Family Devotion Ideas & the Homemaking Party

Welcome to this week's Homemaking Party!  Hope everyone has had a nice week!

My husband has been leading our family in some fun Bible studies that he found in the Family Night Tool Chest series from Focus on the Family.  I got smart and grabbed my camera the other night so I could share one with you all!

The activity that goes with this study could actually be used to discuss two different themes so I've made a "Pinteresting" image for each in case you're wanting to save this and come back.  (Keep reading...you'll find them!)

Jamie started out the lesson by sprinkling the contents of all our baby powder containers, as well as my new container of cornstarch, evenly over a square of sidewalk.

Then he instructed everyone to get to the other side of the powder without tracking any powder onto the clean part of the sidewalk.  The grass on both sides was off limits.

After a very long time of contemplation, the kids decided there was no tricky way around this---so they tentatively began stepping out onto the powder.

Results---nope, not possible.

Everyone thought it was funny to see Daddy try too!

They decided to try running through it really fast to see if that would keep the powder from sticking---but no, there was no way around it.

Jamie used the activity to illustrate how there is only one way to God---through Jesus.  Just like the only way the kids could get to the other side of the powder was to walk through it, there is only one way for us to reach Father God---through Jesus Christ.  He read Exodus 3:1-6 and talked about the definition of holy.  He likened the powder to sin and the clean square to holy ground.  We couldn't be allowed near God with our dirty sin if it weren't for Jesus' sacrifice for us!

As Jamie was giving the lesson, I kept thinking about how we'd tracked that powder all over the place.  Even though the kids all wiped their feet off on a wet towel before coming inside, I could still see white footprints here and there.  Kynthia even had it on her face!  It made me think about our good and bad moods and how contagious they are.

After Jamie was done with the lesson, I told the kids to imagine that powder was a bad attitude and that clean sidewalk was everyone we come into contact with in one day.  I told them how our bad attitude can spread and cause others to catch it like a sickness.  I explained the importance of keeping our attitudes in check and being careful to spread cheerfulness and kindness instead of grumpiness!

Let me know what you think of these devotion ideas---can you use them?  If you all are liking them, maybe I'll put up some more!

I hope you'll join me for this week's Homemaking Linkup.  I love to feature some of the neat posts that are linked up so please make sure and put my button or a text link on your blog so you'll be eligible to be featured!

Here are a couple of my favorites from last week's party:

I get a lot of questions about the hows and why of homeschooling, but the big FAQ is always:  how do you homeschool with so many kids?  Ha!  Check out Daja's post from The Provision Room.  Such a great article about the philosophy of homeschooling different age groups at once.

Audra's article on How to Drink Enough Water has really blessed me this week!  Using this information, I figured out how much  I need to be drinking each day and actually removed my wedding ring without the aid of lotion tonight!  Woo Hoo!! Thanks, Audra!

Thanks to everyone for the great posts!

Now for the linkup.  Please remember to return the favor by adding my button or a text link to your post.  Have a great weekend!




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This article was featured in Issue #111 of The Christian Home Magazine. 
Hope In Every Season is on Facebook!  If you like what you've read here, please follow me and keep up with the latest posts.

Linking with:

Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace and Crafts
Legacy Leaver Thursday @ Leaving a Legacy
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop 
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits @ Stone Gable  
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Thoughtful Thursday @ Found the Marbles 
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Beverly's Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound
Family Fun Friday @ Happy and Blessed Home
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Fit & Frugal Family Friday
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey  
Sunday Showcase Party@Under the Table and Dreaming 
Sundae Scoop @ I heart nap time
The Creative Homemaker Hop 
Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life
One More Time
Sunday Blog Hop @ Cuddlebug Cuties
Craft-o-Maniac Monday  
Motivate Me Monday 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Matrimonial Monday @ A Proverbs 31 Wife 
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill 
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 
Monday Funday @ C.R.A.F.T. 
Mondays with Countrified Hicks
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
Mommy Mondays
Making Your Home Sing Monday
A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life
Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage 
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Tutorial Tuesdays with Hope Studios
Courtship Connection
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday
The Bliss Project Linkup @ Grace-Full Intentions
Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Home @ Rose Chintz Cottage  
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
What's Working Wednesday @ NextGen Homeschool 
Watcha Work-Up Wednesday 
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants 
Wow Me Wednesday @ Gingersnap Creations
Simple Living Wednesdays @ Our Simple Farm
Sheltering Linkup @ A Sheltering Tree
Shoe Lace Linkup @ Living In the Shoe  

Make Bake Create Party #4: Vanilla Bean Whoopie Pies

  

Welcome to this week's Make Bake Create Party! Every Wednesday come and link up your favorite projects from the week. This could be any food, recipes, crafts or DIY! Since there are 5 hosts... your link will be seen on 5 blogs at once. SWEET! Meet your hosts:

Follow us on Google+:
Rachel Rockwell: Bubbly Nature Creations
Sarah Coller: Hope In Every Season
Kristy Still:  Mommy Hates Cooking
Brandi Morgan:  The Creative Princess
Vanessa Roberts:  The Rookie Seamstress

Our host of the week, Brandi, is sharing these delicious-looking Vanilla Bean Whoopie Pies! Head over to her blog, The Creative Princess, to check them out!

There were lots of great ideas and yummy food featured last week.  Here are a couple of my favorites.  If you're featured, make sure to grab a "featured button" for your blog!





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I love finding new ways to put together appropriate outfits.  Jacqueline at Deep Roots at Home wrote a great post full of feminine and modest dressing ideas.  Thanks for creating this one-stop-shop for inspiration, Jacqueline!

A very awesome gardening idea is this Vertical Flower Garden from A Million Moments.  I love this!  What a great space saver.  So pretty!

The Make Bake Create Party is like none other. Make sure to follow our Make Bake Create Party Pin Board where we will be pinning the projects linked up here!   

Disclaimer and things to keep in mind~

* You may link up any DIY/ recipe/ food type post.

* You may link as many links as you want.

* Be sure to include The Make Bake Create button or text link to in your linked post; this is recommended in order to be featured!



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* By linking up, you are agreeing that you have permission to use any photos linked, and that we may use them to feature your project on a blog post or any social media, with a link back to your blog.

Now Ready... set... Link Up!!!

Hope In Every Season is on Facebook!  If you like what you've read here, please follow me and keep up with the latest posts.

Linking with:

Do I Really Want to Change?

"How can I know what God is showing me if I'm too afraid to look?"

I read that tonight in a book I'm using for Bible study and thought, "Wow---yep, that's me!" 

Do I really want the change I'm asking God for?  Yes, I do, but I want it to happen immediately, easily, and without any pain or discomfort!

"I have made you hear new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them."  ~Isaiah 48:6

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.  To get something you've never had before, you'll need to do something you've never done before.

Sometimes we don't get immediate answers from God because he wants us to decide within ourselves whether or not we really want the change we're asking for.

Maybe you know you want a change but you don't know what the change is and so you don't know how to pray for it.  Here's a great prayer for a starting point:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." ~Psalm 51: 10

Maybe you think you want a change but you can't ask for it with an honest heart because you want to orchestrate exactly when and how the change occurs.  Here's something else I read in a devotional book:  "Do you have 'control issues'?  The need to have power over something?  Try controlling your tongue and taking power over bad attitudes and harmful habits."  Ouch.

We can be sure that God hears us when we ask him to change us.  We can be sure he will answer when we ask him to make us more like him.  Often times, the change isn't the problem.  The problem is having patience during the process!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;  old things have passed away;  behold, all things have become new."  ~2 Corinthians 5:17

Hope In Every Season is on Facebook!  If you like what you've read here, please follow me and keep up with the latest posts.

Linking with:

Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
Simple Living Wednesdays @ Our Simple Farm
Sheltering Linkup @ A Sheltering Tree
Shoe Lace Linkup @ Living In the Shoe
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace and Crafts
Legacy Leaver Thursday @ Leaving a Legacy
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop 
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits @ Stone Gable  
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Thoughtful Thursday @ Found the Marbles 
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Fit & Frugal Family Friday
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey
Sunday Showcase Party@Under the Table and Dreaming 
Sundae Scoop @ I heart nap time
The Creative Homemaker Hop 
Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life
One More Time
Sunday Blog Hop @ Cuddlebug Cuties
Motivate Me Monday 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Matrimonial Monday @ A Proverbs 31 Wife 
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill 
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 
Monday Funday @ C.R.A.F.T. 
Mondays with Countrified Hicks
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
Mommy Mondays
Making Your Home Sing Monday
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Tutorial Tuesdays with Hope Studios
Courtship Connection
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday
The Bliss Project Linkup @ Grace-Full Intentions