Christian Kids Radio Online

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything ~ no excuses here.
But I did want to say Happy 2011 to you all and I also wanted to share a great FREE resource for you and your children.

While my kids are at the table for eating or playing playdoh I play Karen & Kids radio online. Check it out I think you may be pleased. I am all for filling my children's heart and mind with godly things. Let no time be idol.

Hair Jewlery

As a SAHM I often feel less than professional in my daily attire. I wear a ponytail everyday. For me it is a MUST. This is just that season of life when I can't wear my hair down.
I was so tired of using a black hair band to fashion my "just got back from a jog" look. If it wasn't holding up my skinny ponytail it was around my wrist ready to be pulled out and put to use. I have risen above that old rubber band and plastic hair claw. I now have a 'Flexiclip.'

Isn't it pretty?
I love it!
The Flexi clip is a completely unique, flexible barrette that holds thick, thin, curly, straight, fine and coarse hair. The Flexi comes in 6 sizes and hundreds of ever changing styles. Flexi uses an ingenious patented locking mechanism to secure it in your hair.


Don't you want one? If 'yes,' go here to get one!

I have been looking for a LONG time for a pretty barrette for my hair but nothing stays in. My hair is straight, slippery and very fine. All of the pretty ones were just too heavy.
This, my friends in the solution! It is the solution if you have super thick hair or super fine hair. Go to the website and have a look at all of the beautiful choices! I fell in love and had a hard time deciding on the perfect one. So I guess I will just have to get a few more to add to my wardrobe!

I started out with an extra small one to hold my regular ponytail. Now that I have it, I have learned that I need a small to twist up all of my hair.
The most common size is small. One size does not fit all. You will need different sizes depending on the hairstyle you want to achieve. Anyway, there is a video on this website that will help you decide which size is best for you.

This little wire contraption has done great things for me. My whole attitude is better because I feel better. I feel prettier. Sounds cheesy but it is true.
Just wanted to share it with you too!

Look what else you can do with it! Isn't it elegant? But yet useful for everyday use too!

International House of Prayer (IHOP)

Have you ever heard of IHOP? No, not International House of Pancakes. It is the International House of Prayer.

In Kansas City, there is a group of believers who have gathered from across the globe to be a part if 24 hour a day prayer and worship. There is always someone there to pray or sing at all times. The leads take two hour shifts and they sing all kinds of songs and often sing as the Spirit leads. It is amazing to hear what comes out when you devote this kind of time to the Lord. It has been going non stop for about 10 years now. I had the privilege of going for 6 days a few years ago and boy did it do big things for my spiritual life.

When you spend that much time uninterrupted and focused on God, and calling out to him, it is life changing. Recently, they have made it viewable via Internet! At no cost!

So go to www.ihop.org and you can read about it or go directly here to get to the Prayer Room live webstream.

My personal favorite singer is Misty Edwards. Talk about anointed! I have seen her sing the book of Song of Solomon and have heard she also sings other stories in the bible. She is on Saturdays at 2 til 4 pm. You can go to their archives to find her.

Tonight I had the house to myself and I turned on IHOP - Misty Edwards. I was blessed.

I hope you are too.

Ads on my Blog

I noticed that there is a YouTube video ad on my blog that says "I am a Mormon."
I wanted to make it crystal clear that this is an ad that google has put on my blog with my permission.

I also want to make it clear that I (the writer and founder of Shaping Little Souls) am NOT a Mormon. I am a Christian that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Not just a mear man but that he was perfect and sinless in every way. I believe that he was crucified, was buried and rose from death to life on the third day. Because he has the power to over come death he also had the power to raise us into life from sin and death.
And that he will return to take those who believe into eternal life in heaven with Him.

If you have any questions about this or about me leave a comment. I will respond.

Too Good Not to Share~Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bake

Oh my, I just whipped up a batch of the yummiest breakfast!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bake!

3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter

Mix all ingredients together. Spread into 9x13 greased pan.
Bake 350 for 20-25 mins. If you like a little crunchy top cook for a few minutes longer.
Serve warm with milk poured over top or dry like a breakfast bar.

When I first saw this recipe I had to try it right away but I didn't quite have 3 cups of Oatmeal. So I did a half batch! It was perfect!

Even my 2 'non-breakfast eaters' ate it!

Enjoy!

A Short Story that Assulted My Heart

I am reading Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel. It is excellent and I recommend all Christian Partents read it.

There is a reason I am reading this book. I need to show much more grace to my children. I am a hard liner and have high expectations of my children. High expectations can be good but when joy is gone and relationships are being torn down in the process it is not healthy. Constant assessment is necessary. How quickly we forget. I know I need constant reminder. To be gracious and to remember what Christ has done for me ~ a sinner.

I am going to directly quote Dr. Kimmel as to not mess up the story. My question to you is... Are you this kind of parent? or wife for that matter? I am. I need a softer heart. My prayer is Lord, change me. Let me love them. Soften my heart and let me see as you see.

Kimmel writes, "I was sitting in a hotel resturant in Portland, Oregon. It was a Sunday Morning. I was catching a plane around noon, which afforded me the luxury of enjoying a leisurely breakfast. This restaurant offered an all-inclusive breakfast buffet, with a lower price for kids.

A mom arrived with her two children: an infant and a boy approximately four years old. I noticed the boy right away. His face was filled with excitement, and his mouth was running a mile a minute as they circled the buffet line so that Mom could see the options. His mother held the infant while the boy followed along. He could barely contain his excitement. He saw fruit, the varieties of cereal, the pancakes and waffles, and the station where the chef made omelets to your specifications. Then I watched his eyes pop out his head as he studied the trays full o f breakfast "desserts" - blueberry muffins, bear claws, and assorted Danish. This brief chance to watch this enthusiastic boy check out the breakfast buffet quickly became the highlight of my morning. I was watching a boy designed by God take a big breath out of every moment.  He was absolutely in love with his surroundings. He looked like a boy who had gone to food heaven.

The hostess seated Mom and her two kids at the table directly across from me. The waitress filled thier water glasses adn asked if she could bring any coffee for the mother or juice for the kids. She asked if they were going to have the breakfast buffet.

"My husband will be down in a few minutes," the mother replied. "He and I are going to have the buffet. You can bring a bowl of cornflakes and some milk for my boy."

"Mom, no! I want to have the buffet too!" the boy instantly responded. It was obvious that this boy had already mapped out his plan on how he was going to attack this buffet.

"You can't eat all that food. Most of it is just sugar. Forget it," the mom said curtly.

"But Mom, I like that kind of food, that's what I was hoping for. Please?" he pleaded.

"Forget it; you are not having the buffet, so hush up." She turned her back on the boy adn started to tend to her infant.

"Ma'am, for just a dollar and a half more than cornflakes, he could have the buffet," the waitress offered. She could see how anxious the boy was.

"No thanks. He doesn't need all of that food." The look on her face was a clear look of dismissal to the waitress.

As the mother preoccupied herself with her baby, I watched this young boy who had been so filled with excitement start to quietly turn into himself. And then the tears started. His anticipation and excitement had been stilted. I gave the boy credit. He didn't cry out loud. He didn't argue, fuss, or make a scene. He just sat there and quietly hurt.

Dad arrived with the newspaper under his arm, sized up the situation, sat down in his chair and asked the boy why he was crying.
"I wanted to have the buffet, but Mom doesn't want me to."
He turned to his wife. "What's up? Why can't he have the buffet?"
She gave him the same practical and nutritional arguments she'd given the boy a few minutes earlier.

"Look, we're on vacation," Dad said. "He's never had an opportunity to do this before. The difference in cost is chump change. We  can easily afford it.  And as far as  waste goes, what we don't eat they are most likely going to throw away."

There was a brief back-and-forth discussion before the mother gave in and agreed to let the boy have the buffet. His countenance immediately reverted back to that  excited little boy  who made the inital review for food stations. Within a minute, son and father were off to attack the buffet.

I had so much fun watching this boy go from station to station to get a little bit of everything. He saw people  toast their bagels, so he did it, too. He could barely reach the toaster, but an older lady took joy in helping him work it. He got pancakes and a waffle and piled syrup and whipped cream on them. I loved the way he got in the omelet line, waited his turn, and then told the chef what he wanted, which was a little bit of everything. His final trips out were to the dessert station. I say trips because he made two. Before he was done, he had a sampling of each of the little desserts that had been laid out.

Meanwhile, Mom was feeding the baby, and Dad had taken a position at the table where he could spread out his newspaper. When the boy got all that he had been looking forward to having, he commenced to work his way through the breakfast feast.  I was completely enjoying watching this little boy getting to experience this rare treat.

That's when Mom finally finished all feeding responsibilities of her infant and turned to study the various plates of food in front of her son.
And she started.
"Why did you get both pancakes and waffles? And what's with all the whipped cream? You've never had that before. Did you have any idea of what you were putting on this thing?
She got her husband's attention. "Look at all of this. He even got an omelet."
She turned her attention back to the boy. "Why on earth did you order and omelet?" she demanded. "There is no way you can eat all of that." Pointing to the desserts, she said, "You get one, count'em, one of these desserts. Pick the one you want because I'm gonna bring the rest back. Why do you need dessert anyway? It's breakfast, for crying out loud."

As she went through her diatribe, I watched the boy's countenance fall. This time it looked like a combination of helplessness and hopelessness. He tried to eat everything on the assorted plates, but his mother reminded him several times how foolish he had been for getting so much stuff. As promised, she took all but one of the desserts away from him and then berated her husband for not listening to her. Once she ad adequately spoiled everyone's meal with guilt and condescension, she stood up and passed through the buffet line for herself. I just sat there and watched a little boy slowly eating his waffles, whipped cream coming out from the corners of his mouth, with tears streaming down he young face. By the time his mom got back, all the joy had drained from him.

My questions are these: Was it worth it? Is that how God treats us? Does God tease us with good things, insult us for being excited about them, and then scold us for enjoying them? He is a God of Grace......

Eventually this boy will grow up and become a young man heading out on his own. I don't doubt that he'll feel that his mother loved him, but unless she changes the way she's operating, he has little chance of leaving home with secure love - the kind of love that has registered on his heart that his parenets enjoy him just the way he is.


This story struck a chord in my heart. I am very task oriented and thing much like this mom. I need to slow down and THINK about what I am saying, and how it affects others.
In fact, when I was reading this I was sitting in the opening of our mini van door because our youngest had fallen asleep on the way home from church. My husband went in the house with the other two children and he fed them some lunch. I was happy to get a quiet moment to read while the baby slept. After a few minutes of reading. My husband came outside and said, "Here you go!" and happily handed me a sandwich he had prepared for me! Would you believe what I did? I said, "You said that so loud! Now you woke up the baby!"

Oh, my sick and sinful heart. I could have said, "Thank you so much for makeing this for me!"
Instead, I overlooked the sweetness, the joy, the servant heart and pointed out the inconvience and annoyance that I felt.

I don't know about you. But I NEED to work on this. Being a mom can get you trapped in a one track thinking mode. I need to step back and peek inside at the tone I am setting for my family.

I WILL do better! Starting TODAY!

A Reminder for those Difficult Days.

On a particularly tough day with little kids and house of chaos, I sought the support and encouragement from friends. This is one of the responses that touched my heart and brought things back into perspective. I hope it blesses you as it has blessed me.

One day my mother walked into the family room and found most of the Cheerios box dumped out all over the floor. My brother was messing around with something he shouldn't have been, and I was sitting in the middle of the floor with my hand in the Cheerios box. We were about 3 and 4 years old. As she told the story later, she asked herself, "Should I cry now? Should I scold? Or ... should I take a picture?" She took a picture. (This was unlike her. Usually she cried or yelled.) She sat and ate Cheerios with us. Eventually, I suppose she vacuumed them up.


I still have that picture she took of the chaos. I love that picture. That house is long gone. Cheerios are long since cleaned up. My awesome brother and his lovely wife live in a different state. My mother died when I was a teenager, long ago. She was not a perfect mother. Still, I miss her, and I wish she were here. Well, she's not, but I do still have that picture. I'm so glad she chose that option -- admit you don't know what to do, and instead of crying or yelling or scolding about it, take a picture and just sit for a minute. Have a handful of Cheerios.

On an Organizing Roll!

Here are some other projects I have been at lately.
I am a huge fan of photos. I will go beyond saying I am a visual learner. I love to snoop into other peoples lives.....in order to glean all of the best and to implement those things in my own life.

So here are a couple more things:

The hanging files are not a real attractive color but it is what we had on hand.

Instead of paper collecting on our dining room table, I figured this would be a nice alternative.

My coupon holder! Inside is baseball card protector sheets.
Much better than wadded up in the bottom of me purse.

Ah. I can breathe a little easier already!

Cleaning System

Really. I think this should be called: "Now I have three mobile children and I just can't wing it anymore. I need a system that thinks for me."
When this inspiration first hit me I was so excited. But then I reminded myself that I still had to be disciplined and do the work. This is just a system to help guide me better.

It is a variation taken from Sidetracked Home Executives. I have read blogs about others making up this 3 x 5 index card system and it just seemed to make sense to me.

So here is what I have put together. It is kinda a bit of a brain teaser but I know over time will be a smooth as any other habit.

I followed this set of directions to get it all in order.

This is the box that will make my house clean! With little help from me of course.
The cards have numbers 1-31 for each day of the month. You can assign monthly tasks to a certain day (number) for each month.

This set of yellow cards will be in each day. So when I complete the task I move it the
the next day.

The months of the year are for seasonal tasks like cleaning

out the garage, gardening, cleaning the gutters, etc. I haven't

touched this yet. I need to get the inside of the house in order
first.

Here are each of the categories I would see each day.

This is a shot of the actual tasks.

Ah. Thank you Lord for our homes. And thank you for
Sundays.


As each day passes I move the cards to the next appropriate line up. If it is a daily card, I move it to the next day (except for Sunday).
If it is a weekly card I move the card 7 days back.
If it is a bi-weekly card I move it 14 days back.
If it is monthly card I can leave it there cause monthly cards are assigned to a certain number of the month. Make sense? So washing the door mat will happen on the 15th of each month so it stays in the 15 slot.

As time goes on, I will work out the bugs and likely thing of more tasks to add to the box. As the kids get older I will also add the responsible person's name to the chore.
I even thought I could add a bible verse to read each day. Over time it will be memorized.

Okay. I just made a little change. I made duplicates of all the cards except for the daily ones. I wanted all the cards to stay where they are to make it easier. Now I only have to move the daily cards to tomorrows slot.

During a time of challenge with my almost 3 year old I sought council from a friend who has 5 children.

I learned alot in that 1/2 hr conversation.

My little girl was showing signs of anger and rebellion. Yes, two year olds are labeled as 'terrible' but this situation had a power behind it that was beyond what I even had imagined.

We PRAYED. We had our Pastor and Elders PRAY over her, we prayed more. It was ugly. I was in tears and didn't know what had happened to my little girl, how we got to this place and how to get out of it.

Here is what I learned.

My friend's words were.
"This is a time of restoration. Stop all chastisement (for a time) and show her LOVE. Respond differently to her."

Boy was that hard. The behaviors that were so disruptive to our home demanded some sort of correction. But I listened to my friend. I stopped chastising for the rebellion. I spoke softly to her. I sat on the floor more with her. I remained calm.

There was only one thing I would chastise for. Not coming when I called her name.
We practiced (and still do). "When mommy calls your name I want you to come to me and say, 'Okay mom, I am coming!' okay? I will go over here and you wait for me to call you."
For a week we did not leave our house. These issues can not be dealt with when in public can going out so much only allowed these habits to linger on. But that is a post for another day.

Each time she came to me when we practiced, she would get a reward. Sometimes it was an M&M, sometimes a hug, sometimes a high 5! The positive attention was winning back my little girl. I told her. "When you don't obey and don't come when I call you, I will spank you." Rarely does that even happen anymore. I say rarely. I know we will have to keep practicing!

Now, those other deviance's and rebellion do still show up. So instead of spanking her, my friend suggested time out in a confined area. Her bed was too much freedom. She would get out and throw things. The couch was too much freedom. She would flop her body all over and kick and get off the couch.
The solution was an extra 5 point harness car seat we had in storage. I would fasten her in every time there was a blow up. She would stay there until she was calm and her heart was willing to apologize for the offense.

It is working! Thanks be to our Lord who hears our prayers!

The time outs aren't lasting near as long as they used to. (At one time it lasted an hour and a half!

I have also learned that you can't make a child do anything. It really is all about relationship.

Some things we just need to learn on our own. But I thank God for women/moms who are willing to share their time and wisdom with me.
Thank you Julie!

A New Favorite Quote

"It is easy to die for Christ.

It is hard to live for Him.

Dying takes only an hour or two, but to live for Christ means

to die daily.

 Only during the few years of this life

are we given the privilege of serving each other and Christ...

 We shall heaven forever,

but only a short time for service here,

and therefore we must not waste the opportunity."

-- Sadhu Sundar Singh

NOTE: "We shall heaven forever" is not a typo.

 Think about the power of this entire verse and the reality of the idea of  'heaven forever.'

A Great Book for a Christian Home

Leading Little One's to God: A Child's book of Bible Teachings

So where do I begin when I want to tell my children all about the Lord and his goodness, his power, his might, is love, his forgiveness, his mercy, his omnipresence, his majesty, and everything else that he is?  THIS BOOK IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.

Each chapter draws the attention of the child and keeps it! I was surprised how well my 4 year old (when we started reading this) boy actually listened to each devotion. At the end there are questions you can ask and a prayer, a memory verse and a hymn or song that applies to what was just read. There is one picture for each short chapter. I will warn you, the pictures are a little outdated but the kids don't seem to mind.  

Below I will list one chapter of each section covered. I am telling you, this book is FULL!

Here are some of the topics covered. Again these are only ONE from each section of part of the topics:

We can not see God
God is Everywhere
God Made all things for his Praise
What is means to be a sinner
Why we disobey God's Law
God Gave His Son for Us
Jesus came from heaven
Jesus Died for us
The Holy Spirit Has a Special Work
We Must Believe the Jesus is Our Savior
God's Children Love One Another
We Need Help to Live for God
What it Means to Pray
Why We Go to Church
Jesus is Coming Back

Oh, it is so good. I know if I were on my own I would never have thought to give this much detail.

Each reading takes less than 5 mins.

Let me encourage you to start when they are young. My two year old even sits in and listens! At first I thought my son was not hearing what I was reading. I can't tell you how many times he has asked questions or mentioned something about the reading later in the day. It is sinking in!

This is one of those books I will be keeping for my grandchildren. My only regret is that I bought it used. I am a penny pincher and didn't want to spend $3 extra for crip pages. Now I wish I had cause I know I will be reading this book for years. I want to keep it nice for the next generation.

Family

I saw my neighbors and friends strolling up the street, holding hands, the dad was holding their 11 month old son, and next to them were their 4.5 year old son and their 2.5 year old daughter. Yes, their hands are full (and so are their hearts).

Sucking the emotion back at the beautiful sight. My heart beat fast.
A tear drop fell.

I noticed. They did not use a stroller. They were all touching. Dad holding baby, husband holding wife's hand. Little walking ones holding each other's hands and mom's hand.

This young father has 7 months - 2 years to live.

He has stomach cancer. They actually removed his stomach 2 months ago. He looks like he is in perfect health and even feels like it too. Inside he has microscopic cells that will take his life (baring a miracle from God).

We all are dying. Some of us know a little more about when that may happen. I see this family LOVING and ENJOYING each other. Sometimes we need a reminder that our days are few.

I thank GOD for the hope of heaven.

Love. While we have today.

Humility

"Humility is such an elusive virtue. Once you think you have it, you don't, or you wouldn't think you did."

Quoted from Max Lucado's book Traveling Light

Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended To Bear.

A Promise of Psalm 23

A keeper!

Character First has some great materials to teach character building! They have lessons for the workplace, schools and for home. At our house we love the character cards. Click on the link I just gave you. You have to see this! I love it! It couldn't be any more simple than this!

They are baseball type cards (and come in a plastic baseball card holder sheets) with a picture of an animal on one side and on the other side is a specific characteristic, it's definition, the opposite of that character, and a short list of specific ways you can live out that character.

Each week we choose one of the cards to work on. It is nice because throughout the day I can repeat the word (new vocab) and point out to the kids that this is an opportunity to practice that new character!

These tools and web site do not mention that they have a Christian background (psst... I think they are but they keep it quiet to reach more people). It doesn't really matter. Their materials are helpful and certainly do a top notch job of stretching us to become better people.

I ordered series 1,2,3 and 4 of just the cards. The total came to about $12.00!
Then the good Lord, our Provider, had me pick up a Character First Cd at a used book sale BEFORE I had even heard of Character First. It wasn't till about 2 weeks later that I realized he had handed me (for $1.00) a cd with all of these characters put into song! Oh, He is so good to us! To God be the Glory.

Go. Check it out! You will not be sorry. And those around you may notice a change too!