I finished unpacking my final boxes this month, and what a joy that was. I feel so much more settled and our pictures and photos are on the walls making it our home. We’ve been doing some more focused organizing and gardening to get things arranged to make them workable for our family. The Lord also provided some great renters for our condo this month! This was a huge blessing and answer to prayer. It had been vacant since our move (for 2.5 months), so the Lord really stretched our faith in His provision, but He was faithful once again!
I am 4 1/2 months along (otherwise known as 22 weeks) with #3 and we are doing very well. Naps have still been essential, but my little ones surely keep me busy and distracted. I cannot wait to see our new little one. Thankful to be able to prepare for another homebirth with my same faithful midwife. Mommy’s belly is certainly expanding. I have to mention how much I have loved my Bella Band though! I have been able to wear my normal jeans all along with this little helpful tool. And now that I am starting to wear maternity jeans, it is helping keep them up! What a blessing!
We just returned this past weekend from an inspiring weekend beach trip to our favorite spot on the Oregon Coast. It was such a rich time. Scheduling in time for rest is so fruitful for the soul. I enjoyed delving into the Word more, reading more on identifying the strongholds in my life (via Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick), and just basking in the beauty of God’s creation. God is good!
March Blessings
I am continuing on in my recording of 1000 gifts to tune my heart towards starting each day in a spirit of thankfulness. I have been lazy and stopped it for a bit of time, but the Lord challenged me anew this month to continue on in my pursuit. It is so refreshing to start your day journaling His gifts. I hope you can join me in this pursuit! Here are some of His sweet gifts to me this month:
#294 – accountability time with a sweet sister
#295 – a missing special dolly for Titus is replaced
#297 – Quinoa porridge
#306 – unpacking the final room
#308 – the ability to read
#310 – learning her ABC’s (I love hearing Karis says words and trying to identify the starting letter – so much fun!)
#313 – a friend’s shoulder to cry upon
#314 – an evening stroll as a family in the Spring sunshine
#318 – utilizing our basement for worship practice
#321 – little hands to help mommy
#325 – two little ones sleeping soundly together
#326 – grace to wake up at 5:30am even after a poor nights rest
#328 – giggling babies under the blanket
#331 – sweet kicks in my womb
#334 – enjoying glimpses into history and amazed at the privilege to learn
#338 – a greater understanding of God’s amazing love
To be continued…
March Reading
I have been inspired by my friend, Kat (through her awesome blog, Inspired to Action), to begin to listen to more books on CD or via my ipod. What a great way to get some good books and sermons listened to while our are doing various housecleaning or traveling. I started listening more while I did my housecleaning, laundry, and dishes, and found I really could get a lot listened too when I used this time wisely and discovered that I enjoyed doing these tasks more when I had something enjoyable to listen too. And with one ear bud in and another out, I can always hear the needs of my children and stop to address them. Sermon apps such as Mars Hill Church and Revive Our Hearts are my favorites for Christian living/doctrine inspiration. Christianaudio.com also offers a wide selection of books, and I especially love their monthly free downloads. Audible.com has a great selection of books as well at very reasonable prices. For a wide selection of free public domain books, visit LibriVox.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hilenbrand – I listened to this book on tape this month and was in utter amazement and awe the whole way through. I couldn’t stop listening. It is a powerful story of courage and redemption highlighting the life of a World War II prisoner of war. You see immense struggle, purposelessness, and God’s grace entering in the end via his salvation to birth a story of beautiful forgiveness. Highly recommended!
April Theme: Hospitality
I am excited to announce that our April theme at Passionate Homemaking will be all about hospitality and cultivating a mission-minded family and lifestyle. I am excited to share about how to make hospitality and loving on others doable and practical while being wives, mothers, and homemakers. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas too!
Thanks to The Willow Store (dryer balls, cloth diapers, menstrual care and more!), Apple Valley Natural Soaps (a wide assortment of natural homemade soaps), and Paula’s Bread (every appliance you need for a natural kitchen!) for your sponsorship of Passionate Homemaking for April!
What has God been doing in your home this month?
Lindsay,
I need to do some unpacking and hanging pictures on the wall to make us feel a little more settled too. It does take a little while though doesn’t it?
Hey, I just wanted to write a little note of encouragement to you! Thanks for letting your heart for the Lord show through on your blog! Your blog is very inspiring and I need to stop by more often! Blessings!
Becky Webb
I’m new at your blog and am looking forward to perusing what looks to be encouraging thoughts. Jon Winslow suggested your blog to me. I live in Oregon as well (my husband runs Exodus Books).
I have two questions:
1. I also have delivered my three children at home and will do so with our 4th (due in July). Who is your midwife?
2. Where is your favorite place on the coast? I grew up going to the beach occasionally, but in the past couple of years I have just fallen in love with it. I’m hoping to take our family there at least once a year. But I don’t know if I could pick a favorite place. I’ve stayed various places from south of Newport up to Astoria. I just love turning turning all that sand, water and wind loose on my kids!
Hi Amanda! I was talking with your husband a few weeks back at Exodus. Cool little place! Got me inspired in my own homeschooling adventures.
1. My midwife is Mary Bernabe. She is actually in Yacolt, WA, so may or may not be available depending on your location. She would likely have a recommendation though.
2. Secondly, our favorite place is Roads End in Lincoln City. I have been going there since I was a kid. In fact, my parents had their honeymoon at the same spot we have been going back to for years. It is such a wonderful little quiet cove but it is still a big enough city to have access to a lot of things – shopping, coffee, groceries, etc. It’s always a fun adventure to hike around the point and look for agates at low tide. Another nice place is Manzanita. This is a wonderful beach, but small so not as many places to stay. But it has wonderful little shops, healthy food store, yummy restaurants, and that quiet town feel. Feels real intimate and homey.
God bless!
Lindsay, thanks for sharing the 1,000 gifts again! I just started this (today) as it’s nice to remember in a hectic, crazy day, that good things do happen :0) In a marriage seminar recently, the pastor’s wife encouraged everyone to “make moments” in the mundane times, because life happens during the mundane. I loved that!
I live in Oklahoma but was on the Oregon Coast just this weekend near Lincoln City! My mom’s family is from there and my husband graciously bought me a ticket so I could introduce my son to my grandparents. I thought of your family and prayed for you as we drove through Portland to the airport
Yay for that last box! We are in the process of moving from Oklahoma to Colorado right now. I’m using your packing tips with the numbered and colored boxes – oh WOW will that be helpful!!! I’ve starting packing 3 weeks in advance so hopefully I can stay organized.
We are excited about our move. Our plan is to simply make ourselves available to wherever God may call us. There are a few different ministry opportunities we will be trying out and are very excited about whatever God may send our way! Consequently, this also means I need to pack for temporary moves and living out of suitcases for the next few months with two little ones. It will be interesting but growing, I’m sure.
I’m currently reading “One Thousand Gifts” and have started my journal. My Mom sent me “Idols of the Heart” over a year ago but I still haven’t gotten to it. Ah, I love books!
Blessings to you and your sweet family!
We moved too last year from an apartment to a rented fixer-upper house and it has been a longer process fixing it up that we thought it would be! But this month we finally finished the big projects and were able to host our first Bible study! So very exciting for us because the whole reason we moved was so we would have a little more room to be hospitable. So every week for the month of April we will continue to host the Bible study here and we are very excited and grateful for what the Lord has provided!
A man from church just lent us his copy of Unbroken last week, totally out of the blue; I hadn’t heard of it. So I smiled when you mentioned it!
I know I don’t need to tell you to treasure this precious time of little ones and a new little life kicking in your womb; it sounds like you do. Our “little ones” are teens, but we are excitedly awaiting another blessing; hoping to get pregnant soon. So I teared up a little when you mentioned some of your blessings involving giggling babies and those precious kicks! Enjoy!
Looking forward to the new theme! I absolutely love and have been very blessed by listening to Revive our Hearts.
As I read this, I struggle because I so want to simplify and organize my life and routine. This has been my goal since New Year. Though I have read and even printed out some of your ideas and really thought about routines, etc, nothing has materialized over here.
Currently I teach a few weekly piano lessons, coordinate and play the music for our small church (and run the choir) as well as run a home based business (which is finally taking off). That’s a lot of stuff pulling me in many directions while I try to make healthy meals for my family, do some cleaning lol, and raise my little boy (not to mention being a wife). I sat in prayer yesterday asking for guidance because we need that money in our budget but it causes so much anxiety having responsibility in so many places.
I think I just have to accept things where they are right now, then pray for discernment. Lindsay, where would you suggest taking first steps to get a routine/ organized home life? I have tried overhauling all at once, but I failed at implementing routine. THen I realized that routines by their very nature seem to have to be tended to, brought up and grown, not just all of a sudden put in place. I am so very overwhelmed. Joyously, I have a new baby due near Thanksgiving and I would love to have more rhythm to our days and the peace that accompanies that by then!
Thanks for any suggestions.
Dear ER, my heart goes out to you. I am sorry to hear of your struggles and frustrations. Remember to give yourself grace! God will bless you as you seek to be faithful where you are. I would encourage you to take some time to really pray about this together with your husband. Hubby’s can be a wonderful source of guidance and wisdom since they know you best. Be honest and open and pray for God’s direction. He is faithful. You may have to let some things go or maybe partner more with your hubby or someone else in leading the worship or let it go entirely. That does sound a lot on your plate. It’s hard to give it your all when you are overwhelmed. God calls us to be faithful in the little things, and if those little things are being sacrificed, than it is likely time to step back and re-evaluate. I taught piano as well up to the time when Titus was born, and then I realized it wasn’t worth the stress it caused. Extra money is nice, but was it worth it? I learned that I could be more thrifty and our home be more peaceful, then it was worth it! I will pray the Lord guides you.
I’ve been writting a list of all of my blessings/thanks as well. It is amazing how your out look is changed when you look back on all God has done! Many blessings on us as you continue to minister your family, myself and countless overs!
Lindsay, I thought you may enjoy hearing this sermon (while doing dishes or laundry of course
) from our church two weeks ago. It was on forgiveness- and Louie Zamperini, Olympic runner and WWII prisoner of war from the book Unbroken actually came to read his letter of forgiveness that he wrote to the officer that tortured him in prison. It’s really moving. Enjoy!
http://www.northpoint.org/messages/life_apps
Thanks for sharing Jennifer! It brought tears to my eyes to see that precious old man after reading his story. Inspiring!
wow, karis is starting to look just like you!!
love her sweet little read coat.
and i basically do all my learning via ipod.
lots of good stuff here:
http://firefighters.org/html/library.cfm
(select a pastor/teacher and start with chuck missler)
I’ve been looking forward to discussions on hospitality, especially any tips on extending hospitality with kiddos. It’s a whole new experience now for us with a 2 year old and an 8 month old.
Love your monthly updates, Lindsay…thanks for sharing. Looking forward to reading more about hospitality.
Glad you’re all unpacked!
Yay! Hospitatlity, just the thing thats been on my heart lately to be more purposeful about and learn how to get better at. The hardest part for me is keeping conversation going (but thats because I’m in a Spanish speaking country and learning to speak Spanish- my though process is… this is what I want to say… now how do I say that?…).
Can I recommend http://www.sermonaudio.com for a wealth of free sermons to listen to from your computer or ipod. Its a great resource! I listen to sermons from our sending church and all my favorite preachers.