My Own Backyard....

I love Spring. I love the images that come with Spring. Azaleas....Iris'....Dogwoods.....Green.....I was inspired by one of my favorite movie quotes to snap some pictures of "Spring" in my own backyard today:
In case you don't remember the quote I am referring to, it is the one where Dorothy says, "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't go looking any farther than my own backyard. Because if it isn't there....I never lost it anyway."

Let us strive to be content with our "own backyard"....I know it is a challenge for me. I think I'm up for it, though....how about you???

The Value of a Dollar....

Okay, so everyone that knows me KNOWS how much I love to shop at Goodwill! Well, this weekend, a lesson was learned at my favorite shopping facility. Not only a lesson for me, but for others, as well.

You see, Parker and Kinlee like to look at the toys while we shop. So, as usual, off they went. After some time, I hear them laughing (you know the "what are they up to?" laugh). Here they come holding a plastic hand-shaped back scratcher with one finger missing. Actually, the finger was in Parker's other hand. Parker proceeded to tell me that he had broken the plastic hand. When asked (with a disgusted tone) how he broke it, he replied that he thought it was a "slapper" and hit something with it. Okay, sounds legit. I, of course, got onto him for breaking the toy, to which he replied (always has an answer) that he was headed to the front to tell the lady and pay for it. Okay, I'm thinking - how much can this thing cost?? It's a plastic hand for Pete's sake! So, he and Kinlee go to the lady at the register, and this is what I hear:

Parker: Ma'am?
Lady: Yes.
Parker: Um, this is broken (handing it to her)
Lady: Oh, that's okay. Thank you for bringing it to me.
Parker: No, you don't understand, I am the one that broke it.
Lady: That's okay.
Parker: I'm going to pay for it.
Lady: No, honey, you don't have to do that.
Nice lady in line to pay: Did you hear that? What honesty! Here you go - here, this is for being so honest!

You see, the lady in line handed him a dollar bill!!! What?! That was exactly the look/expression on Parker's face. You can see him registering very quickly that, "okay, I broke a toy, I brought it to the lady, didn't have to pay for it, and got a dollar! COOL!!" The look on Kinlee's face was just as priceless. You could see her registering, "I wonder what I can break?!" To which I replied to the look and unspoken words, "Don't even think about it." I had to laugh as they journeyed back to the toy section, Parker leaned to me and under his breath said/sang, "I'm going to go break some more stuff!" To which I replied again, "Don't even think about it!"

What a lesson learned for BOTH of us. I felt bad that I was too busy getting on to him for breaking the toy in the first place that I didn't really even focus on the honesty. (I would have eventually gotten there, but as a mom, it wasn't my first reaction). You know, the kid could have just put it back on the shelf and walked away as if he had no idea what had happened to it. Parker's lesson came in the fact that honesty pays off (literally in this case). He did the right thing and it worked for him. I have to believe that lessons were learned for just about everyone around that witnessed the whole incident.

I was beginning to feel really good about our episode until later on in the evening, I hear a song that Parker has made up that went a little something like this: "I got a dollar for breakin' somethin' at G-o-o-d-w-i-l-l!!" I made him turn and look me in the eye, asked "WHY did you get the dollar?" He replied, "For being honest". Okay I felt better, but I can almost promise I heard him whisper as he turned to go/dance away, ".....and for breakin' a toy at G-o-o-d-w-i-l-l....!" Oh well, I tried.....:)

Mini Lesson Monday - How are You Going to Finish??

A good friend of mine sent me this video today. It is amazing, and I think you will agree that it is a lesson in and of itself. Have a wonderful Monday - enjoy the clip!!!

http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html

Mini Lesson Monday - Let the Little Children Come Unto Me....

Last night, we had the honor and privilege of hearing both of our kiddos give speeches and read scripture in preparation for Lads to Leaders. This is our second year to participate in Lads to Leaders, and we couldn't be more proud of Parker and Kinlee. For them to have the courage to get up and speak/read in front of that many people - we can't ask for more than that. The theme of this year's Lads to Leaders convention comes from a passage in Joshua where the children of Israel say that they will "go wherever God sends them, and do what He wants them to do".

In Parker's speech, he talks about something he loves - football - and how it can be compared to our Christian walk. You must listen to your "coach" (God), you must follow the playbook (the Bible), and you must have the courage to face your opponents (Satan) and get back up when you get knocked down. His scripture reading comes from the passage where Abram is asked to leave his homeland, possessions, and everything he knows and move to a new land. Kinlee reads from the book of Ruth where Ruth tells Naomi that she will "go where she goes, die where she dies, etc...". They both did such a good job!!!

What can I learn from this??? The innocence of a child, the willingness of a child, and the enthusiasm of a child. Although they were both nervous (Parker said he had butterflies, and Kinlee said she read a little fast because she was just ready to get it over with!), they still had the courage to get up there and do it! How do we do?? Do we sit on the sidelines and watch, or do we get in there with it all??

Join me in these challenges this week:

1. Have the courage to "get in there" and do what you can do - even if you're nervous.
2. Follow our coach and our guidebook, in all aspects of our lives.
3. Learn from the innocence and enthusiasm of our kiddos

Have a great week!!!

Mini Lesson Monday - Keepin' it Pretty

When I got up and going this morning, it dawned on me that it was Monday - Mini Lesson Monday. I panicked a little because I didn't really have anything "waiting in the helm" to write about. So, as my morning went on, I racked my brain, looked around for ideas, and finally came up with one. As I was sitting in my living room, I happened to look over to our fireplace and spotted my pumpkin. Now, many of you may ask why I have a pumpkin as decoration in my living room THIS time of year, but I just can't bear to let it go. I know that sounds weird, but I really like this pumpkin. We all went as a family to a local pumpkin patch this past October and picked out pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns. This is the one I picked out, but I decided not to turn it into a jack-o-lantern - it was just too pretty, I thought. For those of you who do the jack-o-lantern thing for Halloween, you know as well as I do that once you cut into those bad boys, it's just a matter of days before they are rotten inside, gnats flying around, and black stuff growing in them. I didn't want that to happen to this pumpkin. And, as you can see, after almost 5 months, it is still as pretty as the day I bought it.

I got to thinking about this - how are WE?? Have we let anyone "cut" into our beings, allowing the elements to turn us into something not quite so pleasing?? OR, have we kept ourselves pure from the elements, and remained pretty?? What are the elements I am referring to?? Well, worldly things, of course. Are we choosing the right things to allow into our minds?? Are we taking care of our bodies the way that God commands us to in I Cor. 6:19-20? Are we picking the right companions to hang around with?? This is a huge one here. All of us, definitely myself included, have made poor choices of friends and acquaintances sometime in our lives. The Bible tells us in I Cor. 15:33 that "bad company corrupts good character". How true is that???!!! Have you found yourself lowering your standards or morals in order to match those of your companions? I have. Have you allowed Satan to creep in unannounced, gradually, as you let those elements take over?? I have. Nothing feels greater, though, than to realize that is happening, fix it, and live the way God wants us to live.

Here are some challenges for the week:

1. Take a look at your companions - are they helping you get to heaven or hindering??
2. Take a look at the things we listen to, watch on TV, or spend our time on - what are they doing for or against us?
3. Strive to live everyday to please God and "keep it pretty".

Have a great week!!

Mini Lesson Monday - Fight the Good Fight!!!

Okay, so how many of you reading this who have children really, truly knew how hard it would be to raise kids? (I am NOT raising my hand at the moment). Let me rephrase the question: How many of you reading this who have children really, truly knew how hard it would be to raise kids, despite all of the wordly influences that they come into contact wtih?? (Still NOT raising my hand...). It is hard! Are you agreeing with me? I realize that with each age and stage in a child's life comes new and challenging situations - we are so there! It seems that here lately, the kids (Parker especially - he is in 3rd grade now) have come home telling us things that they have heard at school, seen at school, etc... that make me so disgusted! I am so glad (as we tell them OVER AND OVER) that they are telling us these things, and not just keeping them to themselves or repeating them to their peers. At the same time, what do you do?? We can and do talk to OUR kids until we are blue in the face about how these things are NOT appropriate, tell them what God wants in our lives, etc.... I know that those things are sinking in, or they would not be coming to us with every little thing that they may question as appropriate or not. For that, I am thankful. But what do you do about the kids whose families may not share the same degree of morals that we do?

Mark and I have talked at length about these things, what the best decision for our family is as far as schooling is concerned, and how to handle these tough situations. We both agreed that we would feel SOME better about the situation if we could hear the kids follow up stories of their experiences with, "...but I told them...." So, we talked to the kids about this. We explained to them that as much as these kids seem to have the "right" to say some of the things they are saying, Parker and Kinlee had just as much a "right" to not have to hear them. Make sense?? We talked about how the only way these kids were going to know that they preferred NOT to hear things like this, was for them to let them know. How do we do that, they ask??? Well, you walk away and ignore them, but better yet, you tell them, "I don't want to hear words/things like that" - pretty soon, they'll get the idea and stop. We explained to them that MOST of the time kids say/do certain things, they are doing it to get a reaction out of someone. What kind of reaction are you going to give them?? Are you going to laugh along with them, are you going to repeat it yourself, or are you going to try to put a stop to it as far as you are concerned?? We all decided the latter would be the best choice.

I know this is long, but fast forward to our "solution" and "experiment". We discussed the verse found in II Timothy where Paul said that he, "fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith". We talked about what that meant, and we set forth to help them learn to "fight the good fight". Their job was to "head these kids off at the pass" and see how long it took for them to begin hearing less and less in conversations with them. Their job, if they encountered such situations, was to tell the other kid (however they deemed necessary) that they didn't want to listen to talk like that, to please quit using those words around them, etc... Each night at supper, we discuss their encounters, what they did about it, and what the reaction from the other kid was. Mark and I are the "judges" and we determine how many star(s) they got on their charts seen below:
We also stressed the honesty expected and that if there was a situation that they may have laughed at, or chimed in with to encourage, we wanted to hear about those, too. No stars would be taken away, but no new stars would be given. We discussed the flip side, also, to say that if there was a day where no stars were received, that could actually be a GOOD thing, because it meant that nothing was seen or heard that was inappropriate - that is our goal.

We have been very pleased with some of the kids' stories. The pictures above were after the first day, and several stars have been added since then. We have also been very amazed at the reaction of the other kids. One of Parker's peers has said on a couple of occasions, "you can't tell me what to say" (even though Parker keeps persisting). Another of his friends (after coming to our house and asking me about the charts), has told Parker that he "is not going to say any bad words anymore!!". Kinlee has successfully gotten a boy in her class to erase a "picture of a dog pooping" :(, and had another boy end up apologizing to her on his own for saying an alternate "B" word for "bottom". I realize that these things may seem small and insignificant, but they are the beginning. Dealing with them is the beginning of saying no to drugs, no to alcohol, no to smoking.... Are we assured that our kids are not going to mess up?? Absolutely not. Are we guaranteed that they are not going to be put in tough situations that they may not handle wisely? No way! What we do know, though, is that we are discussing these things, trying to do something about it, and striving to help our kids take a stand. I can't see any harm in that! We might even be doing some good in the meantime (crossing fingers, knocking on wood, and praying REALLY hard here!)

Please join me as we continue to pray for our kids and our raising them. Here are a few challenges for this week:

1. Be an example to your kids if YOU are out in public and encounter cursing, foul language, etc.. in front of yourself or your kids.
2. Encourage your kiddos to stand up for what they know is right.
3. Keep that open line of communication going with your kids, whether it is conversations at the supper table, talks before bed, or a prayer before school.

We are all in this together - any further "tried and true" solutions are welcomed!!!!!!

By the way, I realize that I just destroyed the "mini" in "Mini Lesson Monday" - I promise they won't all be this long - I just needed to vent! :o) Thanks for reading....

Mini Lesson Monday - Handprints on the Wall

Well, I have decided to try something new on my blog. I am calling it "Mini Lesson Monday". For the past couple of weeks, I have posted a couple of little lessons from everyday things
and have gotten a pretty good response from them. Even more important than the comments that have been left as a result, taking the time for myself to think on these things has been good for me and my life. It is my "plan" (you know how that goes) to post a new mini-lesson each Monday. I can't think of a better way to start my week than to sit down, take a few minutes, reflect on the past week, and think about what lessons have come as a result of the week's experiences and opportunities. Like I said, it is my hope that these will continue to help me in my own spiritual life, and if I am able to make someone else think, as well - that's just an added bonus!

This past weekend, we had a chance to spend some time with Chad and Sandy Thompson and their 3 precious boys! We invited them over for supper (I'll be posting more on that later), and we all had a great time! While they were here, I decided to carry out a plan that I have had for some time and just haven't done. I have wanted to start a "Handprint Wall" under our stairwell with handprints of the kids' friends. Between company for dinner, Friends Day, and birthday parties, I am hoping our wall will fill up pretty quickly! Thanks, Thompsons, for helping us get it started. However, this wall got me thinking:

What is it that is so special about a handprint? I snapped some shots around the house of different handprints we have here. A large number of art projects, Mother's Day gifts, and other keepsakes from the kids' school experiences came to mind. I know, for a fact, that these are the ones I'll be sitting on my floor looking at one day, crying and laughing, remembering them at that age. So I ask again: What is it about a handprint? Do you suppose that it is the permanent impression it makes of a person/child at THAT particular moment, at THAT particular size, on THAT particular day that can never be altered or taken away? As our children grow older, things will change. Size will change. Attitudes will change. Interests will change. Personalities will change. BUT, nothing can change that handprint that is printed on that surface forever.

How about us?? What impressions are we making as adults - as CHRISTIAN adults - that can never be changed?? Is our "keepsake" one that people will look back on for years to come in a positive light or a negative one? Will our children be forever affected for the good or the bad as a result of the impressions we leave on them?? The Bible tells us in Titus 2:7 "...in everything set an example by doing good....". Am I doing that? Am I setting an example by "doing good"? Am I leaving an impression on people in that respect?? Are my children and my husband seeing me strive everyday to do my best to leave my best impression on them and the world, in general? Join me today as I reflect on my impression, strive to leave a positive one, and hope to fulfill the command found in Titus. I hope this has helped you as much as it has helped me. Here is our challenge for the week:

1. Look for ways to leave a strong, positive impression on someone else.
2. Look out for our kiddos - what kind of permanent impressions are they leaving on those around them?
3. Pray for God's guidance as we live our everyday lives, reach out to others through our words and actions, and attempt to leave a lasting impression that others can look back on one day and smile!!!

Bloom Where You are Planted.....

I snapped this picture in our backyard the other morning. I have always been amazed at God's creation - how plants just KNOW when to reappear every year, how the birds just KNOW how to fly south for the winter, how trees just KNOW when to change colors and shed their leaves.... This picture reminded me once again, how awesome God's plan for us really is. It also reminded me of some very valuable lessons that can be found in His word:

1. It reminds me to be content. Phil. 4:11-12 tells us that we need to learn to be content, whatever the circumstances. Do you really think this poor flower was happy that it was surrounded by snow? Probably not, but it decided to "bloom where it was planted" just as God had planned.
2. It reminds me that God has a plan. His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). We could easily look at situations similar to the one in the picture and think, "What in the world is that flower thinking?? Doesn't it know that it is freezing out here and it will never survive in these cold elements?" But, in reality, God is in control - He has a reason and a plan for everything - it's not up to us!
3. Lastly, it reminds me that what God created is GOOD. Over and over again in the first chapter of Genesis, we read, "... and He saw that it was good." God created us and our surroundings for good. In a world full of sin and destruction, this flower reminds me that there is still some good in this life, but that the best is yet to come...

If we follow God's plan, learn to be content, and appreciate all that we have been blessed with, we will truly be able to "Bloom Where We are Planted."

Valuable Lessons from a Can of Playdoh...

First, let me begin by saying that #1 I am still as white as a ghost, #2 I have NOT gained 5 lbs. from eating homemade fudge, so #3 one can conclude that the computer was successfully taken to the guy downtown and the camera issues have been solved!!! So, it is time for another post.

The other day, Kinlee was home sick (again!) (I don't know when this family is going to finally be well - ALL of us at the same time, that is!) I guess it's that time of year, though. Anyway, while she was home, we decided to get out the playdoh. It had been a while since she had gotten it all out, and I quickly remembered how therapeutic childhood activities like playdoh can be. As we were working on our creations, some valuable lessons began to pop into my mind. I would like to share them with you:

1. We, much like playdoh, can easily be molded - for the good OR for the bad. I watched as Kinlee began to mold her playdoh into just about anything she wanted it to be - a snake, a ball, a worm.... How easily it was formed, messed up, and formed again, in a matter of minutes. The Bible tells us not to be "conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds." How are we being transformed or molded? Are we easily changed in our hearts and minds by the latest "fad" in religion, or do we stick to the Word and strive to live it everyday of our lives?
2. The cookie cutters we used reminded me how easy it is to shape our lives and the lives of those around us. As parents, how are we shaping our lives, and thus the lives of our children? Mark and I have heard on so many occasions from so many different people how much our kids look and act like each of us. What are we doing for them? What examples are they seeing in OUR lives that they will immulate as they grow themselves, both physically and spiritually?
3. Finally, some very good conversation can come while playing with playdoh. I don't think the playdoh itself necessarily had anything to do with it, but just the fact that we had slowed down enough to sit at the table, do something together, and "chat". I know for a fact that sometimes I get so busy with the day-to-day "stuff" that I fail miserably at the slow times. So, the next time you feel "disconnected" with your kiddos, pull out the playdoh and have some fun!
   

I hope that these have made you think - they definitely did that for me!!!