Monday, October 25, 2010

Making Our Home a Haven Challenge week 4

With the music playing, your candle lit and your clutter areas clean , lets move on to family fun. That's what the challenge is this week over at Courtney's website  http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/09/making-your-home-haven-fall-challenge.html . Sharing tender moments with your family..whether you work or stay at home, I know how hard it is to carve some 'fun' time with the family. Last week was my daughter's 9th birthday and my family asked me what she wanted for a gift. I said 'board games , board games and more board games!"  We love to play games with the family, in fact every evening we play a board game right before bedtime. Lately it has been the game Trouble since Ashley got that for her birthday. Other things we love to do is take walks , throw the football outside and turn on the music and dance.. the kid's think the 80's genre of music is hilarious. We have neighbors that live across from us, they are a very quiet elderly couple and even though we have lived here 4 years , we haven't talked to them very much. They prefer to keep to themselves and that's fine. Although the other day, the neighbor stopped my husband and said " I enjoy seeing your family, it's so refreshing to see a family that is always together, whether you are going away or playing outside, I can tell you all really love each other" I have to tell you that is one of the greatest compliments I ever received. She could tell that our home is a haven to our family and that we love being together. Remember when you don't think anyone is looking ...they just might be. So now you need to get off of the computer and go have some fun with your family..Enjoy!!   Enjoy God's Blessings today! -Tina

Monday, October 18, 2010

Making Our Home a Haven Challenge Week 3

With the music on and the candle lit...(I have been very faithful each day in doing this) it's now onto the week #3 challenge which is looking for the clutter that takes up our lives and to fix it. I seriously have no clutter in my house..thanks to a wonderful husband who helped me fall-clean and me being a neat-freak.  But there are other areas in my life where I need to clean up the clutter. The first thing is my physical health..I used to be very faithful in working out most days of the week, but I have failed in this area the last few weeks. I make excuses and I say 'I'm too busy or tired'. You know, all of those reasons not to work out. But as of this past Saturday I blew the dust off the treadmill and got on and I feel so much better. We have to take good care of our bodies so we can be the best we can be for our family. The next place I need to clean up the clutter is in my spiritual life...I used to get up every morning at 6am and spend time in God's word and prayer. As of late, I have been hitting that snooze button. We need to be in the Word and in constant prayer for our family to function in the way God wants it too. So this week clear that clutter in your home or your spiritual life and let it sparkle to the glory of God! Enjoy God's Blessings Today, Tina

Monday, October 11, 2010

Making Our Home a Haven challenge-week 2

So last week it was the candle, this week it's music. That's right, our challenge this week is to play soft music in our homes. So this past weekend I did it. I am not a fan of classical music but I did play soft worship music over the weekend and boy did I see a difference. In my demeanor that is. I grew up with the T.V on all the time and I find myself doing that too in  my home now. I tell myself that it's just background noise. But with the music playing softly and the T.V. not on , I noticed that things ran a little smoother in the home. There wasn't shouting over the T.V. noise. The kids actually behaved a little better too. I noticed that with myself when I took the time to listen to the music, I remembered Who is in control and Who was with me throughout the day. The peace that surpasses all understanding. Our home needs to be a haven to the ones we love and to our neighbors. Wouldn't it be awesome to think that when our neighbors drive by our house they notice something different, something good about us and our home.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Making Our Home a Haven challenge- week 1

This week's challenge is to buy a big candle, once you light it, every time you pass by it say a prayer for your home, husband and kids. We as wives and mothers need to keep our home a place of prayer and comfort. A place where our children and our husbands are welcomed to be themselves. Where they are not judged. But they are encouraged and lifted up. This week Courtney challenges us to be the wife and mother we need to be to make our home a haven http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/10/are-you-distracted-and-distant-or.html So above is a pic of my candle on my dining room table...I would love to see a pic of yours. Enjoy God's Blessings Today, Tina