My Prayer for My Daughter

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     I haven't posted in about 2 months, and during that time, we received very exciting news. It's a girl! I never expected the ultrasound tech to say those words. We have 2 boys. My husband is 1 of 3 boys. His dad is 1 of 5 boys. You get the idea. A girl was unexpected! But very welcome!

 

     The first thing I've done in all three pregnancies from the time we find out I'm pregnant is to pray for the child. Now that we know we are having a girl, my prayers are much different than they were with my boys!

     The most important thing any parent could pray for their child is that they will accept Jesus at a young age and be saved. I pray that my daughter and sons will answer Him the first time the Holy Spirit tugs at their hearts and live their lives with the desire to follow His will.

     I pray that she will be ladylike and feminine. I often think of the older ladies I know who are nearing the ends of their lives and of those who have already passed on and wonder who's going to take their place. It seems to be an insult to most to be called a lady nowadays. Most women want to be seen as being strong as any man. I pray my daughter will embrace her femininity. I pray for myself that I will be a good mentor in this area of her life!

     I pray that she will desire to be a homemaker. I hope she will find joy in maintaining her home in the physical and emotional sense and that she will be fulfilled by these things, not seeking fulfillment in a career outside the home. I truly love my role as keeper of the home and pray she (and my boys) will always be able to see that.

     I pray that she will be discreet. What is it with loud mouthed women? I can't really think of anything worse in a social setting than being stuck with a woman who has no filter on her mouth. One who seems to think she needs to be loud, rude, and say everything that pops into her head. There is nothing discreet about her. I have seen husbands embarassed by their wives' mouths many times.  I pray that my daughter never be one of those women. That she will understand the strength and beauty in knowing when to keep her thoughts to herself.

     I pray that she will desire to be a mother. I pray that her greatest joy in life will be raising children to fear the Lord. That she will want them at home with her to guard and train.

     I pray that she wait on the Lord to send her a Christian husband. I dated when I was a teenager and can vouch for the scars it leaves behind. I even almost fell into a marriage that would have definitely been miserable. I knew from the moment I said "yes" that it was not what God wanted for me. So many divorces could have been prevented if the couple had just waited on the Lord to bring them their spouse instead of going out and looking for him/her. I knew from the moment my husband and I started dating that it was "right", but how much pain could I have saved myself if I had waited patiently for Lord to bring him into my life? I pray that she will wait on God and enter marriage with her heart "unscarred".

     My list could go on and on! I truly believe the prayers we send up for our children make a big difference in shaping their lives. Of course, we can't merely pray for them and sit back and do nothing. I know that I have a huge responsibility ahead of me! I cannot expect her to be any of the things I desire for her if I don't first model it for her everyday. I am so far from perfect in so many aspects. I am so thankful for a merciful God who forgives me time and time again when I fail and pray that my children will see past my faults as well and see a mother who loves them so very much.



 

 



   

Teaching Children to Give

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 It's almost that time of year again! My absolute favorite time of year is just around the corner. That means decorations, baking tons of sweets, and listening to Christmas music. It also means a time to give to those who are less fortunate.

     There are so many ways to help people especially around Christmas. Operation Christmas Child and The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program are two that are really dear to me. Both require some leg work with the shopping that needs to be done for them but are totally work the effort that you put in.
    
     Most of us know about Operation Christmas Child and their shoe box program. I'm not sure if the Angel Tree is a nationwide program or more regional. Low income families apply with the Salvation Army during the fall for their child/children to be placed on the Angel Tree, which are Christmas trees placed in different locations with tags with a child's name on it. The tags list the child's age, clothing sizes, and a toy wish. You choose a child's angel tag and buy his or her presents, preferably a suit of clothes, a pair of shoes, and a toy. The Salvation Army then delivers your gift to the child's parents to give them on Christmas. These are children who may not get any other gift if other's don't help. Their parents have provided proof that they probably won't be able to.

     It has been very important to me to "adopt" some of these angels at Christmas time ever since I discovered the program right after my husband and I were married several 6 years ago. I cannot imagine how it must feel as a parent to know you probably can't provide your child with a gift like everyone else and then how it must feel to have a total stranger buy for your child. I believe it must be a bigger blessing for the parents than the children.

     It is also very important to me to teach my children to be charitable and to give to others in need. I want them to learn to give in Christ's name and for His glory not for any benefit or praise of their own. I want them to learn to give cheerfully not because they feel it is necessary.

     "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" Matthew 6: 3&4

 

     "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 9:7



 

     Teaching a young child to give can be a struggle. It is not in our nature to want to give what we have away. I have prayed since I was expecting my first son that my children wouldn't be selfish, but it's there in all of us. It is human nature to be selfish.

 

     I have been trying to prepare my oldest son who is 4 for what we are going to be doing in the next month or so. I have learned that with anything new we do it is best to talk to him about it a lot and try my best to prepare him for the new situation. We will be doing a lot of shopping for the items for the shoeboxes and also a lot of shopping for the toys that will be gifts for the Angel Tree children. I keep telling him that we are going to buy toys for some little boys and girls for Christmas presents so they won't be sad at Christmas. I keep repeating to him that he is really blessed because Mama and Daddy can buy him presents but some moms and dads can't so we are going to try to help them. He nods and usually repeats some of what I say back to me.

 

     However, the hard part is going to come when we are actually in a store picking up a new toy and excepting that it is not for him. He is not used to getting a toy every time we go to the store. I have made it a point not to make that a habit. When something grabs his attention, I say something like, "Wow. I see. That's really neat, huh?" and we keep walking. He is used to that, but I know it will be a little different when I am actually putting toys into the cart and trying to explain to him that he can't have them.

 

     My children are always with me so doing the shopping when they are with a sitter isn't an option. I will most likely pick angel tags that aren't boys the same age as him. I'm not a mean mom who would stuff the cart with the coolest Hot Wheels toys and army men and then say you can't have them! It will be hard enough for a 4 year old brain to except in the first place!

 

     I have been praying that the Lord will help him understand and help me with it. I hope if he can get used to giving at such a young age that it will be easier as he gets older and that he and my younger children will have hearts for it.



Christian Persecution

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Persecute (verb) - to oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, or beliefs.

Christians may not be being arrested or having our chuches destroyed, but we are definitely being persecuted in America today. It's almost to the point where it's easier for someone to be openly gay than openly Christian. If you declare your love for Christ and your desire to follow his word, you are automatically labeled a hate filled bigot.

Celebrities who come out of the closet are praised and sat on a pedestal. When a prominent figure prounounces love for God, he's shunned.

^"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

^\If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me."  John 15: 18-21

The owner of Chick Fil-A has recently stood up for what he and the company he has built believes in and is taking direct fire for it. The media is mocking him and trying to tear him down from every angle. Here's the article from Lifesitenews: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/guilty-as-charged-chick-fil-a-owner-stands-by-true-marriage-stance/

The world embraces the gay community with open arms, but all they want is for this man to fall. I pray that he'll be able to withstand the persecution and not give into the world's demands.

Today is National Support Chick Fil-A Day (pretty sure that's not the official name), and we will be showing our support. We regularly eat there anyway not just because the food is good but because I'd rather spend our money at an establishment that upholds Christian beliefs.

Just for the record: I do NOT hate gay people. I hate the lifestyle and the evil of it all. We are supposed to love everyone including the sinner but hate the sin.

"Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10









A Peaceful Morning

It is a very rare morning in our house. It may be a first actually. It's almost 6 a.m. and neither of the boys has woken up all night. Batman didn't need to go potty during the night. Thor didn't need to cuddle with mommy to go back to sleep. It is a truly peaceful morning.

Morning is the best time for me to read and study the Bible. Very seldom are these mornings so peaceful! Even through the usual chaos and noise, I find peace and guidance for the day in his Word.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Spending time with the Lord each morning sets the tone for my day. I believe He wants us to seek Him out and pray for his mercies for the new day. It makes a huge difference (a bad difference) when I forget to stop or get too busy to stop and seek Him out.

It doesn't take long on those mornings before I realize I have definitely left out something very important! Nothing will be going right. The boys will be grumpier than usual. Mama will be grumpy! Then I'll realize, "No wonder I'm having a bad day. I left the one out who controls it all!"

Taking the time to put Him first in the morning, reminds me that He controls it all. The good days and the not so great days are all in His hands.

I've enjoyed this quiet morning and know it will soon come to an end. Blue eyed boys will soon be waking and needing hugs. God has blessed me with another day to be their mother, and I can face that day knowing that He's here.

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3

Mocking God

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Why is it that so many people openly mock God and Christianity but when trouble strikes, they start asking for prayers?

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Galatians 6:7

The same God that they have ridiculed they now want help from. The same people who they have made fun of they now want praying for them.

If you believe He's answering prayers, why are you so against Him the other 99% of the time?

If you believe He truly has the power to heal your loved one or comfort you, why do use Him as a punch line?

When they mock God, they are publicly demonstrating their rebellion against Him. They want someone to know they think it's all a joke.

I hate to see my God mocked. At the same time, it saddens me to hear someone making jokes about God then hear them asking for prayer about a situation. How can you mock God, ask for His help, then turn around and mock him again?

All of this was mainly brought on by a post on Facebook a few days ago. Someone posted a joke about God. Someone that had just lost a loved one and asked for everyone's prayers. Someone that routinely asks for prayers in bad circumstances. Their idea of a joke really offended me. At the same time, I have been so saddened for this person that I know hasn't accepted Christ as their saviour.

I immediately thought about "unfriending" this person. We haven't been friends in a long time and only "like" each other's statuses from time to time. Then I thought, "Well, I may offend her if I do that." It hit me earlier today. Why am I more worried about offending someone than what offends my Lord?

"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

If someone is asking for His help, he is not totally ignorant of His grace. The saddest part is that so many of those will never surrender their souls to Christ. They will continue to mock Him until their dying day thinking it's funny.

I've heard nonbelievers ask for prayer a million times, and there is nothing wrong with that. If someone comes to you and asks for prayer, you should take it seriously and make it a point to do it. I just have a heavy heart right now for those that are lost and find humor in it.

Getting Dressed for Church

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When the weekend rolls around, I begin to plan what my family will wear to church on Sunday.

I've often heard that it shouldn't matter what you wear to church. "As long as you're there, that's all that matters to God." Something along those lines.

For unbelievers, I believe that's true. The important part is that you're there to hear the Gospel and hopefully get saved.

As Christians, we are held accountable for our appearance. There would not be so much left for us in the Bible about dress if it was unimportant.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16

Exodus 39 details the ornate garments God required Aaron and the priests to wear to enter the Tabernacle. This was serious business, and Moses did not take it lightly. The Tabernacle was the most holy place of God.

Although we are no longer under the law and have Christ as our intercessor, I believe there is significance in those passages about how we should approach the church today. The church was bought with a blood price and deserves our utmost respect.

 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Acts 20:28

We don't need to try our craft our own breastplates to match those described in Exodus, but we should wear our best clothing into His house. Every one's "Sunday best" is different. For one, it may be a suit and tie. For another, it may be blue jeans and a clean, pressed shirt.

No one should feel that he has to have designer labels to come into the house of God. When Paul outlines a woman's modest dress in 1 Timothy 2:9, he includes "not with...COSTLY ARRAY". $300 shoes and purses are important to the world not God.

Now, I know that God sees the heart, but man does not. Like it or not, the world judges you first based on your appearance. An unbeliever should not walk in on Sunday morning and see all the women and girls dressed like the world.

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."

1 Peter 2:9

At the same time, the church should be the one place where I don't have to worry about immodestly dressed women. Not only is it disrespectful to the Lord, it disrespects the wives and mothers in the building. We need to be concerned about our brothers in Christ, young and old.

This usually isn't much of a problem at our church. However, I have seen some girls whose dresses were so short that you just pray she doesn't drop her Sunday School book and have to pick it up.

We need to do a modesty check before we leave the house.

•  Is this dress/blouse too low cut?

Add a layering top underneath or change tops altogether. You shouldn't be exposing your chest if you lean over and someone should not be able to see down the top of your shirt. (I'm 5'2 so almost anyone would be getting a peek if my top is too low.)

•  Is this going to be too short when I sit down?

Your dress is going to rise when you sit down and most of your time will be spent sitting.

• Is this too tight?

If the outline of your underwear can be seen, it's obviously too tight. Most of us become "thicker" in certain areas after becoming mothers. Make sure your clothes aren't clinging to those areas that might draw a man's attention.

• Is this sheer?

Slips aren't very popular with my generation, but if the sunlight is going to be shining through the bottom or your skirt or dress, you need to wear one!

I know that what we wear is not the only thing to be concerned over. But as members of the church, we need to model the respect for his sanctified house. Unbelievers and young Christians should be able to see the Word living through older Christians.

When I say "you" and "your", I mean "me" and "my"! In no way am I leaving myself out.

I would be disrespecting God just as much if I sat there judging the girl in the short skirt or the woman showing too much cleavage. I need to pray for them. If they are still lost in their sins, I need to pray they will soon come to know Christ and turn from living like the world. If they already know the Lord, I need to pray they will see the error of their ways and have a desire to change.

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

James 5:16

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Enjoying the Blessings

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We just bought a new home, and that picture pretty much sums up the way I feel! I absolutely love this house and where it's located. I love the beautiful kitchen and fenced-in backyard. I am extremely blessed beyond anything I deserve and in need of nothing.

So why is that when we have everything we need, we still desire more?

When you move into a house that's about 1000sq ft bigger than your last, you start to realize there are things you "need". I "need" a few throw rugs to go here, here, and there. I "need" some pretty containers for the cream and sugar so it can be displayed by the coffee maker. And since we have such a lovely back deck, I "need" a porch swing to make it complete.

Does that sound about right?

Well, I won't be getting any of those pretty extras anytime soon. Until a renter is found for our old house, we are carrying two mortgages. Ouch. Our real estate agent assured us that HE could find a renter within "a week tops" (those are his words). It has been a month now, and the old house is still vacant. That was HIS timetable not God's.

 ^"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14

I know that God is in control of every single aspect of our lives. He knows that I could so easily get worried about the situation and let it consume me, but He wants me to lay it at His feet. He knows our finances. He is the one who has blessed us with everything we have. And in this case, I know he's blessing me by not giving me those extras. I am made to stop and enjoy the blessings that He has already given me.

 ^"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

Case in point #2, the dishwasher is messed up. I HATE doing dishes. But with one my favorite conveniences out of play, I am forced to wash the dishes by hand and really notice what a lovely view I have outside the windows by the sink. I wouldn't be enjoying that serene view if I didn't have to slow down and take it all in. I wouldn't be able to see the forest through all the trees, so to speak.

It all reminds me of my son's birthday about 6 weeks ago. We bought him this really neat video game for the Wii called Skylanders. The game has a bunch of different characters you can purchase to go along with it. Each character plays the game differently.

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He unwrapped the present and was over the top excited! His daddy got it set up for him and in no time, he was playing. After maybe 15 minutes, he realized the extra guys were shown on the back of the package, and he let us know which ones he wanted now.

More? We just bought you this super cool game that you haven't even fully enjoyed and you want something else to go with it?!

Of course as his mother, I told him that no he would not be getting all that extra stuff anytime soon. I wanted him to appreciate what we had given him.

It seems at twenty something I would be wiser than my 4 year old. I did the same thing he did, and my Father had to put things into perspective for me too.

I'm still learning and grateful for a patient God who knows that. I am going to enjoy the blessings that God has bestowed on his undeserving child and try to make sure to thank Him the way I should knowing that all things happen in His time not mine.





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