Tennis is definitely on the list. With camps, group lessons, and private lessons, the kids I should improve our games greatly. I’m sure we’ll spend a lot of time at the community pool as well. The way the temperatures are going now, it looks like we are in for a HOT summer.

I would love for this summer to be one of downtime and relaxation. By that I mean that I don’t plan to have every minute scheduled. Sometimes the best memories happen spontaneously.

However, I don’t want this to be a wasted summer. We will do our share of reading and other educational activities to keep our minds sharp. And we will look into God’s Word to see what new things He wants us to learn this summer.

Check back in every Friday for an update for how our summer is going. Don’t expect me to use these posts to brag about the fun things we are doing. My purpose is to provide ideas for those of you with kids suffering with summer boredom and to encourage you to enjoy the time you have with your kids.

What are you going to do this summer? Leave a comment and share!

Cravings is a collection of card-size devotionals based on the Psalms. They are written to help mothers develop their relationship with God in the midst of motherhood. Each card contains a scripture for the day, a “thoughtlet,” and an action idea. As moms crave the sweet morsels from God’s Word, they can draw a card from a delectable Cravings holder–a pink cupcake!–that also displays the daily card for hands-free viewing. Versatile enough to fit with any feminine décor in a dining nook, a prayer closet, a kitchen–wherever you’d want Scripture at your fingertips.

Tune in Thursday at 1:30 p.m. CST on Blog Talk Radio to hear Carey talk about her inspiration for this devotion resource.

Yes, I’ve led conferences before that taught women how to take control of their calendars and to-do lists. But for some reason, what I have taught has not worked for me in a long time. I’ve become discouraged because there is so much work for me to do, but I haven’t been able to figure out how to do it all.

As I was struggling through the things I needed to get done yesterday, it hit me that maybe the reason I can’t get things done when I want to get them done is that I am trapped by perfection. Even though I know I’m not perfect, I still want things done perfectly. For example, I know the bathtubs and showers in my house really need cleaning. However, I know that I can’t get them perfectly clean. There are spots that just won’t come off. So, because I know that they won’t be perfectly clean, I put off cleaning them.

It’s crazy, I know! But I’m caught in the trap of perfection, and it paralyzes me from doing what needs to be done. This also spills over into my writing. I’ll put off writing something because I feel I’m unqualified to write about a certain topic or I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing.

So, what do you do if you’re trapped by perfection? Well, sometimes you have just got to let some things go. Tell yourself that your best is enough. One of my favorite quotes is from Marla Cilley The Fly Lady. She says, “Housework done incorrectly will still bless your family.” I try to remember that when perfection seizes me and threatens to keep me from being productive.

The hardest part is getting up and doing what needs to be done. Sometimes I give myself 15-30 minutes to work on a particular task or set of tasks. It is amazing how much can be accomplished in such a short time. Usually I’m so inspired by what I have done, that I continue to work longer. Now, if I could just manage to do that everyday!

So, what about you? How do you motivate yourself to do what needs to be done whether it’s at home or work? Do you struggle with perfection, too?

I think he should still be like this.

When in reality, he is like this.

I can’t believe he’s going to be 13 this fall. But, hey, that’s life! I’m looking forward to seeing God work during this season of his life. You can be assured there will be many prayers offered up on his behalf.

Before I know it, he will be graduating from high school and moving on with his life.

But why worry about that now. I plan to enjoy these next few years despite the difficulties they may bring.

This week on My Journey of Faith Radio, I will be interviewing Tricia Goyer. Tricia is the author of over 30 books and is a nationally known speaker as well. Visit her website to check out all the books she has written. She is married to John Goyer, and they have four children and one grandson.

I will be talking to Tricia about her book, Generation NeXt Parenting. She will share parenting tips that she has learned over the years with her own children.

I’m excited to have Tricia on the show this week! She has a lot of experience in different areas of life. I know you will be blessed to hear her story and to learn how you can be a better parent.

Join us Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Central time on Blog Talk Radio.

And He does. When we think we’ve got everything going for us, circumstances happen that pull us back and make us realize how much we need to depend on God and not on ourselves.

I’ve felt challenged lately to “keep it real.” By that I mean truly admitting that I can do nothing apart from God and that anything I have or accomplish is because of His grace and love that He lavishes on me so generously.

I want my kids to grow up knowing that the best way to do life is to be real. Yes, there is a time for politeness and for holding your tongue. But, I don’t want my kids to pretend to be something or someone they are not. I want them to be true to who God has made them to be. Too many times I feel like I act like who I think others want me to be like. I try to fit in even when I’m not comfortable trying to fit in.

So, I’m asking God on a daily basis to keep me real and set a positive example for my kids. Seeing me being real in all situations is one of the best legacies I can leave my kids.

2. Being a Mom challenges me to live an obedient life. How can I expect my kids to act a certain way if I don’t act that way?

3. Sweet smiles and hugs just because.

4. I get to see God do amazing things through these miracles He has created from my husband and me.

5. I have been entrusted with two precious lives, and that humbles me.

6. I actually love watching my kids play their sport, tennis, even if it makes us have a crazy schedule.

7. I get to introduce them to so many different experiences.

8. Seeing them like some of the same things I liked as a child.

9. Hearing their precious laughter.

10. Being a part of a team with my husband, committed to the very best for our kids.

Join me this Thursday on My Journey of Faith Radio as I interview Andrea Lennon. Andrea is a Bible study author and teacher from Conway, Arkansas. She will share about her Bible study, Reflecting His Glory.

Andrea established  True Vine Ministry in 2007 for the purpose of sharing God’s amazing Word with women. She averages 40 to 45 speaking engagements each year. Andrea also serves as a monthly columnist for Women’s Inc., a women’s magazine published in Central Arkansas.

Tune in live at 1:30 p.m. CST on Blog Talk Radio to hear Andrea share her testimony and learn why it’s important that women should study God’s Word.

When my son was born, however, we began to think that we should explore all our options. Like most of you reading this, we had many choices. We could choose to send him to the public school for which we were zoned. Or, we could look at private schools or even the homeschooling option.

So, we researched a few of the local private schools. While we liked what they offered, we weren’t really ready to commit financially to that option. We ended up sending my son to the public school. When my daughter started school, she went there, too.

A few years into our experience, we began to realize that we wanted something different for our kids. We had some wonderful teachers in our little public school. We also felt a part of that school community. But, we also experienced the frustration of government involvement in public schools. Our teachers wanted to do more, but their hands were tied by the rules and regulations they had to follow. We wanted our kids to be able to be challenged more if they quickly mastered certain subjects.

That led us to the decision to move our kids to a private Christian school 20 miles away from our home. Ultimately it meant moving from our home to be closer to our new school.

I know that we are very blessed to have our kids in this school. We are blessed that we are financially able to send them to this school. Yet, we do sacrifice for them to go there. There are many things we do without to provide them this opportunity.

I get asked a lot how we like the school. I always have to be honest and say that we love it, but it’s not perfect. Many people I talk to want to send their kids to a private school to “protect” them from things that sometimes happen in public schools. Let me share a few reasons this is faulty thinking.

• Just because we are at a Christian school does not mean that everyone there is a Christian. I have discovered that I still have to be very proactive by getting to know the families of the kids my kids are friends with. We’ve experienced a few things this year that are not positive because I did not take time to get to know the parents and their values.
• There are still kids who will want to bully other kids. I have to be diligent in preparing my kids in handling those kinds of situations.

• Not all private schools are created equal. You need to research their curriculum to make sure it fits how your child learns and provides them with the best education possible. You also need to find out if they offer the extra curricular activities in which your child wants to participate. Many private schools do not offer a full range of activities that some public schools offer.

If you are considering sending you child to a private school, I encourage you to be thorough in your research. Ask questions of the school administrators, interview parents of kids that already go there, and make sure you take a tour of the school when classes are in session. Our private school experience has been great. But it’s not for everyone.

No matter what option you choose, there will be a price to pay. It may be financially, or it may be that you have to sacrifice something academically if your school does not provide good, solid teaching. If you choose to home school, then you will have to sacrifice your time.

I’d love to hear your story about how you chose to educate your children. Feel free to comment and share!

Sandra is an educator retired from the public sector. She is now following the Lord by teaching an online Bible study as well as leading a Bible study for young women. She has worked in the public school system, public television, and adult education. She ended her professional career as Media, Technology, and Distance Learning Coordinator for an education cooperative.

Join us Thursday at 1:30 pm CST to listen to the show live at Blog Talk Radio.