The Young Family Farm »

I’ve heard from several of my sweet blog readers they now have fun Valentine window decorations in their home! For those of you who ended up doing most of it yourself because you have little ones, the more you do cutting crafts–the easier it will get for your little ones. I didn’t start my crafts when I started my blog–we’ve been doing things like this since they could walk! I remember when Laney started her 2 year old preschool class and the teacher gave her scissors one day and was teaching her how to cut. She gave L-bird the scissors and she whipped out some things for her and shocked her teacher. My kids are geniouses—they just were forced to do crafts with momma from the day they could sit;). So…each year it’s LESS ME and MORE THEM…but you have to start some where. So be encouraged–when you do these crafts for awhile it may seem like they aren’t getting anything out of them–but trust me THEY ARE! AND…I really think having a plan/craft of some sort keeps us stay-at-home mommas mentally and emotionally challenged…I mean mentally and emotionally healthy;).

AND…one thing that keeps me mentally and emotionally healthy is…CHOCOLATE! Okay, so kid-crafts are great—but mix ’em with some chocolate and we’re all happy. Remember the fun marshmellow dipped treats we did for Christmas. Well…here’s a fun twist for Valentine’s. When I think of Valentine’s treats (and what I want from my hubby) I think of CHOCOLATE. These will make GREAT valentine treats—simply slip a clear bag over each one and tie with a pretty pink or red ribbon! For this yummy treat you will need…

1 bag of marshmellows
chocolate bark candy coating (or 2 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips…OR both;)
wooden kabob sticks
sprinkles
I love my double boiler, and it’s really the best way to make these. So…get that double boiler out and boil water in the bottom. Once it boils, plop the top pan on and toss your chocolate in…
The water in the bottom boiler will keep the chocolate up top hot so it stays melted during your craft (I tossed in a few chocolate chips left over from our last chocolate craft too)
Give each child kabob sticks and marshmellows. This is a great COUNTING GAME! Have your child count 5 marshmellows and put 5 on each kabob stick…

I got my kabob sticks at Williams Sonoma, but I’m sure you can find them just about anywhere…It’s a little tough to dip the entire kabob in the pan of melted chocolate so momma did this one. I just used a spoon to carefully cover each kabob while holding it upright in the pan of chocolate, put them on wax paper or foil and let your kiddos go to town with the white and red sprinkles…We had some left over chocolate…and I think it should be a sin to waste chocolate—so we did what any chocolate lover would do…And after that was all said and done—I spotted a fortune cookie left over from Chinese take-out earlier this week. I opened ‘er up—and what-ta-ya know…
I couldn’t agree more! If one thing is helping me through this adoption wait…it’s definitely—you got it—chocolate!

Adoption Update…
OK, I have no update. But I just like writing that pretending that I did. One of the hardest thing about our wait is…I stink at waiting. Stink. Don’t get me wrong, I believe this is God’s perfect plan…His way of putting us with the right child at the right time…and I smile kindly at everyone who gently reminds me of that (thank you Richard;)…but my mommy heart is really longing for our babe. LONGING. I hear the statistics—and I want to bring our baby home and have him safely here with us as soon as possible. Our family is on a list open to special needs—but we are stuck in a very fine line of 0-12 months because our agency requires our babe to be younger than Frankie baby. SO…as waiting children come in…I have to sit and watch and it breaks my heart. BUT…I can pray. I can pray the Lord would move families who are able to adopt them to say YES. I can pray that others would be moved by the Holy Spirit to say…not my will—but Yours be done! I can pray that just as the Lord finds the sparrow a home (Psalm 84) that the Lord will also provide these orphans loving homes where they can hear the gospel and know HIS love. Open our hands Lord. Open our hearts. I want nothing more than to do Your will. I wait on You. I trust in You. For Your glory…I will wait. (Our new numbers should come today or tomorrow…I will share the minute I get them:) And for those of you adopting that are reading—what a JOY to be on this journey with you. Forever you will be a part of my heart for sharing this time with me. For others who have followed our story, I can’t thank you enough for being a part of this journey with us too. I know as you have read you have thought about us throughout the day. You have voiced prayers…and those prayers have been carrying me on hard days. They have given me energy to do things with my children instead of checking my email for adoption updates…they have encouraged me…and most importantly I know they have been heard by I AM who is protecting our precious child. Thank you. Thank you for being a part of one of the sweetest times of our lives. If I don’t get to meet each of you in this life…I can’t wait to rejoice with you in heaven. Each of you are precious to me. I know there are some readers who never comment…but I sure have felt the prayers of many…so thank you. And just to make you smile:)…how cute is this picture that my Addie captured peaking in school in Zambia…aren’t they precious?!…Hello little bitties…don’t you all want to come live with me;)?! Ooooo…if ONLY my hubby would let us move to Zambia!!!! One day friends…one day;)

Scripture Reading – Exodus 10:1 – 12:51

Today I confess I am a bit weary…but I declare that I will not give up coming to the throne, opening His word and clinging to the One who loves me most. Speak to our hearts today…make Your Word come alive as we read…change our hearts and conform our desires to YOURS…and fill us Lord with your Holy Spirit.

Some verses that spoke to me in today’s reading…

10:2 “I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the Lord” The Lord has made Pharah stubborn not only so He will be glorified through miracles AND BE KNOWN but for the sake of Moses children AND grandchildren—so they too will know Him. The Lord wants to be glorified IN ALL THINGS. There are so many things that happen that I do NOT understand. BUT–in all things the Lord WILL be glorified. If I REALLY believe, then this world is only about Him being known and being glorified so others (my children and grandchildren included) knowing Him. He wants to shine THROUGH the darkness and be glorified. And to be glorified more here–the Lord had to harden Pharoah’s heart. Take heart that when things are hard–that it is for His greater purpose. And like Moses, no matter how hard it may be, open your hands to be used. When it is too difficult, remember the Lord is full of mercy to provide “Aaron’s in your life” to go with you and hold your hand through it. And in the end–others will know more of Him.

The same song and dance continues in this chapter…ask to leave–Pharoah bargains–plague comes…Pharoah begs for forgiveness agrees…locusts are sent into Red Sea (interested because this is also where God will send Pharoah’s army!)

This story is such a foreshadowing of Revelation and what is to come. In the last days there will be many Pharoahs whose hearts are hardened and the more they hear of God and from Him the more they harden their heart. Hebrews 3:7 “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Chapter 11 & 12 One more plague–the death of the firstborn and the Passover Lamb.

12:27 And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped. The Lord was faithful to protect His people. And it was Moses’ faith and obedience that brought Moses back to Eqypt to save them. It was his faith that helped him approach Pharoah. And it was his faith to follow through with the Passover Lamb that protected them. No matter our circumstances, we can trust the Lord to bring us out and carry us through. Jesus was the final Passover Lamb. He blood stands over us as He died for the sins of the world. How thankful I am for the Lamb of God!!!

Let us not give up reading His Word!

Today’s Valentine craft is easy, peasy—and so much fun for all ages!To make your own Valentine Window Mobile, you will just need crayons (pink and red), butter knife, wax paper, iron and scissors. Each child will need two long strips of wax paper (3 feet should be long enough). Give each child a bowl and a butter knife works best for making a bowl full of crayon shavings…
Put a towel on the floor or some type of protection for ironing (I used a white towel…but wished I used a dark one instead🙂 Put one sheet down of wax paper per child and let them sprinkle their shavings all over the wax paper bottom…
Put the top piece of wax paper, and with your iron on a low setting–quickly iron until the crayon is melted and spreads throughout.

Trace hearts on the paper for your child to cut out. (If you have an older one, he/she may be able to draw their own hearts.) And although it may make you cringe…allow your children to cut many of the hearts out themselves (I can be a perfectionist when it comes to crafts…so this is always a hard step for me!)

I let my kids start cutting at age 2…and they have always done such a great job! After the hearts are cut out, punch holes in top and tie strings on each heart to hang from wooden dowel (I am the queen of improvising…my wooden dowel is really a blind turner that I just took off and will put back on later;)…
Welcome your guests with a little love…OR display these at your kitchen window…

Chronological Scripture Reading – Exodus 4:18-7:13

Chapter 4 – I was hard on Moses yesterday, but today I have to give him some credit. He has gone from living some where safe and comfortable for 40 years–and now he has been asked to leave…and to walk right into a dangerous situation. “Okay Lord, you want me to leave this and go tell Pharaoh what to do. Nice.” But the Lord sent encouragement Moses’s way by giving his father-in-law’s blessing, speaking promises to him, providing and allowing Aaron to partner with him, and leading his wife to obedience. This part of Zipporah has always caught me off guard and made me want to know more–so I did some research and this is what I got…

(taken form Wiersbe Bible Commentary) Moses had neglected to circumcise his second son, Eliezar, and God struck Moses down with an illness that could have taken his life. We get the impression that when Moses had circumcised Gershom, his firstborn, Zipporah had been appalled by the ceremony and therefore had resisted having Eliezar circumcised. Moses let her have her way and this displeased the Lord. Even if the Jews didn’t know it, God knew it about his disobedience, and He was greatly displeased. The servant of the Lord must be careful to “manage his own family well” if he expects to enjoy the blessings of the Lord.

My role as a wife is to submit to my husband and to trust and encourage his relationship with the Lord. I should take my opinions first to the Lord as to not wrongly influence my husband in following the Lord. Ouch. What a good lesson here. I think I could stop right here in today’s reading and that’d be enough for me to chew on all day.

Chapter 5 – It gets worse before it gets better. Don’t you hate those kinds of stories. But it seems to be part of almost every beautiful ending. It usually does get worse before it gets better—and Moses attempt to get Pharoah’s permission to go worship and make sacrifices to the Lord only brings on more harsh treatment to the Israelites. And the Israelites aren’t too happy with Moses and Aaron for what they have brought upon them in multiplied labor. How does Moses respond? He was disappointed. He was stressed. And he blamed God for their harshened treatment. “Why have you done this Lord?” As servants of the Lord, we should expect difficulty. We need to learn quickly in our journey when we experience hardship and opposition–to go back to God, get alone with Him–cry out to Him–pour our our hearts–wait on Him–and seek strength in Him.

Chapter 6 God responded to Moses’s cry with encouragement, with promises and direction. And what an honor He bestowed on Moses to give him His covenant name! God was pouring His love and encouragement on Moses. And Moses needed it. He was sure Pharoah wouldn’t listen…more sure his own people wouldn’t either…and not even sure if Aaron would be up for another visit with Pharoah either. But God continued to pour out his grace and mercy and this time spoke his instructions to Aaron too.

Chapter 7:1-7:13 – Moses and Aaron set out to Pharoah–perform the miracle with the staff…but Pharoah’s heart remains hardened. Pharaoh’s magicians imitated the miracles of God…and the court magicians are later named by Paul in Timothy when he warns agains false prophets (2 Timothy 3:8) “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth”. Satan is a good imitator of things that God also does–and the enemy wants nothing more than to fool someone to keep God’s will from happening. But rest assured–the battle has already been won–and NOTHING can thwart the Lord’s plans! NOTHING! Hold fast to Jesus and His Word—have these words written on your hearts so you may be able to know what His will is—His good, perfect and pleasing will. You have nothing to fear when you are a believer and trust the Lord as your Savior! Perfect love drives out fear! When the Lord gives you a task–you can go boldly knowing He is the one beside you and will carry you through.

Let us not give up dear friends on the reading of His Word!!!