I LOVE Sally Clarkson and her wisdom! She has homeschooled her 4 children and comes with a ton of wisdom. If you have not read her blog, you should. She was one of the co-authors of Desperate along with Sarah Mae. I have written about this book a couple of times on my blog.
I wanted to share what I read on her blog recently. It is entitled Education is a mandate, not a choice. It is really good! Pleast take time to read this.
Whether you homeschool or not, there is still a responsibility to educate our children. I love the way she puts this. I have tons of friends and family who do not homeschool, but I do believe they invest into the minds of their children. I would not be the Mom I am today without, first God, but also their investment into my life. I have great people surrounding me who invests in my family. For that I am grateful.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Loving God and Loving Others
"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "of all the commandments, which is the most important?" The most important one," answered Jesus, "Is this: '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 with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." ~Mark 12:28-31
When we look at God's Word, there's two simple things He tells us to follow and they are the most important: love God and love others.
When we love love God with our ALL of our heart, soul, mind and strength; we will love others. When we love God in this way, we will begin to have a heart like His because we will spend time with Him reading His Word, praying and listening to Him. We will be transformed and love others as He did.
The love of Christ should rule our thoughts, decisions and actions.
There are a lot of hurting people in this world. How are you choosing to be intentional about first, loving God and then loving others.
Love is a choice and it involves both choice and an action.
We must do more that say we would love to help this person and that person. We must put action with our love, it is love in action.
Who is God bringing your mind to at this moment? Who do you need to love on today? Who needs to hear your voice telling them they are worth it?
Don't deny the voice of the Father!
When we look at God's Word, there's two simple things He tells us to follow and they are the most important: love God and love others.
When we love love God with our ALL of our heart, soul, mind and strength; we will love others. When we love God in this way, we will begin to have a heart like His because we will spend time with Him reading His Word, praying and listening to Him. We will be transformed and love others as He did.
The love of Christ should rule our thoughts, decisions and actions.
There are a lot of hurting people in this world. How are you choosing to be intentional about first, loving God and then loving others.
Love is a choice and it involves both choice and an action.
We must do more that say we would love to help this person and that person. We must put action with our love, it is love in action.
Who is God bringing your mind to at this moment? Who do you need to love on today? Who needs to hear your voice telling them they are worth it?
Don't deny the voice of the Father!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Books Books and More Books
I love books and reading. Anyone close to me knows that fact. I never thought I would come to the point in which I would have to MAKE myself pick up a book and read.
These days I am seriously tired. Tired from what, you may say. Life is hard. The day to day upkeep of the home, juggling being a mama, homeschool mama, children's minister, wife, sister, child of the King....and the list goes on. But I must keep my focus. My focus must be Jesus so that He can lead me in my daily endeavors. I desire to bring glory to His Name!
As I told you earlier in the year, I would be reading "Desperate" by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson. I finished it up some weeks ago. It was a wonderful read. If you have not read it, I encourage you to read it. When I read the title I did NOT THINK I was a Desperate mom, but I in fact am.
If you are looking for a book that really reads your mail as a Mom, this is the book.
I love how Sarah Mae writes first. That is how I feel at this stage in motherhood, but Sally follows up with such wisdom that comes only from a woman who has been there done that. It is a booked PACKED with wisdom.
I have read several books in between but they are health books. They were very good reads.
I am now reading "Lead Your Family Like Jesus" by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges and Tricia Goyer. I bought the book after I heard them 2 days in a row on Focus on the Family. I will give you an update once I am finished.
These days I am seriously tired. Tired from what, you may say. Life is hard. The day to day upkeep of the home, juggling being a mama, homeschool mama, children's minister, wife, sister, child of the King....and the list goes on. But I must keep my focus. My focus must be Jesus so that He can lead me in my daily endeavors. I desire to bring glory to His Name!
As I told you earlier in the year, I would be reading "Desperate" by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson. I finished it up some weeks ago. It was a wonderful read. If you have not read it, I encourage you to read it. When I read the title I did NOT THINK I was a Desperate mom, but I in fact am.
If you are looking for a book that really reads your mail as a Mom, this is the book.
I love how Sarah Mae writes first. That is how I feel at this stage in motherhood, but Sally follows up with such wisdom that comes only from a woman who has been there done that. It is a booked PACKED with wisdom.
I have read several books in between but they are health books. They were very good reads.
I am now reading "Lead Your Family Like Jesus" by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges and Tricia Goyer. I bought the book after I heard them 2 days in a row on Focus on the Family. I will give you an update once I am finished.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
By His Grace
As I think about my children and what I want them to become one day, I desire for them to be people who LOVE the Lord with their entire being and share Him with each person they come in contact with. I desire for them to love others as Jesus did, be a reflection of Him at all costs.
But you see, the problem with that is: I am their mom. I love Jesus fully but not so fully. I am an imperfect being who makes many mistakes so therefore my children will pick up my weaknesses as well as my strengths. They will live out the way my husband and I train them now. We have to train and discipline now with the future in mind. But we are flawed humans, so we MUST rely on the Father to do the ultimate work in their hearts and lives. I am only the tool that God allows to direct my children in the way they should go.
I do not desire for my children to be well behaved and responsible, but not have Jesus. I do not desire for them to marry the right person, have the perfect job, but not have Jesus. I want Him to be first and foremost in theirs lives.
Don't get me wrong, I want my children to have nice things, enjoy live, but more than that I want them to have Jesus because that is where true contentment is found.
So, my challenge today: Are you training your children with methods that create "behavior modification?" Meaning you do things that will change their behavior for a desired result. OR Are you training your children in a way that reaches the heart and leads them to Jesus? When we train the hearts of our children then, we will see true results. It is then that they realize they cannot live apart from Christ and will desire to follow Him completely.
But you see, the problem with that is: I am their mom. I love Jesus fully but not so fully. I am an imperfect being who makes many mistakes so therefore my children will pick up my weaknesses as well as my strengths. They will live out the way my husband and I train them now. We have to train and discipline now with the future in mind. But we are flawed humans, so we MUST rely on the Father to do the ultimate work in their hearts and lives. I am only the tool that God allows to direct my children in the way they should go.
I do not desire for my children to be well behaved and responsible, but not have Jesus. I do not desire for them to marry the right person, have the perfect job, but not have Jesus. I want Him to be first and foremost in theirs lives.
Don't get me wrong, I want my children to have nice things, enjoy live, but more than that I want them to have Jesus because that is where true contentment is found.
So, my challenge today: Are you training your children with methods that create "behavior modification?" Meaning you do things that will change their behavior for a desired result. OR Are you training your children in a way that reaches the heart and leads them to Jesus? When we train the hearts of our children then, we will see true results. It is then that they realize they cannot live apart from Christ and will desire to follow Him completely.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The Harvest is Plentiful
This week in my Good Morning Girls Bible study, our challenge was to "Choose one way to show Jesus' love in action to a "neighbor" around you this week.
Our Memory Verse was: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2 (NIV)
S: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Luke 10:2-3
O:
He says to GO! He does not say Go if you feel like it or if the time is right, etc. BUT to GO!
He says that we are being sent out like lambs among wolves. We will not always be accepted because of our hope in the Lord. We need to arm ourselves for battle. We need not give up because others come against us. We are told to Go! and it says nothing about go until it gets too hard and then give up.
As I was so wonderfully reminded last week, God will provide for our every need. That is not just talking about finanial, but spiritually and mentally. He will meet our emotional needs and help us get through the opposition.
P: Lord, I pray that You would prick the hearts of people who do not know you. I pray that you would prick the hearts of people who are not involved in Kingdom work. Lord, soften their hearts and help them realize that true fulfillment comes when they are in direct allignment of Your will. Help us all to be strong when we face opposition for Your Name-sake and help us to remember You said GO! and that we must stay strong no matter how hard it is. You are our source for all things. In Christ Name. Amen.
What is God nudging to you to do today for His Kingdom? Remember, His Word says GO!
Our Memory Verse was: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2 (NIV)
S: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Luke 10:2-3
O:
- The harvest is plentiful
- The workers are few
- Ask the Lord to send out workers
- Go!
- We are being sent out like lambs among wolves
He says to GO! He does not say Go if you feel like it or if the time is right, etc. BUT to GO!
He says that we are being sent out like lambs among wolves. We will not always be accepted because of our hope in the Lord. We need to arm ourselves for battle. We need not give up because others come against us. We are told to Go! and it says nothing about go until it gets too hard and then give up.
As I was so wonderfully reminded last week, God will provide for our every need. That is not just talking about finanial, but spiritually and mentally. He will meet our emotional needs and help us get through the opposition.
P: Lord, I pray that You would prick the hearts of people who do not know you. I pray that you would prick the hearts of people who are not involved in Kingdom work. Lord, soften their hearts and help them realize that true fulfillment comes when they are in direct allignment of Your will. Help us all to be strong when we face opposition for Your Name-sake and help us to remember You said GO! and that we must stay strong no matter how hard it is. You are our source for all things. In Christ Name. Amen.
What is God nudging to you to do today for His Kingdom? Remember, His Word says GO!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The Microphone
We have an alarm system in our home and a few a weeks ago our front door flew open with the wind and set the alarm system off. It was in the middle of the day and I knew exactly what it was and that no one was breaking into our home.
It took me longer than usual to get to the keypad to punch in the code. Because it took me so long, the lady came over the speaker in our hallway to talk to me. She wanted to be sure that we were ok...and of course we were. She even had the security company call me later just to check on us.
After we finished up our little conversation in the hallway, I kept feeling like someone was listening in on us. I guess it sort of made me uneasy just knowing that someone could hear us if they chose to. I knew they are not, but it was still in the back of my mind. I kept catching myself being very careful of what I said and the kind of attitude I had with the kids. I even told the kids, "you better stop because the lady in the hall can hear you."
We had had a very stressful morning (Monday morning) and it was sort of crazy in our home at the time. I was finding myself being short with the kids and in turn they were even more irritated with me.
At the end of the day, as I reflected: I thought about how in life we are someone we are not when we are in front of people. We put on a good "show" and really live a lie. Sometimes we are super sweet to our kids in front of people when we would bite their head off at home if that were to happen.
I know! I have caught myself doing that very same thing.
Why do we do that?
Because we are human and we are tired Mamas. We are imperfect beings in need of a perfect Savior. We cannot be at our best 24/7, but we sure can rely on the Father to strengthen us and guide us. We can ask our Father to forgive us and ask our children to forgive us as well. We can go back and make things right.
I should not have told my children to stop because the lady could hear them. I should have said to stop because God can hear and He is not pleased with that. (He was not pleased with my behavior either!)
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26
I am so glad we serve a God who loves us dispite our imperfections. AND that our children are usually pretty quick to forgive.
It took me longer than usual to get to the keypad to punch in the code. Because it took me so long, the lady came over the speaker in our hallway to talk to me. She wanted to be sure that we were ok...and of course we were. She even had the security company call me later just to check on us.
After we finished up our little conversation in the hallway, I kept feeling like someone was listening in on us. I guess it sort of made me uneasy just knowing that someone could hear us if they chose to. I knew they are not, but it was still in the back of my mind. I kept catching myself being very careful of what I said and the kind of attitude I had with the kids. I even told the kids, "you better stop because the lady in the hall can hear you."
We had had a very stressful morning (Monday morning) and it was sort of crazy in our home at the time. I was finding myself being short with the kids and in turn they were even more irritated with me.
At the end of the day, as I reflected: I thought about how in life we are someone we are not when we are in front of people. We put on a good "show" and really live a lie. Sometimes we are super sweet to our kids in front of people when we would bite their head off at home if that were to happen.
I know! I have caught myself doing that very same thing.
Why do we do that?
Because we are human and we are tired Mamas. We are imperfect beings in need of a perfect Savior. We cannot be at our best 24/7, but we sure can rely on the Father to strengthen us and guide us. We can ask our Father to forgive us and ask our children to forgive us as well. We can go back and make things right.
I should not have told my children to stop because the lady could hear them. I should have said to stop because God can hear and He is not pleased with that. (He was not pleased with my behavior either!)
But to make it all worse, my daughter heard ME and started using MY attitude and tone.
What if I would have chosen to be patient and kind throught the stress.....
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26
I am so glad we serve a God who loves us dispite our imperfections. AND that our children are usually pretty quick to forgive.
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