Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday Mornings
Did you see this on the Pursuing Titus 2 blog? Trust me, you must see it, about James 3. It just might change your Sunday mornings forever.
swooning over pics
Daily Blessings for Saturday:
- My baby. If I say "Praise God!", she puts her arms and hands up to the heavens and laughs. Life. doesn't. get. any. better!
- My house is clean.
- I read the Bible three times today.
- My kids are fun.
- My kids are cute.
- My kids are vibrantly alive.
- My kids are not driving me crazy. Today. (Because I read the Bible 3x? Hmm.)
- The surrogate grandparent relationship set up with our Pastor's help is a big answer to prayer! They brought pizza and root beer to us for dinner tonight. Long time since we've had a pizza treat. We were all a bit giddy about it.
- I didn't have to do any dishes tonight. Whoopee!
- Beth's last molar came through. I think that qualifies as a blessing. She wakes up less to nurse now. Bittersweet. I can get more done in the evenings uninterrupted--a life changing turn of events. But now, I wish she wouldn't sleep so long. There are still two to three nursings between bedtime and morning, but who knows for how long? Humans. Weird, eh? We think we want something badly (uninterrupted chore time), but when we get it we want something different (endless nursing).
- I went to Walmart last week and a man referred to me as Baby Beth's mother! Hear that? Someone--a man no less--thinks I look young enough to be her mother! My spirit soared that trip. (In case you're new here--Beth is 16 months, and I'm 44. And yes, I'm Momma.)
- We have an angel at church who has given us $350 all together, in three gifts. I think it's the grandparent couple, but I'm not sure--always anonymously. I'm glad I don't know. It's hard receiving gifts like that. Really hard. All my life I've given something back when someone has given a gift. Just sitting back and receiving kills me. Still.
Case in point. The grandmother (surrogate--Eleanor) drove the boys to AWANA last week. She helps in AWANA every week with verses, and with the bookkeeping. I can't go anymore; husband's schedule changed and he now has the van during that time. I made sure I had homemade cookies ready to give her for helping me. My need to give back seems so contrived. So phony. But it isn't phony. It's a real desire to thank someone, even though it comes from an uncomfortable place inside me. Something in me says, "Quick, give something back!" Almost this panicky feeling. Precisely why it took me so long to become a Christian, perhaps? I couldn't accept the Something For Nothing plan?
Oh sure, grace through faith sounds like we are doing something. We're doing faith, right? But the faith comes from God, too! We don't participate in the deal, really, except to put out our hand, like a beggar. I'm glad I put out my hand to Jesus! Praise God!
- I received a Fed Ex envelope from the mortgage company. They might modify the loan (temporarily lower payments?) since our income went down. I hate official paperwork, but tomorrow night I'll tackle it. Their gift isn't something for nothing, I'm sure; they'll make out in the end. But for now...a blessing.
Friday, April 9, 2010
read aloud recommendation
The boys and I are laughing our way through this read aloud, written from a dog's perspective:
Hank the Cowdog
The Case of the Tricky Trap
By John R. Erickson
My husband loves it too! Better than his computer textbook, even. I caught him chuckling at it last night, after the boys were asleep.
Read alouds should be two years above your child's reading level, to ensure vocabulary development. This one is full of rich language!
Hank the Cowdog
The Case of the Tricky Trap
By John R. Erickson
My husband loves it too! Better than his computer textbook, even. I caught him chuckling at it last night, after the boys were asleep.
Read alouds should be two years above your child's reading level, to ensure vocabulary development. This one is full of rich language!
Proverbs
Lately I've realized how beneficial the Book of Proverbs is for children, compared to some of the harder-to-understand books of the Bible. It makes for a nice read aloud at meal times. I find it beneficial to type out verses, so here goes.
Here is what I read this morning, which reminded me of the hard work of Kingdom parenting, and the extent to which the Lord takes over and protects, if we are only willing:
Proverbs 2:1-9
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you."
And more:
Proverbs 3:1-2
"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."
And more:
Proverbs 3:21-24
"My son, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight: they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;
And more:
Proverbs 3:33-35
"The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame."
I especially like one of the last lines, about God giving grace to the humble. When we admit we are weak, and repent (humble ourselves), grace comes to us. I can't expect grace to flow freely, in my parenting or in any other area of my life. It flows out of my repentant heart.
So, it isn't about being perfect. Not at all. It's about being humble and repentant, and continually seeking the high road.
___________________
Sandy, thank you! I so enjoy exchanging ideas with you! You sharpen me. And I loved what you wrote on Joy's post. Does that mean we spend too much time reading blogs, when we keep running across each other's comments? LOL
Here is what I read this morning, which reminded me of the hard work of Kingdom parenting, and the extent to which the Lord takes over and protects, if we are only willing:
Proverbs 2:1-9
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you."
And more:
Proverbs 3:1-2
"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."
And more:
Proverbs 3:21-24
"My son, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight: they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;
And more:
Proverbs 3:33-35
"The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame."
I especially like one of the last lines, about God giving grace to the humble. When we admit we are weak, and repent (humble ourselves), grace comes to us. I can't expect grace to flow freely, in my parenting or in any other area of my life. It flows out of my repentant heart.
So, it isn't about being perfect. Not at all. It's about being humble and repentant, and continually seeking the high road.
___________________
Sandy, thank you! I so enjoy exchanging ideas with you! You sharpen me. And I loved what you wrote on Joy's post. Does that mean we spend too much time reading blogs, when we keep running across each other's comments? LOL
Thursday, April 8, 2010
lofty parenting
I wanted to follow up on Sandi's comment about Sarah Clarkson's wonderful post. This isn't about Sandi's comment, specifically, but about how hard intentional parenting is.
It's easy for someone like Sarah, who is twenty-five, unmarried, and not a mother, to write beautiful posts about ideal parenting. She can't even fathom what emotional exhaustion feels like in relation to mothering. Parents without special-needs children can't fathom how deep the emotional exhaustion can get, for some of us.
While I'm reading lofty posts, such as Sarah's, I remember that. But I still need posts like hers, and still feel grateful that someone out there, obviously gifted, is writing them. They help me dig deeper. They remind me that God has big plans for my children, and that I am his instrument. I have to be a faithful instrument, capable of greater things than I see all around me. All around me is the world, which is far from Kingdom-minded. We live in a Facebook, Twitter-minded, shallow world, consumed with image and materialism.
I, too, read aloud to my kids, sometimes fighting interruptions every few minutes. My two girls don't sit still for long. Ever.
And when it comes to media use, well, I do my best. Shutting off the cable has helped enormously. The older two children aren't interested in any videos I rent from the library, so their viewing decreased to nothing. They still use the computer about thirty minutes a day. Currently, their only website of interest involves math games, some of which don't utilize much math.
My three year old still views one half-hour library video a day. I acknowledge that it's bad. My heart aches that I can't be the parent I want to be, every second of the day. But I force myself to be thankful for the incremental improvements I'm making. Great parenting doesn't come of ourselves, but of God's work in our hearts. We can't just read something lofty about parenting and make it happen in our home the next day. God has to change us, first. He has to put depth and long-suffering tendencies into our hearts.
And I feel him doing that. Now, when I'm tempted to put in a video, I ask myself, am I really at the end of my rope, as a parent, at this very second? Is there any way I can cope with this moment in another way? Can I ask God for strength to take the high rode? Can I ask him for ideas? Or do I really need a break, to pull myself back to a saner place?
I'm learning that every decision I make matters. Whether or not these kids grow up feeling blessed by their upbringing--as Sarah obviously does--will depend on how sacrificial I can be in every moment.
I need to stay off the computer except for planned short breaks. I need to play with my kids instead of focusing solely on my to-do list. I need to enjoy books with them throughout the day, rather than just at set storytimes. I need to laugh and cuddle with them, drinking in their innocence and wonder. I need to read my Bible in front of them so they understand, first hand, the sustenance it provides.
I need to do so much, and yet I'm so weak. Sarah's post exposes my weakness, and teaches that I can't parent with a Kingdom perspective, without Christ.
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Each time I'm about to pull a lazy, such as put in a video, this verse must be my mantra.
If I fail in a certain moment, I need only repent. The repentance itself will strengthen me. All is not futile. God does amazing work in the human heart. What I look like right now as a parent is far different than what I'll look like five years from now. God will ensure that. The same is true for you, dear reader. We are works in progress.
Our part is to acknowledge our weakness, repent, and move forward with His strength. Always forward. Always willing.
It's easy for someone like Sarah, who is twenty-five, unmarried, and not a mother, to write beautiful posts about ideal parenting. She can't even fathom what emotional exhaustion feels like in relation to mothering. Parents without special-needs children can't fathom how deep the emotional exhaustion can get, for some of us.
While I'm reading lofty posts, such as Sarah's, I remember that. But I still need posts like hers, and still feel grateful that someone out there, obviously gifted, is writing them. They help me dig deeper. They remind me that God has big plans for my children, and that I am his instrument. I have to be a faithful instrument, capable of greater things than I see all around me. All around me is the world, which is far from Kingdom-minded. We live in a Facebook, Twitter-minded, shallow world, consumed with image and materialism.
I, too, read aloud to my kids, sometimes fighting interruptions every few minutes. My two girls don't sit still for long. Ever.
And when it comes to media use, well, I do my best. Shutting off the cable has helped enormously. The older two children aren't interested in any videos I rent from the library, so their viewing decreased to nothing. They still use the computer about thirty minutes a day. Currently, their only website of interest involves math games, some of which don't utilize much math.
My three year old still views one half-hour library video a day. I acknowledge that it's bad. My heart aches that I can't be the parent I want to be, every second of the day. But I force myself to be thankful for the incremental improvements I'm making. Great parenting doesn't come of ourselves, but of God's work in our hearts. We can't just read something lofty about parenting and make it happen in our home the next day. God has to change us, first. He has to put depth and long-suffering tendencies into our hearts.
And I feel him doing that. Now, when I'm tempted to put in a video, I ask myself, am I really at the end of my rope, as a parent, at this very second? Is there any way I can cope with this moment in another way? Can I ask God for strength to take the high rode? Can I ask him for ideas? Or do I really need a break, to pull myself back to a saner place?
I'm learning that every decision I make matters. Whether or not these kids grow up feeling blessed by their upbringing--as Sarah obviously does--will depend on how sacrificial I can be in every moment.
I need to stay off the computer except for planned short breaks. I need to play with my kids instead of focusing solely on my to-do list. I need to enjoy books with them throughout the day, rather than just at set storytimes. I need to laugh and cuddle with them, drinking in their innocence and wonder. I need to read my Bible in front of them so they understand, first hand, the sustenance it provides.
I need to do so much, and yet I'm so weak. Sarah's post exposes my weakness, and teaches that I can't parent with a Kingdom perspective, without Christ.
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Each time I'm about to pull a lazy, such as put in a video, this verse must be my mantra.
If I fail in a certain moment, I need only repent. The repentance itself will strengthen me. All is not futile. God does amazing work in the human heart. What I look like right now as a parent is far different than what I'll look like five years from now. God will ensure that. The same is true for you, dear reader. We are works in progress.
Our part is to acknowledge our weakness, repent, and move forward with His strength. Always forward. Always willing.
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