Creating Family Memories with Mid-Missouri Day Trips

Summer, how I love thee!  Let me count the ways.


Devil's Icebox- Columbia, MO

Oh, wait...that would take too long because there are just so many reasons to celebrate summer!  By the time school starts in the fall, everyone wants to look back at the past couple of months and be able to say, "Now, THAT was a great summer!" 

Besides summer school, working part-time jobs, and attending camp, our family has made it our mission to enjoy one day trip PER WEEK this season.  One big reason we've dubbed this the "summer of fun" is knowing how close we are to launching our oldest into the world (only 2 short years and he graduates-yikes!) and deciding to really make the most of our last two summers together. It doesn't have to be super expensive to make memories and enjoy shared experiences!  My partner in chaos management (a.k.a. husband Mike) excels at planning trips and vacations and has completed the list of prospective attractions that appeal to Team Edinger.  Most of these locations we've visited before, but there are a couple of new ones we want to try.  Lots of these places are free admission (not all), but you may have to pay for parking. If you have a family and need to "get out of Dodge" for a change of scenery and some family bonding (notice I did not say anything about relaxing- day trips take energy for a one day execution) with less than a 3 hour drive, you should check out some of these fabulous family fun spots on our Destination To Do List:

Elephant Rocks- Belleview, MO

Fugitive Beach- Rolla, MO

*Deanna Rose Farmstead-
Overland Park, KS

Grant's Farm - St. Louis, MO

Onondaga Cave - Leasburg, MO

 

Powell Gardens Jurassic Gardens-
Kingsville, MO

Lake Ozark State Park- Lake Ozark, MO

 

 

Ha Ha Tonka - Camdenton, MO

Runge Nature Center - Jefferson City, MO

 

 

For some added fun, we like to do a little trip critique and all of the E boys get to give their opinion on various aspects of the attraction/trip and give a 0-5 star rating. Their commentary and viewpoints are hilarious and good feedback from a kid's perspective.  It honestly helps us as parents know how to make the next trip even better and what is most appealing to our boys as they grow and change. As I consider it, their ratings would probably make a fairly entertaining blog post at summer's end! Now, it's time for us to gas up the minivan, stock the cooler, and head down the highway towards our next memory in the making!

*I realize Deanna's Farmstead is in Kansas, but it is too good not to include in our list!

 

 

 

  

Arresting the Joy Thief

It will steal your joy.  It will rob your peace.  It is the enemy of contentment. It will enter your thoughts disguised as care and concern.  Its name is worry.
This notion of the 'joy thief' may be a hard pill to swallow for those that believe it is just part of their nature to be a worrier. When I talk to these people, I get the impression that they feel it is even noble to worry...like it adds depth to their character or something if they constantly worry.  Like it will change the outcome if they just worry enough.  Another thing I've noticed...they are very UNHAPPY people. And when you frame what's really going on through the lens of reality, you realize why. Worry is worshipping the problem.  Can we all agree that no good comes from problem-worship?

I've certainly been guilty of problem-worship and the consequential unhappiness. When I finally admitted to myself that I was allowing the enemy of faith to gain a foothold in my spirit, I began to recognize some triggers that lead to the internal explosion of worry.  With a very intentional mindset, I have developed some strategies to help me OWN MY JOY when I am tempted to let my guard down and unwittingly let worry invade my life.

When I start fearing the unknown, it is guaranteed that worry is going to infiltrate my thoughts and feelings. When I play the "what if" game, I am suddenly overwhelmed by distress over something that hasn't even happened. Did you catch that? IT MAY NEVER HAPPEN. In fact, it probably won't happen.

When I start to become anxious about what lies ahead, I pray for wisdom and then make decisions based on staying true to my beliefs and what appears to be in the best interests of those involved. No amount of distress and despair on my part will change the future here! Taking steps forward in confidence requires faith. I like who I am and what I stand for, so why would I bet against myself by stressing over not being able to foresee the outcome? It makes no sense.

I also choose not to dwell on disillusionment, even when I experience distrastrous disappointment. There was a time when the weight of failure crushed me... to the point where worry was my first reaction when it came to making any life-changing decision. Trust me when I say there is nothing more crippling to your spirit than this kind of mindset. Negativity and pessimism were stunting my personal growth. I had to purposefully commit to the transformation of a renewed mind (Romans 12:2) and put a growth mindset in action. (Angela Watson) Sometimes the result of what I hope and plan for ends up looking like an epic failure. But, instead of viewing that as the death of a dream, I now reframe and accept the truth that Plan A was not meant to be. However, there are 25 more letters in the alphabet!!! So I commence to formulating Plan B. Re-evaluate and learn from the experience. The defeat does not define me. I choose to view myself as now being even more capable to make something out of whatever setback has taken place. Something that will help me not only 'bounce back', but 'bounce forward'. (Shawn Achor)

A huge part in my release from worry has been adopting a spirit of abandon when it comes to my family. Not abandoning my responsibilities to care for them, but rather the abandon of freeing them from my overzealous pride and misguided overprotectiveness. Rather than prepare the path for the child, I try to prepare the child for the path. (Jen Hatmaker) Entrusting them to a God who loves them even more than I do requires releasing whatever I have perceived as my rights as a wife and mom, to the Creator who gave my husband and kids life in the first place. In all my bossy ways  hopeful confidence and know-it-all attitude earthly wisdom, I can get it wrong or not realize what really is the best because I am an imperfect human. (Ugh- the truth hurts, right?!) When I sense my anxiety level beginning to rise, I put my focus and emotional energy into praising the Lord that He has already made the ultimate sacrifice for my loved ones and has the perfect plan. That plan is for their good and not destruction. (Jeremiah 29:11) What I perceive as the biggest hurt or disappointment they may experience and try to prevent happening with all my might, could actually be the tipping point that will launch them into discovering His vision for their potential! I claim the promise that His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) I can unclench my fists that want to control and instead spread my fingers to embrace and support with empathy and love.

The thing about the joy thief is that it only has the power to steal if you allow it. You can exercise your freedom and actually choose how your energy will be focused.
Fret or faith?
Tension or trust?
Panic or peace?

Your life is too bountiful and beautiful to be marred by anxiety and agitation.
Arrest the thief. Release worry. Live in the freedom of choosing joy...because you can.

How ' Bout Those Teachers?! Time for Some Major League Inspiration

We've come to that exciting time of year again...and I'm not just talking about baseball! It's fourth quarter- also known as the season when teachers reflect on the homeruns that made their classroom function more effectively during the school year as well as deciding what game-changers they need to implement next year.  I am blessed to work with some FANTASTIC elementary teachers that have discovered creative ways to encourage independent reading, optimize their organization, positively reinforce excellent behavior, learning habits, procedure following, and also display student work in a way that encourages ownership and pride.  Check out the photo playbook  for these teachers and see if it sparks some ingenuity in your world to guarantee a teacher win!

LIBRARY/READING CORNER

*Some common characteristics of these reading areas are inviting surroundings, organized book bins, comfortable setting, and easy student access.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES

Friday gum chewing is earned if students 'Keep
Your Bubble' during the week by listening and
not interrupting during instruction.



'Brag Bracelets' are worn with pride to show student
achievements.

'Brownie Points' are earned to
reinforce positive behavior
choices.

This class enjoys 'Warm
Fuzzy' reward time when their
jar is filled with pom-poms
representing acts of kindness.



BOOK ORGANIZATION



Class sets of literature are stored in magazine file boxes with
photos of the book covers on the outside making them
easy to locate.

Book bins can be color coded to match the Lexile level sticker
to aid students in searching for books that are at their level for
self-selected reading material.



Another way to organize self-selected reading books is to
label bins by topic and then show the Lexile level and quiz
availability with a coordinating label inside each book.

 

TEACHER ORGANIZATIONAL HELPS

Wheeled totes from Ikea hold supplies and fit under the
coat rack to conveniently roll out when needed.

Designating each shelving unit for a different subject and
labeling the materials on the shelves makes it easy to
find manipulatives and supplies.

Storing guided reading books, resource masters, study stations,
and school supplies in one area helps students be independent
at getting what they need during reading time.

Colorfully labeled bins can be an alternative to file cabinets
for organizing paperwork and sorting assignments/assessments.

A teacher organization board holds wall files for mail and
paperwork and  keeps calendars within view for a
clutter-free desk. Shelves with labeled canvas totes hold other
items used frequently that are too large for desk drawers.

STUDENT WORK/PHOTO DISPLAYS

*Effective use of wall/desk space, a welcoming atmosphere, and home-to-school connection are all characteristics to keep in mind when creating displays for student work and photos.

 

 

TEACHING STUDENTS TO USE RESOURCES AND PROCEDURES

Having a wall that is designated for anchor charts helps
students know exactly where to look for their learning resources.



A Word of the Week, Letter of the Week, and Number
of the Week bulletin board can assist students in keeping
 their attention on what the teacher chooses as the
main objective.

Keeping an uncluttered calendar area helps students
start the day clear and focused.

A key ring board becomes a space-saving birthday chart.

A dry erase board becomes a magnetic menu on which
students quickly  make their daily lunch choice.

Morning and afternoon procedures are
effectively taught using a visual photo reference.





The procedure for turning in reading logs is easy when students
put their log in the basket and then remove their name clip to
show completion.





Students always know where to find their supplies, where they will
be sitting, and when their center group is rotating by following
their group's mascot.



Sharing great ideas keeps all of us batting 1000 in our classrooms, so I really appreciate all of my
heavy hitter colleagues that contributed photos for this post!  We've almost made it to the end of spring series for 2015-2016 and I wish you the best as you bring it on home.  (Whew! It's a good thing...I've exhausted my baseball metaphors.)


*Thank you to all of these fine teachers for their contributions to this post: Sarah Tattershall, Brandi Frey, Michelle Robinett, Candace Bauer, Meredith Kliethermes, Bobbie Grant, Jennifer Wrye, Sara Wallis, Bobbie Underwood, Brittany Sneed, and Jennifer Tellman.

The Joy in Accepting That You Are Accepted

I was recently reminded of a testimony I had shared five and a half years ago. It was a good reminder to me of how God is so faithful to create peace out of chaos and confusion. He cares too much for us to let us struggle forever with misconceptions about His love and grace. May great hope be found today in His unconditional acceptance of you.

“Throughout my life I have struggled with the truth that salvation is not earned. Now, I would tell you that I was saved by grace, but the way I lived was as though it depended on doing good deeds and being perfect. Then I would be accepted as a good youth pastor’s wife. (Self-talk can be really messed up sometimes.)  I didn't even realize I was living with the perception that through my works I could be accepted as a worthy example of a Christ follower.  The more my schedule was packed with doing good, the more I convinced myself I was more lovable to God. Being busy equaled greater self-worth in my mind. I considered self-sufficiency a virtue and invested myself accordingly. When I faced daily challenges (whether mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual), it became my mission to solve whatever the problem was on my own with as little involvement from others as possible. That would be seen as weakness, and I did not want to let anyone down…believers are strong in their faith, right? My vision of being holy was confused with having to be perfect. As I relied more and more on myself, I began noticing that I no longer felt hunger and thirst for the things of God.  That made me feel guilty, and my guilt seemed to push me further away from Him.  Weak and burned out, inadequate and overwhelmed, these feelings and misconceptions were affecting me in all areas of my life.  It was like I had created an isolation zone for myself in my fervor to be perfect and sufficient.  I was alone and discouraged. I was mentally stressed out and physically depleted. The harder I tried to be the perfect Christian full of good deeds, the more restless and empty I felt.

 

I’ll never forget the night that Mike was out of town on a student retreat and my own kids were all in bed. I lay awake in the night feeling like a big fake. For all my attempts at right living and acts of service, I was failing miserably at trusting in God and was falling apart on the inside. In desperation, I cried out to God to just ‘show me what to do because I can't go on like this!’ I raided Mike’s book collection and opened The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. As I read these words, all of a sudden the dry desert in my soul became flooded with new life and truth:

'Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness.  It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life. It strikes us when year after year, the longed-for perfection does not appear, when the old compulsions reign within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage.  Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying, "YOU ARE ACCEPTED. YOU ARE ACCEPTED." Accepted by that which is greater than you.  Simply accept the fact that you are accepted...

Grace calls out, “You may be insecure, inadequate or mistaken.  Death, panic, depression, and disillusionment may be near you.  But you are not just that. You are accepted."

  

Overwhelming peace and joy came into my spirit and I just lay there weeping for this realization of just how powerful the grace of Jesus is.  He accepts me in all of my imperfections.  He accepts me in the midst of disappointing Him. It was like a great wave of healing as the Holy Spirit continued to minister to me.  Along with that peace of just letting go, came the conviction that my attempts at being self-sufficient were at odds with God.  At the root of it all was pride.  Pride is the opposite of the humility of Christ.  So I confessed this sin and received the cleansing made possible through the blood of Jesus because of His grace. My prayer continues to be, 'Lord, help me follow the example of Christ’s humility.' I continue to be in awe of how much God loves me and how His grace will always accept me.

'Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.' -Romans 5:6-8 (The Message)

 'My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.' -Brennan Manning



<<Watch "Who Am I" video by Casting Crowns>>

Who Am I by Casting Crowns is one of my favorite songs and testimony for my life because of its interwoven theme of grace. The message of the song is worth sharing over and over again… we are accepted and forgiven and it’s not because of who we are…it’s because of what He’s done.  It’s not because of anything we have done… but because of who He is. Grace continues to be what I am most thankful for and by which I am transformed. Transformed from a person whose goal used to be perfectionism, but now is to trust in a loving Savior to show me how to best glorify Him.  Now that I fully accept the fact that I am accepted, I am free to share the encouragement of grace with others.  I pray you find joy in the truth that you are NOT just your imperfections, you are LOVED and ACCEPTED. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted.”

Creating Beauty on a Budget



Before

After. So Pinterest worthy.

Don't you admire people that can take a bunch of odds and ends and turn them into a masterpiece? I mean, I get oodles of inspiration from Pinterest and consider myself pretty capable of putting my own twist on some of those fantastic ideas. But ever wonder who comes up with those pinworthy posts in the first place?  I happen to know- because my sis, Renee, is one of those people. That's not just me being prejudiced. An objective survey identified her signature strength as creativity.

And boy, does it show.

One of the coolest things about her brand of being creative is that she is careful to live within her means. Her family is currently finishing their beautiful home they designed and built in stages to stay out of debt. So very wise- but oh so challenging in our instant gratification society! Last fall, Renee decided that since the perfect fireplace installation was slated for the future, she needed to get creative with the unsightly hole in the wall in her living room now. 



It just wasn't helping her feel peaceful, calm, or satisfied with her surroundings when she wanted to relax in that space with her family after a long day at work. What could she do to make that unfinished room "rise up to meet her" and stay committed to her family's time table and spending plan in their house projects?

A work in progress...



I couldn't find a better example of my blog's slogan to adapt, execute, and enjoy than my sister's work to transform that empty space! Her adapting started with gathering meaningful things that bring her joy to collect or have sentimental value for her family. From gifts received, to special finds from road trips and vacations, to a stained glass window from the church her husband attended as a boy- the possibilities of what she could use to create good vibes seemed pretty limitless. Her executing took place when she decided that she could implement her plan immediately, regardless of the time of year. In fact, she uses the changing of the seasons to aid her with decorating ideas. Renee's seasonal execution keeps the room fresh and inspires her spirit. Now she is free to enjoy the room that is the first one she walks into at the end of the day because it greets her with her most special and favorite things. She experiences the feeling of satisfaction that she achieved her goal of having a focal point of beauty on a budget. True to her personality and character, she is most happy when she is using her signature strength of creativity. 

Christmas nativity- the beauty is in the simplicity

 

'Snow' much fun for winter!

She even takes it a step further to make it fun for her family by letting her two year old play in the decor. Her little guy loves to watch birds out the big picture window. When he found an injured baby robin out of its nest, he made it his mission to take care of that little bird until it was back on its feet (with parental support, of course). He is a hoot to watch moving the colored wooden bird eggs in and out of the nest in her spring display. I really kind of think that is a stroke of genius that she thought of a way to make her focal point interactive for him as well. How awesome is that?!

Look closely and you can see Henry's eggs...

Making memories during the process is a bonus.

By telling about her inspiration, I hope it might inspire you to take the initiative to gain fulfillment in some area of your life. You have nothing to gain by waiting for more money, more time, more fill-in-the-blank with whatever you feel you are lacking. But think of the satisfaction and happiness you'll experience bringing your own brand of peace and meaning to your surroundings. You know, it is never any better than it is right now, so stop waiting. Your ability to adapt, execute, and enjoy is going to enrich your life. YOU CREATE THE JOY THAT MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER.