Joshua 23: 14 "....You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."
Many times in the Bible, God directs His people to remember, He has them place a rock or build an altar or leave a type of monument. The purpose of these items is so that in the future, when they pass by one of these they will remember and tell others what happened. They were tell others of the promises God fulfilled and how He brought them thru the trial they faced.
Somewhere along the line they forgot. They forgot to share the amazing journey that God had brought them on. They forgot that God has never failed them. They started to live according to the people around them. They began to use other things besides God's Word to help them make their decisions. They lost sight of the monuments God had given them to help them remember.
Today, the fulfilled promises of God are often looked at as myth or foolishness. Today, few have even been told of the promises or that God never fails. Instead today the world teaches us that there is "a better way." A way that is not lead by God, but by reason, research, and majority rule. Today, we are taught that believing in God means we are weak, but believing in the ability of man means we are strong. Oh how far we have strayed!
I would like to encourage us today to remember. Remember what God has brought His people through, and remember what promises God has kept to us on our journey. Let us put "rocks" in our homes to help us remember each time we pass them. Let's tell these fulfilled promises to our friends and children. God doesn't give us trials to test us, but to display His Glory. His faithfulness not only encourages us, but His faithfulness to us can also be a powerful encouragement for others. Let us continually remind our children that God has never failed, that His ways do not make us weak but strong and that He always fulfills His promises. These reminders will help your children to grow to trust God instead of man and give them strength to make it through each day.
May God truly bless you as you take this journey with your children and continue to remind them of God's promises and Love!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
An Open Gate
My last post talked about the need for us and our children to be content living inside the boundaries that God has laid out for us. I still believe everything that I wrote, however the more I thought about the post the more I realized that for some of us, it is too late....we are already on the outside of the fence. Today's post is for anyone who finds themselves on the other side of the boundary line.....God has left the gate open for you!
It is true that God gives us boundaries and guidelines because He loves us and desires the best for us, much like we do for our own children. However, when we find ourselves living outside those boundaries and guidelines we need to remember that their is still hope. God is always inviting us back into His presence. He leaves a gate open for you and me.
Romans 3:23 reminds us that we "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."We have all made choices to leave the fence and walk our own way. But, the great news is that He sent His son Jesus to make a way for us to return. Romans 3:24 continues and reminds us that we all are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. " There is an open gate!
No matter where outside the fence we have been, no matter how long we have stayed outside the fence and no matter how far from God we feel.....He loves us, His son has died for us, and we are welcome in His presence when we allow the blood of Christ to wash over us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that when we invite Jesus into our hearts and into our lives, we are a "new creation, the old has gone and the new has come." Not only does Jesus open the gate and let us inside the fence, He gives us a "do over." We can start completely fresh, completely new and gain new strength to stay inside the fence and turn away from the life we once lived.
Living inside the fence can be hard, but I have learned that anything precious or important requires hard work. Being a parent who is intentional with their children is hard.....being married to one person for all time is hard....forgiving others as we want to be forgiven is hard.....graduating from college is hard.....doing your best at everything you do is hard.....living a life according to God's best plan can be hard, but with this perseverance comes hope. Hope for today, hope for tomorrow and hope for eternity.
I pray that when we find ourself or our children outside the fence, that we would remember that we have a God who loves us, who believes in second chances and who leaves the gate open for us to run back into His presence. I know that these are promises that I rest on everyday!
It is true that God gives us boundaries and guidelines because He loves us and desires the best for us, much like we do for our own children. However, when we find ourselves living outside those boundaries and guidelines we need to remember that their is still hope. God is always inviting us back into His presence. He leaves a gate open for you and me.
Romans 3:23 reminds us that we "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."We have all made choices to leave the fence and walk our own way. But, the great news is that He sent His son Jesus to make a way for us to return. Romans 3:24 continues and reminds us that we all are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. " There is an open gate!
No matter where outside the fence we have been, no matter how long we have stayed outside the fence and no matter how far from God we feel.....He loves us, His son has died for us, and we are welcome in His presence when we allow the blood of Christ to wash over us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that when we invite Jesus into our hearts and into our lives, we are a "new creation, the old has gone and the new has come." Not only does Jesus open the gate and let us inside the fence, He gives us a "do over." We can start completely fresh, completely new and gain new strength to stay inside the fence and turn away from the life we once lived.
Living inside the fence can be hard, but I have learned that anything precious or important requires hard work. Being a parent who is intentional with their children is hard.....being married to one person for all time is hard....forgiving others as we want to be forgiven is hard.....graduating from college is hard.....doing your best at everything you do is hard.....living a life according to God's best plan can be hard, but with this perseverance comes hope. Hope for today, hope for tomorrow and hope for eternity.
I pray that when we find ourself or our children outside the fence, that we would remember that we have a God who loves us, who believes in second chances and who leaves the gate open for us to run back into His presence. I know that these are promises that I rest on everyday!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Life Inside the Fence
There is a loving pet who has been given reign of the entire backyard. This pet has a fenced yard that is nearly an acre. The yard contains trees for shade, large grassy areas for running, shelter and water. The yard truly has everything the pet would need to be happy and healthy. But, for some reason the pet desires to get outside the fence. The pet doesn't realize that the road outside the fence is filled with cars traveling 55 miles an hour, that the woods beyond the fence contain coyotes and other large predators, or that even though the land on the other side of the fence looks the same, it is filled with danger and is nothing like the secure land he has been provided. The pet simply sees other animals on the outside of the fence and assumes things would be better if he could get there.
This short description reminds me of how we treat the loving guidelines the Lord has given us. In His Word, He has provided us boundaries, where we should go and where we should not. He has told us how to live healthy happy lives. He has shown us how to live in a safe and productive way. But, we like the pet are not happy with the boundaries we have, we are continually looking to the "other side" and assuming that we are missing out on something. Much like the pet, we don't realize the extreme danger there is waiting for us outside the fence and that leaving the fence will lead to certain pain, destruction and even death. We seem to forget that God loves us and desires the very best for us and that is the only reason He has shown us the boundaries.
I have often wondered why so many seem to spend so much time and energy living outside the boundaries and then when they are hurt or something bad happens they are confused. It is not easy to live inside the boundaries, but it shouldn't be confusing that you get hurt when you choose to leave them. I know that each time I move beyond the loving boundaries set for me that I will experience a natural consequence for my actions. I have been hurt many times, usually when I thought I knew better, you would think I would learn my lesson and just stay inside the fence, but it is harder than it sounds.
In church yesterday, the speaker also talked about the strange need he sees in others to push the boundaries. He described it like this, "It is like there is a cliff that has a steep drop off and falling from the cliff would lead to certain death. So first I blindfold you and then I tell you that the edge of the cliff is somewhere between 2 and 200 feet in front of you. What do you do? Do you take a step closer to the cliff? Do you freeze right where you are? Do you step back and move farther from the cliff?"He reminded us that scripture says we should "flee" from sin. Flee! Not see how close we can get, not watch others sin, not see if we can sin without getting caught, but Flee...back-up...move away from the cliff.
Just like us, our children our faced with choices each day that test the boundaries God has given them. I pray that our children will be "caught" when they move outside "the fence." I desire for them to learn early that God's love has provided them with all they need and that His ways are far above anything the world has to offer them from the other side of "the fence."Let's strive to teach our children, and ourselves to flee from sin!
This short description reminds me of how we treat the loving guidelines the Lord has given us. In His Word, He has provided us boundaries, where we should go and where we should not. He has told us how to live healthy happy lives. He has shown us how to live in a safe and productive way. But, we like the pet are not happy with the boundaries we have, we are continually looking to the "other side" and assuming that we are missing out on something. Much like the pet, we don't realize the extreme danger there is waiting for us outside the fence and that leaving the fence will lead to certain pain, destruction and even death. We seem to forget that God loves us and desires the very best for us and that is the only reason He has shown us the boundaries.
I have often wondered why so many seem to spend so much time and energy living outside the boundaries and then when they are hurt or something bad happens they are confused. It is not easy to live inside the boundaries, but it shouldn't be confusing that you get hurt when you choose to leave them. I know that each time I move beyond the loving boundaries set for me that I will experience a natural consequence for my actions. I have been hurt many times, usually when I thought I knew better, you would think I would learn my lesson and just stay inside the fence, but it is harder than it sounds.
In church yesterday, the speaker also talked about the strange need he sees in others to push the boundaries. He described it like this, "It is like there is a cliff that has a steep drop off and falling from the cliff would lead to certain death. So first I blindfold you and then I tell you that the edge of the cliff is somewhere between 2 and 200 feet in front of you. What do you do? Do you take a step closer to the cliff? Do you freeze right where you are? Do you step back and move farther from the cliff?"He reminded us that scripture says we should "flee" from sin. Flee! Not see how close we can get, not watch others sin, not see if we can sin without getting caught, but Flee...back-up...move away from the cliff.
Just like us, our children our faced with choices each day that test the boundaries God has given them. I pray that our children will be "caught" when they move outside "the fence." I desire for them to learn early that God's love has provided them with all they need and that His ways are far above anything the world has to offer them from the other side of "the fence."Let's strive to teach our children, and ourselves to flee from sin!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Self-control Now or ? Later
We pulled in the parking lot to find both an ambulance and a police car parked by the front doors. "I hope everyone is ok!" one daughter said. "What do you think happened?" another said. I really had no idea what might have happened. We decided to go in a side door and avoid the "excitement" happening at the front. When inside we found out that a man at our church's "soup kitchen" had lost his self-control. He had thrown glasses, chairs, salt and pepper, and was shouting all sorts of poor language. He needed to be removed and the people cut by the glass needed to be taken care of. We had thankfully missed the entire episode and everything would be fine, no one was seriously hurt.
In our home, most "punishments" occur because someone has lost their self-control. Maybe we lost control of our body and hit someone, maybe we lost control of our mouth and said something we shouldn't have, or maybe we lost control of our decisions and made a poor choice. Each one of our days we talk about self-control and practice trying to use self-control in all situations. We feel it is important for us to focus on our self-control now, because a lack of self-control can become a serious situation later.
I am sure you encounter grown adults who lack self-control each day. I see it when I look at the afternoon commute, or hear stories of shopping on black friday, or when I spend a day with our children at the park. I am truly amazed that there seems to be a whole generation of people who appear to have never been taught to control their actions and put others needs in front of their own. Our children see these situations as well. They notice the behavior of others in the stores or at the park, they see this lack of control being acted out in their favorite movie or show. If we don't take the time to "teach" our children self-control, I am certain they would not learn it from some other source.
In my opinion, the hardest part of helping our children develop self-control for me is looking in the mirror. Do my children see me demonstrating self-control? Am I able to curve my words when I become angry? Am I able to grab a healthier snack when I am hunger? Am I able to put down the electronics when I have responsibilities to attend to? Am I able to act in the way I am asking them to act?.......honestly, no, but we are all working towards having more self-control and fulfilling what is asked of us in Philippians 2:3 and 4: "Do noting out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
In our home, most "punishments" occur because someone has lost their self-control. Maybe we lost control of our body and hit someone, maybe we lost control of our mouth and said something we shouldn't have, or maybe we lost control of our decisions and made a poor choice. Each one of our days we talk about self-control and practice trying to use self-control in all situations. We feel it is important for us to focus on our self-control now, because a lack of self-control can become a serious situation later.
I am sure you encounter grown adults who lack self-control each day. I see it when I look at the afternoon commute, or hear stories of shopping on black friday, or when I spend a day with our children at the park. I am truly amazed that there seems to be a whole generation of people who appear to have never been taught to control their actions and put others needs in front of their own. Our children see these situations as well. They notice the behavior of others in the stores or at the park, they see this lack of control being acted out in their favorite movie or show. If we don't take the time to "teach" our children self-control, I am certain they would not learn it from some other source.
In my opinion, the hardest part of helping our children develop self-control for me is looking in the mirror. Do my children see me demonstrating self-control? Am I able to curve my words when I become angry? Am I able to grab a healthier snack when I am hunger? Am I able to put down the electronics when I have responsibilities to attend to? Am I able to act in the way I am asking them to act?.......honestly, no, but we are all working towards having more self-control and fulfilling what is asked of us in Philippians 2:3 and 4: "Do noting out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Family Fun
We love to do things as a family, however, with five children "fun" can be pretty expensive. With a little research and planning I have managed to fill our months with great free or almost free activities. I know how important the budget and fun are to families, so I wanted to take a few moments to share some of my "secrets" with all of you. We live in different areas, have different resources and different interests, but I hope that you will find something that will bless you and your family.
The Library....this is the first place that I look for free fun. Libraries are great places for families. They typically have one or two programs per month for families to enjoy. Most libraries also have times set aside for children to come and listen to fun stories each week. Summer library programs are one of my favorite activities. These programs usually reward your children with prizes for reading books they would normally read in the summer anyway. Aside from their programs, libraries may have movies that you can check out for free; no need to rent a movie for the weekend, check it out from the library.
Free Days...check with your local museum and zoo. Most museums and Zoos offer free or discounted days during the year. These may take a good deal of researching, but they are available. Now, you might be thinking that a museum doesn't sound like much fun, but it is all in your attitude. Our children love the art museum...I know nothing about art, and probably would scare most art teachers, but we have fun. Let me encourage you to try something new and let your children's interests lead you. You may be surprised which parts of the museum become their favorite. Don't forget to check out the museums and zoos when you go on trips, we have even planned trips around free museum days in different towns. Great memories!
City Parks and Rec departments...many communities have government departments that plan activities for families all year round. These activities could include sporting classes or leagues, summer camps, holiday events, and special guest programs. Be sure to check the communities around you as well. One of our favorite community events is the Big Rig Gig. This is a time when kids get to climb in all the big trucks and machines that the city owns. Simple, but really fun.
Large Churches...churches are often planning community events like Easter Egg Hunts, Christmas plays, summer bible day camps (VBS), sports camps and fun retreats. Large churches typically are able to offer more of these events, but small churches often offer them as well. It does not matter if you regularly attend a certain church, I have never seen a church were being a member of their church was required for participation.
Farmers Market....there are many farmer's markets that have activity tents or special events to bring more people into the market. It is also a great way to expose your kiddos to produce you don't typically have in your home. Many of the farmers will give sample and/or allow you to purchase just one item to allow the whole family to try something new.
Serving Opportunities...a lot of family fun places, including most Christian ministries will give you a large discount or even a free "pass" if you and/or your family serves the organization while you are there. For example, a large Christian music festival in our area will give you a free ticket for the entire event if you volunteer a certain amount of hours. I also know of several Christian camps that will invite families to stay for free if they help them prepare for the season...not hard work, just painting, raking and light types of labor.
University Events....be sure to watch your local university. Most of them will have community events 3-4 times a year to get people interested in being on their campus. Many of them also have "fan clubs" for kids. Our local fan club sends the children free tickets to minor sporting events. Our family is able to attend volleyball, soccer, hockey and softball games only needing to purchase a $5 ticket for the adult.
Grand Openings and Sidewalk Sales.... many businesses will have large events when they are having a grand opening or sidewalk sale. We have attended some with bounce houses, pony rides, petting zoos, face painting and free food.
No matter how large your family may be, let me encourage you to look in the local paper, talk to friends and do some research on the internet. You will be surprised at the free or almost free activities your family will enjoy this summer. Do you already have some favorite free activities? Consider sharing your secrets with other readers, I know I would love to hear your ideas.
The Library....this is the first place that I look for free fun. Libraries are great places for families. They typically have one or two programs per month for families to enjoy. Most libraries also have times set aside for children to come and listen to fun stories each week. Summer library programs are one of my favorite activities. These programs usually reward your children with prizes for reading books they would normally read in the summer anyway. Aside from their programs, libraries may have movies that you can check out for free; no need to rent a movie for the weekend, check it out from the library.
Free Days...check with your local museum and zoo. Most museums and Zoos offer free or discounted days during the year. These may take a good deal of researching, but they are available. Now, you might be thinking that a museum doesn't sound like much fun, but it is all in your attitude. Our children love the art museum...I know nothing about art, and probably would scare most art teachers, but we have fun. Let me encourage you to try something new and let your children's interests lead you. You may be surprised which parts of the museum become their favorite. Don't forget to check out the museums and zoos when you go on trips, we have even planned trips around free museum days in different towns. Great memories!
City Parks and Rec departments...many communities have government departments that plan activities for families all year round. These activities could include sporting classes or leagues, summer camps, holiday events, and special guest programs. Be sure to check the communities around you as well. One of our favorite community events is the Big Rig Gig. This is a time when kids get to climb in all the big trucks and machines that the city owns. Simple, but really fun.
Large Churches...churches are often planning community events like Easter Egg Hunts, Christmas plays, summer bible day camps (VBS), sports camps and fun retreats. Large churches typically are able to offer more of these events, but small churches often offer them as well. It does not matter if you regularly attend a certain church, I have never seen a church were being a member of their church was required for participation.
Farmers Market....there are many farmer's markets that have activity tents or special events to bring more people into the market. It is also a great way to expose your kiddos to produce you don't typically have in your home. Many of the farmers will give sample and/or allow you to purchase just one item to allow the whole family to try something new.
Serving Opportunities...a lot of family fun places, including most Christian ministries will give you a large discount or even a free "pass" if you and/or your family serves the organization while you are there. For example, a large Christian music festival in our area will give you a free ticket for the entire event if you volunteer a certain amount of hours. I also know of several Christian camps that will invite families to stay for free if they help them prepare for the season...not hard work, just painting, raking and light types of labor.
University Events....be sure to watch your local university. Most of them will have community events 3-4 times a year to get people interested in being on their campus. Many of them also have "fan clubs" for kids. Our local fan club sends the children free tickets to minor sporting events. Our family is able to attend volleyball, soccer, hockey and softball games only needing to purchase a $5 ticket for the adult.
Grand Openings and Sidewalk Sales.... many businesses will have large events when they are having a grand opening or sidewalk sale. We have attended some with bounce houses, pony rides, petting zoos, face painting and free food.
No matter how large your family may be, let me encourage you to look in the local paper, talk to friends and do some research on the internet. You will be surprised at the free or almost free activities your family will enjoy this summer. Do you already have some favorite free activities? Consider sharing your secrets with other readers, I know I would love to hear your ideas.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Easter Hunt or Life Hunt
Like many families in the past few days our children participated in an Easter hunt. It is tradition in our family for Grammy to hide a basket for each child somewhere in her home. Each basket is clearly marked for the child it is intended...so not only do you need to find a basket, you need to find the basket made just for you.
It is quite fun to watch the kiddos as they look up high, down low, and in closets, cupboards, appliances, and drawers. The hunts always start the same, with excitement and anticipation. However, about 15 minutes into the hunt someone starts to get discouraged, someone has found a basket that doesn't belong to them and someone has found their prize. It may take awhile, but with a bit of encouragement, everyone perseveres and finds their own special basket.
I can't help but think that our hunt experience mirrors our walk in this world. Our children are very aware of the great prize that awaits them at the end of this earthly life, but sometimes it can become just like the hunt. Part way through their journey, they may become discouraged. Many times society makes it difficult for us all to make the best choices. There are other times when we look at those around us, they seem to have it all together, so we choose to do what they are doing. These can be discouraging times when children are growing and trying to find the path that God has designed for them.
It is fun during an Easter hunt to watch our children look frantically and make funny choices. Let me encourage you to take a different approach as your children "hunt" for their future. We should not sit by and watch as our kiddos make poor choices that allow them to become discouraged. Following Christ is a journey that takes endurance, strength and perseverance...these are all things we could use help with, let us be encouraging voices in our child's life as they grow in these areas and keep them moving in the right direction. It is also important to help our children continually seek the special path God has just for them. There is no need to be "just like everyone else."Following a path God has made for someone else is NOT going to bring ANYONE great joy and fulfillment. Helping our children to see God's special design just for them, will help strengthen them when times are getting tough. We can also get encouragement sometimes by looking at those that have found their prize in Christ. Seeing how God is working in their lives and how He is using them can also be motivating for youth that are struggling, helping them to see that God truly does use us for His plans.
I know many people feel that we should just let young people "discover" for themselves where they want to be in life. But, I would argue that there are an extreme few that actually do this. There are influences coming from all directions wanting our children to become like them. Let me encourage you to be intentional in encouraging your children to follow the path God has planned for them. Help them to "hunt" for what God has designed special just for them. What a blessing that will be! As the saying goes, "If we don't take the time to teach our children to follow Christ. The world will teach them not to." May God give you strength, endurance and perseverance to raise these blessings He has given you.
It is quite fun to watch the kiddos as they look up high, down low, and in closets, cupboards, appliances, and drawers. The hunts always start the same, with excitement and anticipation. However, about 15 minutes into the hunt someone starts to get discouraged, someone has found a basket that doesn't belong to them and someone has found their prize. It may take awhile, but with a bit of encouragement, everyone perseveres and finds their own special basket.
I can't help but think that our hunt experience mirrors our walk in this world. Our children are very aware of the great prize that awaits them at the end of this earthly life, but sometimes it can become just like the hunt. Part way through their journey, they may become discouraged. Many times society makes it difficult for us all to make the best choices. There are other times when we look at those around us, they seem to have it all together, so we choose to do what they are doing. These can be discouraging times when children are growing and trying to find the path that God has designed for them.
It is fun during an Easter hunt to watch our children look frantically and make funny choices. Let me encourage you to take a different approach as your children "hunt" for their future. We should not sit by and watch as our kiddos make poor choices that allow them to become discouraged. Following Christ is a journey that takes endurance, strength and perseverance...these are all things we could use help with, let us be encouraging voices in our child's life as they grow in these areas and keep them moving in the right direction. It is also important to help our children continually seek the special path God has just for them. There is no need to be "just like everyone else."Following a path God has made for someone else is NOT going to bring ANYONE great joy and fulfillment. Helping our children to see God's special design just for them, will help strengthen them when times are getting tough. We can also get encouragement sometimes by looking at those that have found their prize in Christ. Seeing how God is working in their lives and how He is using them can also be motivating for youth that are struggling, helping them to see that God truly does use us for His plans.
I know many people feel that we should just let young people "discover" for themselves where they want to be in life. But, I would argue that there are an extreme few that actually do this. There are influences coming from all directions wanting our children to become like them. Let me encourage you to be intentional in encouraging your children to follow the path God has planned for them. Help them to "hunt" for what God has designed special just for them. What a blessing that will be! As the saying goes, "If we don't take the time to teach our children to follow Christ. The world will teach them not to." May God give you strength, endurance and perseverance to raise these blessings He has given you.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Printer Patience
I am really not one to pray for patience, as I know that God will give me many opportunities to practice that new patience I asked for. However, the other day I was noticing that our family is in need of a bit more patience.
Our four year old was printing something that he had made on the computer. He became upset, because the printer was out of paper and his picture "wasn't coming out." I put more paper in the printer and we tried again. I was amazed at the lack of patience this little man had. He just kept asking, "Is it ready now, mom? Is it ready now?" I thought back to when I was younger, and the printers were the dot matrix kind. It took "forever" for the pictures to come out, and when they did they looked funny. "Our kiddos have no idea how long printers can take," I thought to myself. They are blessed.
About five minutes later, our youngest daughter was asking for help with her homework. She had become frustrated and had given up. When looking at her work, it appeared to me that she hadn't really tried very hard and had given up quite early. I helped her to see how she could have figured the problem out by herself. It turned out she simply did not have enough patience to complete the problem on her own.
There were several other instances that day where we lacked the patience needed to accomplish what had to be done. I guess this lifestyle of microwaves, remote controls, internet and fast food has caused us to expect everything to happen quickly....and when it doesn't we become unhappy. This started a deliberate practice on my part to help our children become more patient. I now ask my children to wait more than I have in the past, whether it be for a snack, for a special event or for their turn. I have also begun talking about being more patient with each other and with our circumstances.
I think it is important for us all to learn patience. There are many times when we pray and ask God for this or that and He seems to take "forever" to respond. We need to remember that God's timing is always best. If we don't learn patience, then we are likely to take things into our own hands instead of waiting for God's perfect timing. Our inability to wait for God's timing could cause some major problems....just look at Abraham and Sarah. Sarah became impatient and no longer trusted God to provide her the children that Abraham desired and was promised, so she took matters into her own hands. Those actions have been the cause of many wars, lasting even until today.
Patience....let's all work to have a bit more patience each and everyday. Imagine how pleasant our homes would be if we were all growing in patience. May God truly bless you and your family as you desire to serve Him more!
Our four year old was printing something that he had made on the computer. He became upset, because the printer was out of paper and his picture "wasn't coming out." I put more paper in the printer and we tried again. I was amazed at the lack of patience this little man had. He just kept asking, "Is it ready now, mom? Is it ready now?" I thought back to when I was younger, and the printers were the dot matrix kind. It took "forever" for the pictures to come out, and when they did they looked funny. "Our kiddos have no idea how long printers can take," I thought to myself. They are blessed.
About five minutes later, our youngest daughter was asking for help with her homework. She had become frustrated and had given up. When looking at her work, it appeared to me that she hadn't really tried very hard and had given up quite early. I helped her to see how she could have figured the problem out by herself. It turned out she simply did not have enough patience to complete the problem on her own.
There were several other instances that day where we lacked the patience needed to accomplish what had to be done. I guess this lifestyle of microwaves, remote controls, internet and fast food has caused us to expect everything to happen quickly....and when it doesn't we become unhappy. This started a deliberate practice on my part to help our children become more patient. I now ask my children to wait more than I have in the past, whether it be for a snack, for a special event or for their turn. I have also begun talking about being more patient with each other and with our circumstances.
I think it is important for us all to learn patience. There are many times when we pray and ask God for this or that and He seems to take "forever" to respond. We need to remember that God's timing is always best. If we don't learn patience, then we are likely to take things into our own hands instead of waiting for God's perfect timing. Our inability to wait for God's timing could cause some major problems....just look at Abraham and Sarah. Sarah became impatient and no longer trusted God to provide her the children that Abraham desired and was promised, so she took matters into her own hands. Those actions have been the cause of many wars, lasting even until today.
Patience....let's all work to have a bit more patience each and everyday. Imagine how pleasant our homes would be if we were all growing in patience. May God truly bless you and your family as you desire to serve Him more!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)