Facing Uncertainty in 2013?

If you are at all like me, in the midst of uncertainty, worry is an almost constant temptation. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I don't know what next week will bring, next month, or next year, but am I really in the middle of "uncertainty"?

For surely the LORD is certain. 

He is certain of tomorrow, next week, month and year.

Are not all my days already written in His book?
Are not my husband's & children's also?

Though I may not know what tomorrow will bring, it is true that the most important things are most certain.

It is most certain that the power of death and hell has been defeated.

It is most certain that my dear LORD bore my sin in His own body on that cross.

It is most certain that the payment for my sin was paid in full, for He declared it to be when He cried, "It is finished."

It is most certain that we have a living hope for we serve a risen Saviour.

It is most certain that He is preparing a place for us and will soon return.

It is most certain that we are closer today to His glorious appearing than we were yesterday.

It is most certain that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Thus, when I am tempted to think of the "uncertainty", let me cling ever more tightly to the One who is, most assuredly, certain.




Linking up to

Menu Plan & Weekly Goals

Here's what we plan on eating this week:

Sunday: Potluck after church  (I'm bringing coleslaw and a plate of cookies)
           : Potato Soup for Supper

Monday: Spaghetti Cheese Bake (new), Caesar Salad, Peas/Carrots

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Vegetable Soup, Cheese Biscuits

Thursday: Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala (one of hubby's & my favourites), Rice, Mixed Veggies

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Homemade Pizza, Veggies & Dip

* I am also planning on making a big batch of Vegetable Soup to have on hand for lunch for myself during the week *

Linking up to Menu Plan Monday 

Last week I attempted a list of goals, and while I didn't accomplish all of them, it was helpful to have a few specific things to focus on.

Last Week's Goals:

Marriage/Family/Kids
1. Plan an at-home date night (I had an at-home movie night planned, but our family met up with my sister-in-law's family for swimming instead :-)
2. Wean Nathanael down to nursing only 2 times per day. (morning & evening)
3. Do blanket training/sit still training with the kids 4 times this week

Homemaking
4. Post 2 items to sell
5. Bake muffins, bread, & cookies

Health (This is Week 1 of my 9 Week Boot Camp to get back in shape! More about that later...)
6. Exercise 5 times this week & complete Week 1 of Couch to 5K program
7. Keep an accurate food & exercise journal (slacked a bit on the weekend with writing everything down...)
8. Wake up at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays (I managed to do this once...)

Other
9. Read 3 chapters of the book I'm currently reading
10. No social media/surfing the web when kids are awake except for during afternoon quiet time.  (this is so important, in my opinion). 

This Week's Goals

Marriage/Family/Kids

1. Have an at-home date night
2. Wean Nathanael down to nursing only once in the morning
3. Do blanket training/sit still training with kids 4 times

Homemaking
4. Organize the activity closet
5. Create a simpler housekeeping routine (been struggling big time with housekeeping lately. My old routine is just too much for this stage of my life, but I still need a plan of attack with my lower expectations for life with 2 toddlers). 

Health
6. Be in bed by 11 pm on weekdays (maybe this will make my 7:30 wakeup time easier someday!). Most nights we are in bed around midnight & often later...we are night owls (my husband especially) but I'd like to reign it in to a bit more reasonable of a bedtime.
7. Exercise 5 times & complete Week 2 of Couch to 5K program
8. No Eating after 9 p.m. on weekdays (will make an exception for date night if we have that during the week)

Other
9. No social media/web surfing when kids are awake except for during afternoon quiet time. 
10. Read 20 pages of the book I'm currently reading. It's not exactly my idea of an enjoyable book. It's more for information purposes, so that's why it's taking me forever to get through it! 

Menu Plan & Weekly Goals

Sunday: Lunch at the missions conference Sunday morning service we attended
             Supper at Mom & Dad's

Monday:  Skillet Light Lasanga

Tuesday: Steak Fajitas, Salad

Wednesday: Chili & Cornbread

Thursday: Leftovers (Chili over baked potatoes)

Friday: Attempt the perfect stovetop steak (if I'm feeling ambitious...)

Saturday : Potato Soup
                 Taco Salad

Here are my weekly goals (something new I'm trying)

Marriage/Family/Kids
1. Plan an at-home date night
2. Wean Nathanael down to nursing only 2 times per day. (morning & evening)
3. Do blanket training/sit still training with the kids 4 times this week

Homemaking
4. Post 2 items to sell
5. Bake muffins, bread, & cookies

Health (This is Week 1 of my 9 Week Boot Camp to get back in shape! More about that later...)
6. Exercise 5 times this week & complete Week 1 of Couch to 5K program
7. Keep an accurate food & exercise journal
8. Wake up at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays

Other
9. Read 3 chapters of the book I'm currently reading
10. No social media/surfing the web when kids are awake except for during afternoon quiet time.

Reading List 2013

This is my reading list for 2013. Likely I won't get to reading all of them this year, but hopefully I'll get to read at least a few of them. As you can tell...I'm more of a non-fiction gal :-).

The Bible (finish reading it straight through...started last year and would really like to finish it this year!)

Christian Biography/Non Fiction

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot

Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot

A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael 

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Christian Apologetics

The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell

Homeschooling

The Christian Home School by Gregg Harris

The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise

Beyond Survival by Diana Waring

100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duff

A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison


Marriage/Family/Children

The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer

Successful Christian Parenting by John Macarthur

Desperate by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson

Fiction

One Christian historical fiction book (yet to be determined)

Ebooks
One or two ebooks about blogging (yet to be determined) 


What's on your reading list this year? :-)

Menu Plan Monday

Finally, I'm back to menu planning after the holidays. Though I greatly enjoy turkey, ham and Christmas feasts, I am definitely glad all the holiday baking and snacking is over. All that sugar has been leaving me feeling quite yucky. It feels like our family has been sick all winter. We get over one sickness only to come down with something else the next week. I currently have a nasty throat infection. Thankfully I seem to be the only one with it so far. Nathanael came down with a high fever last week, has a hoarse voice, and now has a rash. I'm taking him to the pediatrician to get checked out today.

I am really trying to make an effort to cook healthier meals and have healthier snacks on hand for my family. This month I also tried to do one big shopping trip for the month and plan my meals for the whole month instead of only weekly. I'm going to see if this will (hopefully) cut back on my grocery budget. I have heard some people have great success with this way of shopping.

I do have some things I would like to work on this year and hope to make a list and share them with you soon. I think I am going to break them down into monthly goals instead of the giant New Year's resolutions.

Here's what we will be eating this week:

Sunday: Christmas gathering with my side of the family

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala, Basmati Rice, Tossed Salad

Wednesday: Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry, Egg Rolls, Rice,

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Skillet Light Lasagna & Caesar Salad

Saturday: Homemade Buffalo Chicken & BBQ Chicken Pizza, Veggies & Dip

Our Family Desires To...

Our family desires to...

• DO justly, LOVE mercy, & WALK humbly with Thy God
• SERVE joyfully
• GIVE generously
• SEEK the LORD's will constantly
• HOLD forth the Word unswervingly
• LIVE faithfully
• PRAY continually
• STAND upon the Word of God firmly
• TRUST in the LORD completely
• LOVE OTHERS selflessly
• FORGIVE easily
• THANK God continuously
• SPREAD the Good News more intentionally
• SPEAK the name of Jesus unashamedly