I love you, O Lord, MY STRENGTH...

I still remember every moment. I can close my eyes and picture who was where; What was happening; Movements & noises in the room; Who spoke. It happens often. Not just on the 7th of every month. And no, it doesn't "go away with time." What does happen, though, is God's constant reminder of His love for me & how He provides the strength for me to keep moving forward continues to be shown time & time again.

I called to the Lord, even though the cords of death entangled me & the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. In my distress I called for the Lord. In His temple, HE HEARD MY VOICE.

My sister posted on her daughter's site this morning. ( www.forsydney.net ) She would have been two years old today. The replaying started late last night ... I recalled when we drove to the hospital ... I remembered when she was admitted ... I closed my eyes & thought of how quiet the room was until she got her epidural ... I remember posts on facebook ... I remember watching the team of doctors & nurses walk, without making eye contact...like a band of brothers, into her room 61 minutes later ... I didn't sleep well last night as I continued remembering the rest of the night & wee hours of the morning. Lindsay said it perfectly though ... We all deal with it differently!

The earth trembled & quaked...He parted the heavens & earth...He soared on the wings on the wind...The Lord thundered from heaven & reached down from on high & took my hand.

Some of us get angry. Some of us get quiet. Others decide to cry while others take it farther & become depressed. Like my sister, I want to talk about it. God gave my sister & our family a HUGE platform. I pray we never use it ineffectively or for less than what God called it.

He brought me out into a spacious place because HE DELIGHTED IN ME.

El Shaddai means All-Sufficient or The One who is Enough. If I focus on this, I can remember ~ along with all of the other remembrances ~ that He is enough. He gives and He takes away. But He does this for our own protection. We may not understand it OR like it. I go back, however, to the meaning of El Shaddai: The One who is Enough.

He can handle my tears.

He can handle my questions.

He can handle my worries.

He can handle my sadness.

He can handle it all.

He knows my heart & He knows how to handle me. HE CREATED ME!

He keeps my lamp burning & turned my darkness into light.

The greatest hope in my life is that I can show Christ to others. It's usually easy when life is grand. But in the darkest of days & the stormiest of times, do others notice my eyes are focused on Him? Can others tell that heart wants nothing more than Jesus & Jesus alone? When I write this, do you know that I pray constantly as I type, delete, retype, close, pray over, & then post? For the only reason that I want you to see HIS hand writing from the outpouring of my heart.

You make Your saving grace my shield...The Lord lives. Praise be to Him! He avenges me & saves me & I will praise You. I will sing the praises of Your Name.

(scripture taken from Psalm 18)

I pray when your family goes through times of trials & struggles, that you are teaching your children that the God we serve is more powerful than any enemy or foe. I pray you show them, through your own actions, that even the toughest situations are to be used for God's glory. I pray you speak His Word into their little lives & let them know that He has a VERY specific purpose for each one of us & that none of us would be here if He did not intend it. And that for this reason, we will walk humbly down the path He traced for us, knowing that One Day...such a glorious day it will be...We will know.

"In that day you will no longer ask me anything." John 16:23

A Wonderful Calling

I know the Lord gives us each a platform & we are charged with using it for His glory. Hang with me through the random facts & try to follow my train of thoughts all the way to the end...It of course ties to motherhood & homeschooling.

Infertility affects over 7 1/2 million couples in the United States alone. A few statistics...
*50% of women & 15% of men classify it as the worst event of her/his life.
*13% of women who go through IVF will discuss suicidal thoughts with her doctor.
*60% of couples make more sacrifices during treatments than when they have a child. *70% say they miss the carefree relationship they once had with one another.
*69% of couples say they feel emotionally unstable.
*56% claim they are consistently concerned with finances during this time.
*77% claim depression; 72% claim they are mostly angry; 56% feel anxious; and 71% say the unsolicited questions, suggestions, & "it will happen when the time is right" or "it will happen when you relax" comments send them into uncontrolled (but often harbored inside) anger.

There are over 6 million pregnancies each year in America.
*Over 4 million are live births.
*Just under 2 million are losses & of those losses, 700,000 are miscarriages, 64,000 are ectopic, 6,000 are molar, 100,000 are stillbirths, & yes, if you've been calculating, that makes just over 1 million remaining & they are terminated.

The word child or children appears over 2,000 times in the bible. The phrase "Honor thy (mother/father/parents)" occurs ten times, each with very specific directives. "Family" is mentioned just over 120 times; "Fathers" (as in earthly) appears somewhere around 150 times; "Mothers" appears approximately 250 times.

When Eve took a bite of the apple & sin fell into the world, God declared to Eve: "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children." Pregnancy & childbearing were initially intended to be quite easy; It was because of OUR sin that we feel pain.

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a mother. For all of our 6 year marriage, we have prayed that God would bless us with a child & sought plenty of medical interventions, as we were led. I have felt the range of those emotions listed above. Honestly though, I can't think of anything I haven't enjoyed about being pregnant. What a gift! Yes, I've experienced ups & downs & the difficulties have grown me, but the sheer fact that 6 months ago, my daughter was a few cells...BLOWS MY MIND! And as keenly as I am aware of these statistics, emotions, & "commonalities" of pregnancy, I am also claiming the scripture which states:

"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD."

Many moons ago, the Lord spoke directly to me from Habakkuk 3, verses 16-19. I rewrote them as the prayer, which has become my heart's cry:

"I heard the doctors tell us we cannot have children & my heart pounded, my lips quivered. Decay crept into my bones & for a moment, I lost the will to live. My legs trembled with every step...with every friend or relative who became pregnant or had a baby. I waited for the day my world would just completely collapse & listened as everyone told me told me to be patient & that it would be just fine. Even though there is nothing in sight I see which is producing anything fruitful & we continue our wait for a child, I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD & I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR. For He made my feet walk these paths & my heights are known to Him. He. Is. My. Strength."

If we are given the opportunity to be a mother (and just so you know my stance...I was a "mother" long before this child was growing in my womb...), I feel it is one of the greatest callings the Lord provides & it is a charge we should not take lightly. He does not state that pregnancy, labor, delivery, & parenting will be easy. In fact, He tells us walking on His straight & narrow path WILL be filled with struggles but He uses them for our growth. I don't intend to use my time here on earth focusing on the negative statistics or what things I am "entitled" to; I pray I use it effectively, to honor our Lord.

I might be a statistic to you, but to God, I am HIS CHILD & this path was chosen for me & I GLADLY, with Godly boldness, walk it. I choose EACH DAY to rejoice in the God of my salvation & with EVERY BREATH Praise His Holy name. He created this child ~ He created my body to carry her ~ He created me to be her mother & take care of her needs at this very moment in time ~ He may take her from me or leave her in my care until another time ~ But I will still, with every breath, Praise His Holy name!

I hope if His path is leading you to homeschooling, you realize how truly blessed you are & remember this is not an easy calling..It is not for everyone. You are now an all-day model for what you want your children to learn & what you say, think, & do will shape them forever. Will you rejoice always? Will you remember the Lord's promises that you will see the fruit of your labor if the time & perseverance is invested? Will you remain joyful & allow Him to be your strength? It's a choice ... What will you choose this day?

FINAL OPPORTUNITY

This is your final opportunity to sign your sweetie up for art camp! June 20 - 23 from 9:00 - 12:00, I will be hosting an Art camp titled, Me as God's Masterpiece! Each day we will study a different artist & his style, as well as make a painting mimicking this particular style. We will view the world around us, noticing how these artists used what was around them to create their masterpieces. We will also be tying in the story of creation from Genesis to each particular style, but we will also be very specific in discussing our own uniqueness. You need only to select one week for your child to attend.

While I will teach about each artist, it will be related to their artistic style, not their lifestyle. I will use godly judgement when giving your children information about each artist. Each day will consist of a mini-lesson about that day's artist(s) where we will read an article, book, or view an online biography. We will then look at pieces of his art & learn what we will be painting & the technique we will use. The majority of the time will be spent creating our masterpieces but we will also have a snack each day. Your children will also create an art journal, logging what they learned about each artist, each day, along with the bible verse we discussed that day. As our close, we will view our masterpieces & will notice how different ~but wonderful~ they all are. To top off our art journey, our last day (Thursday) will be extended until 1:00. From 12:00 to 1:00, you will be invited to join us to view all of our masterpieces displayed in our "gallery." Your children will have individual areas displaying their art pieces & will be more than excited to show you their work, but also the work of their friends.

The cost for the entire week will be $125. This includes all of your child's necessary supplies for the week and will be due two weeks prior to the start of the session; June 6. This is a non-refundable fee but in case of an emergency, please contact me so we can make some type of an arrangement. I have set a limit of 7 children with an age range of 5-10. If your child attends & you have a sibling who is 4 years old or 11 years old & would like to attend, I will make that exception.

Noticing the world around us, helps us not only see God's beauty in His world, but His beauty in us. We will open & close each day with prayer, focusing on His creation: Me as God's Masterpiece! I consider it a great privilege to work with each of you & hope this camp will bless your children. Please contact me now at scritzer711@gmail.com if you wish to reserve a spot for your child(ren)! I can't wait for this camp!!!

Self-Control

What better way to end a series of posts about the attributes we should help our children possess than with self-control? HAHAHAAHAHAHAA!!!!! Do you find this difficult? Think about all it encompasses ~ We are told to have self-control when...
*Eating
*Speaking
*Working
*Thinking
*Spending our free time
*Having a conversation
*Teaching
*Learning
*Searching

...and so much more! A long post ago, I mentioned that in order to teach the Fruit of the Spirit attributes to our children, we must have them in place in our lives first, in order to model them to our sweeties. We can grasp larger concepts so think of these instances where self-control is shown & think of how they can be applied to your life.

~When Jesus was tempted in the garden by Satan himself in Matthew 4, He had not eaten for 40 days & was hungry. Imagine how vulnerable a person could be after this period of time, yet 3 times He repeats, "It is written..." He doesn't fight Satan with emotions or vacant words. He uses the very Word of God to surround Himself with armor & tells Satan TO HIS FACE "For it is written..." & then gives him the reason why Satan's temptation was only an attempt at temptation. We can overcome by knowing God's Word so that when temptation arises, we can say as Jesus did, "For it is written..."

~When Judas approaches Jesus in the garden, Jesus doesn't freak out, knowing the hour has come. He simply says, "Do what you came to do." On one of the most difficult days of my life, my family basically had to say those words. Letting go was BEYOND difficult; Knowing it had to happen was understood. The only comfort of that moment was knowing the Lord had this in His hand & under His control & that His grace was sufficient for us.

~Twice when Jesus was asked during the final days of His life if He was in fact the Son of God, The King of the Jews, He replies by saying, "You have said so." Jesus had made Himself KNOWN as God's Son, yet those who are still so self-involved cannot see it. If I were in that position, I may have rolled my eyes thinking, 'These people cannot be serious STILL!' Or, I may have shouted back at them, wanting to shake them into belief that, 'HELLLLLLOOOOOO people ~ did you not see the miracles? When I fed 5,000 was that not good enough? The parable of the weeds didn't get through to you I see?! What more do you need?!!!!!' Jesus had already spoken to His Father & knew that this cup was not going to pass so instead, He doesn't argue with them but again, simply states the Truth.

~During His Crucifixion, He was, for no valid reason, beaten, tortured, mocked, scorned, shoved, kicked, spit on, abused & shamed. They laughed at Him. They threw things at Him. They split His hands & feet with nails. They watched Him, even laughed, as He hung on the cross dying. Did He call out to the people asking for relief? No. He completed the task asked of Him & cried out in His last breath, "It is finished."

Realizing those examples were the Savior himself and knowing we can never, while here on Earth, attain that, do you show self-control when your children throw temper tantrums? Do you speak to them in a controlled voice, giving them direct instruction on what you need for them to do at that very instance or do you get all heated yourself and only add fuel to the fire by yelling & reprimanding them in the middle of everyone & everything? Can you say to your child, "No, you cannot have this toy at the third store we are visiting because you have ten bazillion at home & no means no" or do you repeat no eight times until finally, through his/her teary eyes & loud screams of WHY MOMMY/DADDY, WHY, you cave in because you are tired of fighting with them? Children understand self-control when you model it. They learn best from watching & listening to you. Try these instead:

*The next time they begin the afternoon meltdown, stop what you are doing, walk away with your child to a quiet location, speak the Truth into them & allow them to have their moment while sitting in you arms. I do realize this is difficult to do ~ especially when your grocery cart is filled with food or you are at the mall with friends. BUT, a young child will not understand your point if you do not do it right then & there. Period.

*As they begin fighting with a sibling or a playgroup friend, sit down with them and remind them of how we play nicely together by modeling it yourself. If it doesn't stop with you next to them, remind them again & separate the two (or more) for a moment. If it still continues, walk away with your child, again speaking God's Word into them about how we treat our friends & show self-control. Surely you Will hear 8,000 times a day: "But he did it first!!!" We are not accountable for others' actions; Only our own. And again, unless this is modeled to them IN THE PROCESS, they will find it difficult to learn.

I don't pretend to sit here typing away & think my unborn daughter will never have a temper tantrum or bite her friend or that she will never disobey to the point she needs a reminder or grab a toy out of another child's hand because "she was playing with it first." What I do commit to you today ~ 4 months before she's here ~ is that I WILL stop & teach her these things because God called me to be her model, her teacher, her example, her mentor. Yes, I will fail. I will fail A LOT! I ask for your prayers as my husband & I seek God's counsel on raising her & your encouragement when we do walk away with her in our attempts to teach her Godly character.

What do I hope you can see from this prompting of my heart? That Jesus had self-control & He asks only of us to follow His example. When you are raising your children, follow His example & do not grow weary in doing so. But when you do ~ call the friends who will lift you up, pray over you & your child, let you vent, but get you right back on the horse of parenting because it is one of your greatest callings in life. Showing self-control is the key to your child understanding it.

American Girl Doll Camp

I can't believe we are over half way through the month of May! Summer is fast approaching & I hope you are finding a lot to do with your sweet cherubs! Remember I am offering an art camp in June ~ But if your sweetie isn't interested in that ... I am also hosting a week long, in-depth FUN study of the American Girl dolls!!!!

From July 18-22, I will be hosting an American Girl doll camp. This camp will be from 9:00 - 12:00 for girls ages 4-10. The cost for this camp will be $125 and includes all activities & projects. I am setting a limit of 10 girls and have 4 signed up already so act fast!! I will require payment by July 1 in order for me to adequately prepare. While I cannot make up any sessions your daughter may miss, I will be more than happy to provide you with a list of our activities & the necessary supplies for the missed day, in case of an emergency.

If your daughter has an American Girl doll (or two or more) she may bring one each day and/or she may dress up as each day's time period (a schedule will be mailed to you 2 weeks prior to camp). Each day we will read a short selection from one of the AG books, study that time period through music & technology, make an art project pertaining to that time period & that specific AG doll, learn vocabulary for that time period, & enjoy a snack each particular AG doll would have eaten (within reason! Don't worry ~ we won't be eating Buffalo! ;o) ). If there is a movie based off of that character, we will also try to watch a clip from that movie.

The American Girl doll series has always been popular but has gained in its popularity over the past 5 years. These character dolls are not only a wonderful way of making history come alive, but a wonderful way to expose your girls to different lifestyles & struggles. The AG store hype hasn't hurt this gain in popularity either though!!! I will not only focus on each AG doll, but I will also tie in the scriptures regarding a principle that doll learns.

I am slating spots NOW so please let me know if you are interested ~ I am VERY EXCITED about this camp & I hope your daughter will be, too! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me and when you are ready to reserve your daughter's spot. let me know that, too! scritzer711@gmail.com

Me as God's Masterpiece

Don't miss this summer opportunity for your children! June 20 - 23 (Camp 1) & June 27 - 30 (Camp 2) from 9:00 - 12:00, I will be hosting an Art camp titled, Me as God's Masterpiece! Each day we will study a different artist & his style, as well as make a painting mimicking this particular style. We will view the world around us, noticing how these artists used what was around them to create their masterpieces. We will also be tying in the story of creation from Genesis to each particular style, but we will also be very specific in discussing our own uniqueness. You need only to select one week for your child to attend.

While I will teach about each artist, it will be related to their artistic style, not their lifestyle. I will use godly judgement when giving your children information about each artist. Each day will consist of a mini-lesson about that day's artist(s) where we will read an article, book, or view an online biography. We will then look at pieces of his art & learn what we will be painting & the technique we will use. The majority of the time will be spent creating our masterpieces but we will also have a snack each day. Your children will also create an art journal, logging what they learned about each artist, each day, along with the bible verse we discussed that day. As our close, we will view our masterpieces & will notice how different ~but wonderful~ they all are. To top off our art journey, our last day (Thursday) will be extended until 1:00. From 12:00 to 1:00, you will be invited to join us to view all of our masterpieces displayed in our "gallery." Your children will have individual areas displaying their art pieces & will be more than excited to show you their work, but also the work of their friends.

The cost for the entire week will be $125. This includes all of your child's necessary supplies for the week and will be due two weeks prior to the start of the session: June 6 (if you are attending Camp 1) and June 13 (if you are attending Camp 2). This is a non-refundable fee but in case of an emergency, please contact me so we can make some type of an arrangement. I have set a limit of 7 children with an age range of 5-10. If your child attends & you have a sibling who is 4 years old or 11 years old & would like to attend, I will make that exception.

Noticing the world around us, helps us not only see God's beauty in His world, but His beauty in us. We will open & close each day with prayer, focusing on His creation: Me as God's Masterpiece! I consider it a great privilege to work with each of you & hope this camp will bless your children. Please contact me now at scritzer711@gmail.com if you wish to reserve a spot for your child(ren)! I can't wait for this camp!!!

Gentleness Part 2

As the anniversary of Jesus' death & resurrection are now "over," they are quickly forgotten by most. Until next year anyway. I pray this is not the case with us, my friends.

There are a lot of ways to describe the cross & the things Jesus did while on the cross but gentleness is not always one that comes to mind.

Tortured...Definitely. Grueling...Yes. Dark...Of course. Gentle??? Hardly.

Except when you know the outcome & the ending of the story & you decide to take a step back & try to see it from a different perspective...Then you can see gentleness.

I hardly think His being beaten, mocked, abused, spit on, & cursed for MY sins is gentle. But, if gentleness is one of His traits, then He is gentle always & without fail. As I thought about this, I read through each gospel to see the different words spoken & the different perspectives & I noticed a few things.

Matthew 26~As the high priest was looking to charge Jesus with anything in order to condemn, he said, "Tell us if you are the Son of God." Here's where I first saw gentleness: "Jesus replied, 'You have said so.'" He didn't get upset or angry or roll His eyes...He didn't get smart with him or point out the obvious thousands of miracles He had performed in the most recent days. He simply spoke the truth ~ gently.

Mark 16~As the women went to prepare Jesus' body with anointing spices, they never had to figure out who would roll the stone away! In the open grave, they saw a man sitting there who told them to "Go & tell His disciples AND PETER." I emphasize Peter for a reason. Yes, to the faithful He shows Himself faithful, which is why I believe this man said go & tell His disciples; But Peter? Geesh ~ He denied Jesus! In this day & age, that is normal & many people follow one thing but in the thick of the throes, they declare another. Not in Jesus' day, though. So why would God speak into this man, telling him to specifically add Peter? I have come to this conclusion: WE DENY JESUS ALL THE TIME! Whether it's with our words, actions, lack of action, or attitudes...Our disobedience is a form of denial. This is why the scriptures tell us to deny our flesh & take up His cross. I found it very moving that God wanted us to know that EVEN PETER was to be included...And His gentle way of letting us know that every time we deny Him, He is there to welcome us back.

Luke 23~As one of the condemned criminals shouted at Jesus to save himself, mocking whether or not He really was the Messiah, the other noticed his guilt & His innocence. "Don't you fear God? Since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done no wrong." He then turns to Jesus (and I imagine with tears in His bloodied eyes) & asks Him to "Remember me when You come into Your Kingdom." Did Jesus laugh at him or go through the laundry list of things that, in fact, this criminal had done wrong? Nope! He simply & gently said, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." He could have laughed at him thinking, 'Sure, NOW you want to believe in Me' or rolled His eyes thinking...'Did I not prove myself long before this unbearable cross?' He didn't do those fleshly things, though. He stayed true to Himself & His character & gently led this filthy man, who was at that moment washed white as snow, into Paradise with Him.

The gentleness of the cross is a different perspective ~ I'll admit. But don't you think if we are charged with "being like Him," that we should turn these God-breathed scriptures inside & out searching for His Ways & His truths? And wouldn't that include reading & rereading & looking through different eyes to see the totality of Him?

Jesus was gentle all the time. The bible says, "I am God. I change not." Never. Not once. And this can be modeled to our children as we are raising them to be Christ-minded. When they don't follow your instruction the first time, gently remind them. When they come running back to you telling you that you were (shock of all shocks!!!) right, don't mock the growth in their learning. Do you have a limit of how many times your children can disobey you before you put them up for adoption? OF COURSE NOT! You sit them down & you discuss their choice. THIS IS PRIME TIME ladies~Teach them when they are in that moment that He tells us that we are "all sheep who have gone astray" but then proceeds to tell us that if EVEN ONE wanders, He will retrieve it. Then give them a hug~for they just gained a bit more wisdom!

Listen to Jesus' gentle voice today. Sometimes it's more of a lightening bolt, yes...But other times, you can hear the gentle thunder rolling in the distance if you just stay still long enough to listen.

Gently speaking ~

Fancy Nancy Day

I have some exciting news!!!!!! It's about Fancy Nancy but if you don't know who Fancy Nancy is, you may not be that excited. She is a spunky little girl who loves words ONLY when they're fancy! Her favorite color: Fuchsia....because Purple is too plain. Her favorite treat: Parfaits....because an ice cream sundae is for plain people. I love Fancy Nancy! I have nearly all of her books & always enjoy rereading them.

Now for the exciting news: I'm hosting a Fancy Nancy day! On May 6, from 9:00 - 12:00, your girl(s), ages 5-10, can join me & other girls for a fancy day! This day will include reading, writing, & most importantly ~ arts & crafts! Your child will not only read & listen to some of Fancy Nancy's books, but will create lists of fancy words, have a fancy snack, & do a very fancy arts & crafts project. Your sweet girl is encouraged to dress up in fancy clothes, but please keep in mind we will be using glue, watercolor paints, washable markers, & crayons. You know your child! If her day will be ruined by getting a drop of paint on her shirt, perhaps you want to send her with a larger old t-shirt for her to cover up with while we work. :o) I will also be focusing on the scripture Deuteronomy 7:6, "The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession." We will learn (through Fancy Nancy's help) that we were each chosen to be just the way we are & while each of us is different, we have one very important thing that is the same: God loves all of us & has chosen each one of us to be His treasured possession. Our arts & crafts project will have something very special to do with our individual names!!!

If you are interested in your child attending, please email me at scritzer711@gmail.com as soon as you can to let me know your child will be in attendance. My limit will be 7 girls but should I have more interested, I will consider adding a 2nd day to accommodate. The price for this one day mini-camp is $25 & will be due to reserve your spot one week prior, on April 29. This will give me ample time do my final preparations & purchase the necessary items. This fee is unfortunately non-refundable.

I can't wait for this day & look forward to sharing it with your daughter! Email me soon as the 7 spots are being filled quickly!

Gentleness Part 1

When you think of the word gentleness, what do you think?

~The sweet grasp of a newborn baby
~The brush of your adoring husbands hand upon your shoulder
~The wind breezing by you on a beautiful spring morning
~Your best friend walking side-by-side in silence as you purchase a dress for a funeral never planned

I have a million other examples ~ as I'm sure you do as well. But do you also think ~as we are called to do~ about the gentleness of our Lord?

~He sat & listened to the woman at the well, when no one else would come near her
~He prompted the heart of Boaz towards a woman working in his field
~He posed a rhetorical sentence to the angry crowd: He who is without sin may cast the first stone. And when they were all gone, the woman was left there with Him...Who did not yell or chastise her, but rather said, "Go and put away your sins."
~The heart of a 9 year old girl heard a whisper alone in her bed & she knew that voice was Jesus

Are there stories where Jesus was mad or God sent down His angst against His people? Of course. But time & time again, when I pick up God's Word, He reveals His gentleness to my heart, reminding me that no matter my sin, he will never pull me back to His will kicking & screaming, but rather whisper in my ear His ways ever so gently until I follow. Gentleness is controlled strength. God can slam you straight back into you place (and, ahemmm....maybe He has deemed that necessary sometimes) but most instances, He nudges you or speaks through someone or whispers into your heart every so slightly ~ with gentleness.

When you were holding your precious infant those first few days of their life, weren't you praying over his/her life & all the things he/she would become? Didn't you create a picture in your mind of health & happiness of a child who grows up to be a lover of Christ, a giver of His love, showing kindness to others? But your children aren't perfect, are they? And I'm sure they never let you down either. Let me guess ~ All of their chores are done with a smile & every word is spoken in love & no one rolls their eyes at you, right? Wait....wait ......Ohhhhhh, that was God's plan for us, not the sinful, fleshly world we live in today. Well let me pose this question then...Do you forgive your children when they make a mistake? Do you tell them they can do a better job next time & that you are still proud of all they are trying to learn? Do you remind them with gentleness that we don't eat the bread of idleness & that our house won't clean itself & then make chores fun? When they use unkind words or roll their eyes for the 3 millionth time, do you show them by your own words how they can choose differently next time?

God remembers our sins. He created us & knows our every detail, remember? But He doesn't leave us there. He guides us gently ~ and yes, sometimes with a necessary rebuke ~ back to Him. He remembers holding us as a tiny embryo, delicately making us into who we are today. He sits back & watches as we take our first steps with the very feet he fashioned. He recalls painting our fingerprints & the color of our eyes just as vividly as He recalls paining the sunset in the thousands of colors we see. He's Our Abba ~ Our Father. And as we are trusted with children, we need to also gently guide them back into His arms. We need to help lead them back to His Word .. reminding them of His gentleness we are to display ..

"He tends His flock like a shepherd, He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart..."

"Here is my servant in whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight."

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle & humble in heart..."

Be gentle today ~ Your children will see this beautiful trait of Our Abba through you ~ And will hopefully listen the next time He is speaking to them ~

Synonymous

I'm teaching several sweeties about synonyms these days. It enriches their vocabulary, allows them to have more colorful writing, shows them more patterns in the world ... But it also helps with understanding. A child's understanding of a word comes from what they know. Maybe it's what they know about that word ~ Perhaps they use the context of the rest of the sentence to draw the meaning ~ Most often though, someone has explained it to them.

As I was again studying faithfulness, I came across a devotion which made a wonderful connection to a very familiar word: Reliability.

I can list at least 25 instances in which someone or something in my life has not been reliable. No hurt feelings (well, not now anyway. ;o) ) ~ only learned lessons....A lot of which were for the betterment of my own self so I am thankful for these circumstances.

I'm sure you know where this is going. You know who hasn't let me down? Yep ~ God! The One who created this entire universe ~ The One who spoke me & this sweet baby growing inside of me into existence ~ The One who gave up His only Son to become my sin on this earth.

"For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

I'm tempted to fight back with the ones who "wrong" me. I am tempted to stomp my foot & put them in their correct place. I am tempted to make sure they know just how they are making me feel. Thankfully, I know my Shepard. And I pray at least a billion times a day, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." He is reliable & answers me. I...I am not. Sometimes I lose my cool & I fight back. But once again, I ask forgiveness & the Lord is reliable, welcoming me into His lap again, just as any good Abba does.

Faith itself is not something you usually see. We can attempt to show ourselves faithful or our faithfulness, but in our own flesh, we fail. God does not. As we teach our young ones about faith ~ being faithful & showing faithfulness ~ may we remember to teach them the synonym reliable. It may help them understand the bigger concept of "faithfulness." We will let our children down. Our children will let us down. Others will let us & our children down. But God will always be there & He will always understand. He is able to understand our every need, want, desire, & temptation.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but rather one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are."

Go before Him ~ who is able to understand...Who can meet you where you are...Who will be reliable & listen to you, speaking truth over you as you pour your heart out to Him. And remind those precious children who just colored on the wall ...or mouthed off to you ...or disobeyed your instruction ...or has a hurt heart because someone ignored them at AWANA's tonight ...or wasn't included because they were "too little" ...or said something about someone which was less than pleasing to our Lord ...That He is Our Father who is always reliable ~ always faithful ~ and is always waiting for us to enter into His presence.

Waiting at the cross with you ~

His Faithfulness

I have been considering how faithful my "trail" will be when I leave this earth. The words God spoke to me regarding the last post were challenging!!! When you really think about how faithful you are in your daily circumstances & you are actively seeking to serve God through each of them, He will speak to you ...and I assure you He will let you know if you are or are not being faithful. (OUCH!)

Times when I was NOT faithful this past week...

~When I rolled my eyes at something someone said.

~When I didn't return my friend's phone call.

~When I didn't finish cleaning the house.

~When I opened facebook before I opened my bible.

~When I ate the 2nd cookie instead of keeping with my set limit.

~When I questioned God & asked, "Why???"

Times this week when God WAS faithful...

~When He gave me 6 straight hours of sleep, just as I thought I was getting sick.

~When He held a dear friend through a difficult surgery, followed by chemo & radiation that same week.

~When He provided for a financial need.

~When His answer was confirmed by 5 different people!

~When He loved me, as I was unlovable.



God doesn't waiver in His Faithfulness. EVER! Mine ~ eh....a little shaky I must admit. In my flesh, I want to make a comment back because "I know I'm right" or I become lazy & say "I'll do it later" when we are never guaranteed as much. From the beginning of time, He knew His love would be poured out on Calvary's cross for me. He knew His perfect Son would be blamed, beaten, & mocked for sin that is mine. He created a perfect plan for me, knew I would fall & yet is faithful to lead me back to it, no matter how many times I venture down the other path. He loves me...He loves you...And it is always unconditional, always faithful.

"However, the Lord your God, ...turned the curse into a blessing for you, BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU."

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with UNFAILING faithfulness."

"God is faithful, who called you into the fellowship..."

"God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, ALWAYS providing a way of endurance."

"Be glad, ..rejoice in the Lord...BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL!"

"For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in ALL he does."

Think about this today as you are teaching your young ones. Are you teaching them faithfulness? Do they have responsibilities at home or are you always asking them to please clean their rooms or please walk the dog? Teaching faithfulness is also keeping your commitments. (Look out ~ this may hit a nerve!!!) Are you always late to where you are going? Do you plan too much in one day & then skip something they were really looking forward to "because you just couldn't find the time." (Although, you had time to talk to your friend for 20 minutes while your kiddos sat in the car.) Do you pray with them every day or just when you have time?

God has shown Himself faithful to me so many times I couldn't possibly count. The most pressing on my mind in this moment is the anticipated birth of our first child. After 5 1/2 years, we WOULD. NOT. BE. PREGNANT without His guiding, His leading, His patience poured on us, His mercy on our unfaithfulness, His perfect timing. God ~ Is ~ Faithful. Would you keep pursuing faithfulness down this trail of life with me? Don't give up ~ He has a prize waiting for us at the end! ;o)

The Trail of Faithfulness

How long does it take to show faithfulness? How long does it take to BE faithful? Think about those questions again ... At what point can you say someone has been faithful?

Yowsers ~ THAT is a loaded question, isn't it?!

Faithfulness is defined as, "reliable, trusted, believed; true to one's word or promise; loyal or constant." I love that last word. CONSTANT!

I was speaking to someone I hadn't seen in a while, telling them why I left public school education & started my own business, leading us into the conversation of the inevitable..."WHY home school?" (Another loaded question!) As I defended my stance & rattled off some scriptures & statistics, the conversation quickly moved onto other topics but it got me thinking about this journey we walk down on the trail of faithfulness.

Am I faithful in defending what I believe in God? Am I faithful to serving my husband each & every day? Am I a faithful daughter/sister/friend? Do I show faithfulness when I am working with my clients? Do I amplify that definition in my daily walk? In all these things, do I leave a trail of faithfulness for others to see?

So many people have noticed that I don't have children of my own, yet I am advising on how to "train up a child in the way he should go." Sometimes that stings. Mostly because that has been a period of trial for my husband & I. After 5 1/2 years of praying, waiting, tests & procedures, we continue to cling to Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." And now, I can finally announce that our first child is due October 1! We have learned much along this road ~ take none of it for granted ~ and will continue to give ALL the glory & honor & praise to HIM who has chosen us to be the parents of this precious child.

I digress though...(That was VERY exciting for me to write!!!! [grins, grins grins])Sometimes it stings. But mostly, it pushes me to delve deeper into God's Word to find wisdom & truth about how we should prepare ourselves for this life, and how we should prepare our children. One of the definitions of faithfulness was constant. Scripture says, "When I rise up, when I sit down, when I walk in the way..." That seems pretty clear to me at just how consistent we should be & this is also my reason for doing what I do!

As a home school parent, you have a golden opportunity to teach your child the ways in which the Lord wants us to lead our lives. You can intervene in arguments between your children, showing them how to handle conflict in a godly manner by loving & forgiving the one who has offended them. You can teach them about serving others, as you take one day each month & clean the home of an elderly church member. You can teach them the priceless gift of helping others as your older children assist your younger children with homework or difficult problems. You can teach them to love others more than themselves & when a sibling is having a rough day, they can come alongside them & pray over them, draw a picture for them, tickle them, and/or listen to them.

Just writing these things makes my heart want to explode with excitement, knowing these things can happen in so many homes!

So let me pose a few questions (and maybe a scripture that gives us guidance in regard to the answer) as we travel along this journey together...

~How does one develop a christian mind? ...Therefore, helping develop those sweet little ones watching your every move & listening to your every word & observing your every facial expression...
"Love the Lord your God with all your hear, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Mt. 22:37
"Set apart Jesus as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." 1 Pt. 3:15

~How do I set a faithful example for my (family, children, office, friends)?
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act." Ps. 37:3-5

~How do I continue gaining in my knowledge of Jesus Christ, therefore passing it on to my children (setting an example to a neighbor, family member, etc.)?
"Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ." Rom. 10:17

Being faithful is tough. Most days, I feel like the only thing I do that IS constant, is fail!!! But God calls us to stand firm in our faith. He asks us to work through our salvation. He charges us to give these battles over to Him & allow Him to work through & in our lives. He is the only One who is the true definition of faithfulness.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation; because by Him everything was created in heaven and on earth...all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything." Col. 1:15-18

Being faithful ~ showing faithfulness ~ is a journey. Part of the joy as we travel this journey & attempt to set an example for others is the fact that WHEN we fail, we can go to them, ask for forgiveness, & get right back up on our walk down the trail of faithfulness. Think about the power in THAT example for your little ones! And when you just. can't. go. on...Remember the One who IS faithfulness.


"If we have no faith, He will still be faithful for He cannot go against what He Is." 2 Tim. 2:13

Walking this journey of faithfulness WITH you ~

For GOODNESS sake

Goodness is a tough concept to teach, don't you think? Sure you may say to your sweet cherubs as you are leaving them for the evening, "Be good for (babysitter, grammy, etc.) so mommy & daddy will be proud of you!" Well, what parameters surround "being good?"

Good is defined as, "the state or quality of being good; moral excellence; generosity; the best part of anything." But what has your family taught your child(ren) about this word?

The bible says SOME of the following (one day you should look up the word good in your bible reference...Gracious we need to grow!):

Exodus 33 says, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."

Nehemiah said, "Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them..."

2 Chronicles says, "may your faithful people rejoice in your goodness.."

Psalm 23, "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Psalm 69 says, "Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me."

2 Peter says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Psalm 145 says, "They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness."

Hebrews 6 says, "who have tasted the goodness of the word of God..."

Did you notice who was good in those passages? Who was the one who IS good? Where does it come from? It is not something WE do; Rather it is something God cultivates in us, when we are His child. It's kind of like forgiveness...You aren't really the one forgiving...God's faithfulness to forgive you, allows you to invite forgiveness into your own heart, therefore forgiving those who sin against you. It's not YOU but the Lord. It's the same thing with goodness.

Being "good" can then mean honoring your Father with those things He has provided to you, showing His goodness in your life.

~Maybe He gave your arms & legs...Can you serve Him out of the goodness of His provision?
~Perhaps He provided you with a compassionate heart, filled with a listening ear...Can you listen out of the goodness He poured into you?
~Did He listen to your prayer request? Can you proclaim His goodness for hearing even you?

And for your sweet babies growing in the Lord...
~Did the Lord give them an extra portion of sharing EVERYTHING? Support them by telling them the stories in the bible of where God shared...His love, His forgiveness, His compassion, His mercy...His Son!
~Does your precious lamb struggle with "being good?" Can I challenge you to speak gently to them throughout the day when they need reminding of this? Write down the scriptures above or search on your own. Read about God's goodness everytime they need a reminder. Remember, it's a race to finish strong...Not just to finish!

The Lord IS GOOD! His goodness has shown itself real in my life ~yet again~ this very week. Funny that as I began praying what to write regarding goodness, He starts my thought process by showing His goodness in my life for a solid 4 days ~ EVERYWHERE! Need we a reminder of just how good God is...Look around & ask yourself ~ What do I see that is good, from the Lord. Find ONE thing...and now honor your Father by praising Him for His goodness. He will begin revealing all of His goodness if you allow your mind to focus on HIM.

So thankful for His goodness each & every day ~

Being Patient...Being Kind

I didn't forget about this blog...I was just hoping we could all learn some patience as we eagerly awaited my next post. PLUS, I knew you would show kindness after I finally put it up here, giving me grace for not posting for so long!!! ....Okay, the thought did cross my mind to do that but then I really did have good intentions of posting anyway, it's just the holiday season came upon me & here we sit heading into February & I figure I can't go any longer! So thank you for being patient AND kind as you waited for me.

There are many ways we can teach our young ones to be patient. Intentionally, we can tell them to "be patient" & then allow a series of events to unfold in front of them but when dealing with long-term patience, they don't tend to understand it as well. I find it most helpful to quote them scripture ~or a portion thereof~ about patience, as they wait ...for the trip to Disney...for the Popsicle...for their new brother/sister...for grandma's visit...for the movie to start. In the scriptures below, we as Christians are called to an action. We are to: "be still," "be patient," "persevere," "wait." Teaching these to your little ones not only instills the virtues of our Lord in their hearts, but will allow them to hopefully then learn how this can apply to their life situations. So, I hope these (as well as others I have not quoted here) help!

Psalm 37:7-9..."Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land."

Proverbs 15:18..."A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel."

Ecclesiastes 7:8..."The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride."

James 5:11..."As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about."

Psalm 40:1..."I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry."

Sometimes, it is easier to teach patience than it is to teach kindness. At the fall of man, sin entered the world & we will never be the same while here in this life. Our flesh battles through a raging war of the ME! ME! ME! attitude of deserving (something), while we work through our salvation & long to be more Christ-like by dying to our flesh. So when (that person) gets a new car before you do...gets a higher grade than you on a test...gets a bike before you do...wins a karate tournament before you do...says a jeering comment to you...Remember the instances in the bible where kindness was shown. When bringing up your sweet lambs, the emphasis on kindness is quite important especially when one brother shows kindness to another.


Leviticus 19:34..."The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

Proverbs 14:21..."It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy."

Joshua 2:6-16 (v12 shown)..."Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you."

Esther 2:7..."Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died."

John 19:27..."and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home."

When you are in those teachable moments & your child is in the middle of a minor meltdown, be the Christ-like example as a parent you are called to be & use the double-edged sword of the Word to share with them how others applied these traits in their life. You will NEVER regret taking time to stop everything you are doing & impart God's Word into their heart. Show them patience & kindness in your dealings with them so they can fully comprehend the application.

And on that note, I make a vow to not leave you for too long. :o)