I have moved to The Bona Fide Life

Hi Friends,

Just wanted to let you know that I will not be writing here anymore. I have moved to The Bona Fide Life. Please check it out. I don't think you will regret it! :)

Many Blessings!
Chele

It's Time To Reveal! Hurry and Read!

Updated* Please comment on the new blog... all posts are there now! :)

I am so excited to finally share with you my new site. Please take note that the site is still new! I'm still moving things around and probably will for a few weeks until I get everything where I want it. Also, I wanted to get this out before I try to to transfer my posts to the new blog and transfer my feed. Which I will do at some point today! So hurry over!

Here it is...
http://www.thebonafidelife.com/

Please remember to subscribe to the new blog by email or RSS as soon as you get there so I don't lose you! I would love for you to come along on my journey! I love each one of you! Really I do!!!

Oh and I would love for you to leave a comment that you were there so I know how wordpress comments work! Haha!

I've got new and exciting plans for this site that I believe you will all enjoy as much as I will!

Come join me in my journey through The Bona Fide Life! :)

I'm so excited!

Did I say that already? LOL

Many Blessings to you all and Thank you for reading Proverbs 31 Homekeeper!

Chele

Mid-Week Shout Outs

I hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Prayers Needed

I have to start off with a post from My Charming Kids. MckMama has posted about how she is dealing with Baby Stellan being sick. Also, she answers some questions on how we can help her. Her answers are just like a true Christians answers, it’s not all about her and Stellan… their are other children that are sick and needing us! Go read Questions.

Reflections from a Christian Mommy Writer writes about when her husband is away on deployment, it is similar to being a single mother. This lady (and all wives of deployed husbands) need our prayers.

Dealing with Life

Michelle at Scribbit talks about how difficult it is to keep the same rules, chores and more from an oldest child to the youngest. Something I deal with because of age difference in my family. Great read… Raising Your Youngest Child.

Sherri at Serene Journey says The Grass is Always Green Right Under Your Feet. I love every one of her posts but this is one that we need to always keep in mind!

Did you know there was such a thing as Productive Procrastination and Getting More Done? Mandi at Organizing Your Way wrote a post about this, go check it out! Brilliant!

Last but definitely not least! Ang over at The Creative Mama wrote about Our Soundtracks. It is a beautiful thing, music means a lot to me and I personally listen to different music depending on the mood and heals my soul!

I have two more but I need to do a separate post about it. Keep your eye out later today, it is a great one!!

Please let me know if you have written a comment on my page and it did not go through. I have one person that this has happened to several times. So if I didn’t respond to your comment please forgive me!! I am not going to mess with this blog now because I am hoping to transfer everything today or tomorrow to my new blog! YAY!

Have a great rest of the day! Blessings to you!

Chele

This Weeks Menu Plan

I know, I’m a little late posting this! I meant to do it yesterday and it totally slipped my mind. So here is this weeks! And I am linking it to Menu Plan Monday at Org Junkie.

Monday July 27

Ham and Cheese Ricotti noodles with broccoli

Tuesday July 28

Mushroom Pork Chops (Crockpot) served with rice and lima beans

Wednesday July 29 (Youth Night, so three of us won’t be home)

Leftovers

Thursday July 30

Chicken Alfredo with peas and butter bread. (Hint, this is the easiest meal to make. Well the hubby makes it but I could if I wanted to! He uses Tyson Chicken Tenders and it is like going to a restaurant!)

Friday July 31

Baked spaghetti with garlic bread and mixed veggies

Saturday August 1

Burgers and dogs!

Sunday August 2 (hubby’s birthday)

Chicken Cordon Bleu on the grill with mashed potatoes and snow peas

There was so much I wanted to add to this menu but this weekend is still up in the air for us. We may be going away for the weekend. Sorry it’s late but better late than never right?! :)

Have a great rest of the day friends!

Chele

The Blogging Community Comes Together!

Prayers Desperately Needed!

My heart has been breaking for about 24 hours now. I am praying constantly for Baby Stellan and his family. The photo’s are sad, to see an 8 month old laying there with wires and etcetera hooked to him. But I have to say the last update from @MckMama on twitter that had a photo just literally had me sitting here with tears rolling down my face. Stellan is hurting and probably so confused. I can’t imagine how his Mama feels right now. The thing I am most thankful for is my family being healthy. I pray everyday I don’t have to go through anything like that. When children are sick and hurting, you wonder why God would allow it to happen. As a Christian, you know God has a plan but you still pray that the ending is good for the family and the child. You pray that God won’t take that beautiful baby from us. You pray that they can live happily ever after. I will be honest, I am sitting here praising God for my healthy family. It makes you realize how good you have it! But my heart is very heavy and breaking for the family. Please continue to pray for this baby. Miracles do happen!! If you didn’t know about this please go to My Charming Kids to get updated or to twitter.

The Blog World

Wow! You all amaze me! I never thought in a million years that being part of a blog community would be so beautiful! I never thought I would see complete strangers coming together for someone most don’t personally know with compassion and prayers. I have already seen from my own experience that friendships form and I pray one day I can meet each of you at one time or another! Some people think I am crazy for writing this blog and being in contact with you all but I see why God sent me here. I see that I can make a difference for someone else (which I have already done for someone) and I see what it can do for me as well. I am so thankful to be part of this community of Mama’s. Thank you for showing you are real people not just someone on the other side of the computer. You share true, sincere stories with us. Not made up to look good stories. It truly IS beautiful! So please no matter what, remember that I am thankful for each one of you and I do pray for you all the time. The encouragement you give is fantastic! Who knew it could be like this?!

Speaking of Being True

I am still working on my site. Wordpress documents are a little different to work with then Blogger and it is taking more time than I thought. But it is going to be great! I am hoping to have a link to share with you this week. So stay tuned!

Please pray for baby Stellan! This baby needs us to pray for him! Please continue to be true and real in what you do!

Many Blessings,

Chele

Teaching God’s Youth

About 6 years ago my family started going to a great church. We moved to PA for about a year and half and missed our church family so much, we moved back to the Carolina’s! What does that tell you? It is an awesome church with amazing God loving people in it! Before we moved to PA for that year and half, my husband helped with Youth night. Something he did enjoy doing! I always wanted to help with the Youth too. We have young children at home and both of us could not do it. I have felt for a long time that is where I am meant to be, working with Youth. I love all my children but I can tell you my frustration is so much lower with the older ones than the little ones, at least for me. When we moved back my husband did not jump at helping again. So I have been slowly getting involved with them.

My best friend, Erika has taught them for a long time in Sunday School and I offered to help. I started in January. I saw how she could get frustrated with them. They are very disrupting at times and slack at respect for the adults and each other sometimes. I know this is a normal thing for children. Although, I have two youth at home and when we go anywhere, it doesn’t fail that we have at least one person stop us and say what respectful children we have raised. (that is all I wanted for my children, to be respectful to others) What an awesome feeling as a parent to have children that are noticed as respectful. I know that kids will be kids and my children do have their moments! Believe me! They are not perfect at any rate!

Unfortunately, some kids are not taught to respect each other. Or just plain don’t listen to their parents. This is where anyone that works with Youth needs to come in. This makes it very hard for teaching Youth. I have my days I come home from Sunday School so very disappointed at how they acted for that short time we have them. Then there are days I come home and I am thanking God for how it went that day! I have learned that we have to forgive them for acting badly and pray for them continuously! They are only children and still learning. Most of all, we (adults) are the ones that need to guide them to be a Christian! I want to be that adult that those Youth can come to when they need someone. Christian or not, they will have times they need an adult to talk to about the life they have. I want to be that adult that can have fun with them and enjoy their presence! I want to be that adult that can see from their actions that they are becoming better Youth.

Yesterday, after giving the Youth a little reprimanding on how they acted at VBS. They began to confess things over the past few weeks that has happened. Not the huge stuff like we hope they can come to us eventually with. But, small things. For example, one Youth blurted out “Sorry Ms. Michele but on the mission trip, someone hit me as I was going under the water at the pool. I came up thinking it was that person. And punched Tyler (my son) in the nose. He was bleeding but laughing. But I apologize, I didn’t mean to do that to him.” Now he shouldn’t be punching anyone but from our conversation about how badly they acted this past week, he saw he did something wrong and needed to apologize. I didn’t even know about it! This guy was really listening to us yesterday. YAY!!

Then there is another child, he is actually is the son of some great friends of mine. He has so much good in him, he is a gorgeous boy but is too concerned with the social popularity contest. (Which unfortunately many of them are!) So there have been days I left Sunday School so upset and disappointed at how he acted and not knowing how to fix it but pray. I have prayed for months and months about him. I want to see the good come out of him not the bad. Obviously we are teaching him well and he is learning and respecting others. I can’t even count how many times in the past few months he has made a point to say hello to me. Me?! It doesn’t matter who he is around or what he is doing… he makes a point to come to me and pat on my back and say “Hi Ms. Michele, how are you?” This is my answer to many prayers. I realized this yesterday while being at church for a long morning with all the kids. I actually got all choked up when the realization hit! One is the praying for him that I have done. God answered that prayer and I was able to see with the change in how he acts towards me!! I don’t think he has a clue at what he has done for me. I just pray it continues!! The other is my questions to God if I am in the right place, if I need to continue working with Youth. I was still and listened. He answered, I am in the right place and I am going to continue with what I am doing. And even more! I have been trying to get involved in Youth night too. I want to be there. I want to help. The problem is I offer and offer and a certain someone does not ever say yes come on Wednesday. Scratch that, once she said she is going to need me for awhile. I came, she said she called someone else. I don’t know why she acts like this. I can’t figure it out. I don’t think it’s fair to be treated like that but I know now that the Devil is part of that and I am just going to go and be there. If they need me or not. As I have been told by many that is what I need to do because that is what they have had to do. I have so many great ideas for the youth but Sunday School is not enough time to do them all. So please say a prayer for me that the Devil stays out so I can continue with my path God is leading me on! I love these Youth like I love my own and want to see them grow and continue being God's children!

Are you involved with Youth or children at your church? What is the most important thing you want to hear when it comes to praise of your own children? Do you know how great it feels to know you are doing what God wants you to?

Many, Many Blessings for your week ahead!

Chele

Ten Guidelines from God

Okay I told myself I wouldn’t do this kind of thing but this is perfect! My Mom sent this to me today via email. But something is telling me to share it with you! I have never seen this one and I love it!

 

Effective Immediately, please be aware that there are changes YOU need to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very
little to ask of you. Please, follow these 10 guidelines
 
1. QUIT WORRYING:
     Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here  to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST:
     Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take care of anything you put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.
 
3. TRUST ME:
     Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.
 
4. LEAVE IT ALONE:
     Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think
you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength
and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started?
Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.
 
5. TALK TO ME:
     I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I hope you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU! I want to hear your voice. I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your
dearest friend.
 
6. HAVE FAITH:
     I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me;
you wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?
 
7. SHARE:
     You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT:
     I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.
 
9. BE KIND:
     Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way
you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please, know I love each of your differences.
 
10. LOVE YOURSELF:
       As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love
in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me.

Don't ever forget......
Touch someone with your love.
Rather than focus upon the thorns of life,
smell the roses and count your blessings!

Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except those things outside the will of God. May your days be filled with answered prayers.. God bless us all always.

Kind of goes with my Friday’s Blessings, huh?