Thursday, November 13, 2008

Making Your Home A Haven: Fun


Great job this week! Have your husbands or children noticed a difference in your home this week? I'd love to hear how your Havens are impacting your families!

One note - I've been visiting your posts and it seems there are many struggles in our efforts to create Havens. I have been experiencing this as well and it seems logical when you think about it. We are desiring to honor God which means that we are likely on our enemy's radar - he wants to stop us to frustrate us to discourage us. I believe God would want us to persevere and honor Him in what we are able to get done - believe me, this is speaking to myself first of all.

Let's move on with day four ~

Time with Our Father: This would be a great time to pray over our lists for today, pray for God's blessing on our homes and the homes of the other ladies participating and spend sweet time in fellowship with Him. What thought will you carry with you today from your quiet time?

For me, one aspect of making my home a haven is that it is a place that is fun to be. A place where memories are made. Over the past few days, we've accomplished a lot in the physical care of our home. Today, I want to focus on making my home a place that is fun to be. What is on your list today?

It is always fun to hear what everyone else is having for dinner - what are you serving tonight?

Here's my plan for today:

Up and dressed; sitting at the kitchen table by 7am for Quiet Time
Littles up; fed; dressed
Park for play - the girls asked for this yesterday and since today is about fun, I am happy to accommodate.
Tea party
Craft time - supplies in the trunk are fair game!
Dinner: Hamburgers and Oven Fries (since David surprised me with dinner out last night - we'll have this tonight!)

I would love to hear what you are planning for the day. If you are able or interested - please take before and after pictures and tell us about your day! I'll be posting my update later today on how our day went. Please add your link (directly to your post, please) or comment so we can visit and encourage one another. Let's also be diligent in praying for one another these last couple of days.

22 comments:

Lisar said...

I am coming back for more...but have no idea how I might incorporate fun into tomorrow...will post in the morning after another good nights sleep!!

Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet said...

Thank you for doing this as I don't always incorporate fun into our day at least as a family that is. The kids usually do things with their friends or by themselves.

Unknown said...

Good Morning! Today, I have a few things on my list...but, that is a great challenge for today! FUN! Can't wait to get going!

Elizabeth Sue said...

Sounds like fun! We are off to the playground too today!

April said...

Thanks for helping us along in this journey! Your honesty this week has been refreshing. Not one of us moms has it all together! :-)

Anonymous said...

Are you going to have a fun family activity tonight too?

We have to fold laundry and straighten up the house tonight, but I will definitely try to make it funner than normal! Maybe fun music while we clean, and a family movie while we fold? I'd love suggestions on making cleaning fun!

And, I got on here just to post about my daughters reaction to her bedroom, and saw that you actually asked how our families are responding.

Well, just by me cleaning out Lily's bedroom, my husband responded by folding her laundry while I cleaned.

Nathan (the hubby) had carried Lily to her bed asleep last night, so she didn't see her clean room until this morning. The first words out of her mouth when I woke her up were "My floor is clean!" Then I opened her closet door and she was SO excited to see her baby doll bunk beds, her My Little Pony castle, and her vanity were all placed neatly on the floor in her closet, ready for her to play with. She also looked through her toy box so she'd know exactly where each toy was.

Then she pulled a baby and her baby doll carrier out of her toy box, took a purse out of her closet, put a hair bow and book in her purse, and asked if she could take those things to pre-school with her so she could tell her teachers all about her clean room!

She also made sure her room was picked back up again, and the dirty clothes put away, before she left so her room would be ready for her to come home to tonight :-)

Her excitement was worth every second of work, and I don't even care that I'm going to be tired at work today.

Seeing my family's reaction also gives me a renewed desire to make the rest of the house presentable tonight so I can dig into some deep cleaning next week.

Thanks again for these posts; I really appreciate the motivation to do something I've been putting off for months!

fixedonHIM said...

Looking forward to this day and creating a list of fun things to do in the weeks to come. I think I'd like to create a FUN day each week in school. Hmmm... so much to think about!

Lately I feel like time is just flying by so quickly and sometimes there is no time for fun...that is sad :(

I am so grateful for this week ...it has really challenged me! I will now continue to tackle the areas we have worked on until the clutter and cleaning is complete. By the holidays I hope to have a haven ready (no hidden piles), cared for and welcoming for fun.

Beth said...

Oh my...I actually have to think about how to be "fun" today! We have gobs of errands today including a pediatrician appointment and grocery shopping (neither qualifies as fun for any of us, lol).
I'll try and check back later, have a blessed day!

Anonymous said...

I'm so excited for today to see what blessings God will bring through our fun together.

I have to say that my family is really responding to their new "haven" and I am already reaping the benefits of having a happier crew.

Praying for each of you as you go about your day today!

Anonymous said...

Thanks again, Monica. This has been really helpful for me this week! You're right about the struggle, and I'm so thankful to know that the Lord has already won the victory for us! I do pray He grants us some fun in the midst of it all today. :-) Blessings to you!

Unknown said...

Sounds like you have a fun day in store! This site is a blessing to me and to so many others! Thanks for sharing your heart. Have a wonderful day :)

Dolly said...

This reminds me of Oprah's advice for the week :) She has clutter-bug cleanup time! I was totally inspired to pick up my livingroom last night! I think I'll outline my day also :)

Dana said...

I just found your site:) Today I'm off to a potluck bible study, then home to rake the leafs and for dinner tonight we will have chili mac and jalepeno bread:) The house is cleaned and the bedding has been changed:) I will admit it could be cleaner.

Anonymous said...

thanks for doing this! i just love it. i started tuesday morning. i normally keep things neat around here, but sometimes having a perfect attitude about certain unlikable chores keeps me a little down. my husband came in last night & he said "wow, i can tell such a difference the past two days. there is just a different spirit about home. it really feels like a haven." i almost wanted to cry it was so wonderful! thanks so much for motivating us to do this with you...

Anonymous said...

Monica-
thanks for the challenge you have given to us of making our homes a priority. i read your blog daily, and it has been such an encouragement to me, so thank you! i was just wondering- what do you do for your quiet time? do you use a devotional book, or do you just use the Bible alone? do you have a "system?" this is such an area of weakness for me. i don't really have a set way i do things and i think that would help. i was just curious to hear what you or others do, and what has helped in your experience. i realize everyone is different, but i like to take a little something from everyone and make it my own.
thanks, and i am looking forward to hear how your day went! :-)
-Laura

Michelle said...

This one was the best!

Anonymous said...

I am only on day 2 of this but it has been a challenge. A much needed challenge. Thanks for reminding us amid the cleaning we need to have fun.

Laine said...

Sorry it's so late in the day...internet was down. But I'm so glad that I still get to participate! =0)

Claire said...

Thank you so much for this - it has been a challenge that was very needed in my home!

Loving today's part! We could all use a little more FUN!!!

Alesha said...

I just wanted to let you how much I am enjoying this series. This has been a very busy week for me, so I was only able to participate one day. Next week I am free and I am going back through and completing all the challenges and I will be on my way to making my home a haven. Thanks so much for the inspiration....

Monica Wilkinson said...

So exciting to hear how the Havens are being blessed!

Laura: In response to your quiet time comment. You are right that everyone is different in what works for them and even within that, I think that different things sometimes work in different seasons and not in others.

What I have found that consistently is best for me is to just read The Bible, I don't want to replace my Bible time with reading what someone else thinks about the Bible instead of actually reading it!!

I usually skip around a read a book at a time - one chapter a day. Where to start? I love Psalms and Proverbs and both of those are filled with prayer, praise, requests for forgiveness - the text is very real and I appreciate that.

As for what else I do - I have struggled with prayer for a long time. Finding what works for me in this area is still something I'm seeking. But, what is currently helping is to keep a prayer journal. This just means that I write letters or prayers to God whenever I want to. Yes, I pray in my heart and mind throughout the day - but this is a more intentional sitting down and communicating with Him.

Anyone else want to add to what works for them?!

Great question -
Monica

Abbi said...

I am really enjoying this series. Thanks for the great job you are doing in hosting it!