Coffee for Breakfast

I'm not totally sure what this says about me (or the rest of my family), but it took a move across Texas to help us find a way to regroup. I'm also not sure what this says about us since this isn't the first time a major move has been necessary to jump start a major family regrouping. Perhaps we are a stubborn people...? We are currently reading through A Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos. In my opinion, this is THE best children's Bible in story form, available. Don't be deceived by the title. Each time we read through it I find new treasures to look up in my King James Version. Little tidbits of detail that I may have overlooked just seem to jump off the pages. I find myself asking, "Does the Bible really say that?" So far, I have not found an inaccuracy. This book is not just for children. I have bought several forms of Bible curriculum for my kids in our last fifteen years of homeschooling. I find myself drawn to this book year after year.

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Using what I have... In a quest to simplify this year, I'm working very hard at NOT bringing useless items in my home. I read Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider last month (free on my Kindle!) and it really struck a chord with me. A few months ago, right before moving, we cleaned our ridiculous garage and had a sale. The amount of things we sold, gave away, or just trashed was astounding. I'm not a hoarder by definition of that disgusting tv show, but it is amazing what items we carry around with us...or store! I decided to be relentless in this quest. If it was sitting in an unpacked box (since the last move) I had to get serious about whether or not it was really worth owning. My only legitimate excuse for this monstrosity was the fact of fitting more into less square footage. There were items I wasn't willing to part with. The old rule of "if you haven't used it in a year, you don't need it" doesn't apply to ALL things! For example, I have tons