I have struggled and struggled recently with the ability to fully trust God. I never truly realized the extent to which I wrestled with Him over even the simplest of things.

“Amy. I will protect the boys. Trust me.”

I hear that and immediately begin to think, “Yeah but God you don’t know how they are. I mean, one minute they are reading classic literature and the next they are trying to do a “kick flip” and a “lolly” on a skateboard. I don’ t know about you God but I don’t even know what a “lolly” is but it just doesn’t sound good! I mean…”

“Amy,” He says, “Trust me.”

As I’m thinking this my son runs in to tell me he just did an “ollie” but that he won’t try it again for a while because he almost hurt himself but he was quick to tell me, “I didn’t though ’cause God loves me and takes care of me, huh mom?’

“And a little child shall lead.” eh? All I could do is throw up my hands and say, “Okay God. You have my attention.”

As I meditated over scripture and asked for revelation of what God wanted to show me I began to pace the floor and pray. Then I heard Him tell me to sit down.

“What? You want me to sit down, God? Ooookaaaaay.”

So I sat down in the nearest chair and started to initiate a dialogue between God and I about why He had a need for me to sit down in the chair and that is when He dropped it into my spirit.

I had more faith in the chair’s ability to sustain me than I did in God’s ability to sustain me. I never questioned whether or not the chair would hold me, or if it had a flaw in it somewhere, or whether or not it had secure footing. I certainly didn’t question whether or not it loved me enough to hold me up. I just sat. I simply trusted. I didn’t walk around and test all of the chairs to see which was the strongest or which seemed better for the job. I had more faith in a random inanimate object than I did in my loving and eternal, living God. How big is that mustard seed?

God also showed me that another root of not trusting or having no faith is pride. Pride in my ability to make what I perceive to be better decisions than God, faster response time than God, and more love for my children than God. Yes, I truly thought, and said it often, nobody loves them like I do. I didn’t mean to include God in this but obviously in my heart I had.

I wish I could tell you that I immediately repented but I didn’t. In fact, this happened a couple of years ago and I just recalled it recently while I was once again struggling with my ability to trust Him. I repented. I am moving forward. And now just to make Him laugh I shake and push on my chairs almost every time before I sit in them. *BIG smile* He loves me!

You see, the funny part about my chair shaking escapades is that I knew clearly that I didn’t worship a chair or put more trust in it than in God. What I had begun to realize was that my faith was in me. My trust was in me. I knew the chair would hold me because I had sat in it before. I trusted me and that is why I now had a problem trusting God. The false God? It was myself.

{now weeping and face down on the carpet}

God, forgive me for putting more faith and trust in myself than in you. You are my father, my creator, the love of my life. Forgive me for thinking that I am the only one who had my best interests at heart. I will wholeheartedly try to die to self each and every day and grow in you. Please help me to do that. Thank you for being such an awesome and loving example. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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I suppose it is normal to have a sobering sense of time when you look up from your desk, caught off guard by the young woman walking through the door, only to realize it is your own daughter.

When did she grow up?

I feel like I just tucked the 4T dresses away for her little sister. Wasn’t it only yesterday when she insisted on wearing sports shorts and a t-shirt, all-the-time? Now she’s dressed like she’s ready to step into the world of business movers and shakers.  That’s what dress code looks like on a nearly fully matured teenager’s body.

In only a blink, I am sure she’ll be walking back out that door and into the world God is waiting for her to explore. And I am left to wonder.

Did I teach her the most important lessons of all?

Did I model authentic faith?  Did I share with her the awesomeness of God and proclaim His glory in my worship, praise, and prayers? Did I show her what to do with unbelief, letting her know it is okay to cry out to God in doubt but walk faithfully anyways?  Have I given her a taste of my whole faith, even the messy parts, because isn’t life messy?  Won’t she be a doubting Thomas at times, too?  But it is my prayer for her to echo Mary’s words more often, “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” (Luke 1:46-47).

In the very blink frozen by my thoughts, I turn my heart to the Lord and stare down Proverbs 3:5-6. It was the very first verse my daughter had to memorize when she entered kindergarten and the very first verse I really sunk my knees deep into prayer over the life of my children.

Oh Lord, may they trust in you with all their heart, and lean not on their own understanding. In all their ways may they submit to you, O God, and may You make their paths straight.

It’s been a prayer for my littles, spoken so many times in gasps of, “Oh Lord. Help them to submit. Dear God, make them stay the straight way.” But in this moment of window gazing and wonderment of time, the Lord whispered to me a new way to use this passage of Truth. He asked me…

• Did you teach them to trust me?
• Did you teach them how to give their heart to me?
• Did you teach them to not lean on their own understanding?
• Did you teach them to live set apart?
• Did you teach them to pay attention to me?
• Did you teach them to follow my ways?
• Did you teach them how to live on the straight path?

Did I teach them?

It’s now my accountability checklist for the remainder of my motherhood journey. Not so that I’d feel bound up in condemnation, but so that I’d really pour into the years left with her and her siblings.  It’s a tool to help me evaluate my time, offering the Holy Spirit a good old fashion moment of silence as I step away from the screens to face my Maker.

Oh sure, it makes me squirm on days when the answer is “No, Lord. I didn’t.” But because of His grace and the mercies bestowed each morning, I can embrace living with an momma heart, eternally bent. It’s the best thing I can do for my children — to give them Jesus in a faith that’s still being learned — while they are still young enough to teach.

:: click here to download a copy of Did You Teach Them to encourage you
and a printable version of Proverbs 3:5-6 ::

Blessings,

Elisa, MoreToBe.com

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By Contributing Writer, Brandy Ferguson

If you read the title of this post and secretly sighed to yourself wishing that you could see the joy again in motherhood, then you’re supposed to be here today.

If you feel you’ve lost the joy you once knew as a young, vibrant mother whose days were filled with new, exciting exploration getting to know your little ones, you’re not alone.

At some point, maybe you’ve felt like you’ve entered a season of just trying to endure, just trying to cover the basics, let alone find joy in the chaos. Is that you?  Have you heard yourself whisper to God lately to help you see the beauty?  To restore joy unto you?

If you’re like me, many days you feel swept away by the current of your busy family with many little ones at home, and maybe teenagers who need shuttling to this and that.  Maybe you feel like you’re so busy moving robotically from one activity to another, managing your task list, that there’s little time for emotion beyond your own emptiness.

Mothers pour themselves out for their families.  And we’re supposed to.  It’s the way God wired us.  We want to nurture our babies and husbands and teach our children and keep our homes.  We’re nesters, and it’s in our design.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t get overwhelmed when there’s just too much on the to-do list, day after day. It doesn’t mean we don’t grow weary when we haven’t slept through the night for four years straight.

We don’t always focus on the joy in motherhood, because frankly, so often we’re too busy and too overwhelmed to even remember that this is a blessing.

Sound familiar?  If so, your question is the same as mine:  How do we rediscover joy in motherhood?

Of course there’s no magic solution, but I’ve learned that it’s a conscious decision involving a few key things.

We must slow down.

Choose to live today.  This day.  One day at a time.

We must say no to a long list of unnecessary commitments, social and otherwise.

And realize the beauty of teaching our children and keeping our home.  Oh, there’s so much more value in our noble work than we can even comprehend.

We must pray and ask God to restore joy to our hearts.

He wants to.  He wants to help us embrace the fruits of the Spirit and choose for those to thrive in us.  Joy is a choice.  We must desire it and decide on it.

We must remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

We must stop thinking that we can only have joy if our situation is good or if our circumstances change for the better.  Joy is knowing that no matter what, our salvation, and our existence in Eternity is with Him.

We must trust that joy does come in the morning.

Whatever we’re going through, we must remember that He has a plan.  He has it all figured out, and did, long before we were born.  So often, if we’ll just hold on, circumstances do change, and relief comes with a new day.  And we can trust that ultimately, even if we can’t understand the why’s and how’s of our temporary positions here on this earth, true joy will be realized when we see our Creator face to face in Eternity.

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The excitement in our home has been almost palpable the last few days. For months now, we’ve been working hard on a book. A children’s chapter book that is the tangible result of years of dreaming.

Something about the process has brought special joy to Phil and I. It’s the fact that our girls have been included in the journey. They have not written the book, designed it, or done any of the actual work. Yet they have been by our sides throughout the process.

They’ve known that Daddy was getting up before dawn morning after morning to write. They peered over my shoulder as I did the first edits. We asked for their feedback when we named the characters, chose the color of the title on the cover, and more.

Why does this matter? Because when we include our children, the journey becomes richer, stronger, and more meaningful. I know that our girls will look back with fond memories of this process. Because it wasn’t something that Daddy and Mommy did on their own. It was a project they felt included in.

As the first reviews for the book have come in, Phil and I have been so blessed to see that the same sense of togetherness is present when families read the book. Review after review carries the same theme, family time spent reading together:

“Whether it’s books for me, or for my children, I’m always on the look out for either. The best books are sometimes, the ones that are for all of us. Begin (the first of The Growly Books) is such a book.” – Kris Camealy

“The very first night I started this book with the boys, it received the highest compliment it can get from them: ‘Keep reading, Mommy! And that went on chapter after chapter until we had read for much longer than any of us had planned!” – Erin Mohring

“My daughter and I started reading this together before bed the other night and she instantly talked me into reading ‘just one more chapter!’ After about 3 or 4 chapters with her, I picked it up and read it straight through for myself!” – Amanda White

Our hope was that this book would be something families could enjoy reading together. And it brings us special joy to see that becoming a reality.

About the Book

“For centuries the bears of Haven have lived quiet lives, high in the mountains at the edge of the great Precipice. That all changes for a young cub named Growly when he receives a mysterious message. With just his backpack and glider, Growly sets out on a desperate journey to find his grandfather’s long lost friend . . . and to find a way back home. Begin is the first book in The Growly Books series. Written for the 8-12 year old reading level, it is also a captivating read aloud for younger children and will appeal to anyone who appreciates stories of adventure and friendship. The book contains 35 chapters, with 13 beautiful illustrations by Annie of Be Small Studios.”

The book is available now in both paperback and Kindle formats!

A Giveaway: Annie Barnett (Be Small Studios) is graciously offering a giveaway of an 8×10 print of an original pencil and hand-painted watercolor version of one of The Growly Books: Begin’s illustrations. The image is printed on high-quality cold press matte paper, to replicate the feel and look of the original watercolor.

To enter join the Rafflecopter below:
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Erin’s heart for helping others achieve their goals is the foundation of her successful business, Design by Insight. Using her ability to ask the right questions, Erin captures the message of a project and translates that into a great design. Erin and her husband Phil have established a reputation for quality design, professional client relationships, and personal commitment to each project. Her book, Self Publish: Moving from Idea to Product (co-authored with Teri Lynne Underwood), gives writers the tools they need to effectively plan their own self-published projects. Erin and Phil’s first children’s chapter book, The Growly Books: Begin released in May 2013. You can also find Erin writing at her personal blog, ErinUlrich.com.

Erin lives in South Carolina with her husband Phil and their two daughters, and their home is usually a whirlwind of creative activity.

Thank you so much for subscribing and joining our community here at The Better Mom! We have a special gift for you. Click here to download your FREE copy of Rhythms: Family Traditions Worth Passing On.

I do not have a green thumb. Whatever color is directly opposite of green on the color wheel is the hue of thumb I possess. I can murder a house plant faster than you can say “terra cotta pot.”

My mother-in-love is famous for her ability to grow the most beautiful things— tender and fragrant herbs that flavor her roasted potatoes or her lavender shortbread cookies; bright blooming annuals that display their splendor from May to September; flowering perennials that return year after year poking their heads through the blackened earth revealing vibrant blossoms. She even staggers her plantings according to when they bloom in our Michigan climate to ensure that there will always be an array of color from the first hint of spring until fall.

I, too, although admittedly not possessing her knack for nature, like to grow flowers and have tried my hand at an outdoor herb garden. However, it doesn’t come natural to me. I’ve had to read and study.

And I have to schedule the required steps in my life just like an appointment: “Water herbs and flowers Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Feed plants with Miracle Grow on the first and fifteenth.”

But the most important task of growing these plants was the first lesson she taught me. It’s called dead-heading. Here is how it is done:

As soon as any of those beautiful blooms begin to wither, fade, and turn brown, they need to be ruthlessly removed. I search out every one and carefully pluck it off of its stem. It is a tedious, never-ending task. Just when I think I have removed every dried up blossom, the next day a dozen more appear. It is important, however, to keep consistent.

When dead blooms are left clinging to the flowering plants, they sap the nutrition and strength from the core of the plant. They literally rob the flower of the energy they could be using to grow new and colorful blooms. The faded petals are, in a sense, dead weight that keeps the plant from being its best. If properly plucked, however, the plant will bloom forth gorgeous petals throughout the entire life of the plant.

While plucking dead flower heads this morning on my own patio, I couldn’t help but relate this chore to my life with God. I know full well that there are places of my heart, thoughts of my mind, and actions of my will that are nothing but dead weight to my spiritual life. And they do not at all help to make me a better mom. In fact, they threaten to damage my relationships.

In the Bible, James 1:21 beckons us to this:

“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.”

What does this mean?

Root out the ugly that threatens to choke and drain and instead, plant God’s word deep in our hearts. It can save us from wrong choices, unhealthy relationships and self-inflicted heartbreak. It can help us better love our loved ones; the ones who share our address but whom we often unload on in an awful manner.

How about you? Could your heart use a good dead-heading session? Are there faded blooms you have been carrying around that are sapping your spiritual energy and strength, causing heartache and tears?

Get rid of the bad.

Plant God’s good Word in that spot instead.

Then stand back – patiently now – and watch beautiful blooms begin to appear.

Happy dead-heading!

Blessings,

Karen Ehman, KarenEhman.com

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I love to read the Word and I love to apply the stories and the words to my own life.  As a mom I need so much direction, everywhere I turn there are books, blogs, well meaning relatives and tv telling me how to be the best mom I can be.  Sometimes it can be SO overwhelming and so many times I feel like there is too much noise out there and I’m listening to too many voices.  Lately God has been putting it on my heart to close them all out and just listen to HIM!

HIS Words, His Voice, All Him!

The book Bible Moms: Life Lessons From Mothers in the Bible came at just the right time.  It is a book that helps you go to  The Word for the answers in your parenting.  Each lessons starts with a name of a mother in the Bible.  The chapter then goes on to give scripture passages for you to read and the topics it will cover.

Topics such as:

Waiting on the Lord

Perseverance

When Children Fall Away

The Christian Lifestyle

and many more!

The chapter then goes on to give a devotional about the scriptures and how it applies to your life today as a mom.  There is a topic for further study that helps you dive more into the scriptures and answer questions for your own personal life.  This could even stand as a personal journal.  This was my favorite part because the questions really made me reflect on my parenting and being a wife. Sometimes my own answers were hard to hear and other times I felt strong in areas.

Each lesson ends with a prayer!

Bible Moms offers mothers the chance to see and apply the principles for motherhood that God has given in His Word. It provides material for discussions on practical ways to apply these truths to our own lives.

You can buy the book on Amazon for 13.95.  This would be the perfect baby shower gift for a new mom, and ANY mom in your life.

I have been parenting 14 years now and this book really blessed me!

Giveaway: We have three copies of Bible Moms to Giveaway. To enter join the rafflecopter below:

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Blessings,

Angela

Thank you so much for subscribing and joining our community here at The Better Mom! We have a special gift for you. Click here to download your FREE copy of Rhythms: Family Traditions Worth Passing On.

For five years his story has haunted me, a story tucked quietly away in a big book about ancient kings and wars and disasters. His is a story of legacy.

For hundreds of years his actions were followed by an entire nation. And his legacy? Idolatry.

Yet buried in the annuls of I Kings we read the astonishing account of how Jeroboam’s idolatry was birthed in fear. God had promised him the kingdom, yet his fear of losing it drove him to take matters into his own hands. Fear led to control and control lead to idolatry.

It became his legacy.

Jeroboam’s story has haunted me because in it, I see how one out-of-control emotion led an entire nation into idolatry for hundreds of years. Jeroboam’s fear corrupted his leadership and crippled his calling. By giving in to fear, Jeroboam set an evil precedent for succeeding kings, even long after he was gone.

We can only imagine what would have happened if, instead of following fear, Jeroboam had clung to God’s promise. What if he had lived by faith, not feeling?

Jeroboam’s legacy of out-of-control emotions is timely for us. In this day of despair and fear and rage and depression and insecurity, we need to know that our emotions can be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word.

God created us in His image and that includes our capacity for emotions. Emotions are not bad or sinful in and of themselves; but like everything else, they are affected by the fall. II Peter 1:4 tells us that by Christ’s blood, we are partakers of His divine nature. This means that we can partake of His emotional nature as well and can experience godly emotions. Take a look at Galatians 5:22-23 to see what some of those look like. As a side note, according to Brian Borgman, the most frequent emotion mentioned in the Bible is joy ( i.e.”rejoice”).

Scripture teaches that we are not to be controlled by our emotions but rather our emotions are to be controlled by the Spirit of God.

This became very real to me when God graciously showed me how many of my daily decisions were being driven by how I felt, especially by the feeling of being overwhelmed. He gently but painfully showed me that by placing too high a priority on my feelings of exhaustion, I was not being diligent in serving my family with excellence, I was not reflecting God’s strength and character to those around me, I was failing to attempt the good works God had called me to do, and I was laying a faulty emotional foundation in my children’s lives.

Pretty serious stuff.

It was a liberating moment when I realized this, however. Knowing that I did not have to be in bondage to the feeling of fatigue set me free. I confessed it as sin to God and to my family and I began learning from Christ. I’m still learning and practicing what He reveals to me in this area of godly emotions.

Here are some key truths that help me get a grip:

 1. Emotions are strong but they need not be sovereign.

This one little nugget of truth is what saves me from the slippery slope of out of control emotions. Only God is sovereign and I can choose to place my emotions under His authority.

2. Emotions need truth to direct them.

Physiologically, emotions are a result of our thoughts. Emotions are best controlled by renewing the mind with truth.

3. Knowing my proclivity to certain emotions means I can be pro-active in controlling them.

For example, I know that I am easily overwhelmed. I also know that God promises sufficient grace at all times for every good deed. So I have identified several truths, like the promise of God’s sufficiency, that I constantly renew my mind with. Bringing truth to the forefront of my mind keeps my emotions grounded and where they need to be.

If you would like more in-depth practical help, join me at my blog for an upcoming series on cultivating godly emotions. This series is intended to help develop discipline in our emotions by looking at biblical truth. I will be drawing from scripture as well as looking at what others like Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Elizabeth Elliott, and Brian Borgman have to say about the role of emotions in the believers life.

We really can leave a legacy of godly emotions!

Read Jeroboam’s story here: I Kings 11:28-40 and I Kings 12:25-31.

Blessings,

Arabah Joy

Arabah Joy and her family have served as missionaries to East Asia for the past eleven years. She is married to Jackson and they have four children, both adopted and biological. She has authored a guide on how to increase energy as well as a newly released eBook on living Complete in Christ. Mostly though, she is a broken woman redeemed. She writes about God’s sufficiency to transform at Arabah Joy.

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Are you a mom to be or young woman who would like to have children one day?

I asked a group of ladies what things they wished they knew or had taken the time to learn before having children.  They gave a lot of good responses and I found the information helpful as I, a young single woman, prepare for my future family.

I have paraphrased some of the responses below:

1.)  I wish I knew that life would change drastically, constant interruptions and down-right difficult time but it’s worth every minute of it.

2.)  I wish I had been a better steward of my finances and thought more carefully about student loans so I didn’t have to worry so much about money issues when children came along.

3.)  I wish I had guarded my heart and body better and asked myself, “How will this choice affect me 20 years down the road?  How will it affect my future children?”

4.)  I wish I had learned to cook and prepare healthy food for my family before I was married with children so they didn’t have to be the ginny pigs.

5.)  I wish I knew that having children is way more about sanctification and sacrifice than luxury.

6.)  I wish I had learned to trust and rely on God more.  Some days are challenging and the future is uncertain.

7.)  I wish I had learned to make a routine for my devotions.  It’s so much harder to find time or be awake and alert enough when you have little ones.

8.)  I wish I had been more diligent about saving money.

9.)  I wish I had learned to be a better time manager.

10.)  I wish I understood that life will get crazy and you can’t always get everything done.

11.)  I wish I knew that “me” time would be limited and that I had realized earlier that Jesus bought us with his blood so all of our time should really be HIS time.

12.)  I wish I had spent more time around other children so I knew better what to expect and how to raise with my own.

13.)  I wish I had thought about what I believe about raising children and then made sure my husband and I were on the same page.

14.)  I wish I had learned how to be a godly wife for my husband because that also effects your children and parenting.

15.)  I wish I had known how important it was to have a support group you could rely on for friendship and practical encouragement.

Just one little note:  We can never be completely prepared for the joy of marriage or children and God can use even the most unprepared women but it is still wise to take time to learn and grow so we can be good examples of motherhood for His glory!

Blessings,

Ashley
www.stayathomedaughter.com

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“Selamat pagi!”  the shopkeeper calls out his goodmornings as I run by.

Two dogs tear out of their family compound toward me, barking violently.  I stoop mid-stride and reach my hand toward the ground.  As I turn and pull my arm back to throw the dogs back off, cowed by the pretend rocks in my hand.

My nose fills with the smoky smells of incense and early morning cook fires.  I pass several women laying the first offerings on the ground at their doorways.

The uniformed school children gawk at me, whispering “Bule, bule.”  White lady, they say.  Foreign lady running.  {boo-lay}

My favorite jog takes me to the beach where I run along the cobblestoned path.  I pass shops and restaurants and hotels where sleepy workers are raking the sand, travelers are just rambling into the restaurants for breakfast, and dogs still rummage through waste bins for last night’s leftovers.

Many of my mornings in Bali started this way.  When I got back my husband would leave for work and my day with two young boys would begin.

While we lived in Bali I was able to write a story about those two young boys.  An adventure that played itself out in all the places we had been.  The story took me to my husband’s favorite surfing beach, the volcano we had traveled to, the monkey forest where the monkeys tried to take our backpacks and cameras, even the beach where we lived.

I wrote that story almost seven years ago.  I never dreamed at that time that we would have ebooks and Kindles and I didn’t even know what a .pdf file was.  But here we are and I am so very thrilled to be able to introduce you to The Island Brothers!

My vision for this book is to help children develop a world view that’s wider than the daily world they experience.

We loved living in another country and through the book and the companion website children will see the things we experienced.

This month my children’s story has released as an ebook and I am happy to share it with you.

Tiger Hunt!

Join the adventure as two brothers befriend the last tiger on Bali.

• illustrated with a unique blend of colorful sketches and photos from our stay in Bali.
• a great read aloud for all ages
• encourage children to read
• open children’s eyes to another culture
• 15 page children’s ebook for download
• ebook internally linked with Wikipedia for more information on unfamiliar terms
• comprehension and vocabulary printables available
• see our personal videos, pictures, and explanations of Bali on the website, too.

One great thing about this book is the website I’ve been building as a companion, The Island Brothers.  I’ve added first-hand information about Bali so that your children can not only read a great story, but also learn about the island.

We also have printables so you can use this book to complement homeschool cultural studies and discuss lessons taught.

I’d love to give three copies away to readers of The Better Mom.

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I have been wearing flip-flops all week.
And it’s 82 degrees outside as I write this, which is amazing for Oregon in early May.
But I’m getting excited about summer!

Usually around this time of year, my husband and I sit down, look at the calendar and do some Lord-willing-planning for the summer ahead of us.
Keeping in mind that…

Summer Planning Questions to Consider:

What places would we like to visit locally this summer?

What specific educational goals do we have for each child?

What 3 books (or more) would I like to read this summer?

How am I going to spend time in God’s Word?

What am I hoping to study in the Bible?

Are there any friendships we’d especially like to invest in this summer?

What household tasks do I need to keep up on?

Are we planning to take any extended trips or vacations?

What reoccurring weekly activities would we like to include?

Are there any specific skills we’d like our children to learn over the summer?

How am I going to invest in my marriage this summer?

What are some easy (or new) meals that I’d like to make this summer?

What specific character traits or heart issues do we need to work on with our children or as a family?

Are there any specific skills I’d like to work on over the summer?

How can I make sure we have down time?

Are there any fun movies we’d like to watch together?

How/where will we celebrate any birthdays, holidays or special occasions?

What will hospitality look like for us this summer?

Is anyone coming to stay?

Who do we want to invite over?

Does my husband have anything that is important to him to include?

Do we have any house project goals?

What will our kiddos’ summer chores include (now that they’ll have a bit more free time)?

What are some “fill-in” activities that we’d like to do more often (Legos, reading, painting, nature walks)?

Are there any schedules I need to collect to keep with my summer calendars (libraries, farmer’s markets, community theaters)?

How are we going to serve in our community, church, and/or neighborhood?

Do we have any other goals for the summer that I haven’t included elsewhere?

We’re getting close to June !!!
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…

And please share your summer plans or ideas below!

Love,

Kara @The Chuppies

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