Archives for August 2011

Annoyance

As parents, we often get annoyed with our children! They disturb our ideals. We teach them the same lessons over and over again. They selfishly expect us to jump to their every beck-n-call. They keep making messes.

How often do you think our children get annoyed with us? We disturb their play for bed time. We try to teach the same lessons with no creativity and expect results. We selfishly expect them to transition smoothly from one activity to another at our beck-n-call or selfishly leave them in their beds fussing rather than moving with love to their beck-n-call. We run around cleaning up messes instead of enjoying the fun of creating them with our children. Annoyed, frustrated, confused with our inconsistency.

How often do you think GOD gets annoyed with us, His children? ...that's right, He's the perfect parent. The perfect example. He is always on His toes with creative nurturing, transitions with ease, jumps at our beck-n-call with joy, and extend grace every moment of our lives.

Be encouraged today. Have some perspective, add some joy to your step, and give a little grace.

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“That’s the plan, Remember!?!”

"I do the talking. You do the thing with the {piano}. And God does the rest! That's the plan...Remember!?!"

Do you know where your kids are getting what they are pretending? I'm excited to say that I love knowing these above conversation came from a Veggie Tale, Moe and the big exit. Maggie told Izzie this in an attempt to get her to play the piano. LOVE IT!

People have always suggested that you not let the TV babysit your children. I thought, well duh. Why would I do that? Hahaha, but now, after having 3 who I'm taking turns feeding, napping, changing, playing with, I totally understand how putting a movie on in the afternoon gives you 30+ minutes to get a lot of chores completed with ease or to just sit. BUT it is still important that you not fall into this trap. Parenting is about building relationships with your children and using every teachable moment. Laughing over cartoons and discussing what they are learing (yes, they learn from everything) from what they are watching. This also gives you the opportunity to decide if what they are learning is really helping or hurting your efforts in raising Christ-followers!

What is your favorite movie to watch with your children?

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“Go back to your own country, Rhubarbarian!”

"Go back to your own country, Rhubarbarian!" -Veggie Tales Duck & the Great Pie War (The Story of Ruth and Naomi)

Buy it Here

When is the last time you were truly "odd for God"? I mean really. Not just the standard American version of a Christian, but truly ODD!

Where I wanna be...
Not participating in gossip even if that means I will be limited to simple conversation with...my kids.
Submitting to my husband even when it makes no sense to others.
Discipline my children strictly even if that means being considered a tyrant.
Not be concerned with my appearance even when that means not tanning my pastey legs, not wearing make-up (or wearing it modestly) even when I have pimple outbreaks and regularly splotchy skin, and using modesty when dressing even when it's out of style, 'unattractive', mundane, or 'homely'.
*Toughest* Not caring if I lose 'friends' by speaking the truth over our lives (those who call themselves Christians) about convictions the Bible has led me to; ie Gossip, Submission, Disciplining Children, Modesty, etc.

Where are you in this journey? What "odd" situations has God called you to live in that I have yet to list?
Are you a typical American Dream with a Christian twist or are you Odd for God?
Do you fit in nicely in the Bible belt or are you calling out pharisees along side Jesus in the awkwardness?
Are we worshiping God, the creator, or Religion, the creation?

~~~

Praying I'm being Odd for God. I wanna stick out and be asked to "Go back to {my own country}" since I'm not of this world.

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I’m Worn Out

After 45 minutes, 11 times putting my toddler back in her bed, 3 spankings for each my toddler and preschooler, and almost falling asleep while leaning against the bedroom door frame because I'm Worn Out but THEY ARE ASLEEP in the same room (for now)!

I'd like to share with you a journey of consistent parenthood that my husband and I are on. someday we are the ideal, prime, text-book example of how to be Christian (Christ-like) parents in disciplining and other days we'd be so ashamed to know anyone saw the way we treated our children in handling a frustrating situation.

I'd like to encourage you to go one this journey with us.

Our goal is: consistent Parenthood which requires continually deciding if how we are doing it is right so in our constantly we aren't continually doing it wrong. hahaha A major thing we require of our children is what some may call "immediate obedience", we call listening the "1st time" in our house. Being consistent is exhausting when you require that! It means you can't be lazy. It means you have to make tough decisions (constantly). I means you need to have regular 'pow wows' with your significant other to make sure not only are you on the same page but preferably on the same line or exact same word of that page. This will definatly wear you out but it's worth it!

Here are a couple of examples of exhausting things we have our children do consistently, why, and what that requires of us:

1. Stay in bed (preferably sleeping) until 7.
Keeps everyone in a routine.
Taking our children back to their bed(s) when they get up before then (5am) and or helping them go back to sleep

2. Eat (portioned accordingly) (must at least try 1 bite for something new)
Health, thankfulness, and manners/character/attitude
Having regular meal routine. Eat together. Try new foods.

3. Pick up toys before bed (both naps and night-time)
Helps keep their things from getting lost (pieces included) or broken
We have to train the how to do this correctly (another post to come on our definition of train), help when necessary, and make them do it.

4. Sleep
Health, sanity, manners/demeanor/character/attitude
Have constant nap routine. Have adequate sleeping for each child. Make them; even when that requires standing in the hall for 45 minutes
some days (as described above).

Why do you do this to your family and yourself?

"We see the first lesson Christ taught his disciples and a lesson that He continued to teach throughout His time with them was obedience."
-Sadie Dodson of WellTrainedFamily.com

What are some of the exhausting but effort worthy things you are constant about with your children?

~~~

As a family we are always trying to line everything we do up against The Standard, the Word of God and the Son of God- the Bible and the perfect life of Jesus. Writing this post made me go back and make sure the things we are requiring of our children is Biblical.

If you're a Christian, are you continually laying your life along side God's Word to seeing if your life really is "Christ-like"?

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