“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

When I was a teenager, my Sunday School teacher gave each student in class an index card that contained a picture of a nice house and car, and she had written in a yearly income figure. Some of the houses and cars were really big and fancy while others were smaller but still nice. Of course, this was all just for illustration purposes.

She then told us that we could trade cards with others in the class if we didn’t like the card the we had received. As you can probably imagine, almost everyone in the class thought that something on one of their classmates cards was better than what was on their own card.

One girl, however, did not even try to trade. When the teacher asked her why she didn’t trade with the other students, her remark was, “I’m happy with what I have.” Now, she didn’t have the nicest house, greatest car or the largest income, but what she did have was contentment.

In this world, it is sometimes very hard to be content with what we have because everywhere we look, we see ads and television programs that tell us we need more things and better things. Many of these things are nice, but we should remember that all the wealth in the world cannot bring happiness, nor can it be taken with us when we leave this world.

We must find our riches in Christ and the eternal gifts that only He can provide. If we seek God first in our lives and make Him number one, we will be able to find contentment in not only materialistic aspects of our lives, but more importantly the spiritual aspects.

I’m not saying that we should not work to better ourselves or that having nice things is wrong. God blesses us with many of these things. The key is to always remember to be thankful and never let anything come before God. Only in contentment can we find perfect peace and true happiness.

Prayer Time: Ask God to help you find contentment with what you have and to always remember to put Him first in your life.

Related posts:

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2. Sunday Devotion: Growing in Your Relationship with God "See Spot run." I bet we all remember the "Dick and Jane" books that were a part of our early...
3. Sunday Devotion: A Shelter in the Time of Storm "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7...

Posted on May 3rd, 2009 in Mom's Corner | 3 Comments

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Welcome to the final part of our vacation planning series. In case you missed the first three parts, I’ve provided the links to those posts for your convenience.

• Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 1: Deciding Where to Go
• Tips for Family Vacation Planning Part 2: Budgeting
• Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 3: Don’t forget to take…

It’s almost time to take that long awaited trip, so let’s make sure you don’t forget some very important safety precautions you should take to ensure a safe and uneventful trip. (By uneventful, of course, I mean without the bad stuff.)

Before You Leave

• Have Your Car Checked - If you are taking a road trip, be sure to have your car serviced and be sure to check the air in your tires, including the spare. After all, breaking down beside the road was not in the vacation plans.
• Tell a Neighbor - Be sure to let a neighbor know you will be out of town so they can keep an eye out for anything suspicious or out of place at your house.
• Have Mail/Newspaper Picked Up - Either have a trusted friend or neighbor pick up your mail for you each day, or have the post office hold your mail for you. You don’t want mail, such as credit card statements, bank account statements and other personal documents, sitting in your mailbox for an extended period of time.
• Unplug Electronics - You never know when a lighting storm may develop while you are away, and you don’t want to come back home only to find that your electronics are fried because of a lightening strike.
• Leave a Light On - Leave a small inside light on that can be seen from the front of your home. This gives the appearance that someone may be inside, possibly deterring anyone considering breaking into your home.

Here is my Vacation Planning: Before Leaving checklist for making sure the above things are done before embarking on a trip. It  also includes a few other things I didn’t mentioned in this post.

(I keep all my worksheets and checklists in a folder to take with me on the trip for reference.)

During Your Vacation

• Stashing Cash - Be sure to divide your cash between yourself and your spouse. Then each of you should divide your portion and stash each portion in different places. For example, you may put half in your purse and half in your pants pocket. This way if you lose part of your cash for whatever reason, you still have some stashed away.
• Hide Valuables - Don’t leave valuables, or even a small amount of money, in plain site in your car. People who are desperate will break into your car if they see only the smallest thing that interests them.
• Take Valuables Out of Your Room - Never leave valuables in your hotel room. Just hiding items in drawers in the room will not deter someone who is looking to take your stuff. They know where to look. Also if you leave your computer in the room, they may be able to gain personal information about you off the computer without you even knowing.
• Don’t Leave the Key Card - There is some debate over what types of information is recorded on the key card you receive for your hotel room. Some say that credit card, address and other personal information may be compromised if you turn in your key card at the hotel desk during check-out. For this reason, it is best to just keep the card, take it home and shred it. This is what I do, and no one has ever asked me for it when I’ve checked out.
• Ask about the Town - Ask the hotel clerk if there are any areas of town that should be avoided. If you’re not familiar with the town, you could wind up in a questionable area if you’re not careful.

These are just a few safety tips I feel make for a more secure family trip. I am sure you probably have a few more that I missed, but I hope I’ve provided you with some extra security for your next big vacation.

Wow! We have finally come to an end in the vacation planning series. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go on a big one! Hope your next trip is a happy, fun-filled and safe one!!

Please feel free to comment or make any suggestions as to how you plan your family trips.

Related posts:

1. Tips for Family Vacation Planning: Introduction Are you ready for that super fun great vacation with your family? I mean, are your really ready? Well, I’m...
2. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting Welcome back to my vacation planning series. Yesterday in Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 1: Deciding Where to Go,...
3. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 3: Don’t forget to take… On Wednesday, we took a look at budgeting for a vacation in Tips for Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting, so...

Posted on May 2nd, 2009 in Kids and Family | 2 Comments

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This week we have been looking at various aspects of planning a great family vacation. If you missed the first two parts of this series, you can get caught up by clicking on these links.

• Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 1: Deciding Where to Go
• Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting

Now that you know your vacation destination and approximately how much your trip will cost, let’s make sure your bags are packed with all the necessities for the trip. (Be sure to check out my packing checklist link at the bottom of this post)

Every time I pack for a trip, I’m always so afraid I’m going to forget something important. So, I started making a list of little things that are easily forgotten in the midst of all the planning and excitement. Of course, we all know to pack the obvious: clothes, shoes, socks, toiletries.

However, the following list includes some things you might want to take also.

• Band-aids and Antibiotic Cream - Maybe I’m just part of a clumsy family, but it seems like every time we go on vacation, somebody ends up with scraped knees or elbows, or a cut of some sort. (For some reason, it seems to be me most of the time. Hum?) Well, especially with kids, you just never know.
• Insect Repellent - The bug spray may very well depend on where you are going. If you’re going camping or hiking, by all means, please take the bug spray. (I know from experience on this one too.)
• Books to Read - Take along a few books that you enjoy as well as some for your children. Remember, you’re on vacation and whether you are sitting in an airport, on a plane, or just sitting with nothing to do at the hotel, reading is a great and relaxing way to pass the extra time.
• Snacks for the Road - Grab a tote bag and a small cooler and pack a few healthy snacks and drinks for the trip. By packing your own snacks before you leave, you eliminate the need to stop and buy them at over-priced convenience stores along the way. Plus, if the kids get hungry and irritable, the snacks can help keep them occupied and satisfied until you reach your destination.
• Games for the Kids - Probably one of our favorite travel games is auto bingo. Auto bingo is great for occupying the youngsters as well as yourself. Even if you only have one child, or only one that is old enough to play the game, he will still enjoy looking for the items on the card.
• Sunscreen - If you are going to a place that you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, don’t forget to pack the sunscreen. The last thing you need is for your vacation to get ruined because you’re burnt.
• Hand Sanitizer - Actually, it’s really a good idea to keep hand sanitizer with you whether you’re on vacation or not. Since you never know what you might get into or be touching, pack the hand sanitizer, and use it.
• Your Pillow - If you have trouble sleeping in hotel beds, try taking along your own pillow. It can help you feel more comfortable and get a better night’s sleep, so you will be ready to go each morning. In addition, you may want it for napping in the car if you’re taking a long road trip.
• Camera - Last but not least, don’t forget the camera. A vacation without a camera just won’t do. Believe me, I know from experience. We once forgot our camera and bought one of those super cheap digital ones, and let’s just say, it didn’t quite measure up.

Well, I hope these packing suggestions will help make your trip a little easier. One last quick suggestion is to start a “to take” list a couple of weeks before your trip and lay it on the counter or hang it on the refrigerator. As you think of items you need to take with you, just jot them down on your list so you won’t forget.

If you’d like you can also print out my Vacation Planning: Packing List checklist. I’ve tried to include anything and everything we might want to take on our trips. Please feel free to use it for your trips also. Happy packing!

Don’t forget to join me tomorrow for the last portion in the vacation planning series, Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 4: Playing it Safe. In the last part of this series, I will be letting you in on a few hints to help you have both a safe trip away from home and a safe home while you’re away.

This post is linked to Homemaker Barbi for Family Friday.

Related posts:

1. Tips for Family Vacation Planning: Introduction Are you ready for that super fun great vacation with your family? I mean, are your really ready? Well, I’m...
2. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting Welcome back to my vacation planning series. Yesterday in Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 1: Deciding Where to Go,...
3. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 4: Playing it Safe Are you finally packed and ready to go on that long awaited and much needed vacation? I hope that yesterday's...

Posted on April 30th, 2009 in Kids and Family | 2 Comments

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