Changes

   Over the past couple of months a few things have changed in our household.  In January,  I started making a menu calendar and buying groceries for a whole month at a time as well as house hold items (which I buy from amazon.com and have shipped here for FREE).  Changing those two things has really been a blessing to our family.  We now have food on hand all the time and by having a menu I can prepare ahead of time for the meals, so we eat out less.  I also don't have to worry about buying laundry soap, dish detergent, dishwasher detergent, paper towels, etc because I bought in bulk in Jan-Feb and they are on hand.  The GREATEST benefit is that I am saving money.  Since January, I've not spent more than $360 a month on groceries to feed our family and in Jan. and Feb it was less than $300.  Why do I think that is...because I DON"T have to go to Wal-Mart every week....  I have been doing most of my shopping at UGO then for the few things I can't get there I buy at Wal-Mart.
   Another change is that we have two goats .  An alpine named Mitsy and a saanen/nubain mix named Gloria.  Mitsy is due to kid in July.  Justin bought these goats with his money and hopes to be able to milk them to make soap and cheese as well as maybe have milk to drink.  I am looking forward to trying my hands at those three activities. 
We attended a home school conference in Memphis the first weekend in  March which really blessed our family.  We learned lots of good things that we are hoping to implement over the coming years.  One of the things we learned is how important it is to teach our children to love the Lord with all their heart and to lean on Him thru the good and thru the bad.  The rest is just details. 
   IF we want our children to get to heaven we must teach not only by words but by example.  We must be as Abraham was and have the faith to do what God tells us to even though we don't understand it at the time.  We must teach them to love others more than themselves as Jesus did.  We must teach them the importance of daily bible study.  We must teach them that our desire is to be that of God that ALL men shall be saved.  In 1 Peter 1:3-11  God has given us some things that we need to live by and to teach our children. In Psalms 128 it tells us what blessings we will have if we and our children fear the Lord and walk in His ways "Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD.  The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life.Yes, may you see your children’s children."  In 3 John 1:4  we are told "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth"  WOW....that is powerful....I hope and pray that I can have that joy.  And it is our responsibility as parents to make sure that we teach our children the TRUTH so that we can have that joy. 
    While we were gone Matthew also got a call to change jobs.   Which has been a big change in our life.  He is now on day shift after working 2nd shift for about 9 months.  We have been used to going to bed at midnight'ish and getting up at 9:00 now we are going to bed by 10:30 pm and up by 6:30.... We are adjusting well. (I think)
   All the changes that have come about so far this year have been good changes. I pray that we have many more good changes this year.  But I know in this sinful world we will have changes that we don't like at the time or may not understand but God always knows best.  And we must accept change whether good or bad whether we like it or not.... 
    I challenge each of us to examine ourselves and see if we need to change our selves....Are we living in TRUTH??  Are we teaching our children to live in TRUTH??? or have we become like the people that were addressed in James 4:4 "You adulteress, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God?  Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."  We can't allow the world to creep in our lives and live the way the world does.  We can't accept the world's view on things.  We have to live according to God's word.  We have to stand up for the things God says is right and stand against the things that God says is wrong.....