As a parent with several children, I spend a lot of time working on how people are to interact with others. As a parent who is in the process of raising little Christians or servants of God, I have to focus some on the practical side of teaching them how to serve God and others. Next to having a personal relationship with God, the way Christians actively love or serve others ought to be one of our main identifying characteristics.
God has been using a number of circumstances lately to remind me that putting others first is very important. While many Christians will agree with that, I think that we easily slip into putting ourselves first and from there it's easy to teach our children to put themselves first, by example, if nothing else. I can think of cases where we have done that.
Sometimes we teach our kids using the 'put yourself in their shoes' line of thought. But sometimes it's a little off. Some use this one: "I wouldn't want to have to do that, so I won't require my children to do that." Sharing a new toy, for instance. We might think, I wouldn't want to have to share something I JUST got when I'm really wanting to play with it so I won't require that they do it. Giving up something, anything, we feel entitled to for the sake of someone else is something that we sometimes struggle with. How we feel about it varies according to how much we want it ourselves. You see, WE are selfish by nature and if we gauge what we and our children should do by what we WANT to do, we'll be way off base. If you're going to use the 'put yourself in someone else's shoes' line, it should be approached from the receiving end. Often we might not want to give or put ourselves out for the sake of someone else, but wouldn't we so appreciate it if someone got something brand new that we really wanted to check out/ look at/ try and they gave it up for a bit just so we could try it and did it with an attitude that indicates they are really glad to share with you?!
Hospitality is built on this idea of putting the comfort and needs of someone else at the top of your list. Not making them feel like their visit or whatever you're doing for them is a burden to you but instead making them feel you're just delighted to have them or to be able to do something for them and you're not thinking about how to avoid mess, work or trying to figure out ways to profit off of their presence. If people get the feeling that you're anxious to avoid the mess their visit will produce or that you're terribly busy and their "intrusion" is taking up your valuable time or whatever, they'll simply come away feeling bad, NOT feeling blessed by you.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
And so it begins!
I don’t even have teenagers and yet, I’m already being introduced to the wild world of secretive, unapproved meetings that would certainly be undesirable from the parental view point. Right under my nose in my very own back yard!! The culprits?
This is our Smokey.
This is his friend who found a way into our yard last night. Cute, but we're not sure about the character. I mean, what am I to think, sneaking in during the night?!
This is our Smokey.
This is his friend who found a way into our yard last night. Cute, but we're not sure about the character. I mean, what am I to think, sneaking in during the night?!
And has spent enough time here to dig this under Smokey's cage (which I JUST moved before bed last night so I KNOW this was done since last night). Apparently QUITE interested in hanging out with Smokey. A little forward, don't you think?
We will be speaking to the parents of Smokey's friend about this!!
I've Been Tagged!!
Here are the rules to receiving this award:
You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous bloggers in a post.
You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.
You must copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post.
On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.
I was tagged by my friend Stephanie at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamazee
In turn, here are some blogs that I enjoy and think are tag worthy!
Bethany (whose blog inspired me to keep up with my own) at http://bethany.preciousinfants.com/
She's wonderfully creative, likes homemaking and is artsy... all things I love! I could browse her archives all day!
Carisa at http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com/
This one I enjoy specifically for fun teaching ideas and inspiration. I specifically like her lapbook ideas! At the very least, I'm reminded to keep learning fun.
Sarah at http://fiddledeedeeblog.blogspot.com/
She's the wife of a friend I grew up with and her blog is specifically interesting if you're looking to save a few bucks. I started reading her blog to figure out how to do the CVS thing, where you use sales, coupons and extra care bucks to save yourself lots of money. However, apparently everyone around here caught onto that and when I went to CVS they'd never have any of the good deals left so NOW I go to her blog for the Publix deals/coupon information. She has coupon links and all sort of good information there.
Those are my 3 fabulous additions. I'm afraid I don't have five at this point in time.
Sorry not to be able to follow through with 5. I'm not a huge blog reader and while I could choose some random blogs, those are the only ones that I know of and feel are definitely worthy of a look-see.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
My New Apron
Okay, first let me say, I've never been an apron kind of person. Actually, I've never in my years until recently (when I got a kitchen bigger than a bathtub) been a 'spend time in the kitchen' kind of person. My little sister, 10 years younger than I was known for her bread making skills while I was still in college without bread making skills. A little embarrassing that she would be able to do that and I would not, but I didn't let it get to me. I still don't have bread making skills but I have a bread machine so that's how I take care of that problem. Another sister is known for her baking. Or at least, before she was doing the college thing she baked more frequently that I personally would ever do. A sister younger still is known for her green beans! Ha!! Well, not really but once she put a JAR of green beans in a pot because that's what mom told her to do. It's one of those stories that you wish would die but your family will remind you of forever and even blog about it! Suffice it to say, she now knows how to cook green beans without the jar.
Back to my point. I've not been known for just loving to cook and no one ever got me cooking things as gifts prior to my wedding (when everything is about cooking) because WHY would I want that?!
But being a wife and mother 6 times over has had an effect on me. You might as well embrace what you have to spend a lot of time doing, huh?! Maybe having a preschooler who is addicted to cooking shows has had an effect. And maybe having a good friend obsessed with healthy eating has had an impact... I guess a lot of things have come together to give me a greater interest in cooking/food preparation. But still, does one HAVE to have an apron to do this? Well, no, but I personally am not the neatest cook! I have grease stains on most of my shirts (ALL of my maternity shirts) and it's quite frustrating. So, I need protection for my shirts AND I need big pockets. My mother says that my pockets aren't for collecting all the toys in the house but I must explain. My boys have many toys with small pieces that always end up "wost and awone" far away from their place of residence. What happens is that I pick them up and put them in a nearby mug, basket or some other small container because at the time I'm doing something and can't go to the other room to take some tiny toy everytime I find one. So, my apron pockets are for collecting these things as I go and depositing them with their family when I get around to their place of residence, whenever that may happen.
After talking about wanting an apron for a year or more I finally made one over the holidays. I found the perfect fabric. Mary Englebreit (http://www.maryengelbreit.com/) fabric that has tea pots and tea cups and watering cans and cherries (of course) and little houses and cute little sayings like "Bloom where you're planted" and "Home sweet home" and "Nurture all you love" and "Home is where the heart is" and other things that are perfect for an apron when you consider that you're wearing it as you go about your home trying to make it a lovely place for your family. I've loved Mary Englebreit's artwork for a long time. I love that it's bright and cheery and that she uses LOTS of colors (because all colors are my favorites!). Ah! I love my apron!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Holding Grudges
I've been reading a book called Created for Work by Bob Schultz. Today I came across a little section about grudges that stood out to me, not because I have a grudge against anyone but because I'm a witness to a monstrous and nasty grudge and the truth of these words seem like something every grudge holder should consider.
"A grudge is the inward reluctance to give. It's the unwillingness to benefit the people you resent. When you have a grudge against someone you cut them out of your life, even when they are in the same room with you. You don't smile and only talk if absolutely required. A good grudge holder doesn't look at the person. He refuses to acknowledge their presence. He can be pleasant to everyone else, yet carefully avoid the target of his grudge...
Grudges require work. Emotionally, you must keep the sour feelings. Mentally, you must remain alert not to smile of look kind. A day of grudge holding is physically exhausting. However, with training, some people are able to maintain an intense grudge for years.
God desires to benefit the world through you. He designed you to be a vessel in which His Spirit grows and bears fruit. He wants to display His mercy, forgiveness, and goodwill everywhere you go. You are like a pipe He wants to use to pour goodness into the world. The only hindrance is that we have the ability to clog our own pipes."
Sometimes people seem to think the grudge impacts only the person they're holding the grudge against. Not so. The grudge I'm thinking of seems to have a greater impact on the "favored" people on the fringes of the grudge than one might imagine. They feel awkward to be favored when the other person is being carefully left out, they feel the injustice displayed towards the object of the grudge, they have to choose words carefully and hide information because they know that giving further evidence of the grudge would seriously hurt the feelings of some while raising the ire of others. The grudge holder seems to think nothing, now, of this habitual practice and apparently plans to continue this to and beyond death. Yes, the object of the grudge DOES feel it acutely. But others, also feel the sting of it, struggle to grasp how the person they love can act that way and struggle too, to be loyal to both parties. A grudge is a nasty thing.
I'd like to ask, WHAT is the value of a grudge well held?
"A grudge is the inward reluctance to give. It's the unwillingness to benefit the people you resent. When you have a grudge against someone you cut them out of your life, even when they are in the same room with you. You don't smile and only talk if absolutely required. A good grudge holder doesn't look at the person. He refuses to acknowledge their presence. He can be pleasant to everyone else, yet carefully avoid the target of his grudge...
Grudges require work. Emotionally, you must keep the sour feelings. Mentally, you must remain alert not to smile of look kind. A day of grudge holding is physically exhausting. However, with training, some people are able to maintain an intense grudge for years.
God desires to benefit the world through you. He designed you to be a vessel in which His Spirit grows and bears fruit. He wants to display His mercy, forgiveness, and goodwill everywhere you go. You are like a pipe He wants to use to pour goodness into the world. The only hindrance is that we have the ability to clog our own pipes."
Sometimes people seem to think the grudge impacts only the person they're holding the grudge against. Not so. The grudge I'm thinking of seems to have a greater impact on the "favored" people on the fringes of the grudge than one might imagine. They feel awkward to be favored when the other person is being carefully left out, they feel the injustice displayed towards the object of the grudge, they have to choose words carefully and hide information because they know that giving further evidence of the grudge would seriously hurt the feelings of some while raising the ire of others. The grudge holder seems to think nothing, now, of this habitual practice and apparently plans to continue this to and beyond death. Yes, the object of the grudge DOES feel it acutely. But others, also feel the sting of it, struggle to grasp how the person they love can act that way and struggle too, to be loyal to both parties. A grudge is a nasty thing.
I'd like to ask, WHAT is the value of a grudge well held?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Equipping Missionaries
Acts 20:33-35 says;
"I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that be working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:3) and, according to this passage, he didn't depend on others to provide for himself but rather, he provided both for his own needs through his own hard work and he helped others with his hard earned wages.
From this and from reading a number of biographies of missionaries, I see that it's very important for missionaries to be equipped to do more than just preach. Many missionaries equipped themselves, prior to going to the mission field, by learning about medicine, by learning construction skills, by learning about gardening/farming and anything else they thought would be useful in serving. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. The people see the missionary applying God's Word to working, which they all have to do to live, they see the missionary serving them and meeting some of their needs through some practical skill and from that learn about serving each other, not to mention that they see love in action. What a blessing we can be to others when we have a practical skill that we can use to meet a practical need while we're sharing God's love. It's where words and action meet. It just makes sense that someone should have skills beyond that of teaching God's Word (which any child of God should be able to do) as they go into ministry. Those in "the ministry" should not be the least skilled people around!!
With that in mind, it's my desire to give my children, in addition to a working knowledge of God's Word, some practical skills to equip them for serving others in practical ways.
"I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that be working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:3) and, according to this passage, he didn't depend on others to provide for himself but rather, he provided both for his own needs through his own hard work and he helped others with his hard earned wages.
From this and from reading a number of biographies of missionaries, I see that it's very important for missionaries to be equipped to do more than just preach. Many missionaries equipped themselves, prior to going to the mission field, by learning about medicine, by learning construction skills, by learning about gardening/farming and anything else they thought would be useful in serving. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. The people see the missionary applying God's Word to working, which they all have to do to live, they see the missionary serving them and meeting some of their needs through some practical skill and from that learn about serving each other, not to mention that they see love in action. What a blessing we can be to others when we have a practical skill that we can use to meet a practical need while we're sharing God's love. It's where words and action meet. It just makes sense that someone should have skills beyond that of teaching God's Word (which any child of God should be able to do) as they go into ministry. Those in "the ministry" should not be the least skilled people around!!
With that in mind, it's my desire to give my children, in addition to a working knowledge of God's Word, some practical skills to equip them for serving others in practical ways.
Growing Missionaries
I love reading and my favorite thing to read these day is biographies of missionaries. When I was younger I found their stories interesting and entertaining but now I find them amazing and inspiring!
The first missionary story to make a really significant impact on my life was the story of Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China. At the time that I read it (actually re-read because I had read it before), I had two little babies and I was feeling like I wasn't accomplishing much in life. Staying home, not coming into contact with other adults much at all, really not fitting into the churches we tried even though I'd make the effort to get involved. The only adults that I talked to about life, other than my husband, was my mom (by phone) and his mom! I was feeling a bit depressed about things when I read that book.
A small part at the beginning of this book permanently changed my perspective on my job. I read about Hudson Taylor's parents praying to God before he was even born, that their child would take the gospel to China. He never knew about this until he was a missionary in China as an adult. Suddenly I realized that God used those parents to change the eternal destiny of multitudes of souls in China! Not through going out and doing amazing things that everyone could see and call amazing, but by doing the quiet little thing of raising their child for the Lord! It's not a job with lots of glory, but when you look down the road and see what God could do with your service... Wow!!
To me it would be a great thing if God chose to use one of my children as an overseas missionary. Not that I would like my children to be far away, but I would definitely love to have my children play a part in spreading the gospel to all the world. At the same time, I pray that God will use all of my children in a significant way, drawing others to Christ and supporting other missionaries, no matter where they end up.
With that in mind, I've not had another day of feeling like my job was pointless. I'm preparing little missionaries to love and serve the Lord. No other job could have greater, longer lasting significance!
The first missionary story to make a really significant impact on my life was the story of Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China. At the time that I read it (actually re-read because I had read it before), I had two little babies and I was feeling like I wasn't accomplishing much in life. Staying home, not coming into contact with other adults much at all, really not fitting into the churches we tried even though I'd make the effort to get involved. The only adults that I talked to about life, other than my husband, was my mom (by phone) and his mom! I was feeling a bit depressed about things when I read that book.
A small part at the beginning of this book permanently changed my perspective on my job. I read about Hudson Taylor's parents praying to God before he was even born, that their child would take the gospel to China. He never knew about this until he was a missionary in China as an adult. Suddenly I realized that God used those parents to change the eternal destiny of multitudes of souls in China! Not through going out and doing amazing things that everyone could see and call amazing, but by doing the quiet little thing of raising their child for the Lord! It's not a job with lots of glory, but when you look down the road and see what God could do with your service... Wow!!
To me it would be a great thing if God chose to use one of my children as an overseas missionary. Not that I would like my children to be far away, but I would definitely love to have my children play a part in spreading the gospel to all the world. At the same time, I pray that God will use all of my children in a significant way, drawing others to Christ and supporting other missionaries, no matter where they end up.
With that in mind, I've not had another day of feeling like my job was pointless. I'm preparing little missionaries to love and serve the Lord. No other job could have greater, longer lasting significance!
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