Full

Sidewalk chalk art. Greek food. Greek dancing. Navajo sand paintings. Rain. North American animals. Tigers. Raptors. Piano. Flora. Swallowtail caterpillars. Conifers. Rainbows. Giggles. A rainbow of tractors. Photo ops. Running through water. Baseball.A gallery of chickens. And turkeys, ducks, and geese. Queen Bee. Free ice cream. Kids loving animal research. Kids saying they are so lucky to be mine. A smile from Sook. I am full.

Monsters 'n Things

So, the subject of monsters came up today. Not in a scared way but because someone had remembered a picture of a monster eating ice cream. (By Sheri So, our favorite artist!)

Instantly, an art project idea was conceived. It sounds simple, I know... but as simple as it is, how many times do we do it?

Here were the rules:

1) Draw your own made-up monster, any way you want it.
2) First use printer paper with colored pencils to doodle and experiment.
3) When you know what you want, you can draw it on card stock in mom's markers (you know it's really special when you get to draw with mom's stuff!)
4) This one is for mom- no opinions. Unless, of course, your opinion is that your child's work is ingenious and you wouldn't change a thing.

I started by showing a few examples of what a monster could be, just to get them thinking. I could be a blob or a dragon- like monster. It could have funky hair or it could have scales or be fuzzy....

 

As they were drawing, I listened to them talk about their pictures. I realized that there was much more going on in their minds than what we see on paper. So I decided that I would have them explain the pictures and I would write it on the back of the paper.

This is a daddy dinosaur. He's picking up sand and putting it all over his head. Then he gets stuck in the mud.

A little dragon's dad is flying around one sunny day and finds a fire ruby (reference from My Little Pony) that has already been toasted. He gives it to the daughter. She eats it up and says, "thank you".

The man is handing diamonds to the monster because monsters love diamonds. It was roasted already because the man knows that monsters love diamonds that are hot. After he eats his snack he flies away. The monster is licking his lips because he know it's hot.

The baby monster is in a boat and blowing fire to bake cookies being held by a robot arm. There is a ball in the water. The one on the diving board was supposed to put soap in the river for a bath, but he fell asleep. The mom is blowing fire on the birds. She is holding a bowl. The bird will fall into the bowl and then they could eat it.

This one is hungry and he sees food.

 

I just like this one. No caption, though.

 

This was Max's. He was so excited to draw... I'm guessing because of the excitement from his sisters. He scribbled something for two minutes (or less) and proudly brought it over to me and laughed his head off.

 

 

Oh yeah. Moms and Dads, you've got to do one too! Don't worry- your kids will think it is fantastic no matter how artistic you are. This monster has a pouch with a zipper on it. He was taking a walk and found a gigantic ice cream cone on the sidewalk. The baby's hand is sticking out of his pouch and reaching for the ice cream.

While I was uploading the pictures, I searched articles about sparking creativity in children. I found this one and this one. 

 

What I gathered from these articles is that there should be times that parents give limited instructions about things like toys and crafts so that the children have room for their own ideas. In addition, children are encouraged to share the wonder of science and nature with parents that express interest in such things. For the most part, I appreciate the information in these articles.

 

I am wary of one suggestion to not give instructions or to make up new instructions on board games. I think that there are plenty of opportunities to foster creativity, but there is a time to follow instructions as well, so I guess it depends on the situation. I am finding that De Bono's book, Teach your Child How to Think, is helpful in learning different kinds of thinking. His example of six different hats, one being creative thinking and another being factual thinking, is easy for the children to understand.

 

In my experience, these are a few things that have fostered a creative spirit in my children:

 

Encouraging free time without electronics

 

Willingness to try something without knowing for sure how it will end up- recipes, crafts, science experiments, for example.

 

Allowing messes, within reason, if they are for building good thinking skills.

 

Enjoying differences in my children's thinking, and taking the perspective that no one is the smartest, but each has their own strengths and their own way of working things out.

 

Knowing their abilities and give them the freedom of some responsibility without constantly checking on them.

 

Kids create an environment where the parent can be silly and creative and terrific all at once. I love to take advantage of the opportunity to let my gaurd down and just have fun with it.

 

 

 

 

Later, in the absolutely fabulous weather that we had this evening, I heard them in the back yard. They had put a plastic football on the end of the shovel handle and jumped on the shovel, catapulting the ball into the air. Then, they would laugh hysterically and someone else would take their turn. Oh my goodness... it was a riot. 

Drawing monsters or catapulting footballs. I have the best job in the world.

In Spain

I was 21 years old, in the tail end of an eight week stay in Spain, stationed in Granada. My class would often take trips to the beach on the weekends. This was our last weekend and our last trip. At dinner the night before we agreed on a time to meet and a place to go.

I guess I was late. There was no one at the bus station. I did not want to go back to my apartment, so I bought a ticket. Maybe they were on the bus? It was bus number diecisiete. Now, on paper, my Spanish was okay. In my head, it took some time to think it through, and I did not have time. 15? 16? 17?

Fifteen was pulling out. I waved it down. He told me it was the wrong bus. Sixteen was wrong, too. The annoyed number seventeen bus driver took my ticket, and I sat down in the back of the bus. I knew no one. I looked at my stub once more...yes, it was the town agreed upon.

During this hour and a half drive to the beach, it dawned on me that (keep in mind, my Spanish is not so good) I didn't know where dinner was going to be that night. And, since I was ignorantly taking one day at a time, I knew that at dinner we would be told when and where to meet in order to depart to Madrid, where the airplane would take me home sweet home. Therefore, if I did not find my peers, I would not know where to go to dinner, where to meet for the bus to Madrid, and would not be going back home.

Worry never entered my mind. I said a prayer, rode the smoke-filled bus, and exited at a small, empty building. I studied my surroundings, and it seemed to me that the sidewalk that ran next to the empty building may lead to the beach.

It was probably a half of a mile walk to the beach through town. I just kept walking that sidewalk until it ended at a sandy white beach, packed with half- naked bodies. I stood there, looking into the crowd of sunbathers, when my gaze stopped on my group. I walked up, threw out my towel, and began to sunbathe.

And I made it home.

It was no big deal to me then. But tonight, I'm thinking of the white, sandy beach and am overwhelmed with the thought of divine protection.

Easy Italian Sauce

My recipes usually are not too precise. I love this Italian Sauce because its flexible, easy, and I usually make two or three batches worth at one time so that I can save the rest for another meal.

 

Easy Italian Sauce

 

1-2 T olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

 

Heat oil, saute

 

1 jar tomato juice (or several cans of sauce if you prefer)

fresh basil and oregano to taste (dried will work, too)

salt and pepper

 

Simmer at least 20 minutes

 

 

You can add any other spices you like, but this is a nice base recipe. You can put it in lasagna, Italian chicken, or use as a spaghetti sauce. My personal favorite is ground beef and spaghetti squash.

 

I like to get the kids to help by having them cut fresh herbs for me, pour in ingredients, stir occasionally, and taste test it with me. If they are around the kitchen, I also reinforce cooking terms such as saute and simmer, and explain how these actions improve flavor.

 

Anything left over I put in jars and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

 

 

 

 

 



Detecting Bad Wisdom

I was expecting company, and for the love of that company arose the spirit of clean. I had a vision of how I wanted my house to look, each room in order. That is, except for the basement because my company would not be needing to go there. I found myself taking out clutter from the upstairs and hauling it downstairs to go through later. By the time company arrived, my house met my expectations.

Some people might read this and think that this in nothing profound. I realize that. Except for somewhere in my past I had been taught that you are not a good homemaker if you have a junk room- or a junk drawer for that matter. I am a selective perfectionist, and this one stuck. Therefore, my house was never clean and I felt defeated.

It got me thinking about how wisdom turned bad can result in no wisdom at all. Good stewardship of money can turn into an obsession and generosity dwindles. Hospitality can turn into a prideful show and serving lacks a love component. These things sound good- and are good until the tidbit of wisdom overrides God's grace and peace. I've learned the balance is found in God's promise of peace.

 

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts..... (Col 3:15)

 

 

Once and a while, I ask myself if I am over- spiritualizing everything. It may even annoy people. But I have bitten off more than I can chew myself and unrest is my enemy. I have to bring everything back to God's great and perfect promises.

 

But before we can have this peace, we have to trust God completely. The best way I've learned to do this is to ask Him to help me trust, because in my weakness, trust can seem impossible.

 

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. (Isaiah 26:3)

 



 

Now, (at least in my good times) I find myself searching for the peace in every situation.

 

Last spring, we visited one of our favorite parks- a nature center with a creek running through it. We enjoyed waking in the shallow waters, catching frogs, and hunting butterflies. A week ago, we returned to find that it was bone dry, except for a few puddles here and there. My initial reaction was sadness. Drought has challenged my peace this summer.

 

I was reminded, however, that God is so good. He will fill the creek again, and the frogs will return. It was a fantastic learning experience to talk about the effects of weather conditions and to see to floor of the creek. The day was good, and hope remained. Peace stayed firm.

 

 

 

I have enjoyed that the main room in our house is consistently cleaner than before because I gave up the expectation of perfection. It creates a more approprite environment for our family, and it helps maintain order. Overall,(not perectly, by any means)  my days have a joy that comes from being guided by peace.

 

This is my scripture to hide in my heart this week:

 

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)