90 day bible study

I am very excited to start the (revised) 90 Day Bible Study with the SAHM group in Daphne! I am a long-distance member, but I am still very much anticipating it! I know some of you are members, too. If not, I would encourage you to take the challenge. We are going to read the Bible through in 18 weeks (only reading 5 days instead of 7 days a week). It is quite a challenge for moms, but one that I know we can all accomplish if we really want to.
I am ashamed to say, that at almost 28 years old, I have never read the Bible all the way through. I have read many different parts and had lots of Bible studies, but I really want to be able to say I read the Bible from cover to cover.
My dad preached a sermon yesterday morning that really made me want to do this even more. The title of the sermon was "Growing and Multiplying the Word in 2011". The text was Acts 12:24, which simply says (NKJV) "But the Word of God grew and multiplied." I also like the NLT which says "But God's Good News was spreading rapidly, and there were many new believers." There are 5 ways for us to grow and multiply the Word: hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate.
My dad told the story of a man who read his Bible cover to cover 35 times before he died! What a testimony! I will be happy to have read it through 1 time, but 35 times is such an inspiration to me! I really want to grow spiritually and spend more time in the Word this year, and this is a great way to do just that. I want to be a Godly woman that people look up to. I want to be a good example of a Christian mother for my children. I want my children to see me feasting on the Word of God and want to do the same!
I encourage all who read this to spend time in God's word this year! Make time every day to spend with Him. He certainly deserves that (and so much more). If you are not part of the SAHM group and want to be (you do not actually have to be a SAH mom; it is open to anyone who wants to join) let me know and I can add you to the facebook group and give you the link to the study. Revelation 1:3 "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

   Ben and I made a commitment to try to go the whole month of Jan. without eating out. Two exceptions are our anniversary and my birthday. So far, it has been 6 days and I think we are doing pretty good! For us, 6 days is a long time to go without eating out a single meal. This includes buying drinks & snacks from the gas station. Weekends have always been hardest for us. We can easily eat out 5 times in a 2 and a half day period. At around $20 each meal (for all of us), that is a  big chunk of our money going to eat JUNK! So today we had our first real challenge. Carlie had her first basketball game (she is cheering) at 11am. So when we were done at 12 her friends wanted to go out to eat and, of course, invited us to go. We were starving and they were going to eat mexican!! However, we accepted the challenge...and overcame it! I am proud to say Carlie went with her friends to eat and Ben, Colden, and I came home and made lunch here!! We are not perfect; we did run by the grocery store and get a 2 liter drink to make up for it. But this was a HUGE step for us in a really good direction!! Spending $2 for a drink instead of $25 on mexican is great for us! I am proud of our accomplishment so far and just wanted to share!

New Year Resolutions

     So the new year always brings many resolutions for people. Lose weight, read the Bible more, get healthy, exercise more, save money, spend more time with the family, pay off bills, etc, etc, etc. Normally i do not set any resolutions for myself, because they so easily fall to the wayside after a month or two! This year, however, i have said there are a few things i want to be better in my life and to make me a better person. They are actually pretty typical. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. get back on my healthy track(eat better & exercise more)
2. read my Bible more
3. save money(mainly on groceries & eating out)
4. be a better housewife(clean, cook, etc.)
     So why do we make resolutions?? I mean, we have good intentions, but most people (me included) have no follow through. I was just wondering why it goes so well for a few weeks or a month, and then we just seem to forget?Why can't i make a plan and stick to it? I mean, it shouldnt be that hard to get 30 mins of Bible reading and 30 mins of exercise in, right?? But, to me, it seems almost impossible!
     Ben & I made a bet that we could not go the whole month of Jan without eating out; this means no fast food, restaurants, gas station snacks, drinks from vending machines! So far, neither of us have faltered, which is a big step for us. We usually eat out 3-4 times a week, so this is a very big deal for us! Hopefully, this will help us to save money on our food bills and allow us to save up for some new things we need/want around the house. We have a wish list made that we are going to start on if and when we see the savings results.
     I have really strived to keep the house clean since the week of Christmas. I have done pretty good so far. I have kept dishes washed, toys straightened, floors vaccumed, swept, & mopped-i have to do these chores daily to keep up with it all. I have made sure the bathrooms are clean & tried to even dust a few times! My problem is that laundry is my worst enemy! I HATE laundry! folding, ironing, & putting away are like medieval torture for me! I'm not sure why either. when i think about it, it doesnt seem like a big deal. but when time comes to actually do the task, i just always put it off. it has come to where i just throw them in my bedroom and close the door. at night we just shove them from the bed to a basket and keep adding to the pile! i'm embarrased to admit that, but i need help! does anyone have tips on how they keep it all going??
     The little extra projects always get me down too. like cleaning closets and cabinets. i mean, its all i can do to keep dishes washed and toys picked up much less add on extras!! they always depress me. so i either walk away and leave it, or start and give up midway.
     So this was very random. sorry to anyone who is reading. i dont know where i was going with this. just rambling, as always. my mind moves in a million different directions every minute, so this is a dose of that! good night!

     So 2010 has come and gone and 2011 is here! I cannot believe how fast the year went by! 2010 was a great year for our family, as we added 2 new additions to our family: our 3rd child, Cadie, and our kitten, Cinnamon. It was a busy year, as most are around here, and i am sure 2011 will be no different. I love my crazy, hectic life. Some people may think i am crazy, but i just can't get enough!
     Carlie is still in baton class, which is once a week with a private lesson also. She is getting ready to go to her 1st competition in February. We are really excited about this (me more than her!). We are having a costume made that is going to be tye-dye and peace sign and super cute. We will be in Fairhope the last weekend in Feb, along with several other girls in her group, for the competition. She is also cheering for upward basketball. Her first game will be Saturday morning, and she is excited because she has never cheered, and she is on team with several of her best friends.
     In the spring we plan on having Colden involved in some sport (hopefully soccer), and Carlie will also play soccer. They both love soccer very much!
     Combine this with school, preschool, church, homework, playdates, family time, etc, etc and you can imagine that we keep a busy, tight schedule around this house! I have also decided that i am going to try to make a little money(since i am a SAHM) by doing some babysitting part-time.
     I am ready for the year ahead. I have made some resolutions that I am ready to make happen! So Happy New Year everyone!