This graphic from Online Classes.org (permission granted) illustrates impeccably why meal time is so important. And if for some reason dinner time is hard because of work schedules don't forget breakfasts, lunches, or even a family dessert time.
Showing posts with label Lessons From My Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lessons From My Family. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Why Family Dinners Are So Important
More and more studies are showing just how important Quantity time is with our families. I realize in today's rushed double income society Quantity time can be hard to come by. One of the best ways for families to find that precious time is to spend that time is at their dinner table. You need to eat anyway, you might as well spend that time to make a special effort.
This graphic from Online Classes.org (permission granted) illustrates impeccably why meal time is so important. And if for some reason dinner time is hard because of work schedules don't forget breakfasts, lunches, or even a family dessert time.
This graphic from Online Classes.org (permission granted) illustrates impeccably why meal time is so important. And if for some reason dinner time is hard because of work schedules don't forget breakfasts, lunches, or even a family dessert time.
Monday, January 14, 2013
2 Arms Are Enough
With a 2 year old dead weight on my shoulder who is too sick and too sad to be put down and a whimpering one year old toddling after us, it just seems like 2 arms aren't enough.
With everyone sick, and me trying to sanitize the "important" things and wash down everything that I'm able, it just seems like 2 arms aren't enough.
Breaking up squabbles, while trying to get everyone fed, praying to the Lord that they'll all keep down whatever I feed them, it just seems like 2 arms aren't enough.
If only I had one more hand to clean, to hold, or to help. If only I was able to do a little more. "Mommy needs both hands right now," has been a reoccurring phrase in our home this week and each time it's met with sobs from little hearts that just need comfort.
If I had an extra arm maybe I'd win the biological warfare that's being waged in our home, maybe I'd get the carpet vacuumed, maybe I'd get the furniture dusted.
But 2 arms are enough to hold and help the children who need me. They're enough to take care of the little ones who just need a little comfort.
2 arms are enough, because I have a God who helps in my time of trouble. I have a God who I can turn to when I need strength.
2 Arms are enough because I have a God who I call Lord, who is more than enough.
Friday, December 28, 2012
2012 Hasn't Been Perfect But It's Been Blessed!
Happy Almost New Year Everyone!
As a Christmas/New Years gift to everyone I've extended my free promotion for,
It will be free until the ball drops and brings in 2013, so get your copy now.
Thank You, Thank You, to everyone who has downloaded a copy, and a huge thank you to those who've taken time to review it, as I'm typing this it's #30 overall for Amazon's free books.
I am so grateful, and blessed.
What a blessed year this has been!
But Please don't think it's been perfect and please don't think I have it all together.
There have been days when I haven't been "lovely" to those I love.
There have been days when I don't practice what I preach.
There have been days when I haven't wanted to get out of bed and be a mother, wife, or anything else.
There have been moments of extreme stress, fatigue, and busyness.
And all the while the Lord just keeps blessing, despite my faults.
The Lord's grace has sustained me in 2012.
2012 despite me, has been a wonderful year.
I'm so excited to grow with you in 2013
I hope this blog will continue to be a blessing as we delve into the Word together.
From my family to yours:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
How I Find Free Kindle Books
All eBooks are Now Just $.99
A few days ago I shared free book resources for children, today I'd like to share how to get Kindle eBooks for free. I have gotten some really great ones too.
First of all before I tell you how to find Kindle freebies, let me say this: You don't need to own a Kindle to read Kindle books. Their app is free to download for every device immaginable.(including your PC) Before I bought my Kindle (Which I love by the way) I amassed a HUGE collection of Free books that I'd read on my lap top. If you haven't gotten a Kindle yet they finally have parental controls and they've come down in price considerably, if you're a big reader I'd recommend one.
Also check the Kindle Best Seller List
for the biggest source of freebies. You can further narrow your search by selecting categories. One would assume the "best" freebies will be on the best seller list but I've found some excellent free books that never made it to the best seller list. To find these books simply search the Kindle Store for the things that interest you and sort the books by price.I will occasionally give recommendations on my Facebook page of free eBooks, but the Juggernaut of Kindle Freebies has to be Jamerill from Free Homeschool Deals
Subscribe to author's blogs, and Facebook pages that you enjoy. Chances are if an author plans on doing a free promotion they'll let their faithful followers know first. Oh and if you enjoy this blog be sure to subscribe using the form at the bottom of the post or like me on Facebook, because I love giving away free eBooks : ) Just be sure to add said blogger/author to your interest lists on Facebook, or you risk missing their updates.
Also, don't forget your public library's website. Often times there is a wait list for popular titles but checking out Kindle books via your library is as simple as buying them on Amazon.
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments.
(This post contains affiliate links)
Saturday, December 22, 2012
What To Do If Your Kids Spill The Beans About Santa
(Photo Source)
We walked into a store a few weeks ago and the clerk asked my kids what they'd be getting from Santa Claus, and my four year old loudly proclaimed, "Santa's pretend!" I've written before about why we don't do the Santa game but I got this question from my contact me page and thought it might be interesting to address this aspect of our stance. I share my thoughts below and would love to know yours in the comment section as well:
Hi! I am doing some research on a no Santa Christmas. I don't have children yet, but would like to be prepared, and I'm looking into how I want to raise my children now, so I'm prepared. I'm curious, how do you handle your children speaking to other children? Do you tell them not to tell their friends that Santa is fake? Or are all of your friends raising their children the same way? Any, and all suggestions would be appreciated!
Merry Christmas! ~Jessica
My husband and I have chosen not to play the "Santa game" in our house for 2 reasons. The first reason is that there is almost no way you can give presents to your children from Santa without lying. My kids know Santa is pretend just like Elmo, Dora, and Daniel Tiger are pretend. They also know that people like to play dress up this time of year in Santa costumes, and that there are fun stories about Santa. It is very important to my husband and I that our kids know Santa stories are pretend and fun, but the story of Jesus is true and brings TRUE everlasting joy. We don't ban Santa stories in our home, we just tell our kids the truth about them.
With that in mind, we're not going to ask our kids to lie or tell half truths when it comes to Santa Claus to their friends or family. Why in the world should I encourage them to hide the truth? If we encourage our children to hide the truth on something like Santa just because a friend believes differently, we are training them to do the same thing with the Gospel when they get older.
The world teaches we should hide our beliefs if someone believes differently. I want to teach my children to share their beliefs ESPECIALLY if someone believes differently. In love of course, but I want them to evangelize none the less. Telling my kids to tell half truths and keep the "secret" about Santa is exactly opposite of what I will want them to do when they're older.
I'm not advocating for my kids to spill the beans to every kid they see about Santa. But I will not tell them to keep Santa a secret from anyone either. Another aspect of this is I don't want to advocate my kids telling half truth's in any way shape or form. A half truth about Santa might be harmless but what about when they're a teenager and you ask them what they'll be doing and who they'll be with. Do you really want them trained to tell half truth's then?
With that being said this is a little easier for us because we plan to home school and my extended family knows our stand on Santa already so they can tell their kids whatever they want in preparation. So long story short: I'm not going to tell my kids Santa is a big secret that they need to lie about but I won't be encouraging them to tell half truth's either.
Most kids trust their mother and father more than they do their friends and will keep believing in Santa even if another child spills the beans so I'm not too worried about angry parents if my children innocently tell another child the truth.
And finally, aside from lying, the second reason why we don't play the Santa game with our kids is right around the same time kids stop believing in Santa is when they start choosing their faith for themselves. So we tell our kids, "Santa's pretend even though we've been telling you he's real for the past 10 years. God on the other hand is real, definitely real, we're not lying to you about this one."
I'd love to know how you answer this readers question. Feel free to disagree with me, just be nice about it.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Hundreds Of Free Kids Books To Read Online Or Download
How To Find Free Books For Kindle Readers
My first source for free kid's books is Amazon's Kindle books. Kindle For PC
is FREE!! Before I bought my Kindle (Which I love by the way) I amassed a HUGE collection of Freebie kid's books that I'd read to my kiddos on my lap top. If you haven't gotten a Kindle
yet they finally have parental controls and they've come down in price considerably, if you're a big reader I'd recommend one.To find the free children's books Check Children's Best Sellers For Kindle list daily as the freebies are constantly changing. The top free 100 books are in the right hand column, and you can further navigate your search by changing the categories to the left hand side of the screen.
Don't stop at the best seller list though, to find even more freebies, simply search the Kindle Store, then sort by price. Cindy Braken is one of my favorite Kindle authors and she almost always has freebies, just be sure they are actually free and not just free for Prime members.Also I occasionally recommend Kindle freebies on my facebook page and Free Home School Deals does too, so be sure to like us both and ad us to your news feed, or interest lists is you're looking for freebies.
Aol Kids has 39 different story Books You Can Read Online
These books are great and some of them were even favorites of mine when I was a child. I particularly like all the Arthur books you can find here. The only downside to this site is you can't turn the narration off.
There are some great books on this site, including the "Lady Bug Girl" books and the "Llama Llama" books. There is no narration on this site.
These stories are probably my kids' favorite ones, mostly because they're narrated by the veggie voices they already love, and some of them are based on the DVD's they've already seen. My personal favorite is God Made You Special.
Your Local Library's Website
Unfortunately no link to share with you here, but just go to your local library's website or call them to see if they're part of an eLending network. Mine is, and our library has over 900 children's books that can be checked out for Kindle apps/readers or ePub eReaders. The downside is the books are limited quantities, and the popular ones tend to have wait lists. The plus side is the books expire after 2 weeks and get removed from your devices automatically, so you never have to worry about a late fee. Checking out eBooks is easy peasy, if you can buy a book on Amazon you can check one out for free.
Did I miss any sources? If you comment with something I haven't heard of I'll be sure to update my post with your suggestions. Be sure to Pin/Share/Tweet this post so others can be blessed as well : )
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Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Trusting God with Family Size?
I feel like I finally have something to write about : ) Lately I've had a difficult time doing my daily devotionals (sick baby and sick mommy), which has probably contributed to my slight dry spell of blogging. However I wanted to share two articles I found today, and give my thoughts: Family Size and The More the Merrier.
First off I do not pretend to be an expert on this subject, but I realize I'm somewhat ahead of the curve in my peer group. I married younger than many of my friends (most of which aren't even married yet) and I've started having children (more than one) much younger as well. I have read a lot on the subject of family size, and "family planning" and despite all the gray area, I've come to two conclusions I feel very strongly about:
1) The world's teachings about family planning are simply not biblical.
2) God is ultimately in control, and promises us wisdom in all things.
When a married couple is faced with the decision to have children, or abstain completely they must pursue God's teachings, not the world's. There are plenty of reasons society gives to limit family size, we must be careful to test these reasons against the absolute truth of God's Word. If man's reasoning does not line up with scripture, IT IS WRONG, period, exclamation point.
One thing I appreciate about Candice's article (Family Size) is that she isn't dogmatic in her opinion. I've read many books and articles that are, and find they inflame people's opinions perhaps more than changing them. Before I share my final opinion on this matter I'd like to say one thing, this is where God has lead my husband and I. I believe there is a multitude of scripture to back up our stance, (many of which are shared in Candice's article) but ultimately we would not have come to this conclusion if we didn't first seek God's wisdom in prayer.
In our home we have chosen not to limit our family size, rather depend on God's sovereignty and provision. This includes avoiding NFP for the time being as well. Scripture tells us that if we ask for wisdom God will give it to us, no questions asked. If ever there is a situation in our lives where we should limit our family size, we can trust God will give us the wisdom to do so, in this season we feel very strongly about the conclusion God has given us in this matter.
I would never judge another Christian who has sought God diligently, and I certainly don't think God will give the same answer to every couple in this matter, every circumstance is different. Unfortunately I think, many Christians may not be completely open to the wisdom God is giving them and perhaps make decisions based on the world's teachings and fears of the flesh.
The last thing Satan wants is godly parents raising more than 2.5 children who will storm the gates of hell with the gospel. He attacks young marrieds in every way he can. He draws us away from God in our choices of entertainment, in our choices of free time, in our relationships, he makes our prayer life (especially with our spouses) near impossible. Satan does not want us abiding in Christ because then we might hear his still small voice. It's not enough that we seek God's wisdom we must change our lives so we are open to it as well. Having children or not is too important of a decision not to fully surrender to God's guidance.
Now I'd like your input, one of my husband and my long term goals are to write a series of books, to be available for sale or (perhaps free) download when we enter into full time ministry. One of these will most definitely be on the subject of starting a family (and perhaps when we're more qualified in the matter raising one as well). For those of you who are trusting God in family size I would love to hear your testimony, leave a comment or if you're story is too long e-mail me at joyful kasey (at) gmail (dot) com. Feel free to leave a blog post link if you've already written one. I'm hoping to hear a lot of inspiring stories, sometimes I feel like in my circle I'm the only one who feels this way and it's hard not to get discouraged.
Blessings!
Kasey
1) The world's teachings about family planning are simply not biblical.
2) God is ultimately in control, and promises us wisdom in all things.
When a married couple is faced with the decision to have children, or abstain completely they must pursue God's teachings, not the world's. There are plenty of reasons society gives to limit family size, we must be careful to test these reasons against the absolute truth of God's Word. If man's reasoning does not line up with scripture, IT IS WRONG, period, exclamation point.
One thing I appreciate about Candice's article (Family Size) is that she isn't dogmatic in her opinion. I've read many books and articles that are, and find they inflame people's opinions perhaps more than changing them. Before I share my final opinion on this matter I'd like to say one thing, this is where God has lead my husband and I. I believe there is a multitude of scripture to back up our stance, (many of which are shared in Candice's article) but ultimately we would not have come to this conclusion if we didn't first seek God's wisdom in prayer.
In our home we have chosen not to limit our family size, rather depend on God's sovereignty and provision. This includes avoiding NFP for the time being as well. Scripture tells us that if we ask for wisdom God will give it to us, no questions asked. If ever there is a situation in our lives where we should limit our family size, we can trust God will give us the wisdom to do so, in this season we feel very strongly about the conclusion God has given us in this matter.
I would never judge another Christian who has sought God diligently, and I certainly don't think God will give the same answer to every couple in this matter, every circumstance is different. Unfortunately I think, many Christians may not be completely open to the wisdom God is giving them and perhaps make decisions based on the world's teachings and fears of the flesh.
The last thing Satan wants is godly parents raising more than 2.5 children who will storm the gates of hell with the gospel. He attacks young marrieds in every way he can. He draws us away from God in our choices of entertainment, in our choices of free time, in our relationships, he makes our prayer life (especially with our spouses) near impossible. Satan does not want us abiding in Christ because then we might hear his still small voice. It's not enough that we seek God's wisdom we must change our lives so we are open to it as well. Having children or not is too important of a decision not to fully surrender to God's guidance.
Now I'd like your input, one of my husband and my long term goals are to write a series of books, to be available for sale or (perhaps free) download when we enter into full time ministry. One of these will most definitely be on the subject of starting a family (and perhaps when we're more qualified in the matter raising one as well). For those of you who are trusting God in family size I would love to hear your testimony, leave a comment or if you're story is too long e-mail me at joyful kasey (at) gmail (dot) com. Feel free to leave a blog post link if you've already written one. I'm hoping to hear a lot of inspiring stories, sometimes I feel like in my circle I'm the only one who feels this way and it's hard not to get discouraged.
Blessings!
Kasey
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Living Philippians 2:3, Esteeming Others Higher
How Phillipians 2:2-4 looks for each member of your family
2Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love,
being of one accord, of one mind.
3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4Look not every man on his own things,
but every man also on the things of others.
The Dog: He does not have a hard time with this scripture at all, he thinks his family is amazing. He has no problem with eating after your family has a big meal. (although he certainly wouldn't be upset if you invited him to the table) He loves each and every member of the family and would leap to your rescue if needed (or hide behind your legs, but only because he thinks you could handle the problem better than him)
The Cat: Has a very hard time with this scripture, don't bother trying to teach her.
(now I'll be serious)
Your Children: Yes kids think they're the center of their own universe and I'm certainly no parenting expert, however beyond just disciplining them here are some practical teaching moments to apply this scripture:
- Forced Sharing/Taking Turns (we're working on this one right now)
- Helping with family chores
- Giving gifts
- Being patient and waiting their turn
- Donating money/toys
- Helping feed/clean younger family members or pets
- Making a meal or card for someone who would appreciate it
- (Leave a comment with your additional ideas)
- He shovels your walk and clears your car
- He goes to work, even when ill to earn money for the family
- He leaves you the last cup of coffee/ buys your favorite roast even though he's not a huge fan
- He buys you flowers, even though to a man they are the world's most impractical gift
- (Leave a comment letting me know how your husband esteems you higher than himself)
- In every chore we do, we can do it with joy. We're serving our family the one's we love the most, picking up dirty socks shouldn't become annoying and put us in a foul mood, we're doing what God intends us to.
- Realizing we are in need of God's grace just as much as any of our family. It's so easy to let a sin of our husband or children get under our skin and start thinking ourselves better than them, but truly we are all saved by the same grace and we were all just as guilty in God's eyes.
- We can make a favorite meal even if it means a little more work.
- We can do our hair and dress in a way our husband likes.
- We can live every moment to serve our family with joy, because by doing this we serve God.
Blessings!
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Friday, February 18, 2011
The Dash Between the Years
After researching many lines of my family tree (and realizing some even cross a little yikes!) I've come across a discovery that truly delighted my spirit. It wasn't the line I was able to trace back to 160 AD (mind boggling!); It wasn't the fact Charlamagne or Chaucer is in my lineage; it wasn't the fact I'm distant cousins to Laura Ingalls Wilder (so cool!), Carey Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, half a dozen US presidents, Helen Keller, Jane Austen, and other celebrities and politicians of varying fame; the thing that excited me the most was the following which was written in a letter about a great-great-great-great grandfather of mine, Elam Stevenson:
"He married my paternal grandfather's sister, Lydia PAYNE, in North Carolina. I knew him well, and he was one of God's noblemen; pure as a woman, polite as Chesterfield, simple as a child, genial in disposition, and lived and died without a stain upon his character. Grand old man. My last visit to him at his son Mack's, when on his dying bed, is one of the sweetest memories of my life. This world grows very few men like him now".
"He was licensed to preach in 1813, and came to Tennessee that year, settling near Bee Springs. He attended the second campmeeting at this place and many subsequent meetings. Four of his sons were Methodist preachers. Peter RANDOLPH, a wag of this place for years, said that he had been called to preach seven times, but before he could accept, a STEPHENSON answered the call. "
I don't know about you but to have great-parents who were serving God during America's second great awakening is just plain exciting. To think of the souls that were saved during their ministries lifts my spirit and spurs me to live up to their efforts. The legacy of Elam Stevenson and his decedents who also accepted the call to preach will last far longer than any royal line or celebrity connection, in fact Elam's son saw 1000 conversions in just one year of preaching, and Elam saw 120 in just 12 days. How many more thousands will be in heaven because of the faithfulness of this one man?
With every ancestor I enter on our family tree there is a dash between the year they were born and the year they die. Ultimately what we do with that dash is what will matter. In the end it's not kingdoms ruled, movies made, books written, lands conquered, properties owned or money in the bank. In the end what matters is that we choose to follow Christ and share him with others.
"He married my paternal grandfather's sister, Lydia PAYNE, in North Carolina. I knew him well, and he was one of God's noblemen; pure as a woman, polite as Chesterfield, simple as a child, genial in disposition, and lived and died without a stain upon his character. Grand old man. My last visit to him at his son Mack's, when on his dying bed, is one of the sweetest memories of my life. This world grows very few men like him now".
"He was licensed to preach in 1813, and came to Tennessee that year, settling near Bee Springs. He attended the second campmeeting at this place and many subsequent meetings. Four of his sons were Methodist preachers. Peter RANDOLPH, a wag of this place for years, said that he had been called to preach seven times, but before he could accept, a STEPHENSON answered the call. "
I don't know about you but to have great-parents who were serving God during America's second great awakening is just plain exciting. To think of the souls that were saved during their ministries lifts my spirit and spurs me to live up to their efforts. The legacy of Elam Stevenson and his decedents who also accepted the call to preach will last far longer than any royal line or celebrity connection, in fact Elam's son saw 1000 conversions in just one year of preaching, and Elam saw 120 in just 12 days. How many more thousands will be in heaven because of the faithfulness of this one man?
With every ancestor I enter on our family tree there is a dash between the year they were born and the year they die. Ultimately what we do with that dash is what will matter. In the end it's not kingdoms ruled, movies made, books written, lands conquered, properties owned or money in the bank. In the end what matters is that we choose to follow Christ and share him with others. I hope and pray that the Stevenson legacy will continue in my home and for generations. I pray that my family may be a part of the expansion of God's kingdom in a mighty way like they were.
Quite frankly I think it's high time for America's third Great Awakening, and hopefully my family can be a part of it!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Researching My Family
I'm having so much fun right now with a free trial to Ancestry.com right now. I'm no where near done entering both sides of my family's information (let alone my husband's family) and I've already traced one family line back to the 800's. The 800's! It blows my mind that I know the name of (one of) my 48th Great Grandparents as well as their birth and death dates.
As I trace the family further back however there is less of a feeling of connectedness and emotional investment. Yes it's fascinating I might be able to trace a line of the family back to Charlemagne, but ultimately I don't have the same affection for Charlemagne as I do for my grandfather.
My ancestors are in the past, and all that is left of them are (if their lucky) their names, some stories, and bits of their DNA. My hope and understanding of life is not held in my ancestors, it is held in Christ. Researching their past however did remind me of this scripture. I think I'll put it on any family binder I might eventually make.
6The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
As I trace the family further back however there is less of a feeling of connectedness and emotional investment. Yes it's fascinating I might be able to trace a line of the family back to Charlemagne, but ultimately I don't have the same affection for Charlemagne as I do for my grandfather.
My ancestors are in the past, and all that is left of them are (if their lucky) their names, some stories, and bits of their DNA. My hope and understanding of life is not held in my ancestors, it is held in Christ. Researching their past however did remind me of this scripture. I think I'll put it on any family binder I might eventually make.
6The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Isaiah 40:6-9
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