Devotion #15- Heart Tattoo Part 3

 

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

 

Here are some ideas that have worked in our home to encourage a heightened awareness of God.   If you are interested in finding out more about these ideas and resources please leave me a comment and I would be more than happy to provide more information.

·         Spontaneous prayer offered during the day with the kids about everyday things such as finding a parking space, or a lost item, praise about a beautiful day, or prayer for people involved in an accident that we happen to encounter while driving.

·         Short morning devotions at breakfast- we are using Our Together-Time Bible by: Gwen Ellis right now. This also helps to get my attitude right in the morning!

·         Daily catechism-this is a summary of the principles of Christianity in a question and answer format especially for young children. We are using the one called First Catechism Teaching Children Bible Truths. I am amazed at what my four year old has learned by doing this.

·         Bible activities- I especially like the Favorite Bible Stories series. I purchased several of these at LifeWay.

·         Mealtime and bedtime prayers- I savor ones offered from the heart- especially ones offered from the heart of my four year old.

·         Weekly scripture memory- my daughter is in a local Awana program which has weekly assignments and a weekly verse to memorize and recite each week.

·         Post scripture to be memorized for the whole family on some sort of bulletin board,  wipe board, or flip chart. I received a mini shoebox filled with scripture cards for free from Samaritan's Purse that provides a scripture verse for every week of the year. Contact them at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/contact-us to find out more about it.

·         Christian music- we are loving Toby Mac's Eye on It right now and the girls love to sing along in the car. I have several Hidden in My Heart scripture lullaby CDs and I play them while the girls sleep so that they are getting scripture lodged into their souls and hearts. They are wonderful for adults to listen to as well!

·         Be mindful of and available for conversations where Jesus and Christian principles can be discussed. These happen more than you might think if you listen for them. It happens often for us during school pick up, bath time, and when we tuck the kids in at night.

·         Be an example of how to live for God yourself. I have a daily quiet time during my 22 month olds nap. My four year old is often doing some sort of Bible activity during this time. One day she got out my Bible and my Bible study book and put them on my favorite spot on the couch in the living room where I like to have my special time. I couldn't believe that she had paid attention to all those details so closely. Little ones are always watching us!

·         Be  involved in service with your kids. I like to visit a particular nursing home with my girls and we always discuss that the reason that we go is to share God's love with the people who we visit there.

·         Take meals to others. While preparing and taking the meal talk to your children about why you are doing it.

·         Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes- we have loved this yearly holiday tradition and while shopping for our child we discuss what we are doing and why. Check out their website for more information: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/about-us/.

First, let me caution you that you don't have to do all these things. These aren't meant to serve as a one size fits all for how to have spiritually minded kids. These are just some things that have worked for our family. Second, I didn't start out doing all these things at once. It has been a trial and error process of finding out what works for us. Do these things work out perfectly on a daily basis? No! Are there days when things get missed or when I fall short of my job as spiritual teacher? A big Yes! There are times when halfway into our catechism discussion my four year old will ask a totally unrelated question (like last week!) when she asked how many more months until her Birthday comes. But that's okay. Spiritually equipping our children is a marathon and not a sprint. God knows our heart. He knows our limitations. He doesn't expect perfection and He can use it all, even the not so perfect. The main thing is that we are willing and that we make an effort. That is all He really wants from us- to be willing to be used by Him for a purpose bigger than ourselves- an eternal purpose, a willingness to live intentionally focused on making God the center of our family. I am trying in my small, limited human way to love my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is God, through His spirit, who allows me to even attempt this impossibility otherwise. That is how much He loves. How could I return that kind of love with anything less?

 

 

 

 

 

Devotion #14- Heart Tattoo Part 2

" Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7

 

So how do we diligently teach our children truth the way we are called to in Deuteronomy? I have to admit that it seemed a daunting task to me even a year ago. I didn't know where to start and I was tempted to shirk my responsibility letting it fall to the Sunday School teachers at church. That was until my eyes were opened to these verses in Deuteronomy and I realized that this was the real reason that I was called to stay home- to be there to tell my children about Jesus in all of those ordinary everyday moments. Right along with my daily tasks I am to point my children to Jesus whenever I can, however I can, and as often as I can.

I want to fill my children with as much truth as possible. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will be able to bring scripture to the minds of my children whenever it is needed because I will have helped to lay the foundation for it to be there in the first place. I love how my sister expressed it recently one day when we were talking about this and she said, "My job is to deliver truth and God's job is to make it grow and to connect the dots."  She has seen evidence of that when my six year old niece asked her why she was dressed up to go out on a date with her Daddy. My sister replied that she wanted to look nice for him and my niece replied, "Oh, I get it! You want to honor him!" My sister had never made that connection for her but scripture on honoring had been taught which allowed the connection to be made nonetheless. Our children understand and perceive more spiritually than we will ever know. That is why it is so important to act on that right now and not let time continue to pass. The window of sensitivity is closing even as we speak and we don't have time to waste. We must feel the sense of urgency.

Before we dive into some sort of scripture or Bible teaching program though we need to look at our own personal relationship with Jesus first. We can't teach our children about a love that we don't have. We have to get ourselves right with Jesus first. Any attempt on our part will be fake if we don't and will be perceived as such. Beth Moore in her DVD study called The Law of Love Lessons from the Pages of Deuteronomy says that, "Loving must proceed the living," meaning that our life must be lived as an outpouring of the love that we have for Jesus. If we genuinely love Him we will want to tell others and share with others what He has done for us including our children. We will want to do for others as He has done for us. We can't fake that kind of love. Others will naturally want what we have and will see it as real and genuine, especially our children.

At this preschool age hearts are exceptionally tender for the things of God. I have witnessed it often as my daughter prays spontaneously and talks about Jesus throughout the day. The home environment had to be conducive though to encourage this heightened awareness of God.

Stay tuned to the next devotion where I share specific ways that have worked in our home to diligently teach God's word and to help us keep our focus on Him.

 

 

Devotion #13- Heart Tattoo

 

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you  today shall be on your heart." Deuteronomy 6:5-6 

Sometimes it is so easy to get overwhelmed with my job as a mom. The day to day needs are urgent and time consuming. I could simply miss out on the big picture, the real reason that I am doing this. I could effortlessly lose my joy and not to mention my sanity during these early years of mothering. During those difficult moments I focus on the fact that my children are on loan from God and that ultimately my most important job as a mom is to teach them about Him.

This past fall, I completed an in-depth Bible study with a Community Bible Study group on Deuteronomy.  I know, I know- it sounds incredibly dull but hang with me here. I felt the same way prior to the study and was actually disappointed when I initially found out that this was the book we were studying for the next sixteen weeks! Throughout the course of my study though I discovered that no other book is quoted more by Jesus which lead me to conclude that it is really important for me to know it as well as to pass on this truth to my children. Also during a recent refresher on Deuteronomy through  a lecture study by Beth Moore which I highly recommend,  I found out that the book of Deuteronomy is essentially a commentary given by God on the entire Bible. The Hebrew name for Deuteronomy actually means "to explain" or "make something plain."  I am all for simplification in this stage of my life and to think that God provided one for me in His word is amazing!

Now I am not a tattoo girl, my typically sweet Dad is very dogmatic on this point,  but if  I were these pivotal words from Deuteronomy 6:5 would make their way onto my body as a representation of where they should be internally- on my heart and soul forever. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." The chapter continues with, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." Then the chapter goes on to talk about teaching our children, "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and 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." Essentially we are to teach our children about Jesus all the time. There is nothing more important.

After providing the simplification in writing in His word, God then goes one step further in providing a model for us to see the simplification in the flesh- Jesus! When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:36 what was the greatest commandment he replied from Deuteronomy 6:5, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments."

So all this to say that if I fail miserably in all other aspects of my life but hold fast to these, my life has been a success. If when I leave this world my children know these principles, I will have been a successful parent. Being the coolest mom doesn't matter. Being the most athletic mom doesn't matter. Being the mom who is the most creative doesn't matter. Being the mom who cooks the best meals or makes the fanciest Birthday cakes doesn't matter. When I meet my maker face to face and receive my, "Well done good and faithful servant" it will only depend on these two things: Do I love God with everything I am and have and do I love others? It can't get much simpler or more direct than that for someone easily confused  who can quickly lose their focus like me.

So what does "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and 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" actually look like for real moms? Stay tuned for the next devotion!

Devotion #12- The Look

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." James 1:19

 

I was recently the recipient of  "the look." You know the one. The one that says, "What is wrong with you? Why can't control your kid!" The one that makes all your insecurities as a mom come bubbling up and your cheeks glow hot and your mind frantically race. I'm sure I've had that look aimed in my direction countless times, but somehow I have always managed to be stealthy, keeping my head low and eyes diverted so as to avoid possible eye contact just long enough to get out of there as quickly as possible. My sister calls them "circling the wagons" moments. You get your little tribe together and all their paraphernalia gathered in record time and flee, never looking back for fear of what you may find.

I was at a Weight Watchers meeting feeling accomplished that I had actually lost weight for several weeks in a row and proud that I would find the bravery to bring my 18 month old with me to the meeting knowing that she is highly mobile and loves to destroy things. I was attending on a day when I don't typically go without my friend and her baby who provide additional entertainment reinforcements.  This particular day I was sitting in the back with tons of snacks, ironic at a Weight Watchers meeting, with quiet books trying to keep my wandering socialite under control. This particular meeting she sat on the laps of at least three Grandmotherly types in close proximity who honestly seemed to enjoy her and thought she was cute- all except for the highly vocal one across the room.

During a loud segment of the meeting my little one decided to get on the floor and scream. I knew she would get up fast if I ignored her so that is just what I did and sure enough it worked. Disaster averted or so I thought. A head whipped around and the stare lasted a little too long to be friendly. The funny thing is I initially thought the older lady giving me the look was actually being friendly so I enthusiastically smiled back at her but then I noticed her eyes narrow and I heard her say loudly to the woman behind her and to whomever cared to listen, "Cuteness only goes so far!"

 It took just one long, hard look. I sat there with my thoughts becoming more and more defensive. "Did that lady even have kids!? I'd like to see her come back here and trade places with me and deal with tantrums and chase a toddler until she's tired!" "I'd like to see her resist stress eating her weight in goldfish or animal crackers!"

I have always admired people who are quick witted. My mom was quick witted while I was always stunned into silence during a confrontation, feeling sick to my stomach and looking for the nearest exit which never appeared close enough for comfort. I grew up wondering why I wasn't more like her- fearless. Recently during my Bible study time I was reminded in James 1:19 "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." James goes on to say later that God doesn't want us to respond to others carelessly.  Instead we are to be peace-loving, considerate, full of mercy, and sincere. This passage gave me a new perspective of my seeming weakness in my mind to hold my own during confrontations with strangers. It wasn't a weakness but actually a blessing.

 

Quietly, softly like the gentle tug of a little one at my sleeve I heard, "Pray for her because you don't know what she is going through right now." It was so easy for me to wallow in my sea of emotions and miss the subtle lesson intended for me in that moment- it's not always about me. How simple to pray but so powerful. I will most likely never see the ripples that my prayer pebble created, but they are there nevertheless.

Devotion #11- "Seek Ye First" Experiment Part 3

 

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

 

I am realizing more and more the power of spending time in God's word.  I love how the same scripture can speak to me differently at different times in my life and it is always what I need at just the right moment. I love that the more time I spend in the word and the more ways I try to get the word into my soul (family devotions, personal Bible study, reading Christian books, listening to Christian music) God will weave themes throughout that directly speak to me. If you are looking for Him and seeking Him, He will not let you down. You will not leave His presence empty handed. He rewards our seeking with more peace I have found. He has the undistorted mirror of truth. Why would I look in my dim mirror that is warped and cracked when I can see clearly His truth when I spend time with Him? If I use this world's mirror I will become confused and disoriented to the point where I am rendered completely ineffective and I will feel that lack and emptiness in my bones. It will ooze into all areas of my life and create a sense of hopelessness. If we look for Him we will find Him.  

Ann Voskamp in her book One Thousand Gifts talks about having a spiritual experience at her kitchen sink washing dishes. "And I only notice because I'm looking for this and it's the rays falling, reflecting off the outer surface of a bubble...off the rim of bubble's inner skin...and where they meet, this interference of life, iridescence on the bubble's arch, violet, magenta, blue-green, yellow-gold."  Our everyday lives are filled with awe and wonder of our creator if we will only take the time to notice. How we must grieve Him by our busyness and failure to fully see the gifts He gives us- a gorgeous sunset, a peace-filled moment, spring erupting once again, a healthy family. Open your eyes to the miracle that surrounds each and every day. That is how much our heavenly Father loves us. 

I read somewhere that obedience leads to blessing and that has been so true in my "Seek Ye First" experiment. What started out as a forced, disciplined time with God has lead to a deep yearning in my soul to spend time with Him and a new appreciation of His word.  The blessings have been enormous. I have been keeping a list of what I call my "These Things Shall Be Added Blessings."  Here is just a quick sampling:  a more peaceful home, calmer children, patience with my children, more marital grace extended, better time management, honest relationships with extended family,  less stress, motivation to take better care of myself by eating better and exercising which has led to losing a substantial amount of weight, my four year old interested in her own daily Bible activity time since she sees me spending time in the Bible and hears me talking about it,  family devotion time,  and an enjoyment for my life and a feeling of fulfillment in my stay-at-home mom role.  Life is still hectic and busy and full to bursting, but I don't feel like I am fighting against an unseen current clawing my way along the muddy bottom making pitiful progress despite the effort. Instead, the power of the current is propelling me forward and I am riding the wave in wonder of the view from the top with this overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness to be allowed on the ride.  

The best part is that these blessings are not mine alone, but you can't afford to wait until you feel like it to respond to God's gentle wooing. It is worth fighting your inner resistance. The want to will come later once you taste and see that the Lord is truly good for yourself. The cost is everything and it is worth the price to have the Creator of the Universe as your constant companion and guide through this crazy, wonderful gift of life.

 

Devotion #10- "Seek Ye First" Experiment Part 2

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 (KJV) 

 

What finally did end up working for me was putting God first by giving Him the best time of my day, not what should have been my best time or someone else's best time, but what actually was my best time of the day. This change of attitude made all the difference. I'm sure it will change with the seasons of life, but for now this is what works. After lunch I put my 19 month old down for a nap and my oldest is given a Bible activity to do while I go into the living room and spend quality time with God in my Bible doing an end-depth Bible study, writing, and praying.  

By giving Him my best time, I am giving Him a sacrifice of my time trusting that He will give me that time back later in the day to tackle the dishes, the laundry, the cleaning- anything that I have put on hold in order to meet with Him. Somehow, the time is never missed, and often I am using that time to talk to Him or think about scripture and what I have recently learned. I was planning to have more time for writing once my four year old started pre-school this past fall, but I knew that making time for seeking Him above all had to come first. The miracle of that sacrifice is that my writing has now bubbled over from my time with Him.  

I do still check in with God first thing in the morning and pray, but I have found that for me this time in the morning is not the best for an in-depth prayer time or Bible study. I tend to pray while I make my bed. For some reason it just feels right in my soul to make order out of disorder and at the same time thank God for my life and all my blessings. It starts my day with an expectant spirit about what He had prepared for me.  If I were to rely on this time alone as my only time with God though it would not be enough.  It could easily turn into a "drive thru" prayer mentality with God-  I'll say hey and put in my order hoping to get a quick response and get what I want and then I will be on my way doing things my way. A relationship with God doesn't work like that or any relationship for that matter.  Without more time with God later in the day life starts to suffocate me much like a boa constrictor sucks out life breath. The quiet time helps me to breathe easier.  I begin to crave time with him more and more. What started out as a seeking because I recognized my need, began a daily longing to have quiet time. I have come to realize that I don't need more girl time or pedicures or me time. What I need more than anything is more Thee time. 

So I can say all these things to encourage you, but it comes down initially to faith. Will you trust that God will meet you? Will you make Him the focus of  your moments? I have heard it said that how you spend your moments is how you end up spending your life.  I love God's seeming contradictions... for those moments will become big ones.

 

I will continue to share more of my journey in "seeking Him first" by exploring more on "these things shall be added"  in the next devotion.

Devotion #9- "Seek Ye First" Experiment Part 1

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 (KJV) 

Last fall I embarked on an experiment of sorts. I was frustrated from getting that "spinning wheels" feeling multiple times a day. I had grown weary from hearing that I should just "put God first" and that would solve everything.  What did that look like in a busy family with young children? Was it even possible or something reserved only for monastics? I decided to find out. I began by signing up for an in-depth Bible study. It had been years since I had been part of one and I was nervous that the nightly homework would prove to be too much with the many responsibilities of having young children and trying to run a home.  Regardless,  I knew that I needed to make time with God a priority in my life, but my previous attempts had sadly been just that- attempts. 

I had tried earlier in the year to read through the Bible yet again, a New Year's resolution I had made so many times before that always seemed to last until April or Deuteronomy, whichever came first. Somehow, I would get behind on my daily reading plan and instead of continuing on, I would give up. Crazy, I know. Why give up? Just keep going for goodness sakes! Who cares if you read through the Bible in thirteen months instead of twelve! Those unchecked boxes on my reading plan mocked me. The legalist in me just couldn't cope with the failure.   

I had tried getting up earlier in the morning for a devotion time to start my day. These never worked for me either. Somehow my kids would know that I was up. My preschooler would get in my bed and the baby would start to cry. How they knew that I was up when all I would do is turn on my bedroom light and read my devotion book in an over- stuffed leather chair in the corner will forever remain a mystery.

I also tried putting devotion books in various places around the house in an attempt to use spare moments to focus on God. This did help but only to a point. I would be in the middle of a reading when the interruptions would inevitably start. 

So my conclusion was that reading through the Bible without a clear purpose like questions to answer or some thought to focus on wasn't working for me. Any good reading teacher will tell you that comprehension starts with a purpose for reading. For me, not setting a purpose was setting me up for confusion when I read. Getting up early in the morning wasn't working either. I have to admit that I felt extreme guilt over this one not working as I had always heard that having time with God first thing was the best time. David even talks about it in the Bible. Randomly  reading devotions felt just that- too random. I needed something more intentional and purposeful. Bits of moments with God wasn't enough. I recognized the depth of my empty soul. Plain and simple- I was desperate in my need for more of Him and I wasn't getting relief from these scraps.

I will continue to share more of my journey in "seeking Him first" and what did end up working for me in the next devotion.

Devotion #8- Holiday Organizing

"For God is not a God of disorder but peace." 1 Corinthians 14:33

 

Over the weekend I was finally able to tackle a project that has been lingering for months on my list of things to do and frankly I was sick of seeing it written on the top of my calendar each week. I have been using a notebook for several years to keep lists of my Christmas tasks. Things like gifts given, thank you notes sent, things to do, card lists, and meal plans are all included in it. It has helped me over the years to not feel as stressed and it keeps me mindful of what I have done in the past and what has worked and what has not worked thus alleviating the need for me to recreate the wheel every year so to speak.

 

I had been feeling, however, that my notebook system was getting a little messy and needed an overhaul. I had shoved various magazine articles and emails in it so it had become harder to find things. Over Thanksgiving my sweet husband accidentally spilled turkey drippings all over it as he assisted me in my need to make gravy from scratch. The gravy turned out surprisingly well, but the notebook did not forcing me to take action. Instead of using a notebook this time I decided to use a binder with page protectors. I created four sections and labeled them Traditions, Christmas Information,  Card List, and Recipes.

 

The Traditions section includes a list of our family traditions. Doing this helped me to decide on what activities I value and want to make time for during this busy season. I was able to see what is important to me so now when other opportunities and activities come up I can easily decide what things should stay on our schedule and what things just aren't important for our family. For instance, we found a great place to view Christmas lights this year so I included the address in this section because it would be hard to find without it. I also included a magazine article which included "Elf on the Shelf" ideas.

 

The Christmas Information section is the main part of the binder. I have a page protector designated for each year. In each page protector I have a list of Christmas gifts given that year and to whom, meal plans for all holiday meals cooked, and a list of thank you notes sent and for what gifts. I never have to worry that I have given the same gift twice. I also don't have to keep coming up with new meal plans. I see what worked and can go with that again.

 

The Card List section allows me to quickly see how many Christmas cards I need to buy. It also served as a great help when it came time to send out birth announcements. I never have to go through my address book again hoping that I haven't forgotten someone.

 

The Recipes section is a page protector with all the tried and true recipes that I use. I had gotten tired of gathering all my recipes before the holidays to create my shopping list. Now all the recipes are right together and easy to find. Most of these recipes I never cook during the year anyway so it made sense for me to keep them together. 

 

I also decorated the cover of my binder using Christmas scrapbook supplies. Someday perhaps my girls will enjoy looking over the binder reminiscing about holidays long gone. I know I would have loved something like this from my mom. So it ends up not only being a practical help, but a memory keeper as well. Completing this project makes me feel less stress and more peace about the next holiday season. I want to enjoy the holidays with my family and not feel burdened by all that needs to be done. Being organized in this way helps to make that a reality. I want to focus on the real reason for the season and make sure that Jesus is our focus- not my list of things still left to do!

Devotion #7- Time Management for the New Year

Proverbs 31:17 "She sets about her work vigorously."

 

After the birth of my second child, I became a stay-at-home mom. Prior to that I naively thought that once I stayed home I would never again be at a loss for time. I soon realized how wrong I was! With a new baby and an active three year old, the work never seemed to be done and I was not the happy homemaker and mom that I had dreamed of being. I even began fantasizing about going back to teaching where I could feel a daily sense of accomplishment. Last January after much prayer I began reading books on homemaking and taking notes. Here are some simple, practical tips I have continued to use throughout the year that have made a huge difference in my day.

1.      Set a positive tone for the day by praying, reading the Bible, listening to Christian music, or by reading a devotion book. Even a few minutes can make a big difference! I love the devotion Out of the Spin Cycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load by Jen Hatmaker. It's funny, packed with Biblical truth, and a MOPS book.

2.      For stay-at-home moms with young children, take a shower right after you get up to make sure that you get to take one! Splurge on a favorite shower gel to make it more special.

3.      Start a load of laundry each day after getting up or after you get home from work. This will allow you to get that washing machine working for you as you tackle other tasks. Hearing the sound of the washer always makes me feel productive!

4.      Do as much as you can to prep for the next day by getting things ready the night before. Get the diaper bag packed and put in a convenient location. Get lunches for the school age kids ready or snacks for younger kids prepared to pull out during errands. Don't forget to pack a healthy snack for yourself as well as water!

5.       Always have a book to read while you wait. I  love to have devotionals on hand to encourage me while I wait in the carpool line.

6.       Have a spot designated for each toy so your kids can easily put things away without becoming overwhelmed. Post a picture in their room that shows them how their clean room looks so they can see where things go as well. Then there are no excuses!

7.      Have your kids put their clothes away. I make a stack for underwear, shirts, and pants and there is a drawer for each type of item which makes it easy for my four year old.

8.      Keep track of what you do in a day by using a log. You will find areas where you are wasting time, and you might even find that you are trying to tackle too much in a day so you can adjust your expectations to be more reasonable. Stop setting yourself up for failure!

9.      Make a list of all the meals that your family enjoys and beside the meal list all the ingredients. This helped me to quickly see what items I needed to have on hand in the pantry so meal preparation would be easier. It also helped me to see what coupons I should be looking out for to save on our grocery budget. I went a step further and put together a meal planning binder which has all the recipes for those family meals in one place. This saves me tons of time in hunting the recipes from different books and sources.

10.  Schedule time for hobbies that you love. I make it a point every Friday afternoon during my toddler's nap to work on my scrapbook projects despite what I have left to do for the day. The dishes in the sink can wait! I also have an art desk for my four year old who doesn't nap set up in the corner with her own supplies. She can do her activities and still get help from me. She loves spending this time with me and I know it will become treasured memories for us both.

Some days are going to get crazy regardless, but if we will focus on making our time with God a priority, then we will have done everything we could to make it a productive day. He already knows what we need to make it through that day because He already knows what that day holds. In His presence we can find true peace and the strength to keep going.

Devotion #6- Mommy Mission

"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." 1Thessalonians 2:11-12

 

This past Sunday at my church a young teenager placed his ultimate trust in Christ and got baptized. I worked with him last summer during vacation Bible school where he had stood out as a leader and I had enjoyed watching his interactions with the preschoolers. I spotted both of his parents eagerly taking videos as right before our eyes a miracle took place. My vision blurred from tears as my heart filled with emotions. My thoughts turned to my two girls and what a special day it will be when they accept Jesus as Lord of their lives.

 

It occurred to me that this one life changing moment is really an accumulation of small moments throughout a person's life pointing the way to Christ. Small moments but thoughtful moments nonetheless. As a mom it is so easy for me to miss my focus on what really matters in the life of my children in favor of their more immediate needs. I spend time researching the best sippy cups that won't leak and hunt down the shoes that my toddler will actually keep on her feet. I look into the best (and don't forget the cutest!)  labels for their belongings. I find myself researching solutions on how to keep everyone out from under my feet while I'm cooking, and I spend time reading different books on discipline strategies trying to find the most effective one for my little ones.

 

I put such thought into these things that I know I sometimes neglect the one thing that I must be most diligent about and that is making sure my girls know who Jesus is and that their mommy loves him with all her heart so that one day they will choose to do the same. It would be nice to have a checklist of sorts telling us moms what we need to do to make this happen. Matters of the heart aren't so easy though. There is no perfect time to pray nor perfect prayer. There is no perfect children's Bible nor perfect spiritual activity. 

 

Recently, during my personal Bible study time I ran across 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 and felt like God was handing me my spiritual mission statement for mothering my children. It was even broken down into three easy to remember parts: encourage, comfort, and urge. I did some digging into the dictionary and came up with a more complete picture of what these words mean for me as a mom. I am to encourage my children much like a teacher or a coach does by inspiring them and helping them in their relationship with God.  I am to comfort them by strengthening them with a sense of trust and expectancy in their Savior.  Finally, I am to urge my children to live a life worthy of God which will hasten them to action, the ultimate of which is making the decision to live for Christ.

 

This time of the year it is especially easy to get caught up in all of the holiday festivities like Elf on a Shelf  (yes, I finally broke down!) and forget that we should be celebrating a Who (Jesus) and not a what (the holiday event of Christmas).  Hopefully, if we maintain our focus on our mommy mission statement of encouraging, comforting, and urging, we can navigate our children through the holidays knowing that we didn't obstruct their view of Jesus. May God use this holiday season of small moments to one day accumulate into the ultimate in life changing moments for our children.

Devotion #5- Thanksgiving Blessings

 

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

 Teachers know that there are some students who touch your heart and you are never the same. All it took at the beginning of the school year several years ago when I was still teaching to hear about a student who had come to this country who could barely speak English, and my heart instantly went out to him. When I met him on the first day of school all he could do was smile, and it was a smile that could fill a dark day with hope. I loved this boy instantly and as I learned more of his difficult journey to this country as a young teenager my heart broke for him and his family.

That year I made him my project. Each day I worked to help him learn basic survival English. I met with all of his teachers coordinating units that we would all focus on in order to continue to help him adjust to life in a totally different culture. We assigned student buddies for him in each of his classes who spoke Spanish as a first language.  A friend of mine who spoke Spanish fluently was recruited to be a liaison of sorts between his mom and his teachers. It was a slow and at times frustrating task with few rewards that could be seen except one, Samuel's big winning smile each and every day when he would come late to class because he just couldn't understand the concept of class bells. He had barely even been to school in his native country of San Salvador. School culture was as foreign to him as being in another country. I could not imagine his daily struggle. Inevitably, the year came to an end though and I thought that I might never see Samuel again even as I wondered if I had helped him in the slightest.   

This past Thanksgiving, several years after teaching Samuel, my church partnered with some other local organizations to put together Thanksgiving meals for families who may not be able to have one otherwise. I was so excited to hear that Samuel's family had been selected and would be getting one. I immediately volunteered to deliver it.

Have you ever noticed that things have a tendency to get crazy when you agree to do something that should be simple in order to help someone else? First, the dinner delivery group had issues coordinating a time to pick up the meal due to our kids' schedules. Then, after we were finally able to pick up the meal we realized that there was a gift certificate for the turkey. We knew that the family did not have transportation and to expect them to go out and get a turkey the day before Thanksgiving seemed a little unlikely to happen. We also noticed that the meal didn't seem substantial enough for a family of four when three of the four members were growing boys, so we decided to make an emergency trip to the grocery store.

After navigating the grocery store with five kids in tow, late in the afternoon just a few days before Thanksgiving, it was no surprise that we arrived at Samuel's apartment later than we had anticipated. The youngest brother, Jose, opened the door partially and then Samuel quickly came to the door to let us in. Samuel still had the same big smile. But this time he kept saying my name and "thank you" over and over again when we brought the food inside and placed it on the table in his small, simple apartment. It was as if he was trying to make up for the school year of very few spoken words. He seemed genuinely delighted to see me again and I of course felt the same way.

Once outside about to leave after having had the chance to catch up, I saw Samuel's silhouette illuminated in the two story window above. I waved and smiled one last time as I offered a silent prayer that he would look back on this night and feel the presence of Jesus in this small, simple expression of kindness. There are moments in life that will never be forgotten. Moments when you know that you are exactly where you need to be. Moments when you know God is working in ways you can't even begin to understand.  Moments filled with blessings indescribable. This was one of those moments.

I drove home in the dark that night listening to my sixteen month old yell and cry the entire thirty minute ride home. Her dinner time had been disrupted by the fact that we were late in dropping off the meal. The warmth of God's love made the dark ride home cozy despite the noise. God communicated His pleasure to me by the peace I felt even through the crying. The joy surrounded me and could not be taken away by such earthly inconveniences. I wondered how I could ever want more than this? I counted my blessings: a comfortable home, a happy family, loving people in my life, reliable transportation, a full pantry, and most importantly a God who loves me. My blessings are bursting and it felt so good to share. So very thankful.

 

 

 

 

Devotion #4- Traditions

 

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:4-7

 

During  this past Halloween I thought about my Dad taking me trick-o-treating while watching my four year old go door to door holding my husband's hand. At times she had to be carried when she saw a scary costume, a scary decoration, or a dog barking inside a house. I love how being a parent forces me to have a foot in the past and in the present all in the same moment.  I love looking back and remembering.

Remembering is Biblical as well. In Deuteronomy God through Moses told the Israelites to remember. The word remember is used something like sixteen times in the book of Deuteronomy. Feasts and celebrations were instituted just so the people would look back and remember God's faithfulness and mercy to them over the years. He is still calling us to remember Him today. Sometimes when the present seems uncertain and lacking hope, if we will look back and remember the past and God's unfailing deliverance, we can face the present and the future. We will find the strength to go forward.

Traditions can help us do just that- remember God and all He has done for us.  As a parent of two little ones I think about traditions quite a bit. What traditions from my family growing up do I want to continue? Which new traditions do I want to begin with my family? As a Mom it is especially easy to get caught up in holiday traditions and make them something stressful.  If all the activity gets in the way of remembering then maybe the tradition needs to be scaled back or eliminated all together.  I don't want my girls to say, " I remember at our house mom stressing out about the turkey at Thanksgiving and yelling at us every December in order to get the perfect Christmas card picture." That would be so sad to me. The traditions we choose must be meaningful and purposeful.

The big seasonal memory making traditions can crowd out the simple everyday traditions. There is power in the simple. Somehow the simple slips into our busy over-filled lives and causes us to pause and take notice.  What if we focused more on daily God honoring traditions like a family devotion time or making family prayer a priority? Ultimately, the most important tradition that needs to be passed down from generation to generation is the knowledge of how to have a personal relationship with Christ and how much He loves us. The relationship we model with our Savior will be the legacy that will last for generations. It will be the tradition that stands the test of time and lasts for eternity. In the end how beautiful and perfect our family looks on the Christmas card this year in their matching seasonal attire and big happy smiles is not going to matter one little bit.

 

 

 

 

Devotion #3- Community

"They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42

 

My church has something called LifeGroups. LifeGroups are small groups that meet in homes during the week to discuss different Biblical topics. My particular group meets to discuss our read through the Bible in a year plan. I'm in the only "kid friendly" LifeGroup and this year there has been a surge in attendance. All together we have twenty-four attending with twelve kids, six of whom who are three or younger. Add in the fact that we also share dinner together and the scene starts to look more like a crazy extended family visiting during the holidays than a weekly Bible study discussion group.

 

This past week we were trying to discuss Ezekiel and Amos which makes for a somewhat deep discussion, when the commotion from the little ones was just too much for us to continue. Typically the older ones are able to play together in an adjoining playroom with the babies crawling or toddling around entertaining themselves with a collection of toys piled in the middle of the floor with the adults looking on. This particular night though someone was chasing someone who didn't want to be chased, someone kept crawling into a not- so- safe dark area behind the sofa, pacifiers and sippies were being stolen left and right, and hair was being pulled. Crying and yelling continued despite one of the adults trying to corral the kids into the other room.

We couldn't even hear one another across the room trying to talk about our readings for the week. Before we gave up entirely though we began to reminisce, loudly I might add, about how far we had come as a group. We talked about how we had continued meeting despite tons of collective life changes like career changes and babies being born. At times continuing to meet had become a sacrifice. It would have been easier to have given up and to have quit a long time ago allowing our busy lives to take over. In spite of all that we have made this time a priority, and we have continued to build our relationships with one another through the years.

 Authentic community the way that God intended is only reached through a commitment to one another which includes sacrifice. We have to sacrifice in order for the blessings to freely flow. I have to admit that there have been times over the years when I have wondered if it was really worth it. Times when the events of the day steal all my energy and I don't think I have anything left to give,  times when the kids are running crazy excited to see one another, and more recently times when it is difficult to complete the reading plan for the week. Those minor inconveniences are soon chased away by the realization that this is what true community looks like, everyone coming together to do life together with all of that mess and realness with the Lord as the center of it all.

Devotion #1- Plunge

I recently agreed to do a devotion of sorts for my MOPS group. The following is the first installment for our new season of MOPS. I hope you find it uplifting and inspiring!

1 Peter 4:8-10 "Above all keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

 

I'm going to be honest here and admit that I struggle with hospitality.  To me it represents the core of what a woman should be and I just don't have that gift. Effortless entertaining is just not my thing despite the fact that my mom was really good at it.  Sadly,  the gene just didn't get transferred. I'm the person who thinks I have all the ingredients for the recipe and then somehow at the last minute realize that I am one ingredient short or I'm cooking something I have cooked numerous times before only to get confused at the last minute and skip a step rendering the recipe a failure. I blame part of my problem on my refusal in elementary school to memorize  the cooking measurements.  Who knew those pesky little conversions would be so important later on?

Regardless of my failings in math, God has been working in my heart in the area of hospitality. Specifically, He has been convicting me in the area of loving my neighbors. I struggled with this when I realized that I didn't even know them. This fact is somewhat justified by the neighborhood in which we live. Everyone lives on at least three acres that are primarily wooded. I literally have not seen my next door neighbor in five years. I recently found out one of the houses on my street sat empty for two years and I didn't even notice. All that changed the day that my then two year old locked me out of the house while I was bringing in groceries forcing me to have to meet the neighbor across the street so that I could ask to use their phone.

Needless to say,  a special friendship with that neighbor was quickly formed and we discussed the need to get to know our other neighbors.  After finding out she was a party planner, it was quickly decided that we needed to have a block party for the neighbors on our street.   With her making a living out of hospitality,  I knew she would be able to teach this severely lacking student a thing or two.  Being an English teacher in my previous life, I wrote up the invitations and she had them printed using her connections as a party planner. A week later we handed out the invitations together by going door to door.  I  coordinated the food being brought and she did the running around buying the paper goods and other supplies. It ended up being a  partnership that only God could have orchestrated. 

That afternoon after the block party ended,  I remember going home with a huge smile filling my face.  My spirit was full from connecting with others. My belly was full from good food shared. My hands were full of food that neighbors had insisted I take in return for planning the block party for them. My heart was full from all the thank you's and kind words I unexpectedly received.  I was so thankful that I listened to God's voice and more importantly that I was obedient in allowing myself to be used as an instrument of hospitality which for me represented taking a scary plunge into the unknown. A  verse about Jesus coming to give life to the fullest ran across my mind as I reluctantly walked home and maybe in a small way, this is exactly what He meant.