Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Gratituesday: Gardening Season Begins

by 39 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I know it doesn’t look like it yet, but there will soon be lettuce and spinach in this garden plot you see here…

Talk about exciting! I didn’t even know Matt was planning to get started on our garden until he already had this space dug up and some seeds planted. With the weather being unseasonably warm for days on end, we are starting a little earlier this year.

We’ve begun making plans for the rest of our garden. Matt even found some asparagus to plant, which will be a fun new addition this year. Now we just have to work on not getting too hungry for the fresh produce while we wait for it to grow!

I’m so thankful that we have space to plant a garden – and that we were able to get started with our growing season already. Bring on the fresh salads!

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

 

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: All Ribs in Alignment

by 53 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

It began last Thursday afternoon.

I was doing a good deal of extra cooking that day, and as the hours ticked by, I began to feel more and more tightness in my right shoulder. This was strange, as typically, stirring and pouring are pain free experiences for me. (That’s a good thing, otherwise my family may never have food to eat!)

By that evening my right shoulder was tied up in a big, huge knot. We likened it to a large potato in my shoulder. I know – we’re weird. But that’s what it felt like. Gradually, the pain started shooting down toward my back bone – or was it actually shooting from my backbone up to my shoulder? By Friday, I really wasn’t sure. All I knew was that everytime I took a deep breath, it hurt. And I couldn’t really figure out where the pain was coming from any more.

I kept thinking that the pain would eventually just go away. Matt worked on my muscles, trying to ease the soreness. A friend worked on me, trying to release the knots. Saturday, I felt quite miserable and had a very hard time not being grumpy. Ice seemed to help, as there was definitely quite a bit of inflamation. But Saturday night, I hardly slept because I was hurting so badly.

Sunday, I finally decided that something needed to be done. (Yes, I know – it did take me too long to figure this out. I guess I just thought it would eventually all go away, you know?)

I called on my wonderful friend who is a massage therapist, just on the off chance that she might be able to work on my pitiful self that afternoon. Joy upon joy, she was available right when I called. I went over, explained my situation, and she said, “It sounds like you’ve got a rib out of place.”

Hmm, well that made sense. After just a few minutes, she discovered that I had not one, but two ribs out. Well, no wonder I’d been hurting so badly with every breath I took.

She worked her magic (which is absolutely a gift from God) and by the time she was done with me – I could tell a big difference! I was still sore, but I’ll take sore any day over sharp shooting misery.

By today, I am feeling much, much better. In fact, I was able to go on a long walk this afternoon and felt great afterward!

I’m so thankful to be feeling better and to be on my way toward healing. What a blessing to have a friend with such a gift, and that she was willing and able to use her gift to help me.

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

What Gratituesday Is All About (and how I plan to keep the focus on gratitude)

by 81 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I began writing Gratituesday posts when my blog was just a baby – I believe back in January of 2008. I loved the idea of focusing one post each week on God’s work in my life – plus it helped keep my thoughts focused on what I was thankful for.

gratituesday21.jpg

A few months after I began writing my own Gratituesday posts, I opened it up for my readers to also participate in this weekly blog post theme. I added a “Mr. Linky” so that other bloggers could write a Gratituesday post and then link up here. Over time, more and more people began joining in, and soon, we were able to click over and read many Gratituesday blog posts which shared about God’s provision and care. I found it to be inspiring, and a huge dose of God-focused encouragement every Tuesday.

Hey, guess what? I still do. I LOVE reading your Gratituesday posts.

Except for when they aren’t really Gratituesday posts.

I have to say that I can find it a bit discouraging to click on your Gratituesday link and instead of reading about what God is doing for you and your family, I find a tip about how to clean purple sharpie marker ink out of my carpet. As wonderful as it would be to learn this information, this does nothing for my spiritual walk. Nor do your recipe tips or your ideas for decorating on a budget. Again, these are some great posts and wonderful tips, they just don’t really fit with the Gratituesday theme.

Somehow over the course of four years of Gratituesday linking, gratitude got lost. Don’t get me wrong – many of your posts do share what God is doing in your life. Many of you are writing specific posts about what you are grateful for – keep it up!! I love it!

gratituesdayspring

But I’m finding it hard to find the grateful posts among all the posts that tell me how to organize my sock drawer.

I feel yucky writing this post today. I’m not trying to be the mean neighborhood lady who stands on her porch grouching at the kids who are just trying to have fun. I’ve not cracked down on this earlier because I don’t like to be the bad guy. Plus, enforcing that Gratituesday posts remain Gratituesday posts will take a lot of time that I really do not have each week. Do I really want to go in and analyze each post and then decide whether or not to go delete it? No ma’am. I sure don’t.

But enough already of the “how to avoid getting gassy when you eat a lot of beans” posts when Gratituesday is really about giving praise to our Father. (And for the record, I’m making up these non-Gratituesday related blog topics as I go. I don’t specifically remember anyone posting about gas or sock drawers or sharpie markers – just in case you did and you think I’m picking on you.)

The thought has occurred to my husband and me that it might be fun to add some sort of “Heavenly Homemaking Helpful Hints” link-up once a month, so that those of you who do want to link these other wonderful posts full of helpful hints have that opportunity here on our site. We’d love for you to share these homemaking type posts, when it is appropriate, and if we host a link-up for that purpose. What are your thoughts on us adding this feature to our site?? We’d appreciate your feedback on this.

In the meantime, I’m asking you to please join me in keeping the gratitude to God in Gratituesday. Write and share about what you are grateful for. And please thoughtfully link back to my blog on your post, saying something like Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers! – because that’s the kind bloggy thing to do when you link up with someone.

If I feel that a post is not in line with the Gratituesday theme that I know my readers are looking for, I will delete the link. I won’t enjoy myself, but I feel that I owe this to my readers. I’d be ever so, well…grateful…if you’d make this deleting job easier and not give me anything to delete. Simply write and link up a post about what God is doing in your life and we’re all good to go! Because I know that God is working all the time in all of our lives, I’m very sure you can think of something each week to share! And as always, for those of you who don’t have blogs, please continue to share what you are grateful for each Gratituesday in the comments section.

So there you go. Can we still be friends? I’ve been needing to, but not wanting to write this post for several months now. I love and appreciate you all and would like to hear your thoughts on this subject, and on the idea of beginning a new monthly feature/link-up allowing us to share homemaking tips.

Okay. Your thoughts? Questions?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Moms Vs. Girls

by 26 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

As our home school basketball season came to an end, we celebrated last Friday with an awards night with players and their families. It was wonderful night filled with recognition of players’ accomplishments, an ice cream social, a highlights video, and oh yes – basketball games.

But not the regular basketball games we’d been watching our kids play all season. Nope, this time, the siblings and parents got to be involved. There was a short game for all younger siblings to play against each other. Then dads and sons played a game against each other – and moms and daughters played a game against each other.

Most of the moms weren’t too excited to get out there and play, but many of them did it anyway. I can’t tell you how much fun it was – even if I was about to pass out after the first half. (I was having so much fun that I sort of forgot to pace myself…)

I’d like to offer my heartfelt apologies that I have no pictures to share of the event. Okay, sorry – that’s a lie. Even if I did have pictures, I’m very sure I would not be sharing them with you here. Having documentation of me out on the court might scare you away permanently from ever coming back to my blog.

All the gals were great sports about this and guess what?! The moms won!! (Okay, okay – they gave us a 10 point lead going into the game. But stillllll.)

I’m grateful for a super fun night celebrating with our teenagers. And I’ve got to say – I’m thankful I could still walk the next day. ;)

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: The Great Outdoors

by 38 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

We have been experiencing some unusually wonderful weather lately in Nebraska.I don’t ever remember a winter this nice, nor do I ever remember experiencing such great spring like weather during the month of March. Recently, while our family should all be in the house cleaning and working on home improvement projects, we’ve instead been outside playing Air Soft and shooting hoops. Not only have we not been cleaning, we’ve been tracking in all kinds of extra dirt and leaves. It’s lovely – and it’s all over the house.

The boys have been asking for popsicles and have been hoping to soon turn the sprinkler on under the trampoline. I think it is a little early to be thinking about both of these, but hey, it never hurts to ask, right? While I can’t accommodate them on the sprinkler, sure, I can make popsicles. Why not? After all, I did ask my husband to grill steak the other night when it was a warm fifty degrees outside. Of course he was happy to oblige.

Over the weekend, I was able to go out and play a couple rounds of HORSE with my boys. Then because it was so lovely outside, and I couldn’t stand the thought of going back in to face the dirt and leaves (which were by that time joining forces to plan a party in every corner of my house), I stayed out even longer to continue to shoot baskets for another half hour with my teenager – just he and I. It just doesn’t get any better than that. And, you should be impressed to know that I got my hair caught in the nearby gangly weeds only twice while retrieving my ball. Not too bad, eh?

My personal trainer (aka, awesome friend Jen) and I have been able to take long walks outside for our work-outs lately. Walking outside in the sunshine for miles instead of walking lap after lap after lap (after lap, after lap…) on the indoor track – there is no comparison. There is just something about the sun and mild weather that is invigorating, making us want to stay out longer and work harder. It probably helps that the bugs aren’t out in full force yet. Seeing several centipedes on the sidewalk is almost endearing, as opposed to breathing in and having twelve gnats threaten to fly into your mouth and down your throat. Yes, this kind of weather totally works for me.

Now, I am Nebraskan enough to realize that this kind of gorgeous weather may soon be blown right down south while a freezing cold northern wind blows sheets of ice right down my pitiful and frigid neck – any day now probably. But as long as the sun is shining and providing ideal moments to spend outside with the people I love – I’ll be abandoning the vacuum and dishwater to catch some Vitamin D and to make some memories.

What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Partners in Ministry

by 26 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Matt and I are blessed to be a part of several ministries with our local church family. We are thankful that our health and time all allow for this, and that we have been able to follow God’s leading in serving Him where He has called us.

Tonight, we were invited to a special “dessert appreciation night” for one of the ministries we are involved with. The chocolate and peanut butter were incredible of course, but more importantly, we felt so encouraged by the fellowship and so blessed to be a part of a group of people who care about our church body and seek to make a positive difference.

In addition, Matt and I were reflecting on our “High School Huddle Team”. We love having around 25 teens in our home each Sunday, but the weekly event would not be what it is if we were doing it on our own. We’d be completely worn out, we’d likely face a fast burn out, and the teens would certainly get sick of us. ;)  However, each Sunday night, we have a team of nine adults that join the teens. This group of adults is a huge help, and we’ve loved forming better relationships with all of them.

Serving side by side with many godly people is a gift. We are so thankful to be a part of these ministry teams.

What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: More Than Enough

by 35 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I have a funny habit when it comes to enjoying my music. When I find a song that I really like, I sit at my computer and listen to it over and over and over. I mean, like obsessively. I can’t necessarily get any worthy writing done while I’ve got music cranked up at my computer, but I can answer emails, organize blogging schedules, or pay bills while I listen and sing.

Let’s just pause right here to (let me get on my soap box and) note that I think real worship happens on a Sunday morning while at church, and while you’re sitting in your sweaty work-out clothes at your computer on any day of the week. I love both and feel that both are necessary. Life is worship. Sweaty work-out clothes are optional. ;)

My most recent song obsession is More Than Enough, by Newsboys. One of our boys got the CD for Christmas, and we’ve been listening to it often in the van. I love Newsboys. This song – it’s an incredible worship song. I could go on and on, but the song speaks for itself. Play the song and join me in worshiping the God who is more than enough.

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!
If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

 

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: The Basketball Trip

by 34 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Our family loves supporting our hometown York College athletics. As YC alum, we have a huge heart for the students and are so thankful to be right here in town, able to be a part of the lives of so many young people.

Last weekend, I was privileged to go on a trip to Branson with our ladies basketball team. They played two tough games – the final games of the season. I am so thankful that it worked out for me to join them. I love cheering the ladies on as they play, and have appreciated the opportunity to be an encouragement to them off the court as well.

You know the best part about taking a long road trip with a big group of people? Developing relationships. We had some great visits – and oh yes – we did have some big laughs. :)  Ever been to Lambert’s? Fried okra and “throwed rolls” in abundance! And oh yes, I did catch a roll or two. (FYI, when offered margarine at a restaurant, if you ask for real butter, they will typically bring some to you. Couldn’t have a Lambert’s roll without real butter now, could I?)

Here I am with the head coach and one of our senior players. Love these gals!


I am so thankful that Matt and the boys were able to hold down the fort while I was gone, and even more thankful for the hugs and kisses I received when I walked in the door when we arrived home. I am also very thankful that I was able to go along and support the team.

And now…to get all caught up on sleep and laundry. ;)

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Basketball Season

by 41 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

While we typically claim to be a soccer family, we’re loving basketball season right now too. From going to York College games to going to our oldest son Asa’s games – we’re sitting on many a bleacher these days. We love every minute of it and really appreciate that Asa (14) is a part of a wonderful homeschool basketball team. The friendships he has made by being a part of this group have been priceless.

Last week was “Parent Appreciation Night” during our Falcon home game. A friend of ours got some great pictures that night, so I thought it would be fun to show you my fun, smart, and sometimes goofy teenager.

Asa presented me with flowers during the Parent Appreciation part of the assembly. Don’t ask me what we were having a conversation about here. Yes, he and I often like to talk smack. ;)

Here, he decided to continue the goofiness, even though we were trying to get a nice picture…

Okay, finally. He decided to stop being silly. I love having fun with my teen. And yes, he has grown since I last posted pictures of him and yes, he is now several inches taller than I am.

Here he is later during the game, going up for a shot. I believe that one didn’t go in, but shucks, let’s just not talk about that and pretend that it did.

I’m thankful for basketball season. I’m thankful that my son has this opportunity to be a part of a great team of Christian boys. And I’m super thankful for the relationship I have with my teenager. What a gift.

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: New Shoes

by 44 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

It’s borderline ridiculous that I am gushing over and dedicating my Gratituesday post to my (fantastic, awesome, super comfortable) new running shoes, but here goes anyway.

You know how I started exercising? I’m really starting to love it and crave it. All has been going great and I feel like my friend and I are making great progress in our exercise routine. But my feet have been killing me. I’ve never spent much money on my shoes and never have felt the need to do so until now. However, Matt and I decided that since I’m serious about this exercise thing, good shoes are a necessity.

I must have tried on at least twenty pairs of shoes. I lost track of how many stores we checked out. None of the shoes I tried were comfortable – not even the more expensive pairs. I thought it may be because my feet were blistered and sore. I had just about decided that maybe truly comfortable shoes were out of the question and that I’d just need to settle on a pair and go home. I was almost at the point of not even caring about the price of the shoes, so long as I could find one that half way sort of worked for me. And I was definitely beyond caring about the color of the shoe. Bring on the neon orange with purple stripes for all I cared, as long as they were comfortable.

Finally, I put my feet into these:

If I could have done a happy dance without embarrassing myself and knocking over the display of athletic socks, I would have. True comfort – on my feet. Really, it was possible. And could it be that the shoes were on sale, making the cost actually below my target price? Sure enough. And joy upon joy, they weren’t hot pink with green and yellow stripes.

I haven’t taken them off since last Tuesday (except to sleep – I think). I love these shoes. They are incredibly comfortable and have made exercising so much more enjoyable.

I know there are more important things in life, but today, I sure am thankful for my new shoes. Comfortable feet rock. :)

Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!