Here's To All That Didn't Get Done In 2018

My mom made a gingerbread house with us every year that I can remember growing up. It’s a tradition I’ve carried over into my little family’s holiday celebrations. This year, however, it just didn’t happen. I kept meaning to mix up the dough and cut out pieces to create a miniature model of our new house, complete with blue frosting for our pretty blue roof. But… Life.

I’m 8 months pregnant, we’re getting ready to publish a book and launch a podcast series while also trying to design three websites, start a home business, work two part-time jobs, keep up with full-time Church work, and maintain our regular homeschooling life. There were a lot of things we enjoyed as a family over Christmas break. Making a gingerbread house from scratch was not one of them.

We DID decorate a gingerbread house. It was one of those store bought kits that my mom mailed to us. The kind that comes with the cookies already baked and ready to puzzle into place. It was fun! It was cute! But it was really eating at me that it wasn’t the way I’ve always done things. It bugged me even more that it was on my list of things to do and I didn’t get it done.

I’ve always been big on traditions. When I was a kid, it wasn’t Christmas unless Mom made her signature White Hot Chocolate recipe while we decorated the tree. Everything had to be just so or it wasn’t worth doing. As a mom of six, I’m learning to let go of my picture-perfect idea of how things are “supposed” to go and just enjoy the moments as they come.

Did my kids notice that we didn’t make the dough from scratch? No. Did they notice that the commercial frosting was full of corn syrup and tasted ten years old? Nope. Did they complain about the lack of effort that went into building the house or that it was too “easy”? Um… No.

They had a blast sticking candy to the sides and getting their hands gooey with frosting. They can’t wait to smash and eat it tonight at our New Year’s Eve party. To them, the house is as real as any other we’ve made. Thankfully, my unmet expectations didn't ruin it for them.

So, I’m letting go of the fact that this is the first year of my life that I can remember ever not making a gingerbread house from scratch. I’m also letting go of the fact that we are way behind in my son’s reading program. And that we didn’t get to go camping this year. And that I didn’t finish my 2018 New Year’s Resolution – or even get close to finishing! I’m letting go of aaallll the bazillion things that didn’t get done this year, and heading into 2019 with much fewer expectations.

I’m refocusing on the important things and realizing that I don’t have to complicate life by trying to make it “just so.” Life can really be much more simple than that. After all, “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

So, here’s to all that didn’t get done in 2018. And to all that probably won’t get done in 2019, let’s go ahead and acknowledge you, too. This was still a good year. Next year is still going to be a good year, even without all you little unfulfilled expectations. Some of you were things that should have been done. Some were things I’m glad didn’t end up getting done. But none of you have any impact on whether our next year is going to be full of love and kindness and justice and GOD. So, here’s a moment of silence in remembrance of all you little things that didn’t get done:

Now… Buh-Bye!

I hope all my mommy friends are headed into 2019 without the guilt of the undone, too. This next year is not defined by the last. All you did in 2018 to love you kids, bless your family, and serve God has not gone unnoticed by Him. It was work well done. Don’t throw the beauty away because it didn’t look exactly like you wanted. Dust off the unfinished and start fresh.

Happy New Year, friends!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas with Norwex!

Last week I introduced you to a few of my favorite things - Norwex cleaning supplies! They have some really great deals going on today, so I want to let you in on what you can get when you make your order through Kylie Johnson. Check out her page kyliejohnson.norwex.biz to see all of the spectacular products Norwex has available.

But first, why do I use Norwex anyway? Because Norwex microfiber cloths remove up to 99% of bacteria WITHOUT using harmful chemicals found in most household cleaners. All I need is a cloth and water, and even my littles can safely clean!

Norwex saves money because we're not constantly restocking on papers towels and cleaning supplies. No worrying about getting to the store before we run out of all-purpose cleaner. We just grab a cloth and go.

It's also fast, which is a huge deal for moms. Being able to wipe a surface and get on with my day rather than round up several cleaning products is a time-saver. It's good for the environment, too!

The biggest thing to me is that I'm super sensitive to smells and chemicals. So, being able to pass on those perfume-laden cleaning products that give me a migraine and make me sick to my stomach is a win! I like how absorbent the cloths are, especially the dust mit which actually traps dust instead of sending it flying all over the room. Less dust and grime floating in the air means fewer allergy problems for me.

You'll want to check out these sales on Kylie's site because they're only available until NOON TODAY (Dec 20)! Once you start using Norwex you'll be hooked. Whether you're new to Norwex or whether you are a Norwex fan already, these sales are a great way to expand your collection and make your home safer and healthier!

Save 30% on deals like the Face Freshness package which includes the body cloths and the Silver Care Toothbrush. The toothbrush eliminates 99.9% of bacteria found on your toothbrush, and comes with a replaceable head - definitely something I've had my eye on!

30% off the Small Wonders package means you get a lint mit that is great for removing hair and fibers, plus Wrinkle Release Spray, the Air Freshener Bag, and the Microfiber Variety Pack.

You can also get 30% off the Kitchen Package which comes with three kitchen cloths and two kitchen towels (my personal favorite). There are several other great deals on that page, so be sure to check that out before noon today.

If you want to start smaller, I highly recommend trying out their basic EnviroCloth. This is the cloth that almost everyone starts out their Norwex collection with. It's got the BacLock antibacterial microsilver technology and works for almost anything you need to clean!

Another great starter item is the Window Cloth, or the Dryer Balls. Who hasn't wanted to try dryer balls? The Norwex dryer balls are an all natural fabric softener made of 100% wool that helps your laundry dry faster and with less static.

There are so many great Norwex options for replacing those nasty household cleaners with safe, green alternatives. I want to try them all! What's on your wish list?

[Disclaimer: This post is part of a series that received compensation. All opinions expressed are my own]

Are you a stay-at-home mom with a home business you'd like to see featured on the Beautiful Chaos blog? Send me an email at servingfromhome@gmail.com!

Chores for Littles - Plus a free worksheet from Education.com!

Having a large family is a lot of work. I don’t even really consider our family to be that big yet, but currently we have 21 mouths to feed in a day (7 people x 3 meals), 14 shoes to find when it’s time to go, 140 nails to clip, 1-2 daily baskets of laundry to wash and fold, and at least 14 diapers/pull-ups to change every day (and that’s about to increase by a LOT with Baby due in February).

Not so very long ago we were exhausted just trying to care for the basic needs of 5 very young children. To give you an idea of how well I was keeping up, after a visit one day a friend commented that the state of my house inspired her to go home and clean her own LOL! It was bad. As soon as I got one room clean I turned around to find the babies had destroyed another. It felt like shoveling the sidewalk in the middle of a blizzard – futile and pretty ridiculous to even attempt.

Over the last few months, things have gotten MUCH easier. The older the kids get the more they are able to help. There are still lots of times when I feel like I’m in that blizzard shoveling snow again, but we have a pretty good routine down these days and most of the time it feels like we’re at least treading water.

This Is Adoption, Too

I'm ready to talk about adoption.

I haven't shared much about our journey since bringing Little Miss home a year and a half ago. We've been too deep in the trenches. Too mentally exhausted. Too afraid of sharing too much.

I haven't shared what it's like because, other than fellow adoptive parents, there are few people who understand. The times when I've tried to explain I've been met with blank stares or a lot of, "You're making too big a deal out of this." So, I talk to my small circle of support, and I get advice from counselors, and I pray without ceasing, and I eat a lot of chocolate.

But I'm ready to more openly share what adoption looks like in real life. Not to scare you, but to give you an honest look at both the good and the bad.

Adoption is beautiful, and terrifying, and exciting, and depressing. It is fighting to bring home a baby you've never met but whom you already love like your own. And it's getting her home only to realize that while you DO love her just as much as you love your bio kids, you also love her... differently.

Adoption is a joyful journey. There is so much to celebrate in the little victories of each day. So much love to go around. So much happiness to go along with adding another child to the home. But it's also living in a state of high alert 24/7 waiting for the next shoe to drop. That is your new normal and you learn to thrive within the catastrophes. 

Adoption is waiting out the storms. It's seeing the stress in your bio kids' eyes from listening to the screams and watching the rebellion. It's seeing behavior in your youngest that you know with 100% certainty he would never have attempted had it not been for his adopted sibling, and it's fighting resentment that she has, to an extent, stolen the innocence of her baby brother.

Adoption is spending six hours engaged in a battle over a "simple" thing like your child refusing to pick up the spoon she dropped on the floor just because you told her to. It's knowing that at times your little girl would literally rather die than submit to your authority. It's dealing with compulsive lying on an hourly basis. And it's finally, after months of struggling, finding strength in the tiniest little breakthrough.

Adoption is constantly being questioned about your parenting tactics. It's being told that she doesn't understand what you're telling her to do by people she has so thoroughly convinced that "she's still learning English" and that you are being too hard on her. It's being told that she is so sweet, so compliant, and so friendly that she can't possibly have any degree of RAD. Because they don't understand that the triangulation and manipulation are so subtle that most of the time her parents are the only ones who can see it, even when it happens right in front of other people (which, by the way, makes you as a mom feel crazy and mean and full of self-doubt). But no, she's too sweet to have RAD. They would know.

Adoption is being judged by other people for insisting that she obey fully and completely and exactly, because they don't see how she tries to maintain control by only obeying to a certain degree. To them it is "close enough." They don't understand that if you don't insist on "exactly" rather than "close" when you know what she's capable of, then she will see her parents as weak and untrustworthy and incapable of taking care of her.

Adoption is having to teach a child that it's not okay to pinch herself. It's holding a raging little girl while she hits and growls at you. It's being asked if she always smiles so much and answering honestly that she does, but being inwardly heartbroken because you know that half of the smiles are fake.

Adoption is knowing that everything you researched, all the training you received, and all the advice other adoptive parents gave you pre-adoption is true. It's also accepting that knowing it and living it are two very different things. You were prepared as much as possible for how hard it was going to be. But that doesn't make it any less hard.

Adoption is always being asked how she's doing, how she's adjusting, how she's succeeding, but rarely being asked how you're feeling, how you're adapting, or what you need.

Adoption is such a perfect picture of God's love for us, in more ways than I could possibly understand before we began this adventure. Parenting a child who fights you tooth and nail, who resists your love, and who wants to go back to what she knows as safe even if it was miserable... It gives you such a clear picture of how God must feel when we pull away from Him and long to go back into the darkness from which He drew us. Adoption is redemption, and it is so worth it. But it isn't Anne of Green Gables.

I feel like we received some of the best training an adoptive parent can get. We had three years of gathering resources, and hearing stories, and being taught by the experts. But still, nothing prepares you for that moment when you look at the child you brought into your home and you think, what have we done?

I've shared the milestones and happy moments. The shiny new wheelchair, the first steps, the funny sayings, and the heart-melting pictures. But now I'm ready to share the rest of the story. Not because I want anyone to feel sorry for us or in any way think less of my daughter. I'm not sharing to scare people away from adoption but because I want MORE people to adopt - with their eyes wide open.

This is adoption. This is real life. And this is where we need more people willing to step in. We need more people willing to adopt kids from hard places and love them through their darkest, scariest moments. And we need more people to come alongside adoptive families with understanding, supporting them without question. Without judgment. Without doubt.

So many people want to love on our little girl, and we are so grateful and blessed by that. But if you can hear this in the way it is intended: She doesn't need you, because she has us. 

But we need you.

Oh, so desperately, we need your love and your understanding, and your help. We need you to let us share what the last year has really been like. We need you to tell us that you know it's hard even if you don't know exactly what it's like, and that it's okay that we don't always get it right. And we need you to send us lots and lots of chocolate.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

Praise be to the Father who adopted us out of darkness and into His light. He has carried us through, and we will continue to hold to His promises.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: Norwex + Savings!

 

I am a big fan of the products we're introducing today! As I've become increasingly aware of the damage caused by common household cleaners, I've chunked the mainstream methods in search of products that are safe for my family. I learned about Norwex last year, and since then it has been what I use for 90% of my cleaning. 

My friend Kylie Johnson, who also works with Usborne Books & More, is a Norwex consultant. She has been kind enough to share some information about Norwex and how you can get the most out of your order this month.


What is Norwex?

Norwex is a line of cleaning products designed to replace the chemical laden solutions that flood our homes. The company was started in 1994 by a Norwegian man who encouraged a "Cleaning without Chemicals" approach. He advocated using microfiber cloths and water to clean and protect our environment. 

The company quickly grew, and in 2007 they introduced the microfiber + microsilver technology known as BacLock. With proven success, the company expanded worldwide and has become a household name. Norwex is so well-known because it works so well!


What's special about Norwex?

The Norwex cloth:

• Removes up to 99% of bacteria from a surface when following proper use and care
• Contains BacLock® an antibacterial agent for self-cleansing purposes only
• Helps eliminate the need for paper towels and chemical laden cleaners
• Significantly reduces the use of costly cleaning products
• Ultra-thick and absorbent to pick-up and hold more dust, dirt and debris than other cleaning cloths
• Holds several times its weight in water
• Made of more than 10 million feet of microfiber for more effective cleaning power

Microfiber cloths pick up dust and germs so well that you can even clean toilets with just the cloth and water! What's special about many of the Norwex products is that they contain microsilver, a natural agent which makes the cloth self-cleaning and helps prevent mold and odor from growing. That may sound crazy, but I am a true believer for reasons I will explain in just a moment.

What products does Norwex offer?

Norwex has every sort of cleaning cloth you could possibly need. My personal collection includes several EnviroCloths, a dust mit, a couple of window cloths, kitchen towels, netted dishcloths, body cloths, and the Spirisponge.

They also offer personal care items, products for your pets, and all kinds of things for kids. Their kids' line is full of fun colors and smaller sizes, like the little dust mit. They are the perfect size for even my three year old's little hands to use.

I have my eye on several of their products, including their renowned mop! With tile flooring in the majority of our home, I can't wait to try out their Superior Mop System.

What else is neat about Norwex?

One of the things I love about Norwex is that, because there are no chemicals involved, I can send my kids to clean without any worry of them hurting themselves. My five and six year old boys love to use the EnviroCloths to clean the bathroom. They get to play with water, and I get a sparkling clean tub!

What's my favorite product? The kitchen towel, hands down! That towel is what really made me a believer in Norwex products, and the reason is kind of embarrassing...

With a family of 7, we have to change out our bathroom hand towels every other day or so. They tend to stay damp because someone is constantly going potty and washing/drying their hands. That makes me super happy, don't get me wrong, but the damp hand towels quickly start to smell and breed bacteria.

One day I ran out of clean hand towels, so I grabbed the Norwex kitchen towel to stick in the bathroom. What initially struck me about it was how well it dries your hands. It's thin, but it is just as (or more) absorbent than regular hand towels. The second thing I noticed was how quickly the towel itself dried. Again, being thin helps with that. The third thing I didn't notice until two weeks later... 

It doesn't stink! The BacLock microsilver technology really does help it self-clean and prevent that smelly bacteria from growing - so well that it was TWO WEEKS before I realized it had been awhile since I changed out the towel. That's two weeks of being used multiple times a day by 7 people IN THE BATHROOM! It still didn't stink, but I figured it was time to clean the bathroom and give the towel a good rinsing anyway. The only thing that made me sad at that point was that I didn't have a second kitchen towel to swap it out with. That has since changed!

Where can I learn more?

To get more information and check out their complete line of products, go to kyliejohnson.norwex.biz. There you can learn more about why Norwex works so well and decide which cloth you want to order to start your collection. There are a lot of great sales this month, which you can see by clicking any of the pictures in this post. And there's still time to order me something for Christmas. Just sayin' ;-)

Are you a stay-at-home mom with a home business you'd like to see featured on the Beautiful Chaos blog? Send me an email at servingfromhome@gmail.com!

17 Ways Moms Can Earn Money From Home

Our purpose as stay-at-home moms is to be available to care for our families' emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. While we certainly should keep that the main focus, a little work in our free time can bring in some extra income to help meet those needs. Here are 17 ways you can do that from home!

1. Network Marketing/Direct Sales. This is one of the most common ways for SAHMs to earn a little money on the side. There are a horde of companies to look into such as Young Living, Plexus, Thirty-One Bags, Norwex, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay… Each company has its pros and cons so you’ll want to do your research before jumping on any bandwagon.

2. Teach Music Lessons. Teaching music lessons is an ideal way of earning money as a mom. You get to set your own price, your own hours, decide how many students you want to take on and what level you want to teach. I highly recommend that any young lady who plans on becoming a SAHM learn to play an instrument. It is a valuable skill to have if you ever need to earn money on the side.

3. Blog. Start a blog and learn to monetize it. Run ads, write paid-for articles for other blogs, set up affiliate links. If you love to write, starting a blog is a natural way to earn a few extra bucks.

4. Sell Homemade Items. Sites like Etsy make it super simple to sell homemade products. You could make soap, crocheted accessories, wall décor, printables, jewelry, purses… Anything! And, it just so happens that I have inside information on an upcoming Etsy-like site designed specifically to support stay-at-home moms like YOU. So, get those homemade products ready for market!

5. Sew. This falls under the homemade items category, but deserves its own space. If you are a killer seamstress, you can make a killing! People pay high prices for tailored clothes, costumes, and outfits for special occasions (especially for babies). You could also make bags, Bible/book covers, dolls, decoration, or even take on people’s mending piles.

6. Babysit. This usually requires special licensing, but if you love other people’s kids you could look into starting an in-home daycare. In some states you can watch kids from a single family without needing a license, which may be all the income you need.

7. Tutor. If you love to teach, look into web sites that list tutoring opportunities. Also look into teaching with the homeschool organization Classical Conversations.

8. Teach English Online. Speaking of teaching, online English lessons are becoming quite popular. Most companies I’ve seen require a bachelor’s degree (usually in any field) and a highspeed internet connection. I know lots of moms have had great success with VIP Kids.

9. Photography. If you happen to have a decent camera, you can make some decent money. You DON’T have to be a pro. Set a fair price for your skill level and you will find clients. There are always people who want family pictures but who can’t afford the high cost of a professional. These people are usually more than satisfied with amateur work as long as the price is right.

10. Offer a Service. With the rise of the minimalism trend, I’ve noticed fewer people are interested in buying a product that will just sit around their house. But, as society gets busier, more and more people are willing to pay for services such as house cleaning, ironing, cooking, editing, book keeping, website management, secretarial tasks, grocery shopping, pet sitting, gardening, etc. If you have the time and can easily work it into your stay-at-home mom routine, you just might make more money selling a service than selling a product.

11. Create Art. If you are artistic there are lots of different ways you can use your creativity. You can either sell your art or teach art classes. If your art leans more toward graphics design, you can design websites, create fun printables, or make personalized artwork like logos and decals.

12. Cut/Style hair. I know some moms who run salons out of their homes. If you are good with hair (especially little girls’ hair), you can set up shop right in your own home.

13. Become a Post-Partum Doula. This one doesn’t necessarily belong on this list because you can’t do it at home, but it might work for your family, especially if your children are all older. The unpredictable schedule of being a birth doula is difficult, but post-partum doulas are becoming more popular and might be an easier option for some moms. Post-partum doulas are there to help care for families after the birth of a baby. They provide emotional support, breastfeeding assistance, meals, cleaning, care for older siblings, and anything else that a new mom and dad might need. Being a post-partum doula does mean you have to leave your family for a period of time, but you can set your hours (as opposed to a birth doula who shows up whenever baby decides to start coming and stays as long as mom and baby need).

14. Write Homeschool Curriculum. If you see a flaw in some of the curriculum you are using, write your own and sell it! Homeschool moms pay good money for good teaching tools.

15. Plan Events. Event planning is a big thing in some areas. If you can put together an amazing 1^st Birthday Party Package, organize and set up an event, and take care of clean-up afterwards, you can have a lot of fun making some dough! And while we’re talking about dough…

16. Cake/Cookie Decorating. Cakes and cookies sell well for holidays of all kinds. You can often find decorating classes at local craft stores, and once you build your toolbox you are all set to make some lavish cakes and cookies to sell.

17. Transcription. This is one my husband and I intend to look into more. A friend just told me about rev.com where you can pick up freelance transcription jobs. No degree required. It’s tedious work, but it’s legit.

Got another idea of how a mom can earn money from home? Leave a comment!

Training Evangelistic Kids Tip #4: Don't Interrupt!

My main focus as a mother is to set my children on a path toward Heaven. In turn, I want them to lead hearts around them to Christ. This year my husband and I determined to emphasize the importance of personal evangelism in our home. Our highest goal as parents is to train our children in the ways of the Lord and equip them to teach others the Gospel. In this series of Training Evangelistic Kids we’ll share some ideas we’ve used to begin raising children who are comfortable sharing their faith. We certainly aren’t experts in this area. We’re learning as we go, and we’d love to hear your ideas as well!

T.E.K. Tip #4: Don't Interrupt!

I’m not big on the whole “children are to be seen and not heard” thing. Our dinner table is loud with crazy laughter and fun. Our kids participate in adult conversations, especially on biblical topics. But there is a time and place when children need to learn to be quiet. One way to train your children to be evangelistically minded is to teach them the importance of not interrupting a Bible study.

The Family Business: Working WITH Your Kids

One of the best parts about running a home business is that you get to work around your family. But HOW do you accomplish business tasks when you are surrounded by littles?

Work in Your “Off” Hours

Your primary role as mother is to bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). That means you need to be available to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. If you are always distracted working on business projects, your children are going to perceive that you have put making money above them. Your children are your mission field. Don’t let your home business take you away from the reason you are a stay-at-home mom to begin with.

That said, there are times when your children don’t need you. One strategy for making your business work around your children is to find snippets of time when they are naturally occupied elsewhere. Nap time, early morning, or after curfew hours work great for many SAHMs. Waiting for kids while they are in music lessons or sports practice is another opportunity for work (just be sure you aren’t missing those golden moments of watching your children succeed in their lessons!). It’s also perfectly acceptable to set aside “me time” during the day – a set period of time when the children know that you are going to work on your business and they need to play happily. As long as it is understood that this is a specific, limited amount of time it’s not bad for your kids to learn that you need thirty minutes to yourself now and then.

Some of your most productive hours for your business are going to be when your children otherwise naturally occupied. This way, they aren’t missing you and you’re not missing opportunities to nurture them. But SAHMs don’t always get “off” hours. My oldest boys have outgrown their naps, so afternoons can be busy around here. Not to mention, in the baby season you are dead tired and getting up “just a little earlier” or staying up “just a little later” is not an option. Your family needs you to get adequate rest, not drain yourself trying to grow your business.

So what option do you have when you NEVER get kid-free time?

Work WITH Your Kids

One of my favorite things about my business is that it gives me a chance to work with my children. I try to involve them in as many aspects as I can. Rather than getting frustrated because they want to ask a million questions about what I’m doing, I use it as an opportunity to help them learn skills and develop their own talents.

My primary business is supporting SAHMs with small businesses. This means I do a lot of advertising, which requires getting to know my clients and their products. I especially enjoy the interviews I conduct with potential clients, and my older boys (5 yrs and 6 yrs) love to help me come up with questions to ask. Just this morning they sat on my lap and together we came up with a list of questions people might have about my client’s business. When you read author or business owner interviews on this blog, many of the questions you see were produced by my boys. Kids come up with great questions I never would have thought to ask!

I also play around with other money-making ventures and try to include my kids. I’ve recently begun delving into the world of photography. My little ones actually make great assistants (as long as I use them one at a time J). They grab props, adjust lighting, and make posing suggestions. We’ve discovered that my 6 yr old has a great eye for editing photos, so I ask him what he thinks needs to be adjusted on a particular image. Not only does he help me out, he’s developing his own skills to use later in life.

Don’t get me wrong, it is still more difficult and more time consuming to work with children on business projects. But a slow process is so much better than neglecting them. Your product may not lend itself well toward involving your kids, especially if they are very young. Even so, there is usually some part of the production line that kids can help with, even if it’s just making a color suggestion. Kids make great salesmen, too, especially at craft shows! Show your kids how you make your product, let them help you with marketing, and celebrate when you succeed together.

Remind Your Children of Your Purpose

When working on business ventures with your kids, be purposeful. Use your time to help them develop skills, talk to them about why you are running this business, and teach them that using their talents to make money is great but using their talents in service to the Kingdom is even better!

Model a servant heart in your business. Show your kids how you use your business not only to make money but also to serve God. That could be in the form of donating your product or profit to someone in need, talking to clients about the Gospel, or using your skills to help other people. There are so many ways you can include your kids in service through your business. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). Keep your focus where it should be and teach your children to do the same.

Kids are fun co-workers. Embrace the loud, crazy, and messy. You’ll treasure the memories you make while working together on your family business!

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Training Evangelistic Kids #3: A Purposeful Halloween

Our Halloween Treats

My main focus as a mother is to set my children on a path toward Heaven. In turn, I want them to lead hearts around them to Christ. This year my husband and I determined to emphasize the importance of personal evangelism in our home. Our highest goal as parents is to train our children in the ways of the Lord and equip them to teach others the Gospel. In this series of Training Evangelistic Kids we’ll share some ideas we’ve used to begin raising children who are comfortable sharing their faith. We certainly aren’t experts in this area. We’re learning as we go, and we’d love to hear your ideas as well!

T.E.K. Tip #3: A Purposeful Halloween

Monkey2 dressed up as a Christian Soldier

One of the things we try to emphasize to our kids is the abundance of opportunities for evangelism. There are so many ways to turn ordinary moments into efforts to reach people with the Gospel. It's all about making Jesus the center of everything we do and inviting others to see the difference He has made in our lives.

Opportunities for evangelism can often be created by putting a slight spin on how you usually do things. We're not huge fans of Halloween. But when we lived in Michigan there was a wonderful Bible class teacher where we worshiped who put together a dress-up party around October 31st. She told us that she used to boycott Halloween, but then she realized she could use it for good by turning it into an opportunity for a VBS-like event. 

Our friend invites kids to come to the church building all dressed up in their fun costumes, and then she teaches Bible lessons (like The Valley of Dry Bones), drills them on Bible facts, plays Bible-based games, and lets them get sick on candy in a fun, safe environment. Her thought was, "Most kids are going to participate in Halloween anyway, so why not use it for a purpose?"

That's largely how personal evangelism works - by taking whatever you can and making it purposeful. Obviously, you can only take this concept so far. There are certain things that you simply can't participate in as a Christian; sometimes there just isn't a good way to spin it. I don't think Halloween is one of those things. Though I don't like the witches and gore that surround the day, I do not think it's wrong to dress up and go Trick or Treating. Thanks to Pam's example, I see lots of ways this holiday can be used for good.


What other day do you have people coming up to your door and asking you to give them something? They're practically begging you to give them a tract and tell them about Jesus! Okay, okay, they're really looking for candy, but there are so many creative things you can pass out that might plant a seed - Bible stickers, candy with Bible verses printed on the wrappers, little Bible activity booklets... Any little thing that lets people know you are a Christian is valuable (just make sure it's something kids would actually consider a treat). At the very least, your little neighbors will know that you believe in God, and you never know where that could lead.

Monkey4 and Monkey5 maning the treat table

This year we decided somewhat last minute to pass out hot chocolate and our kiddie business cards. We hadn't really planned to do anything because Halloween was on a Wednesday and we knew that by the time we got home from Bible class most of the Trick or Treaters would be finished up. But, since this is our first year in our new neighborhood, we decided to at least try to use it as a chance to meet our neighbors and let them know that we are Christians.

Though we didn't have many people come down our street by that time of night, our kids had a blast dressing up, eating pizza, drinking hot chocolate, and doing our family devotional under the stars. We made sweet memories with our kids and, most importantly, we worked together to try to reach others for Christ.

"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2). Teach your kids to use every opportunity to reach others for Christ, even when it's Halloween season.

P.S. Another idea I've heard for using Halloween for good is to do reverse Trick or Treating at a nursing home. Dress your kids up and go to a nursing home to pass out candy. The residents will love you for it!

Got a tip for teaching kids to be evangelistically minded? Leave a comment!

FREE Ornament from Clayful Memories - Special Offer!

I'm super excited about our home business highlights this week because this is when you get to hear about some really great deals! All of the moms we've introduced so far each have a final word to share about their business, along with special offers for YOU!


First up is PJ Charnock with Clayful Memories. Check out THIS post to learn about PJ's beautiful custom ceramics! Last week in her interview PJ shared how she started Clayful Memories and gave us wise advice about balancing a home business with being a stay-at-home mom. Today PJ has a special offer for readers of this blog!

New Thanksgiving Printables!

Introducing our new printables! Check out our Etsy shop The Pack Place to instantly download these fun and educational Thanksgiving Memory and Activity Packs!

Printable Thanksgiving Activity Pack

Your child will love celebrating Thanksgiving with these fun and educational pages! Assemble a Thanksgiving countdown, share notes of gratefulness with friends, cook a traditional Thanksgiving dish, and more! 8.5x11 Pages

This 9 page packet includes:

• Coloring Pages
• Thanksgiving Countdown
• Handprint Turkey Page
• Memory Verses on Thankfulness
• Thankful Chain
• A History of Thanksgiving
• A Traditional Thanksgiving Recipe

Talking Business with Kylie Johnson of Usborne Books & More

Last week we featured Kylie Johnson's home business with Usborne Books & More. Today Kylie is going to share some of her family's favorite books and where you can order some GREAT Christmas gifts!

Hi, Kylie! Thanks for sharing your morning with us!
1. Tell us about yourself!
I am the wife of my best friend Jeff. We have 4 precious princesses ages 14, 5, 4 1/2, and 2. We are a homeschooling family and live on a very mini farm.

2. What drove you to pursue a home business?
I started looking at a home business as a way to make a little bit of extra money to help cover the cost of some extras we liked to be able to do.

3. Why did you decide to work with Usborne Books in particular?
I looked at several companies but kept coming back to Usborne. For me it was my love of books and the fact I knew I could use them in our homeschool. It was also a company I knew about from past experiences.

4. What kinds of books does Usborne offer?
Usborne Books & More offers books for all ages. From baby board books to books even my 14 year old reads and rereads! We offer picture books, learning to read readers, chapter books on all levels, fiction and non-fiction. We also have a wide variety of activity books that includes coloring from beginner to adult. Sticker books, wipe clean (using dry erase market or crayon) books. Some of our interactive books include the Shine-a-Light series, lift flap books, touch and feel, and look to find books.

5. What's your favorite book from Usborne?
My 2 year old ( like her sisters before her) loves the That's Not My series. My 14 year old likes the encyclopedia books and is rereading (for the second or third time!) one of the chapter book series for teens. My toddlers really like to use their flashlights with the Shine-a-Light books. These are just a few if our favorites at the moment.

6. My kids love Usborne's "Big Book of Big Trains." It's full of fun facts and beautiful fold-out pages. What other do your kids love?
The "Big Book of" books are great books. We have the train one you mentioned too, We also like the hardback first reader non-fiction series. They have beautiful pictures and easy to comprehend text. The encyclopedia books are a great educational resource as well.

7. More and more parents are following the gift-giving guide "Something they want. Something they need. Something to wear. Something to read." Usborne is a great place to find a book to check off that list. What are your favorite books to give as gifts?
For the baby toddler age I love the That's Not My series. For older toddler and preschool I like our lift flap books. I love to give some of the Beginner's series I mentioned before. For older readers I like to give our chapter books. The activity books also make good gifts. When I give a Shine a Light book I like to include a mini flashlight with it.

That's a really cute idea!

8. So, how can my readers place an order?
To place an order your readers can go to my website or they message, email, text me and I can help them.

9. Do you have a Facebook page where we can stay up-to-date on your business?
I do have a Facebook page that I am working to keep updated: Kylie Johnson-Usborne Books & More Consultant.

Thanks so much, Kylie!

I'm impressed by the quality and variety of books Usborne offers. The activity books would make especially good stocking stuffers! If you're looking for a gift to satisfy that "something to read" need, get in touch with Kylie on her Facebook page or at jkfamilybusiness@yahoo.com!

P.S. Keep checking back here at the Beautiful Chaos blog - Kylie's got some other great businesses you want to know about!

[Disclosure: This post is part of a series that received compensation, but the opinions I expressed are my own! We love Usborne books in our house and you will, too!]

Are you a stay-at-home mom with a home business you'd like to see featured on the Beautiful Chaos blog? Send me a message at servingfromhome@gmail.com! And don't forget to subscribe!

Training Evangelistic Kids Tip #2: Door Knocking

My main focus as a mother is to set my children on a path toward Heaven. It turn, I want them to be beacons of light, leading hearts around them to Christ. This year my husband and I determined to emphasize the importance of personal evangelism in our home. Our highest goal as parents is to train our children in the ways of the Lord and equip them to teach others the Gospel. In this series of Training Evangelistic Kids we’ll share some ideas we’ve used to begin raising children who are comfortable sharing their faith. We certainly aren’t experts in this area. We’re learning as we go, and we’d love to hear your ideas as well!

T.E.K. Tip #2: Door Knocking

I know there are those who argue that door knocking is ineffective these days, but we see it as a great training opportunity. While it’s true that we don’t always get much response from the community, we go door knocking partly because of the impact it has on our children (and us!).

Two monkeys with Papa, two in the stroller, one
in the baby carrier, and one in the oven

When there is a door knocking campaign, we go as a family because:

1.      It gives reality to the concept of lost souls. Instead of a vague idea of there being “people” in the world who are lost, door knocking gives us a chance to put faces of souls in front of our children. An unbeliever is no longer simply “someone out there,” but “Ms. Brenda on 1^st Street.” Giving our kids a concrete picture of just how many lost souls there are in our community helps give them motivation and drive for evangelism.

2.      It gives our kids a job in the Kingdom. Kids love to have jobs. They want to feel useful and involved. Taking them door knocking gives them a specific job they can do to help bring others to Christ. When you give someone a job, it gives them a sense of personal responsibility (a vital quality for effective evangelism).

3.      Our children need to see us purposefully evangelizing. Often we wait to evangelize until the opportunity presents itself. But there is great value in purposefully setting aside time to go into the community to share Christ. Modeling intentional evangelism teaches our kids to take the initiative to go forth instead of just waiting for an opportunity to show up.

4.      It gets our kids comfortable with varied responses to the Gospel. When you take your kids door knocking you train them from a young age to be comfortable approaching people with the Gospel. Sometimes the response is positive. Sometimes not so much. People are not always going to be receptive, and it’s good for your kids to see your response to that. When we get to a house where someone tells us, “Don’t waste your time, I’m not interested,” we smile, wish them a nice day, and cheerfully move on to the next house. Door knocking teaches our kids perseverance and courage regardless of reception.

5.      It creates a strong family bond. When we knock doors together we are on a joint mission, which strengthens our ties as a family. We have a lot of fun talking as we walk from house to house, getting fresh air and exercise, and experiencing the joy of sharing the Gospel together. Evangelizing as a family gives our little army a united purpose, which our brave young soldiers thrive on.

We love the opportunities that come from door knocking, but it’s important to remember a few things when taking kids along.

1.      Kids do better when they know what to expect. Before heading out, brief them on what door knocking involves and why you are doing it. Explain the goal of your door knocking campaign in simple terms such as, “We’re passing out invitations to our VBS” or “We want to ask our neighbors to study the Bible with us.” Whatever your specific goal for door knocking, make sure your kids understand why you are going and how the process works.

2.      Teach them courtesy. Before heading out on your mission, talk to your kids about manners. Remind them to stay off of people’s lawns, ask before approaching pets, and look people in the eye when they’re speaking. Especially during morning hours (but any time of day, really), teach your children to approach doors quietly and respectfully so as not to disturb residents. There is no better way to ensure a grumpy reception than to walk up to someone’s door loudly on a Saturday morning. Goofing off and horse play should be reined in until after the work is done. This is a training experience, so they’re not going to be perfect. Be prepared to hear things from your little creatures like:

“There’s a gun behind us, Papa!”

“It looks like they live in a junk yard!”

“Someone needs to MAKE him listen to the Truth.”

“I’m tired of walking. I don’t like this anymore.”

Not that I have any experience with any of these…

3.      Teach them some ice breakers. Kids are great ice breakers in and of themselves. Most people smile and relax when they see that you have kids with you. But it’s a great idea to model and teach your kids some other ways of making people comfortable when you approach their door. If they are out gardening, compliment them on their beautiful flower beds. If they have a pet that greets you at the door, give your spiel and then stick around a few minutes to talk about what a great dog they have. These moments of interaction are as important as dropping off a flyer. It puts a face with the information, creates a connection, and makes people more comfortable attending your event because they are already acquainted with someone there.

4.      Be aware of your kids’ limits. Little ones do not have the endurance of an adult. They will get tired of walking faster, their tummies will rumble sooner, and they can get dehydrated quickly. Make sure that you bring plenty of water and snacks and that you take breaks when needed. Don’t push them so far that they dread the next door knocking.

Monkey1's purposeful stride

The innocence of children is a great tool for getting people interested in the Gospel while you’re door knocking. The worth of door knocking is also found in using it to train your children that there are those who will listen and those who will not; we take the Gospel everywhere, regardless.

Got a tip for training evangelistic kids? Share in the comments! And don't forget to subscribe to the Beautiful Chaos blog!