When
TTFN
Speak Selflessness Into Your Child
All summer I have been working at finding quiet time to go through a message series called ‘Soul Sisters’.
Today I listened to the final message in a series.
A parenting lesson rang out in this message. It was a lesson in how we speak to our kids. How we convince them to do what is right. We often get into the habit of convincing them to do right by reminding them of the self consequences or benefits to self and in the process aid in the development of a selfish world view. Instead, if we truly desire them to be empathetic and aware of others around them we should seize each little opportunity to start speaking in a selfless fashion.
Provers 31 is an oracle taught to a king by this mother. Around verse four she talks about the dangers of drinking to much and the consequences she uses are outside of how it will affect him. It is a lesson in selflessness as well. “…it is not for kings to drink wine…or else they will drink and forget what has been decreed, and will pervert the rights of all the afflicted.”
How often have I told my kids ‘don’t do that!’ and the why not is a consequence unto themselves? I strongly desire my kids to think of others and this gave me another example of how to improve my parenting skills in this area.
The day my daughter came home and shared with me about her kindness to a bully I was surprised at her wisdom and reminded that children, in their innocence, can understand moral behaviour better then we do. “There was a mean boy bugging my brother today. I got in his face and told him to stop… and then I remembered he might be like that because no one plays with him so I asked him to come play on the monkey bars with me and we played all lunch hour.” She didn’t just react in justified anger but went a step further and empathised with him, even though he was in the wrong. I pray the Lord continues to bless her and me with such understanding.
Check it out! It introduces an interesting interpretation of the ‘PROVERBS 31 WOMAN’ too.
TTFN
Faith? Pondering…
I am so tired tonight but this is bouncing around in my head so I want to put it down, to take a rest from the pondering, and come back to it.
“The key to faith isn’t believing something, really really hard, into being; but getting involved in God’s will.”
Wait on the Lord for the knowledge of His will and then once you know it you will know what to ask and you can believe His promises.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” 1 John 5:14
(I added the italics, to help me focus.)
Wow. Okay, if he is gonna basically tell us, if we will come to Him and wait on Him, then it makes the whole mustard seed statement about faith simple. It isn’t some mystery Christ is speaking. He really means that is all the faith we need! The faith is in God, believing God will do what he said he would do.
How many times have I felt God was going to do something but been like this ‘I have know idea how you can make this work God…’ but in obedience, if I pray for it to be or take the step that I am required to do, then that is enough faith! That is the mustard seed!
The mustard seed only becomes mystical when we try to work it into our agenda… we rush on with OUR plans and pray for God to bless what WE are doing… That is not the mustard seed.
Though it might be impossible for ME and YOU, nothing is impossible with God!
Comments welcome, as assistance in the pondering.
P.S. I feel a ‘why is this hard to do’ if it is a simple concept, post to follow…
TTFN
Cereal Stories
Today my Big Boy asked for corn flakes. It stopped me in my tracks and a flood of memories came to mind. He said ‘corn flakes’ and for the first time I realised he would no longer innocently refer to them as ‘ka ka do’. As a wee one he was unable to pronounce flakes and because of the rooster on the box he started crowing to tell me what cereal he wanted. He later just called them ka–ka-do and we all started calling them ka–ka-do and now we are passed that because he is in the process of maturing… it made me sad…
Cereal must be on my brain lately! I bought a box of ‘fruity o’s‘ yesterday and I NEVER buy sweet cereal for the kids. I looked at it on the shelf and was brought back to my grandmother’s kitchen in the morning. She always had ‘fruity o’s‘ and I loved that about having breakfast with her; my mother didn’t buy the junkier cereals either. I grabbed the box off the shelf and thought about my grandma all the way to the check out and then all the way home. It brought to mind all kinds of sweet memories. I am thankful for the memories and not so happy at the idea of filling my kids up with sugar first thing in the morning but I figure I will hand out a handle full of the overly sweet o’s as snacks now and then, since I payed for them.
I am thankful for the now and the growing ease I have to use the moments to reflect and just enjoy life. I kind of think everyone would have moments of joyful memory brought on by the little things around us if we made more time to BE.
TTFN
Each New Day Christ Loves Me Gently
What could be more lovely for a sleep deprived mommy then to get to crawl back into bed? What would be more soothing to a weary teary soul then some snuggle time with a piece of my heart (Little Woman).
The morning was gray, I awoke with the regular headache, and the snowy weather had me craving comfy… In spite of my desire to bury my head in the blankets, my body got going. The oldest two have a bus to catch and the husband needs a woman’s assistance in the morning (I wish for his sake that woman had been friendlier).
Made sure the oldest two had all they needed and rushed them out the door with a hug, a wave and a prayer. Had a quiet breakfast of porridge and tea, kissed my husband good bye for the day… and the younger two where still sleeping.
My girls share a double bed, I seized the day and jumped in to snuggle with my three year old once the house was quiet again. I watched her sleep, such perfect eye lashes and what a button nose. Listened to the quiet of a peaceful home, felt the stillness like a warm blanket and drifted into a nap. I knew I had to eventually get up and get things done, but the idea felt almost painful. I was immersed in the now and so in love with my beautiful daughter.
Little Woman fluttered her eyes open and instantly popped out of bed like a Jack-in-the-box. Back to reality for mommy. I am sure she wondered why mommy’s voice chocked as we greeted one another ‘good day’; I was absolutely filled with thankfulness. This had been a sweet gift in time for me! It was just what I needed and I couldn’t help but give thankful praise to my Jesus as I poured Little Woman her porridge and cream.
My morning felt like a firm wrap around hug from my father God to me… if only I was always so aware!
TTFN
Snowing Tiddely-Pom!
“The wind had dropped, and the snow, tired of rushing round in circles trying to catch itself up, now fluttered gently down until it found a place on which to rest, and sometimes the place was Pooh’s nose and sometimes it wasn’t, and in a little while Piglet was wearing a white muffler round his neck and feeling more snowy behind the ears than he had ever felt before.”(The House at Pooh Corner A.A. Milne)
I suppose I would be feeling like poor Piglet if I was out and about today. Thankfully I decided to stay home today and I am comfy. It is always a strangely lovely feeling to settle in on a blustery snowy day and just watch it snow, instead of experience it snow. There is lots to watch. About a dozen teeny tiny birds are running about on my lawn and they are as cute as a button! There is steam rising from my cup of creamy tea and if I watch it long enough I shall be mesmerized into a nap. There is Winny The Pooh playing on our TV and I never get tired of reading or watching Pooh Bear. There are two little ones puttering around. 
Baby Boy is full of chatter today and Little Woman is full of smiles. I barely have to look her way to get one! I have very big plans for my afternoon and those plans are to sit and watch, to sip tea and snuggle, all day!
TTFN
Salad Dressing
I like Tupperware and I love home made salad dressings. These two go together because if it wasn’t for Tupperware’s dressing mixer I wouldn’t of gotten into making them at home and they are soooo amazing. This item, linked below, makes it so easy! I want to share a favorite salad dressing of mine and hope there are others out there who make their own and can share a good one with me. I have a couple ‘Ranch’ recipes but I am not happy with them so if anyone has a great one let me know! Also hoping for a ‘Cesar’ recipe!
MY SECRET WEAPON for making home made dressings!
Dill Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Blend the oil, vinegar, honey, dill weed, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard and pepper. Blend until smooth, cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- You will need way more then this makes! Use your head with the spices and add what works for you! Taste it before serving it and add more spices if needed! I like more spices almost always!
TTFN
Unexpected Love In Action
I had a rough night. Sleep deprived nights are not unknown to mothers. I struggle with them even more lately because I just don’t seem to have much strength. Every now and then Baby Boy wants to nurse all night and I just know I am going to wake up with a nursing hangover.
I also woke up with a throat cold. I also woke up late and practically had a heart attack when I realized my kids where going to miss the bus! I stumbled out of my room with a yawn and a determination to light a fire under my family so we wouldn’t be that late and then I realised everyone else was on schedule.
Dad had stepped in and everyone was dressed, feed, packing their school bags and, surprise of all surprises, had lunches made (by their Dad). My four little ones where happy and busy and all thanks to my man! I couldn’t believe it! He handed me my tea and encouraged me to eat a banana; both of which go a long way toward helping my nursing hangovers.
A cloudy day, that looked like it was going to be out of control, instantly became a good day. There where a lot of bumps on the road this fine fall day but I somehow managed to not give up and that is thanks largely to the love and encouragement of my man!
P.s. A nursing hangover is mostly dehydration due to nursing. Nursing strips your body of much needed omega fatty acids, resulting in a terrible headache. When you are pregnant your brain is also striped of these important fats and at that time in your life it results in what we call ‘baby brain’.
Besides help and love, water and a smoothie with udo’s oil (has omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9 in it) is an excellent cure for the nursing hangover.
TTFN
I Am!
Even when you cry I am
Even in your joy I am
I thought I was going a little nutty today. I was convinced the same song was playing over and over on the local Christian station today… every third song was the same… then I thought I would go nuts because I had listened to it so many times today while driving in my van…. so I changed the station….
I am the Spirit deep with in you
I am the Word upon your heart
I am the Word upon your heart
Tonight I was driving across the city alone and out of habit turned the above mentioned station on again. I chuckled as I recalled that mornings irritation. I wondered if there perhaps was something in said song for me and that is why I kept hearing it, I know, I assume to much and this all sounds very much like ‘the world revolves around me’ talk… but…Sure enough the third song was THE song and so I tried to relax and just listen.
It was basics of Christianity. The song was a call to again embrace my first love.
I AM
the fount of living waters
the risen son of man
the healer of the broken
and when you cry I am
your savior and redeemer
of all the sins of man
the author and perfecter
beginning and the end
I AM
the fount of living waters
the risen son of man
the healer of the broken
and when you cry I am
your savior and redeemer
of all the sins of man
the author and perfecter
beginning and the end
I AM
I have had many years in a row of being tired… tired in my faith… not being nearly as passionate as I once was… The song reminded me that I might have lost my luster but He is still ‘I Am’. No matter how I change as I am molded by life and my Lord he will still be ‘I Am’ and I was so thankful to hear that.
The song reminded me of all the reasons I love Him, why He is my first love… the reasons are all that HE IS, and WAS and ALWAYS WILL BE!
I LOVE YOU JESUS!
TTFN
He Says Love
…with a cup of tea!
Another long day. Both of us are tired and are still left with a feeling of not enough time in the day. We manage to get the kids all to bed and the first thing he wants to do is have tea with me.
Years ago when my man was gone for twelve hour days the tea time became a necessary habit, otherwise we didn’t slow down enough to talk. Back then we would both force ourselves to awake a little later just for the tea and conversation.
Now a days we have more time together and yet we still return to that nightly ritual. It is silent till he ask me what type of tea I would like. He knows what I like in my specific teas. Lots of cream if it is a black tea and no sugar. No cream and a touch of honey if it is a fruit herbal. Nothing if it is a green or mint tea. We hit the couch and automatically start sharing.
It is so easy to listen and love with a cup of tea in hand. It is so easy to love a man who will share a cup of tea and conversation with you. 
Same place and time tomorrow my love??
TTFN
