Tonight Hubby took our oldest daughter on her first 'date'. She turned 10 last month and the gift she chose was a night with Dad. So they bundled up and headed to town to Starbucks for some hot cocoa and bonding time.
Hubby is hoping they can continue these dates as she gets older so they can talk about important heart matters. He hopes having an active interest in her life she will avoid seeking the wrong sort of attention from men as she grows.
Daughter says she excited to have Daddy all to herself for one night!
Well, they are home.
Time to see how it went.
November 15, 2008
November 11, 2008
What if you had 30 days to live?
No, this is not an announcement and I am not being morbid.
This thought comes from listening to a recent radio interview on
Point of View about the book One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life.
What would I change?
Would I laugh more? Would I dream more? What would I have wish I enjoyed the most? Where would I spend most of my time? Would I share the gospel more? Would I hug my children closer or share my most personal thoughts with my spouse? What would truly matter? What would be the first thing let go of to make more time for important things?
I don't want my life to come down to moments left and I am saying "Wait! I didn't tell them I loved them enough!" I want to live with no regrets. Everyday ready to meet my Maker and hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
This thought comes from listening to a recent radio interview on
Point of View about the book One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life.
What would I change?
Would I laugh more? Would I dream more? What would I have wish I enjoyed the most? Where would I spend most of my time? Would I share the gospel more? Would I hug my children closer or share my most personal thoughts with my spouse? What would truly matter? What would be the first thing let go of to make more time for important things?
I don't want my life to come down to moments left and I am saying "Wait! I didn't tell them I loved them enough!" I want to live with no regrets. Everyday ready to meet my Maker and hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Child-centered or God-centered home?
The book 'The Heart of Anger' describes two different homes. One is the the Child-centered home and the other is the God-centered home.
Here are some characteristics of the children in the Child-Centered home:
1. Interrupt adults when they are talking.
2. Use manipulation and rebellion to get their way
3. Dictate family schedule (include meal times, bedtimes, etc.)
4. Take precedence over the needs of the spouse.
5. Have an equal or overriding vote in all decision making matters.
6. Demand excessive time and attention from parent to the detriment of the other biblical responsibilities of the parents.
7. Escape the consequences of their sinful and irresponsible behavior
8. Speak to parents as though the were peers.
9. Be the dominant influence in the home.
10. Be entertained and coddled (rather than disciplined) out of a bad mood.
Now contrast that with children in the God-centered home:
1. To joyfully serve others.
2. To cheerfully obey parents the first time.
3. To not interrupt parents who are speaking to eachother.
4. To understand they will not always get their own way.
5. To work their schedule around their parents' schedule.
6. To have input into family decisions but not necessarily an equal vote.
7. To understand that God has given their parents other responsibilities in addition to meeting their needs.
8. To suffer the natural consequences of their sinful and irresponsible behavior.
9. To not speak to parents as though they were peers but honor them as spiritual authorities.
10. To esteem others as more important than themselves.
11. To fulfill various household responsibilities (chores).
12. To protect themselves from certain bad influences.
13. To not divide parents over disciplinary issues.
14. To not be more intimate with either parent than the parents are with each other.
This list was eye opening. I thought I had a God-centered home but now I see that in many ways we are still very child-centered. This is not what Hubby and I want.
Would anyone like to partner with us in accountability?
Here are some characteristics of the children in the Child-Centered home:
1. Interrupt adults when they are talking.
2. Use manipulation and rebellion to get their way
3. Dictate family schedule (include meal times, bedtimes, etc.)
4. Take precedence over the needs of the spouse.
5. Have an equal or overriding vote in all decision making matters.
6. Demand excessive time and attention from parent to the detriment of the other biblical responsibilities of the parents.
7. Escape the consequences of their sinful and irresponsible behavior
8. Speak to parents as though the were peers.
9. Be the dominant influence in the home.
10. Be entertained and coddled (rather than disciplined) out of a bad mood.
Now contrast that with children in the God-centered home:
1. To joyfully serve others.
2. To cheerfully obey parents the first time.
3. To not interrupt parents who are speaking to eachother.
4. To understand they will not always get their own way.
5. To work their schedule around their parents' schedule.
6. To have input into family decisions but not necessarily an equal vote.
7. To understand that God has given their parents other responsibilities in addition to meeting their needs.
8. To suffer the natural consequences of their sinful and irresponsible behavior.
9. To not speak to parents as though they were peers but honor them as spiritual authorities.
10. To esteem others as more important than themselves.
11. To fulfill various household responsibilities (chores).
12. To protect themselves from certain bad influences.
13. To not divide parents over disciplinary issues.
14. To not be more intimate with either parent than the parents are with each other.
This list was eye opening. I thought I had a God-centered home but now I see that in many ways we are still very child-centered. This is not what Hubby and I want.
Would anyone like to partner with us in accountability?
November 10, 2008
a prayer
"Almighty God, give to Thy servant a meek and gentle spirit that may be slow to anger and easy to mercy and forgiveness. Give me a wise and constant heart, that I may never be moved to an intemperate anger for any injury that is done or offered. Lord, let me ever be courteous, and easy to be entreated; let me never fall into a peevish or contentious spirit, but follow peace with all men; offering forgiveness, inviting them by courtesies, ready to confess my own errors, apt to make amends, and desirous to be reconciled. Let no sickness or cross accident, no employment or weariness make me angry or ungentle and discontented, or unthankful, or uneasy to them that minister to me, but in all things make me like unto the Holy Jesus. AMEN"
Jeremy Taylor 1613-1667
Jeremy Taylor 1613-1667
November 9, 2008
Baptism Day
Hubby and the girls were baptized today!
There were 9 total baptisms in the church this morning. I cried from the get go as the first one was a dear friend's daughter. The little darling could barely contain her excitement and happiness as the pastor talked her through the process and slipped her under the water. After a few more people it came time for my family.
My youngest daughter was first. She was glowing and content...nothing like I thought she would be. She answered the question and listened intently and was ready. I think she sucked in water but she did her best to come up and out of the baptismal smiling.
Her older sister followed. She was so excited she answered the question before pastor could finish his sentence! She was dunked and bouncing out to the bathroom in record time. I later found her standing in puddles in the bathroom wearing, what used to be her dry church outfit, and was now dripping wet . She was so excited she didn't bother to dry off!
Hubby was next. You really must get this picture... This is a brand new church and baptismal and this was to be the first use of the baptismal. Hubby is 6'8 and 260 lbs. Pastor is maybe 6 ft and around 180 lbs (?) So it was quite the size difference. Hubby was told to kneel down for his dunking and the pastor was not informed...
So here is my big hulking hubby towering over the pastor in water up to his waist. Hubby was asked for his testimony before getting started.
Then pastor did his speech and hubby was trying to kneel down. Pastor was grabbing hubby's hand trying to get him to hold his nose. Hubby who loves to dive and swim is used to water on his face so he keeps dropping his hand down and is still trying to kneel down and pastor is pulling him back to a stand. Suddenly pastor grabs hubby's back and kicks his leg out from under him while pushing backwards....a nice karate move on pastor's part! Hubby goes down fast all the way to the bottom and his feet come up out of the water. Hubby is flailing about trying to get his footing and pastor is doing everything he can to pull him back up (there are no handles in the baptismal) Oh it was hilarious!
I left the chapel and went to help my girls get ready and saw the pastor in the hall. He is handing his hip waders to his helper and drying off as service is starting. Hubby comes out and teases the pastor about trying to drown him and pastor laughs and says hubby is one of the few times he got wet doing a baptism! LOL
Notes were made that handles and maybe a toe brace should be added to the baptismal ;)
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