So, things just keep splashing along over here at our house. I have four full-time re-arrangers on staff, and let me tell you, they do not slack off. When they are on the job, they really put their minds to it, and use the proverbial elbow grease.The twins have become enamored of doing chores - usually with the laundry, which involves snagging whatever they can reach out of the laundry basket or off the table and charging off to stuff it into something somewhere. They also rearrange their room every time they think about napping. They do this by wildly skooching their cribs around until they can grab hands and work as a team. Sometimes in their aimless wanderings, they chance to pass by the changing table close enough to grab the wet wipes, which I believe they scrapbook about later, with lots of special words like experience and dream in fancy fonts around the pictures.These helpers of mine are so diligent that I have taken to loading the dishwasher in secret. I prepare all the dishes in the sink for quick entry, check to see if anyone is lurking,  crack it open, and start chucking. I don’t know how it is, but one dish-clack in, and I hear a delighted scream and pounding fat feet. They round the corner as I slam it back shut and wipe the sweat from my brow. Often times this is just a half-time break, and I have to go pretend to do something else for a while.This morning my husband was making scrambled eggs, and as he scrambled, this team of efficiency snuck up behind him and took the egg carton off the counter and set it on the floor. We both heard it without hearing it, if you know what I mean. They were moving those eggs as fast as they could out of the carton and throwing them into the sink. Even after he saw it, and tried to stop it, I think they got another three rounds off. Meanwhile, I had to snake the battery out of our kitchen clock for something else, and you would be surprised how much of the time I can believe it is 9:15.

You know - I could try to add a remark or two to this snappy little unit . . . but it actually says it all.

If you think about the thing that troubles you most, you may discover that you have a little pet. And every pet comes with its counterpart, the pet peeve.

For example, let’s say your little pet is quiet. So, it only follows that your pet peeve will be noise. Or if your little pet is a tidy house, then your pet peeve will be messes, spills, and dirt. If sunshine is your pet, then your pet peeve will be rain, hail, sleet, snow, and fog.

If you realize that you have a little pet, and you see that God is pointing out to you that He wants you to let that little pet go, and you do, then you will find that it is much easier to deal with all life’s little provocations.

You can still prefer peace and quiet or a tidy, clean house or sunny days. No problem with that. But if it is only a preference, and not a pet, then you won’t get bent out of shape when it’s raining and your kids invite the neighborhood over for ice cream sundaes, and they all come in wearing muddy boots and make a big mess in the kitchen.

But these little pets are hard to get rid of.  Letting go is the hard part, especially if it is a long-time pet. And especially if you’re willing to continue to be mastered by your pet peeves. But to really come out from under the peevishness,  you’ve got to deal with the pet. It’s got to go.

So I must be hard up for a blog post or I would not dream of wading into the heavy waters of the topic of modesty. But I’ve got my hip waders on, so here I go. I’m not going to be discussing what immodesty looks like because, let’s face it, everyone already knows that immodesty is wearing something that is too short, too tight, too low, or just too revealing. My topic here is what the other Christian women should do when a Christian sister is dressed immodestly.

Unfortunately, there will always be some Christian women who are dressing immodestly, even at church. Why do they do it, we all ask. I suggest that there are three motivations behind immodesty. The first is ignorance. They just don’t know. Most of the time, I don’t buy that one, but just to cover all the bases, it is possible that the girl with the knock-out figure doesn’t know what she is doing wearing that clingy thing. So let’s just include that one to be fair.

The second motivation is insecurity and the neediness that grows from such insecurity. This woman dresses immodestly because she is hungry for attention, and she knows the quickest way to get it. When she dresses this way, lots and lots of people look at her, particularly idiot boys. Continue reading ‘Modesty Issues’

My Oxford granddaughters have sewn me a blouse from Amoretti scrap fabric, and I must send you here so you can admire it (just in case you have not seen it over on the Fortnightly Purse blog already). Is this darling or what? Be sure to examine the details, like the strip of red fabric decorating the sleeves. I think I’m seeing a future clothing line for grandmothers. And what could be more obvious? If their mother designs clothing for girls, then it’s only natural that they should get started on the Nana clothes.  By the time Bekah is a grandma herself, her girls will have a whole line available, and guess who will model? Are you seeing what I’m seeing? I can’t wait!

Howdy! I’m literally running past my computer and typing with my left elbow as I pack bins for our move with my other hand, list items on ebay with my foot, and scrub down the walls and clean spots out of the carpet with my other foot. You should see it. Breathtaking. It might also explain why I don’t seem to be making much progress in any of those areas . . .

Anyway, I’m merely stopping in to tell everyone to zoom over to the Fortnightly Purse. I’ve changed things around a bit, and so the giveaway is on another page (a whole extra click you have to go through) . . . however, it’s worth the trip because this time the giveaway is one of the new, not yet released, Amoretti Summer dresses! So head on over to enter!

Also, make sure to notice that we’re now also selling scrap bags of the fabric used in the production - which is loads of fun. So trot along and see it - and meanwhile I will continue my absurd maneuvers here attempting to get ready to move this family across the ocean again! (6th time in 3 years. Not for sissies I’ll tell you that much!)