A Little Rest

{"But these I plan will not happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely

the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, 

do no despair. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!}

Habakkuk 2:3

I have been in a transition over the past several months. Its the good kind, where God is actively moving me from one place to another. Both were/are good places, but change is always a bit hard. 

I feel like God has been clear about some things, so much so that my heart aches for the time when all those things come to pass. I want so much for those visions to be fulfilled, and those good things to take place. I know they are coming, and my heart is ready for it. 

It seems though, that His timing is not my timing. And that is okay. I see that God has a plan that he will work out in his timing, and so for all my wanting I want it to be that way.

So, I want to wait for a bit. 

I want to quietly trust in his timing, and not work so hard to make it happen in mine. 

Part of that is that I need a little rest. I need rest from the things that distract me from the purposes he is preparing me for. I need to use my mental, emotional and even physical resources to prepare for the road ahead by resting and waiting for now. 

There is a bit of relief in the decision to rest, more than I would have thought. I didnt realize how I was forcing something that wasnt God's plan and his timing until I decided to simply submit to it.

Now is rest time. Quiet time. 

I will be taking a break from blogging for the rest of the year. Assuming God's timing allows for it, I will be back the first of the year. 

May your holidays be blessed and the anticipation of the plans God has for you be inspiring!

Stress N' Things ...2

I have learned that there are some physical things that help inspire a peace by allowing me to manage what I have well. "What I have" may be limited time, limited money or limited energy but physical things that help manage these better, are things worth having.

I have spoken about a few of these things, calling them "Less Stressed Tools" ...a few of those are my Car Bucket, my Study Bag,  and my Haan Steam Mop.  These physical things help me decrease stress in different ways but all help me to order my world a bit better.

One of the others is my Large Utility Tote, by ThirtyOne. This tote helps relieve stress that is created when I take three busy boys to the grocery store. I place my Large Utility Tote in the top portion of my grocery cart, and fill it with groceries as I shop. When I get to the checkout, instead of juggling kids, groceries and coupons I simply pull out my tote and place it directly on the conveyer belt. As the cashier rings up my groceries, she empties the groceries. By the time its time to bag them up, the bagger can place them directly back into the tote. My Large Utility Totes makes for an easy transfer to the car and the house.

My laptop also is a physical thing that helps me manage my tasks, and thus my level of stress better. Being able to take my laptop wherever I need to write, check emails, look up homeschool resources, or follow an online recipe that I am too lazy to print.  It also helps me manage my budget, my home business and keep in touch with my far away family on a regular basis.

Project Life is another physical thing that has much potential for peaceful inspiration. Project Life is a physical thing that represents things far from physical ..namely memories, family, friends and allows me to recount all the reasons I have to be thankful. Read about Project Life here.

Another ThirtyOne product that inspires peaceful management of my home is my Square Utility Tote. This little guy has 1000 uses, but the way I find myself using it the most is at the library! The library is an essential part of any homeschool and ours is no different. It is often a stressful chore, however with an 18month old trying to escape and his brothers piling books up like their candy!  I have found that I can carry the max number of books our card will allow with ONE arm using this tote!  It has made this chore MUCH less stressful for me :)

Oh, and I almost forgot ..my BINDERS ..these are some of my favorites. Read about them here! I love them!

Certainly physical things aren't the source peace. Peace can only be found with the Spirit indwelling in our hearts. I believe, though that God has blessed us with the ability to create and enjoy physical things that add to the joy we get to experience on a more spiritual level.

Thank you for letting me share some of mine ...I would LOVE to hear some of yours!

Stress n' Things

Stress and things have a strong partnership. They are as notorious as Bonnie and Clyde.

Stress goes with lots of stuff...or does it necessarily?

Of course, any discussion of getting one's life in order should start with what you have that you dont need. What you need to get rid of, what clutter can you eliminate and what things can you dispose of in effort to simplify and cleanse your life of unneeded stress.

I think that getting rid of things is most refreshing myself.

One thing I have learned though, is that some things are worth having if they help to decrease your stress instead of add to it.

It's not necessarily a matter of a less stressed you needing no "stuff", it's just that you need the right "stuff".

Having the right items around you that help you stay organized and feel less frazzled, these are good things to hold onto. Some things can add to your overall sense of peaceful living, and these are things worth having.

In the course of the last few years, as my focus as turned so much to decreasing stress in my own life I have been very purposeful in looking for and keeping things that help inspire peace, and getting rid of the ones that don't.
Some tips I go by ...

* If I don't have a place for it, then it's not worth the stress. If I think it IS worth the stress, I will get rid of something else to make room for it. But I dont have place for it, no matter how fabulous it is I dont want it.

* If having it helps me manage my resources well in one way or another, keep it...the key to that one is not to keep it if you THINK it should help you manage your resources, but if it actually DOES help you manage your resources well (that treadmill in the corner collecting clothes? ..yeah, I have one too, but it it worth the stress it causes?)

* If it stresses me out to look at it ..get rid of it. If its clothes that havent fit in 5 years, a picture frame I hate, dishes dont match or a purse that is ugly. ..get rid of it.  There are too many things to love out there, lets not waste our space or pennies on stuff that we dont like!

* If I dont have the resources to take care of it or maintain it - nuh uh. If it creates stress by how much attention it needs, then its not worth it.

* If it makes me smile when I see or use it, keep it. Its a winner.


Having things is not a bad thing. It's being choosy about what things you have, keep and maintain. All things require resources at one point or another, its up to you to make sure the resources they require are worthy of what you have to give to it.

Over the next week I want to share some things with you that I have deemed worthy of my resources. Some of them are things I have talked about before (i.e., "Less Stress Tools") , some I will share for the first time.

To get things started though ..let's do a giveaway of a thing that just may help you live more peacefully ..what do you say?!

{Welcome ifellowshippers ..so glad you came to visit!}

Congrats Christina!

ChristinaD is the winner of our Happily Ever After Me, LLC giveaway!

Christina says she will use her FREE Poetry Print to celebrate her little man ..."I would have a poem created for my adventurous 19mth old Caleb, his stuffed monkey Curious George and his favorite activity...climbing. :)"

If you would like to learn more about this wonderfully unique Mom-Based Business click HERE ...

Congrats Christina!

Happily Ever After Me...Giveway

I am so excited to share a giveway with you for a Mom-Based Business that you will LOVE!

I would like to introduce Stacey, the mom behind Happily Ever After Me...a most wonderfully unique way to remember the most precious things about those you love. 

Stacey creates totally customized storybooks, poems, posters, and coloring pages. She is unique in her art because she can take a story your child created and illustrate it, or create a story around them.
She makes them the topic of stories and beautifully written poetry, complete with details that only can fit them and their little personalities.

Each product is 100% customized to the client from concept to illustration, creating a beautiful work of art that perfectly represents him or her.

Stacey works closely with her clients to learn the most treasured things about your child or loved one, be it what they call their favorite blanky or what their favorite shirt looks like.

Happy Ever After Me products are perfect for gifts for children, mothers, fathers, grandparents ..anyone who treasures a person in all their uniqueness. She loves to create in celebration of adoptions, weddings, holidays; or any day, experience or relationship worth remembering. She can create personalized books on shapes and colors, or simply illustrate a story a child has already brought to life in their own imagination...the possibilities are endless!

Stacey is giving away one of these precious works of art! She is sharing with one very blessed gal a Poetry Print in any size of their choosing*!

She tells me that .. "The winner will provide information and pictures of what they would like the poem to be about. It will be "framed" with a full color high resolution image done by my illustrator Joyee. ...The winner can request anything they would like to be included in the poem and illustration (favorite color, blanky, shirt, tree, flower, etc.) It is ALL custom. "

You can see some examples of her work at: Happily Ever After Me on Facebook 

and at the Happily Ever After Me blog.

What a WONDERFUL giveaway..one I am SO excited to share with you!

To enter:

 Mandatory Entry:  Leave a comment here describing what or who you would create your Poetry Print about ..tell us what is unique about them!   Be sure to leave an email with your comment and each additional entry so we have a way to contact you 

Optional Additional Entries:

* Like HEAM on Facebook, then come back and leave us a comment to let us know you did

* Follow HEAM on Twitter and let us know you did it!

* Check out HEAM on YOUTUBE ..where one of the newest HEAM creations are narrated! 

Leave a comment on the video, and then come let us know you get an extra entry! 

We will draw in ONE WEEK, the winner will be chosen at random...November 8th!

 (*11x14, 12x16, 16x20, 20x24, or 20x30)