Daily Living Archives - Growing In Grace

Finding Significance in Everyday : Sacred Mundane book review

July 24, 2017Tracy4 Comments

finding significance | Sacred Mundane review

(Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own, and I have received no compensation for a positive review.)

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post!

We all have those moments where, in the midst of dishes and dirty diapers and picking up toys for the gazillionth time, we wonder if our life means anything. Does our mundane serve a purpose, or is a just a waste of life as so many in our culture say that it is? Can we actually find purpose in our daily grind and insignificant moments? Kari Patterson’s book Sacred Mundane is an invitation to live our everyday grind with purpose, allowing Christ to use the daily mundane to transform us.

I first heard Kari Patterson speak about 4 years ago at a women’s camp, and I instantly resonated with her message. She spoke about finding significance, purpose, even worship in our daily tasks—our mundane tasks, like doing dishes and scrubbing toilets. Kari invited us to live a “sacred mundane,” where our life is hid with Christ in God, where we do all things for the glory of God. I’ve heard Kari speak a couple of other times since then, and I love what God is doing in and through her. When Kari mentioned she had a book coming out, I instantly jumped at the opportunity to review it for her, and it’s been every bit as inspirational as I anticipated.

Sacred Mundane includes 8 chapters that delve into this topic of finding significance in our everyday by changing our perspective and inviting Jesus to work in our everyday tasks and frustrations to spiritually strengthen us and make us new. Sacred Mundane also includes a “small group” study with daily questions and readings to delve deeper into each chapter’s topic. The study takes a chapter a week and includes additional Scripture to study, a memory verse, and application questions. At the end of each week’s study, Kari also includes recommended resources for delving even further into each area of study.

Friends, this is how we are transformed: not by escaping dreary domestic duties or difficult relationships, and not by dreading the daily grind or grimly bearing these weary days until we can fly away to some celestial shore. We are transformed by engaging in the here, the now, the conflict, the tension, letting God change us from the inside out. ~Sacred Mundane by Kari Patterson

Kari is humble, gentle, and authentic—it comes out in her book as she shares her journey through discouragement and disillusionment to finding freedom and purpose in her own life through this truth, and it comes out in her generosity. All royalties from her book will go toward World Vision’s work with women and children in need. Kari is also offering a free copy of Sacred Mundane to one of you! Enjoy an excerpt from Sacred Mundane and then scroll down to enter the giveaway, or purchase your own copy on Amazon.

Sacred Mundane review | finding significance in everyday

Ideas for battling Summer Boredom

June 8, 2017Tracy2 Comments

We are officially on summer break from our homeschool year, and on the very first day my kids were already wandering around aimlessly asking for screen time. Not even a full 24 hours in, and my kids were already bored! But not for long. I have a plan for battling summer boredom, Christmas break boredom, basically any kind of boredom. And it’s really simple.

Battling Summer Boredom with a Bucket List

The very first activity for every break includes creating bucket lists. While my little (rising Kindergartener) is a too young to have an official list, he has plenty of ideas to contribute. Both my older kids make out their own list. Essentially, their bucket list is their list of ideas for what makes a successful summer break. I ask questions like what would you be disappointed that you didn’t get to do by the end of the summer? What activities have you been really wanting to do but haven’t had the time because of school?

In other words, my kids’ strategy for battling summer boredom is setting goals and expectations for their summer. Whenever they act bored or a little lost, I refer them back to their list or, in true parenting style, offer to give them some work to do.

Place to Go

This is the easy part for my kids. They always have a long list of places they’d like me to take them. By having them write it down, I’ve shown that I’m aware of their desire to do that, and that I have all summer to follow through. They understand that not everything on their list is possible (i.e. a trip to LegoLand), but in the first week, I try to get to one or two of their top places to show my commitment to them. We are going to make the most of our break. Most places are simple: the beach, a swimming pool, the park, the movies, the science museum, camping, etc. Some times, I have them rank their places to go so that I know what to make a priority. For the most part, this is my only responsibility on the list, but it eliminates the nagging when they get bored if it’s already written down somewhere.

Things to Do

My kids are always full of big ideas; its one of the upsides to ADHD. From huge lego productions and i-stop motion creations, to puppet shows and other dramatic endeavors—my kids have ideas for tons of major enterprises that require time and pooling of resources. There are also ideas like riding their bicycles or scooters, playing baseball or football with friends, having a picnic, and of course, watching particular movies or playing Wii.

Skills to Work on

I coach my kids through this section to help them set some summer goals. What desserts do you want to learn how to make this summer? What meal do you want to learn how to cook? How many new chords or songs do you want to learn on your instrument? Do you want to sketch something or paint something? Including this in their plan for battling summer boredom gives them direction and helps me make a few summer plans myself.

Interests to Pursue

In some ways, this is similar to the “skills to work on” but a little broader. Basically, was their something from this year’s school that you wish you’d had time to learn more? Is there something you’ve been wanting to explore that you haven’t had the time to explore? Maybe it’s coding or survival skills, maybe it’s bracelet making or pottery, maybe it’s looking at more things under the microscope—whatever! This can be broad, and sometimes they have something to add while other times they don’t. I don’t force the issue, but I always ask, just in case it lights a fire.

Books to Read

Of course, we all want our kids reading during the summer. Maybe your child has a series of books they want to read or reread, or maybe it’s a goal of a certain number of books or pages they want to read. For my kiddos, I keep them very busy with assigned reading during the year, good books that often become favorites for them, but there’s a lot of them. And my kids often don’t have the time they would like to pursue personal reading—until break time. I’m okay with that, because I know it adds extra motivation for them to continue reading during break. One of the things my kids get most excited about is reading whatever they want. I don’t have rules about “twaddle” or how age-appropriate or anything else. As long as the book doesn’t compromise any of our core family values, my kids can have at it. That first library trip of the summer is their favorite. And because all the rules are off, even my dyslexic daughter gets excited about reading her favorites, including her old favorites she’s read many times over.

There are a couple of fun reading challenges for the summer, if you are looking for a little extra direction or motivation. Join the Reading the World Book Club and even turn it into a missional fundraiser. Or, create a Tower of Books challenge.

We are already busy checking off some of those summer bucket list ideas and making the most of our summer break. Battling summer boredom is so much easier with our lists, and by summer’s end, my kids can measure just how awesome their summer was by what got checked off the bucket list.

Our 2014 Morning Routine

March 26, 2014Tracy

I’ve been putting off sharing this post, but I finally feel like we’ve settled into our new schedule enough to share it with you our morning routine. As you may recall, I shook up our whole schedule after Christmas in an attempt to find a fit for everyone, including Littlest.

In addition to accommodating our toddler, our life has some late nights for the kids; many nights have the kids getting to bed at 9 or later. Which makes the next morning rough on everyone if I enforce a strict “traditional” schedule.

So, after a long, drawn out battle with myself, I’m finally allowing our natural rhythms as a family to dictate our schedule.

I have always tried to be up hours before the kids. But my husband and I are often up late as well (11 p.m. or even midnight). Rather than fight this, I’ve started sleeping in, too. Instead of 5 or 6 a.m., I now get up around 7:30 or 8, about the same time as the kids. But all of us begin the day with some quiet Bible time. If they finish before me, I give them morning hugs and gently remind them that Mommy needs time to finish her time with God and send them back to their rooms to dress and make their beds.

Enjoying our "Song Theatre," as Middlest termed it. — Enjoying our “Song Theatre,” as Middlest termed it.

We ease into our morning routine with breakfast at around 8 or 8:30, followed by “daily hygiene” (getting dressed, brushing teeth, and the rest) and lots of time with Littlest. I’ll play our favorite Family Favorite Tunes for some “jumpin’ and a dancin'” and banging on our rhythm instruments. Littlest loves this (as do the others). And it has helped get wiggles out for everyone. Or some days, Littlest prefers to read some books. Either way, this is my time to spend with him. The others may join in with Littlest as they finish their chores.

I finally purchased a baby gate, which has made a tremendous difference in our day. I could never have guessed how much it helps to limit his chaos to just one floor of our house rather than chasing him out of no-nos on both levels. (Highly recommend a baby-gate!)

We begin our school day about 9:00 or so with copy work and memory chants, and I’m really holding myself accountable to short lessons. Copy work and memory chants both take us 20 min. total. Littlest usually joins us for this, dancing to our songs and waving his arms around to the motions of our timeline.

After 20 min., I spend time with Middlest on her math and reading; Oldest begins his independent work (a math worksheet, mapwork, and sometimes other activities). Littlest is often playing on his own in the living room, sitting in his high chair with his own coloring page or craft, or having a snack. He also enjoys playing Connect Four in my lap while I teach Middlest. Again, we spend 20 min. here and that’s it. Even if we aren’t quite done yet, Middlest will pick back up on her lessons the following day and Oldest can finish his independent work a little later on.

The next 20 minute segment varies each day. Some days it’s a read-aloud; other days it may be our Latin DVD (we’re doing Song School Latin 1) or Kinderbach. Occasionally, if I need the break to finish something, I’ll let everyone watch Oldest play his Reflex math while I finish a chore.

Another 20 minute segment finds us listening to our Story of the World audio (our core history source for Tapestry of Grace this year) and coloring the pictures, or reading a read-aloud if we haven’t gotten to that yet. We read aloud together for at least one subject every day, and most days Oldest will read some, too.

We don't do everything here. I cover 1 or 2 story problems, the Thinking Cap, and 5 or 6 Oral Combinations. — This is my A Beka Math teacher guide. We don’t do everything here. I cover 1 or 2 story problems, the Thinking Cap, and 5 or 6 Oral Combinations.

Oldest then works with me for 30 minutes. Notice this time, I’m spending 30 min.: that’s 15 min. of math and 15 min. of Language Arts. This segment of time has been a real eye-opener. I can’t believe how much we get accomplished in this time frame. In 15 minutes, I check his math page, review his new concept, give some critical thinking problems and oral problems for him to solve, and complete a speed drill. And yes, this is A Beka math. (Notice also, no flashcards! Reflex math replaces all of that for me.) Then, we move on to Essentials. I choose a few exercises from each lesson; we work for 15 minutes and then pick up with more from that lesson on the following day. Yes, it may take us longer to get through the LOE book, but otherwise we’d burn ourselves out. (There’s so much in one lesson! Spelling, grammar, dictation, composition, vocabulary/roots/prefixes/suffixes. It just has to be done incrementally.)

The rest of the morning routine is spent finishing up the little details we might not have completed yet, or enjoying the fun stuff—another read-aloud, some art, some nature study, or just enjoying a beautiful day outside.

We’re done by lunch, or on mornings when we all slept a little more than usual, we’ll finish shortly after lunch. It’s been such a freeing morning routine, and one that allows us to live the life God’s given us.

How do your mornings roll?

On Mission with a home mission statement

February 12, 2014Tracy1 Comment

It’s easy to full pulled in a thousand directions, whether you stay at home, work at home, work full time, or whatever. Bottom-line, we have a lot of hats we wear, a lot of roles we fill. How do I know what to prioritize, what to tackle and what to set aside? For me, having a home mission statement helps tremendously. It helps to remember not only what I want to be doing but WHY I want to be doing it.

Brainstorm your Priorities

Think through what you want to be doing in your home, but also add to the list the “why.” For each priority, ask yourself: why is this a priority for me. We all want a clean home, right? But why do I want it? If I figure out the why, I also know what “clean” really means. Because my definition of clean and my kids definition of clean are not the same. What is clean and what can we settle on? Why do we want it?

When my home is clean, it changes our mood. We all feel a lot of stress leave. When the clutter is gone, there is a sense of freedom and peace. We are energized, and our home becomes a place we want to be. That’s a mission statement. Now, I have a daily reminder of why I want to work on this mess. Otherwise, honestly, taming the chaos seems like an exercise in futility—unless I know why I’m doing it.

Craft your Home Mission Statement

From your brainstorm, right out a sentence or two or three that captures the priority and the why. Again, this does not need to take long or be overly complicated. It can change over time. Then, have fun making it pretty. Put it on a chalkboard in your kitchen. Hang it on your fridge. Print it off and frame it. You want to put it in a place where you will regularly see it and be reminded, which is why I think it’s important that we take the time to make it beautiful. The way you display your home mission statement should be a reflection of those priorities as well; it should be something that inspires you on the hard days, not another reminder of what you are not getting done.

If this doesn’t inspire you and help you, skip it. That’s right, forget I ever said anything. The purpose of this is to help inspire us to the tasks that are hard, to remind us of why we put all the effort into our homes in the first place.

My home mission statement hangs on the side of my fridge. It’s been there for years, and it’s not something I read or go over everyday. I don’t have it memorized necessarily, but more than once, as I’ve opened the fridge for yet another meal, it reminds me of my calling, MY purpose, what it is that I want my life and my home to be about. And suddenly, it breathes fresh air into a stagnant day. I’m not just keeping house; I’m making a home.

Free Cleaning Routine Printable

January 8, 2014Tracy

I’ve been updating my cleaning routines and charts to organize myself for the new year and co-ordinate everything to my new theme. Beauty inspires me, at least for the first four or five months of the year. So having a fresh, new look helps me to be more inclined to look at my routine and DO IT!

And since I spent the time to make it, I wanted to share it with you. It’s a free printable. Click on the image to download. Then, hang it in a frame to make a dry-erase chart, laminate it, or just pin it to your fridge—whatever fits your style.

The way I want this to work is that my ultimate goal would be to get everything done each day. Most of time, that’s not going to happen. (Let’s be real, right?) So, I’ve bolded the items that I’d like to be my “bare minimum” goals. Since the other tasks are being repeated everyday, chances are they’ll stay somewhat maintained within the week. Ultimately, I may get behind within the week, but I’m trying my best to not get behind from one week to another. In other words, I’ll live if my floor doesn’t get swept in 2 or 3 days; but I don’t want the bathroom to go more than a week without a cleaning.

I’ve also included my “rewards” for working hard: a cup of tea, some blogging time, arts and crafts, etc.; and I’ve left the bottom open to write in big to-dos, appointments, or menu plans.

Enjoy, and happy cleaning!

Setting Up a Routine

February 1, 2013Tracy

Though I shared our new routine with you, I also know that a routine never cuts-and-pastes into someone else’s life. My routine will not be yours. So I thought I’d share my process, how I ended up creating our routine, in hopes that it might help someone create her own.

I mentioned at the start of my last post that we have struggled for a few months finding our groove, that I had a few attempted and failed schedule attempts before getting this one together. Here’s how the trial and error process takes shape for me.

1. Examine what I’m already doing. We all settle into routines naturally; we tend to do the same things the same way and at relatively the same time everyday. My first step to creating a new routine is to look at what I’m already doing, whether that is an intentional plan or something I’ve haphazardly meandered into. Also, I try to keep in mind the natural rhythms of my children, particularly Littlest. A major change in his sleeping pattern would throw us all off; I would be more prone to succeed if I planned around what he was naturally doing—when did he get sleepy, when was he ready to play, when did he need to eat. My windows of time would have to fit within his patterns.

If I did need to make a major change in his patterns (and I have in the past with my other kids), I would try to do it in increments and phases, inching him into a new routine 15 minutes at a time. (And even our current routine took a little training, a few mornings of fussing before he decided to conform.)

2. Evaluate what I want to see changed. This step is huge. I look at my current routine and try to figure out what it is that I don’t like. What’s not working for us? What is driving me crazy? What is ruining the flow of our day?

For instance, one thing I didn’t like about our old routine was the late start in the mornings. We were starting school at 10 a.m., when Littlest went down for his nap. I didn’t like that it was that late before I managed a shower. I didn’t like that we didn’t have enough time to finish everything before lunch. I didn’t like that the kids were complaining about starting school because I had to stop them in the middle of what they were playing. The 10 a.m. had to change.

3. Establish a realistic plan. Though I didn’t like starting school at 10 a.m., I also knew that 8 a.m. was unrealistic. So I set our goal for a 9 a.m. start. Then I had to work through what needed to change to make 9 a reality. How early did I need to get up?

Again, I evaluated what would be realistic. Five in the morning was just not going to happen. I tried it a few mornings and utterly failed. But 6 a.m. I could do. I then listed what things I wanted to have accomplished before school and then listed how much time each of those tasks normally takes me. This helped me to make sure that what I was cramming into our morning routine would actually fit within that three hour window between when I woke up and when I wanted school to start.

I went through these same steps for each segment of my day. I examined, evaluated, and then established a routine for our school time. I did the same for my afternoon time and housework.

Also, I kept our new schedule flexible for the first couple of days. I scribbled notes on top of my schedule: what worked well, what was too tight, what would probably work with practice, etc. I adjusted and tried again the next day, tweaking each day and helping the kids understand the expectations.

After about a week of performing a schedule with little to no changes, I knew I had something that would work. And then I worked to make it routine. What’s routine? When we no longer have to consult the schedule to know what’s next. Everything flows.

Because every family is different, a routine really does have to flow from the rhythms of your own life. You will never be able to pull a schedule off the internet and make it your own. There are certain events that are must for every family, and then there are just certain rituals that make your family what it is, certain ways that make you distinctly you. Why change that?

Loving your family is knowing them—knowing what works, knowing what you want to accomplish together, knowing what will stretch them (in a good way) and what will be an exercise in defeat.

How do you find the natural patterns and rhythms of your family and create a routine?

Taking Command: A Command Center for the New Year

January 10, 2013Tracy

I recently blogged about a book that I read to help identify how I best organize, and in attempt to put my reading to good use, I’m converting from a household notebook system to a Command Center.

Let me first say that I haven’t trashed my notebook entirely. I’ve found it very helpful for quick reference: important phone numbers, doctor information, babysitter information, etc. But I’m moving my planner out of my notebook and onto my fridge.

I chose my fridge because it tends to be the largest open surface that is in my main flow of traffic. Also, everyone knows that when you stand around trying to figure out what it is you are supposed to be doing, you always end up at the fridge.

organization

My purpose for this Center is to keep my day organized: cleaning schedule, routine, to-dos, events to remember for the week, etc. Anything that I need to attend to for the week and for the day, kept in plain view.

What’s Missing—

We use Google Calendar so that my husband and I can share events. It has worked really well most of the time, except that it is often out of sight when I need it. So, to solve that, I’m going to start printing off our calendar at the first of each month and attaching it to a smaller center I have set up by our phone.

My menu is also missing. I’ve been using ziplist.com for my menu planning and have really enjoyed it’s many features, including the ability to import recipes from all over the web (yes, pinterest, too!) and drag/drop them into a calendar. I love it! (and it’s free) Of course, it is out of sight. But honestly, I’m not positive how I want to solve this. I will either print it out and post it on the fridge, or I will write the menu onto my dry erase week plan. I’ll have to see which works best.

What’s There–

I have two dry erase boards. Actually they are not boards at all, but adhesive dry-erase paper from WallPops.com. The first one is a weekly planner. The major events from the week I will write in. This way, I will have another spot for those events to be seen, and by writing it in I’ll have that extra reminder. The other dry-erase board is for me to keep track of projects I want to tackle and special tasks that my husband would like me to get to. Having it on the fridge allows him to have easy access to add anything or to see that, though something might be undone right now, it is on my list of things to tend to.

Each day, I choose a few projects from my big list to add to my smaller to-do cards. These cards are laminated for dry-erasing. I have six cards in the pocket so that I can plan ahead for different projects, breaking that project into smaller steps if necessary. These and my cleaning cards are stored in Martha Stewart adhesive pockets. (I love these!) I’ve made mine a little fancier with some decorative duct tape.