Family Time

The last  couple of weeks have been a complete whirlwind! Charles has had almost three weeks off work so we've been enjoying lots of family time! We spent a few days in a cabin at Stony Glen. We spent time hiking, enjoying campfires with family and friends. It was a really great time!

At the waterfalls! 

Elia loves throwing rocks in the water!

Zeke kept putting stick and stones in his mouth!

Ready for a campfire!

Love my babe!

After spending the first half of the week camping, we left Elia with my family and were able to go to Danny Silk's "Loving Your Kids On Purpose" conference. Danny does an awesome job of communicating deep kingdom truths and giving practical ways of applying them in your home...all the while cracking you up!

He talked a lot about making heart to heart connections with your kids, and keeping your "love on" towards them. So often we freak out because we are afraid of their sin and mistakes and we try to control them to keep them from making mistakes. But he showed us how Father God's perfect love causes fear to be driven away. And in the same way, as we keep our love on toward our kids and don't react in fear when the mess up we empower them to clean up their messes  and manage themselves. So often we think we can control the people we love, when in fact the only one we can control is "me".

Danny gave some awesome tips...I've started using this one with Elia: Instead of begging your child to do something, you tell them what YOU are going to do. That's right! We can't control what they do but we can control what we are going to do! Let me give an example! Have you ever tried MAKING your toddler go to the bathroom? You know, they're potty trained, but too distracted to want to sit and just go! Elia will start the potty dance but wiggle herself right off the toilet insisting she doesn't have to go! I have had very little luck  making it come out! Sooooo I decided to try Danny's little tip. I told Elia that I was going to stay there with her until she went to the bathroom...guess what! It worked! Another time she wanted a book read to her but again wouldn't sit there and use the bathroom. So instead of arguing with her about it I told her that I would read her the book as soon as she went to the bathroom. And you know what! She did it! She's brilliant! Kids get it! They realize that they can control themselves...and as we as parents learn to control ourselves too, the power struggles really do lessen!

The rest of our vacation time has really flown by. We've ended it with a family trip to Amish Country, and a fun day on the west side with my grandparents!

Elia at Chuck E. Cheese's with her Mimi

I'm so thankful for all of my family...from our own little family to each extended family member and for our friends that have become family too!!

Life Is In The Power Of The Tongue

A couple of years ago I read a book called "Victorious Mindsets" by Steve Buckland. It is an awesome book and I would highly recommend reading it. In it he writes " Life is in the power of the tongue. Jesus did not just think His way out of the wilderness and neither can you. He spoke truth to invisible forces and to the mindsets that sought to restrict and defeat Him." In his book he encourages you to speak truth over your life...to align yourself with the truth of God and declare it over every aspect of your life.

It really is amazing how life changing that has been for me. There are so many voices all around us...negative and discouraging voices that seek to destroy us and tear us down. I've realized how important it is to saturate myself and my family with the truth of God. I am also realizing the importance of teaching my kids to declare God's truth over their lives. In a society where the enemy has sought to distort the true meaning of beauty, I want my daughter to be confident in her beauty and in all that God has created her to be...so we have started declaring God's truth over our lives. In the morning we make these declarations over our lives.

I AM BEAUTIFUL!

I AM ANOINTED!

I HAVE DESTINY!

I HAVE PURPOSE!

I AM LOVED!

I'M GONNA SHAKE HISTORY!!!

Watch your mountains become mole hills and your giants become grasshoppers as you align yourself with God's truth! Greater is the One who is in us than he who is in the world!! We are more than conquerors through HIM who loved us!!

Library Time!

There are a few places that give me headaches...well, maybe not real headaches, but my body feels like it has one. It's funny tho, it's not the crazy loud places...it's stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, Staples, and Office Max. There's something about those places that just make me feel tense and tired and all I can do is yawn. I don't think I have ever gone to those places on my own...I will take a trip to Home Depot with my Dad or Charles but it's only because I want to be with them.

The library is another one of those places. I really don't know why. I remember my sister was so excited when she could get her own library card. I on the other hand, completely refused and said I would never get my own. I would use my mom's, and after getting married I used Charles'. About a year ago I finally broke down and got my own, but only because I was tired of paying fines on Charles' card haha. 

This summer Elia started going to story hour with my mom, and she absolutely LOVED it! It was the highlight of her week. The library is now one of her favorite places to go...and I'm starting not to mind it so much anymore. :) Last week we walked down to the farmers market in Painesville and then on to the library. It was great exercise and a fun time for all of us! Even the little guy!