In This House, We Will Giggle Giveaway with Courtney DeFeo

10523683_539456556187220_3429116899528224216_nEver meet someone and right off the bat feel like you have been friends for life? That would describe my friendship with the talented and Jesus-loving Courtney Defeo I am super excited to have her guest posting and giving away two copies of her new book that teaches parents to instill values and character in their kids through laughter, not lectures. (I always did that with my kids. No Wait. Or did they just laugh through all my lectures?)

Announcing In This House, We Will Giggle.  I can still remember her telling me just the idea for this book. And yesterday it came hot off the presses==>Oh how lucky are we!

Now meet Courtney.

courtneyCourtney DeFeo is a popular blogger and creator of ABC Scripture Cards featured on “The View.” She is a graduate of Auburn University and has worked in marketing for Chick-fil-A. Courtney and her husband, Ron, are the parents of two children. To connect with Courtney, visit CourtneyDeFeo.com

In This House, We Will Giggle: Making Virtues, Love, and Laughter a Daily Part of Your Family Life offers parents a practical approach to instilling virtues in their children through laughter, rather than lecture. Designed to cover an entire year, each of the 12 chapters highlights one key virtue in developing a child’s character, along with insights to help infuse the virtue into everyday life.

In This House, We Will Giggle teaches children to experience the goodness of God, the joy of following Jesus and the difference children can make in the lives of others.

 

And now on a personal note==> an event which inspired In This House, We Will Giggle.

A Wedding Cake in Ukraine

wedding photo  courtney

I was in an underground mall in Kiev, Ukraine one of the first times I experienced God’s love working through me. It was absolutely thrilling. I was giggling with joy. I was traveling with a team of Chick-fil-A leaders. We were there to teach business leaders about Chick-fil-A’s leadership model. On our “off” hours we got to see the city and spend time with our interpreters. They were mostly young girls that were just a joy to be around. Since they spoke English, we could casually get to know them.  

My boss, David Salyers, and I were getting to know Masha as we walked under the underground mall area. She told us about her upcoming wedding and was just mentioning the cost of everything. She would have to pick and choose what to include since things were so costly. She mentioned that she probably would have to do without a wedding cake.

My heart started pounding and I locked eyes with my boss.  His eyes lit up too. We couldn’t wait to ditch her. We knew this was our chance. To be the hands of feet of Jesus. To simply meet a need and show her she was so deeply loved.  We said “good night” to Masha as quickly as we could and had just 5 minutes until the mall closed. We started giggling and RAN as fast as we could store to store to find a card to hold our cash for her wedding cake.

We did it. We found a card.  We put that cash in there.  

We wrote our notes about how much she was loved.  And the next day before the leadership symposium, we slipped that treat to Masha and watched her eyes filled with tears. She never expected it, but we knew what it meant to her world.  This was a moment I will never forget. I remember thanking the Lord that night and saying to him, “Lord, whatever that was – I want more of it. I want to be used by you. However. Just let me love others like you. I want to be generous. I want to meet needs. It is so fun!”

This is truly the reason I wrote this book. I want our kids to feel the goodness of  Christ before they are adults. I want them to EXPERIENCE who we know – not just HEAR what we know.  Let’s invite them to the party.  They are not too little to be used by God.  

Now for the giveaway. in this house giggle

Leave a comment below sharing a memory of when or how laughter filled your home with joy and nothing else seemed to matter.  Or tell us of a time you performed an act of kindness like Courtney and her boss did. Or were the recipient of one. Or simply tell us why you would like to win this book!

Two fabulous people will win a copy of Courtney’s new book, In This House, We Will Giggle.

Remember laughter, not lectures.

 

68 Comments

  1. We have had a lot of serious illnesses in the family lately. The last couple of days, I have felt a little down and out. But then, just tonight, our 4 year old heard a song that he had never heard before. But he loved the best so much that he began to dance to it. That was funny enough to bring a smile to my face and in my heart, but then he started doing “the robot”. I was laughing so hard, I quickly forgot all the sorrows of late. God can use anyone and anything!

  2. I would like to read this book because I think it would be extremely helpful in my interactions with my eight grandchildren. I also would like to share it with my two daughters who are always looking for ways to help their children draw closer to the Lord. Sounds like it would help neutralize the everyday stresses that come with parenting. Thank you.
    P.S. I love the book title!

  3. Tonight was an apologize for mommy’s bad behavior kind of night in my house. Explaining to 2 of my 3 children four years old and under that the bible says love is patient, love is kind and mommy isn’t very good at either of those at the moment…there are moments of true joy and laughter, and we do have a lot of fun, but I guess I am saying that it is nights like tonight that make me think I would love to get a copy of this book to be reminded of how important it is to laugh with my children more often than I really do!

  4. Love the title of your book! :) Laughter is so important! I want our home to be a welcoming place full of fun and glory to God.

  5. The kind of laughter I best remember is the family reunion kind. I remember tears and belly laughs from my mom and her older brothers as they talked about all the crazy times they had-during the Great Depression!

    Oh what sweet laughter we will have in heaven, when we are able to recount the mishaps and wonders of this life in the new light of Christ’s wholeness. Can’t wait.

  6. What a great idea for a book! I was blessed to grow up with parents that were fun and also a great example of values and character! My dad was one of the biggest teasers and practical jokers I knew – we were always laughing. He was also one of the most Godly, well respected men I knew. I can still remember my mom telling me (as I was playing with my oldest son) what a great job I was doing teaching him to have fun and enjoy life. I still have one child at home and would love to read this book for bits of wisdom in raising her. I’d also love to give a copy to my son (who has a young son) or my nephew or nieces who also have little ones. Thank you to Courtney for writing this great book!

  7. There was not a lot of laughter in my home when I was growing up. I desperately want laughter in my home for my 5 year old daughter. Often times I take myself and life too seriously. I want to show her happy moments and more laughing!

  8. My children are grown and we did have lots of giggles in our home because two of my sons were hilarious and had us laughing. I used to say “keep them away from me if I ever have to have stitches”–yes, those were the days! I’d like to win this giveaway so I could share this kind of a book with my daughter and two daughters-in-law so they can have a great time with their kids, too!

  9. Last night my 10 year old daughter tried doing the Carlton after watching it on Dancing with the Stars. I was laughing so hard I almost cried. Now that’s a good laugh.

  10. we really need this book now because of this year has been so bad. losing the house my father just everything in general.

  11. So, I want my kids to be joyful in following God, even from a young age, and not depart from it when they are older. Its super important. I don’t want to drill it into them, but rather for them to see that goodness happens from choosing to follow God. Can we share with the group?

  12. Grew up with a “lecturing” father and a “laughter” Mama. However, the Mama didn’t really instill Godliness. Praying my way through parenting my 3 gifts and love the sound of the lessons behind the lectures but in the package of laughter!

  13. That time when my daughter was 2 and wouldn’t take a bath at all. I gave her finger paints to take in the tub and she had them everywhere!! I laughed until I cried I was so happy she got in the tub and stayed there!

  14. While I was attending to my 3 three old, my 2 year old –somehow- got into the upper cabinets and grabbed a jar of peanut butter. It wasn’t until he walked into the room where I was with my 3 year old that I noticed he had covered his entire body in creamy peanut butter. Additionally, he created a matching ottoman in my den. LOL I wanted to cry–which I think I did, but I also grabbed my camera and took a picture of his masterpiece. I truly laugh about it now.

  15. My husband was getting eggs in water to boil for tuna fish, and he was using a noodle spoon and saying he could throw them up and catch them without them breaking WELL he did the 1st time so I called our little boy in the room and he did and dropped the egg, and he did again and dropped the egg and again until we had 4 eggs dropped in the kitchen floor and me and son had tears rolling down our faces because we were laughing so much and the look on my husband face was priceless prefect peace at that moment. I love moments like that :)

  16. love to hear my kids giggle while roughhousing & tickle-fighting w/daddy…seems he’s better at getting giggles out than me. would like to read this book.

  17. Every home needs laughter…it makes the days so much better. In the midst of our crazy schedule of kids and school, hubby with a new job and I have 4 jobs…we rarely see laughter in our home. My children are having to grow up faster than I like as my hubby and I struggle to make ends meet. As we struggle we knew that we had no money in our budget at all for Christmas presents for our children. Someone (I have no idea to this day) left a Christmas card and $600 for us in our mailbox to go and have Christmas with our children. You see, my hubby and I have not given a Christmas present to each other in so long….it is all about my children. What a blessing they are to me…laughter sure could make us all so much happier. I look forward to obtaining a copy of this book from the library so I can read it. Thank you Courtney for writing it and Karen for sharing about it on your blog. Your blog is a highlight in my day. May your day be blessed because you are a blessing…

    Smiles, Robin :)

  18. I think we could use a little more laughter in our lives these days….there have been a lot of family members dealing with illness, extra tasks and appointments, and a lot of extra stress and worry. I am learning to take one day at a time and just be thankful. I want to teach my children to trust in God for all that they need, and this certainly has been teaching me to do just that.
    We anonymously dropped off some pumpkins at two friends’ houses–the kids loved it, and although it wasn’t a big gift, it was so appreciated that I want to come up with more opportunities to do things like this.

  19. I have the unique position of having an act of kindness become a life long lesson for both of my sons. We had stopped by a local fast food location for a quick breakfast with my in-laws, whom were visiting from out of town. It was snowing outside; making my children overly “charged” and ready to go play. As we ate and talked an obviously homeless and very dirty man entered the restaurant. He simply ordered a small cup of coffee and sat quietly with his head down inside the warm building. You could feel the atmosphere change immediately. The staff was pensive. He could sit inside since he ordered a cup of coffee but would soon be asked to leave… My children noticed the change and started asking questions about the man sitting in the corner. I answered them. This spurred a long story by my mother-in-law about an amazing breakfast she had at a spa she had visited. My heart sank as I felt the imaginary minutes ticking by until the man would be asked to return to the cold snowy weather outside. As we were leaving, unable to ignore my heartache for this poor man, I turned on my heel and headed back inside. I walked up to the man, whom did not want to make eye contact. I leaned over and softly whispered, “Is that your cart outside?” It was clearly visible through the window. He replied slowly as if I were going to ask him to leave, “yes”. I slipped some money across the table to him and told him the pancakes were wonderful. He smiled an overly generous smile for the small act of kindness. As I walked away, he was ordering breakfast.

    Years later, during a hundredth day of school celebration, my youngest son’s teacher asked,”If he had a hundred dollars, what would he buy?” He replied, food for people who don’t have any!

    My oldest son always wants to place money in the Salvation Army bell ringer’s buckets…no matter how many times we pass them in a day. This year he had a fantastic idea, to give all the money we collect in our change jar at home over the year to a friend, whom really needs a new car to get to work. He could have chosen to buy a video game or something for himself but he chose someone else’s needs above his wants.

    Sorry for the long post! I am just one proud mom, whom happened to do the right thing on a day when both my children were etched with God’s love for everyone, not just the ones on the inside looking out.

  20. We bought presents for a needy family at Christmas, and bribed 3 highschool baseball players (fast runners) to stealthily load them on to the front porch and then ding-dong-ditch them! Our family could use a little laughter these days…it’s been too long :)

  21. Due to life circumstances, we have been the recipient in the past few years of numerous acts of kindness. My husband recently lost his job and our family vehicle was totalled by a drunk driver who hit my husband, all within a week of each other. Family friends of ours have offered to give us a large sum to help us get another vehicle. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above!”

  22. My daughter is 6 and I am a single mom, and we have lots of fun together! I feel like we are so busy all the time, but we still try to make the time to do fun things! She is really expanding her vocabulary, and she cracks me up with the things that come out of her mouth. A few weeks ago, my neighbor and her kids were over at my house and her daughter and my daughter were arguing, and mine said “You don’t have to just act all SASSY like that!” We all just busted out laughing! Little kids are such a blessing, and it’s so nice to be able to laugh with them.

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