Happy Homemaker Monday 04/28/2014

I always say every Monday how I cannot believe how fast the weekend went by, but honestly I just will probably never get used to it. The weeks just fly by, and the weekends fly by even faster. lol But it is closer to summer break and I am excited about that so I can't complain too much. Even though I will have a 1st grader on my hands and a preschooler! My boys are growing up way too quickly. lol But I'm so proud of how far they have come over the years. I couldn't be prouder of them.
Anyway, I suppose it's time to get on with today's Happy Homemaker. I know I haven't got to participate in a few weeks and I'm glad to be back. I enjoy reading what all of you have planned for today and this week, and enjoy visits from you all here as well. :)

Image Credit: Sandra @ Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Head on over and add your name to her Mr. Linky with your own
Happy Homemaker  post if you would like to join in with us. :)

~As I look outside my window~
Rain, rain, and more rain. The weather is calling for rain ALL week in my area. Every single day shows rain. Today we could be getting some potentially severe weather, and I'm hoping for the best. My prayers are with all of those out there that have been affected by tornadoes, damaging winds, etc.



~Right now I am~
Sitting on the couch waiting on my oven timer to go off for lunch, and writing this post. I have some pizza rolls in the oven. They don't take long and I don't make them very often but my little one loves them. I actually heard of a pizza rolls casserole. Has anyone else heard of it? I'm contemplating searching it later to see if I can find it and maybe make it for the kiddos sometime soon.



~Thinking and pondering~
How different things are in this day and age. Everything is becoming so hi-tech. Today's youth is so much different than from when I was growing up. And it seems like these days things are way more advanced. I am grateful for all of the technological advances we have made over the years, the medicines available, new studies and cures, but sometimes I yearn to go back in time to when things were more simple. Time probably went so much more slowly with more time to enjoy life, and family. It's easy these days to get so busy that days just pass you by without you even realizing it. Which is why it is so important to set aside some time to unwind and relax, not just yourself but with family.



~On my bedside table~

• Under The Heavens Amish Horse book series (book 1) by: Thomas Nye

I am loving this book so far. I am quite surprised at exactly how captivated I am by it. It's a good fit for adults and youth as well, as the main character is a young boy sent to stay with his stepfather's family members on their Amish farm. It has a lot to do with horses and his adventures and labors on his Amish relatives farm. While I am only on page 119 right now I am eager to continue on with it.

• My Bible

~On my TV tonight~
Monday- Safe Crackers on TruTV with hubby. If you haven't watched this show it is very interesting. These guys go around and open safes, whether they are found in a house, left by relatives, found underwater, underground, etc. It's often a mystery what is inside. Sometimes nothing and sometimes very valuable, interesting, or historical things. When hubby mentioned it I was skeptical until I started watching it that is. lol They have found quite a few interesting things and some very valuable.
Tuesday- Real Tori
Wednesday- Catching up on Bones and Kitchen Nightmares
Thursday- Impractical Jokers
Friday- movie night with kids and hubby
Saturday- whatever catches my interest
Sunday- Long Island Medium



~Listening to~
My youngest son talking to me about a preschool app he is playing on the kindle. :)



~On the menu for this week~
Monday- baked turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed carrots
Tuesday- Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday- Chicken and noodles, creamy mashed potatoes, roasted corn on the cob, bread and butter.
Thursday- Fried Chicken, peas, macaroni and cheese
Friday- Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper, fried potatoes, mixed vegetables
Saturday- Pot Roast, Rolls
Sunday- Green beans, potatoes, carrots, and sausage with grilled cheese



~On my to-do list~
Does everything count? lol I got a bit behind last week and over the weekend. We had a rather hectic week last week.

• Laundry
• Dishes
• Cleaning
• Vacuuming
• Sweeping and Mopping kitchen and bathrooms

~Happening this week~
Monday- mainly housework and chores
Tuesday- Karate, book review to be posted
Wednesday- Preschool Playgroup in the AM and then going through storage
Thursday- Karate, book review to be posted
Friday- Field Trip for my oldest (I'm a chaperone)
Saturday- Visiting with family
Sunday- Housewarming Party for some of our close friends



~What I am creating~
Nothing at the moment. My fingers are itching to crochet a new lap blanket but honestly I have no had the time nor materials. I keep telling myself I am going to get to Walmart and pick up some new yarn but every time we are there I forget or things are so hectic and time crunched I put it off. :(



~My simple pleasure~
Family time, it's good for my spirit, heart, and soul. Even if it's just to sit down and watch some TV together, read together, or play a game. It is just so refreshing and makes me so happy.



~Homemaking tips~
Don't overload yourself with chores. If you break things down over a week's time you can find that you will get all or most of your goals done. We all have our day to day chores of course, but don't try to cram everything into one day. What is good for one may not work for another as well all have different things going on in our lives, different schedules, etc. Play around with your schedule and you will eventually find a routine that works perfectly for you.



~Looking around the house~
The living room needs a quick pick up, breakfast dishes still need to be washed, and there's a basket of laundry ironed and folded just waiting to be put away. All the windows are open and even though it's gloomy there is some light coming in to see with. I hate using electricity during the daytime as far as light so usually I just throw open all the blinds and curtains and light candles.



~From the camera~

My son's Cheetah Poster
A project he had to do for his Kindergarten class.
All the kids had to pick one animal and make a poster of just a few facts about them.
They were really only supposed to write type of animal, habitat, what they eat, weight and height,
but my son said there just had to be at least a couple extra interesting facts on there. LOL
He was actually a bit disappointed he couldn't write more about them. We both kind of
got really into this project, and it was a lot of fun learning about Cheetah's, helping him with this, etc.
He picked all the pictures to use, glued them on himself, and everything. I'm so proud of him. :)

~Prayer list~
All of you out there that have personally been affected or have family or friends affected by the weather.
Friends and family



~Bible Verse/Devotional~
Phil 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.


Hope you all have a great week ahead! :) If you visit make sure to comment with a link to your blog or post so I can visit back. 

Blood Moons Rising: Bible Prophecy, Israel, and the Four Blood Moons

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 21, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414397089
• ISBN-13: 978-1414397085

::Taken from the back of the book::

ARE THE FOUR BLOOD MOONS A SIGN OF THE END TIMES?

In the years 2014 and 2015, four lunar eclipses, called "blood moons," will occur during two significant Jewish festivals: Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. Prophecy watchers have heralded this celestial phenomenon because it has occurred in the last millennium only at crucial times in the history of the Jewish people.

In Blood Moons Rising, prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock will explore Bible prophecy, the history of Israel, and the phenomenon of the four blood moons. He'll take you on an in-depth tour of what the Bible says about the last days. He'll show you how current newspaper headlines are obvious signs of the coming of the end. Then he'll dissect whether the four blood moons fit into prophecy found in Scripture.

You won't want to miss this in-depth discussion of the facts--and also the fiction--concerning the four blood moons.

::My Thoughts::

These days you can't go anywhere without hearing about the end times, or bible prophecy. It's everywhere you look: television, books, magazines, movies, radio, etc. So of course as Christians and people we are going to be intrigued by any and all claims or prophecies whether we agree with them or not.

For this reason I could not wait to read Blood Moons Rising by Mark Hitchcock. This author graduated from law school in 1984, and earned his PhD from Dallas Theological Seminary. He has served as a senior pastor of Faith Bible Church for over twenty years.

Immediately upon reading the first few chapters I knew I was going to love this book. There is no lecture, there is no hard to understand terms, and you do not have to have a dictionary sitting beside you to look up every other word. It's a book that is perfectly understandable and easy to read for many of us, not to mention to the point which I greatly appreciate in books like these. The blood moons prophecy is centered on the belief that the tetrad of blood moons in our times are linked to the return of Christ. Now I will not deny that each time we have had a tetrad of blood moons in history there has been a crucial event or impact upon Israel and the Jews. The bible mentions blood moons and solar eclipses many times, which the author makes reference to often through the book. However there is no proof that these tetrads in our years will or will not signify the coming of Christ. I'm not saying that absolutely nothing will happen but this book makes a lot of good points in why this theory is full of doubt and doesn't stand well enough on it's own. There is too much interpretation, and mankind is often wrong when assuming.

This book is not about getting you to believe in certain theories or prophecies, but rather lays out the evidence, gives opinion as well as facts, and leaves you to conclude your own beliefs on such theories and prophecies. In a religion book this is quite refreshing. I was able to read this book and absorb myself in it without feeling like I was studying, and felt more like I was learning as well as becoming enlightened in many things.

I do think the blood moons could hold some significance for Israel, but I'm not sure if I believe it will be the end. Too much is to come before that time. There are many signs that we are in our end times, but we cannot predict the exact time and place. That is made perfectly clear in the bible. We do need to keep our eyes out for the signs of the end times, and I do believe we are seeing some. I also believe there are many more to come. But one thing remains clear, we always have to keep our eyes open and always expect the unexpected. Because we do not know the exact day or hour it could happen anytime. We all have different viewpoints when it comes to the end times, we are all scared, we are all curious, and we will continue to be so. I recommend this book to those that are uncertain of the blood moons as even though I have read about and heard of the prophecy I feel more knowledgeable after reading this book compared to prior.  It's always good to enlighten yourself with a book that not only covers facts and beliefs, but also lists shortcomings in those beliefs. The author did all of this in a most respectful manner, and as he said he would left me to reach my own verdict. I do appreciate that in a book, and I recommend it to you as well. There's no pressure in this book and I think it's a must read for Christians or any others that are interested in bible prophecy. 

This book is available for   Print   Kindle   Nook   Audible   and more...

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

The Rhyme Bible Review

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
• Board book: 40 pages
• Publisher: Zonderkidz; Boardbook Rev edition (February 25, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310730163
• ISBN-13: 978-0310730163

::Book Description::

Children love the soothing sound of rhyme! And now they can enjoy ten classic Bible stories retold in delightful read-aloud rhyme in The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers. From the story of creation ("In the beginning God made the light. The light was for day. The dark was for night.") to the resurrection of Jesus ("All his friends were happy then. Jesus was alive agai

n!"), this is the perfect choice for parents who want to introduce their toddlers to the Word of God. Newly updated illustrations and classic stories told in vivid verse make this padded cover board book a sure favorite that will entertain young ones and teach them biblical lessons that last a lifetime

::My Thoughts::

This is a really great introduction to Bible Stories for children. The colorful pictures, easy to turn board pages, and flow of rhyming words really captures a young child's attention. Both my children (ages 3 & 6) were both completely immersed in this book. It was easy for them both to understand, and they enjoyed it. 
Sometimes it can be hard introducing young children to God's word. Often with the majority of children their attention has to be grabbed immediately for them to take anything away from a story. The fact that these are God's Word and more than just story is a huge plus. It's often hard to find something so engaging for young children, but I think this book more than makes up for that. This storybook covers some of the major events in the Bible which I loved seeing. The stories are not so long that they will bore a young child, but only about three pages each story with few words on each page. There is a total of 40 pages, all with colorful illustrations that your child will enjoy. The fact that this is a board book also makes it the perfect book for tiny hands to turn the pages without worry of any ripping or tearing. One of my favorite things about this book is that both my children had many questions to ask about each story. So not only are they learning God's Word, but we are creating discussions about each event that happened! It's very refreshing to find a book all about God like this that we can share with our children, and even better that they can take something away from it! Overall a wonderful storybook, and one I highly recommend.

If you are interested in purchasing this book for your little ones (I think it would make a great Easter gift actually) you can check it out HERE





Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for free from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.