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.
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
“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.”
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.
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
Dear ones, today I want to talk to you about legalism and grace. What do these terms mean? What does scripture say about it? I ask the Lord to take away our misconceptions and to shine His light on the Truth. May he type through me.
Titus 3:4-7 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared,
5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6 Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
7 [And He did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our] hope.”
I want to talk to you as a fellow student. I have worn the many masks of legalism. It invades all areas of life and sucks away the joy until you feel dead inside. Let me clear up a misconception before we begin.
Grace does not mean sinning all you want with no consequences. And having standards does not mean you are a legalist. By all means, follow the speed limit, don’t murder, don’t steal. The difference between legalism and grace is found in the heart…not necessarily outward actions.
Grace- unmerited favor and mercy.
Romans 3:23-24Amplified Bible (AMP)
“23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory [a]which God bestows and receives.
24[All] are justified and made uprightand in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,”
For more info on justification and the meaning of other important Biblical terms check out this post:
1. Emphasis on the letter rather than on the spirit of the law;
2. Belief in salvation by obedience to the law rather than by the grace of God or by faith;
3. Undue stress on legal details without balancing considerations of justice and mercy.
Legalism only demands that the law be satisfied.”
~Grace that Breaks the Chains pg 27 (originally taken from The Dictionary of Religious Terms)
Legalism exalts man as god. The gospel of legalism says “I can earn my salvation.” “I can keep my salvation.” “I can please God on my own.” “I am good.” “I am righteous.”
The gospel of Grace says “Jesus is my salvation.” “Jesus keeps me.” “Jesus is my goodness.” “Jesus is my righteousness.” “Without Jesus I can do nothing, but with Jesus I can do all things.”
Grace empowers us to live right, through relationship with Christ.
Legalism chains us to the impossible task of being good in our own strength. It inflates our pride when we do well. It brings us into the pit of depression when we fail.
Grace or legalism? Which is in your heart? Look at the root. Are you trying to earn God’s favor by your good works, or are your good works the result of your love relationship with God?
True Christians know that we are saved by grace, but even Christians can be legalistic. We know that grace through Jesus’ blood initially saves us, but then we think to live the Christian life we must try hard and do good works. Jesus saved us but we don’t expect Him to sanctify us. We look to our own strength. We think our good works will KEEP God’s favor. Dear ones, that is backwards. It is God’s grace that enables us to live right. It is the blood of Jesus that sanctifies us continually. We can not do it on our own.
Ephesians 2:8-9Amplified Bible (AMP)
“8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved ([a]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]”
“Man was never designed nor expected to keep God’s commands on his own, nor was strict adherence to law ever God’s way of making man righteous. It has always been by faith. Seeking to achieve right standing with God by religious performance would be like expecting a mirror to wash the dirt off your face. The purpose of the mirror is not to clean you, but to reveal the dirt. In the same way, ‘through the Law comes the knowledge of sin’ (Romans 3:20), not the power to remove it.“
~Grace that Breaks the Chains pg 28
So often we miss the purpose of the law, because we miss the Person who made the law (meaning the commands given in scripture). The Law, the feasts, the Sabbath…everything was made to point to God, to Jesus. Even in the New Testament…Jesus’ teachings, the parables, communion, baptism, putting on the armor of God…all made to point us to Jesus. The law shows us that we are helpless without God. We are missing something. We are in desperate need of God. If we try to follow the letter of the law so we can be good people or even to earn God’s favor, then we have missed the point.
James 2:10Amplified Bible (AMP)
“10 For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it.”
The Bible makes it clear that we as humans are unable to completely keep the law. We will fail. So why did God give us commands if we can’t keep them? Friends, God is good. He loves us. He wants us to see that He is what we are missing. Humans need God’s help to live. We need relationship with God. We can not be righteous, but Jesus can be righteous for us. Jesus sacrificed Himself so His blood will cover our sin. Truly without God we are naked and in the dark, with no way of turning on the light and clothing ourselves. Only God can turn on the light and clothe us. God gave the law so we would turn to Him for help. So we would realize we are not god. We were never mean’t to live independently from God. We were never mean’t to do everything in our own strength.
Galatians 3:24-26 KJV
“24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“3 Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?”
Acts 13:38-39 KJV
“38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
Romans 3:19-20 Amplified Version
“19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the murmurs and excuses of] every mouth may be hushed and all the world may be held accountable to God.
20 For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [[a]not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character].”
Romans 5:19-21King James Version (KJV)
“19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Legalism is a deceptive tool of the enemy. Legalism appears to be holy, but it is rotten to the core. Do you seem good on the outside but inside you are dying? Is your church a hateful place with no life in it? Are you losing members to the world? You might be legalistic. You see Legalism may seem to work for a bit. When you parent a child with an iron fist and no grace, they may be compliant for awhile, but inside legalism will spawn rebellion, bitterness, and defeat. Legalism simply does not work.
I get it. Some of us are scared of grace because we’ve seen the term misused. The world and carnal Christians have used “grace” as a way to excuse all manner of sin. Maybe you’ve been hurt by someone who said “Hey, don’t judge me.” The subject of grace has been horribly abused and so many misunderstand the meaning because of that. Dear ones, please don’t miss out on the power and goodness of Jesus’ grace. When someone truly accepts God’s grace they will live a beautiful empowered life through it. Abiding with Jesus by His grace enables us to live righteously. We will want to obey his commands because we love Him. Perfection won’t happen until Heaven, but our desires will be to follow Jesus.
Romans 6:13-15King James Version (KJV)
“13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.“
Romans 7:5-7King James Version (KJV)
“5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”
What separates legalism from grace is our position. Where do we operate from? Do we operate in the Spirit or in the flesh? Are we in Christ or not?
Romans 8:2-4King James Version (KJV)
“2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
The Spirit is not some mystical force or a drug that gets you high. The Spirit is a PERSON. The Spirit is God. We walk in the Spirit by spending time with Jesus. So we see that Grace and living in the Spirit all comes back to relationship. The law means nothing without relationship. Its job is to point us to relationship with Christ.
Galatians 5:17-18 KJV
“17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
Hebrews 7:19 KJV
“19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
Hebrews 10:1 Amplified
“For since the Law has merely a rude outline (foreshadowing) of the good things to come—instead of fully expressing those things—it can never by offering the same sacrifices continually year after year make perfect those who approach [its altars].”
What is a better hope? What are the good things to come? Jesus answers them both. He fulfills the law. I enjoy the Biblical feasts (like Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles), but I know that celebrating them will not help me earn God’s favor. The purpose of the feasts are to point us to Jesus. I enjoy the celebrations when I use them as a way to think of Christ and fellowship with Him. There was a time in my life that I saw the feasts in a legalistic way. It’s funny because I completely lost my joy during that time and began to dislike the feasts. They became burdensome to me. Have you ever done this with God’s commands or spiritual disciplines?
Let’s get in the New Testament shall we. Maybe your devotion time or how often you pray has become a burden because you believe these things will make God like you more? Maybe you feel that when you sin or skip church etc… that God all of a sudden dislikes you? Dear one, I’ve been there. Legalism can come into any denomination and it can invade any area of your life. I have seen legalism take over my parenting. I have seen it take over my self esteem…whether as puffed up pride or insecurity (which is just pride in another form). Legalism takes our eyes off of Christ and puts it on ourselves.
Basically this is what Satan did when he tried to overthrow God. He kept saying “I will” “I will”. Satan put his focus on himself and his power. He said in his heart that he did not need God. Then he fell and came to Earth where he convinced humanity that we do not need God. But it’s a lie. We were made by and for God. We are diseased without Him. We are cursed without God. The only cure IS God. Jesus Christ came to be your cure. He is God the Son, a part of the God-head (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 3 in one, the Trinity). Dear Christian, you were not saved so you could do it all yourself.
We must give every bit of our lives to Christ. We must have relationship with Jesus and operate out of that relationship. We must walk in the Spirit. It’s simple. Be with Jesus. Spend time with Him. Talk to Him. Get to know Him. I pray we won’t miss this simple yet profound truth. I’m there with you. Please pray for me as I pray for you. God wants to be known. He loves us.
God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
This is only part 1. Go to the website for all parts.
“Not many [of you] should become teachers ([a]self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation].”
James 3:1 Amp Version
“God still speaks through rocks and donkeys.” ~Paul Washer (Amen bro!)
I like to watch preaching but I’ve learned the hard way not to idolize preachers…just as I learned not to idolize “experts” in any field. Humans make mistakes. I may go to a doctor to consult about my health but that doesn’t mean that I should trust a doctor blindly. Preachers and pastors have a great calling to guide God’s people, but they are still human, and every follower of Christ has the same Holy Spirit. We all have access to God’s Word. And ultimately when we stand before God in Heaven we will take account for ourselves. “But the preacher said this…” won’t cut it. Do you know Jesus personally? That’s what matters. You won’t get to Heaven riding on someone’s coat tails.
I say this as a fellow student and a fellow traveler in life. We should test the spirits. We should search the scriptures for ourselves.
Paul speaks of the Bereans
“11 Now these [Jews] were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message [[a]concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11 AMP
Now to bring balance, sometimes we won’t like a sermon because it doesn’t tickle our ears and our flesh hates it. We feel conviction and maybe we are fighting it. How do we know the difference? Well, what are we using as our standard? God’s Word in context? or our emotions and experiences? In the end it does not matter what we have experienced, what we feel, or what our culture says….all that matters is what God says. God’s truth will often bring conviction. It will bring the fruit of the Spirit. But if a sermon brings condemnation, pride, fear, or other ungodly attitudes then it is not of the Spirit.
Sometimes preachers give messages in the flesh. Again, they are human. I saw this in my Dad. He was a former drug dealer that turned preacher. I could tell when my Dad was preaching from pride and his flesh. I could also tell when my Dad was humble and it was God’s Spirit speaking through Him. I struggled to listen to his sermons done in pride. But when he spoke with humility, my heart opened.
Things to question when you hear a message
Does the Bible (in context) support this?
Does the speaker display Christ-like behavior?
Does it edify the body of Christ?
Does it make sense?
I pray that you will be strong in these last days. These are deceptive times. I try to teach Michael to read the Bible himself and not idolize me or his dad. I tell him that we are human and we will fail him at times, but Jesus is the perfect friend. The Heavenly Father is the perfect parent. God’s Word is perfect guidance (read in context). I hope to share helpful info on how to read the Bible, soon. I’m working on it.
I pray that you, dear one, won’t idolize me or any other blogger. We may look put together on the outside but I assure you that every one of us are just as human as you. We struggle with sin just as much. We are desperately hanging on to Jesus to help us through this mess of a world. The thought of someone putting me on a pedestal scares me. I don’t want that.
Anywho, so when you meet teachers, preachers, pastors, and any leaders in the church…remember they are human. They need friends. They need accountability. They need guidance. They need love. They bleed. They cry. They need prayer. Even the ones that are really off theologically. Even the corrupt ones. God’s grace is available to all. Any one can be changed by God if they repent. Don’t idolize them. Please pray for them. They’ve taken on a scary task.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Hello dear ones, I hope you are well. Two years ago we had our first Family Olympics. You can find the link here: https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/my-family-rocks-sunday-2013-family-olympics/
This year we spent Independence Day having our second Family Olympics. I also have July 4th crafts to share with you. Here we go :).
We made 4th of July T-shirts.
Michael and Chris tie dyed a red, white, and blue shirt.
I used Leeland’s hand print and craft sticks to make this U.S. flag onesie.
Michael did a lapbook on the U.S. flag. Link here:
Then Michael made me a red, white, and blue necklace out of beads.
We also did a state lapbook. Link here: http://www.currclick.com/product/76669/United-States-Alabama–Speedy-Lapbook
Then my mom came over for…
Family Olympics
I really love this event and I can’t wait until the next one. We should really have winter Olympics as well. We began by making our personal flags to represent us in the games.
We used index cards to keep score. Here are the events:
Archery
Michael
My Step Dad Kim
Mom
Chris
Me
Leeland
Foam Sword fighting
Me and Mom~ This was fun, but a word to the wise…make sure you zip up the trampoline if you use it. When Michael and I were sword fighting he actually fell through the unzipped part of the trampoline screen. Thankfully he didn’t hit his head too hard. It was scary though.
Airplane Toss
Egg Race
Sac Race
Then just for fun:
Parachute games
Michael’s 4th grade piano recital. He played The Star Spangled Banner and Amazing Grace.
All of us won at least one medal, but Kim won the trophy.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Hello dear ones! This past Father’s Day we visited our hometown and everyone got to meet the new baby. Leeland and Michael also made homemade crafts for Chris. It was a special Father’s Day. Here’s what we did:
I printed out a Father’s Day poem from here:
Then I put the boys’ foot prints on it. I also printed out a Darth Vader poster.
I helped the boys make Father’s Day books.
I stapled Daddy surveys to the back of the books. Here’s the link:
So we visited our hometown and saw our families. We saw Chris’ dad…
and we visited where my Dad is buried.
We visited my Granny.
My family didn’t want to let Leeland go.
Granny
My Uncle
My Aunt
My other grandparents
I loved playing with this Chess set as a kid.
Chris’ mom playing with Leeland
Chris’ older brother and Michael trying out his 3D plastic making pen.
Well, God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Hello dear ones! Welcome to another Life with Baby posts. Today I’m going to show off those monthly baby pics that are the rage these days. Some people buy onesies with how many months old the baby is on them. I didn’t go that far but I did find creative ways to include Leeland’s age in his pictures. So get ready for a cuteness overload! You can’t handle the cute ;).
1 Month Old
2 Months Old
3 Months Old
Leeland talking to the baby in the mirror.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Hello dear ones! I’d like to tell you about my friend Sam Beman. Sam loves to make people laugh, and he has a heart for God. Sadly, Sam has cancer, and needs help with his medical bills. So the community and many Christians in this area have gotten together to raise money for Sam. It’s been a privilege to see how many people care about Sam. Sam is still young and he’s newly married with several stepchildren. I know God can heal him. Recently, the best Christian comedians got together to throw a comedy show for Sam’s benefit. It was called “Stand Up for Sam”. These guys didn’t get paid for this. Tim Hawkins stopped his vacation to come. Christ Community Church allowed them to use their facilities for free. I believe $30,000 was raised at this one event. Chemo is expensive. Anywho, it was an awesome event for an awesome guy. Our prayers are with you Sam!
In this post: My special fruit drink that reminds me of Belize, outdoor movies, and a way to help the Belize Mission.
Hello dear ones! For Memorial Day (awhile back I know) we watched a movie outside with our projector and we had my special fruit drink “Amber’s Taste of Belize”. I’m giving you the ingredients…but not the amount. I’ve got to keep some of it a secret ;). There was this awesome fruit drink the hotel staff made for us on the Belize missions trip. I’ve tried to replicate it and this is as close as I could get.
Amber’s Taste of Belize
Cans of pineapple juice
orange juice
Cranberry Sierra Mist
Shaved ice
We finally bought a projector. It was worth the investment too. Outdoor movies rock! You may remember that a couple summers ago we dragged our t.v. outside for a redneck drive in on the trampoline. That post is here:
It was great fun. We also got a little pool. Leeland doesn’t mind the water until the wind hits him and he’s cold. We’re able to go to some pools for free too since my husband is a vet. It is very hot down here so we do what we can. It’s not as hot as it is in Belize though. We’ve also had several big thunderstorms…still not as bad as the monsoons in Belize. I miss Belize…lol. I really do. My church is about to go for a week. I will be home with the kiddos, but I hope to go back some day.
Hey, they do some awesome work there in Belize. They feed babies. They give them medicine like Tylenol so they don’t die of fever. The missionaries don’t take any money for themselves. They completely give of themselves for the people of Belize. They share the gospel. Help them out if you feel led.
Hello dear ones! Chris and I had a couple of awesome movie themed dates recently. Enjoy these original dates: Miss Congeniality and Fun with Dick and Jane. Here’s how it went down.
Date Night Disclaimer:These dates are intended for married couples. You may not like my movie choices based upon your own convictions. If that’s the case, then I encourage you to adapt these ideas for the movies of your choice. Ultimately my goal is to inspire others to have a fun marriage.
Miss Congeniality Date Night
We rented the movie Miss Congeniality. It’s about an agent that goes undercover as a beauty pageant contestant. So I set a table fit for a beauty queen.
First we got in the spirit of things by watching funny pageant videos on youtube. World peace! Just sayin’.
I found everything at the Dollar Tree. I have trophies, ribbons, and medals for our contests later. I have a tiara and bouquet of flowers for the winner. I used crepe paper for the banners.
The hubby and I enjoyed a nice dinner. Then we prepared to compete. I’ll admit…the competition was rigged, especially the Evening Gown competition, since my hubby didn’t compete. Ha! I made sure this date was guy friendly. I found a couple of fun things at the Dollar Tree.
“Talent” Competition
Chris was killin’ it on the paddle ball. Once he got the hang of it he was a pro!
I was embarrassingly hilarious as a ribbon twirler. We each chose a song for the other to use. Chris chose an upbeat dance song for me. I know he had to be laughing inside.
Chris won most athletic. He also won Best Kisser, but that’s besides the point. Leeland helped hold the trophy. He’s a pretty good kisser too! 🙂
Then we each tried to play the recorder. I had an advantage since I play the flute, but it was still harder than it looks.
I won most musical.
Interview
I found a site that helps contestants prepare for the interview section. First, Chris and I made up funny platforms. Mine was “Save the snails’ Then we asked each other questions.
My evening gowns competed :). The pink evening gown won!
I won Miss Date Night!
Fun with Dick and Jane Date Night
(This is the movie from 2005 not 1977. I haven’t seen the older one.)
You can watch the preview here:
Fun with Dick and Jane is about a middle class married couple. Dick has a great job and he and the wife prepare to live extravagantly when Dick is promoted. Unfortunately Dick is being set up to take the fall as his company crashes, and the owner gets away with the money. Dick and thousands of others in the company are now competing for jobs. This is actually a comedy :). Dick and Jane go through all kinds of crazy scenarios as they try to find work. I have listed activities that go along with the movie.
First I gave my hubby this invite. The front is a quote from the movie, just in case I freaked you out a bit. The joke is that the couple is so busy that they don’t have time to be together when they are in the mood. They schedule to have sex on Saturday. Again, this date is for married people. Any married couple with kids can understand the quote.
Inside
Activities (we only did the first three):
Learn some Spanish ~ Dick and Jane’s little boy spends so much time with his Spanish nanny, that he speaks in Spanish all the time. This causes a predicament when Dick gets mistaken for an illegal alien. I love that part of the movie.
Sing “I Believe I Can Fly” as loud as you can~ Dick sings this in the elevator when he believes he’s being promoted.
Find the best disguises~ When Dick and Jane find themselves on the verge of losing everything despite their honest efforts, they resort to being partners in crime. I do not endorse stealing, but they do have some funny outfits. They get into some crazy situations.
Play in the sprinkler~ Dick, Jane, and their son become so poor that they bathe in the neighbor’s sprinkler.
Find a distortion machine and make funny voices~ Dick and Jane steal from a rude business man that did Dick wrong. They act silly with a voice distortion device.
Have Slushees (make sure to pay!)~ The first thing Dick steals is a Slushee. That is the beginning of his slippery slope into crime.
We watched the movie in our van. Our treats were popcorn, cream sodas, and chocolate.
Our disguises
I think we’d make poor thieves, but that’s a good thing :).
Well, I hope you enjoyed these ideas and they will inspire you to have your own fun date nights. Do you like themed dates? I’d love to hear about your own dates. Please leave me some comment love.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Welcome! My name is Amber Dover. I am a homeschooling mom, happy wife, and a devout follower of Jesus Christ. I am also a writer. I am currently working on "The Truth Seeker's Chronicles" (an inspirational fantasy/allegory). You will find everything from craft ideas to writing tips on my blog. So please pull up a chair and hang out :)
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