"Mostly clean" or "Mostly dirty", It's All In The Perspective!

I thought we were done unpacking from our vacation. I found this backpack on the floor yesterday though.

It belongs to my 14 year old son. I asked him, "Is there any dirty laundry in that bag because I'm trying to wash another load?"

He replied, "well, they're mostly clean or I guess they're mostly dirty now."

I give him a big smirky grin with a question mark wrapped up inside. He is great at giving me these types of answers.

 ""Mostly clean" or "mostly dirty", huh? Which is it?" I ask.

"Mommy, (yes, he still calls me "Mommy") you know at camp we wear our clothes more than once, so those are my clothes that I wore, so they're dirty, but they're in there because they're mostly clean. But now we're home, yeah, they need to be washed, so they're mostly dirty!" He gives me a big sheepish smile and shrug of his shoulders. 

What more explanation does a mom need?

He told me the truth. 

The clothes ARE mostly clean...

and yet mostly dirty.

I thought later, isn't that like our Christian walk with God. We get up in the morning with a fresh air of expectation for the new day. "Today I'm going to be a better listener!" As I go about the day, taking time to listen to each of my children, it becomes more work than fun. I begin to slip into the place where I am "mostly clean" in my own good intentions, but I am still "mostly dirty", acting without thinking out of selfishness and quick, thoughtless remarks that cut my children's souls to pieces.

So I seek God's forgiveness and ask Him to make me clean. I don't want to be "mostly clean", and especially not "mostly dirty". I don't think God likes fence sitters. I am reminded how God spoke to His church in Laodicea, it is written in Revelation 3:15-16;

 "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

So I'm soaking up the truths of God's Word. Learning some great stuff on humility and being a "bridge builder" for a new Christian friend of mine. Praying HARD for new direction for my husband, reading a book on "Growing Great Kids" (review to follow soon), and just trying to soak up all the moments I have with my kids while they are still mine to care for, including washing the dirty laundry (that's both "mostly clean" and "mostly dirty" at the same time!). It's all in the perspective!

Here is my son at camp showing off his bird he is training!

I love this kid!

3-ring Binder Dollhouse Complete! "Camp Dobsee"

Southern Disposition had this wonderful tutorial on how to make a little girl's portable dollhouse out of a 3-ring binder. This looked like the perfect summer project for my daughter and I as we head for our annual family vacation to a family camp! My daughters love to play with their little dolls, this is a fun, creative, and portable way to enhance their fun! (Inexpensive too! We just used stuff I already had on hand!)

We started with a plain white 1 1/2 inch binder.

We cut out the binder cover from some leftover lace. When I say left over, I mean, left over. This lace is from when I used to make bunnies back in eh hem... 1995. I found it in a box and it is in perfect condition!

Here is the 3-ring binder covered with lace. I used hot glue instead of taking the time to sew seams. It worked pretty well.

We then just decorated the inside with left over scrapbooking papers and stickers.

My daughter got a little carried away with the stickers, but I figured it was her book anyway I would let her do what she wanted with it! The left side is the lakeside at my mother-in-law's camp. Here we go fishing, swimming, canoeing, roast marshmallows, snorkeling, and have picnics as seen by all the stickers! The right side is the inside of my mother-in-law's camp. I even had a piece of scrapbooking paper that looks like the particle board walls of camp! It's supposed to look like the kitchen with mirror on the wall, cabinets, sink, and even storage hidden under fabric curtains, just like at camp!

Here is my  4 year-old daughter setting up her dolls to play with her new dollhouse "Camp Dobsee".

And here is her younger 2 year-old sister getting in on the fun too!

They have to share for now, but I can see more binder dollhouses in our future!

The Christian Olympics

I love Summer! It is probably my favorite season as it allows for so much more free time. Time to open the doors and windows and breathe in fresh air. Time to spend outdoors in nature discovering simple pleasures. Time to just kick our shoes off, and take a dip in the lake!

 Summer is also a time for building friendships with friends and strengthening family ties. Creating memories!

Parades, hot summer sun, ice cream, 

and CHRISTIAN OLYMPICS!

Christian Olympics? Well, yes, you know, every four years we have the summer Olympics, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about this super fun, FREE, easy, interactive, faith-based on-line wellness game that's beginning July 28, 2012! Did I mention that it's also FREE?!!!

Head on over to their facebook page and like them to get started. It is a super easy registration process. Just enter your name and e-mail address, no phone numbers for those of you with privacy concerns. Coach Liz just wants you to begin a path on overall wellness in three specific areas of Nutrition, Relationships, and Faith! You don't know who Coach Liz is? Well, let me introduce you to her!

 Coach Liz (aka: Elizabeth Avelar) is a Certified Wellness Coach for Christian Women. She was recently interviewed on WOAI Channel 4 News. She has a contagious smile, loves life, and with her beautiful voice she wants to encourage Christian Women all over the world to optimize their health and wellness and fully realize God's attributes so they in turn can love and bless their own families and communities!

But back to the GAME!

The first thing you will do will be to create your own life tree in the Mind Bloom game. Never heard of Mind Bloom? Me neither, until now! You know how on FB people like to put up positive pictures and videos that inspire, (well at least my friends do :) ) Mind Bloom is a little like that! It is a game that inspires and motivates you to grow your life in five areas. I have a tree already planted there. You can plant your tree and then invite me to be part of your "forest". Once you're in the game we can see each other's progress and share images and videos and links to inspire one another to live out our lives for God with more intention and JOY! Don't forget to invite your own friends, we're all in this together, you know?! In Mind Bloom, that's where you'll find the Christian Olympics social experience! Coach Liz has created this really fun game to interact using Mind Bloom and Facebook to encourage us in our daily walk with God. Each morning will start with a short video by Coach Liz. In it she will introduce the Special Event for the day that she is asking you to participate in. Don't worry, these are fun and easy challenges you can do on-line or outside. All using FREE apps through Facebook and Mind Bloom. At some time during your day you participate in the Special Event and then go back over in the evening and post your success on Facebook. Your life tree will also benefit in Mind Bloom as you click that you have completed the Christian Olympic event for the day! 

Okay! If this is sounding a bit too complicated, it is NOT! And I haven't even got to the best part...PRIZES! That's right, there will be prizes! At the opening of the Christian Olympics and during the closing ceremonies they will announce prizes and awards. There will be a few SURPRISES along the way as well!

As Christian women we need to remain strong. 

Like Olympic athletes train for a race, we must train our faith and also encourage one another!

Let's take this summer to get strong in our faith. Let's live out this verse; 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up...."

Sign up to join this inspiring Summer social experience. It's starting soon, so register, and get started on your very own path to wellness today! Believe me, you don't want to miss out!

Go over to Facebook and "Like" the Christian Olympics today! It's FREE! And it just may change your life!

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

3-Ring Binder dollhouse

Southern Disposition has this wonderful tutorial on how to make a 3-ring binder dollhouse for your little girl!

I want to make one for my girls to take to camp next week. We often end up recycling card board boxes while we are at camp, this looks like so much fun!