CSUN Ladies with Melissa

I love this group of CSUN gals! This past Saturday we went over to my sweet friend, Melissa Nesheim's, for our monthly ladies event. Melissa talked with us about being women who, "...love their husbands and children, how to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind..." (Titus 2:4). It was a morning filled with practical advise on how to have a life that is prepared, disciplined, and full of peace and joy. No one really wants to live a life of chaos, but we tend to do that if we don't make plans to be organized. All of us have priorities (ones we say we have, and ones we ACTUALLY have). In order to ACTUALLY make your priorities happen, we have to plan for them, and then carry them out. My main priority is to be in the Word of God, and fill my mind with it so that I'll be able to glorify God with my life. This only happens when I get up early enough, and have a plan of what to do.

Melissa also touched on priorities like going to church, having a budget, serving in the church, and exercise. We also looked at things that take away from our ability to accomplish these good things. One main way is all the technology in our lives today. Melissa encouraged us to not waste time on Facebook, blogging, texting, etc. But to set time aside (a certain amount) to do these things. A few ways to help accomplish our tasks is keeping lists and a calendar where life can be organized.

Melissa gave us some practical hints on meal-planning, scheduling your day, and ways to keep a family structured; and yet having fun while doing it.

The Nesheim family is big on traditions, which I love! It makes a home a fun place everyone wants to be. Some of the traditions I loved were...

• "Special Days"- this is celebrated every month on the date of your birthday (for instance, Madison's special day would be the 16th of every month). Not a whole lot is done other than being extra thankful for that person on that day. Maybe a little sticky note on the mirror for them, or joke in the lunch box.
• Having a special game or activity with each child that becomes "yours"(so maybe one child always plays hangman with dad, while another one plays the game Sorry).
• Carnivals- they set up card tables in the living room and buy tickets with fake money to play games. Their family (and friends) rotate through the games. This is done on holidays or any random day, just for fun.
• Making cards- instead of buying cards, they make them for each other for any holiday.
• Friday night is ice cream and family movie night. Then the kids can have a sleep over in each other's room! (They have four kids- so they have fun sleeping altogether).
• Saturday mornings are usually a family bike ride.
• Christmas Eve- same meal every year, get new PJ's, watch a Christmas movie, and sleep under the tree altogether.
• For Valentine's Day they gave each other coupons with ways they promised to give a gift of love or serve the other person (one of the little ones gave her mom a coupon to help her mom brush her teeth- so adorable!)

The point of having these traditions is to be different from the world- they actually enjoy being together, and love each other. When a family loves one another, it's a picture of the Heavenly Father's love toward the church. (Noel Piper has a great book about traditions, if you'd like to think about it more).

Hope these give you all some fun ideas!