A Love Story Everyone Needs To Hear!

If you've been around here long, you know how passionate I am about purity, modesty, femininity and godly womanhood.  I feel so strongly about helping women to pursue God's very best in their lives. The Proverbs 31 Princess idea was created from God's nudging on these subjects.

You can imagine my joy when I stumbled upon a love story ~a Prince Charming and Princess love story~ so sweet and God-honoring that I have to share it with you!

The image captured below of this tough-guy Marine praying around the corner so he won't be seen by his soon-to-be bride was enough to pull my heart strings pretty hard.  You know I am quite partial to men who choose to serve their country.  Our oldest, Captain A makes the 15th man in our family to join the ranks!  

But guess what?  

To the glory of God, that's not the whole story.....

Here are a few excerpts from the bride's blog:

"...My husband prayed that God would bless our marriage...

.....that we would wake up every day and choose to love one another not through our own strength but through the power of Christ's perfect love.

.....See, he is not only my Prince Charming because of his incredibly handsome looks, or wonderful humor, or the fact that we have so much in common.  He is my Prince Charming because he helped me protect the most precious gift I owned, my purity.

.....When I walked down the aisle in my white dress, I looked straight into the eyes of the man who had laid himself down to protect and honor the wife that God had given him."

Power of Prayer and Purity
I hope this love story brings hope to you no matter how the Lord uses it in your life~even if it is just to encourage others.

1.  Maybe you need to share it with your kids or grandchildren to show them that it is possible to stand apart from the crowd and stand up for God's word.  
2.  Maybe you have young women and men in your circle of influence who need to hear this testament of faith.
3.  Maybe you are that single person who needs to be encouraged in the matter of purity.  You can conquer this with God's help and it's So. Very. Worth. It!!!

Stand firm for Christ--You never know when the world {& social media} may be watching.  

To God be the Glory

You MUST read the bride's blog in entirety at http://thepowerofprayer.tumblr.com/

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Memorable, Glorious Summer

It's summer...glorious summer, Y'all!

I am trying my best to get projects accomplished on my long, to-do list but to also be flexible enough to carve out enjoyable time with my family.

That's what summer is all about, right?

My most Memorable 7

1. It's sweet summertime and I'm trying to use my spare time to purge clean out, organize what's left and re-purpose some old furniture.  After bringing all the extra furniture and what-nots back from our several-month stay in Charleston...I've got much work to do.                                                                                       
2. I'm happy spending lots of time in the kitchen with our baby steps to healthier living quest where I'm adding yummy dishes to our healthy meals list.  I conquered a new recipe this past week {homemade chicken enchiladas w/whole wheat tortillas} and made several homemade staples to have on hand {like jars of chicken broth}.

     













3.   Having fun keeping my Princess occupied with intentional activities so our summer doesn't slip away...chores, bible devo together, games, crafts, fellowship with friends, blessing others and lots of reading the classics!

4.    We are making an intentional effort to spend time with special families this summer.  In the past, I would let all types of excuses hold me back.  We've already enjoyed being invited to Sunday lunch with two amazing families and been a part of several play dates with fun friends.

5.    Princess and I have spent lots of time outdoors tending to her germinating vegetable seeds and to my roses.  We may turn out to be true, Southern Women Gardeners, after all.

6.    Besides his monthly training commitment, Captain has to serve two weeks of each summer at a military base nearby.  Why is this exciting to this Mama?  We've been able to spend small snippets of time with him~and we'll take every single minute we can.  Thank you Lord!

7.    It's hard to explain but I felt God's hand over our family the entire Father's Day weekend.  On Saturday, we traveled to take my Father-in-Love out to eat.  It was a special time.

Sunday, Captain was able to stick around to be with his Dad for Father's Day so we had the privilege of going to our home church together for the first time in a long while.  The Father's Day message was fantastic and the worship music was over-the-top.  Sooo blessed.

The Grandkiddos with Papa

I'm a blond now, by the way.  It changes often! ;)








{In this spot, I should insert the picture of the fellas: my hubby, father-in-law & brother-in-law~but they were all squinting or had their eyes closed.} You're welcome guys!

His excitement of receiving Duck Dynasty Gifts:
Si Tea Glass, Phil Robertson Duck Call & Dress Socks!










What are we reading right now?

Princess is reading my old book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting!: Raising One of America's Largest Families--How they Do It I love the Duggars, their sweet spirt, and this book.  I am thrilled that she wants to read it.



Superman is reading Lead Your Family Like Jesus: Powerful Parenting Principles from the Creator of Families.  This is a masterpiece by one of my favorite authors {and 2 additional authors}, Tricia Goyer.  I was privileged to serve on Tricia's Launch Team for this book and received the book from Tyndale House Publishers for that purpose.  It's Aaaamazing!



Captain is reading a book that Tyndale House Publishers sent me to review.  I can't write a review {and it won't be for sale} until July but it will be worth waiting for.  All I can tell you is that every young man you know needs to read it.  OK, I'll tell you one other thing.....here's the tag line:  

Where Chivalry is redefined & the discovery of a personal code of honor can be found in an unjust world.

Stay tuned...I'll be reviewing it soon!

I'm reading the classic, Pride and Prejudice (Great Illustrated Classics) by Jane Austen to my girl.  I can't say enough about this set of books called Great Illustrated Classics.  We have several and they are amazing!  She and I recently watched the movie, Emma, and she fell in love with the era of European life in the 1800s, just like me.  

This book was clearly the obvious next step. :)



Did I mention how much I love my life?

So what about YOU?  I'd love to hear how your family is spending the summer?!

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HE Just Needs A Few Good Men.....

Today is a day we carve out in our country to honor fathers and celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

And rightly so.

But in today's society, it is harder than ever to be a Good Man.

What do I mean?

For our husbands and sons {future fathers}, they face a daunting task to stay on the course of the road less traveled.  To stand up for his faith, his family and his dreams.

This Ol' sinful world is making it harder than ever for good guys to finish well:

A Man who is pure until marriage

A Man who chooses one wife for life

A Man who remains faithful to his family while the temptations are lurking everywhere

A Man who is the fearless, Godly leader of their home


The burden is heavy, Y'all.

This world needs a generation like never before to rise up and take back our world with strength, godliness, goodness and a fervor to not tire of doing good.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

Our church was so blessed this morning to have our men's quartet sing a song with lyrics that are so very fitting for Father's Day 2013.

Here are the words:

What this dying world could use is a willing Man of GodWho dares to go against the grain & works without applause;A man who'll raise the shield of Faith, protecting what is pure;Whose love is tough & gentle; a man whose word is sure.

God doesn't need an Orator who knows what just to say;He doesn't need authorities to reason Him away;He doesn't need an army to guarantee a win;He just needs a Few Good Men.

Men full of Compassion, who Laugh & Love & Cry-Men who'll face Eternity & aren't afraid to die-Men who'll fight for Freedom & Honor once again-He just needs a Few Good Men.

He calls the broken derelict whose life has been renewed;He calls the one who has the strength to stand up for the Truth.Enlistment lines are open & He wants you to come in-He just needs a Few Good Men.

Men full of Compassion, who Laugh & Love & Cry-Men who'll face Eternity & aren't afraid to die-Men who'll fight for Freedom & Honor once again-He just needs a Few Good Men.

Since a video of our quartet isn't online yet, I'll give ya the next best thing...the Gaithers.  Watch til the very end with the men in your family~the end is great.  If this doesn't put a lump in your throat, you may need to check your pulse.  :)

 

So we realize that it's tough to stick with being a man of honor.
What can we do?

Fight for your family!  1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

The adversary is lurking to steal, kill and destroy and your family {or mine} is certainly not exempt.

1. Stay On Your Knees- God needs these good men.  Pray for all men in your life but especially your husband, son, brother, father.  Go to the throne of an all-mighty God who hears our cry.  Your men can't do it alone~they need God's help.  If you are unsure of their salvation...talk with them about it and make sure!  That's the first step.
2. Talk About It-It may seem awkward at first but let them know that you realize that they face a hard task.  Find out what their hardest temptation is and help them to find solutions to avoid those things.  After long talks with my hubby and son, I am more aware of their burden and know how to pray for them.
3. Let Him Lead-So often, women may be further along in their christian journey and we try to help too much.  You know what I mean, we tell them what they must do, say....  When your man steps up to the plate to take charge...we are called to step back and let him take the helm.  Don't correct and manipulate--Let him lead.  In turn, he will be an leading example to his children.

This is certainly not all we can do but is a good start.  I would love to hear from you.

Tell me in the comments what You plan to do to help your guys be GOOD MEN!

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Need Some Pep in Your Step, Y'all?

My legs, feet and ankles are paying the price of pushing my body to the limits.  I'm usually an all-or-nothing kinda girl.

Can You relate?

All three of the reasons for this were completely by choice but they have taken their toil.
1) Dancing, 2) Standing for hours, and 3) Sudden Fitness

Now in my older {ahem} age, I welcome anything to keep me healthy, without pain and feeling my absolute best.  I don't have time for anything less, do you?

{This is a review in which I received a free product to test drive but you will hear my 100% honest opinion}

Dancing 
I was a ballerina dancer for most of my young life and absolutely loved it.

                          



Soon came the tap shoes, jazz shoes and more until I finally had the privilege to be a Pointe Ballerina at the tender age of 13.  

What's the big deal, you say?

You see, the complete weight of your body rests upon your feet and ankles when dancing in these special pointe shoes.  Did I mention that the tips were completely wooden?   Let's just say that my feet, ankles and toenails have paid the price for such an intense sport.  {but I would do it all again}

-->Lovely feet of Katie, one of my Youth girls.









Standing For Hours
As a hairdresser with a strong work ethic, I was known to stand on my feet for up to 14 hours a day when the clients just kept coming.  I worked this way from age 16 to about age 31 when I had my second child.  

I'll also say that in those initial working years, I was foolishly more concerned about fashion footwear than taking care of my feet.

Sudden Fitness
As most of you know, we began an Eating Healthy Experiment around here in our desperate attempt to begin living life to the fullest by eating whole, real foods and adopting a more active, fitness lifestyle  

I'm pretty hard on myself when I decide to work out by running and fast-walking.  Once I get into the groove, I won't stop even if I'm in pain from fatigue, blisters or sore feet.  I basically went from not exercising  at all to pushing it for an hour at a time.

As much as I dislike admitting it, I have noticed an decrease in strength and stability of my ankles in the past couple years.  I have had several moments when I felt the weakness that resulted in twisted ankles.  Not Cool!

Is There a Solution?
I was delighted to hear from AT Surgical and receive a free ankle brace from them to review.

AT Surgical sent me one of their most popular products called the Anklet Pull-On.  It is essentially a seamless, mid calf compression sleeve that seeks to lessen muscle fatigue by helping to increase circulation to the lower extremities.  The goal is to aid in better blood circulation and therefore the amount of oxygen that can travel to your muscles while you work out, stand on your feet or sit at a desk.

I can honestly say that when I work at the salon or go for a run, I can tell the difference with the ankle that has the support of the compression sleeve.  It is much less fatigued and ache-y.

My only regret is that I only received one of the ankle sleeves.  Did you see how inexpensive they are though?  I will most certainly be spending a mere $11.70 to order the matching sleeve for my other leg.

These are the only legs I've been given.  I think it will be more than worth it!

How about You? Tell me in the comments if you have similar issues.

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Secrets of the South?

There's just something special about Southern Sweet tea, Y'all. 

I prefer my tea warm and in a teacup or mug but most folks around here like their tea super-sweet and you might just catch them sipping it from a mason jar.   :)

What's the secret to outstanding tea...southern style?  

The ultimate is brewed with lots o' sunshine and sweetened to perfection with lots o' sugar. 

You start with this:

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Most people we know still use one to two cups of white, granulated sugar per gallon of their tea.  I know, that is a lot of sugar!  

We started making baby step changes around here~therefore, we're trying sugar in the purest form {although it is all still just, sugar} and started adding much less organic, evaporated cane sugar.  This is one of the brands:

And the final result is the finest, southern sweet tea on the planet...

Come on over and we'll sip some on the front porch and chat awhile!

What about you?  Is sweet tea YOUR drink of choice?

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Summer in The South Memorable Mondays

Ah, Summer in the South...

We love long summer days that end with cool summer nights sitting on the front porch together.

I've also been loving these early, summer mornings..... 

...feeling the crispness of the air while hanging freshly laundered clothes on the line, as the birds sing so loudly that they can't be ignored.  I love it.  I am so blessed to be here. at. home.  

What Was Memorable about the Week of May 27th? 

1. God has put an undeniable joy in my heart {more than ever} about being a homemaker and a Work-at-Home Mom.  I appreciate it more than ever before.  I have been diligently working on new recipes and homemade items in our new venture of healthy living.
2. It was our last week of the school year which we spent completing standardized testing. Princess and I are eager for a little break but we both will be missing the lessons and structured days within about three weeks.  Happens. Every. Year.  We can't help it--we just love learning!
3. One goal I have for this summer is to be intentional about spending time with other families.  I have been guilty the past couple years of being too busy, too committed and too worried about my "older" home not being perfect.  I know, it's silly. 
4. I've been working on a Goal List for the Summer:  Lots o' reading, organizing, & diy projects on our home.  
5. I've been working on the Curriculum List for our next School Year.  I know, I know....we just finished.  You must understand though~I am the biggest curriculum geek ever!  
6. This week, I've been making a list of the life skills we'll work on with Princess this summer.  She is interested in learning to sew & crochet. I also added just the art of homemaking itself.  
7. My gorgeous, cousin Ashley had her first baby shower this past weekend.  My daughter & I had so much fun decorating together for her and sharing in this special time in her life.

What books have we been reading?

Thanks for asking!

Princess:   Marie Grace, American Girl  & All About Horses

Superman:  A Navy Seals book

Me:  I've been reading, Runt The Brave by Daniel Schwabauer, to my girl.

Leave me a comment of what Y'ALL have done so far for Summer?

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Our Memorable Memorial Day Monday

In my last post, I challenged you to be sure to help teach the next generation about Memorial Day.  

How did you do?  

If you totally forgot or didn't read my post in time, don't fear!

You have 364 more days to teach young people about honoring the military.  

Just be intentional!  

July the 4th will be here soon and leading up to that special holiday...you could read your kids a couple of books about the original soldiers.

As in... the ones who first gave us a chance at this free life we have in America......

Fascinating stories like General George Washington, Johnny Tremain, Paul Revere's Ride, and more.


So what did we end up doing to commemorate this meaningful holiday?

Thanks for asking!

• We slept in a bit & I was greeted by my hubby holding a hot cuppa java for me.  Sorry ladies...he's taken!  :)
• Superman cut grass, bleached my lil shop, the house & then killed weeds.
• We had several discussions about Memorial Day & why it is special.
• Princess & I pulled weeds, rode the golf cart, & cleaned the house.
• We purchased a brand new flag to honor the holiday {it was time for a new one}
• We visited our local WWII Memorial in our park to read the names one by one.
• We just had to cool down at our new-ish, local DQ!
• Princess, our new gardener was dying to plant her new veggie & flower seeds.
• Hubby cooked a seafood feast & we enjoyed it fully!
• We sat on the front porch to enjoy our fresh yard work &  the cool, southern breeze.
• Watched an episode of Andy Griffith on Netflix that we {somehow} had not seen before.
• Reminded our young soldier son how proud we are of him for serving his country.

What a great day full of wonderful memories, family time, good food and hard work.  

Thank you Lord for this life!

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