Messy Floors

Ralph snickered at me when he was unloading our camping car, finding my on hands and knees scrubbing the baseboards and cupboards in the kitchen.  I know he was thinking that after nearly 6 days of camping I couldn't stand the sight of dirt in my home for another minute, and he's right.  But I'm also scrubbing away because I'm working through a realization about myself.

All this time, I maybe was thinking that forgiveness was about the rules.  That I'm supposed to forgive, I should, I will- eventually.

But today I'm thinking that maybe forgiveness isn't about playing by the rules, but how God wants us to forgive so we'll live in freedom.


Going back a little, I've noticed I'm wandering a lot.  Wandering away from the family & friends to do some important thing...wandering my way to a quiet spot with a book, wandering my way to the screen-o' distraction to peruse Pinterest or whatever.  I was wondering about my wanderings, asking God why I'm so withdrawn and why little interactions seem like work lately. Faithfully He whispered it to me, the answer:  I'm storing up hurt.

Holding it up in my heart and quietly building a wall around myself so that it won't happen again.  I won't get hurt without seeing it coming.

Here enters God's good plan for us regarding forgiveness:

At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"

Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21&22)

Jesus told Peter to forgive over, and over, and over....even if that same person hurt him over and over and over.  Biblically we are able to forgive because God forgave us, and still forgives us for every sin.  We can give because we were forgiven.  

But God wants us to forgive, not only because he forgave us, but so we can live in freedom. 

Unforgiveness doesn't:

• protect me

• make me right

• make me better

• make me stronger

• heal me

• save me

• hurt the person that hurt me

But forgiveness does give us freedom.

Freedom to be in that relationship and love and laugh and live.  Freedom to embrace that friend and all their stuff and love them anyhow.  

Lord knows I understand it's not always so simple.  It took me years to fully forgive my first husband who left me and betrayed me so badly.  Even longer before I addressed my anger toward his family.  When I did fully forgive him it didn't mean I was back in any sort of relationship with him.  Sometimes the relationship requires severing, but forgiveness is always freeing.

So I'm mumbling for help and healing in this area as I go back to my floors.  It doesn't do any good for me to stay mad at the mess people-I-live left on the floor.  I'm going to clean it up and move forward, knowing that my floors will get dirty again tomorrow and I'll be cleaning it up again soon enough.  I want to invite people in my kitchen.  I want to engage my heart and mind again in freedom knowing  nothing will protect me from getting hurt but I trust and know a God who can usher me through the hurt and will help heal me again and again,

seventy times seven.  

A Cool Little Dig

This is a revisited summer project for us. The boys were able to do a lot of it alone this year. First we filled up a tub & a cake Pam with water. Then the boys ran off in search of little trinkets & toys. Meanwhile, for fun I dug out some treasure... Coins. We dumped all our booty into the water & put the pans in the freezer.
While I had my coffee on the front porch first thing next morning, the boys ran in to get their ice-treasure. The ice cubes quickly slipped out I the bowls and the boys went at the ice cubes. I let them use table knives. I think we have used spoons in the past.
This year, of course, the boys got the treasure out & spent the rest of the time tossed the ice up & watched it shatter on the concrete. ☺

Gone Camping...

Back with More Next Week!

Platforms, Play & Pursuit: Week 8

(As it turns out, we're headed out for a family camping trip this weekend complete an earned trip to a water park.  I may have to re-run this week, I'll be busy packing and then relaxing in my favorite place, the majestic outdoors!)

I'd love for you to come with me on a path of being intentional.  Intentional in helping my boys fill their empty summer hours, living out the dream of actually doing some of those fun ideas I've pinned on Pinterest, and pursuing and nurturing their little hearts.  Read more about it here. 

This weeks' Platform(giving the kids a place to start independent play):


     Inside: I'll set the stage for a puppet show...create a "stage" and bring in some stuffed animals.  


     Outside:  buying dollar store or grocery store bouncy balls to leave in the backyard.  Endless fun!

This Weeks' Play: Heading to the hobby shop to buy boxes to make these great little LEGO boxes. 

This Weeks' Pursuit: Take and teach my boys thrift store shopping.  Talk about prices of new shoes, toys, clothes vs. thrift store prices.  Here's a cute article about 5 Things You Should Always Buy at a Thrift Store  (Maybe we'll even find the boxes we need for LEGO Travel Boxes in our trips!

*My boys are 6, 8 & 10.  If these activities are too advanced, switch them up so they work safely and sanely for your kiddos.

Platforms, Play & Pursuit: Week 6

I'd love for you to come with me on a path of being intentional.  Intentional in helping my boys fill their empty summer hours, living out the dream of actually doing some of those fun ideas I've pinned on Pinterest, and pursuing and nurturing their little hearts.  Read more about it here. 

This weeks' Platform(giving the kids a place to start independent play):


     Inside: Bringing the dress up clothes upstairs!  Maybe I'll add to the box, some of their dad's things.


     Outside: Sprinkler fun!  If I can get my stuff together I'll make a cool sprinkler I've seen on Pinterest for them to play in.

This Weeks' Play: I buy blank cards in packs of 50 about twice a year.  I'd love to work with the boys and decorate them in some fun way in advance as Thank You cards.  Always feeling behind in this, It'd be great to go into the holidays with a stack ready to go!


This Weeks' Pursuit: This week I'll spend 20 minutes here and there with each boy in his room.  Organize, beautify (in a boy sort of way) and donate unused stuff.

*My boys are 6, 8 & 10.  If these activities are too advanced, switch them up so they work safely and sanely for your kiddos.

Platforms, Play & Pursuit: Week 7

I'd love for you to come with me on a path of being intentional.  Intentional in helping my boys fill their empty summer hours, living out the dream of actually doing some of those fun ideas I've pinned on Pinterest, and pursuing and nurturing their little hearts.  Read more about it here. 

This weeks' Platform (giving the kids a place to start independent play):


     Inside  Every day I'll set out a couple of board games in a place where they'll give inspiration.  Yes, I will play when I'm asked.  I'm committed to always saying "yes" to games when I'm able, because I want to be in check...am I saying "yes?"  I want to be interruptible  At least to one thing?


     Outside I'll try and sneak out at night and draw something outside with sidewalk chalk for the boys to discover...hop scotch, their names, funny pictures, etc.   


This Weeks' Play:

You can gather this from the picture, right?

This Weeks' Pursuit:  when I remember this week, I'll sneak around and attack the boys and tickle 'em all up.  They love, love this!!  


*My boys are 6, 8 & 10.  If these activities are too advanced, switch them up so they work safely and sanely for your kiddos.

Platforms, Play & Pursuit: Week 5

I'd love for you to come with me on a path of being intentional.  Intentional in helping my boys fill their empty summer hours, living out the dream of actually doing some of those fun ideas I've pinned on Pinterest, and pursuing and nurturing their little hearts.  Read more about it here.

We are travelling to a Classical Conversations Practicum this week, so my plans are itty bitty.


This weeks' Platform(giving the kids a place to start independent play):


     Inside: bringing a journal and pencil on our trip to write or draw when things are quiet


     Outside:  I'll make my best effort to get the boys to a new, fun park on our trip.  


This Weeks' Play: will be provided in kid camps. 


This Weeks' Pursuit: In spite of a very busy week planned (I'm providing a training out of town with my kids in tow) I'll try hard to spend extra minutes with them during the day and at bedtime to connect & love on them.  I'll also send my husband mushy texts while we're gone.

*My boys are 6, 8 & 10.  If these activities are too advanced, switch them up so they work safely and sanely for your kiddos.

Platforms, Play & Pursuit: Week 4

I'd love for you to come with me on a path of being intentional.  Intentional in helping my boys fill their empty summer hours, living out the dream of actually doing some of those fun ideas I've pinned on Pinterest, and pursuing and nurturing their little hearts.  Read more about it here. 

This weeks' Platform(giving the kids a place to start independent play):
     Inside:  I'll sneak up and drag a toy from a closet that doesn't get much use. Most of these toys in my house are kits...building or science.  I'll just take it all apart and set it out on the kitchen table and leave it with a note that it's the week to share and explore each others' ideas.  The boys will take it from there.  


     Outside:  *I'm going to give my boys all a permanent marker for their own to make art rocks to put in our rock garden up front.  

This Weeks' Play:  I bought the boys Shrinky Dinks for Christmas, but we've never used them!!  Do you have something like this to pull out of the cupboard?  Maybe I'll get brave and try these DIY Shinky Dinks.


This Weeks' Pursuit: Food feeds the soul, right?  Going to surprise the boys with these puppies one morning.  :)

*My boys are 6, 8 & 10.  If these activities are too advanced, switch them up so they work safely and sanely for your kiddos.