Family Game Night as you know it, is about to change!
The gift of laughter that keeps on giving, where sore losers and gloating winners are documented for years to come is finally here.
What are we talking about? The Game Ledger. Don’t play a game without it!
Introducing The Game Ledger
“We’ve been down to the bottom. Stories we got ’em, when we hit rock bottom. If you been there put your hands in the air to let the lost know that someone cares.” ~ Tobymac
These lyrics from “Stories (Down to the bottom)” by Tobymac was our family theme song during a time of great challenge.
The first time we heard it was when our son was blasting it in his room. The beat and the lyrics caught our attention.
So we went to his room, sat down, and listened to the song. Instantly, we fell in love with it because it represented all we were going through as a family!
Hitting rock bottom was one of the best things that ever happened to us. It allowed us to draw closer to God, and to each other.
Not to mention, we discovered our gifts and purpose that we were too blinded to see when things seemingly were going well.
And, one of our greatest accomplishments as a family, The Game Ledger, was actually created during the time we experienced financial hardship.
Our Need For Family Game Night
If you’ve read the About section of this blog or our ebook, Embracing God’s Priorities, then know our story about losing all that we had.
It was during that time of financial hardship when we were desperately looking for free family entertainment.
Around this same time, one of our brothers was also unemployed. So needless to say, we kicked it together playing games.
It’s not like playing games was new to us. However, it was our circumstances that motivated us to find a new level of entertainment and laughter with the family. Especially, since it was all we could afford.
Family Game Night became our daily dose of laughter. That’s because we started keeping track of score cards, winners and losers.
“A cheerful disposition is good for your health.”
~ Proverbs 17:22 (The Message)
As a result, in 2006 we instituted the original Game Ledger. And Family Game Night was never the same!
History of The Game Ledger
We simply used a composition notebook to keep score of all the games we played. Each page would include commentary by the players about the games.
Keep in mind, this was not limited to the adults. Oh no! The kids jumped in and participated in commenting on the games as well.
We soon extended The Game Ledger to our entire family. Every time we got together for Family Game Night to play Spades, Dominoes, Scrabble, and much more, it was recorded in The Game Ledger!
Since money was tight for everyone, we used one notebook and wrote our family names on the front. {I.E. The Phillips, The Gray’s, and The Burch’s.)
And since we only had one notebook, we made a rule that whoever loses the game, The Game Ledger would go home with them.
Unfortunately, the notebook went home with us a lot. Which meant, whenever we would go to The Philips or The Burch’s house to play a game, The Game Ledger would be left behind at our home.
Did we let that hinder our free, family entertainment? NO! We would keep score and commentary on a piece of paper, then tape it to ledger.
Family Game Night On A Budget
One Christmas, we were seeking God for creative ways to give gifts to family and friends considering we were on a tight budget.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 9 that God is unwilling to abandon a cheerful giver. So we knew that God would not let us down.
“Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].” ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7 (AMPC)
During that time of seeking, God gave us the idea of purchasing composition books, and creating labels to stick on the front with our friends and family’s names on it.
We found monogram decks of cards on clearance for $2, and paid only $.049 for each composition book!
So, for $2.49 we gave close friends and family Christmas gifts! This was in 2009 and yes, they all still use those same ledgers to this day!
Family Keepsake
Who knew that a simple, inexpensive gift would become a family keepsake that would bring; unity, fun, laughter, and sometimes tears?
Trust us, to read page after page of the commentary from friends, and family over the years; is truly the gift of laughter that keeps on giving.
For our readers who have been following us for some time now, you know that the journey we’ve been on for over a decade has been documented in our journals. And we share pages of our journals on this blog.
Well, it was only through working on this blog that a light bulb went off, to officially create The Game Ledger!
Now, every family can enjoy and document Game Nights with friends and family, filled with commentary from sore losers or gloating winners.
From our experience, we saw the value in each Game Ledger representing individual families. Therefore, we made sure each family could personalize The Game Ledger by writing their family name on the front.
The Game Ledger Now On Amazon
We are excited to share that The Game Ledger is now available on Amazon!
You see, we’ve been down to the bottom, and trust us; we have stories!
The Bible tells us in the book of James, to count it all joy when fall into various trials. And we are so grateful we didn’t stay down at the bottom. Instead, we chose to find the joy in our present circumstance.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” ~ James 1:2 (NLT)
If we didn’t CHOOSE to see the good in a bad situation, The Game Ledger would not have been created.
And if we hadn’t yielded to the voice of God to inspire others to live within the priorities of God, through this blog, we would’ve never recognized the opportunity to create The Game Ledger!
What’s Your Story?
Do you have a story about being down to the bottom? Sure you do, we all do!
Do you have a story? Have you been down to the bottom? Sure you have.
The difference between hitting rock bottom and overcoming obstacles; lies with those who purpose to see the good and find the purpose in the mess.
When we truly count it all joy in our trials, it opens our eyes and hearts discover God’s will for our lives.
In The End
We are thankful for the fruit that came from our trial. As it allowed us to create a product that would help families prioritize time with those they love, while sowing the gift of laughter.
In fact, we are so confident that The Game Ledger will become a family keepsake; the next time you play a game, it will become customary for your family to say: “get the ledger!”
PS…Looking for the perfect gift to give a family without buying individual gifts for each person? The Game Ledger is THE PERFECT gift by itself or with a game that can be played with family and friends.
PIN FOR LATER
~ André and Timberley Gray
I utterly LOVE this idea! We play a lot of games, too, and make such good memories playing. I can’t believe I never thought of recording them like this. Genius!
Thank you Susan for those kind words. We are excited to share The Game Ledger with other families! ~ Blessings
What a great idea – and a great story, too! I can see this adding an extra element of fun to family game nights.
Jana you are right, it absolutely does add another element when having game nights with friends and family! Thank you for stopping by to read. ~ Blessings
You just solved my Christmas gift-giving dilemma! I ordered copies of the ledger and a new game for all of my extended family!
Oh Christa how wonderful! Thank you for stopping by to read and thank you for ordering the Game Leger. Please let us know how your family enjoys them!