Gratituesday Archives | Page 8 of 20

Gratituesday: Company, Company, and More Company!

June 24, 2013 by Laura 10 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Shucks, I don’t even have any pictures to share of our recent events. Ah well, words will have to do…

For the past few days, we have been hosting friends from out of town. My boys have had an extra little boy playmate, I have been able to get a baby-girl fix (Ladies, there are hair bows in my house!), and we adults have been catching up on all the latest.

Today, more friends drove into town. They bring with them even more boy playmates (and another little girl with hairbows). I’m guessing I won’t see my youngest boys for the next several days, until they emerge every few hours with their friends to find a bite to eat.

There is much excitement in our house tonight. Food is abundant. Board games are scattered here and there. We are all having a great time.

We are blessed to have so many wonderful friends in our lives and grateful to be able to bless them in our home.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Pull Up a Chair

June 10, 2013 by Laura 17 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I’m not good at just sitting. I love working hard and keeping busy, so it’s hard for me to just sit and do nothing. (As you can imagine, I am a joy to travel with. Cooped up in a car, seatbelt on, can’t cook, can’t exercise, can’t do anything but make long to-do lists for tasks that can’t be done anytime soon. It’s pretty.)

But lately, I have been learning that sitting doesn’t necessarily mean that I am doing nothing. I’ve been choosing to sit each morning (if possible) before I hit the day head on and take time to reflect and find refreshment in God’s word, simply by sitting still in His presence. If this doesn’t work in the mornings, I try to find time in the afternoon.

With our official school schedule on pause for the summer, I have realized that the “extra” time this affords me must be spent in this way. And come August, when school and soccer season come back in full force, somehow I’ve got to continue finding time for this. My health and heart need this.

I am beginning to understand what Martin Luther said hundreds of years ago: “I have so much to do that if I didn’t spend at least three hours a day in prayer I would never get it all done.” I’ve never understood what he meant. But now I can say: Yes, yes, yes!

Three hours, you ask? Well, I can’t say that I’m sitting that long each day. :) But taking time to stop, sit, be still, breathe, and listen to God absolutely does not take away from my work time or limit me in what I can accomplish the remainder of the day. On the contrary, it empowers me, energizes me, and allows me to more peacefully serve my family and others throughout the day. And in fact, I am finding that being more in tune with what God wants, the more I am able to wisely pick and choose how He’d like me to spend my time. God writes a much better “to-do” list for me than I can ever write for myself.

Having difficulty finding time to “get it all done” each day? Take time to sit with the Father. Ask Him how you should be spending your time. Listen for His answers. Breathe. Reflect. Pray. That’s the only way to tackle your to-do list. I am so grateful to be learning this.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Better Than a Cruise

May 20, 2013 by Laura 10 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

We could have saved up for a cruise. We could have taken our kids to a theme park. And shucks, maybe we will do one or both someday. But after the week we have experienced, I’m not sure anything could compare to the fun we’ve had, the memories we’ve made, and the blessings we’ve received.

Since last Wednesday, we have been hitting various places in the Denver area and in Colorado Springs, serving in various ministries as God opened doors for us. We’re still not home, and therefore I’m not able to sit down and write out all of the details yet.

sevens_1

Yes, Malachi is wearing a vanilla wafer box (helmet?) on his head. Who says serving isn’t tons of fun?!

We have learned so much, have met so many wonderful people, and have reacquainted with many that we haven’t seen in years. We have had experiences we never could have had in our small town, seen sites and people that have made our hearts hurt, and been able to serve in ways that have brought us so much joy.

Beyond ministry opportunities, we were blessed to attend the wedding of one of the ladies on our YC soccer team. On the walk from the ceremony to the reception, we turned around and saw two young ladies that we haven’t seen for way too long. I admit it. I cried. We LOVE these girls. By the way: The one in the purple dress? I was her first grade teacher. Yep, taught that girl to read, I did. A few billion years later, she’s all grown up and I have four big kids. Great times.

wedding_1

Okay, that’s all I have time to share right now! I have loads of pictures, and thousands of words to share with you about this trip. Details are coming in a few days. I can’t thank God enough for this trip. His goodness constantly amazes me. How good it is to be a part of His family!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: An Upcoming Date and an Unexpected Gift

May 6, 2013 by Laura 20 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Last week, my husband asked me out. I said yes. :)

Many recommend that you date your spouse once a week, or at the very least, once a month. Matt and I have never felt that we needed to make “going out” on dates a high priority. However, what we have made a priority is spending time together often and making plenty of time for meaningful conversation. We’ve never felt that we needed to spend money on restaurants, movies, and babysitters to keep our marriage healthy. But really…the occasional date that involves going out and spending a little money? Well, that’s pretty fun every once in a while. :)

Our kids are old enough to stay on their own and fix their own meal, so Matt and I decided that the two of us would go out for lunch this week at one of our favorite local restaurants, Chances R.

I’ve been excited since making these plans, and we looked at the schedule to pick a day this week to make it happen. That alone was going to be my Gratituesday post, but guess what else??!!

Sunday at church, we were handed a “thank you” card for a ministry we’ve served in for the past two years. On the way home, I opened the card and told Matt, “Ha! Look what we just got?”

Inside the envelope was a gift certificate to Chances R. How about that? I believe I can now splurge by getting a dessert with my meal. What do you think?

Isn’t it neat the fun ways God gives gifts and bonuses to His children?!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Meaningful Discussions

April 22, 2013 by Laura 14 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Sometimes, it seems like all there is time for when it comes to talking with our families is, “go put your shoes away” and “hurry up, it’s time to leave” type conversations. Sad, but true.

I find it funny (in a not so funny way) that I can be with my kids all day – teaching them, working with them, driving them to and from games and practices, and eating with them – and not always have very many meaningful conversations. Yes, logistics have to be worked out and plans have to be made. Recounting how the soccer game played out is fun. Joking around about what might happen if a ninja alien super hero giant rat was to join our household gets the creative juices flowing (and then some). Those types of conversations serve a purpose, there’s no doubt about it. (Although, ninja alien super hero giant rat? Really? Can we not sometimes stay just a little bit more within the realm of reality while we’re eating lunch?)

Lately, Matt and I have worked to be more intentional about making our boys think about and discuss more important, and sometimes difficult, topics. They are all old enough now (ages 8-15) to go beyond silly subjects and pointless jabber. And, because of their ages, no longer do we need to keep Bible study and character training as basic and simple as we did when they were little.

Last week, we studied in depth together 1 Corinthians 13. What is love? What does it really mean to love like Jesus loves? If love isn’t rude, isn’t self-seeking, isn’t easily angered, how then can we take on those godly traits? (As in, Laura isn’t rude, Laura isn’t self-seeking, Laura isn’t easily angered… Something to meditate on, for sure.)

This week, we are studying Ephesians 6, looking in depth at the armor of God and the spiritual battle we face each day. God has already won the battle! How can we put on our armor so that we can stand our ground when evil comes our way?

This has been a great opportunity for Matt and I to share our ideas on these topics with our kids. But even better? Hearing what our boys think. Letting them express what these scriptures mean to them. Watching the wheels turn in their minds while they consider God’s love and His power to help us fight our spiritual battles.

These conversations have been rich. Our goal is to keep them going. Here’s hoping our kids will learn and grow from what they are hearing and studying. I know I sure am.

And I will brace myself for the fact that we are sure to balance these discussions with vivid and detailed accounts of a one-eyed creature whose amazing super power has everything to do with none other than earsplitting, green, gaseous bodily functions, which means that he obviously takes over large cities by….

Well anyway. You get the picture.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Time to Listen

April 15, 2013 by Laura 10 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

A couple of Gratituesdays ago, I wrote that I was giving myself permission to rest. Part of that is because several in my family (including myself) had come down with the flu – the fever, body ache, coughing kind of flu. And the other part? After a busy month in March, finishing and introducing my new book, plus traveling three out of four weekends of the month – I found myself completely exhausted.

For the past two weeks, I have only done bare minimum each day. I haven’t done loads of intense writing. I have rested and moved slowly as I’ve put together simple meals for my family. I’ve let my body heal from being sick. I’ve hardly left the house. (Except yes, I have gone to several of my boys’ soccer games. I needed the sunshine, and I really wanted to be with my family.)

While I still feel somewhat tired and need extra sleep each day (that flu is nasty, I tell ya), I am now starting to feel more like myself. I am beginning to feel refreshed. I have enjoyed my family in ways I haven’t taken the time to enjoy them for a while. And most importantly, I have been able to learn a lesson or two from God that I believe He has been waiting for me to hear. Apparently, it took knocking me down for a few days of feverish chills for me to listen.

While being sick hasn’t been fun, I have truly been thankful for the time to reflect and pray. These past two weeks have really made me aware of my weaknesses, and how God’s strength is made perfect through those weaknesses. I’ve learned that setting boundaries in all aspects of my life isn’t just necessary – it’s godly.

God doesn’t expect me to be all things for all people. He’s already got that covered. My focus is simply to be godly. In doing so, I will be able to accomplish everything He needs me to accomplish!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: So Busy!

March 25, 2013 by Laura 19 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

It’s so easy to whine and complain about being busy. When people ask, “How are you?” one of the first responses for many of us is often, “Good. Just really, really busy.” And sometimes, I think we can get into an “I’m busier than you are” competition – as if the person with the busiest, most difficult-to-keep schedule wins some sort of prize. (The pass-out-from-exhaustion-prize, maybe?)

I’m often guilty of being too busy, and I’m guilty of complaining about “how much I have to do!” Truly, it’s not good to be so busy that you can’t love on people, that you can’t care for your family, or that you can’t get enough rest and take care of yourself. If we’re that busy, even with good activities, something needs to give.

But trusting that we are busy doing good, that we are busy ministering to others as God has called us to do, that we are busy being productive with our time – how about instead of complaining, we take the time to be grateful that we are busy?

To be busy means that God is using you! To be busy means that you are healthy. To be busy means that you have plenty of work to do. To be busy means that you are serving others. To be busy means that you have been given wonderful opportunities.

I am thankful to be busy. And I’m equally thankful for the quiet time God gives me each day to spend with Him, just listening and learning.

Never forget, we are all too busy to skip out on time with God each day. Being busy without Him means that we’re just…busy.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Play Time!

March 18, 2013 by Laura 20 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I’m not very good at taking down time. I love being productive with my time, working hard, feeding people, doing-doing-doing.

But getting away, taking turns cooking (and cleaning!), playing games, going on fun outings – I have found it so refreshing the past few days.

Branson is full of fun things to do. We took the kids to the fish hatchery (I’ll try to share pictures after I have a chance to upload more of them) and then did a little hiking (all free!). Our hike took us to a beautiful lake, where the kids had a blast skipping rocks. And hooray, the sun was shining bright that day! I LOVED being in the sun after months of winter cloudiness!

lake

We splurged and took the kids to The Price is Right Live show one evening. We all had SO much fun – even if none of us got called up to be on contestant’s row. :)

price_is_right

I’ll share more about our adventures another day. (Hey, I’m still on vacation while I write this, after all.) :) Today, I’m thankful for a fun get away with extended family. I am well rested and ready to go again! That’s a good thing, because there is a lot of work waiting for us once we get home!!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: Almost Finished!!!!!!!!!!!! (And My For Real Confessions)

March 4, 2013 by Laura 15 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I have the best editors, the best designer, the best friends, and the best family ever. My new book is almost finished – only because of the wonderful people in my life who have encouraged me, helped me, and spent countless hours working with me. My book would be pitiful without them, and that’s no exaggeration.

And let’s just be real, because that’s what we do around here, and because that’s what this book is all about: The real me – when under pressure, when feeling the stress of a deadline, when seeing the light at the end of a tunnel too many miles away, when short on sleep – is not pretty. Sometimes I didn’t even like being around myself. (And unfortunately, I have found that getting away from myself has been extremely difficult.)

Let’s not even talk about what my house looks like. Okay, fine – let’s do talk about it. Can I admit to you that aside from basic laundry and dishes, I haven’t cleaned anything in my house for several weeks? (Eek!) The boys have kept up with their bathroom, bedroom, and living room chores, so that has helped tremendously. But do not ask to see my desk, my bedroom, or the kitchen floor. I could write my name in the dust on the piano (and on the hardwood floor in our office). It’s scary.

But hey – the book is almost finished. ;) Maybe I’ll celebrate by having a party with my mop bucket.

Messy self and messy house aside – I have to share how thankful I am for all of your encouragement about this book. Your enthusiasm as you wait for its arrival has kept me going. My family has been awesome and then some. When I’ve told the kids, “Just go warm up leftovers again.” – they haven’t complained. I can’t even begin to tell you how much Matt has done to make this book happen. I am so thankful for him!

Now that we’re so close to being finished, I am so excited that I still might not sleep! When a project this big comes together – it’s hard not to jump and scream throughout the house. Shucks, I should really use that energy to wash the butter splatters off the mirror in my kitchen.

God is good. He has made this book come together. It doesn’t get any more real than that.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Gratituesday: “Mom, We Need to Pray!”

February 25, 2013 by Laura 26 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I was fighting a headache. It is hard to focus, hard to move, and hard to parent when my head is pounding.

I did everything I could from drinking lots of water to using my new essential oils to taking a nap. The pain began to ease, but still had me moving slowly.

And then Malachi, my eight year old, came into the room. He’s the one who understands suffering. He asked how I was feeling, and I gave him a weary smile – telling him that I was a little better.

Suddenly, he lit up and said with force, “Mom, we need to pray! God’s power can make your head stop hurting!”

I know this about God’s power. I’d been praying since my head started hurting. I’d been trying to release any tension and stress and just give it to God so that I could feel better again. But there was something so strong about Malachi’s words, and the faith by which he said them. I melted. I asked, “Malachi, will you pray with me – the way I pray with you when you don’t feel well?”

And then he did. He took my hand, and asked God to make me feel better. It was sweet. It was simple. It was faith filled and powerful.

I love that he has learned that God is the One we turn to when we don’t feel well and when we need help. I love that he knows how to pray. And I love that he did for me just what I needed him to do.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

« Previous Page