Sweet Days of Summer
I
love a good time! I think God really wants us to enjoy this amazing life He’s given us. Having
fun is deeply spiritual, yes, I believe that. God sometimes gets a bad rap
because He’s viewed as somber and anti-fun. That’s so untrue.
I
especially love playing with kids and grandkids during the summer.
We’re
mid-July – here are some activities that have worked for me. I encouraged my then ten, nine and five-year olds to put on a neighborhood block carnival
on a Sat. morn. 10-11:30 to raise money for a children’s charity. Every part of planning and setting it up was fun. They
decorated flyers and passed them out door to door at houses where they knew kids lived. One child did magic tricks. Another arranged plastic bowling pins
to knock down. One activity was drawing a picture to see who could best
draw our family dog. Crazy, silly games like cupcake walk. Back then we used a
portable tape recorder for music – now Iphone works. For costumes the kids wore
scarf capes and crazy hats. Best of all my children and their friends felt a sense of purpose and pleasure
for hours planning as well as during actual event.
Often
kids and grandkids just need the spark of the idea to guide them in creative
play! Savoring moments with family, pausing to admire nature’s beauty, laughing
over blunders are some of our favorite ways to have fun. As we make summer
memories we teach life lessons that a mom, dad or grandparent can transmit
best.
Our kids and grandkids hear from Wayne and me that even God’s “Do’s” and “Don’ts” are so we
can keep having fun. Like this one: Don’t steal, so you won’t end up in jail and
lose your freedom. Don’t steal from your friends or you won’t have any. Do rest
on the Sabbath so you can avoid burn-out. Passing on our faith in God and His
teachings assures us we're preparing our children and grandchildren well for life.
Hide those early back-to-school flyers until the end of the first week of August! Enjoy every summer moment! These
family times can become memories that last forever. Have
fun with your family in this beautiful world God made! He loves when you do!
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice
in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Writing News:
WOW!
I’ve been writing my blog Fun, Faith and Family for eight years. I chose that title because these three F’s of Fun, Faith and Family are my life’s priorities.
A
mom recently introduced me to her eleven-year-old daughter who read my mystery
novel Bullet in the Night set in Lake
Geneva and loved it. I knew kids enjoyed my Tommy Smurlee books, but my adult
mystery novel at age 11? This was a surprise. So if you think your child is
mature enough for the theme go for it. It’s packed with good life lessons. But for sure every child will have fun with the Adventures of Tommy Smurlee. Reading is one of the most wonderful interests
you can give to kids and lazy summer days are a great time for developing this.
Grandparents Secrets to Being Super ebook has more ideas for fun times and for training children. One grandmom keeps it handy on her Iphone to
use whenever. My parenting book Soaring
As A Parent has suggestions too.
The
TWELVE EVENT BOOK LAUNCH for my new mystery Never
Tomorrow has been great fun! http://amzn.to/28WR4UC It continues
Sat. July 30th from 10 to 4
Lake County Authorfest
- Round Lake Beach, IL.
I always look forward to meeting readers – former and
new. (Notice I didn’t say old.)
I'M POSTING MORE IDEAS FOR SPECIAL SUMMER FUN
