The Best Summer Plans!

I have been praying about

 SUMMER. 

 Not your typical summer prayers of good weather, health and fun.

I have been praying this, 

 "GOD HELP ME, 

there is a lot of people gonna be home a lot of hours and they are 

exhausting  awesome".

I love summer and I love my house full of kids,

but summer can go one of two directions.  

1.)  It can be a fun and productive time spent together,

 or

2.)  it can be a fast moving train that just  hits me from behind before I realize it's coming, 

and runs me over, 

and when I finally look up, 

I don't even know what hit me.

And then, it's over,

 just like that.

My prayer leading up to

 SUMMER

 has included these things:

A good schedule, but also a breather of sorts.

  Structure without being rigid and monotonous .  

 I want it to be fun, but not out of control. 

I PRAY FOR 

WILD PEACE 

AND 

HAPPY CHAOS!!

(There is happy chaos * thank you Betty for that term*, 

and I only pray for  the happy kind ).

 I want to enjoy the kids, and yet, not feel overwhelmed by all the different ages and stages and energy of everyone. 

 I pray for fun activities that don't break the bank 

or 

make me lose my mind.

I want us all to grow and learn

 without getting fat and sassy.

So this is what the Lord gave me:

Colossians 1:28-29

28 So everywhere we (Charlie and Jenay) go we talk about Christ to all (our kids) who will listen, warning them and teaching them as well as we know how. We want to be able to present each (kid) one to God, perfect because of what Christ has done for each of them. 29 This is my work, and I (Jenay) can do it only because Christ’s mighty energy (Glory to God) is at work within me.

 I added the parenthesis and personalized this verse, and you can too.  

My job this summer and forever is to prepare and teach my kids to be in relationship with Christ and to present them perfectly to God!  

**If Christ lives in them, they are perfect before God 

(even when they screw up)!** 

  In all the things I've been praying about;

 the fun, the schedule, the work, the play,

 the everything, 

can all be done with 

HIS ENERGY (GLORY to GOD)

 if I keep the focus on 

Christ alone

 and look to HIM in everything we do, every day all day long.

For people who don't know Jesus Christ personally, but only know religion, this could seem like a scary and boring summer plan.  

They might picture in their mind a summer full of serious studying and strict quiet time and rigid chores, and boring and bland food and activities.  

I know for sure it's the total opposite.  

God gives the greatest gifts and He is the most loving Father.

  He is so much fun and so generous with his gifts. 

He has given us His creation to enjoy.

 His creation includes all the greatest people, playgrounds, and animals and resources and senses, 

AND HIS ENERGY (Glory to God)

 to enjoy these marvelous things.  

So when I hand over my summer to Him and ask Him for

 His energy (Glory! To! GOD!)

 to make it the best summer possible, I know He can be trusted.

I gave my summer plans and my life plans to my Father; the best boss, time manager, party planner, travel agent, coach, and counselor, 

MY CREATOR and MY KING.

I laid all my requests and plans and ideas and kids at His feet and said, 

"Please give us what we need and help us to do it in 

YOUR ENERGY." 

(G.L.O.R.Y. To G.O.D.)