He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!

John 20

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothersand tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mark 16

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.^[a]

Good Friday

I am truly thankful for the sacrifice Christ made on my behalf. To God be the Glory, Forever and Ever!!

John 19

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

¹⁵ But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said,“I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵ The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶ These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”^[c] 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”^[d]38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away.³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^[e] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. ⁴¹ At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Mark 15

¹⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” ¹⁹ Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
²¹ A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. ²² They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read:the king of the jews.
²⁷ They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^{[28] [a] 29} Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰ come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
³³ At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ³⁴ And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[b]
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
³⁶ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,^[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,^[d] and Salome. ⁴¹ In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
⁴² It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ When he learned from the centurionthat it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

Luke 23


²⁶ As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
    and to the hills, “Cover us!”’^[b]

³¹ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[c] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[d]”
⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵ for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Jesus called out with a loud voice,“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”^[e] When he had said this, he breathed his last.
⁴⁷ The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”⁴⁸ When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breastsand went away. ⁴⁹ But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee,stood at a distance, watching these things.
⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ⁵¹ who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴ It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

That's Not Fair

Is this a phrase you hear often? Our middle daughter must say it at least once a day. We have spoken to her numerous times about it, but she seems to like her position on the topic better than ours. Here are some of my views on "It's not fair."

-"You're right, it is not." There are many things in life that are not fair. The simple fact that I am expected to cook meals for everyone, that my husband needs to wash everyone's clothes, and that the grass keeps growing even though the mower is broke....these are all things that don't seem quite fair. But, we all need to work together. What would happen if everyone in the world only took care of their own needs? Well, we would stop existing, as all the babies would die because no one would take care of them. There would be a great deal more waste because people wouldn't share. I am also pretty sure there would be no team sports because everyone would want to be the leader. To that I say, "no thank you."

-"Who said that life was suppose to be fair?" I see very few things in life that are fair. If you watch any of those nature shows....sea turtles for example, those baby turtles hatch from their eggs, climb through the sand, and then have to avoid multiple predators just to make it to the water, and over half of them are eaten before reaching the ocean. What is fair about that? Or sports, the referees and judges are always affecting the games even though they are suppose to be helping. Or hunger, there is enough food in this world for everyone so why is it so hard to get the food to those truly in need? That certainly doesn't seem fair. I have many more examples, but I think you get my point.

-"If life was fair, we would all be going to hell." This is my favorite response and seems so fitting for Holy Week. If life was fair, Jesus would not have died for our sin, and we would have no way to reconcile ourselves and would therefore be spending eternity in hell. Just think about it. Jesus was sinless, He did nothing wrong. He broke no laws. Yet, they crucified Him. He took my place. He became my sacrifice, so now when God looks at my sin filled life He sees the blood of Jesus instead of a wretched me.

I say, "Praise God!" I am glad that life isn't fair. I rejoice daily that God loved me (and you) so much that He sent His Son, Jesus to be my (and your) sacrifice; that if we believe in Him we might live with Him forever. Now, that is not fair and I am glad!

Marriage Reflections

It was a day much like today...cloudy with a bit of a chill in the air. During the day it would rain a bit, the sun would shine bright and it would snow big fluffy flakes. In one day I would go from being a single girl living for her own ambitions and desires to becoming a wife and help mate, focusing on what is most important for us together. It is crazy when I think about it. Nineteen years ago today, I married the man that God had chosen for me. The very one he had set aside just for me. The one that would make me a more complete person and I would make him a more complete person. Our amazing adventure had would begin.....and what an adventure it has been.

When the topic of marriage or relationships comes up, I am often asked how long we have been together, and how we have "survived."I love to share my thoughts on our marriage, and I share them with our daughters often.....I pray that they are blessed to have a marriage as strong or even stronger than ours. I feel it is very important at a young age to instill godly ideas of marriage with our daughters, as I know the world/society is pushing their idea of marriage on my daughters already.

Here are a few things I tell them:
-Marry the man that God has chosen for you! There is a man that is right for you, and you will only know this when you pray and ask God to lead you. He knows what is best for you and has a best plan for your life.
-Marry someone who loves God more than he loves you. This sounds strange, but it is important to find someone who is in love with God. If he is in love with God, then he will continually seek God and will strive to do what God feels is best for you and your family. Marriage can be very stressful at times, it is important for you both to be seeking God's will for your relationship.
-Looks might be important, but they will change. When you meet the man you will marry, he might be 18 or 23 or who knows how old. When you have a marriage built upon the Bible, this marriage will last for many decades. This boy you met at 18 is going to look much different when he is a grandpa and 60. Be sure that your love will last even when his looks change and that he will love you when your looks change.
-Love a man for his character and who he is. It is important to love someone for what is inside....do they love Christ? do they honor you with their actions? do they act humbly? do they serve others? A person will change as they mature, but the core of his character will most likely not change. Be sure that his character is something that you can live with for the next 50 years.
-Talk about it early. I strongly believe that one reason our marriage has lasted so long is because we laid a foundation early. Before we were married we would stay up late, some times 2 or 3am, discussing our beliefs, dreams and desires. We both would have our Bibles out and be ready to back up our beliefs with the Word. They were some hard times, but we discussed what type of church we would go to; what we wanted to teach our children; if we wanted to have children; and how we were going to "act" as a married couple. I truly believe that this is the most important pre-marriage activity we did. We knew where the other person stood on everything that was important to us and them.
-Keep your relationship pure. There will be endless opportunities in your marriage to be tempted and give way to your sinful desires. By keeping your relationship pure before marriage you are practicing your self-control, you are showing one another that you can resist temptation and you are laying a foundation that will help you to stay strong through out your entire marriage.

I am truly rejoicing today in our 19 years of marriage and I pray that our children and you, and your children are all blessed with marriages that last even longer!

Earthly Fathers

Something about starting Holy Week this year has made me think of fathers. I am continually amazed by the incredible sacrifice that our Heavenly Father made for each and every one of us. I have a hard time understanding that He would love me so much that He would sacrifice His perfect son for a sinner like me. I am overwhelmed with emotion when I stop and truly reflect upon Jesus' willingness to follow the Father's plan and give up His life for me; unbelievable Grace that I certainly do not desire.

I wonder if I have a hard time accepting God's continual gift of grace because of the word "Father"? It is hard for me to understand the love of a father. Many of us have never experienced abundant love from our earthly father. Maybe you were raised in a home where the father was abusive. Maybe you grew up in a home where the father put his needs in front of yours. Maybe your father worked hard for your family, but seemed to never be there when you thought you needed him. Or maybe there was no father in your home at all, he just left and abandoned your family.

I know how hard it is to look at the love of our Heavenly Father any different than what we experienced from our earthly father, but we need to. Our earthly fathers are sinful beings just like us. Even if you were blessed to be raised in a home with a loving father, I am sure there were times when they let you down. Earthly fathers make mistakes, they break promises, they fall short of perfection..... just like all of us. Even the most amazing fathers have disappointed and hurt their families from time to time.

The great news is that God keeps His promises, He doesn't make mistakes and is perfect in every way. He knows what you need before you even know you need it. He has sacrificed His only son so that you may spend eternity with Him. He always has the best plan for you, everything He does for you is because He loves you.

As we journey through this Holy Week, let us put aside the negative feelings we may have towards our earthly fathers. We know things like abuse, abandonment, neglect and absence. Let us instead turn our focus on the amazing love God has for us; the incredible sacrifice Jesus has made and the abundant grace provided for our salvation. May our hearts overflow with thankfulness and praise. Hosanna, Hosanna....Save us now!  

Blessings

I have seen several posts on social media sites lately about blessings...remembering blessings, praying thankfulness for blessings, starting each day reciting blessings etc. It is very easy for me to focus on what is not right, what others possess, or what dreams haven't been fulfilled. I often forget how blessed we really are. These suggestions really help me to refocus.

Yesterday our family had the privilege of serving at our local "soup kitchen." It was great! The only member of our family who didn't truly help was our 11month old. However, he brought lots of smiles and joy to attendees, so maybe he did help. We wrapped silverware, helped prepare food and drinks, served food to attendees and helped with clean-up. It was a great family serving experience! But more than that, it reminded us how truly blessed we are.

Although we have tried, our children don't really understand what it means to be homeless; to not have a bed, an abundance of toys and a dresser full of clothes. At times, they may be hungry because of the days events, but thankfully they have no idea what it means to be truly hungry and not have any food. There are also times when they have no friends to play with, but they have not experienced what it means to be deeply lonely. These are all amazing blessings that our family has been given and were reminded of last night by the community we served.

You may not be able to take your family to a soup kitchen or serve the homeless. But I would encourage you to have your family serve in some way. There are many suggestions on the "Let's Serve Together" page and I am sure that you can think of many more creative ways to make an impact. Be prepared to be blessed. If you have never served as a family, be prepared to be blessed just as much as the people you are blessing.

Helping our children see the many blessings they have been given is important to my husband and I. We may never be the richest people when we compare bank accounts, but we desire to have our children see that we are richly blessed. God has provided for us at every turn. No matter how we do it, we should make sure to take time to count our blessings and be truly thankful for all we have!  

Bored

Today I encountered a situation I have never been in before.....when I asked a child that was sitting staring at me, why she didn't go build a barn for her pony or something, the response I received was, "well, she is bored." I said, "what?" The child responded, "my pony is bored." The phrases "I'm bored" or "This is boring" really bug me, but I must admit having a toy be bored is something I never expected.

I remember being bored as a child, but I don't remember my mother rescuing me from said boredom. I recall being sent to do something about it or simply live in my boredom. When I was a full-time teacher and students would tell me they were bored, I would respond by telling them it was their choice. You decide whether something is worth your attention, you decide if you are going to find the fun in the activity or choose to give way to your boredom.

I think that in today's society we have taught our children, that there is something wrong with being bored, that we need to fix it. They are often over scheduled with activities and often have no idea how to deal with the down time they might have. I am guilty of this also. Many times when my children say they are bored I give them a task or invent something for them to do. Why? Didn't we need to use our creativity and work through our boredom when we were younger? We made forts, invented pretend people, created delicious meals from grass and sand, and ridded the neighborhood of bad guys.

Have you noticed that many children you encounter don't have much of an imagination? My husband and I have actually talked about how the movie writers seem to have no imagination these days. They are just remaking movies we saw when we were young. Television has obviously run out of ideas as well, now we make tv shows out of "real" people's lives. Who knew that over scheduling and reality tv would lead us to a generation of "non-thinker" and times when even the toys are bored.

Let's challenge ourselves to allow our children to work through their boredom. Let's try to give them a block of time where we turn off all the electronics so they can just play and invent their own fun. If you are looking for a place to start, might I suggest putting a pile of recycling on the table (newspapers, cereal boxes, plastic bottles) and some tape and/or string....use these items and see what you can create. Maybe your family can make a robot or invent a new animal or make a skyscraper or just create something from your imagination. One thing our children love to do is make up plays. Give them a box of fabric and old clothes for costumes and let them create. If you want to add some excitement, let them use the video camera to capture their production.

What are your families favorite ways to break through the boredom? I would love to hear them!!

Righteous or Self-Righteous

Even small children are known by their actions,

so is their conduct really pure and upright? Proverbs 20:11

We are doing our best to raise children that know right from wrong. Children that show respect to adults and kindness to others. I love to receive positive comments about our children's behavior and I share them with them. However, the past two days I have been thinking about our children and if they are truly making good choices or just becoming self-righteous. 

According to Dictionary.com, self-righteous is defined as: "having or showing an exaggerated awareness of one's own virtuousness or rights." We all know people that we think are self-righteous, and they usually make us feel poorly about ourselves. We can feel judged, looked down upon and of less value than others. This is certainly not how I want our family to make others feel.

So, how do we encourage our children to have actions that are pure and upright without declaring to everyone else that their actions are wrong? How do I continue to encourage parents to raise righteous children without appearing self-righteous? How do we as Christians live worthy lives without alienating the very people we are trying to reach? 

Well, I certainly don't know all the answers, but my thought would be by admitting our sin and our desperate need for Christ. Our children need to know that their actions should be upright because of what Christ has done for them, not only because of what I have asked. I need to remember to be real and to show that I fall short every hour of everyday. We as believers need to allow Christ to shine through our weakness and know that in our weakness He is glorified even more.

Parenting is not a competition, but a journey that we can share. Our family is far from perfect, and I know that I make mistakes every day. I apologize if I have ever made you feel judged or of less value than you truly are. You are a precious creation of our amazing God, who loves us even though we can't go through a day without going against His commands. He is truly righteous.

Today we are going to talk with our children about their actions. Each day I am going to try and help them see that their actions are a reflection of Christ's love for them and that they desperately need His love and forgiveness.....just like everyone else. We are not going to stop trying to raise righteous children, we are just going to try to help them see that they are righteous because of Christ's sacrifice and not because of themselves.

May you truly be blessed as you work to raise the little blessings God has given you!

Don't Loose Hope

Recently I heard a mom talking about a friend who asked, "why is my child choosing a path I know will cause such hurt and pain? I have prayed for them my whole life, so why do they seem to be walking away from their faith? Why is my prayer not being answered?"

My heart broke. I pray, that is a statement I never make. I love my children so deeply that I never want to see them make choices that will cause them deep hurt and pain...choices that seem to be far away from God's best plan.

There it was, my first reaction was to think of myself and my own children. Then, I actually thought about the question. How would I answer that question if a mom asked me? What would I say to a mom whose heart was aching for her child? My answer, don't loose hope! Continue to pray, continue to encourage and continue to trust.

Continue to pray....like the widow in Luke 18 who approached the judge each day until she was given the justice she was looking for. God hears our prayers. He loves His children. Do not be discouraged, your prayers are heard and in His timing they will be answered.

Continue to encourage...because we are each born with Free Will, we each have the choice to walk away from the Lord at anytime. Even though your child may be walking a path you disagree with, continue to show him the love of Christ. Take the time to continue to build your relationship. Allow him to see Christ living in you and to see that there is hope, forgiveness and love waiting for him.

Continue to trust....God's ways are higher than our ways. No one knows the will of God or the plans He has for us. He may have huge plans for your child, but in order for those plan to be fulfilled a trial must be endured. What if, in order for your child to make the greatest impact in the place God has for him, he needs to expeirnce this pain? You have trusted God with your child's life until this point, continue to trust and know that God loves your child even more than you do. 

I pray that you are not asking these questions today. However, if you are, I pray that you would find hope in these words and in knowing that God's plan is always best. Take a moment and look at your own life....although you would not want your child to go through the same trials and hardships you have endured, they have made you stronger. They have drawn you closer to our Savior's side, take courage in knowing that God can do the same for your child.

Sharing Parenting Ideas

It happened again yesterday. Our children were at an activity where the majority of people had never met us before. By the end of the two hour experience I received several positive comments on our children's behavior and a couple, "we need to talk and get your secrets." I enjoy hearing those comments, I am honored, and I share the positive comments with my children in the car. I want them to know that their behavior both bad and good, is noticed by those around them.

This time on the way home when I shared the comments, our oldest daughter said, "we don't have any secrets," and she laughed. She is right, we usually don't have secrets in our home and how we are choosing to raise our children is no secret either. However, it is a great deal of work and once I tell people what we do, the response is typically, "I don't think that would work for our family."

I understand that response completely. Although I truly enjoy encouraging parents and I love to give advice, I also know that it is hard to do something exactly like someone else. We each need to find what works best with our personality and with the personalities of our children. I have learned a great deal from observing and talking to other parents, however, I almost always need to take what they give me and make it my own.

I think the "secret" to raising children that you enjoy being with and that receive positive comments from others is knowing your goal. Think about what type of child you would like to have....how will they speak, act and present themselves. Once you have decided "where you are going," you can develop a plan on how to get there. Each family has behaviors that are most important to them, so rules and tasks that get them to those behaviors are what should be emphasized in your family.

Although it is hard not to compare children or second guess your parenting skills, try not to judge yourself too strictly. Let me encourage you to step back, take a look at where you want to go, and develop a plan to get there. Spend time with parents and families...watch others when you are out in public, they can teach you both what you want to do and what you do not want to do. Don't be afraid to ask questions, I haven't met a mom yet that is not willing to share a bit of advice. Pray, pray for God to grant you wisdom and discernment as you raise these blessings He has given you. Lastly, have fun! Children grow up way too fast, be sure you don't miss the opportunities to enjoy it.

Praying for Leaders

Yesterday, the conclave of cardinals elected a new pope. If nothing else, it was an interesting historical moment filled with rich history and tradition. Since the appointment however, I have been left with mixed feelings and my inbox has had a continuing flow of reactions. Some good and some not so good.

My children and I watched the appointment yesterday. We waited with millions of other people with our eyes focused on the red curtain....who will it be? I enjoyed telling our children about the tradition of this position and how it is chosen. They were excited to hear his blessing and see how he first interacted with the people in the square. They were intrigued by his outfit, as leaders in our place of worship dress very differently. It was an interesting mini-lesson for our family.

We are not Catholic, and he has only been in office now for about 24 hours, so it makes it difficult to predict what he will do with this new opportunity. However, that hasn't stopped so many from deciding right now that they either love him or hate him. I am truly confused by the reactions. Here are a few statements that have been seen in my inbox:
           -I was impressed how the pope seemed to humble himself and ask for prayers.
           -The church had a chance to choose someone that could really make a difference, and instead we get stuck with the same old stuff. Thankfully he is 76 and will die soon.
          -It is great to see that they have chosen a man who truly desires to glorify God.
          -Why are people celebrating? The pope is the antichrist.

I don't know if I agree or disagree with any of these statements. Here is what I do know. I know that he has the largest stage, especially right now in the beginning. He has a great deal of influence as 1.2 billion people claim to be Catholics. I know that the Bible tells us that scripture will not return empty, but will achieve the purpose God has for it. I know that if the Holy Spirit moves, it can do immeasurably more than we can imagine.

I have no idea what this pope plans to do with his time as pope, what I know is that I plan to pray for him and the people he is trying to reach. I am going to pray that they might come to a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior, that they might be lead by the Holy Spirit and that they would truly be seeking the face of Jesus. A simple put powerful prayer we should be saying for all of our leaders, whether we like them or not. Please join me in praying for both church leaders and governmental leaders, I can't even fathom the depth of stress their lives must contain. May Jesus truly be their strength and guide.

Summer Plans

If your home is like ours, your summer calendar is filling up quickly. There is the family vacation, sports camps, Bible school, music festivals and many other worthy adventures. It seems that our summer calendar becomes more full each year and at times it is busier than the school year.

This summer our oldest daughter has the opportunity to go on a mission trip with the church youth group. Although it is going to be difficult to squeeze it in between other already planned activities, we are going to strive to make this happen. Our children do many different service projects throughout the year, and our oldest has gone on a mission trip before with her father, but this will be her first trip without another member of our family with her. We are all filled with excitement and apprehension at the same time. 

When I was in college, there was a poster hanging in a room I visited often. The message from the poster has stayed with me all these years. It went something like this:

 A missionary received a box from the states filled with items that were collected for children in Africa. These boxes came 3 or 4 times a year. Each time a box came a group of children would gather greatly anticipating what items had arrived. The missionary unloaded the box one item at a time generously giving each child something they had been waiting for. When the box was empty a young boy still waited. The missionary apologized for not having the pair of shoes he was desperately needing. The boy replied, "Don't worry sir, God  has told someone in America to send me their old shoes, they just aren't listening yet. Maybe they will be in the next box." What is God telling you? Are you listening?

Let me encourage you to schedule some serving on your summer calendar before it gets too full. It will actually impact two lives...the one you serve and your own. There are many times when we plan to serve that the children start to question why we need to go. However, by the time we are finished, they have enjoyed themselves and have a renewed sense of gratitude for the blessings that they have. God has truly blessed us, and it is a great privilege to share those blessings with other. 

Playing in the Puddles

Yesterday when I was driving through town I saw a dad walking with what appeared to be his two small twin boys. They were walking toward the library. As I was waiting at a stop sign, I noticed that one boy was following closely behind his father, while the other had begun to stop. The second boy had discovered a good size puddle and had decided that it was a better choice to play in the puddle than to continue to follow. I watched as the father stopped turned and gently called his son to leave the puddle and finish their journey together.

This simple little scene reminded me of the patience and love of our amazing Heavenly Father. He has called us to follow and graciously leads us down a path that He created just for us. Sometimes I feel like the first boy....I am following nicely, reading scripture, praying often and serving others with joy. Other times I feel like the second boy....I get distracted by something that looks more inviting, I become more concerned with that moment than the big picture God is creating.

Puddles can certainly be a great deal of fun. I actually enjoy putting on some boots and stomping in real puddles. It only becomes a problem when we aren't prepared or when we loose our focus. There are many "puddles" in life that can distract us from our true goal. They seem important at the time, but the reality is they are keeping us from walking close to the father.

Our children get distracted by "puddles" as well. I often see our children putting the "fun" activities before their important responsibilities. I also see them forgetting the path that God has for them and wanting to linger on a path their friend is on or a "puddle" that is distracting their friend. I have always known that it is important to refocus our children, but now I have a clearer reason why. These "puddles" are keeping them from following close to the Father.

Don't get me wrong, God wants us to have fun! I believe that real puddles are made to be jumped in, but I also know that there are too many things that can distract us from following close to God. He came to give us life, life to the full....which includes jumping in puddles, that is why I am so thankful that when I get distracted He stops, turns and gently calls me back to His side.

J-O-Y

When I first graduated from college, I taught at a lovely Christian school for several years. This school had a saying that they used to help the children with their choices and behavior. It was J-O-Y, Jesus, Others, Yourself. It really is a great reminder of how we should be going through our days and how we should be looking at the situations we face. First, think of Jesus....how can we serve Him and/or bring Him glory in these circumstances? Second, think of Others....how will my decision benefit or help someone else? How can I keep from hurting someone else? Lastly, think of Yourself...am I making this decision to benefit me only, am I putting myself first? A great teaching tool.

I find that as a mother and when talking to other mothers completing the J-O-Y phrase is sometimes difficult. We don't seem to have trouble with the Jesus part. Most moms I know that are striving to raise Godly children take their children to Worship, Sunday School, and even do Christian study in their home. When I spend time with other moms, I see that they are teaching their children to share and that they will be one of the firsts to sign-up to bring someone a meal or help another who is struggling. Clearly they understand the Others part of the phrase. The part I struggle with and I know other moms do too, is the Yourself part.

Moms I know have troubles blessing themselves. We as moms are constantly looking to take care of someone else. We make sure everyone else has eaten their fill before taking more, that they have clean appropriate clothing, that they have been assisted with their homework and that they are at their activity on time. These same moms find it difficult to make time for themselves...going months before their next haircut, finding they have no jeans because the dog has just ripped up the last pair, wearing items that were in their closet from before they were married and staying up way too late to finish some paperwork. We love being a mom and taking care of others, we don't even think much of it when we forget to take care of ourselves.

Well, I am here to encourage you to take a moment to remember yourself. The J-O-Y is not complete if we neglect ourselves. So I challenge you this week to think of one thing you can do for yourself. It doesn't have to be big, just something you don't do everyday that will bring a smile to your face. When our J-O-Y is complete, we can be more joyful as we are serving others.