mentioned I dont have a good relationship with my Dad and its hard to imagine him giving me this kind of advice (to be fair I probably dont give him a chance to advice me on much of anything!Have been stubborn and headstrong from day dot I think).
But ya know,the bible so often says that its important to listen to our parents.This is something I need to work on....Guess thats what I got out of this chapter!lol nothing very spiritual...But how do I do that now Im an adult?I obviously dont live at home,I have a family of my own now.Is it more about heeding their advice?In which case I know for sure that I listen to my mum frequently,I mean the woman raised me and I was a handful!!
As I said,I didnt glean anything life changing or super spiritual from this,other then a reminder to remember that my parents are quite wise and to maybe listen to them a little more?

Proverbs 3

Wow,this chapter has so much in it!In my bible this whole chapter has actually been highlighted in bright green!

I think what I got out of this chapter the most,and what I think can relate to my life the most is from verses 5-8
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.Do not be wise in your own eyes,fear the Lord and shun evil.This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones"
It never ceases to amaze me how spending time with God,how having a good relationship with him benefits you mind,body AND soul!There have been times where I have neglected my spiritual side of my body and it has manifested (not like possessed,two different things lol) in my body and mind,Ive been unhappy and that affects my body in different ways.
Again, I've had to (and still am learning) learn to trust God,to know that he has good things in mind for me,and even when s#@t happens,its just a way of hopefully making me a better person.Its always nice to know though,especially in tough times that we dont have to 'lean' on our own understanding of things but can rest in and trust that God has our back!

-lesson,trust God more!Its good for me

I'll admit it...Im a blog stalker!I love love love other peoples blogs!!!I love that even though I dont get out alot at home I still have a way of connecting with other women,its fantastic!

Now we got the WHOLE set of family photos printed,and they finally arrived!Since we dont have the $ to buy a gazillion photo frames,I thought I would try this idea

Now I am super sorry,but Im not sure how to go about acknowledging who did this orginally (like Ive said in the past,me=tech challenged!).But I found it on this blog http://adayinthelifeofamomandawife.blogspot.co.nz/

Cant wait to try it out!

Family Photos :)

In late August the amazing Sarah Tafuna took some family photos for us.Honetly,such a blessing!(I normally hate photos of myself but LOVE these!)

 Sisterly love huh?!

 It took a lot to get Steve comfortable,and he really wasnt here!Love this photo though

 Isabella found Sarah hilarious!Love how it shows her so happy!

 I love this one of Sienna!!!

 My Mum when she saw this said "ohhhh kissy kissy" haha yeah!I love him

 Sarah was offering them tiny marshmellows I think :)

 Our beautiful girls :)

hehe I guess not a classic family shot,but it sure shows how life can be in our house!

I love these photos so much!!!We have never ever had professional photos taken as a family,and am so happy Sarah did them for us!

Blessed much?!

Proverbs 2

A lot of this chapter funnily,was kind of confirming what I had been thinking in chapter 1.That listening to Gods wisdom is a friggin good thing to do!Can save so much heartache.
Its something I need to do a lot more of,I haven't read my bible in well over a year.In fact I couldn't find my bible that I wanted! (we have 12 in this house including the lost one!Thankfully there was my other one on the shelf).So much from Gods word could help me out in my daily life,yet I've chosen to not read it...not very wise aye!At least Im trying now :)
I love that there is this wisdom,this knowledge that helps us out in life.LOVE that I serve a God who loves me unconditionally (bible reading or no!).
At the moment I read verse 16-19,about saving you from the seductress (this was written for Solomon right?).Steve and I have so many friends at the moment whose relationships are splitting up,over infidelity and it sucks!I asked my brother the other night why it is that Steve and I are so different,why we have managed to stay together and they haven't (so NOT judging here!!!Really really not).But for us from day 1,I made it very clear what parts of Steve's anatomy would be hurt if he cheated on me,and was extremely honest that I wasn't getting into a relationship for giggles,that it was for marriage and if he didn't want to marry me and be with me for the rest of our lives then he needed to go elsewhere!lol nice of me huh?Luckily he felt the same way.(in a way,my Mum and Dad divorcing made my stance on this very clear at a very young age).But I guess what I'm trying to say is that,what I learnt from Mum and Dads marriage failing has actually helped Steve and I,I gleaned some wisdom from their mistakes.What not to do!
I have my years in leadership to thank though as well,the wisdom that was imparted to us back then has actually stuck with us as adults.Steve and I don't spend time with members of the opposite sex alone (other than family),we both know where each other are constantly,a question we have always asked each other is "what are you thinking?",it doesn't matter how stupid our thoughts may be we share the,.Sometimes they are deep,sometimes its a "I was thinking about how I need to go to the bathroom",either way,kept communication open!
Again each to their own,these are just my thoughts on this chapter! (if I have offended anyone,I am so sorry!).But chapter 2 has made me really want to teach our girls about listening to God,because c'mon Hes by far the wisest being ever!
How I can apply this to my life,today-I guess just listening to that voice,not ignoring it,trusting it and knowing that its my Father trying to impart some wisdom!

Proverbs 1

For me this chapter really resonated with me at the moment.I think what I got out of it,is the whole choosing the right path,making wise choices instead of letting us be influenced by others.I don't like to call other people sinners (you know taking the log out of my own eye first thing),but I have really noticed that I need to be careful how much I let 'non-believers' influence me and my choices. I'm not saying that people who don't believe the same as me are bad or anything,far from it!But for me,I constantly have my conscience (what I actually think is God/the Holy Spirit reminding me) letting me know loud and clear if I'm doing something I'm not supposed to be!And a lot of that has to do with how I was brought up,the morals and ethics that I personally hold.
In verse 8-9 it says "Listen my son, to your fathers instruction and do not forsake your mothers teaching.They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck"...I don't have a great relationship with my Dad,he left when I was 10 and wasn't very active in my life.We have only just started communicating (after 16 years!),but there are numerous things he taught me,to work hard,give the shirt off your back if someone else is in need of it.My Mum,even though we have our differences,I adore her.She is so much a part of the reason I gave my heart to God.She would read me bible stories and really imparted in me a love for God,and especially to always listen to God,to that small (though sometimes loud!) voice.She taught me that speaking the truth is always the best thing to do,even though the consequences are sometimes hard.I dont know,so much of what she taught me is just ingrained in me now!
I really do believe though in reading about Wisdom calling out in the streets (verse 20-33),that a lot of that wisdom I am only just learning to listen to now.I chose to ignore a lot of it as a teen and young adult and had to go through what I did and learn from my mistakes.
But then again,wisdom comes with age doesnt it?!!

Faith

haha after that post,I decided I need to do something positive. (and sorry the last few posts havent been happy!Seasons in life huh?!)

I dont often mention my faith on here,but Im going to now.Now I really am a firm believer in,each to their own.If someone believes differently to me,that is their right and who I am to say that what they believe in is wrong?!You get what I mean?I as a teen was super judgmental of anyone who believed differently,heck even if you were a different denomination of christian I thought you were wrong!Not cool at all.I got to know what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that treatment.
A bit of background here,but I grew up in a christian home and went to mainly Baptist churches as a kid.I gave my heart to God when I was very young.Was super involved in church,at 12 was a kids church leader,at 14 a youth group leader,at 15 created and led the youth drama team,was the leader of the intermediates for a little bit.Like I said super involved.
When Steve and I got married we decided to take a year off leadership to focus on our marriage.It didnt go down well with anyone in the church.We had people ask 'when are you coming back to serving God?",which still makes me laugh,I've always served God!We became outcasts in the church,people we thought were our friends wouldnt talk to us anymore.To be honest we moved church because we wanted some more in-depth teaching,it at the time was nothing to do with leadership.That happened when we tried to talk to our leaders,and explain why we were leaving and to thank them for everything that had done for us...yeah we got a phone call saying good-bye,and that was after years of being in that church giving up so much time for them!That and some other treatment by the same people,over the years has been why I haven't been keen on getting back into organised religion.
But (this is what I was getting at in this post haha,just took me a while ;p ),I still and always have loved God with my whole mind and heart and soul!100%!I believe that Jesus was the Son of God and died to save me from my sins.God and our faith is a daily part of our lives,our marriage,our family.We have been through some tough times and I have always loved knowing that their is a higher being who loves me,knows me and is looking out for me.I just don't believe anymore that my relationship with God has to go hand in hand with going to church.This is just MY beliefs,like I said each to their own.
But lately I have been wanting some fellowship with other Christians. I want our girls to experience Sunday school,like Steve and I did.We are thinking about finding a church,but we'll see.I have a mini panic attack about the thought of going through all that stuff again! I'm hoping because I'm an adult now,have had a lot of life experience behind me that I could stick up for myself and stand firm in my beliefs and not just believe something because a person behind a pulpit tells me what to believe.
So in saying this,I got in touch with a awesome old friend.She is a youth pastor now,along with her lovely hubby,and told me how her and a group of girls are going through a chapter of Proverbs every day this month (31 days,31 chapters).I have 9 chapters to catch up on haha. But I thought I would post on here as I go through each chapter.The objective is too read each chapter and apply what I've learnt in that chapter to my life :D Sounds like fun to me!
Baby steps right?!
xx

Sorry,totally edited this post!I dont want to be causing any un-necessary drama!Stupid technology and me not knowing how to limit who can read a post :p

But can I ask,who else finds their 4 and 3 year olds hard sometimes?What mum doesnt have a whinge about their kids attitudes????Dont think Im alone in that!!