Author: Linsey Driskill

Hi! I've been married more than 15 years, have triplets, and love encouraging families in following Jesus and his words: to love God and love others. I love spontaneity, simplicity, and authenticity. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram Page @BeautifulHeartedParenting and at LinseyDriskill.com.

An Encouraging Word from Katie Davis Majors as Easter Approaches

Linsey Driskill

unnamedAs Easter approaches, Katie Davis Majors’ words from her book, “Daring to Hope”, hit home:

“I stand there in the kitchen, my inadequacy exposed…I chastise myself for losing my temper, for not giving [my daughter] the consistently calm response she needs. As I’m tempted to wallow in guilt over all that I am not for my children, gently [the Lord] points out that I was never meant to meet all their needs anyway. It isn’t me who can make up for all their losses and hurts. He reminds me that I cannot be what they need Him to be: Savior. I quietly beg him to fill in the gaps. Really, we are all crying out for the exact same thing: a true and consistent love that does not waver. A Savior who comes and binds up our wounds.” Katie Davis Majors

It’s so easy to find all the areas in parenthood where I fall short, and there are many, but her words remind me that it’s okay- I wasn’t meant to do it all. Jesus is the Great Rescuer, not me. He’s the one who makes all right and good and whole and healed. When Jesus died on the cross and rose three days later, he provided a hope here and now, and forever.

Jesus, please fill in the gaps we have created as parents and meet our children’s needs. Where we have been weak, please make us all strong. When we want to cling to guilt for our shortcomings, help us to tap into the freedom and redeeming hope that we have in you. We pray your joy would fill our hearts. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Losing Keys & Finding Grace

Linsey Driskill

Driskill2019-81.jpg{To receive content once a week via email, subscribe in the right sidebar.}

I made a classic parenting mistake with my six-year-old daughter, Gracie. She has been very into clip-on-earrings, but has repeatedly lost them. In frustration, I huffed, “Gracie, you’re not being responsible with them. I’m not getting you any more earrings.”

Then my husband ever so accurately reminded me: “Linsey, you have lost your keys three times in the last two weeks. You lose more than Gracie and she’s only six!” Thankfully, my husband found my keys in the front door the first time and our UPS friend discovered them in the door the second time. The third time, I spent twenty minutes looking for that house key, and my husband found it buried in my purse!

And my daughter isn’t being responsible? I felt so wrong, right there in my husband’s words. Why do I selfishly extend more grace to myself than my six-year-old daughter?

I asked Author Ted Tripp a question at a conference about raising children: “When I constantly correct them, I feel like I am communicating the message that I have it all together and that they are the only ones in need of correction. How can I avoid this?”

I asked Author Ted Tripp a question at a conference about raising children: “When I constantly correct them, I feel like I am communicating the message that I have it all together and that they are the only ones in need of correction. How can I avoid this?”

I loved Ted Tripp’s response: “When you are correcting your children, get on their level, and let them know that you also are working on the very same things–that you are in this together. ” The simple idea that we are a team resonates with me and has created so much more connection with my children.

I asked Gracie to forgive me for my impatience. I shared with her that I lose many things myself, and that we can work on being more responsible together. Relief covered her face. Yes, great expectations are needed for our children; however, I was reminded to gently correct and share that I am working on areas also.

It can be easy to lose our cool in the moment, but Proverbs 16:32 encourages us to take a deep breath instead of uttering harshness: “Better a patient person than a warrior,one with self-control than one who takes a city.”

Ten years from now, I prefer my children to know that I’m not perfect, that we work on issues as a family, and that I love and accept them, and myself, through all our imperfections. After all, that’s what unconditional love is–loving through the mess and offering grace along the way. Not keeping a record of wrongs.

That’s exactly what the Lord does for us. And that’s the kind of love I want to give to my kids.

The next time Gracie loses her earrings and I lose my keys (and hopefully find them), I will remind my Gracie that we are working on this together, but that I’m thankful we have the most important thing down: we sure do love each other.

{To receive content once a week via email, subscribe in the sidebar or below.}

Article originally published on Church.org.

The Perfect Love of God

Linsey Driskill

Denver quote

Wow, are Denver’s words challenging to me (they’re based on Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:32-36). The question that comes to mind is: In what ways can we, and our children, stretch ourselves to love like this?

 

 

Fun Craft Idea to do with your Kiddos

Linsey Driskill
unnamed-3
This is a fun way to spend some quality time with your kiddos! If you do #8 on “20 Ways to Spice up Days with our Kiddos” (https://linseydriskill.com/?s=spice) and pick a country with rain forests, have fun making one out of tissue boxes, cling wrap, paint, play dough, and paper towel tubes! My kids loved this!

20 Ways to Spice up Days with Your Kids & 30 Would You Rather Questions!

Linsey Driskill

Bungee5(To receive my weekly post via email, sign up on the right sidebar. 30 Would you Rather Questions can be found at the bottom of this post).

Since you probably won’t be bungee jumping with your kids any time soon, here are 20 WAYS TO SPICE UP YOUR DAYS TOGETHER:

  1. Do a science experiment such as an exploding volcano. Here is a huge list of experiments such as ice chalk and ice crystal names: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/how-to/gmp1389/diy-kids-activities/
  2. Have a picnic in your back yard, or family room if it’s raining, to change things up. Have a breakfast picnic in your kids’ bedroom.
  3. Alter a cookie recipe you have, letting your kids come up with the ingredients.
  4. Create a scavenger hunt for your kids leading to a simple surprise.
  5. Create a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood.
  6. Make mud pies WITH your kids in the backyard.
  7. Find a creek to explore or skip rocks on.
  8. Spin a globe or point to a map after closing your eyes, and randomly pick a place to take an imaginary trip to. Have fun researching the country and making that country’s food.
  9. Make slime with cornstarch and water. Put amount of cornstarch in first, and then slowly add water until you have consistency you want (2 cups cornstarch, and 1 cup water works well).
  10. Play a game of Uno. Winner gets a back massage.
  11. Throw on the music, have a dance party, and imitate each other’s moves.
  12. Write anonymous, encouraging notes for friends and ring the doorbell and run so you’re not seen. Let the kids (and maybe even you) dress up in disguise.
  13. Create the grandest fort you have ever seen with blankets and pillows. Then, play in the fort with your kids.
  14. Pick a Bible story to act out, and have fun dressing up and playing the part.
  15. Play old classics like Kick the can, Hop Scotch, Pictionary, or Charades.
  16. Have a talent show. Show them “Suzy Stretch” where one person lays down (put a blanket over his head), and the other person sits on top of that person’s stomach and pretends to have “amazing flexibility”-looks hilarious.
  17. Find a short hike to take your kids on (gummy bears are a great inspiration to keep spirits up, and complaining down!). Along the way, play “Would you Rather.” For 30 question ideas see the bottom of this post.
  18. Have your children lay on their back and draw eyes and a nose on their chins so it looks like faces (or use washable paint as long as it doesn’t drip). Cover the rest of their face with a blanket. Now have them sing or say silly things-that should get the laughter going!
  19. Have a classic water balloon fight.
  20. Roll up Questions and place them in balloons, and then blow them up. Have your kids pop them to answer the questions, and they might have fun drawing their answers. Ideas are: “What would your dreamland be like?”, “If you could create an animal, what would it look like?”, “If you created one invention, what would it be?”, or “Describe your best day.”

As you spend days changing diapers, cleaning up messes, or carpooling, it can be easy to miss the adventure and freedom to go off by ourselves (even for just 10 minutes). There are times I longingly look back on Guatemala, Rome, Romania, and bungee jumping in Switzerland–what!? Life looks so different now so I have to do a double take to make sure that was really me jumping off that enormous lift.

But, as Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Seasons will not last forever. Our children won’t be babies, toddlers, elementary-age, or teenagers forever. They’re growing up fast, and this is a season. There is indeed a time for everything. A time for adventure, and a time for simplicity. A time for travel, and a time to stay put.

Now your adventure just looks different. It involves precious little children the Lord saw fit for you to raise. Our adventures don’t have to take place across the globe–they can be right here at home. Enjoy spicing up days with your kiddos with this fun list!

30 Ridiculous Would You Rather Questions for Kids

Would you Rather…

  1. Swim in ice cream or donuts?
  2. Never brush your teeth again or never take a bath again?
  3. Would you rather have stinky feet or stinky hands?
  4. Have to crawl everywhere or walk upside down everywhere?
  5. Have a cupcake-making machine in your room or a donut-making machine?
  6. Not wash your hands or hair for a month?
  7. Eat a chocolate covered cricket or a peanut-butter worm?
  8. Hiccup or burp all the time?
  9. Be able to walk on the ceiling or sideways on the wall?
  10. Have 5 noses or 5 eyes?
  11. Sleep on pinecones or spaghetti?
  12. Be smaller than an ant or bigger than a tree?
  13. Hop on one foot or spin everywhere you go?
  14. Have feet on your head or on your knees?
  15. Have Olaf or Snoopy for a pet?
  16. Live in the sea or an underground prairie dog tunnel?
  17. Have noodles or broccoli for hair?
  18. Have a slide or pole instead of stairs?
  19. Have an elephant’s trunk or a giraffe’s neck?
  20. Be a bird or dolphin?
  21. Be a chameleon so you can change colors, or be a cheetah so you can run as fast as a car?
  22. Live on a cloud or in the bottom of the sea?
  23. Stand barefoot in a bowl of smooshy bananas or slimy mushrooms?
  24. Have your tongue or your hands stuck in a bottle?
  25. Only be able to yell or whisper?
  26. Go to the beach or mountains?
  27. Be sprayed with a snail’s gooey liquid or a spider web?
  28. Be able to walk on water or on the top of trees?
  29. Sleep with a helmet on or with your shoes on?
  30. Ride on a Cloud or a Rainbow?