The Ultimate Blog Party 2010!!

Hi there!  If you are visiting my blog for the first time them I'm so glad you're here!!!  I am new to blogging and this is my first Blog Party!  I'm so excited!!

So what is A Bokros Kind of Life you might be asking???

It's crazy fun, never dull, always changing, filled with laughter and full of love. On the flip side it can be chaotic, hectic, hard and stressful at times.  From the very moment we said "YES God! We will live for you!" our lives have never been the same.

We are homeschooling parents to four little girls -- 4 mos, 3.5, 5, and 8.5 -- that keep us VERY busy!  

After my mom's death from cancer in 2004 we welcomed four teenagers she adopted from Russia into our home as well.  

Our blog is a way for us to share the ordinary and extraordinary ways that God blesses our lives simply because we made the decision to take up our cross and follow Him. As Paul says in the Bible "you will know my faith by my works" and that is what we hope you see here.  We hope to live each moment we are given to the fullest and make the most of all of the experiences God takes us through in this life.....and to take you along with us!


Welcome to A Bokros Kind of Life!

Thanks for stopping by!

Maggie


What We are Giving Away -- A Selection of Shaklee's Get Clean Green Cleaning products for your home. Including a Commemorative 50th Anniversary Basic H2 Package. Package valued at over $30.00!! 


How To Enter -- **Up to 5 Possible Entries**
1. Leave a comment below = 1 entry
2. Subscribe to my blog and comment that you did = 1 entry
3. Tweet My Blog and leave a comment that you did = 1 entry
4. Facebook My Blog and leave a comment that you did = 1 entry
5. Send a friend to my blog and have them comment = 1 entry 
**Make sure if you send a friend they note you in their comment to get credit.**


Drawing will be held on April 17, 2010


Good Luck!

Teach Me Tuesday: An Easy ABC Book

This Easy ABC Book has been a great way for Emmalie to learn the sounds of the letters in the alphabet.  I introduce a new sound at the beginning of the week.  She does lots of different activities having to do with that sound.  Some of our favorites are: cuisenaire rods, a coloring page of the letter, an alphabet hunt and a craft project using the shape of that letter.

Then she chooses one thing that reminds her of that letter sound and we take a picture of her with the object.

  

"F" for Flower  ~ and ~  "J" for Juice

We add a big letter sticker.  These stickers are raised so she can trace it with her finger for early writing practice.

"H" is for Hammer and Hat

Then we add it to her photo book.

This is just a $2.00 photo book from Walgreens.


She loves looking through the book again and again.  She even "reads" it to her little sister, teaching her the letter sounds.

Multitude Monday: It's the little things

21.   freedom to Worship My God when I want, how I want, where I want
22.   freedom to teach our girls as we see fit
23.   the ability to comfort my children when they are hurt
24.   a Daddy for my girls who knows it's a priority to sing them to sleep at night
25.   a God that answers even the smallest of my prayers

I was reminded today by someone who has been out of work for many months and diligently looking for a job that "it might be nice to have some bills to pay."  Thank you Roma!

26.   I have bills to pay
27.   I have money to pay those bills with
28.   health insurance
29.  we are close to being debt free


In the shower this morning I was praying for Eunice and Macharia and I thought how much I take take for granted that

30.  I have clean, hot water at my disposal anytime I wish

Where did you find unexpected JOY today?

Journey to The Cross: He is Risen!

The Cross was messy.
Beatings, unimaginable torture, unbearable pain,
bodily fluids, dirt,
blood.
Nothing about it is comfortable
for me to think about.
Can you imagine watching it?
The truth is none of us in this day in America can imagine what that day was like.
Darkness.
Betrayal, anger, resentment,
accusations.
Separation.


The Cross was messy, but it got the job done.
It made a way
for us to The Father.
Light where there was darkness
Hope where there was none.
Completed.
Finished.
My debt,
paid in full.

As a Christ-follower I know my life will be messy.
I am sure of it.
There will be pain.
There will be darkness.
Maybe even anger, resentments and accusations.
"But narrow is the road that leads to life.." (Matthew 7:13)
And I intend walking that path with Him.  


Celebrate Today!
He is Risen!

Journey to The Cross: Our Seder Dinner

Last night we had our Seder Dinner.  I was so excited to be planning this special dinner for our family.  We had purchased the food.  We had studied all the elements of the dinner and their meanings.  Everyone was excited!  The older kids helped the girls make some symbols to decorate our table with.

Ryan's lamb was smelling fabulous in the oven. 

But I was starting to feel my typical 4:30/5:00 franticness well up inside me.  This is the time of the day when everyone is usually fussy and needs more attention (teenagers included), I am frustrated with my "list" for the day staring at me mostly unchecked, dinner needs to be started, Ryan has "one more thing to finish up really quickly" (translation 30-45 more min) and I have to kick it into overdrive to get it all done.  Of course this day had all of that plus the added pressure of us trying to put together this very special meal.

But as the meal time got closer,
it started to hit me......
the significance of what we were doing and I wanted to slow down
savor every moment.
Was that how He felt?
That was the purpose of Last Supper.
To share a meal.
To show His love.

If it was my last night with the ones I love
how would I be?
what would I say?

I knew without hesitation......

I would rock her a little longer,

fix her hair exactly how she wanted,

listen without rushing her,
hold her in my lap.


I would memorize the way her eyes

dance when she talks.

I would keep my hand in his,

never wanting the night to end.

And so that's what I did......