Sarah Jane Studios

By Karen Brown

I have long been a fan of Sarah Jane Studios. Her artwork is beautifully done with the slight vintage vibe I am drawn to, and gorgeous color!

She has recently added some children’s prints to her collection that would be perfect in a nursery. Don’t they just make you smile? What I may love most is that they come in both boy and girl designs, several skin colors and even different languages to choose from.

In addition to nursery artwork, Sarah Jane has some more grown-up, but equally inspiring prints you can download for free here and here.

I would love to have these hanging in my home...such good reminders! Check out what Ashley Ann did with hers. So very creative!

Too Busy?

By Karen Brown

I came across this article recently via here and found it quite interesting. It’s from the Wall Street Journal and it talks about how Americans are probably less busy as we think we are. I know that most days I tend to feel like there isn’t anywhere close to enough hours in the day to get everything done that I hope to. I tend to race from one thing to another and am constantly distracted by the next thing and trying to multi-task to make it all happen.

One thing that struck me when reading is when the author points out that “claiming to be busy relieves us of the burden of choice.” But if we change our language and try saying that we are choosing not to do something instead of saying we are too busy, we may find we have more time than we think. I can’t imagine ever saying to my family, “I’m sorry but I am choosing not to play with you right now. Mommy is updating her Pinterest boards,” but that may in fact be the case when we tell our little ones “just a minute...I’m busy” and then get back to them 20 minutes later. Or when I say that my relationship with God is a priority, but then I can’t seem to find the time for spiritual disciplines.

The article also talks about how we tend to over/under estimate how long a task actually takes. I know when I am focused on one thing at a time, I tend to get more done. I realize then that unloading the dishwasher actually takes six minutes, not 15.

For me, it comes down to trying to be more intentional. If I want to check email “quick,” then I need to give myself 10 minutes to do that and then move on. If not, 10 can quickly turn into 30. And if I say a picked-up and clean house is a priority, then I need to recognize that I can’t get that done in 15 minutes a day. It seems to be more about choice that the actual hours in a day. Time is a precious commodity and deciding what to spend it on, and then carving out a realistic amount of it during the day to make that thing happen may turn our “too busy” into enough.

How do you prioritize what to spend your time on? If you had an extra hour in your day, how would you spend it? 

lunch box love notes

By Karen Brown

When my two oldest were in kindergarten, their teacher asked that we send notes in their lunchboxes telling the kids what they were supposed to eat at snack and what was for lunch. Apparently, some kids would eat all their food at snack and have no lunch, while some would only eat the fun stuff and never healthier choices. Once the kids were a little bit older and had the snack/lunch routine down, I quit sending the notes, deeming them unnecessary.

But this week my eight-year-old surprised me by asking if I could add notes to her lunch again. I prodded a bit on why she wanted me to send along a note since she knows what to eat (and I didn’t want to embarrass her in front of her friends). She proceeded to tell me she likes to think about her family in the middle of the day. She likes to read that I love her and hope she has an awesome day. She likes the hearts and XOXO’s I usually add to the bottom of the page.

I was surprised that something I hadn’t thought about in two years had made an impression on my daughter. But the more I thought about it, who wouldn’t want to hear in the middle of the day someone loves them? The same way I might text my husband and let him know I miss him and am praying for him. The same way when I get a card in the mail from a friend and my day is suddenly turned around. The same way my kids draw me a picture and scribble “I love you mommy” on it.

There are so many ways to incorporate these small loves notes of encouragement into everyday family life besides just lunch box notes. Send a card by snail mail to your husband’s workplace for an unexpected pick-me-up; write notes on the bathroom mirror if you won’t be around or awake when your family gets up; add post-it love notes to unexpected places (the laptop screen, the sock drawer, inside the hub's favorite coffee mug). Here are some fun lunchbox notes to get you started.





Clockwise from top right:

Alphabet Note Cards

Hello Sunshine

Funny Mini Notes

Compliment Cards

I love when my kids inspire me to try something new!  

How do you love and encourage your family in little, unexpected ways?

Chicks or Bunnies?

By Karen Brown

The roots of baby chicks and rabbits being associated with the Christian tradition of Easter is a bit unclear. It may just be as simple as the abundance of both baby chicks and bunnies in the spring, the same time of year as Easter, and their reminder of new life happening around us. Either way, they have definitely become symbols of the holiday.

When we fill our children’s baskets this year, we will do our best to marry the Christian holiday with the more secular traditions of gifts and candies. One thing we are going to try new this year is to give our kids the gift of helping others. We will buy live chicks in their names as a gift for those in developing countries. Through Samaritan’s Purse, we can purchase a dozen baby chicks or ducklings as a perpetual source of income and nutrition for a family. Then on Easter morning, we hope to be able to dialogue as a family about how one way we can show Christ’s love to others is by sharing gifts and what we have with them, the way Christ shared his priceless gift of eternal life with us.

You can purchase baby chicks through Samaritan’s Purse here for $14

And a trio of rabbits through Heifer International for between $10-60 here

Such a better use of $14 than for more jelly beans, don’t you think?

Via Heifer International

31 Ways to Pray for your Children

By Karen Brown

Photo from here

A friend recently shared this link to a wonderful article on praying for your children. What I love most about it is that the concept is so simple. It is something you could easily incorporate into everyday prayer life.

One way I like to add prayer into my daily routine is to include it as part of something I am already doing. For example, with three kids and different activities, we spend a lot of time back and forth in the car. With a simple list like this, I could easily leave it in the car and pray for the kids during the time I am driving to pick them up from school. At that time of the day, my preschooler is happy watching a movie on the dvd player in the van, and I can have some “quiet time” as I drive.

How do you include prayer into your day? Do you have any specific ways you pray for your children?

Favorite Easter Books for Preschoolers

By Karen Brown

Sometimes the Easter story can be a hard one to share with preschoolers. The story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is a heavy topic for little ones. The following books explain the celebration of Easter through simple words and pictures and are well-loved this time of year.

Here are a few of our favorites:

The Story of Easter by Patricia Pingry - this book tells the story of the first Easter and why we celebrate it today. It has just enough words and is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Tell Me the Easter Story by Joni Walker - this book does a wonderful job of marrying the Christian celebration of Easter with more secular traditions like dying eggs and Easter baskets.

My Easter Basket and the True Story of Easter by Mary Manz Simon - this Easter basket shaped book has a fun rhyming format and bright, glitter covered pages the kids love.

Beautifully Rooted

By Karen Brown

I came across this beautiful blog and wanted to share it with you. This is one of those blogs you could easily get lost in for hours.

Beautifully Rooted is “a place for women to deepen their relationship with their Savior, through encouraging words, inspiring projects and creative vision. “ Their team of contributors is top-notch, and the writing and images are inspiring at the very least. Check it out the next time you need to relax and steal a little time for yourself - and we could certainly all use more of that!

A Confession

By Karen Brown

photo by Tyra Bleek

The kids were on my last nerve. They were being unkind and disrespectful. I don’t remember the last straw, but I yelled at all of them and sent them to their rooms. I was frustrated, impatient and angry. I was tired of repeating myself and breaking apart their sibling rivalries.

I was so quick to judge their behavior as sinful and condemn their actions. Treating others unfairly, disobeying, exercising zero self-control. What would their punishment be? How would I choose to discipline them? As I sat on my bed in silence thinking, it quickly became apparent that in those moments preceding, I had failed as a mom. I had not modeled at all the character traits I try so desperately to instill in my children. How was my response and behavior any less sinful than theirs? Did they deserve the punishment of quiet time- absolutely. But what about the way I chose to raise my voice to them in anger, committing the same sins I had just admonished them for? It was hard to ignore the plank in my own eye. We were all in tears and in need of forgiveness.

photo by Tyra Bleek

I love that my Savior wipes the slate clean each day. That we are new every morning and given the chance to reconcile each day. I love that for my children and I love that for myself.

Grace covers a multitude of sins!

Source: ballerinainchrist.tumblr.com via The Queen on Pinterest

75 Books that Build Character

By Karen Brown

Our family reads together every night. Not a lot of things compare to snuggling up under a blanket with the kids and a book. It’s funny how they have favorites they insisting on reading over and over and over again. You know the ones where you skip a line and the kids correct you. Those are by far the most well loved.

I stumbled upon this blog post recently and found it too good not to share. It’s a list of 75 books that build a child’s character. This is an objective list, but we are always on the hunt for new suggestions and favorites. I kind of figure if I am going to be reading to them anyway, it should be something with some substance. Something that helps drive home the values and character traits we are already trying to instill in our children. Something that teaches them lessons about things like diversity, individuality, fairness, and being open-minded.

At our local library, you can reserve books online. I’m excited to grab this list and place some of these on hold. Then, the next time we go to check out books, these are added to the pile. (Brilliant for people like me know will never remember to bring the list along.)

Share with us. What are some of your favorite children’s books or authors? Do have ones you remember reading as a child?

No Time for Flashcards via Apartmenttherapy.com/family

our father

By Karen Brown

Last spring, Julie wrote a blog post about memorizing scripture with her children. It seemed like such a simple and easy concept to incorporate, but it wasn't something we were currently doing as a family.

At around the same time, REUNION was teaching a series on the Lord’s Prayer. Since our kids didn’t already know the Our Father, we thought this would be a perfect time to teach them.

This has become Owen’s prayer of choice. He says it just about every night. He doesn’t always get all the words right, but he melts my heart every time I hear him.

Owen- age 3

“I have hidden God’s word in my heart that I might not sin again thee.” Psalm 119:11

Why the City is a Wonderful Place to Raise Children

By Karen Brown

A friend recently forwarded me an article from The Gospel Coalition. It is written by Kathy Keller, wife of Tim Keller, lead pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.

Her perspective on raising children in New York City is both thoughtful and insightful. I appreciate her point of view on darkness and light in the city. As a mom who has already raised her children into successful adults, her wisdom is invaluable. I really like what she has to say about the abundance of sin surrounding children in urban settings, since this is often a deterrent for city living. “In the city your kids see sin and its consequences while you are still with them and can help them process it. Eventually they're going to encounter it for themselves, usually when they leave the protected environment of home for the big wide world---just when you are no longer around to discuss things.”

You can read the full article here article.  

Photo by Mikhail Glabets

 

Photo by Mikhail Glabets

First Response

By Karen Brown

I woke up to my six year old crying. He had made his way in a sleepy stupor to my bedside to tell me he was sick. He climbed onto the pillow next to me as I asked him what was hurting. It was hard to really make out his words, but I did understand he was in pain and wanted me to snuggle him back to sleep. He told me, “I woke up and I prayed to Jesus to feel better, but it just isn’t working yet.”

In that moment, I wanted to be more like my child. I wanted my faith to be as simple as his. I wanted my first response to be one of turning to my Heavenly Father for comfort and healing. There are so many times, in both distress and in joy that I turn to others first. I turn to my husband or my girlfriends to sympathize with what I am going through, or just to complain. I turn to others to celebrate with me, before giving thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed on me.

I thank God each day for the joy and privilege it is to be a mom. And today I thanked God for the reminder from a six year old to make Him my first response. 

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you...  Isaiah 66:13 

School for the Arts

By Karen Brown

If you are local to Boston---and looking to get your family more exposure to music---this is for you.

REUNION is kicking off its School for the Arts next week. This is an amazing opportunity for your kids (and you) to take some great classes and workshops at really affordable prices. They are offering private lessons in drum, percussion, violin, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, and piano. And the teachers are top notch...lots of Berklee College of Music grads. My son is taking drum lessons and as excited as I am for him to learn to play an instrument, I am equally as excited for him to spend some time with Christian guys that are fantastic role models---and are men that he really looks up to. They are also offering kids dance, theatre, and preschool music lessons. Adult workshops are coming soon and will be in special interest areas like photography, Photoshop, creative writing, and the like.

You can check out the School for the Arts website for more details and registration information.

No bake energy bites

By Karen Brown

Source: smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

 

My kids love sweet treats and most anything we bake together.  I still feel like we are coming off the sugar high of the holiday season though.  One thing we are trying to improve on as a family is fueling our “temples” with healthier food choices.  I found this recipe via Pinterest recently and we have been making these No Bake Energy Bites quite a bit.   The kids really like them and they are super easy!  And since the ingredients aren’t all processed carbs, I don’t feel nearly as guilt dishing these out as after school snacks.  Be warned though, they are completely addicting!

Beanies and Bags

By Karen Brown

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while now, you know how much we love Craft Hope. You can read about previous projects here and here. Craft Hope is all about creating and distributing love and hope in the form of handmade items to those in need.

This next project is for the littlest warriors...kids fighting cancer. Craft Hope is collecting beanie hats and bags for kids to wear and take on hospital visits. Hats to keep their little heads warm and bags to bring goodies in to occupy little ones time during treatments. Any kind of beanie hats and any kind of bags will do. You can get as creative as you want. You can even fill the bags with surprises like stickers and such.



For Christmas, my daughter received an upcycled beanie hat made from old sweaters. She has hardly taken this hat off since she got it. I can imagine that she would really love it if together we could make some more hats like hers for these kids battling for their young lives. I can imagine her picking sweaters that she would love to wear as a hat. (I heard somewhere recently that this is a great time of year to shop thrift stores since many people are cleaning out closets for their new year’s resolutions.) My boys would even like picking fabric for bags to sew up for other little boys and choosing gifts to fill them with.... fun bandaids, Matchbox cars, and stickers. My three year old hardly goes anywhere without a bag or backpack filled with “treasures”!

The deadline for this project is March 12th. You can read more details about where to send gifts here. Drop us a line in the comments if you plan to participate. If you’re in the Boston area and would be interested in getting together with others to create, let us know that too and we’ll put together a party.

A quick Google or Pinterest search should give you some inspiration and tutorials. Here are some of my favorites

via Noodlehead

via I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar

Here’s a no-sew bag embellished with fabric paint and freezer paper stencil, via Twoellie. For instructions on freezer paper stencils, see here.

Via Twoellie

One Little Word

By Karen Brown

Have you heard of the one little word concept? It’s the idea of picking a word of the year that inspires and speaks to you. A word that propels you and moves you toward who you want to be and what you want to do that year.

I love the idea of picking a word just for me. A word to compel me. Not something for my whole family to embrace, or something for my husband to agree on, but something I choose...for me. A word that focuses my energies on ultimately being a better wife, mother, and child of God.

Ali Edwards explains it so well when she says, “A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow." She goes on to explain what exactly you do with this one little word: “You live with it. You invite it into your life. You let it speak to you. You might even follow where it leads. There are so many possibilities.”

I came across this idea a couple years ago and have yet to do it. It completely intrigues me, though, and I think this may be the year. And what’s the worst that can happen? I abandon my word mid-year because it’s just not working for me? I can handle that.

You can check out Ali Edwards’ site here and see a list of words that may inspire you.

Will you pick one little word? How does it work for you? What word did you choose for 2012?

New Year's resolutions

Image from Holstee

By Karen Brown

I am a list-maker. Lists make me feel a sense of control over the chaos around me. Lists give me a sense of order to what needs to be done and when. Lists help my head stop spinning, and they make my time more intentional. Lists completely work for me.

Here’s the thing with lists though, at least mine. The list is never complete. I always rewrite “the list” before all the things are crossed off. It doesn’t bother me in the least to have the same item on my list and just move it to the next day. A nice new list is like a fresh start at what needs to get accomplished. Would I prefer to cross it off? Sure I would, and eventually I will, but having the list is a roadmap of sorts for how I structure a particular day.

Lists of New Year’s Resolutions though are another matter. I think it’s the word resolution that I have a hard time with. Resolution makes it feel as if these items on the list will be resolved, done, complete, finished. For me, that feels like a lot of pressure. Like maybe I shouldn’t put it on the list if I don’t see it moving off the list sometime this year. Crazy, I know.

Of course I am still going to make a New Year’s list, I will just call it something different. Maybe I’ll call it my “2012 Aspirations” or maybe I’ll structure it more like a prayer list (because if I am honest, most of the things on my list aren’t going to get done without some strength and determination I don’t presently have).

Whatever I call it, I welcome the renewal that January ushers in. A time for the slate to be wiped clean, a time for things to be made new, a time for reflection and growth, a time to decide what this next year will be about. What I will be about. What direction our family will move, and what we will hold in high regard. Who we will be in Christ Jesus. So I will embrace this New Year, lists and all. His faithfulness and compassions are new every morning, and I am confident that when I fail, as I surely will, that His grace will be enough.

Happy New Year

By Karen Brown

Happy New Year from Life After Sunday! We trust that you had a blessed holiday season.

We are finally back from spending some much-needed time with family and friends and are ready to embark on 2012. It’s going to be a great year!

Check back this week for some posts on new year's resolutions. Do you make resolutions? How are they coming so far this year?

A favorite Christmas gift 

Sharing the Gift of Giving

By Karen Brown 

When we started participating in Advent Conspiracy a few years ago, we shared the concept with our parents.  They were originally less than excited about toning down the gift giving, but they eventually embraced the idea and made it their own in a really cool way. 

They still wanted to spend what they had budgeted on the kids, but wanted to be able to give the kids the experience of “giving more” and “loving all."  Here’s what they came up with.  They took their budgeted gift amount and “tithed” a portion to the kids in cash.  The kids then took their envelopes of cash and were able to give away the money from Grandpa and Grandma.

I love the idea of the kids being engaged with their grandparents in blessing others.  It opens up doors for conversations about the impoverished and invites dialogue on what it looks like to love others with the resources we have.  Our kids ended up buying animals for a family though World Vision.  Here are some other great ideas for kids; many of the websites have great videos the kids can watch as well.  (Consider previewing them first to make sure they are age-appropriate.)

•Samaritan’s Purse: livestock, sporting gear, help build a school

 Photo from Samaritan's Purse

•Living Water: fresh water wells so children can attend school

 Photo from Living Water International

•Compassion International: child sponsorship

•A local homeless shelter or food pantry

How do you invite your children into giving cheerfully? 

advent conspiracy: the book

By Karen Brown

Image from Amazon

REUNION has been participating in Advent Conspiracy for three years now. Our community has been transformed by this movement - challenged, inspired and forever changed. We are trying to be intentional about keeping Christmas what it should be, a celebration of Jesus’ birth. We are embracing the concepts of worshipping fully, spending less, giving more and loving all. 

I recently read the book, Advent Conspiracy by Rick McKinley, Chris Sea and Greg Holder. It was a quick read and good refresher as we head into the holiday season. I love the way the book unpacks how Christmas can still change the world. It lays out how we can redeem Christmas from the consumerism that has come to define the holiday. How we can choose to not participate in all the excess, an excess of food, gifts, overspending...all of it. How the most important gifts we can give are relational gifts and the gift of our presence. We have an inherent need to be with each other that is often fractured in our hurried and overscheduled lives. It talks in depth about loving the poor and the marginalized. That is how Jesus lived his life and He calls us to do the same.

This year we conspire to celebrate Advent year round. To wrestle with how our worship can permeate all seasons and how love and generosity can define us. When you think about it, it really is so simple. Simple acts with profound impact.

Will you conspire with us? How has Advent Conspiracy changed your family?