Scheduling

A wonderful way for a stay-at-home daughter to serve her family is to create and maintain the family schedule! This week I surveyed everyone in my home about what they wanted to get accomplished during the week and compiled a list.

Following the example in the Maxwell's book, "Managers of Their Homes," I gave everyone a color and built a master schedule, from 6:00am, through the entire day until 11:00pm. Listing mine, and all the children's school hours, piano practice, chores, reading, and free time.


Scheduling really makes all the difference in our house. When we have nothing to govern our day by, the children are wild and unproductive, often resulting in punishment. When we have the schedule, they are productive and self-disciplined. They can't wait to rush to the schedule to see what they are supposed to be doing.


We re-do the schedule every few months to keep things new and interesting. It's like getting new school supplies, you'd be amazed at how enthusiastic a child can get about getting his or her work done efficiently!


Of course, we don't always get everything done, and there is a lot of room for flexibility. If Nana calls and asks us to meet her for lunch, we are free to do it - especially if everyone has gotten their things done up until that point. It's truly a blessing, and a wonderful thing for a stay-at-home daughter to work on for her mother, also very good practice for when she is a wife and mother herself!


I'd love to hear about your schedule or scheduling plans, please leave a comment!

God Bless,
Flibby

Happy Birthday to My Mother!

Today is a very special day. Quite a few years ago, my dear mother was born.

Just a few things I love about my mother:

My mother loves the Lord. She is one of His called, and wants nothing more than to serve Him and please Him all the days of her life. She has no greater joy than to see her children walk in Truth. She brought six lives into this world. She teaches them from His Word and prays that the Lord would call each of them His own.

My mother loves her home. She loves adventure and outings along with her family, but on most days, she would rather stay home under the comfort of our roof. She serves her family constantly, and usually unacknowledged, with a sweet and quiet spirit.

My mother is brilliant, and hilarious. She is a free thinker and never hides her opinions. She takes the time to talk with all of her children, in all seriousness, but she is also able to laugh at the situations at hand. She jokes and laughs with us on a daily basis. Her sense of humor is what makes life in the Kudzu house magical! She can match anybody with her wits, and she knows it!

My mother is spontaneous, as well as my father. With the both of them as our parents, we have come to appreciate the fact that spontaneity is the spice of life! Some of my fondest memories were things that happened without any planning whatsoever. While teaching and modeling the fact that it's certainly wise to plan and prepare, my mother also has fun with us simply by being herself and taking things as they come. She can also turn anything into a school lesson!

My mother is beautiful. Literally, she is strikingly gorgeous. Truly. If you don't believe me, watch the video below. Actually, watch it anyway. I worked hard on it.

Not only on this day, but everyday, we rise up and call my mother blessed. She is worth more than all the precious jewels in the world.

Happy Birthday, Ma mére.

(Another little known fact about my mother: she loves blog traffic. And even more, she loves comments. Help make her birthday grand, head over to her blog and leave a comment! Lurkers, today is your day to come out and show your appreciation for the fantastic and whimsical, Lady Why!)

An Inspiring Article

20-Something Reasons to Live at Home

"So Rachel," my new friend said, joking in that not-so-subtle way that meant she wasn't joking at all. "Want to move out and get an apartment with me next fall?"

I chuckled slightly and said, "Nope. I'm pretty happy at home." "But you could be so independent!" she insisted. "Living on your own is so great. You'd have your own space; the ability to do whatever you want; your own bills to pay. It really makes an adult of you."

I stuck to my guns. When she got to know me a little better, my friend changed her mind. Instead of asking me to move out, she expressed a desire to live close to my family. She saw something in our home that she wanted to tap into...

[Read more...]

The Service Of The Lord

The Service Of The Lord





I love being in the service of the Lord.

I may not be a missionary, a Bible study leader, or a prophet.

but, I love being in the service of the Lord.

My ministry consists of my home and neighbors,

and I love being in the service of the Lord.

I may not be a minister to the poor or the mentally distressed,

but I love being in the service of the Lord.

I love to encourage others as they walk along the same path.

and I love being in the service of the Lord.

I thrive from moments spent in His loving word,

and I love being in the service of the Lord.

Wherever He places me, I shall go, joyfully pondering each monent along the way.

And, I love being in the service of the Lord.

--Ellie Arnatt

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever."



~*~Courtney~*~

Being Productive during your Single Years

Today I thought I'd share some ways that a single girl can live a fulfilled and productive life at home!

Sometimes it's easy to be unproductive or fall into slothfulness. I struggle with this from time to time. My natural self is lazy at heart and it takes a lot to conquer this fault! Some things I do to get motivated, particularly in the morning during chores and school are:

• Do your quiet time - When you start your morning with quiet time, the whole day goes better. It's much easier to be pleasant and productive when you have had your morning Bible reading and prayer time. Asking the Lord for help being productive is so very important.
• Get dressed - This may seem very obvious, but when you are homeschooled and don't leave the house as much, it's convenient to stay in your pajamas all day! It makes me feel much better and much more productive if I'm dressed and matched, with shoes, jewelry and makeup. It's truly amazing what this does to one's disposition.
• Put on some music - Music helps everyone feel peppy and happy! Singing is so much fun when working and Snow White was right, whistling while you work helps too!
• Wear an apron - Whenever I wear an apron I feel so much more feminine and productive. It's amazing what a little piece of cloth can do. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Plus, it's harder to get your clothes dirty! ;)
• Just get to work - When all else fails and you just aren't feeling very productive, just start working. Chances are, once you are in the middle of the chore it will be easier to get motivated to finish!
• Find a quiet place - When doing schoolwork, it's essential to find a quiet place to work. It's near impossible to be productive when so many distracting things are going on around you. I usually go outside, in my room, and I've even been known to do my schoolwork in my closet! Anywhere that you can concentrate.

Just remember:

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24

Another thing I'd like to discuss, along the same lines, are some things other than schoolwork a girl can work on, particularly after high school graduation. These are things like:

• Homemaking Skills - It's very important for a girl to use this time in her life to learn the things that she, Lord willing, will need in the future as a wife, mother, and homekeeper. These include cooking, cleaning, all kinds of needlework and sewing skills, gardening, canning, making gifts, shopping, managing money and other various life skills.
• Helping your younger siblings with their schoolwork - This can be a great help to your mother, as well as a blessing to your siblings. It's also wonderful practice for you if you one day have the privilege of becoming a homeschooling mother!
• Reading and Writing - After graduation, this is the best way to further your education on your own. All you really need to be thoroughly educated are good books and a willing mind. Writing is a wonderful way to express yourself and what you've learned. You can write on a blog, which is the easiest way to publish your thoughts, or you can be adventurous and submit an article to a magazine or a popular website. This allows you to share your talent and passion with many others.
• Investing your time in your family and your church - This is perhaps the most important area of a girl's life. What a wonderful way to spend your single years! Instead of focusing on yourself, share your energies and talents with those around you. Doing for others is extremely rewarding and lots of fun!
• Journaling - I quite enjoy journaling. There's no pressure for me to write exceptionally well or collect my thoughts. I simply write what's on my mind or what's happened during the day. It's very nice to have that recorded for later use. I can come back years from now and see exactly what day this happened, or what I was thinking about when I was thirteen. I've kept a multitude of journals over the years and it's really a fun activity!
• Running a Home Business - This is a great way to start saving for your future. I run a very small graphic design business from my home computer and I'm also going to start teaching piano lessons to beginners. Just take some time to think about your strengths and use this time at home to expand those skills or learn some new skills that could one day be marketable. You can be such a blessing to others by running a home business. These are skills that can help you be a helpmeet to your future husband as well.
• Have fun! - This is a wonderful season of your life! Play with your family, get together with friends, socialize at church and use these years without the responsibility of a family of your own to the fullest. Never take any of it for granted. The Lord has been so good to me! I have no reason at all to be anything but thrilled.

May the Lord bless you during your years as a stay at home daughter!

--Flibby

On the Gift of Song...

Mine is a very musical family. This is not to say that we are particularly talented family, but simply one who takes great joy in music and the making of it. My siblings and I love singing with each other and each of us devotes an hour or so a day to the study of the piano and sometimes other various instruments. Music is an extremely worthy and fulfilling hobby for a young person, especially the stay at home daughter. It allows one to express her sincerest emotion or simply to relax after a long day.

Classical music is quite soothing and provides a pleasant atmosphere to the home during the daily duties. My mother loves to put classical music on during school hours. Whenever one of us has a lag between subjects we can quietly comment and converse about the composer or the particular section in the song. It's a very easy way to learn about music and their composers.

Apart from classical music, my family also enjoys opera. My mother's current favorite is Paul Potts, but we love most opera in general. Poppy and I love show tunes a lot, and we sing them constantly. We are quite fond of musicals! But, I think the best kind of music is the kind that you make yourself. Playing an instrument is a very satisfying past-time. We start our music education from birth, we've been singing to Noah his whole life! He loves music and smiles from ear to ear whenever we sing or dance. We make up little songs for him and sing all the little rhymes we used to hear when we were little. My mother and father also make up songs on the spot, as do my siblings and I. We actually have quite a few songs that we sing which are only known by our family and singing in the shower is considered a necessity by those who occupy our household! (Except for my dad ~wink~)

Once the children turn five, they start piano lessons. I help my younger sisters during the week and when the work is finished, we play fun songs and sing. Reading music is an excellent skill to have and it's as easy as learning to read English! It comes in quite useful. In our church young girls play the piano during the services and a few of them teach piano lessons as well.

Singing is also one of our favorite things to do. I've done some research on the proper breathing techniques and such, and Poppy has taken some voice lessons in the past. We love to teach everyone to sing in harmony or rehearse a number with choreography to perform for Noah! Talent is not important, it's only necessary to have fun and glorify the Lord in your music. The quote, "God said, 'Make a joyful noise' not a beautiful one." is one that I've remembered for so long I don't even remember where it's from.

Music is mixed into every one's daily lives. Whether or not you consider yourself a musical person there is always some points in the day when you are exposed to it. Whether or not you pursue music as a hobby, it can still make your life most enjoyable. I encourage you to take a moment to appreciate the music around you, it is quite a marvelous gift of the Lord.

May the Lord bless you and fill your heart with song.

--Flibby

Tuesday Talks!

Tuesday Talks is here once more!



I am reviewing "Coming In on A Wing and A Prayer".

When I first saw this book, I thought it was a boy book about airplanes and war- things which are somewhat boring to me.

Little did I know that I was quite wrong. This is a wonderful book, written from the perspective of a Grandmother writing to her grandchildren about her Grandfather's legacy, therefore passing the legacy down through many generations. She writes of his time in Iwo Jima and about the hardships and duties there.

There are several photgraphs and little notes sprinkled throughout as well. You do not want to miss this book!

The Amazon review reads as followed:

"He was only five years old when a local barnstormer offered to take young Bill Brown for a flight in a biplane in exchange for one of his mother’s home-cooked meals. That day birthed a life-long fascination with aviation. As a young man, he grew up near the home of the man who would become the most famous pilot of the Second World War — Jimmy Doolittle of the “Doolittle Raiders.” By twenty-one, Brown had earned his own wings and found himself as a flying P-51 Mustang fighter pilot performing daring raids from battlefields like Iwo Jima. Ultimately he was shot down during a combat mission over Japan, but would live to become a dynamic servant of the Cross. Featured in the film, The League of Grateful Sons, Bill Brown is now the subject of a thrilling story of combat, faith, and fatherhood told through the eyes of granddaughter Kelly Brown. In Coming In on a Wing and a Prayer, a beautiful, pictorially rich book, Kelly recounts the life of her flyboy grandfather as a letter to generations yet to be born. One of the most encouraging books you will read this year. Hardback. 55 pgs."

This very sweet and wonderful story is written by Kelly Brown (now Bradrick), and is available through our Astore or Vision Forum.

Would you like to post a review? Leave your link below!





Have a great Tuesday!
~*~Courtney~*~

Enjoying Everyday Moments.....

Hello to all of you! I hope that your weekend was refreshing and blessed!

Yesterday, I woke up to to a somewhat rainy day. I simply just listened and watched the raindrops rolling down my window, and reflected on what a precious gift God has given us with rain. No two raindrops look alike, and every rainstorm has its own unique features. I said a silent prayer thanking Him for this sweet and wonderful gift, and went on with my day.

I never realized how many little moments can slip through your hand if you are not paying attention, or how lovely these little moments can be.

I find that I have several of these moments everyday, whether I realize it or not.

Somtimes it is the beautiful sunset, the baby's sweet little smile, a little hand held in mine. Perhaps it is little Emma (who is 2), singing her cute little songs, or maybe it is watching viewmaster reels with your family on Friday nights.

It is so important that we do not take life for granted. On any moment, things can change so fast- we do not have forever.

Do you have an "Everyday Moment" to share? Leave a comment below!

Wishing you a lovely Monday!
~@~Courtney~@~

Finding Joy in the Home

One of the pitfalls facing young ladies today is the yearning for something outside of the home. So many young ladies say, "Oh, if only I could get out of this house and travel the world!","I need to use my skills in the workplace!","I could accomplish great things!" It's easy to lose focus and become distracted with the glamorous temptations of the world. Satan can make so many things look appealing and harmless. Proverbs 23:17-18 says, "Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off." Remember that God's calling for women is to be in the home, whether as a daughter or a wife and mother.

A lot of girls have trouble being content in their role as daughter. "I'll be happy once I have a husband." If you aren't happy in this season of your life, you won't be happy in the next season either... contentment must be cultivated early. God wants us to make the most of our time now, not when we finally get married. Spend your time making the most of being an unmarried daughter by serving your family and your church with joy and not pining away the days yearning for marriage and children.

Though marriage is most commonly a lady's calling, sometimes God calls girls to singleness. While this may strike terror in the heart of many young ladies, it's important to keep your heart soft and turned to the Lord for His guidance. If He were to call you to singleness, would you be content? If you are content as an unmarried woman now, it will be much easier should you be called to remain single.

As much as I hope to be married one day with my own children, I absolutely adore my family and would be happy to stay here forever. A very wise lady once told me, "Bloom where you're planted." And that's exactly what I try to do on a day by day basis by serving my family within my home. I find great satisfaction and joy in cooking a simple dinner, clearing land for a garden, and playing piano with my siblings. Finding joy in my work is the first step to finding joy in the home. My mother has been teaching us to do our work cheerfully ever since we could walk! No matter how we hated to do the chores, if everyone did them with a cheerful heart, soon we were all smiling and conversing with each other during our work - which made it much more fun! Whether or not your work is a pleasure or "household drudgery" is up to you.

I would encourage you not to dwell on the petty inconveniences that come with homelife. Let those things be quickly forgotten and sometimes even laugh at them! Take time to step back and not only analyze the big picture and true vision, but keep the wonderful aspects in the forefront of your mind. In my house, there is absolutely no way anyone can be in a sour mood when my baby brother has a laughing fit! Everyone of my family members has a brilliant personality and is a tremendous joy! Our home is filled with music, laughter, and playful drama. When the weather is nice, I love nothing more than to be outside with my family enjoying God's creation. Sometimes it's the small, simple things that can bring the most joy to my heart. Most importantly, I take joy in my work because I know it's a blessing to my family. It's just another way I can show God's love to them through my own attitude of contentment simply by finding joy in everything I do!

Look to the Lord for your strength and your encouragement. With constant prayer and trust in Him, He will grant you a truly contented heart.

For those of you who are already content in the season of unmarried womanhood, praise the Lord! It is so wonderful to have blessed friendships with like-minded Christian girls. It has been such a blessing to glean wisdom and encouragement from other girls following the same path. My mother has always been the most influential person to me in this manner as well. I especially love to sit at the feet of the older Titus 2 women in my church. They have so much to share about their lives and their spiritual journeys. It's amazing to look back and see how far the Lord has brought them, and it reminds me how far I still have to go!

The Lord is good!

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

The Blessing of Younger Siblings...

My baby brother and I enjoyed a beautiful day on Tuesday!! I just love having younger siblings. They are such a wonderful blessing!

Fruits of the Spirit: Love

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

We are beginning a new series here on Stay-At-Home Daughters! Every month check back for the next installment of our fruits of the spirit series. February's topic is love. How fitting! I'm going to share practical ways a Stay-At-Home Daughter can show love to her family, friends and those who persecute her.

The hardest aspect of love, for me, is being able to show love to those who hate you, persecute you, or wish to show you harm. When presented with a challenge or accusations, I answer them gently and cautiously. As the Proverb says:

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

Sometimes those you love turn from the ways of the Lord, and can become what the Bible calls, "a heathen". Matthew 18 explains how to deal with this,

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Matthew 18:15-18

I have various extended family members from whom we have had to separate ourselves. Many other family members argue that we are "not showing Christian love" when we don't support the lifestyle of the rebellious. On the contrary, biblically this is the only way we can truly show Christian love to our brethren, by following biblical example and demonstrating the fact that their lifestyle is not okay. Though this may seem harsh, ultimately we have to answer to an almighty God for our actions, not our family members. The best way to show Christian love for them is to pray for them. We pray for our lost extended family members and friends, and those who try to convince us that we are in the wrong.

For some girls, loving those closest to you can be tough. I thought I'd share some ways to not just get along with your siblings and family, but to show the love of Christ to them in everyday life.

Simple gestures of kindness mean a lot! My mother loves it when I bring her a glass of tea, start the laundry, iron, clean out the refrigerator or any other simple task without being asked. A lot of times, your family won't even notice the small things you do for them, but that's ok! The Lord will take notice! Remember -- character is who you are when no one is looking. Not seeking recognition for something is a wonderful way to exercise selflessness. The most important way to show love to your parents is to be submissive to them as your God given authority, and show cheerful obedience and respect. Sometimes when I want to do something helpful for my mother, I take my siblings and do something to keep them occupied. This is a great way to not only show love for your parents, but your siblings as well! The way your younger siblings will pick up on how much you love them is by how much time you spend with them! Playing with them may not be the most fun for you, but to them it's such a thrill!

My little sister loves when I make cards for her. Just a little piece of paper folded with a flower drawn on the front is enough to make her smile! It's easy to tell what things your siblings love when you spend time getting to know them. Every once in a while I prepare surprises for my little siblings, like a treasure hunt! They get so excited over such a simple thing! My little siblings also love it when I read to them, or sing to them. I love to be able to tuck them in at night and tell them I love them.

My sister (Poppy) and I are best friends. We talk about everything, joke, laugh, and share the same interests. The Lord was so good to put her in my life, but I know that everyone has different situations. Some of you may have siblings that are older, or very close to you in age. The best way I've found to show love to older siblings is to listen to them, being sensitive to their wishes and needs, and show them respect. It's much harder to get into arguments if you have their best interest at heart. Spend time learning things together! My sister and I have spent the past few months mastering the splits. It's so much fun to stretch together everyday! She and I exercise with my mom regularly, we shop together, we take piano lessons together, and we write this blog together! We have quite a few differences, and we have some disagreements, but we love and respect each other.

Overall, to learn how to truly apply this fruit of the spirit to your life, you have to learn to put yourself last! Selflessness is a trait that isn't easy to master, but the Lord can make it your second nature. Also, pray for your family, your friends, and fellow man, pray for the lost and the weary and pray for the Lord to help you show His love to the world.

God has blessed me with an intense love for those around me. It's such a blessing to be able to find joy in simply spending time with people!

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13

Sugar Cookies

Hi there!

We have been baking sugar cookies today.... aren't they lovely?

Everyone was working hard.....







Although one little cutie was just having fun eating the dough!



Stars waiting for the cookie sheet



Here are a couple of original designs

Our House


Daddy


Here is the recipe:

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. Butter
2 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
5 C. Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 c. Milk

Directions
Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add vanilla. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Sift flour into seperate bowl, Measure and add salt, soda and baking powder. Sift again. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk. Stir until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for several hours. Roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Place at least 1" apart on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400^ for 8-10 minutes. Makes 6 dozen (or so).

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We had such a wonderful time making these. We will be decorating them later today, with lots of colored icing!

(In case you are wondering about all the recipes, I am working to build a recipe file of my family's favorite recipes for my hope chest.)

Have a wonderful day from our family,
~@~Courtney~@~