Tag Archives: kids

Jan17

Hey! Did You Hear? My Son Is Now Quoting Me On FB!

Posted on January 17, 2013 by sagescenery

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Does that mean I’m really a writer!?! Ha!

It just started last week!

We were at drama practice sitting around trying to think of some good choreography…

For “Me Without You” by tobymac…

Great song!

There’s an instrumental part (sort of robotic-sounding) in the middle of the song…

And we were trying to think of cool movements for it…

So, as we were tossing ideas back and forth…

One of us (probably me! Ha!) said,

“How about if Jesus was a robot in this part???”

Everyone laughed, except for one of our newer boys!

He had been asking questions all practice…

Like…

“Why do we need to BE a piano?

Or turn ourselves into musical instruments?”

We tried to explain how human video dramas are done at Fine Arts competitions…

If the song talks about a ladder…

We need to MAKE a ladder using the people in the drama…

If there’s a hill…

We MAKE a hill with our bodies!

Still he didn’t get it!!

So I guess the “robot-Jesus” idea was the last straw!!

He was so exasperated with all of us…

That he said, “That’s just really offensive to talk about Jesus like that!!”

That’s when I said the line that my son quoted on FB!!

“Don’t take us as seriously as you’re trying to!!!”

All the older kids cracked up…

My son wrote it down and posted it…

As a quote from his wise Mom…

And I got 20 “Likes” on his FB page!!

Two days later, I had a funny dream that I remembered completely…

Most of it was a convoluted story of us moving into a new house…

Realizing that it was falling apart…

That the previous owners left all their stuff…

Even a kielbasa/hotdog- looking food item in the grill, etc., etc.

Oh, and I dropped my cell phone in a lake!

Crazy!

But, at the end of the dream…

I was coming home late from somewhere…

And my retired cop husband was sitting in his car in a Foodtown parking lot where we used to live in NJ…

Waiting for me to make sure I was safe…

I saw him sitting in his car with the headlights on…

And I thought, “How nice!”

Just as I was going to turn right to pull into the parking lot…

A HUGE Moose

Came charging at the left side of my car!!

I was at a red light…

But, I said to myself…

“I remember what my husband always said to me!

‘If a HUGE Moose came at you, even if you’re at a traffic light…

Step on the gas and get out of there!!'”

By this time, after telling my husband and son this crazy dream…

We were all laughing hysterically!!

My husband does give us lots of safety tips…

But never once about a HUGE Moose!!

But, I got 30 “Likes” on that one!

One of my friends read it and didn’t understand it!

Guess you had to be there!

My philosophy is…

To never take myself or life too seriously!

Ahhhh…Laughter!

Belly laughs…

Joy, Joy, Joy!!!

Jesus, give me more of it!!

“A joyful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs 17:22

“Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy;

Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” Proverbs 126:2

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…” Ecclesiastes 3:4

“A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.” Proverbs 15:13

“Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Psalm 32:11

Dec29

The Gifts…

Posted on December 29, 2012 by sagescenery

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I heard this song on the radio last week, and immediately thought of the precious children…

And others in the tragedy in Newtown…

And those grieving for them…

“The Gift” by Brenda White

Here are the lyrics…

Please insert your loved one’s name in “Grandpa’s” place!

“Grandma spilled some water…

When she fed the Christmas tree…

She said her eyes were blurry…

But she’d been crying seemed to me…

‘Cause of all the gifts God gave us…

One’s no longer here…

You see, Grandpa is the gift…

They got in Heaven this year!

So you might hear an angel singing now..

A little bit off-key..

But Grandma says his shirts stay white…

And his skin is wrinkle free…

And when Jesus opens this one…

She says Heaven’s gonna cheer!

Because Grandpa is the gift…

They got in Heaven this year!

Grandpa loved the snow…

Because he loved the snowball fight…

And Grandma says that Jesus knows…

What He got Himself alright…

Grandma said the reason…

We didn’t get much snow down here…

Is that Grandpa is the gift…

They got in Heaven this year!

Now someone else is gonna wear…

The cotton-ball beard…

I remember he used shaving cream…

Instead of it one year!

And Grandma says that Jesus gives…

Everything we pray…

So us kids got together…

And asked if Grandpa had to stay!

So you might hear an angel singing now…

A little bit off-key…

But Grandma says his shirts stay white…

And his skin is wrinkle free…

And when Jesus opens this one…

She says Heaven’s gonna cheer…

Because Grandpa is the gift…

They got in Heaven this year!”

Also, a dear friend of mine forwarded this e-mail to me...written by her friend's daughter who lives in Newtown, Connecticut. I have her permission to share it with you! It's very powerful!

“I thought I’d share some experiences here in town…

In case you were curious…

It’s been a hard (almost) week here…

Initially, filled with utter shock, fear…

Then sadness and grief…

I spend most of my days either working from home…

Or tootling about getting to other destinations either in town…

Or in neighboring towns…

Thereby going through town…

Not necessarily Sandy Hook proper…

Just town…

I ventured out a few times earlier in the week…

And was met in the grocery store with utter silence…

Except for some light Christmas music on their intercom system…

Which is normally fun 60s and 70s music…

There weren’t many people there…

And those who were…

Were visibly numb…

Looks of shock…

Just staring…

Moving in slow motion…

Then there was the ride back from walking the pups in Field Hills…

Which is a staging area for therapy…

And overflow of police officers from the state and neighboring areas…

I didn’t realize that ’til I walked past a field with literally lines of cars…

All the same make and model…

And realized they weren’t starting a used car lot…

They were housing all the undercover cop cars there…

And, of course, all the yellow crime scene tape…

Then there’s the sirens…

Or helicopters…

Take your pick…

But essentially if it’s not one…

It’s the other…

We don’t know if they are further “events”

Or some sort of escort…

Recently, on the ride back from Field Hills…

I was greeted with stopped traffic on RT. 25…

And decided to take a short cut that runs parallel (by a cemetery….)

I turned and started up the side road…

And ran into a blockade ahead…

Which was allowing a funeral procession to enter the cemetery…

It hit me like a wall…

That everywhere I went in town…

There was evidence of the massacre!

Not just TV evidence…

But palpable, touchable, hearable, physical, experiencable evidence!

And this realization that some parent’s…

Some “neighbor’s” child was being buried just then…

Was overwhelming!!

I found myself shrouded in such overwhelming sadness…

I questioned if we really could continue to live here!

Then it changed…

We realized that unlike 9/11, or Columbine, or any of the other widely known events that have changed our history…

We can’t turn this off!

We can’t choose to just watch a different channel…

Avoid the news, ignore the newspapers, etc.!

We are living in it!

I have a new empathy for the people who have experienced these other disasters…

And what it is like to not be able to just turn away…

So I decided, if we can’t avoid it, and I really didn’t want to…

Then let’s immerse ourselves in it!!

So, last night after a light late dinner at a local place in town…

We drove into Sandy Hook center, at about 9:30 at night…

We drove past the memorial site where the large Christmas Tree is…

We went right, came back, drove past the display of Angels on the hillside, turned around, went back to the left,

Turned around again, and decided, “We can do this!”

We parked, got out, and went and experienced it!

As I sit here sobbing…

And trying to put into words something that cannot be put into words…

I will tell you this…

It was probably the most moving human moment of my life!

The beauty that is there…

The LOVE…

The overwhelming love, the poetry, the symbolism, the words of peace, all the candles, toys…

All the things any 6 or 7-year-old child would adore…

It’s just unimaginable!

It is sad…

But sad in a different way…

Sad that they are no longer here with us…

And that they were taken away far too early…

But what is even more prevalent, is the LOVE!

I cannot even express it…

That and the sense of peace…

There’s not a stitch of anger there…

No one writing of anger or resentment or hostility…

None…

Just a huge garden of peace, harmony, tranquility, joy, and spirituality.

It’s not something I think everyone can do…

But if you’ve ever wanted to be a part of something so much bigger…

And feel beyond your own needs/wants/feelings…

It’s an experience I won’t ever forget!

We both said we felt so at peace walking through the display…

It was cold and windy out…

And neither of us ever felt cold, hot, nothing…

We just felt in the moment…Peace!

Sadness for the loss, but more peace than sadness…

Today is another day full of funeral processions…

I see so many people dressed in their funeral black best…

And the police presence is huge…

Cops from everywhere!

Yesterday there were about 5 cops on bikes from Yonkers!

We’ve seen them from North and South, all over…

I just got word that every Newtown Police Officer will spend Christmas Day at home with his/her family…

As neighboring departments have tons of volunteers to stand in for their shifts…

So they can be with their families…

But these funerals will be over soon.

I think people can truly begin the healing process thereafter…

So, I no longer feel like we can’t call Newtown home…

Now I feel proud!

I don’t want to leave….

In fact, I’d like very much to get to know more of my neighbors…

And be a part of this community!

I hope more and more people feel touched…

I personally have decided to take an oath with myself to try to do more random acts of kindness…

To have more patience with people…

To realize everyone is going through something…

Everyone has a story…

So when someone is in such a hurry they cut me off…

Or if someone is grumpy to me in a check-out line…

Maybe it’s for good reason…

Maybe they just need a warm, understanding smile…

Or maybe that person is rushing to pick up their sick child…

If I can be more understanding…

Maybe someone else can too…

If we all were a little more caring and understanding…

Can you imagine how much nicer our world could be?”

Yes, I can!!

Amen!

Dec27

Dead Lizard!! Dead Lizard!!

Posted on December 27, 2012 by sagescenery

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I had the most amazing conversation with a little boy on a bicycle, while I was taking a walk around my neighborhood last week!

I was just past the new construction site I told you about in a precious post…

“Haven’t Seen One Of These Around Here In A While!!”

I was listening to my inspirational Gospel tunes on my iPod, and thinking…

“Things are progressing nicely at the construction site!”

My Dad was a carpenter, so every step in the building process interests me!

I remember as kids, my Dad would ride us by every house he had built, and proudly say, “I built that house!”

I perhaps didn’t appreciate it then, but after having built all our houses over the years…

I appreciate it now…

Great job, Dad!!

Anyway…

Suddenly, this little boy, perhaps 6 or 7 years old, came barreling at me on his bicycle…

While I was thinking, reminiscing, and listening to my music…

Shouting, “Dead Lizard!! Dead Lizard!!”

I pulled out one ear bud…

And said, “What!?!”

He repeated it again!

“Dead Lizard!! Dead Lizard!!”

“Where?” I said…

He pointed up ahead…

“Want to see it?” he asked…

“Of course!” I said…

I just love kids!! Don’t you???

I see people on my walks all the time…

Mostly those walking their dogs…

I don’t walk mine, my husband does that…

Because my crazy Siberian pulls my arm out of its socket!

It’s not a calm walk!! Ha!!

Anyway, I talk to a lot of people on my walks, pet their dogs, say “Have a nice day,” etc.

And not once has anyone said anything as amazing as,

“Dead Lizard!! Dead Lizard!!”

That’s why I love kids!!

So the kid on the bicycle turned his bike in the direction I was walking…

And raced to show me the way to the dead lizard you see in the photo!!

Soon, he turned back to me as I was apparently following too slowly!

“Come on!” he said…

“Can’t you run???”

Apparently he doesn’t understand age! Ha!

So I walked a little faster to please him!

When we got to the dead lizard…

He proudly pointed to it, and said, “There it is!”

“Ahh,” I said.

“You’re right, it’s definitely dead, alright!

How do you think it died?” I asked…

“Did you run over it with your bike???”

In FL, little lizards run back and forth, and in front and around you all the time…

I remember when we came to FL for vacation, before we moved here, when my son was young…

That he went to grab one, and it let go of its tail to get away…

My son started crying, thinking he had killed it…

But we explained to him that it’s their defense mechanism…

And they can grow their tail back again!

Quite amazing little creatures, these “Lizzies!!”

So the little boy on the bicycle says…

“No, I didn’t run it over…

I found it this way!!”

I’m glad I came along for him to share his “find” with!! Ha!

After we looked at it for awhile, I said…

“Merry Christmas, and thanks for showing me the dead lizard!”

And he turned to ride back the way he was going, and I continued on my walk…

Quickly though, he had another thought and said…

“When you go around the corner and see a black truck…

That’s my Dad’s truck…

Say to him, ‘Bryson said, Hi!'”

“Oh, you live around the corner?” I asked…

“We’re renting!” he said…

“Okay, I’ll tell him!” I said as I continued walking…

He turned his bike around, and sped off ahead of me, to make sure I gave his Dad the correct message…

And beat me there!

Sure enough, there was his Dad washing his black truck!

So I said, “I’m supposed to tell you that Bryson said Hi!”

He laughed, that laugh that’s says, “Yup, I know my kid and that’s exactly what he’d say!!”

Bryson called to his Dad, “We saw a dead lizard!!”

His Dad said, “Great!

And Bryson, remember, stay where I can see you!”

While doing the “I’m-watching-you” motions…

“I know that, Dad,” he replied…

And then he pedaled away, but on his own block this time!

So I said, “Merry Christmas, Bryson”

And he said, “You already said that!”

Yes, he’s right…I did!

Dear Jesus…how can anyone hurt a child???

Dec6

One Of Us!

Posted on December 6, 2012 by sagescenery

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Kids Church object lesson taken from the Called To Kids website, July 19, 2010 by Marla,

Filed under Holiday Lessons, Jesus

“…She will give birth to a son…

And they will call him Immanuel…

Which means ‘God is with us.’”

Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

There was once a man sitting in his living room by the fireplace on a cold winter’s day. Outside, snow was falling and had already covered the ground.

The man heard a tapping on the window and turned to see a small bird pecking at the glass with its beak. It was lost and cold, suffering out in the bitter weather.

Feeling sorry for the bird, the man walked outside so that he could help it inside and save its life. But when he came close to the bird, it got scared and flew away.

So the man went inside once again, realizing that his plan to help the bird had failed.

A few minutes later as the man rested by the warm fire, he heard once again the sound of tapping on the window.

He turned to see the same bird trying to get into the house and escape the freezing cold weather outside.

This time as the man walked onto the front lawn he saw many other birds also trying to find warmth. One by one he came close to them, trying to help, but each of them got scared and few away.

Frustrated, the man walked back inside. “If only I could become a bird,” he thought. “Then I could speak their language. They would know that I am only trying to help them and save their lives.”

After Adam and Eve sinned, they began to die. Since then, we’ve been like those little birds—lost and suffering in our sin. Every time God has tried to come close and take us into His loving care, we’ve run away from Him.

Like the man trying to save the birds, God had to find a way to become one of us, to speak our language and help us to understand Him.

So He sent His son Jesus, who is just like Him, to come and live on this earth with us.

Just like that man left the comfort of the fireplace to go out into the cold and try to help the birds, Jesus left His home in Heaven to come to this earth to save us.

Jesus spoke our language and told us of God’s love for us.

He told us that God wants to take us in as His children.

One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel.

That means “God is with us.”

God came to us as a person, as Jesus, and walked on this earth.

He understands us and He loves us.

Instead of running away from God, we need to run to Him.

Remember, Jesus is God with us.

Someone e-mailed me this photo…I’m sorry I don’t know who the photographer is…but I love it!

“How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 36:7 (NLT)

“He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust…”

Psalm 91:4

Dec6

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Posted on December 6, 2012 by sagescenery

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Listen to:

“Happy Birthday Jesus”

Performed by- The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

It’s a favorite of mine…

Because it’s sung by little children!

Here are some of the lyrics…

“Happy Birthday Jesus…

I’m so glad it’s Christmas!

All the tinsel and lights…

And the presents are nice…

But the real gift is You…

Happy Birthday Jesus…

I’m so glad it’s Christmas!

All the carols and bells…

Make the holiday swell…

And it’s all about You!

Happy Birthday Jesus…

Jesus, I love You!”

I love this song’s child-like innocence…

Matthew 18:3 NIV says…

“…I tell you the truth, unless you change…

And become like little children…

You will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Do you need the gift of a Silent Night?

Give yourself a gift this Christmas…

Jesus is your gift!

Celebrate His Birthday!

Come to His Birthday Party!

And sing…

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Jesus, I love You!

Nov21

Make The Effort!

Posted on November 21, 2012 by sagescenery

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I’m highly recommending this Christian daily e-mail you can subscribe to…

Called “The Daily Verse” by Kat Davis…

Or you can purchase her book by the same name…

Web-site: TheDailyVerse.com

Today’s Bible verse for November 20, 2012:

“And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.”
Luke 19:2-4

After each verse, Kat explains her thoughts from God on that verse:

For this verse, Kat writes: “Let us consider how much of an effort will we make to overcome our limitations, so that we can clearly see Jesus, and figuratively climb the tree, just as Zacchaeus did.”

Always short, sweet, and to the point!!!!

Do we get it???

Don’t be lazy!

Make the effort it takes to see Jesus…

To walk with Him…

To have Him come to our house…

And into our hearts!

Then when He says, “I’m coming in!”

Let Him!!

Amen!

If you were raised in Sunday school, you know the song about Zacchaeus!!!

The song tells of Zacchaeus’s attempts to see Jesus by climbing a sycamore tree, there are a series of hand motions that accompany the song. The song is one of the more popular children’s Bible songs, and has been featured on numerous Christian children’s music collections.

It was my favorite!!

I can still see and hear my Uncle Angelo (my pastor!) singing it to us and teaching us the hand motions…

It’s one of those songs you teach to your children…

I taught my son!!

Here are the lyrics:

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

And a wee little man was he.

He climbed up in a sycamore tree

For the Lord he wanted to see.

And when the Savior passed that way

He looked up in the tree.

And said, ‘Zaccheus, you come down!

For I’m going to your house today!

For I’m going to your house today!’

Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

But a happy man was he,

For he had seen the Lord that day

And a happy man was he;

And a very happy man was he.”

Each day, “The Daily Verse” pops into my email…

I can’t tell you how much it has helped set the tone for my day…

For my walk with the Lord…

And how many, many times I’ve felt compelled to forward it to others!

Miraculously, when I have a need, or a family member or friend is going through something…

“The Daily Verse” seems to be just what I need…

What I want to pray for…

And what I want to convey to others!

Thank you, Lord…

For giving Kat the gift of Your insight!!

Make the effort…Jesus is worth it!!

Nov15

Lord, Thanks For Giving!

Posted on November 15, 2012 by sagescenery

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Psalm 69:30 “I will Praise the Name of God with Song, And shall Magnify Him with Thanksgiving.”

Gracious Heavenly Father…

Thanks for Giving Me…

All Your Promises…

Your Precious Word to Guide Me through this Life…

Your Beloved Son to Give Me New Life…

And Your Holy Spirit to Teach me all Truth!

For my Parents who Brought Me Up to Love You…

For my Husband who Works to keep us Safe…

For my Son who never ceases to be the Delight of my Life…

For Our Precious Siberian who Gives us Unconditional Love and Affection every Day!

For my Siblings, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins who Know How to Pray…

For Good Friends wherever we have Lived and Worked…

For Caring Believers wherever we have Worshiped…

For Helpful Acquaintances along the Path of Life…

For our Jobs over the years that have been Blessings from You…

For the Safety and Protection of our Home, Cars, and Finances…

For our Health in Body, Mind, and Spirit…

For Your Gift of allowing us to Retire to the Town and Neighborhood of our Dreams…

For Teaching us to Delight in You…

To Love Others…

And to see Everyone as You see Them…

To Minister with Grace and Encouragement for Your Kingdom!

I Pray Your Blessing on this Blog, to be a Powerful Ministry for You…

And that I Always Know how Very Blessed I Am…

In Knowing Who You Are!

Lord, Thanks for Giving…

I Welcome You Into My Life Always, Lord!

Nov15

Train Up!

Posted on November 15, 2012 by sagescenery

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“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

Train Up:

To teach and form by practice; to educate; to exercise; to discipline; to form by instruction; to bring up…

Hey, wait a minute that sounds like hard work…

Day in and day out work…

Lifetime work…

No wonder we’re all tired!

Raising kids is tough!

Hey, God…

We need some help here!!

Parents…

Are you ready for this?

Are you prepared for all this training up???

Better get ready fast!

I always tell new Parents, or Parents-To-Be…

Being a parent is great…

As long as you know…

The ONLY thing you get done after you have kids is taking care of the kids…

And sometimes, not even that very well!!

If you start out thinking that…

Then when you actually start having time for yourselves again…

You’ll feel really blessed! Ha!!

I’ve always believed that raising a kid you like to be around, is the best reward there is!

Take the time needed to do it God’s way…

It’s worth it!

I just read this great article on Christian Growth Network, by Pierre Eade, called “In The Way They Should Go.”

Here’s what he said in the article: “Train Up, if translated literally means: Narrow the way in which your kids go. The idea here is that you are bringing your child down a narrow path of life, not letting them go off to be wild and reckless on a path of destruction. This concept is very similar to the teachings of Jesus.

Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

It is our obligation as parents to guide our children in ways that are right, true, noble and good. We are at the same time to keep our children from ways that are destructive, harmful, false and evil. We cannot delegate this responsibility to the Sunday school teacher, church or any other institution. God calls us as parents to perform this function. We also cannot expect our children to know the way to go or figure it out on their own. Children must be taught and even trained to live a godly lifestyle.

The word “child” in the Hebrew covers the ages of infancy to adolescence. The training and molding of our children begins at a young age. In the youngest years children are most impressionable providing us as parents a prime opportunity for developing their ways of thinking and behavior. Obviously, the training and development of our children does not stop after their toddler years, but the idea here is that we are to start young and continue on throughout their adolescence.

Some Bible scholars have suggested that training a child in ‘the way he should go’ implies that each child has been given by God a unique set of gifts, talents, traits, abilities and personality that we as parents must be sensitive to guide them in following individually. Any parent with more than one child understands that no two children are alike in temperament or skills, so it would only make sense to guide and encourage our children to flourish in their God-given abilities.

The word ‘way’ in the Hebrew means a road, and figuratively means ‘a course of life or mode of action.’ We are teaching our children the way in which they are to live, how they are to treat others, how they are to love God and interact with Him, how they are to be in character and conduct. And what is ‘the way’ that we need to train our kids? In the New Testament, Jesus teaches us that He is the way.

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

If we begin to get confused about the model or style of parenting we should follow, it’s always wise to default back to Jesus. When facing a dilemma in parenting, it would be helpful to ask questions like, ‘What would Jesus think of my child’s attitude?’ ‘How would He respond?’ ‘What would it look like for my son or daughter to be more like Jesus?’ And most importantly, we need to pray to the Lord on our children’s behalf and for His guidance, help and wisdom for us as parents.

As we guide our children in the ways of Jesus, we are hopeful that they will one day choose for themselves to follow Him. This proverb does say that ‘when (our child) is old, he will not depart from (the way)”’which at times has been used to guarantee parents of their child’s salvation or future as a Christian. It is true that as we train and disciple our children in God’s ways, we lay the foundation for them to make the choice to follow Christ when they grow older.

This verse does not say that by simply being a Christian ourselves, our children will also become believers in Jesus. Parenting is a process. It happens day after day, night after night, year after year. Over time, if you are consistent in living out your faith, your children will learn the way to go.

If we desire to maximize the impact we have on our children, we need to start by examining our own walk with God and ask the question, ‘How well am I modeling Christianity to my children in my attitude, actions and words on a daily basis?’ And when we fall short, which we inevitably and frequently do, are we willing to admit our shortcomings to our kids and ask their forgiveness.

The clearest commandment in the Old Testament on parenting may just about sum up all we need to do and be as parents who raise God loving children.

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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-8

Our ultimate goal as parents is first to love the Lord our God. We are to be examples to our children of what it means to live a life of loving and following God. We are to model that love to our children everywhere we go with them. We are to be consistent in teaching, instructing, and training our children in the love of God. And as they observe and learn the ways of God through our lives and witness the faithfulness of God to us, they will be convinced that there is no better way to live.”

Pierre Eade
www.christiangrowthnetwork.com
www.linkedin.com/in/pierreeade
https://twitter.com/PierreEade

Nov15

Hey, Call Everyone Together!

Posted on November 15, 2012 by sagescenery

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Seems to be a big meeting going on here today!

Don’t bother me, I’m relaxing!

Well, what’s it all about?

Beats me!

I feel like squawking about this!

Can’t go, just had my hair done!

We’re having a lovely swim, can’t come just yet!

I’m not up for this today…the fishing’s too good!!

Oct14

Love Came Down…

Posted on October 14, 2012 by sagescenery

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We love you!

Your birth was the greatest moment in our lives!

We wouldn’t have ever wanted to miss this experience in life!

We’re so happy!

We’re glad we never gave up…

That we had faith that God would give us a miracle!

Before you were born, after we’d set up your crib in our guest room, we’d say, “Hey, there’s a crib in there!”

We weren’t used to it.

It was just the two of us for so long.

But, we were ready!

Afterwards, when you had to stay in the hospital a while longer, we’d say, “Where is our baby?”

We’d see your empty crib…and long to have you finally come home!

Why did you come into this world so early?

I guess you saw us setting up your room and decided it was time.

At least we know you’re all right!

We saw your heartbeat at five weeks. I had some surgery at 13 weeks and ultrasounds all along the way.

We found out you were a boy, and had a fetal echocardiogram at 20 weeks. You’re fine!

This pregnancy was the best experience for us!

We worried and prayed and it was hard work, but it was all worth it in the end.

We’ve waited 10 years for you! We prayed every night for Jesus to give us a precious baby. We went to many doctors and hospital appointments, and you were worth every effort.

Our IVF egg retrieval procedure was on Valentine’s Day! The nurses brought me a cupcake after dinner with a plastic Valentine heart on it…I still have it!

The transfer was done on Feb. 16th, and I had to lay on the table for three hours.

Then I had to rest for 13 days before a blood test was done, and then wait for the results. I took a lot of days off from work that year! Grandma and Grandma were cautiously happy, as was everyone else who was waiting anxiously for the news with us.

We were told to call the Fertility Center at University Hospital to get the results of our pregnancy test. But, there had been a fire, and the computers were down, so we couldn’t get the results ’til the next morning…it was very hard to wait.

When we got the news that the pregnancy test was positive, both Daddy & I cried…we were so thankful…it must have been the love connection with Valentine’s Day, we thought! Ha!

At our big BBQ, before you were born, friends came from Wisconsin, and other friends from work, & one friend said, “You’re fat & your feet are so swollen.” Though everyone else thought I looked great…maybe he knew you were coming early.

I had tried to keep to the Diet Center diet as much as I could (since I had just lost 30 lbs. the year before). But I gained 10 of those back because of the Pergonal fertility drug I had to take.

We decided on your name early, and called you that as soon as we knew you were a boy!

My water broke and you were born 9 weeks early, at 3 lbs.-4 oz., but perfect in every way!

You were so tiny, all of your five little tooth-pick sized fingers fit inside Daddy’s wedding band!

We were expecting a miracle & got one! Amen!

Daddy, Mommy, & Baby makes three! Yipee!

We didn’t know you were coming so soon, so Daddy had to go back and forth from the hospital to home to get everything we needed.

He’ll be a great Daddy…

We sent out announcements, “He’s here and he’s all ours!!

When I came home, you had to stay in the neonatal ward for about 6 more weeks. Everyone called and brought presents . Daddy, or friends and family, took me every day to see you at the hospital, since I wasn’t allowed to drive for a while.

You were so precious…you tried to open your eyes when you heard our voices. You could hold onto our fingers, and you loved for us to touch your “toesies.” Dad and I called the hospital about you every day.

Then, one day, the neonatal nurses (who are real angels!), let me take you out of the incubator to fed you through a tube, and then change your diaper. We bought you a wind-up musical toy that played “Lullaby,” and also put a picture of us in your incubator. You loved to be rocked and patted. Dad said he went to see you one night after work, and you turned over to look at him! You were born with a lot of dark hair and looked like my Dad & my cousin Tommy.

We have a lot of photos of your birth, so we can look back and remember how ecstatic we were at that moment of your birth.

We cried…

I don’t think we believed we would ever really have you until that exact moment!

People who saw you as a preemie, later told us you looked like an alien…Thank God they didn’t tell us that at the time! Ha!

We thought you were beautiful.

Love came down…

And embraced our lives…

The moment God gave us this miracle, this gift, this answer to our prayers of 10 years.

A healthy, happy baby…

We pray every day for Jesus to keep you healthy and happy…and close to His heart.

We love you so much.

And did from the very moment of your conception.