Are We Missing the Mark?

I was reminded by a friend's post on Facebook yesterday about what is important while we are raising our kids. It isn't that I have been neglecting my children. It is just one of those little things that really matters.

You can have the most polite, most educate, most groomed, child on the block and they still be missing the mark. That is what I was reminded of. In fact, your child can know the Bible backwards and forwards and still be missing the mark.

What the friend of mine pointed out was very simple, her children were very eager to help a person in need. It wasn't that she forced them to do it, it was simply that she mentioned the person needed help and both of them were happy to help with her. I think that is the key. She led by example.

I know I have wrestled with things many times because sometimes it is just easier for me to just do it instead of showing one of the kids how to do it or waiting for them as they help. Is that teaching them a positive thing though?

As a Christian, we are to show God's love to others and we are to teach our children that love. How do our children learn about that love unless we show them? Its not just the love within a family, its also reaching out to others. Like when the neighbor can't get his car to start and you help get it jumped off. You do it to help, not to get a reward.

It used to be the norm that people helped others and were generous with them, there was that brotherly love in abundance. Perhaps it is a bit naive, due to the area I live in, but it has slowly died away. What would happen if we brought it back? What would happen if the Christians lived as Christ and showed God's love continuously?

A New Life!

B2

Our Easter was truly blessed this year. We had a wonderful family service in our church.

The pastor shared the Easter message of how the tomb was and is empty and that Jesus is indeed raised from the dead.

We were excited that while Pastor was sharing the promises that God gave us in Christ's resurrection that B2 was listening well and on the edge of his seat because his heart was stirring.

During the alter-call B2 went forward and announced that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. We are a very joyous family! So happy that one more of our quiver has chosen the path to the Lord.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

My terrible, rotten, no good, Praising God anyway day

This past Friday was a really bad day for me. I woke up with body aches and a migraine in which the meds that usually help took an extra long time to work. Slowly, I pressed on. Thankfully, my awesome husband got the kids moving and we were all getting ready for work/school. We ended up being rushed though and that's when things got complicated. As we were preparing to leave, B3 couldn't find the exact jacket that he wanted. We tried to talk him into another one but that just exasperated the little guy. (Quick reminder, B3 has Sensory Processing Disorder) B3 was not happy with the tension of having to hurry up and leave along with not getting the jacket he wanted.

My sweet 52 lb 6 year old went into a full meltdown that ended with him turning his gravity boots on and feeling like he weighed a ton.

G3 found the jacket and got B3 to calm down, a huge Praise God! My meds had started kicking in, another Praise God! This was not to be the end though.

I went to check and make sure the toilet water was clear because the boy cat likes to drink out of it and I notice its backed up and a funky color. Tried to clear it and it resulted in a mess I couldn't deal with while trying to get out the door. Saving specifics, I realized we had a blockage in the septic lines. I start crying as I walk out the door and call hubs since he had already left for work. (Also forgetting to grab breakfast or my water bottle)

Did I mention it was storming Friday morning??

I got the kids safely to school and was not too far of schedule for myself to get to school on time. Hubs said he would take off at lunch to see what he could do and we went from there.

I made a fast food stop for breakfast and then searched for a parking spot on campus. Just as I found a spot, the rain virtually stopped. Praise God I didn't have to walk to class in the pouring rain! Class even went well.

Things were turning around, we just had to figure out what to do with the septic. Another Praise God because Hubs had comp time built up and was able to take off and locate the blockage. Subsequently we found a local repair guy that would let us post date the check.

The moral of this experience is that even though things got stressful and chaotic, we still praised the Lord and it all worked out. Things are MUCH better today!