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Sometimes life gets so busy that I feel like I am chasing my tail just to keep my head above water.  There’s not a woman on this earth, that I know of, that doesn’t feel like this at times.  Some of us feel it often!  Then, we get the mind set that we are going to slow things down, get organized and do “better.”  Isn’t it funny that usually at that very time.. we go into bondage with *TOO MUCH* organization?  We squeeze the leading of the Holy Spirit out of our lives because we are keeping on task, keeping it simple… and doing ‘better.”  Don’t get me wrong, I love making planners and being organized.  However, the Bible says, “We can make our own plans,
      but the Lord gives the right answer.”  Proverbs 16:1  We’ve got to ask Him to lead us.  If we try to go by our own plans, we are *guaranteed* failure.  The Bible tells us the Lord gives the right answer.  I know we all know this “intellectually.”  But.  Do we act on this?  With everything going on in the world today, I think it’s so important that we just get simple.  There’s so much we can get caught up in… so much that can steal us away.  To get life more simple, it’s very “simple.”  We just go to the Lord.  We ask Him to set our plans.  He’s going to have the final say anyway, so why not save our hearts and serve Him by going to him FIRST?  He’s never going to lead us astray.  Galatians 5:4 says, “I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.”  So see, even when we are being our “best religous selves” by making our own plans we are cut off from Christ.  I believe that is simply because we just squish His lead right out of our days!  What we write out on that piece of paper is “set in stone!”  To keep my day simple and allow GOD’s leading, I am trying to have “benchmarks” for my day.  Basically saying:  “Here is a list of things I would love to do in my day” –*IF GOD SEES FIT!*  His will, not mine!  If I have something on my list that God doesn’t want to happen for whatever reason, even if my plan is good and something I would think is right unto God, I pray He blocks the way and that He speaks to me.  You see, He *WILL* speak to us.  It’s more the matter of will we listen.  Will we stop long enough to ask God?  Do we feel so crazy busy that we don’t take time to ask Him?  If that’s the case, we already can count the failure.  He says His yoke is easy to carry.  Praise God for this.  Let’s pray together, encourage each other, and most of all — Let’s get simple and *ONLY* do what GOD leads us to do!  *smiles* Cassidy

Teaching our children the Word of God is sooo important.  Our job as mothers is one of the utmost callings in life.  It is our calling to raise these babies to love the Lord Jesus.  This is one job we just cannot afford to stink at!  The consequences of failing to do our job is far worse than the consequences of falling short on any other job.  We do have to remember, however, that our job is the PLANT the seeds.  It is up to God to bring LIFE to the seed.  The Bible tells us that God’s word will not return void.  It also tells us to train up our children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.  Notice the keyword is TRAIN.  Telling them isn’t good enough.  We have to TRAIN them.  This means consistent, dedicated TRAINING. We have to walk it, talk it and breathe it.  I wish I could put my thumb on the scripture at the moment but cannot .. but it’s the one that says we are supposed to teach them while doing EVERYTHING in life.  (when we lie down, when we rise up, when we are walking, etc…)  It’s a WAY OF LIFE.  Training develops HABBITS.  Training is something that happens over time.  Hebrews 8:10 says, “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:  I will put My laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them.”  What stuck out to me in that verse tonight was this: **I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them.**  How can our children *KNOW* how to live if they do not have the Word of God imparted to them?  How can they follow what they do not know and have not been taught?  See what a HUGE, REWARDING calling we have as Mommies?  The things that matter most in this lifetime are those things that have ETERNAL consequences or effects.  Boy!  Training our childrens’ hearts in the ways of God definitely has ETERNAL effects.  That is one reason I think being a mother is the best thing ever!  I have the cherished ability to lead these babies the way they should go.  I am able to stay home with them and teach them and have them with me at all times.  That means I had better have my act together!  :)  Their time at home is SHORT at best.  We’re never going to be perfect however.. it’s that picking ourselves up and starting again and rededicating ourselves that separates the good Mommies from those that are not.  We care so we try to do better each day.  The biggest thing we can do as a mother is to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!  We have to pray for God to lead us.  We have to listen to Him… and follow what He is telling us.  We have to pray for Him to help us to see those teachable moments and to cease them.  We also need to pray and ask God to bring life to those seeds we are planing. He will!  God loves our children even more than we can fathom!  It is hard to believe someone can love our babies me than us but GOD CAN & DOES! 

Love, Cassidy

“A virtuous wife carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness.”  Proverbs  31:27

 This Bible scripture shares such an important truth for us as wives & mothers about making our homes.  If we carefully watch over *ALL* that goes on in our household then we do not have to bear the consequences of laziness!  So many times I have been royally embarrassed when someone stopped by my house because it was a MESS!  I recently read where Michelle Duggar was telling about how her family does “quick cleans” throughout the day to help keep things in order.  With seventeen children I think this mother would have some great advice!  So often I do my cleaning when the kids have gone to bed.  Throughout the day is when most people visit, not after the children are fast asleep - so this leaves my visitors always coming at times my house is a mess.  Each night when I put the kids to bed I have drudgery to clean up such a big mess.  If I would just take the time out of my day and put in the effort to watch all things that go on in my home and have my children help me do “quick cleans” then I wouldn’t have to suffer the embarrassment all the time! It’s amazing how the Bible is absolutely relative to “modern day times.”  I have had a great love for Proverbs 31 and I am sharing it below to help encourage other Mommies out there!  :)  Love, Cass 

 Proverbs 31:  (The Message translation as found at www.BibleGateway.com )

10-31 A good woman is hard to find,
   and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
   and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
   all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
   and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
   and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
   for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
   then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
   rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
   is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
   diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
   reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
   their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
   and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
   when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
   brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
   and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
   and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
   and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
   her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
   but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
   The woman to be admired and praised
   is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
   Festoon her life with praises!

It is so important to continually let God refill your cup.  If you have not taken the time to let God pour into you then you have nothing to pour out.  It isn’t that you do not want to pour out to your husband, children and those you love… it is simply that you have neglected yourself to the point of having nothing left to give or pour out to others.  How long does it take to reach that point?  I believe you begin to run on empty when you have not reached up to God that day.  I really do believe God speaks this to us in many scriptures.  Two times that come to mind are when God was sending down manna and was sending it down DAILY (if you saved up it spoiled, so it was important to gather your manna daily) and another time was when God warned us to only worry about today because “tomorrow has enough worries of its own.”  I believe God is telling us many times through His word that we are to only worry about today and filling our cup for today.  We have to then refill it again each and every day.  If we do not take that time out to do so (even if we have REALLY GOOD reasons excuses) then we begin to starve ourselves.  In an airplane you will see that the oxygen mask warning tells you to put on YOUR oxygen mask FIRST and THEN help any others.  The reason?  If you can’t breathe, you can’t help anyone.  That sounds silly because it’s obvious - but think about it:  If you do not refill your cup and “put on your oxygen mask” then you have nothing in you to pour out to others.   God is our lifeline in every way. There is not ONE THING you could do that would bless those you love more than to spend that time daily with Jesus.  It will overflow into every person you have contact with.  God’s word NEVER returns void. The Bible tells us this so we can be assured that every moment we spend in God’s word is giving us more LIFE.  And that absolutely touches those we love in everything we do or say.

I pray that God would help us to remember to take that time every single day to be with Him and let Him refill us.  It doesn’t have to be long and boring or stressful and hectic to be effective. It’s not US that is doing the work anyway - it is just us inviting GOD to do the work in us and through us.

Love, Cassidy

Well first, of course, we can look to our Saviour Jesus Christ.  He can fill us, comfort us and even hold us.  But I was thinking of something tangible in our homes that could encourage us.  What about our babies?  Our children?  Our teenagers?  Sometimes just spending some time ALONE with that child at whatever age they are doing something they enjoy that you also enjoy even if it is just chatting will encourage you so much.  Our children pick up on the things that upset us or if we are stressed out.  Their age does not matter.  Pay attention and you will see this.  Look at our sweet, innocent babies cry and fret sometimes for no reason — sometimes it is because they are picking up on our stress or upset.  Notice our younger children scooting out of the way or offering an extra helping hand - they are showing they see our stresses.  Sometimes our teens may act out against it.  They may be particularly crabby or unhelpful because they are picking up on our upsets and stress and it is causing them stress and making them crabby and they have no idea it is even happening.  Throw some hormones in there and OH ME!  :)  Lately I have needed much encouragement and I have felt very alone and lonely.  Last night as I cried into my pillow, Baby Hannah reached over to me and I stopped and started talking to her.  Within MOMENTS I felt better and she and I were smiling and talking to each other.  When it came time to turn out the lights, we both felt content.  Those are moments we must cherish and never forget.  Please, be encouraged by those children God blessed you with.  They are yours for a reason.  He chose YOU to raise them.  Of course they are His first and foremost but He chose to share them with YOU.  Be encouraged, what a joy they are!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perservereance.  Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

As I was suffering through some things My Nanny (YES she is MY Nanny, giggle - she has many grandchildren but she IS MINE .. and is probably the only thing I feel very possessive of other than my hubby and children, crazy ? huh?)  Anyway… I was sharing some really hard times with Nanny and confessing to her my shortcomings (I had already confessed to God) and I was crying and feeling at my end.  I felt desperate.  I didn’t know where to turn or if I had the strength to turn.  I just knew I was miserable, sad and hurting.  She said to me, “Cass, you *must* put the Word of God in you *****EVERY DAY****** to feed your faith and keep it alive.  This way, when things come up that are so hard, your faith will rise up in you and you will be okay!  Well you see, this took insight , as she always seems to have…  I do read my Bible but there are times, especially during hard times that I don’t.  I keep thinking I have to wait until I get through these things and get back close to Jesus to open His word of life.  WRONG!  It’s when we are at our worst, at our lowest, at our most hurt point in life that we need that WORD OF LIFE like nothing else!!!  Boy!  Did she minister to me?!  She always does.  God has used her in my life since I was *BORN* lierally.  I always joke and so does she that I am her fifth daughter.  She has 4 biological daughters including my sweet, Mom and then I am her “fifth!”  Mom was young when she had me.  17.  So Nanny and I were also able to have a special bond.  To be frank, she’s my best friend.  She’s the one who no matter what I am thinking of how badly I am thinking or what I have done or how bad it is, I will go to her and confess and pray because I know she loves me like a mother loves her baby - UNCONDITIONALLY!  You know what?  Our Father in Heaven loves us like his baby - we ARE His baby and He loves us - UNCONDITIONALLY!  We’ve got to remember that we don’t have to spend hours and hours and make our time alone reading with God and learning from His word into something miserable.  It’s just about consistently doing it EVERY SINGLE DAY.  And it’s about wanting to, and really learning from that word.  I pray before I read and ask God to speak to me through His word and that my heart would be open to hear His voice as well.

Encouragement and Love, Cass