It's Our 1st Birthday, and We're Giving Away the Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition!

It's our 1st birthday!

As I'm writing this, it's mid-February, and it was just about this time last year Like a Bubbling Brook was born.  We are still in the beginning stages, but are very excited that we've made it to the one year mark... and that has happened mostly because of the precious mamas who visit here who have encouraged us with kind words, thoughtful comments, and sweet emails.  You all have been such a blessing!

To celebrate, we are giving away the award-winning Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition to one of you -  yes, the edition that includes the storybook AND the audio CDs, pefect for listening to at home or on the road.  It's written by the very talented Sally Lloyd-Jones, beautifully illustrated by Jago, and narrated on audio by David Suchet.  It has won both the Moonbeam Award Gold Medal and the Mom's Choice Award.

Here's what people are saying about the Jesus Storybook Bible:

"I would urge not just families with young children to get this book, but every Christian--from pew warmers, to ministry leaders, seminarians and even theologians!" - Dr. Tim Keller, NY

"The Jesus Storybook Bible is unlike any other storybook. True, that's to be expected when you combine the mesmerizing illustrations of Jago and the award-winning writing of Sally Lloyd-Jones, a Brit with an uncanny knack for storytelling. Not only is each story as vividly illustrated as it is portrayed, but also each tale is telling one Big Story---the Story of Jesus." - More to Life Magazine

It would make a special gift for your children or for a child dear to your heart.

To enter to win one deluxe edition, which includes the storybook, full audio CD set, and carrying case, leave a comment in the comment section below.

For additional entries, subscribe to LABB via email (and confirm the follow-up email), follow via Facebook, follow via our NEW twitter page, or share this giveaway on your Facebook page, Twitter, or your blog (each counts as 2 entries, leave 2 comments for each).  Be sure to leave an email or a way for me to contact you if you win!

*Open to U.S. participants only. Giveaway ends this Friday at midnight.  Winner will be announced Saturday and will have three days to respond.

Thank you for sharing our birthday celebration with us!  We're so glad you are here!

        Much thanks,





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Guest Post: 5 Ways to Begin a More Self-Sufficient Lifestyle, Part Two

[image: Kendra's home-baked bread]

~ Precious mamas, my family is off on an adventure this week, and the very talented Kendra from New Life On a Homestead has graciously agreed to share her thoughts with you here today.  This is Part Two of "5 Ways to Begin a More Self-Sufficient Lifestyle."  I'll be back with you all next week to share some exciting news! ~

***If you missed Part One, you can find it here.

4.  COOKING FROM SCRATCH

Nowadays, it seems almost counter-cultural to cook food from scratch at home. I’m talking, from scratch people… and no, hamburger helper doesn’t count! Think of all of the money you’ll save, all of the health benefits you will reap, and the comfort you’ll have knowing that you can prepare a nutritious meal for your family.

Stop depending on fast food chains and the deli to feed your family. Cook it yourself! Learn to make pizzas from scratch (dough and sauce included), home-baked bread, and even condiments like mayonnaise, ketchup, BBQ sauce, salad dressings, vanilla extract, spice blends… anything you’d normally buy already made for you. You can learn to do these things yourself! And I think you’ll be amazed at how easy it is once you’ve given it a shot.

5.  NATURAL HEALTH CARE

Another thing we are entirely too dependent upon is the pharmaceutical industry. If our kids have a cold, we are quick to pump them full of the first syrup we can reach off the shelf.  If we have a headache, we just cover our pain with a few pills. And if we aren’t feeling well, most of us won’t think twice about swallowing a week’s worth of antibiotics. Do you realize that there are natural, healthier alternatives for our most basic health care needs?

I’d strongly encourage you to learn basic natural remedies to treat your family with. Ear infections can be quickly remedied with an easy garlic and olive oil treatment. Urinary tract infections can be relieved with lots of water, vitamin C, and garlic tablets. Pink eye can be cured with breastmilk, or eyebright and chamomile tea bags.

The next time you find yourself reaching into the medicine cabinet, stop for a moment and turn your focus toward finding a natural treatment to try first. Taking your health care into your own hands will save you time, money, and most importantly, the well-being of you and your loved ones.

Of course, these are just a handful of ideas to start with when beginning your own journey to self-sufficient living.  There are so many things you can do to break free from dependence on others, but these are important starting points, and anybody anywhere can do them!  Be encouraged, pick one or two of these skills, and get them under your belt. Then work your way to a more self-sufficient lifestyle!

Kendra is a full time, homeschooling stay-at-home mom to three little ones, with a fourth on the way! Her and her husband moved to the country two years ago, and have been working hard at learning how to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle.  You can follow the ups and downs of their journey at New Life On A Homestead. 
  If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook - it's free! Or, follow along on Facebook.

Guest Post: 5 Ways to Begin a More Self-Sufficient Lifestyle, Part One

[photo: Kendra's pear preserves...yum!]



~ Precious mamas, my family is off on an adventure this week, and the very talented Kendra from New Life On a Homestead has graciously agreed to share her thoughts with you here today.  This is Part One of "5 Ways to Begin a More Self-Sufficient Lifestyle."  Be sure to check back on Friday for Part Two.  I'll return next week and will share some exciting news! ~

The idea of learning to do more for your family and depend less on others to survive can seem like a daunting task. Where do you begin? Some people imagine the self-sufficient life to mean hauling water from a nearby creek in a bucket and using the bathroom outdoors. Doing more on your own doesn’t have to begin so dramatically (although, I think being prepared for off-grid living is a worthy goal!). Starting slowly is the best way to prevent yourself from being overwhelmed and burning out quickly.

Here are five easy ways anyone can begin living a more self-sufficient lifestyle, and learn to survive without having to depend on others for the most basic necessities:

1.  FOOD

The most important thing you can ever learn is to do is to grow your own food. You don’t have to have a huge yard to have a garden, either. Container gardening can be just as productive, and even more productive, than a traditional garden plot in the yard.

If you are new to gardening, and a little intimidated by the idea, start off by purchasing a few of your favorite vegetable plants from a local nursery. Don’t go crazy and buy a bunch of stuff though; you don’t want to overwhelm yourself! Ask the nursery worker for advice on planting your seedlings at home, borrow a few gardening books from your library or look up info online, and get those beautiful veggies in some soil!

2.  WATER

Another most basic necessity you’ll need to learn is how to harvest water. Even if you are on city water and don’t think you’ll ever need to worry about finding it for yourself, it’s an extremely important skill to have under your belt. You don’t have to use it every day, but knowing that if you had to, you could provide clean water for your family, will definitely be a comfort to you and your loved ones.

If you are on a private well, consider installing a hand pump on it, if you can afford to do so. Or, you can learn to make a small emergency well bucket, like this one, to have on hand, so that you can access your well water when power isn’t available.

Installing rain barrels is another important step toward self-sufficient living. Not only can you water your plants and animals with this precious resource, you could also wash your clothing, dishes, and filter it for drinking water, if you had to. If you’re planning on collecting water from either the rain or from a stream, you’ll need to filter it before it’s safe to drink. You can make a homemade Berkey style water filter for a fraction of the price of the real thing.

3.  CLOTHING

Learning to sew your own clothing is a huge step toward becoming more self-sufficient. Think of all of the money our culture spends on fashion! If you could learn to make simple clothing items for you and your children, what a blessing that knowledge would be to have. If you are new to sewing, start off small by learning to hem, mend, and attach buttons.


...to be continued in Part Two this Friday!  Be sure to subscribe for free email updates of new posts so you don't miss it!

Kendra is a full time, homeschooling stay-at-home mom to three little ones, with a fourth on the way! Her and her husband moved to the country two years ago and have been working hard at learning how to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

You can follow the ups and downs of their journey at New Life On A Homestead.


 
 {also shared at Simple Lives Thursday, Raising Homemakers and WFMW}  If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook - it's free! You can also easily follow along on Facebook.

~ Have you entered our 1st birthday giveaway yet? ~

Guest Post: 5 Lessons I Learned From My Children



[isn't this little ruffled hoodie adorable? you can buy one today at evy's tree!]

~ Precious mamas, my family is off on a little adventure this week, and I'm honored to have special guests sharing with you in my absence.  Today, the lovely Jasmine from Far Above Rubies shares with us some lessons she's learned while raising her six little blessings. I'm excited about introducing her to you!  I'll be back with you all next week to share some exciting news! ~

Five Lessons I've Learned From My Children:

1.  Do not share family plans with small children in advance.

If I share thoughts of a trip to the park, a visit to a friend’s house, or a walk around the corner in advance, I’m bombarded with questions before the actual event.

Numerous little mouths going a hundred miles an hour is not fun, so it is best to keep quiet until the moment you are ready to do what you set out to do.

2.  Relationship triumphs over religion.

I can preach and teach God until I’m blue in the face, but if my children do not sense love, mercy, and forgiveness I sound like noise (1 Cor. 13).

Children respond more readily to a gentle and quiet mother who is also firm and consistent. Mom seeks to know and shepherd her children while maintaining authority and respect.  Religion can be harsh and driven while relationship is developed and nurtured.

3.  Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no.

When you say you’re going to do something, do it. Follow your words with actions. It gives a sense of security and stability to know mommy and daddy mean what they say.

4.  Give children what they need.

It’s incredibly easy to give into our children’s pleas for toys, gadgets, and sweet treats, but if they do not need it - then don’t give it. For example, if your child is cranky and overly stimulated give them a nap, not food.

When I give my children what they need, the family experiences greater peace and order.

5.  No lectures.

When I see a glazed look in my children’s eyes I know I’ve talked too long. The phrase “No lectures or speeches allowed” should be hung up in capital letters somewhere in your home; that is, if you’re like me, and prone to drag the point home!

Short and quick works much better than a long and drawn out speech about bickering with brother.

Use reinforcement if needed, but be quick, firm, and loving.

Jasmine is happily married and a full-time homemaker and mother of six. She is the author and founder of Far Above Rubies, a ministry dedicated to equipping women in their roles as wives, mothers, and homemakers.  Be sure to visit her there!


 


[also shared at Raising Homemakers, Making Your Home Sing Monday, Domestically Divine, and {Titus2}sdays]




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Guest Post: Uh-Ohs and No-Nos ~ There is a Difference

~ Today I have the honor of sharing my dear, real-life friend Rachel Coltharp with the precious mamas here at LABB.  She has been one of those rare gems who continually mentor, encourage, and inspire me to live a better life for Him.  I just love her and I think you will, too! ~ 

Baby G is a great blessing to his three older siblings and to us. He is a bundle of energy that actually rocks the house with his laughter and mischievous ways. He is sweet and loving. He is also about to turn two.

You KNOW what I mean.

We have for the past year been using gentle correction methods with him. Like when he drops his food off the highchair onto the floor. But lately, the uh-ohs have mutated into something altogether different. The dropping became a game, not an accident. It then morphed into throwing. The accidents were treated as such. The disobedience has consequences. Not because I am a dictator, but because tiny seeds planted early grow into hulking habits later.

While not yet fluent in English, he has mastered manipulation and deception. Every time he intentionally breaks a rule, he tries to pass it off as an accident. After flinging a noodle or piece of oatmeal through the air to watch it smack with a thud against the cabinet then plunk down on the floor, he looks up at me with those huge baby doll eyes and says sweetly “Uh-oh, mom-mom.” But we BOTH know what it was: deliberate. And consequences follow.

Isn’t that just the way we humans like to play it? 

No one “sins” anymore, everyone just “makes mistakes.” A mistake is when you accidentally fall into a hole you did not see, that you were not warned about. But when you read the warning sign, ignore it, and THEN fall into the hole, that is no accident. That is choice. Sin has a payday, and that payday is death.

It is our duty as mothers to help our children learn the difference between mistakes, which are part of being human, and willful disobedience, which is a choice. Sin, in its seed form, does not always look evil, but planted in the heart and allowed to grow it produces the fruit of death. Don’t let little things go, in your heart or in theirs.

It is easier to pluck out a seedling than to uproot an oak.

Rachel Coltharp is a wife of one and mother of four. She is fluent in 4 languages: Infantese, Toddlerspeak, Teenlingo and Husbandism. She is a writer and public speaker who shares from her real life experiences, mostly mistakes and do-overs. She is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and an avid disciple of the the Apostolic doctrine. She may be contacted at rcolt92@bcglobal.net or followed at rachelcoltharp.blogspot.com.

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook - it's free! Or, follow along on Facebook.

[also shared at Women Living Well Wednesday]