April in Review

April brought a little refreshing rain to the valley, like they say... 

At the beginning of the month I was preparing for a Girl's Night with our high schoolers and in the process, had an epiphany... I am definitely called to be a stay-at-home wife/mommy. Although, the overnight event on Becoming was an amazing time and God graced us with His presence. Here are a few of the girls working on one of our crafts.

We got our taxes done hoping to just break even but thanks to having a baby we actually got a return - just hoping to put it away so we can save up to get a 2nd used vehicle.

Mack turned 5 months on the 23rd - he's becoming a little boy. This last week we've introduced solids, starting with peas - so far so good.

Our church hosted a Beth Moore simulcast, live via satellite.  This powerful one-day event was based on Beth Moore's newest book, So Long Insecurity: you've been a bad friend to us. It was very challenging and encouraging!

Enjoyed another mommy's day out with friends.

Well let me wrap up with an update on my 2010 Goals:

1. For our devotion time we have been reading through a book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan - great conversations have led out of this.
2. I have to admit, I got off of my reading plan to make it through the Bible but nonetheless I've still enjoyed reading each morning with Mack - you can never start too early, pouring the Word of God into your child.
3. Faithfully kept up with posting to my blog.
4. Still taking daily pictures of Mack although I haven't been as faithful to get a current picture up on photobucket every day. (They'll be up sooner or later ...)
5. With the unfortunate event of Micah's computer being stolen last month he'd been using mine and therefore I found myself reading a little more this past month - in fact I've worked through 2 books.

• One of the books I read is called "Primal" by Mark Batterson - Primal is broken down into four sections, each digging deeper into the heart, soul, mind, and strength of Christianity. Each chapter flows with personal stories, scientific information, historical case studies, Scripture, and application. Even when he is writing about the intricate details of beta waves and alpha waves, Batterson writes with simplicity. This simplicity does not lead to less impact, rather I believe it pushes you in the opposite direction. You will not be able to read Batterson's thoughts without being challenged and stretched in your understanding of what it means to love God.
• "Shepherding A Child's Heart" by Ted Tripp is the other book I read. The book is divided into two parts. In the first, Tripp lays the foundation for biblical childrearing. He shows that the heart of bad behavior is a sinful heart. He discusses a child's development, showing that a child is shaped by various influnences of his life and that a parent needs to help a child have a Godward orientation. He discusses authority and suggests that, despite our culture's disgust towards authority, a parent must assert himself as being in a position of God-given authority over a child. A child must realize that parents speak not of their own authority, but of God's. He also discusses goals, methods, communication and disciplines.  Where the first part of the book lays a foundation, the second part guides a parent through shepherding a child through three stages of development: infancy, childhood and teenagers. For each of these periods he suggests the training objectives and then procedures a parent should use to attain these objectives. - I would definitely recommend both of these books!

I can't believe we already have a 1/4 of the year underway. Well thanks again for keeping up with me and sticking through to the end of my saga. Until next time...