crafts from Christmas {wrapping paper}

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We made our own wrapping paper this year!
 brown packaging paper from the Dollar Tree
 Christmas foam stamps from the same store
[3 packs=6 stamps {ink included}]
 it was lots of fun
I think we’ll do it again next year!

lights out. goodnight

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And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Dueteronomy 6:6,7—we must teach our children God’s Word.

{This is the way we do this. it is not the “perfect method” for everyone. not what every family must do. Just what we do. and I pray it can be a blessing and an inspiration to someone seeking for a place to start.} 

Our family’s evening devotion time centers around preparing for bed. The older 2 can get their pjs on by themselves. though I do have to check to see if they picked up after themselves. They are often silly during this time and I love to hear their conversations. so serious. so pretend grown-up. except Mikalah. she loves to ROAR. and be 3.
We have our set time that we start. with the goal of them being in bed by 8:30. We have two different routines. one for evenings we have been at church and one for all the other evenings. As a family, we do our best to not schedule our time to be out late on nights that are not church simply because our children are still young and need the stability of a set bedtime. I am so thankful we are able to do this.

Our non-church night devotions begin with each of us saying something we are thankful for and then read a story with a Biblical principle and a Bible verse. During this last month [December] we simply read our Advent verses each evening instead of our story. Then we work on a Bible verse for memorization. We end with our quiet song [God Is So Good] and then have prayer. 
On church nights we skip the story and memory verse. We talk about one thing to be thankful for as a family. then our song and prayer.
After prayer, everyone kisses Daddy [and the baby-man], and Mommy trails them off to bed. covers and kisses. lights out. 

Good-Night.
**family notes

Not every night is smooth sailing! Sometimes there has to be a reprimand for wiggling. or a potty stop. or… something. but we have been doing this as a family for 4 years now. and since they know nothing different, this is normal bedtime routine and they really do very well.

linked up at: raisingarrows

taking the slow path

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Except for some specific items for my hubby that we will shop for together, our Christmas shopping is done. I am working on a few home-made things for the girls. More on those AFTER Christmas.

My Kyria [7] made home-made gifts for her class party coming soon. We had lots of fun… googly eyes will do that!

The girls enjoy reading from our Advent Calendar each evening. And telling what they are thankful for.
I have been finding a few ideas of crafts to do during the days school is out. 
We are also going to make our own wrapping paper! [more on that later, too]
We have no plans other than a school party, a staff luncheon and making cookies together with my girlies. Both sides of our families live far away, so I am sure we will try to video-chat with them sometime during the few days before Christmas day. 
We have Christmas cards to mail. I am sure the girls will make pictures to send the Grandparents [just pretend you didn’t read that, Mom!] Every couple years we try to do a craft for them-such as handprint clay or picture collages. I have an idea for this year… but it may be a New Years gift instead. If we lived closer, I am sure we would do more together.
We love just being our little family. Most of our friends have family near. and, of course, spend the special holidays with them. Thus we have the privilege of learning how to take the slow path. 
Teaching by doing – that there is more to this time of year than rushing to buy the biggest and best of everything we don’t really need. Trying to be a part of every party and activity available can create stress. and I am trying to stop teaching ‘stress’ to my children. [easier said than done!]
 So, I will [try to] sit back and enjoy. spending time doing only what is necessary with a few nice things thrown in… instead of wondering how we will fit it all in before December 25th!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

and Be Blessed with HIS LOVE!
**except for the Advent Readings and the next Keys to Emotional Health which are mostly already typed and scheduled, I will probably not post much more between now and Christmas. The Owl Ornaments were inspired by a lady named Disney and my Kyria’s school teacher, Mrs. Moore-sweetest lady and a most wonderful teacher. The theme of their classroom this year is “Making WISE Choices”… thus, the owl!

purging the rotten

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Today I will be talking to myself. I bet you do that sometimes. { 🙂 } My kids think I am one crazy loon! But today, I will talk to myself to YOU, because I know I am not the only one who may need this little reminder [though I may need it the most!]

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 5:13

Anymore most people think of salt as an ‘additive’ or something to avoid, or something to bring flavors to life. But not so long ago, refrigeration was a thing of luxury; and not long before that, it was unheard of. People used salt barrels [among other methods] to preserve certain foods- mostly meats. Pork and beef  take very kindly to salt-curing. It intensifies the flavor and preserves the quality-for a time.
And salt does this through 2 primary ways:
{1} it pulls moisture out of the meat, thus creating a dryer product. Bacteria usually prefer moist environments to thrive.
{2} it kills bacteria on the surface of the meat.

[God is so amazing!]

When the salt has given up the properties that make it salt-it no longer works at keeping the meat eatable. It allows rot to begin. And that, friends, is NOT a good thing! [don’t ask me how I know].It also is not useful to anyone- for any purpose- other than to be used as dirt and trodden under foot of men.

And Jesus says WE {Christians} are salt. Not that we are to “try to act like salt”– but we ARE salt.
Thus, we should:
{1} be creating an environment around us [be it home, office, carpool, play-groups, Sunday school] where “bacteria” cannot live.
We must speak up and LIVE Christ, but not be rude. Christ was never rude. He was vocal about wrong, especially among the religious [money-changers in the temple?], and He never condoned wrong-doing [the Samaritan woman?].
But he also never CONDEMNED those who simply did not know that He was The Christ- their Messiah.

He extended love and mercy.

But many went back, and walked no more with him. [John 6:66] because it was not comfortable for them. Jesus had given them a hard saying [John 6:43-60]. There will be those who do not wish to be our friend because we ARE SALT [but we must NOT be rude or condescending– ever!]

{2} kill bacteria on the surface.

Those who must be around us [on the job, at a play-date, in school] will learn to be watchful of their mouth or actions around a Christian who is {lovingly and humbly} vocal about right and wrong.

I have seen it happen. It does not change their heart, but it does stop certain actions in certain places [around you]. And not just curb their sinful habits, but they may even pick up some good habits. When a lady acts like a lady, men are more likely to be polite and gentlemanly [open the door, offer to carry packages, etc.]. When a Christian acts like a Christian, people around that person will begin to wonder just what it is that makes us behave that way… and with such conviction. And it might make them want to be a better person–{what an introduction to the Gospel!}

but when we loose our “saltiness,” we are also no longer useful. to anyone.

The unsaved know when a Christian is not acting Christ-like– and it hurts the Cause of Christ. 

And those who are trying to be like Christ, be salt, cannot rely on the unsalty– for prayer, for support, for ministry help, for a good example to our children, for friendship.

So let us KEEP [or get back] our saltiness!

Often during the holidays [Thanksgiving through New Years] there are many parties and get-togethers that may bring us into contact with those we may never see again. Will they remember us as “just another in the gang”?

—or will they go away thinking: “there was something different about her– no one cursed when she was around.” or “men changed their manners around her.”

Just a thought.
from my convicted heart.

 

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what we started

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60 days of THANKSGIVING
{2011}
Right in the middle of October, when Halloween was looming and Thanksgiving was around the corner {and Christmas after that!}, I wanted to do something with my family that would take their minds off the candy and scary costumes  and put it on being thankful!
But I also did not want this Thankfulness to stop with “Turkey day!” I wanted something to keep THANKFULNESS in our hearts through the hustle and bustle that has begun!
So, I asked the Lord to guide my thoughts- for something we could do that could be VISIBLE to my children at all times and require no trip to the store!
I enjoy computer graphics [my children prefer crayons! as you can see] so I used a computer to make this grid, but you could just as easily draw it with ruler and marker. I already had these little crayon papers. so I made the box size accordingly. I put a few Bible verses about thankfulness and thanksgiving on it.
Every evening during our family devotions we talk about what we are thankful for. If we have been to church [thus making our night a little late], we pick one thing as a family. Otherwise, each of us say one thing we are thankful for. Occasionally we have repeats. but we try to combat them. Some days our hearts are turned by what happened that day. other times we just think of things like friends and church and toys.
It is taped to a shelf on our bookshelf in our living room. We all see it multiple times daily. and now that we are half way through… it adds a lot of color! {smiles}
We began October 25 and will end on December 25. My prayer is that my children, husband and I can ALL learn more about being thankful. having the Spirit of Thankfulness permeate our lives. all the way through to Christmas night! [and beyond!]