We started school yesterday. Oh! The drudgeries of school! No, I love teaching my children. I love seeing them grow and mature. I would hate to miss these formative years of their life. I know so many people are forced to work and miss that time with their children. I feel myself so blessed to be able to be home.

School. Right! Ahem… Anyway. School started well yesterday. We started a brand new curriculum yesterday—Rod and staff—so I was expecting yesterday to go, well, not so well. I was expecting snags and troubles, and trip-ups and trials, but all went well. Well. All except… Well, we’ll get there.

We stared school a week early so we could accommodate these “snags”. I figured if we could only do half days for 2 weeks to get used to the curriculum before starting our actual 5 day weeks, then we’d have time to settle in and get going right. Turns out, we didn’t need those half days after all!

Both girls finished their work, all their work, the first day of school. Sierra banged her head against the wall over History, and Hannah butted up against Bible, which was just “way too hard”, but they got it done! Sierra was done by close after lunch time. Hannah… Well, she was the “except”, the snag. She didn’t get done until supper time. All she wanted to do was play. I tried to talk her into a half day for the benefit of getting done for the day and picking it up tomorrow, but she’d have none of that. She wanted to complete that first day of school!

Sierra likes to rush through and get things done, but she never remembers anything she’s taught. Hannah likes to trudge on, one foot in front of the other, but she retains what she learns. How are you with your Christian life? Do you rush through and miss that precious time with our LORD, or do you trudge through, walking beside the Saviour, learning all you can?

Go THROUGH It

Have you ever just gotten down? Depressed? In the dumps? ME! ME! ME! We all go throught times of despair, but that's the thing. We don't STAY there. We GO THROUGH it. Sometimes the way may seem dark and scary, but God is there with us. No matter how far we have to go or how long we have to be in the darkness, He's right there beside us. So press on! Press through! Don't just go through begrudgingly. Don't just go with the flow. Fight your way through. Enjoy the trip. You have the best company there is! And He promises to never leave nor forsake you!

My I Story

I was going about my everyday life: loving on my four children, homeschooling, church secretary, author, and house wife, when opportunity hit me in the face. I had been an independent beauty consultant before when I was in college… 11 years ago. When presented with the opportunity to be an independent beauty consultant again, my wheels began to turn. Through Mary Kay, I could help others with their skin care needs and self-image while helping my family! The problem? The money to start wasn’t in our budget. However, I did have some money tucked away from selling my books. I dipped into that, knowing Mary Kay would pay off. I’m still in my first week, and I’m already having positive feedback and people wanting to buy products that will help nourish their skin.

I love the fact that with Mary Kay, I am my own boss. I can work however long or short ;-) I want. I admit that the hours have been long these past couple days trying to get my new business up and going, but I could take it slower if I wanted. However, if I move slower, my business will grow slower, and I want to get this thing up and going NOW. :-)

My husband and I have always wanted to save up money for retirement. In fact, we’ve tried many times and have had to use the money for car breakdowns, house trouble, and other big ticket problems. I know I will be able to build up our savings with Mary Kay.

I’m sure there are many other women out there who need to make a few extra dollars for whatever reason. I would like to help these women learn how they, too, can meet their goals through Mary Kay. I’m looking for women who want more than a 9-5 job; women who want to make a difference in the lives of others. If you’re interested in this chance of a lifetime, email me at Nishoni_Harvey@marykay.com.

My I Story

I was going about my everyday life: loving on my four children, homeschooling, church secretary, author, and house wife, when opportunity hit me in the face. I had been an independent beauty consultant before when I was in college… 11 years ago. When presented with the opportunity to be an independent beauty consultant again, my wheels began to turn. Through Mary Kay, I could help others with their skin care needs and self-image while helping my family! The problem? The money to start wasn’t in our budget. However, I did have some money tucked away from selling my books. I dipped into that, knowing Mary Kay would pay off. I’m still in my first week, and I’m already having positive feedback and people wanting to buy products that will help nourish their skin.

I love the fact that with Mary Kay, I am my own boss. I can work however long or short ;-) I want. I admit that the hours have been long these past couple days trying to get my new business up and going, but I could take it slower if I wanted. However, if I move slower, my business will grow slower, and I want to get this thing up and going NOW. :-)

My husband and I have always wanted to save up money for retirement. In fact, we’ve tried many times and have had to use the money for car breakdowns, house trouble, and other big ticket problems. I know I will be able to build up our savings with Mary Kay.

I’m sure there are many other women out there who need to make a few extra dollars for whatever reason. I would like to help these women learn how they, too, can meet their goals through Mary Kay. I’m looking for women who want more than a 9-5 job; women who want to make a difference in the lives of others. If you’re interested in this chance of a lifetime, email me at Nishoni_Harvey@marykay.com.

In Memory of Nicole Wilkins

I don't know about you, but I like looking at old pictures. They remind me of great times I've had, and sometimes, not so great of times. Pictures of my sister, who passed away this last September, remind me of both... good and bad. They illicit feelings of joy and of sadness. Remembering her is important. 

Remembering the good times in our lives is so important. When hard times come along, looking back is sometimes the only thing that will keep us going.

Believe it or not, remembering the bad things is important too. They are what made us strong, and remembering these will remind us of the Strength we tapped into to endure. They remind us of how God brought us through and still brings us through today.

Sometimes, we can get stuck in the past, but remember that looking around in the here and now is also important. The past is not all there is. You must live in the here and now. Looking back often times spawns regret, wishing we'd done something differently or that we'd not done certain somethings at all. Without "now", life can be meaningless. Look at all you have around you. We are so blessed. Even in the hardest times, you can find God's blessings. Many people don't have the things we are blessed with today. Even a clean glass of water is a blessing some do not possess. I know times can be hard, but there's always something to thank God for. "Count your many blessings"! 

August 2015

Lastly, remember the future. We have so much to look forward too! Showing our husband and children how much we love them, going for that drive to the lake, church services, visits with family, or simply resting in your favorite chair with a good book. There is so much to do! So many joys coming! There is also heartache in the future, but that will soon pass, and joy will take its place. There's "a time to weep, and a time to laugh."

The most important thing of the past to remember is the death of Jesus on the cross. He died for us so we can go to Heaven! The most important thing to remember about the present is that we have a job to do, a commission to go tell others about the precious salvation story! We also need to remember that our future holds Heaven, a glorious place of great beauty that holds, most importantly, our blessed Christ!

The future also holds great torment for some, for those who reject Christ. He came to earth through a virgin's womb, lived a sinless life, and chose to take our sin upon Himself so we would have a way to Heaven--the only way to Heaven. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth into righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." All you have to do is believe on Him and accept Him as your Savior, and you can have a beautiful future too!10

Cherish the Moment!!

It's been one of THOSE days... The baby was up screaming from about 2am-7ish except for small naps in between. My oldest didn't WANT to do her schoolwork and fought tooth and nail through tears and whining almost to the finish. My 4 year old whined and pouted through much of the day. I got started on lunch late and tried to rush it along while trying to console my "sick" toddler, who was fussy and VERY clingy. I felt like joining them all and having an epic melt-down myself... I'm very thankful for my friend, Kim Fawthrop, who came over to help and graciously allowed me to lay down for a nap (Hey! Being 34 weeks pregnant is hard work ;-)!!). After devotions and our bedtime story, the girls wanted to do a few last minute chores (to earn a piece of candy), and my 4 year old accidentally dropped a full cereal container, effectively emptying the contents on the dining room floor... After all were finally tucked in bed, my 1 ½ year old started throwing a fit and did it so very forcefully that she gagged herself and made herself vomit all over herself and her bed (I gave her a bath just before bed), the floor, and the bathtub. Now she's laying beside me, almost asleep, with her feet coated in Vapor Rub and Vaseline and covered in socks. I somehow missed a spot when cleaning her up (I'm unsure as to how) because she smells like baby spit up... So much for my plans to work on my courses tonight... But, you know what? I wouldn't trade today, or any other day, that I get to spend with my kids for ANYTHING. They'll be grown and gone all to soon, then I'll be wishing for cuddles and slobbery kisses. I'll actually miss the dirty diapers and accidental messes. I'll long to clean up after them, because that would mean they were still home... with me. I'll ache for the times they were close by, even if it meant frayed nerves and a bald spot where I'd pulled out my hair. All too soon, they'll be gone!! Cherish the time you have with the children, regardless of the bumps along the way. Even a "bad" day is better than no day at all... I choose to cherish the moment! Much too soon, they'll be grown. I want to be able to look back and honestly say that I didn't waste one precious moment of time with my babies. God has given me a precious gift, time with my babies, and I plan to pack it so full of precious memories that it seems no more could possibly fit, and then I plan to pack in some more! I choose to cherish my children and our time together... How about you? <3 data-blogger-escaped-center="">

Time goes by so quickly. It seems like yesterday that the love of my life and I became husband and wife, and now we have four children. FOUR! Yep, we're one of *those* families. The oldest will be ten in just two short months, and the youngest is a rambunctious two year old. Yesterday has become today much too quickly.

From looking on the cherub face of our first baby too the most frustrating days I have ever survived, I wouldn't change a thing! Everything—every heartache, every tear, and every smile—was perfect. Looking back on those days, seeing how quickly they have passed makes me realize how short life really is. The Bible says our life is like a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. It really is. It's here and gone.

One day, we'll look back and wonder what we've really done with our life. Have we been a good influence? Have we done enough? How will we be remembered? 

What have we done with our yesterdays? They have become our todays. What are we doing with our todays? They will shape our tomorrows! We cannot change our past, but we *can* change our future. What will you do today?