Giving Thanks

One of my favorite t-shirts has faces of little Pilgrim and Indian children singing the praise chorus with these words:

"Give Thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One,
Give thanks for He has given Jesus Christ, His Son--
And now, let the weak say I am strong,
Let the poor say I am rich,
Because of what the Lord has done for me,
Give Thanks."

This month I want to share some ideas to give thanks--and celebrate Thanksgiving. But first---some matters of "housekeeping".

We're making some changes in our newsletter, and one change is that I'm combining "Home Matters "and "Caring for Kids" into one column. After lenghty deliberation (and lack of better ideas), I'm calling it "Heart and Home Matters". I ruled out some other names--"Home Matters", it turns out is actually part of the website of Cynthia Heald, a wonderful Christian author who writes about home organization--I mentioned her book and website (http://www.hearthandhome.com/) in an earlier blog. "Home Base" sounded like a baseball blog, which I'm certainly not qualified to write. "Home on the Range" seemed appropriate, since I live in a small town in Kansas, but the title I really would love to use is "Random House". Goodness knows, I am certainly qualified to write about this(more on that later)--but alas, the big publishing company might take offense at me using their name. So,unless anyone out there has a better idea, we're going with Heart and Home Matters.

As always, my goal is to give you (and me!) ideas to express God's love in our homes and to our families and friends in practical ways.

So, then...let us be thankful before we "talk turkey" (I couldn't resist) let's focus on our "attitude of gratitude". Being thankful is a choice--we can see what we don't have and complain to God(as the Israelites wandering in the desert)or we can determine we will look for God's blessings and goodness in all our circumstances. (Which,by the way,we are commanded to do-"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of Christ for you."

Being thanks filled--remember the "Glad game"-Pollyanna style?

Remember the Pollyanna movie? (Watch it this month with popcorn and a hankie--tell the kids not to be scared when she falls from the window--that worried me a lot when I was little). Pollyanna's father, a minister, taught her to be glad or thankful in spite of their circumstances--we can play the "glad" or "thankful" game this month--Read on.

We all have so very much to be thankful for--our homes, families and friends, freedoms, country, talents, physical bodies, beauty all around us from God's creation, and most of all thanks for our Savior Jesus who offered us freedom from death in our sins, forgiveness and an abundant life!

This month, offer up a sacrifice of praise and "thanks offerings"--be glad for what God has done!

"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."_Psalm 50:23

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord."-Psalm 92:1

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation."-Psalm 68:19

"He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me."-Psalm 50:23

*Write these verses, plus other "thanksgiving verses" on index cars and post them around your house for your family and guests to also read.

*Each morning, think of 5 things to thank God for and you could even write them in a"Thanksgiving Journal".

*Encourage your family to share 5 (or 3) things about their day for which they're thankful at supper.

*Talk with your family about contentment--are we content with what God has given us? When we want more, or wish things were different, we're saying we don't like what God has done for us, that it isn't enough, or that we know better what is good for us than God does! Yikes!( Our country has a big problem with contentment--so many people go into debt to have more than they can really afford. Think of all the advertising devoted to making us want more and more! Contentment is a good isssue to discuss, especially with the commercialism of Christmas lurking around the corner ).

*Print off the words, or enlarge copies of the hymns, "Count Your Blessings", "Come Ye Thankful People, Come" and "We Gather Together" to read/sing with your family.

*Visit your Christian Bookstore or library to revisit the story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. Two wonderful books are Give Thanks by Karla Dornacher(full of beautiful illustrations and a month's worth of giving thanks devotions) and Thanksgiving, A Time To Remember by Barbara Rainey(a Family Life book--you could order it from their website, http://www.familylife.com/) This is the best blending of the historical story of the Pilgrims, Biblical teachings, and family activities I've seen.

(Remember my commenting that I should write a "random house" blog? Here's the story--I have been procrastinating writing this blog--yesterday I decided to clean out the frdge instead of writing, and this morning I decided to rearrange the living room furniture. In doing so, I remembered that I store the seasonal books in one of the end tables--I found these two books just in time to share with you--hurray!)

Now that our hearts are into giving thanks , we can focus on some other ideas for this holiday and hospitality.

1. Lower your expectations--the Norman Rockwell painting of the scrubbed and happy family gathered around the table with the beautifully browned turkey may not happen for you and yours. Our family has had some wonderful Thanksgivings, but we've also had our share of 7-up and chicken soup "feasts" due to the flu bug. My youngest was 5 years old before we celebrated with extended family again! Bad weather, schedule conflicts, family squabbles, tired and cranky adults and kids can all lead to a less than "perfect" holiday--remember to be thankful no matter what! (And remember to make good memories instead of making your ideal holiday)

2. Work ahead--if you're expecting company or hostessing the big Thanksgiving dinner, be a "Martha" now so you can be a "Mary" later and enjoy the time with others. I have learned to cook the turkey several days ahead of time, put the dark and white meat in freezer bags, save the juice in another freezer container and freeze it to be warmed up on Thanksgiving day. You can also make pies ahead of time, freeze rolls, and do your shopping days earlier also.

3. Prepare your home for hospitality--clean the fridge so you have room for all the food, clean the bathrooms and pick up clutter. Decide what plates--or paper plates you'll use, where everyone will sit, who will bring what food.

4. Enlist help from your family and guests--I love having people over, but get flustered when everyone arrives and needs something done in addition to what I'm trying to finish! Make a list of what needs doing, then cut apart and put each item in a "job jar". I put my wonderful nieces and nephews in charge of icing glasses, moving tables and chairs, serving beverages, clearing plates and serving desserts. It helps to put them in teams to complete different jobs.

5. Plan some meaningful and fun activities. You can have an "I'm thankful for.." index card at each place with 5 kernels of corn to remind everyone of the "starving time" the Pilgrims went through their first winter--be sure to sing a Thanksgiving song and pray at the meal.

Play flag football, (our family activity for over 20 years) take a walk and collect leaves, put together a new jigsaw puzzle, play games, watch a good movie or football game.

For our evening meal last year after the Thanksgiving turkey feast, I broke with tradition and we roasted hot dogs and made s'mores over our firepit in the backyard.(instead of leftovers) It was a big hit--and very simple!! Afterward,we sat bundled in blankets around the fire, sang, heard amazing poetry from my nephew Ryan, and talked under the stars--what a good memory.

6. Set up a self-serve coffee/hot cocoa/hot cider "bar" with mugs and some simple snacks.

7. Make Pilgrim hats for the younger boys out of ll x 13" black construction paper by cutting a u-shaped flap to stand up as the hat top, and rounding off the corners to be the bottom of the hat. For girls, use white construction paper and fold up long edge and shape rest to head, using another piece of paper to cut in a collar shape. Indian head bands and feathers are also fun to make from construction paper. A large box can be the Mayflower ship for the kids to play in, and an Indian tepee is made with a sheet over bamboo poles or tree limbs.

8. Another Thanksgiving afternoon or other time activity can be making caramel apples. Dip apples quickly in boiling water to remove wax coating, remove stems and refrigerate to cool. Put sticks in apples, melt a 1 pound bag of caramels with 2Tbsp. of milk in microwaveor on stove,dip apples, and roll in chopped nuts or mini-chocolate chips. Place on buttered wax paper to cool. Tell kids that the Bible tells us that "you are the apple of God's eye." (This idea from Karla Dornacher's book listed above.)

9. Ask your family what traditions are important to them for the holiday (s) and what is not. You may be surprised to find a labor-intensive food or activity doesn't really matter to anyone. Serve roast beef--or pizza-if that's what your family prefers. It may be time for new traditions --or not. I read a great story about a family that always gathers to make their great-grandmother's cookie recipe after Thanksgiving. The guys all go hunting, and the women, young and old, gather ingredients and dole out tasks to make a huge batch of the cookies. They call other family members on the phone who can't make it to cookie bake fest. The funny thing is, some of the women admitted that they don't even like the cookies that well--they're heavy, dense cookies--but they love getting together to make them!

So..however you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, give thanks--lots of thanks--with a grateful heart. Be sure to tell those nearest to you how thankful you are for them!

Set Your Course for Adventure!

My husband just returned home from a week backpacking in the Ansel Adams Wilderness near Yosemite National Park. A highlight was rappelling down a 200 foot cliff-gasp! The group he was with calls themselves "Men in Midlife". (they leave off "crisis", as in "midlife crisis") Every two years,these guys from a church in Wisconsin and some others challenge themselves with an adventure along with a time of devotions and Bible study. My role in this deal was to be sure Don had the right supplies and to be his training buddy sometimes--only I wouldn't carry the 50lb. pack! He came back with a bit of a sunburn, scraped fingers and legs from rock climbing,some soreness,some great memories--and sleep deprivation. He is very glad he went--but he wasn't sure that if he'd known what he would be doing he would have signed up for this experience.

Isn't that the way for all of us? If we knew what all was in store for us in this adventure of life, we might not sign up!! Our theme is Changing Seasons of Life--especially a woman's life. Ouch. As a fairly new,and often reluctant,empty-nester this is not a topic I really want to talk about. But I do talk about it--to my other friends who are also struggling with the empty nest thing. Mostly, we feel like "has-beens". What do we do now? Does anyone still need us? (Actually,yes--our husbands and even kids still do)

I remember as a young mom with 3 kiddos ages 6 and under shopping at our local grocery store. I was trying to keep 2 kids in the shopping cart, in the exact middle of the aisle,out of arm reach of the items on each side. A sweet older lady came up to me, patted me on the arm,and said,"Honey,these are the best days of your life." I remember thinking--"great,I never sleep the whole night,the kids just got over the flu, and these are the best days?" Actually,I had the strong feeling that she was right. There are days I still think that!

To all you young moms--I know the days can be really, really long sometimes--but the thing is, the years are so short!! Try to freeze some of those precious moments in your mind--when your kids are so adorable and cute, you're just too busy to really focus on and enjoy them sometimes.

When my three were so small,our joke here was that I could do whatever I wanted as long as I took all 3 kids with me and had supper on the table at 6:oop.m. (Not really--my husband didn't mind much if supper was late)There was a time when I lamented that I would never get out of the house by myself again. Now I lament that there's no one here!!

So,what's a woman to do? Finding our way through the ages and stages of life is not for the timid. To be honest, I'm not quite resolved to my stage of life. I find myself crying at the oddest times--driving by our county fairgrounds, remembering all the fairs when my kids were in 4-H.(Sometimes I cried trying to get ready for the fair, but that's beside the point) Mom's walking their kids home from school also triggers regret that is isn't me walking my kids.

Here's what I keep reminding myself: God still has plans for me in this season of my life. He gives me a future and a hope. He will bring those things that will give meaning and purpose to my life.

Because of my husband's experience,I've been using that kind of self-talk. It's time to pack up my tent from the valley of "oh,poor me" and head for higher ground--to set my course for adventure! (Did you see the movie, UP?I love that line )

I am not planning a back country trip to rapell down a cliff--but,I have been working on pushing myself into some smaller adventures,and saying yes to God is the biggest adventure of all!
As my sons and their friends say,"If you're not living on the edge, you're just taking up space."

Whatever your age or stage, you need some adventure,too. Sometimes our fears keep us from venturing out of our comfort zone,and sometimes our self-images do. We think,"Oh,I could never do that..." When in fact actually we can--Philippians 4;13 tells us we can do anything through Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

One of my favorite magazines is a Christian one called, life:beautiful (Faith for your journey--www.lifebeautifulmagazine.com) In a recent article by Wanda Ventling and Allan Edeker, they say:

"Jesus uses adventure to confront who we are and make us who we are to be...God's adventures are personal, purposeful and productive."

They go on to give us some examples of adventures we can "rightsize" for ourselves--
volunteer in an inner city,chaperone a youth group trip,volunteer at a soup kitchen, sponsor a child, be a big sister,try out for a community band or play,take a day long hike or bike ride, share your faith with a friend or co-worker, go canoeing or whitewater rafting,go on a mission trip to a different city or abroad, start your own business,climb a mountain,run for an office,help build a home or clinic,confront abuse, injustice or gossip in your community, mend broken relationships, travel overseas, enter a contest,take a class,and the biggie--tell God, "Here I am, send me"--and mean it!

A popular book uses the term, "life bucket list". You're supposed to list some things you'd like to do/see in your life. Start a list--but remember to ask God what dreams He has for you,too! Anything that pushes you out of your comfort zone to rely on God is an adventure. And as my husband found out, we might not sign up if we knew what we'd be doing--but afterwards,we'll be glad we did!

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,but a spirit of power,of love and of self-discipline. -II Timothy 1;7

Home Base
In between adventures, we all need to return to home base to recharge and regroup. Fall is the season to "cozy up" your home--bring in the smells,colors,and tastes of autumn. Heat some spiced cider,bake some pumpkin cookies or pumpkin bread,decorate with leaves,nuts and pumpkins,add some candles and afghans for a cozy feeling.

Be equipped for adventure--now is the time to trade out summer clothes from your closets and drawers,and move the fall ones up. Be sure everyone has jackets accessible. Give away clothes you no longer wear or need. I'm a substitute teacher (talk about adventure!) and I organize my closet for quick choices--I have a few basic pairs of pants and several tops I hang together by color. I put the jewelry that would work with each outfit in a ziplock bag on the hanger. This does save time getting out the door.

Mundane but important--to keep your home base really cozy, have your furnace checked and change your furnace filters.

Fall Cleaning--if you do some now,you'll be in better shape for the holidays.(in both ways--cleaning is good exercise and your house will look better,too) Start at the top and work down--Wash windows, use a broom with a tea towel over it to dust ceilings,clean walls of smudges, clean/polish furniture,and vacuum/mop floors.

Not only will you be in better shape,but a recent study has found that visual clutter can cause migraines in some people. Another good reason to clear out!Besides, we're busy having adventures--who has time to dust extra,unneeded stuff?

On the book shelf: One of my favorite ways to have an adventure is in a good book.I'm recommending three I've read recently that will provide you with all the adventure you can handle!

The Forgotten God by Francis Chan, teaches us about the power of the Holy Spirit. Having radical faith can make your life an adventure,and several examples are given.
Dangerous Surrender, by Kay Warren, shows us what happens when you say yes to God. Kay's heart was broken by the AIDS epidemic in Africa and she began an on-going adventure to help alleviate the suffering of the children.
In a Heartbeat, by Sean and Leigh Ann Toughey, tells of their adventure in radical giving. This is the couple who adopted Michael Oher. The movie Blindside was based on their story, They practiced giving to kids long before this event,however,and it changed lives.

Whatever your age or stage,set your course for some adventure with God!!
Cozy up your home and enjoy Fall!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H (It just makes my head hurt)

It's back-to-school time and our house has been in a frenzy getting ready. I have been in school as a student/teacher/volunteer for all of my life,minus my first 4 years. At this time of year,I'm programmed to buy back-to-school supplies,throw up some bulletin boards, fill out my lesson plan book or school calendar, and learn or teach something!

Besides getting our daughter ready for another session at the Physical Therapy school at KU Med, we got our son ready to study a semester abroad in Brazil. (See Caring for Kids and Others for more details and a big lesson I'm learning!) I also try to get major projects done before school starts(a long-time habit from when I was teaching full-time) Our lives have been full of applying for Visas, packing clothes,making sand hill plum jelly, gardening, freezing peaches, defrosting the freezer, taking off wallpaper and painting the basement, and steam cleaning the carpets. We've also been blessed to attend several weddings--with more to come!(One of our friends called it "the summer of love.")

Whether you're sending students off across the state or world like me, to your local school,or home schooling, we all need to remember how important it is to keep learning!

One of my favorite quotes is from Oliver Wendell Holmes, the former U.S. Supreme Court Justice. He said something like this: A mind stretched to new ideas never returns to its original size.

I find that where learning is concerned, this is so true.

Sometimes all this learning, or stretching of my mind can be painful--it just makes my head hurt. For example, I always wanted to study astonomy in college, but never had time. I bought a book and it literally opened new worlds (or galaxies!)to me--and stretched my mind way out of shape. Did you know that the closest star to earth is Sirius, the "tag" of the constellation called Big Dog? It takes 8.5 light years for the light from this closest star to reach us. Some stars are over 200 times the size of the sun and light can be travleing through God's space for over 600 years to reach us!! Stars can be burned out yet their light is still reaching us!It just hurt my brain to try to comprehend how amazing the universe is that God created!!(Please pass the aspirin.) Talk about a big God!!

What really stretches my mind is reading about God in His word... what He has done for us, and wants to do through us. (when we abide in His Son,Jesus Christ). Talk about mind-blowing! The thing is,it stretches my ideas and hurts to know how far off the mark I am. It also is painful to have to re-adjust my thinking in a lot of ways--that putting self last thing, the call to serve others,the forgiveness and love everyone no matter what deals--ouch!!! The funny thing is, when we can actually wrap our mind around those and manage to practice one or two--the world is amazed and thinks we're out of our minds!!

All the more reason to contemplate Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will."

No doubt about it, reading God's word will definitely stretch our minds--and hopefully change our minds,hearts and actions.

As a teacher, I'm all about learning and renewing our minds.
I read once that the best thing a mother can do for her family is to keep learning. Learning can keep you young--and your mind young as well. Keep those synapses firing--do and learn things that are completely new to you!

Be an example of learning--try some of these ideas:
-memorize scripture, your family will see your intent to hide God's words in your heart

-learn a new language, or brush up on an old one--I had flash cards in Portugese all over our house for our son to learn key words(baneiros-bathroom)for his trip to Brazil. I also bought a French CD at a thrift store to refresh my memory.(Most of what I remember from Mrs. Teel's high school french class is the picture of the cute guy in front of a chateau--which led to daydreaming instead of serious language study!)(Bonjour,Jean-Claude!)

-read a variety of books--fiction, biographies,historical, how-to,travel,etc. I've learned so many different things from doing this--and its free!! Check out movies and audio books,too. My daughter got me into the audio books--she listens on her commutes. I'm putting my French CD in the car when I'm traveling now.

-Learn a new skill--check out a web site or book--try something new, be it new recipes, fix-it skills, herbs for your windowsill, knitting,crocheting,sewing. Again,I saw a how-to-knit book with some needles and yarn at a thrift store and thought, "why not?" One of these days I'll try knitting something!!

-study a foreign place--pour over maps,learn about the lifestyles, prepare food,learn some of the language. (If I keep boning up on my French cooking terms, I'll go see Julie and Juliet!

So, there's your homework--stretch those brain cells! It's good for you! Class dismissed.

You've Got A Friend

Oi. Como vai? My typing is terrible and this may look like one of my mistakes, but this is "Hello" and "How are you?" in Portuguese. My son is leaving Sunday for a semester of study in Brazil, so I'm making signs all over the house with the Portuguese names to help him learn the language. (Especially"um banheiro"or bathroom!)

We're celebrating one year of Lovely Branches Ministries and friendship this month. Through other Vine Press blogs, I've gotten to know my friends even better. At our Lovely Branches events, I've begun new friendships and have gone deeper with old friends.

Here's the deal--Christian women speak the same language, the language of the heart. Sure, we may disagree about some things, but wherever I go, I feel "at home" with a Christian friend. I am notorious for talking to anyone, anytime--so I've made some great friends at some unusual places--and our common bond has been our faith. Women friends are special--we"get"each other. The Bible tells us, "A friends loves at all times", (Proverbs 17:17). Think what your friends have "loved" you through! Here's part of my list: friends who have prayed me through tough things God has called me to do, friends who have covered for me when I had to leave town to take care of my Mom or son, a friend who came from far away to talk to me after my Dad died, friends here who took care of my family with food and finished my VBS projects during the same time, friends who help with projects in which I'm involved.


Getting together with your women friends, especially Christian women friends, encourages us and keeps us going. Make some time to pray, play, laugh, cry, eat, or do good works with your gal pals!


"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the day approaching."-Hebrews10:24-25


Next week my family is headed to Horn Creek Family Camp in Colorado, where we go each year and I'm looking forward to seeing my friends there. We sometimes communicate throughout the year by e-mail or phone for prayer, or through our powerful "Mom's network", which strikes fear into the hearts of our kids!! You have a neighbor coming to my child's college? Sure, we'll see if they can get acquainted. Josh, my son, is heading to Brazil, the former home of one of our friends--so, I call for travel tips and information.


My Horn Creek friend Diane tells me about a group some of her church friends have started--the Hot Dishes! They get together in their church kitchen once a month and cook casseroles,etc. for families who may need a meal. Stored in the church freezer, they're ready to go. The Hotdishes then go out for coffee. (The ladies, not the casseroles) They pray for each other, especailly for those who are "on the hot plate", experienceing pain/problems. How cool is this?



There are so many ways we can be the "hands and feet" of Jesus, meeting needs all around us. So, keep spurring yourself and your friends on to good works. It's great to have fun with your friends, too. Some of my favorite books are the Sisterchick books by Robin Jones Gunn. She defines a Sisterchick as "a friend who laughs with you till you cry and cries with you till you laugh; a gift from God." These are travel adventures but have some great scriptural truths!


Celebrate your friends this month--see them as the gift from God that they are. For now, I'll just say: "Tchau, ma amigas", or Goodbye, my girl friends!

Free for All

Happy Independence Day! (See ideas to celebrate in the Kids & others blog).

We are doubly blessed to have certain freedoms because of our relationship with Jesus and more freedoms because we live in the United States of America.

Being a perpetual list maker, (things to do,things to buy, things to clean out, cook, redo, etc.)I made a list of freedoms we have that we probably take for granted without realizing how different our lives would be without them.

Most of these are"Freedom of Choice" issues which are free for all!!

We are free to choose:

-our work, our place to live

-our attitudes(The Bible has some things to say about this, however)

-how we use our resources-time, energy and money *more on this

-our thoughts-we are free to make up or change our minds

-who or what we serve and love

-what we read, watch, hear, even eat and drink (again, the Bible also guides us here)

-what we wear (we don't have to cover ourselves with burkas, veils, etc.--we could if we wanted)

-where we travel

-our words-what we say or choose not to say (even more important sometimes!)

-our feelings, to some extent (we choose what to think about and how to feel about it)

-our actions--or lack thereof -

-another direction, we can always have a new start with forgiveness in Jesus

While all these freedoms are"free for all", freedom is never free.

The rights/priviledges we enjoy and even abuse came at a great cost--Jesus gave his life to give us our freedom from death/sin/guilt and many people in our country gave their lives/energy/time to allow us many of the other freedoms we have.

Here is my question for us--what are we doing with all these freedoms? Are we using them to release ourselves and others from some type of bondage, or are we abusing our freedom to choose and making choices that are actually enslaving us and others?

What are you "enslaved" to ? What aspect of your life causes you to feel defeated? For some of us, it may be cluttered rooms, spending habits, disorganized paperwork, food/weight/health issues, relationship challenges, financial difficulties, time and energy shortages. Sometimes,we feel so defeated and overwhelmed we don't know how to get ourselves "free". The real kicker that makes us feel even worse is that we know our bondage is mostly our own doing--that some of our choices landed ourselves in this mess!!

I just got back from my Mom's. My sister was there from Washington,D.C.. When my Mom moved to her home 12 years ago, she had to move a bunch of boxes belonging to my sister,who has a tough time getting rid of things. We looked though some of the boxes last week, and she decided she could let go of old college notes, textbooks, etc. that had been boxed up for 30 years! I asked her if her life had been enriched at all by those boxes that had been sitting there all this time, and she admitted that they had not. She did find 3 or 4 things she wanted to take back to D.C., but since she couldn't bring herself to go through the boxes and deal with their contents earlier, she missed out on using those things. While this was very hard for her, she said an interesting thing. She said, "I feel free letting some of this go!" Then she cried because she said she had a room at their home that if she had gone through boxes and gotten rid of things, her daughter could have used it for a play room for friends coming over.

Jesus said that He came to give us life, and to give us an abundant life, (Not in terms of stuff!)

He also came to make us free--we always have a new start!

Pick one of the things keeping you in bondage and resolve to start breaking free with Jesus' help! Ask for wisdom, and break your problem into steps. Just start with one or two small changes--then keep going!

Clean out one drawer a day, throw away old newspapers/magazines(recycle), file some important papers, make those appointments you need to make, start moving more, get rid of junk food, drink more water, forgive someone, forgive yourself, change a lousy attitude, let go of a grievance--you see where this is going. Choose one or two things and get going in the direction you want to go--your choices determine your days!! And, you are "free" to choose!! (Not always, I know--we have some constraints because of others who need us and other obligations)

My sister felt empowered by throwing away some things, and thinks she'll go home and do more--when we get ourselves moving in the right direction, even little steps take us farther than we thought we could go! You have to let go of the old to make room for the new!

Celebrate your freedoms--make those choices that will set you free!

Summertime..and the Living is Easy

As I type this entry, I'm looking out at my backyard with 10 rose bushes blooming, my newly washed and trimmed dog snoozing on the porch, and mama birds busily grabbing worms for their babies nesting in trees nearby. I just love this time of year!!!

May has always been special, not only for its beauty, but because as any student or teacher will tell you, it marks the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. In the blog, Caring for Kids and Others, I wrote about the idea of rest and summer(not terms I would use together!)and also offered ideas for 3 different "R"s--Relax, Rejuvenate, and Reconnect.

I have great memories of summer as a kid and as a mom doing a lot of the same things with my kids--read the blog for more.

However, this year I'm sharing with the mama birds the leaving of my babies as they continue to "spread their wings" and leave the nest. This will be the first summer in 26 years I'll have no child at home! Our oldest son is married and finishing his teaching year in Lindsborg--he's off to State Track tomorrow with the qualifiers from his team. (It's the 100th anniversary of the Kansas High Schools State Track Meet) Our daughter graduated from KSU 2 weeks ago and we've been busy repurposing furniture(painting) and going to thrift stores to "feather" her new nest in Kansas City where she'll be attending the KU Med Center Physical Therapy School. We leave tomorrow morning! (We've been having cooking lessons so she can make more than peanut butter sandwiches) Our youngest son was home from KSU 1 week, and has"migrated south" to work at a children's camp in Arkansas this summer. I'll miss all the fun we had when they were younger but will still find ways to enjoy summer! I hope some of these will help you, as well.

Summer is a good time to.....

-Do some serious porch sitting. We have two porches and we alternate depending on the wind and time of day. Make a relaxing spot for your family and friends to gather outside--whether it's comfy furniture on the porch or out in the yard, it's a great place for visiting.(Don't forget iced tea with mint, lemonade or root beer floats!)

-keep de-cluttering. Have the kids help go through some of their things, school papers, clothes, etc. Donate to a thrift store--maybe offer a prize(a new item from the thrift store?) for a goodde-clutterjob.

-simplify meals. Eat fresh as much as possible. We have strawberries, lettuce, rhubarb and spinach that we're harvesting now. Support your local farmer's market. Make home-made ice cream. We're working on the perfect sorbet or gelato (my son became a fan in Italy)

Cook ahead--buy ground beef or chuck when it is on sale and cook 5 pounds or so--let cool and package in freezeer bags for easy meals(tacos,taco salad, spaghetti, BBQbeef cups, pizza, etc.)Use your crockpot to do roasts and a whole chicken and save part of the meat for another meal. Grill more hamburgers/hotdogs than you'll use for one meal to save for another.

Think Cold--freezer desserts and snacks. Buy some popsicle type plastic molds and make your own--we use banans, yogurt(plain or flavored), fruit juice and whatever left-over fruit we have and puree in blender,then pour into molds. Much cheaper and healthier than store bought treats. Frozen grapes are great,too.

-Equip your car for "day camping" or trips.
You never know when you'll happen on the perfcect spot for a picnic--equip your car with paper plates, plastic or real silverware, napkins, cups and a paring knife plus blanket. Always take water on trips in a jug, and some paper towels or wet wipes. Traveling with extra play shoes/clothes is a good idea, too.

-Take longer family trips

Traveling with kids, especially little ones is a challenge! We found that bringing some different books/toys than they usually have, snacks in individual zip lock bags, and waterbottles help. Cheese sticks are great snacks, as are fruit pieces. Books on tapes was another great car entertainment or I would read a book about the locale where we would be traveling. One year we followed the Platte River in Nebraska and the Oregon Trail. We had a great book on tape, WagonTrain 911, and I had made fruit leather for snacks--the kids really enjoyed it and learned a lot.

When packing clothes for the little ones, I would put clothes, socks,undies, hair bows,etc. for each outfit in 1 large ziplock bag. That way, to dress them, just pull out a bag and everything you need is all together!

-have fun--reconnect with your inner child,or borrow some kids--a lot of summer's best pleasures are the simplest--go barefoot, run through the sprinklers, eat watermelon, read a book in a hammock--you get the idea--and if you don't, check out the Caring for Kids and Others Blog!

I hope some of these ideas will make your summer living easier and may God Bless you and yours this summer!

May Musings

Happy May Day. Don't foget to celebrate--leave some May Day baskets at friends, neighbors, or even strangers' homes--practice hospitality! My mom was great at sending us around the neighborhood to older neighbors' homes with our construction paper/doily baskets filled with bridal wreath spirea, irises and cookies. I also have wound a Maypole(!!) in an elementary school program. Now those are ways to bring in May!

The National Day of Prayer is another good way to begin May. Attend a gathering, or open your home for a group, or pray by yourself--but pray!!

Your Prayer Closet
Do you have a special area set aside to have a quiet time with God and pray? Not a whole closet, but maybe a quiet, comfortable chair--make a prayer basket to have with you. This idea is either from Joyce Landorf or EmilieBarnes, or maybe both. Fill a basket with your Bible, Devotions guide, tissues, pens, paper, and "Thinking of you" note cards. Start your day here, or make an appointment that works for you. The things in your basket will keep you from wandering off--and help you to follow through on good intentions. Sometimes God brings someone to mind when you're praying and you think, "I should drop them a note", then you forget. Speaking as the poster girl for good intentions but lousy follow-through, having a card right there might actually enable me to get it done!
Cyndy Salzmann in her book, Making Your Home a Haven, has a great chapter called "Finding a Quiet Place". As all moms know, the only place you can really be alone is the bathroom--if you lock the door. Having tried this myself, I was not suprised with her experiences--the kids slipped notes under the door and spent their time talking/knocking on the other side. She then read about Susannah Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley. She would pull her apron up over her head to pray, and all the children would know not to bother her. When Cyndy tried this, she was constantly distrubed by the children's giggles and laughter. Not what she was going for. Her final try was a notebook to write her prayers--can be done anytime, anywhere. If you're interrupted, you can pick it right back up. I mentioned the Mom's prayer group I'm in (Caring for Kids blog) and when we look back over our prayer lists, we're amazed at how God has worked!
We're told in the Bible to "pray without ceasing", and of course, you can pray anywhere. Pray while you're ironing your husband's shirts, pray for your kids for their day when tidying up their areas, pray for your town while out walking/driving. I pray for students I work with at school. (You'd better believe there is prayer in schools--many of us have been doing it for years, just not always out loud--God hears us either way!)
Abraham Lincoln once said he had been driven to his knees to pray many times because he had nowhere else to go. So.....whether you find a quiet spot, keep a prayer journal, go about your day, or go to your knees, Pray!!!

Putting hands and feet to our prayers
Being a"Martha"type, sometimes when I'm praying I think about what that person needs done--what would bless them in terms of a physical action. I really need to be more intentional about serving others--again, I have good intentions but get distracted and forget to put the intentions into deeds. When I do manage to carry out my thoughts, it is such a blessing--to me! (Hopefully the other person feels blessed, but it is such a priviledge to try to be part of God's answers to someone's needs)

Practicing Hospitality--do it with heart, not perfection!
What do you think of when you hear the hospitality word? I always thought it meant having the house in order and a good meal ready at a moment's notice to entertain. Then I read the book Table Talk, by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. Mimi recalls growing up as a missionary child in Zaire--the nearest grocery store was two countries away, but her family entertained any travelers needing a meal and a place to spend the night.(This meant Mimi would give up her bed and sleep in the bathtub, with the stopper in, to keep out snakes!)
This book pretty much takes away any of our slick magazine picture ideas of having to have things perfect before we open our homes and lives to others!

Some of the definitions I've come across for hospitality are: seeing needs in others and reaching out to meet them; encouraging others; and making people feel loved and welcome.

The Bible tells us, "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." God may want to accomplish something in our guests' lives, or in ours, if we're willing to share what we have to bless others. Mimi and Mary Beth change our ideas again by telling us to focus on what we do have, not what we don't--"a fireplace, a big shade tree, a patio, a great coffee cake recipe. It's not the decor or even the menu that's important." (p.91,TableTalk) You free other people to practice hospitality when you can have them over in less than perfect conditions!

The most important key to hospitality is having a giving heart attitude, focusing on the other person's needs instead of your desire to make a good impression. I really enjoy having company, but too often I think things have to be a certain way and wear myself out and then can't enjoy my company. Remind you of anyone? I have always identified with Martha in the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible. She wanted to honor Jesus with things being "just right". Mary made her guest feel welcome by giving Him her full attention.

Preparing to be Hospitable
For me, I've learned to be organized before-hand so I can relax when I have guests or can meet a need. This means:
- keeping living room, guest bath and kitchen fairly clean (or a fast pick-up routine!)
-having a guestroom or bed ready to go with clean linens and clean guest towels, even a basket with magazines, guest size samples of shampoos, etc.
-keeping snack foods in the pantry,cookies and ice cream in the freezer
-cooking ground beef and chicken ahead of time and freezing in meal-sized plastic bags to prepare quick meals (tacos, spaghetti, chicken enchiladas,casseroles)
NOTE--these things are not necessary, but helpful if you're a "Martha" like me--the most important thing is to make your guests feel welcome and at home!

Being hospitable away from home

This was a new concept for me, but one I was doing anyway--mostly. Now I pay more attention to those around me.
- if you carry a purse, stock it with some pain relievers, decongestants, safety pins, and band aids. As a parent, teacher and activity sponsor traveling with kids to events, I learned to be prepared even with tape and a mending kit. I love those Swiss Army knives and have a small one of those, too, with all the neat tools. You never know when a safety pin or something else will save the day. Once at State Music Contest, we made a quick fix of gum to hold a loose clarinet pad! (This is your chance to be a female McGyver--remember that show?) I don't always carry a purse, but I've made plastic bags full of these supplies plus plastic gloves for our car glove boxes.

-be hospitable, meet others' needs or show encouragement standing in lines, waiting for appointments, and traveling. Look for ways you can help, even if it is just by smiling and being welcoming to new people at church or those in other situations who are alone. A warm smile and a kind word don't cost us any'thing but could make someone else's day--or give them the strength to keep on. I've been in situations where someone's kind attention made me feel welcome and helped me through some hard times.


Keep praying and look for ways to be hospitable!