Welcome back for my monthly chronicle of life at the Edmonds. I am taking a picture of our family each month and record all that God is doing in our lives, plus my book reads for the month.
There has been one significant change taking place at our house this month. The Lord has been so good to us in more ways than one. After being self-employed for several years, the Lord opened up an amazing job opportunity for Aaron at Lacrosse Footwear (a local high quality boot manufacturer) as a web developer. It was totally and completely the Lord’s provision for us. We enjoyed the benefits of being self-employed but there were many challenges that we did not really possess the skills necessary to thrive in that self-directed environment. It is hard work! Now that he is working fulltime for this company, he is truly thriving like I have never seen him before. He loves his work, his co-workers, and the corporate environment.
In the meantime, I am learning to enjoy the limitations of only having one vehicle and staying at home more now. It was a struggle at first, but I am finding the limitations to be very beneficial. For one, I have to be real strategic about coordinating all my errands and grocery shopping for my once a month run. Previously, I would make short more frequent outings which usually leads to increased spending. 
It has helped me get more organized in my homemaking/planning notebook which I look forward to sharing more with you all. I am able to focus more on my children and cultivating the relationships there. And lastly, it gives me opportunity to invite others into my home for visits. Tea anyone? Taking regular walks with the kids has been a great means of encouraging and strengthening my spirit when I become weary. It is doing a good work in my heart, and I am thankful for that.
Karis and Titus are continuing to grow and develop into two adorable loveable munckins! Titus will turn 1 year old this coming Thursday (March 4th), and it seems just yesterday when he was born. He started to do a full crawl this past week (after doing his own invented crawl, getting up on his hands and knees and then diving forward – we called it the “Ty dive”), matching Karis’ record in learning to crawl one week before their first birthdays. I found that truly hilarious.
Karis has become quite the mommy’s helper lately. She loves pulling up a chair and washing dishes, grating cheese, or stirring up ingredients in a bowl. It has been quite adorable to watch her blossom in this way. She is counting to ten, learning her alphabet and loving reading a wealth of library books together. One silly thing lately has been her confusion with the following two questions. When asked, “how are you?” she responds “2″, and to “how old are you?” she responds “good”. A little backwards but it has provided us with a good many laughs. We are working on it.
What was I reading this month?
One Million Arrows: Raising Your Children to Change the World
is a new release by Julie Ferwerda and what a wonderful challenging call drawing our attention to this thought-provoking question: Will the world change our children…or will our children change the world? The truth is…time is short and lives are at stake. Right now, God is inviting our families to become part of a bigger story—a vision that will engage hearts to make a radical difference. One Million Arrows is an inspirational call to raise our kids to impact their culture, community, and world for Christ. One powerful quote that stood out to me was this thought:
“I’ve realized that, in the grand scheme of life, more than just raising my kids to ‘keep the faith,’ I want to raise my kids to save lives. I want to raise firemen. Not necessarily the earthly fire-fighting kind, but the heavenly fire-fighting kind. Kids who are well-trained and ready to help save as many lives as possible. Kids who grow up, remembering at the forefront of everything they do, that time is short and lives are at state, and who will one day be seen as spiritual heroes for helping many lives to safety. I want to raise kids who love like Jesus.”
I found this book to be similar in message to Family Driven Faith by Voddie Bachum Jr, but it takes a more focused direction on stirring up the vision of preparing our children to be world-changers and cultivating a heart for orphans around the world. It did lack in the area of practical examples and steps from the author’s own personal experience (as her children are practically grown before she caught this vision), but she drew a lot of suggestions and tips from several real life families in our time, their stories which are shared throughout this book.
As Dennis Rainey of FamilyLife Ministries says, “This is not the time for peace, it’s time for war. Raise your kids to become arrows for war.” A must read for every Christian family! You can download the first chapter for free here.
Sacred Influence: How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of Their Husbands
by Gary Thomas is definitely by far the best book for wives I have ever read! So many truths that I have been learning lately (i.e. letting go of unrealistic expectations) were so powerfully shared in this book in a fresh and beautiful approach. Yes, written by a man that understands men and what they need, every wife needs to read this book to transform their understanding of the purpose of marriage and how you can powerfully shape and influence your husband to be the man God wants him to be. I love how he began by showing the glory and beauty of a godly woman and how she can take an active powerful role in her marriage.
I cannot sing the praises of this book enough! This book has been challenging me to see that men need affirmation and I am the first to admit that I have lacked in giving my husband the admiration, love and respect that he deserves. Men rise to praise. That is where lasting change can take place. If we think negatively it will only increase dissatisfaction, but if we affirm his strengths we will likely “reinforce and build up those areas you cherish and motivate him to pursue excellence of character in others…To move a man, you have to learn to appreciate him for who he is and for what he has done…Rule number one for influencing your man is this: stop taking your husband for granted.”
“A good marriage doesn’t happen by accident, and a good marriage isn’t maintained by accident. This endeavor requires deliberate choices and much perseverance. When you start acting instead of merely wishing, when you begin taking initiative instead of simply feeling sorry for yourself, you become an active woman, and active women mirror the active God who made them.” – Quotes from Gary Thomas
I am only halfway through this book to date, but I have already grown in more ways than one. Read this book with a humble teachable spirit and God will use it mightily!
May God richly bless you all this month!
That is so funny that your kids are so similar developmentally, too. My boys both started walking three days before they turned 10 mo. I thought that was so crazy considering how different they are in other ways. Isn’t it so fun to watch them grow and learn!? I know, silly question!
Thanks for the book reviews. I will have to look at those, but I just have to ask, when do you find time to read? I have so many books in queue but I can’t seem to find the time now that I have two little ones and with another on the way I feel like I will never read again.
Oh, and Ty shares a birthday with my eldest who turned 4. That’s why I am up in the middle of the night–making your chocolate peanut butter ice cream for his birtday party later today.
I made it for him last year for his b-day and it must have made an impression because he asked for it again this year. I just didn’t plan well enough to get it made during the daylight hours…
Congrats on the job. Not only is self employed hard to maintain, it is challenging for the wife. Worry worry worry. been there; I tried to be supportive, encouraging, but at one point it was just not good for me. Turned out, it was not good for my husband either, who knew being supportive could mean I need to push him also. Now I need to borrow that cute pink book from the library to learn to STOP pushing!
Donna – that is exactly my experience! So encouraging to hear of others who have been there. I love just getting regular paychecks whereas before we never knew when we would get paid and that led to alot more stress.
That’s funny about Karis! One time (as a little girl) I asked my mom, “Which were the first people on Earth? Adam & Eve or Tom & Jerry?”
Your family is just precious!
Happy birthday to your little guy tomorrow!
What great news! Congratulations on the new job, Aaron!!!!
Great, great photo – Everyone in your family is growing and thriving.
God bless,
Jean
I really enjoyed reading your update. My tiny boy has also recently learnt to crawl, surprisingly early at 9 months! We also have one car, and it can be a great opportunity to be involved with your immediate community and make the most of what you have nearby.
How lovely it is to hear of what Karis is able to start learning. It must be fun to teach her!
What a great post!
I can’t wait to go book shopping this summer!!! I’m going to make a list from some of the recommendations you list on your blog! Keep them coming.
Congrats on the new job situation too!
Blessings!
Happy almost birthday to Titus! He shares a birthday with my middle son Lukas who will be 9! You all look wonderful. Have a great week!
What a great photo! Such a beautiful family. Thanks for sharing all your great info, I really enjoy reading all your updates and following a lot of your ideas and advice. Know that the Lord is working through you to touch so many!
Natalie
I love your personal updates… it’s encouraging to see how you and your hubby allow the Lord to permeate your lives! Thanks for sharing!
My daughter turned 1 in December, and it’s easy to feel that she’s “behind” because she’s not walking yet, so it’s good to hear that Titus and Karis are on the same easy-going time table as my Isabelle.
Wow, I love your review of Sacred Influence. It’s definitely on my reading list now. Have you read Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas? You would love it. He presents an amazing, Biblical picture of marriage and how working through tough times will bring us to something even more beautiful. I love how well he shows that marriage is a reflection of Christ’s relationship to the church. Every married Christian should read it!
Aaron and I are actually reading Sacred Marriage together right now. So far it has been very rich!
Awesome. I’d love to go through it with other couples sometime.
I love to read your blog but rarely comment. I should say you encourage and challenge me in a lot of ways, and this was just a small thing but it was nice!
My little girl in currently 15.5 months and almost walking. However, she has been almost walking since last November! I know all babies are different….but all the ones we know and all the ones at our church (it’s a big church!) are all the fast moving kind. You know, that started walking at 9-10 months. So we often feel a little slow (literally!).
So anyways, it was nice to read that other cute well adjusted kids from fantastic families are also not jumping up and running off at that age!
ooh thanks for the book recommendation. They sound right up my alley.
http://www.mommyoffaith19.blogspot.com
Hi Lindsey!! I’ve been following your blog for awhile now…I like your personal stories like today! Congrats on the job, great hair cut, and I too love that book, Sacred Influence and the other books Gary has written. Cheers!
Happy birthday, Titus! That’s my mom’s birthday. My two children (Sophia and James) are about the same ages as your two. Isn’t it amazing to see what good friends they become even at these young ages? Thanks for a peek into your world, Lindsay.
Oh wow, you all look SO happy, what a neat shot, Lindsay! Congrats to Aaron!
The kids are growing so fast…so, so cute! My daughter didn’t crawl until the week before her 1st birthday either…and waited until 16 months to walk. Thank you SO MUCH for the Sacred Influence recommendation. This book couldn’t have come at a better time for my marriage. It will be going on my 2010 reading list for sure and I’ll be passing it on to several girlfriends!
Blog hopped here and I’m loving it! Your family is just too cute, my son is 13 mos and I’m expecting #2. I can so relate to spending more time at home…I’ve been trying to do better about that myself, if anything to keep from window shopping my way into trouble during slow and lonely days.
My husband has been self employed for the past 13 years and it is definitely a chore! There are so many times I just wish he could take on a corporate job somewhere, but I know that’s not his cup of tea. It definitely does a wife’s heart good to see her man thriving in his work environment, I can attest to that! Praise God for his provision!
I found your blog when someone posted about one of your giveaways and I am so glad I did. I’m enjoying it very much.
We only have one car at the moment and it isn’t as hard as I thought either. I homeschool so I need to be home most of the time anyways.
Thanks all the wonderful things on your blog!
Oh my Sacred Influence is an amazing book. It challenges me so much! I need to re-read it like every 6 months! I forget too easily! I love how he approaches things. Very blunt and sometimes it is hard to take but I so appreciate his perspective!
Praise the Lord for the job! That’s great! You all look great as usual. Lyndsay, did you cut your hair?????
Yes, I did! I got bangs and having fun with a new look!
Thanks for the book reviews – the wife book sounds like one I really need to read. I’m currently reading “Creative Counterpart” as my marriage encouragement book, but I’m almost done and was looking for another one. Thanks for the review.
My husband was self-employed for three years and then got a full time job last summer so I know what a relief that can be. I’m glad the new job is working out well for your family.
I love Sacred Influence too…….. wonderful book!
I would love to come for tea if we lived closer…….. I’ve been home alot too, saving on gas mostly!
Oh, I want to read that Sacred Influence book. Wow, God is great by providing your husband with a job and you are learning to be flexible by not having a car at home. Hmmm, I don’t know if I could handle that! Having people over to your house is a great way to reach out. Blessings to you!