The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to and end...
I'm looking out the window right now and the sun is out, the sky is clear, and it looks like it's going to be a perfect summer day!
But you know what can change a perfectly good day into a perfectly bad one? My attitude!
Moms, our attitudes can be uplifting and encouraging to our families, or it can bring them down in the dumps.
Proverbs 14:1 says "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."
This summer my prayer is to be a wise woman, actually this is my prayer in the spring, fall, and winter too. But this summer I want to build up my family and enjoy our time together instead of tearing them down by having bad attitudes. What kind of bad attitudes am I talking about? What about being overbearing and demanding? Of course during the summer we all still have responsibilites that need to be done, chores can't go by the wayside, but being overly demanding can definitely put a damper on a happy summer day.
What's another bad attitude that we mother's can exhibit? Laziness! This may not necessarily be an attitude, but it can tear the whole house down if we allow it to. Summer mornings when the kids are slowly waking up, maybe a couple are sleeping later, maybe the other kids that are up just want to watch cartoons, this can breed laziness in the whole family! We moms need to be careful that we're not being lazy right along with our kids, we need to get up and get the family going. Our kids will follow us- good or bad, so let's make sure that we're exhibiting good habits.
I can think of another bad attitude, perfectionism! Are you a perfect mother? I know I'm not a perfect mom, I make mistakes every day and I've been walking with the Lord a whole lot longer than my kids have. I'm sure it's probably the same with you, so let's not expect our kids to be perfect either. Sometimes I get this attitude that my kids should act older, almost like I expect them to be "little adults", isn't that crazy! My kids aren't little adults, they are kids and I need to let them be kids. They will make mistakes too, they're still learning, and my attitude should be one of helping them in growing up to love the Lord, not expecting them to be perfect in everything they say and do.
So those are just a few examples of bad attitudes that can wreck havoc during our summer vacation: Overbearing, Laziness, and Perfectionism.
We can change the atmosphere of our homes by having the right attitudes inside our homes.
Let's make our summer a joy-filled one, a summer full of happy memories!
There's just something about how summer weather can put a kick into your step, at least it does for me. After a long and cold winter and spring I am so very ready to get out of the house and change things up a bit. What about you?
I recently bought the e-book "Watermelon and Fireflies" from Aunt Ruthie's Sugar Pie Farmhouse (love, love, love this blog!), and it gave me so many good summertime ideas for my family. It was so much fun reading through this book (I actually had it printed up and put into a 3-ring binder so that I could look at it any time I wanted), and it got me so excited for summer!
Lately I've been in a bit of a slump due to my morning sickness, this has put quite a damper on the "fun mommy" I want to be for my kids this summer. But now that I'm having more 'good' days I'm getting even more excited for the ideas I want to put into place during these next 3 months.
I'd love to hear what other women have planned for their families this summer too, what kind of special activities they'd like to do, get-aways for the day or weekend they plan on going on, kid-friendly play ideas in the out-of-doors, and family outings in your own home town. How about you ladies, what kind of summer ideas do you have just waiting to be shared?
If you haven't yet subscribed by email to my blog, be sure to do so, that way you won't miss out on the Summertime Family Fun Series!
We love our popcorn at our house!
It's the perfect night time snack for the whole family as we're watching a movie together in the evening.
We've had our popcorn in every way possible (I think). We've popped it the old-fashioned (and extremely unhealthy) way in hot oil in a dutch oven on the stove. I have to say doing it that way was yummy, but frying the kernels in all that oil was just a bit unsettling (and painful when you got splattered with the bubbling oil). We've done the microwave popcorn thing, but that got a bit too spendy (because for our family of 6 we would need to pop about 3 bags). We've done it the air-popped way too, can you say "blah"?? It just didn't have the taste to it.
Now we pop our popcorn the best way as far as we're concerned, and it's buttery and salty and perfect!!
You wanna know our secret?? okay, here it is...
We start by popping our kernels in the air popper, this is quick and easy, and not messy at all. Then (and here is the secret) my dear husband sprays on a bunch of Pam butter flavored cooking spray right on the popcorn. He'll spray some, shake the bowl and mix it around, spray again, mix it up again, and spray one last time. Then he'll shake on a little salt, and Voila!! The Best popcorn EVER! No joke, this is really the tastiest popcorn and it is so healthy (depending on how much salt you shake on).
The butter flavored spray has:
no calories,
no fat,
no saturated fat,
no cholesterol,
no sodium,
nothing!
Isn't that great! But the flavor is just like butter!
Oh, it's so good ladies, you've got to try it!
So no need anymore for that unhealthy night time snack, have this yummy popcorn that the whole family will love!
And no one would guess that it's healthy!
Oh, it's been a long 3 weeks, and I mean L....O....N....G !!!
I've been down with morning sickness for these past 3 weeks, and I'm never down. My only down time has ever been during the kids' nap time, but for the past few weeks the couch and my bed have been my best friends, and at this point I really, really want to end this friendship!
It's hard when you get into a slump, isn't it? Whether it's because you've been sick recently (like me), or you've been overly tired from your daily duties (been there too), whatever the reason we can't allow ourselves to stay in a slump forever!
We need the Lord and His Word to remind us that He is our strength out of our slump:
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
2 Corinthians 12:9
That the power of Christ may rest upon ME, oh how I need that now. And I know that Christ willingly gives it to me, I just have to accept it. I have to accept His strength, and not think that I can do it on my own, or that it is impossible. I have to trust in His promises. I can't allow the devil to whisper his lies in my ear, remember what 1 John 4:4 says: "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
Let's hold on fast to that promise ladies.
When you're in a slump read 2 Corinthians 12:9 and 1 John 4:4 over and over again, and know that Christ is our strength for whatever comes our way.
There are so many great blogs out there, so many that I feel a connection with. These bloggers post about things that interest me, a way of living that inspires me, and an attitude that encourages me.
I want to share with you all a blog that does all three for me- The Legacy of Home! What a perfectly named blog, the name is what caught my eye in the beginning. In recent years I've been thinking about the legacy I want to leave my family, I want my children to remember me as a mother that cared more about them than if the house looked perfect. I want my children to remember me as a joy-filled mom even when times were difficult. I want my children to remember me as having had a strong Christian character in a world that is anything but.
This is the legacy I want to leave.
So when I came across The Legacy of Home I felt an instant connection to what Mrs. White would write about. The way she writes has truly inspired and encouraged me in the way I live. She often starts her sentences with "I will" instead of "I hope to", her attitude is one of joy and peace even when her circumstances are not. She has reminded me, through her posts, to have joy in the midst of a trial. To be thankful on less. To love others the way Christ loves us.
So with that being said, I hope you take this time to go and visit her lovely blog. She's having an Open House this week, with lots of fun give-aways! So go and check her blog out, read through some of her posts, and be encouraged by this inspiring Christian lady.
