I was asked the question recently about having more fun in the day. Here is what I shared with my friend.
"I'll share what I see in my kids and see if maybe it might be your missing link.
My girls have a lot of "head knowledge" as far as Bible, but we are lacking in the outward doing. We have because "fat on the Word" as Joyce Meyer says, lots of hearing but not a lot of doing. So we are going to take some steps of faith, smalls one cause my girls are so timid, to do things for the Lord. Last week we ( Emilie, Olivia, and me) took a quiz to find out spiritual gifting and areas of ministry. Emilie scored super high in Encourager. Olivia was high in Proclaimer. I was high in teacher.
Emilie wants to have friendships, she enjoys encouraging others but, lacks the boldness to talk in Sunday School and Youth Group. ( you could prayer for them in this area if you feel lead) So I'm having her start a "card ministry". Each week she is to pick a girl she knows, write them a notecard and pray for them. She has just started with her first card this week. I'm praying the girls she reaches out too are blessed and accepting of her outreach. I know this sounds so tiny that it seems unimportant, but it is a big thing for Emilie to put her faith out there to be accepted. She has been "burned" several times by "Christian" girls in the area of friendship. It makes me cry.
Olivia likes and is talented in doing things on the computer. I plan on having her make inspirational "slide shows"( aka powerpoint) for church.
Our church is doing a new thing during quarterly Business meetings, the kids are sharing their talents with the church for the glory of the Lord. Last time there was singing, piano playing, and scripture reading & memorization. Olivia did a slide show with music with the pictures of Jr Camp and High School camp. We just posted those on FB, I think they will be shown at the next business meeting. I'd like her to do more with this as well, like some Psalms. Emilie enjoys writing poetry so I'm thinking they might work together on something like this.
Often our church lets the young people play the offertory music. Bella will be doing that.
I'm the leader of the girls ministry at church called Faithgirls. I'm teaching homemaking skills and trying to find ways to use them to minster to others. So this fall we are learning to crochet. We are collecting plastic shopping bags and will be crocheting them into sleeping mats for women in Uganda, and I hope we get enough for do some for the local homeless too.
The book Start Here, Doing Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris (former homeschoolers ) and their first book Do Hard Things, which I don't have yet, has really inspired me in this area. I'm praying that soon the girls will think of their own "hard things" to do for the Lord.
Doing hard things/ministry doesn't mean no fun. Sometimes if might be scary at first as the comfort zone gets stretched. But then the once hard thing becomes an easy thing, and then you can stretch your tent a little bigger. Is 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."
So I guess I'm writing all this for you to ask yourself is it really "fun" you think your missing, but practical ministry opportunities to do together with the knowledge, talents/gifts you and your family has. You might be surprised what ideas they dream up."
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