Dates to Celebrate Printable... and Some Mid-Year Resolutions

 

I used to be pretty good at remembering birthdays, anniversaries, smaller holidays (like Mother's Day), writing thank-you notes, etc... but in the last few years I have really slipped.  It's very discouraging to me (especially since, that's kinda one my thing... making creative pretty things!!)!  I want to show my love and appreciation to my family and friends, but I feel like life is often so overwhelming that those things get pushed to the back and usually get forgotten.

When I was in high-school, I used to dream about one day being a stay-at-home mom :)  I remember telling Jeremy when we were dating about how I wanted have time to do those things that everyone else says they don't have time for... and I specifically mentioned sending notes and sweet gifts to friends, family, and little old ladies :) :)  ..oh, the idealism.  

Now I laugh at that, because I didn't realize how incredibly time consuming it would be just to be a mom! ... not to mention house-keeping!   But at the same time, it reminds me of where my priorities began.  And I believe they were pure.  I knew those things were important... showing love and appreciation to friends and family... and at that young age, I was trying to figure out how I could make sure I was always able to do those thing.

So I have a mid-year resolution:  The first part of my resolution is to do some weeding in my schedule.  

You see, I feel kind of like a hypocrite.  It is so important to me to put my husband and my kids first in my daily life.  They are currently my primary assignment and responsibility from God.  I believe that everything else should take a backseat to their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.  This includes my recreation, my work ambitions, my friends, outside activities, and even church involvement.  If anything gets in the way of me fulfilling my God-given responsibilities to my husband and kids then it should not be in my life...

Sounds good.  BUT... it's really hard to live out.  EVERYTHING wants to creep in and steal my devotion to my call.... even good things like church involvement!  so hard.  So I have to admit to you, I've messed up.  I've allowed myself to be distracted from my original calling.  I've let my work (Etsy, freelance design projects, and even blogging) invade on my time with my kids.  My work load makes me grumpy and steals my best hours away from those little hearts eager for my attention.

So the first part of my resolution is to clear out my schedule... and make room for being the mom I need to be.  And I've been doing this!  I've been turning down pretty much all new freelance projects.  This is unbelievably hard for me considering I've only been building my graphic design business for the past 2  years.  God has blessed me with more business that time permits.  So now he's teaching me how to trust him every time I tell someone "no."    I fear that all that I've worked so hard at the last 2 years with be for nothing if I reject project offers, but I know God is the one who causes me to succeed or fail... not any skills I might have or how hard I work at it.

Okay, so the second part of my resolution is to get back to that place of fulfilling my original call... my God-given assignment for this stage of life. 

 I've been thinking really hard about those early dreams and ambitions for being a wife, a mom, and a home-maker.  I'm jotting down all those things that I want to focus on again: meaningful time with my husband and kids, making meals, keeping up with the house work, keeping up relationships with my family...including those cards and gifts I was talking about earlier (it took me awhile, but I eventually got back to my original point!!).... and it goes on and on to more specific things....

So... in the middle of this process, I made this printable to help me with all those important dates that I need to remember!  I thought I'd share it with you as well... maybe it will help you get back to some of those things that actually have lasting impact on others :) 

This calendar-of-sorts is for recording all those dates to celebrate... including birthdays, anniversaries, holidays that you should call or send someone something...   I'm putting it in my household binder...along with my other planner pages (blog/etsy planner, Christmas gift planner).

DOWNLOAD HERE

*As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.



Blessings,

Combatting Selfishness... with a Free Printable to Help :)

 Maybe a month or two ago, I became very frustrated with the way my girls were behaving on a daily basis at home.  It felt like as a family we had unknowingly slipped into a rut of apathy, problem avoidance, and prevailing SELFISHNESS.  yuck.  My girls were always fighting... complaining that someone else wasn't doing what they wanted.... complaining that they didn't get to do something they wanted.... complaining that they had to do something they didn't want to do... on and on and on it went.   It was time to address these heart issues that some how I had allowed to take over our home!

Selfishness along with a very bad attitude was the main  problem... I determined that loving each other and obeying me without complaining were the prevailing issues.

I discipline for defiant disobedience or sinful behavior... (for more about disciplining, the way the Bible intended it to be used,  I would recommend reading "Shepherding a Child's Heart", by Tedd Tripp and "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger  Plowman )... but I felt like I needed a dual approach on this ugly matter.  So I decided to try a reward system.

I made two kinds of tickets, one for each of the issues at hand: loving each other and obeying mom and dad...  The ticket would allow them to earn points that they could redeem for sweet treats every Friday.  (They don't get a lot of sugary treats, so this was very special for them.... I also didn't want the reward to be a material item/ toy because they struggle enough with materialism as it is!!)

So I sat down with the girls and we had a talk... about the troubles we'd been having... about what the Bible says about loving each other and about obeying our parents.... and about what we were going to try to do to correct the problem and start behaving in a way that pleases God!

Basically, I explained that I would be watching for times when I saw one of them do something loving (instead of selfish) for a sibling.  I would also watch for an especially obedient and respectful attitude towards their father and me.   I was careful to explain also, that this wasn't about performing or doing contrived acts in order to earn something... rather the reward would be for a genuine display of love or obedience that flowed from the heart.

........

Fast forward a month or so...  and it's going pretty well.  It hasn't been magical by any means, but we are going in the right direction!  They tend to receive more obedience tickets than love tickets :(  Which to me reveals so much about their little hearts.  I know selfishness is a central aspect of immature little hearts, but I just hate it!  I want them to have genuine compassion for one another...

But we will keep working, and keep memorizing our little verses that serve as excellent reminders of how Christ wants us to act... and this does help.  

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."  Ephesians 4:32

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—  “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”  Ephesians 6:1-3

What do you do to encourage heart change in your children?  ..... to combat selfishness?
I'd love to hear :)

Meanwhile, if you think it might be useful in your home, please download our tickets and give it a try!  Blessings to you as you strive to raise your little ones up in God's truth :)

DOWNLOAD FILE HERE

****As always...File and finished product for personal use only... not for resale or profit of any kind.


Blessings,

Rest... on pretty sheets.

Sunday is a day of rest...

Lately I've been trying really hard to use it for that. 
I tend to be the type of person that is always chipping away at the to-do list, desperately trying to get to the end of it :)  In the past I've made the mistake of using Sunday afternoons to "catch-up", but it was causing me to burn out.  ...then it hit me... ah, yes, this day has been given to us for that very reason! ... to provide rest and allow time to focus on our first love without distractions. 

Now, I take a nap every Sunday afternoon.  My sweet husband, accommodates this even though he is always involved in the Sunday morning worship service at our church.  He knows I need it... he is so sweet :)

So I shut the door... it's quiet... and I rest. 

I bought "new" sheets awhile ago... they are lovely vintage ones that appear to have never been used!  oh, the joy :) 

So I lay in bed... in my calming quiet room, on my pretty sheets... and I thank God for a day of rest.  I ask him to renew my body, give me strength for the week ahead.  I thank him for that husband that takes care of me, and I thank him for those kids that I occasionally need to escape from :) 

It's easy to fall asleep... and when I wake I'm rested, better prepared to face the week ahead.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

Blessings on your week ahead :)

Submission

I feel like one of the themes of my life these days is submission.... God keeps calling my attention to it lately.  You see, I'm learning submission one piece of my life at a time.  Five years ago God taught me submission in my marriage, and it has brought me amazing freedom.  Two years ago God taught my husband and me submission with our plans in life on a larger scale... and it has brought us amazing peace.  But today I'm struggling with submission on a daily basis in my home.  How do I lay down my daily life?  How do I give up my control... of my kids, of my schedule, of my work, of my stress?

I was talking to God about it the other day....

"Lord there is so much turmoil in life right now.... so much to fight against and resist.  I'm always struggling.  I never feel at ease.  There are always concerns, stresses, trials.  I'm always exhausted, confused, losing ground.  I don't know what else to do but keep fighting.... because if I don't, I'll drown....  I'll drown.  I'll die.....  Oh.  I'm supposed to die?   So is that what this is all about?  Me dying?  Me dying so that I can be raised to life anew in you?  I think I understand... But Lord, I don't know how to stop striving.  I don't know how to just stop kicking and let myself sink down....down into the calm quiet dark of you.  It scares me.  I don't know what's down there.  How do I know that you will bring me back to life in you?  Trust... I know.  But it's so hard.  Help me Lord.  Help me to trust you enough to stop kicking and fighting life.... Teach me to trust you, Lord... help me to submit."

I think I'm beginning to understand what I need to do...  now just to do it.
Definitely something to contemplate... have some more conversations with God about... as I go into this meaningful weekend.

Blessings to you this Easter season,

Something's Happened...

...now that's real-life :)

I've been thinking lately....about my life, my home, my ambitions, my hopes, my responsibilities.  Somewhere in that list, this blog fits in.  In a way it's a part of all of those. 

I've been thinking about how my blog has taken a little direction shift in the past 6 months or so...  It's been good.  I've been doing printables and some other creative inspirational junk.  I've had a great response and it's been really wonderful and affirming to share my creativity with you all.  But somehow along the road, I have felt myself withdraw.  I have a tendency to pull away and keep the "real me" tucked safely back.  I struggle with what the purpose of my blog is...  some days it feels like "all business" and I don't want that.

I want my blog to be... me.  And not in a cliche' kind of way.  I want this blog to be me forming a relationship with you (that sounds cheesy, too...but hear me out :)   I want to come along side you, share a decorating tip, make you smile, and encourage you as you sift through life.  I want you to find me helpful, like a close friend who loans a good book to you.... like a sister-in Christ who speaks the words you were needing to hear...

But I also want to be open and honest in my real daily life with you so that I can be held accountable.  You see when I pull back, in real life... just like I have on this blog... I cut the strings of accountability.  I have such a tendency to do this.  When life gets rocky, confusing, draining... or even when something really amazing happens that's kinda personal,  I shrink back.  I don't really know why.  I guess it's just easier for me... it keeps me from being vulnerable, I suppose. 

But we are called to more.. all of us... in life on-line or off.  Christ did not bring me here to shut my mouth in fear, laziness, or confusion.  But in him, I am made strong and able to do all things!  This I know, and I will cling to it :)

So...  I will continue designing... continue posting lost of Printables (because I think it's just so much fun!!), but I'm going to try and not hold back my heart from you.  So many times I think.. "I should share these thoughts on my blog"...  then I don't.  Or when life is rough and kinda not the prettiest...  I look around at my house and think "I can't post anything... where would I even find a clean spot to take a  picture!?"   So instead of sharing something "real",  I post a Printable... It looks good, I look good, no one is the wiser that my day is a wreck!

Anyway... we are called to encourage each other, open our mouths and speak truth.  Life isn't just about me getting through my day...   It's about what I can do and say to bring others into a fuller knowledge and a closer relationship with our God and his son, Jesus Christ.  Will you join me?

Child of God

Do you ever stumble across a portion of scripture, and have the words, the meaning, suddenly jump off the page at you with fresh significance?  That happened to me last week...  I love it when God does that :)

 "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir." Galatians 3:4-7

You know how we all get really excited when someone announces that they are going to adopt a child? And we lend our encouragement and even financial support... because we realize how HUGE it is!!  Well, if we claim Christ as our Savior and place our hope in Him, that's what has happened to us!! ... like that scripture says. 

Last week, I was really bummed about a closed-door in my life.  I was mourning the loss of an opportunity to share my faith...  I so desperately wanted to pass along the hope which I have; the hope I have it Christ Jesus as my Savior.  And when I say hope, I don't mean "hoping" for the best... "hoping" I will make it to heaven someday...  Rather, The Hope I have is secure anticipation of what is to come!  I wish so desperately that everyone could know the joy of that kind of hope. 

I'm overwhelmed by the enormity of it all.  My identity is secure... I AM HIS CHILD.  My freedom in this life is secure... I AM NO LONGER A SLAVE to sin. My future is secure... I AM AN HEIR to the Kingdom and the reward.

Blessings,