Ministry Momma

When the Son of God had His patience tried

2011-12-12T10:09:00.007-06:00

It has long been a joke amongst mothers to never pray for patience for then you just might have to use it!

In my continuing study of Luke, I observed in chapter 4 that Jesus was led BY the Holy Spirit into the wilderness TO be tempted by the evil one. There Satan tried the patience of the Son of God. Would Jesus be willing to wait for physical provision, willing to wait for the truth to be revealed about him at the resurrection, willing to wait for God's timing to have all that the Father promised? Or...would he choose to make it happen and have some of it...right...now?

When His patience was tested, we see that Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan's tactics, keeping the main thing the main thing and avoiding specific challenges by him.

The scriptures He chose give us guidance for what we should do when our patience is tested while we wait on God:

**Find nourishment in the Word of God just as much as actual food... (Luke 4:4, Deut. 8:3)

**Worship solely the Lord and not any hidden idols of pride and selfishness in our lives... (Luke 4:8, Deut. 6:13)

**Don't put the Father to the test by doubting His presence and what He has promised in His timing. [Jesus words here in Luke 4:12 are a direct quote from Deut. 6:16 which references the Israelite's doubt in the wilderness in Ex. 17:2-7].

We need to be aware that Satan can use scripture to tempt us to put the Lord to the test in our lives....(Luke 4:10-11, also Gen. 3:1). Putting the Lord to the test seems to involve doubting what He has already said He will do (Ex. 17:7), asking for a sign to validate what God has said (Isa. 7:12), not taking obedience, sin and it's consequences seriously (Acts 5:9). [The Ex. 17:2-7 is repeatedly mentioned in scripture throughout the old and new testaments as a warning not to put the Lord to the test.]

Now, if the Evil One knows scripture, that encourages me all the more to make my times in the Word a priority. I don't want to be like Eve, and get it wrong (Gen 3:3). Thankfully, we have someone we can go to that understands and has the power to help us in our struggles with patience.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. -- Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV

How Jesus Grew

2011-12-02T08:49:00.003-06:00

Lately, I've been doing a Bible study by a mentor of mine through the Gospel of Luke. In studying chapter 2, two verses were really impressed upon me:

vs. 40 "And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him." --infancy -12 years old

vs. 52 "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."--12 years - 30 years old

The child Jesus ...

Grew in Strength .... of spirit

Grew in Stature ... of body & mind

Stayed Submissive ... to his earthly parents (vs. 51)

I'm challenged by the order of this. We take the children to well-checks at the doctor to see how their bodies are growing; we watch carefully over their grades to see how they are doing in school. I am moved by this to make sure that I am giving just as much if not earlier attention to see that they grow strong in their spirits.

It's the little things, you know.

2011-11-17T10:26:00.005-06:00

Often times I get way too caught up in the details of some thing, some conversation, some assignment that I forget the bigger picture of what's beneficial. That's not always the case (as seen in some of my household responsibilities ;), but I definitely do have randomly assigned obsessions.

As I child, my dad would often say "Don't sweat the small stuff, Maija." Every once and awhile that will still ring through my head. The dust bunnies are ever glad! However, I've been challenged lately that it can be the little things that make the biggest difference:

* The son who said 'Thank you' without being prompted

* The coupon for buy one, get one FREE I used at the store

* The $1 tithe from the babysitting income for my daughter

* Taking the credit card out of my wallet, and leaving it at home

* Giving my husband a hug and a kiss when he comes home

The list could go on and on for each of us. These little things add up over time. A consistently thankful child would lighten any mom's heart. I'm not an extreme couponer by any means, but 20 different $.50 coupons each week saves $40 in a month. Little things done repeatedly become very, very big things in our lives.

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class has led me to consider this verse lately: Luke 16:10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?".

It's the little things, you know.

"Mom, Can I blow something up?"

2011-11-11T10:59:00.007-06:00

The question came after 30 minutes of rambunctious chasing from my 6 and 9 year olds around the house. Not a surprising question, after all. All young men have an innate desire to rescue, conquer, and dominate some aspect of their environment, don't they?

We live in a tri-level home. Most of our time is spent on our main level which includes the kitchen and family room. This is also the favorite area for chasing, wrestling, rolling, tickling, and other forms of modified mixed martial arts from only the kids....of course ;). Our backyard is a basic midwest one, settled in the middle of a subdivision. We don't live on a farm, or have any relatives that do. My husband doesn't have the hobbies of fishing or hunting. Technology drives a good part of our families interests. So...what's available to "blow up"?

The basic go-to option of vinegar & baking soda came to mind. I gave it to my boys with instructions to do it in the tub, hoping the drains would benefit from the revelry as well. But it left me wondering, where can I find ideas on things they could make, do, dominate? They enjoy their video games, but can I provide something where they are conquering a reality, not just a fantasy world? With major potential for only minor injuries (not the reverse!), how can I help them enjoy being a boy?

I recently saw this book at a friend's house. It was exactly what I was looking for: diagrams, recipes, concoctions and descriptions of all things in the likes of snakes, snails & puppy dog tails. I am excited for the boys to work through it with their Dad and I (I don't want to miss out on all the adventure :). Potato guns: Here we come!!

When does lying not matter ?

2011-11-04T21:45:00.004-05:00

I joined Facebook in 2006 as a way to keep up with the lives of friends I knew locally. As time past, it quickly gained speed in the circles I was in, and suddenly Facebook afforded me the opportunity to catch up with old friends in the same manner as only reunions could have before.

I'm sure many of you can relate to the fact that my children are deeply fascinated with the details of my social engagements and friendships. Admittedly, it was fascinating as a child to eavesdrop on the adult conversations that happened around our house. In similar manner, I can't think of a time I've been on Facebook where one of my preteen children hasn't quickly made their way to the computer to read my news feed asfastastheycan before I shewed them away. Facebook is fun. There's games, there's pictures, there's video links, funny stories, and inside jokes that involve people the family knows.

When my eldest preteen child began asking me to get a Facebook account earlier this year, I wasn't surprised. She had been telling me that many of her friends were on Facebook for awhile. Facebook has become so much of the fabric of how we communicate these days. Her request was somewhat benign, like asking for an email account. Security and monitoring features in place...check. What else is left to do? Enter birth date....wait, what?

The Facebook minimum age requirement is 13 years old. Interesting. Dilemma. Excellent social tool, yes. Old enough to start an account, no. Now, the dilemma unfolds. Do I as a parent lie for her, or indicate to her to go ahead and lie herself?

I posted this dilemma on Facebook as I was sorting this all through. The responses I got where varied, as one would suppose. I began to see the layers of logic. The first logic layer begins something like this: Is lying o.k.? Your options: Always, Never, and .................somewhere in between. No one that I heard from would agree to always lie. What logically was left: Option 1: Never and Option 2: Sometimes is fine.

Sometimes. Sometimes is a difficult option in logic. In parenting, one of the things we repeatedly counsel young parents to do is be consistent. If you tell a child they will get a reward or a consequence for doing something, then do it. Pick your hills to die on, then make sure you win and win decisively. Nothing creates more turmoil in a child's heart and in homes then inconsistency in follow-through. Consistency is HARD for us parents. Because we get tired, we get burned-out with work, people hurt us, we get tired...and more tired. There are times when my husband and I have went to our kids and apologized to them for seasons when we were lax, and struggled to be consistent with our parenting. We knew it wasn't fair to them, to keep changing the rules.....spontaneously......whenever we felt.....tired.

Sitting down at the computer, faced with a belief system in front of Facebook. Never, Sometimes. The thoughts run..."Will it really matter? Can't I just do it, and ask forgiveness later? They aren't young children any more. Surely they understand that this type of lie doesn't matter; it's the big ones they better not try."

Sometimes....when are children old enough to determine the "some" times?
When they are 12, and they glance at the person's test paper next to them ("That's what I thought the answer was anyway.")
When they are 14, and they sneak some cash out of a parent's purse ("She would have given it to me if I would have asked.")
When they are 16, and they tell you they went where they said they would go. ("She doesn't need to know about Jordan's house. That was just an extra stop.")
When they are 18, and the boss asks for their time card ("Last Friday was on the house. For all the grief he's given me lately, he can pay me to leave early.")
If I would take a poll of parents, even these things would be hotly debated as to which ones go in the category of a Sometimes.

As a family, it's important to us to have a standard to raise our children. We use the Bible as that standard. One of these passages is I Samuel 15. In this passage, the Lord tells Saul clearly to do something. Saul mostly does it, but blames the people when he's confronted by the prophet Samuel for not doing it completely. In several statements, Saul even claims to have obeyed the Lord. Having heard enough excuses, Samuel conveys the consequence, leading out with this (from The Message): Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production.
Samuel then tells Saul that the Lord is going to remove him from being King of Israel.

Saul mostly obeyed, but Saul got a swift and significant consequence. Perhaps, Saul thought it was a Sometimes.

This is one of the Bible passages that we use when we teach our children not to lie. The Lord is clear with what He requires: obedience. Plain, and simple. From me to Him; and from my kids, to me, to Him. We've worked hard to teach the kids that lying isn't just lying, but being deceptive, shifting blame to others, exaggerating, etc. are also forms of lying. In the Lord's eyes, there aren't any Sometimes. We shalt not do it.

So, when faced with a small decision that opens up a big opportunity for my child, I choose to wait until she's 13. Because one small step like fabricating a birth date would undermine my own work, my own integrity with my kids to live a life of honesty and to lead them to do likewise. It seems like such a little inconsequential decision, but I would venture to say that it's those things that mark their young minds.

Does what I say match what I do? That always matters. Guaranteed.

My Desert Song

2010-04-12T08:55:00.004-05:00

One of my current favorite worship songs is: Desert Song by Hillsong. My son was listening to it the other day on Pandora and asked me what the song was about. With an "I'm so glad you asked" mindset, I tried to describe to him how there are times when we struggle to understand what God is doing around us. We might feel discouraged, confused, and have more questions than answers about something important to us.

Then, in a roll-reversal moment, he plainly stated an observation about deserts that taught me more than I probably imparted to him that day. "Well, yah Mom. That makes sense, because what else is there to do in the desert but ride a camel and drink water from a cactus."

In my struggles to understand what the Lord is doing, I am often only searching to drink at an oasis. They're beautiful, lush, refreshing .... They're also very few in the desert. I want to pass up the prickly opportunities to be nourished along the way hoping that an oasis will be just around the corner. My son's comment was a reminder to me that the Lord often supplies refreshment in the most unlikely and thorny of places. The thorns of the cactus make me not want to touch it. "Stay Away!" They shout. "I'll hurt you!" Then, I think. "Lord, you can't possibly want to use this to bring me closer to you. It's painful. I don't want to be uncomfortable."

Yet, here's the thing. As a child, I didn't understand how to handle the thorns of a cactus. They looked small and non-threatening. A few pokes later, I reasoned that the gardening tools my mother was using were a pretty good idea. There is a word for this: Wisdom. It's the same way in our deserts. When the thorny opportunities come to us, there are tools to cut into such things. I just need to choose to use them. If I choose not to pick up the Word of God and read it, I get stuck by the thorns. If I choose not to cultivate prayer time, I get stuck by the thorns.

Wandering in a spiritual desert is a difficult time. Our discouragement may make it difficult for us to do the very things that will give us water to drink. I was in that place again recently, and I'm grateful that I picked up my sword. The cacti are coming open a lot easier again.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Will you go with me?

2010-02-03T14:08:00.009-06:00

The very words used to make my stomach turn. Will you go with me? Check the box: yes...no...maybe. What to do, what to do. How could there be so many big decisions in 4th grade!

26 years later not much has changed, has it? Except, it's my daughter's turn this time, and Momma thought for sure she had this one figured out. Been there, done that... It really caught me by surprise, though, to tell the truth. How could she be old enough to be asked that? How can I remember feeling that way? Are those really white hairs I see in the mirror?...... A boy in her class had asked her right in front of her classmates. She politely declined as she had no interest in the boy anyway, but was largely embarrassed by the attention and the questions that followed from all those who saw the interaction. As she told me about it after school that day, my initial response and advice was focused on how to let the boy down nicely, how to handle these things with the help of friends, how not to worry about what others think, etc. The bigger picture never occurred to me.

How is there a bigger picture? This is only 4th grade after all. What's the big deal? They're just trying out relationships, right? Practice dating, crushes, going steady....isn't it all o.k.? Didn't we do that?

I have been telling my daughter for the past year or so to guard her heart. Sure, she "likes" some boys more than others, and whenever we talk about those feelings I encourage her to guard her heart, don't spend too much time thinking about it, enjoy being a kid. I tell her that she will spend so many days, weeks, months and years of her life wanting to have a boyfriend, be in a relationship, and get married that the wait can seem so very long at times. The sooner that road starts, the longer the trip. Yet, when it came to "checking the going-out-with-me box", I thought it was cute. I mean, they weren't going to go on an actual "date", right? I totally missed the point.

Later on that week I was talking to a new friend of mine with daughters around the same age as mine. I was asking her what they are doing with the going out topic in their household. She shared that their girls won't be "going with" anyone until they are old enough to individual date. We talked about how children are forced and sometimes encouraged to grow up faster and faster these days. Almost as if the moms are living vicariously through their children. Her sister works in an E.R. in a large city. Within the past year, this sister has helped deliver babies of two different 9 yr. old mothers!! What?!?!

She challenged me to think about how encouraging a 4th grader to have a boyfriend really didn't help to guard her heart, even if it appeared harmless. We both agreed that our children are and will continue to do activities with groups of friends that have guys and girls. I know that I have great memories of that!!! And I want that for my children as well, and for as long as possible, without the pressure to pair off.

I am so grateful for friends who challenge me to think beyond my own experience. My life, and that of my children, is so much richer for it!

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Prov. 4:23 NLT)

T.V. Takes a Time-out

2009-10-15T23:01:00.005-05:00

This year more than ever before I have felt the desire to limit the amount of T.V. intake and influence there is in our lives. I think I can identify a few of the reasons: Our oldest daughter began attending public school this year (4th gr.) rather than continuing with homeschool. Our oldest son would live in a T.V. if he could. Our youngest son is doing most things are oldest son is doing. Our kids are involved in a few evening activities in addition to Wed. evening AWANA fun.

When the weather was nice, the T.V. was much less of an issue. The 3 older kids would head outside as quick as they could after school to check out what the newest was with the neighborhood gang. But if the weather was bad and the T.V. was on, the black box was the center of attention, and most often the only discussion had to do with who had the remote and what show to watch next. I found myself wishing for nice days, because I liked what it afforded my children in their relationships with each other.

As I mentioned earlier, my son's world wouldn't be more complete if it had another piece of media in it. Tech-y someday he will be. We've kept a close eye on what the kids are watching on T.V. So the actual shows themselves weren't my concern with him. What I did notice was a decrease in his ability to focus if he had just finished watching a few shows on T.V., an increase in complaints about being bored, and a lack of awareness of his surroundings (baby sister near him who had something she shouldn't have). Yuck!

I was reluctant to do anything dramatic. I hadn't thought through a plan yet, and I really wanted them to experience the value in having less T.V. as well. So as the nice days decreased, and fall weather began to settle in, I began an internal experiment (I didn't tell anybody else about it :-)). When the kids would ask to have the T.V. on in the afternoon, I started saying 'No, not today. Go find a game to go play or a book to read ... or I could give you work to do.' As this continued, they began to ask less until one day I began to say 'We're not going to have the T.V. on in the afternoon during the week anymore.' Eventually too, we left the T.V. off until the kids went to bed and then my husband and I would turn it on after that.

So here is what I've noticed since we began this new routine:

As our daughter would come home from school and complete her homework, I began noticing that our sons were glad to see her. Eager to tell her about their day, to hear about this other world called 'public school', or to recruit another worthy opponent for a game, they were having a really hard time waiting for their big sister to join them. They enjoy spending time with each other more now. Perhaps it's because now they have enough time to have conflict and resolve it, instead of harboring it.

My media attached child has a new love: reading. He had been enjoying the various eye witness series books which are full of wonderful pictures that we would snatch up at the library, but I couldn't get him to pick up chapter books on his own for free reading. He is a fine reader, but he is a 7 yr. old boy who struggles with focus and follow-through. Toys and T.V. were a much better option in his mind. Now he can't get enough of 'Secret Agent Jack Stalwart'. I'm so proud of him!

The dust has been blown off of board games. Toys have been brought to me with long dead batteries. The basement is constantly a mess from block towers, car race tracks, legos, scrabble tiles, dress-ups. It's funny how when they were toddlers I couldn't wait until they didn't pull toys out everywhere, but now as elementary kids I'm so thankful that they do.

My daughter is sharing in more detail about her day at school. And, I, as her mom, don't want to miss a thing. I'm enjoying her so much more now too. How can 10 seem so old?

Tomorrow starts the weekend, so we will have on 'Saturday morning cartoons' (as if!! It's really what they have recorded on the DVR all week.), and College Footbal Gameday (Go Hawks!). The experiment was worth it for us, and I don't think we are going back to the old days. There is an unexpected, noticeable freedom that has come to our home.

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. I Corinthians 6:12

What I'm doing to build immunity for the season

2009-10-02T09:10:00.003-05:00

I've gotten a lot of questions lately regarding what we are doing to build up everyone's immune systems for the cold/flu season. I've got my plan together now, so I thought I'd share it.

1. Water. Everyone is going to drink more water. I think a few of us are truly camels in our family, so those especially will be challenged by this. For me, I bought one of those BPA-free 2 L personal water jugs to drink from so that I reach my goal of 100 oz. in a day.

2. Echinacea. For preventative use, my daughter attending public school is taking a double dose once a day 5 days a week. 5 days on with 2 days off during the weekend keeps her immune system sharpened. Currently, she is using Viramune by Trilight Health. I also recently placed an order for a highly rated Echinacea product form iherb.com. It is called: Esberitox. This product is new for us, but I'm looking forward to trying out their chewable form. For treatment of colds, depending on how well each of us fights off the cold, we start the echinacea in some form. If the kids shake it off pretty quick, then I don't give them any. If they seem to be struggling and are running a fever, then I start the echinacea.

3. TrilightHealth.com is a long time favorite herbal company of mine. We have used it for 10 years now. My favorites to keep on hand: Viramune (for basic colds), Scout Out (for colds that turn worse, especially for us adults), Throat Care (by far, the best sore throat soother around...my kids ask for it every time and I always grab for it...even throughout the night), UrinaryTone w/cranberries (has always done a better job than antibiotics for UTIs for me.) My husband was very skeptical when I first started using these. He used to laugh and tell me that he wasn't going to 'drink grass' to get better. However, we have been antibiotic free for 5 years now, and I am convinced these have helped. He is now a regular proponent of these herbs and uses them himself.

4. Probiotics. Since the colon is one of the first lines of internal defense against viruses/bacteria, our entire family will be on this all year long. It's safe for all ages. We are currently using Jarro-Dophilus + FOS by Jarrow Formulas. It also has received very reliable ratings at iherb.com. With some many probiotics on the market, it is really important to get one that actually makes it alive to the colon. One of the things I have really liked about this product is that the capsules are small enough for my 10 and 7 year old to swallow whole, and of course, I just sprinkle it on applesauce, etc. for my 4 and 1 year old.

5. Vitamin D!! The research available now is so compelling regarding the connection between Vitamin D and immunity to colds/flu. The current recommendations in multi-vitamins appear to not be enough. From the research I could find online, it appears that a good maintenance amount per day (include all sources: milk, multi-vits, other vits.) is 4000 IU for adults, 2000 IU for children (1000 for toddlers). Adults should take 15,000 IU for three days at the onset of a cold. Again, I found products at iherb.com that I am excited to try. For the kids, Rainbow Light Vitamin D 1000 IU Sunny Gummies. For my husband and I, Bluebonnet nutrition, Vitamin D3, Natural Lanolin Source 1000 IU. If the kids are outside for more than a good hour in the day, then I will back down their necessary amount by 500 IU. Through the late spring to early fall, I won't be supplementing with extra vitamin D for my older children, since they are outside so much. If they are using sunscreen that day (i.e. at the beach), then I will give them extra vitamin D since sunscreen prevents Vitamin D absorption from the sun.

6. Multi-vitamins. I almost forgot the obvious! The kids are taking Animal Parade (comes in liquid and chewable forms). I am taking New Chapter Organics. These both are made from whole food sources. I like that since the body recognizes them as food and thus these have a higher absorption rate. That is why the % will be lower in these than in manufactured vitamins. My husband is taking Source Naturals Life Force Multiple. We have ordered these from amazon.com and have found them at our local health food store.

There are plenty of vitamin and supplement options out there, and a lot of them are not good or effective at all. Not all vitamins are created equal, so make sure you do your research and ask around about good ones for your family. Staff at local health food stores can be very helpful with this. Also, check online sites for ratings and see what people are saying about them. Dr. Mercola's site is a site that I often check to see what his opinion is on things. It's good to be informed and balanced when spending money and hoping things will work.

Whew! Well that's our plan.

10 Best Decisions I Made This Summer

2009-08-05T23:46:00.002-05:00

1. Enrolled my kids in swimming lessons as soon as we moved. They swam M-F for 6 weeks. We met new friends, and my once fearful water babies are now more like fish.

2. Bought the boys loft beds for their cracker box room. Instead of bunk beds, we made the decision to buy University Loft Jr. loft beds. What an awesome purchase! Those 'caves' under their beds will be priceless play and storage spaces once the weather turns cold.

3. Showed my daughter how to help scrape off wallpaper.

4. Stocked the cupboard with Magic Shell.

5. Had 2 garage sales.

6. Learned how to play Cornhole. What?!

7. Inquired about the warranty on our windows. Yes, they get replaced for free!

8. Realizing that pleasure and contentment aren't as far away as I thought.

9. Picking up my 4 1/2 year old son as much as he'll still let me.

10. Sleeping in.

My new fave children's product: The Germinator

2009-06-08T14:04:00.002-05:00

With all the colds recently in our home I was excited to find a non-alcohol based 'germ-x' type of product. It is by BabyGanics and it is called The Germinator. It comes out as a foam so the kids don't run through it as quickly. It's been great for them to use after blowing their noses, and for me after wiping so many noses. My hands haven't gotten all dried out like they usually do.

On a light note, my daughter wanted to hold her baby sister who was still healthy at that point. When I asked her if she would wash her hands, she replied with: "Yes, Mom, I already germinated." :-)

Threats to my security

2009-06-02T22:32:00.004-05:00

What a strange 10 days in my life!

In a nutshell, I had what appeared to be an attempted break-in at my house during the final night that my husband was planned to be gone. Over the following week we prepared for our move and closing on our old and new home. I watched as our belongings were packed up and loaded on a truck by people I did not know (moving company). While driving half of our children (my husband and sons were in the other car) to our new home in a new state, I was nearly sideswiped on the interstate and almost flipped our van as I swerved and tried to recover from avoiding the crash. Later on that afternoon, we arrived at our new home which I was then seeing for the first time. Not to mention last minute financial hang-ups with both closings and illnesses among our family to name a few.

From the outside, it seems insurmountable. A strange twist of fate, random events that make one want to stick their head in the sand. Threats to take away so much.

However, I do not believe in fate nor do I believe these were random events. My life is held in the One who created me, and knows the number of hairs on my head. Yes, the Lord quieted my spirit when I was trembling inside, and reminds me that He watches over and out for me. He is a good and faithful God. I do not understand why He protects me from some pain, but not others that I think He should. In recent months I have had more questions than answers. However, the Lord has taught me that His wisdom is beyond measure. He is threatened by no one and no circumstance is out of His control. It is why He is God and I am not. For that, I am grateful.

Children just like Daniel

2009-05-24T05:01:00.005-05:00

I spent some time with a friend and her children the other day. It had been a while since we had seen each other. Kids sure change quickly in a short amount of time. We couldn't believe how each other's had grown since the last time we saw one another. Most noticeably to me, however, was the way her elementary children talked to me. When they needed to know where something was, they looked directly at me, spoke clearly and loud enough. They used 'please' and 'thank you' without being prompted by a nearby parent. I was visibly impressed and commented to my friend that her children had stellar manners.

As I reflected more on our time together, it became clearer to me why her children made an impression on me. It wasn't just what they did, but also what lack of I see from so many other children day to day. I was at the store recently and a mother was asking her son, who was about the same age as my friend's boy (7 yrs.), what yogurt he wanted. As she went through the varieties, his responses to her where disheartening and frankly uncomfortable to hear. "Ah, yah. Ah, no." With all the attitude included. And the mom, she seemed oblivious to the whole thing, perhaps just happy to get an answer out of her boy.

Our children know that they are expected to speak kindly to any adult, be it a parent, grandparent, store clerk, neighbor, teacher, etc. Unfortunately, I think a lot of parents give up too early when teaching their very young children how to be respectful to them. And in return, they and their children miss out on the rewards that come from leading a life of properly placed respect.

In chapter 1 of the book of Daniel in the Bible, we see that Daniel was taken as a youth from his family and forced to live in a foreign culture, and given food that was forbidden by his God. It is recorded in two separate instances where he makes a request to an authority that would allow him to follow the dietary laws of his faith. The scriptures say that God had given Daniel favor in the sight of these authorities. Let's think about this for a minute. This child, probably a very young teen, ripped from his parents, was asking to do something other than his captor had commanded just because he wanted to obey his God. Aside from the awesome fact that he was standing up for what he believed in, I want you to notice how he must have talked to the authorities in such a way that God had given him favor with them.

When my friend's children spoke to me with respect, I wanted to help them, I wanted to 'go that extra mile' to see that they had what they needed. By them treating me with respect, I treated them with respect in return. I know that I have felt this in my own life, and I think we can see that happening in the Daniel example as well. My husband and I often tell our children that many good things come from talking rightly, and it starts at home. What is done at home will overflow into other settings, and it should, for the home is the training ground for life.

These 2 very different examples that I came upon were a strong reminder for me to stay the course with our children. I want them to have the best opportunities in life. It's not easy to stay on top of disrepectful attitudes, but the rewards are much longer than the toil it took to train them.

Be encouraged my mom friends, your hard work is worth it!

oldnavyweekly.com

2009-05-16T15:38:00.007-05:00

Have you been to www.oldnavyweekly.com yet? Old Navy puts coupons good for one week only on this site. You search throughout the webpage flyer with your cursor looking for hidden coupons and offers. There are only a certain number of these so once they are gone, they're gone. Some of the coupons are as good as $60 off $100 and so on.

I usually can find a 15 or 20% off coupon but have never struck it rich with the big ones. It may be because I just found out recently that Old Navy changes their coupons at about 3 a.m. Friday mornings, and that several people have been staying up until then just to grab these deals. Old Navy has caught on to this and is now beginning to release the bigger coupons throughout the week. Deal Seeking Mom in my faves section below outlines where these coupons are located on the site.

Happy hunting!

The Waiting Room

2009-05-14T08:22:00.005-05:00

We have been waiting this year. Waiting in God's waiting room. Shane and Shane (www.shaneandshane.com)
have a song called 'Waiting Room' that parallels what we experienced.

Lord i know if i change my mind
You will change my heart in time
Sovereign Lord this time's from You
so i sit in the waiting room of silence
cause its all about You

He designed our time here, and just recently, our name was called to move on. After facing a year of uncertainty in my husband's employment, our souls were parched and bewildered wondering if we had missed anything else in this time of self-examination. No, it had so much less to do with us, and so much more to do with God's orchestration of events. It continues to amaze me that when I think nothing more can be squeezed out of a deadline, He does it, and so masterfully like only the Creator God can.

He is a good and faithful God. Even though moving to a new state was not part of my plan for this year, His goodness awaits my family and I there. Though the boxes and the parting goodbyes are never easy nor pleasant, I am so thankful to be out of the waiting room.