FIT Fridays: Just cut to the chase!

Hello!
Welcome to another FIT Friday post. I must say, I've been working on this post for a few days. Either it's really bad -- or it's gonna be amazing. I'm hoping for the latter! Since we started this little journey, I hope you realize that God loves you! I hope you realize you are special.

Some of you have reported in the past couple weeks. Amazing stories worth celebrating!

• One of you lost two pounds in one week. Just by cutting some calories and cutting out the soda. YEA!
• Another shared that getting your heart and mind in shape has helped you organize your home and declutter. Losing weight -- physically and at home! 
• Another of you shared how finding balance -- or at least more balance -- is benefitting your whole family, regardless of what the scale happens to say. Healthy eating and getting active makes everything better.

That's the way it works. Take small steps, trusting in God, and your life will improve.

Let's not forget why we do this though. Not for good looks. Not just to feel better. We strive for self-control because gluttony is a sin. Ouch! When we turn to food for comfort or out of habit, that food becomes our god. We eat to feel better instead of pray and read God's word. 

Consider this passage, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12) Simply put, living healthy -- such as exercising for good health but not for the bikini body glamorized in magazines or eating for nutrition and not to seek comfort -- is all God wants. 

How are you doing? Do you see yourself turning more to God for comfort and strength? Or are you still grabbing those oreos? Are you exercising for health or for beauty?

This week, I encourage you to really meditate on Titus 2:11-12. Ask God to show you the areas where you trust Him -- and those areas where you don't. Ask Him for strength to live a "godly life in the present age." Perhaps hang this verse on your refrigerator or your bathroom mirror as a reminder of who you live for.

Still not exercising? I know it's been a tough summer for me. Two separate broken toes have slowed me down. Then there's the crazy heat we've had here in North Carolina. If you haven't started or got derailed like me, don't quit. It's never too late to get moving.

I think you know what's good to eat and what's not. Why not make it easier and shop for just the good stuff? Grocery stores keep the healthy foods such as produce and dairy along the perimeter of the store. Stay out of the aisles that tempt you! Fill that cart with more green stuff and less boxed stuff.

Keep in touch. I love hearing your stories. It's awesome to know that people are making changes, one at a time, and discovering that God has a great life in store!

Much love in Christ,

Karen

If you're new to FIT Fridays, please read our week one challenge to learn all about it. We're glad you're here!

Summer Bounty

Hey bloggy friends,
My friend Barb recently declared peaches as the ultimate summer fruit. I disagree. Watermelon, sweet, juicy and refreshing, is the ultimate summer fruit. ;-)

This little disagreement (completely acceptable among close friends) leads me to wonder at God's creativity. He created not just an enormous array of fruits for us to enjoy: peaches, watermelon, crisp apples, tender pears, tangy oranges, delicate raspberries... and on and on. He even created us to appreciate them differently. I like peaches, but they've never been close to my favorite. I can't really imagine biting into a peach and experiencing the joy that Barb does. We're all uniquely and wonderfully made! So cool.

How about joining the discussion? What's your favorite fruit? Why?

Before you answer.... I suggest you try this recipe. Not that I'm trying to convince you that watermelons are best or anything!

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad
1/2 red onion, sliced thin and chopped. Soak in ice water for five minutes!!! (this takes the bitter edge out)
1 cucumber, deseeded, sliced and diced.
4 cups of watermelon, deseeded, sliced and cut into 1" cubes
4-6 mint leaves, finely chopped (depends on how much mint you like)

Combine these items.

Drizzle with:
1/4 cup light olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Toss everything.
Cover and chill for at least one hour.

YUMMO! (Thanks to Food Network for inspiring this recipe)

Get out there and enjoy God's glorious bounty!

Lots of love,
Karen

Life is sweet!

Good morning my bloggy friends!

All I can think about is donuts. From Britt's. Which is at Carolina Beach. Two hours away.

I'm thinking that anyone who knows about this wonderful treat should join me there at 11:00! Okay, really...

I have a house to clean. Family coming to visit this afternoon. Ministry stuff to do.

I guess Britt's can wait. Maybe.

What's on YOUR mind?

Life lessons: The value of work

Hello my bloggy friends!

Recently, Nathan "interviewed" me to learn what it takes to become a lawyer. He's beginning to think about the future. Four years undergrad. LSAT (law school admission test). Three years of law school. Tests. Bar exam. He was quite surprised that most law school courses provide only one opportunity for class grade -- the final exam. It's an all or nothing thing. At first, he liked the sound of that, but then he realized there's no slacking toward the end of the semester.

He asked me about starting salaries. My husband and I caught each other's eye and we burst out laughing. I had absolutely no idea what the average starting salary is! (We did look it up online, and if you're interested it's $110,580).

Then I explained. My starting salary was - gasp! - $19,000. Our office receptionist made more money than I did. I think my salary went up about $2,000 over the course of my five years as a criminal prosecutor. My son was shocked -- why do it if you don't get paid well?

I had his full attention. "Dear God, Don't let me mess this up! Help him understand what's really important." I prayed silently. I knew I had a rare opportunity to teach a valuable life lesson.

As a prosecutor, I didn't function like the others in the office. My role, every hour of every day, was to prosecute only one type of case. Domestic violence. In fact, I was the first in my state to focus 100% on domestic violence cases. At the time (and really still today), domestic violence offenders often "get away with it." They convince their victims no to follow through. Thus, court day comes and no one shows up to testify about the crime except the officer who made the arrest. The offender walks out, completely free. Of course, there are deep psychological issues involved. While it doesn't make sense to "us," the truth is the victims really believe they're better off not testifying.

A bit naively and with no program to model after, I plunged in. I worked with our local hospitals and police departments to educate these professionals about the unique aspects of domestic violence and asked for their support. Both our hospitals and law enforcement officers changed how they documented evidence. I connected victims with the resources available through our battered women's shelter. Over the years, the conviction rate improved dramatically.

I paused. Nathan asked a few more questions specific to the job. He finally asked the big one, "Why?" Why go through all that for no money? Why do all that when it's stressful and heartbreaking?

I smiled. God was holding the door open. Nathan was still listening.

My dear son, no amount of money will make a job worthwhile. Whether you earn $250,000 or nothing, if you do what you are meant to do, it just won't matter. In my job, I knew that I made a difference in a lot of lives. I knew women were in a better position than they would have been if I weren't there. Often, my heart broke for them. But sometimes. Sometimes they actually believed they deserved better and gathered the courage to break away and start a new life.

I keep a small file from my prosecutor days. In it are the thank you notes that women sent. I shared those notes with Nathan. That's what life is all about. Priceless.

Memorial Box Monday: Our perfect home

Last Memorial Box Monday, I shared how God downsized our selfish, worldly house dreams to open our budget and our lives to His plans. It only seems fitting that I finish the story... You see, God prepares the way for our lives. His word says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 and one of God's top ten promises! In my opinion anyway)

The main reason we decided to build a house when we moved to North Carolina was that we couldn't find a four-bedroom house already built and for sale. Really! We live in a (formerly) rural area. At the time we moved, the typical house had three bedrooms. Big houses had three bedrooms and a bonus room over the garage. Houses around here don't usually have basements. Our real estate agent tried, unsuccessfully, to convince us we could use that bonus room as a combination guest room/play room. After all, "You only have two kids." Yep, we heard that a lot. And not just from the real estate agent.

No matter what, though, Rob and I couldn't shake our desire for a fourth bedroom. We looked at some beautiful homes with three bedrooms, but even those homes with all the bells and whistles couldn't get us to change our minds. We insisted on four dedicated bedrooms.

We finally moved into our home in November of 2002. That fourth bedroom that we insisted on went largely unused, set up as a guest room, but without many guests other than the grandparents. We stored things in there, but didn't really use the room for much.

And then... in October of 2003 (about the same time my daughter's biological mama conceived her), I got this little stirring. My heart filled with a longing for another child. Number three. The one we insisted we'd never have -- after all, we'd be outnumbered!

By January of 2004, I could ignore my heart no longer. I filled my husband in (that's a story all its own... I'll tell you sometime). Obviously, Ellie came home to us (about a year later). Her brothers still have their own rooms. She has her cheerful pink and green bedroom full of princess dresses, books and stuffed animals.

That little room no longer goes unused. It's filled with a precious little girl and all her dreams! It's where we snuggle and read. Sometimes, it's where we talk about life. It's where we pray for her prince. It's the place she goes to cry and think when she's having a tough day. And where we forgive.

God filled our hearts with a love for our little girl long before we knew she'd ever even be! I'll put a picture of Ellie's room as it is today in my Memorial Box. On the back, I'll write out Jeremiah 29:11. One day, she may need to remember how God provided for her -- even before she was!

If you don't know what Memorial Box Monday is, it all started at Linny's blog: "A Place Called Simplicity." A friend of mine introduced me to it, and I love it! love it! love it!!! Memorial Box Monday provides an opportunity to remember all the good things God has done. Huge, gigantic things and little things that might seem insignificant. God's word is clear: "Cast every care on Me, for I care for you." (1 Peter 5:7).

Never underestimate the toe!

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;

and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

1 Cor. 12:12

I broke the middle toe on my left foot tonight. Four weeks ago, I broke my pinkie toe. Same foot. When little injuries like this happen, my husband usually takes care of them. Unfortunately, he's not with me this week, so I headed off to the E.R.

In the examining room while I was waiting on the doctor, I couldn't help but wonder why another broken toe? What could I possibly learn from this? Well, other than it's probably a good idea to wear shoes, closed toed shoes!

Just then, the above verse flashed into my head. So often, when I hear a message preached about the body and its many parts, the toe gets treated so lightly. Some people are a heart, others a brain, and some are called to be a toe. I always wonder, "If I'm only a toe, is that okay?" OR "I want to be a heart." Yep. I have always struggled with this verse and my purpose in God's plan. Honestly, I don't think being a toe is so cool.

Along those lines, I've struggled lately with what appears to be God's call on my life. I know I'm made to write. I love writing. Yet, writing often gets relegated to the back burner. It seems being a mom is my current calling. I fight it sometimes. "Kids," I say self-righteously, "God designed me to write. I need some peace and quiet.... PLEASE." No. It never works.

I realize that I have a bad attitude about the role of parenting. I don't appreciate its value like I should. Yet, who else will teach my kids about Jesus--not just the stories, but the everyday application? Who will help them understand compassion? forgiveness? generosity? It's not the school's job to do that. It's not the church's role. It's the parent's job and if parents don't do it, no one else will.

God showed me tonight that parenting is a lot like a toe. We just don't appreciate it -- as I didn't appreciate my toes. God got my attention tonight. I am thankful I'm a toe... and a mom.

Decluttering!

On vacation, we had eight outfits each, a few pairs of shoes, the basic bathroom supplies and that's about it. You know what? For 16 days we survived without wii, gameboy, leapster and all the other toys and gadgets at home. For 16 days, we enjoyed life without piles of mail, newspapers, and all the other stuff at home.

Only home a week and I'm going bonkers because of stuff! Life is too short to fight and fret about stuff. I've got better things to do than spend hours organizing and rearranging stuff. Can you relate? Do papers tumble out of your filing cabinet? Across the desk? Or maybe, like mine, somehow migrate daily to the kitchen counter? Ahem! That's for food!

It's not what God intended. The book of Hebrews says, "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverence the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. 12:1-2 NIV)

My friends, there is a better way. Interested? Then read on.

Declutter your inbox! After two weeks away, my inbox really piled up. I had close to 1,000 emails to read. I'll be honest, I read less than 100 and deleted the rest. Just about all of it was junk. You know when you shop online, the retailers start sending sales emails. At first they seem like an awesome thing to have, but really they steal time and fill our heads with wants. After all, it's hard for us girls to pass up a good sale. Retailers know that! There were some newsletters there, too, mostly ministry related. But, I had "too much of a good thing." A recent study reports that more than 50 emails a day triggers stress. I was getting more than 100! Decluttering is easy. Click on that unsubscribe button! If you really miss something, you can always reconnect. My guess is you'll be happy it's gone.

Declutter the papers! Last Friday, I purged our filing cabinets. Big time! File by file, I cleaned out everything. There were bill statements from 10 years ago clogging those drawers. My husband's student loan papers were still there -- and his loans were paid off in 2004! The list goes on, but I don't want to clog up this post. If you don't know where to begin, here's what I did and it worked!

• Pull out the first file and begin! Yep, it's that simple. If you don't need it or can find the information online, throw it away. (I completely filled a kitchen garbage can)
• Sort everything you need to keep based on the following categories (you might find a better system, but I found that this worked well):
• One file for each member of the family. My kids' school and activity information and awards go in their files. My husband's file is mostly work related. My file mostly includes thank you cards from various things and my favorite paper from law school.
• One file for this year's bill statements.
• One file for credit card receipts.
• One file for vehicle maintenance records.
• One file for this year's tax information (pay stubs, mortgage statements, business expenses, charitable contributions, etc).
• One file for insurance information.
• One file for investment information.
• One file for checking and savings information.
• REMEMBER! Everything else is unnecessary. I did put each of the past seven years' income tax information in business envelopes to store in the attic -- if you don't have someplace to store that information, I guess it should go in files too. 

• Declutter the kids. I am not joking! Since coming home, my kids have bickered over stuff more times than I can count. Sixteen days without fighting over toys was bliss. Their behavior now drives me crazy! (Maybe this should be its own post, but it's part of my decluttering plan, so I'm including it here)

• Memorize this verse and apply vigorously to your kids' lives, "If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away..." (Matt. 18:8)... NO! Don't cut off their hands or feet, but do "cut off" whatever it is they fight over.
• Make them repeat the verse.
• Explain that "the item" is leading them to fight and not live in peace. Explain that "the item" is not worth fighting over. Then throw it away! Forever.
• Apply the verse to WHATEVER they are fighting over (yes, even the wii). Our kids' hearts are far more important than any things we own!

This morning, two of my children fought over a brochure (ridiculous! And they've been fighting over legos, silly bands, pool toys and more this whole week). I finally applied this verse today, explaining to my kids that their relationship is more valuable than anything we have. Then I shredded the brochure. After throwing it away, I took a moment to reiterate that fighting over things is not God's plan for their lives. I told them I will throw away anything they fight over, even the wii and the TV if that's what it takes to learn to respect one another.

Trust me, I pray they figure it out before I have to throw out my TV, but my kids are more precious than anything. If that's what it takes, I will do it. My husband agrees, in case you wonder.

We still have lots of decluttering to do... but I know that simplifying paperwork, the kitchen and the kids' lives is a great first step.

How about you? What weighs you down? Are you willing to "cut it off" so that you can run the race God has planned for you?

May God bless you as you honor him with all of your life!

Lots of love,
Karen

Memorial Box Monday: Home sweet home

We moved from Ohio to NC in 2001. We decided to build a house and found the perfect lot, five acres on a cul de sac. It was the best of both worlds -- room to roam and neighborhood all in one. We designed our home with space for everyone and everything. As building moved forward, though, things kept going wrong. The process just didn't go smoothly.

We pushed. And pushed. And pushed. Trying to get it done.

But the more time passed, the worse things got.

Ultimately, we didn't get the house.

We started the process over. Crazy, maybe. The new lot was only 0.5 acres, not wide enough to build the house we first planned. So we downsized. We don't have the same room to roam. But...

God knew.

Had we bought the first house,

• we wouldn't have Ellie. We would not have been able to afford an adoption with that house payment.
• Rob would have had a huge commute to his current job, perhaps not taking it at all.
• we would have lived far from church, definitely limiting our ministry availability.

God knew.

He put roadblocks up to protect us from our greedy, worldly selves. He protected us from a huge financial mistake. It took too many problems for us to finally turn to prayer, but God made it impossible to ignore him!

I look around my comfortable home as I write this, my daughter playing at her "desk" as I write. I am truly thankful that God has a "plan to prosper us and not to harm us, a plan to give us hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11). I am so thankful that I do not have to plan alone. I'd really mess it up!

I'll put a picture of my house in my Memorial Box. I don't want to forget that He's in charge -- and with good reason! :) 

If you don't know what Memorial Box Monday is, it all started at Linny's blog: "A Place Called Simplicity." A friend of mine introduced me to it, and I love it! love it! love it!!! Memorial Box Monday provides an opportunity to remember all the good things God has done. Huge, gigantic things and little things that might seem insignificant. God's word is clear: "Cast every care on Me, for I care for you." (1 Peter 5:7).

FIT Fridays: Get out there and live!!!

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Hey everyone,
It's time for a FIT Friday post! If you're new to FIT Fridays, please read our week one challenge before you jump in where we are now. Faithful friends, thank you for understanding the past couple weeks while I was away with my family. I prayed for my FIT Friday buddies throughout our vacation and I hope you are having a fabulous, fun, energetic, healthy summer!

At Yosemite last week, I was AWED by God's majesty. As we hiked up the granite mountain, I could find no words to describe His handiwork. Simply inspiring. So many times, we stopped, just to look. Five of us, hushed by the enormity of the space around us. We are so small. I felt insignificant against that backdrop. Yet God's word is clear. He cares more for us than anything else in all creation! (Matt. 6:26)

Hiking up those mountains, I was constantly reminded that God created the world for us -- for you and for me. He created this world for our enjoyment! Just as parents prepare for a new child by painting the nursery, selecting just the right crib, decor, even hospital homecoming outfit, God prepared this world -- the whole thing -- for us. WOW! What are we doing with that?

• When did you last go to a park, just to walk and enjoy?
• When did you last walk through your neighborhood, listening to the sounds of the birds and bugs or enjoying the bright colors of summer flowers?
• When did you last walk along a beach squishing sand between your toes? Or watch the waves break against the beach?

Since our trip, I realize exercise does not have to be mundane! Instead of riding the exercise bike every day -- staring at the television as we log the time -- why not head outdoors and enjoy what God made while we enjoy the bodies He gave us? I got a better workout hiking through mountains than I ever have on an exercise machine! And it didn't "hurt" the same way! Enthralled by the ever changing view, I used my whole body to climb those rocks -- up three miles before getting to go down the first day -- and I never felt weary. 

This week, get out there (yes, the heat is way up -- go early in the morning and watch the world come to life as the sun climbs into the sky or go late as the sun sets and the noise of the world hushes, replaced by the song of the crickets)! Run, walk, hike through a hilly park. Enjoy God's majesty. Your routine won't get boring! You'll go farther than you ever thought you could.

As to nutrition, I'll write more on that next week. For now, keep drinking water -- lots of water! Perhaps it's time to "splurge" on a water bottle that makes you smile. Really! I have a pink stainless steel water bottle covered in flowers. I love it. My son selected a black, gray and silver "camo" water bottle and drinks twice as much as he used to. Enjoy that water drinking!!!!

While you're at it, head out to the farmer's market. Why not eat the freshest fruits and vegetables now that they're readily available? My NC friends, just stop at a corner fruit stand and load up! Fresh fruit and veggies are hard to beat for flavor and healthfulness!

Spiritually, remind yourself that you are special to God. Read scripture on His creation and majesty (the book of Psalms is loaded with these kind of verses). He made this world for YOU! I pray that you will realize that the world is not a burden (we make the burden by overloading ourselves with responsibilities). God's creation is a gift! Memorize a couple verses that speak to your heart. Meditate on them as you get out there and live!

Please share your favorite verse on God's majesty with the rest of us! 

Dear God,

I am simply awed by your majesty. Thank you for making such a beautiful place for us to live. Thank you for the variety of landscapes you created, just for our enjoyment. Help me remember to enjoy the world you created for me. Fill me with inspiration and commitment to keep getting healthier so I can truly enjoy the life you have given me. Remind me, Lord, to eat healthy. Convict me when the cookies tempt me -- and remind me that you created peaches, watermelon, strawberries, and so much more, just so I can eat fun food. I commit my health -- my life -- to you. Be with me as I continue to get healthier, so my life can bring you the glory you deserve.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

Getting to know you

My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19, NLT)

As we explored the "other" coast these past couple weeks, we got to know our kids a lot better. We are raising three very unique young people -- affectionately called "city mouse," "country mouse," and "princess."

City Mouse loves the convenience and chaos of city life. Car noise, hustling people, restaurants, shopping, lights -- all these things rev him up. He had a blast in San Francisco!

Country Mouse loves to climb and run. The more rocks, trees and open space, the better. He suffocates in a city, visibly wilting as the day goes on. All that city noise wears him down. Yosemite, though, he could live there forever!

Princess is happy anywhere, as long as she gets lots of attention. No surprise, her favorite vacation moments included dressing up and doing her hair. Those nights when I dusted her eyelids with a subtle, golden eye shadow, she just glowed. It had absolutely nothing to do with the nearly invisible eye shadow. She simply loved dressing up!

We already knew this about our kids. On vacation we really focused on them -- quicker to listen and less inclined to preach at them (James 1:19). Without cell phones buzzing or emails pinging, we weren't distracted. The TV didn't blare in the background like it too often does at home.

Without the distractions, we fell easily into spontaneous conversations about whatever was on our kids' minds at any given moment. They asked a ton of questions: "Who is your best friend?" (more on that next week). "When you were a kid...." "What if you were locked up in Alcatraz? Would you survive it?" (Uhhhh, NO! That's why I'm a law abiding citizen!!!) "Would you rather...."

We didn't bring home much in the way of souvenirs. We brought home something so much better.

• If you take a picture of us and my daughter says, "Tequila!" expect us all to crack up. We didn't drink it... but we sure did laugh about it. 
• We encouraged each other up the mountain and through the zipline -- so expect to hear us cheering even louder for one another when it's needed (as if we weren't obnoxious before). 
• "Poke!" This is annoying kid stuff, but it's likely to happen in the presence of others... and it has nothing to do with facebook. Just put up with us, please.
• "Bears are stupid. Look at Pooh!" It's part of our family language now.

There's more, but you get the idea. Put away that phone. Turn off the TV. Live. Savor the gift of family!

Investing in the future

Hello friends,

I know my blog has been quiet the last couple weeks. I had planned to prewrite some posts so they could "magically appear" but obviously that didn't happen. Preparing for a two-week "epic adventure" (as our family now calls it) takes a lot of work!

Even though the blog was quiet, God wasn't and I'm still processing much of it.

I prayed that this vacation would strengthen our family bond. God answered that prayer. We traveled for 16 days, sharing a single hotel room and logging more than 1,400 miles in a minivan (and 2500 miles on a cruise ship). That meant lots of togetherness! Believe it or not, none of us wanted it to end!!!

Even more incredible, we locked up the phone, computer and ipods on the cruise -- seven solid days without electronic communication. And Yosemite doesn't get cell reception (at least not through AT&T), so we had four more days of quiet solitude. You'd think my teens would go crazy without access to the outside world, but they both agreed it was nice to get away. Parents, when you vacation with your family, take the electronics away -- yours too -- for at least some of the time. Enjoy that rare face time with your kids! It's priceless!!!

Of course, time with the kids is important, but quality time with my husband is a gift that will benefit our family for a lifetime. Investing in our marriage prepares us for the future. I love my husband!!!

Without the demands of work and home, we could really focus on what the kids had to say. Rob listened intently as Ellie shared her day's adventures during dinner. She enjoyed her day with the kids, but she enjoyed our focused attention even more! "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him." (Psalm 127:3). Take time to enjoy this special blessing.

Nathan and I climbed the rock wall together. There's nothing like meeting your kid where he's at and joining him in his life! Our kids spend so much of their lives following the demands of our hectic adult lives: "I'll join you when I finish the bills," or "Not today, sweetie. I have to work tonight," or (yes, I'm guilty of this), "Can't you see I'm busy?" On vacation we simply enjoyed each other.

We slowed down to watch our son, Ben, do what he loves most to do: explore! He climbed rocks, trees, rock walls, waterfalls, and Hyde Street (in San Francisco) and loved every minute of it. He didn't hear, "Not today, buddy. We have to " He climbed. We celebrated God's creation -- this beautiful world He gave us -- and our adventurous son.

We played. Together. Whenever and wherever we could. God tells us to "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as is the habit of some..." (Heb. 10:25). Our family intentionally chose to be together, without phones, internet or computers. We are closer than ever, just as God intended.

For now, laundry, bills and cooking beckon. Real life includes responsibilities... but I think it can include some amazing family time too! How about you? When was the last time you played with your family WITHOUT phone, ipod, or twitter? Why not try it? And let me know how it goes!!!!

Lots of love,

Karen