Up to that point, for years, we all went to the dentist on the same day or at least on two days -- half went on one day and the other half on the other day. Last fall, we were winding down with cheesemaking, tired, and we all wanted to stay home. Just sit on the couch and
Not thinking I did whatever the receptionist wanted to do. Even looking at months out, it was a smattering of days. Dumb dumb dumb. What can I say? I was probably tired.
Now, after what seems like a month of dental apointments interrupting my days and weeks, we are almost done. Two more next Monday. And another appointment sometime to put sealants on a half grown girl.
Let this be an example of
what not to do.
The pain of enduring two days of stacked appointments would have been better than this.
I was not deliberately thinking things through, I was acting on my feelings at the moment.
Let me tell you about something that will help you be a wiser person, it is listening to those who have are a bit ahead of you in an area of life.
I need some fresh encouragement, insight, reminders. I'm tired of running out to the dentist again and again. I think I'd like to stay home and hear some inspiring words concerning what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I'd like to sit with Matt, a cup of tea, and listen to Doug and Beall Phillips. It will be like they are in the living room with us only I don't get talk too much. Wouldn't you like to hear more about the following topics? I do.
1.How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity
2.How to Cultivate a Love of Reading with Your Children
3.How to Make Mealtime Meaningful
4.How to Prepare for a Year of Home Education
5.How to Take Children Safely Through an Airport
6.How to Involve the Whole Family in Family Worship
7.How to Address the Plague of “Jive Talk” in Your Home
8.How to Encourage Masculinity in Sons
9.How to Encourage Femininity in Daughters
10.How to Handle a Social Worker Visit
11.How to Wage War on Sibling Rivalry
12.How to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character
13.How to Talk to Your Children about Miscarriage
14.How to Involve the Whole Family in Hospitality
15.How to Build an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Your Children
16.How to Watch a Movie As a Family
17.How to Cultivate a Love of Meaningful Poetry with Your Children, and Why Doing So Is Important
18.How to Prepare Your Children to Listen to a Symphony
19.How to Take a Road Trip with Your Family
20.How to Select the Best Locations for Family Vacations
When I read through that list I think that I'm pretty good at some of those and some I know we're weak in. And regardless, it's always good to hear from someone else how they do something.
The sessions are 30 minutes each and the series begins next Tuesday. You get a link in your email and then download it to listen to at your convenience.
There are 20 sessions and the math figures out to being $5 for each one. Now, if Doug and Beall were coming to your home for the evening, I bet you'd spend at least $5 making a nice dessert to serve and you would have to take the laundry off the couch.
If you forget that it's Tuesday download day you can get the message anytime once you have the link to it.
I have the privilege of giving away a pass for the webinar. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me which topic area of the above 20 intrigues you the most.
I'll go first and say that I am looking forward to the session about meal time. My current meal time problem is that everyone is trying very hard to be heard all at the same time. They all want attention and want to tell a story, often the same story that someone else is.
We'll choose the winner randomly with the assistance of one of my littlest kids.
You can watch a video from Doug and Beall, listen to audio samples, and purchase the webinar through the following link.
Vision Forum
With 4 little boys, I'd be interested in the session on encouraging masculinity in boys.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested in how to wage war on sibling rivalry.crmercer@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteWe have 5 children. When I read the list of teachings, the "waging war on sibling rivalry" jumped out at me. I would love to see our children supporting one another more than aggravating one another. Praying for God to change our hearts!
ReplyDeletenanavinar@gmail dot com
I have 5 children, plus self to schedule at the dentist (husband goes to a dentist near his work). They used to fit us all in at once but one way or another we got off schedule and then the next thing you know, I'm visiting the dentist 15+ times/year. I had to stop the madness. So in 2011 I actually switched to a new dentist. One who can accommodate us all at one time. Whew.
ReplyDelete#1 Sounds most interesting to me...Organizing home to promote family unity. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThose are all such GREAT topics, but I think I'd be looking forward to the sibling rivalry one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful giveaway!
Hi Kim:)
ReplyDeleteI'm curious what the Phillips have to say about talking to children about miscarriage. Having gone through 2 late-term miscarriages I have learned it is a sensitive issue to discuss with children. The parents are not the only ones filled with questions and an array of emotions.
They are all such great topics! Two of them really stand out to me; Organizing a home to promote family unity AND the road trip one. Both for the same reason, we are moving this fall (hubby is in the military) so I'll be organizing a new home and taking a road trip with seven little ones (including a newborn!). Now that I'm out of the first trimester (and my brain has started working again) I'm thinking ahead to setting up house again and a planning a (most likely) long road trip.
ReplyDeleteRoad Trips! My children are getting a little easier to take along as they are all old enough to listen to books on tape. But I feel we could redeem the time in other ways as well and I would love to hear how the Phillips spend the time on the road.
ReplyDeleteThe talk on sibling rivalry and the one on organizing the home to promote unity, as well as the ones on encouraging masculinity and femeninity in our children... wow it's hard to choose! But those are my top few most interesting! Thanks for hosting this!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book... I am very interested!
ReplyDeleteI need to wage war on the sibling rivalry in my home. Very interesting looking.
ReplyDeleteThe year on homeschooling. I'm a young Mom and my husband and I are about to start in on homeschooling our first child next year. With no family history of such education to refer to. Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteThey all sound great. I think I am most intrigued by how to organize your home to promote family unity. Our family has been blessed by so many of Vision Forum's resources.
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear about How to Build an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Your Children
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
With 8 children (number 9 due in April), and homeschooling, ALL of these topics would be of interest to me! Thank you so much for this opportunity!!
ReplyDelete6.How to Involve the Whole Family in Family Worship is the topic I'd be most interested in (though I'll admit, it was hard to choose as they all look awesome). I am the one leading my family in worship as my husband is unsaved. I know I am not the right fit, but it has to do right now. We pray for my husband/their daddy every day in firm belief that he will find God someday. I would like to think that this topic, involving the whole family in worship, will help me to do a better job, which in turn will influence my husband and lead him to the Lord. He is a wonderful and good man that, for lack of a better example, has all of the pieces of the puzzle, but he just needs help getting them put together. That helper is God and he needs to meet Him more than anything♥ bodigglesbaby at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteThree girls so far here. How to encourage femininity sounds intriguing to me. Thank you for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteHaving a family road trip is what I want to hear most, but they all sound great! We're taking a trip in April, and have 5 kids.
ReplyDeleteWhat great topic ideas! I think we would like to hear the one on sibling rivalry.
ReplyDeleteTopics 11,12,14 and 16 are absolutely must around here with 7 under 12, a family business , homeschool, a grandma and a dog we need help! I would LOVE for my husband and I to be able to listen to the Phillips take on these issues! Thanks for this opportunity !
ReplyDeleteHonestly? The topic about the visit from a social worker. It's not that we have anything to hide, but I'm sure that someday one will "drop in" at the very LEAST opportune moment...like sometime when I'm sacked out on the couch with morning sickness, the kids are still in their jammies, and school that morning has consisted of, "Hey, maybe the littles could learn their numbers by watching Price is Right..." Sigh. Anyway, I'd feel more confident if we were prepared and informed, lol.
ReplyDelete"How to Involve the Whole Family in Hospitality" is the topic I'd be most interested in!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such a great webinar! Thank you so much for doing this giveaway!
{We love your book!!!}
Blessings,
Lauren
FAMILY UNITY! They all look great! The home education session would be really informative too. Thank you for doing this giveaway & I look forward to reading your book :)
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to just choose one but I guess I would have to say my 1st choice would be How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity. With 4 kiddos, I am ALWAYS looking for organizational tips. I am reading your book and am learning so much. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteI am most interested in the one on sibling rivalry. They are good kids but lately seem to have issues with aggravating the tar out of each other and just wont stop when the other child asks them to. Pretty frustrating to say the least.
ReplyDeleteLike so many have mentioned before me, it was difficult to choose just one, but "How to Involve the Whole Family in Hospitality" really hit a soft spot for me. I didn't learn how to host gatherings in my home growing up so it has been a STEEP learning curve for me over the years. With 7 children, I don't want them to face the same issues...I want them to serve alongside us as we invite people into our home and share the love of Christ.
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear the one about building the Entrepreneurial spirit in your children. Several of my children are adopted and some are facing some learning difficulties - one of the things my husband and I keep discussing is that maybe they could start their own business (with our help) that they would be able to use their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Unfortuntately, they also tend to just want others to do things for them - so I would love to hear what they would have to say about growing a spirit of independence in business!
ReplyDeletehow to handle a social worker visit. not that I need one, but it's thought that's on my mind. you never know these days!
ReplyDeleteI would be most interested in how to wage war on sibling rivalry. There are days when it seems like my two oldest children do nothing but think up new ways to annoy and argue with one another!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting this give away!
ReplyDeleteI am interested in the talk on getting through the airport safely with your children.
By the way, our family is really enjoying all the encouragement and wisdom found in your book!
OHHHHHHHH, this is fabulous! I really want to buy this but on a military salary I don't think we will be able to. I think "How to Prepare for a Year of Home Education" will be the one that I'd want to listen to the most. We have a 1, 2, and 3 year old and the 3 year old will be 4 soon and I am so scared of the whole home-schooling thing. I'm afraid I will mess up. Love your book by the way.
ReplyDeleteSo many look interesting, but I'm most intrigued by the topic, "Organizing your home for family unity."
ReplyDeleteI would love to learn how to wage war on sibling rivalry. I have been blessed with four little ones, so far. aprongirl@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi!For years I have heard of husbands and wives sitting together and planning their whole school year together. I was always of the thought of "Gee, that sounds nice, but we don't have the time." Now my husband and I, both are coming to a point where we realize we really need to sit toegether and plan the year, epecially mapping out what we want our children to know and grow on spritiually. So that's what i would like to hear more about, planning our school year. Jenn V.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in the tips for travelling through airports with children, and also organizing for family unity - and I suspect that the latter has a huge influence on the former :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Which ones wouldn't be awesome!! We're planning cross country and overseas trips this year, so the two on airport and road trips sound great!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. These sessions sound wonderful. I think that the one that catches my attention the most is the first one on organizing your home to promote family unity. With 6 and soon to be 7 children I'm sure there would plenty here for us to glean.
ReplyDelete#1 How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity. It seems like that would have the biggest "snowball" effect in our lives ;-)
ReplyDeleteLeah Williams (lrwillia1980@yahoo.com)
O.k., My first choice would be #14 How to Involve the Whole Family in Hospitality. This is a new venture my husband has taken this year. 2011, the Year of Hospitality. Thus far, everything has gone well, food has been good, fellowship great, but we could use tips as we do not want the children to go one way and us another...and that seems like that is what happens. At the same time #12 How to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character is another thing that I'd looooove to use more in our home in light of Duet 6:7-9.
ReplyDelete#11: Sibling rivalry. We have 8 kids 9 and under. And, um, a few of them occasionally bicker (like, all of them all the time).
ReplyDeleteOf course, I can't guarantee I'd stay awake for a webinar, but I'd like to think I could!!
So hard to choose, with the exception of the air travel topic they'd all be so helpful... but I'd love to hear what they have to say about How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity. Thanks!!
ReplyDelete#1 and #11 intrigue me. After a year of 2 moves, blown adrenals, and a traveling husband, I have lost my groove. I need to find a new normal and make our home peaceful and productive. I would so love this! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteall of the topics sound amazing. I am especially looking for ways to encourage my children to pursue opportunities that God gives them. However my budget has been honestly looked over and found wanting or I would definately by these for my family as well as myself. Love your blog and the cow stories are the best!
ReplyDeleteI'm keen to hear what they say about Sibling Rivalry as 2 of my daughters are expert at winding one another up (although I'd love to know what "Jive talk" is),
ReplyDeleteJean
Ooohh, too many to choose just one! I'd have to say How to Wage War on Sibling Rivalry. We have 5 children, 1 boy and 4 girls. Over the past year as my oldest two have entered the teen years, their relationship has been suffering. I would love some advice from those who have been there and have come through it victoriously! Thank you, Michelle C.
ReplyDeleteSibling Rivalry! ...or planning for a year of homeschooling, or roadtrips. How about all of them?! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI am most looking forward to developing an entrepreneurial spirit. What a fantastic idea!
ReplyDelete#1 sounds fantastic to me! Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in the session on encouraging masculinity in our boys! Does it really have to involve so many munitions and so much noise???
ReplyDeleteAs so many have said, it's hard to choose a favourite. Organzing my home to create family unity is something that I have been trying to do on my own...and I would LOVE to hear their suggestions. With 3 little boys (and more to come I'm sure), and a husband in school full time (as well as working full time) organization is a constant struggle of mine. I'd also love to learn what they have to say about a social worker visit. My husband and I are very interested in adopting/fostering once we are done having our own babies and that's going to involve some visits!
ReplyDeleteI think the "How to Make Mealtime Meaningfull" topic most interests me. It's not so hard to do when it is just me and the kids during the day, but when evening rolls around both the hubby and I (and the kids no doubt) are all tired! Praise God we don't have much sibling rivalry (it's all His mercy), and visits from the social worker are routine around here being a foster/adoptive family :-) Thanks for the give away. As a mom of (only) 6, I am always encouraged by your blog!
ReplyDeleteI'm struggling with organizing my home to promote family unity. Really struggling...
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear the one entitled "How to Address the Plague of “Jive Talk” in Your Home." Thanks for offering this giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I need someone, some days, to tell me what to do....in love. and you've done that! Thanks again!!
ReplyDeleteThere are quite a few topics that are on my "top" list but "How to Address the Plague of “Jive Talk” in Your Home" sounds VERY interesting to me! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
Well it is really hard to choose but I guess I would say I am especially interested in "How to Take a Road Trip with Your Family" since we're planning on in the near future :).
ReplyDeleteI think the sibling rivalry one or the jive talk ones would be great to hear.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thank you soooo much for posting about the dentist -- most importantly your daughter and her sealants. It reminded me that my son turns 14 in a couple of weeks and I need his sealants on before then to have them covered by insurance!
Google isn't letting me on, so my e-mail, in case I win (smile!) and in case you need it is jennlovesjesus2(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Thanks! Jennifer Johnson :)
How do I choose which topic interest me the most?! They all sound absolutely wonderful! Only picking two, however... I would say I'm looking forward to the ones on, Involving the Whole Family in Family Worship and Hospitality. Both of these are topics that have been on my heart recently. Thanks for this great offer! :)
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in making mealtime meaningful. We often read- on our own- for some of the meal. I would love to make it more of a bonding time for our family.
ReplyDeleteQuite a few of the topics pique my interest. I believe my top one would be "How to Cultivate a Love of Meaningful Poetry with Your Children, and Why Doing So Is Important"
ReplyDelete#'S 6,7, and 8 are the ones I'm most interested in. Thank you so much for including me in on this!
ReplyDelete1.How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity
ReplyDeleteHaving Family Unity sounds wonderful in my home. We are homeschooling four children and have one adult child living at home. I would love to have an organized home that helps with family unity.
Jane mom27
It is really hard to pick just ONE because they all sound AMAZING!!! That being said, I REALLY HOPE I WIN! :) I think the one that stands out though is sibling relationships. I do not have good relationships with my siblings and I am looking to break generational bondages and cultivate long-lasting friendships among my children!
ReplyDeleteLisa
pricefamily0427@gmail.com
The "Jive Talk" one sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the offer!
Thank you for this chance!! I would love to learn how to watch a movie as a family. All the topics look great though :-)
ReplyDeleteNatalie Weintz weintz8@yahoo.com
Waging war on sibling rivalry is something I'm always doing. So, I'd love to hear more tried and true practical tips for promoting harmony in the home.
ReplyDeleteAll of them *blush*
ReplyDeleteBut ,if I had to narrow it down, My choice would be #1 or #14.
Thank you for the chance to enter :)
I would be most interested in how to address jive talk. This seems like a difficult one to implement in a family.
ReplyDeleteVery excited to hear all the topics discussed but right now I am in need of planning school for the year. We just had our 7th baby and I need to get with our school program.
ReplyDeleteThank you for offering this.
Rhonda P.
All the sessions look interesting, but I am intrigued by How to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character. I'm in the process of moving around our dining room & school room, and am trying to make our living room more comfortable for our younger children and grandchildren. Thank you for the opportunity to enter the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteWe have 4 and about to add a 5th from Ethiopia in next month. I'm going to choose sibling rivalry. Thx!
ReplyDeletei would have to vote for the one on sibling rivalry closely followed by organizing your home to promote family unity.
ReplyDeleteAndrea
So many of the sound great. The most intriguing to me is How to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character
ReplyDeleteKristin
I would be most interested in How to Cultivate Femininity on Daughters, since my own mother is far from feminine, and never taught us 3 girls about femininity or Biblical womanhood, even though she is a Christian. Thanks for this opportunity, Kim! :)
ReplyDeleteSaraA
scottanderson@bbtel.com
I would love to hear "How to Organize my Home". I am in the process of trying to do that now and with a LARGE family, I sure could use some tips!!!!
ReplyDeletemom to 10
Mom of 8 here. #12 is my first pick, wondering if it's more than scripture on the walls....
ReplyDeleteThey all look great, though, and it's always encouraging to hear from those who've gone before!
Amy
Followed your blog for about 4 years now...it has been VERY encouraging! Thank you!
Hmmm its a tie for
ReplyDelete6.How to Involve the Whole Family in Family Worship
and
4.How to Prepare for a Year of Home Education
Adding our last 4 babies so close-- both a struggle at times.... with the simple logistics....
With 3 little ones and a teenager, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed...All the topics are needed in my life. I guess I would like to start at #1 Organzizing my home to promote unity within my family. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAll the topics are wonderful. But I am especially interested in the topics on how to cultivate feminity in daughters and sibling rivalry.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Jodi (jonesmetal@ptmc.net)
Thank you for the chance to win. I think How to Involve the Whole Family in Hospitality would be the most interesting. With young children I would like to encourage their spirit of hospitality.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely needing the one on sibling rivalry right now!
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear what Doug and Beall have to say about miscarriage. It's so hard to get the little ones to understand. Sounds like this will be another great series from VF.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Cindy (reformedcrawfords at yahoo dot com)
The meal table one has me the most excited. I've said to my husband on more than one teary occasion, "I HATE dinner time." Bad attitude but it's because I KNOW our meals could be enojoyable and meaningful but they're far from it and I have no clue how to get us there.
ReplyDeleteYikes, so hard to pick they all are so good! I think to bring poetry into our home would be great. I could use much help on this topic!
ReplyDeleteLaura
Entrepreneurial spirit topic would be informative! Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear the one about decorating with a spiritual emphasis.
ReplyDeleteI would really love to learn more about planning a year of home schooling. We are a large family of 8 working on baby #7 and recently decided home schooling was right for us. Any help would be great!! ;o)
ReplyDeleteI believe our family would greatly benefit from the session on "Organizing Your Home to Promote Family Unity"... but that's if I could only pick one :) They all look so helpful! Thank you for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Jessica
With older children and young adults inhabiting our home, I would like some insight into #7. I don't see that subject addressed too often and I don't think I've done a great job in this area. I'd really like to do better!
ReplyDeleteThere are many that I am interested in, but especially number 1 (the promoting family unity part) and number 19 (taking a road trip).
ReplyDeleteI have to say the one that probably "intrigues" me the most is the one on "jive talk," just because I wonder what exactly that's about. :) But as far as which one is intriguing from a standpoint of relevance to my family, that would be a lot of them, so it's hard to choose. #1 sounds like an interesting perspective on organization, and I also could use some thoughts on #3.
ReplyDeleteHow to Encourage Femininity in Daughters - I need all the help I can get to help my girls grow more gracefully than I did!
ReplyDeleteRoadtrips...but really all look very beneficial
ReplyDeleteI would be most interested in #8.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hostessing a give a way!
Lorinda
We have 12 children and haven't done any remodeling since we moved into our home 11 years ago (expecting baby #5 back then). I have recently been dreaming of a few home projects, so the title, "How to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character" really caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I must admit, they all sound great!
It is so hard to choose just one topic because they all sound so good! But I would probably have to say the one on encouraging masculinity in sons - since we have four so far. Thanks so much for an opportunity to win this!!
ReplyDelete~Diane
welove2pray@yaho.com
They all sound great I need them ALl
ReplyDeleteI choose this one.
How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity
I would love to hear any of these messages, but the one that intrigues me the most is the message on how to use household decorations to teach character. I love to decorate my home with scripture, it is so encouraging to be surrounded by the word!
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear about how to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think the session about Encouraging masculinity in sons would be most helpful in our house. We have three that seem to really need help in that area! :-)
ReplyDeleteHi! Love your blog and just got your Family Logistics in the mail!!
ReplyDeleteI heard about it on Facebook from a friend, and being a mother of eight, I knew it was for me!
I just started my own blog too, and being new, am just learning as I go.
Love all the mommy support that's out there. It's nice to know other families look at children as blessings. So many we meet, just think were insane!
God bless,
Jen
http://thehalefamily-youjustgottalaugh.blogspot.com/