Renew My Heart

Life is full of seasons. Some are beautiful with foliage full of colors where the breeze is a bit cooler. We love fall and welcome it!  Then, comes winter. The weather is cold, leaves are gone, and the look is very bland. The trees look as if they have died and we wonder if they will bloom again with beauty.  Spring bring rains that seem bothersome at the time but allows great beauties to bloom after. Summer is full of sweat and heat where we must take cover to refresh.

Having experienced seasons before, we know it is a constant changing cycle. It is similar in the journey as a parent. We go through seasons of winter, drought, rain and then fruit-bearing seasons as well. But the great thing about seasons is...they are NOT forever. They are temporary and soon enough a new season will emerge.

What is the season you are walking through right now?

One where you see your deposits into your kiddos bearing much fruit?

Or do you find yourself wondering if they are getting it at all?

Remember this promise...

and this one...

and...

Seasons are not forever. God is faithful. His promises are true. Don't give up. Ask Him to hold up your head as you seek His face daily. The Lord stretches us for future ministry. HE loves you!

The journey isn't over - no matter how old your kids are - but has just begun.

Seek God today. Ask Him to renew your heart towards your kids. Allow Him to refresh your mind.

Allow Him to remind you that your labor is not in vain. HE sees it all and is grateful for your efforts!

Blaze The Trail!

I do have some regrets in my parenting.  One that particularly stands out is our decision to allow our man child not to go with us on a Disney trip we made when we lived in a different state, nine hours from the park.

Why did he stay behind?  Well…he wanted to.  He doesn’t like theme parks and going with him wasn’t fun for anyone.  We also justified his not going by knowing he was staying with a family that we fully trusted.  And finally, quite honestly, we could afford a nicer hotel with only one room.

As I look back, I see my own personal agenda.  His not going would make my life more simple.   Shameful right?  But true.

That said, it’s summer again and we are in the midst of a road trip.  Our youngest and only one at home could have considered not going, or she could make her pitch why she didn’t need to go with us.  The road trip will have a “detour” of ministry in the middle of a very fast week.

I love her perspective!  We have learned from our earlier faux pas as parents and weren’t going to give her an option.  However, without making it an option she (on her own) considered her camps and friends invitation and after hearing our road plans her response was priceless.  Upon hearing our plans our youngest said, “I wouldn’t miss a family adventure!”

How blessed we are to be a family.  How blessed we are to not to have an option to add to our “regret list” as parents!  How thankful we are to be on this adventure together.

I still love the old song by Steven Curtis Chapman, “Saddle Up Your Horses!” One line of the song is, “we’ve got a trail to blaze!”  I am certainly grateful our smaller family unit is blazing this trail together!

Turbulence

During my husband and my week on short-term mission to Haiti our kids had fun at VBS and spent time with grandma and her adopted son our kids’ age.  My life up until that week was focused on my husband and two little lives (Matthew & Jordan) – their past, present and future.  Then we were asked by our church to go to Haiti with a month to get ready.  By this I mean writing the THREE page “note” of instructions for grandma (a mom of 4 and former foster mom, so SUPER capable to take care of our children) and not to mention the note I wrote concerning the care of our children in case we died, etc.

So as we stepped on the plane at the end of the week to go from Haiti to Florida it down poured!  Lift off was fine.  Up, up, up.  A little bumpy but that’s to be expected where clouds and rain are present.  And then…THE DIP.  This dip was like one at Disney on Thunder Mountain – enough to give you a thrill but nothing too crazy.  Except on an airplane it didn’t warrant the “YAAAYYY” reaction.   Then we REALLY did a nose-dive that prompted most on the plane to break out in prayer and supplication like never before. 

During this awful event after calling out to our GOD in utter urgency our kids were on my mind.  What would their lives be like if we didn’t make it home?  I felt so sad for them.  Even on Curious George when Hundley the dog was lost in the city, he thought of the Doorman feeling sad that Hundley never came home.  Oh the despair.  What hope we have in Jesus (Romans 8:34-39).  Read it sister and be encouraged.  I was comforted because most in our family are believers and most likely they’d be surrounded by believers who would guide them to the Comforter.

When turbulence hits your life, take comfort in Romans 8:34-39.  Not even turbulence can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

"The Perfect Gift for Your Young Child" by Bruce & Stan PART 2

Teach your children 

to choose the right path,

and then they are older,

they will remain upon it.

-Proverbs 22:6

Yesterday's blog  shared about the perfect gift for your young child.
Here we continue from the devotional "God is in the Small Stuff" by Bruce & Stan. 

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...IN THE SMALL STUFF

-Teach your children to do more than they are asked to do.

-Help your child to discover his or her God-given abilities - then develop them.

-Speak with your children, not at them.

-Sit with your children, not on them.

-Teach your children by your words(make sure they are kind), by your actions (make sure they are wholesome), and by your temperament (make sure it is controlled).

-True education must begin by instilling honesty in your children.

-Teach your kids responsibility early.

-Let your kids help you plan your next vacation.

-When you talk to your children, get to their level and look them in the eye.

-Hug your kids.

-Take your kids out for ice cream after they've performed in sports, drama, or music, especially if they didn't do very well. 

-Attend every open house at your children's schools.

-Don't miss the "first" in your child's life: the first word spoken, the first steps taken, the first day of school, the first graduation, the first game won, the first game loss, the first heartbreak, the first big success. 

-Kiss your kids good-night every evening, even if it wakes them up. 

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How has the Lord spoken to your heart today?

What area of your life needs changing to better enjoy your kids in your season of life?

ps. If you enjoyed this excerpt from "God is in the Small Stuff" by Bruce and Stan, I would highly recommend picking up their small devotional with great insight and encouragement on tons of subjects.

"The Perfect Gift for Your Young Child" by Bruce & Stan PART 1

I read this devotion this morning and it tugged at my heart in such a timely way...only God could orchestrate. Enjoy.

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Children are a gift from the Lord; 

they are a reward from him. 

- Psalm 127:3

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      There is no shortage of gift ideas for your young child. Millions of advertising dollars are devoted to direction your attention to the "perfect" gift. You feel guilty if you can't find something that will educated, stimulate, and build self-esteem all at once (and it's got to be politically correct, biodegradable, and bilingual, too). The marketers know that price is no object because this is your child, and you won't settle for anything less than the best.

      Well, we have a suggestion for the perfect gift. It is not easy to find, and it is terribly expensive, but we guarantee that it will last a lifetime and it will be your child's favorite. We're talking about your time.

      Your child's greatest need is the security of  knowing that you care. There is no better way to convey your love than to spend time with your child. hours invested in your child will produce dividends now and in the future. You will be building a relationship, moment by moment, that will be the basis for a lifelong friendship between the two of you. 

       Don't be misled by the myth of "quality time" - it is an admirable goal, but it should not be used as an excuse for missing "quantity time" with your child. Quality moments usually can't be scheduled. They happen spontaneously, without warning, in circumstances you don't anticipate. Those precious, teachable moments will be initiated by your child, while you're playing in the backyard, driving in the car, or staring at a worm in the dirt. For your children, all of the time you spend together can be "quality time" because it is then that they have whats most important to them - your attention.

      This is a gift which does not come cheaply. It will cost you. You may have to forgo other activities. You will have to say "no" to other people. You may have to set aside a few perennial goals or hobbies for a few years. But don't worry. Those other things and folks will be around later, but the childhood years as soon gone forever. They are irretrievable.

      Give your child the gift of your time. Sure, there is limited supply, but we've never seen a tombstone which read:

"I will I hadn't spent so much time with my kids." 

What is God saying to you through this devotion?

What do you think He might be asking you to do?

Theodidaktoi - "Taught By God!"

Isaiah 54: 13 

“All your sons will be…TAUGHT BY GOD”

John 6: 44 – 45 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day.  It is written by the prophets, they will be TAUGHT BY GOD!”

I Thessalonians 4: 9 “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been TAUGHT BY GOD to love each other.”

Let Him teach you this day!  Recognize it is Him who does the teaching.  Don’t fret YOUR ability to teach your children, pray and watch GOD TEACH them!

Walking in the Light

As our son was reading his devotional book one morning this week about Isaiah 2:5 I was reminded of our recent mission trip to Haiti.    

"...come and let us walk In the light of the Lord." Isaiah 2:5

We are all walking on the same soil of earth.  However, how we walk is what makes the difference.  Some are walking in the light and others walk in darkness.  Walking this life with God is walking in the LIGHT.  At one time or another we are all faced with the choice to walk with God or choose to walk in darkness, apart from God. 

Last week my husband Ryan and I went to Haiti with a group from our church.  Our duties there were diverse but in general we went to help two churches and a medical clinic in the Jacmel area of Haiti.  One portion of our trip was to organized cargo shipping containers packed with supplies from generous donors aiding the 2010 earthquake victims.  There was also a container on the church property that had ministry supplies we inventoried, etc. 

As we went about the tasks at hand each day, we’d find ourselves going in and out of these containers multiple times.  There was an apparent vast contrast between the darkness of the container verses the intense sunlight from outside.  The dark seemed to get darker the more we were exposed to the light. 

"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness." John 12:46

While we were in Haiti we were faced with many ministry opportunities such as street evangelism; elderly, children’s and hospital ministries, and interpersonal growth opportunities within the group.  Each moment stretched us.  But as we came back to the US, I realized we have these ministry opportunities all around us here too.  May we walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7) whether we are here, there, or on a plane getting there.  The darkness is NO PLACE where I want to be!  Let’s not leave those around us in the dark.  Talk out loud about Jesus and the light our salvation brings to our lives.   Let's do Deuteronomy 6:5-9 together mommas.

Calvary Chapel Beaudouin

Calvary Chapel Jacmel

Angel Wings Intl.