How I Made (& Use) My Preschooler’s Routine Chore Chart

January 7, 2012 by 2 Comments

This year my goal is to get my house in order! You know what I mean, everyone running on a comfortable routine that keeps things moving, but with room to grow.

Paper Pushing.

One of the things I made last summer was this chart, for lack of a better term, for my oldest daughter {3.5-years-old}. She is always asking, "What are we doing next?" "What are we doing today?" "Can I do _____ now?" She is also a huge help with some things if I have the time to train her how as well as reminder her to do them. I'm praying that, with a little consistency on my part, these tools can help our entire household stay in order this year.

Check out the step-by-step process to making and using this routine chore chart as well as FREE PRINTABLES so you can make one for your home simply and easily. I'm sharing all of this over at the homemaker's challenge. While you're over there, you should check out all the other GREAT new years posts! {Homemaker's Challenge F-R-E-E Recipe eBook coming soon!}

How is your new year going? Start the conversation below!

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The Seek God Challenge Day 7

January 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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HE WANTS TO BE SOUGHT!

READ

“22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,” –Acts 17:22-27

THINK

Paul witness’s to the brightest minds of Athens in this passage and begins by bringing attention to that fact that they are “very religious”, although we could view that as a good thing Paul is in fact alluding to the point that while these men are religious they do not know God. Do you think that’s true today? What about in your own life? Are there places where religion has taken the place of knowing God?

In Paul’s presentation of the gospel we see Him say starting in verse 26, “he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth…that they should seek God,” God designed it for us to seek Him. That we should “feel (our) their way toward him and find Him” (our is added). This means that the Lord of the universe desires to be sought by you. How does this change our perception of God? Does it make it easier to seek God knowing that He wants you to seek Him?

PRAY

Ask God today to show you that He desires you to know Him. That he wants to be found by you.

Thank God today for being a God that has sought out a relationship with you and desires to go deeply and intimately with you.

DO

As you go throughout your day, look at your surroundings with a new perspective. Look for the ways that God is showing Himself to you enticing you to come and know Him more.

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The Seek God Challenge Day 6

January 6, 2012 by 2 Comments

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PURSUE HIM RELENTLESSLY

READ

1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

5 And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.8 And David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day.9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?"10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, "The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing.13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

THINK

In this passage we see David’s quest to bring the Ark of the Lord to his city, when the first attempt failed he could have easily given up, but instead he waited and went back again. Have you ever tried to seek God and just felt silly? What usually happens after this kind of experience? If we are determined to be near to God what should we do then instead?

God wants to dwell with us, commune with us and lead us to walk in His ways as David did. Often times we have to be persistent in our pursuit of God, He is not someone who is simply there for us to meet with when we feel like it and will sit and wait there for us to care enough to seek Him. He is the Almighty God who is worthy of our worship and praise always. What are the barriers you’ve faced in seeking God, in the past? The last week?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

David often used phrases similar to, “like a deer pants for water, so my soul thirsts for you O God” to describe his desperate desire for God

Ask God to begin to show you your need for Him, and that in response your desire for Him will continue to deepen.

Ask God to change your heart from impatience and self-centered to grateful and God-centered.

DO

When the prophet Samuel was first in the temple as a boy the Lord spoke to him and Samuel didn’t realize it was God. Finally at the urging of his mentor Eli, Samuel simply said, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”

Block out a fifteen minute space (look back at your list where you saw what things could be changed to make time for seeking God), and find a space you can be alone and uninterrupted to just be before the Lord. Take some worship music with you if you want or just be still before God Tell the Lord “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” and then listen. 

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The Seek God Challenge Day 5

January 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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SEEK HIM WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT

READ

1 Now they told David, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors."2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the Lord said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."3 But David's men said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

Psalm 27

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

1  The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

2  When evildoers assail me

to eat up my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

it is they who stumble and fall.

3  Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

yet I will be confident.

4  One thing have I asked of the Lord,

that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

and to inquire in his temple.

5  For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

he will lift me high upon a rock.

6  And now my head shall be lifted up

above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7  Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

be gracious to me and answer me!

8  You have said, "Seek my face."

My heart says to you,

"Your face, Lord, do I seek."t

9  Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

10  For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me in.

11  Teach me your way, O Lord,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12  Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

13  I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!

14  Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

THINK

When things get busy, or difficult in our world our first instinct unfortunately is to stop spending time seeking God. I don’t think its intentional always but there’s so many things that have to get done that we drop what seems to cause the least damage. How does that contrast with David’s attitude in the text?

What do you feel is the most remarkable about David’s attitude in this instance?

Psalm 27 gives us an even better picture of the heart of David as he endured hardship and yet constantly sought and relied on God. He had been anointed king some time before and in the midst of being pursued by the current most powerful man in the nation did not give up on God, but rather pressed into Him even deeper. Why do you think that is? What difficult thing is happening in your own life right now?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

 

Remember the quote Matt read : “There is no simple and easy way to know God personally. You need pain, suffering, struggles, and pressure to know and trust Him fully. “ This is not an easy thing to process, the thought that difficult situations are often times divinely designed to push us closer to God is not one that we like to dwell on.

Ask God today to use whatever situation that is difficult in your life today to draw you closer to Him

Pray that you will have the discipline that time seeking God will be the priority rather than an afterthought

DO

Read through Psalm 27 again and this time write down the things that David asks God for; ie. “Hear O Lord; Give me not up the will of my adversaries, etc.” Then pick one that best speaks to your life today.

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The Seek God Challenge Day 4

January 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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Desire is NOT Passion

READ

“29 And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.”  Ezekiel 39:29

17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  2 Corinthians 3:17-18

 

THINK

For most of us the concept of seeking God’s face is awkward. Most of us don’t really have a clear picture of what that means. What is the most difficult part for you of the concept of seeking God’s face?

The concept of seeking God’s face is to know God’s person. To be intimate, to look into His eyes and be near Him. What are some ways that you can seek His face? No Sunday School answers allowed, ie. Pray, read His Bible etc. Be creative.

In order to be transformed into the glory of God requires first off knowing Jesus as your Savior, if you have never made Jesus Lord of your life stop right now and give Him your whole person. If you need assistance call Matt at 870-692-8855 he will be happy to walk you through that!

For those who have the Holy Spirit of Christ living in you, what is keeping you from reflecting the glory of Christ to those around you?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

 

Seeing Jesus face to face has an effect on us. His presence does something to you.

Pray that your seeking will be after His face and not His hand, that you will desire Him for Him and not for what He gives.

 

Ask God to increase your desire to know Him in way that is passionate and real.

 

DO

Find a picture (online or in print) that represents the face of God to you (it can be whatever reminds of that) then save it as the background on your phone or hang it somewhere you’ll see it often (in your locker or the dashboard of your car) when you see it simply tell God that you want to see His face.

Down the guide here

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