RANDOMNESS - I met my family for a Birthday Lunch after church Sunday, and as is our custom, I took pictures with each and every poor family member who attended the celebration.
You would think they would learn, but nope! They keep showing up!
Katie had to work Sunday, so Bev made my birthday cupcakes.
She made the flowers by melting tiny jelly beans and shaping them into petals.
Really.
She did that!
Just for me.
MamMa and Brad.
I love me some Roxie.
Captain America and me.
Yep.
It's a little known fact, but Captain America is my son.
Me and Bev. (It would appear someone didn't read the, "Please wear a solid-colored shirt for pics because the Birthday Girl is wearing an obnoxiously, wild-patterned blouse" memo.)
Be GONE!
NEXT!
Me and Mikie.
He obviously read the memo...
And we look fabulous!
Quotable Quotes
"God doesn't want something from us. He simply wants us." C. S. Lewis
Pinterest Stuff
Make Sunday a Fun Day
For kids sometime Sunday does not feel like a fun day. It feels like a day filled with many more rules, and therefore, it feels restrictive. Make Sunday a day of fun activities, not just restrictions. Keeping the Sabbath Day holy does not have to mean sitting in the house all day being still and quiet.
One thing our family did when we had a house full of young children was to have a Sunday Bucket. We used a bucket because we had one on hand, but any container will do (box, bag, bucket, tub, drawer, etc.).
What is a Sunday Bucket? A Sunday Bucket is a container that can be decorated on the outside, and the inside is filled with toys, stories or activities that are not part of your child’s everyday world. Let them know that the lid can only come off on Sunday, and the activities are exclusively for that day. In order to keep the container exciting, engaging and effective, consider trading out/adding a new activity every week.
Here are a few fun, easy, inexpensive things a Sunday Bucket might contain:
Puppets and a sheet to drape over the back of some chairs for the stage
Play dough recipe and ingredients
Picnic items to eat lunch outside
A map for a family walk around the neighborhood
Materials to make forts (such as clothes pins and sheets)
Art supplies to make cards and notes to friends or relatives
Ingredients to make sweet treats to give to neighbors
Don’t stress, the Sunday Bucket items do not have to be expensive or elaborate.
Below are some other ideas for Sunday activities. Some may need to be tweaked to make them feel more Sunday-like.
Creating fancy foods
Fun with games
Arts and crafts
Magic tricks
NOTE - It would be fun to use the Sunday School lesson your child had that morning to implement some ideas into the Sunday Bucket.
For example, if the lesson was about the five loaves of bread and two fish, that could be in the bucket for the outside picnic. (Fish sticks and tortillas with Ranch dressing to make wraps.)
Or, if the lesson was about Daniel in the lions' den, the "fort" you make that day with blankets, pillows and overturned chairs could be the lions' den.
Reinforce your Sunday Bucket ideas with scripture, songs, DVDs, etc.
Make Sunday everyone's favorite day of the week!
This information was taken from www.askaparentorteacher.com.
Way Back When...
This was first posted in August of 2009.
Topic of the Day - Everyone Has a Story
I had the privilege of meeting several new people last week, which is very rare for me. I've known the same people for decades now, some better than others. And for me to meet AND talk to AND get to know several people in a period of two or three days is pretty amazing (Code for ODD).
Three of these women touched my heart with their stories. The stories of their lives. The stories of their families. The stories of their struggles. The stories of their perseverance. They were inspiring. And all I had to do was listen.
It has just been in recent months I've been able to focus and listen for any length of time to other people. One of my doctors said it wasn't unusual, and through the isolation of a family member's illness, I lost some of my own social skills. Although I tried to concentrate on what another person was saying, after a few minutes I would literally get a headache trying to keep eye contact with the person. It was exhausting. I felt terrible because it seemed a very selfish way to behave. (As I said, I have improved over the last few months, but I'm still not where I need to be.)
When the idea first came to me to start A Simple Life, my main reason for doing so was to be able to talk to someone... anyone out in cyberspace. It didn't matter. I just needed to say something to someone every day. I needed to tell my story. It didn't matter if it was incredibly interesting or moving or poignant or funny. I just needed to talk... and talk a lot.
DISCLAIMER - In saying the above, it doesn't mean that Mikie wasn't a sounding board for me during the past four years. He was, is and will always be my main confidante. That being said, it's a lot of pressure for a man to be the ONLY person his wife can ever talk to. And that's not even taking into account the fact he's a guy and he doesn't even understand some of the girl stuff I'm going through. (Can you say peri-menopause?) He did great, but it was too big a job for him alone.
ANOTHER DISCLAIMER - Also in saying the above, it doesn't mean I didn't pray or have conversations with God during the past four years. I most certainly did. And he answered so many of my prayers in astounding ways. But, being a woman created by God, there was a need to talk to other women. Girls are made that way. God made us that way for a reason.
In talking about stories, I just want to point out everyone has a story... and not just any old story, but a story worth sharing. Most people are like me... they just need someone who will listen. And that being said, I know I NEED to become a better listener. There is so much to gain from listening.
There is comfort in knowing you're not the only one going through a similar difficult time. There is joy in knowing there are people who think the same way you do. And there is a great, great release when the person you've been listening to stops to let you have a turn to share.
I was thinking about Steel Magnolias earlier this week. Dolly Parton's character (the town hairdresser) was talking to one of the other ladies about Annelle (Darryl Hannah's character). When Dolly was asked questions about Annelle's history she couldn't answer yet, she replied, "I don't know, but I think there's a story there."
There's a story in all of us. We just need to find the right friend to listen... and then return the favor by listening to their story as well.
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." James 1:19.
I hope y'all have the best day. Really, I do. I'll be back Friday with the last post for August, 2014. I'm sure it will be fascinating.
Take care, and I'll talk to you the end of the week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Dear Enchantress: you are a big person to admit your weaknesses when talking about being a good listener. Indeed dealing with a child who has consumed your every waking moment has been a 'biggie' for you - and nothing to be ashamed of. I recall my child's younger years - I told my friends at the time that when raising a child it was like entering a black hole for the first five years of their lives...suddenly when they became school age you look around and say 'hey, there's another world out there.' Movies came and went, music came and went and I was oblivious to it. Even now, friends talk about old movies and I say, "oh that was when I was raising a baby. Missed it on the first go around." Hang in there...you're doing a great job.
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