Abby is at the age where everything she wants has to be given to her now! There is no waiting for her. If she doesn't get it immediately she screams. No, she screeches. Of course the screeching really doesn't get her very far, and most of the time we still don't know exactly what she wants.
Patience is not only a virtue, but it has to be learned. Waiting on what we want is not easy, but it is worth it every time. When we try to get something before we are ready, it will fail. For example, when you buy a house because you think you are ready, but you really can't afford it yet, it was a mistake not to be patient.
Abraham and Sarah were promised descendants. However both of them had crises of faith while waiting for God to fulfill His promise. They were not patient. They wanted it and they wanted it now. They couldn't wait and wanted to take matters into their own hands. They thought that their plan was better than God's plan. They were WRONG!
I hope that I can remember to be patient and wait on God instead of wanting my way NOW!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
A Silver Platter
Andrew and I had the following conversation the other day about some Skylanders action figures which go along with a video game he has.
Andrew: My friend Austin from the bus has all the Skylanders, even the Legendary ones.
Me: That's nice.
Andrew: He said his parents bought them all for him.
Me: That's nice.
Andrew: Why can't you just buy me all the Skylanders instead of me having to save up to buy them myself.
Me: You will appreciate it someday that we are teaching you to be responsible in your finances. If we bought you whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted it, then you would never learn the value of a dollar.
This conversation made me truly thankful that my parents taught me the importance of saving money from a young age. I remember one summer when I put every penny of my meager allowance into a coffee can and didn't spend it on candy or treats at B&B Grocery just to save up for the gym bag I wanted. I know how to save and wait so we aren't in debt up to our eyeballs. My parents instilled in me what I hope to instill in my children about needs versus wants and about saving and about earning their way into things to be proud of the work done and the work that went in to getting something instead of just getting it for nothing. I don't remember what happened to that gym bag, but I do remember how truly proud I was that I was able to accomplish my goal and carrying that bag with my head held high.
Andrew: My friend Austin from the bus has all the Skylanders, even the Legendary ones.
Me: That's nice.
Andrew: He said his parents bought them all for him.
Me: That's nice.
Andrew: Why can't you just buy me all the Skylanders instead of me having to save up to buy them myself.
Me: You will appreciate it someday that we are teaching you to be responsible in your finances. If we bought you whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted it, then you would never learn the value of a dollar.
This conversation made me truly thankful that my parents taught me the importance of saving money from a young age. I remember one summer when I put every penny of my meager allowance into a coffee can and didn't spend it on candy or treats at B&B Grocery just to save up for the gym bag I wanted. I know how to save and wait so we aren't in debt up to our eyeballs. My parents instilled in me what I hope to instill in my children about needs versus wants and about saving and about earning their way into things to be proud of the work done and the work that went in to getting something instead of just getting it for nothing. I don't remember what happened to that gym bag, but I do remember how truly proud I was that I was able to accomplish my goal and carrying that bag with my head held high.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Strong Willed
Our middle child, Catherine, is strong-willed, to say the least. She comes by it honorably. And we are working hard to learn how to handle her outbursts and help her to control herself. Other days she is very compliant and obedient and we don't have to worry about anything.
She gets her mind set on something, anything really, and when she doesn't get her way you better stay out of the way. Today was one of those days. I struggled all day long with Catherine and her desire for her will to be done.
I was reading tonight about Psalm 37:4 which says, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I see people misuse this verse A LOT! Just because we desire something does not mean we will get it, even though many people think that it does. The problem is that they forget about the first part of the verse. We have to "take delight in The Lord" first. When we delight in The Lord, we begin to desire what he desires. God's desires do not change, ours do!
Catherine has her mind made up and has her heart set on things. The problem is that sometimes her desires are not the same as what is best for her or for our family. She does not think about anyone but herself (granted, she just turned five and that is typical).
I know Psalm 37:4. I know that I must delight in The Lord first, but I still forget that sometimes and try to bend God's will into my own instead of the other way around. Catherine is my regular reminder that I need to focus on letting God mold me into what He desires for me and that I will then receive my desires because they will line up perfectly with his!
She gets her mind set on something, anything really, and when she doesn't get her way you better stay out of the way. Today was one of those days. I struggled all day long with Catherine and her desire for her will to be done.
I was reading tonight about Psalm 37:4 which says, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I see people misuse this verse A LOT! Just because we desire something does not mean we will get it, even though many people think that it does. The problem is that they forget about the first part of the verse. We have to "take delight in The Lord" first. When we delight in The Lord, we begin to desire what he desires. God's desires do not change, ours do!
Catherine has her mind made up and has her heart set on things. The problem is that sometimes her desires are not the same as what is best for her or for our family. She does not think about anyone but herself (granted, she just turned five and that is typical).
I know Psalm 37:4. I know that I must delight in The Lord first, but I still forget that sometimes and try to bend God's will into my own instead of the other way around. Catherine is my regular reminder that I need to focus on letting God mold me into what He desires for me and that I will then receive my desires because they will line up perfectly with his!
Andrew's Heart for His Friends
Throughout the school year, Andrew and I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia. We had talked about certain things that CS Lewis put into the books to parallel certain aspects of the Bible. When he had his seventh birthday we decided on a Chronicles of Narnia party.
Andrew is a social child and loves everyone he meets, so we invited a number of his friends from school and soccer to the party. Through the party, the games and activities were going to tell parts of the story of the
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
The week of his party, we started gathering items and preparing for the activities. Andrew was excited and asking lots of questions all week long about who would be coming and what we would be doing. During one of these question sessions he asked, "Will we get to tell all my friends about God during my party?"
This stopped me in my tracks. I mean, yes, in the back of my mind, I hoped that this would be an opportunity to reach out to his friends, but that was not the sole purpose. However, it was a priority for Andrew. Yes, it was one of many questions, but it was a thought that he had.
How many times have we hosted something and asked ourselves the question "Will I get to tell them about God?" I would venture to guess not very often. And why not? My God-given purpose in life is to bring glory to God and what better way to do that than to tell our friends and family about what God is doing in our lives.
The faith of a child and the lack of fear of rejection challenges me, yet again!
Andrew is a social child and loves everyone he meets, so we invited a number of his friends from school and soccer to the party. Through the party, the games and activities were going to tell parts of the story of the
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
The week of his party, we started gathering items and preparing for the activities. Andrew was excited and asking lots of questions all week long about who would be coming and what we would be doing. During one of these question sessions he asked, "Will we get to tell all my friends about God during my party?"
This stopped me in my tracks. I mean, yes, in the back of my mind, I hoped that this would be an opportunity to reach out to his friends, but that was not the sole purpose. However, it was a priority for Andrew. Yes, it was one of many questions, but it was a thought that he had.
How many times have we hosted something and asked ourselves the question "Will I get to tell them about God?" I would venture to guess not very often. And why not? My God-given purpose in life is to bring glory to God and what better way to do that than to tell our friends and family about what God is doing in our lives.
The faith of a child and the lack of fear of rejection challenges me, yet again!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The Open Door
Like many moms today, I drive a minivan with a door on each side. We have a row of three seats in the middle row, but the two on the sides are folded up leaving one row in the middle for Abby and then Andrew and Catherine sit in the back row.
Today as I took the older two kids to "Adventure Camp," I opened the back door on one side (as usual) to let the kids get out. Catherine came out and was promptly handed her $1 for the offering that morning. Andrew, however, was determined to open the door on the other side of the car which had the handle and lock blocked by the seat from the middle row being folded forward. It is not easy to do from inside the car, especially when the door is locked!
I told him to come out the car on the open side and that it would be easier. I even told him about the $1. He was still determined to go out the other side. I ended up putting his dollar back into my pocket so that I could unbuckle Abby from her car seat which required the use of both hands.
Andrew had a reward waiting for him at the open door that he could have missed out on, but he wanted his way and the temptation of independence and the other door overtook him.
God stopped me as I was walking in to the church to drop them off and He said, "Did you see that? You just watched what Andrew did with your mouth hanging open because he wanted to open a closed door. How often do you do that?"
We pray for God to close the doors for opportunities that we aren't supposed to take. We pray for God to make His will clear to us. Then we try desperately to reopen a door that God closed instead of taking a few more steps in faith to the door that is wide open.
When we ask for God to speak and show us a way, we have to not only listen, but obey what He tells us. He has our best interests in mind and can see what will happen for us and to us. Sometimes those couple of steps of extra work will allow God to bless us so fully and amazingly that we will not even remember that other door.
God, help me to seek out the open door!
Today as I took the older two kids to "Adventure Camp," I opened the back door on one side (as usual) to let the kids get out. Catherine came out and was promptly handed her $1 for the offering that morning. Andrew, however, was determined to open the door on the other side of the car which had the handle and lock blocked by the seat from the middle row being folded forward. It is not easy to do from inside the car, especially when the door is locked!
I told him to come out the car on the open side and that it would be easier. I even told him about the $1. He was still determined to go out the other side. I ended up putting his dollar back into my pocket so that I could unbuckle Abby from her car seat which required the use of both hands.
Andrew had a reward waiting for him at the open door that he could have missed out on, but he wanted his way and the temptation of independence and the other door overtook him.
God stopped me as I was walking in to the church to drop them off and He said, "Did you see that? You just watched what Andrew did with your mouth hanging open because he wanted to open a closed door. How often do you do that?"
We pray for God to close the doors for opportunities that we aren't supposed to take. We pray for God to make His will clear to us. Then we try desperately to reopen a door that God closed instead of taking a few more steps in faith to the door that is wide open.
When we ask for God to speak and show us a way, we have to not only listen, but obey what He tells us. He has our best interests in mind and can see what will happen for us and to us. Sometimes those couple of steps of extra work will allow God to bless us so fully and amazingly that we will not even remember that other door.
God, help me to seek out the open door!
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