How To Get New Clothes Inexpensively: Clothes Swap!

Here's part of the clothes swap group (sorry it's blurry!) - we are missing a few!

Here comes Janelle from Comfy In The Kitchen with her bag of clothes!

Each girl chose a section of the room to display their clothes.

Clare from Peak 313 Fitness scored my Easter 2009 dress!  It fits!  Hooray!

Look what I found!  Gorgeous!

Becky has on a new t-shirt, necklace and shoes (plus an arm full!)

Here's what I wore to church on Sunday - my brand new blue shirt and new necklace - free! (the skirt is from a resale shop - so this is a $6 outfit minus the boots - which are Payless!)  Everytime my friend Kelly wore this shirt I admired it - now it's mine!  Thanks Kelly!

I got some serious accessories! This matching new scarf, purse and earrings - JACKPOT!!

These are fun!  Some more accessories -  purse, shoes and necklace!  I did not take pictures of everything - but I had about 7 more shirts, 2 skirts, some flip flops and more!

Does your closet need a spring cleaning - clean it out and encourage your friends to do it too! Then invite them over for a swap!  We had SO much fun and lots of laughter!

We finished all our swapping out with 2 Chocolate Chip Pies that I made - but of course - they were Janelle's recipe!  It was SO fast, easy and delicious - you gotta try this recipe sometime!

Walk with the King!

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers, Titus 2sdays, and We Are That Family.


Today is Women Living Well Wednesday! It's a Link-Up Day!!!

Join the fun, do a little blog hopping and don't forget if you join below -please add the Women Living Well Wednesdays button to your post so your readers can find us here! (posts can include the topics of marriage, parenting, homemaking, finances, recipes, organization and more!)

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Living a Beautifully Dignified Life - Part 2 Sally Clarkson Conference

Monday I shared powerful quotes from Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Conference(her family is pictured above). Today I want to take you a bit deeper into some of the things I am wrestling out in my own life as a result of the conference.


Living Beautifully:

Some of you may remember Women Living Well's Making Your Home a Haven Fall Challenge . I encouraged us all to light a candle and pray for peace everyday. I am still practicing this habit in my home daily and as I undressed my mantel from the holiday season, I realized that the word PEACE from my mantel would go well right on my desk by my keyboard. It has served as daily reminder to pursue God and his peace. Living beautifully brings peace in the home.


Sally's daughter Sarah opened the conference with a talk on Living Thoroughly Alive. She encouraged us to cultivate time for beauty in our lives. The Bible starts "In the beginning God created..." In nature we can see God's grandeur and beauty - we cannot watch television and experience this. God is the source of beauty. Whatever keeps us from his beauty keeps us from his presence.


Sally and Sarah tag teamed as they gave practical ways to express beauty inside our homes.


1. You can read books together - to make books even more beautiful - do it beside a fireplace with a warm glow.


2. You can serve the family a warm dinner - but if you add a candle and some light music it becomes an event.


3. Take the time to make holidays extra special - celebrate life together - this builds a beautiful strong foundation.


4. Read good books - you can only give to your children what you already possess inside. Good books are essential not a frivolity.


5. Expose your children to the best things - the best art, best people, best books, and the best thoughts.


Sally shared that it was in some of their dark moments that their pursuit for beauty saved their family. And all this beauty doesn't happen by accident. We must cultivate time for beauty and time to celebrate life with our families. We must remain connected to the source of all beauty.


Dignity:
One of the most convicting moments of the conference for me personally, was Sally's talk on Proverbs 31:25. It says "She is clothed with strength and dignity."


I'm really not a very dignified person. I pretty much am an open book and I lay it all out there. I thought this was a strength for what I do in blogland BUT Sally opened my eyes to the fact that if I'm not careful...I could be a "blabber mouth" - OUCH!

Sally talked about how many women today in our media saturated world lack dignity. A dignified woman chooses to be dignified just as she chooses her clothing for the day. She does not live in fear, whine or have a critical attitude. She cultivates contentment, overlooks another's sin and is known by her love.


Family Ministry:

Watching Sally's husband and children come up on the stage one by one and sing, play their compositions they had written on the piano and share their hearts was moving. Sally said that when God called her to ministry this meant that God had also called her children and husband. I have never viewed Women Living Well as a "family ministry" but in that very moment I realized that indeed - not only is Women Living Well a calling on my life, but also on my husband and children's lives.

I came home and immediately shared this thought with my husband and he agreed. He has shared me with my on-line friends and the entire family not only prays daily out loud for my blog but also cooperates with letting me take pictures of them and splatter them all over Women Living Well! Bless their hearts!


Faith:

Sally said "If you only live by what you can accomplish by yourself, you will be condemned to works for the rest of your life. Step out in faith."

I have saturated my thoughts with this challenge...and am wondering...what is it that God wants me to step out in faith and do? Fear has been a hurdle for me in blogland - what if I say the wrong thing? What if I get a bunch of nasty emails for something silly I say lol!? What if people don't approve of my school choices? What if my children go wayward? What if what if what if...

I must choose faith over fear - clinging to God's great goodness and beauty. It is the only way to live thoroughly alive!

Thank you Sally for a weekend of both challenges and comfort. Your conference has been a spring board for me and I carry your words in my heart as seeds that I pray sprout into a beautifully dignified life.


Walk with the King!

Today is Women Living Well Wednesday! It's a Link-Up Day!!!

Join the fun, do a little blog hopping and don't forget if you join below -please add the Women Living Well Wednesdays button to your post so your readers can find us here! (posts can include the topics of marriage, parenting, homemaking, finances, recipes, organization and more!)

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I am linked up at Titus2days (Time Warp Wife), Raising Homemakers, and Works for Me Wednesday.

I Am About to Walk the Red Carpet!

The Academy Awards are this weekend.

It's the famous ones who walk the red carpet.

It's the honored ones who walk the red carpet.

It's the beautiful ones who walk the red carpet.

It's the talented ones who walk the red carpet.

It's the wealthy ones who walk the red carpet.

It's the gifted ones who walk the red carpet.

And I...I am about to walk the red carpet!

Every morning, I walk the red carpet right up to my sink where I rinse the morning dishes.

I am honored to have a husband and children to take care of.

I am beautiful in the eyes of the Lord, living out his will for my life as a wife and mother.

I am wealthy on the red carpet, for many in the world do not have a sink with running water in their kitchen.

I am gifted on the red carpet - gifted with the riches of God's grace that come through my faith in Christ Jesus his son.

There is no greater honor than the red carpet walk I do every morning in my kitchen.

Join me, as you step up to your kitchen sink - in welcoming a joy that the world cannot understand.

My red carpet is...

A GIFT.

Thank you sweet Jesus for delighting me with this gift!

Today is Women Living Well Wednesday! It's a Link-Up Day!!!

Join the fun, do a little blog hopping and don't forget if you join below -please add the Women Living Well Wednesdays button to your post so your readers can find us here! (posts can include the topics of marriage, parenting, homemaking, finances, recipes, organization and more!)

<a href="http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/search/label/Women%20Living%20Well%20Wednesdays"><img border="0" src="http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq297/courtneylivingwell/LivingWell.png" /></a>

Walk with the King!

I am linked up at Titus2days (Time Warp Wife), Raising Homemakers, and Works for Me Wednesday.

Putting Your House In Order

I'm excited to begin a series titled "Putting Your House in Order". This series of posts includes some of my bloggy friends who will be writing on other areas. I have been assigned the area of faith. I hope you will visit my friends!
Children: Connie from Smockity FrocksDecorating: Myra from The Casabella Project and My Blessed LifeFinances: Alyssa from Kingdom First MomFood: Jessica from Good Cheap Eats and Life as Mom

Order - I crave order. I make schedules and lists and plans and then the children wake up...and well - the order goes out the window! That's when I light my candle, put on some classical music and say a prayer for peace in our home lol!


Every year on January 1st, I attempt to get my spiritual life in order. I crack open a fresh, simple 5 subject notebook and transfer my favorite quotes and verses from last year's journal to this years journal. Then I write out my spiritual goals for the year and begin my first devotion of the new year!

I have been journaling since I was 16 - so for about 19 years (I'll save you the math - I'm 35 years old lol!).


So you may ask, what do I write in my journals? My answer: It's a massive plethora of stuff - that's why I get the 5 subject, college rule, notebooks!. I write:


1. My daily prayer requests. Sometimes they are in list form and sometimes I write out entire prayers.


2. Praises. Sometimes I write them in list form and sometimes I write out entire prayers of thanksgiving.


3. Confessions. I confess my sins in my notebook - yikes - do not let the kids get a hold of these lol! Lately, I have grown more private and I use code words or often I write the word "confessing" and then I pause to confess my sins but I don't write them down. The discipline of confessing is unnatural - it is easy to become neglectful in this area.


4. Verses. Often I write out verses from my quiet time that I don't want to forget.


5. Book notes - when I read a good book, I consider the author my mentor. Often times I journal quotes that have touched my soul.


What I don't journal:

1. Bad things my husband says or does. At one time I would go to my journal when we fought and just pour out my frustrations...to the Lord. Taking my frustrations to the Lord was good but journaling them not so good. Here's why...a few years later, I was reading through a journal and came to a point where Keith and I were fighting - oh it was ugly! All the feelings rushed back as if it had just happened only moments ago - what a tool from the enemy to distract me from the forgiveness and grace God had helped me to extend. I learned that day to no longer journal when I am angry...if you feel a need to write - tear it out and toss it - it's amazing how anger can be restirred up simply by remembering.



2. Bad things about others. Here and there in my journals, I express disappointment when a friend or family member has hurt me. It's amazing how years later, I can see my immaturity in some situations to the point that I am embarrassed of myself when I read what I wrote - sin is so evident all over the pages! I do not want to sin in my journal!


So it's a new year and time for new beginnings. It's time to get our spiritual lives in order. If you have never tried journaling, I encourage you to hit the nearest Target and get yourself an inexpensive notebook. I can testify that it has been a powerful tool in my spiritual life.


Next, start reading your Bible. If you don't know where to read, I have the perfect Bible study for you! TODAY, the on-line James Bible study launches over at my sister site GoodMorningGirls.org. We have over 135 Good Morning Girls Groups and over 935 Girls enrolled from all over the USA and in Brazil, Korea, Austria, Germany, Canada, Scotland, Australia, and Croatia. You do not have to have a Good Morning Girls Group to participate in the James study! Join Angela on Mondays, a link up on Wednesdays and I'll be there blogging on Fridays.

Here's a video from Angela with all the details:

Join me for the James Bible Study as I put my house in order starting with my spiritual life.


Walk with the King!


The Be My Valentine Marriage Challenge and Link Up begins this Wednesday!

Happy New Year!

Last night we made memories doing our New Years Eve Traditions!

First, my sisters and I made the Cabbage Rolls (on Thursday).

Then, last night Keith led us in prayer giving thanks for the food, our family and our blessings in 2010. Then we served the "Pigs in the Blanket".

Then we passed around the 2010 time capsule and each person in the family shared and put their item in. (the capsule you see in the background is the one we opened this year from 2003. Opening the old capsule brought back many old memories - some sad and some heartwarming. I store the capsules in a bin in my basement).

I got a shot of everyone with their item for the capsule before we went around and put them in.

Then we played Apples to Apples and my husband won (sorry no picture of that).

Then we watched the ball drop, hugged and kissed everyone and headed to the kitchen for a toast with sparkling grape juice!CousinsMom, Dad and Grandma (my grandma got on Facebook for the first time last night! My sister taught her all about it. She taught us how to make cabbage rolls - now we'll teach her Facebook lol!)

Being goofy!

I hope you have a wonderful New Year's Day!

***Coming up this week on Women Living Well, I am going to share with you gobs of ideas for studying your Bible! Let's start the new year off right - right with God!***

If you need accountability in your quiet times visit Good Morning Girls NOW because the winter session is kicking off RIGHT NOW! I have written a study for the Book of James that I will share with you as soon as it is ready - it will begin on Monday, January 17th and run for 12 weeks over on GoodMorningGirls.org. I hope some of you will join me!

Walk with the King!

*The second week in January, we'll be talking about weight loss!

Random Tips and Clips From This Week

Here's a few random happenings in our house this week:

Lexi sweeping with her new broom! What a blessing she is!

I LOVE getting the mail every single day! It's like hitting the jackpot every time I open a Christmas card from family or friends!

Here's what we do with our Christmas cards... (and I know some of you are already doing this!) We have placed all the cards in a fish bowl (you could use a basket)and at every meal the kids each pick a card out of the bowl and we pray for the two families who are chosen. We will continue to do this into the month of January! This is a fun and easy way to remember to keep family and friends in our prayers and to teach our children to pray for others.


Secondly, we had turbo amounts of snow this week, which meant lots of wet clothes and hot chocolate! So here's a tip my big sister taught me a few years ago, duct tape your children's coat to their gloves so snow cannot seep into their sleeves.

The warmer they stay, the longer they play lol!! (Only do this when you are out with them or keeping a close eye on them...)


And finally, this week my children sat down and watched sweet little Vivi from 10 Million Miles make Pebble Snacks. (Laura will be a speaker with me at the Relevant 11 Conference! Woohoo!) Here's the clip:

Then we made them!

They were SO easy (the recipe is here) and we can't wait to serve them to Grandpa today when he comes over to do some history and science with the kids!

So this is what we have been up to this week! Hope you have a great weekend! Just 7 days until Christmas!!! Oh my!!! Keep lighting your candles and covering your homes in prayer for peace. And don't forget to take care of yourself by taking a bubble bath, getting to bed early and reading God's word!

Walk with the King!

I am linked up to Raising Homemakers and Works for me Wednesdays at We Are That Family.