First of all if you are looking for cute Sterling pics this is not your post. BUT I would encourage you to stick around.
I just got back from Woodstock, GA. The girls in my Monday night small group loaded up one of the girls' minivan and headed down to Georgia Friday night to be up and at 'em early this morning to see Beth Moore. She was doing a live simulcast to 400 something locations, with 300,000 women tuning in.
We stayed up late last night, were up at the crack of dawn this morning, and drove a lot of hours, we talked, we laughed, and even patted some damp eyes. Needless to say, like James Spann right now, I would love to be going to bed, but I must process. (He is having a hard time tonight, he must have been on the air all day here).
Sidenote - I must add that typing with painted fingernails is much more fun than typing with Plain Jane ones. I don’t normally paint my nails because I hate when they start chipping after about a day, but this polish is lasting a while. I am really enjoying my dark purple fingers dancing across the keyboard. (I made fun of my very stylish sister for painting her nails black, and like so many things you say you will never do, I am now convinced that it is cute.)
Back to Beth. I have to admit, I have not always been her biggest fan. I tend to shy away from what is "popular" in Christian circles today. And let’s be honest, Beth Moore fans can be a bit obsessed. However, I am learning why. I have done some of her studies in the past and even read part of one of her books, but none of that compares to listen to her darlin' voice and seeing her incredible passion for the word. Since I have been here, the girls in our small group have done a couple of her studies along with the videos. And I must say actually hearing and seeing her, I understand why everyone loves her! I mean I don't agree with every single thing she says theologically, but you have to admit she knows WHAT she believes and WHY she believes it. I covet her passion for studying and memorizing the scripture, and as any good Texan girl would say "She LUVS her some Jesus!"
Back to the day at hand. The topic for today was "So Long Insecurity." She also has a book that I just ordered by the same name. I love the subtitle "you've been a bad friend to us." How true! We hold onto our insecurities as if they were our dear friends.
What a topic for women! And might I mention again that 300,000 women studied this along with us today. That is the size of Tampa, FL (or at least according to the last census).
It is so amazing how the Lord works! I am so glad that He is completely sovereign over all creation!! Because I have to tell you that if you asked me what we were going to hear Beth Moore speak about I probably wouldn't have known. It was going to be a fun weekend away with the girls. We were going to hear Beth speak and as He always does, the Lord would show up. But I had NO expectations about this weekend.
Providentially, the past week or two, the Lord has really been showing me the areas of my life in which I find my security. Honestly, if you asked me on most days I would say that I was a pretty secure person. But how much of that security is being sucked from those around me? Do I have to answer that question?
Beth used a great illustration today of us walking around with an empty cup asking those around us to fill it. How many times to I go to my husband and try to get him to fill that cup up? It's not that I haven't always known that he can't. Believe me I do! I know, and have been taught since I was young, that no person or thing can fill you. Nothing can make me full but Christ. But as she reminded us today from our text, Ephesians 4, we have to "Remember what you were taught.” This week Christ put my men in their right place, I pray that they will stay there. What a great lesson going into today.
What if as women we no longer listened to the world? What if we really did find ALL our security in Christ?
Not being able to fit into by pre-pregnancy clothes? In CHRIST
Not in the way my house looks? In CHRIST
Not in finding something cute to wear? In CHRIST
Not in my husband? In CHRIST
Not in my son? In CHRIST
Not in the idea of having more children? In CHRIST
Not in the idea of being the best mom? In CHRIST
Not in the thought of raising godly children for the kingdom? In CHRIST
Beth continued to challenge us today to not only find our security in Christ for ourselves but for those women we come in contact with. To say that Beth was shocked by the number of women tuning in was an understatement. But we were moved to tears to think of the impact of 300,000 Christian women finding security in Christ alone. It isn’t a suggestion by Beth Moore to make us “feel good” (she’s not into that anyway) but a command from our Savior.
I loved that she challenged us to do it for our daughters if not for ourselves. I don’t have a daughter, maybe one day. But in that moment I thought of my dear Sterling’s future wife (if that is the Lord’s will). What will our relationship look like one day if I look only to Christ for my security, not my son? What if I don’t thrust my insecurities as a mother on her young shoulders? What if she keeps a better house than me, cooks better than me, has better taste than me, has children that are more well-behaved than mine were, loves Jesus more than mine did at their age, has the affection and respect of my son more than me? Then I will REJOICE; she is far more precious than jewels!! (I am getting weepy all over.)
Then I thought of my spiritual daughters. The Lord has entrusted some precious girls into my care. (I bought Beth’s book for them after all.) I began to think of how to communicate these truths to them now while they are living daily in an environment that breeds insecurity like kudzu – high school and even worse jr. high! Lord help them! (I sound like BM, ooh those aren’t the best initials) I know it is up to Him to produce fruit in their hearts, but I don’t want them to have the excuse that they can’t “remember what you were taught”
Women, we MUST break up with insecurity; it has been a bad friend to us!
To see a few pics from the weekend go to Rachel or Ashley's blog. I didn't have a camera with me. (I couldn't find my battery charger for my small camera and didn't want to cart the big one around).
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Praying for My Sterling
I have been praying that God would change my prayer habits. I want to truly be a prayer warrior especially for Sterling. I don't care that he is intelligent or athletic or well-liked or handsome. But I do yearn that he would know Jesus and follow him with his whole heart, that he would not look to the things of the world but to Christ alone. I have been praying for these things. But I have to admit that I allow everyday things to make me forget to earnestly pray for my son.
Most of the time I just get caught up in doing life and forget about my number one duty as a mother. It isn't to have a clean house or clean clothes but to teach my children about the Lord. I have been praying that the Lord would start showing me creative ways to teach and pray for Sterling. And here is an answer I stumbled upon.
First of all, you could adapt this for anyone you were wanting to pray for so this isn't just for mothers!
The concept is to pray for our children as they do activities throughout the day. A mom named Angie Smith came up with a plan to pray specific scriptures for her children during seven activities during the day seven days a week. What a creative way to teach your children as "you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." She puts the scriptures on cards and prays them aloud over her children. You can see the plan she uses by clicking on the 7x7 button to the right.
I can't wait to get started praying for my Sterling!
Most of the time I just get caught up in doing life and forget about my number one duty as a mother. It isn't to have a clean house or clean clothes but to teach my children about the Lord. I have been praying that the Lord would start showing me creative ways to teach and pray for Sterling. And here is an answer I stumbled upon.
First of all, you could adapt this for anyone you were wanting to pray for so this isn't just for mothers!
The concept is to pray for our children as they do activities throughout the day. A mom named Angie Smith came up with a plan to pray specific scriptures for her children during seven activities during the day seven days a week. What a creative way to teach your children as "you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." She puts the scriptures on cards and prays them aloud over her children. You can see the plan she uses by clicking on the 7x7 button to the right.
I can't wait to get started praying for my Sterling!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Book Review
There are so many books on my "to read" list, and so I am trying to read a few chapters everyday during Sterling's nap or when he goes to bed at night. Of course this requires that I turn off the electronics, but it is becoming very valuable time.And for those of you who would say, "I would love to be a reader but I'm just not," or, " I really don't have time," here are two things that have proved to be helpful to me.
First of all, I am dyslexic and so reading is a very slow process for me, and when I was in school I HATED it, LOATHED may be more appropriate. So I have used the first excuse in the past and use the second one all of the time now.
If you have a list of books you would like to read but you just don't enjoy it or don't have time, try these two things, this is what makes me enjoy reading at least:
First, if you don't enjoy reading, get a good fiction book that you have never read. Don't count it out for the size, even if it is really thick! You can take as long as you need. A suspenseful book usually helps do the trick. I have listed some books that got me to really love reading at the bottom of this post.
Second, if you don't have the time, make a commitment to read one or two chapters a day. Before you know it you will start marking books off of your list. Also, I have started many books (non-fiction especially) that after reading the first few chapters I just wasn't drawn to finish them, I just put them back on the shelf and get another that seems appealing. Many times, I have gone back to them at another time and really enjoyed them. Sometimes it just isn't the right time, don't feel guilty.
Also, I have found that when I am required to read a book, for a Bible study or a class or something, I usually don't enjoy it like when I read it on my own. So, don't let that discourage you.
Anyway, back to the book "A Mother's Heart."
Before Sterling was born our pastor's wife in Tuscaloosa gave me this book (thanks Scottie). I started reading it last week and it is so great!! It calls mothers to God's purposes and not our own. It has been great and very convicting!
As Christians we are called to live our lives focused on others. As mothers we are called to have this selfless attitude with our children. Like I said it has been very convicting! It calls us to love with God's agape love which is patient and kind.
It is also very practical. She gives examples of things she does to show her children the gospel. I really appreciate the practical side of it.
Books that MADE me love them:
"Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers; The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers (the first one takes a while to get into but after that you can't stop); Lineage of Grace Series also by the same author (these are very short, quick reads, a good place to start); the Harry Potter series; The Chronicles of Narnia series. (I am noticing a pattern that I have read a lot of series of books, but they are so good that when you are through with the first one you will not want them to be over!)
Monday, July 27, 2009
You Are the Boss - SACH continued
As a teacher I taught kindergarten. This was my favorite age for many reasons. One of these reasons was everything about school at this age is so new and exciting. Another is you have the chance to influence a child's ideas about school.
Almost every child (even those fearful of leaving their parents) come to kindergarten with a sense of awe and excitement. They love getting to use their new "big kid" school stuff. They have a little cubbie all their own with their very own name on it spelled out on a colorful sticker. They get to sit at a table with new friends. They get to learn so many new things. They even get to take their money and pay for their own food all by themselves (or punch in their "secret code" to pay for it). They get to walk down the colorful hallways with their friends to new and exciting places. Everything is an adventure.
But so many kids also come to find there is a big problem with kindergarten.
We are all sinful creatures, even those precious little five-year-olds. Any parent can see this is true, whether they want to admit it or not. Children, in their sinful hearts, wish to resist authority. They do not like someone telling them what to do. We are all self-serving creatures who would rather have our own way. Here lies the problem.
See, when one adult is in charge of the education and well-being of 16-22 five-year-olds there are certain standards that must be complied with. A teacher does not have the luxury (as many parents think they do) of letting their class do whatever they want. Imagine walking into a classroom of 20 kids doing whatever they wanted! None of us would have an education if this were the case. Teachers are not just mean and want the children to have a bad time at school. They give rules and carry through with consequences because they care about the education of their class.
You may say, this is true of all teachers so why single out kindergarten. Because this first year of school is unique in this, many children come to school and this is their first encounter of someone who will carry through with the consequences if rules are broken. And so the clash begins. Believe me I've seen it!
So many children today come from homes where the parents do not believe this important fact: YOU ARE IN CHARGE. Of course most parents have rules, but most children quickly learn rules are to be broken.
Here is an example from the book: It begins so innocently with a mother who has fixed oatmeal for her child for breakfast. The child says "I don't want oatmeal!" Instead of the mother saying, "Sweetheart, this is what I've made for you today because it is good for you and will help you grow. Maybe we can have something you like better tomorrow, but today we are having oatmeal," she asks the child "Well, what would you like dear?" and pours the oatmeal down the drain and starts over.
Now, this seems at first glance innocent and like a caring mother. What mom doesn't want their children to be happy? But over time what does it teach the child? I make the decisions, as Tripp says, "the parent only suggests the options." This is not saying that the child can never make a decision. But you see the difference here. You know what is best and it is our responsibility as parents to be the authority.
This is such a great quote from the book "Being a parent means working on God's behalf to provide direction for your children." God has given parents the responsibility of raising the child, not as the parents see best, but as He instructs in his Word. He has given us the authority to act as an ambassador of himself. We are God's agents and should act like it! When we hold our children to God's standards we are teaching them about God's holiness and our own depravity. (more on this later)
With this authority, however, comes great responsibility. We must carry out God's agenda and not our own! Dr. Tripp points out that we discipline our children because they have sinned against God, not against us. Therefore, we should be able to point out the specific sin they have committed.
This means as parents we cannot bully our children to do whatever we want, there should be a Biblical reason they are being disciplined. For example, if your child is watching a program on TV it is not okay to come up to the child and take the remote because your favorite show is on, then when they do not obey you discipline them. However, if you feel that they have been watching TV for long enough you do have the right to tell them, "Sweetie, that is enough television for now, why don't you go outside, we could play a game, or we could read a book," etc. Not that you can point to a verse that says Thou shalt not watch TV :) . However, the idea of being lazy is discussed countless times throughout scripture. Just take a look at Proverbs. And this kind of instruction should demand obedience, just as God demands our obedience.
Almost every child (even those fearful of leaving their parents) come to kindergarten with a sense of awe and excitement. They love getting to use their new "big kid" school stuff. They have a little cubbie all their own with their very own name on it spelled out on a colorful sticker. They get to sit at a table with new friends. They get to learn so many new things. They even get to take their money and pay for their own food all by themselves (or punch in their "secret code" to pay for it). They get to walk down the colorful hallways with their friends to new and exciting places. Everything is an adventure.
But so many kids also come to find there is a big problem with kindergarten.
We are all sinful creatures, even those precious little five-year-olds. Any parent can see this is true, whether they want to admit it or not. Children, in their sinful hearts, wish to resist authority. They do not like someone telling them what to do. We are all self-serving creatures who would rather have our own way. Here lies the problem.
See, when one adult is in charge of the education and well-being of 16-22 five-year-olds there are certain standards that must be complied with. A teacher does not have the luxury (as many parents think they do) of letting their class do whatever they want. Imagine walking into a classroom of 20 kids doing whatever they wanted! None of us would have an education if this were the case. Teachers are not just mean and want the children to have a bad time at school. They give rules and carry through with consequences because they care about the education of their class.
You may say, this is true of all teachers so why single out kindergarten. Because this first year of school is unique in this, many children come to school and this is their first encounter of someone who will carry through with the consequences if rules are broken. And so the clash begins. Believe me I've seen it!
So many children today come from homes where the parents do not believe this important fact: YOU ARE IN CHARGE. Of course most parents have rules, but most children quickly learn rules are to be broken.
Here is an example from the book: It begins so innocently with a mother who has fixed oatmeal for her child for breakfast. The child says "I don't want oatmeal!" Instead of the mother saying, "Sweetheart, this is what I've made for you today because it is good for you and will help you grow. Maybe we can have something you like better tomorrow, but today we are having oatmeal," she asks the child "Well, what would you like dear?" and pours the oatmeal down the drain and starts over.
Now, this seems at first glance innocent and like a caring mother. What mom doesn't want their children to be happy? But over time what does it teach the child? I make the decisions, as Tripp says, "the parent only suggests the options." This is not saying that the child can never make a decision. But you see the difference here. You know what is best and it is our responsibility as parents to be the authority.
This is such a great quote from the book "Being a parent means working on God's behalf to provide direction for your children." God has given parents the responsibility of raising the child, not as the parents see best, but as He instructs in his Word. He has given us the authority to act as an ambassador of himself. We are God's agents and should act like it! When we hold our children to God's standards we are teaching them about God's holiness and our own depravity. (more on this later)
With this authority, however, comes great responsibility. We must carry out God's agenda and not our own! Dr. Tripp points out that we discipline our children because they have sinned against God, not against us. Therefore, we should be able to point out the specific sin they have committed.
This means as parents we cannot bully our children to do whatever we want, there should be a Biblical reason they are being disciplined. For example, if your child is watching a program on TV it is not okay to come up to the child and take the remote because your favorite show is on, then when they do not obey you discipline them. However, if you feel that they have been watching TV for long enough you do have the right to tell them, "Sweetie, that is enough television for now, why don't you go outside, we could play a game, or we could read a book," etc. Not that you can point to a verse that says Thou shalt not watch TV :) . However, the idea of being lazy is discussed countless times throughout scripture. Just take a look at Proverbs. And this kind of instruction should demand obedience, just as God demands our obedience.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Shepherding a Child's Heart
I think that one of the biggest reason's God allowed me to work in education as well as children's ministry was to prepare me for being a parent. I have learned so many valuable lessons over the past five or six years of working with children! I am thankful not only for the practical training "in the field" with other people's children, but the opportunity to study children "intellectually" as well. What I mean by that is I love to read about subjects that I am passionate about.
The Lord has brought me in contact with many great books about child-rearing, especially while I was working at Trinity Pres. I have been able to read a few of them. Now, I am not a firm advocate of parenting self-help books. I think that the only self-help book we need for parenting, or anything else for that matter, is the Word of God. He is the ONLY authority on any subject, and we should earnestly and prayerfully seek His wisdom in whatever we are doing.
However, I have greatly benefited from several books written not as self-help or five step programs but as reminders that our parenting should be saturated in the Word and in honoring our heavenly Father. I may discuss some more of these in detail later (I need to re-read a few now that I am actually a parent). But I would like to make several posts concerning Tedd Tripp's book Shepherding a Child's Heart.
This book has been on my "To Read" list for some time now. I have read several excerpts from it at times, but I decided yesterday it was time to read the whole book. First, if you are interested in reading it I would HIGHLY recommend it so far. (A good portion of my book is now yellow from my colored pencil marks.) I am not the fastest of readers (okay I am a pretty slow reader), and I have read about half of it in 24 hours.
Usually to accomplish a feat like that I would have to read for a good bit of the day (and it is not a large book). However, it is a very easy and quick read, which is great when entertaining a six month old. I have only read while Sterling is asleep, so if I can do it you can too!
With that said, Dr. Tripp has a great way of putting in words what my spirit has been telling me for some time, our culture's idea of parenting is drastically different than God's command to parents.
I would like to post some thoughts I have had while reading the book. This is a good way for me to process what I read so if you are interested feel free to keep reading. I will not get to all of it today, so more to come.
The title and theme of the book is about shepherding a child, training a child in righteousness, not for the sake of well behaved children, but for the sake of God's glory. The first chapter of Tripp's book is called Getting to the Heart of Behavior.
This chapter is truly the thesis statement and foundation for the rest of the book. Parenting is not about having well behaved children to function in society. It is not about having children who are wealthy, well-rounded, beautiful, loved, or even saved.
When our ultimate goal for our children that they would be one of the above things or a host of others, our means to that end is correcting behavior that does not fit into that goal (or it could be the other extreme, our goal is that our kids are just themselves, in which we let them follow whatever whim they may have at the moment). We spend our lives trying to get our children's actions to fit into whatever spoken or unspoken goals we may have for them.
However, as Christian parents our goals for our children should be as Tripp states from the Westminster Shorter Catechism: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is our chief end as believers and should be our desire for our children as well.
If our goal in parenting is that our children would glorify our Father in heaven and enjoy Him forever, our parenting would look a lot different than those around us. If this is our goal for our children we cannot look to the world for advice on parenting. We cannot look at the latest trends in parenting, Dr. Phil, Supernanny, or even our children's teachers. We must look to the Word of God alone!
This does not mean that we cannot and should not share with one another and encourage other believers along the way. However, it does mean that everything that we do as parents must first be weighed against the Scripture.
This puts a great deal of responsibility on us as parents to be in fellowship with our Father and to know His Word (very convicting as well). This is what we are instructed to do in Deuteronomy 6:7 "You shall teach [the words of the Lord] diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
As parents we are commanded to teach our children the commands of the Lord and to discipline them when they do not obey them (Proverbs 23). But more on that later, this is enough for today.
The Lord has brought me in contact with many great books about child-rearing, especially while I was working at Trinity Pres. I have been able to read a few of them. Now, I am not a firm advocate of parenting self-help books. I think that the only self-help book we need for parenting, or anything else for that matter, is the Word of God. He is the ONLY authority on any subject, and we should earnestly and prayerfully seek His wisdom in whatever we are doing.
However, I have greatly benefited from several books written not as self-help or five step programs but as reminders that our parenting should be saturated in the Word and in honoring our heavenly Father. I may discuss some more of these in detail later (I need to re-read a few now that I am actually a parent). But I would like to make several posts concerning Tedd Tripp's book Shepherding a Child's Heart.
This book has been on my "To Read" list for some time now. I have read several excerpts from it at times, but I decided yesterday it was time to read the whole book. First, if you are interested in reading it I would HIGHLY recommend it so far. (A good portion of my book is now yellow from my colored pencil marks.) I am not the fastest of readers (okay I am a pretty slow reader), and I have read about half of it in 24 hours.
Usually to accomplish a feat like that I would have to read for a good bit of the day (and it is not a large book). However, it is a very easy and quick read, which is great when entertaining a six month old. I have only read while Sterling is asleep, so if I can do it you can too!
With that said, Dr. Tripp has a great way of putting in words what my spirit has been telling me for some time, our culture's idea of parenting is drastically different than God's command to parents.
I would like to post some thoughts I have had while reading the book. This is a good way for me to process what I read so if you are interested feel free to keep reading. I will not get to all of it today, so more to come.
The title and theme of the book is about shepherding a child, training a child in righteousness, not for the sake of well behaved children, but for the sake of God's glory. The first chapter of Tripp's book is called Getting to the Heart of Behavior.
This chapter is truly the thesis statement and foundation for the rest of the book. Parenting is not about having well behaved children to function in society. It is not about having children who are wealthy, well-rounded, beautiful, loved, or even saved.
When our ultimate goal for our children that they would be one of the above things or a host of others, our means to that end is correcting behavior that does not fit into that goal (or it could be the other extreme, our goal is that our kids are just themselves, in which we let them follow whatever whim they may have at the moment). We spend our lives trying to get our children's actions to fit into whatever spoken or unspoken goals we may have for them.
However, as Christian parents our goals for our children should be as Tripp states from the Westminster Shorter Catechism: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is our chief end as believers and should be our desire for our children as well.
If our goal in parenting is that our children would glorify our Father in heaven and enjoy Him forever, our parenting would look a lot different than those around us. If this is our goal for our children we cannot look to the world for advice on parenting. We cannot look at the latest trends in parenting, Dr. Phil, Supernanny, or even our children's teachers. We must look to the Word of God alone!
This does not mean that we cannot and should not share with one another and encourage other believers along the way. However, it does mean that everything that we do as parents must first be weighed against the Scripture.
This puts a great deal of responsibility on us as parents to be in fellowship with our Father and to know His Word (very convicting as well). This is what we are instructed to do in Deuteronomy 6:7 "You shall teach [the words of the Lord] diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
As parents we are commanded to teach our children the commands of the Lord and to discipline them when they do not obey them (Proverbs 23). But more on that later, this is enough for today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)