When did it become "against the rules" to bring your children to the grocery store? A few days ago I had a friend express frustration because others in the grocery store were making comments about her children. Today I went to the store with four of our children and received many looks that made me feel judged and a bit uncomfortable. Did I miss a memo? I thought children were allowed in grocery stores.?.
Now, I am not suggesting that we let our children run wild throughout the store, touching each item and screaming loudly. It is important for all children to learn self-control and demonstrate appropriate behavior no matter where they are. People often tell me they never take their children to restaurants, stores or even church because they just can't behave. My response is usually to ask, "How are they going to learn how to behave in those situations if they are never taught?" As parents, one of our jobs is to teach our children how to respond to situations around us. We all need to be taught, none of us just decided that one day we were mature enough to handle a given situation on our own without preparation.
My question really is, "When did people become so intolerant with the teaching process?" When did people decide it was their job to say something in a store to a mother who is trying to teach her son how to conduct themselves in a store? My friend has a child that has some special needs, he was in a cart and not running through the store, she was doing what she thought was best to help him understand how he should act, when a complete stranger rudely reprimanded her.
She of course was crushed. She was already having a challenging time just trying to get some quick basic needs and now she has "failed" as a mom. Or, at least that is how she felt. She apologized for her child's behavior and tried to quickly wrap up their trip and move on their way with her broken spirit dragging behind her. I don't feel she should have apologized. She doesn't need to explain to anyone that her child has some special needs. She does not need to ask permission to take her children to the store for a few items.
It has made me wonder how many mom's go through their days apologizing or making special arrangements to keep their children from "bothering" others. How exhausting that must be! Let me encourage us all to remember that all children are wonderful gifts from God. They are fearfully and wonderfully made, made in His image. God has a plan for each one of them. Each child, no matter how "special," is part of God's family. Please, don't ever apologize for your child's presence! (apologizing for harmful behavior is different)
I realize that I have a large family (one with some special needs) and that most people express that they would be overwhelmed with seven children, but why should I apologize for having them? They are precious, wonderful gifts from God and I can not imagine my life without them. My life, family and home are filled with so much love, joy and laughter because they are a part of it. I truly feel that people that don't have large families are missing out. Maybe I should just start apologizing that they don't have more children to enjoy! :-)
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Growing Up Too Fast
It seems to me that most children are trying to grow up faster than they should. It saddens me when I see parents or adults encouraging children to act like adults or grow up fast. I believe that God has blessed us with many seasons of life, and we are meant to enjoy each season.
As a parent it can be hard to wait patiently for our children to reach certain milestones. Almost every first time parent can't wait to see their child crawl, walk or say their first words. I completely understand the encouragement we as parents give our children to reach these and other milestones....walking, riding a bike, using the toilet and other exciting parts of childhood. I am certainly not encouraging anyone to let their children lay around and act like they are 2 forever. (I have experienced both in my years)
What I have been experiencing lately are children who are loosing their innocence because a parent is allowing them to watch movies or shows with way too much violence or sexual situations in them; families that have decided to allow their children to dress in ways that only street girls used to dress; and people encouraging even 5 and 6 year olds to find a boyfriend or girlfriend. Once a child makes this step away from innocence, there is no way to get it back.
As parents we know that their are stepping stones that children take as they develop. Typically they roll over before they crawl, they crawl before they walk, and they walk before they run. These same type of stepping stones occur as children grow into adults. Young teens or tweens build strong friendships with the opposite sex, learning boundaries and uniqueness about others before dating. Young people also need to understand their changing bodies and what clothing is most flattering for their God given shape. When we push children through stages we are setting them up for heartbreak and failure in the future.
I recently had a discussion with an 8 year old that seemed obsessed with developing breasts and finding a boyfriend. We took out a piece of paper and worked out some math. I asked her at what age she felt she would become an adult, we agreed upon 20. Then I asked her at what age does she think people die, we agreed upon 80. I pointed out to her that she will have 60 years to be an adult, but that she really only has about 17 years to truly be a child. She will be an adult for 3 times longer than she will be a child.
We started talking about the importance of being a child while you still have the chance. Childhood is the time when we learn so much. We learn academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. These are the years when we can make mistakes and the consequences aren't usually life altering. It is so important to build a great foundation of learning from our choices when we are young, so that we can think things out clearly and not make detrimental choices when they have lasting consequences.
Let me encourage you to help your children enjoy the season they are in. Each season is a blessing and can be used to teach very important life lessons. There is no reason to grow up too fast.
As a parent it can be hard to wait patiently for our children to reach certain milestones. Almost every first time parent can't wait to see their child crawl, walk or say their first words. I completely understand the encouragement we as parents give our children to reach these and other milestones....walking, riding a bike, using the toilet and other exciting parts of childhood. I am certainly not encouraging anyone to let their children lay around and act like they are 2 forever. (I have experienced both in my years)
What I have been experiencing lately are children who are loosing their innocence because a parent is allowing them to watch movies or shows with way too much violence or sexual situations in them; families that have decided to allow their children to dress in ways that only street girls used to dress; and people encouraging even 5 and 6 year olds to find a boyfriend or girlfriend. Once a child makes this step away from innocence, there is no way to get it back.
As parents we know that their are stepping stones that children take as they develop. Typically they roll over before they crawl, they crawl before they walk, and they walk before they run. These same type of stepping stones occur as children grow into adults. Young teens or tweens build strong friendships with the opposite sex, learning boundaries and uniqueness about others before dating. Young people also need to understand their changing bodies and what clothing is most flattering for their God given shape. When we push children through stages we are setting them up for heartbreak and failure in the future.
I recently had a discussion with an 8 year old that seemed obsessed with developing breasts and finding a boyfriend. We took out a piece of paper and worked out some math. I asked her at what age she felt she would become an adult, we agreed upon 20. Then I asked her at what age does she think people die, we agreed upon 80. I pointed out to her that she will have 60 years to be an adult, but that she really only has about 17 years to truly be a child. She will be an adult for 3 times longer than she will be a child.
We started talking about the importance of being a child while you still have the chance. Childhood is the time when we learn so much. We learn academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. These are the years when we can make mistakes and the consequences aren't usually life altering. It is so important to build a great foundation of learning from our choices when we are young, so that we can think things out clearly and not make detrimental choices when they have lasting consequences.
Let me encourage you to help your children enjoy the season they are in. Each season is a blessing and can be used to teach very important life lessons. There is no reason to grow up too fast.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
I Know, But....
My least favorite phrase to hear is "I know, but...." It truly frustrates me when I am talking to one of my children and they respond with "I know, but..." They are clearly not listening to me when they are ready to refute my instructions before I even finish talking. After all, I am the mom and I would obviously have something important to say.
We were having a day filled with "I know, but..." recently. I was done. My patience was gone and I was ready to explode. My exact thoughts were, "I am the mom, I am not here to argue with you, your job is to listen and obey." As mount mom was about to erupt, God sent me a gentle reminder of all the times I say "I know, but" to God. Ouch!
How many times do I read the scriptures, see an area of my life that God is asking me to evaluate and I use the phrase, "I know but..." with Him? I know I should or shouldn't.....but there is just so much stress in our home right now. I know I should or shouldn't.....but it is summer and our schedule is all out of wack right now, I will look at it when school starts; or when I find a job; or when the baby is older; or when I have more money; or or or. How frustrated I would be if my children gave me as many excuses as I give God. After all, He is God and He would obviously have something important to say.
"I know, but..." is still a phrase that I am going to discourage in my home. However, now I want to discourage it so that my children can learn to listen to their Heavenly Father. So that I can be better at listening to Him too. It is not always easy to do what we are asked, but we need to remember that the person in authority making the request is doing it because they love us and they want what is best for us. Let's all work to set aside what we think we need, stop the "I know, buts...." and follow the path that God has laid before us.
May God truly bless you and your family as you make a conscious effort to follow His ways, raise children that bring Him glory and stop the "I know, buts..."
We were having a day filled with "I know, but..." recently. I was done. My patience was gone and I was ready to explode. My exact thoughts were, "I am the mom, I am not here to argue with you, your job is to listen and obey." As mount mom was about to erupt, God sent me a gentle reminder of all the times I say "I know, but" to God. Ouch!
How many times do I read the scriptures, see an area of my life that God is asking me to evaluate and I use the phrase, "I know but..." with Him? I know I should or shouldn't.....but there is just so much stress in our home right now. I know I should or shouldn't.....but it is summer and our schedule is all out of wack right now, I will look at it when school starts; or when I find a job; or when the baby is older; or when I have more money; or or or. How frustrated I would be if my children gave me as many excuses as I give God. After all, He is God and He would obviously have something important to say.
"I know, but..." is still a phrase that I am going to discourage in my home. However, now I want to discourage it so that my children can learn to listen to their Heavenly Father. So that I can be better at listening to Him too. It is not always easy to do what we are asked, but we need to remember that the person in authority making the request is doing it because they love us and they want what is best for us. Let's all work to set aside what we think we need, stop the "I know, buts...." and follow the path that God has laid before us.
May God truly bless you and your family as you make a conscious effort to follow His ways, raise children that bring Him glory and stop the "I know, buts..."
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Getting Everyone to Help
With the blessing of a large family, comes the blessing of many chores. We have nine people in our home and we tend to make a great deal of laundry, dirty dishes and small messes. If I were to take care of everything in the home on my own, I would never sleep and still not be done. So, we have a chore chart and have divided the chores among everyone in the house. (ok, not the little one....he has started throwing his own trash away, but he won't start real chores until he is almost 3)
One of the things I have learned about chores and getting them done, is to keep the fun in your day and keep them excited about helping. The little ones often reject the idea of doing chores because they want to play or watch their favorite show or just do anything but chores. We have found that by putting a little fun into our chores we can get everyone involved. Here are some ideas we use:
-Sing songs while cleaning. Some of our favorites are "The Clean-up Song," "Jesus Loves Me," "ABC," and a personal chant.
-Make it a race. When we have an area with many items out of place, we like to "race" and see who can get the most items in their bin in an allotted time. This works very well when picking up specific items like crayons, books, blocks and such.
-Use the squirt guns. This is a new idea that one of our daughters actually used to get the boys more involved. She took some plastic items that needed cleaning out to the drive way and let the boys go wild with squirt guns and rags. They had a great time and our items are nice and clean.
-Let's shoot some hoops. Our favorite way to take care of dirty clothes or misc. papers, it to play basketball with them. We put the basket or garbage can in the middle and everyone shoots. This also works for some toys, but not for anything that will break :-)
-Get dressed up. Our children have some fun aprons that they can wear while cooking and cleaning. They really aren't anything amazing, just something fun to brighten a mundane activity. Some days dressing up gives us the little boost we need to get the work done.
-Find what they are good at. One of the hardest things to do with chores is to find something that everyone can do. Our little ones do things like: wipe the door knobs and light switches, feed the dog, take the recycling to the bin and pick up toys. Some people in the family like doing dishes, others like to vacuum. About once a year, I list all the chores that need to be done and we let everyone pick the tasks that they would like to complete.
-Relax and compliment. There are times when the chores aren't done exactly how I would like, but teaching our children responsibility, to do their best to help the family is truly more important than a super clean home. It is also very important to tell them when they do a good job. Everyone loves encouragement!
May God bless you today as you encourage your children to help you and your family be good stewards of what God has blessed you with. Have a happy chore day!
One of the things I have learned about chores and getting them done, is to keep the fun in your day and keep them excited about helping. The little ones often reject the idea of doing chores because they want to play or watch their favorite show or just do anything but chores. We have found that by putting a little fun into our chores we can get everyone involved. Here are some ideas we use:
-Sing songs while cleaning. Some of our favorites are "The Clean-up Song," "Jesus Loves Me," "ABC," and a personal chant.
-Make it a race. When we have an area with many items out of place, we like to "race" and see who can get the most items in their bin in an allotted time. This works very well when picking up specific items like crayons, books, blocks and such.
-Use the squirt guns. This is a new idea that one of our daughters actually used to get the boys more involved. She took some plastic items that needed cleaning out to the drive way and let the boys go wild with squirt guns and rags. They had a great time and our items are nice and clean.
-Let's shoot some hoops. Our favorite way to take care of dirty clothes or misc. papers, it to play basketball with them. We put the basket or garbage can in the middle and everyone shoots. This also works for some toys, but not for anything that will break :-)
-Get dressed up. Our children have some fun aprons that they can wear while cooking and cleaning. They really aren't anything amazing, just something fun to brighten a mundane activity. Some days dressing up gives us the little boost we need to get the work done.
-Find what they are good at. One of the hardest things to do with chores is to find something that everyone can do. Our little ones do things like: wipe the door knobs and light switches, feed the dog, take the recycling to the bin and pick up toys. Some people in the family like doing dishes, others like to vacuum. About once a year, I list all the chores that need to be done and we let everyone pick the tasks that they would like to complete.
-Relax and compliment. There are times when the chores aren't done exactly how I would like, but teaching our children responsibility, to do their best to help the family is truly more important than a super clean home. It is also very important to tell them when they do a good job. Everyone loves encouragement!
May God bless you today as you encourage your children to help you and your family be good stewards of what God has blessed you with. Have a happy chore day!
Friday, August 16, 2013
You Never Know What They Are Thinking
We have a bedtime routine at our home. We try to follow it most days, but some days are just crazy and the routine is upset....I am sure you can relate. Well, last night in the middle of our routine, our 4 year old surprised me. He was all settled down, I thought he was moments from being fully asleep. All of a sudden he rolls over, looks at me and asks, "how does the zoo get it's animals?" Where did that come from? We haven't been to the zoo in 4 months, we haven't driven past the zoo in weeks, we didn't even read an animal book yesterday. This one question led to a full discussion on zoos and their animals.
I am amazed at what our little ones are thinking sometimes. It is clear that I have no idea what they are pondering or retaining from our conversations. How long has he been thinking about those zoo animals and what else is he pondering in that mind of his?
There are times when I speak to parents when they tell me that they don't feel their children are getting anything out of their devotions and memory verses, or that they haven't started yet because they feel the children are too young. I of course, try to encourage them and remind them that God has promised that His word will never return void. His word is good for teaching and helping our children walk through this world and develop their relationship with Christ. This conversation about zoo animals convinces me even more that we should be sharing the scriptures with our children at a young age. Imagine what they might be pondering.
By allowing our children to hear scripture we are planting the words in their minds and giving them the opportunity to retain and ponder so much. The earlier we start the better. How awesome it would be for your children to never know a time when your family wasn't doing devotions, reading verses and/or praying together! It is just what we have ALWAYS done. What a blessing for you and your children.
I recall a time several years ago when our 7 year old (at the time) and I had a very strong disagreement which ended with her needing to spend a few moments in her room. After several minutes she called from her room, "Mom, can you please come here? I would like to show you something." When I came to her room, she was sitting on the floor with her Bible open. She pointed in her Bible to Ephesians 6:4, "Parents do not exasperate your children...." I responded with having her read the verses before Ephesians 6:4 which states that children should obey their parents. I said, "You work on the first verse and I'll work on the 4th."
I certainly didn't find it funny at the time, but I was so proud that our daughter was using scripture when she was upset. I never know what they are thinking, but I pray that we have enough scripture in our home that they are pondering it as they grow physically, emotionally and spiritually.
May God bless us all as we raise children that bring Him glory and impact the Kingdom for eternity!
I am amazed at what our little ones are thinking sometimes. It is clear that I have no idea what they are pondering or retaining from our conversations. How long has he been thinking about those zoo animals and what else is he pondering in that mind of his?
There are times when I speak to parents when they tell me that they don't feel their children are getting anything out of their devotions and memory verses, or that they haven't started yet because they feel the children are too young. I of course, try to encourage them and remind them that God has promised that His word will never return void. His word is good for teaching and helping our children walk through this world and develop their relationship with Christ. This conversation about zoo animals convinces me even more that we should be sharing the scriptures with our children at a young age. Imagine what they might be pondering.
By allowing our children to hear scripture we are planting the words in their minds and giving them the opportunity to retain and ponder so much. The earlier we start the better. How awesome it would be for your children to never know a time when your family wasn't doing devotions, reading verses and/or praying together! It is just what we have ALWAYS done. What a blessing for you and your children.
I recall a time several years ago when our 7 year old (at the time) and I had a very strong disagreement which ended with her needing to spend a few moments in her room. After several minutes she called from her room, "Mom, can you please come here? I would like to show you something." When I came to her room, she was sitting on the floor with her Bible open. She pointed in her Bible to Ephesians 6:4, "Parents do not exasperate your children...." I responded with having her read the verses before Ephesians 6:4 which states that children should obey their parents. I said, "You work on the first verse and I'll work on the 4th."
I certainly didn't find it funny at the time, but I was so proud that our daughter was using scripture when she was upset. I never know what they are thinking, but I pray that we have enough scripture in our home that they are pondering it as they grow physically, emotionally and spiritually.
May God bless us all as we raise children that bring Him glory and impact the Kingdom for eternity!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
How Convenient
During Bible study recently, we were talking about our individual faith and how strong or weak we think it might be. The responses were interesting and lead to a discussion of why? Why does it seem that someone's faith is stronger than another's? There were many thoughts, but one that has stuck with me is the thought that we are more interested in what is convenient than actually living or applying our faith.
I have been thinking about the idea for several days. I start out becoming angry at all the "Christians" who don't take the time to do what they know is right....then I start thinking about myself and all the times I choose convenience over application. It is true, we all choose what is easy over what is right from time to time. It hurts me to think about the number of times I have turned my back and walk away from a chance to live out my faith.
Yesterday for example, I was driving down the road with a van full of kiddos. We were on our way to church for an event, and of course we were running a few minutes late. As I am driving through town, I see an older gentlemen in a powered wheelchair on the sidewalk that looks like he is going to fall out the side of his chair. I am wondering if he is having a medical issue. I slow down to take a closer look as we approach. To my relief, he is not having a medical issue, he has dropped his straw and he is leaning out of his chair to try and retrieve it. No matter how much he strains he is not able to reach it. As I drive past my heart aches for him. I go around the block to offer my assistance, even though I know that it will make us even later for our destination. This was not a convenient situation, but it is more important to show compassion than to be on time.
Being a parent is not an easy job. Almost anyone can have a child, but it takes work to be a parent. I find very few situations in parenting to be convenient. My children never get the flu at a convenient time. It is always when I have many things on the calendar and/or could really use a full nights sleep. These children that I dearly love seem to always have their "emergencies" at the most inconvenient times....when I am on an important phone call, when I am on my way out the door, when we are in the middle of a large department store, or my favorite, when we are in the middle of a worship service. These situations are certainly not convenient, but my children are more important and their need for love and compassion should come before 99% of what I feel I need to get done.
I am sad to say that many times I choose convenience over excellence. My children and our God deserve my very best. Let me encourage us all to step past the convenience driven society that we live in and start striving for a life that is living proof of the faith we have. Let us also think about setting aside some personal conveniences to devote more focused time with the amazing children that God has blessed us with. May our families never be driven by convenience, but driven by the desire we have to raise children that glorify and praise God with all they are.
I have been thinking about the idea for several days. I start out becoming angry at all the "Christians" who don't take the time to do what they know is right....then I start thinking about myself and all the times I choose convenience over application. It is true, we all choose what is easy over what is right from time to time. It hurts me to think about the number of times I have turned my back and walk away from a chance to live out my faith.
Yesterday for example, I was driving down the road with a van full of kiddos. We were on our way to church for an event, and of course we were running a few minutes late. As I am driving through town, I see an older gentlemen in a powered wheelchair on the sidewalk that looks like he is going to fall out the side of his chair. I am wondering if he is having a medical issue. I slow down to take a closer look as we approach. To my relief, he is not having a medical issue, he has dropped his straw and he is leaning out of his chair to try and retrieve it. No matter how much he strains he is not able to reach it. As I drive past my heart aches for him. I go around the block to offer my assistance, even though I know that it will make us even later for our destination. This was not a convenient situation, but it is more important to show compassion than to be on time.
Being a parent is not an easy job. Almost anyone can have a child, but it takes work to be a parent. I find very few situations in parenting to be convenient. My children never get the flu at a convenient time. It is always when I have many things on the calendar and/or could really use a full nights sleep. These children that I dearly love seem to always have their "emergencies" at the most inconvenient times....when I am on an important phone call, when I am on my way out the door, when we are in the middle of a large department store, or my favorite, when we are in the middle of a worship service. These situations are certainly not convenient, but my children are more important and their need for love and compassion should come before 99% of what I feel I need to get done.
I am sad to say that many times I choose convenience over excellence. My children and our God deserve my very best. Let me encourage us all to step past the convenience driven society that we live in and start striving for a life that is living proof of the faith we have. Let us also think about setting aside some personal conveniences to devote more focused time with the amazing children that God has blessed us with. May our families never be driven by convenience, but driven by the desire we have to raise children that glorify and praise God with all they are.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Practical Mom Idea
Every once in awhile our family does something that gets people talking, sometimes it is good, sometimes it is not so good. Anyway, since others are finding this idea helpful I thought I would share it with you...my great group of readers. I hope you find it helpful!
We live in a fairly small town. It is great! There is a fun little ice cream place in town that is the "place to be." You can imagine that with a family of nine, we don't go out very often, but we like to go for ice cream at least once a month. This little shop has tons of stuff: slushies, cones, sundaes, malts, shakes and candy mixers; almost anything one would want. Again with a family our size even a trip for ice cream can become an extremely expensive adventure. So, we came up with this plan.
Each person in the family receives one dollar to spend at the store (this will get you a cone or slushy). Now if any person would like to have something besides a slushy or cone (there are 6 flavors to choose from), they may contribute their own money. For example, if you would like a dipped cone which costs $1.25 you would need to give me 25 cents or if you want a sundae or shake, you would give me 75 cents. This allows each person in the family the option to get whatever they want and at the same time gives mom and dad a reasonable budget. We went to the ice cream shop tonight, our family spent $15 with the children contributing $3.25.
There are a few things I really like about this plan. First, I love that there is no whining. Everyone is able to get what they want, no one can say "that's not fair." I love the fact that my children are thinking through their choices. Do I want to spend my own money? How much money do I have and how much do I want to spend today? I love that I can take my family for a treat and keep it on a budget while still letting everyone pick whatever they want from the menu.
This is a simple idea, but it works great for our family. I hope you can use this concept and apply it in a way that enhances your family fun. I would love to hear a practical idea you have that might bless us all!
We live in a fairly small town. It is great! There is a fun little ice cream place in town that is the "place to be." You can imagine that with a family of nine, we don't go out very often, but we like to go for ice cream at least once a month. This little shop has tons of stuff: slushies, cones, sundaes, malts, shakes and candy mixers; almost anything one would want. Again with a family our size even a trip for ice cream can become an extremely expensive adventure. So, we came up with this plan.
Each person in the family receives one dollar to spend at the store (this will get you a cone or slushy). Now if any person would like to have something besides a slushy or cone (there are 6 flavors to choose from), they may contribute their own money. For example, if you would like a dipped cone which costs $1.25 you would need to give me 25 cents or if you want a sundae or shake, you would give me 75 cents. This allows each person in the family the option to get whatever they want and at the same time gives mom and dad a reasonable budget. We went to the ice cream shop tonight, our family spent $15 with the children contributing $3.25.
There are a few things I really like about this plan. First, I love that there is no whining. Everyone is able to get what they want, no one can say "that's not fair." I love the fact that my children are thinking through their choices. Do I want to spend my own money? How much money do I have and how much do I want to spend today? I love that I can take my family for a treat and keep it on a budget while still letting everyone pick whatever they want from the menu.
This is a simple idea, but it works great for our family. I hope you can use this concept and apply it in a way that enhances your family fun. I would love to hear a practical idea you have that might bless us all!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Scheduling In Prayer
I have been struggling recently with remembering/ finding time to pray for each one of our children individually. I have no excuses, life has just become very busy and my prayer life needs to adjust. So, I have developed a simple plan for myself that has been working very well and I thought I would share it with you. I figured there must be at least one person out there that is having the same problem. I hope that my plan inspires you to develop a plan that works great for you and your family.
Our family currently has seven children living in our home. It is quite busy, but most days are great blessings. When I thought about the seven children, I noticed that they have very specific needs that I should be praying for, but praying for all of those specific needs everyday became overwhelming. My plan assigns each child one day. I start with our oldest child on Sunday and end each week with our youngest child on Saturday. Seems easy enough, why hadn't I thought of that before?
Each day in my prayer time I devote some time to praying specifically for that day's child. It really has been working great. I pray for their faith walk, for their future, for their character, for any specific needs they have, for their relationships, and whatever else God lays on my heart for them. I would love to pray for each child everyday, and maybe one day my life with return to a speed where that is possible. But for now, I am content knowing that God knows my heart and my needs, and He hears all my prayers for our children.
You might say, but I don't have 7 children. Well, do you have seven people that you feel you should be praying for on a weekly basis? Maybe you devote one day to praying for your spouse, maybe there is a day for one or both of your parents, maybe you feel led to be praying for your pastor or someone in leadership. There are no limits to whom we can pray for. Take a few moments to reflect and I am positive God will lay at least 7 people on your heart.
Prayer is a funny thing. If you have never set aside a special time to just pray for others, let me encourage you to do so. I have found that as I spend time talking to God in prayer that the Godly characteristics I desire become more evident in my life. Even when I am praying for others. I have also found that praying for others allows me to "see" the struggles they may be having and how I may help them. Sometimes prayer seems like a chore, but it always turns out to be such a blessing. Please consider giving regular scheduled prayer a try, I know that you will be blessed!
You might say, but I don't have 7 children. Well, do you have seven people that you feel you should be praying for on a weekly basis? Maybe you devote one day to praying for your spouse, maybe there is a day for one or both of your parents, maybe you feel led to be praying for your pastor or someone in leadership. There are no limits to whom we can pray for. Take a few moments to reflect and I am positive God will lay at least 7 people on your heart.
Prayer is a funny thing. If you have never set aside a special time to just pray for others, let me encourage you to do so. I have found that as I spend time talking to God in prayer that the Godly characteristics I desire become more evident in my life. Even when I am praying for others. I have also found that praying for others allows me to "see" the struggles they may be having and how I may help them. Sometimes prayer seems like a chore, but it always turns out to be such a blessing. Please consider giving regular scheduled prayer a try, I know that you will be blessed!
Friday, August 2, 2013
God's Provisions
This email I am going to share today is one that was written by a Christian mom to her dear friends. The names have been removed, but the email is real as are the circumstances. Please take a few moments to listen to her heart.
So we are in a very hard spot right now. The months of July and August are months where I make no income at all. You also are aware that we have added two children to the mix (who by the way, are doing great). I thought we were doing fine, and then things just started happening. Our car insurance was due on the 22nd for both cars, it is now late. Our youngest daughter's class went up by more than $40. (I know that this is not a necessity, but she hasn't been in class since the first week of June and I told her she could start again with the fall session). The session starts next week and fees need to be paid. The other girls have basically the same situation with their class. I told them they couldn't do the last session but they could do this one. Their class starts in two days and fees are due. School registration is next week. To register all four kids for school will cost $40 a child. Both of our gas tanks have the empty light on. We are out of night time pull-ups and although we have food, we are missing some key items that are stables in our home.
I was trying to convince myself today to go into church and ask Pastor if he would be able to help us out, at least with our car insurance. (well, not him, but the fund at church that they use to help people). It takes a lot of convincing.....too much pride!! Well, before I was able to talk to him I was having a meeting at church with the VBS director. During our meeting, a staff person at church walks in and hands me an envelope that had been placed on his desk for our family. In it was a check that will cover EVERYTHING just mentioned in the above paragraph....almost to the cent!
I am completely overwhelmed! God knew exactly what we needed and when we needed it and He provided so generously for it ALL! I have no idea why I ever doubted!
Thank you so much for your prayers, support and encouragement! You ladies mean the world to me!!
I am not sure about you, but I find this email to be very moving. I know most of us have been there, the place where we are not sure where the money is going to come from, it is easy to relate too. God doesn't always answer with a large check, but that doesn't mean He loves you any less. He sees the big picture, He knows what will bring Him glory and how best to help you grow in your faith during a situation.
When I shared this situation with a friend, she was telling me about a study she was attending. In this study, they were talking about world known ministers and some struggles they had been through. She mentioned that one leader was running an orphanage with around 300 children. They had fallen on hard times and had nothing to feed these 300 children for breakfast. The minister had the children sit at the table, they passed out plates and such, they bowed their heads and thanked God for the food they were about to be blessed with.....even though there was no food. A few moments after the prayer there was a knock at the door, a bakery had too much bread and was asking them if they would need it. A few moments later a milk truck broke down and gave the children milk because he had no way to keep it cold. Amazing!
My encouragement for you today is to remember that God loves you and that you can trust Him. You can trust Him to guide you and provide for your needs. Someone once told me, "God always gives us what we need, unfortunately, sometimes we use it for what we want instead." Let me encourage you to step back and look at all the amazing blessings God has given your family and thank Him for the wonderful provisions that are yet to come. I look forward to hearing your faith building stories and how God is moving in your family!
I really wanted to call one or both of you, but I seriously can not talk. I have been crying for a while now. I am only writing to you because I know that you two will understand that God is just amazing.
I am not sure about you, but I find this email to be very moving. I know most of us have been there, the place where we are not sure where the money is going to come from, it is easy to relate too. God doesn't always answer with a large check, but that doesn't mean He loves you any less. He sees the big picture, He knows what will bring Him glory and how best to help you grow in your faith during a situation.
When I shared this situation with a friend, she was telling me about a study she was attending. In this study, they were talking about world known ministers and some struggles they had been through. She mentioned that one leader was running an orphanage with around 300 children. They had fallen on hard times and had nothing to feed these 300 children for breakfast. The minister had the children sit at the table, they passed out plates and such, they bowed their heads and thanked God for the food they were about to be blessed with.....even though there was no food. A few moments after the prayer there was a knock at the door, a bakery had too much bread and was asking them if they would need it. A few moments later a milk truck broke down and gave the children milk because he had no way to keep it cold. Amazing!
My encouragement for you today is to remember that God loves you and that you can trust Him. You can trust Him to guide you and provide for your needs. Someone once told me, "God always gives us what we need, unfortunately, sometimes we use it for what we want instead." Let me encourage you to step back and look at all the amazing blessings God has given your family and thank Him for the wonderful provisions that are yet to come. I look forward to hearing your faith building stories and how God is moving in your family!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Celebrating 100
Today I want to take a moment and say "Thank You!" This post is my 100th post, and thanks to you there are people all over the world that are being encouraged to raise children that love the Lord. Every time you "share", "like" or comment on one of my posts you are helping it to reach more people with an encouraging word. Thanks to you, this blog is now being read in 15 different countries. Thank you!
I started this blog because I felt God leading me to write and share many things about children that He has shown me through the years. I pray almost every post that He would use my words to do His will. Whatever that might be. I am amazed at the response. I know that some of you have been with me since the beginning, about 6 months ago, while others have just joined us recently. No matter what, I am thankful for you all.
Let me encourage you to go back and look at post from the past 6 months that you might have missed. The top 5 posts thus far are:
5- God's Best Plan....from January
4- I Love My Children.....from June
3- Dry and Weary Marriage....from June
2- Struggles.....from January
1-What Are We Waiting For?.......from February
If you missed any of these the first time, you might want to check them out and see where God may be leading you today.
I am thankful and humbled by all of your comments, emails and encouragement. Please continue to share this blog with your friends as it is evident to me that there are so many who are looking for an encouraging and helpful word.
May God bless you greatly as you strive to raise children and live a life that glorifies the Lord each and everyday! It isn't easy, but it is worth every minute!
I started this blog because I felt God leading me to write and share many things about children that He has shown me through the years. I pray almost every post that He would use my words to do His will. Whatever that might be. I am amazed at the response. I know that some of you have been with me since the beginning, about 6 months ago, while others have just joined us recently. No matter what, I am thankful for you all.
Let me encourage you to go back and look at post from the past 6 months that you might have missed. The top 5 posts thus far are:
5- God's Best Plan....from January
4- I Love My Children.....from June
3- Dry and Weary Marriage....from June
2- Struggles.....from January
1-What Are We Waiting For?.......from February
If you missed any of these the first time, you might want to check them out and see where God may be leading you today.
I am thankful and humbled by all of your comments, emails and encouragement. Please continue to share this blog with your friends as it is evident to me that there are so many who are looking for an encouraging and helpful word.
May God bless you greatly as you strive to raise children and live a life that glorifies the Lord each and everyday! It isn't easy, but it is worth every minute!
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