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A Season for Serving

Teaching Kids to Serve

Fall is here. The weather is cooling off and the holidays are just around the corner. With the holidays come many traditions that families hold dear. Memory making times that will be passed down from generation to generation. This year, our family is starting a new tradition. A tradition of serving – together.

Traditions not only provide our kids with a strong sense of belonging and security but they also teach a cultural heritage and solidify our individual family values. So why not make serving together as a family a tradition in your family?

I love that the holidays begin with our entire nation observing the tradition of Thanksgiving Day. Don’t we have so much to be thankful for? It is easy to take for granted our freedoms of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Practicing thankfulness is an excellent way to begin teaching kids about service. I know that when I make a habit of being thankful, my own heart begins to overflow with gratitude and a strong desire to give back a bit of the blessing that I have received.

Simple Ideas for Serving as a Family

Kids naturally enjoy serving as evidenced by the hundreds of Play-Doh meals I have been served over the years. {grin}

Ask your kids to brainstorm ideas for who and how they can serve. Encourage them to think not only of ways that they would enjoy serving (like the Play-Doh lunch) but ways that are a real need but maybe not so fun.

Some ideas to get you started:

Neighbors are an excellent place to start. Is there someone you can think of who needs some yard work done? A meal cooked? An afternoon of babysitting?

Churches are often in need of painting, cleaning or caring arms to read and tell about the love of Jesus in the children’s ministry.

Family members are often overlooked. Does Mom need a back rub? How about cleaning out the garage for Dad? Surprise a sibling by doing one of their chores. Consider writing letters of encouragement to far off relatives?

Contact a local homeless shelter or food bank to look for opportunities to serve.

Serving is Good For You

Serving together as a family is surprisingly fun! There is something about working together that unifies and strengthens family relationships. When we take our eyes off of ourselves to help others, suddenly our problems don’t seem so bad.

When we help our children experience the joy of serving, we are actually teaching them to become lifelong servants. Statistics show that adults who volunteered as children give more money and volunteer more time than adults who began serving later in life.

Other research links mental and physical health benefits with servanthood. Still not convinced serving is a good idea?

People who serve have:

higher GPAs
higher levels of creativity
a greater understanding of and appreciation for others
tend to make healthier lifestyle choices
develop better social skills

As our little corner of the earth quiets down for the Fall and Winter, consider the blessing and the benefits of serving together as a family. Find a way to bless others and be blessed yourself!

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:2-4

Simply Pulled Together- for the Stay at Home Mom

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We’ve all been there- it’s four o’clock, your hair is in a messy bun, you haven’t showered yet, you are still sporting the old painted-on college sweatshirt that you donned the night before and your sweatpants bear traces of snot, cookie crumbs and other unknown substances. You look frazzled, you feel frazzled, and you dread the thought of your husband getting home and finding you this way- let alone any unannounced visitors who may show up at your door! Oh, the horror!

“How did June Cleaver do it?” you wonder as you pick up your crying baby and holler for your son to take out the garbage for the 17th time. Then you remember that Junie Dearest wasn’t a real person and this ain’t the 50s no more! Can I get an Amen!?

But what if we didn’t have to take this departure from June’s ideals quite so far? What if we could find some middle ground and actually make ourselves feel better in the process instead of just more undone? Yes, today, mamas, I am proposing just a few simple ways we can stumble out of bed in the morning and pull ourselves together just enough to not feel disheveled but still be comfortable as we take on the daily tasks of conquering our homes!

5 Simple Ways to Pull Yourself Together for a Day at Home

1. Swap the sweats for some leggings! If you’re really feeling dangerous go with a bold color or maybe even a print. They are just as comfy but a whole lot less frumpy and some even have the amazing capability to suck you in in ways you never thought would be possible again post-baby! Just try them, and when you find a collection of them mounting in your closet, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

2. Show some love for layering! I don’t know why but whenever I pair a great extra-long tank with a fun top it makes me feel like I have stepped up a couple of notches on the fashion scale! It’s like that little bit of extra effort to add more texture and color to my ensemble puts me in a whole different league. And yes, you must use the word “ensemble” instead of “outfit” because it too will automatically make you feel more sophisticated and better about yourself. You just tried it, huh? And now you feel like a French actress, don’t you? Mmhmmm- we’re making progress already!

3. Move over college sweatshirt, long tops are in the house! If you are going to opt for leggings than some long shirts need to be an essential element of your wardrobe! Whether you pair something short with a long tank top (as I mentioned above) or you get some shirts that are delightfully long all by themselves, they are the piece that will make your newfound love of leggings feel completely natural and comfortable. Basically, if I’m shooting straight, leggings + a covered bum = splendor!

4. Trade the messy bun for a top knot! Aren’t we just in luck that the top knot is in style right now?! It is the quintessential, “I have not showered in two days so I piled all my greasy hair on the very top of my head” do, without looking like it! Take advantage of this trend while we can ladies!

5. A little dab will do ya! That’s right, I’m talking about make up! Now, I know as well as anyone that I just hate spending time and precious makeup on a day at home, but if I’m also being honest, I do feel better about myself and more ready to take on the day if I feel like I don’t look completely haggard! I’m not going to suggest that you put on a full face everyday, I’m just going to encourage three simple things-

a little blush dusted on cheeks and eyelids
lipstain (it can’t be rubbed off on your littles with precious kisses and it lasts all day!)
and Blink mascara (I suggest this brand because it forms a tube around your eyelashes and does not smudge under your eyes during the course of the day at. ALL! You can literally nap with the baby with this stuff on and when you wake up it looks just as good as it did when you put it on!)

So, that’s it ladies! Simple, comfortable but pulled together! If you’ve already laid this ground work you can also always just throw on some earrings and a cute scarf before your hubs walks in the door and he won’t even know what hit him! We can do this girls- emulating June is for the birds but a little departure from our grungies can sure make life feel more fresh!

Don’t Scare the Mama!

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Hi Moms!

Well, it’s Monday. I don’t know about you, but I’m finding that the older I get, the faster the time is going! Maybe it’s because there’s so much to do. Life is full when you’ve got kids and parents and work and … well, you know. But how do you find time for yourself? Good question.

Are you struggling to find time to take care of yourself? I bet if you’ve got kids you are!

Check out I Corinthians 6:19-20

Or, do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you who you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”

Every home has it’s quirky little rules. In our house, quirky little rule #246 is: DON’T SCARE THE MAMA. For some reason, Continue reading →

Quiet Time Podcast: In the Presence of God

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Have you ever had a hard time finding time to get away and pray? I have struggled with this off and on during different seasons of my life. For me, praying has become an intentional part of my day—a time to put myself in the presence of God. In Mark 11:24-25, we read about the power of prayer.

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in Heaven might forgive your sins.”

And in Philippians 4:6-7:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I love the promises that we find in the Bible! His Word tells us that if we go to Him, He listens to us. In I Thessalonians 5:16-18, we read that we are to

“Be joyful always—pray continually! Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

One of my favorite quotes from Oswald Chambers is this:

“We make prayer the preparation for work, it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say – I will endure this until I can get away and pray. Pray now; draw on the grace of God in the moment of need.”

Mom, if you are feeling weary and tired today— pray now. God’s grace is available for you right this minute. The exercise of being intentional about coming to Him will help you connect with God in a way that you cannot understand until you find yourself there. One of the things about a consistent prayer life that really blesses me is that I’ve noticed it makes me yearn to be in the presence of God.

I find myself talking to Him throughout my day as if He was right there … because He is!

There’s something about getting alone with the Lord and saying, “Father I need your grace for this moment. I need your help for this situation.” It makes Him even more real when we acknowledge His presence in every situation.

Take the time and pray, and you’ll find that it’s well worth the effort.

Don’t wait for your house to be quiet or for the baby to be napping before you pray; pray now.

God wants to talk to you, now.

It Doesn’t Get Better Than This

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It’s back to school time. Time for school supplies and math books. Time for meeting new teachers. Time for ordering curriculum. Time for lists and lunch boxes, kleenex boxes and juice boxes. A new season is here.

All those people who told me that it would go by fast—those irritating older people at the grocery store who told me to “enjoy it” while I tried to juggle a fussy toddler and keep my 4 yr old out of the bubble gum, those older moms at the library and in church who looked at my little ones with a longing in their eyes that I could not understand—they were right. Continue reading →

The Currency of Time

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Good morning, busy moms.

I’m telling you, I just can’t believe how fast the days are going by. And yes, I know I said that yesterday. But it’s the truth.

It’s 6:00 a.m. here and the sun is just coming up. Only a few weeks ago, it was getting light at 5:00. Fall is coming. The later sunrise and coolness of the morning air signal that a change in season is not far away. Mount St. Helens always reminds me that change is inevitable. In the winter, she is covered with snow. In the summer, she is the color of ash.

Changes are inevitable, aren’t they? Seasons change, children grow up. Parents age. Life moves by fast.

When I was a kid, time seemed to take forever. I remember how badly I wanted to know that I was growing up. Every change in my body was eagerly anticipated—from losing my first tooth to the signs that I was becoming a woman. Enough with this childhood stuff already. I wanted my license in the worst way. Then I wanted to graduate. Then get married. Then have kids … and then, time began to tick by in earnest. There is something about watching children grow that makes a person very aware of how fast the time is going.

As I get older, I feel a sense of urgency about what I do with my time. Not panic—just urgency. I want to make the most of the days the Lord gives me. Time is really just another form of currency. Like money, we each have our own amount of time. We will, the Bible says, get exactly the number of days that the Lord sets aside for us. No more, no less.

The Psalmist David penned these words about the passage of time in Psalm 39:

4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.”

At best, each of us is but a breath. Powerful words from a man who understood the value of the currency he was given and who wanted to spend it wisely.

Lord, remind us today to use our time wisely. Help us to be thankful for each little moment—and to notice the moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Give us Your eyes today. Help us to see what You want us to see. Make us very aware of the lasting impressions we are making on those around us.

Use your time wisely,

Grace Upon Grace

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Good morning moms!

It’s 6:30 a.m. here and my house is still quiet. The sun is coming up a little later now, but the birds are singing and the wonderful scent of the morning air that comes through my window reminds me stop and breathe deeply. As I fill my lungs with the cool, crisp summer air, I am reminded that I need the quiet—because in a few minutes, there will be 15 hours of … well … not quiet—if you know what I mean.

Mothering requires more grace than we possess, doesn’t it?

I know it does for me. Yesterday was a stark reminder to me of just how much grace I must possess if I am going to be a giver of grace to my children. It seemed that every five minutes I was a referee or a nurse. A water-giver. A toy finder. A butterfly catcher. A spider-killer. An oh-so-daily meal maker. A homework finder. A chore-inspector. A judge.

You get the idea. I’m a mother.

Want to know the truth? All I really wanted to do yesterday was to be left alone. For some reason, I felt overwhelmed from the moment the kids came down to breakfast to when the last one went to bed. Sometimes, we just need grace, don’t we?

In John 1:16, we read, ” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.”

Grace upon grace. This from the One who gave His life for ours as a ransom.

Grace.

When Jesus came into the world, He introduced a revolutionary new thought to the religious leaders of the day: grace.

They had been in bondage their rules; their lists of do’s and don’ts. Jesus heaped “grace upon grace” toward them—and in doing so, He freed them from their rules. They were set free to follow Jesus out of love and devotion instead of fear.

Because of the grace and love of Jesus, we are free to enjoy life to it’s fullest. I don’t know about you, but knowing this makes me want to be a better wife, a better mother.

Knowing that true grace, undeserved grace comes from God reminds me that if I’m going to give grace, I need to remain close to the one who defines it. I need to stay in the Word. I need to be on my knees.

In just a few minutes, I’ll have my first opportunity of the day to give grace: in just a few minutes, our bleary-eyed toddler will make her first appearance of the day. The same scenarios that played out yesterday will—by the grace of God, play out again today. I want to greet our children with joy and grace, not because they deserve it necessarily, but because, like me, they don’t.

His grace is humbling, isn’t it? It causes me to want to love and protect those that have been entrusted to my care. What an awesome opportunity—to walk in grace and be blessed by it in return.

Stay connected to the Grace giver,

Heidi St. John

Speaking the Truth in Love