Hello, Dear Ones! Have you wondered over the last couple years why things seem out of control and crazy in the world? Have you felt increased hardship in your personal life, along with the global crises? Do you ever ask, “Why God?” or “What is going on, God?” If you have, you are not alone. I wrote a post about this on my new blog. Here’s the link. God bless and remember the High King lives! -Amber Dover
My New Blog & Goodbye to amberdover.com January 11, 2020
Hello, dear ones! I just wanted to leave a quick post on this old blog to redirect you to my current blog: https://thespotlessbrideblog.wordpress.com/
Soon amberdover.com will shut down and over four years of content will be unavailable until I open up new blogs I’m working on. I’m putting together themed blogs on Wix:
Chronically Amber Chronicles- A Physical & Mental Health Journey
https://all8514.wixsite.com/chronicallyamberdovr
Amber Makes a Home- domestic life
https://all8514.wixsite.com/ambermakesahome
Amber’s Magical World- Holidays, parties, date nights, and Summer fun
https://all8514.wixsite.com/ambersmagicalworld
Amber Dover Teaches- a homeschool blog
https://all8514.wixsite.com/amberdoverteaches
Amber Dover’s Adventures- Virtual and Real World travels
https://all8514.wixsite.com/amberdoversadventure
When they are up I will add the links to this post. As of now (January 2020) these are future projects and not my main focus. I took down amberdover.com for financial and personal reasons. I feel I need to focus on writing books. I’m not sure which blogs will be up first or when. I’ll keep you posted on my new central blog: https://thespotlessbrideblog.wordpress.com/
I hope to blog regularly on there about spiritual matters and general matters of the heart.
Thank you to all of you who have faithfully prayed for my family and have come along for this blogging adventure. It’s been over nine years.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
My New Website: amberdover.com March 4, 2016
Hello dear ones! I’m so excited to finally be presenting my new site: amberdover.com
If you are an email subscriber you will need to resubscribe at the above address. I am in the process of trying to transfer my followers to my new blog, but you are welcome to subscribe again if you don’t want to wait. If I’m unsuccessful with the transfer then I will allow a couple of weeks for everyone to resubscribe if they’d like. Then I will be setting this blog to auto direct to my new blog.
Thank you dear ones for all your support as I began blogging. You make me smile, and I praise God for you! I hope you will join me on my new adventure into professional blogging. Amberdover.com is still being polished, but it feels good to own my site and to be in control of any advertising on it. These past few months I’ve really had to step out my comfort zone and learn blog lingo. I still have a long ways to go. It’s going to be fun!
I have many new ideas. One of them is the Joyful Wife Project, which includes Titus 2 Word Studies. I pray amberdover.com will be a source of encouragement and inspiration for you. My new site has easier navigation and it will showcase popular posts in my menu pages. Thanks again for subscribing.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Don’t Snuff Out the Light November 17, 2015
Hello Dear Ones, it’s been awhile but I’m still kickin’. You know, the world is a scary place sometimes…especially with terrorist attacks and such. There’s a lot of darkness, and we have access to that darkness 24/7. It is broadcast through our screens and airwaves. As I look at my little family I feel pretty small in this world, but through Christ, we are a light. We try to share love and hope. Sometimes the darkness attacks us. Sometimes it is an unwelcomed guest that pretends to be family. But by Christ’ strength, the darkness is held back. The love and light of Jesus flickers against a dark and scary world.
Dear ones, I implore you to hold to the light. Don’t snuff it out. I’m sure my readers aren’t terrorists, and that you are all the best of people. After all, you have a lot of grace to keep track of me. So how in the world could caring honest people snuff out the light? Well, here are some ways:
- Focus on the darkness. Let it consume you. Only watch the bad news, until anxiety robs you of the light.
- Take your fears and anger out on others. Let fear drive you to hate.
- Keep yourself so busy and stressed that you take it out on your family.
- Don’t show love, peace, and joy. Don’t look for the light. Don’t surround yourself with light.
- Don’t get to know the light and don’t let Him be your source. Avoid Jesus.
- Bury your head in the sand. Shut people out completely. Hide from the world and close yourself off.
- Don’t answer the plight of the fatherless and the widow, the sick and the poor. Care only about yourself and your wants. Don’t get involved.
I am preaching to the choir. When life is scary it is very tempting for me to run and hide. I put up walls. It is by God’s grace that he sends people and circumstances to break them down. Jesus nudges me out of the door. So the above list is all about ways you can snuff out the light. I really don’t want you or I to do those things. So how do we shine the light? How do we be the candle in the darkness? How are we to warm this cold world? Do and be the opposite of the first list. Here’s how to be the light:
- First, know Jesus intimately. Accept Christ’ free gift of salvation and let Jesus fill you with His love, hope, and peace. Allow Jesus to be your source of light and life, because HE IS the LIGHT and Life. (Matthew 4:16, John 8:12) *All these verses are at the bottom.
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/inspirational-wednesday-part-two-the-power-of-the-cross/ (How to meet Jesus)
- Focus on what is good and true. Focus on the light. When you hear and see bad news, take it to Jesus. Pray, and accept what you can and can’t do in the situation. Then let it go.
(Matthew 6:22-23, Philippians 4:8)
- Give yourself time to breathe…time to enjoy the simple and beautiful things in life. Enjoy your family. Love and forgive them. You need their support. The world is too dark to face it alone. Don’t lose your loved ones over petty things. (Ephesians 5:21)
- Take your fears and anger to Jesus. Pray and ask Christ to help you to forgive and love. Abide in Jesus and get rooted in His love. Let God’s love assure you that He is in control and God is bigger than any of your fears. (1 John 4:18)
- Even though you’ve been hurt, don’t put up walls. Keep yourself open to people. Be involved in community and shine Jesus’ light to as many people as you can. You need people, because you are HUMAN. God made you for relationship and you are stronger when you are surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ.
- Take your focus off of yourself and help the needy. Feed the hungry, minister to the sick, and love the abandoned and unloved. Get involved in the causes God calls you to. When the world is dark, there is always someone who needs help. Help them.
Matthew 5:14-16 KJV
“14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
No matter what evil comes into our world or tempts us, if we belong to Jesus then we have light. There is hope. I know it is hard to see hope when all we hear is bad news. But if you look for the light you will find it, because when it is pitch dark the light shines brighter…even little candles. You and I may be little candles, but we are bright. I love you all, Dear ones. Don’t snuff out the light. Shine.
God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Suggested Songs
———————–
Arms that Hold the Universe ~ Fee
I’ll Be the Light~ Colton Dixon
While We Sing ~Leeland
Let it Go~ Tenth Avenue North
Forgiven~ Sanctus Real
Verses
Matthew 4:16 KJV
“16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.”
John 8:12 KJV
“12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Matthew 6:22-23
“22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Philippians 4:8
“8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Ephesians 5:21 KJV
“21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
1 John 4:18
“18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
11th Anniversary Age of Adaline Date September 30, 2015
In this post: All the details on our Age of Adaline date plus anniversary pictures, and chalkboard door art.
Hello dear ones! I know it’s been a good while since my last post. I promise I haven’t forgotten you. I have so much to share with you and a lot of catching up to do. I wanted to skip ahead and share this extra special date. I hope it inspires you. Here’s how we celebrated our 11th anniversary, our Age of Adaline date (based on the movie).
Lover’s silhouette chalkboard art~ I used the silhouette from a picture of Chris and I. You’ll see the picture on the collage poster board I made. It’s in the middle
Anniversary Collage Poster Board~ I printed out black and white pictures of us throughout the years. I glued pieces of old wall paper I found at Goodwill, onto poster board from The Dollar Tree. I put a poem I had written in the middle.
Here is the poem. You may link to this post, but don’t copy it. Thanks!
The Story of Us” by Amber Dover
“Let everyone see, the rhythm and rhyme of you and me. As we grow old, every storm we can weather. Let us never go cold, because we’re better together. Every kiss is a song, of the sweetest pain. The roses and the thorns; we two remain. I love you.”
My first set for our date.
The set after we went antique shopping.
My Vintage Look
I did as many finger curls on my head as I could. I used a peach lipstick. I added a peach belt to a dress I had to give me that 1940’s style. The big necklace Chris bought me the night before from a street vendor, a lady handmade it.
The Agenda
The night before our Adaline date we got in the vintage mood by listening to jazz live at The Loft in down town. I attempted to put victory curls in my hair but it didn’t turn out quite right.
Me reading to the kids when we got back.
Age of Adaline Date (what I got pictures of)
- Antique shopping
The guys and I went antique “window” shopping (meaning we didn’t buy anything at this place).
Messing around…
We did pay to check out the lunchbox museum.
We finished with lunch at Steak n Shake because it always has a vintage feel. Then my parents got Michael so Chris and I could have some romance.
Here’s my anniversary present: a vintage type writer from either the 1930’s or 1940’s. It works too. We got it at a thrift store.
- Read Braille
- Gigi’s cupcakes~ Wedding Cake is an amazing flavor!
- chili dogs and cream soda
- Romantic photos
- Star gazing
We used the star app on my tablet.
- Speak Portuguese ~We looked up “I love you” and I wrote it on the type writer
- Poetry and slow dancing I didn’t get pictures of
Random funny pic of Leeland partying with us.
God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Age of Adaline on Pinterest:
More of our Date Nights:
Date ideas on Pinterest:
Summer Crafts 2015 Part 2 August 19, 2015
In this post: Ocean crafts and study. Plus a shell study.
Hello dear ones, this Summer we used our crafts to decorate the homeschool room for the beginning of the year. We have a sea theme. So we got a head start. Here are pictures and you can find the links on my Pinterest at the end.
Michael was given two big boxes of shells from my grandma and grandpa. He used them to decorate our homeschool room.
He also made a shell notebook.
He made necklaces as well and gave them to his buddies. Then Michael did a shell lapbook.
Michael did an ocean animal lapbook. He checked out books on ocean animals from the library.
I bought ocean paper and covered our school door and the area near the reading pool. I got the ocean creature cut outs from the Dollar Tree awhile back. I used bubble wrap to make the bubbles, and crepe paper for the seaweed.
I stapled ribbon to shower caps to make the jelly fish. I hung blue and green crepe paper to make the room feel like it was under the sea. 
Michael made these origami boats.
Leeland and I made this starfish with his feet.
The jelly fish are from Michael and Leeland’s hands.
Michael made a crab, an oyster, and coral from egg cartons. I made coral from split pool noodles. 
I drew the octopus and Michael splattered it with paint.
Michael made a puffer fish using a fork (not pictured).
We made socktopuses from socks.
Michael and I put together this ocean diorama.
We put foam stickers on the bottom of our flip flops and made these nifty prints. We hope to leave cool impressions in the sand when we go to the beach.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~ Amber Dover
PS: Michael’s Lego creation
Summer Crafts 2015 Part 1
In this post: Dandelions, fireflies,and Summer inchies. Plus a character study.
Hello dear ones! Here are a few crafts we did over the summer. Pics and links included. Enjoy!
Fireflies inspired by: http://elementaryartfun.blogspot.com/2011/03/fireflies-moonlit-landscape.html
Dandelions inspired by: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/82824080620148206/
Summer Inchies (inspired by That Artist Woman and http://www.allthingsheartandhome.com/2013/06/diy-watercolor-summer-art/ )
Mine
Michael and Nana
Michael did this anger lapbook from: http://www.currclick.com/product/26486/Biblical-Anger-Lapbook
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Life with Baby: Super Baby vs. Bat Baby August 18, 2015
Hello dear ones! This Life with Baby post speaks for itself. May you be inspired! God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Other Life with Baby posts:
Cloth Diapers
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/
Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/
Monthly Pictures
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/
Baby School
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/
Hacks
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/
Mud pies in the slum: My story August 11, 2015
This is a great post by Ali. May we embrace the adventure God has for us, and not settle for the comfortable known of the slum. God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
When I was younger and kind of “finding myself” in terms of relationships and career, my biggest idol was peer acceptance.
I thought that if I ticked all the right boxes in terms of saying all the ‘right’ things, making people laugh, and generally being seen as clever and successful, I would receive the acceptance I craved.
I would never have considered myself “dead in my sin” but I think part of me was dead to the “colour” and life-giving power that could be found in a deep and rich and engaging relationship with God…
I like the CS Lewis quote from his book the Weight of Glory:
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the…
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Life with Baby: Sleep and a Birth Shadow Box
Hello dear ones! Welcome to another Life with Baby post. Today I want to talk about sleep. Then at the end I have a picture of the shadow box I put together of Leeland’s birth and all our hospital memorabilia.
Last time I shared several hacks/ ideas for making baby life easier. You may remember that we side carred our crib to make it a co-sleeper. Here’s a picture of it. You’ll find directions on my previous Life with Baby post.
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/
For now let’s talk about the controversy of sleep.
When Michael (my nine year old) was a baby, I knew very little about how babies should sleep. I picked up a little book called “Baby Wise”. Chris and I made up a schedule and by the time Michael was 3 months he was sleeping through the night. He was also on formula though. And Michael had his own room.
Leeland is a different baby. I am still mainly breastfeeding him at four months and hope to continue for awhile. Also, Leeland sleeps in our room still. We don’t have a separate nursery this time. Its been nine years and I am a different mama. Michael never cried it out for hours, but he did cry some. my eldest has turned out well and I’m not worried about him. We did the best we could as new parents and I think we could’ve done a lot worse.
So…to co-sleep or not to co-sleep? To sleep train or to follow baby’s cues? Cry it out or comfort?
These are big questions and people are passionate on both sides. For me, I want Leeland and myself to both sleep well. My baby is important, but I can’t be a good mom if I can’t function. I’m human. I need sleep. So does he. We needed a compromise.
So I tried to sleep train. Leeland would not self soothe. I could not handle him crying for long, and he could not either. So I did what I didn’t with Michael, I rocked Leeland to sleep. It worked for a bit, but soon I was walking the floor at night. Leeland cried. I may have cried too. It was clear that I was dealing with a different kid. Leeland may look like his bubba, but he is not Michael part 2.
So one night I did what felt natural and the only solution I had for my sanity at the time, I breastfed the baby to sleep. He was happy. I was happy. But I didn’t feel safe having him in the bed. Several of my friends co-sleep with their kids, but it was new to me. If I fell asleep while feeding Leeland, I worried about me or Chris rolling on him. I kept the covers down near my legs, but I still worried the baby would suffocate. Also, it was painful on my back when I had to lift Leeland into his crib. I have scoliosis. If he woke up we’d have to start the process over. Our solution? Side carring the crib to turn it into a co-sleeper.
I love the crib now. It is a safe way to co-sleep for us. I’m able to breastfeed and relax myself. I enjoy having Leeland near. I used to believe that co-sleeping would mess up the marriage bed. It hasn’t. Chris and I still have a romantic relationship. We are probably both more sane, because we are actually getting sleep. I feel like I can keep a good eye on Leeland at night to make sure he is breathing well. I know our solution isn’t for everyone. That’s okay. No parent is alike.
I will say that I’ve learned a lot these last couple of months. I learned that co-sleeping can be safe when using certain guidelines. I learned that co-sleeping is the norm everywhere except North America. Yet, we have the most cases of SIDS…interesting. I also learned that crying it out for many hours can harm a baby’s brain. They go into shock. I learned that there was a major shift in motherhood during the 1800’s…a shift that I believe was bad. Doctors told women that breastfeeding was unclean, that babies should not be held too much, and that babies needed to be in a separate room so they wouldn’t be a bother to parents. Many moms are breaking free from those traditions and embracing natural motherhood.
For balance sake, sometimes a mom does need a break. It’s not that children are a bother, or that moms are selfish. But the baby and the mom both need to be in good health. Sometimes a mom has to do what she has to do to stay sane and to be a good mom. Sometimes babies will cry. It happens. Sometimes you have to walk away and catch your breath. Maybe it is safer in your situation to have the baby in another room. Maybe you have to use formula. I’m not here to judge, and honestly, on the weekends we pull out the disposables, and when I need a break we use formula. Every baby and every mom is different. Give your best with love. That’s what counts.
For me, I needed to be educated on alternative methods. Co-sleeping is a rising trend, but I had many negative and preconceived notions about it. Research showed me that I was wrong. My views on how babies learn to self soothe has changed. You can read more about that in the article below by Psychology Today on Crying It Out. I don’t co-sleep exactly as others do. But our method works for us. Leeland mainly sleeps on his back but he will roll onto his side. I’m very in tune with him at night. I will wake up if he startles.
I have several articles below and some with varying opinions. Judge for yourself what is best for your family. As I lay here typing, my lil one is sound asleep next to me. I like that. My eldest is in his own room, so we don’t have a complete family bed. I still go in Michael’s room and check on him at night. His long legs are usually hanging off the bed. Both of my boys are extremely loved. Life with Baby is different. At 30, I am a different mom than I was at 21. But I am still a loving mom. I’m still a praying mom. I still need Jesus’ guidance. I’m still learning. I’ll never be a perfect mom, and that’s okay.
Lastly, here’s the photo collage/shadow box of Leeland’s birth and hospital memorabilia. I used duct tape but I should’ve used glue. It’s coming a part now that it is hung up. I’ll probably have to fix it.
Well, sweet dreams :). God bless & remember the High King lives! ~ Amber Dover
Helpful articles on both sides:
http://www.babywiseandbeyond.com/2014/02/babywise-schedule-sample-schedules.html
http://www.sleepbabylove.com/free-sleep-expectations-guide-newborns-to-age-5/
http://www.clarkscondensed.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/crying-it-out-alternatives/
http://www.intoxicatedonlife.com/2013/04/19/the-breastfeeding-and-co-sleeping-relationship/
http://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201112/dangers-crying-it-out
Other Life with Baby posts:
Cloth Diapers
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/
Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/
Monthly Pictures
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/
Baby School
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/
Hacks
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/life-with-baby-super-baby-vs-bat-baby/
amberdover 