~When Groundhog Day Gets Your Goat~

~From The Homemaker’s Hearth~

By Danielle Osgood

When Groundhog Day Gets Your Goat

If you are a stay at home mom, life can often feel like you are stuck in the movie “Groundhog Day”. You get up, the same time each day. You wash the same dishes each day. Fold the same laundry. Clean the same bathroom. Break up the same sibling squabbles. Have the same conversations with the little guys. Read the same stories. Answer the perpetual question of “Mamma, what are we going to do?” for the tenth time each day. I can never understand why, when your daily routine doesn’t vary that much, they feel the need to ask what comes next! It is usually times like this, when you think you can’t take anymore, that the dog finds herself a “striped kitty” in the woods and gets into the house while wearing her offensive badge of curiosity.

     I think it is fair to say that all parents struggle with parental anger at one time or another. I know I do. What are we to do about it? Well, I am right in the middle of the battle myself. I do not have all the answers. But, I would like to share what I do know, and hope it may encourage someone else.

     One time, (one of the many) I was lamenting to my husband how much I longed to be like the sweet, older Christian ladies who seemed to have an endless supply of patience and joy. Namely, my grandmother Charleen. My grandmother had 6 children. I have NEVER heard her speak ill of anyone, nor swear, or raise her voice. She is so calm, cool and collected. How do they do it? I wondered. It seems like such an unattainable goal, being able to not only “roll with the punches” but to do so with grace. I will never forget Joe’s response. “Maybe they were able to develop that character only after years of being “put through the wringer” with day to day challenges like you are dealing with.” WOW. Maybe that seems obvious to most. But for me, that hit me like a ton of bricks. Maybe these ladies weren’t hiding some secret to the long lost art of patience. Maybe they were just like me. That gave me a little bit of hope-all was not lost!

     So here are some tips that I am using to help deal with the feelings of frustration:

1. Pray. Seriously. Pray.

2. Read the Word daily. You may think that you don’t have much time as a mother to read and pray very much during the day-I dare say that as a mother you cannot afford NOT to. Our job is difficult, draining, and to be taken seriously. We need the refreshment/encouragement/rebuke that can only be found through daily reading of God’s Word. If you have time to check your Facebook, email, whatever, then you have time for God’s Word.

3. Rotate toys. Kids get bored with the same stuff all the time. Switch it up once in a while by rotating the toys that are available to them.

4. Post a daily routine on your wall. Use pictures for non-readers. Kids like knowing what to expect.

5. Be diligent in correcting bad behavior as well as reinforcing good behavior. We have a glass jar of M&M’s on our counter. We call it the “blessing jar”. Our boys are 2 and 3. This works well at this age as a visual that obedience results in a blessing. (you’ve got to keep the concept simple at this age, don’t over complicate things!) I taped this verse to the jar: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Ps. 34:8

6. Make sure they know the rules. We have simple, basic family rules. Be kind. Be gentle. No whining. Tell the truth. That’s it. We posted them on our wall, and even though he can’t read, our 3 year old has them memorized.

7. Memorize Scripture. Write out verses on index cards about patience, self control,etc. And stick them in your pocket. Refer to them throughout the day. Tape them above your sink to memorize while washing dishes. Hiding God’s Word in our hearts helps us not to give in to temptation: Ps. 119:11. Listed amongst the fruits of the Spirit(Gal. 5:22-23) are Joy, patience and self control. Get some Scripture memory CD’s to listen to them with the kids. Before you know it, you will all be singing along!

8. Persevere. When you are “in it”, it can feel like you are not getting anywhere. The kids continue to fight about the same things, every day.”Will they ever get it?” you ask yourself. It can seem like all your hard work never makes a difference. This can be very discouraging. I have found that these are the times when I am most likely to “lose it”. You spend nearly every waking moment (and some groggy, midnight moments!) pouring into your children and you see no fruit. This is when we are more apt to entertain thoughts of “why bother” and “this is pointless”. Maybe I’m the only one, but some days I really struggle to keep calm, be joyful and loving, and patient. It is exhausting! I remember a time, not long ago, I had just spent over an hour scrubbing our kitchen floor on my hands and knees. Then Jack(3) went to help himself to the fridge for a drink.(He is supposed to ask for help). He spilled a lot of sticky iced tea all over the inside of the fridge and the floor. I vividly remember how hard it was not to get angry. I nearly choked out the response “Jack, next time please ask for help.” He said in a cute voice”Oops, I’m sorry Mamma.” It melted my heart. Now, wasn’t that much better than yelling, which probably would have made him cry? I think so. Then one time Liam, our 2 year old randomly burst out singing “Rock of Ages”. And another time Jack started to recite Psalm 23. These moments took me by surprise. Just when I think my efforts are fruitless, wondering why I even get up in the morning, I get these little boosts of encouragement. They are listening. They are watching. So take heart, don’t give up. Don’t let “Groundhog Day” get your goat!

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

~Let's Talk~

There is a trait in the human race, which I fear has succumbed to an endangered state. Oh, it is still out there; I've seen it. But, much to the sorrow of this country and our individual souls, it appears to have gotten harder to come by. Folks, I'm talking about INTEGRITY. If you look up the definition, it means "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness" and "the state of being whole and undivided". With that thought in mind I ask you, who are you when no one is looking? When you find $50 laying in the parking lot, do you take it to the customer service desk? How about $20?  $5? $1? Or how about when you stop at a gas station and the cashier rings up your total. You realize she didn't charge you for your pack of gum. What do you do?
     Or, if  you are slighted in public, do you brush it off, but then "lay into" family members at home for an equal or lesser offense? Are you "divided" or are you the same person "out there" as you are in your home? Do you put on a facade in public then take it off coming through your front door? Or are you the same ''across the board"? Are you as patient with family as with friends? Ouch, that last one hurt. C.H. Spurgeon said:

"You must know that it is at home that you are what you really are."

The idea of integrity goes to the very heart of a person. What is right, and what is wrong? Is wrong to you wrong, or just a little wrong? What do you believe in? What do you stand for? Do you only stand for "right" when it is easy? Do you back down, fold, give in, or join in when standing for what is true and right means you will be the only one standing?

   I don't know about you, but I'm sick of cheap imitations. Imitations in many respects, but most grievous to me is fake integrity. "Fake" people. Let's all hang onto being real, true, honest and reliable people. There was a time when a man would shake on a deal, and then bend over backwards to keep his word, because his word had more worth than a carefully drawn up contract. Let's all look into the mirror, ask ourselves the hard questions, and let's get real.

I thought it fitting to post this song here. If you've never heard it, it is definitely worth listening to!

~Morning Basket For Toddlers/Preschoolers~

Good morning! I thought I'd share with you our current morning basket contents. First off, you can "Google" 'morning basket' and get all sorts of ideas on what to put in your basket and why. Basically, it is a basket or box that contains activities and books that you do with your children in the morning (or at night!). This can be anywhere from traditional school subjects like history, science, etc. if you homeschool. Or it can be family devotions/Bible study, or a mix of the two. I didn't really find much for ideas with preschoolers and toddlers, but here is what we put together and if your kiddos are in the same age bracket, maybe this post will help you build your morning basket too.

What's in it?

Bible story coloring book and reader. My mother ordered these for the boys. These are by Rod and Staff. They are a great pair and the boys love them! They are also budget friendly. Here is the link:Coloring Book:  Reader:

 Church History ABC's. This is a big, hard cover book which introduces a "hero of the faith" for each letter of the alphabet. From Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Owen, Saint Patrick, to Charles Spurgeon and more. It gives a short paragraph for each historical figure, so it is good for young listeners with short attention spans. The link: Church History ABC's

 The Beginner's Bible. After looking and looking, and reading several reviews, I bought this picture Bible for the boys. It has brightly colored pictures on every page, and the 90+ stories are short and easy for little ones to understand. The first day we read from this, Big Boy asked me to keep reading!
Hard cover. Link:

Favorite Hymns of praise. This is a nice, old hymnal with all the old favorites. You can either buy this online, or often times if you ask, when your church orders new hymnals they will give you the option of taking an old one (free) or purchasing a new one with the church's order.

 Crayons and clipboards. The boys like to lay or sit on the floor to color their pictures, so I put them on clip boards. Then we just have two jam jars with crayons in them. Do not give your toddlers/preschoolers a whole shoe box full of crayons and expect them to share nicely and not dump out the entire box of 200+ crayons. Just saying.

Previously in our morning basket: Sammy And His Shepherd. This is a beautiful book. Beautiful in how Psalm 23 is presented through the story of lovable little sheep, and beautiful in illustration too. The boys absolutely LOVED this book. We will revisit this one for sure.

 Link:

 Future books:
 Reformation ABC's. This is the same idea of the Church History ABC's, a person, place or thing about the reformation for each letter of the alphabet.
                                      
Then there are these books that I've had my eye on. I will be ordering from this bundle for future morning basket material. (Already have Sammy and His Shepherd). Link: You can also find these titles individually on Amazon.

 

*This photo is from Ligonier.org and I take no credit for it*

So what does "morning basket time" look like for us? First I'd like to say that I think the secret to having a pleasant morning basket time with little ones is this: Keep it short, keep it simple, picture books when possible. This can be a wonderful time to spend together, and introduce little ones to the Word and your faith. Don't make it something they dread by having too many things on your "to do" list. This is not about the quantity of time spent, but rather the quality of time spent.

First we gather on the couch and take turns praying.

Then the boys take their clipboards and crayons and head for the floor to color while I read the story that goes with their pages.

Little Boy LOVES coloring.

Then I read from our current book (Church history ABC's) and a Bible story from the Beginner's Bible.

Lastly, we sing two verses from a hymn. That's it. Short and sweet. 

The other day, Big Boy announced that he was going to sing that day. He took the hymnal and flipping to a random page, he began to sing "Rock of Ages". It was so cute! 

Sometimes if we have a story book that Big Boy is using for school, I will read it at this time if they are up for listening to more reading. Otherwise, they go off to play while I get school ready for Big Boy. As they get older I may also incorporate traditional school subjects such as history and science. For now, this is enough and we are enjoying it!

Do you have a morning basket? If so, I'd love to hear what you have in it! Have a great day! God Bless!

Being Thankful

As Christians, we have a lot to be thankful for each and every day of the year. Right now I'm enjoying a quiet morning blogging and drinking my favorite hot beverage (coffee!!) after spending some time with our Lord. I am very thankful that the boys are still asleep after quite a stretch of being awake at 4:00 A.M.!! Although, I did have to put Little Boy back to bed at 12:30 this morning. It seems Big Boy thought it was time to get up, and had turned the bedroom light on before climbing back into his bed. I could hear Little Boy talking up a storm and when I opened my eyes I saw that they had their light on. Thinking I had over slept, I looked at the clock. "Oh no you don't." I said out loud to myself. When I got to their room, Big Boy was back in his bed, almost asleep. Little Boy, on the other hand, was sitting in the midst of a massive pile of books on the floor, "reading" to himself! I tucked him back in and turned off the light. A few minutes after I went back to bed I could hear the sound of board books being piled up. Back to the boys room. Little Boy was back out of bed, frantically throwing all the books he could find into his bed. In the dark. I couldn't help but laugh! "No, no, Liam. It's night, night time." I tucked him in again and that was the last I've heard so far...

So, on with being thankful. This is the first year of having Thanksgiving at our house. I just haven't been able to ''pull out all the stops" as far as decor goes. And at this point, Christmas is around the corner so not much sense in going all out this late in the game. This makes two years since I've deliberately taken the time to formally decorate for Fall. I had planned to the week after Labor Day but those weeks were crazy go-go! Of course the last time I decorated for Fall, I had less people making messes to clean up after, less laundry to do, less food to cook and so on. But, I wouldn't change things now for the world.💙 I am glad to have the dirty laundry, mess and dishes that I do, because it means I have little people and a husband to love.
     Anyway, here is some of what I did:

My brother gave me a beautiful pumpkin. I painted it white and wrote "We are thankful for:" on it. The idea is to have everyone take a Sharpie on Thanksgiving and write something that they are thankful for on the pumpkin. I think I saw this idea on Pinterest.

 This is on our front door. I made a few more in the house.One above the range in the shape of a plug/cord that says "Thank you for electricity" and one like a big drop of water by the sink "Thank you for fresh, clean water." and so on. This idea came from my Aunt Jane.

 This is our centerpiece. Our Thanksgiving bouquet. No joke. I'd heard a story on Christian radio last Fall about people buying rose stems without the roses for Thanksgiving. They would label each of the thorny stems with a hard experience in life which they thank God for. It is a visual reminder to be thankful not just for the roses, but also the thorns. God uses hard circumstances in our lives to sanctify us, grow our faith and to draw us closer to Him. "The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts." Proverbs 17:3  These aren't rose stems, they are blackberry canes. But, I think the same idea applies. Being thankful for the thorns, not just the berries, LOL. Darlin' and I started this new tradition last year, and it is one we want to continue through the years. We take turns labeling each cane, until they each have an experience labeled on them. We've written things like health issues, job loss, financial difficulty, miscarriage, things of that nature.  We haven't labeled this one yet but we will tonight.

Those are just some ideas of what we are doing here at Felicity Farm. I would love to hear your ideas and traditions. Leave me a comment about them if you have the time. I hope to ''see'' you soon. I'm not sure what the next few days are going to hold, but I'm sure they will be busy, busy. I hope to get back to blogging soon though.😊 Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Don't forget to be thankful every day!

~My Cozy Nook~

This is my cozy little nook. I like to spend time here in the early mornings. I like to start my day with prayer, Scripture and a few cups of piping hot coffee. Then usually I check email, work on a blog post and do whatever research online that I'm interested in at the time. The last couple of days has been great, because the boys have slept until at least 6:00! Totally awesome!
     I have found over the years that praying ''in my head" with my eyes closed is not for me in the early mornings. If I want to have a good conversation with the Lord, I need to pray out loud. Otherwise, my mind wanders. Every time. Unless I pray out loud, the whole time I'm trying to pray is a battle just to keep my thoughts from wandering. Not a very peaceful/pleasant experience. Anyone else ever had this problem??? I've recently started reading Scripture out loud to myself too. Hearing myself read it somehow makes it easier to remember and follow along with what's going on. I have found that sometimes, I can read a whole passage of Scripture silently to myself, AND be thinking of other things!!! Of course, what I read doesn't stick, because I'm not paying full attention. It amazes me that it is even possible to do that! (Ok, I really sound like a freak now, I know.) Just thought I'd throw that out there, in case anyone else has that problem too and maybe this would help.

 How many of you noticed the humming bird feeder still in the window?!

I draped a soft, fluffy blanket over my rocking chair. It makes it so cozy to sit in!

I keep my Bible, current reading books, a hymnal, the camera and cord and my laptop on this stand. That way, everything I use in the morning, with the exception of the coffee pot, is all right within reach. I just added the white lights a couple of days ago. I think they soften the look a little. It's not very fancy, but I love it!


Yesterday was such a beautiful day! Unusually warm for November in Maine, but man, was it awesome! I hung out some laundry yesterday (that I have to get today, before it rains). It felt like Spring out there! I also had a window open to let some of that crisp, clean air in to freshen up the house.  I hope you have a great day!!!

~Lessons From Littles~

~From The Homemaker's Hearth~

-By Danielle Osgood

Lessons From Littles

Our two sons are ages one and two. And yet, being so little they are constantly teaching me something. My Christian walk before the children was well, different. I was working outside the home then. I'd go to work, put up with rude customers and the like, then go home. There were times when others would really try my patience. Although I didn't always handle it with grace, at the end of the day I'd go home, get some sleep and be refreshed the next day for another round. That season had its trials for sure. It isn't easy to be immersed in an atmosphere of gossip and filthy language and not be swayed into it yourself. I faltered at times and our heavenly Father graciously and faithfully extended forgiveness. But I must say, the trials of motherhood are unique.

Being a mother means there is no “punch out” time. And that good night's rest I would get before going back to work to “battle” another day? HA! Lunch break means mother gets up half a dozen times during the meal to wipe up spilled milk, or wash the toddlers fork off for the third time. My quiet times with the Lord are now quite a challenge to carve out between the crying, changing, feeding, refereeing squabbles and the constant, repetitive toddler conversation (that only ceases long enough for them to sleep a little). I am not saying that a Christian's walk outside of motherhood is a piece of cake, for surely I know that it is a struggle. I am only saying that I think this is what it looks like for a lot of Christian mothers out there.

     A while back I was lamenting to my husband about how frustrated I was with myself. Day after day is usually quite similar, so why then, am I still so impatient? Why then, am I quick to lose sight of the important work that takes place beyond the dishes and laundry? I mentioned a few sweet, elderly ladies that I wish to emulate, such as my Grandmother for example. I have never heard these ladies swear, or say anything negative about anyone. They are patient and gentle. They are encouraging and kind. They seem to always have wise, biblical counsel at the ready when asked for advice. I want to be like them. Then Joe asked me “How do you think they got to be that way?” Me: “Uhhh...” Joe went on to explain that those sweet ladies I adore could have very likely been in my shoes once. Most of them had raised children too. While I think we all yearn for Christ's work in us to be fast and furious, the reality is most of us make relatively steady, yet slow progress. Much like a stone in a river. Only after years and years of being battered, slowly and steadily with the rippling current does it then become smooth. I tend to be the type that says “I want patience, and I want it now!”. Sigh.

     As hard as Christian motherhood is, it would be impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit. Seriously, if you never crack open your Bible during the week, or spend some much needed time in prayer and reflection every day, then my friend, you are in for a rough journey. What good is it to have a clean house, color coded menu plan and perfect landscaping if you are not growing in your relationship with Christ? I'll tell you: no good. I know it's hard to find some time for nurturing your soul when there are little ones underfoot. I'm right there in that season of life now. It seems that I resolve to get up earlier to spend more time in the Word and prayer, only to have them wake up before I can even put my feet on the floor. Then it's diaper changes, cups of water, snacks and before you know it the day gets a running start and I'm still sporting ''bed head'' at 11:00 am, my coffee (wherever it went) is cold and I realize I haven't had a minute to use the bathroom yet!

     Christ even made time with the Father important “And in the morning, rising up a great while before the day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place and there prayed.” (Mk 1:35 KJV) If you read the chapter from the beginning you will see that Jesus was staying at Peter's house after teaching in the synagogue in the city of Capernaum. That evening, at sundown (when the Sabbath was officially over) the whole city was at the door with their sick and demon possessed for Jesus to heal them. So you can imagine that Jesus was busy long into the night. And then to get up early the next day?! I think this shows us how important time with the Father really is. If Christ prioritized communion with the Father in such a way, then how much more we should! I know it is hard to snatch up time for Christ, but you must. I would hope that you desire to; you should. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6 ESV) “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Deut. 4:29 ESV) I believe that God will faithfully bless sincere effort on our part to know Him more. Some days that may only be a few, uninterrupted minutes. Other days we may have an hour or more. If we are truly seeking Him, He will fill us.

     I am learning more and more to just focus on today. How to be in His will today. If it is to patiently pick up crayons for the fifth time, demonstrating grace to my sons, so be it. If it is to grow in selflessness by putting down the phone, or turning off the computer to listen to my oldest tell me something for the fourth time, then that is what I need to do. I feel like now as a mother, I have way more opportunities to grow each and every day. That also means I have way more opportunities to fail, too. Some days I slow down enough to see the moment I am given to grow in. Other days are more like ''Could have, should have, would have.” But I am determined to keep pressing on, by the grace of God. And I thank Him every day for my little couch jumping, crayon dumping teachers.

Thought Of The Day

~Take a minute to contemplate the Holiness of God. He is so holy, He cannot even look at sin ("You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do You idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous then he?" Habakkuk 1:13) He cannot look at it. And here we are, sinning every day. It is amazing that, through Christ, we, retched creatures, may "...come boldly to the throne of grace..." (Hebrews 4:16) Just the fact that we have the privilege to even utter a word to the most Holy God... Wow.~

~Just A Little Talk~

"If The power of God cannot be seen in your life leading you to greater and greater holiness, then maybe there is no power of God in your life."

~Paul Washer

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." 

Philippians 1:6 

God always finishes what He starts, the question is then, not will He finish, but did He start?

"The horizontal validates the vertical." ~Anon.

In other words, your life and relationships on Earth are evidence of your relationship with Christ, whether that evidence proves you are truly Christian or not. That does not mean that if you are Christian that you do not sin. Sadly, Christians do still sin. The difference is that when you do, it deeply effects you, like a knife in the heart and you ask forgiveness and continue to grow more and more Christ-like. None of us will be perfect this side of Heaven, but we are to strive to be and to continue to grow. Not so that we may say "Oh look, I'm better than this or that person." Certainly not! But that the name of our God might be glorified and honored.

  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 

Have a good Saturday!

   

It's More Than That

Modern evangelical Christianity has essentially watered down what it means to be Christian into a little prayer that "only takes five minutes of your time". Is this really it? Is that all it is about? A prayer, and now you have your ticket to Heaven because you profess the name of Christ? So you've had an experience, felt the emotional high of "coming to Christ", but what about your every day life? Do you habitually lie? What about your attitude? Are you impatient and berate and holler at loved ones or the guy that cut you off in traffic? What happens when you are in town when the whole world seems to be there, you have to park way across the parking lot, shuffle your cranky, screaming kids through the store as fast as you can, only to get back to the car, buckle your kids in and realize- that little, .50 cent bottle of paint rolling around in the bottom of the cart didn't go through the check out? No one has a clue you didn't pay for it.......

The hard question: Are you really a new creature???

  I'd like to share a video with you about examining the "sinner's prayer" against what Scripture says. This is the truth, and it may scare you-and that might not be a bad thing if it does, depending on what you do with the information. I truly hope that you watch it all the way through.
 Here is Paul Washer: