Girls To Grow - Nurturing moms in their walk with God

Saturday Salutes ~ Kind People, Fall Decor, and the Best Candle

September 15, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

Happy Saturday!! Thanks so much to all of you who’ve prayed for us this week as we waited to see what Hurricane Florence would do in our area.

I took this video yesterday morning. I made sure to fit in a walk outside before the rain came. Cabin fever is a real thing, lol!

I’m actually posting this on Friday afternoon, in case we lose electricity later. So far it’s just a breezy, overcast day, but we expect to get lots of rain beginning this evening. We’ve got all the necessities in place, and hopefully the storm will pass without any real damage in our area. Trust that all of you have remained safe this week!

And now for some helpful posts, plus a new product that’s making our home smell so good!

Rebecca shares The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping Someone Who’s (Scary) Sick.

Becky points out The One Thing That Sets Kind People Apart.

Shaunti tells us Why Your Man Checks Out and Shuts Down.

Joy has 12 Creative and Cozy Dollar Store Fall Decor Ideas.

Fall weather hasn’t arrived here yet, but I’m craving all the fall-inspired food. Think I’ll try these Pumpkin Pie Crescents soon!

I’d gotten to the point where I rarely burned candles in our home. But while browsing a Bath and Body Works store in Water Tower Place during our summer trip to Chicago, I discovered this In-Tents Coffee scented candle. Didn’t want to put that heavy candle into my suitcase for the flight back, so I bought one after we got home. It’s amazing!! While I don’t drink coffee, I’ve always liked how it smells. This candle doesn’t have a sweet, overpowering scent; it just smells like freshly-brewed coffee. Getting ready to order myself another one!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

When You’re in the Pit, Look Forward to Your New Song

September 12, 2018 by Tracey 8 Comments

There are certain ways you can tell you’re getting old. From knees that audibly creak when I first walk across the floor in the morning to a new wrinkle I spotted on my face last month, there’s no denying it.

While trying to find some music on Alexa recently, I realized that the songs from my past tend to date me as well. I used to think of “oldies” as the tunes my parents listened to when they were teenagers, back in the 50’s and 60’s. However, considering that I went through my teen years during the 80’s, my music might now be considered “oldies” as well, especially to my own teenage daughters. Somehow that hurts!!

Today I wanted to look at how we can get a new song. Maybe life has drained us of our old song. Trials and difficulties might be keeping our voices silent. But whatever song we’ve had in the past, or how quiet our soul feels today, God can give us a new one.

This passage from Psalm 40 talks about getting that new song

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” ~Psalm 40:1-3

1. It starts with waiting.

There it is, y’all. It seems inescapable, that patiently waiting part that’s so hard to do in our flesh. We want right-now solutions and instant relief. But David says he waited patiently. He didn’t get annoyed with delays or anxious about the problems in front of him. He was calm, and didn’t complain. Ouch! I’ll confess that my waiting doesn’t always look like that.

2. We call out to the Lord.

In our waiting, we cry out to God. Yes, He already knows our situation. But when we come to the place where we recognize that we need His deliverance, we can look up to Him and seek His help.

3. The pit is horrible.

Your pit may be different than mine. The pit could be divorce, sickness, a lost friendship, a rebellious child, thwarted dreams, financial troubles, job failure, a terminal diagnosis, or a death in the family. It can be a dirty, muddy, sticky place in life that we desperately need to be rescued from.

4. God delivers us.

In this life and for eternity, only God can save us. Not only does He bring us up out of the pit, but He also puts us on a firm foundation. He sets us on a path back to safety.

5. He puts the new song in our mouth.

As he lifts us out of the pit to a place of safety, God gives us a new song to sing. No matter what our old song was, we now have a new one. God has once again been faithful. And this leads right into the next one.

6. The new song is all about praising Him.

The pit was hard and dark and deep, but God rescued us. No matter what we just came through, He is worthy of our praise.

7. Our new song is a testimony to others.

God brought us up. We waited, we called, He delivered. We can use our pit experience to teach others about trusting Him. As we’re willing, God can use what we went through to glorify Himself.

Whether you’re in the waiting, in the pit, or up on top of the rock, know that God gives the new song. And remember, this new song…it’s a song that we wouldn’t have gotten without the waiting and the pit. It’s even sweeter because we remember what we came through to get the song. The learning to wait, to trust, and to obey makes the new song a sweet melody that glorifies God and testifies to others.

Saturday Salutes ~ What Matters as a Mom, No Date Nights, and Fall Decorating

September 8, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

Elizabeth says Now I Can See What Really Mattered as a Mom.

Debra explains that You and Your Spouse DO NOT Need a Weekly Date Night Out.

Lots of good parenting help in a recent podcast from Focus on the Family. Guest Cynthia Tobias talks about Surviving the Strong-Willed Child Part 1 and Part 2.

I enjoy following Sarah from Little Vintage Nest on Instagram. This week she did a quick trip to Michael’s and shared five really easy ideas for fall decorating. And trust me, if I say they’re easy, they’re easy!!

Stacy’s Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles sounds like the perfect dish to serve whenever we finally get some fall weather here!

Shared this on Instagram this week.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

When an Introvert Went to a Wedding Reception Alone

September 6, 2018 by Tracey 8 Comments

Have you ever taken a personality test?

I hear a lot about them these days. Frequently, on podcasts I listen to, the host or guests will proudly proclaim that they’re an Enneagram 7 or an ENFP. And I’m certainly a fan of learning not only what personality type you are, but also the personality styles of those around you.

Better understanding our children’s personalities has guided my husband and I as we instruct and discipline them. We know that one daughter responds best to clear, direct communication. She doesn’t care about a gentle approach, nor does she have time for long-winded explanations.

While I’ve taken a personality test before, I didn’t need one to tell me that I’m an introvert. I enjoy being around people, but I recharge by having alone time. And when it comes to entering new social situations, I have to force myself out of my comfort zone.

Now, if you’re an extrovert, you may not relate to anything in this post, but perhaps it will give you insight into how the rest of us feel!

If we’re going to a social event, most of us realize that it will be more enjoyable if someone we know is going to be there. There’ll be someone to talk to, and we won’t awkwardly stand around looking lonely. And that’s all fine and good.

But sometimes good things happen when I’m a little uncomfortable.

Several months ago, I attended a wedding with my daughters. There was a fairly large crowd, and we knew some of the guests. When it came time for the sit-down dinner reception, my girls split off with friends, and I was on my own.

By the time I got my food from the buffet line, many of the tables were full. In the large room, I didn’t want to wander around looking for someone I knew in hopes that there was an empty seat at their table.

I spotted a table with a few empty chairs, and just sat down by myself. On impulse, I introduced myself to the lady on my left. She was a friend of the groom, was from out-of-state, and we ended up having the most interesting conversation!

This woman was an elementary school teacher (which I used to be). She also happened to be from the area where I attended college. We talked and talked about all kinds of things, and didn’t leave the table until it was time to say farewell to the newly married couple!

That whole experience was a blessing! It reminded me that I need to be more intentional about stepping out of my comfort zone. (By the way, this post is not at all intended to brag on myself! Most of the time I get so self-focused that I forget about trying to bless anyone else.)

Sometimes, if I know I’m going into a situation like that, I try to remember to pray and ask God to lead me to just the right person He would have me interact with. It might seem like a small request. However, I believe that God will put me in the path of someone I can fellowship with. Even when people I know are around, it can be a blessing to reach out and make a new friend.

So the next time we introverts head into a new social situation, let’s ask God to lead us in where to sit or who to talk to. This incident made me want to be more mindful of noticing someone who doesn’t seem to have anyone to talk to. Rather than focusing on my own pleasure, I can see if there’s a person nearby who could use some conversation.

You never know when you might make a new friend ~ and get a blessing for yourself in the process.

Saturday Salutes ~ Tween Girl Books and Grateful Children

September 1, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

Throwback to our summer trip to Chicago!

Kimberly tells us How to Build a Life Worth Remembering.

Loved this article by Jennifer Earl sharing the Alabama School’s Hilarious “Opt-Out” Fundraising Letter.

Jennifer lists 20 Exciting Books for You and Your Tween Girl.

Deanna shares Easy Ways to Raise Grateful Children.

Axis released three videos on Reclaiming the Smartphone: 4 Important Conversations. I thought this second video in the series was very helpful if you’re considering at what age to allow your child to have a smartphone.

This Santa Fe Chicken Pizza Pie was a delicious supper one night!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Finding Contentment in Our Own Lawn

August 28, 2018 by Tracey 5 Comments

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” It reminds us that while someone else’s situation may look better than ours, that’s not necessarily the case.

Looking across the fence at someone else’s yard, we see only the positives. Their grass is healthy, lush, and green. We glance down at our yard, and notice the brown patches and weeds. In our own yard, we see only the negatives.

We see the mom with her well-behaved children, especially the teenage daughter who seems to adore her. (Okay, that’s what I notice these days, ha!) Her house is decorated, inside and out, in a Pinterest-perfect way. And not only does she homeschool her children, she also manages a non-profit, brings homemade desserts to every church potluck, has weekly date nights with her husband, and runs five miles a day!

Then we look at ourselves, breaking up fights between our children as we throw peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches into a plastic grocery bag for our kids’ school lunches. Dirty dishes are piled high in the sink as we herd everyone to the car. The laundry basket is overflowing, we’re driving to school in our pajamas, and the only exercise planned for today is scrubbing the shower.

We may think that other mother has it all together, but I can pretty much guarantee that’s not the case. Her life, from the outside, may look perfect, but she’s likely struggling, in some way, as we are.

I like how Emily P. Freeman takes the truth of this saying to another level. In her book, A Million Little Ways, she says “There are no greener grasses, only different lawns.”

I’ve previously written about comparison, and the dangers that come with it. Yet it’s good to be reminded that each of us is planted in a different place.

God has put each one of us in the exact situation with the specific set of circumstances He wants us to have. Do our foolish choices sometimes impact that? Yes. But God is bigger than our mistakes, and He can grow us exactly where we are.

When we’re tempted to think that someone else has an easier life, a more loving husband, or better-behaved children, chase those thoughts away. Don’t let comparison make you feel that others are so much better off than you are.

The opposite can be true as well. For example, we may look at a parent who has a disabled child and think, “How hard their life must be.” Yet God can give them the grace, peace, and joy they need to flourish in that relationship. They may experience far more blessings than we could even guess.

None of us can see from our current vantage point what God is doing in the lives of others. Just like He has a plan for us, He has a plan for them, too.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” ~Philippians 2:13

Instead of wanting someone else’s lawn, let’s accept ours. Let’s thank God for what we have, then set about to accomplish His purpose right we are.

Be content. Get so busy cultivating your own grass that you don’t have time to focus on how your neighbor’s grass is growing.

With God’s help, do the best you can in every area of your life. Then trust God to make your “lawn” all that He would have it to be, for His honor and glory.

Saturday Salutes ~ and the Books I Read in August

August 25, 2018 by Tracey 5 Comments

Walking in downtown Brevard, NC, last weekend and came across this old telephone booth.

Brie asks Is Satan Stealing Our Families?

Dr. Meg Meeker shares Five Signs You Might Be Overparenting.

Susan says Couples Who Out Love Have Marriages that Outlast.

Ann gives advice in When You’re Struggling with Midlife and Another Year Older – Remember This.

Homeschooler or not, there are some great ideas in Brooke’s list of 18 Homeschool Electives and Extracurricular Activities.

Here’s my end of summer reading (still a little heavy on the fiction side!)

The only non-fiction book I finished was Free of Me: Why Life is Better When It’s Not About You by Sharon Hodde Miller. I really enjoyed the middle part of the book where she talks about “Seven Mirrors” that reflect areas of our life we tend to make about ourselves. For example, there are chapters on “When You Make Your Appearance about You,” “When You Make Your Friendships about You,” and “When You Make Your Church about You.” The final part of the book shares four ways we can get free of focusing on ourselves. I wish this part of the book had been a bit longer, so that the ways we can make those changes could have been more fully developed.

As for fiction, I read two books by Jaime Jo Wright, The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond and The House on Foster Hill. Honestly, the first one was a little weird, and not necessarily something I’d normally read. However, it was obviously entertaining enough to get me to read her other book!

A Sparrow in Terezin is another great book by Kristy Cambron. It’s a sequel to The Butterfly and the Violin that I read last month. I followed that up with her book The Ringmaster’s Wife. I’ve really enjoyed all of Kristy’s books! I have one left to read, and it’s on my list for September.

Should be a quiet Saturday at home here…not a usual occurrence lately, so I’m looking forward to it. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

How C.S. Lewis Helped Me Find a New Perspective on Praise

August 24, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

I want to thank C.S. Lewis for writing part of this post for me! Reading his thoughts on praise, as shared in Sharon Hodde Miller’s book Free of Me, caused me to think a little differently about how I praise God.

I’m sharing a passage from the book here. I tried to leave out a few sentences to make it shorter. However, I think we need this whole section to get the gist of what he’s saying.

“In his book Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrestles with the entire purpose of praise. He admits he stumbled over the notion of a God who clamors for praise ‘like a vain woman wanting compliments.’ In a moment of clarity – and comedy – Lewis realized that ‘even if such an absurd Deity could be conceived, He would hardly come to us, the lowest of rational creatures, to gratify His appetite. I don’t want my dog to bark approval of my books.’

Lewis continued to explore the nature and purpose of praise which led him to this epiphany: ‘I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise…The world rings with praise – lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favourite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favourite game – praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, college, countries, historical personages, children, flowers…The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about.’

Lewis then concludes:

‘I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is its appointed consummation.'”

Wow. So if we sincerely love God, then our praise of Him, for Him, and to Him should flow out naturally. As we interact with Him through prayer and Bible study, as we see His faithfulness demonstrated in our lives, we will praise Him. And while praise may start inside of us, it will also come out of us.

It’s like when I’ve eaten at a really good restaurant. I will tell my family about it, and likely a few friends. And you can bet that if someone I know asks me for a recommendation for where to eat, I’ll excitedly share where I had that delicious meal.

We do that with a great recipe, an exciting new product we find, or when we receive excellent service at a business. We let others know when we’ve found something that excites us.

Now do you have a mindset that defaults to praise? I can’t say that I always do. That likely has to be cultivated by the Holy Spirit. On my own, I tend to default to griping or complaining.

But there are little ways we can move in the right direction. Put on a song that causes you to praise. In fact, make a play list of songs that put you in that frame of mind.

Memorize and meditate on a Bible verse of praise. You can visit my post 10 Bible Passages of Praise for Worshiping God if you want help getting started.

Take five minutes before bedtime and write down three things you’re thankful for from the day. Is there a better way to go to sleep than by praising God?

Enjoying God will ultimately lead to praising Him. It’s up to us to invest time getting to know Him and appreciating His character and His providence in our lives. “Praise the Lord” shouldn’t be a trite phrase we say, but a real, heartfelt lifting up of gratefulness to God for Who He is and what He’s done.

Whose Agenda is Most Important?

August 21, 2018 by Tracey 7 Comments

First day of school yesterday ~ a high school senior and sophomore

While the actual summer season isn’t over yet, the way I refer to summer is. Our girls went back to school yesterday, one as a high school senior, the other a high school sophomore.

Like many moms, I was asked if I was ready for the kids to go back to school. The answer was no. It takes a couple of weeks for us to gear down at the end of a school year, but once we get into summer, I like it. I enjoy having the girls around at random times of the day, staying up late to watch a movie, sleeping in a bit, and not packing lunches.

But here we are. And routine is good. And by this time next week, we’ll be back in the swing of things, crazy as it’s likely to be.

Last year I found a little inspiration for the new school year in Isaiah. While I didn’t know that it had much of an impact on our children, they actually reminded me of it on Sunday night! The phrase I would remind my girls of at times as they headed off for school was “Walk in the light of the Lord.”

As I thought about what I wanted to keep fresh on our minds this year, I kept coming back to the word “focus.” According to the Oxford dictionary, focus means “the center of interest or activity.” From sports to academics to friendships, what do we want our lives to center on?

And, by the way, whether we’re involved in any back-to-school related things or not, our daily focus matters.

A Bible verse and principle to challenge us in the new school year.

I chose a very familiar verse to challenge us.

“…Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…” ~Matthew 6:33

That’s it. For our girls, for me, for all of us, seeking God’s will and His righteousness should guide us in every thing we do. If we focus on seeking God, our decisions, priorities, and relationships will fall into place.

Seeking God first means putting selfishness aside. It means patience when things move too slowly for our liking, because we trust that God is sovereign. We seek His glory, not our own, in our pursuits. And it’s valuing what matters in eternity rather than the temporary pleasures here.

If we’re seeking God’s kingdom, we want His will to be done above our ours. As Marian Jordan Ellis said here, seeking God’s kingdom means “passionately pursuing His agenda instead of our own.”

So as my girls go through their school year, I hope to keep that as our focus. May we start each day desiring to find His plan for the day and follow it. If our to-do list needs to go by the wayside so that we can spend time with a friend who’s hurting, so be it. If God’s timetable doesn’t match up with ours, let’s rest in His timing. Anything we can accomplish that brings glory to God and lasts for eternity will fall under that heading of seeking His kingdom first.

And I’m a day late, but now I’m off to make a sign to put on the door for my daughters to see as they leave each morning!

Saturday Salutes ~ No-Fear Parenting, Disney World, and Peanut Butter Bars

August 11, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

We found this perfect picture spot while out shopping with my mom, sister, and my sister’s three children.

Happy Saturday!! I almost feel like I need to introduce myself here again since I’ve been away from the blog all week. I spent the first half of the week with my family in Virginia, and the last couple of days catching up on things around the house.

We have one more week before school starts for my girls…though in my mind, summer’s already over since both girls have a very busy week ahead.

I really do hope to get back to a regular posting schedule once we’re back into the school-year routine. In the meantime, here’s some encouragement from other bloggers.

A great read for all parents from Katie ~ Parenting in the Digital Age: Why You Have Nothing to Fear.

Lisa lists 5 Ways to Give Your Family Your Best.

A great read from Elizabeth for this time of year ~ Dear Daughter, There’s No “Right Way” To Do High School.

Caroline shares The One Secret I’ve Learned for a Successful Homeschool Day.

If you’ve ever taken your family to Disney World, you owe it to yourself to watch John Crist’s Instagram post here (there’s two parts; click on the small right arrow inside the picture to go to the second part after you’ve watched the first). His take on “the most magical place on earth” is fairly accurate!!

I had a big jar of peanut butter I wanted to use up, so I tried these 3 Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars. They were a tasty, mostly healthy snack – enough so that I made a second batch!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!