Nathan teasing me!
A joyful heart is good medicine!
I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.
-Audrey Hepburn
The grid through which you see life will determine how you behave in life. Children want a happy mama--that makes them feel acceptable, as though they belong, and filled up in their own little hearts because mamas are the compass that lead children to joy in life.
Happiness is a choice that comes from a heart that desires to please God. Happiness is an attitude that, in the will, says, "This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it.
How to develop this attitude little by little is another thing all together. These are some things I have done to cultivate happiness in my home. The more you practice and choose these heart expressions of happiness, the more happy your home will become.
Cultivating Happiness In Your Home
Before you even step out of bed, put your eyes on Jesus and talk to Him.
"Jesus, this is your day. I can only have enough strength for all that I carry if you carry it for me, and if you give your spirit's life into the moment of my days. Please help me to worship you today by choosing to be thankful for the gifts of my children. This is your day, Lord and I want it to be a day when you are present every moment. I love you, Jesus and am thankful for you being with me."
When you first see your children or husband, greet them with a blessing.
Kiss your husband in front of your children---this makes them feel happy and secure. Choose to take time to tell him goodbye and kiss him before he goes to work.
"I am the most blessed mama in the world to have you as my little boy."
"Good morning sunshine. I am happy to see you this morning. Did you have any dreams.'
"Mama needs a kiss from you today because you are so very special to me."
"I am so happy to be your mama! God must have loved me to give me you."
When a child grows up with a blessing most every morning when he awakens, he feels wanted and affirmed deep inside.
Put on music at different points all day.
Put in on when you do the dishes or chores with your children (upbeat for this for me.)
At the dinner table, (instrumental so everyone can talk.)
Put it on when you are in the car, and when you have a sick child, and when you are alive, and....
Certain music, scientists have said, lower blood pressure, soothes the nerves, gives people a sense of contentment, helps some children do math better, and takes the focus off the work.
Place fun things in your day that you will enjoy--as well as your family.
I light candles a lot just because it makes me feel civilized.
I instituted afternoon tea times because I wanted a civilized moment and it made me happy. (a cuppa an small treat like a piece of dark chocolate.
I love to walk, sing, dance, have fun, live well and with beauty and harmony, so I place things every day in my life that give me happiness or a sense of fun. (flowers, walks at sunset, back rubs, sitting out on the deck and watching the pines blow, etc.
The more you cultivate happiness for yourself, the more happy you will be--and the happier your children will be!
Practice being thankful every day--take time to look at the antics, and into the eyes of your children and thank God that they are with you now.
Thank God when you see flowers, stars, color, sunsets, all the things He made every day for us to enjoy. Almost every morning without fail, when I open my eyes, I see a pink, coral or purple colors reflecting on the clouds outside my window. I thank God for pinks and blues almost daily.
May your days be happy and bright......!
P.S. For those of you who missed it, Sarah Mae and I talked to the people running our seminar and asked them to please lower the price to something lots of mamas could afford. They said yes, and we are so very grateful. So, now you can come to the seminar for $17.99! The group we are experimenting with usually does business conferences for 4 hours for $195 a person. So we got them down to $69 and today we got them to agree to $17.99 so more mamas could participate. It is a great way to start the year. Tell friends about it and have an end of the seminar party to discuss what you learned and encourage one another. Hope you can come!
Register HERE.