If you’ve ever had a child who is given to whining, you know how grating it can get on the nerves of every member of the household. But thankfully, there is an effective way to help your little one break this bad habit. Listen to this week's episode of Loving Life at Home to learn six surefire strategies to wipe out whining. Show Notes RELATED VERSES:  - Philippians 2:14-15 - "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." - Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Over the years, our family has found ways to make traveling with children more enjoyable, economical, educational, and easy. Listen in for tips you can use on your next family vacation.  Show Notes RELATED SCRIPTURE: - Psalm 37:23 - "The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey." - Proverbs 16:9 - "A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." RELATED BOOKS & BLOG POSTS: - Pack Up & Leave - This book details all the tips I shared in today's episode and more  - Vacation Planning - nine noteworthy websites I use when planning road trips - Kids Eat Free - a list of restaurants across the country where kids eat free - Dining Out for Less - how to save money on restaurant meals using Restaurant.com - Making the Most of Frequent Flyer Miles - how our whole family flew to Europe for free - EP 23: A Hill Country Christmas - a few of our family's favorite free things to do in San Antonio - How to Plan a Fun Staycation - tips for creating great vacation memories right here at home OTHER LINKS MENTIONED:  - Home School Legal Defense Association - my HSLDA card gets us homeschool discounts  - Garden & Arboretum Directory - search by state for botanical gardens (many of which are free) - Reciprocal List for Zoos - check this list for zoos across the country that offer free admission - National Park Free Days - a list of dates you can visit national parks without paying an entry fee - Every Kid Outdoors - fourth graders (and their families) get free park admission for a full year - Junior Ranger Program - kids can earn badges by doing educational activities at each park - Factory Tours USA - state-by-state list of manufacturers that offer free tours of their facilities - AAdvantage Dining Program - earn frequent flyer miles by dining out - Restaurant.com - buy $25 gift certificates for as little as $2 apiece - Paint by Sticker - a fun and mess-free activity for kids to enjoy in the car - BlueGreen Vacation Club - if you decide to give BlueGreen a try, please tell them Jennifer Flanders referred you 😊 STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

This is birthday week for our family: my daughter's birtday is the 20th, mine's the 21st, my husband's is the 22, and we met on the 23rd. That last point -- the story of how I met my husband -- is the topic of today's podcast.  Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Isaiah 55:18 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD." - Proverbs 3:15-16 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 16:9 - "A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." RELATED LINKS: - Ep 36: The Wrong Way to Propose Marriage STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Goals are important because they provide a sense of purpose and direction. Proverbs 16:9 assures us “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” So even when you aren’t 100% sure what the LORD would have you do with your time, I recommend prayerfully setting a worthwhile goal and working toward it. As long as you hold your plans lightly, you can trust God to redirect you if that is what needs to happen. Show Notes VERSES CITED: - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 - "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run....” - James 4:13-15 - “Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city....” - Proverbs 16:9 - “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” - Psalm 37:23-24 - “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD....”       - Proverbs 14:23 - “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” - Proverbs 29:18 tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  - Isaiah 28:10 - “...precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line….”  - Philippians 2:3-4 - “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit....” - James 4:17 - “Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.”   - 1 Corinthians 10:31 - "Whether then you eat or drink... do all to the glory of God."    - Galatians 6:9 - “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap....” - Joshua 1:9 - “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged....”  - Hebrews 11:40 - "Since God had planned something better for us....” MISCELANEOUS QUOTES: - “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” - Zig Ziglar - “Watch your nickels and dimes, and the dollars will take care of themselves.” - John Nobles - “By the inch, life’s a cinch. By the yard, life is hard.” - unknown - “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do." - Henry Ford - “A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future.” - Gen. George Patton - “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edison - “Many of life’s failures are people who didn’t realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” - Thomas Edison - “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison RELATED LINKS:  - 25 Ways to Communicate Respect to Your Husband  - The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg  - Free Goal Planning Sheets - Progress Tracking Chart   STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

How should husbands and wives navigate friendships with the opposite sex? That's our podcast topic this week, prompted by an email I got from a reader wanting to know, "Should a married woman have close male friends?"  Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Genesis 2:24 - "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united..." - Mark 10:7-9 - “...therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.” - Malachi 2:14-15 - “…the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth..." - Proverbs 5:15-21 -"Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well...." - Matthew 5:27-28 - “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’..." - Psalm 19:14 - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable..." - Matthew 15:19 - “For out of the heart come evil thoughts… adultery, sexual immorality…." - Ephesians 5:15-18 - "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise..." - 1 Corinthians 6:18 - "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is ...." - Colossians 3:5 - "Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature...." - 1 Peter 5:8 - “...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” RELATED LINKS:  - 25 Ways to Communicate Respect to Your Husband - one of my most popular blog posts - 25 Ways to Communicate Respect to Your Husband - my award-winning book - 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife - a post my husband wrote for married men - 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife - my husband's companion book  - Love Your Husband/ Love Yourself - embracing God's purpose for passion in marriage - 30-Day Respect Challenge - free email series to help you nurture your marriage - Should Married Women Have Close Male Friends - original post this episode is drawn from - Husbands, Be Careful with Female Friendships - my husband's post I read on this episode - Fostering Friendship with Your Husband - tips for nurturing a closer relationship to your spouse STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Modern lists of learning styles are much lengthier than the one I learned in school. And after raising 12 children, I can think of a few learning styles I've never seen on any chart. So in this episode of Loving Life at Home, we are discussing how to make the most of your child's learning style -- and what to do if you can't figure it out. SCRIPTURES CITED: - Galatians 6:9 - "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” - James 1:5 - “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” - Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Deuteronomy 11:18-21 - "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates….” RELATED LINKS: Laying a Foundation for Learning - my best recommendations for early learning Keeping Toddlers Occupied - good activities for distracting your little go-getters Cultivating Creativity in Young Children - fun and easy projects for preschoolers Age Appropriate Chores for Children - chores are a great way to teach life skills Tech-Free Fun for Kids - 10 things your older kids can do while they're unplugged 50 Picture Books Every Child Should Read - just a few of our family's favorites 50 Chapter Books to Read Aloud - wonderful stories to share as a family  STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

In honor of holy week, I 'm sharing a few of our family’s favorite Easter traditions today. Although I love baskets and bunnies and colorful candy as much as anyone, we’ve always tried to place the main emphasis of this season on the sacrificial death and bodily resurrection of Jesus – and on what Christ’s finished work means to those who put their faith in Him.  For specific ways to do this, listen in this week's episode in full. Show Notes RELATED LINKS: - Scripture Chain for Lent (free printable) - The Easter Story by Carol Heyer (children's picture book) - Passion Week Trivia Quiz (free printable) - Easter Coloring Pages (and other free resources) - Empty Tomb Craft (super easy craft for children) - Resurrection Cookies (recipe) - Resurrection Rolls (recipe) - Jelly Bean Gospel (free printable) - More Gospel Tracts for Easter (free printable single-fold tracts) - DIY Resurrection Eggs (free printable) - Scrambled Egg Puzzles (free printable) - Finger Lights (for glow-in-the dark egg hunts) - "Let Them Know" (parody of Disney song from Frozen) - "All About God's Grace" (parody of Meaghan Trainor song) - "Never Enough" (parody of song from The Greatest Showman) SCRIPTURES CITED: - Matthew 27:26 - "... he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." - Matthew 26:12 - "When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial." - Luke 23:36 - "The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar..." - 1 John 4:9 - “God loved us and sent His son.” - Matthew 28:6: “He is risen just as he said.”  - Romans 6:20-23 - "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness...." - Ephesians 2:1 – "You were dead in your trespasses and sins." - Ephesians 4:18-19 - "They are darkened in their understanding and alienated...." - Psalms 14:1-3 - "They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good...." - Isaiah 59:9-13 – “We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom."  - Jeremiah 17:9 - “The heart is more deceitful than all else and desperately wicked...." - Mark 7:21-23 – “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries...” - Romans 3:10-18 - “There is no one righteous....There is no fear of God before their eyes.” - Romans 5:8 - “...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Isaiah 53:5-6 – “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities...." - Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ...." - John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...." - 1 John 1:9-10 – “...If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” - Romans 10:9-10 – “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart ....” - Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves..." STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Today's the anniversary of the day my husband proposed to me, so I'm taking a little walk down memory lane.... One thing I've learned through more than three and a half decades of marriage? Endings are far more important than beginnings. Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Matthew 21:28-32 - "There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said....' RELATED LINKS: - Expensive Weddings Linked to Higher Divorce Rates STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

I worked a 14-hour shift at the polls last week for Super Tuesday. And every passing week takes us deeper into an election season that is looking more and more like a repeat of 2020. Which makes me think now would be a great time to review an important concept that seems to have been lost in our current cultural climate: And that is the ability to discuss differing opinions in a civil manner. We've forgotten how to respectfully disagree. This skill is of vital importance, not only in discussing politics, but in dealing with anybody who believes differently than you do: friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers.  Chances are, you have SOMEBODY in your life with whom you don’t see eye-to-eye 100% of the time. So, how should we respond when those differences threaten to divide us? To isolate and alienate us? That's the topic of discussion for this week's episode of Loving Life at Home. So grab your cup of coffee and listen in! Show Notes VERSES CITED: - James 1:5 - "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all..." - Ephesians 4:32 - "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other...." - Galatians 5:15 - “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed ...." - Romans 14:5 - "One person considers one day more sacred than another...." - James 1:19 - ": Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."  - Proverbs 19:11 - "A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense." - Matthew 12:36 - "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment...." - Proverbs 13:3 - “Those who guard their lips preserve their lives....” - Colossians 3:12 - "...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness....” - Ephesians 4:26-27 - "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger...." - Proverbs 29:11 - “A fool gives full vent to his rage, but a wise person holds it in check.” - Proverbs 14:29 - "Whoever is patient has great understanding....” - Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  - Romans 3:10 - "As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one...." - 1 Peter 3:10 - "For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil...." - Romans 12:3 - "...Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think...." - James 4:6 - “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” - Philippians 2:3 - "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind....” - 1 Corinthians 13:1 - "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love...." - Ephesians 4:15 - “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way....” - 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.....”  - Isaiah 1:18 - “Come, let us reason together.”  - Proverbs 3:21 - “Do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight....” - Proverbs 16:4 - “The LORD has made everything for its purpose....” - Hosea 14:9 - “Let those who are wise understand these things....” - Matthew 7:12 - “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you....” - Deuteronomy 12:32 - “So be careful to obey all the commands I give you....” - James 5:12 - “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth....” - Proverbs 10:19 - "When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable...." - 1 Peter 2:1 - "So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander." - 1 Timothy 4:12 - “Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live....” - Daniel 4:17 - “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict....” - Proverbs 21:1 - "The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD...." - Romans 8:28 - “God works all things together for good to those who love Him....”  - Genesis 50:20 - “As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good....” - 1 Cor. 10:31 - “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” - Ephesians 6:12 - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers...." - 1 Peter 5:8 - “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around....” - Ephesians 6:13-18 - "Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that...." RELATED LINKS: - EP 34: #1 Rule for Building a Happy Marriage - more on living by the Golden Rule - 9 Ways to Diffuse a Disagreement - tips for calming strong emotions in yourself & others - How to Stop Arguing with Your Spouse - tried and true advice for cultivating a peaceful home - Praying for My Enemies - a free printable prayer guide to help in this area   STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

You don’t have to dig very deep to discover the #1 rule for building a happy marriage. Jesus spelled out our standard in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Luke 6:31) In marriage, that translates to "Treat your spouse as you wish to be treated." Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Luke 6:31  - Mark 12:31 - Philippians 2:3-4 - Matthew 12:36 - Romans 14:12 - Ephesians 4:2 - 1 Peter 2:17 - Ephesians 5:33 - Ephesians 4:32 - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - Proverbs 15:1  - Philippians 2:3-4  - Song of Solomon 1:16 RELATED LINKS: - The #1 Rule for Building a Happy Marriage - Enough with the Excuses - 25 Ways to Communicate Respect  - Love Your Husband/ Love Yourself STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

The Bible uses a lot of running analogies, and the half-marathon I completed over the weekend really helped drive them home.  Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Corinthians 9:24-27 - “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one....” - Matthew 20:16 - “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.”  - Hebrews 12:1-2 - “...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us....” - Hebrews 10:23-25 - “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering...”  - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor...." - 1Timothy 6:12 - “...Fight the good fight of the faith....”  - Galatians 5:22-23 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness...”  - Galatians 5:25 - “If we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit.”  - Galatians 5:25 - “...reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal....”  - Matthew 25:21 - “Well done, my good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of thy master.” - 2Timothy 4:7-8 - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith....”  Related Links: - Cowtown Half Marathon Photos - a few of the shots I shared on Instagram - "May All Who Come Behind Us Find Us Faithful" - touching song by Steve Green - "Do the Next Thing" - poem written by Mrs. George A. Paull and quoted in a book by Eleanor Amerman Sutphen called Ye Nexte Thynge STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Today I’m pulling back the curtain on habits that have helped me be more productive. I hope you’ll find them helpful for getting stuff done, as well. Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED: - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."  - Psalm 90:12 - “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.“ - James 4:17 - “... to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” - Matthew 23:23 - “...do not neglect the more important things."  - Luke 10:38-42 "...Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”    - Proverbs 14:4 - “Where there are no oxen, the manger stays clean.”   - Psalm 101:3 - “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.”  - Hebrews 12:1 - "...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles...."  - Proverbs 16:9 - “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” - Exodus 34:21 - "Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest....”  - Philippians 3:13-14 - "...forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…”  RELATED LINKS: - Flanders Family Freebies - Sign up for my weekly newsletter through this link - Love Your Husband, Love Yourself - the marriage book my listener mentioned - Bible Reading Plan - a good guide for reading through the Bible in a year - Pretty Printable Prayer Guides - verses to pray for different people and in different situations - Episode 5 - In Defense of Multitasking - Episode 28 - Bible Memory Tips - The Problem with Perfectionism - a blog post I wrote about this common tendency - Age Appropriate Children's Chores - the free printable I mentioned in today's show - 19 Ways to Boost Your Productivity - you'll find a few tips I didn't already mention here STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Jesus calls us to "love your neighbor as yourself," and what closer neighbor do you have than the spouse who shares your bed each night? Loving your husband is something wives need to do not only on special occasions like Valentine's Day and wedding anniversaries, but every minute of every hour of every day, all year long. Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Titus 2:3-5 - "Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior...."  - Mark 12:31 - "...Love your neighbor as yourself....”  - John 13:34 -  “A new command I give you: Love one another....."  - Luke 6:41-42 - “...first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly...."  - I Corinthians 13:1-2 - "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love...." - James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."  - 1 Corinthians 8:1 - "...knowledge puffs up while love builds up."  - 1 Corinthians 13:3 - “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor....” - Hebrews 12:2 - "...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...." - Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve....”  - John 13:14 - “If I then... have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4 - "Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous…”  - John 13:35 - "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  - Philippians 2:1-4 - “...make my joy complete by being of the same mind...." - 1 Corinthians 13:5-6 - “[Love]does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own...." - 1 Peter 4:8 - "...love covers a multitude of sins."  - 1 Corinthians 13:7-13 - “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...." RELATED LINKS: - Love Your Husband, Love Yourself - a compelling book for wives, no matter how long they've been married - 30-day Respect Challenge - sign up for this free email series that offers tips for communicating with your husband in a way he understands and appreciates - More Precious than Gold - a good name is of great value... how does your husband's reputation fare in your hands? - A Plea for Perseverance - because our most important declarations of love are not made on Ferbruary 14th, but in the days and weeks and months that follow STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Can a woman nurture her children without neglecting her husband? Is it possible to be a loving wife and a devoted mother? How do we strike a balance between marriage and motherhood? Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED: -Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest....”  - Ephesians 4:1-3 - “…being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  - Philippians 2:1-8 - “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit....“  - James 3:14-17 - “...do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above.”  - Luke 6:41-42 - “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye ....”  - 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 - “The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife....”  - James 1:5 - "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously...."  - Isaiah 40:31 - "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength....."  - Philippians 4:6 - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication...."  - Proverbs 31:11-12 - “The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on....”  - 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 - “Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time....“  - Psalm 90:12 - “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.”  - Revelation 2:2 - “I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested....”  - Revelation 2:4-5 - “But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love....”  - "Ephesians 5:22-33 - Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord...." - Matthew 15:8-9 - “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me."  Related Links: - To the Tired Mom with the Neglected Husband - my response to the woman who published an open letter to the husband she'd been denying for 4 ½ years - Why I Keep Saying Yes to Sex - women should say no to sex before marriage and yes to sex with their husbands afterwards. Sadly, lots of girls get this backwards STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Lots of people devote their whole lives searching for happiness, yet happiness seems more elusive than ever. That is undoubtedly due to the fact folks are looking in the wrong places. So, how does one find lasting happiness? By realizing the fact that happiness was never intended to be our primary goal; rather, it's a fringe benefit to a life well-lived.  Find and fulfill the ultimate purpose for which you've been put on this planet, and you'll find true happiness as well. The six tips I'm sharing this week on Loving Life at Home can help you identify that purpose and work toward it with intentionality. Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED:  - "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." - Philippians 4:11  - "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." - James 1:2-3 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain." - 1 Timothy 6:6   - “The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” - Psalm 28:7 - “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” - Zephaniah 3:17 - “Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.” - Psalm 35:9 - “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” - John 10:10 - "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31 - “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7 - “…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Ephesians 5:18-20 - “O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” - Psalm 95:1-2 - “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations..” - Psalm 100:4-5 - “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” - Philippians 4:8 - “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth).” - Ephesians 5:8-9 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” - Galatians 5:22-23 - “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 - “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2 - “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” - Mark 11:25 - “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” - Ephesians 4:31-32 - “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” - Colossians 3:12-14 - “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” - Matthew 6:14-15 - “Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” - Psalm 100:2 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…” - Colossians 3:23 - “…serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Galatians 5:13-14 - “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” - 1 Peter 4:10 - “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” - Galatians 6:9-10 - “…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:13-14 - “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” - James 1:12 - “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” - 1 Corintians 9:24-27 RELATED LINKS:  - Free Printable Thank You Notes - several different styles to choose from - My Empty Nest/ Do It Now Lists - freepretty printable templates for you to download - World Magazine - biweekly news magazine presents current events from a Christian worldview - World Watch News - a daily, 10-minute summary of current world events (geared toward kids) - LL #11: Freely Forgive Others - how to let go of past hurts so they don't rob you of joy today STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to make Bible memory more of a priority. Memorizing scripture doesn’t come quite as easily these days as it did when I was a kid, but the following tips and tricks have helped speed my progress significantly. Here's hoping they'll do the same for you! Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED:  - “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 11:18) - “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) - “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3) - “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17) - “Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded, And the ears of those who hear will listen.” (Isaiah 32:3) - “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:14) - "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5) - "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 11:9) -  RELATED LINKS: - Episode 21: Favorite Christmas Traditions - where I first describe Samuel's family challenges - Learning the 10 Commandments - crafts and resources to help commit these to memory - Prayer Guides - help you pray the words of scripture, in accordance with God's revealed will - Simple Scripture Memory System - Charlotte Mason's method for scheduled review - Christian Coloring Pages - these are all available for free on our family website - Verses - the Bible Memory App my daughters use - One-Year Bible Plan - the plan I've used to read through the Bible yearly for over a decade - Pretty Bible Verse Cards – a free printable set of 16 verses for you to memorize - Copy Writing Worksheets – 60+ penmanship practice sheets featuring select Bible verses  - Scripture Memory Cards – these 60+ memory verse cards correspond to the copy work sheets - Bible Verse ABCs – 26 more Bible memory verses, one for each letter of the alphabet - Beautiful Bible Bookmarks – eight memory verses are printed with gorgeous graphics - 50 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know – this checklist will keep you busy memorizing for a while STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

God should be more than the top item on my to-do list. When we think in terms of putting God first, then by definition, something else comes next. It implies that once God's been given His fair share, the rest of my resources are mine to do with as I please, to pour into family, job, hobbies, or whatever else might be on my list. But that's not entirely accurate. This whole hierarchical way of thinking is fundamentally flawed. God transcends our to-do list, and our devotion to Him must be all-encompassing. Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED: - “Honor the Lord with your wealth AND with the first fruits of your harvest.” - Proverbs 3:9  - "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow." - James 1:17 - "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19 - "Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.” - Deuteronomy 14:22-23 - “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might.” - Deuteronomy 6:5 - "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Mark 12:31 - "Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" - Psalm 100:2 - "Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:11 - "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." - Romans 12:1 - "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:14 - "If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." - Romans 14:8 - "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:6 - "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." - Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” - Psalm 62:8  - "Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31 STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

To me, succeeding at things that really matter means investing in something of lasting value. And to do that, we must make sure we our building upon a sure foundation and not on shifting sands.  Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Matthew 7:24-27 - James 1:27 - Matthew 25:36 - Proverbs 25:21 - Ezekiel 34:4 - Romans 12:15 - Hebrews 13:2 - Hebrews 13:3 - Matthew 10:42 - Matthew 6:6 - Matthew 6:3 STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Show Notes Today is January 1 -- Can you believe it? That’s why I’ve chosen as my topic this week 7 Secrets for Making New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Stick To.    Whether you call it goal setting or resolution making or vision mapping or just turning over a new leaf, TODAY is a fantastic opportunity to make some changes for the better!   What's more, that's true whether you’re listening to this episode on New Year’s day or any other day of the year. There's no time like the present, so stop putting off for tomorrow what you can -- and should -- do right now by prayerfully making changes to the glory of God and the betterment of your own life. VERSES CITED: - "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” (Isaiah 28:10) - “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) - "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4) - “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37) - “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) - “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:31) - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6) RELATED LINKS: - New Year's Resolutions We All Should Make - a short, doable list - 6 Smart Ways to Start the New Year Right - set yourself up for success - New Year's Goal Planning Printables - these will help you brainstorm - Balance  - my book about the art of minding what matters most STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

It's Christmas Day, so this week -- like the spectre from Charles Dickens' classic tale -- I'm sharing some stories from Christmas past. Stories that entail some embarrassing moments and concentrated efforts to re-tie strings that had been broken. Show Notes SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: - “Although He existed in the form of God, he didn’t regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” - Philippians 2:6-8 - "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:3-6 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23 - "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us...." - Ephesians 1:7-8 RELATED LINKS: - Our Faith - this is the gospel plan of salvation, shared in a few simple Bible verses STAY CONNECTED: - Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources) - Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content - Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!)  - Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)