Category Archives: Parenting

Let’s Go Swimming!

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It’s the 1st day of Summer, the sun is shining and the beach is calling our name. We live in the sunshine state, that is surrounded by water. Every year around this time, we notice people wearing less and less, especially the closer we get to the water.

About four years ago we decided our girls wouldn’t wear those tiny little bathing suits. The colors and styles can be so cute on a little toddler’s body, but if we wouldn’t allow them to wear that when they are 15 years old, then we’re not going to let them dress that way when they are three years old.

Victoria innocently asked me the other day, while I was searching for a bathing suit online, “Why is that girl wearing just her panties and bra?” Funny but true. Society says it’s okay to wear itsy bitsy bathing suits and even encourages it, but you wouldn’t walk out of your bathroom into your living room, while guests are over, in just your panties and bra.

God has made each of our girls beautiful, from their long eye lashes to their soft tiny toes. We are raising them to dress with dignity and to honor their bodies, not to flaunt it for everyone to gawk at.

Here’s an example of our fun sandcastle beachwear….cute, stylish and you don’t have to worry about anything popping or hanging out 😉

beachwear

The bathing suits are from Children’s Place and the boardshorts are from Old Navy.

Do You Trust Him

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Trust

“Mama,” yelled Alayna… “Kayla won’t give me my offering jar back! It’s mine and she won’t give it back!” I asked Alayna if Kayla could play with it for a few minutes. Alayna continued to argue her case. “Kayla said she won’t ever give it back to me! That she’s going to keep it forever!” I then asked Alayna, “Do you trust me?” “But Mama!” “No buts, do you trust me enough to know that I will take care of you and the situation? All you needed to do was let me know and I’ll take care of it. You might not get the jar back right when you want it but in my time, the right time, I will get it and return to you what is yours.”

In the middle of my lecture I heard God speak to me! “Do you trust me?” If we truly trusted God then we wouldn’t get so upset when things get taken from us, because we would know God has it under control. We wouldn’t throw a fit and continue to argue our case to God.

We call ourselves Christians, which means we have faith there is a God. The true test comes when we put our faith into action and trust Him with our things and our life. While faith says “He can…,” trust says “He is… and I will think and act accordingly!”

After we take the time to share our heart with our Heavenly Father, we should know it is taken care of. The answer or solution might not come when you want it, but at the right time, the perfect time, He will return to you what is yours.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8

More Than a Craft

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Cross“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Today we had a time of sharing. We talked about things we are struggling with. We then wrote them down on a piece of paper and stuck them to the cross. I explained to the girls that Christ died for these sins and these negative feelings. When we come to the cross daily, He helps us to overcome these battles.

This was more than a craft, it brought awareness to the hearts of these little girls that sin had been covered. It brought acknowledgement to the weaknesses they have without seeking God’s face everyday, all day. Prayers were spoken with repentance around our kitchen table this afternoon.

Finding ways to make the word living and alive sparks the connection our children hunger for. The next time you have a craft I challenge you to take it a step further!

Exhausting Grump!

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“Do everything without grumbling or arguing” Philippians 2:14

One of my favorite verses of the Bible!

Experiment One:

*Scrunch your eyebrows downward.

*Turn your lips downward.

*Tighten your arms across your chest.

*Grumble, “I can’t!” five times.

Experiment 2:

*Relax your face.

*Raise your eyebrows.

*Smile.

*Say, ” I can do it!” five times.

What difference did you notice between the two experiments? Which one took more energy the frown or the smile?  It actually takes 43 muscles to frown and only 12 muscles to smile. 

So turn that frown upside down and you’ll have extra energy to play all day with a positive attitude 🙂

Is Homeschooling For Me?

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DSC_0753“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9

I have many women from all aspects of my life reach out to me in the past three years since I’ve been homeschooling. They’ve all had the same questions…The main one being, “How Do You Do It?”

When I began my homeschool journey, I felt alone. I asked and asked people around me but everyone always seemed to say, “it will just work out…don’t worry about it.” Well, that doesn’t work for me. I need to know details, I need to know what I’m getting myself into. With that said, here are a couple of things I would like to share with mothers and fathers thinking about homeschooling their children.

First, you need full support from your spouse. As a couple you need to have the same family goals. Mark 3:25 “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

Second, you must be committed. When you make a commitment, you are making a pledge to not give up. Through stress, frustration, and rough times, you are dedicated to the decision you have made.

Third, know that it is normal to have days you will want to scream into your pillow, cry and kick like a three year old, and run around your house like a crazy person. On those days, stop what you are doing and take the kids outside to the park or the pool. It’s important to take the temperature of your “classroom”. If you’re, frustrated just think how your kids might feel.

Fourth, by making this decision to homeschool, you are making a sacrifice. You most likely will live off of one income, the house won’t always be clean, and you won’t be able to chase after a career (not a big deal to me at all, but to some it is a huge sacrifice).

Fifth, homeschooling is the best reward and achievement you could EVER have in this lifetime. To be able to teach your kids how to read and write then watch their world come to life in front of them, is amazing. To daily sit beside them and solve riddles, problems, and equations, to cuddle up with them during reading time on the couch, ahhhh…there is no greater reward!

If you can read these five things and feel confident in knowing God has placed this on your heart and you can make a commitment to not give up in this calling, then, Welcome to Homeschooling.  Feel free to write me any time…I will also take screams and tears 🙂

 

A New Creation

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Having daily devotions with our kids should be a priority, but I have noticed, if our day does not start with the word, we most likely will not fit it in any other time. Yes, this is sad, but true. Our day can get crazy with school, baby distractions, toddler distractions, house chores and so on.

Today our devotion was about “…everything is made new!” We talked about a butterfly and the changes that take place in a cocoon. While the butterfly is in its cocoon, there are changes taking place, when it breaks free, it is a new creature.

I think of a cocoon being a place where we seek God, where we take time to pray and listen to his voice. During this time there is a change taking place and when we arise we are new.

I explained to the kids there are times when we don’t want to share, when we lose our temper and we make bad choices, but in those times if we are quick to kneel before God, he makes us new again. We don’t have to live in guilt or condemnation, but walk in the assurance that we know Jesus.  He gives us a new morning everyday, when we seek his face (in a our own personal cocoon) we will emerge into a beautiful butterfly ready to fly!

Activity: Have the kids draw and color a new butterfly after emerging from a cocoon. Then write the scripture 2 Corn. 5:17 to remind them they are a new creature in Christ, the old has passed away.

At Last We Can Be Happy

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The Magic Fish

Today Alayna chose to read, “The Magic Fish by Freya Littledale”, for family reading time. If you haven’t read this book with your kids, I would definitely recommend it. It’s a great lesson about contentment.

In the book, the wife keeps asking for more and each time, when she gets what she wants, her husband says, “at last we can be happy.” Her reply back is always, “we shall see.”

Teaching contentment is a priority in our family. When we spend time with family or friends and it’s time to leave, our children will sometimes complain about leaving. I quickly remind them to be thankful, grateful  and content for the time we had with our loved ones. When birthday or Christmas time comes, again I remind them to be content with their gifts and toys. A life of always wanting can lead to bitterness and resentment. They are young and still have to be reminded at times to be content, but if we can learn at an early age what this word means and let it take root in our heart, our life will be so much more enjoyable.

Prayer: Thank you God for supplying every need and even our desires. Thank you for a roof over our head, food on our table, and clothes on our back. But most of all thank you for giving your only son to die on the cross for our sins. For that we should be content in all things. We are blessed and I pray that we all see beyond our selfish wants and at last can say, WE ARE HAPPY!

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

Who’s your Cheerleader?

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Happy New Year! Here’s the first blog of 2013!

Have you ever thought about your actions and feelings? When someone or something crosses your way that brings anger or bitterness do you feed those negative thoughts? Do you sit and dwell on them?

Today I had my daughters sit down and picture in their minds themselves getting mad, angry and even losing their temper. Then I told them to picture the devil in hell. Yes, the devil in hell standing there rubbing his hands together and smiling while they hit their sister or pitch a fit. The opposite happens when we are quick to forgive and we act selfless to others. Now imagine with me, God your father smiling in heaven as you share your toys with your friends.

This also works the same with adults. Think of when you talk bad about someone, just because you didn’t like what they did or what they said. The devil is having a cheering party. He knows the more you feed those negative words and feelings, the harder your heart will become. But if we would stop and pull out those four letters that everyone use to wear on their wrist (WWJD) our hearts would  be quick to forgive and share the love of Jesus with others through all circumstances.

I asked the girls who they wanted to be their cheerleader. Without hesitation they said, God! I explained they will have to think about their words, feelings and actions toward others at all times.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

1 Peter 5:8 

The Baby Left Behind Part 5

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Jesus' Baby Book Jesus' Baby Book Jesus' Baby Book Jesus' Baby Book Jesus' Baby Book*Matthew 1:18-25 The Birth of Jesus

*A Jesus Baby Book: Did your mom or dad keep a baby book for you? Ask if you can look at it. It will have pictures of you as a baby. It will tell interesting things about when you were young and how you grew.  You can make a baby book for Jesus. Think about the chapters you read in Matthew and  Luke. There are many things you learned about Jesus’ birth. Draw pictures of these things on some pieces of paper. Write Bible  verses that tell about each picture. Now stack the papers and punch two holes on one end. Thread a long piece of yarn through the holes. Tie the yarn to hold the papers together.

*My oldest took the challenge and drew each picture of her baby book about Jesus. For my other two we printed pages from the website below.

 http://www.coloring.ws/nativity.htm 

As a mother of three precious girls and one precious boy, I could not imagine having my own agenda on their birthday. Just think if I were to say I don’t have time for cake and presents, we’re too busy shopping for other people, we have to decorate the house for someone else! Their poor little heart would be broken. No, our world stops for our children’s birthdays. We plan parties, yes plural. We usually have a small one on their birthday and then another one on the following Saturday for all their friends to come to. We want to show them how much we love them and how special they are to us, so even more should we stop and celebrate the baby boy who came to save the world.

Thank you heavenly father for giving your only baby boy to die, so that we may live. Thank you Mary for obeying and trusting in the Lord. Thank you Joseph for not caring what the world thinks but holding true to what our heavenly father says. There are many lessons in this story to be learned, great character traits to follow after and verses to hold close to our heart. May we never forget the baby boy who came to give us this beautiful life we love and enjoy.

The Baby Left Behind Part 3

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Nativity Craft

Day 3: In Bethlehem

*Read Luke 2:1-20

*Stable: was a place where animals were kept and fed. The stable in Bethlehem were usually caves instead of buildings. The stable where Jesus was born was probably one of these caves.

*Manger: was something like a box that the animals ate from.

*To Moms: “But Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over.” I could write a book on this verse! I think it’s important to treasure up the good times we have with our children, the memories of holding them right when they were born, their first smile, their first step, etc…! I think it is also important to treasure up the beautiful moments in our everyday life, like a sunny day at the park, the sound of the waves crashing on a white sandy beach, the breeze blowing through our hair as we swing on a front porch with our best friend (hubby). These memories or treasures will and can sustain us in times when things aren’t going so well.

*Activity: Today both of the girls decided to draw a stable with everyone in it and around it. Then we made a very simple Nativity set 🙂

Nativity Set Craft/Ornament Directions:

*5 to 6 Popsicle Sticks (we used craft sticks…I didn’t have Popsicle sticks)

*Crayons, Markers, or Paint (your call)

*A Pipe Cleaner (optional)

*Glue (a hot glue gun works best)

Each child can make their own but we decided to break up the craft and just make one together. Each child picked who they wanted to color, then we glued it all together. You can also add a ribbon to the top of it, to make a cute ornament!