September 2013 Reading List

Ohio Brides Collection by Cara C. Putman
A Promise Kept
A Promise Born
A Promise Forged

Submitted to: 2013 Booking It @ Life As Mom

Clutter Busting Challenge September 2013

We had a Community Yard Sale a couple weekends ago and made $150. We spent the night before going through our things for stuff to get rid of since we didn’t have anything collected beforehand. We tried again this weekend since our community... was doing it again but it rained so we loaded the van and donated everything. If you were to see my home you would wonder were all it came from since it’s clean and clutter free but we found a lot of stuff to get rid of. A lot of stuff is our family’s homeschool supplies but it’s time to let go of since we are nearing the end of our journey.

We donated boxes of books, lots of board games, garden and home décor.
















A load of dishes, gardening, garage stuff, and crafting.

I gave a lot of manipulatives to our daughter Nastasja for her promotion to lead teacher for the school age group at her childcare learning center. The rest of the manipulatives I am donating to the center on Thursday when I go in to help her restyle her classroom. I am saving the actually curriculum to donate next month to our Homeschool groups book sale. Two summers ago I donated a van load of books to a young homeschool family.

I have downsized our homeschool supplies a lot this year since our youngest is 17 years old I am only keeping what I will need for the next 2 years. I went from 3 over full homeschool bookshelves to 1 but still have a lot of books in boxes. I donated several full bags of markers, pencils, crayons etc. before school started to a charity group. I have crates of old school work to downsize before I can pass it on to my kids. I have a lot to do but I am making progress.

I have had a hard time letting the homeschool stuff go because I need to feel like it is going to people who can use it and not feel like my life’s work is going into the trash. LOL You wouldn’t believe how many times I have taken the stuff to homeschool sales to give away for free. Yet no one takes very many things and it makes it hard to give the stuff away instead of just donating it to the thrift store but slowly I am finding people.

I have been doing serious decluttering for the last 3 years because I would like to move into a smaller house once we are empty nesters and my 87 years old dad no longer lives with us. There’s just a lot of stuff we don’t need and if it’s not being used regularly it can go to someone who can use it. I’m freeing myself from the extra work and responsibility of caring for so many things. 

My Diva Closet

I updated My Closet by I adding a jewelry rack and a spice rack for my nail polish and perfume to my closet. It’s a small closet but I like that I am making the best use of my space. I do need to add a hand mirror to look at myself as I put on my jewelry to make sure it looks good with my outfit.

I got the Jewelry Rack for $5 and Mini Baskets $1 set of 3 at Dollar General.
The Spice Rack was $5 at a Thrift Store.

I don't have a lot of extra space between the clothes and my racks but it works for me.
















I added the shoe rack and baskets to the shelves in March. I am calling my closet my diva closet and my husband thinks that is funny.

My Granddaughter Arileise

Who wouldn't love that beautiful face?

On-The-Go Bag

My youngest son who is 17 years old has Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, Youth Group, and a Co-op each week this fall. We live in a small one stop light community, sometimes its an hour drive one way to the activities. I need things to do while I wait so I have a stack of books I plan to read, audio books loaded, magazines packed, crossword puzzle books, praise music loaded on my iPod, small craft projects prepped, and my new tablet set up. I usually have a 2 hour wait during each event and like to keep busy.

Anyone else have any On-The-Go while you wait ideas?

My Strength Study

Praise Songs on Strength

 

Strong Enough by Matthew West

I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not strong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
For the both of us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8JsRxVczmQ

 

Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
On to the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsvqVmFV6Y

 

You Are My Strength by Hillsong

You are my strength
Strength like no other
Strength like no other
Reaches to me
You are my hope
Hope like no other
Hope like no other
Reaches to me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwvGFWKBo4o

 

Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubLGTOcm8c

In Christ Alone - Brian Littrell

In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rInAgpnmMnA

 

Scripture on Strength

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. Exodus 15:2

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul. Psalm 138:3

Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees. Isaiah 35:3

being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, Colossians 1:11

but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

 

Quotes on Strength

 

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.
Winston Churchill

Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.
Vincent Van Gogh

We can be tired, weary and emotionally distraught, but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength.
Charles Stanley

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.
Saint Francis de Sales

Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience than beauty.
John Ruskin

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
Christopher Reeve

The spirit of man is more important than mere physical strength, and the spiritual fiber of a nation than its wealth.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up.
Booker T. Washington

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.
Max Lerner

Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere. Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind, spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies.
Robert Louis Stevenson

We are born weak, we need strength; helpless, we need aid; foolish, we need reason. All that we lack at birth, all that we need when we come to man's estate, is the gift of education.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid. Audre Lorde

A key to strengthening spiritual muscles and enduring hardship is finding strength in the Word of God.
Walter Martin

Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know.
Charles Kingsley

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces.
Judith Viorst