Sing, Dance, Smile, Swoon ~ Have Fun in Your Home!

Part of making your home a haven is learning how to have fun in your home and make it an exciting place to be for everyone.  #WomenLivingWell #homemaking #friendship #makingyourhomeahaven

Last week we had a two-fold challenge,light a candle and every time you see the glimmer of it pray for peace in your home“. I want to encourage you to keep your candles and prayers going.

 This week’s challenge is two-fold also:

Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose music that the family enjoys.

Then, focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Role model gentleness with your words this week and while you’re add it have a little fun.  Since the music is going,  grab your husband or children and dance! 

If you need suggestions for music here are a few:

1. If you know how to play an instrument, play it this week! In our home, when I sit down to play the piano, the atmosphere completely changes. All whining and complaining disappears and dancing and singing begins. This is what the book of Psalms is all about – making a joyful noise unto the Lord! So pull out your dusty instruments and start playing!
Alexis has begun piano lessons this year and I can’t wait to play a duet with her!!!  This is Lexi and her fabulous piano teacher Airicia (who also happens to be our worship pastor’s wife 😉 ).
Part of making your home a haven is learning how to have fun in your home and make it an exciting place to be for everyone.  #WomenLivingWell #homemaking #friendship #makingyourhomeahaven

2. Sing or hum in the kitchen while you cook, in the bathrooms while you clean, or while you drive in the car.

Force yourself to open your mouth and let your joy of the Lord be heard by your family. It will be contagious!

3. I like to listen to George Winston- my favorite CD is titled December. I have listened to it for 15 years. In college, it really helped me shut out the dorm noise and focus to study. Since then, this CD remains in the CD player and plays on repeat day AND NIGHT.  We wake up to this music in our home.  I love it! Here’s a sample of my FAVORITE song on the CD:

4. I like David Nevue – I discovered his music on the blog A Holy Experience. His music is similar to George Winston’s in that it is classical piano music. To hear his music visit her site and while you are there – hang around a while and I think you will find inspiration. (I regularly open her website and let the music play while I hop around on facebook or write blog posts.)

5. I like Contemporary Christian Music– the sky is the limit on this – from hymns to Casting Crowns to Seeds Family Worship. All of this music fills our family’s hearts and mind with God’s truth.

6.  Don’t be afraid to take your hubby by the hand and slow dance cheek to cheek – the children will love it!  Grab them by the hand too and swirl them around – have fun!

It doesn’t all have to be slow. Music with a beat can lift spirits and add zest to a boring day. Pick a style that fits your mood and family and get that music going. Once you’ve determined your music and have it going – it’s time to work on ourselves.

1. When you feel tempted to raise your voice, use a child’s name in a snarl, furrow your brow into a scowl or speak rapidly in anger…purposely lower your voice to just above a whisper.
Proverbs 15:1 says “A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Focus on gentle words, facial expressions, and touches.

2. Purpose to not let someone else’s anger make you angry.

Many times as a wife and mom, I find myself responding to other’s emotions. Someone in the family is grumpy and two minutes later I’m grumpy too. Someone in the family is speaking harshly and two minutes later I’m speaking harshly too. Purpose to stay in control of your emotions and not let the other members of your family dictate your mood.

3. Yelling at a bud won’t make it bloom.

Your home will not blossom into a haven if you are not controlling your temper.

4. Continue to light your candle and pray for peace in your home.

Persevere in prayer for your family. James 5:16b says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

If you are participating in this challenge leave a comment below with how it’s going – if you are a blogger copy this button into your blog post, write about how it’s going and link up here on Wednesday!  Thank you all so much for your accountability. I so appreciate you joining me on this journey!!! We are in it together!

 

Walk with the King!
 
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44 Comments

  1. I love these, Courtney, especially the one about dancing cheek to cheek with your husband! So romantic.

    Also, about not letting others bad moods affect you. Such a good reminder to keep a happy attitude and let that rub off on others instead!

    Blessings,
    Lori

  2. I am enjoying the challenge so far!! The candle has been great. I will be listening to music all week! Thanks for the inspiration. I want a peaceful home for my 7 month old on and husband!

  3. I am so glad I found your blog….on Pinterest!! 🙂
    Last weeks challenge was partly easy for me. I LOVE burning candles and it rubs off on my kids. If I don’t have one lit in the morning when my 12 YO son wakes up, he will light one. 🙂 The part that was a challenge was remembering to pray! But I did and I will keep on!
    I am also looking forward to adding the music this week since our family loves music and we often have some going somewhere. In the kids school this year, we are learning a little about some classical composers, so I bought some of their CD’s and that will be perfect school time listening! 🙂
    Thanks again….I want a peaceful home and I will work hard this week!! 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement!!

  4. Just discovered your blog last week — I am loving the challenges! I also listened to “December” a LOT during college — my roommate and I would fall asleep to it when we need to feel peaceful and relaxed. 🙂 I’ll have to dig out my copy, as I could definitely use some relaxing music in this upcoming week!

  5. I started the candle last week and was surprised how it changed my outlook on my home, my kids and my day. I set it on my kitchen table and every time I walked by it or noticed it I would say a prayer. I have been praying for guidance on how to walk with Christ throughout my entire day and not just a moment in the morning or evening. This simple thing has helped me tremendously with keeping my mind focused on the most important. This week will be a challenge for sure. My weak spot has always been my quick tongue. I also easily get in a grumpy mood if someone else in the fam is grumpy. It’s like I take it personally. God has really been showing me these last few weeks though that yelling and anger is not the way to reach and shape my children. My deepest desire is to make this home a heaven and I thank you for this challenge!!

  6. I love this post! I especially like #2 about not letting another person’s anger make you angry. I am guilty of sometimes letting my children’s grumpiness rub off on me especially when it is early in the morning. Thanks for the reminder.

  7. I have truly enjoyed the challenge. The candle has made a huge difference in our home. My children and I have been praying for a peaceful day when the flame catches our eye. I love hearing the children pray for peace. I decided to test it by not lighting it one day. The kids asked for it and my mind wandered a lot more. I didn’t go to the Lord as often during the day. It constantly reminded me of the Lord’s presence. Thanks for the challenge.

  8. I love it!! George Winston is my very FAV ever!!! December is my all-time favorite, but in the fall I like to listen to Autumn too. Who knew we had that in common!!
    I love these suggestions and I am going to do them this week. Thanks for the encouragement!
    Blessings!!

  9. Great ideas! loving this challenge! i find music makes everyone in a good mood in our home..i love to sing and hum while cooking and cleaning. Gives me instant joy and helps me to stay calm. i love old classic christian music!

  10. Hi Courtney.. thank you for all the great suggestions. I can so relate to the spread of the grumpys. Unfortunately, I am a big offender there.. as I wrote about last week.. I’m usually the one who sets the mood by my own frame of mind, but I do react to my husband’s moods too. Thanks for these great reminders. This week my husband is on a business trip so I wont be able to dance with him , which I’d so love to do 🙁 but I do believe I can use this opportunity, in his absence, to nuture my relationship with my children so that is what I’ll be focused on.
    God bless!

  11. I think I really need this…music already on and candle lit. Good Morning Girls and this has really been a blessing.

  12. I, too, LOVE George Winston (December is my favorite also! Holy and the Ivy? LOVE!).

    While this challenge is about making your home a haven, I was just thinking that the many of these could be applied at work too! I work at a university and I work with the executive leadership (the president, deans, VP’s, etc). While our office is pretty calm and low key, some of this could transfer over into our office. When I have a good day, I have a more relaxing evening at home. Every little bit helps! 🙂

  13. This really got to me! I have such a short temper and have really been down in the dumps lately. My husband and my baby both feed off of my attitude and it needs to change!

  14. My husband was shocked to wake up to me playing instrumental music this morning! When he asked me what it was, I jokingly said it was a tape of me playing the piano. He got a good laugh! While I did take piano lessons, it was a long time ago and I didn’t retain a thing I learned (which, I now regret, of course). Thanks for the wonderful challenges, Courtney. My husband doesn’t like having real candles burning, so last week I turned on some fake candles that we got as a wedding gift. Our toddler got a real kick out of them!

  15. courtney,
    i love your challenges and your blog. thank you. you are an inspiration. i’ve had my candle going all week and although i’ve had to relight it thanks to all my helpers who keep blowing it out 😉 it has really helped me be more peaceful. i look forward to adding some quiet music. i love “december” too and also enya. my new favorite religious cd is called “nearer” and also paul cardall has amazing piano music that i love.

  16. thank you you brought wonderfull memories back as this was the music to my wedding ,happy tears as i remembered my father as he had died and my older brother had to give me away , this has been a wonderfull challange as my husband loves to see me light the candle that has brought alot of peace to our home,im now going to look the music out and play it this week.
    blessings
    abigail

  17. Thanks you for all of your awesome posts of loving your husband. We will dance this week; which we love to do. I was raised in home with a parents who were very much in love and very devoted to each other. When I was young my father would often dance in our home with my mother and with me. A few months before he passed away from complications from Alzheimer disease I had come down from Washington to Las Vegas to visit with him in a assisted care facility. My mother and I took him to the recreation room where there was dance music on. He first took my mother in his arms and danced with her and then he came and he danced with me. This is a very touching memory for me.
    Blessings to you and keep on enjoying the moments!

  18. I Can’t wait! I listen to music all the time in the car, but hardly ever in the house… and I’ve had that George Winston CD since high school, when a gym teacher introduced me to his music! Love it! I am amazed at the candle thing… I don’t believe I’ve ever said so many prayers for peace in my home as I did this week! The candle was a mood lifter as well as a great reminder! It seemed like moment by moment I was whispering a prayer! Now to bring that kind of reminder somehow into the rest of my days… Love and blessings, Cathy in Wisconsin!

  19. I have been a follower of your website for awhile now. I love reading your posts and it makes me want to become a better wife/mother. I started doing your challenge with lighting a candle in my kitchen every night and saying a prayer every time I see it. I feel like it has really helped me to focus. I love this new challenge and can’t wait to pick out my music. I really like how such small simple things can make such a difference in your home. A few weeks ago I started to leave the front porch light on for my husband when he got home from work. I never expected him to say anything or even notice that I began to do it. But after only two days, when he came in through the front door he looked at me and said how much he loved seeing this light on when he pulled up to the house. It made me realize right then and there that we try so hard to do things that make our spouses happy, when sometimes it is the little things like leaving the light on or making him his favorite meal is what really makes them happy.

  20. The music is on and the candle is lit…now that was the easy part. haha. I grew up in a loud home. We yelled even if we weren’t upset. I long for a peaceful, gracious household and home. Thank you for this challenge. I’m glad it will be right *there* for me to think about and put into action this week. Thanks Courtney.

  21. Blessing, blessing, blessing! Oh Courtney, you and your ministry are SUCH a blessing in my life. We’ve been gone this past week on vacation and WOW, was I so encouraged to get back into the swing of things at home today with THIS post. I am actually printing it out because God wants me to read it again and again, I’m certain. I have struggled with being the peacemaker and peacekeeper in the home and I want victory in this area of my life perhaps more than any other area at the moment. Btw, I too love George Winston and the December CD. I think I told you I saw him in concert years ago at Akron U. I *loved* that he came out in socks (no shoes) and played music from Charlie Brown. 🙂 I also love Jim Brickman’s instrumental music. Right now, my candles are going, and 24 jars of home-canned cinnamon apple butter are cooling on my counter (with ingedients to make your sister’s apple pie with crumb topping either this evening or tomorrow evening). Yeah, it would have something to do with picking 4 pecks of apples yesterday for $4/peck, lol. I’m up to my ears in wine saps. Gotta run. I have one of my favorite CD’s playing, a great balance of upbeat and soothing music (Hillsong, Shout to the Lord). Have a great week!
    Blessings,
    Toni

  22. Courtney – when I count my blessings your blog and Good Morning Girls are included. I’m so inspired by the difference that your small steps to a haven home have been. The candle is lit and I have Slacker radio is set to my custom Dean Martin station which plays a wonderful mix of standards that my young family find appealing. I so long for a home of peace and your comment about moods being catchy is so true. My husband suffers from depression and mood issues and I have to remind myself not follow down that path.

  23. I love your blog! I am working on my attitude and especially my mouth. The candle and music are both helpful. Thank-you for doing this series. Our families deserve our best.
    Linda

  24. Hey Courtney, I’m loving the challenge and I’m following along on my blog. I noticed last week that you said you didn’t know how to make a button for this, and I just learned recently so as a little gift to you for all that you do in your online ministry I wanted to make you one. So here is the code and you can just past it anywhere that takes html… it has the grab box for others to grab the code and it is all linked back to your blog and the challenge. (if you don’t use it, that’s fine, but I thought it might help)

  25. I listened to the two classical pianists you mentioned, and really like them! Then, I got an idea I wanted to share… I remembered that I could listen to this style of music (or ANY other style of music) for free (budget is limited, you know!) on Pandora radio! I have the Pandora App on my ipod (you can also listen via computer). Just type in the name of the artist whose style of music you like and it will play that “station”–song after song from that artist as well as other artists of similar genre! Thought maybe someone else would enjoy adding peaceful music in their home using this idea too! Thanks, Courtney, for all you do to encourage us women!!!!

  26. Thank you for George Winston! I have him on my Pandora Radio now! I am coming in a little late on the challenges, but we will be starting today!

  27. Courtney,

    Thank you so much for this post and all of the others that are so inspiring to me. My heart has truly been touched by you. My family and home will be better through your encouragement.

    Thank you.
    Melanie

  28. Hi Courtney,
    This challenge is wonderful. I have two CDs from Tim Janis and they are very nice to listen to. Between the candle and music it is so beautiful. Have a good day!

  29. This was an awesome week for me… although music preferences in my home started out as a challenge… but we made the BEST of it!!! And then found the “winner” CD! 🙂 This challenge only 2 weeks in, is already starting to make an impact on my family — Thank You, God, for all that You are!!!

  30. Would like to get the music I hear by David Nevue A Holy Experience — so I can take it with me in the car. Is that a posibility? Haven’t been able to find a CD by that title.
    Thanks

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