Spring Cleaning

I don't know about you, but when the days start warming and the grass begins to green, I get the cleaning bug.  Although it is still cooler in our part of Oklahoma than it usually is, there have been days where we have glimpsed the start of spring and relished the warmth of sunshine on our skin and the feel of the cool grass under our feet.  The birds are more active too, which is always a good signal that spring is right around the corner.  We have taken off school this week to give me much needed time to do some deep cleaning…ovens, grout, baseboards are just a few things on my list.  I have also changed out seasonal clothes and rearranged my boys drawers and plan to do the same for my girls before the week is out.

Since we school year round, it is also a time for my husband and I to re-evaluate the curriculum…see if there are changes we want to make…items to delete and some to add.  It is a time for scheduling and making lists…something I enjoy very much.  But, in all the productivity of spring, it is important that I not neglect the spiritual cleaning.  How often do we assess the recesses of our heart and decide what to get rid of and what to add?  So often we become so used to "little sins" that they don't even seem like sins anymore. They become such a part of us…gossip, harsh words, watching and reading materials that are not God-honoring..and the list could go on and on.  This is also a week to do a spiritual spring cleaning for me.  There are areas I need to dust and wipe away the grime…to get clean before my God. 

There should always be more of Him and less of me.  I am praying Ezekial 36:26... 

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." It is so easy for us to develop a heart of stone in certain areas.  When we get in a pattern of sin, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, frustration, procrastination, it becomes a part of us.  We stop seeing it as something that needs to be eradicated, but rather look on it as a personality trait we have to live with.  That, however, is not the way God sees it.

So, if you are like me, and you are beginning your spring cleaning soon.  Ask God to show you areas in your heart that need cleaning.  He is faithful to show us those things when we ask because our Father desires us to be righteous before Him.  And trust me, that kind of cleaning is so much more profitable than having a spotless house.  Happy Cleaning!

Battling the Lies of the Enemy

If there is one thing I know as a Christian, it is that the enemy is alive and well.  He knows just how to attack.  He knows how to say just the right things that will cause us to doubt who we are and what we are capable of doing.  No ground is too sacred for his warfare and as Christians we must always be ready for the battle.  How many times have you looked in the mirror and said…I'm too ______?  You fill in the blank.  Or, I wish I were more like _______________.  Or, I am such a failure in ________________________.  I don't have the talents or gifts that __________________ has.  If only I could do ______________, I might be more effective for the kingdom.  ______________'s children are so much __________ than mine, I must not be doing something right.  And the list could go on and on and on….to infinity.  Yes, the enemy knows just how to whisper those things to us and if you are anything like me, it is easy to fall under those attacks.  

I'll be honest with you.  This was one of the areas the enemy had me bound, until Christ set me free.  Do I still hear these words?  Yes, of course, Satan's kingdom doesn't give up that easily.  Do I ever give in to them?  Yes, unfortunately, sometimes I still do.  But, praise God, it is less and less and now I do battle rather than settling for defeat.  So, for all of you who have ever heard these words from the enemy and have fallen under them…this is for you.  I want to leave you with the weapons of our warfare.  The sword and praise.  The enemy cannot stand against the Word of God and praises.  So, the next time those voices try to remind you of what you are not…you remind them of who you are!

You are a child of God.  

 But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God's children … John 1:12

You are a friend of Jesus.

I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father…John 15:15

You are a fellow heir of Christ.

And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)--if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him…(Romans 8:17)

You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ… (Ephesians 1:3)

You are chosen, holy and blameless before God.

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love (Ephesians 1:4).

You are redeemed and forgiven in Christ.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).

So the next time the enemy comes and tries to tell you all that you are not, you remind him who are you because of Christ who has set you free.  And then you start praising God for all He has done in your life and for who He is.  Trust me, the enemy will flee.  

The Rhythm of Our Days

What does the rhythm of your days look like?  I must admit, ours varies depending upon commitments, unexpected sicknesses, and a myriad of other things that demand our attention.  But there are some things that are non-negotiable in our lives.  First, we seek to spend time with God everyday.  Before we start school, our children know they are to have their quiet time with the Lord.  A day cannot start out on the right foot without making Christ the priority.  Satan will always tell us how we are too busy, too tired, too whatever to get this most important time done, but that only reminds us that this is of the utmost importance if the enemy seeks to keep us from it.

Then some time in the early morning routine we stop to have a morning devotional together.  My husband is off to work at this time, so I gather the children and we read through a book of the Bible, one chapter at a time.  We have some discussion about what that particular passage means to our Christian life and then we pray.  School always seems to flow so much smoother when our morning devotionals are not neglected.

Other activities fill our days…homeschooling, cooking, outside play, creative pursuits…but none of those compare to the time spent with the Savior…at His feet…seeking His face…asking Him to order our days.

Hugs, kisses, sweet words, I love you's…these are the things that our children will remember.  Don't forget the importance of your touch and lovely conversation in the lives of those you love.  I have to constantly remind myself that when my children grow up they won't remember the phonics lesson they do day after day, but they will remember the attitude Mommy had while doing it. My children will learn to read and do math and a long list of other things, but will they remember a gracious mother who loved them every chance she got?  That is the kind of mother I strive to be.

And it is only by loving the Lord as I should that I can love my family properly.  Only the Holy Spirit can illuminate that kind of love through us.  So remember…give the Lord your day and everything else will fall into place.  

When God Redirects

I have confessed to you all before that I am a planner.  I like to plan so much at times, that the planning is often  more fun for me than actually carrying out those plans.  I would be content having large blocks of time to plan for all sorts of things…menus, homeschooling, chore charts, reading lists, and on and on and on!  Every year around the first or so of December, I begin getting a little giddy.  And it is not about what gift might be waiting for me under the tree, but rather the fact that another year is approaching so that I can start making my list of goals for the approaching year.  I know…that's a little weird.  I admit it.   

I have read books, listened to CD's and watched DVD's about the importance of planning and the need to do so.  I truly loved those books and lectures!  But, recently, God has redirected me in a way that I never suspected.  It is in every way against my nature and personality.  But, God often does that when we ask Him what we need to change.  And I am no exception.  It has finally occurred to me that God does not want another grandiose list from me of all the things that I want to accomplish for Him in the coming year.  God wants me to focus on who I am rather than what I will do.  I know my tendency.  I feel better about myself when I can check off a list of things that I feel make me a successful wife, mother, friend, church member, etc.  God doesn't want me to get some counterfeit righteousness from my list of things to do, but rather to seek righteousness above all things. 

When I began looking at the men and women of the Bible, so much of their lives were unplanned.  God told Abraham to leave his home and he didn't know where his final destination would be.  Moses was taken from the palace life of Egypt to end up a leader to God's people and 40 years of that he spent wandering with them in the wilderness.  Ruth had no idea what awaited her with her mother-in-law Naomi.  She just knew that being with her was the right thing to do. 

I do not think that having a plan is a bad thing.  There is some planning that must go into successfully accomplishing things.  I know God has called me to homeschool, therefore to do so effectively I must plan.  My home needs to remain clean, so I must plan the chores that must get done to keep it that way.  To save money at the grocery store, I need to do menu planning so that I don't overspend.  But, my yearly plan has changed.  Although my goals were not bad, God has shown me that they were not the best.  It is as if God is was telling me that if I focus on my character and being all He desires me to be, all the other things will fall into place.  It forces me to seek after those things that are most important more diligently...like holiness, righteousness, patience, love, etc.  If I posses those qualities like I should, God will naturally move me by His Holy Spirit where it is He wants me to go and what it is He wants me to do.  I realized that sometimes my long range planning was an excuse to keep myself from the moment by moment communicating with the Spirit of God and being open to His leading at any time.  It was a hard thing to let go of in one respect.  I have listened to those I respect talk about the need for 200 year plans!  You can imagine how exciting that was for me!  And although I am not saying that planning like that is wrong...that may be exactly what God has called someone else to do.  But, clearly God changed my direction.  And at times, it is a scary thing to change course and seemingly go against the tide.  But isn't that what living a life filled with God's Spirit is all about?  So now, instead of waking up and running through my mind all the list of things that I can see myself checking off for the day.  I wake up and say, "Lord, fill me with Your Spirit.  Make me more Christ-like today.  Let me be Your hands and feet to my family and all those I come in contact with...and let me be open to the schedule, events, and places You desire me to do."  And although it is a much greater effort to live in a constant awareness of the Spirit of God and an attitude of prayer, it is eternally and infinitely more rewarding!

Denying Self

One of the books on my reading list this year is Radical by David Platt.  Amazingly, this was one of the textbooks used for a class that my husband took at Southeastern Seminary last semester for an ethics class.  Although I have not read the book yet, my husband would read enough excerpts from it to me to peak my interest and to start us talking at length about what biblical Christianity really looks like.  We have had these conversations before.  It is as if the Lord is bringing us to the realization that this western culture is very foreign to the real cross carrying, gospel centered, selfless service type of Christianity that Christ speaks of in the Bible.

So much of what we do here is so very ME centered.  Our hobbies, our sporting events, our spare time…all revolves around us…what we enjoy…what makes us happy…what we feel we have earned the right to do.  When I read about the life of Christ and His disciples however, I never see this ME centered living.  You don't see Paul running off to the nearest Olympic event to watch his favorite athlete compete.  You don't see Peter saying, "I worked my whole life as a fisherman…I did my time…Now it's time for me to enjoy my days!  I've earned it!"  You don't see the early Christians carting their children all over God's earth to the next event, or competition, or party…or whatever so they will be well-rounded and have all these accomplishments behind their names.  One could easily argue that this is because these types of things didn't exist in the early days of the church, therefore they couldn't.  Well, that is partially correct.  Sports have been around since then for sure!  We got the concept of the Olympics from the Greeks!  But, that would not be my question.  My question would be, "If they were around then, would the early church have been participating?"  I think not…at least not to the extent we do today.  The early church's philosophy was cross carrying…think about it.  A cross was not a pretty thing.  Oh, we wear them around our necks and hang them in our houses…because today they are a symbol of true salvation for us.  But, back then…the cross was a symbol of execution, of death, of pain!  And Jesus tells us to take this cross and carry it daily.  What does that mean?  Are you dying daily to your desires for those of Christ?  What cross are we carrying?

“We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream 

Now, before you think I am too radical, let me tell you what I am not saying.  I am not saying that having some activities is a wrong thing.  But, we need to ask ourselves…why do we do these things?  Are they all about us, or are they about Him?  As a disciple of Christ, shouldn't everything be about Him?  We make sure our children are involved in all these activities that we deem to be beneficial, but how many times do you make sure they have a chance to share the Gospel, work in a kitchen serving the homeless, visit a nursing home, pray outside an abortion clinic, give to orphans and widows?  Todays kids get their latest video games and DVD's, Kindles, Ipod, Ipads, etc., but when was the last time they were the hands, feet and voice of Christ to a lost and dying world?  When was the last time you or I were?

“If we were left to ourselves with the task of taking the gospel to the world, we would immediately begin planning innovative strategies and plotting elaborate schemes. We would organize conventions, develop programs, and create foundations… But Jesus is so different from us. With the task of taking the gospel to the world, he wandered through the streets and byways…All He wanted was a few men who would think as He did, love as He did, see as He did, teach as He did and serve as He did. All He needed was to revolutionize the hearts of a few, and they would impact the world.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream 

This isn't just a problem with our children.  It begins with us.  You know, I would guess that our retired generation today is probably one of the least fulfilled and unhappy in decades.  The more our culture has immersed themselves in their own desires, the unhappier we have gotten.  Remember it was Jesus who said it is better to give than to receive.  Those words are true.  And if we continue to live for our next trip, our next sporting event, our next this or that…we will always come away empty and unfulfilled.  I cringe to think what we American Christians will have to answer for…how much money have we spent on our own amusements when there are people literally dying around the world just for something to eat?  Or our fellow Christians who would suffer great hardship just for a Bible and some of us barely read ours or we have several in our homes and not even give it a second thought?  What about persecuted Christians around the world who need help and medical attention just because they have claimed Christ and risked all?  Where your treasure is…there will your heart be also.  So next time you are heading for the golf course or the video game store or to get a Starbucks coffee…stop and ask yourself…if I just gave this up just one time a week, month, you fill in the blank…how could I take this money and further the kingdom's work?

“But then I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.' I'm confident that God will take care of me.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy... It's not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than enough for us.”
― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

“We desperately need to explore how much of our understanding of the gospel is American and how much is biblical.”
― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

The Rhythm of Life

Some days feel like a caption off a hallmark card…you know the feeling…those days when just the thought of being alive overwhelms you, the sun shines, the flowers bloom…you sense the beauty of God's creation and you exude joy!

Those days the rhythm of home and life seems to flow smoothly and you can easily get lost in the beauty of it all.  I love to soak up those days when they arrive…learning to thank God for these small glimpses of glory.

Then, there are those days when the rhythm of life seems to bump and weave and create havoc.  Instead of a home serene and clean, you get mounds of clutter in corners of your home due to sickness.  Instead of sitting down to dinner at the big table, you spend your time on couches with sick children.  Sometimes strange things happen…like both Mommy and Daddy getting a stomach bug at the same time…and then you realize you are thankful for different things.  Thankful that it is not always like this…thankful that you have an older daughter who knows how to keep the rhythm of the home going for the others and to take care of her parents when needed…thankful that God is still God no matter what is happening…thankful for Christian friends who help out when needed...and thankful that you once again get a glimpse of glory by realizing you are bound for a place where there is no more sickness.  These are the days we have had this last week.  But God is still God…and He is training us for His purposes.  And for that, we can always be thankful!

Anywhere but There, Lord…Please!

Being a military spouse, you get used to the constant moving.  Not that one always like it, but it just goes with the territory of military life.  But there usually is a place or two on everyone's list that ranks at the very bottom for desirable places to live.  We all have our different reasons.  Some prefer the cold, others warmer climates.  Some love the plentiful trees and flowers of the south, others the wide open spaces of the west, still others the heartland of America.  If you ask most military people, they can give you the one or two places they would least like to go…and the reasons for it.  There have only ever been two on my list…otherwise, I am pretty easy going when it comes to picking up and planting myself somewhere else.  The first place I would never choose…Alaska.  Why?  The six months of light deprivation would probably drive me crazy.  I NEED my sunshine!  It makes me happy!  The second place I would never choose…Oklahoma!  Now, for you Oklahomans out there…nothing personal.  This is just my list.  I wasn't too crazy about my own southern hometown either.  Two days ago, we found out where we are going next…want to take a guess? FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA!  Yes, number two on my least desirable place to live.  In case you are curious about this place I will soon call home...here we go:

1)  LOTS and LOTS of days of 100 degree weather.

2)  Home of the brown tarantula (Did I ever tell you I have arachnophobia?)

3)  Has my second least favorite arachnid - the scorpion.

4)  301% above the national average for tornado activity

5)  Higher than the national average crime rate…need I go on?

Yes, in September (Praise the Lord He gave me 8 months to get a handle on this one) we are Oklahoma bound.

But, the most discouraging news…the two things I prayed about most…finding a doctor who specializes in the care I need and a good church.  God knew that even Ft. Sill would be welcome if those two factors were met.  

I don't know about the church yet…but there is not a single chiropractic doctor that specializes in the care I need in the whole state of Oklahoma.  The nearest one…three hours away in Texas.

So, what am I to do?  Cry?  Check…did that!  Have myself a pity party?  Check…did that too!  Get mad at God!  Heaven forbid!  Does this mean He doesn't love me?  That He doesn't understand my needs?  That He didn't ordain these events for my good?  No, it doesn't.  How can I talk about the Sovereignty of a loving God and not believe it when things like this come into my life?  This is one of those moments when I do not see the hand of my God…but I choose to trust His heart.  I know He loves me…I know He knows my physical needs…and I believe that He will work ALL things for my good.  So, no more pity parties, crying spells, and rantings about the negatives.  God has ordained that I go to Oklahoma…what do I believe He will do?

1)  Give me lots of sunshine with that 100 degree weather…after all, sunshine makes me happy.

2)  Help me face my fear of spiders.

3)  Oh, and scorpions too!

4)  Show me that He is the God of the storms of life…whether they be the ones over the horizon, or the ones I face personally

5)  Show me that He is the One I put my safety in…not what man can do to me.

What about the doctor?  Well, I am trusting Him for a miracle…and Oklahoma is just as good a place for a miracle as any other!

Starting Off a New Year

I always enjoy the freshness of a new year.  I am a goal-driven person, so making lists and goals at the start of a new year is something I enjoy.  Even if I do not accomplish all the goals that I laid out for that year, I always accomplish more than I would if I have never formulated a plan.  I would like to share some of the goals I have been praying and planning about.

I like to pray about a special verse to apply to me personally during the coming year.  This year it is John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease."  So many times I have found myself fighting in my own strength…running on my own energy…making my own plans, and never fully giving those things over to the Lord.  He knows what He wants of me.  He knows where my focus should be.  Christ is the One who should be governing my every step.  I want to wake up every morning and say, "Lord, this is your day…your schedule…do with it as you will."  And then, I want to take every bump in the road, and every blessing that comes my way as the movement of a Sovereign God who only desires the best for me.  For me to do that…He must increase, but I must decrease. 

Time is so short and so precious.  We will never get this day back.  Did we live it for His glory?  If we are given tomorrow, what will we do with it?  

I would encourage you to pray about what the Lord might have you do differently this year and begin working toward that plan.  I have many things still ruminating in my mind and heart, but I thought I would share a few with you.  One of the first things I do is make a reading list for the year.  There are so many wonderful books out there.  If you are interested in my reading list this year, you can find it here.

Some of the other goals on my list this year:

1.  Complete three courses toward my Master Herbalist degree.

2.  At LEAST a once a month date night with my husband.  (Hopefully we will get that up a little higher before the year is through)!

3.  Consistent one on one time with my children.

4.  Memorize more scripture.

5.  Develop a more thankful heart.

6.  More consistent read aloud times with the family.

7.  Develop reading lists for my individual children.

8.  Incorporate new healthy recipes.

9.  Begin dejunking before our upcoming move after summer.

10. Organize closets and drawers.

11. Work on scrapbooking more often.

12.  Blog 2 to 3 times a week.

These are just a few of the areas I plan to work toward this year.  But, I have also laid this plan before the Lord to change or redirect in any way He sees fit.  After all, a plan without Christ at the center is not worth doing anyway.  

How is the Lord leading you this new year?  I pray that whatever it is, you will be blessed beyond measure.  May you seek Him more this year!

Some Principles of Courtship ~ Part One

I wanted to share some insights given at the conference by Paul Washer.  He spoke about the Principles of Courtship that I found extremely helpful.  He encouraged us to copy his handout and pass it out as we would like.  Since I cannot do that for all of you, I thought I would try to write them in installments, and put the scripture references under each and then you can decide if you would like to keep them for a reference or guide.  I would also encourage each of you that can afford it, to buy the MP3 tapes of the conference.  We still have not listened to all of ours yet, but I am looking forward to doing so the beginning of the new year.  I hope to be sharing some of my goals for the coming year with you soon as well.  May you have a blessed New Year with Christ at the center of all you do!

Biblical Courtship by Paul Washer

Plowing Fertile Ground for Teaching:  Before we even begin to discuss courtship, we must be aware of our present reality as people, convinced that the entirety of our lives are to abound to the glory of God, and determined to live biblically:

 I.  We must be aware of our present reality as people.

      Judges 17:6, Hosea 4:6, Isaiah 1:4-6

II. We must be convinced that the entirety of our lives must abound to the glory of God and be submitted to God's revealed will.

       I Corinthians 10:31, II Corinthians 10:5, II Timothy 3: 16-17

The Context of Teaching:  In the same way that knowing the will of God in a specific moment springs forth from a life style of renewing the mind in the Word of God (Romans 12:2), courtship springs forth from a life-long biblical relationship between parent and child.

I.  Parents must strive to know the Scriptures.

    Proverbs 29:18, Hosea 4:6

II. Parents must strive to live as biblical examples.

      I Corinthians 4:15-17, I Corinthians 11:1, I Thessalonians 2:14, Matthew 23:2-3

III.  Parents must strive to love, teach, and govern biblically.  The godliness and Christ-likeness of the family is the most important goal of the godly man!

      Genesis 18:19, Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Joshua 4: 5-7, Ephesians 6:4, I Timothy 3:4

IV.  Children must be convinced of their parents' role.  

        A.  The parents' role is ordained by God and is the "first law" governing man's relationship to man.  Exodus 20:12

B.  A deeper look from Ephesians 6:1-3.

     1.  Children, obey your parents - to obey, listen, harken to;  of one who, on hearing a knock at the door, comes to listen who it is; the duty of a porter.

     2.  In the Lord - in the context of the Lord's authority

    3.  For this is right - righteous; observing divine law.

     4.  Honor your father and mother - to esteem them as valuable.

    5.  Which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth - a reference to a blessed life without fear of divine judgment.

C.  Moving beyond obedience to honor:  Leviticus 19:32

D.  Divine Penalties:  Jude 1:6, Deuteronomy 21:18-21

(There is quite a bit more, but for time and not to have the post too terribly long, I will share more later.  I hope some of you who are pursuing this route will find this helpful.  God bless!)

Gospel-Centered Marriages ~ Part Two ~ FINALLY!

It has been forever since I have blogged.  Our children decided they would pass around viruses of all kinds for two months straight!  It was a little hard to find blogging time during that run of sickness.  But, I did want to share some more highlights from the conference.  One of the things I greatly appreciated was the fact that most of the speakers stressed just the day to day being in the Word of God.  There are suggestions and ideas to help families navigate through the courtship process, but the best preparation for courtship is to ground your son or daughter in the Bible.  Make sure they are hiding God's Word in their hearts.  If not, all the courtship do's and don'ts mean nothing because the foundation has not been properly laid.

It is only by being in God's Word that a husband and a wife know the correct order in a home…how a husband is to lead and a wife be the submissive helpmeet.  This, in itself, is a wonderful preparation for our children to enter into courtship and marriage.  And if you are like most families we met there, you will be the first generation in your family to navigate children through this thing called courtship. So, many of these waters are untested for us.  Another idea that was continually stressed was that courtship looks different for every family.  Yes, there are some main principles, but how you flesh those out among your own children will look different from the next persons.  In fact, it will most likely look different in your own family from one child to the next.

One of the main things I came away with was to make sure that my husband and I are continually praying about and with our children for their future spouses.  We have made it a practice since our first child was born to pray this way.  And now that my oldest daughter is fifteen, she too is praying almost daily for her future husband.  If a family bathes this most crucial time in prayer, I believe God will faithfully help you navigate through courtship with His leading.  

Next time, I hope to share some of the principles of courtship that were shared at the conference.  But, for those of you that are looking to go through this courtship process with your children, saturate yourselves and your children in the Word and prayer.  Then, trust God for the results.  He is faithful to provide all our needs.

Watch This Powerful Film!

This is a wonderful film produced by Ray Comfort.  I do, however, caution you about showing it to your children as there are graphic images in the film.  Please watch it first, and then decide the age appropriateness for your family.  I pray God uses this film mightily for His kingdom!  Go here to watch.

Training Children in Godliness ~ Doing Their Best

One of the things we are working on as a family is to strive to do our best in everything we do.  I grew up with this principle in my home.  I often heard, "A job worth doing is a job worth doing well."  This is certainly true.  But, it wasn't until later in life when I realized that doing my best went farther than doing a job well.  It told a lot about my character and my relationship with Christ.  We can look around us everywhere and see that our God is a God who does all things well…and never haphazardly. This is the standard for our lives.  We cannot do all things perfectly like Christ, but we can do our best and strive to be creative in our pursuits to the best of our abilities.

 So, why do we tell our children to do their best?  First of all, because our Lord commands it.  "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord."  (Col. 3:23)  God is creative, industrious, and perfectly artistic in His nature.  We should be all of that to the best of our ability and seek to encourage our children in the same way.  I know you have come across people who do things just to get by.  They have no joy or creativity in the work they do.  They find it dull and boring.  We, as parents, can also fall into this category.  The day to day tasks of life can seem mundane.  But the God who causes the same sun to rise on us everyday never looks at life this way, and neither should we.  All that we do should be an act of obedience and love toward Him, whether that be going through the phonics book again, making dinner every night or folding the laundry for the thousandth time!  So, what are some practical ways to encourage our children to do their best in all things?

1.  First, we need to set the example for them.  If we are constantly complaining about cooking dinner again, or looking like we would rather be anywhere else than working on this math problem, they will follow our lead.  Show your children that whatever the task God has called you to, you can find joy in it.  And whatever you do, go the extra mile. We teach so much to our children just in our day to day actions with them.  

2.  When you give your child a job, expect their best.  If they do not give it to you, require them to redo it until it is the their best.  Sometimes this is so hard.  It is much easier to do a job yourself than to stay on someone and make sure they are meeting the standards.  But, to fail in this area just teaches our children that they can give half-heartedly and there are no consequences.  This is not true discipleship.  We must get in our mind that training our children in righteousness is our first priority and everything else is secondary. 

3.  Give your children a chance to show their creativity.  If you ask your girls to set the table, let them "decorate" it.  Ask them to find flowers from outside, to make name markers for each place, to fold the napkins a special way.  All these things allow your child to see the beauty in the everyday.  Sitting down to dinner each night then becomes an exercise in creativity.  My oldest daughter loves to put the food on the table in beautiful bowls.  Would it be easier to have everyone line up in the kitchen and serve it from the pots?  Yes, and many times we have!  But, when she sets the table so lovely, it shows her desire to go the extra mile and it does make the evening meal a much more beautiful event.

4.  Always remind your children why this is required.  It is because God always gives His best to us and He requires His children to give their best to others.  It causes our children to be servant minded, to think of others more highly than themselves.  

So, this coming week…teach your children to give God their best in everything they do and see how the Lord blesses the creativity He has given your family!

Are You Planting Groves?

We were reading this morning in Deuteronomy for our devotional time.  One particular verse penetrated my heart.  It was Deut. 16:21, "Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee."  Idol worship was prevalent in the days of the patriarchal fathers.  God speaks a lot to His people about keeping themselves pure from this type of sin.  He reminds them over and over again how easy it is to get snared into idol worship. And in this verse, God goes so far as to say that He does not even want them to plant groves near the altar of the Lord!  Can't you just hear sceptics today saying how legalistic this sounds?  For many Christians today, the whole idea of idol worship seems foreign.  Most Christians I know don't get tempted to worship statues of man's making.  But, lest we forget, idol worship is not just worshipping something we call a god, but replacing the Creator God from His rightful position.  There is much surrounding us on a daily basis that could easily become an idol.  Idol worship is about putting anything before Christ in your life.  And that my friend, can be almost anything.  People, hobbies, money, position, and the list could go on and on.  What groves are you planting near the altar of God in your life?  Is it your family?  Is it homeschooling or healthy eating or your favorite hobby?  What about technology…facebook, twitter, and yes, even blogging?  Are these things bad?  No, but when our time with God takes a backseat to these things, then they become our idols.  So ask yourself today as I am asking myself; what groves have I planted near the altar of God?  I think it might be a good time to lay the ax to the trees.  May the Lord give us wisdom to see when we are about to plant groves of our own making.  

Our Everyday Standards for Modesty ~ Part 2

I don't know if any of you remember the series I have been working on about training daughters...it has been so long since I have written, I would not blame you if you had.  The packing, moving and setting up house has kept me from pressing on in this area, but today I am back with my second installment concerning modesty.  If you missed  part one, you may find it here.  


First and foremost, modesty begins with the heart.  I cannot stress this enough. It is possible for a woman to be dressed modestly on the outside, but yet not have a heart for modesty and purity.  God is the one who judges the heart.  So, we set standards for our daughters and let them continually know that even though we are setting up these standards outwardly, the standards they have before God on the inside is what matters most.  I do not, however, believe a woman can dress immodestly on the outside and still be modest on the inside. 


 Once again, I want to stress that these are our family standards…through prayer and with guidance from your husband, your family must adopt what you believe the Lord is telling you.  Here are some more guidelines we have set up for our family.  


1)  We have chosen not to wear shorts.  If we did wear shorts, they would be the longer kind that comes to the knee.  I don't know if women and young girls really understand the temptation it is for our brothers in Christ when most of the leg is exposed.  Unfortunately, with the short shorts and daisy duke style, our brothers have to combat this from every turn.  We decided as a family that we would rather travel further on the side of modesty than the other way.  


2)  We make sure our tops are long enough to cover our midriffs even when we stretch up our arms.  That is always an easy test to do.


3)  Our skirts that we wear are quite long…coming midway down the shin or close to the ankle.  They are free flowing and not figure hugging.  Just because you wear skirts does not mean you can't look fashionable.  It is harder and harder to find skirts that are modest, but they are out there.  I hope to share with you soon some of the places that we shop and how we find modest clothing for decent prices.


4)  Although it is a personal decision of our family to wear dresses and skirts mainly, we do not believe it is a matter of sin if you do not.  We do not break fellowship with others who wear pants.  That has never been an issue with us.  We like the idea that our girls look feminine.  When they are wearing dresses or skirts, there is no denying that they are girls.  They sit more feminine and it does not inhibit them in anyway from playing or anything else.  We do, however,  have them wear leggings under their skirts/dresses when climbing trees, swinging, etc. so they will remain modest.  There are rare times when it is more modest, in my opinion, to wear some type of pants.  For instance, my daughter and I frequent the chiropractic office for care.  We have to lay down on the table and the doctor has to move our legs up and down often to check for misalignment.  We have found capri pants to be much more suitable in this circumstance to keep us modest.  


I never really thought that what I wore would be a huge statement about myself to others.  But, there have been several occasions where men have commented on my attire.  When I was in a restaurant one day that I frequented quite a bit, the manager approached me one day and said, "Your husband must be very proud of the way you dress."  There was nothing fancy about what I had on; it was just that there were so many women bombarding the eye gates of the men in this place that someone who was modest was a welcome to them.  Another time when I was leaving a store, an older man stopped me and said, "It is so nice to actually see a woman dressing like a woman."  Once again, nothing flashy at all about what I had on…just a clean skirt and blouse.  What you wear matters.  It is a statement to those around you.  Pray about what you would like your daughters to "say" through their clothing to those around them.  Remember…we are raising the King's daughters.  Make sure they are bringing honor to their Heavenly Father in this area.