Running Brooks

Adventures in canning land

2010-09-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

So I am feeling very accomplished today. My Mom, my friend Kari and I just spent the last 2 days canning. We were able to do 140 jars!!! We did soup starts and Chow Chow. I had meant to take pictures all along but forgot until after I started putting them all away.The kids all helped out in some way or another. I think we all had a good time, and in the end it was well worth it.

These funnels both belonged to great grandmothers. I also ended up with some awesome old jars.

It may not look like much, but we call it our fav.

2010-08-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is our new favorite spot. This room is so sunny during the day. We have loved sitting and reading. We have started Anne of Green Gables this year and can't put it down. On Tue we read for almost Two hours straight.

This is the awesome wall shelf Wyatt made me last year. It is a big help for keeping all our stuff together. On the top are old trinkets of mine and books from my childhood and my moms.

Eliana's Desk ( She made labels for it )

Door organizer and book shelf.

I am so grateful to have a school room. Eliana and I were talking tonight about how good we feel when we are in it. I am praying that we feel this good all year long.

Great Movie!

2010-08-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

We just wrapped up our first day of school with a family movie. School went really well and I was very encouraged at how much Eliana had retained over the summer.

This movie was really well done. I have been really impressed with the quality of Christian movies these days. It's about time! This is a story inspired by a little boy who wrote letters to God while he battled cancer. Make sure you have the tissues handy. Also check out the web site letterstogodthemovie.com

Back to School

2010-08-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

Well this is our last weekend before we start the new School year. I am really encouraged about this year.For one I finally have a school room! We have two desk, book shelves, craft box and a computer. Koah is going to start some pre-school this year, he is really exited ( we will see how long it last lol ) This year Wyatt is doing math with Eliana, I am really glad to have his help on this. Also we are going to be apart of a small Co-op doing History, Science and Bible. This all frees me up to focus on Language Arts. Eliana has really taken off in her reading this summer and I have been so happy to see her laying around reading.
Hope everyone had a great summer vacation and Blessings to you all in this new School year : )

Make Your Will my will.

2010-03-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

So I want to make changes in my life, I always feel like I have to do this or do that in order to have peace. The problem has always been HOW do I get from A to B?

I don't make the changes! Matthew6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Putting on the Mind of Christ in my house work and family is a very new mind set for me ( especially the house work ) Not by my will,but by Yours Lord. What if in planning my days I sought the Lord first? I find that when I know I need to make a habit of something I try to schedule it in i.e. More one on one time with the kids, laundry,Clean bathrooms, Bible time with the family, well when I do that it never really pans out.
 God moves in our life in small ways everyday, a nudge here, a inspiration there, and correction when needed. So why do I feel the need to make BIG changes that have to happen on a Schedule?

OK so I have been trying to loose my hand on our schedule and let the Lord nudge me daily. It has gone something like this.....Get up early and ,make breakfast. This has been amazing, normally I get up when my kids jump on me (that is no way to wake)now I am up before them and can greet them without being half asleep. It has also given me extra time with my little man, he is the early bird in this family.  Then when the princess wakes up I am able to sit with her one on one because little man is less needy. The Lord has not over whelmed me like I over whelm myself. He has just given me a few things to do a day. And guess what? I am getting more done now than ever before. Things like cleaning out my coat closet, that allowed me to fit my vacuum into it which sat in the living room before.

I am sure that the more I give my day to the Lord the more he will Give to me.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Supreme moment!

2010-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

Change is in the air for me.

After getting my back Diagnosis,Hemi-scoliosis (Miss formed vertebrae) last month I began to feel the need for change. So thanks to my sweet , sweet, generous sister I started working out at the YMCA. I have really enjoyed it. I am now a huge fan of Zumba! Zumba is right up my ally. It is High cardio, low impact,dance,and aerobic. I am also once again trying to get my house in order : ) I started a book this week, Making your Home a Haven/ strategies for the Domestically challenged. I have just started it but what impressed me is that she starts with saying until we give time to the Lord we will struggle in our own strength.
Philippians 4:13 ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
There was also a quote by -Oswald Chambers If you completely give yourself physically,you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength.

I can almost always recognize when the Lord is giving me a Kairos moment. Kairos (καιρός) is a word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. Cronos human's linear time and kairos for God's time!
There is so much GRACE when we are walking in God's timing. I do not want to walk away from this moment. I want the Lord to do a new work in me. I am choosing to walk into this moment.

Be encourage Home makers, we have been given the amazing gift of Haven making. Home is on the for front of Gods Heart. He CARES deeply about our everyday functions. We are Daughteres of The Most High God, we are NOT servants. We need to start asking from Him as if we are Daughters. Royalty does not struggle they Receive from Their King Freely.
^{Psalm 51:10} Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Eliana's 8th Birthday Party Bash!

2010-03-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

We had Eliana's Birthday party this past Mon. We watched a movie, had pizza and played in the game-room. She said ( like she says every year ) That is was her BEST birthday ever.
Eliana designed her cake all by herself. It was a really cool experiences. We went into Ingles no less and all the cakes were a little young for her, so we talked with the Cake lady and she let Eliana tell her what she wanted and all the colors she wanted as well. When we went to pick it up we were a few hours early and they were just starting her cake so they let us come back and watch. The lady was so nice, when she made the roses she got down so the kids could see. All this for only $14.95!!!
Eliana serving her guest : )
Meleah (13 ) and Eliana ( 8 ) Exactly 5 years apart!
The kids had a blast on the video games. This is Koah riding on the back of Nasir's racing game.

Our Big Girl !

2010-02-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

Eliana turns 8 on March ,2. It amazes me how fast time goes by. Everyone warns you that it will but you don't really believe it when you have small children. She is an amazing little girl, I really don't know were it all comes from. She is so big hearted, loving, compassionate, talented,warm,helpful,creative,gifted,smart, and most important She Love's the Lord!

Eliana's 1st Birthday! from left to right, Eliana,Nasir,Elizabeth,Meleah,Rebekah,Tritan,andTristan.

The 2 Pictures above are of Eliana and Meleah on the afternoon that Eliana was born. Meleah stopped by to meet her new cousin on the way to her 5th Birthday party. I think it is so special that they share a birthday. When Meleah saw Eliana for the first time she smiled SO BIG and teared up.

Meleah turns 13 this March!!! Meleah is becoming a beautiful young lady. I can not wait to see where she goes in life.

It can be done!

2010-02-24T16:26:00.001-08:00

Koah(4) who can not sit still to save his life, sat very still for a Wii game today. I walked into the living room to find him sitting perfectly still on the Wii fit board. He was staring at the screen trying to keep the candle flame from flickering. I even talked to him and he just sat there. You might have to know him to find this as amazing as I do.

Inspired : )

2010-02-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

I was inspired to start a blog by following my cousins blog. It is the sweetest thing ever. I also think this will be a better outlet for me than FB. I spend entirely to much time on nothing. I would rather document my life with Family, friend, Church and ministry. So here we go , can't wait to see what happens.