Written by Kari, Contributing Writer

I know there are hundreds of ways to display those beautiful Christmas cards we get each year. I’ve done most of them over the course of my beautiful life. Everything form hanging them from decorative ribbon to placing them in a crystal bowl. A couple years ago I was reading Living Magazine and found a quick and inexpensive way to display cards. I needed a change and this was perfect.

A simple wooden wreath.

Well, more like an embroidery hoop with mini-clothespins, but like I said, a simple wooden wreath. It worked perfect.

What does this have to do with health, which is what I usually write about? Nothing. Not only am I passionate about teaching and educating people on health – I enjoy being crafty too! So, this is just a look at another side of me!

It cost less than $10 for the supplies and didn’t take long at all to make. The glue drying is the most time consuming part of it all. This is when you get to play with your kids, watch Netflix or eat cookies. Or all three. You can choose the size and number of hoops you’ll need depending on how many cards you usually get. I did one large and two medium. They really look beautiful once they fill up and make it so easy for everyone to scan and look at the cards when they are visiting your home.

Now, wouldn’t you say that these simple wooden wreaths make your own Christmas scene look so much better? I thought so! Now go make one for you!

Christmas Wreath Card Display

What You’ll Need:

• a couple needlework/embroidery hoops – I did one large and 2 medium sizes
• a couple packages of mini-clothespins
• craft glue
• ribbon for hanging

What You’ll Need To Do

1. I glued the mini clothespins every two inches around the hoop.  I alternated the pins – one facing out, one facing in.
2. let them dry overnight (simply because I got side tracked and didn’t get back to it the same day).
3. Once dry, I attached the ribbon and hung it on display.

Like I said, when they are completely filled, they look really pretty – like a big wheel of cards. It’s nice to be able to see them all and be reminded how blessed we are to know so many wonderful and loving people – which always makes my heart happy.

What is your favorite way to display your Christmas cards?

The post Christmas Wreath Card Display appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Courtney @ A + Life, Contributing Writer 

December always has a way of sneaking up on us, doesn’t it? I know for our family, with homeschooling, November birthdays, and Thanksgiving, before you know it- December is here! And if we aren’t careful, it can be really easy to get swept up into the massive consumerism of the holiday season and completely miss out on the opportunity to share with our girls the REAL reason we celebrate in the first place.

Jesus, of course! So here are four things that our family does to make sure to keep Jesus at the forefront of all of our celebrating. 

4 Ways To Celebrate Jesus 

Celebrate Advent

Is there anything more beautiful than celebrating the advent season? We make sure to have our family present in church every Sunday during the holiday season. Our kids sit in the service with us, so they get the chance to see our candles being lit, hear the progression of the Christmas story, and the beautiful worship music all preparing our hearts and minds for the wonderful celebration of the birth of Jesus! We also count down to Christmas with…..

Truth In The Tinsel

Have you ever heard of Truth In The Tinsel? It is a wonderful program for the 24 days in December leading up to Christmas to help teach the Christmas story to our littles through hands on crafts and stories. Each day gets a verse, a craft, and an activity to help them remember all of the special details that happened before our Savior was born. We have done Truth In The Tinsel for the last few years and it has been such a blessing to our family! I recommend it to every family I know who has small kids. They love it! 

(PS. If you don’t want to do a craft every day, they have an option to just buy a pack of coloring page style ornaments. So you can still teach the story but have an easy craft to do! Perfect!)

Operation Christmas Child

OCC has been such a blessing to our family! We really want Abigail (and Mabel as she grows!) to learn to GIVE to others, especially those in need. Taking the focus off of themselves and the things that they want or can get, it helps them to turn their eyes to others instead. And as Christian parents, there is almost no better and more tangible way for us to teach them the concept of “loving your neighbor” than through OCC! We love to shop year round with those sweet kids in mind. It has been really neat to listen to Abigail talk about mailing “the little girls” gifts and to go shopping and see her thinking about what they might like. We shop for little toys and craft supplies, toiletries, and other fun things little girls like Abigail would like. Every year we also choose to track our boxes so we can find out where our boxes are going. Last year they went to Mexico and the year before that they went to South America! 

Three Christmas Gifts 

Another way that we keep Christmas from becoming completely overwhelming and about the presents- we only do 3 gifts for each of our girls. As they get older, we plan to incorporate more of the symbolism of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh into their actual gifts. But, for now, we simply choose three items we know they would love or need to represent the 3 gifts the wise men brought to Jesus. Abigail loves that and we love the opportunity to have just one more way to point her to Jesus this Christmas. 

How do you incorporate Jesus into your Christmas celebration with your family?

The post 4 Ways To Celebrate Jesus This Christmas appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Kari @ Kari Newsom Contributing Writer

 It’s that time of year again.

As a Health and Nutrition Coach, I always have people ask me for some tips on how to successfully celebrate special occasions without completely going off the deep end when it comes time to eat.

The first and most important thing I always tell people is this:

ENJOY THE CELEBRATION!!!

All to often we try so hard to do ‘the right thing’ about the whole ‘eating during the holiday’ issue, that we actually end up NOT enjoying this time of year.

Don’t do that anymore.  Eating healthy and making healthier choices isn’t about being miserable.  I promise.

There are a couple pointers I like to give people who don’t want to go crazy, over indulge and completely get off track with their healthy lifestyle.

If you are like the average person, this time of year {or any celebration for that matter} can be a challenging time.

My family typically eats extremely healthy,  BUT I don’t freak out and go crazy that I’m not getting my organic and fresh foods.  I am always thankful that someone would take the time to prepare a meal for us to enjoy – whether it’s considered ‘healthy’ in my book or not.  Since 98% of the time we eat extremely healthy and disciplined at home, I never feel guilty when those occasions arise where we aren’t able to eat that way. 

If there are certain foods that you absolutely cannot eat (if you have allergies or have celiac, etc.) then speak with the host for that day and explain your situation and ask if it would be okay if you brought some of your own items so you can still sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone else.  Many times you will find that the host may offer to make some dishes according to your needs.  If your eating preferences are just that, preferences, then it’s up to you to make smart choices while you are filling your plate. 

Here are a few tips that might help you out this Thanksgiving holiday:

1. Eat a Smaller Meal Beforehand

If you are prone to eating TONS of food and filling your plate to overflowing, then going back for seconds and thirds – try eating a small meal before you go to your Thanksgiving celebration.  It doesn’t have to be a rich meal, just a small meal that will help fill you up enough where gorging out on food doesn’t look so appealing to you!  You’ll still get to enjoy the food on the table, you just won’t be shoveling it all in your mouth like there’s no tomorrow.

2. Water

Drinking a glass of water about 30 minutes before sitting down to eat can make a person feel full, so you won’t end up eating as much.

3. Self-Control

Make a decision to only have one plate of food, which means smaller portions of each item.  Not always easy, but your stomach will thank you for it once dessert time rolls around.

4. Mini Size It

If you are a dessert sampler like some {GUILTY], then don’t take full size servings of each dessert.  Cut in half, thirds or quarters so you can sample all the wonderful goodies, without consuming the amount of an entire pie or cake by the time you’re done.

5. Control Your Eyes

If your eyes are always bigger than your stomach, then it’s about discipline, discipline, discipline!  Just CONTROL yourself when filling your plate!!!  Yes, it smells so good and looks amazing and Aunt Susie’s mashed potatoes are the bomb, but you don’t need a mountain of food to enjoy all that goodness. 

Studies show that the first couple bites of food are the most intense and satisfying – taste wise.  Even with amazing desserts, the more bites you take, the magnitude of it’s greatness starts to taper down a bit after the first few bites.

6. Going Back

Are seconds bad?  I don’t think so, as long as your first servings weren’t gi-normous to begin with. Just remember that you don’t need to over do it!  When your body tells you to stop eating – then STOP EATING!

7. Enjoy The Company

Make a conscious effort to enjoy the people around you.  Aren’t we all gathering on Thanksgiving (or whatever celebration) to spend time with each other?  Yes, so enjoy your company, engage in conversation, laugh and CHEW SLOWLY.  This is a guarantee that you won’t eat as much when you talk with people and give your food a chance to settle and your brain is told that you’re full (this usually takes about 15-20 minutes to occur.)

8. Chew Chew Chew

Along with chewing slowly, we should all chew each bite 20-30 times before swallowing completely!  I know you think I sound crazy, but you will reduce the amount of food you eat by quite a bit.  Why?  Since you’re taking the time to chew your food purposely, you won’t be gulping down large portions every 5 seconds and by the time you’ve been eating for 15-20 minutes and your body is saying ‘STOP, I’M FULL’ – you won’t have consumed nearly as much food.  Also, chewing this many times is the most important part of digestions since it breaks down your food to a point that once it hits your stomach, your stomach won’t need to work so hard to continue the digestion process.

9. Nix Tons of Liquids While Eating

Try not to drink a ton of liquid while you are eating.  The reason is because it dilutes your digestive juices in your stomach and then it takes so much longer for your body to digest your food.  This can lead to you feeling so full that you feel sick to your stomach.  Give your food a chance to do its job once its in your body!

All in all, we need to demonstrate self control and we are more than capable of doing that! Take time to enjoy the food that has been prepared for you and enjoy the people surrounding you. These holidays have a purpose behind them, so focus on those purposes instead of making the food the center and most important aspect of the day.

Most importantly, when it comes to the food you eat, pray over your food and thank God for the nourishment to your bodies and protecting you from any harm. Thank Him for the family and friends that are surrounding you and the many blessings you have in your life. Thank Him for the life you have. If you are reading this, then you are alive! What a wonderful thing. On top of that, you can’t be reading this post without a computer, ipad or smart phone!  Be thankful! You are blessed! Now, be a blessing to others!

What simple things do you do during holiday celebrations to avoid over-indulging?

The post Tips For Eating Healthy During The Holidays appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Kari @ KariNewsom.com, Contributing Writer

Autumn is officially here! At least in Colorado! We are having beautiful and warm days (high 70’s to low 80’s), but the nights are cool and crisp! Leaves are turning bright yellow, orange and red – and the morning has brought a slight haze these past few days.

Typically I am more of a warm-weather person. I’m all about the sun, flip flops and being outside. That being said, I’m still a Colorado girl at heart. I like to get bundled up in chunky sweaters, wool socks and fur lined shoes. I like jumping in the Jeep with my husband and kids, all bundled up, to drive to the mountains to see the Aspen’s turning. And since we’re Colorado natives, no matter what the weather, you roll the windows down, crank the heat and put those hats on and enjoy the drive!

The other thing I like about autumn is that I start spending more time in the kitchen again, making delicious and yummy smelling foods! A few years ago I wanted to make a pumpkin pie – a pie that I’ve never liked. As in ever. I figured it was because store bought pumpkin pies were not close to one made from scratch, so I wanted to try making one COMPLETELY from scratch to see if I could like a real pumpkin pie!

I have to say, when I took the first bite of this from-scratch creation, I instantly became hooked. This is a tad more involved than other recipes – okay, a lot more involved, so make your special occasions more special by incorporating this into the menu. It is absolutely delicious! If you’re already a pumpkin pie lover – then you MUST try this and add it to your favorite’s list! It’s on ours, which is why we included it in my first cookbook – Real Food. Real Kitchen. So Good!

Spiced Pumpkin Pie with
Flaky Pastry Crust

Yield: 2-3 pies

What you need:

*for the flaky pastry crust

• 3 ¾ cups white spelt flour
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, aluminum-free
• 1 ¾ cup cold real butter
• 2/3 cups ice cold filtered water
• 2 tablespoons full-fat plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

*for the spiced pumpkin pie filling and topping
(this will fill at least 2 pie dishes, depending on the size you make – believe me you’ll be glad you have more than one)

• TOPPING
  1/2 cup (1 stick) real butter , at room temperature
• 1 cup spelt flour
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• FILLING
  1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 4 eggs, from pasture-raised chickens
• 2 egg yolks, from pasture-raised chickens
• 2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
• 29 ounces pure pumpkin, pureed
• 2 (12oz) cans evaporated milk

What You Do:

FOR THE FLAKY PASTRY CRUST:

1. In a VERY large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and blend well.
2.  With a pastry blender – or 2 butter knives, cut in the cold butter until you have chunks the size of peas.
3. In a measuring glass, mix cold water, yogurt and vinegar together. Add liquid, all at once, to the flour mixture.
4. Stir quickly to distribute the liquid BUT DO NOT over mix. The consistency of the dough at this point will be a tad crumbly.
5. Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. When the dough is ready it will break and not stretch.
6. Divide into three portions and shape into discs. For the ones you won’t be using right now, wrap in wax paper and store in an freezer safe zip lock bag and place in the freezer for up to one month or in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you do freeze it, thaw it in the fridge overnight – do not leave it out on the counter to thaw out.
7. When ready to use, roll out to around 12″ diameter so it will fit right in a 9″ pie dish. Transfer dough to the pie dish and trim the edge so it’s hanging over the edge by 1/2″. Fold over the edge and shape as desired. With a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the crust and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
8. To “blind bake” the crust, place a piece of parchment paper in the pie dish, on top of the crust and fill with dry beans so it’s weighted down. Place pie crust on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350F degrees. After 30 minutes, remove the parchment paper and beans and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven and cool before placing any filling inside.

 For Spiced Pumpkin Pie Filling and Topping:

1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
2. Combine all the TOPPING ingredients in a medium size bowl and set aside.
3. Combine all the FILLING ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well. Pour this mixture into the cooled down pie crusts.
4. Bake pies for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 350F degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the topping on both pies. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. If you find the edges begin to burn while finishing the bake time, place foil over the edges to during those last 15 minutes of baking.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• White spelt flour: whole white wheat, whole wheat pastry, unbleached & unenriched white flour
• Cane sugar: coconut sugar, palm sugar
• Full-fat plain yogurt: full-fat sour cream, crème fraiche
• Brown sugar: coconut sugar or cane sugar with 2 tablespoons of molasses added
• Freshly grated ginger: use 1 teaspoon ground ginger if you can’t get fresh ginger

HEALTH MADE EASY:

if using canned pumpkin puree, choose organic | make your own puree using “pie pumpkins”, which is a pretty simple process | since it makes 3 pies, you can either bless someone else with one or freeze them for up to a couple months | the fresh ginger really makes a difference in the taste, I prefer fresh over ground

What is your favorite autumn recipe that makes you smile from ear to ear?

The post Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Flaky Pastry Crust appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Recently our family was out on a walk together and we came across a trail littered with beautiful pinecones.  Don’t you love how God decorates for us in the beauty of nature?!  Beyond the physical beauty of pinecones, just think about their picture of renewal and growth.  It is not until a pinecone experiences hot/dry/difficult times that it open up to fulfill the greatness it was created for.  If a pinecone never opens up and grows, it cannot spread any seed or fulfill its purpose.  So lovely!

That day it didn’t occur to me to pick some up and bring them home…so I had to go back another day when I had decided to put this project together.  

DIY Simple Pinecone Swag

What you need:

• 7 large pinecones (with stems preferred)
• 3-4 yards Wide ribbon 
• 1-2 yards Thin ribbon

What to do: 

1. If you use pinecones that are fresh from the forest for any craft project, it’s a good idea to “bake out the bugs” first.  Line them in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes.

2.  Cut the wide ribbon into varying lengths as to where you want the pinecones to rest.  Tie the lengths together in a wide loose knot at the top.  Tie a length of the thin ribbon through the knot for hanging the swag when it is complete. 

3. Cut seven strips of thin ribbon about 6 inches long.  Tightly, wrap and tie one piece of thin ribbon around each pinecone stem.  Then tie each of the pinecones, staggered in length, to one of the wide ribbons.

4. Finish off the ribbon ends in a clean angled cut and the swag is complete!

Do you have any favorite pinecone projects?  Please, share your ideas, I picked up PLENTY of pinecones!

The post Simple Pinecone Swag appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Christy from Fresh Mix Momma, Contributing Writer

December is a busy time of year for everyone!
Thanksgiving just ended, Christmas is coming up and New Years is just around the corner.
With everything going on, it’s very easy to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle and lose sight of the fun and meaning of the Holidays.

Sometimes it’s just nice to be more low key and simple with Christmas to really enjoy the Holidays.

If you are looking for a more simple Christmas, try out a few of these ideas:

Make some homemade decorations

• Homemade ornaments
• Popcorn Garland
• Christmas Paintings
• Christmas Wreath

Have family nights

• Christmas movie theme night (example: give your kids a “train ticket” to watch “Polar Express” while having hot chocolate)
• Read Christmas stories next to the tree
• Pile in the car and check out neighborhood Christmas lights
• Cook dinner as a family

Make Homemade gifts

• Hand scrubs
• Custom sign
• Jewelry
• Meal in a jar

Start making your own traditions

• Yearly Christmas family photo
• Christmas Letter
• Thankful Jar
• Family dinner with game (like white elephant gifts)
• Cookie and Hot Chocolate Party

Remember that the Holidays don’t have to be packed full of so much stuff that it quickly passes you by. Slow down, take time to make memories and enjoy keeping the Holidays simple!

Do you have any family tradition for Christmas?  

The post Keeping the Holidays Simple appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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We like to do all of those I just mentioned, but one of my favorite traditions is writing up a Christmas letter each year. It’s a keepsake I love taking out when the holiday season approaches, adding to, and reading through all the past letters each and every year. 

The past 2 years I have used printables from a lovely blog called Stonegable. This year I decided to borrow her layout and create my own. 

I decided to go with a white background so it’ll use less ink and/or I can print them out on some nice stationary like this. In our letters, I like to discuss our children, put in a blurb about my husband and I, what the top 5 events of the year were and what we are looking forward to next year. 

How to use this printable?

There are a couple of ways to use this printable. You can print it out and write on it or once you download it, go to PicMonkey, upload it and use their free editing tools. You can use each of the spaces to meet your needs and what you want to discuss in each section. Then print it out and share it with your loved ones. Here’s a great tutorial on how to use PicMonkey’s editing tools. 

**note: for PicMonkey you need to download the image below. 

———>Download the 2014 Year in Review Pdf Here or Image Here<———-

What is your favorite family tradition? Do you write Christmas letters?

The post Christmas Letter {2014 Year in Review Printable} appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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Written by Kelly @ Eyes On The Source, Contributing Writer 

On the 6th day of Christmas, day2day joys gave to me…

A cute and roomy tote from 31 Gifts by Tiffany!  A festive bag to carry all of your goodies to and from holiday events (and more)!

Thirty-One is a tote/purse company developed to help women bless each other through beautiful products and friendships. The faith-based company not only offers quality products that can be personalized, but also income opportunity for women wanting flexible work hours, more family time, etc.  
There are so many styles to choose from and each one can be personalized by pattern, size, wording and more!  Really something for everyone to meet every purse, storage and organizing need.  I could look at the product catalog for hours, they’re all so PRETTY! You have GOT to check out these products!!

Features of 31 Gifts by Tiffany Totes and Purses:

• Quality material
• Sturdy, strong handles
• Personalize-able
• Limitless options in bags and storage
• Beautiful patterns and materials

Now for my review:

I was given a Large Utility Tote in the Penguin Party Print.  It is a generous sized bag with a metal frame in the top seam to offer added support for larger items to be carried and to keep the bag from closing as you are loading and carrying items around.

Cute, huh?! The possibilities of what this bag can be used for are endless!  Carrying, organizing, storing and so on!  It can be filled with gifts/food as you travel to and from holiday gatherings.  You can fill it with blankets by the book shelf/fire.  Fill it with groceries or holiday shopping items.  Save yourself several trips to and from the car!

 I have purchased other bags especially for carrying grocery items and each bag before has ripped or had handles broken.  I LOVE that the handles on the Large Utility Tote are wide, tough straps that go down the entire side of the bag for super durability!

What I Liked:

1. The amount of stuff I can fit in the bag
2. The festive pattern
3. Sturdy handles
4. Print choices

What I didn’t Like:

Nothing! Never met a Thirty-One Bag that I didn’t like!

 You can Buy It!

Tiffany would love to help you figure out the perfect product for you or help you cross off a few names on your Christmas list! Contact her for personalized shopping! 

You can Win it!

Enter this giveaway! If you win, you will get a Large Utility Tote in the Penguin Party Print from 31 Gifts by Tiffany. Use rafflecopter below!a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post 12 Days of Christmas {Day 6: Thirty-One Gifts} appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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In parenting three small children, keeping my home, and attempting the occasional personal pursuit, I often find myself vacillating between loving my life and being overcome by the blessing of it all, and loving my life but just being plain overcome.

The days are full and busy and beautiful and FULL. And these are just the normal days.

One such normal day recently went like this: I set my alarm the night before. Actually, I set six alarms in hope that one would take. The next morning, I ignored the first five alarms but manage to roll out of bed thirty minutes before the kids woke up. This gave me the perfect amount of time to locate my pajama pants and my robe, brush my teeth, and then quietly sneak down the hall to the living room. At which point I grabbed a pre-breakfast snack and sat down to prepare for the day. Just when my mind regained the ability to maintain a coherent thought, the inevitable happened. A child wakes up.

The rest of the day is dedicated to any or all of the above: Cooking. Cleaning. Asking my children to clean.  Teaching.  Correcting/instructing/disciplining.  Crafting.  Cuddling up with my kids and a few favorite books.  Child-inspired chaos. Napping. Fighting naps. Insisting on naps. Giving up on naps. Praying for a heart that more readily accepts nap time providence. Laundry. Walks in the woods. Neglecting to mop/dust/wipe off kitchen table. Sharing meal and giggles together. Bedtime bliss.

If the normal days are sometimes enough to overwhelm me recently, then the days that are swiftly coming are sure to push me over the proverbial edge if I don’t have a plan.

The biggest holidays of the year are coming. Thanksgiving will be here in less than two weeks and with it comes the Christmas season.

I love this season. I love the music and the cinnamon candles. I love the stockings hung on the mantle lit up by the warm glow of a fire. I love twinkle lights and fragrant wreaths and presents under the tree. I love cookies. I love remembering every day how the whole Bible points to the one central message of a Redeemer coming to Earth for a needy people.

There is so much to love about this season. There is also so much that begs for our attention, our time, and our resources.

I’m as susceptible as anyone when it comes to overfilling my plate and our family’s schedule. I’m also prone to the common tendencies of doubting my decisions and struggling with the comparison trap.

But this year I have a plan to avoid both of those ditches.

My husband and I have come up with a family purpose statement for the holidays. We want to approach the upcoming weeks with intentional purpose and not random chance. There is so much potential for beauty and meaning in the weeks from Thanksgiving to the New Year. But we will miss it if we are preoccupied stressing out over gifts or calendars filled with too many “good” things.

We purpose to make this season about knowing Jesus more fully, loving others more intentionally, and creating memories together in our simply decorated home.

Our purpose statement is the filter through which we will decide what things we will do and what things we will pass up. We can’t make all the cookies or see all the lights or do all the crafts. A few invitations will likely be politely declined. If something doesn’t help to get us to our purpose, then we don’t do it. And all of those good things that compete for our attention? Well, we will pick a few that fit and not worry about the rest.

This means less stress and no guilt.

I will be free from the guilt of wondering if my kids are missing out by not doing something that another family is because I know that we are doing is serving our simple goal. And we can’t go wrong by simply seeking to love Jesus and each other.

Tips for writing your own holiday purpose statement and keeping a less stress approach to the season:

• Start with the big picture. What is the single most important thing you want your family to remember about the season? Make sure that the majority of what you do reflects this goal.
• Talk about favorite childhood memories with your spouse. Is there something in particular that stands out? Pick one tradition each that you might consider carrying on with your own kids.
• Have you already started a special tradition with your family? New Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve? Filling Operation Christmas Child boxes or Voice of the Martyrs Action Packs? Gingerbread houses made with care and decorated with friends? Whatever it is, make plans to do it together this year too.
• Remember that your family is unique. Your plan should reflect your family’s priorities and interests, not your neighbor’s.
• Make a holiday planner that is accessible to the whole family. We usually draw out a calendar for the week of Thanksgiving on and put all of the family’s activities on it. This way we can intentionally choose how many activities we want to take us out of our home and make sure we are spending time with those important to us.

What is one tradition that you do every year as a family?

The post A Plan for a Less Stress Holiday Season appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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November and December begin the busy holiday season!  (Already??)  A time meant for reflection and remembrance, which can easily turn into a time of rush and regret.  The reason for the season, the One who came to seek and save the lost…  

The goal of the Christian life is to become like this Savior, but this is the very time of year that our character can be most challenged.  How can we use this time to draw closer to Him and develop traits that reflect His character?  How can we be developing and blessing others with the Fruits of the Spirit? 

3 Ways to Bless others through the Fruits of the Spirit: 

1. Dive into God’s Word! 

Always the thing we should do first, often the thing we decide to do last.  We choose worry, we choose weak human efforts.  I find that the more time I spend in His Word, the more I am able to recall those words of peace for every situation.  Read it out loud over and over.  Pour God’s Word over your family and bearing fruit for Him will come naturally.  Rely on God’s strength, not your own.  Our strength is extremely limited, but God’s strength knows no limits.  The more connected to God we are, the more fruitful we are!

2. Calendar Control!  

Do you REALLY need to attend every holiday event you are invited to?  Prayerfully consider each option. Overloaded schedules tend to throw most of the Fruits of the Spirit out the window!  It brings rushing instead of remembrance…which leads to regret. Slow down, know His peace, fully enjoy His amazing gift to us.

3. Focus on blessing others!  

Holiday commercials push and promote the need for MORE, causing stress and stealing joy. Bear fruit by blessing others with your time and meeting genuine needs.  What can you do for others as a family?  Giving doesn’t need to put us into financial debt, but the knowledge that our debt has been paid should cause us to want to share that amazing blessing/gift with others.  Love God and love others, that’s what it’s all about.  We constantly remind our children that the only things that last forever are God, His Word and PEOPLE!

We sing this song in our home all the time to remember the fruits of the spirit!

What other ideas do you have to bless others?  What ways will you and your family ensure that you slow down and bear fruit this holiday season?

The post Blessing Others Through The Fruit Of The Spirit appeared first on Day2Day Joys.

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