Help make the connection between voting and the electoral college. Grab the items below and a blanket, watch history in the making.

Things needed:

* Electoral College map

*Red & Blue Color Pencil

As the news gives us the results color in the state either red or blue depending on who won. You can also make two columns on a blank piece of paper, one for Obama and other for Romney,  to keep a live tally. This is a great geography activity to help your younger ones with the states and there location. Have fun and remember to keep our country in your prayers tonight!

Today is a BIG DAY! Today we drive or walk to a building and vote for amendments, government officials, and we vote for the next President of the United States! My husband and I took our kids with us to vote, we wanted to show them the importance of voting, that we need to stand up for what we believe in. Everyone can talk, but very little will follow-up their talk with action.

We all stood in line for an hour and half, if you think that was long, I know of people who stood in line for three hours! I think we have to put it in perspective, we are not waiting in line to ride a roller coaster at a theme park, that will only last two minutes,  we are not waiting in line to be seated at a table for dinner, that will only last an hour or so, we are waiting in line to vote for our future, we are waiting in line to make choices that will affect our kids and grandkids future!

For anyone that hasn’t done so already, I encourage you to get out and vote. If you are worried about the line bring a book, play a game on your phone, or just pray for our country while you wait. Just do it…VOTE!

Psalm 33:11 “But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.” (NLT)

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19-20

Please don’t sit on the pumpkins, please tell the young lady not to push the pumpkin into the inflatable cat, please do not…, please do not… I felt like everything we did was wrong. The girls were so excited to finally be at the pumpkin patch and they had to walk around on pins and needles. We have gone to pumpkin patches every year for the past five years with the kids and this was the first one with so many “don’ts”.

I felt myself taking it personal, I felt like saying forget it let’s just go, but my heart said, “relax”, so I took a deep breath to help my insides calm down. As I went to pay the man who had been on the microphone the whole time telling us ALL the “don’ts”, I found out a little about him…he has been running this pumpkin patch for nine years. When it’s time to open shop every year, he sits in a chair for 30 days straight, all day, running this patch. After hearing this, I could understand his lack of patience and all his rules…he has probably seen people sit on pumpkins and crack them and he’s probably seen a lot of things sitting in that chair for 30 days straight, every year, for the past nine years! I’ll tell you one thing, that’s for sure, there is NO WAY I could sit in a chair for 30 days straight, I would lose my mind.  The best part is, he does it all for the Osceola domestic violence shelter for women and children. Thank you man behind the microphone for your act of selflessness so the women and children’s organization can have money to help families in need.

Our human flesh is always ready to rise up but it takes effort to listen to the small voice to control our inner selfishness. Instead of judging the man and leaving mad, I’m thankful I listened to the whisper in my heart that said to relax. We can now say, we supported the women and children’s shelter of Osceola county.

Below are some good steps to avoid hurt feelings or taking things personally, that I found, written by Doug Britton.

*Realize the other person’s reaction may reflect time pressure in his or
her life.

*Realize the other person’s reaction may reflect tiredness or
exhaustion.

*Realize that you may not see things clearly or may misinterpret
something.

*Realize that everybody is imperfect. If someone is inconsiderate,
rude, or insensitive, you can lovingly say to yourself, “That’s his (or her)
problem.” There is no need to take it personally, even if it is meant to be
taken personally.

Turn to God for affirmation. This experience can
help you grow in his Spirit and become more dependent on his love and approval.

http://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-depressionanddiscouragement/hurtfeelings-donottakethingspersonally.php

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Do you ever feel like you are in a fog? Does your vision ever get blurry? You wake up feed the kids, clean the kitchen, school time, snack time, more school time, lunch time, craft time, do some laundry, start dinner, eat dinner, clean the kitchen, bath time, story time, put the kids to bed, read a book (maybe), your bedtime, wake-up, and do it all over again!

It’s easy to get lost in the day, it’s easy to lose your purpose, it’s easy to lose heart, and it’s easy to lose your focus. About a year ago, I started saying the word “Focus” when I needed to remember something. I would be standing in the kitchen looking around, wondering what was I needing to do, then I would say “Focus”! The funny thing is, it works!

Focus is something we all need in our life from time to time. A time to sit back and look at the bigger picture.  If we could just see all the mopping, sweeping, cleaning, cooking, clothes washing, folding, diaper changing, teaching, no sleeping, discipline, training, praying, and loving has a great purpose, we wouldn’t be so stressed, weary, and impatient all the time. But instead, we would clean with a song in our heart, we would have a bounce in our step, our words would be filled with grace and encouragement.

As a photographer, I have to focus and refocus many times, until I get the right picture, the perfect picture. We need to do the same thing with our lives every morning and even during the day, until we get it right. We can get a clear picture by reading our word daily, talking and praying to God throughout the day, being thankful for all we have, instead of what we don’t have and keeping our eyes fixed on Him in every situation knowing He has it in His hands. Life can be amazing when we “Focus”!