simple hit counter

Two more chances for a free copy of Passionate Housewives

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

Jennifer of Noble Womanhood has graciously offered to give away another copy of Passionate Housewives. Just leave a comment here to enter the drawing, and I will choose a winner.

And (will the giveaways never end?) she is also hosting a giveaway for the same book over at Noble Womanhood. I have to admit that her giveaway is better than mine. Every entrant receives a free copy of her e-booklet, Noble Womanhood: A Collection of Quotes.

Enter Jennifer’s giveaway before midnight, April 4.

Enter mine before I choose a winner. Are you wondering when that is? So am I. Procrastinate at your own risk.

Procratinators, your time is up.  Comments are now closed and the winner is Mrs. Bowen!

I need your help because my feet were big enough already

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

I need some input, ladies.  I imagine my collective readers have been pregnant quite a few times and surely some of you have an idea of what causes swollen feet.

Late this afternoon I realized my sandals kept popping off my feet and each time it happened I was having more trouble slipping them back on.   i finally looked down and realized my feet were visibly swollen.

My first thought was, “Gross!  They were big enough already.  I hope nobody looks.”

My second thought was, “Why?”

So here are a few clues:

  • Yesterday and today I didn’t eat more than usual, but I did eat a lot more sugar than usual.
  • I don’t eat a whole lot of salt.
  • I didn’t eat any particularly processed foods.
  • I didn’t eat at any restaurants.
  • I was sitting a lot, but probably not much more than at home.  The chair was considerably less comfortable, with less “fidget room.”
  • I did get up every little while and run up and down stairs.
  • I am now around 27 weeks pregnant.
  • I have only had swelling like this with one other pregnancy, and it was much closer to the end.
  • My left foot was far more swollen than my right.  I am left handed.  Is there a connection?  Probably not, but who am I to say?  I don’t want to withhold information.

I’m sure you would love to see pictures, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.  I don’t want to remember what my feet look like tonight.  I want to wake up to normal feet tomorrow and pretend they never looked like that.  Ugh.

So tell me, what has caused your feet to swell in pregnancy?  What helped?  I’ll definitely be elevating them.  Is there anything else I can do?

Passionate Housewives author interview: Jennie Chancey

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

The winner of last week’s drawing for a free copy of Passionate Housewives is Sarah.
The winner of this week’s drawing is Mrs. Mordecai. Congratulations!
And a second winner, courtesy of an anonymous donor: Bethany!
If both of you will email your shipping address using the contact form, I’ll see that you get your book.


Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, by Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey, is a new Vision Forum book aimed at Christian homemakers who need encouragement in their role and calling.Jennie runs the website Ladies Against Feminism, a site dedicated to promoting beautiful womanhood. I had the privilege of spending some time with Jennie and her family several months ago, and was delighted when she found time to answer the questions below.passionate.jpgYour book is already getting quite a bit of favorable attention from a wide variety of sources. Did you expect this kind of reception?I really didn’t know what to expect, to be honest with you! I knew the message of dying to self wasn’t very widely popular, so I rather expected more negative reviews than we’ve received. I’ve been so blessed and encouraged to read all the positive reviews and emails we’ve received. To God be the glory! All Stacy and I did was try to point back to God’s Word and His ways, and it’s been our prayer that women who have struggled or felt overwhelmed would be lifted up and drawn closer to Christ. God’s ways are best for us!What motivated you to write this book?I was disturbed by the trend I saw sweeping through Christian publications (online and off) that urged women to put themselves first, have more “me-time,” and find ways to wiggle out of the clear Scriptural commands for women. I contacted Stacy to let her know how upset I was that these views were gaining traction, and she told me she’d already outlined a book to encourage women to crucify the flesh and live for Christ. When she sent me the chapter outline, I was stunned. She had put down everything I wanted to address. That’s when Stacy asked if I’d be willing to co-author the book. After talking with my husband and praying, I accepted. From the beginning, Stacy and I wanted to issue a clarion call for women to return to the Scriptures and obey them–to stop listening to the siren song of the world, which is the old lie of the serpent. Putting self first is not biblical; dying to self is. Insisting on being first isn’t Christian; serving others is. My motivation was to draw women to the simplicity and clarity of God’s Word and encourage them to embrace it again.

Who did you write this book for? Do you think it will go beyond your intended audience?

I really wanted to reach out to the women who have already given an ear to the lie or been tempted to drop their duties as wives and mothers to pursue more time for themselves. After all, I’ve been there myself! I came out of college a “Christian” feminist, determined to make it on my own and do God’s work my way. I prayed that this book would reach weary women, discouraged women, and women who were looking for answers from Scripture. But I also wanted to encourage and bolster women already walking in the right path. I hope the book reaches all of these women wherever they are in life.

Did you learn anything new in the process of writing and researching Passionate Housewives?

This question makes me smile! What I learned over and over again is that my timetable isn’t always God’s timetable. Stacy and I fully intended to knock out this project during the summer of 2005, but the Lord had other plans! So many real-life happenstances cropped up that kept us from writing on any kind of “schedule.” In fact, it took us two and a half years to finish the book! I got most of my chapters done on the laptop in the car while on long family trips–or late at night when my husband was over in Sudan. The Lord taught me how to use odd moments of time here and there to get the writing done. So real life goes on, and book chapters have to take a back burner! Another thing I learned (or re-learned) was just how pervasive feminism is in the Church. It has been “baptized” and cleaned up, but it’s still feminism. I was really amazed to see how insistent evangelical feminists are about negating the clear commands of Scripture. It is very discouraging that so many pastors and elders have just fallen into lock-step with egalitarians in the church, but I am encouraged by the numbers of women waking up and saying, “This is not biblical. This is not the gospel.” I pray the Lord will continue to purify His Bride and help us to cling to His Word.

I love how you refer to “the fanatical sock-matching wonder woman” in chapter 3. In our house, if 2 socks are the same color, they match. If they fit you, they’re yours. Do you think some housewives discourage themselves by maintaining unnecessarily high standards in the wrong areas?

Oh, totally! I say this as a “recovering perfectionist” myself, so I know! It is very easy to look at unrealistic standards in magazines and elsewhere and feel like a failure. But I remind people that I live in “House Full,” not “House Beautiful!” Sure, there are times when my house looks fantastic, but real people live here, so we’ve got our share of Legos, puzzles, crayons, and stray shoes scattered around–not to mention all the fingerprints on the walls! But a house can’t be a home if we don’t get our eyes off the stuff and focus on the people. My mom always told me, “People are more important than things.” You can always wipe fingerprints off and mop the floors; you can’t always sit down and read a book with your toddlers. We need a holy perspective on what’s important. Do I like a clean house? You bet! But I’ve learned not to make it into an idol. It’s no fun bowing down before the shrine of household perfection!

In chapter 4, you indicate that quiet time is not necessary. I know you are talking about quiet, personal one-on-one time with God, but you have me worried. What about afternoon quiet time, when all the children rest quietly whether or not they need a nap? I know a lot of moms feel a need for some peaceful time to recharge during the day; are we being selfish?

Great question! We definitely have daily quiet time in our household when the littlest folks are down for naps and the older children need to work on quiet projects, read, or simply rest. My mom did this with my siblings and me when we were little, and it really taught us to take time to be still. There’s nothing wrong with scheduling quiet time! The point we wanted to make in the book is that, in reality, quiet time doesn’t always mean total silence and seclusion, and that’s okay! Many afternoons I curl up on the couch with my oldest boys, reading (in snatches) while they read or rest. Interruptions are par for the course, but the time is still restful. I think a spiritual “quiet time” has been turned into an unbiblical idol for many women. They feel guilty if they don’t take an hour to read and pray before starting the day (or before going to sleep). They wonder how God can expect them to have this one-on-one time with so many little folks needing them and so much going on in the household. Our point is simply that God is looking for a quiet heart. He wants us to rest in Him even when the toddlers are in our lap or we’re nursing a baby. It is possible to read His Word with the children all around or while nursing or even while folding laundry (put in the Bible on audio!). And we can truly lift up our hearts to Him and “pray without ceasing” throughout the day. No closet required! ;-)

Sometimes it’s easy to neglect your husband because the children have so many needs; but (to borrow a phrase from your book) we also have to avoid falling off of the other side of the horse. How do you recommend that women find the proper balance between being a wife and being a mother?

Scripture is clear: We are called first and foremost to be helpers to our husbands–not mothers to our children. Christ must be at the heart of the home, and a godly marriage built around Him must be at the core. Our children thrive when they see how Mommy and Daddy love each other and make time for each other. And putting our husband’s needs and priorities first teaches our children to honor and obey their father as well. Children need to see that, when Daddy asks Mommy to do something, she gladly does it right away. Mommy is modeling for her children the kind of response they should have to their father. So nurturing our marriages is absolutely a top priority. Our mothering will naturally flow out of a strong, godly marriage. While it is obviously very important to be faithful in child training (Deut. 6), we do have to be careful not to become child-centered and dance attendance upon our children’s every whim. Children need to learn that they are here to die to self and serve others, too! Sometimes when I have a child who is being very insistent on having what he wants right now, I place him in a chair and tell him that he now has to go to the back of the line and wait until I have served everyone else. Insisting on being first guarantees you’ll be last in our house (unless you’re bleeding or on fire!). Children actually gain security from boundaries, so we need to give them good ones (biblical ones) and help them learn to honor them.

Are you working on any other books right now?

Nope! LOL! I think book writing is over for me for the time being. I loved this project and am so glad the Lord saw it through to completion, but I don’t have any new books on the horizon. The newest “chapter” I’m working on is the birth of our eighth child, due in April!


Now it’s your turn to weigh in: Have you heard of the book? Have you read it? What did you think? What questions would you ask Mrs. Chancey? Bonus: I’ll draw another winner from among the commentors on this post to win a free copy of Passionate Housewives! Be sure to include a valid email address when you comment. The winner has been announced at the top of this post. See Stacy McDonald’s interview here.

Must…have…fresh food…

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

Our goodies from the last trip are nearly gone, and so is the pain in my back, so it’s time again.

We’re off to the produce terminal again today, this time with a new innovation. Thanks to my hubby and some very helpful readers (and a couple of my own hours last night on the computer), the spreadsheet now calculates totals for each person based upon case price and quantities, with a built-in 10% markup to help cover waste and gas.

This should streamline the process since it eliminates the need for doing math as we process orders, and it gives us instantly updated totals when we change amounts in a person’s order. I’m just hoping that I didn’t make any horrible mistakes. I’m very good at math and hubby likes to call me The Human Calculator, but I tend to make the most ridiculous mistakes. My friend Jenny B. has promised to warn me if it looks like I’m going home with $17 after doling out $400 in produce to our friends.

And on the other end of the spectrum, I’m sure my friends will speak up if I accidentally charge them $400 for $17 worth of produce.

Tree climbing

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

Posted by: Deanna

The picture below is of my favorite oak tree as seen from 50-60 yards away, it’s one of the tallest trees on our property that I can climb, and the easiest.

the-tree1.jpg

This picture shows how I climb it. What I do is I step up onto footprint 1 with my right foot, and then holding on to the branches of the small forked tree, I brace my left foot against footprint 2. Then still holding on to the branches, I jump my right foot onto print 3, and then swing my leg over the branch with print 4 on it, and hoist myself up. It’s rather easy once you get the hang of it, and to get down, I straddle the big branch, lean down, get the rope, and then while holding on with my legs I slide around the branch so that I’m hanging on the underside with my legs, and then I just let go. (with my legs that is.)

12342.jpg

This is my favorite picture that I got of the view in my favorite spot in the tree but it still doesn’t even show half of the beauty of the real thing.  One thing I’ve noticed that really bugs me about pictures is that they show things like they’re twice and a half times as far away as they really look. This particular part of the view looks more like a map when you’re really seeing it, and when I was sitting in my place and the branch was swaying in the wind, it reminded me of part of a psalm we sing in church, the third verse of psalm 148:

From earth o praise the LORD! Ye deeps and all below, Wild winds that do his word, ye clouds fire, hail, and snow. Ye mountains high, ye cedars tall. Ye cedars tall, beasts great and small, and birds that fly.

It really seems to fit, especially when you’re out in the woods swaying in the wind, surrounded by cedars (even though they are not tall) and listening to birds singing. (and in case you didn’t notice I am higher than the telephone pole in the first picture when I sit here :D )

better-veiw.jpg

The arrow points to my special spot, and if you want to look at the first picture you could probably see it.

this-is-where.jpg

I’m going to do it.

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

Remember this? I’m in. In mid April, I’ll be here, playing with this and this and this. It’s all rather shocking, and we spent several days thinking,cybershot.gif praying, receiving and considering counsel before making the decision to participate. I appreciate the input I received from several readers – even those who recommended we pass on the offer. But we feel that this lines up well with our goals as a family in several important ways, and we could see no reason to decline.

And really: a camera that knows to take the picture when the child in the viewfinder smiles? This baby even has built-in software to instantly add smiles right there on the camera, just in case the kids got tired of laughing at your lame jokes 142 clicks ago.

What was I thinking? How could I hesitate? Did I mention that we took 218 pictures on Easter, just trying to get everyone looking in the right direction? Smiles would be the icing on the cake.

And I get to visit my grandparents in Portland. That’s like chocolate icing.

One more picture

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

I had to add this picture, it’s one of my favorites from yesterday.

Pc3



Warm weather is coming…

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!



Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc – www.reverendfun.com

The 10 Commandments

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

This was from our responsive reading in church this morning. The minister read the bold, and the congregation responded by reading the regular print. Maybe you know this already – the statements in bold type are the 10 commandments as quoted from the Old Testament, while the responses are Christ’s words from the Gospels. I don’t know what version they are taken from – not the Old King James that I learned when I was a child.

I know that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and that His Word never changes, but for some reason I was deeply affected by hearing and reciting these parallels from such different times and settings within His Word, even though all were familiar passages. Isn’t it funny how we can read over and past things so many times before they finally gel in our minds? Isn’t it amazing how patient God is when we are so dull of mind and heart?

You shall have no other gods before Me.

It is written:”Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”

You shall not make for yourself an idol.

God is a spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool….Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Honor your father and your mother.

For God said, “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.”

You shall not murder.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

You shall not commit adultery.

Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

You shall not steal.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery…theft…These are the things that make a man “unclean.”

You shall not give false testimony.

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks…For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

You shall not covet.

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

From the Words of Jesus (Psalter Hymnal, p. 1013)

Two of the best-looking guys I know

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!






And a whole bunch of pretty girls…

And just for good measure, here’s a shot of all 10 of us.


Passionate Housewives author interview: Stacy McDonald

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

passionate.jpg
Scroll to the bottom to learn how to win a free copy!

I recently had the privilege of spending some time with Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey, authors of Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, and when I talked to them about doing an online interview, they were both happy to participate.

Here are Stacy’s answers to my questions.

Your book is already getting quite a bit of favorable attention from a wide variety of sources. Did you expect this kind of reception?

We weren’t really sure what to expect, but I don’t think either of us were prepared for all the press it’s been getting. We’re thrilled though – our prayer has been that God would use it to His glory—encouraging Christian wives and mothers “in the trenches”

Are you saying Passionate Housewives was written only for wives and mothers?

When we wrote Passionate Housewives we had in mind the weary or discouraged homemaker who needed that extra boost to remind her of the importance of her calling. The book could have easily been called, “Why am I doing this again?” I noticed one reviewer called our book a “why-to book for moms rather than a how-to book.” I thought that was a good description.

Interestingly enough, we’ve received emails and letters from all sorts of other women as well. Single women, grandmothers whose children are all grown, working women; and we’ve even heard from women who had been sucked into feminism and were now ready to repent and turn their hearts to their families.

What motivated you to write this book?

The “me-first” ideas and teachings out there today are overwhelming. We were so tired of seeing new books and teachings coming out that told women they needed to focus more on themselves – not only because it’s unbiblical, but because it doesn’t work! It may be a quick fix, but it won’t give women what they’re truly after—peace, satisfaction, and a fulfilled life. Where is “satisfying self” in Scripture? There seems to be a growing trend toward focusing on self-esteem and more me-time than on preferring others and dying to self, like Jesus taught.

Also, we wanted to do more than dispel the myths and stereotypes surrounding the role of the housewife. We wanted every woman to know that being a helper to her husband, raising godly children, and properly managing her home is well worth the effort. We wanted to impart a vision—to communicate the beauty of living out Christ in the day to day life of a housewife.

Who did you write this book for? Do you think it will go beyond your intended audience?

We were primarily writing to Christian homemakers. We knew there were “desperate” women out there who needed encouragement by hearing the truths of Scripture. They needed to know about God’s wonderful solution to their desperation—and that it wouldn’t be met by chasing after more me-time.

Is the average Christian woman ready for this message?

We’re excited and humbled to see how God is using Passionate Housewives. We weren’t sure how our book would be received; it’s not your typical feel-good woman’s book. Some of it is challenging. But from the reception we’ve gotten so far, I think more women than we realized are tired of having their ears tickled; they’re ready for some meat—they’re ready to be stretched..

Did you learn anything new in the process of writing and researching Passionate Housewives?

Oh yes; we learned a ton. Some things we didn’t necessarily want to learn. Jennie already knew a lot about feminism, but we both learned how much the movement is growing among evangelical Christians—it’s absolutely startling!

Ironically, God also revealed to us a lot about our own hearts. I, for one, learned that I still deal with a lot of selfishness and feministic baggage in my own life. The whole white-washed feminism idea came from my realizing I had so much “renewing of the mind” to do in my own life. As I recognized it in me, I started to recognize it in books, blogs, websites, and teachers. It’s funny, but when God calls us to teach others, He typically begins by pruning our own hearts first!

I love how you refer to “the fanatical sock-matching wonder woman” in chapter 3. In our house, if 2 socks are the same color, they match. If they fit you, they’re yours. Do you think some housewives discourage themselves by maintaining unnecessarily high standards in the wrong areas?

Definitely! I used to be one of those women – I still am on occasion. I remember one night, early in my marriage, lying awake while my husband slept, fighting the urge to rearrange his underwear drawer. I had noticed earlier that he had “messed it up” while rummaging in his drawer and I had planned to “fix it” while he wasn’t looking. I had forgotten. I couldn’t sleep until I got up and had everything the way I wanted it. I remember thinking I was being really obsessive, but I didn’t care.

Children eventually cured me, but it took a long time to let go of some of those self-pleasing obsessions. I realized it made ME happy to have everything in perfect order. Nobody else even noticed most of the time—except when it caused me to be grumpy! Order is important, but not more important than your family—or your sanity!

We have to remember that there are times when having everything in order means that we have to sacrifice something or someone who is more important to make it happen. This is when we have to take a step back and reevaluate our thinking.

So now the socks go into a tall plastic laundry basket and when I catch someone with nothing to do, it becomes their job to match socks. We still “lose” some of them somehow, but it’s ok. I’ve learned not to make everyone miserable while I tear the house apart and blame everyone for “not caring.” I keep telling myself that one of these days I’m going to get rid of all our socks and buy everyone the exact same brand and color and then matching socks will be a breeze! But I’ll probably have to wait until everyone is wearing (near) the same size—which won’t be for a while.

In chapter 4, you indicate that quiet time is not necessary. I know you are talking about quiet, personal one-on-one time with God, but you have me worried. What about afternoon quiet time, when all the children rest quietly whether or not they need a nap? I know a lot of moms feel a need for some peaceful time to recharge during the day; are we being selfish?

No, we’re not being selfish to desire rest and a time to recharge. On top of that, studying the Bible and spending time with the Lord every day is crucial to our walk with Him. The problem comes when we think we must have a time of absolute peace and quiet without our children to accomplish this. We’re often told that we have to “take care of ourselves” or no one else will. There are days during the season of babies and toddlers when this type of “quiet time” may be nearly impossible. The season when a woman has grown or older children is going to look very different than the season when a woman has babies and toddlers.

I found that for me it was very frustrating for people to tell me that I “had” to have a time of solitude to keep my sanity or to have a good relationship with the Lord. Most days I could barely go to the bathroom without an audience, so how was I supposed to have a thirty minute “quiet time” of spiritual bliss with the Lord? I wound up resenting my husband and children and being full of self pity because, it seemed to me, God didn’t care how much I wanted to be with Him.

Then the Lord showed me I could have a “quiet time” with Him while the children played at my feet, or read quietly on the couch; it was so freeing to me. I didn’t need to shut myself away from them – in fact sometimes I would pull them into my study (or prayer time), depending on their age. Or I’d get them a snack and read my Bible at the counter.

And if you’re like me and you’re easily distracted, you can take advantage of nap time (or early bed time for the little ones) to do the deeper studying. Just remember that sometimes moms need naps too. Don’t sacrifice sleep trying to fit your “quiet time” into someone else’s mold. Get your sleep and learn to shape your quiet time the way God ordains for this season of your life!

Trust God to provide you with moments with Him throughout the day. In the book, I describe these times as “prayer droplets.” Put Scripture or small Bibles around your house in places where you’re likely to be sitting (the bathroom or the spot where you nurse the baby. By the way, my little ones are in bed by 7:30 p.m., so that gives me recharge time, as well as time alone with hubby.

Are you working on any other books right now?

Yes, I am helping my husband with a book that is yet to be announced.

Do you consider it a sin to disagree with your husband and voice that disagreement?

Absolutely not! We were not created to be robots. However, my husband knows that while I may disagree, and present all sorts of respectful arguments during a discussion, I am ultimately going to submit to his final decision in a matter. Sometimes those “disagreements” are just the helps our husbands need, when they’re done respectfully and with a spirit to help, not to “control” or simply be “right.” A helper isn’t a yes-(wo)man; a helper may challenge, research, and present various concepts that the husband hasn’t thought of.

Do you ever deal with “whitewashed feminism” in your own heart?

Yes, I do! I’m sure Jennie would agree she has to crucify her flesh in this area on a daily basis as well. We don’t picture some league of whitewashed feminists marching in to destroy the world; we need not look further than our own hearts.

Suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an example of a discontented housewife who was ruled by her flesh. In a letter to her close friend and fellow suffragist, Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. Stanton complained:

I pace up and down these two chambers of mine like a caged lion, longing to bring to a close childrearing and housekeeping cares. I have other work at hand…Oh how I long for a few hours of leisure each day. How rebellious it makes me feel when I see Henry going about where and how he pleases. He can walk at will through the whole wide world or shut himself up alone, if he pleases, within four walls. As I contrast his freedom with my bondage, and feel that because of the false position of women I have been compelled to hold all my noblest aspirations in abeyance in order to be a wife, a mother, a nurse, a cook, a household drudge, I am fired anew and long to pour fourth from my own experience the whole long story of women’s wrongs.

Mary Kelley, Woman’s Being, Woman’s Place. (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1979), pp. 240- 241.

Most women reading this book would not consider themselves feminists. Nonetheless, many of us still struggle with some of the same attitudes described by Mrs. Stanton. As much as we hate to admit it, as women, we all have feministic tendencies. It is part of our sin nature—the flesh we battle on a daily basis. (Passionate Housewives p. 132)

What if I decide to leave my child in a Mother’s Day Out program for a few hours every few weeks—does that mean I’m in sin?

No – that wasn’t the message I was conveying at all. I was admitting my own selfish motives when I had my son enrolled in a local mother’s day out program several times a week—and how God didn’t allow me to stay deceived. Not only was I looking for a “break” from my busy toddler, I was picturing all the time I would have for “real” ministry at my church. I wasn’t viewing my ministry to my family biblically—I saw it as a lesser ministry than “church ministry.”

I think for me, I knew “church ministry” would be easier—less stressful. I also wanted to do something that gave immediate satisfaction—I wanted to be recognized for doing a good job. Motherhood isn’t always like that. Sometimes there are no thank yous and no pats on the back. You have to be motivated by obedience and a desire to glorify God. Jesus has to be the reason you’re doing what you’re doing—He has to give you the strength you need—the passion—or you’ll run out of steam.


Now it’s your turn to weigh in: Have you heard of the book? Have you read it? (You can read the preface as a PDF here.) What did you think? What questions would you ask the authors? Stacy will be dropping in here to follow the comments.If you ask sweetly, she just might find time to answer a few more questions. You can also learn more about Stacy by visiting her blog, Your Sacred Calling. Be sure to read about her interview on Family Life Today Radio!Bonus: I’ll draw a winner from among the commentors on this post to win a free copy of Passionate Housewives! Be sure to include a valid email address when you comment. (Drawing has now been closed.)  The winner is Sarah, comment #2.

See Jennie Chancey’s interview here.

Oh. My. Word.

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

I don’t often do the Period. After. Each. Word. thing for emphasis, but I’m really feeling emphatic about this. An internet marketing firm that specializes in creating buzz among bloggers has invited me on an all-expenses paid trip to California for a “Sony Mommy Blogger Event”!

I know you’re probably thinking noooo KimC, it’s a scam! But we’ve dealt a bit with this company before (remember this?) and we also did some online research. This is the same company that did the Dove Real Beauty campaign. Remember the immensely popular video of the process of turning a real-life woman into a billboard model?

And besides, the offer starts with airfare, so a scam would leave me at the local airport, 10 minutes from where hubby works. Not bad for a worst-case scenario. :)

We haven’t decided yet if I’ll be going. I would love to be able to hop up to Portland and visit my grandparents while I’m on the West Coast – this was something we had hoped to do this year anyway, and this event might allow me to do it at very little cost. I’m not nervous about traveling at 7 months pregnant. And we can work out the household logistics. With a 12yo and 14yo in the house and plenty of relatives within a half mile, these things are surprisingly simple.

The big question is, do we feel it’s appropriate for me to be off alone in a strange city, large and far away? We both had the same initial reaction: No way! But on further reflection, we really haven’t come up with a good reason to feel this way. I’ve driven hundreds of miles on many occasions, both with and without children. A thousand miles from home on an airline flight seems much closer than 300 miles from home in a van in the middle of nowhere.

We’re thinking, considering, praying, and taking counsel. This sounds like it would be fun, educational and maybe even be profitable (free gifts were mentioned…) And of course it would be good blog fodder! It might not rival Shannon’s trip to Africa, but hey – I haven’t been to California since I was 12 and camping with my parents and 6 younger sibs. Incidentally, that was the last time I ever wore a 2 piece swimsuit. Short story, humiliation galore. I’m not sharing that story.

If I go, I hope to come back with stories that don’t make me want to live under a rock for the next 3 years.

Cake Decorating!

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

Thursday afternoon Mom told us that we had a cake decorating DVD and an e-book to review. Lydia and I were very excited (Deanna and Megan were at work with Dad). We watched it right away and loved it.

It started by telling about the icing tips, and what they are for then it gave a recipe for butter cream icing, and lots of tips on coloring and mixing the icing, writing on the cake, and how to make borders.

I never used to know that it was so easy to make things like roses, leaves, shell borders and she even tells how to make little rosebuds.

I have never decorated a cake before except once when I helped Mom ( I was 3yo ) so I was rather pleased with what I came out with (Click to see the full sized image) :

I was a little discouraged when a paper plate blew onto the cake in the middle of decorating it but it was my first try, and I haven’t even read the e-book yet. Here is a link to the blog where she post all of her cakes and how to make them.

Click here for more information about the DVD.

It’s gone!

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

The pain, that is. Not only the pain that was new since Friday, but also the pain in my back every morning for the last 3 months. Imagine that.

I’ve only been to chiropractors a couple of times in my life, and I tend to go with a bit of skepticism. I don’t doubt that they can help me feel better, but I don’t entirely buy the whole science behind it – esp. when they practice some of the “fringe” techniques. The doctor I visited was highly recommended by a good friend, but my skepticism surfaced when he began muttering rapidly as he poked at various areas and tested the resistance of my outstretched arms: “Let’s see…adrenals…water intake…lungs…no problems here…ah!

His assessment was that I had some longstanding problems which contributed heavily to my injury on Friday. Basically, he saw the injury more as a symptom of my problems than a problem in itself. This seemed very reasonable, since I do tend to have a lot of tension and discomfort and my pelvis frequently make a scary-loud crack when I roll over in bed.

After well over an hour of assessment and adjustments, he was less than satisfied with his progress. He announced that I seemed to be equally locked up on both sides now, which was definite progress from the lopsided condition in which I had entered but was not a complete fix. He wanted to see how I felt after a couple of days, and do another adjustment later in the week.

I had come in with some stiffness and a little pain – nothing dramatic.  I didn’t feel dramatically different as I left the room and paid up at the counter.  At hubby’s request, I scheduled the follow-up appointment and left thinking that not much had changed.

Ten minutes later we stopped at a grocery store, and after walking across the parking lot and twice through the store, I suddenly realized I was feeling much better. The residual pain was gone, and my gait felt entirely different – loose and easy, rather than the careful measured steps of one who is avoiding painful triggers.

And this morning, rather than carefully rolling over and easing my legs over the edge of the bed as I have for the last 3 months, I sprang without thinking across the bed to turn off the alarm on hubby’s side (he was already up) then back to my side, up and out! I didn’t pause to rub my lower back, I didn’t take a few long breaths to loosen my rib cage, I didn’t slowly stretch each shoulder up and to the side, and I didn’t test my weight on each foot before standing up.

Those motions have become second nature to me in the mornings, and I entirely forgot them today. I was just up and out, without a twinge of pain. I had forgotten what that felt like, and had no hope or expectation of remembering. It simply didn’t occur to me; I though of this as feeling pregnant, and didn’t expect it to change for several more months.

In retrospect, I remember feeling the same way after my first adjustment ever, at 6 days past due with our 6th daughter. I went in at my midwife’s recommendation, just hoping that we might manage to trigger labor. I came away realizing that I had been in chronic pain for how long? I really had no idea – I had lived with it for so long that I no longer thought about it until it was abruptly gone. Incidentally, I went into labor just over 24 hours later and had a rather interesting labor

So my bank account is hurting a bit more, my back is hurting far less, and I’m up for a return visit. I think I’d be crazy not to go, even if I can’t help suspecting that the doctor may be just a bit on the crazy side. What do you think?

Amazing baby stories

Vision Forum Deal of the Day: save 40-90%!

My back is fine, y’all, so you can quit worrying about me. If it makes you feel better, I’m leaving for the chiropractor in a few minutes.

In the meantime, here are a few amazing stories that I have been meaning to share for much too long:

Just in case you’re interested (and for my own convenience), here are our birth stories for the other children.  Don’t worry.  I don’t tell graphic stories.