Nehemiah Bible Study {My Vlogged Questions&Answers}

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These are my answers to the questions I posted earlier in the week via the LPM blog. 

See them HERE if you missed them.

Answer your own through a blog post or vlog and link up here...OR reply to the questions in the message board area!

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Twisted Tri-Pony Bun {Hair Tutorial}

Here is today's hair tutorial the
Twisted Tri-Pony Bun!

If you follow me on Instagram I was trying this out a couple weeks ago and finally figured it out for you guys!
Enjoy!!

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Nehemiah Bible Study Kick-Off

It's finally here, time to dive into our study together!

Thank you to everyone who introduced yourselves in the message board and we will continue to discuss there. {Make sure to email me if you have any questions}

Just as a reminder I am piggy backing this study off of Beth Moore's blog and we will just be following along in their study and watching her recap videos:) Once we have had some discussion over this first week I am going to register our "group" on her blog and we need a name..so if anyone has a great one leave it in the comments.

What we will do is watch Beth's video and she instructs us what we need to do for our first session. I will also add the written instructions below in case the video messes up or you don't feel like writing it all down yourselves.

I think I have decided to answer all her questions in a separate post either through writing or vlog and will have a link up where you can add yours that way if you prefer to be more thorough. I would love to see other vlogs if you have the capability to get to know you and your personality better as well!
 I will also post specific questions in the message board which we can discuss back and forth. This way you can choose which way is more convenient for you to participate in the group.
{but I do highly suggest we all do all the questions just to get the most out of it!}

We will start the study as well and need the first 
2 weeks of it done by July 11th!

This is about 20 minutes long just as a heads up so you can set some time aside for it:)

Nehemiah Summer Study Intro from LPV on Vimeo.

I WILL POST MY ANSWERS ON FRIDAY SO WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION TIME IN ORDER TO REGISTER OUR GROUP!

Written instructions:

Today in small group time, read Psalm 119:129-135 together. If you have access to several translations, read it first in a formal translation – ESV, NAS, NKJ, NIV, etc – and, second, just for the richness of it, a modern translation like The Message or the New Living Translation. You know I love The NET Bible so that’s another option.

1.  List every term the psalmist uses for God’s communication/revelation to man. (Example: V.129 ESV – “testimonies”)

2.  Psalm 119:129 says, “Your testimonies are wonderful: therefore my soul keeps them.” Each of you (as time allows) share a specific way that you’ve come to know personally that God’s testimonies are “wonderful.” If you don’t have a newcomer to the Bible in your group, imagine that you do. Let your answer help explain to her why YOUR soul desires to keep God’s testimonies and why she should even consider it.

3.  Psalm 119:132 says “Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is Your way with those who love Your name.” If you have placed your faith in God through Jesus Christ, you have demonstrated one titanic way of “loving His name.” Discuss the importance of trusting that God’s “way” is to deal with His children graciously. Talk about whether you tend to expect God to be gracious to you or indifferent or harsh and condemning. If you tend toward the latter, would you be willing this summer to seek God with the grateful expectation of His graciousness toward you.

4.  Psalm 119:133a says, “Keep steady my steps according to Your promise.” What specific challenges are before you this summer that could cause you to really need God to “steady your steps”?

5.  Psalm 119:133b says, “Let no iniquity get dominion over me.” THAT, Beloved, is a prayer that could have huge impact in our lives. If you are willing, share a particular tendency of your flesh that you’re really praying will not get the best of you this summer. (By all means, get personal as the Spirit leads but stop short of really graphic specifics. Give people the idea without the mental images.)

6.  Psalm 119:134 says, “Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep Your precepts.” Look up several definitions of “oppression” and discuss the vital differences between oppression and authority. How can they be confused? Once we know for certain we’re not just resisting authority but we are genuinely experiencing oppression, realize that God’s will is to REDEEM us from it. Pray fervently for Him to do so. He is perfectly capable of redeeming us from oppression while redeeming the relationship.

7.  According to Psalm 119:135, conclude by asking God with a full heart of faith to make His face shine upon you, His servant, this summer and to TEACH you vividly through the Book of Nehemiah.

8.  Sometime today, write Psalm 119:129-135 on a note card and keep it as your prayer for our Siesta Summer Bible Study. (After the video was already made, it occurred to me that I should have suggested we all write this segment on the inside of the front cover of our Nehemiah workbooks so, if I caught you in time, do that instead of a note card. That way it will serve as a Scriptural dedication of sorts for our summer experience.)

Have Weeks 1 and 2 of your homework done by Tuesday, July 10^th and we’ll have our next Mini-Session then and your group discussion.

I look forward to your intro question discussions on Friday! 
So glad to be studying with you all!

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Inspiration Quote Silent Sunday

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{Source: all-ionic-photos, via ohsolovelyobsessions)

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Double Loop Braided Headband {Hair Tutorial}

Hi all!
Here is today's hair tutorial...
just a simple double braided headband.
I called it Loopy because the strands are meant to be pulled into loops but I believe my braid was too tight. Try yours a little looser and possibly leave the hair tie out and just secure with a bobby pin instead!

Happy Hair Options:)

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Let's Introduce Ourselves:Nehemiah Summer Bible Study

Thank you everyone who showed interest in doing the study with us over the summer!

It starts NEXT TUESDAY, so order your book if you haven't had the chance to do so yet:)

For those of you who want to join in or were already planning on doing so, I thought this would be a good time for us to introduce ourselves and also start practicing using the blogfrog board that is over in my side bar!

Here is a LINK to the community page, or you can click in the box to the right. If you would prefer to leave your info in the comments, you can also do that!

Here is what my intro looked like on the board...

I thought it would be fun in this week leading up to the start of our Bible Study if we introduced ourselves if we are participating!

Just tell us your name,

where you are from,

your blog link

[if you are a blogger},

and just a little about you that you might want us to know!!

Attach a picture if you would like so we can put a name with a face as well!!

I'll start to get us kicked off and hope we get the hang of this board so we can interact with one another!

I'm Ashley

 

{this is me and my neice Paetyn!}

I live here in Denver..I love it! My blog is EisyMorgan

I am so excited to get to know some of you better and study God's word with you. I have started a few pages of Kelly Minter's study and am loving it already. I am eager to learn from and through all of your insights as well. Thank you so much for joining me!!

Looking forward to your intro's! 

Let me know if you have any problems or questions:)

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Inspiration Quote Make Up Monday

I was so sick yesterday and missed our weekly quotes, so here they are today!

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Hope your Monday is going well!!

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10 Potty Training Tips for the Nervous First Time Mommy!! {part 2}

This is part two, to read part one go HERE.

My 10 Potty Training Tips

from one nervous first time mommy to another:)

Disclaimer: I am in no way saying I am a professional or know this is the best way. There are plenty of wonderful, great and right ways to potty train. This is just what I did that worked for me!

Thanks!!

8. Try a doll or Stuffed Animal to Demonstrate

Some people suggest a wet doll, and if you have such a thing go ahead and use that! I have a son and I wasn't going to buy a doll just for this.

I used his favorite stuffed bunny.

We put a pair of his undies on it and I had the bunny go potty, get a sticker and an M&M.

I really only did this once, but he thought it was fun and I would have him tell the bunny the same things I was telling him. 

He loved it.

9. Run Back and Forth Like a Crazy Person 

When Accidents Happen

Like I said, most going potty will be on the floor or chairs, or anywhere but the potty to start. 

It's what they are used to with their diapers, so what can we expect?

Try as best you can to watch them and run them to the potty seat as soon as you see/hear/etc the act in action.

Remember to never scold or shame when they have accidents.

 You will read everywhere that we didn't do this to them when they were learning to walk, why with potty training? If they have gone completley on the floor and you know they are done point to the potty spot and say

"Don't go pee pee on the floor...{run to the bathroom} 

go pee pee in the potty"

Some say to do this 10-15 times...I got tired after 5 so that is what we did.

He thought it was funny.

{I also did this with the bunny once and had him tell the bunny the words}

Many say it's through this repetition that they actually start getting it! 

It clicks!

I'm not sure, but it was worth a try.

10. Have a party when it finally happens!!

Call people, dance, clap, jump up and down, get REALLY excited!

You really won't have to pretend, you will be that excited and they will love that you are so excited about something they have accomplished!

{this is the nitty gritty for those who like details}

The reality of it....

{the play by play of how it happened for us but I am sure not everyone will have the same story}

Day 1: 

I did all of these things as rigidly as I could. 

Going to the bathroom every 15 or sometimes 5 minutes was very tiring. There were times when he did not want to sit on the potty again and he fought me. There were moments I thought maybe he wasn't ready, maybe I was pushing too hard, maybe I was scarring him for life...but I made myself stick with it the whole day. I can do anything for one day. He had 3-4 accidents that first day and we went through an entire pack of his undies. For his nap I put a towel under his sheet but he ended up being dry.

By the afternoon he had gone in the potty at least a tiny bit one or two times.

He wasn't going number 2, I think he was nervous and he deals a bit with constipation anyways. The first night he was really uncomfortable because of it and wouldn't go to sleep. We decided to put a diaper on him that night. Some say don't do that at all, it confuses them. Some say use a pull up and yet others say if going number two scares them for some reason it allows them to relieve themselves while in the learning process. Use your discretion with your child.

Day 2:

When we got up I took his diaper off and had him try and go potty. I think his diaper was a little wet but no number two. He fought me this time, he cried to keep his diaper, for a while..but I reminded him he was working towards his toy and he was a big boy now. I had to force him to try that morning for 2 minute periods on the toilet. I found him songs about potty training on youtube and let him listen/watch them. I think it helped him see what a cool thing it was!

We basically repeated the cycle from the day before but with less rigidity. This time his accidents would just be a few trickles I would notice and I would run and put him on the potty.

That day for nap I left him with his undies and he had a big pee accident but just through them in the wash and changed him and reminded him it was OK and that accidents happen.

By dinner time he was really in pain from his constipation and from the way he was acting I knew it was time for him to try and go. I had been having him sit on a "Cars" baby seat than goes on top of the big toilet, but as I researched anxiety in going poo I came across information that having a small seat where they can have leverage with their feet and push against could be much better for this. I had him sit on a little potty we had previously had and there he went!

That night we put a diaper on him again and early in the morning my husband got up with him when he said he needed to go potty. He thought he went, his diaper was dry and changed him into his underwear.

Day 3:

I was really sick this day for some reason, so it made it slow going. I noticed less accidents and started having him going more in his little potty which he seemed to like more. 

My sister-in-law took him for me for the majority of the morning. When they returned she told me she had kept asking him if he had to go and he kept telling her no. 

I was wondering if he was getting scared about it?

He still fought me with "trying" so I stopped asking him so frequently. He wasn't having any accidents, didn't have any when with his cousins, and I just concluded he can hold it pretty well.

I started notice him doing the potty dance 

{you know the one you do when you really have to go}

this was another step in success...not going, holding, doing something I noticed!!

I would have him go and continue to praise him.

That night we did not put a diaper on him and he didn't seem to mind.

Day 4:

He woke up dry. I asked him if he needed to go, and he told me no. I decided to stop asking him so often and just look for that potty dance. I needed to do errands this day and this was the true test. The boy loves to GO so I told him he had to try before we left, which he did, and that he needed to tell me when he had to go. He said OK and I packed extra clothes and undies in my purse. We were out nearly three hours and he had at least half a glass of water during that time. I had him try when we got home and he went.

The rest of that day every time I asked him if he needed to go he said no, so again, I stopped asking him and let him play in his room as he normally does. After this he started running out telling me

"mommy I need to go potty!"

SUCCESS!!!

So call it a day and three follow up days or call it four days...

I am proud to say he is potty trained, and it wasn't as scary as I thought it was!

If you have any questions at all feel free to ask me, nothing is stupid and nothing is silly!

Good luck, you can do it!!!

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10 Potty Training Tips for the Nervous First Time Mommy!! {part 1}

This is part one of two

{In part two I will also tell you about our experience in specific if you are looking for what to expect}

I don't write much about mothering or raising children, simply because I don't feel like I know much of anything at this point. Maybe when I am a mom of two I will feel more confident in my mothering knowledge but for now I just feel like you make up everything as you go along and hope for the best!! 

But I wanted to share what I did to potty train my son, which was just a compilation of good ideas I gathered from friends, family and online and thought I would just put them all down here.

They worked for us, so I wanted to share!

My sister-in-law, who I hang out with nearly daily, has her two little ones potty trained and she is one of the best mom's I know, so I thought...maybe I could try and potty train Ashton?

 My mom didn't train my brothers till they were three, so I knew I had some time. But I also had seen my niece and nephew learn early and other long time parenting friends who trained early as well.

I have been wanting to try for a while but I was 

SO AFRAID!

This is like so many other things I have come across in parenting.

 Anything I haven't done yet, all you hear is how hard it is, how horrible, how frustrating! 

I wasn't sure I was a good enough mom to do it, to be honest. I was afraid he would be aggressively against it and I would give in or give up and it would never happen and he would be in Kindergarten in diapers and everyone would laugh at me and blame me and I would cry cause I would have to come to school with him just to change his diapers....

ok well not all that, but I was really nervous about it. 

But I talked to everyone I knew who had done it recently,

 I read every article I could find written on it

 and I decided I was going to take a whole week to just focus on doing it. 

Some side readiness signs/information 

that my son might be ready were:

He is 29 months

{I read the best time to train is between 2-3 and sometimes closer to 3 for boys especially}

He has long dry periods in his diapers

He would go elsewhere to do his "business" 

He had the vocab to express words like potty, change me, etc.

He had his cousins to watch and wanted to be big like them.

So here are my 10 Potty Training Tips

from one nervous first time mommy to another:)

Disclaimer: I am in no way saying I am a professional or know this is the best way. There are plenty of wonderful, great and right ways to potty train. This is just what I did that worked for me!

Thanks!!

1. Pray

For real, I was so nervous I just prayed that I would have patience, endurance and that he would get it. 

And he did! I am claiming a full fledged miracle, folks!

2. Make sure your child is ready

 Remember every child is different and listen to his/her needs and development over other people's opinions or some kind of pressure you feel to get it done.

3. Make sure YOU are ready

Whether it's just a personally stressful season, you have multiple children, or you are about to run a marathon out of state, there are a lot of reasons you might not be up to it at this second. Sure you can't put it off forever, but you know if you can or can not lean into something. Be gracious to yourself!

4. Make a Potty Chart

{or look them up on pinterest to download and print one out}

I went to the dollar store and bought a poster board and school stickers that said things like

 "Awesome"

"A+"

"Yippee"

etc.

I drew this chart out with the headings:

Pulled down Pants

Sat on Potty

Peed/Pooped in the Potty

Washed my Hands

{as you can see my line drawing ability is impeccable!}

I knew that actually getting him to understand the reason why he was sitting on this foriegn seat was going to be the hard part. So at first I really focused on the fact that he did all these other things.

{He loves washing his hands, so that helped}

The Big stickers I used for him actually going!

5. Consider Potty Treats

We did one M &M every time he actually went potty

I also let him choose one special toy from the dollar store which I put on top of the fridge and told him when he filled in the big sticker row and went potty all those times he could have it.

6. Do It In a Day

We chose a Monday, it could have been any day, but I really zoned into him this day.

I followed him around everywhere, I ran him to the potty when accidents happened, I asked him constantly.

I think he was so annoyed with me he just learned so I would leave him alone.

Try to eliminate as many distractions as you can, for them...but mostly for you. Just never stop watching them. 

{this was the part I was super nervous about! Who has the time? Who has the will? What about dinner, the laundry, the house, the Facebook or Pinterest ? 

{just being honest}

 Hey, it can wait for a day or two or three. 

It's so worth it!

7. Set a Timer

I set mine for 10-15 minutes depending on the last accident.

{at the beginning that's all they are, at least they were for us}

I set the time ringer as drums and called them the 

"potty drums" 

and every time they went off we had to try to go potty!

If after 15 min they still didn't go consider how long the total time has been. If it's been a while set the alarm for another 5 min! It will happen soon, dun dun duhhhhh! ha 

This part is very tiring and monotonous. Just keep reminding yourself you can try anything for one day and if it doesn't work you can try again when they are older or a different method.

to be continued...

Read part 2 HERE

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Tell the Untold Story Inside of You: Is it Worth Re-telling?

Foto Fest Mom 2.0 KC, originally uploaded by Southern Fairytale (Rachel).

I am currently reading Donald Miller's "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" and it's really inspiring me.

 I bought it several months ago and just now have been taking the time to really dive into it.

The basic premise is, that we are all a part of a story called our lives, and are we making it a good one.

 It's actually more of his journey through it all, but how can you help apply it as well?

Here is one of the most profound quotes:

You see, I have always had this thing inside me, I don't even know how to describe it. Call it disillusionment that comes with being a young person, but let's face it, I am now in my 30's shouldn't disillusionment be passing by me now?

It's like an unsaid knowing, a longing, that there is more to life.

That there is more to life than acquiring every toy, home, clothing, fame, etc etc etc. Not that having any of these things is bad or wrong or that I now magically don't want them...but that there has to be more than gaining all this. There is no meaning in it.

So when he talks about living a good story, it's so resonates with me.

I am a little different as a person in general. I tend to the opposites sometimes.

I like looking at the status quo and then asking, why? Who says? 

{have you seen that Mind Games show, 

we just do things more often then not because we are conditioned to do so}

And again, these things aren't bad. I like to line up as I should and I will get angry if you cut in front of me because these are the good things that keep people sane about conformity.

But then there are the things that we are conditioned to believe have the most value.

And although I appreciate that everyone else has the prerogative to tell their own story, 

I want mine to be meaningful, I want mine to be epic.

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He also says in the book 

"You don't know a story is happening to you while you are in it".

And that is so true, we just make our choices, day in and day out and they end up being something that weave together what our lives are about.

We choose.

I also recently also watched a very random movie on Netflix called The Way staring Martin Sheen.

The basis is that we live our lives through the choices we make or do not make. 

What we live for or what we live with. 

In the movie they played that Alanis Morriset song "Thank you India" I think I had that album when it came out but the lyrics were so profound as I really listened to them in context of a man bettering his story. About me, not wanting to be trapped in my head...forever.

how bout getting off these antibiotics
how bout stopping eating when I'm full up
how bout them transparent dangling carrots
how bout that ever elusive kudo

thank you india
thank you terror
thank you disillusionment
thank you frailty
thank you consequence
thank you thank you silence

how bout me not blaming you for everything
how bout me enjoying the moment for once
how bout how good it feels to finally forgive you
how bout grieving it all one at a time

thank you india
thank you terror
thank you disillusionment
thank you frailty
thank you consequence
thank you thank you silence

the moment I let go of it was the moment
I got more than I could handle
the moment I jumped off of it
was the moment I touched down

how bout no longer being masochistic
how bout remembering your divinity
how bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out
how bout not equating death with stopping

thank you india
thank you providence
thank you disillusionment
thank you nothingness
thank you clarity
thank you thank you silence

And Donald Miller talks about Bob Goff a man great at telling a story with his life. And when he asked him what the key was to living such a good story he said...

"he didn't think we should be afraid to embrace whimsy,

 and he struggled to define it. 

He said it's that nagging idea that life could be magical;

it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks." 

And a few paragraphs later he describes his entire family jumping into the lake next to their house with all their clothes on, and it makes beautiful sense.

I think one of the biggest ways I want to start making a better story is to continue to live life, not just endure it. To notice life, to splash in puddles and be thankful for sunsets and rain and not be annoyed by inconvinences because I am in a hurry to get off to another important thing. To jump into lakes with clothes on, to love people unabandoned and on purpose, to stop living in fear, to make new friends, to forgive, to be free, to risk, to love.

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To let people in, to be a real friend, to tell people I need them, to love God and worship Him, to be alive, to serve, to be afraid and do things anyways, to step out...to live. 

Doing things that we don't deem ourselves good at, fashioned for, able to do...just try.

I want an adventure, 

I want risk, 

I want others deeply involved, 

I want life to the full. (john 10:10)

How bout you?

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