I am hoping to make a new devotional for each month this year… that’s a big challenge, but it is something that has been on my heart. For March, our monthly theme will be Joy. We will be trying to find ways to make our home and lives a little more joyful through routines and habits.
Here is the FREE printable, if you’d like to join us:
Continue reading “Joy Unspeakable Devotional”
This month’s theme has been LOVE. We’ve had a lot of changes in our family, and I will say that sometimes LIFE has been HARD and we lose our FOCUS. This means that sometimes we lose sight of needing to show LOVE to people who are being difficult.
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. – Luke 6:31
We should always treat others the way we want to be treated. We give respect to get respect, we are kind and expect kindness in return, but what happens when the other person isn’t being respectful or kind? It is easy to start going tit for tat and treating them the way they are treating you, but is that what we are really supposed to be doing?
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. – Matthew 22:39
Hmm… ouch! The BIBLE never says that we are to LOVE them differently, but we are to love them as we LOVE ourselves… even when it’s HARD!
Continue reading “Embracing Love Even When It’s Hard”
The title might sound a little contradictory, but I promise that it is possible to show LOVE with limits, especially when it comes to raising children. If we just let our kids run wild all the time, then they may never learn to be the respectful, fair, and caring citizens that we would like them to be.
One way that we do this is with some limits on their electronics. The world is FULL of not-so-nice people and bullies, and it is our job, as parents, to protect our children in whatever ways we can. While not allowing access to screens would prevent a lot of potential issues, we want them to learn to make good choices when it comes to electronics and screen time.
As we learned in our science lesson today, PREVENTION is the number one key to keeping diseases away. This goes for gardening, health, and habits. It is also the best way to PROTECT our children and show them that we LOVE them. Boundaries are an important part of our PREVENTION PLAN. We need them to learn to make responsible decisions even when we aren’t around. We also need them to let us know when there is a problem and if something is making them uncomfortable.
Another thing that our children learn, from early on, is that SCREEN TIME is a PRIVILEGE and if they are not responsible, then it CAN and WILL be taken away! I don’t remind them of the rules, as they have all had plenty of time to learn them at this point. If we see that they have not finished their chores, used more time than allowed, or not followed the rules in one way or another, then they will LOSE their SCREEN TIME for a designated amount of time.
The rules that we have are to ensure that they develop other interests, stay responsible around the house, and keep EVERYONE SAFE! I don’t need to tell you how DANGEROUS the internet can be. We don’t always allow them online, and they are only allowed online with supervision. They generally are not allowed in chats unless a known adult is in the same chat group or right there with them.
Continue reading “Love with Limits: Essential Screen Time Rules for Kids”
LOVE is our theme of the month, and we are working on learning ways to show LOVE other than just telling someone that we LOVE them. Our kids have brainstormed some fun and budget-friendly ways to show LOVE for others. We want to learn to create memories without spending a fortune.
Continue reading “LOVE is More Than a Feeling: Showing GOD’s LOVE Through Action”
We don’t like to think about the possibility of any emergency, and definitely not one that might last for an extended period of time. With Hurricane season fast approaching, we do need to give it a little thought.
When we first moved here, I was totally unprepared for the two hurricanes that hit us back-to-back. We had not even had a chance to get to the grocery store, but we made it through with what we had. Fortunately, we are a little better prepared for emergencies now, but something could always take us by surprise.
Continue reading “Stocking Your Emergency Pantry”
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