Broken Chairs

I'm sighing.
It seems like every other day I find something broken around this house.
A broken toy, basket, dish.
A broken vintage chair.
No one seems to know how any of these things broke.
It's a mystery!
I cried about the chair.
I'm sighing.
Aren't we supposed to take care of the things God gave us?
I'm wondering if we have too many 'things' and we just don't care anymore.
What's the big deal?
Just get a new one!
I think we DO have too many things and you all know how I am trying to simplify by having less stuff.
After I found the broken chair, I threatened to get rid of EVERYTHING!
All the 'extras'.
Why have anything if we won't take care of it.
It just doesn't make sense.
Oh, and I know some darling little children who are probably eagerly awaiting the Christmas gift RECIEVING season.
WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING!
We can't even take care of the things we do have!
Sighing, sighing.
But today is Veteran's Day!
I had the kids attention at the breakfast table.
Listen, children, about those who gave so much to defend our country and fight for freedom.
Your own Grandpa and Uncle.
And countless others I could name.
And what about the ultimate sacrifice of forever freedom in Heaven someday.
Jesus didn't even have a home to call His own and we can't even be thankful for the chair we get to lounge on every day!
We are making an attitude change.
When I cried about the chair it was more for our attitudes and how we are so flippant sometimes with the things God has entrusted us with than just the hole in the chair.
We have been given so much that I wonder if we even realize just HOW MUCH!
We are taking too much for granted.
I want a thankful heart and a desire to take the focus off of ME and onto others.
And I want to truly be thankful for ALL THINGS.
I don't want to be crying over broken chairs.
So today we started 51 Days of Giving!
51 days from today, Veteran's Day, until the end of the year we will focus on giving, not getting.
Giving, because we are given so much.
Giving, because we truly want to be thankful.
We went to the library and found books and VeggieTale's DVD's about giving and one book, of course, about Veteran's Day.

This giving thing is going to be fun!
I think it's the perfect antidote for my broken chair!
The kids and I brainstormed for ways to give (and there's no need to stop after 51 days!)
1) Give thanks to God-give Him our hearts.
2) Use kind words.
3) Call a veteran to give thanks.
4) Tell someone about Jesus.
5) Make bookmarks and leave them in the library.
6) Leave coupons in the grocery store.
7) Invite someone new over for a meal or dessert.
8) Visit someone new.
9) Rake a neighbors leaves or shovel their sidewalk.
10) Send someone a 'thinking of you' card.
11) Decorate lunch bags for Meals on Wheels recipients.
12) Visit a nursing home to pass out treats and sing songs.
13) Bring treats to the fire and police stations.
14) Leave a kind note for the postal carrier.
15) Fill shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse.
16) Donate to Toys for Tot's.
17) Pick a name off the Giving Tree at the local library and buy a gift for a recipient in need.
18) Give a favorite book to someone you know who'll enjoy it.
19) Make a special craft with a special child.
20) Call an old friend.
21) Give a dollar to a child for no reason
22) Give hugs and kisses.
23) Send an encouraging note to a minister or teacher.

Maybe you will want to join us in our giving quest. Just start where you are and
please feel free to share any ideas you have for the encouragement of all of us to give during this beautiful thankful season!

Bless the Lord, O My Soul!

My heart gets troubled by many things.
The child who gets left out.
The child with constant headaches.
A messy house.
Not enough time in one day.
A never ending pile of laundry.
Worry for the college kids.
Sorrow over others grief,
Am I helping others enough?
Do my loved ones know I care?
Am I too busy with busy stuff and not spending enough time with 'needful' things?

I am learning to give up my little worries with the simple act of praising God.
Oh, and it is helping me let go of worrying.

I was fuming the other week at church, (of all places) when one of my children and a friend were obviously bypassed by the other kids of the same age.
They had the nerve to walk right past and sit at a different table even though there was plenty of room at that table!
Every single one. Probably about 10 others!
As I was saying, I was SO mad!
What little brats!
I could feel myself heating up.
OK, so I thought, I'm in church, singing these beautiful songs and yet, here I am, fuming at these kids.
Give it to God, I'm saying to myself. Or was it God saying it to me?
Find praise for Him!
Oh, Dear Lord, I praise your Holy Name. You are So Good. How great Thou art!
Immediately, my heart calmed down.
This child that I worried about fitting in is precious to God.
Everything doesn't have to be picture perfect in a worldly sense.
"I love this child. This child is so special to me" is what I heard when I decided to give God praise during that somewhat stressful time for this mother!
I felt a little sheepish then, of course, when I thought of how I automatically labeled those kids as brats. I mean, after all, they are precious to God, too! And some other mother's special child.
Though my heart just ached for this child of mine-a quieter child and not very outgoing, though friendly. Of course, I want my children to be accepted by their peers and they probably are, but that night it just didn't look right to me.
As I was giving praise to God, I realized that I was making a way bigger deal out of the situation than was needed.
Another friend came over and it ended being the three of them while the other10 squished around another table.
Praise the Lord! He gives everyone a friend!
God is Good!

Thank you, God, for these dishes I get to wash and the food you provide.
Thank you for this laundry and all our beautiful warm clothes.
Thank you for providing health providers for this child with headaches.
Thank you for a husband who fixes the washing machine and provides so adequately for our family.
Thank you for a home that I can lovingly clean and share with my family and others.
Thank you for providing us with a wonderful church family and people who love us.
Thank you for taking care of all our needs.
Thank you for loving me when I am unlovely.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;"  Psalm 103:1-4

Amazing Grace, is all I can say!

Summer Notes to Myself

Ahhh, summer!
Lazy days and dreamy nights!
I am SO ready!
The formal school year is over and thoughts of summer outings, fun projects and relaxing days fill my head!
And since I'm a list maker, I made a little list with notes to myself of things we can do to make this a FUN summer!

1) Invite swimming company-slice up watermelon and make homemade iced tea lemonade.
2) Visit the local Farmer's market-grill up local veggies for Saturday night BBQ and make fresh berry shortcake for dessert. Invite company.
3) Freeze fruit and yogurt into popsicles.
4) Organize a summer craft box for crafting outside at any given time.
5) Visit the local parks, large or small-keep a cooler in car for drinks and snacks, a pair of binoculars for bird watching, a blanket and a ball.
6) Make homemade ice cream
7) Go to the beach! Make homemade natural sunscreen, make sure baby has her sunhat, construct a 'beach' tent for shade!  Bring lots of water and snacks, and a great summer read!
8) Sign up for the library summer reading program and participate in all the summer programs that they offer!
9) Organize the 'lawn' games-bocce, whiffle-ball, horseshoes, volleyball, etc.  Invite company for a tournament.
10) Give the kids ideas: make a fort, put on an outdoor play-make tickets-invite an audience-make popcorn, paint rocks, make flower crowns, set up a lemonade stand, help your mama with a few chores in the morning, etc.
11) Have a  midsummer night dinner party-tell everyone to wear white, string white lights in the tree branches, light candles, have the hubby grill fish and vegetables.
12) Go camping-bring bikes
13) Eat breakfast on the front porch, sing praises with the birds!
14) Bring the kids fishing out on the boat.
15) Have hubby bring ME out on the boat.
16) Visit the local botanical gardens-pack a picnic!
17) Go to the 4th of July parade, decorate t-shirts, see the fireworks!  BUY fireworks!
18) Visit the local fairs.
19) Go golfing, play tennis, rollerblade, jumprope, play hopscotch and four-square.
20) Work on a summer project-create a new garden spot, build a fort, help out a neighbor, etc.
21) Make summer pies! Peach is my favorite! Serve with homemade ice cream or real whipped cream!
22) Dig in the dirt! Plant a few vegetables, a few new perennials.
23) Let the local Robin build her nest in the hanging flowering basket-watch her babies grow up!
24) Have a midnight snack outside and watch the fireflies, gaze at the stars, count our blessings!
25) Hang up a hammock, make outdoor summer pillows, hang a breezy canopy, enjoy the outdoors!

Here are some local summer events we would like to get to:
~Library programs
~Hamburg Family Fun Fest-June 13-15
~Fireworks at Kensington MetroPark-June 16
~Michigan Philharmonic Symphony 'An American Salute' free concert at Kensington MetroPark at 8:00 pm-June 22
~Outdoor weekly concerts in local towns.
~Howell Balloonfest-June 22-24
~Local waterski shows-Silver Lake, etc.
~Fowlerville Family Fair-July 23-28
~Colonial Kensington-Kensington MetroPark-August 11-12 Free
~Rodeo-Gaines, Michigan-July, Coldwater, MI- August 10
~Howell Melon Fest-August 17-19
~Selfridge Air Show-around 3rd weekend in August

If you have any other ideas, I would love you to share with me!
I hope your summer is blest with family, faith and friends!

Supply Beauty and Add Sparkle

I was going through my papers yesterday and I came across some notes I took from a book I read.

This particular idea struck me as something I thought would be good to focus on right now.

There is no time like the present, right?

This is what I wrote in my notes that I am assuming was taken directly from the book:
"Supply beauty in the lives of your husband and children, light up the home with sparkle no matter what!"

So I proceeded to ask the children that happened to be around me at the moment how we can add more 'sparkle' into our days.

The 3 year old daughter whispered in my ear, " I know what we can do, get some diamonds."

"That's a fabulous idea," I said. "We can hang them from the lampshades and windows!"

"Still, we better come up with a few more ideas as that one may be long in coming!"

So various childen thought of putting sparkles all over the wall, playing games, having picnics and going to the local indoor water slide.

Of course, the first thing I thought of was having a sparkling clean house!

I have been thinking about this now, and look forward to what hubby and each child comes up with as I am sure each one will be surprisingly different.

I will continue to think of simple ways to add sparkle and beauty into the lives of my loved ones.
I look forward to the challenge and know for certain it will bring a more happy and peaceful ambience to our home. And a fun challenge for me.

Some ideas I thought of so far are:
1. Using some fancy vocabulary words, like panache and chagrin and vivid and stupendous.
2. Using the fancy stemmed goblets for fresh-spueezed juice.
3. Neatly folding hubby's socks and underwear in his drawer. (We struggle with that one. He will absolutely love it!)
4. Displaying a child's artwork front and center on the mantel, framed and all.
5. Of course, having picnics even if it is on the front porch or backyard.

So, do you want to take on the challenge with me?

And please, if you read this post, can you please reply with your ideas? I would love to hear about what you thought of to supply your loved ones with beauty and lighting up the home with sparkle.

Thank you so much!
And thanks for taking the time to read this!

May love and beauty and sparkle be with you always!

P.S Anyone who really knows me, knows that I can't resist a little "sparkle" here and there!
I'm thinking of crystal chandeliers and sparkly jewelry and and even a 'romantic spark' from the dear husband! :)