George and Mary and the mud

Why my heart floods with love for four-year-old Mary:

First, let me set this up:

The mud is back.....two days of rain with five more expected.  Fortunately, this time around we're getting tropical rains--a dark, furious downpour here and there, followed by periods of mixed sun and clouds.

Mary, on her second outfit of the day, was out front wrist-deep in a muddy rain puddle.  She was holding a wooden board up, sporting mud on her knees, lower legs and forearms.

We were about to leave for a neighborhood walk.

"Mary, what are you doing?  We're about to leave!"

She looked up at me guiltily, pleadingly, "I'm making a dam."

Guess who is to blame for this three-outfit, two-shower day?

That Curious George!

As much as the laundry and vacuuming are back to whipping me, I had to smile.  I love that Mary!  And that George!

a gem from Ann

I found a gem from Ann Voskamp's blog last week. I included an excerpt below, but please read the rest of the parenting post, which includes a free printable.  She teaches how to approach children as you train them.  I just want to hug her and say yes, yes, yes!  This is so good!

Ann's words begin below:
______________________________________________

1. Heart Connect… only then Direct.

Instruction can only thrive in the soil of authentic relationship. Before offering instruction, consider how to touch the child gently. Think on how to frame all instructions in the context of a loving, affirming relationship.

If instruction bears tensions then check out the soil: perhaps the relationship needs fertilizing. If the relationship has been well cultivated and nourished, and instruction still yields resistance, perhaps offering more opportunities to practice receiving and implementing instruction may nourish the young shoot towards a joyful attitude.

Questions to self: Am I making eye contact? Am I touching? Have I nourished this relationship? Am I connecting before directing?

2. Love, what did I say?……
And will you obey?

Asking the child what was said allows the child to offer feedback to ensure they did indeed hear the instructions.

Then, does the child intend to do what was asked?

3. By what is inspected,
They’ll know what is expected

Our children need to hear it as much as the faithful servant needed to hear it: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Questions to Self: Am I bringing closure to an instruction by joining with a child to inspect the task? Am I being faithful to finishing that which I began: I gave the instruction, did I inspect?

do you covet a different story?

When life becomes hard or intense, we engage in self-talk that ultimately worsens our situation--or at least our perception of it.  I label this, in my own head, the "it would better if..." self-talk.

Here are some examples (not necessarily from my own life):

- It would be better if I hadn't married so early.....so late.

- It would be better if I had more support.

- It would be better if I'd picked a different major in college.

- It would be better if I didn't have allergies.....migraines.......asthma.......OCD......ADHD......cancer.

- It would be better if I had a newer vehicle....dryer.....washer......mower.

- It would be better if I worked days.....nights.......or didn't have to work weekends.

- It would be better if I'd come from a Christian home.

- It would be better if I'd been saved as a child.

- It would be better if I weren't so shy......sensitive......solitary......demanding.........aggressive.

- It would be better if I lived out in the country......on a farm.......in the mountains......on the beach.

Do you see how these thoughts can have a snowball affect, making our circumstances seem far worse?

I've changed my self-talk over the years, as my faith in Christ has grown.  But when several difficulties arise at once, it's oh so tempting to revert back to these dead-end thoughts.

I have to make a full stop, and remember that my life, from beginning to end, is a story.  And it's not my story.


I don't write any of it.  Before I was born He knew me.


Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Instead of wishing for a different story, I need to remember that my story has the happiest of endings. It ends with me in Paradise--with the Lord!  There's no better ending than that!


Instead of wishing for a different story, I need to understand that it's a privilege to be used by God.  It's an honor to be a character in one of His stories.

Instead of wishing for a different story, I need to rest in His promises, in His wisdom.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.


Instead of wishing for a different story, I need to concentrate on being obedient in this one.  On being submissive and teachable.

Backyard Birding - Guest Post

Yesterday Paul wrote about keeping kids focused using a simple graphic organizer.  Today, Peter teaches us how to begin a backyard birding hobby.

Backyard Birding

Hello. My name is Peter, age nine. I would like to tell you about backyard birding.

Paul and I brainstormed all the reasons you might want to have this as a hobby:

- The birds are very pretty.
- God made the birds and you will think of Him.
- You and your kids will learn about bird behaviors.
- You and your kids may learn about nesting and how birds care for their babies (if you get nesting birds).
- You will learn that God made each bird and bird egg different from the others.  There are many colors and sizes and designs.
- You will be able to relax from watch the birds.

To get started, you will need to gather some materials:

- Hummingbird feeder (fill with sugar water)

- Finch feeder for small birds like chickadees, house finch, purple finch, and goldfinch.

- Tube feeder if you have squirrels in your yard (it will say squirrel-proof on the package)

- Wild bird seed (With sunflower seeds in it.  We went to a feed store because it was cheaper.)

 - Suet block and a suet cage to put it in (just a few dollars) to attract woodpeckers.

Organizing Your Kids - Guest Post

 Hello.  I am Paul, age 7.  I would like to tell you about a way to keep your kids organized.  When Mommy made this chart, it helped me remember to do all my subjects.  She didn't like it when we ran around the house or wrestled too much. When she tells us to remember our chart, we stop wasting time.  I can do the things in any order I want.  There are no time limits.  I check the box after I do each thing.

You block out the days you don't want them to do something on the list.  

Like on Monday I don't do writing or science or dramatic arts.  

On Tuesday  I don't do spelling, social studies or art.  

On Wednesday I don't do science or dramatic arts.  

On Thursday I don't do spelling, social studies or art. 

On Friday I don't do science or dramatic arts.

On Saturday I just do reading and multiplication and Bible and chores and PE.

On Sunday I just do reading and art and PE and chores and Bible.

Some things I do everyday--like chores, reading, Bible and PE.

Some ideas from my Mom:

- If you have preschoolers you might include the following (maybe using pictures with or without words?):

- build with your blocks

- draw a picture with crayons

- paint with watercolors

- do a puzzle

- spell your name with magnet letters

- spell your name in shaving cream 

- do the hokey pokey

- do your finger rhymes

- sing five songs

- play "Ring Around the Rosey"

Preschoolers thrive with routine, but not with timed schedules.  You could give them a certain order to do these things, or have them choose the order, depending on the child.  You'll find they still have plenty of free time.  Even my first and third-grade boys have plenty of free time each day.