PrincipledMom™

Man I think things have gotten a little serious around here. Well, I thought I'd share a smorgasbord of good news. I attended a seminar on notebooking by Cindy Rushton this last weekend. It was a hoot. (If you've never been to an online conference before, you should go if the opportunity presents itself.)

To make a long story short, over the weekend I won three prizes---a $100 gift certificate ( I chose the notebooking set) and a Talk-a-Latte session from Cindy, and one set of French Country pages from Heidi Jo. That was on top of the fabulous door prizes she put together for us, inlcuding a book from Lisa. My BPA buddy Lisa was there too, along with a gaggle of other home educating moms. It was a lot of fun and I would recommend it to anyone.

I feel a bit refreshed and have a new perspective on what notebooks can do. I was really using them to house our schoolwork, which is not worksheets but original work. She helped me realize that notebooks can be so much more than a place to stick papers. I'm looking forward to this week, when we can try some new (and kind of scary) things. I'm not real good with letting the kids use the markers, glue and paints. How terrible is that? But I'm forging into uncharted waters and we will get out some of my paper arts supplies and enjoy the process and not just rush to the end product. And that's not all that I'm changing, but let's take one thing at a time...

Chats are back on now. Feel free to join us for BPA topical chat each Thursday night. Click the chat tab at the top of the page for details. I'm working on some fun things and giveaways for that, so stay tuned. 

Oh, and in a week I'll be halfway through my pregnancy. My how time flies when you are so ill! Things are much better and I'm getting back into life again. The little flutters in my tummy are very comforting. And food actually tastes good to me now. Thank God for small blessings.

Choice is a powerful thing. I have the ability to shape my life (with God's help) with the decisions I make. If I am unhappy with my life, it is because my choices have brought me here. If I am happy, the cause is the same.

Internal attitudes determine outward behaviors and what results is, well, life. This is what is meant by thinking governmentally, thinking about who or what is directing controlling restraining my life. Who I am governed by internally is what will demonstrate outwardly. If the Holy Spirit is leading, I should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. If my emotions are in charge, you will see a lack of self-control and a surge of frustration.

I see with new eyes the control I have over my schedule and my home. I choose when and how things are done (with help from God and my DH of course). The choices are mine to make and I am not at the mercy of a schedule or a clock. I have dominion. If I am doing a task I don't enjoy, I have to smile because no one "made me do it." I chose to do that task at that time. That is very liberating. I believe women who choose to be keepers at home are the most liberated of all women. We are free to do as we choose, and that can be squandered or savored. Our choices bring big results, whatever that may be.

I have the choice to be truly happy. I have the choice to have a clean home, well-nourished children and a loving marriage. As far as it lies with me, I nedeavor to make the choices that will result in a better life for me and my family.