It’s time to get outside in God’s beautiful world!

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.
Nehemiah 9:6

I love all the seasons, but especially the warmer ones.  I am looking forward to spending lots of time outside.  As you experience the beauty of God’s creation during this season, please remember to share with your children that it IS God’s creation.  Lead them to praise Him. Make up songs about it.  Here’s one suggestion:

https://youtu.be/AbWgeJOMQ4U

Hopefully you will get to take a family trip this summer, maybe to the beach to get sand between your toes. To The Sea by Callie Grant is a book about a day at the beach that young children will enjoy.  The pictures by Jeremy Tugeau make you almost able to smell the sea air. (The author’s mission is to encourage and equip parents to effectively teach their kids about God and His creation, even at a very young age.) (Check out some of her other books on this site here.) In the book the sand castle is washed away by the sea, but the boy builds one on a rock and it stands safe. Play in the sand and tell this parable from Matthew 7:24-29.

Even if you can’t get away this summer, take advantage of every opportunity around you to enjoy God’s beautiful world with your children.  Jesus used visuals from nature as he taught.
Read Matthew 6:25-33 and be ready to share His teachings the next time you are outside observing birds or looking at flowers.

Hike, explore, play in the sand. Start collecting things from nature – moss, feathers, shells, rocks, leaves, seeds, an abandoned bird’s nest or wasp nest.  Make a nature box full of items you can enjoy all year.  And don’t forget to point out that all God’s creation praise Him!

All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you.
Psalm 145:10

Nature Box
Nature Box

Side Note: Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says to speak of God and His word as we go.  Everything doesn’t have to be related to a Bible verse, but as you discover things on your nature walk you could say, “Think of the wonders of God” (Job 37:14) or “all God’s works praise Him” (Psalm 145:10)

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Movie Review: Moms’ Night Out

Moms!  Take a night out and go see Moms’ Night Out!  In fact, you may want to take your husband and the kids – it is great family entertainment with something for all ages!

We established in a previous post that being a mom is hard!  Sometimes you just need to laugh at your life.  Every mom will be able to identify with exhausted Allyson (Sarah Drew) and her friends.   Their efforts to have just one evening out to try and recharge will totally give to you some much needed belly laughs!!  I have never laughed as hard as I did at this movie – I’m serious.  But in the midst of all the levity, there are inspiring messages to us all which are sure to bring tears as well.  Here is just a sampling:

Read more…

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Let It Go and Take Time to Look for God’s Smile

God smiles

I will never forget the night some 35 years ago when I was hurrying through Josh’s bath after a long day.  He was being silly and not co-operating.  As I laid him back in the tub to rinse his hair, he said, “Mom, can’t you see God smiling?”  Wow – I wasn’t expecting that comment,  but his delight in the Lord caused me to slow down, let go of my agenda, and desire to spend more time looking for God’s smile with my son.

The popular and somewhat controversial song, ‘Let It Go’ from the hit movie Frozen reminds me of the phrase that was popular in Christian circles in the 70’s and 80’s – ‘Let go and let God.’ Sometimes we just need to let go of our our plans for the day and let God bless us as we create memories with our children.

Read the Words of Jesus when the children were brought to him:

Mark 10:13-16 (GW) Some people brought little children to Jesus to have him hold them. But the disciples told the people not to do that. When Jesus saw this, he became irritated. He told them, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me. Children like these are part of the kingdom of God.  I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God as a little child receives it will never enter it.” Jesus put his arms around the children and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

Jesus always had time for the children.  What do we have to do that even comes close to the responsibilities of the Son of God.  What do we have on our minds that could ever be as trying as what Jesus knew He would be facing.  Yet Jesus took the time to love on the children and I think to even play with them.  He even encourages us to be like the children.

We moms need to let things go in order to be in the moment with our children – they don’t stop growing while we are busy doing other things! We need to take advantage of every opportunity to spend time with them, playing, loving, reading, being silly, going for walks, looking at clouds, running through mud puddles, and finding teaching moments in the midst of it all as God smiles down on us.

I am so thankful for the lesson God taught me through Josh that night during bath time. I hate to think of the moments and memories I would have missed  –  I can honestly say I have enjoyed every minute being mom to Josh, Jer, Jon, and Jenny Love for almost 37 years which, by the way, seem to have literally gone by in a blink!

I encourage you to intentionally ‘let go’ of the messy house, the dirty dishes, the unfolded laundry, the phone calls, etc., and go play!! And, as Josh said, look for God’s smile!!!!

Here’s an article, a book, a poem, and a movie quote to inspire you to ‘let it go’:

The Day I stopped saying Hurry Up 

Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone, Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters!


Building Memories
By Sandra D. Romans

So much to do – I have no time
To listen now, I say,
And hurry back to the chores
That always fill my day.

 No time to listen? A small voice

Seemed to whisper in my ear…
Soon your little ones will be gone
And you’ll wish to hold them near.

I left my broom – the chores undone
And found them under the apple tree.
I held them close and listened while
They shared their love and we built a memory.


from the movie Hook

“Your children love you, they want to play with you. How long do you think that lasts? . . .  We have a few special years with our children, when they’re the ones that want us around. After that you’re going to be running after them for a bit of attention. It’s so fast . . . It’s a few years Peter and it’s over. And you are not being careful. And you are missing it.” 

 

 

 

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