June 2012 - Page 2 of 6 - Educating Laytons

Just For Fun: 10 Hunt

June 26, 2012 By Stef

Every now and then it’s fun to leave a little challenge out for your kids!

Homeschool, private, public, or pre … everyone enjoys a challenge! One morning hubs surprised my son with a super fun scavenger hunt and it has inspired me to keep up the excitement.

Simply click here –> 10 Hunt and print! Then sit back, watch the fun, and enjoy a cup of coffee!
(little ones might find it easier to put things in a bag while older children can write the item on the lines).

Come back next Wednesday for a new Just For Fun Hunt !

Filed Under: Just For Fun

10 Reasons to Keep Your Journal

June 25, 2012 By Stef

One more week before Tactile Tuesday resumes — so let me share 10 Reasons to Keep Your Journal!

Recently I was emailing a close friend and we both shared how we are still journaling even though we’re bloggers. That some things should be kept between us and God and not used for self promotion.

10 Reasons to Keep Your Journal

1. Private information about family members you do not want others to judge / criticize from a blog post. Also eliminates desire to air dirty laundry in the form of vindictive posts which always leads to more strife.

2. Current hurts/questions God wants to work through by His means not advice from biased blog commenting friends. (God’s truth & friendly advice is not always the same thing)

3. Not having to edit heart feelings that might sound callous or selfish online.

4. Honest motives rather than abusing personal (sometimes tugging on heart strings) situations for pageview growth or ebook sales.

5. Protection from those rude “anonymous” comments post by Rachel Martin.

6. Freedom to write more than 500-700 words and still feel cool.

7. Genuine communication with God for growing your faith (eternal rewards) rather than your SEO prowess.

8. Easier to flip through a prayer journal than having to use your search feature to find that one prayer that was edited to sound really smart.

9. Zero need/desire to stay on social media all day to promote that one “this is gonna make me famous” post.

10. Keeping certain memories just for yourself / family – How to Keep a Secret post by Sarah Markley

What do you think? Should bloggers reserve special things just for themselves??

Filed Under: Extra

How are people walking away from you?

June 23, 2012 By Stef

Did you ever catch the way people walked away from Christ. Some ran, some saw for the first time, some rushed to share the news, but majority all walked away changed. (I can only think of the rich man turning away sad because he could not give up all his money).

I can’t help but ask …. **How are people walking away from me?**

Two weeks ago Hubs was in Brazil for the whole week plus some and my children were ridiculously insane. Each day was a battle of some sort. And each skype conversation I unloaded on my husband.

I complained. I whined. I spent our precious minutes dragging my man down forcing him to carry the burden with me all in the name of “venting”.

One day he sent us a picture of his breakfast in Brazil- an open coconut & straw while we were on skype. As little man and I were looking at the text I thought it would be funny to take a picture of us on skype.

Hubs had no idea and you’d have to be blind to miss the sadness on his face. He felt sick, it had been raining all week in S. America too so he was feeling cooped up and gloomy, but most of all he missed the two giggling blondes in the lower screen an equator hop away.

It was our perfect day getting along and smiling (I even had on some make up). I had not dragged him down – without intention I gave him a glimpse of his happy home.

I’ve never seen my man look more bummed to be away from us! It took no fancy words, no guilt trip - just laughter. Joy. We were loving on each other and my man wanted to be apart of that.

Are we changing the way people walk away from us?

Do we even care?! Forget the church face, the PTA meetings, the soccer team – let’s get real personal because I throw my guts onto this screen to show you real life very often!

How about our immmediate family?! Our children, our husband, our neighbors … are they walking away changed??

Do people walk away from us feeling better or worse? If we have Christ’s love … why not??