Today affirmed...

God is consistent.



There are some messages that God just insists are spoken, whether I can show up or not.



Having someone to fill in the gap when I cannot be present is priceless.



I can completely trust God.

Both my babies are sick and I'm grateful!

Have I gone and lost my mind? Hardly. I am grateful because, despite the fact that Madeline has now had a fever on and off for five days and Gavin has one higher than she’s had all week, there is no reason to believe that by the middle of the week they will both be back at school and back to normal. I am grateful because I have never sat in the office of a pediatric oncologist, neurologist or nearly any other specialist.

Well, there was the one time that we did have to see an ENT once when Gavin shoved peas up his nose because we weren’t sure how many were up there but I was not filled with compassion since my baby wasn’t ill just… well, I’ll let you come up with your own adjective.

I’m incredibly grateful to have had very healthy kids thus far but I know that could change in an instant. I know too many people who had very healthy kids one day and the next day heard words that changed their lives forever. Each day, as I have cared for my kids as they felt “crummy” I have prayed and thanked God that they will recover quickly. I am thanking Him that it's just a nasty cold and not cancer... or celiac disease... or a host of other things that I see all around me. I have also been reminded to pray for those parents who may not have a “back to normal” kid next week… those children who have felt crummy for months… or years. I’m reminded of what we’re told in James 5:14-15:

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

So I pray in the name of the Lord, the Healer, my Redeemer and friend and I have faith that He will make them well.

I am also grateful to have the most amazing husband who made me a delicious breakfast, picked up KFC for lunch, fried catfish and okra from Cracker Barrel for dinner and turtles candies for dessert! [He told me to write that in but it really is true and I really am grateful for him but not just because he feeds my tummy but because he is just all around A-MAZ-ING!!!]

This is the day that the Lord has made and I’ve rejoiced!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am not usually a very crafty mom but this weekend I made up for it! I let the kids pick out Valentines to make along with Valentine boxes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out!!!


This is Gavin's awesome box and Alien Valentine. He said that he hoped the scary box would keep the girls from kissing him! He cracks me up!!!



Madeline made her own Owl Valentine's as she's in love with the Guardians of Ga'Hoole book series right now. My favorite thing about these is that I purchased the paper about seven years ago when I "scrapbooked" a lot and it's been sitting in the basement all this time! Hooray for finding a use for it!



Madeline opted for a more traditional and girlie Valentine box but did a great job on it!





They had a great time making their valentine's and boxes and hopefully I'll forget how much time it took before next year rolls around so that I'll do it again!

Happy Valentine's Day!

In the process of understanding

Wow! A week just flies by around here! I got some great emails about the Lifestyle post and I’m excited about that! Just to let you all know I’d love to get some comments on here as well. So feel free to do that at the bottom of a post.

I mentioned in the last post that there was a second part of my friend’s question. I covered the “Do you and Gavin discuss the scripture he reads? The next part was:

Does he understand what he’s reading?

The most honest answer is he’s in the process of understanding. There are days that he understands what he’s reading and days that he doesn’t. What he always understands, however, is that what he’s reading is God’s word and that it’s true.

I look at it like this, Gavin is five and there are some things he is capable of understanding and some things he isn’t. I don’t always know in advance what he’ll understand but quite honestly, both of my kids have surprised me with understanding concepts long before I thought they could. While a two year old is not likely to pick up a book and be able to read the book, he probably knows that the book is meant to be read. It’s a basic element that they’ve learned because someone presented them with a concept they weren’t able to grasp yet but as time went by, that child began to understand that you’re supposed to pick up a book and tell a story. Later that same child will begin to realize that the story has something to do with the shapes on the pages. After a while longer the child will understand that those shapes that we call letters stand for a particular sound, then he'll puts those sounds together to make words and eventually sentences that he can understand.

Kids understanding scripture works the exact same say… actually, my own understanding of scripture works the same way. The first time I read something in scripture I may not get the point at all but as I think about it, hear other people’s thoughts on it, pray about it, experience it... then I gain understanding of new concepts. Just like learning to read is based on the layering of one small concept upon the next, understanding scripture is the same. Take a look at this video and I’ll explain a bit further:

In my and Madeline’s NIV bibles 1 John 1:9, the verse Gavin read and Madeline explained, reads like this:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and

purify us from all unrighteousness.

In Gavin’s NIRV(New International Reader’s Version) it reads like this:

But God is faithful and fair. If we admit that we have sinned, he will forgive us our sins.

He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure.

Either way, the meaning is the same but their understanding is dependent upon prior teaching of concepts like: Who is God? What is sin? Why is sin a big deal? Why does sin separate us from God? What is faithful? What is just or fair?

If they don’t understand what these things are then this verse wouldn’t make sense to them at all. In the particular case of my kids, we’ve discussed all of these things so the field of untouched pure white snow getting yucked up by the tromping of kids being similar to our lives being yucked up by sin makes sense to them in a very basic level. Do they, however, understand that sometimes sin seems fun just like playing in the snowy field is fun but both bear consequences? I’m sure they don’t but it's an analogy that we'll continue to refer to as teachable moments occur. And for the record, the consequences of good old fashioned playing in the snow do not compare in a literal way to the consequences of sin so please don’t get all up in arms thinking I’m minimizing sin or that I think playing in the snow is bad. I am the first one out there sledding down the hill and even got a bloody lip in a snowball fight with my boy this year!

It’s about giving the kids a visual of something pure white being transformed to something impure. It's about the fact that they are physically unable to do anything to retain that purity of that snow because they need to understand that there is nothing they can do to be pure themselves. It is only through the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the confession that he is Lord and true repentance that we can be forgiven and purified. Our forgiveness and purification isn't because of us but because God is faithful. I’m certain that my kids don’t really get all of that just yet... but they are in the process.

At this point I have presented a concept to them that, at their current maturity level, they cannot fully understand. I know that there is no point in making them sit and listen to me give explanation after explanation. No matter what I say or do, they may not get it at this point... just like that two year old will not in one sitting learn how to read a book.

So... What I do at this point is wait…

I wait for a teachable moment. I have to pay attention, be present and willing to take the time wherever this occurs. Whenever they sin, I talk to them about it, I remind them of this verse and they pray. Then I tell them that they’re restored to God and are brand new and I treat them that way! Just like I mentioned in my last post, it isn’t about an activity or one conversation. It’s a lifestyle.

Does Gavin understand what he’s reading? He’s in the process… and so am I!

Have a blessed day and don't forget that I'd love to read your comments!

It's a Lifestyle!

I have to admit, I'm still having trouble writing on this blog. I get caught up in wanting it to be relevant, beneficial and glorifying to God. I guess I wish that I was more enlightened than I am! Yes, it's ok to laugh at me. I certainly do!

Today, however, someone asked me a good question and as a former teacher and one who would totally go back to college tomorrow if it didn't cost so stinking much, I love a good question! I'd assume that if you're reading this that you're a friend of mine of Facebook. If you're not, then it's even more exciting that you're reading this! Anyway, months ago my sweet son Gavin came to me to do his morning "Bible-time," sat down and read it perfectly. I was so overcome with being impressed by his reading that I asked him if he'd do it again so that I could tape him. I posted it on Facebook and Youtube. (Insert humble admission here: yes, this began totally because I thought my kid was cute and I was proud of him. Anything spiritual came completely of God's had because mine was resting on my completely puffed up proud chest!) The next day he asked if he could do it again. He does like to show off when he is good at something... I guess a lot of us do that, huh? So, "The Word with Gavin" was born. We don't do it every day and I promised him that if he didn't want to do it, we wouldn't. The last thing I want is to make him start feeling negative about reading scripture! Here's a sample from today:

I've had a great deal of comments over the months about it from "I look forward to this everyday!" to "He is soo cute!" Today I got a wonderful and honest question that if I had to guess, I'd bet others might ask as well. It's a two part question and to keep this from getting too long, I'm just going to hit the first part in this post and will post again in a few days.

Do you and Gavin discuss the scripture he reads?

YES… but not the way you might think! We discuss scripture pretty much all the time around here and I just have to be honest about how that began and how it works. When Madeline was almost three I wanted to kill her... not the "dead" kind of killing but the kind of killing that most parents desire when their kids learn that they can talk, have thoughts of their own and really aren't sure how much independence they can really exert. Up to that point Madeline had been this delightful child that pretty much did whatever we told her to do. (Don't worry, Gavin evened everything out by exerting his independence from birth!) It was about that time that I was strolling through the bookstore at church and saw a book titled "Don't make me count to three." I literally laughed out loud and thought "I must count to three a hundred times a day!" As I began to walk out of the bookstore, I stopped... thought.... and went back to buy the book! It began a wonderful journey for Madeline and me. The best part of the book, in my opinion, is how it makes scripture relevant to our everyday lives and choices. Madeline and I learned together that when we had a problem and didn't know what to do that we could find the answer in scripture. The book talked about using God's word to correct children and encourage better decisions. When my three year old brought me my bible and asked "Mom, what does it say in here about whining?" I knew I had something and we've been relying on it every day since!

Now, back to the question and "The Word with Gavin." We do not always discuss the scripture each morning and we don't discuss it before he reads it. Gavin is very much a perfectionist... especially when he knows that people will be seeing him perform. He is much more likely to hang back and do nothing if he things he won't do it perfectly. In fact, one day he started crying because he mispronounced a word several times and kept asking me to start the taping over. It just broke my heart for so many reasons. The last thing I want is for him to think that reading the bible is this awful painful thing! The entire point of him having morning bible time was to teach him:

1) the discipline of taking time to think of God before starting your day

2) that God meant for him to read the bible himself and not rely on someone else to read it for him

So, I let him read it, we tape it and then discuss it later. There are days that we discuss it over breakfast, while other days we might get to it later in the day. There are even some occasions that we forget until some life circumstance brings up the need for that particular verse. For me it is not always about having this structured time that I sit and teach and they understand... though we do that also. It is more about Deuteronomy 6:5-9:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

It's a lifestyle, not an activity or a conversation. Wherever we are, sitting... walking... lying down... getting up... giggling... singing... playing... working... whatever we are doing, we are discussing!

Now, like I said, there was another part to that question and I do want to answer it and think it's totally valuable so check back as I'll get to it after I get this album designed! As my incredibly wise grandfather would say “work’s work” so I’m off to work. Have a great day!

Redefining Realistic

The other day I was talking to a friend about her life plans. She shared some admirable goals but then said “I haven’t told my extended family because they’ll just tell me to be more realistic and that it’s too hard.” My heart just broke for her. I think this is not an uncommon experience. Since we’d already discussed how clearly she believed that this plan was given to her by God and the legitimate reason she felt that way, I encouraged her not to give up.

In the days that followed, I thought and prayed on this situation and God brought another time to my mind that some were discouraged to follow a dream, despite the promise of success from God.

In Numbers 13:1-3 the Lord says to Moses “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.” Ummm... pretty clear what God’s intentions are, right?

As we continue to read in Numbers we learn that Moses did exactly as God commanded. The men spent 40 days exploring the land and came back to Moses with a report that, just as God had told them, it was flowing with milk and honey….. BUT, they reported that “the people who live there are powerful, the cities are fortified and very large… We even saw descendants of Anak there… and the Amelekites, Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites.” Now, for those who don’t know what it means to see descendants of Anak or Amelekites, Hittites, Jebusites or Amorites a little further reading provides a clear explanation. In verse 31, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are” and in verse 33, “we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” Now I’m not exactly sure what the men on the reconnaissance thought they’d find… short wimpy men… villages of beautiful women… signs saying “Welcome Israelites! We’ve been waiting to give you our land!” Regardless, the sight of what it took to gain the promised land freaked.them.out! I hate to say it but there have been times that I’ve been just like the Israelites but let's look at the facts in this particular situation.

Fact #1: God himself... the Creator that had just saved them from slavery in Egypt, divided the Red Sea for them to cross, guided them throughout the desert to a land that he said would be flowing with milk and honey... God said he was giving this land to them.

Fact #2: The land was inhabited by big dudes that could smash the Israelites to pieces.

Get my point? I totally understand where the Israelites are coming from on this. They were scared. This was going to take work. The cities had walls. The dudes were big but what they forgot is God is bigger! I think we sometimes forget that too.

Several years ago I wrote Galatians 6:9 on a whiteboard to memorize and it has sunk deep into my soul and has carried me through many days and given me strength at times that I wanted more than anything to just give up:

“Let us not grow weary doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Whether it’s that or Philippians 4:13: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”

or

Romans 8:31-32 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” the truth remains the same. We can and should bank on the promises of God not the size of the battle involved.

So, as I said to my friend, I say to you… God is not the God of reality as we define it. Look throughout scripture and whether it be a flood that did not seem realistic to those who knew Noah… a lowly carpenter’s son claiming to be the messiah whose arrival they’d been awaiting for generations for the Pharisees… or believing that Jesus had been resurrected from death for Thomas, one of Jesus’ very own disciples… In each of these cases, and many others, you will see God redefine what it means to be realistic. If you are looking toward a promised land in your life… If you know that that promise was from your creator,

DO.NOT.GIVE.UP

If God is for you, who can be against you?