A Day in the Life of a Tax Preparer..or an at home mom, which ever you prefer to call me!

So, today I am adding Tax Preparer to my list of jobs that I do. For the last few years I have prepared our taxes and saved us quite a bit of money. There are times that I feel I do not add any financial help to our home and then God reminds me of some things that I do to save my dear hubby money. I will now share the list of things that you can do to help with the finances in your family.

~Grocery shopping-buing things on sale and staying on a budget.
~Clean your house-you don't have to hire a maid.
~Cook your food-you don't have to order out or hire a cook.
~Do your laundry-you don't have to pay a laundry service to do it.
~Take care of your children-you don't have to pay a sitter.
~Homeschooling your children-you don't have to pay all the classroom fees.
~Organize your home-you don't have to pay me to come & do it.(lol)
~Financial Advisor-making sure there is enough money to pay the bills and paying them.
~And doing your taxes-you don't have to pay H&R Block to do them.

That is only a few of the many things that we as moms do for no charge! I am sure there are many more I could add if I had time. So don't feel like just because you are a stay at home mom that doesn't have a job that gives you a paycheck, that you do not contribute to the financial stability of your home!(was that really all one sentence?!?) You really could make or break your financial situation in your home. Think for one moment, what would happen if you did actually take the day off and not do ANY of the things that you do on a day to day basis? Things would probably fall apart and you would spend 2 days getting everything back to normal!

I want to let you all know that you are PRICELESS to your family!!! I know that sometimes our husbands and children sometimes forget to tell us how important we are to them, but I also know that they do appreciate all that we do.

So my words of wisdom for today are:
Go and look in the mirror and tell yourself that YOU ROCK!!!! Have a blessed day!

I'm takin' a sick day!

OK I just wanted to let someone know that I am calling in today. I am taking a sick day. All of my kids are sick and I am on day 4 of this nasty cold! So I can not come into work today.
Oh wait..........reality has set in and I realize I can't call in. I am a mom!!!!
To all of you working moms out there, I bow to you!!! I don't know how in the world you do it all! You have 2 jobs to worry about when someone is sick not just one!

I really would love to just be in the bed all day. But there are these 3 little people that continue to ask me for food and drink.(can they not just feed themselves?!?! LOL) So therefore I can not just lay in the bed and throw the covers over my head!

We as moms continue to have to push through sickness and not take care of ourselves in this time. I have to stress how important it is to take time for ourselves!!! I may not be able to totally take the day off but I can lessen my load by putting some stuff to the side for another day. I am still doing some stuff today but I am also going to spend some time resting.

On an unrelated note, last night was night #2 that Nathan slept all night in Amber's bed! He is sharing a bed with her until he gets old enough to get his own big bed. The last 2 nights he has gone to bed around 8pm and slept until about 5:30am in her bed. So what does this mean to me and why is it so important you ask, because it means that I am getting to sleep about 7&1/2 hours straight!!! I don't remember the last time I got to do that. Amber is now 3(almost 4) and she was 1 when I found out I was pregnant with Nathan. So it was probably before I got pregnant with Amber! It makes a huge difference in your sleep when it is not interrupted half way through by a crying baby wanting to get in your bed!
So at least I have gotten 2 nights of good sleep while having this cold. God must have known I needed it!

So my words of wisdom for today are:
Take time for yourself!!!! If you are worn out and sick you are no good to yourself or anyone else!!! Have a great day!

Top Of My Lungs

eI have a new favorite song and wanted to share it with as many people as I can. It has really made me rethink my take on some things. I love God with all of my heart and I don't care who knows! This song makes me want to share Him with everyone I meet. So, being an at-home-mom you are the people I meet and talk with from week to week. So I wanted to share my Jesus with you and tell you to get to know Him better and have a real relationship with Him. It will transform your life!!!! The song is by Phillips Craig & Dean. If you want to hear the song you can visit my MYSPACE page and hear it. Here is the link to my MYSPACE page-
http://www.myspace.com/shelliebing
And here are the words.

Top Of My Lungs

Words of worship
Rise like a river within me
Thoughts to express are so many
Wanna bless You God

Can’t be silent
I think of the mercies You show me
My lips begin overflowing
Great is Your love

Such gratitude
For all that You do
Jesus to You

Chorus:
At the top of my lungs
I will sing hallelujah
You’re the one who saved me
The one who gave me
This life I’ll live
Forever more (forever more)
At the top of my lungs
I will sing hallelujah
I’m not ashamed
I’ll praise Your name
Let the whole world know
I love You Lord
I love You Lord

You are worthy
I join the song of creation-that
Rings out across every nation
Let my heart be heard
I need You so
Don’t care who knows
From the depths of my soul

Chorus

Bridge: Let my love be loud
A sweet joyful noise
Only for You
I lift up my voice
I lift up my voice


So my words of wisdom for today are:
Find someone who doesn't know God and tell them that He loves them!

changes to my blog

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I have added some stuff to my blog. I have put some pictures of the kids. Check them out!

Here are some more I wanted to share.

I think this one looks like Nathan walked right out of Heaven! Look at that angel face!

Here is one of all 3 of them from Christmas.

I LOVE this one! Going on a nature walk.

So my words of wisdom for today are:

Savor the moments,take LOTS of pictures & make a scrapbook!(that last one is just for you JoAnna! LOL)

revelation......

Hello all!
Revelation is such a wonderful thing! Yesterday in church we sang a song called "Kiss of Heaven" and I was a mess!!! God just totally blessed me through this song. The chorus goes like this-
My Jesus, Dream Maker
My Jesus, Life Giver
I'm living under the Kiss of Heaven
And I'll never ever be the same again!

I realized while singing this that God has made all of my wildest dreams come true already! I may not be a millionaire or own the biggest house in town but I have an AMAZING husband and 3 wonderful healthy children! That is more that I ever imagined I would have. I really am living my dream!

Something I am learning is that there may be weeks where our finances are really low and we have things that we want and can't get them. But you know what, in the big picture of it all those little things don't matter. I can lay in bed at night and know that I am ok! I know that I live each day to the fullest and I don't waste one day! I enjoy my husband and my children EVERY day! And all of those moments that I watch my kids play or just lay in the floor and laugh with them until we can't breathe, those are the moments that matter! WHAT we eat doesn't matter, eating together is what matters! What we do doesn't matter as long as we are together!

If I can raise my children to realize this now, they will live a very fulfilled life! I have to make sure that it doesn't take them until they are 30 to GET IT!!!

I am so excited that God is dealing with me each and every day about these things in my life. I wake up each day with a desire to hear His voice and I am so in love with Him! I want to go to bed each night knowing I will never be the same again because I have listened to His voice that day and gotten closer to Him! You know, that is what we are working towards, getting closer and closer to Him until we see Him face to face in Heaven! And if we make an effort to do this, then every aspect of our lives will line up with Him and fall right into place. And He will flow out of us and we will reach others for Him. And that is what is the most important, not keeping Him to ourselves. Getting filled up and sharing the gospel with those who need hope!

So my words of wisdom for today are:
Don't seek His hands, seek His face! So many times we(and I say we because I am talking to myself too) ask God for things and we don't spend enough time just loving Him. Love Him today and seek His face. It will transform your whole day!!!

change.......

Hello everyone! Hope you all are having a great Friday. I am. My husband is home today. He has been working 12 hours a day, having to be at work at 3:30 am. So he has been going to bed early and it seems we haven't even seen each other this week. So I am enjoying having him here today!

The only down side to him being home is that he is a very busy little guy! We have been having a hard time getting the kids to go to sleep at night without them getting in trouble, so we have been changing rooms around today. We did have a play room and then a room that had the beds in them. Now Jacob has his own room(he is soooo excited). Though I still expect to get up some mornings and find him in Amber's bed. Even though he would never admit it, he gets scared at night and gets in her bed. And Amber has her own room. Then poor little Nathan is roomless! Just kidding. His stuff is in Jacob's room and he will be sleeping in Amber's bed with her. So this is a HUGE change for our family. And for all the kids who visit our house on a regular basis. We have had a play room since I can remember and all the kids always know where to go when they come over here. We will have to figure something out.

Now, I want to start sharing every once in a while about my weight loss journey. I decided at the first of the year that I am making some changes and I plan to lose 50 pounds this year. I will probably not share this regularly, but I will update when I lose some pounds. So I have lost a total of 6 pounds. I am eating less, making better choices, getting my water intake(64 ounces a day) and trying to workout at least 5 days a week. And I did get 5 days in this week!! And just let me say that it makes a HUGE difference in your body when you workout! I may have only lost 6 pounds but I am toning up a LOT!
I have a friend that is doing a daily blog on her weight loss and she has really encouraged me by being so strong and having so much will power. Way to go Aprille!!!!

So my words of wisdom for today are:
Accept change. It can be really good and life changing sometimes!
And, make some changes in your daily routine to be healthier. It does make a difference in how you feel from day to day.

Our Future Generation

Good Tuesday morning all!
I was remembering a conversation my 8 year old son and I had yesterday, and wanted to share with you all.
He began asking me questions about missionaries again. He has had a heart for missions for some time now. For his last birthday he decided to give up his gifts and had everyone bring money instead for a family of missionaries in Africa. So I already knew he was a pretty special little boy.

Well, back to our conversation. Here it is in a nut shell:
Jacob-"Why do those people in Iraq set off those bombs and kill people?"(the news was on)
Me-"They think it is what they are supposed to do, they are taught that it is OK."
Jacob-"Do they know the real God?"
Me-"No, they serve a different God. They may have been told about God but some people are never told about Him."
Jacob-"Will they go to Heaven?"
Me-"Well, if they have never accepted Jesus they will not go to Heaven. They may have never been told about the real God, so they may have never had a chance."
Jacob walks away for a minute and comes back with tears in his eyes and says,"Mom that is why I am going to be a missionary, so I can go and tell those people about God."
Me-"That's good, you always keep that focus and let God lead you son."
Jacob-"How will I know where to go to be a missionary?"
Me-"Just begin praying now about your future and God will show you where to go. He will put a place on your heart."

So I have prayed off and on (not daily like I should) for my children and their futures. And that conversation really opened my eyes to a lot!
1st-We as adults need to have that same passion and heartache for the lost. I feel ashamed that my 8 year old has more compassion for the people in Iraq that are going to Hell than I do. We don't think of it in that way, the people in Iraq that are killing our soldiers and innocent people in their own country, are dying and going to a devil's Hell. We need to be praying like never before that the gospel will be spread in that country and those people will change their ways and surrender to God!
2nd-We need to be praying for our children and their futures like never before. I have to help Jacob by praying for him that God will direct his path and give him a passion about where he is supposed to be a missionary. We need to pray for our children's spouses that God has for them, that they will live Godly lives and follow the path God has planned for them. Our children are our future and we have to pad them with prayer. It is so important! And if you don't have children yet and plan to, pray for them also. Pray for their future and protection for them coming into this world.

Time is short and we have to tell as many people about God as we can. I don't want anyone to go to Hell. We should be screaming at people that we know do not know Jesus like they are about to be hit by a truck, because in a way they are. They are dying daily and need to be saved from a terrible death that will last for eternity.

So my words of wisdom for today are:
Pray.
Look at your children today and ask God to show you what ministry He has planned for them and ask Him to show you how to nurture that.
Find someone today and tell them that Jesus loves them, you never know you may be their last hope!