Know God - Know Joy

David knew God. He knew God’s love for him. He knew God’s strength and protection. He knew God’s majesty. He knew God’s silence. He knew God’s rewards. He knew God’s peace. He knew God’s retribution.

All through the Psalms we hear David’s conversations with God … when he is in awe of God’s majesty and when he can’t feel God’s presence; when God brings victory and when the enemy is winning; when there is great sorrow and loss and when the blessings abound; when there is shame and fear of losing the One who has been his hiding place and when there is an unconditional love that engulfs him.

It seems that in all things David encountered, he was always able to circle around to the source of his joy. Knowing God. He knew God in an intimate manner that caused him to connect with Him on all occasions. It strengthened the bond that he did not ever want to lose.

How did David get to know God like that, you might ask. Well, once there was this lion that threatened his life and the life of his sheep and God was there. Then there was this giant that needed to be slain... and God was there. Then a King that David loved and served faithfully put out a contract on his life... and God was there.  And there was a heinous sin in his life ... and still God was there. Looking at the life of David I think it is safe to say that we get to know God a whole lot better when life is rough than when it is smooth sailing.

How is your joy level? Being a mom gives you many opportunities for joy… but what about when the milk is dripping off the table for the third time today, the baby has another ear infection, Tigger is bouncing in and out of the toilet, your checking account is in the red and you are exhausted from trying to keep all the plates spinning and you can’t even remember the last time you had quality time with your husband?

Don’t let the events of the day rob you of your joy. Instead use those lions and giants and crazy kings that threaten to bring you down as an opportunity for you to watch God do what only He can do. Joy for David didn’t disappear when his life was in jeopardy because he had learned from a very young age that God was his Provider. In the midst of the storm that can sucked every ounce of happiness out of your world, God is your Provider. No matter what is going on in your life. He is there and is able to bring comfort and peace if you will let go of your need for control and realize that He’s got this. It’s too big for you anyway. 

"The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I will praise him."

Psalm 28:7

Questions

Recently I taught a class of fourth and fifth grade students who delighted my heart – not because they were studious, compliant and attentive, but because they voiced their doubts and questions. “Everything is created so who created God?” “How can God have no beginning and no ending?” With every question I could respond, “Great question! I have wondered about that, too!”

I love watching their minds begin to process the mysteries that will never be solved this side of heaven. They were each making their list of questions to ask when they get to heaven. To me, that was a beautiful experience because I was able to explain that there are so many things we will not be able to understand because we are human and think like humans. God is far above us and we are not able to think as He thinks or understand His ways. It is in these precious times that faith is born. Hopefully these are just the beginning of questions that they will ponder in life.

Parents, never discourage questions because by asking the questions, their minds are working and they are ready to learn about the faith that will ultimately shove aside the questions and say, “even if I don’t understand the things of God, I am beginning to know God and that relationship is what assures me that I don’t have to understand Him, I just have to follow Him.” As you nurture a healthy faith in your children, make sure that you allow them to ask questions. Being ready to respond to these questions in a healthy manner requires only a few things:

1.      Make God’s Word your source of Truth. It is the foundation upon which a follower of God builds their life and the things that do not align with it will not be tolerated as an acceptable alternative.

2.      Make your relationship with God your classroom. We all learn out of relationship more than we do out of text books.  As you grow closer to God, watching Him work, learning of His love, it will help your heart to accept His ways in a manner that your mind cannot comprehend.

3.      Ask your own questions. Be in relationship with godly people who are seeking Truth and “as iron sharpens iron” help each other to grow and learn and walk more  closely with the Creator, growing as you learn and as you accept the things that are beyond your comprehension.

4.      Tell them your faith story. They are too young to have developed the connection with God that you have had the opportunity to grow in your life. They will love hearing about how you once felt (even if it was yesterday) and how walking with God changed your mind and your heart.

May God bless you immeasurably as you walk the path of God’s choosing with your children’s eyes upon you.

Open your ears to what I am saying,

 for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past --

stories we have heard and know, stories our ancestors handed down to us.

 We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD. We will tell of his power and the mighty miracles he did… 

 so the next generation might know them -- even the children not yet born –

that they in turn might teach their children.

So each generation can set its hope anew on God,

 Remembering his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

Psalm 78:1-4, 6-7

New Beginnings

At our house there is no corner where you can look to find perfection. Not because we humbly hide it, but because it doesn’t exist. We do have some good times, some victories, some reasons to feel that we are moving in the right direction, but it seems like more often than not we are seeing our failures and being reminded that we are definitely a work in progress and there is a great need for improvement.

I try not to be discouraged with this failure in my life, but to acknowledge my shortcomings and make every attempt to allow the old to pass away and invite the new to come. Today the clouds have parted and the sun is shining. Trees are budding and birds are singing and the reminder of fresh beginnings gives me hope for my own life.

As I attempt to write this blog today I am surrounded by the squeals of delight from all the little cousins who are so happy to be together over spring break. There are frequent interventions needed because we are learning to share and to be kind. An occasional “time-out” to adjust an attitude and take a break is essential to keeping the peace. These times help me to remember what the Father deals with as He helps me to grow in Him. Time out to adjust my attitude and quiet time to be reminded that I am His child, learning to be kind and share.

As you watch the trees budding and the flowers breaking through the ground, be reminded that your kids are also a work in process and the flaws you see in them are not unlike the ones your Heavenly Father is witnessing in you. Guide them gently and lovingly, just as God is guiding you. Be patient and remember they are His finest creation, blooming beautifully as you nurture them. The story of spring… the story of Easter is about new beginnings…transformation. Be careful not to expect to see  transformation in your children if your Father is not seeing it in you! Set the pace; be their example!

“Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God -- who chose you to be his children -- is holy. For he himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy." And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as foreigners here on earth. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.  He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.  God chose him for this purpose long before the world began, but now in these final days, he was sent to the earth for all to see. And he did this for you.”                    I Peter 1:14-20 (NLT) 

Holy Week at Home

This is Holy Week, commemorating the last week that Jesus walk on this earth as a man before His cruel and undeserved death on the cross. How will you spend it in your home? I am guessing that we will all do our share in the purchasing of the estimated 120 million pounds of candy and then there will be the new clothes and gifts and all that total a whopping 16+ billion that statistics predict.

And we wonder why this nation is wandering for God. We blame the media or the government or the Jones’ with whom we must compete. But who is actually putting those things in your cart? Who is it that talks up the Easter bunny and stands in line forever for a picture with that over-sized ball of fur? I am not judging. I have been there. I just spent the morning cutting out Easter bunny cookies for the grandkids. It isn’t such a problem to live in this culture. The problem arises when the culture lives in you and begins to dictate your actions, your spending habits, and the way you share truth with your kids.

Make sure that this week doesn’t pass without time spent in reflection about the sacrifice Jesus made so that we could be with him forever. Make sure that they know that you love them and would die for them if it would save them…. But it won’t. It is only the death and resurrection of Jesus that guarantees us the promised of the abundant life He promises. The only man without sin actually took on all the sin of humankind so that we don’t have to carry that burden of sin and separation from God. We can have victory in this life because of what happened that first Easter.

Reflect and enjoy the week with Jesus life and death in every dinner conversation. Let them ask hard questions and do you best to answer and it really is okay to tell them that it is sometimes hard for you to understand, too. Learning and grasping God’s gift is a life-long lesson. Learn it with them!

“He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!

 All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.”                                

2 Corinthians 5:15-21

The Listening Servant

Elkanah and Hannah wanted a child desperately, but could not conceive. They prayed and begged God to bless them with a child promising that, once the child was weaned, he would be taken to the Temple and given back to God as a gift. God honored their prayer and their first son, Samuel was born. As promised, when he was very small, he was surrendered to Eli, the Priest, to be his student and servant in the house of God and, according to 1 Samuel 2:21, “the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.”

Nine or ten years later, Samuel is awakened several times in the night by a voice calling out his name. Assuming it was Eli, he ran to his side to see what he needed, only to be sent away because it was not Eli’s voice. At first, neither Eli nor Samuel recognized the voice of the Lord. Eli had pushed God aside because he didn’t like God’s demands. He closed his eyes to sin rather than to stand with God and stand against sin.

Samuel did not recognize the voice of God because, according to 1 Samuel 3:7, he “did not yet know the Lord.” How can a child grow up in the presence of God and yet not know Him or recognize his voice?

From the story of Samuel we learn that knowing the laws of God and obeying them, based on ritual rather than relationship will not draw our children to Him. Acts of kindness and service, even in the church will not create unity with God. We can see that, in the case of Samuel, a child’s eyes are fixed on the one who is raising them and that is the primary shaping factor in the spiritual life of a child. If you want to do a better job of introducing your child to God, this is what your child needs…

…parents who love Jesus enough to turn their back on anything that leads them away from Him

…parents who make mistakes and humbly repent to God and family

…parents who value quiet time with God

…parents who fail to get their priorities right and acknowledge and correct them

…parents who read the Bible and teach it’s precepts to their children

…parents who, early on, teach their children to listen and obey

…parents who can show grace to an errant child because God has shown grace to them

…parents who are humble enough to know that they need God’s help to raise a family

…parents who have godly friends who will be a positive influence in the lives of their kids

…parents who see that they are called to a mission that is bigger than themselves

…parents who have found joy in following God – both in the valleys and on the mountain tops

You can buy your kids a Bible, take them to church most every Sunday and visit every VBS that is offered within a 15 mile radius of your home. You can purchase every Veggie Tale movie ever made and say a prayer before meals and at bedtime. Yet, it is possible that your children will grow up, like Samuel, not recognizing God if you have not shown them what it looks like to listen and obey Him. Is it time to tune your ear to what God wants to do in your home? Say with Samuel, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10), then follow through with what He is asking you to do! 

It Takes A Village

A universal discovery for all who have parented is that the old adage, “it takes a village to raise a child,” is a wise statement. Even those of us who fight to be the primary influence on our kid’s lives come to the point where we realize that this task is bigger than us and we need advice, strength, support…something… to help us be the very best parents for our children.

Based on the assumption that it really does take a village to raise a child, who is your village? Maybe you would say their teachers. We all have that one teacher that stands out in our mind who made all the difference. They believed in us. They didn’t let us be a slacker, but expected the best from us. They saw who we could be and pushed us to get there.

Many have chosen a church by the children’s programs that are offered because they see the value of having others to teach Biblical principles to our kids. Maybe because they don’t know much about Scripture or maybe because they do know that Scripture teaches us to gather in worship with other believers.

There is another, often overlooked part of our ‘village.’ It is our friends… not the friends of the children (that we often try to dictate or control), but the friends of the parents. Who are the adults that you consider your friends? Who are the people who are your confidants? Who do you go to with your difficult questions and challenges? Is it people that will point you toward God? Is it people who will show pity, sympathy and never say the hard things that we need to hear?

Here is the truth… if you are not in a place where you value friendships that will promote wise and godly counsel in your life, there is an excellent chance that your kids won’t look for those types of relationships in theirs. In fact, here is an exercise for you. Think about your “go to” person when life throws you a curve ball. Is it a godly person that will pray with you? Think about the person you would choose to hang with on the weekend to have a good time. Is that person one who values their relationship with God above all else? Is your best friend your best friend because they make you a better person or because they are cool with just letting you remain as you are, because… let’s face it… nobody’s perfect.

Fasten your seat belt because I am going out on a limb here with a very bold statement… if your choices for close friends are not godly people, then you are choosing an ungodly village to help you raise your kids. If “good” people are good enough; if “kind” people are good enough; if “compassionate, generous, disciplined, honest, strong, fun” people are good enough for YOU, then why would your kids look for anything more in their friends?

You are choosing the village where your kids will grow. Have you chosen a village that points them toward Jesus and heaven? Good, kind, compassionate, generous, disciplined, honest, strong, fun …are all great qualities, but none of those qualities will get you to heaven. If you believe the Bible is TRUE (and I do) then you know there is only ONE WAY to spend eternity with God. Jesus. He didn’t die to bridge the chasm between you and your Creator in hopes that you would take a detour to good, kind, compassionate, generous, disciplined, honest, strong, fun and call it good enough. If you want your children to find and cross the Bridge that will bring them to God, then choose a godly village in which to raise them. 

Those who have studied and researched claim that every teen should have at least 5 strong Christians speaking into their lives at all times. Don't depend on the church to supply those people. If your village is important to you, you will seek out those people who are growing in their faith and find ways to connect with them. We need each other. We need accountability. We need friends who will hold up a mirror in front of us and show us who we are. Finding and connecting with those people will transform your life and your village. Don't be afraid to ask people you value to be part of your village. It is likely they are looking for the same kind of village to raise their children.

NOTE:  Don’t forget that Jesus told us to leave our village and go make disciples. It is good and wise parenting to be “in the world” so that our kids see the value in being world changers, but it is deadly to make the world your village by being “of the world” and allowing the values of the world to rule your village.... but that is a blog for another day.

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck 

than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 

So watch yourselves. 

If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”

Luke 17:1-3

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"

Luke 9:25

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? 

Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

The Invisible Sin

PRIDE is the sin that is often invisible to the naked eye. Only under scrutiny can we find and identify it so that it can be confessed and removed from our lives. It has many names and is manifested in many ways, but no matter how it is masked, it is sin and creates separation from God, who gives us life. From a Biblical perspective, pride is placing ourselves where God belongs – the very center of our lives… the control center. If you claim to be a follower of God, any time that you take control and seek to do things according to our human way of thinking, you have assumed the role of God. That is a job that is too big for any of us!

The reason we seem to be so crippled when it comes to seeing it in our own life is because in our culture, pride it is the norm. I liken it to that commercial where Uncle Si is dressed in camo sitting in a room where everything is camo and he doesn’t think that anyone can see him. The door opens, he is called out and he still is claiming, “you can’t see me.” We have learned from the society in which we live that it is right and proper to take control of our lives. Those who climb to the top by being brave enough to say (with strains of Frank Sinatra in the background), “I did it my way” are among the most admired.

If PRIDE is ruling your heart and your actions and attitudes, your kids are not seeing what it means to be a follower of God. They will see what it means to claim you are a follower and then do what YOU want rather than following. In essence, you are teaching them to disobey and to follow their own desires. They are seeing a life void of power to overcome. That is dangerous! In fact, Jesus said it would be better to have a heavy stone tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea than to mislead a child. This is IMPORTANT! I want our homes to reflect Christ, not selfish pride.

Here is a magnifying glass that may help you see the PRIDE that is camouflaged in your heart so you can recognize who is really calling the shots in your life:

• Is it more important for you to be right than to be like Christ?
• Would you rather win an argument or win the approval of God?
• Are you more likely to try to control how others do things or allow them to do things their way?
• Would you rather suffer the consequences of doing life as our culture does or walk away from the norm and follow Jesus?
• Does your day begin with a prayer for God’s will to be done in your life, or with shouts and commands?
• Would those who live with you say that you are clothed in humility and compassion and gentleness…?

It isn’t too late to put God back on the throne where he belongs! Don’t wait because His plan is waiting to unfold in your life and it is going to be amazing!

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 

1 Peter 5:5

What Do You Cherish?

When we think of the things we cherish it is common to think of family; kids, parents, cousins, grandparents, grandchildren. We value them because of the relationship we have with them and the memories we have made together. We also cherish “things” like relics from previous generations, an heirloom, a gift or something for which we have scrimped and saved for a long time to purchase. A wedding ring makes the list because of its value, both monetary and because of the sentiment of a forever commitment.

I cherish my photographs. They mean so much to me because they chronical a good life. I love to look at them and remember growing up in a different era, being loved and cared for, raising a family, enjoying my grandkids. They bring joy to my heart each time I look through them. However, if you came to my house to take a trip down memory lane with me you wouldn’t get the picture that I cherish my pictures because most of them haven’t been properly placed in an album or scrapbook to browse… they are in a couple of cardboard boxes in my basement.

My confession is simply to make a point. It is entirely probable that most of us would say we cherish important relationships or things, but our life doesn’t back up that claim.  If you cherish your health, you would take care of it with proper nutrition and exercise.  If you cherish your spouse you wouldn’t allow anger and resentment to build its home where love should abide. If you cherish your children, you wouldn’t let activities of this life rob you of time to teach them how to find and walk with Jesus through eternity. If you cherish your relationship with Jesus, are you proving that by walking with Him even when it means you have to walk away from something or someone that is pulling you away from Him?

We would never admit that we cherish ugly things like revenge, bitterness, unhealthy habits, a bad temper, gluttony, an unforgiving spirit, lack of self-control, impatience…  However, on a day to day basis, that is often what is reflected in our lives.  If we don’t cherish such things, why do we allow them to take up space; to live in our hearts in the place where we have invited Jesus to live?

Take inventory; see what is on the throne ruling your thoughts and actions. Is it really your relationship with God that motivates your decisions or is it time to clean house and remove the foolishness and pride and give the throne back to God?

“I cried out to him with my mouth: his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

but, God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

Psalm 66:18 nlt

Childish Fears

When Paul, the famous Christian of the first century, was imprisoned awaiting a probable death sentence that would likely be a gruesome demise, he truly had every right to be filled with anxiety and fear. Sometimes what we know causes tremendous fear, but more often it is what we think that brings terror to our hearts.  The same is true for our children.

How many times have you checked under the bed to insure the coast is clear? How often have you waited until the kids were away to vacuum because they believe that the sound is a source of danger?  When thunder crashes, do you have a lap-full of terrified children who are convinced they won’t survive? How many dreams have become a reality in the mind of a child causing the entire household to forfeit a good night’s sleep?

All those fears are completely real to a child and must be addressed. Don’t dismiss it as nonsense. When you downplay the fear because it is childish, remember that you are talking to a child… Of course it is childish! There is no harm in a child behaving like a child, however, you must reveal the folly of fear. Deal with it by explaining that fear is coming from their thoughts and the only way to make it go away is to change the way they think.

Do what Paul did… 

1. Remind them that God is near (Philippians 4:5) and so are you and let them see and feel your love and compassion. Your exasperation with them will only cause them to stop bringing their fears to you. Suppressing them is not a healthy choice. 
2. Talk to God about your fear (Philippians 4:6) and ask Him to take it away.  
3. Begin to talk to God about all the things you are grateful for (Philippians 4:4, 6) and make the list as long as you can. You can never cover all the blessing God gives us daily so help them list His good and gracious gifts. 
4. Unveil the real truth (Philippians 4:8). Begin to replace the things they have believed with truth, like the vacuum being something that takes dirt and germs off the floor and the lightening putting nutrients into the soil so that we can have good, healthy food.

 The next time you get impatient with a child because their fears are ridiculous and unfounded, take a look at the fears that cripple you. They are no more real than your child’s fears in the eyes of the One who asks you to give Him all your anxiety in exchange for His peace.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-8

Connecting to Power

My dad, who I revere as a man who is closer to the heart of God than anyone I know, read my column last week. As he read about the importance of praying with your kids, letting them hear you pray, making it as natural as eating, he was reminded of his failure. He told me that he was always aware that praying for us, which was a constant thing for him, was not all he should be doing. He regrets that he didn’t let us hear him talking to God on our behalf.

As I listened to him speak I reflected back to all the times I saw him sitting on the edge of my bed, silent. I knew he was praying for me because I knew he was closely walking with God. His life reflected that he was a man who communed with God. When I grew up and had children I would catch him sitting on the edge of their bed as they napped and I knew exactly what he was doing. He was talking to his Father about his grandkids.

This was a huge reminder to me that we can voice prayers all day long for our children to hear, but it is truly the way we treat them and others, the way we react to difficult situations, the forgiveness that we show, the grace we extend, the kindness in our hearts that will let them know that we are a true friend of the Father.

Prayer is an invitation to be transported into the presence of the One who loves us and longs for us to allow His transformative power to work in our lives. Grasping the importance of quietly listening for Him to speak is a gift I would love to give all of you… in fact I would love to have a better handle on it, myself. Sometimes I feel guilty because I fall asleep talking to him; but I suppose that is better than not meeting with Him because I am too tired.

I am not an expert on prayer. Far from it! But I know there is power in connecting with the Maker of all things good. It is not just giving Him my list of needs, but time to be in His presence and sit quietly as He speaks to my spirit, allowing me the realization that I am the one He loved so much that He made a sacrifice I don’t even begin to grasp. Prayer is a gift you can give to your kids simply by allowing them to see just how important it is in your life.

When you are busy talking to your kids about God,

don’t forget the importance of talking to God about your kids.

Praying Parents

Recently I have been more and more mystified by the thought of prayer. After all, it is an open invitation to communicate with the One who created the stars and set the planets in place as well as designing every galaxy, known and unknown. That seems like a pretty big deal to me.

As parents, we make sure our kids get their picture taken with the Easter Bunny and wait a near eternity to sit on Santa’s lap because those guys are a pretty big deal to kids. Why? …because we have made them a big deal. Here is a valid question for each of us… How much do we make a big deal of sitting at the feet of the Creator of the universe?  Maybe our kids don’t value their connection with Him because we haven’t told them who He is. Possibly we have dropped the ball when it comes to showing them, by our example, that we can talk to Him about EVERYTHING any time we want!

Does it feel a bit awkward to you to pray with your kids? Most new things do feel awkward, like walking, eating solid foods, drinking from a cup, going potty in the toilet…. Need I go on?  If you expect to grow in your walk with the Lord, stop using the “awkward” excuse and start growing up in your faith! Talk to Jesus with your kids. About everything. He is the unseen member of your household. When He is brought into your conversations, they will likely take on a better complexion.

Let me help you get started …

In response to arguing kids… “God, you created us to love one another. Help our hearts to better understand how to love each other so we don’t fight.”

In response to the “gimme” phase… “God we know that the Bible tells us to be thankful. Help us to spend more time seeing what we have rather than seeing what we want so that we can live in an attitude of thankfulness.”

In response to fears… “God we know that fear comes from our minds so help us to crowd out the things that scare us by thinking about all the good things you have put in our lives, like puppies and kitties and…”

Ok, there is a start. When you learn to connect with God, it will become more and more natural for your kids to learn that connection. You aren’t imposing… remember what He suffered so that He can connect with us throughout eternity? TALK TO HIM!

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”

James 5:13

“Pray continually!”

 1 Thessalonians 5:17

10 Things I Would Change... Birthday Musings

My birthday is this week. Kind of makes me think… “If I had it to do all over again….”  Have you ever uttered those words?  Here are 10 of the many things I would do differently.

1)      I would be more gentle to children who are just beginning a lifetime of learning how to make their way in the world and don’t really understand our grown-up rules or the reasons behind them.

2)      I would listen better – even to the unsaid words, because I know that my own emotions and background will distort what I am hearing and change the meaning from what the one speaking intended.

3)      I would create more beautiful things because as I take the time to do so I am transported to a higher plain and transformed by the creativity God has placed within me.

4)      I would have been a better student of the Word at an earlier age because I now know the wealth that is hidden in the pages to draw me into a closer relationship with the One who sees and knows all things.

5)      I would have exercised before I was in my fifties because I would have been much more help and had more fun with the strength and stamina I am just now realizing.

6)      I would have tried harder to speak the truth in love; gently confronting rather than being the one who accommodates others just to keep the peace and in the end, sends the message that undesirable behaviors are acceptable.

7)      I would have prayed and waited more and manipulated less, because altering things to get what you think you need takes away the opportunity to see God bless you beyond your wildest dreams.

8)      I would have spent more on things that would keep me organized and less on things that need to be organized so I’d have less of what I don’t need and more to share with others.

9)      I would have spent less time and energy trying to impress God and more time sitting in His presence, learning who He created me to be and what He really wants me to do.

10)  I would live in joyful expectation, praising God more… panicking less.

May YOU learn to have a richer life, earlier, by considering what you need to change NOW so there are no regrets later! No time like the present!

Now, let’s go eat some ice cream!

“I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10