It's Five Minute Friday with www.gypsymama.com and the word is gift...Go!
God has given me so many gifts that I do not deserve. The most recent one on my mind is what he told me at the Hearts at Home conference a few weeks ago. The moment continues to play over and over in my head...
Michelle Duggar said, "Your number one job as a parent is to get the Word of God into their hearts."
I have begun to accept the challenge of this gift with Ephesians chapter 6, and I almost can't believe the immense difference it has already made - in my children, and in me.
"Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise. That it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." - Eph. 6:1-4
Now, in asking my children to obey me in some area, we have a tool to use. They literally come to me speaking the words when I begin. They are learning to obey, and Mama is learning to be gentle. For, "Pleasant words promote instruction." Proverbs 19 something.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
5 Minute Friday: LOUD
5 Minutes and the word is LOUD...Go!
Having children is a live out LOUD experience. I am not a loud person, well not most of the time anyway. It's definitely an adjustment for me, even though they are almost 4 and 2 1/2, respectively. I just often don't know how to calm them down, and I am often reminded that it's me who needs to chill. So they are loud. So what? They are children.
On some degree I think I am learning to get over it, but it is taking me time. Often when I talk on the phone to one of my siblings (who don't have kids of their own yet), I am reminded by them that our environment is loud...seems they can hear almost everything. I often respond with surprise because, well, if I feel I can actually carry on a conversation with you then it's not actually that loud.
Thing is, I am just a person who needs quiet. I live for nap time - literally - some days, and it's not that I don't enjoy my children, I just need a break from the noise. I honestly have a hard time thinking when it's noisy. Sometimes I think this is related to the fact that I grew up on a very noisy home, and I mean truly noisy. The television was on almost all the time, and other circumstances, such as design of our house and relationships between people just made it feel loud all the time. Not to mention my dad would turn the volume up all the time because he doesn't hear well.
Anyway...all that to say, I like the quiet. I live for the quiet moments of my day and seek to create a quiet space for my children to grow up in. I wonder if they'll notice that some day? I'm also learning that their version of loud and my version of loud is different, and their version isn't necessarily that unsettling, lack of peace kind of loud. Thankfully, I'm still a work in progress.
STOP!
Okay, truthfully that was more like 7 minutes, oh well : )
Having children is a live out LOUD experience. I am not a loud person, well not most of the time anyway. It's definitely an adjustment for me, even though they are almost 4 and 2 1/2, respectively. I just often don't know how to calm them down, and I am often reminded that it's me who needs to chill. So they are loud. So what? They are children.
On some degree I think I am learning to get over it, but it is taking me time. Often when I talk on the phone to one of my siblings (who don't have kids of their own yet), I am reminded by them that our environment is loud...seems they can hear almost everything. I often respond with surprise because, well, if I feel I can actually carry on a conversation with you then it's not actually that loud.
Thing is, I am just a person who needs quiet. I live for nap time - literally - some days, and it's not that I don't enjoy my children, I just need a break from the noise. I honestly have a hard time thinking when it's noisy. Sometimes I think this is related to the fact that I grew up on a very noisy home, and I mean truly noisy. The television was on almost all the time, and other circumstances, such as design of our house and relationships between people just made it feel loud all the time. Not to mention my dad would turn the volume up all the time because he doesn't hear well.
Anyway...all that to say, I like the quiet. I live for the quiet moments of my day and seek to create a quiet space for my children to grow up in. I wonder if they'll notice that some day? I'm also learning that their version of loud and my version of loud is different, and their version isn't necessarily that unsettling, lack of peace kind of loud. Thankfully, I'm still a work in progress.
STOP!
Okay, truthfully that was more like 7 minutes, oh well : )
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Victory in Jesus
This day started out rough. My oldest is a very strong willed almost 4 year old, and he did and said some things this morning with an incredibly in-my-face defiance that just really got to me. I know that allowing myself to react is never good for the situation, especially when it relates to this child, but today was just one of those days when I failed to respond in the right way. Of course that didn't help, and although I brought things back to a general level of control, I was very disappointed in myself all morning even though I tried to pray through it a number of times.
Finally at lunch time, I decided we just needed to hear God's word; so I opened to the Psalms and simply read aloud from a 'random' place. Although DS was annoyed at this, he mostly cooperated and I kept reading. When he was ready for his before nap story time, I announced that stories were out for today and I would read one more chapter of the Psalms. Well, he really didn't like this, but I kept going anyway. I had the increasing sense that I was doing spiritual warfare and wasn't about to stop - even amid his trying to distract me and act out in order to get his way. One of the last verses of the chapter (19) was,
"May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, oh God."
Oh how my heart awoke as I recognized my need for the prayer of those words right at that moment! I knew God was going to give me the strength to get him down, even if he fought with me today, which he did. All the way up the stairs and into his room, I was met with difficulty, but I had a keen awareness of God's help at this moment.
DS continued to meet me with challenges, but I instructed him to lay down and began to pray. Oh, how I prayed! I repented for my previous attitude and actions, I bound Satan from intervening in our family's life, and I proclaimed God's promises for this covenant child. I reminded Satan of his fate, and I begged God to save my children, this child in particular. I beseached God to make him a mighty man of God, and I laid him at the throne of grace. He is, after all, His child, on loan to me. The most amazing thing happened. As I prayed, DS calmed down. He began to lay quiet and suck his fingers (getting ready for sleep). I ended the prayer and told him goodnight, leaving the room and going back to the Scriptures.
The very next passage I came to was Psalm 20:
Prayer for Victory over Enemies.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary
And support you from Zion!
3 May He remember all your meal offerings
And find your burnt offering acceptable!
4 May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your counsel!
5 We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.
9 Save, O LORD;
May the King answer us in the day we call.
I knew immediately this was an answer to all my prayers of the morning; I am rejoicing! Being the mother of a strong-willed child can be very, very discouraging at times. Some days I literally fear for his future (and then repent for that lack of faith). He can often be so set in his own way that I really do wonder what it will take to teach him to obey (I remind God that it's his job to teach him, through me). On days like today, I admit that I am often left discouraged and lacking in faith. Today, however, God finally got a hold of me, and I will remember this day forever. He has heard my cries! I believe he has a wonderful plan for my DS's life. I believe he is going to be a mighty man of God, and I will not fear. Instead I will continue to proclaim what God has shown me. I am praising God for this answer today. I will faithfully and joyfully await the fruition of God's promises! And when I struggle to remember them, may he remind me of this day.
Finally at lunch time, I decided we just needed to hear God's word; so I opened to the Psalms and simply read aloud from a 'random' place. Although DS was annoyed at this, he mostly cooperated and I kept reading. When he was ready for his before nap story time, I announced that stories were out for today and I would read one more chapter of the Psalms. Well, he really didn't like this, but I kept going anyway. I had the increasing sense that I was doing spiritual warfare and wasn't about to stop - even amid his trying to distract me and act out in order to get his way. One of the last verses of the chapter (19) was,
"May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, oh God."
Oh how my heart awoke as I recognized my need for the prayer of those words right at that moment! I knew God was going to give me the strength to get him down, even if he fought with me today, which he did. All the way up the stairs and into his room, I was met with difficulty, but I had a keen awareness of God's help at this moment.
DS continued to meet me with challenges, but I instructed him to lay down and began to pray. Oh, how I prayed! I repented for my previous attitude and actions, I bound Satan from intervening in our family's life, and I proclaimed God's promises for this covenant child. I reminded Satan of his fate, and I begged God to save my children, this child in particular. I beseached God to make him a mighty man of God, and I laid him at the throne of grace. He is, after all, His child, on loan to me. The most amazing thing happened. As I prayed, DS calmed down. He began to lay quiet and suck his fingers (getting ready for sleep). I ended the prayer and told him goodnight, leaving the room and going back to the Scriptures.
The very next passage I came to was Psalm 20:
Prayer for Victory over Enemies.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary
And support you from Zion!
3 May He remember all your meal offerings
And find your burnt offering acceptable!
Selah.
4 May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your counsel!
5 We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
8 They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.
9 Save, O LORD;
May the King answer us in the day we call.
I knew immediately this was an answer to all my prayers of the morning; I am rejoicing! Being the mother of a strong-willed child can be very, very discouraging at times. Some days I literally fear for his future (and then repent for that lack of faith). He can often be so set in his own way that I really do wonder what it will take to teach him to obey (I remind God that it's his job to teach him, through me). On days like today, I admit that I am often left discouraged and lacking in faith. Today, however, God finally got a hold of me, and I will remember this day forever. He has heard my cries! I believe he has a wonderful plan for my DS's life. I believe he is going to be a mighty man of God, and I will not fear. Instead I will continue to proclaim what God has shown me. I am praising God for this answer today. I will faithfully and joyfully await the fruition of God's promises! And when I struggle to remember them, may he remind me of this day.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Being Brave for Just 5 Minutes
I'm linking up with http://thegypsymama.com/ today to do her 5 minute Friday post.
The word is BRAVE...Go!
Wow, is that the word of the day or what? I have been thinking about this blog over and over again for weeks and months. I found Gypsy Mama's blog and felt the call to go at it again a few weeks ago. I have started and stopped and started and stopped again...always a little leery of what I might say that I can't take back. I went back to her blog again today and what is the word of the day but BRAVE?!
I wonder if Someone is trying to tell me something? Probably. I have been hearing the message but have not been brave enough to just do it for a long time. I saw the topic this morning and decided to give it a go.
I am not brave. I feel as though I need to be as a wife and mother, and especially a homeschooling mother in this day and age, but often I feel week and unable to 'gird up (my) loins' and do the job I'm called to do. I carry on in fear and trepidation. I cry out to God and beg him to make me faithful on this journey...I drop to my knees and admit that He's the only way I can take one step in front of the other.
He's the only Way. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through him. I must come to him and to the Father if I am going to be able to continue on the path. I sense deep within my soul there is no. other. way.
So here I sit, working out my salvation with fear and trembling and choose to put one foot in front of the other. I will be brave. He will make me brave by his grace and his grace alone. His boundless grace...and 'he has set the boundaries for me in wonderful places' (or something like that) as my good friend Mary says.
Stop.
The word is BRAVE...Go!
Wow, is that the word of the day or what? I have been thinking about this blog over and over again for weeks and months. I found Gypsy Mama's blog and felt the call to go at it again a few weeks ago. I have started and stopped and started and stopped again...always a little leery of what I might say that I can't take back. I went back to her blog again today and what is the word of the day but BRAVE?!
I wonder if Someone is trying to tell me something? Probably. I have been hearing the message but have not been brave enough to just do it for a long time. I saw the topic this morning and decided to give it a go.
I am not brave. I feel as though I need to be as a wife and mother, and especially a homeschooling mother in this day and age, but often I feel week and unable to 'gird up (my) loins' and do the job I'm called to do. I carry on in fear and trepidation. I cry out to God and beg him to make me faithful on this journey...I drop to my knees and admit that He's the only way I can take one step in front of the other.
He's the only Way. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through him. I must come to him and to the Father if I am going to be able to continue on the path. I sense deep within my soul there is no. other. way.
So here I sit, working out my salvation with fear and trembling and choose to put one foot in front of the other. I will be brave. He will make me brave by his grace and his grace alone. His boundless grace...and 'he has set the boundaries for me in wonderful places' (or something like that) as my good friend Mary says.
Stop.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Resurrecting the Blog
I don't know what happened, but for some reason this thing fell to the back burner after very little effort in getting it started in the first place. Recently however, I have come across a few things that have convicted me to do this, and so I am going to try again.
1. No less than 3 people/situations, have come up encouraging me to blog lately. Two of these have been admonishments from people I have a lot of respect for. I tend to figure that often, when God brings up a topic over and over again, it usually means he intends me to pay attention to it. In this case, the message is fairly clear: blog! So here I am (again).
2.All of these situations were also very specific in admonishing me to share some of what I have been/am going through in life. Two of these people felt that a certain situation with one of my children might be helpful for others to read about as we continue to navigate it as a family. Frankly, I am totally uncomfortable with this part of the assignment, but I understand that sometimes God asks us to do uncomfortable things for our good. So 'with fear and trembling'...may this be a repentant, redemptive act.
3. As I have considered the aforementioned, it has also occurred to me that it may be cathartic, in some way, to get a few things off my chest in regard to the (presently mystery) situation. Hopefully it will be helpful to others who read it as well.
4. Finally, life is just plain interesting being a stay at home, (soon to be officially) homeschooling mother of two. I am constantly considering how I might be a better wife, mother, teacher, homemaker, friend, sister, etc. We often have lots of fun around here, and I enjoy trying interesting DIY projects for myself, my family, and our home. I don't know for sure, but just maybe someone out there might enjoy hearing about these other categories as well.
: )
1. No less than 3 people/situations, have come up encouraging me to blog lately. Two of these have been admonishments from people I have a lot of respect for. I tend to figure that often, when God brings up a topic over and over again, it usually means he intends me to pay attention to it. In this case, the message is fairly clear: blog! So here I am (again).
2.All of these situations were also very specific in admonishing me to share some of what I have been/am going through in life. Two of these people felt that a certain situation with one of my children might be helpful for others to read about as we continue to navigate it as a family. Frankly, I am totally uncomfortable with this part of the assignment, but I understand that sometimes God asks us to do uncomfortable things for our good. So 'with fear and trembling'...may this be a repentant, redemptive act.
3. As I have considered the aforementioned, it has also occurred to me that it may be cathartic, in some way, to get a few things off my chest in regard to the (presently mystery) situation. Hopefully it will be helpful to others who read it as well.
4. Finally, life is just plain interesting being a stay at home, (soon to be officially) homeschooling mother of two. I am constantly considering how I might be a better wife, mother, teacher, homemaker, friend, sister, etc. We often have lots of fun around here, and I enjoy trying interesting DIY projects for myself, my family, and our home. I don't know for sure, but just maybe someone out there might enjoy hearing about these other categories as well.
: )
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