Hands-on Housewife · Home

Life Update

Posts have been few and far between lately! Sorry to all of my followers, but hopefully this post will explain why…

Life here in the Francis household has been insane, to say the least. We recently undertook an over 900 square feet addition to our home and it has been insanely busy and taxing. My husband used to be in construction, so thankfully, he knows how to build anything! He is doing most of the work himself, so it has been work all day-everyday! 7 am to dark.

Despite the daily rigor of construction (which encompasses dust, dirt and debris on EVERYTHING…everywhere), homeschooling, worship ministry, cooking, cleaning and raising 4 kids…you can say that I am trying to stay sane!

I am officially the “grunt worker” between the two of us. Because I don’t have the skills or knowledge that my husband does, I opt to paint, pick up construction trash and debris, run lumber orders, do whatever miscellaneous projects needed to support the real stuff…and I am the official Francis “gopher”.

Needless to say, I have truly become a hands-on housewife.

Our Insanely HUGE project-In pictures…

Here are some pictures of before and afters of the projects that we have started this summer…

We started with painting the front of the house while we waited for finally plan approval by the county.

It all started with painting the front of our house (while we were waiting for permits to finalize). Modern Farmhouse baby!

Modern farmhouse for the win!!!

Yours truly is the “professional painter” around here!

Once we received approval of plans, we started with the foundation.

Then we began breaking ground on the area that would be the new addition.
We got the foundation finished right in time for the monsoon weather to hit hard!

It was quite disconcerting when the rains hit, but God allowed it to clear on the days we needed it to be clear for building!

We started by putting in the mud seal (the bottom layer of wood that everything sits on-on top of the foundation).
Lets just say that every single day…the kids need baths!
Then there was the floor joists and rough plumbing.
Just in time for more monsoon weather!
We began framing in August 2018.
Right before we started tearing off the roof on that side of the house.
before, middle and after pics of the old den.
Hands on housewife!
Got the Sub floor on! We had so much help from people who love us and wanted to help.
Lots and lots of work!
Then we went to work tearing off the main half of the roof for the new GIANT beam that had to go in.
Our first official wall! The main wall that would hold up the HUMONGOUS trusses.
Putting in the giant ridge beam with the crane .
Frist official truss!!
With the trusses on, it started looking like a house!
Lots of quality time with cousins!

Next was facia and sheathing.
Next was roofing. I swear! Our friends and family have been such a blessing to us! We had the entire roof done in one day!
A bonifide constriction girl! lol! (not really…I’m actually more of a gopher and trash picker upper :/)
We’ve come a long way in a month! I have hundreds of pictures of our progress, but these will suffice for now.

Needless to say…We have had a LOT on our plates. We continue to advance every spare moment we have, and are hoping to be all boxed in and framed by the end of October!

I will especially love picking out the colors, flooring and accessories! P.s. Joanna Gaines is my “spirit animal” ;).

Seasons

My previous post was about the seasons of life. There are many different seasons in life, and I just happen to be in the busy-dirty-construction chaos season. And that’s alright! I believe that there is a lesson to be learned in every season. God has been showing us so much in this season.

The love that has been poured out on us by family and friends has been humbling, to say the least! We have had so many people coming to help us out of the love of their hearts. Just to serve and show that they care! We literally could not have made it this far without all of their help and support!

Because of the love and support poured out on us, we have discussed the humbling realization that we NEED help. That it’s OK to ask and accept the help given. We are humbled and extremely blessed.

So this season of our life is crazy. It really is. But, I have learned so much and wouldn’t trade the hardships and trails for anything! I will keep y’all updated with our progress!

God Bless!

-Z

Hands-on Housewife

B-U-S-Y

B-U-S-Y

Hey ya’ll!

I have been busy, and then I have been BUSY.

When I look at what I am busy with; the kinds of things that occupy my time, I doubt myself. I am usually busy with chores, housework, home school, blogging, and a myriad of other things that “seem to be important at the time”.  I truly wish that I could be better as a mom. I wish that all I wanted tot do was teach my kids, love on them and spend every waking moment with them (and enjoy it).

Maybe you’re one of those mammas who sits on the floor with their youngsters, plays, reads books and talks in a high-pitched little girl voice. That is great.

No…I am not being facetious. I genuinely wish I could be that way. But, alas, that is soooooo not how God made me.

I would probably be mom who is yelling from the kitchen to pick up the mess. Unfortunately.

I have come a long way from being that overly anal and crazy mom who literally can’t stand a mess, and gets upset anytime there are toys on the floor (trust me…I still struggle with that).

Where is the balance to the busy day-to-day? WHAT is that balance?

Today I want to discuss the issue of busy-ness and maybe share with you my struggle at finding the balance.

I would also love to share with you what the “B-U-S-Y” stands for…wait for it…

Jack of All Trades

This year I had to let go of a lot of things. Not necessarily bad things, just too many things. You see, I am one of those who tends to say “yes” to everyone and everything. I always feel like I can “do that better”, or that I just need to be involved. However, this mindset has gotten me in trouble in many circumstances.

I don’t believe that being busy is bad. But I also don’t believe that you have to literally do nothing else except stay at home with your kids and only home school every day, either. There has to be a balance.

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” -Benjamin Franklin

This is definitely my life! I may be a “jack of all trades”, but I often feel like I am not mastering any one thing. I don’t want to be that way. I would rather master a few things well, then be just ok at a whole lot of things.

I think that is where staying busy comes in for me. I enjoy having my plate full. I enjoy using my gifts. I enjoy working with my hands.

But what if I want to ENJOY getting down on the floor with my kids? Mastering being a mom? What if I truly desire to make my kids a priority in my day?

That for me is the struggle.

Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE my kids so much, and am incredibly blessed by them. But mothering does not come naturally for me. Work and being busy does.

So how I do balance the two? How do I master only a few things? This question has evaded me for many years now, and I don’t believe that it needs to be some deep and analytical thing. God has really showed me that being content is the simple answer.

Where I am in my life (the mommy stage) is OK. It’s ok to be frustrated at times. It’s OK to not have a handle on being that “perfect mom”. It’s ok to be overwhelmed.

I do believe that I have subconsciously used busy-ness to cope with my insecurities as a mom. Again, there is nothing wrong with being busy, but I have been convicted to realize that I don’t need to be THAT busy.

It’s OK to say no to things. It’s ok to rest. It’s ok to rest WITH your kids too!

Finding the Balance

After so many failures at balancing my time and my busy schedule, God has shown me so much. He has allowed me the grace to do as many as things I want, but now I have learned the beautiful word of “no”. It really has given me freedom to spend time with my kids, or to invest more into my husband and blessing him.

I have come a long way from the crazy schedules, plans and events that I was once part of. As much as I have enjoyed those things that kept me busy, I feel so much more at peace now that I have learned to say “no”.

I have learned that the important things in life wake up in the bedroom next to mine every morning. They call me mommy. They are the most important thing I can spend my time doing every day. They are my priority. THEY are what I want to master. 

Work will come and go. Doing “stuff” will always be there. Spending my time being busy with “things” can always be done later.

But my kids are only with me for a short while. My oldest is only 10 years away from being a legal adult! My youngest is almost out of diapers! These are the years I need to cherish. these are the years that will go by so fast that I can’t even imagine!

These truths are something that I have to remind myself every day. It does not come easy for me, but I know that with God’s strength I will get through. With His strength, I will be able to invest in them and love on them every day. With His power, I can learn to MASTER these few precious blessings that He has given me.

Addie Jo

With that being said… I can put my phone down for a few short hours every day and spend quality time with these wonderful little humans God has given me. I can sit on the floor with them and play a game. I can hold my baby girl for a little while and not feel guilty that there is laundry piled in the basket. I can go outside and watch my boys play, just because they want me to. I can sit at our dinner table and look around at these blessings that are mine and truly enjoy the silly conversions and the laughter.

These years are short.

So, I said I would reveal what B-U-S-Y stands for, here it is….

Being Under Satan’s Yoke.

I heard this phrase about 18 years ago, and it has never left me. I forget it more than I should, but it has always stood as reminder to me that being busy is not always a good thing.

 Here are 3 tips that I have found to be very helpful in learning how to rest:

1. Say NO.

It is always easy to say yes to things and then later realize that you got in over your head. Saying no is not a bad thing. If you feel bad for saying no, than maybe say “I will think about it”. That way it will give you time to assess the responsibilities of that thing you almost said “yes” to.

2. Put down the social media.

This year, it is my goal to get rid of things that distract me from my kids. I know I can get rid of everything (especially since I run two blogs and create recipes on my computer), but I can be intentional about how I do those things. Putting down my cell phone is one of my most important goals. I make a point to not have my cell phone at the table when my family and I are eating. That really has helped to have meaningful conversations with my husband and kids when we eat.

3. Set aside time for you.

I know I have said this over and over. But, I believe so much in this point. You NEED to take care yourself first, so that you can give your energy to your family. If you are not rested and refreshed, how do you except to take care of anyone else? Rest mammas! Find time to be alone at least for a half an hour a day!

I pray that this post is encouraging to you! If you are not in the busy stages of mom-hood, and you still find yourself overly busy…use these tips to rest! If you are in the mom stage of life…you know exactly what I am talking about! It’s exhausting! But, allow yourself some grace. Allow yourself a time to rest.

rest

 

Give yourself a break!

God Bless!

-Z

 

 

 

 

Hands-on Housewife · Healthy Mom

Hobbies

Finding Your Identity Pt. 2

I recently wrote a post “Finding your Identity-When all you know is home, husband and kids”. It was well received, and although I know a lot of women can identify with my story and how I struggled with my identity while going through mom-hood and marriage, I think that there are many women who don’t admit that they too struggle with it.

Our identities are so influenced by what we do. And when all you do is take care of people (namely, your family), that work becomes you. It becomes who you are. Not YOU, but the work.

That is why I would like to share a few of my hobbies with you, and give you a glimpse into what makes me WHO I am.

My Happy Place

I think having a hobby that you enjoy thoroughly is so important, and can remedy some of those “identity issues” that you may or may not have. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think you should just go out and get a paint-by-numbers set, just for the heck of “having a hobby”. But, I do think it is important to find something that brings you joy.

“Hobbies provide physical and mental health benefits by giving a person an alternative place to spend time and mental energy and therefore become reinvigorated for the rest of life…”https://bestmedicinenews.org/wellbeing/7-reasons-why-hobbies-are-good-for-your-health/

My hobbies are truly my “happy place”.

Don’t get me wrong again…My husband, my kids and my home are definitely some of the most rewarding things I have put my time and energy into! They truly are my blessings, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. But, there are many seasons of life where I get really overwhelmed. I need a “place” to escape. A place that is “away” from the dishes, the diapers and the busy days.

And get this…They even have a whole entire store for these amazing things called “hobbies”…HOBBY LOBBY! Heck ya! (OMG…I could spend an entire day in that dang store! Don’t even get me started!)

So, without further adieu, here are some of my hobbies:

  1. Acrylic painting and drawing 

 

This is one of my latest full landscapes (on the left). I used to paint a lot, but over the years, have lost the technique and time for it. This is my latest hobby, and I love it! It has allowed me to “escape” into another world, where anything is possible. Beautiful colors, the potential to create and just the plain beauty that inspires me. I hope to spend more time in this medium of art, especially now that my youngest is almost out of diapers. I also enjoy drawing.

 

     2. Creating Recipes

 

fork full

Creating recipes from scratch and making them yummy has become one of my favorite things to do! I know you see all the recipes I post, so you know how I love to create delicious food from random ingredients. I love this hobby because it provides yummy and healthy food for all of my family. I know that this is my families favorite hobby of mine, for sure! 😉

     3. Food photography and Portraits

Jesse and the muffinsbreakfastFrench toast boy

These are literally just a few of the thousands of pictures that I have. I love pictures! I have always had a love for photography, even before I had any clue how to take pictures. I have thousands and thousands of family memories and pictures of food (can you tell I love my babies and my food?). I really hope to learn as much as I can about legit photography, but for now…I am happy to capture as many happy memories and beautiful things as I can.

     4. Home Decor and Decorating

I admit that I have an eclectic style, but I absolutely love making our house a cozy home. I thoroughly enjoy moving furniture around and designing spaces, painting, redecorating (probably way too often), and making things cozy and comfortable. It’s all about atmosphere for me. The lighting, the colors, the smells and the aesthetics. I have always been that way, and I find joy in making our home as beautiful as I can (on a budget of course;). I also love to decorate for weddings and events, and use my gifts to help other people make their event beautiful.

     5. Reading

reading

Reading is another way for me to “escape”. I enter a completely different “reality”. Stories that bring me into the scene with characters and twisting plots. I am someone who has one of those “vivid imaginations”, so reading brings amazing stories to life for me! From christian fiction, to biographies, to non-fiction and historical fiction…you name it! I love it! I always feel so much “smarter” when I read, as apposed to watching a movie or a show. I try to find time to read when the kids are asleep, or when I am alone (which is rare), or right before I fall asleep. Reading a good book is truly one of my favorite things to do!

     6. Auto Mechanics

bronco

No…I did not say that I like “auto mechanics”. Lol. I like to work on auto mechanical things! Believe it or not, I went to college to become an Auto Technician. Yes, before babies and domesticated bliss. But truly, working on my trucks and tinkering around, figuring out how things work and run, are one of my favorite things to do! I admit that in the past 9 years (since I started having babies), that I haven’t spent very much time on my beautiful truck (yes, he is beautiful!), but I greatly hope to be able to get back into it. My plan is to start on the engine rebuild portion of my 1971 Ford Bronco this upcoming summer! I believe that everyone should know how to work on basic car stuff, and I hope to teach my kids everything I know!

 

 7. Working Out

bicep

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really believe that working out is such a stress reliever! I think that is why I enjoy it so much. Also, it gives me time alone in the mornings. I usually workout 3-4 times a week (in this season of life), in the mornings right after I do my devotion time. It not only allows me to have quiet time, where I focus on being healthy and fit, but it allows me get endorphins moving and thus allowing me to be “less stressed” throughout the day. I would say that this wonderfully fulfilling task is considered one of my hobbies.

     8. Adventures

Hiking Castle Rock
Hiking in the snow
Running early in the Summer Mornings

Exploring Snowbird, Utah

 

Exploring Steamboat Springs, Co

 

Me at The Silos, Tx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Needless to say…One of my favorite things ever is exploring and having adventures! I used to be so adventurous and fearless (before marriage and babies), and I absolutely LOVE traveling, exploring and making memories! I don’t think I lost this desire after I got married, but I truly have “put it on hold” as God revealed to me my calling of being a wife and mama.

My goal is to do more of these adventures soon. I know that this is my “season” to raise kids, but someday again, I would love to get to travel and explore. Not only alone, but with my husband (aka best friend)!

I am planning a “pilgrimage” soon. It will be a week or so trip where I just take off and explore all by myself, and just have an adventure! The trip will be for fun, but also for writing. I enjoy writing as well (did I mention that’s one of my new hobbies?).

The Importance of being Alone

I have stressed many times that I feel the #1 most important thing you can do as a stay-at-home-mom or wife is to make a designated quiet time of devotions every morning. Just you and Jesus.  And, I have also stressed that the #2  important thing is to have alone time with your husband. Aside from God, your husband is the most important person in your life. He deserves your time and attention. THEN, # 3 there are your kids. Your kids are the “inheritance” that God gave you! If you are in the season of raising babies…that is your season…embrace it (trust me…that is my biggest struggle).

BUT…with all that being said…It is important to do things alone. Being alone is very important for yourself, your mind and especially your heart.

Note: If you are a “social butterfly”, find a close girlfriend that will keep you accountable and do fun things with you. Someone who will have those “adventures” or do those hobbies, right along side of you.

Anyways…there are a few of my hobbies. I hope that I have either encouraged or inspired you to get up, get going and get a hobby! It’s healing for the soul!

God Bless!

-Z

BE SURE TO STAY TUNED FOR MY TRIPLE BERRY CHEESECAKE RECIPE! COMING ON THURSDAY 3/22/18!!!

Hands-on Housewife

How to Organize your Home

Reality

We all want that clean, organized and perfect house, right? The one where everything is perfectly in place. The one where every corner of the house is perfectly clean. No food in the carpet, no fingerprints all over the windows, no stepping on toys everywhere you walk. And, maybe even fresh bread on the kitchen counter-that is also perfectly clean. Am I right, or am I right???

Welp, if you have kids….THAT AIN’T HAPPENIN’ GIRL!

Reality is a bit more….messy.

Here’s my kitchen reality (at least when I am baking).

Baking away!

Here’s my den reality (when we are doing school).

homeschool
Typical homeschool day.

Here’s my kitchen sink reality (almost every minute of the day).

Dishes…My mortal enemy.

As moms, we can make ourselves super stressed over the running of the house. We can look at other moms and say, “oh man, she has her crap together!”

Although it may seem that way sometimes, that is not always true. We need to try our best to keep a clean and managed household, yes, but if that pursuit is not in-line with our priorities, then what’s the point?

Home Work

Home-work. Or, as you might call it…house work.

I have been asked how I make my home work so well while doing so much stuff (leading worship, having a side job, homeschooling, managing a worship ministry etc).

To be honest, I don’t have it all together. Not even close. But, I do have a couple tips that work very well for me and my busy home life.

 

First off, if you are a busy mom…that means that you have children. Am I right?

If you have children and are doing everything for them…that is your first mistake.

helping momma
My kids helping stack tables and chairs for a BBQ.

Children are so much more capable than you think. Children need to have chores. There, I said it! Don’t slap me :-/.

We tell our children that every person in a family has a job to do to help the family work efficiently. They totally get it now, but it took a lot of consistency at first. My children are such blessings, and they tend to be very helpful…so I lucked out there.

 

I know a lot of moms who do all the laundry, all the dishes, clean their kids rooms, make their kids beds, etc. Hey…if that makes you happy and that’s how you do it….all power to ya!

But, that is NOT how I do it. And I believe that it is beneficial for kids to learn responsibility and work

My 6 year old helping to cook.

ethic. But, hey…that’s just MY opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

With that being said, I do have a few tips that work well for our home, and these tips also keep me sane in the process…

 1. Plan one day a week to “deep clean”.

Every Monday, I choose to “deep clean” my house. Not the whole thing, just usually the main living areas. What I mean by “deep clean” is that I usually move the furniture around and vacuum, dust and clean under and around everything. As for the kitchen, that is also the day that I make sure to clean the stove, microwave and counters well. Mondays are also usually the days I do the main bulk of laundry (towels, sheets and misc), because it is easy to throw a load in while you are cleaning. I love accomplishing “Two birds with one stone”.

We live on over 6 acres of land, and it is full of dirt (obviously). I swear that dirt gets into every nook and cranny! So, for me, it is important to be able to deep clean, once a week.

If you have a large home, you may need to plan two days a week for deep cleaning.

2. Plan one day a week for Laundry.

I like to plan a specific day (Tuesdays), for cleaning my husbands and my laundry. That way, I know that it will be done at least once a week.

Of course, there are things that come up and also “dirtier weeks” where I will need to do more laundry. But, setting a day for just our laundry really helps.

3. Plan a day for when you meal plan and grocery shop.

Tuesdays are also my meal planning, coupon, grocery list and shopping day. So, technically, I start the kids on homeschool, and then I sit down with my handy dandy meal plan schedule and laptop. I usually look at whats on sale and then plan my menu according to the sales. That really helps me save a lot of money.

After school, I usually go shopping and do any errands that I may have. I try not to just go “into town” for one thing. Clumping errands together is another way that I save money, not to mention the gas money I save.

4. Assign laundry and dish washing days to your kids.

My two older boys know how to do their own laundry. YES, IT IS TRUE! between the ages of 5-6, I train my kids how to operate the washing machine and how to do their own laundry. I also show them how to fold and organize their clothes.

Having them be able to do their own laundry has saved me sooooooooooo much time! Also, when they run out of clean clothes, they learn that having responsibilities are very important, and it affects them. They learn that, “some fairy does not come and do everything for them”. LOL.

I also have the older boys do dishes about 4 times a week, after dinners. As they  begin to have better “hand/eye coordination”, they will be doing dishes after every meal…eventually. YAY!

I also have my two oldest make lunches, most of the school days. That gives them the ability to learn how to make their own food. And, it gives me a little “breather” from making every dang meal!

5. Don’t kill yourself over homeschool.

Taking a “school break” and snuggling.

What I mean by that is, you don’t have to do school every single day, for 6 hours at a time! I plan 4 days a week to do school with the kids. 9am-12:00pm.

I used to try to do 5-6 days and that just DON’T WORK FOR THIS MAMA!

I have learned that 4 days is more enough to finish our weekly homeschool obligations. We do Monday-Thursdays. That way, when daddy has the weekend off, we can spend quality family time with each other.

We start usually at 9 am. That way, it gives me time to get up and do my bible reading, workout and shower. We also try get done by 12:00pm every day. Notice how I said “try”. Not every day runs perfect, but typically, we get done around 12pm and then gives the kids the rest of the afternoon to play and use their imagination.

I have learned that it is OK for kids to not being doing school ALL DAY LONG. Not only would I lose my ever-loving-mind, but they probably would too! I can’t believe how long kids are in public school for every single day of the week! (that’s another subject for another day).

6. Take a “Day Off”.

I choose Sundays for my day off. You might ask…”what do you mean by day off? We are moms, we don’t days off!” Although that is true, I try to have a day where I don’t clean or cook anything. No dishes, no laundry and no cooking.

Doesn’t that sound nice? You see, I typically plan enough meals and dinners, where there are always leftovers on the weekends. That way, on Sundays, we have a lazy family afternoon (after church) where we just hang out. No expectations. No work.

This weekly “day off” really does keep me sane. They really do help me a lot in a typical crazy busy week!

Also, just a little “tidbit”…take an actual “DAY OFF”. If it is at all possible, take a day for yourself every now and again. I like to do a trip “down the hill” ALONE every few weeks. It really helps me get a rest from all of the mundane house chores, homeschool, feeding children, dishes and laundry. If you are an “extroverted introvert”-which I am, these kinds of days refresh me so well! If you are an “extrovert”, then maybe plan a day away with your girlfriends where you go have lunch and maybe get your nails done. These kind of days are so beneficial to us moms!

My favorite person.

Also, date nights with your husband is very important. My husband and I haven’t been on a date in a couple of months, because of crazy schedules…but because it is important to us….we will try to plan one soon. If you can get a date night with your husband every couple of weeks, or once a month-it is so important. Of course, if you are in a busy season of life, as I am, then you really have to be intentional about making date nights a priority.

I would say, that date nights are the most important thing (besides spending time in the Word and in prayer) to a busy mom life.

I have learned that if you are not keeping your mind, body and soul healthy, then none of that clean and organized house matters!

I encourage you to sit down with your husband (maybe on a date night ;)), and discuss what your family priorities are. And then start implementing things that will help to alleviate some of your stress.

Hey, managing a household isn’t for the weak! It’s tough work! But, I believe we can do it mamas, and we can do it well!

I hope that this post was helpful!

God bless!

-Z

Hands-on Housewife · Z's Opinions

Girl Worship Leaders

The “controversy” and the defense.

Welcome to Talk Tuesday! Today we will be talking about the role of a WORSHIP LEADER.

The Controversy

 I am a worship leader. And I am a girl!

There are some out there that would argue that “women should be silent in the church and definitely not be leading worship”. 

Yes, that is the opinion of some people. I disagree.

It’s unfortunate that these sort of things (opinions) cause such division in our churches. Especially (in my opinion), when there are so many other more important things to spend our energy on “arguing” about as christian brothers and sisters. (Not that we should be arguing at all. Lol).

Unfortunately, There were other subjects that were brought up about other disagreements such as song choices, clothing style, prayer, etc.

At first, I started to doubt myself. Why? Because I didn’t want to “stumble” anyone, and I for sure did not want to be doing something that was not biblical. When I started hearing that some people disagreed with my role as worship leader, it really weighed me down. I began to become bitter and started over thinking how I lead worship on Sundays. I had thoughts like, “I wonder if people are angry with me being up here?”, or, “are these songs choices “stumbling” someone right now?”, “Does someone disagree with what I am wearing today?”.

These people probably had good intentions, but didn’t realize that this disagreement with my role, for me was very personal.

It was more of a harmful distraction that I later realized was so un-needed and un-founded. It made me frustrated and distracted from what I was supposed to be focused on…God.

The Defense

Fortunately, my husband was very encouraging, as well as some other people who I really respect. We began to search the scriptures on the topic, and finally concluded that it is, in-fact very biblical for women to lead worship in the church. 

God can use anyone, anywhere for his glory.

Obviously, this conviction needs to be your own personal conviction, but I believe that God wants us to use our gifts to benefit the body of Christ (the Church), Whether we are male or female. We all have different gifts that we can use to serve others in our churches.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then giftsof healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.”
-Rom. 12:6, 1 Cor. 12:1, 4, 9, 28
The Bible has never been gender specific on the role as a worship leader. Some people would say that if you are a worship leader, then you are “shepherding”, “teaching doctrine” and leading men (if you are a female) in a leadership role.
I disagree.

There is a distinct difference for me between a worship LEADER, and a worship PASTOR.

  • As a worship LEADER, your role is to organize, lead in music, schedule band practice and teams, administrative responsibilities, motivate and encourage, etc.
  • As a worship PASTOR, your role is to lead every member in a “shepherding” sense, guide and counsel members of the team, disciple and lead studies, teach doctrine during the worship set or in a teaching role, administrative responsibilities, motivate and encourage, etc.

I personally have the conviction that women shouldn’t be pastors. However, I believe that God has called us as christians to be always ministering to people. No matter if you are male or female.

I believe that ministry happens wherever you are.

The worship ministry leader role allows for a lot of ministry. The relationships that I build with people who are in the ministry allows me to have so much influence, ability to serve, and gives me the opportunity to invest in them.

Do I need to be a PASTOR to do that? Nope.

Like I said before, ministry happens wherever you are.

sibling music
Playing and singing with my siblings. One of my favorite things to do!
music
We always have a blast leading worship!
music ministry
It’s such a privilege to serve with such awesome people!
Setting up for practice.
All of my babies at practice.

 

 

 

My Brother and Sister. Two of my favorite people.

The Conclusion

So, to settle this topic, I just wanted to finally put my belief into words. I have struggled for a couple of years now, how to speak truth to people who may have (possibly with all good intentions) caused division and or frustration for me as a worship leader.

I have come to the conclusion that God has to convict them. The Holy Spirit has that role, not me. I can only be obedient to what God has called me to do for “such a time as this”. I am not perfect. I am no “professional” musician (that’s for sure), but I believe God has called me to use my gifts in music and leadership.

Meanwhile, I will continue to be faithful and consistent in my role as worship leader. I will give of my time, my energy and my recourses whenever I can, because I believe that leading and serving others in worship is one of the most important things I can do for my church. I want to be an example for my children of what serving others looks like.

I believe in consistency. I believe in being faithful to your calling.

Whatever your role is in your church, I just encourage to continue in it. There will always be people who disagree with “something”.

Don’t be discouraged like I was. Know that God is delighted in you! He loves you and is using you in serving others for His glory! It can be so rewarding!

Isn’t it amazing that the God of the universe uses us for His ministry???

I pray that you will be encouraged.

Thanks for reading! Have a blessed day!

-Z

 

Hands-on Housewife · Z's Opinions

Guns & Girls

Hi! Welcome to Talk Tuesday-Guns&Girls! We will be discussing self-defense, CCW’s, the 2nd amendment and women with guns! Join me!

“… My Cold Dead Hands…”

One of my favorite quotes of all times is…

“I’ll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands” -Charlton Heston 

The phrase gained newfound popularity following the 129th NRA convention, in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 20, 2000, when the actor, and president at the time of the NRA, Charlton Heston ended a speech by concluding:

“For the next six months, [Democratic presidential candidate and then-Vice President of the United States, Al Gore] is going to smear you as the enemy. He will slander you as gun-toting, knuckle-dragging, bloodthirsty maniacs who stand in the way of a safer America. Will you remain silent? I will not remain silent. If we are going to stop this, then it is vital to every law-abiding gun owner in America to register to vote and show up at the polls on Election Day.”

Heston then paused to pick up a replica of a flintlock long rifle and continued:[5]

“So, as we set out this year to defeat the divisive forces that would take freedom away, I want to say those fighting words for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially for you, Mr. Gore: ‘From my cold, dead hands!’[6]”

— Charlton Heston, May 20, 2000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_my_cold,_dead_hands

 

family gun session
My handsome husband, Son Jesse and I.
Does all this mean that I love guns? H-E-Double-hockey-sticks, Yes!!!! As a true-blooded American female, I love guns. Guess what? THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!
I believe that as an American citizen, it my right to “bear arms”. In-fact, in this day and age where morality is almost non-existent, I think it’s a necessity to carry a weapon, especially as a woman. To be able to teach my children how to operate a weapon in a safe way is a privilege!
Now, for all you who did not leave the website as soon I said that, you might ask, “how do I go about carrying a weapon in a legal manner?”.

2nd Amendment Right

Did you read that end part? “…shall not be infringed.” Our rights were written down by our forefathers with the intentions of giving the freedoms to live FREE lives. The 2nd Amendment is no exception.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if we were not able to carry a weapon, and have the right to do so?

Chaos. That’s what would happen. Although this picture is a photo of the L.A. riots in 1992, this is a picture of what could happen if citizens did not have the option or right to carry a weapon for self-defense. Total anarchy and chaos.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke

 

Concealed Carry Weapons Permit (CCW) 

The sad fact of the matter is, California is one of the hardest states to get a CCW. Fortunately, in San Bernardino County (my county), you have a far easier possibility of getting a CCW. Yay!

The requirements to apply for a CCW in the County of San Bernardino County are:

To qualify you must

  • Be of good moral character
  • Full-time resident of San Bernardino County
  • Be at least 21 years old
  • Own and have a gun registered in California
  • Not have any open criminal cases or pending citations
  • Not have any felony convictions or specified misdemeanors per Penal Code Sections 29900-29905
  • Not be on active probation

To get an application for a CCW, just click on the link below. (You know you want to;)

http://cms.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/CCWFAQ.aspx.

History of Right To Carry laws:

Concealed weapons bans were passed in Kentucky and Louisiana in 1813. (In those days open carry of weapons for self-defense was considered acceptable; concealed carry was denounced as the practice of criminals.) By 1859, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, and Ohio had followed suit.[5] By the end of the nineteenth century, similar laws were passed in places such as Texas, Florida, and Oklahoma, which protected some gun rights in their state constitutions.[6] Before the mid 1900s, most U.S. states had passed concealed carry laws rather than banning weapons completely.[7] Until the late 1990s, many Southern states were either “No-Issue” or “Restrictive May-Issue”. Since then, these states have largely enacted “Shall-Issue” licensing laws, with numerous states legalizing “Unrestricted concealed carry“. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concealed_carry_in_the_United_States

Women Should be armed

Did you know that 1 in 5 women are raped at some point in their lives (nsvrc.org)? That’s crazy!!! Why is this statistic so high? I was quite shocked! Did you also know that  As many as 200,000 women use a gun every year to defend themselves against sexual abuse (https://www.gunowners.org/sk0802htm.htm)??

Those statistics don’t lie. I would much rather be on the other side of that barrel then be caught without a weapon to defend myself and my family with! That is why I advocate for women, not only being able to defend themselves, but to be able to carry a gun for self-protection.

Heres another interesting piece of info…

Iron Defense Firearms Training

fullsizeoutput_7d8a.jpeg

Meet my sister. Her name is Mel, and she is a firearms safety instructor! I know right? Pretty cool! She has always had an interest in guns, and has always been an advocate of women’s gun safety and training. She teaches people (especially women) how to handle a firearm in a safe manner. She is very knowledgeable on not only gun safety, but also the laws that are being passed to try to stifle our right to bear arms.

Her website is a great place to stay up to date on local gun laws and events. You should check her out! Just click here: https://www.irondefensetraining.com

There is a ton of info Mel shares on her website, and a bunch of opportunities for women to get involved in learning and supporting our 2nd amendment right!

If you  live in Southern California and would like to schedule a private lesson or maybe take a group of like-minded people who would like training in gun safety, hit her up!

Melody Johnson |       mel.sjohnson@icloud.com

 

Hands-on Housewife

Talk Tuesday: How to get your kid to eat healthy

How to get your kid to eat healthy

Ain’t that the question of the day?

I recently had a few people ask me about how I get my kids to eat the healthy food that I eat. Usually I just answer them with, “I just make them eat it.” But, even though that is my usual sentiment, It is sometimes hard to explain just HOW I go about doing that.

So, this is the topic of Talk Tuesday.

(My kids breakfast yesterday. Yes, those are sugar sprinkles 😉

Now, if you were to ask me if I was 100% THM, I would say no. Although my family and I eat the THM way about 90% of the time, there are certain foods that our kids can have that is perfectly ok. Kids have such a higher metabolism than we do, and are able to process and metabolize foods that we as “old foggies” cannot.

Ok….dont get me wrong though…Does that mean that we allow our kids to eat whatever they want? To eat sugar, unhealthy carbs and processed foods all the time? HECKLES NO!

Here’s a quote from a very wise woman (one of my mentors), that has impacted me so much in my parenting journey…

“More is CAUGHT by your kids, than is TAUGHT by you…”

This is so true when it comes to getting your kids to eat healthy. If you don’t eat healthy, and show them what it means to be healthy, then why do you expect your kids to eat or be healthy??? It’s just common sense to me.

(My boys! They love steamed artichoke!)

There is a time and a place

Although eating healthy foods should be a priority for us as parents, I am a strong believer in enjoying food! I love food, and I especially love yummy american food! Sometimes it is a good cinnamon roll, a good ole’ fashioned cheeseburger or a slice of pizza!

There is a time and place for those foods. I love when we are on vacation, that we allow ourselves to enjoy some of these foods. Also, when I am on a date with my husband, sometimes we will indulge and eat some bread and dessert! I just want to make this clear…THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!

Food freedom is just that…freedom! If you become so strict with eating only a certain way, or never allowing sugar in your home…I think that can be dangerous. It’s ok to allow your kids a treat now and then. Now, this is just my lowly opinion. You have to do what is best for your family, and you have stick to your convictions.

Do I let my kids have candy every Sunday at church? Usually. Do they enjoy their Sunday candy? Yes, they do! Do I put sprinkles on their oatmeal? Yes, I do. Do they love it? Yes, they do. Do I often give them bread or biscuits when we are eating a low carb dinner? Yes, I do. Do they love bread? Of course….they take after their mama!

You see….there is a time and place for healthy food. The majority of our meals need to be healthy, and nutritious. But, when you have the ability to create happy memories, eating a good donut with your kids, then you should do it!!! All power to you ;).

Kids non-ability to function with sugar

I see such a difference with my kids when I feed them healthy. When I make oatmeal, eggs and Ezekiel bread toast, or healthy pancakes with homemade berry sauce. I notice the difference. When they have occasional sugar cereal for breakfast, they can barely focus on their school! I can only imagine why kids don’t have the ability to function in public schools, when all they are being fed is sugar and starchy carbs? Why do so many kids get labeled ADD, or other labels? Of course there are kids that do have legit problems that they can’t help, but I am curious how many of those things are heavily contributed to by what they eat.

“A recent study on sugar consumption suggested that higher consumption of sugar is positively correlated with a higher level of hyperactivity and attention deficiency similar to ADHD” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3133757/

Workin’ Mama’s…MY HEROES

Now, there are many women that I admire so much, because they are single moms who have to work. They work their butts off to provide for their kids, and they work hard at providing healthy meals for their kids! THESE WOMEN ARE MY HEROES! I don’t know how they do it!

There are always those situations that are super hard to be intentional about feeding your kids healthfully. I understand that, and I know it is hard. It’s hard for me sometimes as well, and I have help!!! I know there are times when you are just too tired, or not able to buy healthy foods. That’s where you have to get creative.

All these different circumstances call for creativity!

4 tips on how to “make” your kids eat healthy:

  1. Be consistent. If I tell my kids to eat their food, and then the next day tell them they don’t have to, they probably won’t eat their food the day after. Be consistent in making them follow through and obey. Remember, they are YOUR kids. They work around YOUR schedule, not the other way around.
  2. Be an example. If you are not eating healthy, don’t expect them to. If you don’t finish your meals, have manners at the table or do what’s right…don’t expect them to!
  3. Be intentional. It’s hard work trying to get our kids to eat healthy…at first. I know for me, it took a couple of years before I started realizing that I needed to really focus on what my kids were eating, how much nutrition they were getting, and working hard at INTENTIONALLY disciplining them when they decided that they didn’t want to eat a certain food. Just this morning I sat with my daughter for 30 minutes, making her pick up her spoon and eat. She tried to refuse over and over again, but in the end…she obeyed. And she ate her breakfast ;).
  4. Encourage them. When they do eat healthy food, make sure to praise and encourage them! They will start to pick up that you are proud of them making the healthy choices, and it will really help them to see that it’s good for them.

There you have it! These are some of the ways that my husband and I are intentional about feeding our kids in a healthy way.

Our personal way

  • We always make them finish their plate.That’s a big deal for us. We have a strong conviction of not wasting what God has provided for us. We also tell them that “there are starving kids all over the world who would give anything to eat the way they do!”, which is true and needs to be taught.
  • They need to learn to obey in the small things, like eating. Obedience needs to start at a young age. I think for our kids, the age of 2 was when they starting “knowing” what they were doing when they disobeyed. Finishing a meal can become a fight, unless there is consistency.
  • My husband has always said, “They will eat it if they’re hungry enough!” Although this saying of his is kind of sarcastic in nature, it rings a bell for me, because I do see some of those kids around the world who are less fortunate, and it breaks my heart! That’s why I agree with his statement.
  • Our kids eat what I make. End of subject. I refuse to make a “special meal” for them because they might not like a certain kind of vegetable or whatever.  If they don’t want to eat it…they’re just not hungry enough.

Note: My kids usually love what I cook, and they usually eat it right up! It wasn’t always this way, when our first son was young. There was a lot of “trial and error” that we experienced. We have come a long way in our parenting, particularly at meal times. 🙂

These tips and tricks of ours work for us. But, in the end, you have to find what works for your family. However that looks like, I encourage you to choose healthy food!

My daughter loves my sugar-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies (see Sweets and Treats page)!

I pray that this Talk Tuesday was encouraging to you! Hit me up and let me know some topics that you would like to see me cover! Thanks!

-Z

 

%d bloggers like this: