umi-fashion: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

My Husband's New eBook: The 60 Day Juice Fast! and Super Giveaway ($100 value)

I am so excited to announce a NEW ebook by my husband, Steve of The Male Domain.

He recently watched the popular movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and felt challenged to make healthier choices in his life. We are so proud of him! He decided to go on a 60 day fast and he lost 65 lbs during the entire process. Now he has written an ebook to share his journey and explain how others too can get on a juice fast for better health.

While this book shares his story through 60 days, it is also a great book for those who are thinking about going for shorter lengths as well. He gives his advice on juicers, recipes, and just how to take it day by day. He also answers many common questions about juice fasting. It is also a quick read, and won't leave you feeling overwhelmed trying to read it! Watch the trailer:

(Note: please turn off the music below)

You can get his book, The 60 Day Juice Fast! at Amazon
for Kindle for just $2.99 here!

Or get it as a instant digital download (PDF) here.

To celebrate his new book launch we are going to have a super giveaway!

We are giving away one FREE copy of The 60 Day Juice Fast!

Eden's Natural Products Mineral Base Cosmetics ($10 value)
These lovely cosmetics are mineral-based using micas, sericite and/or kaolin clay along with oxides and/or dioxides which are natural and healthy for your skin.

A $25 Amazon gift card for you to pick out something you love...

A copy of
Becoming a Woman of Excellence by Cynthia Heald

One free $15 coupon to lovely Lilla Rose for beautiful, unique and practical hair jewelry and clips.

Future Men

by Doug Wilson

Every parent of sons needs a copy of this book! Wilson shows the heart of the boy and gives advice for bringing up chivalrous defenders and manly men. This is a must-have

~Standing on the Promises by Douglas Wilson

Douglas Wilson's Standing on the Promises brings clarity, providing parents with an insightful handbook on biblical childrearing. It's not another paint-by-numbers method for parenting; it's about grace and covenantal blessings. Pray for your children, stand on God's promises, and experience the joy God intended for your family.

~Standing on the Promises by Douglas Wilson

As parents our greatest calling is the raising of our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Yet for many Christian parents, the promise of God's blessing to his people and their children is not well understood. Douglas Wilson's Standing on the Promises brings clarity, providing parents with an insightful handbook on biblical childrearing. It's not another paint-by-numbers method for parenting; it's about grace and covenantal blessings. Pray for your children, stand on God's promises, and experience the joy God intended for your family.

And my ebook, True Christian Motherhood--if you already own it, we will be more than happy to gift it to someone special.

U.S. Participants only please!

You can enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you win!

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Friday, April 27, 2012

Large Family Dynamics: My Secret Weapon

Large families are a lot of fun--there's always someone to play with, tons of adventure and never a dull moment.

But the realities of large families is that it can be hard work, messy, and sometimes overwhelming.

It definitely helps to set goals for our day and schedule in what needed to be done.

But I have to tell you that while scheduling and planning goals are definitely helpful, I want to share with you my true secret weapon.

It's flexibility.

Flexibility was hard for me as a young mom. I wanted to do things a certain way, run the house efficiently, do things on time...but those things sometimes can prove to be a snare. We can even sometimes want those things so bad that we are disgruntled or sin when things don't go our way.

Here is a good example: It is Dad's day off from work and you have a full schedule. There's homeschool, housework, errands to be run. But the kids have been wrestling with dad all morning and he suddenly decides to plan a family outing instead. You see your whole day flash before your eyes and your schedule down the drain.

Are you flexible?

Flexible enough to even discern what is best instead of what is good? (Going out to spend quality time with Dad is important, schedule can wait.)

Once you learn to master the art of flexibility it gives way to freedom. You are no longer a slave to what you think should be done. It's a blessing to learn this early on and not set yourself too rigidly in always having to live out your "schedule".

Real life is spontaneous and we need to be ready for it.

Are you?

Related:

Large Family Dynamics: A Look Inside

Resources:

Large Family Logistics

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Discontentment Over Expectations

Yesterday I ran across some wise words from a post Michelle Duggar (19 Kids and Counting) shared just a few days ago. She emphasized how sometimes we can set such lofty goals and have great expectations that we can sin against others and live an angry life never being content with those around us and our circumstances. This is a very true reality for many women, they get caught up in the web of ungratefulness and discontentment and unwittingly tearing down their homes in the process. Michelle shares her insightful experience here:

Michelle Duggar on Having 19 Kids and Zero Expectations

Are you struggling with expectations?

I hope you enjoy the article!

Related Resources:

19 Kids and Counting DVD's (and instant stream)
Duggar Books
Duggar Tea

Note: Don't forget the FREE SHIPPING at Lilla Rose ends Sunday!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Mother's Day Special and Wise Woman Linkup!

Good morning, ladies! I have some special news for you...

Lilla Rose has just released a lovely new hairclip exclusively for Mother's day and the month of May. It is a charming mother and child Flexi-clip that is intertwined in a heart design amidst roses. It is a limited edition and called "A Mother's Love".

Also, FREE SHIPPING is now available at Lilla Rose through Sunday for orders over $20!

These lovely hair jewelry and clips are not available in stores--you can only find them online. To visit the store click here:

http://www.lillarose.biz/wisewomanbuilds

Now onto our link up:

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home is a place to be encouraged in your high and noble calling of role of wife and mother and daughter to the King and we want to encourage each and every single reader out there to build up strong Christian homes to the glory of God.

If you have a post you would like to share regarding the topic above or that has to do with building up your home, homemaking, character, hospitality, femininity, family, learning, tea, how-to, etc., please share it with us!

When you link up here please use the image below or link back to let others know that you have linked up here so that they might join in the fun and be encouraged as well:

(It's easy--just copy and paste the code in this box!)

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

10 Ways for Moms to Respect Sons

Yesterday I shared a post by Jen Smidt who wrote about 10 Ways for Moms to Respect their Daughters, today I wanted to point out that she also wrote a similar post on 10 Ways for Moms to Respect Their Sons. In a culture that ridicules and mocks men and their leadership, it is imperative that mothers learn how to raise and encourage sons to one day become godly men.

Here is a glance:

What Respect Looks Like

I wanted to offer some practical principles to help show what it looks like for a mom to respect her son.

1. Set Jesus as the Standard

There is no man other than Jesus who demonstrates perfection. You will never go wrong in upholding him as the source, pointing to him as the example, and depending upon him for the answers.

2. Pray for Them and Over Them

You aren’t in control of their lives, you never will be. What better time than now to put yourself in submission to God’s plan for your sons by releasing them in prayer? Mothers have an awesome responsibility to pray for the intimate details that she knows about her son’s heart.

3. Watch Your Tone

Respect is often given and destroyed in the little things. I know the look in my son’s eye when I speak to him with a harsh or shaming tone—it is the pain of disrespect. Speak graciously, kindly, and firmly to your sons.

Read the rest of her excellent article HERE.

Monday, April 23, 2012

10 Ways for Moms to Respect Their Daughters

Mothers and daughters have a special relationship. We need to know how to nurture that relationship biblically so that we can build strong bonds and protect it from becoming strained.

Jen Smidt from Resurgence did a great job sharing 10 Ways for Moms to Respect Their Daughters. Here's a glance:

Respecting daughters has some similarities with respecting sons. I have seen, however, in my daughter, a different core heart desire. She deeply desires to be loved and the deep admiration of respect is most profoundly felt for her in words and acts of love. She is comforted and secured by the knowledge that God and her parents love her.

Practically, here are 10 ways that respect can be lived out for your daughters:

1. Lavish Her with Love

That deep longing for love was designed for God to fill. Lavish your daughter with love while continually pointing out that her heavenly Father is the one where love originated. You love because he loves; she is loved because he loves her more than you ever could (1 John 4:10).

2. Help Her to Learn Submission

Submission isn’t just for wives. We are all called to submit our hearts and lives to God (James 4:7) and the earlier your daughter sees that in you, the sooner she will rest in the sweet protection of God’s will for her life.

3. Teach Her to Tame Her Emotions

Big feelings are hard to manage. The devastation over losing something, anything from a favorite earring to a dear friend, can be all-consuming. Daughters need to be instructed and discipled in expressing emotion without being owned and identified by those emotions.

Read the entire article HERE.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Titanic Tea and Are You a Woman Worth Dying For?

(Note: Please turn off the music at the bottom of the blog)

Here is a video of the Titanic Tea hosted by Vision Forum (part of their Titanic 100 Event) in honor of the memory of the lives lost on the Titanic. Take a close look at the dresses, they are just breath-taking!

An older lady in the video expresses her desire to be like those who were on the ship, I am assuming she meant the ones who were brave and helped to save the lives of helpless women and children because we know that many of the men sacrificed their lives in putting "women and children first". Something that has been long forgotten today.

(Read more about the Titanic Tea here.)

Beall Phillips spoke a timely message on "Are You a Woman Worth Dying For?" during the tea event. You can now get this teaching for free with any amount of donation to Vision Forum.

Get it while you can! Learn more HERE.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Watch FREE: Children Are a Blessing

During the month of April you can watch the entire film Children Are a Blessing (a semi-finalist in the San Antonio Christian Film Festival) online for free at Moore Family Films!

From the website:

We live in a day when most people, Christians included, eagerly apply for what God calls a curse - debt - but never give a second thought to preventing or even destroying what God calls a blessing - children. If we are to live our lives according to the Word of God, we must ask ourselves, "What saith the Scripture?"

Join the Moore family in this timely documentary as they briefly expose the evil history of the birth control movement on the 50th anniversary of "the pill." (View the trailer below.) Listen as they transparently share their testimony of how God, in His grace and mercy, opened their eyes in spite of their own sinful beginning.

Be encouraged as they casually answer questions often posed to large families. Then, experience the joy of Biblical family life as they anticipate, give birth to, and welcome their tenth child into their home. Most of all, be inspired to look to the Word of God for answers to everything in life, but specifically to see that Children are a Blessing.

A Wise Woman is Steadfast

When the waves of life threaten to come crashing in around you, dear mother, are you steadfast?

Are you steadfast in your marriage?

Are you steadfast in your parenting?

Are you steadfast with your walk in the Lord?

Do you allow others to control your emotions, to hit your buttons, and determine the course of your day?

Allowing your emotions to to be like a rollercoaster and/or easily deceived by the enemy?

"...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. " Ephesians 4:14

As Christian mothers it is imperative that we close the door to all sorts of evilness, sin and false accusations whether it is against us, Our God, or our convictions, or our way of life. The things that can rob us of our focus and have us stray from the Lord.

Here are some verses to help you as a reminder:

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 57:7
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.

Psalm 108:1
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Psalm 111:7-8
The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.

Psalm 112:6-8
Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

Psalm 119:4-6
You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

Isaiah 26:3-4
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

1 Peter 5:9-11
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Don't allow yourselves to be shaken.

Be strong for the task, dear mothers, for it is the Lord Jesus you are serving.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Spring Blessing Blowout: $360 PayPal Cash Giveaway!

Spring is such a beautiful season!

The first buds of the year are blooming, grass is getting greener by the day, and temperatures are on the rise.

To celebrate, several other bloggers and myself have teamed up to offer you this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway, and one reader will win a BIG prize: $360 in PayPal cash!

We pray that this Spring Blessing Blowout Giveaway is truly a blessing to one of you. We're thankful for the time you spend with us here, the thoughtful comments you share, and the encouragement you've given. You have been a blessing to us!

Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and send in as many entries as you like using the Rafflecopter widget below. There are many blogs you can "like" or follow to gain entries, and you can take your time doing it. Have fun!

*Please note that comments left on this post are NOT counted as entries; you must enter through the Rafflecopter form below.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run from today, April 18th until 12:01 a.m. on April 25th. It's open to everyone and one winner will receive $360 in PayPal cash. The winner’s name will be displayed on this post after the giveaway ends.

Now onto our Wise Woman Linkup:

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home is a place to be encouraged in your high and noble calling of role of wife and mother and daughter to the King and we want to encourage each and every single reader out there to build up strong Christian homes to the glory of God.

We would love for you to link up with us---share your posts on building up your home, homemaking, character, hospitality, femininity, family, tea, etc. we would love to have you share it with us!

If you link up here please use the image below or link back to let others know that you have linked up here so that they might join in the fun and be encouraged as well:

(It's easy--just copy and paste the code in this box!)

Are you encouraged here? I personally invite you to subscribe and get the latest posts sent to your inbox. Also, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter and get updates that are not posted here on the blog.

If you would like to host a giveaway here on the blog or advertise your business,
please click HERE.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Father and Daughters: Turning Hearts and Banquet Pictures

Last night my husband took my three daughters out to their favorite annual Father Daughter Banquet:

A little girls heart looks forward to spending special time with Daddy...

Daddy and his three special girls

(who, I might add, are growing up way too fast!)

Here is the foyer of the Banquet hall--on the stairwell you can see a father getting a photoshoot with his daughters to be given to them as a gift before they leave.

A banquet is a special time for a daughter feel loved by her father
(This is Savannah and Tony, daughter and husband to Susie of Our Simple Farm)

and treated special
(this is Jesse and Herb, daughter and husband of Rhonda from Walking with Sarah)

Here is the table all set up with decorative frames containing the Bible verse:

"Let the Beauty of the Lord our God Be Upon Us"---Psalm 90:17

They get to take these frames homes as a gift with the photo they took earlier with their Dads.

that look like this

(isn't this adorable?)

The Banquet Hall

Then the games began! Daughters had to get their fathers ready for work and had to shave them with shaving cream and Popsicle sticks. They had to also put their ties on for them and put their shoes on.

Just to show how much a "gift" dad's were to their daughters, they had the daughters wrap their dads up like a gift!

I love the faces on these guys!

It looks like the girls were doing a great job!

Haha--And really enjoying themselves!

They had Todd Wilson from Family Man Ministries speak on turning the hearts of dads and daughters to eachother. He used these dolls to illustrate his point.

Afterwards there was dancing to songs like Cinderella, Butterfly Kisses--so appropriate..

I am glad I wasn't there, I think I would have been bawling like a baby!

(I will try to add a video to this post later today of the dance)

How sweet!

In the end THIS is what it's all about--

-a daughter feeling loved by her Daddy!

Thank you for viewing my pictures of the Father Daughter Banquet!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Portrait of a Foolish Woman

Are we eager to hear what the Word of God says or more interested in human opinion (because it is easier) ?

Media will tell us it is okay to get out own way and do all we can to achieve it.

Christ tells us to die to self.

In modern culture today we need to be even more vigilant in studying what the Word of God teaches about being the foolish woman. Temptations knock at every door. We need to keep His word in front of us.

"The destructive influence of foolish women is readily apparent in the secular world. In recent years we have seen the power of foolish women to tear down and destroy the moral sensitivities and fiber of an entire nation. We can all think of high-profile women—entertainers, politicians, wives of public figures—whose philosophies and lifestyles have wielded an enormous, negative influence on our entire culture.

However, what should trouble us even more is the extent to which foolishness among women has permeated the evangelical church..."

Read more at:

Portrait of a Foolish Woman

And come back and share your thoughts!

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