Proverbs 31:21

 "When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
       for all of them are clothed in scarlet."


This scripture is on my heart today. The wife of noble character is ready for tomorrow. She has been a good steward of all that she has and planned for the storms of winter. Because of this, there is no fear in her. She knows she is prepared for what lies ahead.


One of my neighbors inspired me yesterday. She is reorganizing her living room and sorting out all of her drawers and cabinets to prepare for the fall. I know it was a lot of work for her to start this project, but when she is done there will be a great reward. Her order and diligence will be a tremendous blessing to her family and help their day to day life, and her own work, to run smoothly. 


It is important to be a good steward of what we have. Spiritually, relationally, materially, and financially. The richness in our spirits as we grow in Christ impact our relationships with our family, friends, and communities. Using our material possessions to their fullest capacity and conscientiously managing our finances will set us up for the best outcome in the future. For we never know what lies ahead. 


I am thankful I do not know what storms are brewing in my future, because I am able to live in peace today, without an anxious heart. BUT, as I mentioned before, there cannot be a mountain top without a valley. 


May I be a wife of noble character, unafraid of winter, because my family is cloaked in good stewardship.

New Blog!

I've created a new blog: www.jodyeleanormadden.blogspot.com

It's my creative outlet <3

Flawless

For those of you who are wondering, we aren't a flawless family. In fact, I alone have more flaws than could be listed in a single post. We aren't the kind of all-American family that you'd splash on the cover of a magazine, air brushed to perfection, looking brand new. On the contrary, we are a far cry from refined.

I choose, in written word and verbal, in my thoughts and reflections, to focus on the positive and be optimistic. What is the use in complaining or focusing on the negative?? It leads to discontentment and discouragement, at best.

So, when you see my bright and shiny blogs, remember there is a flip-side. There is for everyone.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Under One Roof

Daniel came home after 9 months of training with the good old USAF in April. All of his children had grown up so much, in fact he missed all of their birthdays, save Adele's. Devan had turned 9 and the twins turned 2. Sweet little Benjamin was a whopping 4 months! We had a highly anticipated and slightly emotional reunion at the Ontario International Aiport. The Madden Kids were like little barnacles, clinging to their daddy wherever they could find a space to latch on. He was clearly overwhelmed and delighted by them.

We spent the following 2 months living in different hotels/guest bedrooms/campsites/cabins while waiting to close escrow on our first home! I can't express our sheer joy the day we unlocked the door and let the kids explore the inside, run through the backyard, and marvel at the view. It was amazing. We've been home owners for almost three months now, and are still in awe of our new place.

It's perfect. The girls share a bedroom, the boys share a bedroom, we share a bedroom, and we have one to spare for guests! The backyard is spacious enough for kids to romp and because we are across the field from a state park, there is plenty of wildlife to observe. We have a variety of desert trees lining the perimeter of the yard, and a rocky hill towers above our property line. There isn't much light pollution so in the evening we can see a crystal clear sky and study constellations.

The neighbors here are lovely. Many of them have children and in the late afternoon garage doors open, lawn mowers and garden hoses come out, parents tinker around outdoors while the kids ride bikes, scooters, and play basketball. 

Daniel has been enjoying his seasoning at March immensely. It's only 7 minutes away from our house, which means we enjoy lunch as a family nearly every day. He's using all the training he went through working on KC-135's and is excited at the opportunities to grow in his field. The kids love that his work day ends shortly after 3:00, so there is plenty of time to play or do schoolwork before supper.

Since moving to the Inland Empire we've met scads of other homeschool families. I am so excited about the upcoming school year. We have enriched our curriculum by expanding to other publishers and supporting literary materials/outdoor excursions. We found a wonderful private school nearby that has more than 200 families enrolled, which includes a steady flow of field trips as well as organized sports.

I never would have dreamed this time last year we would be where we are today. God has surprised and delighted our family, blessing us beyond measure. I'm thankful to be on the mountaintop, though fresh on my mind is that you can't have a mountaintop without a valley.