New Year, New Adventures!

     So, y'all... it is 2020!  Not just a new year, but a new decade!  Does anyone else remember when it was the year 2000, and that seemed so amazing?  (I mean,after the Y2K thing was over...haha!)   I'm just saying...that was a fast 20 years!

     In the last 20 years, so many things have happened to our family!  We went from carefree, impulse-trip-to the-beach kind of people to fall-into-bed-at 9:30 kind of people.  Four kids will do that to you.  We bought a house, rented the house, and moved to the parsonage.  We went from Hubby working a 9-5 office job, to taking on the running of a school.  From a stay at home mom to a working full time (plus some!) mom.  From babies to big kids to mostly grown ones. 

     I look back on those people, and I wonder where they went some days.  When the biggest decision I made in a week was whether to pack a picnic lunch or buy one when I took the babies to the zoo on Friday!  Man...that was so long ago.  I admit--I wonder what my life would look like now if things had continued in the same way.  Would I be a cookie baking, Latin teaching homeschool mom?  Would I be worn to a frazzle trying to do everything around the house because it was my "job"? 

    You see, change necessitates growth.  I wouldn't recognize myself in that world because I am not that person anymore.  When I lived there, I could totally see that person...in fact, I thought it would be inevitable that I would become that person.  But now, she seems so strange to me.  I've outgrown her. 

    Not that I regret outgrowing her.  I don't think a butterfly looks back at the chrysalis with regret.  But it took change to become the new creature.  And change is painful at times.  I don't know if you have ever done one of those butterfly cage things...but y'all...that thing surprised me.  I knew the butterflies had to emerge from the chrysalis and that it was a struggle for them that allowed them to grow the muscles needed to move forward to the next step.  But when we did one in our class, the chrysalis stage was way more intense than I expected. "Emerge" is such a gentle sounding word.  Y'all...the butterfly cage looked like a murder scene!  Red goo everywhere from the force of the chrysalis breaking open and the butterfly forcing its way out!  (The class was awed and grossed out at the same time!) 

     But isn't that how our lives are?  I mean, I know there were things that I've been through in the last 20 years that made me feel like I was struggling out of one stage in an explosion of red goo...only to wind up floundering about at the bottom for a while until finally getting to the next stage.  Just to have it start all over again once I thought I had a handle on it.  But this process is how we grow.  Hopefully, the more this process happens, the less struggle it will take over time and the process of change will be smoother.  It's growing up, y'all. 

     I know I'm about to enter a whole new time of change.  My kids are turning from kids to young adults.  In 5 years, my First Born will be 20.  It's our job to get them through this final critical stage of childhood so that their entry into adulthood isn't covered in red goo with them struggling at the bottom of the cage.  My prayers for my kids have been turning more and more into asking that God will guide us in helping our kids become adults.  That they will see us living our lives in obedience to God in a consistent way.  And that they will begin to see the reality of a life lived for Jesus rather than for self. 

     So, as I reflect on the last 20 years, and ponder the next 20, I know this life will be filled with new struggles, new adventures, and new growth.  But my prayer is that there will be less red goo and floundering and more "growing in grace."  And that 20 years from now, I'll look back and be amazed at what God has done!  :)

   

   

Find Us Faithful

     Fall has arrived...but just in name only around here!  Even though it is still hot, I am ready to start celebrating fall!  it is my favorite season, and my feelings can be summed up in a quote from one of my favorite books, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers!"

     Of course, fall does kick off a busy season around here!  We have several events filling up the calendar for the next few weeks.  School, Scouts, church, and family activities keep up moving around here for sure.

     One of those activities I have been taking part in for about 25 years.  That event is our tent revival meeting with the Stewarts.  I first met them when I was about 13 or so, and they have been a part of my fall season every year since then.  We first had them for a tent revival when my Dad was pastoring in Pennsylvania. (Just FYI, Octobers in PA are a lot different than Octobers in AL... it was freezing our first meeting!)  They began doing them here at church before we moved down here when my grandfather was pastoring here.

    This year, as I was watching my boys help set up the tent, I was thinking about faithfulness.  I did the same jobs 20 years ago that they are doing now.  I can pass on this tradition to my kids, and that makes me happy.  But that wouldn't be possible without faithfulness.  The simple faithfulness of two humble servants of God who just simply serve each day to the best of their ability.  Since I was the age my kids are now, they have steadily served in this ministry.  (I think their official count is 30 years with the tent.)  This is such a rare thing now.

     People just aren't content to do the same thing steadily for any length of time.  We are always looking for the next big thing, or content to think we just don't have time or energy to be faithful.  We struggle with just getting up and meeting with God every day, much less putting our whole life to the same task.  Have we lost the importance of simple faithfulness in the hustle and bustle of this crazy life?

    As I see the Stewarts slowing down just a little more each year, I pray that I can carry on their legacy.  Not necessarily as a tent evangelist, but just the faithfulness to the minstry God has called me to.  I think the legacy of faithfulness is growing ever more rare.  I want to pass it on to my kids.  I want them to be able to look around and see those who are steadily faithful on a daily basis.  Just doing the right thing each day because it is the right thing.

     I hope this encourages you to determine to be faithful....even in the busy times of life.  Because those who come behind us need to see our faithfulness so they can be faithful.  It is a legacy we can't afford to neglect.  :)

Making Miles and Memories

     Well, I didn't make the July blog post, but it is still officially August, so I made this month's at least!!  July was a really busy month for the Lipskoch family!  Between summer school prep, family get-togethers, and cross-country road trips, there wasn't much time for blogging! 

     We managed to pull off another road trip for two weeks in the middle of July.  It had been three years since our last trip out West to see Daddy's family, so we decided it was about time to pull out the suitcases and get packed up.  And it takes a lot of suitcases for 6 people to take a two week road trip!!  But finally we got it all together and got on the road!

     One of the main purposes of the road trip was to visit family we don't get to see very often.  The kids enjoyed spending lots of fun time with cousins they don't get to see very often.  Good times were had by all!

    Travel is an important thing for you to do with your kids, as much as you are able.  There is so much of the world to see, and you'll never see it if you never leave your own back yard.  Observation, planning, flexibility, and confidence are just a few of the things kids develop when they are exposed to new places and things.  Not to mention the sense of reality it brings when they can compare their experience to the things they may learn about in school.  Those covered wagon journeys don't seem so far removed when you driven across the country for a thousand miles!  "Big" takes on a whole new meaning when you stand under the shadow of a mountain.  "Wild" seems a whole lot more real when you're looking at the claw marks of a bear in a tree on a trail you are on!   And prairie dogs are really cute up close and personal!

     We ate sandwiches on paper towels as we drove down the interstate.  Daddy and First Born stopped in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere to see the Milky Way.  Middle Biscuit and Stitch taught Little Sister to play 21 in the back seat.  I got flattened pennies where ever we could find them.  (The best souveniers!)  Miles were traveled, memories were made, and that was the whole point.  It wasn't a resort Disney vacation.  We didn't stay in five star hotels with pools and wi-fi.  (We didn't even have cell signal most of the time!)  But I hope they remember it as one of their best times.  We know we don't have much time left with all of them together.  Soon enough we won't be able to coordinate everyone's schedules to take the time to go somewhere together.  But until then, we'll keep traveling and talking and laughing and arguing and being a family.  Because that's what's important.  :)

   

Book Review--"Girl, Wash Your Face" & "Girl, Stop Apologizing"

     Hey, everyone!  Hope you are enjoying your first few days of spring...and that you have gotten a break from winter weather for at least a couple of days!

     How many of you have heard of the two books I mentioned in the title?  I admit, I hadn't heard of them (or the author, Rachel Hollis) until about a year ago.  This is about the same time I became involved in my side hustle (which you can check out here, if you don't know about that.)  Anyway, if you've spent any time in DS, or any type of networking type business (or even just work in an office environment) you know there's a lot of "you can do it" positive thinking books and resources out there.  I have read several of them.  (I have an affinity for self-help/time management books.  I get it from my Dad.  No joke.  Who knew that could be genetic?!)

    These fall into that category for me.  I enjoyed reading them for that purpose.  She has some good ideas about time management, some better ideas about getting big things accomplished in life, and she isn't afraid to be pretty real about her story and her circumstances.  (I mean, it's her book...she could have left the parts about majorly embarrassing things that happened to her out, but she didn't.  Kudos for that!)

      Then, as I'm reading them, and doing a little research into her and her books and biz, I start hearing these rumblings from other websites and bloggers about how terrible the books are and how they are a personification of everything that's wrong with Christianity today.  Wait, what?!  Who is reading time management/self help books for Bible study?  Do people do that?!

     Apparently, they do.  Or they know other people who do.  Whatever.  (And maybe that is part of what's wrong with Christianity today...)   Um, no where that I could find are these books classified as a Bible study, y'all.  So, first of all, stop freaking out.  If your church is doing a Bible study on them, and you have an issue with that, yeah...go talk to your pastor.  (Nicely!)  Because that's not what they were meant for.  (And it's not really fair to attack a book or an author for something that she didn't even intend...just saying.)  And *news flash*  just because a book is published by Thomas Nelson or is sold at LifeWay DOESN'T make it appropriate for a Bible study or a personal devotion guide.   If you are wondering if these books are good for that, they answer is no.  They are good as what they are: time management/ self-help books written by a woman who has built a very successful lifestyle business from literally nothing.  If you are looking for that, then by all means, check them out.

    If you are looking for a Bible study book, maybe look for the ones who actually say "Bible Study" on them. (Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, and Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth or Francie Taylor are just a few names to start with in that category.)  Just saying.  Or just study the actual Bible.  Be discerning, people.  It's your job to do that.  Not the internet, a Christian article from that website you read, or your friends.  It's your job to search the Scriptures "to see if these things are so."

     So, to sum up, if you have a thing for rah-rah, you-can-do-it books, then you might want to check these out.  You'll definitely get a laugh, if nothing else!  If you are looking for your next devotional book, these aren't it.  And that's okay.  There are plenty of great ones out there to choose from!  (Also, the Bible...in case you didn't hear me before...)  But most of all, discern!  Take the good, filter out the not-so-good, and stay away from the bad.  Practice.  Because I'm pretty sure no one wants to be one of those "silly women" Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3.  So, go wash your face and read your Bible!  :)





   

   

I'm Back! Updates & Advice!

     So, I had to clean the cobwebs off this page before I could write anything!  :)  Not really, but I was looking and it's been almost a year since I last posted!  That is sad, y'all!  I'm just gonna give you a little rundown of everything that's been happening, and then a bit of advice on how I keep my plates spinning!  (In case you are feeling overwhelmed yourself!)

     Well, to begin, our family has taken on a couple of new projects over the last few months.  We have returned to Scouting, and now have two boys in Scouts, and a boy in Cub Scouts.  Daddy and Mommy run the Cub pack, and Little Sister goes along for all the adventures! 

    School is back full time now, and we tackled several projects over the summer here on the grounds.  Including cutting a big hole in the wall between the classrooms and adding a window!  Our Fearless Leader is also taking on another teaching job at a local Christian school...two math classes....his favorite!

     I have added another teaching job to my repertoire as well... piano lessons!  I have been teaching (read: forcing) my boys for several years, but this past school year, several students expressed an interest in learning piano as well.  I am by no means a professional music teacher, but I'm excited to share the fun of music with more kiddos!

     I have continued with my parenting classes at the local pregnancy resource center as well.  I am about to celebrate my 1 year anniversary there!  It has been a good year, with a chance to get to know and encourage some young girls in this adventure of motherhood!  And it is always an opportunity to praise God when someone chooses life for their baby!  There were at least two girls in my classes this year who came into the center deciding on abortion, but changed their minds!  What a blessing!! 

    I've also entered the world of direct sales.  This is more of a hobby for me, and a challenge for me to grow in an area personally.  I am selling Plunder jewelry, and having a blast!  It has really encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and tackle something I didn't think I could do.  Plus, it's really fun, and I get to wear amazing jewelry! :)

    Of course, this is on top of teaching, wife-ing, & mommy-ing full time.  So, you might be wondering.... how do I do it?  (That's okay... I wonder that myself sometimes!!)  Here's a few tips that help me stay sane in the midst of the chaos! 

     1) Quiet time.  Nearly every day, first thing in the AM, I sit down with my current Bible study book, my Bible and a pencil and have some study time.  I really feel that I am more centered and focused on God's voice through out the day if I start my day this way. 

     2) Exercise.  I know.... this isn't a fun one.  But, really, y'all... it helps!  I'm not running any marathons or winning any Crossfit challenges, but I try to walk a mile every other morning, and do some kind of muscle exercises (crunches, squats, etc.) the other days.  Like I said, not fun, but it really helps me to feel better about the rest of the day, even if nothing else goes right.  "At least I got my mile in this morning!"

     3) Make your kids work.  Now, I know this seems like something "mean," but come on y'all.  Get serious.  Do you really need to be waiting hand and foot on the miniature people living in your house?  Do their legs and arms work?  Then they need to be cleaning their rooms, making their beds, and helping with other chores.  Currently, the chores in the house are divided up like this: Middle Biscuit and Stitch are responsible for the dishes and KP every day.  First Born and Little Sister are in charge of the laundry for the household, and First Born also has to clean the kids bathrooms.  I handle the vacuuming and the adult bathroom, along with the other extras.  It takes a little effort on your part, but believe me, when your kid is grown, and you don't have to go to his apartment and clean it, you'll thank me.

    4) Google Calendar and a notebook. I write out a weekly schedule in a notebook on the weekend and put all appointments in Google calendar.  Fearless Leader has Google Calendar too, and anything we add shows up on each other's schedule.  Life saver for busy people. 

     So, those are the things that help me juggle my busy life!  And while I'm busy and tired at the end of the day, it's worth it.  Because I know it's the path God has put me on, and there's no place I'd rather be!  I hope that I can get back here soon... I've had a couple of book review requests, and I really need to keep this going!  Thanks for checking in with my little family, and I hope it was a bright spot in your day!  Here's the most recent pic of the crew...so much change this mommy can barely handle it! :)

Endings, Beginnings, and In Between

     Well, a month has gone by since my last post.  When will someone be able to solve the conundrum of how time can simultaneously fly past and yet seem so long?  I am sure the speed of time is directly proportional to how many events have taken place in a given amount of time!  

     We had a difficult event happen in our school family at the end of January.  A parent of one of my little kindergarteners was killed in a car accident.  She left three young children behind.  A tragedy like this is always difficult to go through, but it is even more difficult when little ones are involved.  It was a comfort to know that this young mother knew the Lord as her Saviour, and so we know she is in a better place.  The little ones in my class have faithfully mentioned their classmate for prayer every day since the accident.  Oh, that we could have the faith of these little ones!  They believe with their whole hearts the simple fact that Jesus is their friend and cares about every little detail of their lives.  From big things like a friend's mother dying to little things like how their sibling treats a family pet,  they rest in the knowledge that once Jesus knows, they don't have to worry anymore.  Which, of course, they don't.  At what point do we as adults lose this concept?  Do we think that because we have "grown-up" problems, the fact of God's sovreignty is somehow diminished?  Learn from the faith of children...our Saviour used it as an example for a reason.

     The rush of the holidays has settled, and routine is returning to our lives.  This is always a relief to me, as I am a creature of habit.  However, much as we encourage trying new things in our kids, I have been attempting to begin one or two new things in my own life.  I can't very well tell my kids that it is important to try new things if I am not trying new things myself, can I?  So, with that in mind, I have returned to my 5K running program.  I had begun this at the beginning of the school year, but a foot injury put me on hold.  I have discovered that I enjoy the challenge of pushing myself to do something that I never thought I could.  I hope to do a 5K event sometime in the near future as well.  I have never considered myself to be a super-athletic person, but I enjoy being (mostly) in shape, and the energy boost is great.  And running doesn't take fancy equipment or a gym membership...just a good pair of shoes and a place to do it.  Emphasis on the good pair of shoes...lesson learned!

     Another new project, less physical, but no less difficult (for me at least!) I have been working on is learning to knit and crochet.  Hubby gave a me a "learn-to-knit" kit for Christmas.  Knitting is hard, y'all!  But I managed to keep at it without throwing it across the room, and was able to learn the basic stitches and make a little knitted skirt for one of Little Sister's dolls.  I have now started to learn some crocheting, which is nominally easier, but still a bit of a challenge for me.  One thing I have learned from this experience is that these skills are only relaxing for people who have mastered them!  I am still at the novice stage, so I am a bit more "intense" with mine! 

     Little Miss turned three a couple of weeks back.  What can I say about this little ray of sunshine in our lives?  As a parent you know that each of your kids is different, but the difference between our boys and our girl is so huge.  She can be sweet as sugar one minute, and the next she has a brother in a headlock!  She is really enjoying being three, and she tells everyone that she is "bigger enough" now. (She hears "You're not big enough" quite often around here!)  She loves pink, princesses, purses, jewelry, and her babies.  She likes being mommy's helper, and she is Daddy's girl.  And she is definitely the boss of her brothers, of course!  Happy birthday, Little Miss!  We love your sweet smile and spunky attitude! 

Mondays...and Stitch is 7!

     So, today was Monday.  All day.  One of those days where bedtime cannot come soon enough.  No one was really terrible, just a lot of foolishness which compounded to get on my nerves quickly.  The kind of day that ends with a little person mumbling about "mom not liking us."  Yikes.  So, after an explanation and a conversation about how to make our time go more smoothly, we all decided to try to have a better day tomorrow.  Sometimes that is all you can do.  Go to bed and start fresh with a new day.  

     I think tomorrow will be better right from the start -- because tomorrow we are celebrating Stitch's birthday.  He will be seven.  Our littlest guy with the biggest personality.  This kid never meets a stranger.  And he always has something to say...about everything.  And sometimes the stuff is truly cringe-worthy as a parent.  But somehow he manages to get people laughing about the most outrageous stuff!  For example, a couple of weeks ago, he told an older man we know who has to use oxygen that he looks like Darth Vader!  And (thankfully) everyone thought is was the funniest thing ever!  And a few months ago, he asked a man in our church how old he was.   The man replied that he was seventy.  So Stitch answers in a musing tone, "Huh.  You're old enough to be dead, but you're still alive!"  Seriously, how do you handle that as a parent?!  But everyone just loves him to death.  It is obviously a gift.  Maybe he will be a pastor when he grows up...able to say the hard truth to folks and somehow they still love him.  

     He is so excited about this birthday.  I am not sure why.  We don't really have anything extra special planned.  But he has been asking and planning, and counting the days until his birthday since about November.  (By the way, y'all, it is not easy to count how many days between November and January before 7:00am for this girl! And he always asked first thing in the morning!)  But I hope to have a treat for him to take to school and share with his friends tomorrow, and maybe pancakes for his birthday breakfast.  I guess birthdays are just more exciting when you're seven.  

     He has definitely made our lives more exciting.  He has a tender side that he tries to keep hidden under a tough guy exterior.  He does his best to keep up with his big brothers and show them that he is just as strong as they are.  But he adores his baby cousins and broadly hints to dad and mom that he would like another little brother.  

     So, happy birthday to our sweet, funny guy.  And maybe tomorrow will not be a Monday!  :)

Birthdays and Other Fun Stuff!

     We have been busy around here!  I was talking to a friend the other day, and we were discussing how we spend most of our time saying "If I can make it through this week, then things should slow down..." but somehow it never seems to happen that way!  Each week seems to bring its own pile of stuff.

     Since I posted last, we have had sickness, a cold snap during which I had seven college guys staying over night at the house, (only ONE set of pipes froze), several school-related happenings, a Lego event (BrickFair!!), and two birthdays!  And that is on top of the regular stuff of the day-to-day life with four kids.  So, once again, the poor little blog has been neglected.

     Stitch turned 6 during all that craziness.  He has had several milestones of great importance this year--at least to him, anyway!  He "officially" went to K5 (even though he's been in school for two years); he finally got to be a ring bearer in a wedding; and he lost his first two teeth!  (Thankfully, the teeth were lost after the wedding!)  It's hard to believe my littlest guy has gone from this:

 to this:

 to this:

 to this:

 in just six short years!  He is our mischievous, talkative entertainer.  He adores his little sister, and tags after his big brothers.  Our family just wouldn't be as fun without you, Stitch!

     Since he is such a great big brother, I am sure he won't mind sharing this post with his beloved Little Sister!  She turned 2 (!!) last week.  I can't believe this.  In fact, I think I am just going to be in denial for a little while longer.  She has been the "cherry" on our family's sundae.  Easy-going, sweet, and fun...she is such a trooper.  She comes to school with mommy and daddy every day, and is loved by all her other "brothers" and "sisters" there.  She has learned a lot in her two short years...and her favorite job is to set the table.  She walks around putting every thing in just the right spot, saying everyone's name in the process. ("Ye-BI", "E-e", Mommy, Dada, "Ja-yen")   We love you, Little Miss Sunshine!

     Well, that about catches everything up around here.  It doesn't seem like life has any plans to slow down soon, but I am working on the next post already, so maybe it will be up here soon!  Thanks for checking in on this little piece of crazy fun that is our life!  I hope you are enjoying the craziness that is yours! :)