How to Laugh and Play More as a Family

In our hurry-up culture, our fill-every-spot-on-the-calendar life, and our present social media world, we sometimes lose sight of what matters most. And we forget in all the planning and going and doing to spend quality and fun time with our family…those who mean the most to our hearts. 

Because we all need to laugh more, play more, and create more.

But you may wonder how to plan enjoyment for family members including adults and kids of various ages.

Yet, most of us are big kids at heart anyway. 

Even if we’ve been adult-ing all day or all week, what better way to bring out the child in us than by a little creative recreation. 

And sometimes add in extended family like grandkids/grandparents or cousins and their parents.

So here’s a few ideas with the acrostic “family fun.” I hope these activities inspire the laughing and playing often missing from our lives.

Family Playing and Laughing

Fly a kite. While on our beach trip one year, we enjoyed watching a dad and his kids flying a kite near the ocean’s edge. I’m willing to bet it was one of the highlights to their trip. With so many electronic devices in the hands of kids these days, why not show them a different activity by putting a kite in their hands. And take advantage of windy days in our yard or nearby park.

3 Reasons I Refuse to Apologize for My Faith

These days, the world seems to have gone half mad. Sadly, the madness often surrounds the foundations of the Christian faith.

Christian values are ridiculed. Or, spiritual and biblical principles are questioned as valid and relevant or relatable. 

And people (and the enemy) try to convince us truth is relative and up for debate. Or, culture whispers in our ear, We each have our own version of truth—and that’s okay.

But it’s not okay.

If you follow this blog, you know I’ve experienced rude remarks on social media about my faith.

Even my recent social media post where I stated, Jesus is enough! One commenter’s crazy rage mentioned witches and how women need to get back in the kitchen where they belong. 

Then, he said my claim that Jesus is enough! was a terrorist statement. Really? Yet, I refuse to apologize for the foundations of my faith.

But how do we stand firm? I’d like to offer 3 key foundations to never apologize for.

1.) Refuse to Apologize for The Bible and its Truth

10 Wife-Commandments for a Strong Marriage

There are no easy or fast rules for marriage. No unseen code to break.

Also, no scientific formula guaranteeing 100% satisfaction.

But, our heavenly Father provides the answers we need.

Because God created marriage, He helps us manage and sustain our marriages as we submit to His ways…His commandments.

Even more, the Lord possesses all the knowledge to lead our marriage. Yet, our job as a wife is simply to seek God’s knowledge.

Rather than producing our own marriage commandments with good advice, let’s use the truths behind God’s Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:7-21.

So keeping the original thought, while adding a little creative spin, here are ten lessons to supercharge our marriage.

Wife-Commandments to Supercharge Our Marriage

1.) You shall have no other gods before me. After God, our husband is our most important relationship. What “other” things or relationships do you put before God? Then, what about your man?

2.) You shall not make for yourself a carved image…for I am a jealous God. God is jealous for our complete loyalty and whole-hearted devotion. In the same way, our husbands desire a loyal and devoted wife. Sexual and emotional faithfulness, and being your husband’s faithful friend is important. Do you feel you are loving your man with a steadfast, deep, and sure devotion?

Marking Mother’s Day This Year

I’m so honored to have my Literary Agent, Blythe, and her mother, Helen, as guests. I met both of these lovely and godly women at a writers conference. Their book, Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters, spoke to my heart as both a mother and daughter. Their message is sure to touch you as we set our hearts on marking Mother’s Day this year.

By Dr. Helen McIntosh and Blythe Daniel 

As daughters and perhaps mothers, I would imagine you’ve had your heart broken a few times. Things were said that shouldn’t have been shared.

Maybe even now it’s still difficult to talk with your mother or daughter. And then there is a marked holiday that puts the status of your relationship in front of you, right?

Always before a holiday or special event it’s especially important to guard our hearts. Many of us are prone to have expectations–that’s normal and natural–but a handful of expectations leads to disappointment and control. We simply want to control how things go. 

So, as Mother’s Day comes, how do you want to mark this day? Will it be to stay as busy as possible so as not to think about your disappointment from a mother or daughter? Do you expect that she won’t call or send a card?

Marking By Letting Go

Would you consider letting go of your hopes for the day? 

Certainly we hope it’s an exquisite day from your loved ones, but what if there is disappointment from a mom or daughter? 

It’s important to think ahead of how you will handle it. Can your purpose in your heart how you will look not just at this day, but the coming days ahead with her?

How to Center Our Marriage Love in Jesus’ Love

Dear Wife,

When we center the love for our husband in our love for Jesus, it deepens our love as a couple.

My love story with Christ began when I was sixteen as I gave my life and heart to Jesus. What a sweet love for sweet sixteen! 

Furthermore, my love story with my husband, Mike, began when I was twenty on a college campus. We were in a sociology class together, Marriage and Family. I know—crazy! 

So, the professor gave students an opportunity to earn extra credit by attending an event on relationships and writing a paper.

And it was at this event, sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ, where I shared my love story in Christ.

After class, I heard a male voice behind me calling, “Hey!” Then I turned around to the cutest guy who said he enjoyed my testimony. I still joke with Mike about his Christian “one-liner” hoping to date me. But I was thankful he had his own love story with Jesus.

We became fast friends, dated for three years, and reached a milestone this year of thirty-four years of marriage.

Center Our Love Story In Our Jesus Story

If a love story is what we claim to be the overall picture of marriage—how we fell in love and why we fell in love and why we are still in love. Then what better way to keep our love story anchored and strong and stable than to center it around our love story in Jesus Christ.