“Some trust in chariots. Some trust in horses. But we trust in the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7, NIrV

Each week this summer, I am hoping to do a themed week with my kids. This week our theme was HORSEYS, at my 2-year-old’s request. As I outlined on my personal blog, we did lots of crafts, read books, and danced to music all about horseys.

But I also wanted to touch on where horses are in the Bible. I wasn’t sure how much I would find – aren’t there mostly donkeys in the Bible? And are donkeys horses? – but there are a few good instances!

• Pharaoh’s army chased the Israelites on horses when they left Egypt (we had a good coloring page of this in our Gigantic Coloring Book of Bible Stories – love that thing!)
• When Elijah is lifted to heaven in a whirlwind, there is a chariot of fire and horses of fire (2 Kings 2:11).
• King Solomon had 12,000 horses. Can we even imagine that many horses? (1 Kings 4:26)
• In the Book of Esther, Mordecai rose a horse through Susa when he was honored by the king.
• And of course, and most exciting, when Jesus rides victorious He’ll be riding a white horse! (Revelation 19:11)

Any of these biblical stories could be told and made into a craft to go along with a horsey-themed week at your house. And Psalm 20:7 makes an awesome memory verse for the week.

Stay tuned for more in this series as the summer goes on!

A staggering number of children are displaced each year, seeking a safe place, a home where love reigns and hurts can heal. While working as a 911 dispatcher, I saw first-hand the need for foster families. Many times our officers would arrive at a call where the parents were rushed to the hospital, or arrested for criminal activity; it was the children who suffered most. They’d wait quietly in the police station, broken little souls awaiting social services to arrive and place them in a foster home. I couldn’t help but thank God for the parents who opened their homes to receive these little ones.

Jeff and Kim were parenting two beautiful teenage girls, Allison and Katie, when they adopted their daughter, Ruth age two, from Ethiopia. When international adoptions became almost impossible, they prayerfully pursued foster care. They are now fostering a brother and a sister ages three and five years old.

I spoke with Kim on the phone and she shared a couple statistics, “Most moms with kids in the foster care system have eight to ten children in the system. 85% of all foster kids have been abused or come from drug addicted environments.”

I could hear little ones playing in the background as she spouted off tough truths. I had to ask, “If this is so hard, why do you do it?”

“Because in 2003 God redeemed me. That’s why I do it. I love the children but I do it for Him.” She went on, “Sure, it can be tough, but getting to see God work, well, it’s incredible. I remind myself it’s not a sprint it’s a marathon. It’s an amazing feeling to know the children are here in a safe place. And, when the days are really hard, I remind myself; it’s a rough ride, but I know who’s driving.”

What You Need Before You Proceed

Before you run head first into foster parenting, there are a few things you need to be successful.

• Prayer. Seek the Lord fervently. Pray with your husband. This is a decision you need to make together. Remember, a three-fold cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
• Prepare. Do your homework.  Look in your area for your local foster agency. Meet with them and discuss your goals and theirs. Talk to other parents who are already in the foster care system. Understand that there will be training classes and social service appointments to make-ready your home for a little one. (Matthew 11:10)
• Peers. Do you have a strong family/support system? It takes a village to raise a foster child. You will need encouraging people around you to assist when times get tough. (Proverbs 18:24)
• Patience. The most necessary fruit of the Spirit for a foster mom and dad. You must be willing to give of yourself in ways that will stretch you physically, emotionally and spiritually. (Galatians 5:22)

There is no greater sacrificial love than parenting. Is God asking you to partner with Him to nurture and encourage a foster child? Are you up for an adventure and quite possibly the ride of your life? Then, foster parenting just might be for you.

Find out more from Joanne at www.joannekraft.com.

“Nina, sweetheart, what about you start walking towards your classroom. I’ll sign in and catch up with you so I can help.”

“Okay mom.”

By the time I caught up with Nina, I realized her gait was sure and steady (although it is obvious she has cerebral palsy when she walks). Rather than holding her hand, I took out my cell phone and started recording her as she walked down the hall.

She did not stop for balance even once.

When I first became a special needs mom, I feared the limitations our family would live with. The truth is, cerebral  palsy does present us with challenges due to mobility issues. Our trips require extra thought. Will we be walking longer distances? Do we need to bring her wheelchair? Will she be okay just with her walker? Can she participate in the activities other kids will be doing? Will she require an adult with her at all times?

Yet this was one of those moments that fill you with pride, happiness, and an overwhelming sense of gratefulness you get to witness a miracle. Because walking is not something that all kids accomplish by age two. Some never do. For many of us parents of kids with special needs, “your child will never…” is a statement we have heard. And maybe it is true, our children “should have never…” but then they do.

I played and played that video when I got home. I smiled like a fool taking in those beautiful awkward steps. I know how hard she has worked to be able to walk independently. I know the tears and even the physical pain of stretching her tight muscles so that her body can work properly.

I could watch my daughter walk all day. She is closer to more and more independence. I know she’s proud.

• How to Make a Routine That Works at Creative with Kids
• Blessed Are the Weary Moms at Hope for the Weary Mom
• Helping Your Kids to Be Best Friends by Tricia Goyer at The Better Mom
• A Helpful Guide to Becoming Unbusy at Becoming Minimalist

I hope any Oklahoma readers we have are safe and sound.

Did you read or write something you’d like our readers to see? Leave a link in the comments, on our Facebook page, or send us a Tweet!

Added to Saturday Linky Love at Vanderbilt Wife.

Well, I am pretty much the opposite of those people.

Because if my own new baby pictures are any indication, my personal post-partum goal must have been to establish a new precedent for record levels of swelling.

Mama here was a little puffy. That’s all I’m saying.

While the swelling eventually subsided (unless you factor in the fact that I’ve been carrying around approximately 20 pounds of baby weight for the last nine years), it took me awhile to find my groove as mama. I was surprised by how the smallest things could just stress me out: how much our little guy was or wasn’t eating, how well he was sleeping, whether or not he was crawling, how many words he was saying, etc. Every milestone seemed to bring a fresh wave of panic right along with it, and as I look back on what was undoubtedly one of the sweetest times of my whole life, it makes me a little sad that I wasted so much energy on worry.

I’m certainly no expert on parenting – I have learned that lesson the hard way – but I do think that I have the benefit of perspective in terms of knowing that life with a little one could have been a good bit easier if I had just dialed down the obsess-o-meter a little bit.

Here are three things I wish I’d been more relaxed about. 

1. Sleeping habits – Before Alex was born, I told anyone who would listen that our first order of business was going to be establishing a sleep schedule. Don’t get me wrong – I’m glad that we had structure – but I drove myself crazy trying to stick to that schedule. I’d lose my mind if I thought something was going to interfere with it, and during the times when he wouldn’t nap or he woke up four times in the night, I was tense as could be. In retrospect I wish I’d been a smidge more flexible about the schedule – and really soaked up the sweetness of our time together. 

2. Potty training – One time when I was pulling out my hair over potty training, a friend of mine told me that more than likely my child was not going to go to kindergarten in a diaper. She was exactly right. I acted like I was trying to reinvent the wheel, but history shows us that potty training is a habit that most of us eventually figure out.

3. Play date activities – When our son first started having friends over, I always felt like I needed to have “something” for them to do. I bought canvases, rounded up paints, filled up baby pools, pulled out HotWheels – anything to keep them entertained. When he was around four or five, though, I realized that they just wanted to play. Their activities might not have made a lick of sense to me, but they were having a blast, and I didn’t have to play camp counselor to make that happen. There’s no need for a sixteen-step craft station. Just let ‘em play. They figure it out.

What about you? What are some ways that you wish you’d been more relaxed when your kids are little? Or if your kids are still in the toddler or preschool phase, what are some things you’ve learned along the way?

Read more from Sophie at www.boomama.net.

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A Call to Duty

Daniel has served in the U.S. Army for over eleven years. He is proud of the opportunity to serve our country. He believes that it his duty not only to protect our country but to provide freedom for his own family. His wife Jennifer and their three children are proud of Daniel’s service to our country but it is not without a cost to the family. Jennifer states, “the most challenging part of the military life is the time our service members have to spend away from us while on a mission or deployment.”

Aiming High

Being a military family for over ten years, the Hall family has adjusted to having dad away most of the time. Chad is a member of the U.S. Air Force and his service requires him to be away on an average of 200 days out of the year. Andrea and her two children have learned to aim high on the independence scale and lower the expectation of having dad around. Andrea states, good friends that become like your extended family help the most during the absence of your military spouse.”

Always Faithful

It didn’t take long for Shaina to gain an understanding of the commitment and dedication it takes for military families to remain faithful. Shortly, after she and her Marine husband, Chad wed, she was sending him off for duty. He witnessed the birth of their daughter via Skype. Shaina expresses that the most challenging part of being a military wife is feeling like a single parent and not knowing if your loved one will return home safely.

Galatians 6:2 states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” One of the greatest ways we can lighten the burdens of our military is by caring for the heroes they leave on the home front.

Rhonda Hensley  is a writer, speaker, Bible teacher and avid photographer which all provide ample opportunity to share her life experiences as a pastor’s wife, mother and grandmother. www.kingdomjewelsministry.com

Let’s be upfront about this: these cupcakes have no redeeming qualities when it comes to nutrition. They are made with boxed cake mix, boxed pudding mix, soda, and whipped topping. Just so you’re warned!

But every once in awhile I think it’s OK to slide on my “real foods” morals and make something because it’s easy. These are great to make with kids for a few reasons:

• Only two ingredients in the cupcakes and four in the icing.
• Cupcakes are fun to eat and easier than slices of cake.
• Because there are no eggs in the batter, you can let your child lick the bowl without guilt. Or do it yourself.
• Lemon is yummy.
• This makes 24 cupcakes without a giant mess, huge ingredient list, or time-consuming steps.

So gather your little ones in the kitchen and bake!

Lemon Cupcakes

• 1 lemon cake mix
• 12 oz. lemon-lime soda
• 8 oz. whipped topping (Cool Whip)
• one box instant lemon pudding mix
• juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
• 1/2 c. milk

1. Line muffin tins with muffin papers. Preheat over to 350F.
2. Mix together cake mix and soda until batter is smooth. Fill muffin papers about halfway with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until done.
3. Meanwhile, fold together whipped topping, pudding mix, and lemon juice until uniform. Add milk and stir for 1-2 minutes. Scoop frosting into a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. When cupcakes are completely cool, push frosting down and to one side of the baggy. Snip corner off the baggy to make a pastry bag. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Decorate with lemon zest or sprinkles – or anything you can find in the fridge!

Basically any recipe where kids can dump and mix are great for cooking together. Here are some other recipes I like to bake with my kids:

• Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars
• Graham Cracker Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Quinoa Muffins

Pamper Me

Every woman likes to be pampered. Use a large makeup bag or a bathroom organizational bin. Fill it with some of the following items: nail polish, nail polish remover, cotton balls, lotion, a magazine. To make this gift even nicer, add a gift certificate for a pedicure or a massage. Wrap it up in cellophane and a bow. Attach a card that says, “You deserved to be pampered!”

Summer Fun

Teachers are probably just excited about the end of school as their students are.  Take advantage of this excitement with a summer-themed basket.  Some items to include are sunscreen, a favorite magazine, lip balm, a beach towel, bottled waters, or a gift certificate for ice cream.  Arrange the items in a brightly colored beach bag and attach a note wishing the teacher an awesome summer.

Gift giving is not always an easy task.  Gift baskets often make a big impact on a small budget.

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Added to Saturday Linky Love at Vanderbilt Wife.