Monday, July 25, 2016

Sweet Days of Summer

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 SmurleeReading 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 

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