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Soul Detox for Spiritual Growth

July 25, 2016 by Susan 4 Comments

I have never taught material that so resonated with people. After the first lesson, numerous people order the book for themselves. It hits home. It’s real.

I am teaching this in three different formats this summer. I’m leading my church’s Wednesday night adult class for 13 weeks, teaching an adult class at the annual Family Camp we attend, and teens, at a National youth camp.

The two camps are each a week long. So it was definitely a challenge, using the same material to teach for 4 days and then also as a course to span the whole summer…not to mention teaching both groups of teens and adults.

Here’s the publisher’s description of the book:

As standards of conduct continue to erode in our shock-proof world, we must fight the soul pollution threatening our health, our faith, and our witness to others. Without even knowing it, people willingly inhale second-hand toxins poisoning their relationship with God and stunting their spiritual growth.

Soul Detox examines the toxins that assault us daily including: toxic influences, toxic emotions, and toxic behaviors.

By examining the toxins that assault us daily, this book offers the ultimate spiritual intervention with ways to remain clean, pure, and focused on the standard of God’s holiness.

Star Wars Party

July 7, 2016 by Susan Leave a Comment

I was four when the first Star Wars came out. We must’ve gone to see it, because in a pre-school memory book, I named it as my favorite movie. (Something I’m sure I mentioned when dating my Star Wars loving husband). We have two Star Wars loving sons, and many Star Wars loving friends. So pair that with my enjoyment of themed entertaining, (more here) and you can imagine the fun we had last December when The Force Awakens opened.

I will apologize right up front loud and clear for the quality (the lack of quality) of the pictures. These were taken with a cell phone just for fun, before blogging was even on my radar. I hope even with the grainy quality of many of them, you still enjoy them. And I hope maybe you get some ideas for your Star Wars party!

One Pastor’s Observation

June 29, 2016 by Susan 6 Comments

What do you think this pastor said creates most of the problems that come through his door? The answer might surprise you!

For the past 9 years, every June, my family spends a week in Indiana at Midwest Family Camp, held at lovely Camp Mack on Lake Waubee. Last week was that week!

During our first worship service, I prayed that God would direct my conversations for the week. I so look forward each year to good conversation with people who make me better. I prayed that God would lead who I talked to and what we talked about, that I would hear and receive what I needed to and that I would share with others what He wanted me to.

Audiobooks for Your Next Road Trip

June 22, 2016 by Susan 6 Comments

It’s summertime and we’re on the road again, as the song says. My family has a couple of annual camps that we attend each summer, both of which are over 10 hours away. I’ll be sharing some of what I learn at each one sometime soon. But what I want to talk about today is one way we like to pass the time in the car.

We love to listen to audiobooks!

Of course we have time on trips that we sleep, talk, listen to music (or musicals), or the boys play video games…but we also always have at least one audiobook along that we listen to. We frequently find them at our library to check out, but have been known to borrow them from friends and purchase them ourselves as well.

I thought I’d share some of our favorites that you might enjoy with your family.Continue Reading

Road Trip Snacks and a Cookie Recipe for the Trip

June 20, 2016 by Susan 1 Comment

We’re into that time of year for summer camps and family road trips. In fact, this week we’re at the annual Midwest Family Camp we attend in Indiana. I am always looking for ideas for road trip snacks that travel well. Every time we go somewhere, I get online and search, hoping that I’ll see something that will really “wow” my family. I don’t know that we’ve hit “wow”, but we have settled into some standards that have come to be expected.

I will say, that along with these make-ahead snacks, we also each have our go-to convenience store snacks that we pick up along the way. Mine is Cheddar Cheese Combos. The only time I ever eat them is on road trips, I’ve never once purchased them aside from on trips. But when I travel I crave them.

Road Trip Snacks

The biggest criteria when it comes to road trip snacks are neatness, sturdiness and no strong smell.

Awesome Party Games!

June 16, 2016 by Susan Leave a Comment

My family loves games. I wrote recently about strategy games that we all enjoy. And that’s a feat, considering that my husband and boys are pretty serious board-gamers (or “dork-gamers” as I affectionately call them). We have found several games that we all enjoy and not only do we play them frequently, but we just about always have one out somewhere in the house.

Besides strategy games, though, we also love a good party game! Scattegories, Taboo, Catch Phrase, Apples to Apples and Balderdash have been regulars for a long time.

I have a list of games for you today that you might not have heard of and are going to want to try. If you click on the pictures of the games, you can read more about them.