All Articles

All Articles http://www.ewach.com/blog.aspx?site_id=10186&blog_id=26648 EN-US Copyright © 2016 Entrusted Ministries http://www.triplePixel.com Wed, 27 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMT Entrusted Ministries Entrusted Ministries Entrusted Ministrieskristi@entrustedministries.com no Hope For Discouraged Moms http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=463267http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=463267 Thu, 28 Jan 2016 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2016%20BLOGS/HOPE%20FOR%20DISCOURAGED%20MOMS/Hope%20for%20Discouraged%20Moms%20(1).png" /> The following two questions are similar in reflecting the discouragement we can often feel as parents. Though the details vary somewhat, the principles are similar and so I thought I would address them together. Dear Betsy, I am a home school mom who is having a difficult time with obedience. My oldest son is 10 and has always had a hard time with self-control. He is pretty wild although he has calmed quite a bit as he has gotten older. He has a bad attitude about helping with chores (everyday) and they are often not done correctly. He seems to have a new attitude of not caring so much about correction. My husband doesn't discipline. We both end up screaming and yelling but ultimately no real punishment is given because we feel bad for losing our tempers. I want to train my children to do right the first time, right away, and with a happy heart…but I am failing. I feel so overwhelmed and I fear it is too late for my family as I see my 5-year-old and 3-year-old picking up the same behavior. I am unsure if I should be super-stern or super-forgiving. I can't find a balance that works. There is so much written about how to train a toddler but what about those of us who are trying to fix what we failed to do earlier? I feel as though I need the “super nanny”....hahaha. I am only laughing though if you don't offer that; if you do, hurry! What advice and tangible ideas do you have on finding balance and setting limits for starting late??? Please Help, Discouraged And here is the second question: Dear Betsy, What hope can you offer parents who have teenagers and who feel like they have blown it? What hope can you offer moms or dads who feel like they are parenting alone even when there is another parent in the home?  Thanks so much.  Hopeless Dear Discouraged and Hopeless: The Scriptures give parents the permission and the conviction to train their children. Even unbelieving spouses appreciate the character and behavior of a biblically trained child whether or not they believe the Bible. They are usually fine with the outcome even if they relinquish, neglect or scoff at the process and the true — and, at times exhausting — work required. (By the way, this scenario does not merely apply to some cases of unbelieving husbands, but also to mothers and wives with believing spouses who have a “hands off,” passive attitude.)  Nevertheless, we as mothers are the primary nurturers and trainers of our children, because that is our God-given role, and because we are usually with them so much more than fathers. When fathers neglect their role to be the “back up” for Mom and the final authority in the home, the system is strained —but not hopeless. As parents, we know that “training up” requires a tremendous amount of time and attention before we see the results down the road. Proverbs 22:6 reminds us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” And Galatians 6:9 says, “Do not lose heart in doing good, for in due time you shall reap if you do not grow weary.” As children grow, they may buck the system and begin to take Mom for granted or “tune her out." They may develop attitudes that are dismissive, disrespectful, and disobedient. Undermining, manipulative tactics of selfish behavior meant to throw Mom completely off course will likely soon follow. Most every mother at times feels as if she has “blown it," failed, that her training is ineffective, or that she has “doomed her child to life on the dark side.” I certainly have felt this way at times. But children also have a responsibility for their own growth and this responsibility increases as they mature.  Be encouraged just knowing that this is a common concern among mothers. The Lord is with you in this process, even if your spouse is not. And if your child has come to saving faith in Christ, then the Lord promises to work in him or her and bring forth sanctifying fruit in His timing. Of course, there are still years of faithful training required on our part! It is imperative that you build a tender connection with your child — one that takes the necessary time to establish, and that will guide them throughout their lives. You will want to take special care to guard this connection through the rough and tumble teenage years. Spend time together — just the two of you — for at least several minutes a day, and whenever possible eat dinner as a family to keep the lines of communication open. Have special things (they may be very simple things) that you look forward to doing together. Work as a team on things that give them a sense of growth, accomplishment, respect, increased responsibility, increased privilege, opportunities to help to others, and so forth. Entrusted with a Child’s Heart provides a diagram (see below) that helps to clarify this training process. It shows that as your child matures, your role as parent will gradually change. Your child will become more and more responsible for his or her own actions and you will be watching for the desired outcomes (in the bottom row). The first column (with the heading, AUTHORITY) generally applies to the ages of 0-5, the next (TRAINING/CORRECTION) comes in around the ages of 6-12, and the third column (GUIDANCE) covers the teen years. During their adult years, you will maintain a close connection but the roles and outcomes change considerably. This is the time when you truly reap what you have sown. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 482px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2016%20BLOGS/HOPE%20FOR%20DISCOURAGED%20MOMS/ContinuumofBiblicalFamilyRoles_5.jpg" /> As children are maturing, they will “test the anchors” of your training. We, as parents, must be watchful, careful and prayerful to stay the course and to keep that relational connection. If we are trying to control their outward behavior only, we will lose their heart and that important connection in the process. As parents we have been entrusted with the task of moving the hearts of our children from a state of self-centeredness toward one of God-centeredness. We want to build a lifelong loving connection but at times we can't be their "best buddy" because we have a responsibility to faithfully train them and establish limits in their lives. However a close loving connection will hopefully endure as they mature and roles change. Often parents get so caught up in the external behavior that they lose the internal connection with the child's heart, the child pulls away and becomes unresponsive or disrespectful, and the connection is lost.  Do not be overly discouraged, but recognize and handle manipulation. (The self-centeredness that is erupting will erode your relationship if not addressed.) When these situations arise, step back and assess it without diving into the heat of the moment. After you have determined a plan of action, address it with your child/teen. Have a calm but firm discussion about your assessment and be willing to listen and hear them out. It may be that some repentance and forgiveness needs to take place to mend the relationship, or maybe they simply need a renewed understanding of your expectations. Remember, as they are getting older, we are easing up on some authority and giving them leeway to learn from their choices.  Choose one or two important things to address rather than “dumping the truck” on them. A basic principle for them to learn in this guidance phase is that: Lack of responsibility = Loss of privileges   and Increased responsibility = Increased privileges <img alt="" style="width: 400px; height: 629px; float: left; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2016%20BLOGS/HOPE%20FOR%20DISCOURAGED%20MOMS/Hope_for_discouraged_moms-2.png" /> (Note the term, “privileges,” not “rights.” There is much confusion in the current generation between the two!)  Be consistent, understanding, and willing to discuss, but undeterred from the true task at hand. For further teaching on “Manipulation and Disrespect” see the following chapters in Entrusted with a Child’s Heart:  “Managing a Child” “Committed to Discipline” “Recognizing and Handling Manipulation” and “Dealing with Rebellion: Never Give Up.” I Samuel 12:23 offers encouraging instruction for parents, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.” The Lord continues His sanctifying work in our kids—and in us! Isn’t it great to know that we do not have to make sure they are "perfect”? Phew! This was a long answer! There is so much here to ponder, pray over, and put into action. Let’s pray together for strength! Dear Jesus: I pray for these mothers whose hearts are burdened. Please grant them a sense of Your nearness, and a good measure of Your grace to patiently parent their children with a proper balance of love, limits and perseverance, knowing that their work is not in vain. I would even ask that You would greatly encourage their hearts today by revealing “buds” of the fruit yet to come through their labors. Help us all as mothers (parents) to be committed to the parenting process to which we are called, knowing that the true sanctifying work is accomplished and completed by You. We thank you for the sweet privilege to invest in the lives of our children. Please equip us to capture their hearts and captivate them with the wonder and blessing of living for You. Amen. Joyfully for Him, Betsy The following two questions are similar in reflecting the discouragement we can often feel as parents. Though the details vary somewhat, the principles are similar and so I thought I would address them together. Dear Betsy, I am a home school mom who is having a difficult time with obedience. My oldest son is 10 and has always had a hard time with self-control. He is pretty wild although he has calmed quite a bit as he has gotten older. He has a bad attitude about helping with chores (everyday) and they are often not done correctly. He seems to have a new attitude of not caring so much about correction. My husband doesn't discipline. We both end up screaming and yelling but ultimately no real punishment is given because we feel bad for losing our tempers. I want to train my children to do right the first time, right away, and with a happy heart…but I am failing. I feel so overwhelmed and I fear it is too late for my family as I see my 5-year-old and 3-year-old picking up the same behavior. I am unsure if I should be super-stern or super-forgiving. I can't find a balance that works. There is so much written about how to train a toddler but what about those of us who are trying to fix what we failed to do earlier? I feel as though I need the “super nanny”....hahaha. I am only laughing though if you don't offer that; if you do, hurry! What advice and tangible ideas do you have on finding balance and setting limits for starting late??? Please Help, Discouraged And here is the second question: Dear Betsy, What hope can you offer parents who have teenagers and who feel like they have blown it? What hope can you offer moms or dads who feel like they are parenting alone even when there is another parent in the home? Thanks so much. Hopeless Dear Discouraged and Hopeless: The Scriptures give parents the permission and the conviction to train their children. Even unbelieving spouses appreciate the character and behavior of a biblically trained child whether or not they believe the Bible. They are usually fine with the outcome even if they relinquish, neglect or scoff at the process and the true — and, at times exhausting — work required. (By the way, this scenario does not merely apply to some cases of unbelieving husbands, but also to mothers and wives with believing spouses who have a “hands off,” passive attitude.) Nevertheless, we as mothers are the primary nurturers and trainers of our children, because that is our God-given role, and because we are usually with them so much more than fathers. When fathers neglect their role to be the “back up” for Mom and the final authority in the home, the system is strained —but not hopeless. As parents, we know that “training up” requires a tremendous amount of time and attention before we see the results down the road. Proverbs 22:6 reminds us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” And Galatians 6:9 says, “Do not lose heart in doing good, for in due time you shall reap if you do not grow weary.” As children grow, they may buck the system and begin to take Mom for granted or “tune her out." They may develop attitudes that are dismissive, disrespectful, and disobedient. Undermining, manipulative tactics of selfish behavior meant to throw Mom completely off course will likely soon follow. Most every mother at times feels as if she has “blown... Embracing Orderliness: Three Tips for a Simplified Home http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=462907http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=462907 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2016%20BLOGS/EMBRACING%20ORDERLINESS/Embracing_orderliness.png" /> I took the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study when my firstborn was one. Back then grocery shopping was a quaint way to introduce my son to new colors and vocabulary, not the three-ring circus it can be now. Meal planning seemed simpler and still somewhat exciting. It was so much easier to have my finger on the pulse of my home those days. Once upon a time, the encouragement toward orderly living (Chapter 5: A Godly Mother is Orderly), seemed like a pretty attainable goal. Betsy said, “I know I have my finger on the pulse of my home if I know how much milk is in the refrigerator. If I don’t I know I’ve been gone too much.” Only a few years and two boys since I’ve taken the study, and I realize I don’t have the level of dish soap memorized anymore. I wish I did. I stay pretty on track of the items we need, but it often requires me to check everything before each trip to the store. It is a waste.of.time. I’ve discovered an easier way, and I’d like to share this--and a couple more tips--with you. 1. List of Home Supplies Go through your house and write down every product you regularly use. Write down hand soaps, paper towel, toilet paper, batteries,  printer cartridges, etc… Pretty much everything consumable except groceries. Take the list and create a spreadsheet. I suggest putting the most commonly replaced items at the beginning of the list. Leave the bottom for items such as printer cartridges and duct tape. Put the items on the first column, and the months of the year across the top. Next, set a reminder for yourself in a calendar. For example, every first of the month, write "Check home supply list” in your planner. Go through the items and note how much you have left. If you know you have plenty to get you through the following month, cross off that space. Enough for two months? Cross off two months. Is it running low? Note that on the list. Then you can create an online order and get everything done in one swift sweep! If you’re not an online shopper, you can just add these items to a note on your phone, or write them on your grocery list. No more wondering, How are we on dish soap? during your already-chaotic trip to the store. (You can also create a list of rarely-purchased grocery items. These tend to be the ones I forget.) L=Low   M=Med   F=Full   X=Definitely won’t need this month Optional: S=Switch Brands <div style="margin-left: 0pt;" dir="ltr"> <table style="width: 624px; border: medium none;"> <colgroup><col width="63" /><col width="33" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /><col width="*" /></colgroup> <tbody> <tr style="height: 0px;"> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Item </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Jan </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Feb </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Mar </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Apr </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> May </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> June </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> July </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Aug </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Sept </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Oct </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Nov </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Dec </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 0px;"> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Hand Soap </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> M </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 0px;"> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Dish Soap </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> L </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 0px;"> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Toilet Paper </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> F </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 0px;"> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Paper Towels </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> F </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 0px;"> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> Tooth- paste </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> M </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> <td style="border: 1px solid #000000; padding: 7px; text-align: left;"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> 2. The Daddy Checklist Being a stay-at-home mom, I find that I am the one who knows all the answers about my kids. Because I am almost always with them, there isn’t a reason for my husband to need to know everything… However, there are times when I would rather have Travis pack the diaper bag for me than have him buy me flowers! In the past 4 ½ years, I can count on one hand the times I haven't needed a diaper bag when I've left the house with my kids. That’s a LOT of lugging and packing! Since we use cloth diapers, I can’t just always replace a few diapers and get back on the move. Maybe it’s just my house, but this little task seems to always come at the last minute. And since we are usually out and about on Saturdays, the bag has to be repacked for Sunday mornings--and we all know how peaceful that morning is for most families. ;-) Occasionally, Travis will offer to help, but his help is more of me yelling items for him to add while I’m brushing my teeth or combing my hair. I think it could be a much more peaceful process! How about placing a checklist above where the diaper bag is stored? It should list all the contents. Then you can ask your husband to refill it, and the only question you’ll have to field is the difference between diaper cream and lotion! Example List: 3 diapers package of wipes diaper ointment burp rag nursing cover onesie matching pants, shirt, and socks sippy cup teether or a toy snack Even when kids outgrow diapers they still need to leave the house with a few things in tow. You can adapt this list for each stage. Perhaps a “School Checklist” is better for your family. 3. Car Bag The above task could become even more simplified if you also created a “Car Bag.” In it place a seasonally-appropriate outfit for each of your children. Don’t pack one of your favorite outfits, because hopefully this bag will stay in the car for awhile. Pick something presentable that you won’t miss. When you are away from home and one of your children has a spill, accident, or unexpected water adventure, use the outfit. When you arrive home bring the bag back into the house, repack it, and take it back out to the car. Now the diaper bag only needs to have snacks, sippy cups, diapering supplies, a nursing cover, activities… Okay, it may still be full, but your time packing it will be shortened! Just set another reminder in your online calendar or planner to switch the outfits when the weather changes. <img alt="" style="width: 450px; height: 708px; float: left; margin-right: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2016%20BLOGS/EMBRACING%20ORDERLINESS/Embracing_orderliness-2.png" />As much as we moms like to be prepared (to be honest I’ve had to check myself from being prideful about it) there will come a situation in which we are unprepared. In it we recognize we are not in control. These moments happen to everyone, and they don’t make you a bad mother! Just roll with it, ask the Spirit for guidance, and hopefully you’ll get a good laugh out of it later! I’ll leave you with one of my most memorable “unprepared moments.” When my third son was a few months old, we decided to drive about an hour away to visit a barn sale my cousin was having. I had just found a great pair of white capris at a thrift store. Excited to wear them, I calculated the risk and decided it was worth it. Instead of packing just a change of clothes for each of my three boys, I also placed a pair of jeans in the diaper bag. When we arrived at the sale, my baby needed to nurse. He was in the middle of his nursing session when I felt--and heard--his little bottom go to town. My mouth dropped open, and I pulled back the nursing cover to discover my new white pants…. perfectly intact. Not a spot on them. However, my shirt and undershirt were SOAKED! Ugh! I had to ride home on that hot summer day with my shirt covered in that less-than-lovely smell. Oh motherhood, you sure keep me humbled and laughing! I took the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study when my firstborn was one. Back then grocery shopping was a quaint way to introduce my son to new colors and vocabulary, not the three-ring circus it can be now. Meal planning seemed simpler and still somewhat exciting. It was so much easier to have my finger on the pulse of my home those days. Once upon a time, the encouragement toward orderly living (Chapter 5: A Godly Mother is Orderly), seemed like a pretty attainable goal. Betsy said, “I know I have my finger on the pulse of my home if I know how much milk is in the refrigerator. If I don’t I know I’ve been gone too much.” Only a few years and two boys since I’ve taken the study, and I realize I don’t have the level of dish soap memorized anymore. I wish I did. I stay pretty on track of the items we need, but it often requires me to check everything before each trip to the store. It is a waste.of.time. I’ve discovered an easier way, and I’d like to share this--and a couple more tips--with you. 1. List of Home Supplies Go through your house and write down every product you regularly use. Write down hand soaps, paper towel, toilet paper, batteries, printer cartridges, etc… Pretty much everything consumable except groceries. Take the list and create a spreadsheet. I suggest putting the most commonly replaced items at the beginning of the list. Leave the bottom for items such as printer cartridges and duct tape. Put the items on the first column, and the months of the year across the top. Next, set a reminder for yourself in a calendar. For example, every first of the month, write "Check home supply list” in your planner. Go through the items and note how much you have left. If you know you have plenty to get you through the following month, cross off that space. Enough for two months? Cross off two months. Is it running low? Note that on the list. Then you can create an online order and get everything done in one swift sweep! If you’re not an online shopper, you can just add these items to a note on your phone, or write them on your grocery list. No more wondering, How are we on dish soap? during your already-chaotic trip to the store. (You can also create a list of rarely-purchased grocery items. These tend to be the ones I forget.) L=Low M=Med F=Full X=Definitely won’t need this month Optional: S=Switch Brands Item Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Hand Soap M Dish Soap L Toilet Paper F Paper Towels F Tooth- paste M 2. The Daddy Checklist Being a stay-at-home mom, I find that I am the one who knows all the answers about my kids. Because I am almost always with them, there isn’t a reason for my husband to need to know everything… However, there are times when I would rather have Travis pack the diaper bag for me than have him buy me flowers! In the past 4 ½ years, I can count on one hand the times I haven't needed a diaper bag when I've left the house with my kids. That’s a LOT of lugging and packing! Since we use cloth diapers, I can’t just always replace a few diapers and get back on the move. Maybe it’s just my house, but this little task seems to always come at the last minute. And since we are usually out and about on Saturdays, the bag has to be repacked for Sunday mornings--and we all know how peaceful that morning is for most families. ;-) Occasionally, Travis will offer to help, but his help is... VIDEO THANK YOU CARDS http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=462297http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=462297 Thu, 14 Jan 2016 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/VIDEO%20THANK%20YOU%20CARDS/Thank-you_videos.png" /> This post is me eating crow. After my daughter’s 7th birthday, my husband suggested that she should record video messages and send them via text, in lieu of writing traditional thank you cards. I totally scoffed at him. What would Emily Post say? It seemed at the time like an egregious affront to traditional etiquette. Plus, aren’t we losing the tangible enough already? I feel a responsibility to keep certain polite customs of our culture alive for future generations, and good old-fashioned thank you cards is one of them. Not shockingly, my daughter loved her dad’s idea and ran with it immediately. I felt like they were taking the lazy way out, but I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by the outcome of their experiment. Even though it proved much easier than writing cards (especially for a 7 year old), the sentiment and expression was no less heartfelt. In fact, the results were downright heart-melting. My daughter took my phone to a quiet spot, and--totally on her own--recorded a message of thanks to each person who had sent a gift. She held the gift as she talked about why she loved it, said thank you, and told the giver how much she loved them. It was ADORABLE. It was totally from the heart, and she was so much more able to express herself than she would have been using the limited writing skills of a first grader. I couldn’t wait to send them out. I had been totally wrong about the “video thank you.” This was technology at its best. This was technology fostering a deeper connection between two humans. That might sound melodramatic, but in a world where all of our family is out of town and they never get to be there in person for the gift opening, this was a treasure. I don’t know if we’ll do it every time, or if it would be as cute if a teenager did it, but for this birthday, it was just right. And so was my husband. :) <img alt="" style="width: 320px; height: 481px; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: left;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/VIDEO%20THANK%20YOU%20CARDS/Thank-you_videos-2.png" /> He was so right, that I’m actually writing this blog post to recommend the “video thank you card” to other moms! They’re adorable, heartfelt, instantly gratifying, easily stored (no more bins full of thank you cards you can’t bring yourself to throw away), and you didn’t have to go through the pain of making your kid sit at a table and write for an hour. What do you think—would you give these a try? This post is me eating crow. After my daughter’s 7th birthday, my husband suggested that she should record video messages and send them via text, in lieu of writing traditional thank you cards. I totally scoffed at him. What would Emily Post say? It seemed at the time like an egregious affront to traditional etiquette. Plus, aren’t we losing the tangible enough already? I feel a responsibility to keep certain polite customs of our culture alive for future generations, and good old-fashioned thank you cards is one of them. Not shockingly, my daughter loved her dad’s idea and ran with it immediately. I felt like they were taking the lazy way out, but I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by the outcome of their experiment. Even though it proved much easier than writing cards (especially for a 7 year old), the sentiment and expression was no less heartfelt. In fact, the results were downright heart-melting. My daughter took my phone to a quiet spot, and--totally on her own--recorded a message of thanks to each person who had sent a gift. She held the gift as she talked about why she loved it, said thank you, and told the giver how much she loved them. It was ADORABLE. It was totally from the heart, and she was so much more able to express herself than she would have been using the limited writing skills of a first grader. I couldn’t wait to send them out. I had been totally wrong about the “video thank you.” This was technology at its best. This was technology fostering a deeper connection between two humans. That might sound melodramatic, but in a world where all of our family is out of town and they never get to be there in person for the gift opening, this was a treasure. I don’t know if we’ll do it every time, or if it would be as cute if a teenager did it, but for this birthday, it was just right. And so was my husband. :) He was so right, that I’m actually writing this blog post to recommend the “video thank you card” to other moms! They’re adorable, heartfelt, instantly gratifying, easily stored (no more bins full of thank you cards you can’t bring yourself to throw away), and you didn’t have to go through the pain of making your kid sit at a table and write for an hour. What do you think—would you give these a try? Revolutionize Your To-Do List http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=461617http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=461617 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REVOLUTIONIZE%20TO-DO%20LIST/Revolutionize_your_to-do_list.png" />     As a New Year dawns, our attention naturally turns to the blank pages in the calendar ahead. The weeks after Christmas are often a calm and quiet time to clean up, reflect, and prepare for new opportunities. Some of us might still be lingering in a post-holiday haze, and others are chomping at the bit to make good on their New Year’s resolutions. Either way, most of us cringe at the idea of jumping back into a schedule that is too hectic, or a routine that feels chaotic. One way to maintain a sense of calm and order is to more be realistic with our expectations of ourselves. There is one simple key to writing an organized and achievable to-do list at the start of each day: Time. <img alt="" style="height: 854px; width: 640px;" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REVOLUTIONIZE%20TO-DO%20LIST/Revolutionize_your_to-do_list-2.png" /> First let’s talk about how I used to make a to-do list, which is not the right way! <img alt="" style="height: 640px; width: 640px;" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REVOLUTIONIZE%20TO-DO%20LIST/Revolutionize_your_to-do_list-3.png" /> As evidenced above, the blank lines in my planner used to be an open invitation for me to spill the contents of my spinning brain. My to-do list would be made at the beginning of the day and would contain ALL of the things I needed (and wanted) to do. I knew better than to plan, say, an IKEA trip and a closet purge-fest in the same day, but I had a hard time understanding exactly how much I was capable of getting done in one 8-hour period of time. Only one thing is needed to bring a chaotic to-do list like this under control. Write out the hours of the day BEFORE you write out your to-do list. Then, when you do make your list, you will quickly visualize the time each task is going to take, and understand what must be cut and what must be prioritized. You’ll also realize you have hours of the day that are not “free” or usable for your task list, such as when you are preparing dinner for your family, or when you are feeding yourself or showering. <img alt="" style="height: 512px; width: 640px;" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REVOLUTIONIZE%20TO-DO%20LIST/Revolutionize_your_to-do_list-4.png" /> See the difference? It changes everything when you plan your day according to time rather than tasks. When you write the hours first, then assign tasks to hours listed in the day, it is immediately obvious that: a)    Some hours are already full (making dinner, putting kids down for naptime, etc.) b)    You won’t have time to do everything you want to do c)    You will have to prioritize In the case of the day above, my wish list would have included writing thank-you cards and organizing ornaments. When it became obvious there wasn’t time for both, I quickly prioritized writing cards and moved ornaments to the next day. The long-term benefit of this daily exercise is that you learn to prioritize big things, in addition to small. What’s important comes more sharply into focus, and those things that aren’t the most beneficial to your family begin to fall by the wayside. Over the course of the last year I’ve given up many things that were pulling time away from my family and keeping my attention elsewhere. Now when I look at those old to-do lists, it’s clear to see I was so busy because my priorities weren’t in order. I think all the time about our Entrusted memory verse “God is not a God of confusion, but of peace...” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It isn’t easy to achieve peace in our homes. Not at all! Depending on the number and ages of your kids, it can feel more like a zoo than a house for humans! But there are things within our control that can infuse peace into our lives. Being realistic about our time so that we can manage it well is one of them. <img alt="" style="height: 854px; width: 640px;" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REVOLUTIONIZE%20TO-DO%20LIST/Revolutionize_your_to-do_list-5.png" /> Happy New Year!   0 0 1 71 406 Entrusted Ministries 3 1 476 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE As a New Year dawns, our attention naturally turns to the blank pages in the calendar ahead. The weeks after Christmas are often a calm and quiet time to clean up, reflect, and prepare for new opportunities. Some of us might still be lingering in a post-holiday haze, and others are chomping at the bit to make good on their New Year’s resolutions. Either way, most of us cringe at the idea of jumping back into a schedule that is too hectic, or a routine that feels chaotic. One way to maintain a sense of calm and order is to more be realistic with our expectations of ourselves. There is one simple key to writing an organized and achievable to-do list at the start of each day: Time. First let’s talk about how I used to make a to-do list, which is not the right way! As evidenced above, the blank lines in my planner used to be an open invitation for me to spill the contents of my spinning brain. My to-do list would be made at the beginning of the day and would contain ALL of the things I needed (and wanted) to do. I knew better than to plan, say, an IKEA trip and a closet purge-fest in the same day, but I had a hard time understanding exactly how much I was capable of getting done in one 8-hour period of time. Only one thing is needed to bring a chaotic to-do list like this under control. Write out the hours of the day BEFORE you write out your to-do list. Then, when you do make your list, you will quickly visualize the time each task is going to take, and understand what must be cut and what must be prioritized. You’ll also realize you have hours of the day that are not “free” or usable for your task list, such as when you are preparing dinner for your family, or when you are feeding yourself or showering. See the difference? It changes everything when you plan your day according to time rather than tasks. When you write the hours first, then assign tasks to hours listed in the day, it is immediately obvious that: a) Some hours are already full (making dinner, putting kids down for naptime, etc.) b) You won’t have time to do everything you want to do c) You will have to prioritize In the case of the day above, my wish list would have included writing thank-you cards and organizing ornaments. When it became obvious there wasn’t time for both, I quickly prioritized writing cards and moved ornaments to the next day. The long-term benefit of this daily exercise is that you learn to prioritize big things, in addition to small. What’s important comes more sharply into focus, and those things that aren’t the most beneficial to your family begin to fall by the wayside. Over the course of the last year I’ve given up many things that were pulling time away from my family and keeping my attention elsewhere. Now when I look at those old to-do lists, it’s clear to see I was so busy because my priorities weren’t in order. I think all the time about our Entrusted memory verse “God is not a God of confusion, but of peace...” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It isn’t easy to achieve peace in our homes. Not at all! Depending on the number and ages of your kids, it can feel more like a zoo than a house for humans! But there are things within our control that can infuse peace into our lives. Being realistic about our time so that we can manage it well is one of them. Happy New Year! Read Through the Bible http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=461616http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=461616 Thu, 31 Dec 2015 02:00:00 GMT <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/READ%20THROUGH%20THE%20BIBLE/Read%20Through%20the%20Bible%20Challenge.png" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" /> Looking for a great way to dig into God's Word this year? Then join us in our <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/282051.pdf">Read through the Bible Challenge</a>. Our Chronological two year schedule will pace your reading at one to two chapters per day. You can start any time. One of the great benefits of reading through the Bible chronologically is that you are able to better understand the events in the order that they occurred.  For instance, while reading through the historical accounts of David's struggles with Saul and his battles against other armies, you will also be reading his corresponding prayers and praises recorded in the Psalms. Then read the history of Israel and their various kings while following the related warnings and prophecies of the prophets to Israel at that time. And in the New Testament... follow Paul's journeys through Acts as you read the letters he wrote to the churches and learn more about what he was teaching each of them as he visited. Ready to get started, but didn't start on January 1st?? That's okay. Jump in ANYTIME. The important part is that you're regularly digging into God's Word. Come join us!! <h2><a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/282051.pdf">Click here to print the schedule.</a></h2> Looking for a great way to dig into God's Word this year? Then join us in our Read through the Bible Challenge . Our Chronological two year schedule will pace your reading at one to two chapters per day. You can start any time. One of the great benefits of reading through the Bible chronologically is that you are able to better understand the events in the order that they occurred. For instance, while reading through the historical accounts of David's struggles with Saul and his battles against other armies, you will also be reading his corresponding prayers and praises recorded in the Psalms. Then read the history of Israel and their various kings while following the related warnings and prophecies of the prophets to Israel at that time. And in the New Testament... follow Paul's journeys through Acts as you read the letters he wrote to the churches and learn more about what he was teaching each of them as he visited. Ready to get started, but didn't start on January 1st?? That's okay. Jump in ANYTIME. The important part is that you're regularly digging into God's Word. Come join us!! Click here to print the schedule. Treasure and Ponder http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=461091http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=461091 Thu, 24 Dec 2015 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/TREASURE%20AND%20PONDER/Treasure_and_ponder.png" /> Luke 2:19 tells us,  “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Do you know the context of this verse? Was it after the visitation from the angel? No. Was it after Anna and Simeon confirmed this was indeed the Savior and praised God with at the temple? No. Was it after she delivered the child… in a stable with her betrothed (not her legal husband)... when strange men appeared to meet her baby?... Yes. It was then. I had my second son while being wheeled on an ambulance stretcher by strangers (kind strangers, but strangers nonetheless). A rushed delivery in a location you didn’t plan are hardly an occasion to celebrate in my book. “Ponder” and “treasure” would not be the verbs I would use to describe my heart’s response at that moment. There is probably very little in Mary’s experience that she would have chosen, yet her response is beautiful. It reveals more of why God chose this young woman for this glorious role… and it convicts me to rejoice when life isn’t going as I planned. As I heard this verse again this morning, I was struck once more by how different our Christmas celebrations are from that first Christmas. The battle of wanting to make the holiday special for my children is confronted by my conviction to teach them it’s not all about them! If my entire to-do list is accomplished this holiday season, my boys will have a great time but what will be the fruit in their hearts… and in mine? I want to pose to you this question: What does a godly mom do at Christmas? The answer is not on Pinterest. It’s not in a toy store. It most likely won’t be found by surveying the other mothers’ Facebook posts. You will find the answer in The Word of God. Mary is a humbling, striking example of the mother we are to be. The most powerful thing we can do is treasure and ponder the birth of our Savior. When our children see us engaged and worshipping the humble, newborn king, they will better understand what Christmas is truly about. Give yourself the freedom to scale down the celebrations if it’s too much for you to prepare. You can bring on the presents, the baked goods, the traveling, the movies, the carols, the Christmas lights. Have a wonderful celebration! But please make time to treasure your Savior in front of (and with) your kids. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 1006px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/TREASURE%20AND%20PONDER/Treasure_and_ponder-2.png" /> Please hear my heart on this one: I am trying to release you from expectations, not add a burden. If a few presents show up under the tree in brown paper bags, it’s okay. If you need to make a frozen meal or two, it’s okay. If those handmade ornaments of your children’s photos don’t come to fruition and get to the grandparents, it’s okay. Enjoy your Savior! Enjoy your family! With that said, here is an “Entrusted Challenge” for your Christmas break: <ol style="margin-top: 0in;"> <li style="color: black;">Let you kids see you worshipping. It may be a Christmas song or a non-holiday tune. It may be in the car on the way to the grocery store, but stop and listen to the lyrics for a moment and let them renew you! Tell your kids what moved you and why it is important.</li> <li style="color: black;">Treasure each child the Lord has given you. Spend some focused time with each child. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. In the Tips section of the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study, Betsy recommends “Hours.” This is a tradition Betsy’s mom began. She would spend one hour each week with each of her children. They would do whatever activity the child requested. It just had to be free and at home. Your children may not be at an age to handle a full hour, so adjust as needed. Try to use your holiday break to really enjoy and invest in your children, not just cross off items on your to-do list… and try to leave your phone where it won’t distract you. :) </li> <li style="color: black;">Let your kids see you reading God’s Word. They can be playing on the floor right in front of you. Just aim to show them your devotion to the Lord. Perhaps they’ll crawl up next to you and ask you to read to them and a memory will be created. </li> </ol> I want to leave you with one of my favorite Christmas traditions: having birthday cake for Jesus! I love kicking off the holiday by reminding everyone why we celebrate. We read a sweet picture book about the nativity, sing “Happy Birthday,” and enjoyed the cake together. As we blew out the candles tonight and my two-year-old jumped up and down yelling, “Yay Jesus!!!” I knew it was time well spent. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/TREASURE%20AND%20PONDER/Treasure_and_ponder-3.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/TREASURE%20AND%20PONDER/Treasure_and_ponder-4.png" /> Merry Christmas! Luke 2:19 tells us, “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Do you know the context of this verse? Was it after the visitation from the angel? No. Was it after Anna and Simeon confirmed this was indeed the Savior and praised God with at the temple? No. Was it after she delivered the child… in a stable with her betrothed (not her legal husband)... when strange men appeared to meet her baby?... Yes. It was then. I had my second son while being wheeled on an ambulance stretcher by strangers (kind strangers, but strangers nonetheless). A rushed delivery in a location you didn’t plan are hardly an occasion to celebrate in my book. “Ponder” and “treasure” would not be the verbs I would use to describe my heart’s response at that moment. There is probably very little in Mary’s experience that she would have chosen, yet her response is beautiful. It reveals more of why God chose this young woman for this glorious role… and it convicts me to rejoice when life isn’t going as I planned. As I heard this verse again this morning, I was struck once more by how different our Christmas celebrations are from that first Christmas. The battle of wanting to make the holiday special for my children is confronted by my conviction to teach them it’s not all about them! If my entire to-do list is accomplished this holiday season, my boys will have a great time but what will be the fruit in their hearts… and in mine? I want to pose to you this question: What does a godly mom do at Christmas? The answer is not on Pinterest. It’s not in a toy store. It most likely won’t be found by surveying the other mothers’ Facebook posts. You will find the answer in The Word of God. Mary is a humbling, striking example of the mother we are to be. The most powerful thing we can do is treasure and ponder the birth of our Savior . When our children see us engaged and worshipping the humble, newborn king, they will better understand what Christmas is truly about. Give yourself the freedom to scale down the celebrations if it’s too much for you to prepare. You can bring on the presents, the baked goods, the traveling, the movies, the carols, the Christmas lights. Have a wonderful celebration! But please make time to treasure your Savior in front of (and with) your kids. Please hear my heart on this one: I am trying to release you from expectations, not add a burden. If a few presents show up under the tree in brown paper bags, it’s okay. If you need to make a frozen meal or two, it’s okay. If those handmade ornaments of your children’s photos don’t come to fruition and get to the grandparents, it’s okay. Enjoy your Savior! Enjoy your family! With that said, here is an “Entrusted Challenge” for your Christmas break: Let you kids see you worshipping. It may be a Christmas song or a non-holiday tune. It may be in the car on the way to the grocery store, but stop and listen to the lyrics for a moment and let them renew you! Tell your kids what moved you and why it is important. Treasure each child the Lord has given you. Spend some focused time with each child. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. In the Tips section of the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study, Betsy recommends “Hours.” This is a tradition Betsy’s mom began. She would spend one hour each week with each... Citrus Gingerbread Cookies http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=460370http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=460370 Thu, 17 Dec 2015 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CITRUS%20GINGERBREAD%20COOKIES/citrus_gingerbread_cookies.png" /> There is a lot of discussion on social media about how to celebrate Christmas with kids. Some people go all out teaching their kids about the “magic” of Santa and the Elf on the Shelf, while others believe it is better to tell kids Santa isn’t real and only focus on Jesus. Some moms limit Christmas gifts to a few items, while others believe in showering their children with everything they request. Some families do a weekly Advent activity, some a daily craft throughout the month of December, and some only realize it’s December three days before Christmas and rush to fit in some holiday fun! There are Christ-followers in each of these camps. And that’s okay. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how to celebrate Christmas with our children, so we have some freedom to seek God as individual families. When I took the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart class, I thought the chapters on “Biblical Convictions” and “Personal Convictions” were extremely applicable and thought-provoking. (See Chapters 2 and 3 of the study.) It is something I think of often as I decide how to begin a tradition or instill a value in my children. First I ask if there is a biblical precedent on the topic. If so, I follow that; if not, I apply biblical principles as I follow our family values. I sometimes look to other godly families for inspiration. Christmas is a topic that provokes much thought for me. I want my children to have lots of fun enjoying the festivities of the season, yet I realize our Savior came in such a simple, humble way. I don’t want the manner of Christ’s arrival to be lost. I plan to reflect on this balance every year and adapt as the Lord leads me. One tradition that I will most likely continue with my children is baking. For my little ones, baking is one of the most fruitful activities they can take part in! They absolutely love it! So, while one of our family values is to honor our temples with what we put into our bodies, we recognize that celebrating with food frequently occurs in the Bible. Christmas definitely calls for celebrating, so this is a splurge time for us! I’d like to share with you a traditional recipe that I’ve put a spin on. I haven’t always been such a fan of gingerbread, but when I started adding more orange zest to the cookies, and lemon to the icing, it created a lightness that became rather addicting! One friend even told me they were the best gingerbread cookies he’d ever had… and that was the year I ran out of ginger and had to substitute with other spices! If you’re not a big fan of lemon, I suggest you replace the lemon in the icing with water. Enjoy! Gingerbread Cookie Recipe (Adapted from Gingerbread Boys by JBS BOX on Allrecipes.com.) 1 cup butter 1 ½ cups white sugar 1 egg 2 T orange zest 2 T molasses 3 cups flour* 2 t baking soda 2 t ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 t ground cloves ½ t salt *I used a gluten-free flour blend and had great results. If you go this route, check to see if the blend contains xanthum gum, a leavening agent. If it does, reduce the baking soda to ½ teaspoon. 1.    Cream the butter and sugar together. 2.    Add the egg and mix well. 3.    Add fresh orange zest and molasses; combine. 4.    Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. 5.    Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap. Dividing the dough makes it easier to roll out later. This is how the dough looked when I placed it in the fridge. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CITRUS%20GINGERBREAD%20COOKIES/citrus_gingerbread_cookies-2.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CITRUS%20GINGERBREAD%20COOKIES/citrus_gingerbread_cookies-3.png" /> And this is how it looked when I took it out. Thank you two-year-old! 6.    Refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours. 7.    Preheat the oven to 375. 8.    Grease the cookie sheets. 9.    Roll out the dough on a floured surface. I like to use powdered sugar instead of flour. That way the dough doesn’t get as tough (and it keeps the recipe gluten-free). 10.    Cut the cookies out and place them on the greased cookie sheet. 11.    Bake for 7-10 minutes depending on the size of the cookie. 12.    Remove from oven. Place on cooling racks. Lemon Royal Icing Recipe (From hanielas.com. See the website for great pictorial directions.) 2 lb powdered sugar ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 4 ½ T meringue powder ¼ cup + 2 T warm water* 1 t cream of tartar 1 T vanilla 1.    Whisk the meringue powder, lemon juice, and warm water together until they are slightly foamy. 2.    Add the cream of tartar; whisk. 3.    Add all of the powdered sugar. Using a stand mixer, mix for 3-4 minutes on low. 4.    Add vanilla. Mix for 5 more minutes on low. *I followed this to a T…. and then when I went to pipe the icing onto the cookies, it was too stiff. It was even too stiff to make the sanding sugars adhere to it. I ended up mixing in another ¼ cup of water to thin it out. I used a #1 piping tip. I think these are a great cookie to make with young kids because as you pipe the icing, they can sprinkle sanding sugars or sprinkles on top. You can also use larger candy if you wish. Just make sure you sprinkle the sugar or candy or right after you pipe it on. Royal Icing dries very quickly! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CITRUS%20GINGERBREAD%20COOKIES/citrus_gingerbread_cookies-4.png" /> These cookies freeze very well, so I always make them at the beginning of December, and bring them out a few at a time for the family to enjoy. They thaw quickly and still taste great on Christmas Day! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CITRUS%20GINGERBREAD%20COOKIES/citrus_gingerbread_cookies-5.png" /> There is a lot of discussion on social media about how to celebrate Christmas with kids. Some people go all out teaching their kids about the “magic” of Santa and the Elf on the Shelf, while others believe it is better to tell kids Santa isn’t real and only focus on Jesus. Some moms limit Christmas gifts to a few items, while others believe in showering their children with everything they request. Some families do a weekly Advent activity, some a daily craft throughout the month of December, and some only realize it’s December three days before Christmas and rush to fit in some holiday fun! There are Christ-followers in each of these camps. And that’s okay. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how to celebrate Christmas with our children, so we have some freedom to seek God as individual families. When I took the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart class, I thought the chapters on “Biblical Convictions” and “Personal Convictions” were extremely applicable and thought-provoking. (See Chapters 2 and 3 of the study.) It is something I think of often as I decide how to begin a tradition or instill a value in my children. First I ask if there is a biblical precedent on the topic. If so, I follow that; if not, I apply biblical principles as I follow our family values. I sometimes look to other godly families for inspiration. Christmas is a topic that provokes much thought for me. I want my children to have lots of fun enjoying the festivities of the season, yet I realize our Savior came in such a simple, humble way. I don’t want the manner of Christ’s arrival to be lost. I plan to reflect on this balance every year and adapt as the Lord leads me. One tradition that I will most likely continue with my children is baking. For my little ones, baking is one of the most fruitful activities they can take part in! They absolutely love it! So, while one of our family values is to honor our temples with what we put into our bodies, we recognize that celebrating with food frequently occurs in the Bible. Christmas definitely calls for celebrating, so this is a splurge time for us! I’d like to share with you a traditional recipe that I’ve put a spin on. I haven’t always been such a fan of gingerbread, but when I started adding more orange zest to the cookies, and lemon to the icing, it created a lightness that became rather addicting! One friend even told me they were the best gingerbread cookies he’d ever had… and that was the year I ran out of ginger and had to substitute with other spices! If you’re not a big fan of lemon, I suggest you replace the lemon in the icing with water. Enjoy! Gingerbread Cookie Recipe (Adapted from Gingerbread Boys by JBS BOX on Allrecipes.com.) 1 cup butter 1 ½ cups white sugar 1 egg 2 T orange zest 2 T molasses 3 cups flour* 2 t baking soda 2 t ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 t ground cloves ½ t salt *I used a gluten-free flour blend and had great results. If you go this route, check to see if the blend contains xanthum gum, a leavening agent. If it does, reduce the baking soda to ½ teaspoon. 1. Cream the butter and sugar together. 2. Add the egg and mix well. 3. Add fresh orange zest and molasses; combine. 4. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. 5. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap. Dividing the dough makes it easier to roll out... DIY Rustic Star Ornaments for Kids http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=460366http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=460366 Thu, 10 Dec 2015 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_Star_ornaments.png" /> Here’s a quick and very cute ornament that you can make with kids of any age. My DIY test driver was a three-year-old with zero attention span, and it worked out surprisingly well. These kept him entertained for a whole 15 minutes, which is exactly how long it took to make three ornaments from start to completion. You probably have some of the supplies laying around, but if not, these are very inexpensive to make.  Supplies: Cardboard  Pencil Scissors Single Hole Punch Twine Chalk Paint Pen The only thing you may not be familiar with is the chalk pen. It is a liquid form of chalk that comes in a thick pen, available at craft stores. If you have ever seen opaque, smooth writing on a cute cafe’s sidewalk sign, it was most likely a chalk pen. If you use it on a chalkboard, it can be wiped off with water, but in the case of this craft, it will just stay put. Instructions: 1. Draw a star shape on the cardboard with your pencil. (You can freehand this or use a template if you have one—this shape should be easy to find and print out online). 2. Cut it out with scissors.  <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-2.png" /> 3. Trace it and cut out however many extras you desire. Be sure to erase your pencil marks when you are done cutting. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 481px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-3.png" /> 4. Give a star and a chalk pen to your kid and see what happens! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-4.png" /> For the first star, I just told my son to color on it, and that is what he made. Not bad! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 961px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-5.png" /> The second time, we tried a stencil. It was probably a combination of factors, like his age and the liquidity of the pen, but it just bled all over the place. Happily, I liked the results anyway. It reminded me a little bit of batik fabric.  <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 481px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-6.png" /> For the last star, I dotted a border around the outside edge and showed him how I was making the dots. Then I asked if he could do the same to “make it snow” on the star. He was able to mimic the dots really well! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-7.png" /> I’m sure older kids would have fun with all kinds of lovely patterns, but I like how this craft can include even the little ones and still turn out a result that you will enjoy looking at on your tree. 4. Let them dry. (It only takes about 5 minutes, depending on how thick the chalk pen was laid on). 5. Punch holes in the top of each star, and use twine to make a loop for hanging.  <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 961px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-8.png" /> Lastly, hang them up! These make a great addition to a rustic theme, perhaps with some vintage ornaments and a felted garland. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/CRAFTS%20FOR%20KIDS%20ORNAMENTS/Crafts_for_kids_Rustic_star_ornaments-9.png" /> Enjoy the season! Here’s a quick and very cute ornament that you can make with kids of any age. My DIY test driver was a three-year-old with zero attention span, and it worked out surprisingly well. These kept him entertained for a whole 15 minutes, which is exactly how long it took to make three ornaments from start to completion. You probably have some of the supplies laying around, but if not, these are very inexpensive to make. Supplies: Cardboard Pencil Scissors Single Hole Punch Twine Chalk Paint Pen The only thing you may not be familiar with is the chalk pen. It is a liquid form of chalk that comes in a thick pen, available at craft stores. If you have ever seen opaque, smooth writing on a cute cafe’s sidewalk sign, it was most likely a chalk pen. If you use it on a chalkboard, it can be wiped off with water, but in the case of this craft, it will just stay put. Instructions: 1. Draw a star shape on the cardboard with your pencil. (You can freehand this or use a template if you have one—this shape should be easy to find and print out online). 2. Cut it out with scissors. 3. Trace it and cut out however many extras you desire. Be sure to erase your pencil marks when you are done cutting. 4. Give a star and a chalk pen to your kid and see what happens! For the first star, I just told my son to color on it, and that is what he made. Not bad! The second time, we tried a stencil. It was probably a combination of factors, like his age and the liquidity of the pen, but it just bled all over the place. Happily, I liked the results anyway. It reminded me a little bit of batik fabric. For the last star, I dotted a border around the outside edge and showed him how I was making the dots. Then I asked if he could do the same to “make it snow” on the star. He was able to mimic the dots really well! I’m sure older kids would have fun with all kinds of lovely patterns, but I like how this craft can include even the little ones and still turn out a result that you will enjoy looking at on your tree. 4. Let them dry. (It only takes about 5 minutes, depending on how thick the chalk pen was laid on). 5. Punch holes in the top of each star, and use twine to make a loop for hanging. Lastly, hang them up! These make a great addition to a rustic theme, perhaps with some vintage ornaments and a felted garland. Enjoy the season! Teaching Your Children Self-Control http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=459890http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=459890 Tue, 01 Dec 2015 01:00:00 GMT  <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20SELF-CONTROL/Teaching_Self_control.png" /> Sometimes I write about areas in which God has given me wisdom and success… other times I write about topics that can cause me frustration and bring me to my knees. Today’s topic is the latter. I have three boys. Three young boys. Three exuberant, energetic, full-of-personality boys. They are wonderful. Yet, often this excitement for life results in a lack of self-control. I don’t want to excuse it as “boys will be boys.” (Please know I am not saying self-control is only a male issue. Lord knows I haven’t mastered it either! I am just writing about the ways I experience this deficit and how I am targeting growth.)  I want to steward their hearts, making sure they are being prepared to sacrifice their desires for the glory of their Savior.  I recently wrote a <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/445296/Monthly-Character-Trait">post</a> about the importance of Character Training as explained by Betsy in the Entrusted study. Self-control is just one area we are targeting, but it is an important one in my house! <img alt="" style="width: 340px; height: 535px; float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20SELF-CONTROL/Teaching_Self-control-2.png" /> One reason I am writing this post now is because Christmas is right around the corner. Echoes of “I want that! I want that too! And that!” can be heard from many a child as they thumb through a toy catalog or pass by a toy aisle. Blessing our children with great presents can be a wonderful picture of the wise men’s gifts for the newborn King, but we do need to be intentional about communicating that. We also need to make sure our children don’t get everything they want. It is important for children to learn to delay gratification and deal with disappointment. No parent wants that to come on Christmas morning, but those lessons do need to come. I think we can prepare our children for self-control and sacrifice before Christmas morning arrives. I keep an online wish list for each of my children. When we go to a store and they really want something, I offer to place the item on the list when we get home if they remind me. Often they forget; if they remember, we add it together. If we have a few minutes we review the other items on the list to see if we can delete anything. Most times I remind them, “You won’t be getting everything on this list. If you could only pick three things, what would you choose?” It’s interesting to watch to see how the desires change over the course of several months. It affects my willingness to spend money on certain toys. Lincoln wanted a $40 costume for quite awhile. When his birthday arrived, I had no problem choosing that as one of his gifts because he had consistently prioritized it. Other items drop to the bottom as the passing fads that they are. I was incredibly impressed that my almost-four-year-old was able to choose three things from his wish list for his birthday. He acknowledged that he couldn’t get everything, and was happy with what he would receive. We did have to revisit the lesson briefly after he opened his birthday gifts, but it was a quick reminder instead of a drawn-out discussion. I can see the boys are learning to delay their desires. This is one small way I try to teach self-control. Here are a few more: <ol> <li style="color: black;">Tell your kids “No” sometimes! Don’t give them a snack every time they ask. If dinner is in a half hour, they should learn to wait. (Of course there are exceptions to the rule.) Don’t buy them a toy every time you go to the store. Don’t say yes to every request. You get the idea. You’re not being mean, you are preparing them for the real world. When you make a grocery list, have your child make one too. Ask them to write down one special treat they’d like. When they get to the store, they need to stick to that item. You don’t have to do this each time, but it is a good exercise for avoiding impulsivity. </li> <li style="color: black;">Make self-control towers! This one is Lincoln and Ryder’s favorite! I take large, cardboard building blocks and build a tower around their heads. They lay there, wide-eyed and grinning ear to ear. If they move in the slightest bit, their tower will collapse, and they will know they weren’t self-controlled. We giggle a lot with this one, and it is a great opportunity for them to learn to still their busy bodies!</li> </ol> <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20SELF-CONTROL/Teaching_Self-control-3.png" /> <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20SELF-CONTROL/Teaching_Self-control-4.png" /> 3. Have your child make eye contact or sit still for a given amount of time. Be careful with this one! Too long could be cruel! Your child’s age, personality, and experiences will dictate the time for this one. Start with ten seconds and see if they can hold your gaze without looking away. It is an important life skill! If they are successful, try longer. Next have them sit still (explain the guidelines for that before you begin) for ten seconds. It is amazing how challenging these quick exercises can be. They are good practice for adults too—especially in this fast-paced society! 4. Try a “Kid Fast.” I’m calling it a kid fast because I am not telling you to ask your child to refrain from food. Instead, have them give up screen time for a day, or perhaps only eat things God made for a day. Do this along with them! Talk about the moments that are hard, and pray to ask God for strength with them. 5. Give your child more exercise. Last year, my mother-in-law bought a mini bouncy house for Ryder for his birthday. I bought soft helmets for the boys, and they have a wonderful time jumping around! In this climate, it was a fantastic investment! During the spring and summer, I found great success with taking a mid-morning walk with the boys. We’d do some learning time, take a walk, come back for lunch, and they have quiet times. They were much more prepared to rest because their little legs had worked hard! <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20SELF-CONTROL/Teaching_Self-control-5.png" /> 6. Give clear directions. Ask yourself if your child really knows appropriate behavior for the given situation. Do they need instruction or discipline?  Remember, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.  (For further teaching on application of this verse, see Entrusted with a Child's Heart Chapter 9: Committed to Discipline (pages 280-285)  “Sit still” can mean many things. Clearly define your definition so your child can be successful. Make sure it is age appropriate. Take time to <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/456291/Modeling-Expectations">model the situation</a>. 7. Consider having your child do age-appropriate exercises for behaviors that are not discipline issues. Travis and I noticed Lincoln was interrupting us quite a bit. We retrained him on our “policy” for that. When he continued to interrupt, we instituted an exercise "consequence." Each time he interrupts, he has to do a few push-ups (and then he has to wait to tell us his point). It was very effective and helped him get more exercise! 8. Teach them a verse to memorize. Explain that a fruit of the Spirit is self-control and that God wants to give them success! Review it frequently, and try to fill them with hope! Don’t condemn them for their failures, but help them press on in hope. 9. Pray with them. Lincoln recently had to take a horrible-tasting medicine for four days. He got himself so worked up each time. It was one of those parenting moments that made you want to call in a sub! I realized I needed to pray with him before we started the process. The first time I prayed, I did it after he was already upset. Through tears he yelled, “It still tastes terrible!” We talked about being patient, and doing our part. The next time, I prayed beforehand, and it was much better. Lincoln knew that God answers prayer and God did give him the courage he needed!  I’m sure there are many more ways to train your children in self-control; this is just a start. For more in-depth teaching on training children, see the following chapters in Entrusted with a Child's Heart: Chapter 7: Establishing Authority: The Fear of God Chapter 8: Managing a Child Chapter 9: Committed to Discipline Chapter 14: Character Building Blessings as you train those precious children! Sometimes I write about areas in which God has given me wisdom and success… other times I write about topics that can cause me frustration and bring me to my knees. Today’s topic is the latter. I have three boys. Three young boys. Three exuberant, energetic, full-of-personality boys. They are wonderful. Yet, often this excitement for life results in a lack of self-control. I don’t want to excuse it as “boys will be boys.” (Please know I am not saying self-control is only a male issue. Lord knows I haven’t mastered it either! I am just writing about the ways I experience this deficit and how I am targeting growth.) I want to steward their hearts, making sure they are being prepared to sacrifice their desires for the glory of their Savior. I recently wrote a post about the importance of Character Training as explained by Betsy in the Entrusted study. Self-control is just one area we are targeting, but it is an important one in my house! One reason I am writing this post now is because Christmas is right around the corner. Echoes of “I want that! I want that too! And that!” can be heard from many a child as they thumb through a toy catalog or pass by a toy aisle. Blessing our children with great presents can be a wonderful picture of the wise men’s gifts for the newborn King, but we do need to be intentional about communicating that. We also need to make sure our children don’t get everything they want. It is important for children to learn to delay gratification and deal with disappointment. No parent wants that to come on Christmas morning, but those lessons do need to come. I think we can prepare our children for self-control and sacrifice before Christmas morning arrives. I keep an online wish list for each of my children. When we go to a store and they really want something, I offer to place the item on the list when we get home if they remind me. Often they forget; if they remember, we add it together. If we have a few minutes we review the other items on the list to see if we can delete anything. Most times I remind them, “You won’t be getting everything on this list. If you could only pick three things, what would you choose?” It’s interesting to watch to see how the desires change over the course of several months. It affects my willingness to spend money on certain toys. Lincoln wanted a $40 costume for quite awhile. When his birthday arrived, I had no problem choosing that as one of his gifts because he had consistently prioritized it. Other items drop to the bottom as the passing fads that they are. I was incredibly impressed that my almost-four-year-old was able to choose three things from his wish list for his birthday. He acknowledged that he couldn’t get everything, and was happy with what he would receive. We did have to revisit the lesson briefly after he opened his birthday gifts, but it was a quick reminder instead of a drawn-out discussion. I can see the boys are learning to delay their desires. This is one small way I try to teach self-control. Here are a few more: Tell your kids “No” sometimes! Don’t give them a snack every time they ask. If dinner is in a half hour, they should learn to wait. (Of course there are exceptions to the rule.) Don’t buy them a toy every time you go to the store. Don’t say yes to every request. You get the idea. You’re not being mean, you are preparing them for... God's Abundant Blessings: Reflections for a Thankful Heart http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=80538http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=80538 Fri, 20 Nov 2015 15:00:00 GMT <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/GOD'S%20BLESSINGS/Gods_abundant_blessings.png" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" /> For those of you who have taken the Entrusted with a Child's Heart class, you may be familiar with the list of benefits God heaps upon His children. Lesson 8 lists 24 wonderful ways that God provides for families who trust in Him.  As part of your Thanksgiving devotions this year, consider this list of ways that the Lord looks out for God-fearing families. Families who trust God and live under His authority will... <ul> <li>see God do great things in their lives and the glory and praise go to Him. Deuteronomy 10:20-21</li> <li>abide with God now and forever. Psalm 15:1-4</li> <li>are guarded from evil by their fear of God. Proverbs 16:6, 2 Corinthians 7:1</li> <li>experience God's guidance in making wise decisions. Psalm 25:12</li> <li>experience the abundant life in Christ and are rich in the things of God. Psalm 25:13</li> <li>are able to have true fellowship with God. Psalm 25:14</li> <img alt="" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/GOD'S%20BLESSINGS/Gods_abundant_blessings-2.png" style="height: 472px; width: 300px; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: left;" /> <li>receive God's goodness which He actually stores up for them. Psalm 31:19</li> <li>are rescued by Him and receive His assurance that He is always near. Psalm 34:7</li> <li>are blessed for the purpose of becoming His witnesses to the world. Psalm 67:7</li> <li>receive His forgiveness for their sins and His compassion extends even to their children's children. Psalm 103:11-13, 17 </li> <li>receive the promise of God that He will always provide for their needs. Psalm 111:5</li> <li>humble themselves before God and are unified in the Body of Christ, the Church, and the world over. They have a spiritual bond with God's people everywhere. Acts 10:35</li> <li>live life with an eternal perspective and a compassion for the lost. 2 Corinthians 5:11</li> </ul>   As we put God first in our families, He daily loads us with benefits. Let's pause and reflect on all we have to be abundantly thankful for—and not only on Thanksgiving Day. For those of you who have taken the Entrusted with a Child's Heart class, you may be familiar with the list of benefits God heaps upon His children. Lesson 8 lists 24 wonderful ways that God provides for families who trust in Him. As part of your Thanksgiving devotions this year, consider this list of ways that the Lord looks out for God-fearing families. Families who trust God and live under His authority will... see God do great things in their lives and the glory and praise go to Him. Deuteronomy 10:20-21 abide with God now and forever. Psalm 15:1-4 are guarded from evil by their fear of God. Proverbs 16:6, 2 Corinthians 7:1 experience God's guidance in making wise decisions. Psalm 25:12 experience the abundant life in Christ and are rich in the things of God. Psalm 25:13 are able to have true fellowship with God. Psalm 25:14 receive God's goodness which He actually stores up for them. Psalm 31:19 are rescued by Him and receive His assurance that He is always near. Psalm 34:7 are blessed for the purpose of becoming His witnesses to the world. Psalm 67:7 receive His forgiveness for their sins and His compassion extends even to their children's children. Psalm 103:11-13, 17 receive the promise of God that He will always provide for their needs. Psalm 111:5 humble themselves before God and are unified in the Body of Christ, the Church, and the world over. They have a spiritual bond with God's people everywhere. Acts 10:35 live life with an eternal perspective and a compassion for the lost. 2 Corinthians 5:11 As we put God first in our families, He daily loads us with benefits. Let's pause and reflect on all we have to be abundantly thankful for—and not only on Thanksgiving Day. Easy Thanksgiving: 12-Minute Table http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=458946http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=458946 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table.png" /> It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are officially here. As much as we try to fight the onslaught of Christmas in October, the season is undeniably in full force. The frost is on the ground, and Thanksgiving is only two weeks away! As usual, I’m trying to think of ways to mark the occasions in life and make them feel special, without driving myself crazy with extra work and tons of DIYs. I challenged myself to come up with a Thanksgiving table that would require as little time as possible. I grabbed my stopwatch and went to work. Here’s the table when I started: <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-2.png" /> Step One: Remove remnants from last night’s game night, Cheerios box from breakfast, and stuffed cat. Then wipe that thing down. Two minutes down.  <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-3.png" /> Step Two: Gather fallen leaves. I threw on some boots and ran to the yard and gathered a handful of magnolia leaves. (PSA: If you plant one thing in your yard, I would highly recommend a Jane Magnolia. Gorgeous purple blossoms in spring, shiny green leaves in summer, bright yellow in fall, and in winter the branches are sooo sculptural—with buds! It’s the perfect tree.) Scatter leaves down the center of the table like a runner. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-4.png" /> Step Three: Add white pillar candles down the length of the table. I keep a horde of these on hand, both real and LED. It’s one of the best party investments I’ve ever made. Nestle the candles, of varying heights, among the leaves. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-5.png" /> Step Four: White plates. I’ve plugged these before and I’ll plug them again. They go with everything! They are sturdy for everyday, and lovely for an occasion. They’re over ten years old and still look terrific, and best of all they’re within easy reach in the kitchen cabinets because we use them every day. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-6.png" /> Step Five: Layer. Add napkins, silverware, and a low soup bowl if you have it (and if that would make sense with your menu). Layering extra dishes and silverware, like a salad fork, fills out your tablescape visually without costing you extra money. As for napkins, if you have a favorite cloth napkin in your stash, feel free to use it. In my entire married life, I’ve never found a cloth napkin pattern that I could commit to, so I still use paper. Fold them nicely and no one will care. Less clean up at the end! <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-7.png" /> Step Six: Glasses. For height and sparkle, add your prettiest goblets. I have a set of melamine (pictured) because it allows the kids to drink out of a fancy cup, and I don’t have to worry about them breaking. When it’s just the five of us for Thanksgiving, we all use them. When a more grown-up crowd is here, I can mix and match with our real crystal so the kids still feel a part of things (and their primary colored plastic-ware isn’t bombing my table)! <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-8.png" /> And that’s it! Hit pause on the stopwatch and marvel at your mad decorating skills. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 1139px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-9.png" /> <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-10.png" /> <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-11.png" /> <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-12.png" /> Now if your sanity can spare a few more minutes to play around, here are some ideas to top off your plates just so. (You can even turn these into place cards pretty easily). Gold-sprayed leaves… <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-13.png" /> You can spray a large leaf with gold spray paint. The ONLY spray paint I would recommend is Rust-Oleum brand Metallic Gold. I’ve tried them all, and this is the only gold that actually looks good. That is obviously a little bit more of a time investment, and takes a lot of advance prep and planning. But isn’t it stunning?? Pinecones… <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-14.png" /> I love the structure and intricacy of pinecones. A solitary cone atop a plate is a warm fall welcome all on its own, but it can also hold a slip of paper with a name for an easy place card. Leaves, leaves, and more leaves… <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-15.png" /> If you are lucky enough to come across large and sturdy leaves with this much sculpture outside, scoop them up! Mine are actually the droppings of a houseplant called a rubber plant. The tropical foliage looks almost as lovely dried as it did alive. A sharpie marker could quickly turn leaves like this into name cards, or better yet, a gold paint pen! <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/THANKSGIVING%20TABLE/Thanksgiving_Table-16.png" /> And there’s your quick and easy Thanksgiving table. Unfortunately, I am no help with the food.... Happy Thanksgiving! It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are officially here. As much as we try to fight the onslaught of Christmas in October, the season is undeniably in full force. The frost is on the ground, and Thanksgiving is only two weeks away! As usual, I’m trying to think of ways to mark the occasions in life and make them feel special, without driving myself crazy with extra work and tons of DIYs. I challenged myself to come up with a Thanksgiving table that would require as little time as possible. I grabbed my stopwatch and went to work. Here’s the table when I started: Step One : Remove remnants from last night’s game night, Cheerios box from breakfast, and stuffed cat. Then wipe that thing down. Two minutes down. Step Two : Gather fallen leaves. I threw on some boots and ran to the yard and gathered a handful of magnolia leaves. (PSA: If you plant one thing in your yard, I would highly recommend a Jane Magnolia. Gorgeous purple blossoms in spring, shiny green leaves in summer, bright yellow in fall, and in winter the branches are sooo sculptural—with buds! It’s the perfect tree.) Scatter leaves down the center of the table like a runner. Step Three : Add white pillar candles down the length of the table. I keep a horde of these on hand, both real and LED. It’s one of the best party investments I’ve ever made. Nestle the candles, of varying heights, among the leaves. Step Four : White plates. I’ve plugged these before and I’ll plug them again. They go with everything! They are sturdy for everyday, and lovely for an occasion. They’re over ten years old and still look terrific, and best of all they’re within easy reach in the kitchen cabinets because we use them every day. Step Five : Layer. Add napkins, silverware, and a low soup bowl if you have it (and if that would make sense with your menu). Layering extra dishes and silverware, like a salad fork, fills out your tablescape visually without costing you extra money. As for napkins, if you have a favorite cloth napkin in your stash, feel free to use it. In my entire married life, I’ve never found a cloth napkin pattern that I could commit to, so I still use paper. Fold them nicely and no one will care. Less clean up at the end! Step Six : Glasses. For height and sparkle, add your prettiest goblets. I have a set of melamine (pictured) because it allows the kids to drink out of a fancy cup, and I don’t have to worry about them breaking. When it’s just the five of us for Thanksgiving, we all use them. When a more grown-up crowd is here, I can mix and match with our real crystal so the kids still feel a part of things (and their primary colored plastic-ware isn’t bombing my table)! And that’s it! Hit pause on the stopwatch and marvel at your mad decorating skills. Now if your sanity can spare a few more minutes to play around, here are some ideas to top off your plates just so. (You can even turn these into place cards pretty easily). Gold-sprayed leaves… You can spray a large leaf with gold spray paint. The ONLY spray paint I would recommend is Rust-Oleum brand Metallic Gold. I’ve tried them all, and this is the only gold that actually looks good. That is obviously a little bit more of a time investment, and takes a lot of advance prep and planning. But isn’t it stunning?? Pinecones… I love the structure and intricacy of pinecones. A solitary cone atop a plate is a... Marriage Tune-up http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=458577http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=458577 Thu, 05 Nov 2015 01:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/Marriage%20Tune-up/Marriage_tune-up.png" /> The older I get the more I realize that hard work pays off. If you want something great, you have to put in the effort. When someone promises a quick fix, be skeptical and keep your hand to the plow. Marriage is no different. If you aren’t investing in your marriage, you can wake up one day and wonder how the distance happened or how the bitterness festered. We are called to keep our hearts with all diligence (Prov 4:23). It seems like this can be especially difficult when you are raising young children. Sometimes you are literally being kicked apart in the night, and being pulled opposite, interrupting directions all day! In later years the evenings can become filled with chauffeuring adolescents to their various endeavors, and you can become ships in the night, barely finding out how each other’s day was. I understand why the empty nest years could be challenging. I don’t want to get to that part of my marriage and wonder who I am living with or what we could be talking about. Do you get your car oil changed? Teeth cleanings? Annual doctor visits? Most of us do those routine tasks, and yet many neglect the most important roles we serve. Should we wait until our marriage “Check Engine” light is on before we seek help or better communication? No, we need to be diligent in our priorities. And marriage falls right after our relationship with Christ. Laura wrote a great <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/431265/6-WAYS-TO-BE-FRIENDS-WITH-YOUR-SPOUSE">post</a> about being best friends with your spouse. This is a great way to bless your marriage. Cultivating that friendship is key to a marriage that stands the test of time. Perhaps you are on that route, or perhaps you are having some communication issues right now. Either way I think you’ll be blessed by my favorite, simple tip to improve a marriage. I don’t know how I decided to do this, but I can tell you that it is powerful, quick, and effective! 1.    Get a 3 by 5 index card, and give it to your spouse. 2.    Ask, “What are five things I can do each day to really bless or serve you?” Give him a few minutes to write. 3.    Do the items on the list as much as possible. (You don’t have to do them every day. You are just striving to bless him as much as you can.) Jesus repeatedly called us to serve one another in love. Marriage should wholeheartedly reflect this aspect of our Savior. However, it can be tricky to serve your husband when the needs of little ones are often more inescapable and imperative. Knowing the most impactful ways to serve your husband can help you prepare to do it each day. <img alt="" style="width: 400px; height: 629px; float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/Marriage%20Tune-up/Marriage_tune-up-2.png" />Most likely, your husband will ask you to write down five items too. Great! What if he doesn’t? Ask yourself, “Is he not asking me because he is clueless right now, or does he really not care?” If he is clueless, say something like, “Honey, would it help you if I shared with you what really blesses me?” If you truly think your spouse doesn’t care about your needs or wants, keep your mouth shut. Just pray. As you serve him, his heart will probably change. If it doesn’t, I’m so truly sorry. You, however, should continue to try to serve your husband.  Your kids will be blessed by your example, and you may be just around the corner from some serious heart change in your spouse. Just as we continue to discipline our children when we don’t see fruit, we are called to serve and love our husbands even when it isn’t reciprocated. So.much.easier.said.than.done. If this is your situation, find someone who will be your prayer warrior. You need a friend to carry the burden with you. Here is one reason why this exercise is so powerful: We sometimes serve our spouses in time-consuming, challenging ways that mean nothing to them. Usually we serve in ways that we want to be served in. Most likely though, you are married to someone very different than you (God likes it that way! It’s stretching and sanctifying). This means they want to be served in different ways. Other times, we just misunderstand their cues. For example, I put a lot of effort into feeding my family. I strive to make every meal healthy and delicious. It was my understanding that Travis had high standards for our meals as well. I arrived at this conclusion because he is always very thankful at dinner time. He has this little sigh he does when he takes the first bite and he likes the meal. Every time I hear it, I know I’ve succeeded. He seems to be exasperated whenever dinner is a little later than usual. (Also, his mom is a wonderful cook, so I figured it was his expectation for me to be as well.) Well, we did this index card exercise and “delicious dinner” wasn’t #1. It wasn’t #2. It didn’t even make the list. At first I was shocked. You know what did make the list? “Bringing me a glass of water or something to eat when I don’t even ask.” This almost made me angry. What?! I spend hours slaving in the kitchen, and a 30-second task means more to you?! I figured that he didn’t know what he was talking about. For the next few meals, I took it easy. I baked breaded chicken breasts from Costco, sweet potato fries from a bag, and steamed some broccoli. I waited for the sigh. To my shock, I heard it. I could barely hold back. I may have made it to halfway through the meal before I asked him, “Seriously?! You really don’t care what we have for dinner?!” He promised me that it didn’t matter to him, as long as it was on time. (Some of you may have met Travis or may have read my recipe for Steak Chili, and you will know that statement is a bold-faced lie if it doesn’t come with several caveats. Travis is a picky eater, but as long as I avoid a few of his nemeses, I am in the clear.) Do you think I had a little extra energy that night to bring my husband a glass of water? Yes, yes I did. And now when I’m tired in the kitchen at the end of the day, I can’t think “If only Travis didn’t require such extravagant meals.” He truly does appreciate great food, but he doesn’t necessitate it. It isn’t on his top five. I still try to make food that blesses our family, but it isn’t just for him. When I wrote down my top five it included him rinsing out the cloth diapers. I was getting so tired of this task, and it turned out he didn’t mind doing it at all. Boy was I thankful that he took this one over! He didn’t have to do it every day, but each time he did, I felt loved. I would recommend doing this exercise about every six months. Your lives change, your kids’ stages change, you change. You see, I really took the “Bring me a glass of water or something when I don’t ask” request of Travis’ to heart. You know what happened, he told me all our evening snacks were making him fat! He asked me to halt the treats. (Women are not the only moving targets!) It makes sense though. When we are served consistently in a way, it doesn’t seem as appealing. A new desire can pop up, and it keeps marriage interesting if we’re intentional. Can I be honest? Travis and I have been miscommunicating a lot this week, especially today. He has been very stressed at work, and I’m tired from the sicknesses that have been running through our home. I was scheduled to write a post on marriage (Nice timing, Lord! No coincidence, I’m sure.), but I truly didn’t want to write this tonight. However, I can tell we just need to do this exercise again. Our lives have changed since we last told each other how we want to be served. I’m thankful I know a very simple way to do so. The older I get the more I realize that hard work pays off. If you want something great, you have to put in the effort. When someone promises a quick fix, be skeptical and keep your hand to the plow. Marriage is no different. If you aren’t investing in your marriage, you can wake up one day and wonder how the distance happened or how the bitterness festered. We are called to keep our hearts with all diligence (Prov 4:23). It seems like this can be especially difficult when you are raising young children. Sometimes you are literally being kicked apart in the night, and being pulled opposite, interrupting directions all day! In later years the evenings can become filled with chauffeuring adolescents to their various endeavors, and you can become ships in the night, barely finding out how each other’s day was. I understand why the empty nest years could be challenging. I don’t want to get to that part of my marriage and wonder who I am living with or what we could be talking about. Do you get your car oil changed? Teeth cleanings? Annual doctor visits? Most of us do those routine tasks, and yet many neglect the most important roles we serve. Should we wait until our marriage “Check Engine” light is on before we seek help or better communication? No, we need to be diligent in our priorities. And marriage falls right after our relationship with Christ. Laura wrote a great post about being best friends with your spouse. This is a great way to bless your marriage. Cultivating that friendship is key to a marriage that stands the test of time. Perhaps you are on that route, or perhaps you are having some communication issues right now. Either way I think you’ll be blessed by my favorite, simple tip to improve a marriage. I don’t know how I decided to do this, but I can tell you that it is powerful, quick, and effective! 1. Get a 3 by 5 index card, and give it to your spouse. 2. Ask, “What are five things I can do each day to really bless or serve you?” Give him a few minutes to write. 3. Do the items on the list as much as possible. (You don’t have to do them every day. You are just striving to bless him as much as you can.) Jesus repeatedly called us to serve one another in love. Marriage should wholeheartedly reflect this aspect of our Savior. However, it can be tricky to serve your husband when the needs of little ones are often more inescapable and imperative. Knowing the most impactful ways to serve your husband can help you prepare to do it each day. Most likely, your husband will ask you to write down five items too. Great! What if he doesn’t? Ask yourself, “Is he not asking me because he is clueless right now, or does he really not care?” If he is clueless, say something like, “Honey, would it help you if I shared with you what really blesses me?” If you truly think your spouse doesn’t care about your needs or wants, keep your mouth shut. Just pray. As you serve him, his heart will probably change. If it doesn’t, I’m so truly sorry. You, however, should continue to try to serve your husband. Your kids will be blessed by your example, and you may be just around the corner from some serious heart change in your spouse. Just as we continue to discipline our children when we don’t see fruit, we are called to serve and love our husbands even when it isn’t reciprocated. So.much.easier.said.than.done. If this is your... Psalm 36 Free Printable http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=458143http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=458143 Thu, 29 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PSALM%2036%20PRINTABLE/entrusted-ministries-your-love-lord-reaches-to-the-heavens-2.png" /> Here at the Entrusted Blog, we are all about encouraging moms. One of the things we like to do from time to time is make something that you can print out and tack up, as a reminder of God’s wonderful Word. We hope these will be a blessing to you! Today’s free printable is taken from Psalm 36:5-6 (NIV). “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep…” Isn’t that an incredible truth to meditate upon? <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 906px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PSALM%2036%20PRINTABLE/entrusted-ministries-your-love-lord-reaches-to-the-heavens.png" /> Follow this <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5519f46ae4b08a0cc6098097/t/561d4644e4b058f1f3dfb447/1444759108346/entrusted-ministries-your-love-lord-reaches-to-the-heavens.png">link</a> to download this print free for personal use. You can print it in any size you wish, either on your home printer or through a print service like Fed Ex Office or Shutterfly. Enjoy! You may also like: <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/433665/PSALM-127-1-FREE-PRINTABLE">Psalm 127 Free Printable</a> <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/444977/Entrusted-Freebie-Scripture-Memory-Printable">Scripture Memory List Free Printable</a> Here at the Entrusted Blog, we are all about encouraging moms. One of the things we like to do from time to time is make something that you can print out and tack up, as a reminder of God’s wonderful Word. We hope these will be a blessing to you! Today’s free printable is taken from Psalm 36:5-6 (NIV). “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep…” Isn’t that an incredible truth to meditate upon? Follow this link to download this print free for personal use. You can print it in any size you wish, either on your home printer or through a print service like Fed Ex Office or Shutterfly. Enjoy! You may also like: Psalm 127 Free Printable Scripture Memory List Free Printable Family Worship Nights http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=457835http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=457835 Thu, 22 Oct 2015 03:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/FAMILY%20WORSHIP/Family_Worship.png" /> We’ve all heard of “Game Night” or “Movie Night,” and many of us have probably attended a worship night or event, but have you ever considered having a Family Worship Night? My assistant pastor’s wife shared this idea with me last year, and I was astounded at its brilliance. Her kids were 6,7,8, and 12 at the time. She explained that it didn’t work perfectly, or always orderly, but that they were training their children to worship God--and they were doing it together! (Sidenote: They began this tradition during a season in which their children struggled with nightmares. The kids were nearly impossible to get settled down because of their fear of what was to come. The nights they would worship as a family, the kids would peacefully fall asleep on the couch, and they carried them to bed. It ended up saving them time!) It’s probably best blogging practice to wait until you’ve established an idea in your home to introduce it to others, but my kids are 1, 2, and 4… if I waited until they were doing this in a replicable, non-crayon-eating way, I would have withheld it from you for years!  I insist I share it now, however limited my insights may be on the matter. Worship is always a good idea. Impromptu or planned. Young or old. Corporate or individual. Our Lord is blessed by our devotion and focus.   <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/FAMILY%20WORSHIP/Family_Worship-2.png" /> At my church, children are with us for the worship portion. I love this. I love it, and yet, it is a challenge. Instead of wholeheartedly diving into the presence of our Savior, we have three little monkeys we are trying to teach to worship. This is a picture someone snapped of me. I think it accurately depicts the tension I’m talking about! It can be distracting, but I love the heart behind it: Kids need an opportunity to worship! Let’s not wait until they are in middle school to give it to them. Whether or not your children worship with you at church, consider devoting time as a family for worship. It may seem messy or chaotic to us, but God’s Word says He loves the sounds that come from his littlest ones. (I included three translations because I think each sheds a different light on the subject.) Psalm 8:2: (ESV) Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. (NLV) You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. (NIV) Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Next time you hear a crying infant in church, think again about labeling it “a distraction!” <img alt="" style="width: 350px; height: 550px; float: left; margin-right: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/FAMILY%20WORSHIP/Family_Worship-3.png" /> Here is a possible approach to holding family worship nights in your home: 1.    Set aside a small section of time for your family. This could really be done in a brief time slot before a movie night. It could be sporadic or it could be a set night every week. It could be something you do on car trips. It can be 10 minutes or 45. Decide what is appropriate for your family. 2.    Gather everyone. Set out paper and art supplies, and Bibles. 3.    Review the guidelines you’ve set up. Play the music. 4.    Worship! 5.    Have a time to share and process together. Train your children to view life through the lens of Scripture. Be blessed as you enter God’s presence together!   We’ve all heard of “Game Night” or “Movie Night,” and many of us have probably attended a worship night or event, but have you ever considered having a Family Worship Night? My assistant pastor’s wife shared this idea with me last year, and I was astounded at its brilliance. Her kids were 6,7,8, and 12 at the time. She explained that it didn’t work perfectly, or always orderly, but that they were training their children to worship God--and they were doing it together! (Sidenote: They began this tradition during a season in which their children struggled with nightmares. The kids were nearly impossible to get settled down because of their fear of what was to come. The nights they would worship as a family, the kids would peacefully fall asleep on the couch, and they carried them to bed. It ended up saving them time!) It’s probably best blogging practice to wait until you’ve established an idea in your home to introduce it to others, but my kids are 1, 2, and 4… if I waited until they were doing this in a replicable, non-crayon-eating way, I would have withheld it from you for years! I insist I share it now, however limited my insights may be on the matter. Worship is always a good idea. Impromptu or planned. Young or old. Corporate or individual. Our Lord is blessed by our devotion and focus. At my church, children are with us for the worship portion. I love this. I love it, and yet, it is a challenge. Instead of wholeheartedly diving into the presence of our Savior, we have three little monkeys we are trying to teach to worship. This is a picture someone snapped of me. I think it accurately depicts the tension I’m talking about! It can be distracting, but I love the heart behind it: Kids need an opportunity to worship! Let’s not wait until they are in middle school to give it to them. Whether or not your children worship with you at church, consider devoting time as a family for worship. It may seem messy or chaotic to us, but God’s Word says He loves the sounds that come from his littlest ones. (I included three translations because I think each sheds a different light on the subject.) Psalm 8:2: ( ESV ) Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. ( NLV ) You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. ( NIV ) Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Next time you hear a crying infant in church, think again about labeling it “a distraction!” Here is a possible approach to holding family worship nights in your home: 1. Set aside a small section of time for your family. This could really be done in a brief time slot before a movie night. It could be sporadic or it could be a set night every week. It could be something you do on car trips. It can be 10 minutes or 45. Decide what is appropriate for your family. 2. Gather everyone. Set out paper and art supplies, and Bibles. 3. Review the guidelines you’ve set up. Play the music. 4. Worship! 5. Have a time to share and process together. Train your children to view life through the lens of Scripture. Be blessed as you enter God’s presence together! Steak Chili with Cornbread http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=457169http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=457169 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/STEAK%20CHILI/Steak_Chili.png" /> I married a man who shudders at the words casserole and ground beef. He has come a long way, but he’d still rather go hungry than eat a typical bowl of chili. If I want any chance of him eating this wonderfully easy fall dish, I have to substitute the ground beef for steak. Then there’s me… I can’t handle spicy. Going to Chipotle makes me feel like a fire-breathing dragon. I like it; I just wish I could dial back the kick a little. That’s why I love the idea of putting cornbread in chili. It’s sweetness downplays the spiciness, but doesn’t overpower the complementing flavor. Here’s a recipe that works for my husband, my kids, and me. Best part: it’s easy, and the leftovers are great! (It’s also free of many common allergens.) Ingredients: 2 lbs steak (I used sirloin) 2 medium onions, diced 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes 1 can kidney beans 1 can black beans 6 cups chicken or beef broth* 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp cayenne pepper** Cornbread or corn muffins*** Optional: Shredded cheese, sour cream *Consider making your own bone broth for a great superfood option! I will roast a small chicken in the crockpot, remove all the meat, add a little apple cider vinegar, and then cook the bones for another 24 hours. Remove the bones, and you’ll have a delicious, inexpensive, healthy broth. **I serve this to my toddlers, so I don’t make it very spicy. Instead, I sprinkle a little extra spice on top of Travis’ bowl before serving, and I eat the toddler spice level. :) If you like a little extra kick, I’d double the cayenne pepper from the get-go. ***Use your favorite cornbread mix. Krusteaz is the best mix I’ve come across; it has pieces of corn in the mix, and stays super moist. I have made cornbread from scratch, but I have to admit, it doesn’t taste any better than the mixes. This is one of those times I go the easy route. :) 1.    Cut the steak into cubes, trimming off any large fatty sections. Put into crockpot. 2.    Dice the onions. Add to the steak. 3.    Open the canned tomatoes and beans. Pour them into the pot. 4.    Pour in the broth and spices. 5.    Set the crock pot to high for 4 hours. I let mine go to the warming mode for a few hours before dinner time arrived. 6.    Bake the corn muffins. 7.    Serve the chili with the cornbread diced on top. Add more cayenne pepper, shredded cheese, or sour cream as you like. Enjoy! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/STEAK%20CHILI/Steak_Chili-2.png" />       I married a man who shudders at the words casserole and ground beef. He has come a long way, but he’d still rather go hungry than eat a typical bowl of chili. If I want any chance of him eating this wonderfully easy fall dish, I have to substitute the ground beef for steak. Then there’s me… I can’t handle spicy. Going to Chipotle makes me feel like a fire-breathing dragon. I like it; I just wish I could dial back the kick a little. That’s why I love the idea of putting cornbread in chili. It’s sweetness downplays the spiciness, but doesn’t overpower the complementing flavor. Here’s a recipe that works for my husband, my kids, and me. Best part: it’s easy, and the leftovers are great! (It’s also free of many common allergens.) Ingredients : 2 lbs steak (I used sirloin) 2 medium onions, diced 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes 1 can kidney beans 1 can black beans 6 cups chicken or beef broth* 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp cayenne pepper** Cornbread or corn muffins*** Optional: Shredded cheese, sour cream *Consider making your own bone broth for a great superfood option! I will roast a small chicken in the crockpot, remove all the meat, add a little apple cider vinegar, and then cook the bones for another 24 hours. Remove the bones, and you’ll have a delicious, inexpensive, healthy broth. **I serve this to my toddlers, so I don’t make it very spicy. Instead, I sprinkle a little extra spice on top of Travis’ bowl before serving, and I eat the toddler spice level. :) If you like a little extra kick, I’d double the cayenne pepper from the get-go. ***Use your favorite cornbread mix. Krusteaz is the best mix I’ve come across; it has pieces of corn in the mix, and stays super moist. I have made cornbread from scratch, but I have to admit, it doesn’t taste any better than the mixes. This is one of those times I go the easy route. :) 1. Cut the steak into cubes, trimming off any large fatty sections. Put into crockpot. 2. Dice the onions. Add to the steak. 3. Open the canned tomatoes and beans. Pour them into the pot. 4. Pour in the broth and spices. 5. Set the crock pot to high for 4 hours. I let mine go to the warming mode for a few hours before dinner time arrived. 6. Bake the corn muffins. 7. Serve the chili with the cornbread diced on top. Add more cayenne pepper, shredded cheese, or sour cream as you like. Enjoy! Rifle-inspired Painted Pumpkin Tutorial http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=456777http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=456777 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin.png" /> When I have a DIY post scheduled I can get a little nervous. First of all, what have I done that I’m not subconsciously copying from an idea I’ve seen on Pinterest? Second of all, how much DIY time, money, and energy do I have right now? Not much. Third, am I capable of doing something someone would want to copy?! Here’s my thought pattern on this latest project…. (While grocery shopping) I can’t forget that I need to plan my DIY post for next week. Ooh pumpkins are only $2.99. That’s a good deal. I’ll do something with pumpkins. There are some really great ideas for painting pumpkins on Pinterest! (While getting in the car) Uh-oh, I can’t do an idea I saw on Pinterest! This has to be my DIY. Besides, my boys aren’t old enough to accomplish any of those painting ideas. (While sitting on the couch a few days later) What am I going to do with these pumpkins? I don’t even really like the color orange. I love fall, just not the color scheme…. (I spot my RIfle calendar hanging on the wall.) Well I like orange in her paintings. She surrounds them with such soft colors so it’s not overwhelming. That’s it! I will paint flowers on a pumpkin! I’ve never seen it done, and I have some paints in the attic! It will make a great, cheap centerpiece for a fall tablescape! Okay, now that you’ve been in my brain for a way too long, I’ll show you my process for this project. I have very, very little art training, and I thought it was quite easy. I promise yours will look great! Materials Needed: Pumpkin Paint Brushes Acrylic Paints (If you need to buy these, you can get away with getting white, brown, black, red, yellow, and blue and mixing the colors as needed.) Inspiration photo (preferably Rifle) Optional: piece of paper Time Estimated: 1 Hour 1.    Select the image you like best. I chose one with an orange background, so I knew the color palette would go well with the pumpkin. Pour the appropriate paint colors into a paint tray. 2.    I decided to paint the image on paper first to see if I could hack it. (Pun intended.:) ) I focused on imitating the basic shape of each flower or leaf. I tried to apply depth by mixing in white, brown, or black to the larger flowers. You don’t need to do start on paper, but it only took 15 min. and it helped me notice some of my errors before I put them on the pumpkin. I realized should be painting the foliage before the flowers, the spacing was a little off, etc... <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-2.png" /> 3.    Paint the branch structure onto the pumpkin. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-3.png" /> 4.    Add the leaves. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-4.png" /> 5. Add the filler flowers (the smaller bunches). <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-5.png" /> 6. Paint the larger flowers. You will notice that my spacing was wrong for these, so I added in a third flower. It’s not ideal as it made the pumpkin lose a little of the whimsical look I was going for, but it was better than leaving the space open. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-6.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-7.png" /> 7. Use a few real leaves from outside to complete the centerpiece. I added Laura’s beautiful<a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/433665/PSALM-127-1-FREE-PRINTABLE"> Psalm 127 printable</a>, and a few hedge apples I got for $0.50. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_Pumpkin-8.png" /> I’m certainly not Anna Rifle, but I was pleased I could make a uniquely festive display for $3.50 in an hour. Added bonus: I didn’t have to get any pumpkin grime on me, and this will last longer than a carved image! And just in case you were wondering, I let my boys paint a few pumpkins too. As much fun as it was to do an adult craft for once, I couldn’t deny them the fun of joining me! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/Blog%20Images/Painted%20Pumpkin%20Tutorial/Painted_pumpkin-9.png" /> When I have a DIY post scheduled I can get a little nervous. First of all, what have I done that I’m not subconsciously copying from an idea I’ve seen on Pinterest? Second of all, how much DIY time, money, and energy do I have right now? Not much. Third, am I capable of doing something someone would want to copy?! Here’s my thought pattern on this latest project…. (While grocery shopping) I can’t forget that I need to plan my DIY post for next week. Ooh pumpkins are only $2.99. That’s a good deal. I’ll do something with pumpkins. There are some really great ideas for painting pumpkins on Pinterest! (While getting in the car) Uh-oh, I can’t do an idea I saw on Pinterest! This has to be my DIY. Besides, my boys aren’t old enough to accomplish any of those painting ideas. (While sitting on the couch a few days later) What am I going to do with these pumpkins? I don’t even really like the color orange. I love fall, just not the color scheme…. (I spot my RIfle calendar hanging on the wall.) Well I like orange in her paintings. She surrounds them with such soft colors so it’s not overwhelming. That’s it! I will paint flowers on a pumpkin! I’ve never seen it done, and I have some paints in the attic! It will make a great, cheap centerpiece for a fall tablescape! Okay, now that you’ve been in my brain for a way too long, I’ll show you my process for this project. I have very, very little art training, and I thought it was quite easy. I promise yours will look great! Materials Needed : Pumpkin Paint Brushes Acrylic Paints (If you need to buy these, you can get away with getting white, brown, black, red, yellow, and blue and mixing the colors as needed.) Inspiration photo (preferably Rifle) Optional: piece of paper Time Estimated : 1 Hour 1. Select the image you like best. I chose one with an orange background, so I knew the color palette would go well with the pumpkin. Pour the appropriate paint colors into a paint tray. 2. I decided to paint the image on paper first to see if I could hack it. (Pun intended.:) ) I focused on imitating the basic shape of each flower or leaf. I tried to apply depth by mixing in white, brown, or black to the larger flowers. You don’t need to do start on paper, but it only took 15 min. and it helped me notice some of my errors before I put them on the pumpkin. I realized should be painting the foliage before the flowers, the spacing was a little off, etc... 3. Paint the branch structure onto the pumpkin. 4. Add the leaves. 5. Add the filler flowers (the smaller bunches). 6. Paint the larger flowers. You will notice that my spacing was wrong for these, so I added in a third flower. It’s not ideal as it made the pumpkin lose a little of the whimsical look I was going for, but it was better than leaving the space open. 7. Use a few real leaves from outside to complete the centerpiece. I added Laura’s beautiful Psalm 127 printable , and a few hedge apples I got for $0.50. I’m certainly not Anna Rifle, but I was pleased I could make a uniquely festive display for $3.50 in an hour. Added bonus: I didn’t have to get any pumpkin grime on me, and this will last longer than a carved image! And just in case you were wondering, I let my boys paint a few pumpkins too. As much fun as it was to do an adult craft for once, I couldn’t deny them the fun of joining me! Modeling Expectations http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=456291http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=456291 Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/Modeling%20Expectations/Modeling_expectations.png" /> When I began my student-teaching experience, my cooperating teachers began the year by introducing the procedures. Each day they would introduce several operations, and then they would model the appropriate behavior, an example or two of inappropriate behavior, and then call on a few student volunteers to attempt the procedure correctly. It worked. It worked really well. Often children seem disobedient, but they really just need a clear understanding of the expectations. When I was given my own classroom, I adopted the same training method. Occasionally we would revisit the modeling of a procedure, but for the most part, the tasks we had modeled thoroughly were performed successfully by the students. This seems like a pretty natural way to begin a school year in a classroom. It may not seem as natural for a mother to execute in her living room. Perhaps this is because the start date for a child begins way before they can understand our verbal communication, and the rest of the days just blend together… The principle remains the same: kids are most successful when they know what’s expected of them.  Often poor behavior results from a of lack of knowledge, not rebellion. God is like that with us,  “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” (Deut 30:15-16) God wants us to succeed, and He tells us how! Let’s provide our children with tools for success too! <img alt="" style="width: 400px; height: 629px; float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/Modeling%20Expectations/Modeling_expectations-2.png" /> Think about a typical meal time. How many behaviors are you telling your kids not to do? Are you and your husband constantly trying to get your kids to act appropriately at the table? Perhaps you already have a great system going. If not, the next opportunity you have, decide on your top 3 rules for meal time (for older children, you could try 5 if needed). Introduce them to your children. First, model the incorrect behavior. Be silly and have fun with it! Talk about the problems of the behavior. What would it mean for your family if everyone acted that way? Next ask them to model the incorrect behavior. Let them ham it up, and laugh with them. Finally, model the correct behavior and ask your children to do the same. Talk about the benefits of following the rules. For example, “If we all follow Rule 3, everyone gets an opportunity to talk about their day.” Hopefully you can get to a point in which you refer to the rule and the child corrects it. Then you can spend your time together having a positive interaction, rather than a rebuking session. How about before you go to a play date? My son and I practiced this today. He had a few  friends coming over. They’ve barely played together, and one of the children is much more reserved than Lincoln. We talked about how to make the time fun for the friends. We decided on two rules: 1. Be kind and use your friendly face. 2. Share all of your toys. Lincoln added “Be respectful.” He had some examples of what that looked like, and I wanted to encourage his input, so we threw that one in too. I wanted to keep it really simple so he could remember them. When I drop my son off at his new homeschool co-op classes, I say, “Be kind. Be respectful. Be a blessing.” There are lots of modeling opportunities for this one. From what I’ve seen, I may need to add in “Use your inside voice,” and model that one a bit! How about proper worship and prayer behavior? Store rules? Interruption rules? Doctor visit rules? You can, and should, model the expectations you have for your children often to set them up for success. This may sound like a tip that is only for young children, but I think it is valuable for the toddler age through pre-teens. Laura recently video-taped her children role-playing the first day of school. Her daughter began by being very shy. When Laura played the video back, her daughter was able to see the timidity in a new light. She realized she was not friendly and it was not the persona she wanted to put forth. They role-played the activity again, and a new girl, bursting with courage and joy was captured! Consider taping your children so they can see themselves. At a conference I recently attended, a mom of 14 shared about a family game she and her husband created. They basically play “Charades” with different scenarios the children may encounter. For example, “You are at a friend’s house and you are asked to watch a movie you know Mom and Dad would not allow. What do you do?” The kids then act out the situation and the solution they’ve decided upon. Will this solve all of your children’s sin issues? No, but it will let them know how they should respond if the situation occurred. Lets strive to "admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." (1Thess 5:14) When I began my student-teaching experience, my cooperating teachers began the year by introducing the procedures. Each day they would introduce several operations, and then they would model the appropriate behavior, an example or two of inappropriate behavior, and then call on a few student volunteers to attempt the procedure correctly. It worked. It worked really well. Often children seem disobedient, but they really just need a clear understanding of the expectations. When I was given my own classroom, I adopted the same training method. Occasionally we would revisit the modeling of a procedure, but for the most part, the tasks we had modeled thoroughly were performed successfully by the students. This seems like a pretty natural way to begin a school year in a classroom. It may not seem as natural for a mother to execute in her living room. Perhaps this is because the start date for a child begins way before they can understand our verbal communication, and the rest of the days just blend together… The principle remains the same: kids are most successful when they know what’s expected of them. Often poor behavior results from a of lack of knowledge, not rebellion. God is like that with us, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” (Deut 30:15-16) God wants us to succeed, and He tells us how! Let’s provide our children with tools for success too! Think about a typical meal time. How many behaviors are you telling your kids not to do? Are you and your husband constantly trying to get your kids to act appropriately at the table? Perhaps you already have a great system going. If not, the next opportunity you have, decide on your top 3 rules for meal time (for older children, you could try 5 if needed). Introduce them to your children. First, model the incorrect behavior. Be silly and have fun with it! Talk about the problems of the behavior. What would it mean for your family if everyone acted that way? Next ask them to model the incorrect behavior. Let them ham it up, and laugh with them. Finally, model the correct behavior and ask your children to do the same. Talk about the benefits of following the rules. For example, “If we all follow Rule 3, everyone gets an opportunity to talk about their day.” Hopefully you can get to a point in which you refer to the rule and the child corrects it. Then you can spend your time together having a positive interaction, rather than a rebuking session. How about before you go to a play date? My son and I practiced this today. He had a few friends coming over. They’ve barely played together, and one of the children is much more reserved than Lincoln. We talked about how to make the time fun for the friends. We decided on two rules: 1. Be kind and use your friendly face. 2. Share all of your toys. Lincoln added “Be respectful.” He had some examples of what that looked like, and I wanted to encourage his input, so we threw that one in too. I wanted to keep it really simple so he could remember them. When I drop my son off at his new homeschool co-op classes, I say, “Be kind. Be respectful. Be a... Five Encouraging Realizations http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=451830http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=451830 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/5%20THINGS%20FEEL%20BETTER/Things_make_you_feel_better.png" /> You know those light bulb moments in life? The ones that set you free from stuff you’ve believed for years and shouldn’t have? Or the ones that you should have realized a long time ago and didn’t? Those times you find yourself saying “Aha!” (or maybe “Duh!”). But afterwards, your heart is just. so. encouraged. Here are 5 little light bulb moments I’ve had recently, and the encouraging takeaways from them: 1.    YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE GOOD AT EVERYTHING A good friend recently gave me the book For the Love by Jen Hatmaker. She writes (and I’m paraphrasing) that one of the effects of social media is to show you the best side of everyone, all at the same time. Even though no single person possesses all of those skills, it feels like everyone is good at everything because all of that diverse talent is being paraded in front of you simultaneously through a news feed. And consequently, it feels like you should be as good at everything as it seems everyone else is. Social media is dishing up a regular helping of unrealistic expectations, with a huge dish of disappointment for desert. This was an eye-opener for me. Of course! I can’t be good at everything. Even if it were possible, there wouldn’t be enough time in a day to physically execute all the things I was good at. It’s OK if I am awesome at arranging accessories on a mantle and totally stink at homeschool crafts and organic food shopping. It’s OK if I work to make my strengths even stronger and leave my weaknesses to someone who’s better at them. There is a lot of freedom in accepting this. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/5%20THINGS%20FEEL%20BETTER/Things_make_you_feel_better-2.png" /> 2.    YOUR KIDS DON’T NEED THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Did you know that Abraham Lincoln routinely walked 20 miles to borrow a book? Poor and with little access to formal schooling, he was determined to educate himself. You might not be able to hand your kid the world on a silver platter, but it turns out, he can still grow up just fine. He might even be a little better off because of it. A big way this comes up in my circles is “lessons.” Karate, horseback riding, gymnastics, art, dance, piano...you get the idea. It feels like other kids are doing it all, and we barely have the money (or the energy) to choose just one. It panics me sometimes, you know? I needed a reminder that it’s going to be OK. Abraham Lincoln didn’t have a soccer team or a black belt and he became the President. And more importantly, a good man. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 639px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/5%20THINGS%20FEEL%20BETTER/Things_make_you_feel_better-3.png" /> 3.    YOU HAVE A HOPE AND A FUTURE. Did you read the <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/450796/Ready-to-Despair-The-Lie-that-Made-Me-Want-to-Give-Up">article</a> that Steph wrote a couple weeks back? That rocked my world. I had no idea I was regularly buying into that lie. My son just turned 9, so I’m at the half-way point with him. It’s amazing how quickly we turned the corner from little-kid problems to big-kid issues. I had begun to despair: “If he’s doing this at 9, what horrors will we witness when he’s 13?” Thank you, Steph, for telling me how ridiculous that logic is! I am now thankful for these things coming to light at an early age, so that we can teach, correct, love, and counsel now, and experience the fruit of it later. 4.    PEACE IS FREE. AND IT’S IN YOUR PURSE SOMEWHERE. Lots of “mom advice” starts and ends with “me-time.” I’d like to suggest that A) No one has time for that! and B) It’s usually expensive. The implication is always that we need a spa, a pedicure, a dinner with friends, or some other outing that starts with us needing a babysitter and ends with us buying something in pursuit of peace. Can I just release you from feeling like you have to check off “be balanced” on your to-do list? You know what really feels good? Organizing. If you want to feel peaceful, organize something. One thing. Anything. A drawer, a closet, your pantry, your junk drawer, your purse, your KEY CHAIN...whatever one thing drives you nuts. Give some things away. Simplify. I’ve been doing this recently, and in seasons of life when you feel like the crazy could overtake you, trust me, organizing something is a free, quick, and decadent treat. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/5%20THINGS%20FEEL%20BETTER/Things_make_you_feel_better-4.png" /> 5.    YOU LOOK GOOD IN CLOTHES. The last time I went shopping (for work pants, shudder), I all of a sudden took note of my mental diatribe as I browsed the store. “No, you can’t wear that, no, those will make your rear end look huge, no, those will show off your cankles, no, only skinny girls can pull that off.” What?! Do I really talk to myself like that? I literally did not look at the clothes for their style or color, or assess them based on if I actually liked them or not. I only looked at them through the lens of how they would look on me. And that made exactly zero items in the store acceptable for purchase. That’s not cool at all. First of all, it takes all the fun out of fashion. Secondly, there is no way anyone looks that bad in clothes. Have I ever seen a woman on the street (with the exception of terrible immodesty) and thought to myself, “Her rear end looks huge in those work pants?” No! News flash, I do not routinely assess other women’s butts. I recently went to a conference that had very fashion-forward attendees, and I got some great counsel before arriving: If you ask any attendee what outfits they remember at the end of it, undoubtedly most will only remember their own. Why does all fashion advice start with “Dressing for Your Body Type?” As if we’re going to offend the entire human race if we don’t get the flared-leg-to-birthing-hip ratio just right. Instead, try this exercise next time you’re at the store: Choose an outfit based on if you like it. Enjoy the fun of picking out pants, a top, a necklace, some shoes. Play with pulling a look together that you love. Make a ban on pencil skirts if you must, but worry first about how the clothes look, and second about how the clothes will look on your particular body. I’m telling you, it’s freeing! And the truth is, if it’s a great outfit, it will look great on you. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 637px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/5%20THINGS%20FEEL%20BETTER/Things_make_you_feel_better-5.png" /> How about you? Any light bulb moments lately? It’s fun when the Lord allows these little lights to shine through and give us more freedom and more grace, isn’t it? He is so good. *Facebook card by Detroit Card Co. You know those light bulb moments in life? The ones that set you free from stuff you’ve believed for years and shouldn’t have? Or the ones that you should have realized a long time ago and didn’t? Those times you find yourself saying “Aha!” (or maybe “Duh!”). But afterwards, your heart is just. so. encouraged. Here are 5 little light bulb moments I’ve had recently, and the encouraging takeaways from them: 1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE GOOD AT EVERYTHING A good friend recently gave me the book For the Love by Jen Hatmaker. She writes (and I’m paraphrasing) that one of the effects of social media is to show you the best side of everyone, all at the same time. Even though no single person possesses all of those skills, it feels like everyone is good at everything because all of that diverse talent is being paraded in front of you simultaneously through a news feed. And consequently, it feels like you should be as good at everything as it seems everyone else is. Social media is dishing up a regular helping of unrealistic expectations, with a huge dish of disappointment for desert. This was an eye-opener for me. Of course! I can’t be good at everything. Even if it were possible, there wouldn’t be enough time in a day to physically execute all the things I was good at. It’s OK if I am awesome at arranging accessories on a mantle and totally stink at homeschool crafts and organic food shopping. It’s OK if I work to make my strengths even stronger and leave my weaknesses to someone who’s better at them. There is a lot of freedom in accepting this. 2. YOUR KIDS DON’T NEED THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Did you know that Abraham Lincoln routinely walked 20 miles to borrow a book? Poor and with little access to formal schooling, he was determined to educate himself. You might not be able to hand your kid the world on a silver platter, but it turns out, he can still grow up just fine. He might even be a little better off because of it. A big way this comes up in my circles is “lessons.” Karate, horseback riding, gymnastics, art, dance, piano...you get the idea. It feels like other kids are doing it all, and we barely have the money (or the energy) to choose just one. It panics me sometimes, you know? I needed a reminder that it’s going to be OK. Abraham Lincoln didn’t have a soccer team or a black belt and he became the President. And more importantly, a good man. 3. YOU HAVE A HOPE AND A FUTURE. Did you read the article that Steph wrote a couple weeks back? That rocked my world. I had no idea I was regularly buying into that lie. My son just turned 9, so I’m at the half-way point with him. It’s amazing how quickly we turned the corner from little-kid problems to big-kid issues. I had begun to despair: “If he’s doing this at 9, what horrors will we witness when he’s 13?” Thank you, Steph, for telling me how ridiculous that logic is! I am now thankful for these things coming to light at an early age, so that we can teach, correct, love, and counsel now, and experience the fruit of it later. 4. PEACE IS FREE. AND IT’S IN YOUR PURSE SOMEWHERE. Lots of “mom advice” starts and ends with “me-time.” I’d like to suggest that A) No one has time for that! and B) It’s usually expensive. The implication is always that we need a spa, a pedicure, a dinner with friends, or some... A Tongue's Power: Teaching Your Kids to Speak with Self-Control http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=451216http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=451216 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 650px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TONGUE'S%20POWER/Tongues_Power.png" /> If you read last week’s <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/450796/Ready-to-Despair-The-Lie-that-Made-Me-Want-to-Give-Up">post</a>, you know I am no stranger to having my children say hurtful things. Children often choose cruel words to manipulate a situation or because they haven’t learned how to restrain their frustration, sadness, or helplessness. We can have many, many talks with our children on how and why to control our words.  Ironically, when we have these talks about their powerful words, our words often fall flat. An object lesson can be a helpful tool to teach, especially to young children. Hands-down, the best object lesson I have ever seen was taught by my former Headmaster. She was teaching a chapel lesson. She gave a tube of toothpaste to each of four volunteers. They were given one minute to squeeze as much as they could onto a plate. When the minute was over, they were given another minute to get the toothpaste back into the tube. We watched them struggle strategically. Of course, they all failed miserably, but it was entertaining to watch! The students walked back to their seats to find out how this was going to tie into a lesson. The Headmaster explained that once our words leave our mouths, we can never get them back. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TONGUE'S%20POWER/Tongues_Power-2.png" /> I thought of this lesson recently and realized it may be a good time to show it to my son. (Sidenote: I purchased Dollar Tree toothpaste!) I decided to do it with him in an individual setting (because my two year old and my one year old would only do damage with this experiment!). You can see the bewildered look on Lincoln’s face when I asked him to put the toothpaste back in the tube! <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TONGUE'S%20POWER/Tongues_Power-3.png" /> Did fireworks go off when I explained the lesson to him? No, but the next time I see him searching his mental rolodex for hurtful words, I will refer to the toothpaste lesson. And the next time. And the next time. For as long as it takes. You see, Jesus told us that the mouth speaks what is in the heart. (Luke 6:45) Words are a heart issue. I don’t just want my kids to learn to be robots, avoiding the words that get them into trouble. I want their hearts transformed too. However, if we can get our children to submit to the Holy Spirit to help them in guarding their tongues, we are equipping them for holiness in other areas. Consider going through The Bible to give your children a solid foundation to motivate this transformation. Here are a few Scriptures about the power of the tongue: 1.    Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 2.    Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 3.    Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. 4.    James 3:5-12 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. 5.    Galatians 5:16-25 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 6.    Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Another fun lesson idea for older children: Print out a few chapters from Proverbs (Chapters 10-19 are especially great ones). Have them highlight each verse that pertains to the tongue. They may be surprised how often God’s Word refers to our speech! I would be remiss if I didn’t point out this next fact: You can teach your children this lesson every day, but if you are not modeling it, you are doing more harm than good. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the power to emanate his love, self-control, and kindness. Here is a great verse for kids and moms to memorize (and one of my most common prayers for myself!): Psalm 19:14, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. If you read last week’s post , you know I am no stranger to having my children say hurtful things. Children often choose cruel words to manipulate a situation or because they haven’t learned how to restrain their frustration, sadness, or helplessness. We can have many, many talks with our children on how and why to control our words. Ironically, when we have these talks about their powerful words, our words often fall flat. An object lesson can be a helpful tool to teach, especially to young children. Hands-down, the best object lesson I have ever seen was taught by my former Headmaster. She was teaching a chapel lesson. She gave a tube of toothpaste to each of four volunteers. They were given one minute to squeeze as much as they could onto a plate. When the minute was over, they were given another minute to get the toothpaste back into the tube. We watched them struggle strategically. Of course, they all failed miserably, but it was entertaining to watch! The students walked back to their seats to find out how this was going to tie into a lesson. The Headmaster explained that once our words leave our mouths, we can never get them back. I thought of this lesson recently and realized it may be a good time to show it to my son. (Sidenote: I purchased Dollar Tree toothpaste!) I decided to do it with him in an individual setting (because my two year old and my one year old would only do damage with this experiment!). You can see the bewildered look on Lincoln’s face when I asked him to put the toothpaste back in the tube! Did fireworks go off when I explained the lesson to him? No, but the next time I see him searching his mental rolodex for hurtful words, I will refer to the toothpaste lesson. And the next time. And the next time. For as long as it takes. You see, Jesus told us that the mouth speaks what is in the heart. (Luke 6:45) Words are a heart issue. I don’t just want my kids to learn to be robots, avoiding the words that get them into trouble. I want their hearts transformed too. However, if we can get our children to submit to the Holy Spirit to help them in guarding their tongues, we are equipping them for holiness in other areas. Consider going through The Bible to give your children a solid foundation to motivate this transformation. Here are a few Scriptures about the power of the tongue: 1. Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 2. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 3. Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. 4. James 3:5-12 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things . How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.... Ready to Despair: The Lie that Made Me Want to Give Up http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=450796http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=450796 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px; margin-right: 10px; vertical-align: top; margin-top: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/READY%20TO%20DESPAIR/Ready_to_despair.png" /> “I wish you weren’t my mom. I wish you were dead!” My jaw dropped in horror--how was he capable of saying such a thing at three years old? Where did he even hear those words? I quickly prayed about how I should respond. Immediately I knew it was okay to let my tear-filled eyes spill over. “Go ahead. Let him see how he hurt you,”  was the impression of wisdom I felt. It was Thanksgiving, and I had just denied Lincoln his request for a cookie. We had shared a piece of pie, and I had told him it would be our only dessert. Then his great grandma offered him cookies and I said no. He began to throw a full-on tantrum in the middle of the entire extended family. I calmly picked him up and ushered him to the nearest closet to discuss the issue privately. Once there, he spat those horrible words at me. To onlooking relatives, it seemed like a tiny issue to go to war over. However, I knew it was yet another battle with my strong-willed firstborn. He needed to know I would keep my word. Screaming and kicking would not--could not--warrant his success. We had a long talk trying to get at the heart of the issue, but he seemed unrepentant and headstrong as ever. He issued words of apology, but they were flat and out of obligation. The previous Easter, I sat on my friend’s couch nursing my newborn, watching my one-year old play, as Lincoln opened the front door and ran out of the house toward the street--against my directions and stern voice, of course. I unlatched my baby, and began chasing after my stubborn toddler. I disciplined him. We went full circle. He was unrepentant...again. He even tried to escape the house again. We repeated the exercise, but I wasn’t seeing any fruit. When it was time to go, I carried him out of the house while he was screaming at the top of his lungs. He was also a bear to the other children that day. The few weeks after I had our third son, Lincoln gave me such a run for my money. He knew being consistent was going to be a challenge while I was healing and caring for an infant, and he went to war with me. The strong will we began to see at nine months was now in full force. I tried to give him as much affection and love as possible because I knew he was going through a huge transition, but his behavior went beyond excuse. He was calculating and manipulating. Even one of his loving grandmas quipped, “Makes you understand how some people can beat their children, doesn’t it?!” I began to wonder how I was going to raise my three little boys with any semblance of consistency--or productivity--with this willful one challenging me every waking moment. I worried that God had allowed them to be closer in age than I could handle. I felt like I was in over my head in a role I wanted to succeed at desperately. Each passing day made me realize more and more that these children were souls… representing an eternity. I longed for each of them to choose life, but I was realizing more and more how little control I had over that choice. These are just a few of the examples of the battles I’ve had with Lincoln. When we first had him I can remember gazing at him with my husband, delighting in each one of his expressive faces. He brought us so much joy. Once we looked at each other and said, “I know what everyone says--that someday there will be times he will be disrespectful and disobey us, but I can’t picture that happening, can you? I know he will, it’s just so hard to imagine!” We were so naive. I know. When you look at those precious newborn cheeks, and those sweet fingers clasping onto yours, it is hard to picture that child being capable of evil. The world says we are born innocent, and we learn to do wrong. (How they think evil gets introduced with everyone being born innocent, I have never understood.) The Bible says we are born sinful. With submission to Christ we overcome our sinful natures. The world offers defeat. The Word offers hope. I knew this truth up and down, and absolutely believed it. But recently I was convicted that I was believing the world’s lie. When my son would disobey (and all of the disciplining seemed to have no effect) the whisper in my ear, “If he’s capable of doing this at 3, what will he be like at 17?”  confirmed there was a gap between my head and my heart. I was taking part in this lie and it was causing me to despair. I wonder how many mothers are struggling with this very thing. If you are looking down the road at your child and losing hope, you are not viewing the future biblically. I’m not condemning you--I get it. The fight to hope is hard. That’s why it’s called the good fight of faith (1 Tim 6:12)! But we must believe God to be mighty in our most precious treasure--our children. If we don’t we will despair, and the necessity of consistent discipline will make us grow weary. The hope is what makes us press on. You see, Psalm 27:13-14 (NASB) says, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” Our God is the God of the Promise. Our God is the God of the Impossible. Our God is Faithful. Are you seeing your child through the view of His Mighty Hand? <img alt="" style="width: 440px; height: 693px; float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/READY%20TO%20DESPAIR/ready_to_despair-2.png" />Recently, I came across these words from Betsy’s book. They confirmed what God was challenging me with: “Do not believe that a strong-willed child will automatically be a rebellious teen….  Strong-willed people are some of the most exciting people in history and God can use them greatly for His purposes when they have learned to submit that drive to the Holy Spirit to work through them… Many people believe that only strong-willed children rebel. But the will of any human being, left unchecked, lives in defiance against God.” This word of encouragement is also a challenge: We must be diligent with each of our children. Even my mild-tempered, obedient two year old has a self-serving will. I need to guide him in overcoming his sinful nature as faithfully as I am trying to help Lincoln. Our children may rebel, but let it be because they chose it, not because we haven’t faithfully done our parts. Honestly, it’s a little hard for me to put these words out into the blogosphere. Lincoln has brought me so much joy; I don’t want to focus on the negative. However, I want to be real and offer hope to other moms. Honestly, now I am exposing these words without any fear. One day he will read these words and we will laugh because they are far from who he has become. Just recently, I am finally seeing the fruit of our discipline. This week, I overheard Lincoln helping his frustrated two-year-old brother do a puzzle, “Ryder, rejoice in the Lord always! Can you try this piece? Here you go. Yay, Ryder! I knew you could do it! Good job!” He consistently encourages and protects his brothers. He is getting his passion more in check every day. He yells out almost hourly, “Hey Mom, I love you!” He picked me several flowers from our garden yesterday and told me, “I did it because I love you, and I want to make you happy.” His heart now desires to bless others, not just serve himself. Thank you, Jesus! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/READY%20TO%20DESPAIR/ready_to_despair-3.png" />  If you could test drive children like you test drive cars, I may have said, “This model looks great, but can I have something with a lot less horsepower?” But you can’t. And now I can wholeheartedly say I rejoice in that fact. God gave this young man to me. This strong-willed little boy taught himself to read at three. He potty-trained in a flash right at two. When I said it’s time to throw your pacifiers in the trash, he whipped them in without looking back. When he decided to ask Jesus into his heart, he insisted on leading the prayer. He will be a history-changer. And I have a front-row seat to this transformation. To God be the glory! Will you join me and “laugh at the days to come” with your entrusted ones (Pr. 31:25)? “I wish you weren’t my mom. I wish you were dead!” My jaw dropped in horror--how was he capable of saying such a thing at three years old? Where did he even hear those words? I quickly prayed about how I should respond. Immediately I knew it was okay to let my tear-filled eyes spill over. “Go ahead. Let him see how he hurt you,” was the impression of wisdom I felt. It was Thanksgiving, and I had just denied Lincoln his request for a cookie. We had shared a piece of pie, and I had told him it would be our only dessert. Then his great grandma offered him cookies and I said no. He began to throw a full-on tantrum in the middle of the entire extended family. I calmly picked him up and ushered him to the nearest closet to discuss the issue privately. Once there, he spat those horrible words at me. To onlooking relatives, it seemed like a tiny issue to go to war over. However, I knew it was yet another battle with my strong-willed firstborn. He needed to know I would keep my word. Screaming and kicking would not--could not--warrant his success. We had a long talk trying to get at the heart of the issue, but he seemed unrepentant and headstrong as ever. He issued words of apology, but they were flat and out of obligation. The previous Easter, I sat on my friend’s couch nursing my newborn, watching my one-year old play, as Lincoln opened the front door and ran out of the house toward the street--against my directions and stern voice, of course. I unlatched my baby, and began chasing after my stubborn toddler. I disciplined him. We went full circle. He was unrepentant...again. He even tried to escape the house again. We repeated the exercise, but I wasn’t seeing any fruit. When it was time to go, I carried him out of the house while he was screaming at the top of his lungs. He was also a bear to the other children that day. The few weeks after I had our third son, Lincoln gave me such a run for my money. He knew being consistent was going to be a challenge while I was healing and caring for an infant, and he went to war with me. The strong will we began to see at nine months was now in full force. I tried to give him as much affection and love as possible because I knew he was going through a huge transition, but his behavior went beyond excuse. He was calculating and manipulating. Even one of his loving grandmas quipped, “Makes you understand how some people can beat their children, doesn’t it?!” I began to wonder how I was going to raise my three little boys with any semblance of consistency--or productivity--with this willful one challenging me every waking moment. I worried that God had allowed them to be closer in age than I could handle. I felt like I was in over my head in a role I wanted to succeed at desperately. Each passing day made me realize more and more that these children were souls… representing an eternity. I longed for each of them to choose life, but I was realizing more and more how little control I had over that choice. These are just a few of the examples of the battles I’ve had with Lincoln. When we first had him I can remember gazing at him with my husband, delighting in each one of his expressive faces. He brought us so much joy. Once we looked at each other and said, “I know what everyone says--that someday there will be times he will be disrespectful and disobey us, but I can’t picture that happening, can you? I know he will,... Sit 'n Spin Math http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=450341http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=450341 Thu, 03 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/LEARNING%20GAMES/Learning_games-1.png" /> Remember the Sit ’n Spin? Hours of dizzy fun were spent with that beloved toy as a kid, so naturally when I had kids of my own it was one of the first toys on my must-purchase list. Even the littlest of my kids has outgrown the Sit ’n Spin, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it yet. There are some toys that, when you give them away, it’s like admitting your kids are growing up. I refuse! Now that it’s back to school and back to homework, (and since I am obviously on a <a href="http://www.entrustedministries.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/449053/Teaching-Life-Skills-in-Everyday-Chores-A-System-to-Clean-the-Playroom">laminating kick</a>), I’m using the Sit ’n Spin to make practicing math a tad more fun for my grade schoolers. Here’s how: Prep: -    Cut 12 or so triangles out of construction paper. -    Write “Say a Number” on one triangle. -    Write addition and subtraction tasks on the rest of the triangles (“Subtract 10,” “Add 1,” “Add 20” etc based on the math level of your students). -    Laminate (optional) and cut out the triangles. -    Tape the “Say a Number” triangle and 3 of the other triangles to the seat of the Sit N’ Spin, so that they point out like arrows, spaced evenly around the circle. <img alt="" style="height: 854px; width: 640px;" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/LEARNING%20GAMES/Learning_games-2.png" /> <img alt="" style="height: 481px; width: 640px;" src="http://www.entrustedministries.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/LEARNING%20GAMES/Learning_games-3.png" /> Play: -    Up to 4 players sit in a circle around the Sit N’ Spin. -    The youngest player gets to spin first. -    When the wheel stops, each player has to perform the math task that is pointing at them, starting with the player who has to “Say a Number.” That student will say any number they want (or a number within a range if you designate one). Then, play will move to the left around the circle. For instance, if the first player said the number “2” and the task pointing at you says “Subtract 2,” then you have to answer “Zero.” Each player builds upon the number the previous player said, so the next player, whose card says “Add 20” will answer “20.” And so on. -    Once everyone has answered, the player who said the number gets to spin. -    For a competitive twist, points can be awarded for correct answers, and a winner can be declared when a certain number of points has been achieved. The person calling the number can automatically receive points, or have their opportunity to earn points skipped, depending on how tough your kids are. :) -    After a few rounds, the three task triangles can be swapped out for new math tasks, using the remaining triangles you created. You can design your cards so they increase in difficulty with each round if you like! -    For younger players, laying out a number line can aid them in answering questions. I’m sure there are a hundred ways you can tweak this game and make it your own. It’s a simple way to repurpose a toy that most people have and extend its usefulness for a little while longer! A word of warning: I can almost guarantee your 9-year-old will try to ride it before the game is over. Wait, just mine? Remember the Sit ’n Spin? Hours of dizzy fun were spent with that beloved toy as a kid, so naturally when I had kids of my own it was one of the first toys on my must-purchase list. Even the littlest of my kids has outgrown the Sit ’n Spin, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it yet. There are some toys that, when you give them away, it’s like admitting your kids are growing up. I refuse! Now that it’s back to school and back to homework, (and since I am obviously on a laminating kick ), I’m using the Sit ’n Spin to make practicing math a tad more fun for my grade schoolers. Here’s how: Prep: - Cut 12 or so triangles out of construction paper. - Write “Say a Number” on one triangle. - Write addition and subtraction tasks on the rest of the triangles (“Subtract 10,” “Add 1,” “Add 20” etc based on the math level of your students). - Laminate (optional) and cut out the triangles. - Tape the “Say a Number” triangle and 3 of the other triangles to the seat of the Sit N’ Spin, so that they point out like arrows, spaced evenly around the circle. Play: - Up to 4 players sit in a circle around the Sit N’ Spin. - The youngest player gets to spin first. - When the wheel stops, each player has to perform the math task that is pointing at them, starting with the player who has to “Say a Number.” That student will say any number they want (or a number within a range if you designate one). Then, play will move to the left around the circle. For instance, if the first player said the number “2” and the task pointing at you says “Subtract 2,” then you have to answer “Zero.” Each player builds upon the number the previous player said, so the next player, whose card says “Add 20” will answer “20.” And so on. - Once everyone has answered, the player who said the number gets to spin. - For a competitive twist, points can be awarded for correct answers, and a winner can be declared when a certain number of points has been achieved. The person calling the number can automatically receive points, or have their opportunity to earn points skipped, depending on how tough your kids are. :) - After a few rounds, the three task triangles can be swapped out for new math tasks, using the remaining triangles you created. You can design your cards so they increase in difficulty with each round if you like! - For younger players, laying out a number line can aid them in answering questions. I’m sure there are a hundred ways you can tweak this game and make it your own. It’s a simple way to repurpose a toy that most people have and extend its usefulness for a little while longer! A word of warning: I can almost guarantee your 9-year-old will try to ride it before the game is over. Wait, just mine? Putting Off and Putting On: A Recap of Learning Godly Habits from the Entrusted Class http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=449340http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=449340 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img width="624px;" height="624px;" style="border: medium none;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0NP1rMwlSJhW8sQcd8zFvZFFsWvZYdhSZ5p88VB0IqIdlNTGRytB9IQSTQgFGOzdS1ct0vE-hyMDLtNk7wqKHiyKVba6ioVVisfUEUe0RM1gP1M847XA3w04sjegDRo9Zt37j8Q" alt="Entrusted-Put-Off-Put-On-Mom-Quiz.jpg" /> I was a diligent student in school, but I cannot deny that my natural test-taking skills boosted my GPA. A semblance of butterflies occasionally resided in my stomach as the crisp, white papers were passed out, but typically tests represented an opportunity to succeed. Fast forward to one of my most sacred endeavors in life: parenting… and its lack of tests. You do all you can each and every day… and then you wait 18 years to see how you did! ;-) Of course there is fruit all along the way, but not a clear-cut grading system in which you know how you are doing. The Spirit of God and His Word are invaluable as we struggle. And, of course, it is God who sanctifies us once we have trusted in Christ as Savior; our part is to continue to trust in Him through faith and obedience. We will never reach perfection, and His mercies are always greater than our failures, but He has promised a good result for our diligence (Galatians 6:9). Personally, one of the most refreshing aspects of the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study was the Mom’s Quiz. The "Putting Off and Putting On" evaluation scared me at first, and then I realized how great it was to have a biblically-based standard for my parenting in one place. You see, the world is telling us what a great mom is all.the.day.long. However, it is NOT God’s definition any more than the magazine cover that tries to tell us what true beauty looks like. This quiz is about God’s priorities for you. There isn’t a section asking if your party-throwing skills are Pinterest-worthy. No portion about your extracurricular chauffeuring commitments. Nothing about the quantity of organic produce in your refrigerator. Nada about the amount of screen time in your home. Zip about where you prefer to send your children for schooling. Zilch on how many times you took your kids to the museum, pool, or library this month. Those items are of varying importance to each of us—and that’s fantastic! God gives us each different experiences and sources of wisdom that lead to our choices/personal convictions. I’m certainly not asking you to give up anything God has called you to do! I do, however, want to make sure we keep the biblical standards in the forefront of our minds. In the Entrusted book, we are given 16 categories from Scripture from which we are encouraged to evaluate ourselves. The bottom line: Are we exasperating our children? We are to rate ourselves on a scale of 0-10, based on the frequency with which the following occur in our homes. <table width="665" height="171"> <tbody> <tr> <td> 0-1  </td> <td> Rarely or  almost never </td> <td>This is not a struggle in our family or we have learned to successfully build a buffer from the wrong behavior. </td> </tr> <tr> <td> 2-3 </td> <td> Seldom  </td> <td>When this occurs, we work it out to a good result.</td> </tr> <tr> <td> 4-5</td> <td> Occasionally  </td> <td>I am aware that this happens more than it should.</td> </tr> <tr> <td> 6-7</td> <td> Often </td> <td>I am aware that this is a problem in our family.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8-10 </td> <td> Very Often</td> <td>I am aware that this is one of the key issues for our family to resolve. This is an area of crisis in our family. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> In typical Entrusted fashion, this quiz is all about relationships: your relationship with God and your relationship with your children. It isn’t about getting a pat on the back or a slap on the hand. This quiz is intended to inspire true, repentant change so your walk with God is blessed and your connection with your children is thriving. True repentance. I would highly encourage you to look back at your study or book if you own a copy. It includes helpful descriptions of each behavior, Truth from God’s Word on the issue, and application points. Betsy illustrates the process of “Putting Off, and Putting On” with the following diagram: <img alt="" width="624px;" height="512px;" style="border: medium none;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WUlVSFU7ANG8bnJ4tiJKPxSBaMcvG4LK4_fF1Mz8qj6ca3AZEgus75IHnjIp0x3DM_rArFVEpWaj8LqQA7DaW99vNO2cVPaAxVmaLAwpMDyzu2OyUiFKXSWnd84BwNkhILFDjFA" /> Now that you know this quiz is the beginning of a process—not an end result—here are the categories: <table width="688" height="192"> <tbody> <tr> <td> Exasperating Behaviors: </td> <td> Replace with:</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Unrealistic expectations       </td> <td style="text-align: left;"> UNDERSTANDING</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Being too strict or excessively involved </td> <td> GRACE</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Comparing them to others  </td> <td> ACCEPTANCE</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Neglect or lack of attention </td> <td> PROPER PRIORITIES</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Overly harsh in discipline or consequences   </td> <td> SELF-CONTROL</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Disciplining without explanation   </td> <td> ADMONISHMENT</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Unpredictability of home life      </td> <td> ORDERLINESS</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Lack of affection     </td> <td> TENDERNESS</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Lack of boundaries  </td> <td>  SOUND JUDGMENT</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Modeling anger   </td> <td>  FORBEARANCE</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Discord between parents  </td> <td>  HARMONY</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Not admitting when you are wrong </td> <td>  SEEKING FORGIVENESS</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Double standards or hypocrisy  </td> <td>  LIVING BY CONVICTION</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Physical or verbal abuse </td> <td>  LOVE</td> </tr> <tr> <td> Not giving them a chance to explain </td> <td>  LISTENING </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Not doing what you said you would    </td> <td>  INTEGRITY</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>                                                  We are then encouraged to ask God’s wisdom and discuss these scores with our husbands. See if he agrees with your assessment. I remember Travis telling me I was way too hard on myself—a nice relief! I’m sure many of us are harder on ourselves than we need to be, and our husbands can be a less-critical source. Perhaps he will want to take the quiz too! Scores 8 and above probably require intervention so you can restore your relationship with your child. Psalm 85:8 says, “I will hear what God the Lord will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly.” Don’t despair! We worship a God of hope and peace! Be thankful that as you seek the Lord, He will help you restore what was damaged and prevent further pain. He is for you, Sweet Mama. I was a diligent student in school, but I cannot deny that my natural test-taking skills boosted my GPA. A semblance of butterflies occasionally resided in my stomach as the crisp, white papers were passed out, but typically tests represented an opportunity to succeed. Fast forward to one of my most sacred endeavors in life: parenting… and its lack of tests. You do all you can each and every day… and then you wait 18 years to see how you did! ;-) Of course there is fruit all along the way, but not a clear-cut grading system in which you know how you are doing. The Spirit of God and His Word are invaluable as we struggle. And, of course, it is God who sanctifies us once we have trusted in Christ as Savior; our part is to continue to trust in Him through faith and obedience. We will never reach perfection, and His mercies are always greater than our failures, but He has promised a good result for our diligence ( Galatians 6:9 ). Personally, one of the most refreshing aspects of the Entrusted with a Child’s Heart study was the Mom’s Quiz. The "Putting Off and Putting On" evaluation scared me at first, and then I realized how great it was to have a biblically-based standard for my parenting in one place. You see, the world is telling us what a great mom is all.the.day.long. However, it is NOT God’s definition any more than the magazine cover that tries to tell us what true beauty looks like. This quiz is about God’s priorities for you. There isn’t a section asking if your party-throwing skills are Pinterest-worthy. No portion about your extracurricular chauffeuring commitments. Nothing about the quantity of organic produce in your refrigerator. Nada about the amount of screen time in your home. Zip about where you prefer to send your children for schooling. Zilch on how many times you took your kids to the museum, pool, or library this month. Those items are of varying importance to each of us—and that’s fantastic! God gives us each different experiences and sources of wisdom that lead to our choices/personal convictions. I’m certainly not asking you to give up anything God has called you to do! I do, however, want to make sure we keep the biblical standards in the forefront of our minds. In the Entrusted book, we are given 16 categories from Scripture from which we are encouraged to evaluate ourselves. The bottom line: Are we exasperating our children? We are to rate ourselves on a scale of 0-10, based on the frequency with which the following occur in our homes. 0-1 Rarely or almost never This is not a struggle in our family or we have learned to successfully build a buffer from the wrong behavior. 2-3 Seldom When this occurs, we work it out to a good result. 4-5 Occasionally I am aware that this happens more than it should. 6-7 Often I am aware that this is a problem in our family. 8-10 Very Often I am aware that this is one of the key issues for our family to resolve. This is an area of crisis in our family. In typical Entrusted fashion, this quiz is all about relationships: your relationship with God and your relationship with your children. It isn’t about getting a pat on the back or a slap on the hand. This quiz is intended to inspire true, repentant change so your walk with God is blessed and your connection with your children is thriving. True repentance. I would highly encourage you to look back at your study or book if you own a copy. It includes helpful... Teaching Life Skills in Everyday Chores: A System to Clean the Playroom http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=449053http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=449053 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/Life%20Skills.png" /> Before we dive into this post, let’s get something out of the way: My kids have too many toys. I know it, you know it, we all know it, and they won’t believe it for a second. Thinning out the hoards we’ve collected over the years is going to be a post all on its own. For now, today’s topic is about how to equip kids to manage their stuff when there is a mountain of it. Because as a result, you’ll equip them to manage the mountains they’ll face in life. I have a system of chore cards that works really well for helping the kids contribute to general cleaning around the house. But when the dreaded “clean the playroom” card is drawn, we have been really struggling with whining, protesting, and sometimes outright crying! Obviously, there are some heart issues I need to address in those responses, which I do. Every. time. It was exhausting to have a conversation every time this chore needed to be done, (which is daily of course!) <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 481px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_lifeskills-2.png" /> I finally realized that their attitudes weren’t the root problem. I’m grateful to say that my kids generally have obedient spirits and are joyful. The way they were acting about this job was out of character for them. The truth of the matter is, I was giving them a too-large job without teaching them how to execute it well. It dawned on me that this was an great opportunity to teach my kids an important life skill: How to break down a big, daunting job into smaller tasks that can be done one at a time until the whole project is complete. How many times have I been facing a project that is so huge I don’t even want to start? Or don’t know where to start? Or get distracted along the way? My kids playroom- because it’s way too big with way too many toys-- is a kid-sized picture of the adult sized mountains they’re going to have to learn how to climb in life. When we have to do a huge thing we don’t want to do, or don’t know how to do, the best way to get it done is to break it up into manageable pieces, right? So that’s exactly what I needed to teach my kids how to do in their playroom. They need to learn that you climb a mountain by putting one foot in front of the other. <img alt="" style="height: 962px; width: 640px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_lifeskills-3.png" /> I sat down with the kids and a stack of brightly colored card stock and a sharpie, and we listed out all the small, one-minute tasks that, when completed, would result in a clean playroom. We cut the sheets of 8-½” x 11” card stock in half, and wrote one task on each piece of the card stock. After it was all done, we had 46 chore cards. The last card says “Mom’s Choice (Save for Last)” because I knew there would be something we’d forget or an odd piece of clothing left over after every cleaning session. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 481px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_lifeskills-4.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 481px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life_skills-5.png" /> We then laminated the cards. You can have this done at an office supply store or buy your own laminator. The laminating machines can be purchased for around $20 at Target or Costco and I use mine all the time. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 427px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life%20skills-7.png" /> At Office Depot, I bought two clear wall mount file holders and hung them vertically on the wall. I labeled the top one “Dirty” and the bottom one “Clean.” They are hung totally in reach of the young ones (I tested the height on my three year old before hanging). <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life_skills-8.png" /> When the playroom is messy, all the cards are in the top folder. When it’s time to clean the room, it’s easy to explain to kids how to clean: 1. Take a card out of the top, 2. Do the job, 3. Put the card in the bottom folder when it’s complete. When all the cards are down below, the playroom is clean! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life_skills-9.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life_skills-10.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 801px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life_skills-11.png" /> The test drive is always the most important part. Any system can work in theory, but I was curious to know if my kids would really clean the playroom successfully (and with good attitudes) using this method. Perhaps the novelty hasn’t yet worn off, but I am amazed at the difference in them! They just plugged through the cards, one at a time, until the room was done. With three kids, ages 9, 6, and 3, the room took 10 minutes. Even my little guy, (who initially protested because he heard the words “Clean the Playroom” and has learned by the example of his older siblings that these words must mean a fate worse than death), started to enjoy the sense of accomplishment and grown-up feeling of contribution as he completed cards. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/TEACHING%20LIFE%20SKILLS/teaching_life_skills-12.png" /> One example of a task is “Stack the Cardboard blocks in the Corner.” That is a lot more fun to a three-year-old than “Clean the Playroom.” Other cards feel more like a treasure hunt: “Put all the airplanes in a blue bucket.” It helps the younger ones be involved in as enjoyable a way as possible. Another great bonus of this system is that even young play-date friends can help clean up, if their moms ask them to, when they come over. It’s really hard for moms to instruct their kids how to clean up someone else’s house after they’ve been playing, especially as kids are starting to melt down toward the end of the date and moms have shoes to find, diaper bags to haul to the car, and a cranky baby that needs to nap. Most moms truly don’t want to leave a mess but also don’t even know where to start in the disaster. This is a quick way that they can train their own kids in being a helpful guest, without having to do it themselves or supervise closely. Kids can simply work on a card or two as their moms are packing up. One last personal note—my oldest son, who is 9, has a diagnosis of ADHD, and has a hard time organizing. This system is especially helpful to him. At his age, he shouldn’t have been the loudest protestor in our house against cleaning the playroom, but he wasn’t able to break down a job so big on his own. The long length of the task led him to easy distraction and frustration. I’d often find him playing with the toys instead of cleaning them. The cards are helping him to work on the playroom with a hugely changed attitude and he stays on task because the tasks are so rapidly accomplished. I wanted to share that in case anyone else has a child with the same tendencies and will find this helpful! Before we dive into this post, let’s get something out of the way: My kids have too many toys. I know it, you know it, we all know it, and they won’t believe it for a second. Thinning out the hoards we’ve collected over the years is going to be a post all on its own. For now, today’s topic is about how to equip kids to manage their stuff when there is a mountain of it. Because as a result, you’ll equip them to manage the mountains they’ll face in life. I have a system of chore cards that works really well for helping the kids contribute to general cleaning around the house. But when the dreaded “clean the playroom” card is drawn, we have been really struggling with whining, protesting, and sometimes outright crying! Obviously, there are some heart issues I need to address in those responses, which I do. Every. time. It was exhausting to have a conversation every time this chore needed to be done, (which is daily of course!) I finally realized that their attitudes weren’t the root problem. I’m grateful to say that my kids generally have obedient spirits and are joyful. The way they were acting about this job was out of character for them. The truth of the matter is, I was giving them a too-large job without teaching them how to execute it well. It dawned on me that this was an great opportunity to teach my kids an important life skill: How to break down a big, daunting job into smaller tasks that can be done one at a time until the whole project is complete. How many times have I been facing a project that is so huge I don’t even want to start? Or don’t know where to start? Or get distracted along the way? My kids playroom- because it’s way too big with way too many toys-- is a kid-sized picture of the adult sized mountains they’re going to have to learn how to climb in life. When we have to do a huge thing we don’t want to do, or don’t know how to do, the best way to get it done is to break it up into manageable pieces, right? So that’s exactly what I needed to teach my kids how to do in their playroom. They need to learn that you climb a mountain by putting one foot in front of the other. I sat down with the kids and a stack of brightly colored card stock and a sharpie, and we listed out all the small, one-minute tasks that, when completed, would result in a clean playroom. We cut the sheets of 8-½” x 11” card stock in half, and wrote one task on each piece of the card stock. After it was all done, we had 46 chore cards. The last card says “Mom’s Choice (Save for Last)” because I knew there would be something we’d forget or an odd piece of clothing left over after every cleaning session. We then laminated the cards. You can have this done at an office supply store or buy your own laminator. The laminating machines can be purchased for around $20 at Target or Costco and I use mine all the time. At Office Depot, I bought two clear wall mount file holders and hung them vertically on the wall. I labeled the top one “Dirty” and the bottom one “Clean.” They are hung totally in reach of the young ones (I tested the height on my three year old before hanging). When the playroom is messy, all the cards are in the top folder. When it’s time to clean the room, it’s easy to explain to kids how to clean: 1. Take a card out of the top, 2. Do the job, 3. Put the card in... "Rejoice Always!" Back-to-School Party http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=448686http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=448686 Fri, 14 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_alway_back_to_school.png" /> “Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” Joe Fox’s lines in the beginning of You’ve Got Mail, just make my heart happy. (My husband even brought home the aforementioned bouquet last year to surprise me.) The fall is a magical time. I love the leaves falling and the idea of a new beginning. Growing up, buying new school supplies and experiencing the meeting of sharp #2 pencils upon crisp lined paper was so exciting…. Yet I cannot deny the pit that resided in my stomach every time the calendar turned to August. The impending school year brought such anxiety for me as a child. I’m not even sure what it was exactly.... the separation from my parents, the fear of rejection from peers, the fear of failure… Probably all of it mixed with the fear of the unknown. Will I like my teacher? Will any of my friends be in my class? Will I do well? What will we eat for lunch? When you think about it, a new school year for your child is like you or I beginning a new job. The transition is common, but it can still evoke powerful emotions. My teaching days showed me I was not alone in my childhood anxiety. Some of my best friends have children battling this same struggle right now. That inspired me to create a “Rejoice Always” Back to School Party for my kids and their closest friends. You see, the world is overflowing with their emotions. That’s precisely why emojis are so popular! We are celebrating every feeling we have. Is this wrong? No…. depending on how we deal with our emotions. I think it’s important that we teach our kids to take their emotions and handle them in a godly way. Emojis just happen to be the cute inspiration for the lesson. MAJOR DISCLAIMER: You do NOT have to give your kids a back-to-school party!!! Really, they can become great, Christ-centered adults without ever having had one! This idea was intended to inspire great talks with our kids, not put me in the “Mom Hall of Fame.” :) It is an easy idea to pull together, especially if you ask several moms to pitch in. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-2.png" /> Rejoice Always Party Projects: *Emoji Balloons (20 min prep) *Emoji Backdrop (1 hour prep) *Emoji Cookie Pops (20-30 min prep) *Emoji Game (2 min prep) *Emoji Craft (10 min prep) *Back to School Survey (10 min prep) <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-3.png" /> Emoji Balloons: Part of my inspiration came from some adorable emoji balloons in a pin from Studio DIY. I decided to try my hand at it. Sadly the balloon store only had 4 yellow mylar balloons left. I threw in a few gold, and the effect still came together. Ideally, I’d have gone with at least 9. All I did was print out a page of emoji icons from a Google search, and cut and taped until they looked about right; it really is trial and error. Seriously though, you are making a smiley face--pretty hard to mess that up! <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-4.png" /> Emoji Backdrop: I created these images using the same trial-and-error method, and adhered them to various sized yellow circles. I cut small white circles and glued them to slightly larger yellow circles for the “Rejoice Always!” banner. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-5.png" /> Emoji Cookie Pops: I can’t take credit for this cute idea. I found it<a href="http://www.todaysparent.com/kids/birthday-parties/how-to-make-emoji-lollipops/"> here</a>. They also had a great emoji backdrop to inspire me. Their cookies turned out waaaayyyy cuter than mine, but I really wanted to get them done in about 20 minutes, and I did. The directions proved to be pretty reliable. To save a few dollars, I used a tube of black icing gel instead of a food-coloring marker. This worked well, just make sure you keep your cookie pops cold until you serve so the gel doesn’t melt. I used a floral vase with a styrofoam base to attach the sticks to before covering it with a little yellow Easter grass. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-6.png" /> Emoji Game: Once the party started, I took four of the balloons (scared, angry, happy, and frustrated) and separated them from the bundle. I put them in four different corners of the room. The kids and I talked about the meaning of each face. Then I read an item from a list of topics, and asked the kids to go to the corner that represented the emoji best expressing their feeling toward the topic. I tailored the list for the kids at the party. I would highly recommend that. Here is my list to get you started: broccoli, people who steal puppies, water slides, Legoes, dragons, princess dress-up, brussels sprouts, puking, donuts, Baymax, roller coasters, dolphins, ice cream, stranger danger, playdates, and going to school. It is important to end with “going to school” because that leads into the craft. <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-7.png" /> Craft: I cut large yellow circles and gave one to each child. I also gave them squares of white, black, blue, and red construction paper. I told them to create an emoji of how they feel about going back to school. As they worked, I shared a little of my personal story and a few verses in God’s Word about anxiety, disappointment, and fear. Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. *Big Idea: We do not have to be anxious or afraid because God is with us! He calls us to rejoice always! <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-8.png" /> Next, I handed out small yellow circles. I asked the kids to create a new emoji of how God calls them to respond to the start of school. (Some young children may even want to put these little faces in their pockets for the beginning of school.) <img alt="" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/REJOICE%20ALWAYS/Rejoice_always_back_to_school-9.png" /> Back-to-School Survey: We finished by completing a simple worksheet about the school year. It provides a fun keepsake, and requires the kids to write down the big lesson from the party. Name ____________________             Age ______________________ This year I am in _________________________________________. My favorite food is __________________________________________________. My favorite color is __________________________________________________. When I grow up, I want to be a _________________________________________. Something that makes me sad:    _______________________________________ Something that makes me angry:   ______________________________________ Something that makes me worried:   _____________________________________ Something that makes me happy:    ______________________________________ I can rejoice always because ___________________________________________!!! My hope is that this party inspires many more conversations about honoring God with our emotions! “Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” Joe Fox’s lines in the beginning of You’ve Got Mail , just make my heart happy. (My husband even brought home the aforementioned bouquet last year to surprise me.) The fall is a magical time. I love the leaves falling and the idea of a new beginning. Growing up, buying new school supplies and experiencing the meeting of sharp #2 pencils upon crisp lined paper was so exciting…. Yet I cannot deny the pit that resided in my stomach every time the calendar turned to August. The impending school year brought such anxiety for me as a child. I’m not even sure what it was exactly.... the separation from my parents, the fear of rejection from peers, the fear of failure… Probably all of it mixed with the fear of the unknown. Will I like my teacher? Will any of my friends be in my class? Will I do well? What will we eat for lunch? When you think about it, a new school year for your child is like you or I beginning a new job. The transition is common, but it can still evoke powerful emotions. My teaching days showed me I was not alone in my childhood anxiety. Some of my best friends have children battling this same struggle right now. That inspired me to create a “Rejoice Always” Back to School Party for my kids and their closest friends. You see, the world is overflowing with their emotions. That’s precisely why emojis are so popular! We are celebrating every feeling we have. Is this wrong? No…. depending on how we deal with our emotions. I think it’s important that we teach our kids to take their emotions and handle them in a godly way. Emojis just happen to be the cute inspiration for the lesson. MAJOR DISCLAIMER: You do NOT have to give your kids a back-to-school party!!! Really, they can become great, Christ-centered adults without ever having had one! This idea was intended to inspire great talks with our kids, not put me in the “Mom Hall of Fame.” :) It is an easy idea to pull together, especially if you ask several moms to pitch in. Rejoice Always Party Projects: *Emoji Balloons (20 min prep) *Emoji Backdrop (1 hour prep) *Emoji Cookie Pops (20-30 min prep) *Emoji Game (2 min prep) *Emoji Craft (10 min prep) *Back to School Survey (10 min prep) Emoji Balloons : Part of my inspiration came from some adorable emoji balloons in a pin from Studio DIY. I decided to try my hand at it. Sadly the balloon store only had 4 yellow mylar balloons left. I threw in a few gold, and the effect still came together. Ideally, I’d have gone with at least 9. All I did was print out a page of emoji icons from a Google search, and cut and taped until they looked about right; it really is trial and error. Seriously though, you are making a smiley face--pretty hard to mess that up! Emoji Backdrop : I created these images using the same trial-and-error method, and adhered them to various sized yellow circles. I cut small white circles and glued them to slightly larger yellow circles for the “Rejoice Always!” banner. Emoji Cookie Pops : I can’t take credit for this cute idea. I found it here . They also had a great emoji backdrop to inspire me. Their cookies turned out waaaayyyy cuter than mine, but I really wanted to get them done in about 20 minutes, and I did. The directions proved to be... Simple, Sentimental Pillowcase Apron http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=448330http://www.ewach.com/blogentry.aspx?site_id=10186&entry_id=448330 Thu, 06 Aug 2015 03:00:00 GMT <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px; margin-bottom: 10px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase.png" /> A few years ago I was shopping at a flea market, and I spotted two adorable pillowcases. They were only a dollar apiece, so I bought them for a rainy day project. I thought they would make a very cute apron. Well, they sat on the shelf for way too long. I uncovered them this week and decided to finally make that apron. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase_2.png" /> It was very simple, even for this novice seamstress. Perhaps you’ve seen the idea before; I am sharing it here because I think this is a perfect use for pillowcases from your daughter’s previous bedding. Kids grow up so fast and move on to the next stage, and sometimes our nostalgic mothers’ hearts want to freeze the season while they are little. Wouldn’t it be great to take some of those sweet patterns and place them in the kitchen to remember… and perhaps even use to cook with your daughter as she grows? Making matching aprons would be very simple. I did not include measurements for a child’s apron because that would depend greatly on your child’s age and size. I would recommend looking on Pinterest for sizing of that. You could also use pillowcases from bedding passed down from your grandmother or mother. What a special way to preserve memories of your family! This is also a great gift idea. I made the one pictured here for my mom’s birthday. Last year I wrote a <a href="http://www.ewach.com/10186/blogentry/entry_id/395912/Creating-Memories-of-Dad">post</a> about using my dad’s dress shirts to make pillows for my sons. I still had some portions of fabric left over, and I wanted to include a section on her apron. These pictures show the shirt collar attached to the waistband of the apron. If you decide not to include the collar, simply keep your ribbon in one piece and sew it to the waistband by itself. (Side note: As I mentioned, I am a novice seamstress. I am not claiming these directions will give you a flawless, store-bought-looking apron. If you would like more elaborate instructions, Pinterest will be a better option for you. :)  As with most of my tutorials, I give somewhat loose directions because I want you to be inspired to be as creative as possible, not necessarily to copy me. If you are still interested in a homemade version, read on!) Materials Needed: 1 pillowcase (2 if you are making one for you and one for a child) 55-60 inches of 1 ½ to 2-in wide ribbon pins sewing machine or needle and thread Optional: collar from a dress shirt, additional rickrack, ribbon, buttons, pockets, or pom-pom ribbon to add embellishments Time: 20-45 min. (depends on the embellishments you include) Directions: 1.    Cut the pillowcase along the seam, leaving it in one large piece. 2.    Cut out the shirt collar and/or embellishments needed. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase_3.png" /> 3.    Iron the fabric. 4.    The hem of the pillowcase will be the bottom of the apron. Cut the width to be 25 inches. 5.    Next cut the height of the fabric to 18 inches. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase_4.png" /> 6.    Fold the fabric over about half an inch on each side, but not the top yet. Sew these down to create a new seam. (The bottom hem won’t need to be sewn.) 7.    Now fold over the top of the fabric, about 1 inch. 8.    Fold slight gathers, and pin them down. You can do more dramatic pleats or gathers if you like —a I opted for a loose version. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase_5.png" /> 9.    Cut your ribbon to 55 or 60 inches, depending on your waistline. To determine, just wrap around your waist and tie a bow behind your back. Cut off the ends and untie. 10.    If using the shirt collar, this is the point you pin it to the pillowcase, with the ribbon passing under it. (The stiff portion will be the section shown on the front of your apron. It will just be a flap that sits on the top of the apron. The lower portion will be sewn onto the top seam of the apron. You will not see this section once the collar is folded down.) If you are not using the collar, pin the ribbon to the front of the apron. This will go over the top of the pillowcase fabric, so it adds a fun embellishment and covers up any unruly seam-sewing! 11.    Sew the ribbon to the pillowcase fabric. Remove the pins just before the fabric passes through the machine. 12.    I also added a small ribbon on top of the collar as my last step. <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 854px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase_6.png" /> <img alt="" style="width: 640px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.ewach.com/Content/10186/2015%20BLOGS/PILLOWCASE%20APRON/Pillowcase_7.png" /> Happy sewing….and reminiscing! A few years ago I was shopping at a flea market, and I spotted two adorable pillowcases. They were only a dollar apiece, so I bought them for a rainy day project. I thought they would make a very cute apron. Well, they sat on the shelf for way too long. I uncovered them this week and decided to finally make that apron. It was very simple, even for this novice seamstress. Perhaps you’ve seen the idea before; I am sharing it here because I think this is a perfect use for pillowcases from your daughter’s previous bedding. Kids grow up so fast and move on to the next stage, and sometimes our nostalgic mothers’ hearts want to freeze the season while they are little. Wouldn’t it be great to take some of those sweet patterns and place them in the kitchen to remember… and perhaps even use to cook with your daughter as she grows? Making matching aprons would be very simple. I did not include measurements for a child’s apron because that would depend greatly on your child’s age and size. I would recommend looking on Pinterest for sizing of that. You could also use pillowcases from bedding passed down from your grandmother or mother. What a special way to preserve memories of your family! This is also a great gift idea. I made the one pictured here for my mom’s birthday. Last year I wrote a post about using my dad’s dress shirts to make pillows for my sons. I still had some portions of fabric left over, and I wanted to include a section on her apron. These pictures show the shirt collar attached to the waistband of the apron. If you decide not to include the collar, simply keep your ribbon in one piece and sew it to the waistband by itself. (Side note: As I mentioned, I am a novice seamstress. I am not claiming these directions will give you a flawless, store-bought-looking apron. If you would like more elaborate instructions, Pinterest will be a better option for you. :) As with most of my tutorials, I give somewhat loose directions because I want you to be inspired to be as creative as possible, not necessarily to copy me. If you are still interested in a homemade version, read on!) Materials Needed: 1 pillowcase (2 if you are making one for you and one for a child) 55-60 inches of 1 ½ to 2-in wide ribbon pins sewing machine or needle and thread Optional: collar from a dress shirt, additional rickrack, ribbon, buttons, pockets, or pom-pom ribbon to add embellishments Time: 20-45 min. (depends on the embellishments you include) Directions: 1. Cut the pillowcase along the seam, leaving it in one large piece. 2. Cut out the shirt collar and/or embellishments needed. 3. Iron the fabric. 4. The hem of the pillowcase will be the bottom of the apron. Cut the width to be 25 inches. 5. Next cut the height of the fabric to 18 inches. 6. Fold the fabric over about half an inch on each side, but not the top yet. Sew these down to create a new seam. (The bottom hem won’t need to be sewn.) 7. Now fold over the top of the fabric, about 1 inch. 8. Fold slight gathers, and pin them down. You can do more dramatic pleats or gathers if you like —a I opted for a loose version. 9. Cut your ribbon to 55 or 60 inches, depending on your waistline. To determine, just wrap around your waist and tie a bow behind your back. Cut off the ends and untie. 10. If using the shirt collar, this is the point you pin it to the pillowcase, with the ribbon passing under it. (The stiff portion will be the section...