Sweet Deal

Girls, do you love a sweet deal?
How about shopping at home in your PJ's?
Do you like to give beautiful gifts that are unique?
Well, I just have to pass along a great gift idea that allows you to enjoy all three of these things plus the chance to win $400 to the charity of your choice & a $250 Visa Gift Card.

Curious? Well, meet Sarah Mae from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee:



She knows a gal who not only loves chocolate, but is ultra talented:



She makes these darling earrings:



And now for the sweet part: If you go here and buy a set of these lovelies for $10 plus s&h before April 30, you could win $400 to the charity of your choice and a$250 Visa Gift card for yourself! And that is not all...the extra cherry on top of this sweet deal is the winner will also receive a 2nd pair of earrings to give away or keep for yourself!

For full details, stop by and see Sarah Mae at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee. And be sure to take a look around, she loves Jesus and good cup of joe... two qualities I find irresistible.


Have a great day,
Stacey

P.S. I picked the red pair!

Chair Time

I have been thinking a lot about stories. Specifically, the story my children will tell about me when they are older. The story they will tell their children. This is my legacy.

I am reading a book called The Story Factor by Annette Simmons. She says, "Other methods of influence - persuasion, bribery, or charismatic appeals - are push strategies. Story is a pull strategy." See I want to live my life in such a way to pull my kids to Jesus. Not push them. I want my life to draw them closer to Him.

So how do I do that exactly? This of course is the million dollar question and where I must face the cold hard truth. I can't just hope the story turns out in the end okay in the end. There is too much at stake. I have a part to play as well. God is the author, but He does require that I do my part. For me that means I am to pursue Him every day through His Word, pray like crazy that His story will shine through my life, and to be in a small group where I am accountable to others.

And when all that is said and done, I have to tell them, every day, all day long as we are "sitting in our house, walking along the way, when we rise up and when we lie down..." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). But with kids, our stories are told not only in our words, but in our actions. So as I am telling them the story, they are simultaneously watching it unfold before their eyes. My prayer is that these two versions of the story line up and will impress upon their hearts the image of Christ.

Looking Forward,
Stacey

P.S. For the next couple of weeks I will expand on this idea during Chair time. I would like to spend a week each on Bible, Prayer, and the power of a Small Group as it pertains to our Legacy: The Story Our Children Will Tell. If you have any thoughts, please leave a comment or join the conversation in the 29lincolnavenue blogfrog commmunity.

Multitude Monday

Counting 1,000 Gifts...


#197 A few more hours of sleep this week.
#205 Six months old today.

Thankful,
Stacey

Ultimate Blog Party 2010 After Party Post

I love people. I am energized by them. But, this past week I had the chance to meet so many people I could not keep up! Many stopped by 29lincolnavenue to say hello and to look around! I hope they felt welcomed and encouraged. Somewhere, they are all sipping their Coffee Awesomeness and trying to recover from all the partying!

I also had the chance to do some visiting of my own. I am amazed at the number of super talented and creative bloggers I found. I wanted to share 3 with you that I will be adding to my daily reading list.

1. Robyn at Our Homeschool Home is so fun. I have seen her around the blog world before. Isn't it nice when you keep bumping into someone and you finally realize, "They are the real deal!" and you take the time to get to know them? She is a delight. I like that she has a heart for her home and her family, she takes great pictures (I am so jealous) and she wears yoga pants and is not afraid to tell you about it.



2. Joy is truly that - a joy! She blogs at The Stay At Home Missionary and this girl has her heart in the right place! She knows her mission field, speaks the truth and she desires to encourage women. I want to be like her! And, she has the most beautiful family I have seen.

3. Finally, how could you not want to know more about Fishmama? Her blog is called, Life As Mom. It is such a nice place to visit because not only is it well organized, but Fishmama really wants to help moms in the journey of motherhood! She desires to bring joy into your life and has great ideas to make your life easier. Can I hear an amen? I know I'm preaching to the choir, but who really wants to help us out as mama's? Fishmama that's who!

I hope that you will take the time to visit these three lovely ladies and their blog homes. I know you will be glad you took the time! I am looking forward to the next few weeks and all that I have to share with you! The Porch will be open for some sweet tea and encouragement, I will be hosting a giveaway to celebrate reaching 50+ followers, and hopefully with fingers crossed our new blog design will be debuting soon! Meanwhile, join the 29lincolnavenue blog frog community! This is the place we can get to know each other a little better. It is super easy, just click on the icon, follow the directions and start chatting it up! I have started a few discussions so feel free to comment or start a new one!

Looking Forward,
Stacey

The Friday Five

The first time I saw Cece Owens was at a women's retreat our church sponsored about 5 year ago. She was speaking on the topic of home schooling. I remember learning a lot from her and being easily drawn in by her warm and gentle words. The second half of the talk was given by her teenage daughter, Molly. I was completely captivated by Molly and her maturity. She stood in front of about 50 or so adult women and spoke from her heart. And I thought to myself, "This is the girl I want my children to be like!" I knew two things for sure: her mother was very proud and that she had to be an amazing woman to raise such a well poised girl.

Cece and her husband, Dutch, have 4 lovely children - 3 of which are college age and beyond. She has home schooled her children for 21 years and is finishing well with her blessed caboose Anna. You can see a picture of her beautiful family below.

Part of Cece's story that truly amazes me is that she and Dutch were married for 3 1/2 years without children, divorced, and separated for 2 years and then remarried for 27 years. Cece is real, transparent and the perfect person for our Friday Five Woman of Inspiration! I am honored that she would take the time to answer a few questions for us!


WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

I am third generation born in Orlando, Florida. I was born in Orange Memorial Hospital, now known as Orlando Regional Medical Center. I have lived in three houses my entire life and they are all within a one and a half mile radius of each other. To say Orlando is home sweet home would be an understatement.


WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I am reading Chip Ingram's book, Good to Great in God's Eyes. He speaks of ten practices that all great Christians have in common. With three of our four children either in college, married or living away, my sights are now set on the days God gives me and finishing well. For starters, I want to dream great dreams, pursue great people and take great risks. Some years ago I heard the statement, "The value of anything is the price it pays in eternity". My next "looking forward to" is just beginning to unfold but my desire is that it have the idelible mark of eternity.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE OR PASSAGE?

Isaiah 43:18-19
"Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth,
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert."

I believe we all have something in our lives that we need to leave behind. God's desire is that we no longer call it to mind or ponder the past. He longs to do something new as we ask! The last sentence of this scripture blows me away, "I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert". When is the last time you have seen rivers in the desert? Only God!

WHAT IS THE ONE BOOK THAT HAS IMPACTED YOU MOST OTHER THAN THE BIBLE?

I would have to say Oswald Chamber's devotional My Utmost for His Highest. I have devoured these daily devotions for years and without fail, God meets me in a new way, imparts a new thought or allows a new appropriation of scripture on any given day. One of my favorites is found on August 18th where it reads, "Discouragement is disenchanted self love and self love may be love of my devotion to Jesus--not love for Jesus Himself". When I feel discouraged I now ask myself if it is related to my love of self or God? Just a sampling of Oswald's words worth pondering.


WHO INSPIRES ME?
Transparent people inspire me! The older I get, the deeper my understanding of the truth that God is sovereign over my whole life. God is writing a story about each of us, a story to be read and told. Most books have many chapters, some encouraging and easy to read, others more difficult. Our journeys are full of mountains and valleys, successes and failures. Why are we more reluctant to speak of our failures as readily as we speak of our successes? Over 25 years ago, God impressed upon me the value of being transparent about a failure in my life. He taught me that it makes me real to people and gives other people permission to be real in return. As much as I resisted speaking about it, I now believe it to be the turning point in my Christian walk, It has been a process but I try to live my life caring more about God's reputation than my own. We are all insecure, afraid of letting people know who we fully are. I don't always win the battle with transparency but the masks I mastered many years ago are slowly being removed, allowing a life of authenticity and being real.

The Owens Family

Looking Forward,
Stacey

Stories

"Peter's mother put her arm around him suddenly, and
hugged him in silence for a minute.
Then she said: 'Don't you think it's rather nice to think that we're in
a book that God's writing? If I were writing a book, I might make mistakes.
But God knows how to make the story end just right--in the way that is best for us.'"

Taken from The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
page 243

I love a good read. I am especially touched when a book intersects with what God is teaching me . This passage from the Railway Children spoke loudly to me this week. You see, I have been thinking a lot about how stories connect us to others, make us real, and can have a powerful influence upon others.

Mostly though, I'm grateful that the author and perfecter of my story knows me well enough to pen a story that is just right for me. (Hebrews 12:2) There are a few things I would personally edit, but the power of a good book is that all the good and bad work together in the end.

What about you, read any good books lately that spoke loudly to you? Leave a comment below and tell us what story captured you heart and why. And be sure to stop by tomorrow for The Friday Five.

Looking Forward,
Stacey

P.S. Holley at Dayspring has an amazing series about the Story of our Lives. She blogs at Heart to Heart with Holley. You can follow along with this 21 day challenge by clicking here.

Chair Time

The truth is I am a fairly optimistic person. Lately though, I have been tired. You know the feeling. You are so tired you actually hurt.

Yesterday was a day. Let's just say that I had my limit. My 10 year old dissolved into tears over a timed math test and my 7 year old discovered how to make it snow in Central Florida. (hint: think styrofoam). I gave up and decided to head to our community pool. Physical education is a school subject after all! Besides, I thought a little sunshine might be good for me, too. Earlier, I had thrown up one of those prayers to Jesus, "Lord, Help me. I can't do this today. Send encouragement." Luckily, He delivers poolside.

I was watching the girls play another round of "Which mermaid are you?", and the lady who cleans the pool stopped by. This is what I have always called her. We struck up a conversation about the nice day and the lack of respect some kids have these days for public property. But then the conversation turned. She saw my sweet 6 month old and said, "Four girls, that is so great!" I was immediately encouraged because most people laugh or apologize to me for having four girls. As it turns out, she is a homeschooling mother of 5, and Her youngest is 17. Instantly, we had a connection. We spoke for about 15 minutes and my heart was lifted. When I left she said, "Keep going, it is worth it. And if you need a break, I live down the road."

I can't tell you how loved I felt. His great big love for me is wider and deeper than I will ever know. (Ephesians 3:18). Jesus knows when I need to be encouraged. He hears my cries for help. And He is willing to use whoever or whatever is available. Even pool cleaning ladies. Her name is Elaine. If I disappear for awhile, you can find me at her house.

Looking Forward,
Stacey

P.S. Technically speaking I was in a chair...this time it just happened to be poolside.