Fun Food Arrangements

My son is a picky eater. Maybe not so picky as he is just SOOO SLOW to get his whole plate of food downrange.

I tried a little experiment over the course of a few weeks.

Sunshine Arrangement

I would give him normal plates of food, then surprise him here and there with a fun food arrangement. I didn't take a picture of everything I did, however, I can explain the gist of what was done.

- I used cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes out of his sandwiches.
- I made happy faces out of fruits and veggies.
- I created a beach-like scene out of crackers, cheese, etc.
- And, I made a sunshine out of cucumbers, carrots, and ranch dip!  (At least, he thought it was a sunshine, so we called it that!)

I can tell you, he ate his food with much more enthusiasm and speed when his food was arranged in a fun way, instead of the usual grain/protein/veggie boringness.

When I have a spare few minutes, I try to remember to arrange his food in a fun way. If I remember to do so, he is excited, looks at meal time in a fun way, and we're not stuck at the dinner table for an hour (or sometimes longer...)

Give it a try! Be creative, and see if it helps your child to enjoy meal time more.

Praising the Lord, For EVERYTHING!

Everything happens because it is in God's will to happen, because God is in control.

This is especially true for our family this past week. Bad things happened, and good things happened. No matter what, we are praising the Lord for everything - both the bad, and the good.

Jumping for joy, no matter what
God brings our way!

Do not ever feel as if God is not there. He is always there, always in control, and is very much alive. He is not a dead God, or a God that does not exist. He is the one true Living God, and He is with us all the time, actively working in each one of our lives, not always in ways we understand at first.

After much prayer, a lot of things started coming to light. Over the course of a week, our prayers were answered in ways that I could not have imagined. The Lord works in mysterious ways, that is without a doubt! A mixture of good things and bad things started happening all at once, but amazingly enough, all of the incidents proved to balance out in our favour. Our family is now getting ready to make a huge change, and we're embracing that change. We are now at this point happily undertaking anything, and I mean absolutely anything that comes our way.

The Lord is in full control, and always has been. But, for one of the first times in my life, I am trusting in Him fully to guide our steps. His wisdom outweighs mine, and all other human "wisdom".

Thank you, Lord, for all that has happened this past week.

Cats Playing in the Jungle

Why don't cats like to play cards in the jungle?

Too many cheetah's!

Christians Coming from a Secular Upbringing

I am a woman who grew up in a "semi-secular" household, which I think is a very loose statement. It was more secular than anything else, but, we did celebrate Christmas and Easter in the way they are actually intended.

My mother claims to be a Catholic, same as her parents (who were very close to me and my sibling, and still is with my Mother and I guess my Father as well). My father is not anything, I'm pretty sure. I don't know what his belief system is. I guess I could consider him a seeker, as my husband and I have talked to him (and my Mother) about the Gospel several times, but he (and she) still will not commit to Christ.

My life growing up was a lot different than what it is now. A whole lot different. And my parents recognize this, and do not like what I've become. They do not like my choice of leaving my solid, secure, well-paying career to stay at home and homeschool and raise my own kids. They do not like that I have chosen to homeschool. They do not like that I consider my husband the head of the household, and have to talk to him about everything before I make plans. This list is not by any means exhaustive, but it does include a few things that I can think of at the top of my head right now.

They are still secular, and I am not. The foundation of my old self was built on was this secular, insecure, faulty platform. As a new creation in Christ, I am rebuilding this foundation (and my husband is helping A LOT) on the word of God: the most sturdy, foolproof foundation known to man.

Sadly, this rock-solid foundation is foolishness to those who do not believe. And, all of my old friends and extended family fall into this category. They, I'm sure, consider me to be a "religious freak". If they would only take the time to sit down with me, have a Cappuccino (my favourite), and discuss God and our Saviour seriously, I'm sure they'd think differently. I probably should make a few phone calls and arrange something like that, preferably sooner rather than later.

I admit that it is sometimes hard to deal with those hateful, condescending vibes from those close to me. I don't spend time with a lot of non-Believers anymore (as commanded in Scripture) which means that I don't hang out with any of my old friends that often, if it all, anymore. I wear a head covering now (as commanded in Scripture). I am actively changing my wardrobe to reflect an selection of clothes, and ultimately, an overall modest appearance that would please God.

The key for me is to find strength in the word of God, have Christian fellowship, and talk things out with my husband. Becoming a new creation doesn't happen over night, and the temptations, tests, and other stuff that goes along with being attached to a fleshly body can make living a Godly life trying. Especially whilst living in a lost world.

There are some truths that need to be accepted, and one of the big ones is to change how you live, whether old friends or your Mom and Dad like it or not. Live for Christ, and how He would want you to live. It is a heart attitude, a total life change. Wear the armour of God. Be strong in the faith.

Kid Fun!

If you are a homemaker and are homeschooling your kids (or, your kids are just not old enough to go to school yet), there are a lot of things we as Mommy's need to do to keep things fun.

I decided I wanted to add this section to my blog, because I find I have no shortage of keeping things fun in my house. However, when other things get hectic (like housework, and keeping on top of the homely, family things) it can be hard to keep the kids occupied without giving them your undivided attention.

So, please check here regularly for ideas on fun kid things!