Words of encouragement

I have long thought that my oldest daughter is a quality time person like me (five love languages) but after a recent comment about when I was going to write another note to put in her mailbox I began to see just how much she loves words of encouragement. 

This last week of the gentleness challenge has been eye opening and great.  Each member of our family is totally on board.  Posting scriptures from Proverbs all around our house I recognize we are constantly reminded to make sure our words are wise and bring healing to one another.  I am encouraged by the girls ability to memorize and review scripture.  I even heard Lydia in her room one day singing a song with Proverbs 12:18.  It was sweet to hear her putting her own melody to the words that are life giving.

This week as we continue the gentleness challenge with Courtney from Women Living Well I am focusing on encouraging words and notes to my family members.  I started a Mama and Me journal book with Lydia and can't wait to see her reaction and her first entries into the world of journaling and letter writing.  I hope we can fill that book and many others with questions, hopes, dreams, encouragement and words that build up rather than tear down.

Blessings to you!

Words, words, words

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life God desires. James 1:19-20

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26

I have had these memory verses for a long time yet they are constantly being put to the test.  I want so much to open my mouth only in wisdom and allow loving instruction to be on my tongue as I spread the fragrance of God's love an grace throughout my home and my relationships.  This a constant struggle because my selfishness and my desires to please God are always at war with each other. 

I am joining this month with Courtney at Women Living Well to fight this battle with the Gentleness Challenge.  My first order of buisness is to post Proverbs all over our house.  Using my words wisely is not possible without the Word of God being firmly planted in my heart and to do that I am going to post it all over the walls of our house so there are constant reminders of His wisdom. 

Lord, You are the author and perfecter of my faith and I pray that You use this earthly challenge to produce Your lifelong eternal purposes.  You are the only one who can give me strength and I know You care deeply that I use my words wisely.  May I turn to You alone in the struggles that threaten to overwhelm my life.  You are the One that I want to lead my and guide me through this life.  Amen.

Gratitude Attitude

"Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren't satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other." Ann Voskamp, one thousand gifts

The sin of ingratitude, dissatisfaction and discontent are nothing new.  They have been around since the Garden of Eden. Teaching the next generation to be grateful is also not a new idea but it is a practice that I believe to be of the utmost importance.  I know that I get whiny, ungrateful and discontent regularly and I need an attitude adjustment in my life before I lose all sense of the blessings I have in my life. 

Our society does not encourage gratitude.  Entitlement, self-importance and independence yes, but not gratitude.  It is my belief that gratitude goes beyond just good manners, although that is important and a great place to start. Gratitude is at the heart level and that is where I truly want to reach my children.  My life and the lives of those around me are so much easier when my kids have good behavior and show good manners but that is not my highest goal.  I want my girls to understand that to bring glory to God they need to have a deep gratitude in their lives that is much deeper than just their words and behaviors.  This is the only gratitude that can weather the storms that life has to throw at them.

In my post yesterday I talked about how we have been spending time over the last month learning how to control our whining.  This month we are trying to focus on the heart by practicing gratitude.  I made a simple Thanksgiving advent calendar which we will use.  Each night at dinner we will each say and then write down at least 1 thing we are thankful for that day.  It is a simple practice and doesn't take much time but will hopefully help our family focus on all the blessings God has given us and teach us to be grateful people. 

A simple canvas, chipboard letters and scrapbook paper. I am sure it could be more crafty but it will work just fine as it is.  This i placed right above our kitchen counter where we eat.

It is my desire to see my children grow to honor God through living grateful lives in a society that desperately needs it.  So, now it's your turn, how do you encourage gratitude in the children in your life? How could or has the practice of gratitude made an impact in your life? 

 Today's gratitude: That I have I have children who are enjoying a quiet rest time right now as I write this.  Selfish or not, it is definitely something for me to be grateful for today. How about you?

Pennies for change

Whining.  A word connects all parents to one another.  Some possibly understand it more than others but I don't believe anyone escapes it entirely.  All it takes to see that whining has always existed is to look at the Israelite nation and all the trouble their whining, mumbling and complaining got them.  Last month I wanted to take a time out in our family to see the effects of whining and having a grumbling spirit. So I set up a pennies for change area in our house.  Anytime we found ourselves grumbling, whining, or just having a negative attitude we placed one of our pennies in a jar.  At the end of the month we would be able to spend the leftover pennies in the "Mommy and Daddy Store".  Both girls, mommy and daddy participated and then at the end of the month the girls spend their rewards in our "store". 

We spent time talking as a family about the various consequences and benefits of living a life free of grumbling and complaining.  The store experience is a great teaching moment to allow the girls a concrete understanding about how there are rewards when we follow God's ways.  Even when we don't always see the rewards He gives us here on earth He does reward us. As the girls get older it is our intention to phase out the reward based system and operate more on an intrinsic motivation but it works for us in this phase of life right now.

This activity definitely had a good impact on all of us.  It is helpful for me to see how much my attitude needs to be surrendered and submitted to God. I may not always verbally complain but my sighs and my inward spirit are not always in the right place.  This activity drew that out big time!

Our pennies and jar. 

Lydia's rewards. She had a great month and learned to internalize her own self monitoring.

Emma's rewards.  She is still learning not everything is about her.

Mommy and Daddy store open for business.  (Better stocked than usual as we just got a scholastic book order back.) Most of the store is filled with dollar store, yard sale and thrift store finds.

I believe that when it comes to correction and discipline it is not only important to stop certain behaviors but to replace them with correct and God honoring lifestyle habits.  Stay tuned tomorrow for what we are working on as a family this month!

So Sweet

I have NEVER cared about Valentines day very much. I know that makes me terribly unromantic but that doesn't bother me. This year however I am feeling very inspired to celebrate love. I am so immensely blessed in my life and I want to pour out love on my family big time this year.

We focus on a virtue each month in our family (most months) and this month we will be focusing on love. As a family we will be memorizing Romans 12:9-10 though the girls will only memorize verse 10. As the girls show love to one another they will receive a black spot for their "love bug" and after the bug is filled they can take a trip to the reward bin.

I also have a heart poster which has a special activity each day leading up to Valentines day. I will do these activities with the girls and I will also add in a few extras as I find them and time allows.

I am so excited about this that I can't wait till Lydia gets home to see what is in store for tonight.

I wrote a note to my Husband and to my girls in lipstick on their mirrors and Emma's face said it all when she saw it today. Can't wait till everyone else sees theirs.


Here is our virtue memory verse and "love bug". (This is in the same area as their chore charts.)



Here are the 14 hearts with different activities for each day.
The activities are as follows:
1. Decorate valentines mailboxes (from the dollar spot at Target)
2. Love Bug craft
3. Valentine/heart Tic Tac Toe
4. Tissue Paper heart
5. Mail Valentine Cards
6. Play with Heart Stamps
7. Make Valentines Play Dough
8. Valentine Beads
9. Make Heart Shaped Cookies
10. Make Valentines for friends
12. Tomato Soup and Heart shaped Grilled cheese
13. Exchange Sister Valentines
14. Special Pancake Dinner

I want to add in some other special touches over the month but don't have a real plan as to how often or what they will be. I just want to be a blessing but don't want to stress about it.

Here is the set up for a different Bible verse about love just waiting for candles and the verses to be printed out. We will do this all month not just for 14 days.

I am so excited. A lot of my inspiration is coming from the Happy Home Fairy, a blog I just recently discovered and from No Ordinary Moments Little leaps of love challenge.

May your month be filled with lovely things!