July Deals {Thoughtful Thursday}

Thoughtful Thursday a weekly series on asJulesisgoing.com

Today I wanted to give you some great resources for teaching your kids about what the 4th of July actually is; you know, aside from all the awesome BBQ, lake trips, and fireworks.

america

What's in the Bible

has a great article on Teaching Our Kids What It Means to be Patriotic as well as this cool coloring page.

happy 4th of july WITB

They also have a new series on their blog to help make your summer meaningful.

The 8-part series has blogger, Heather Conrad and her family, walking you through the My Jesus Journal, an activity guide created to help children develop a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and how they can come to know Him.

 

Now, just for fun {and for mamma}, I have our July Deals from the as Jules is going affiliates!

Summer Essentials: Laundry Detergent for those grass stains, Disney Parks for my vacationing friends, and coupons for those of you who eat.

 

 

 

Coupons.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

For my friends who like to take as many pictures as me {especially during the summer} and would like to do something them eventually, other than posting them to Facebook:
Free 11X14 Designer Photo Poster - Save $8.99 + 40 Free Photo Prints!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone else like to change up your house seasonally {or when you get bored}?

 

Hope some of these deals are fun and helpful for your summer with the fam!

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Dear Young Pastor’s Wife,

For years, I've been searching for a blog, book, or just wise women who's been there, done that in the realm of being a pastor's wife. I have always come up short...until now.

Although I most often have nothing to offer in the way of wisdom, I do understand that God sends us through certain things and wants us to share them with others. I have always longed for "older women" to invest in me. I understand none of them are perfect but it would be nice to hear the successes and failures of their life.

Soooo, here I am, through one of those random connections in life, I am now sharing my successes and many failures by participating in something I've searched for nearly a decade: A blog devoted to encouraging, challenging, and supporting one another in this awkward life as a pastor's wife. Coincidence or Divine God thing? Yep- Divine!

Today, I'm over at A Common Bond sharing a letter to young pastor's wives that I think would have been helpful to me, years ago.

Dear Young Pastor's Wife

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Ready, Set, WHAT?!?

I haven't been writing much lately. Not for lack of fun stories, interesting thoughts {or at least to me}, or helpful how-tos...we've been a lil busy. lol I honestly had to go back and look at my instagram to remember what all we'd been doing. {btw: sorry if you follow my instagram via my FB page- its gonna double up}

  • Shortly before mother's day we found out our #4 is coming to round out the family! Eeeek

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Rothacher' Harlem Shake Video {announcement}

  • Saw a Bunch of former students graduate down in Parker's Chapel.

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  • Went on an awesome day of adventure to Magic Springs water and amusement part with some great friends.

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  • Celebrated our 9th anniversary!!!

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  • Moved the rest of stuff out in 2 days {boooo}
  • We FINALLY sold our house, "Big Blue"! I'll be doing a follow-up post on the Homemaker's Challenge scheduled for July.
    note to self: put the memory card in the camera so you can have that "last day in front of our house when we sold it" picture
  • Had our 1st block party for the Vilonia community. {the night after 'closing' in White Hall}

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  • Valley Groups have launched! Our ultimate goal and entry point for our church.
  • Started potty training our 2.5 year old, Jamin. Yay for new-to-us underroos!

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  • We had our long-awaited 1st ultrasound. Baby #4 is due December 24th {but we will likely meet him/her closer to Dec 10th via c-section; entirely different post}

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  • Had an awesome Girls Night Out in Little Rock where we went and saw Steel Magnolia's at Murray's Dinner Theater
  • Hosted our daughters big 'o 5th birthday party at the park {the next morning after our GNO}992809_680143107367_2104152303_n
  • We made an offer on a house in Vilonia! After a year of searching {and waiting to sell}, we made an offer at 3:30pm, received a counter-0ffer {of exactly what we were looking for} at 5:30pm, and accepted at 6:00pm. Did I mention this was the same day as the ultrasound? Busy day 😉943103_680572292277_1985188541_n

Now we are moving on to the "Honey-Do" list that we are hoping to accomplish before my sweet hubs leaves for Super Summer for a week and a 1/2; leaving me to single-parent {unskillfully} while he's gone.

  1. Sign papers & turn them into the bank for our loan- check
  2. Wii & DVD player hooked up correctly and ready to rock way too much screen time- check
  3. Remove the giant wad of plastic wrap that I tried to use to help the bathtub water leak out slower but may or may not have gone down the drain before I could snag it possibly causing slow drainage and a pretty good clog- check
  4. Go to SAMs Club as a family to get TP & other much-needed essentials so I don't pass out from loading, pushing, and unloading all that stuff by myself- check
  5. Stalk up on simple foods & snacks for the prego & kids at said club- check {but may need a couple things a the big WM, ugg}
  6. Catchup on the dishes, laundry, and big cleaning around the house- 1/2 check
  7. Bring in our microwave from big blue because our current one got tired and doesn't heat any more- Wednesday
  8. Baby pool, weighing way more than I should lift, dumped and refilled with clean water for scorching days- Wednesday
  9. Collect tax return papers after the bank makes copies- Wednesday
  10. Home inspection complete on our New House {within 10 days with the hubs being gone 7 of those days}- Thursday
  11. Mow the jungle- maybe not...
  12. A thousand other random things my hubs will do because he's so good at taking care of me- CHECK
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Father’s Day 2013 DEALS!

I just got word from a couple of my sponsors about some awesome Father's Day DEALS!

{contains affiliate links}

2013-Family-Tees

Coordinating FAMILY TEES are HERE!

Available in Dad Rocks / Mom Rocks / Parents Rock / Wife Rocks / Husband Rocks

JUNE 3-4: GET 15% OFF 2 or more!

Get 15% OFF 2 or MORE regular-priced APPAREL items.
when you use code: U28LUVDAD15

DETAILS:
*Code valid on regular-priced APPAREL only.
*Code valid Monday, June 3 - Tuesday, June 4, 2013.
*Code must be entered at time of checkout; not valid with other offers.
CLICK HERE to SHOP

FREE Shipping

FREE Shipping is automatically applied to your order when your
merchandise total is $60 or more!

Refer a friend, Earn $10
Log In Special Offers My Photos Store
Seasonal Prints Gifts

25% off + free shipping on all books. Code: ShippedBooks.

dad day york photo sale

Vistaprint $6 Personalized T-Shirts::

Vistaprint $6 Personalized T-Shirts

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Motherhood Redefined

Today, I am blessed to have my sweet friend Abby guest post for us. I've ask her to share with us out of her experience with war-torn nations. My hope is that our world view will be expanded and we will act in compassion for those living in these conditions. This being the month of celebrating mothers, Abby will be sharing from the point of view of a mother in one of the countries she has worked with recently. Keep in mind, there are various types of suffering, and poverty is not the only cause, but in some developed countries, like Iraq, violence is the reason for hardship.

AbbyAbby Davidson is an Idaho native, economics grad student, and wife/partner to the founder of ForgottenSong, a non-profit organization working to sustainably improve the lives of women and children in war-torn countries. She thrives on experiencing new cultures, loves adventure, and has a passion for seeing hope and love restored to people all over the world. Learn more HERE.

 

~~~

Motherhood Redefined - ForgottenSong

It’s a quiet, peaceful evening here in Duhok, Iraq. Almost one million people live here, and yet surrounded by treeless mountains and without another town in sight, it doesn’t feel that large. The sun is just setting, and families are beginning to gather in the park nestled in the center of town. Mothers and fathers walk and play with their young children, giving into pleas for candy and soda. I smile to myself, remembering when my children were young and when I was a new mother with my whole life ahead of me. I had so many dreams and desires, but none as great as having children. My experience was not what I had anticipated however.  Memories begin to flash back in my mind, as they always do, and I am reminded of what motherhood truly is, or at least what it has become to me.

Four years ago, when we were still living in Baghdad, violence was common and affected many on a weekly basis. It was just after my daughter’s fifteenth birthday, and I sent her off to school like any normal weekday.  During her third class, a man walked into the room, pulled out a gun, and shot her classmate in the head.  My daughter was only several meters away and saw her friend’s life stolen from her almost instantaneously.  We were later told he was part of a terrorist group that targeted girls wearing heavy makeup in order to make a statement to society.  Sometimes I still cannot believe it when I say it.

My daughter changed that day. The innocence in her eyes was lost, and the hope in her laughter was reduced to a confused depression. The guarantee of happiness was ripped away as she witnessed a tragedy that shook her foundations and her naivety to its core. It was at that time that we decided to leave our home and come here, to join the thousands of other refugees that have fled Baghdad to seek some sense of normalcy in the north. My daughter never did go back to school. As hard as we tried to persuade her to return, she couldn’t do it. She acts strong, but I can see it in her eyes, she is afraid, confused, and broken. 

I hear that children in other countries are too poor to go to school. That is not the plight of myself and other mothers here in Iraq. Money cannot solve our problems. There is no understanding these attacks, no way to avoid them. As a mother, I am supposed to be the keeper of my children, yet my love and care has not been enough to keep them safe. Mothers feel an urgency to protect and comfort their children, and when life makes this impossible, the pain is unbearable. Yet we press on. We hope for peace, which we work for consistently here in our new home. We strive for happiness, and find it in even the smallest of things. Motherhood has been redefined to me. It is no longer about protecting my children from harm, but rather my purpose now is to consistently release them into the hands of God and remind myself that every day is a gift. Sometimes certain gifts, like motherhood, can only come with pain as well.

As I continue to watch groups stroll through the park, I wonder how many of those young smiling faces are hiding fear and pain. And I think about the mothers and wonder how many have had their hearts broken like mine. But at this moment, it seems peaceful here. We pretend as though our hearts are whole, and we enjoy this moment together.  The plight of mothers in countries like mine isn’t shouted from the rooftops. It’s hidden in our hearts, and although the rest of the world may not understand, motherhood will forever be redefined for every one of us.

~~~

You can celebrate and support mothers who are living in poverty, through ongoing support of a Child Survival Program or by making a one time donation to Compassion International.

As Abby addressed, simply money cannot solve some of these mothers' problems. Partnering with organizations like ForgottenSong can help by sustainably improving the lives of women and children in war-torn countries. Currently, ForgottenSong is in Iraq and Uganda. Learn more HERE.

ForgottenSong

Events coming up that you might be interested:

  • Tri for Febby: Upon completion of the Fundraising, ForgottenSong will fully fund a trip for you to travel to East Africa to visit the Chicken Farm that YOU have funded!
  • Go Out for a Change: Local businesses are helping us in our efforts to change the lives of widows and orphans in war-torn countries across the world by donating a percentage of profits for the day.
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