Hearts out of drywall dust

We're in home improvement mode this weekend, working to make some project on our stalled downstairs project. Our after photos will be eerily similar to the ones we posted here, because we aren't changing anything significant. That project, though, didn't have the greatest final stretch as I was too hasty in throwing paint on the walls to realize that I needed a bit more spackling before the painting step. Oops.

It makes me think about 2 Timothy 4:7: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." We did great work on the project initially, but the whole process - from start to finish - is important. In Revelation 2 and 3, which I've been reading recently as we walk through them with our 9th graders, many of the churches are commended for some attribute but then called out for another that doesn't line up with God's Word. What comfort, though, that the rebuke is followed by a call to repent! Just as our project went well but had rough spots in the finish, we have another chance - now! - to do things right.

And to make hearts out of drywall dust. :)


And now a few questions, 'cause I'm not too proud to admit that I appreciate some lovin' in the form of blog comments: What home improvement project are you currently working on? What are you planning to do next? What project do you wish you could do now but can't (due to time, money, or something else)?

GREAT READ: The Creation Story for Children by Helen and David Haidle

I have another gem of a children’s book to review. Love it!

This one is The Creation Story for Children by Helen and David Haidle. I’ll use it during devotions, for science education during our preschool homeschool times, and as a welcome addition to our library.

The first 25 pages each, in two page spreads, include a couple verses from Genesis 1 or 2, a simple yet attractive illustration, and a paragraph with discussion questions (“Can you find the different fins and tails that help fish [in the picture] swim?”) and/or scientific facts (“Clouds are formed when billions of water droplets come together.”) The next six pages each include pictures of and paragraphs about specific animals and creatures in God’s creation. Finally, the last eight pages focus on God’s personal creation of each of us, drawing from Psalm 139 to teach children about God’s creation in you.

Good stuff, y’all. Good stuff.

Look? Our sweet girl even agrees.

(And, yes, she dressed herself. Black leggings? Check. Pink unitard? Check. Silly girl? CHECK!)

The FTC requires that I disclose that New Leaf Publishing Group provided this book for me to review. NLPG, however, required nothing from me and didn't ask for a positive review or anything else. Therefore, I like NLPG more than the FTC, but I include this disclaimer because I also like not being fined by the FTC.

Yummy mac n cheese

I went through a phase while I was pregnant with our little man when I aspired to organize all my go-to recipes on these cards, print them at a photo place, and keep them in a small album. Great idea, huh?

Well, good intentions, at least. I got as far as putting several on cards and then realizing that I plan better with them in a Word doc that I can cut and paste from to make one page each week with all of our recipes for the week on it. I still have these files, so I've decided to post them occasionally. (And if you want the template or others, here's where I found it.) Here's a recipe that I found on the cooking discussion forum on BabyCenter. We love it, and I'm considering making this weekend as good ol' comfort food. Mmm.

Edited to add: it's not really spicy, unless you buy spicier Monterrey Jack cheese.

Wordless We... um, Thursday: The Y Splash Park in FL with Gammy (My Momma)

GOOD READS: Hello, I Love You by Ted Kluck (Adoption Memoir)

This is one I definitely recommend. The subtitle of this book, Adventures in Adoptive Fatherhood, made me unsure about whether or not the book would have a broader appeal for me as a mom. I shouldn’t have worried. This is so good for moms, dads, anyone wanting to know more about international adoption.

This is the story of the Kluck family as they travel several times to and around Ukraine to adopt their two sons, Tristan and Dima. This isn’t the Christianified, sanitized version either. It’s the honest, brutal, sometimes-life-sucks account of a Christian couple who heeds God’s call to care for orphans. It’s also the loving story of a faithful father who is willing to deal with the paperwork, delays, and bureaucracy necessary to bring his two boys home.

He writes with an honest and authentic voice, and I loved reading it. I will lend it to friends to read and then read it again when they give it back. Good stuff. Really good stuff.

The FTC requires that I disclose that Moody Publishers provided this book for me to review. Moody, however, required nothing from me and didn't ask for a positive review or anything else. Therefore, I like Moody more than the FTC, but I include this disclaimer because I also like not being fined by the FTC.