Applying Scripture

So I've heard it all my life. . . God's Word "in", God's Ways "out." Scripture "in," Godliness "out." I've read theology books and parenting books and my recent favorite by Younts, Everyday Talk. However, as the busyness of life has prevailed upon me, I have found myself trying to work out my own salvation(and parenting), in my own strength, by my own means. And the result??? Certainly not Godliness! Maybe I should call it "Jillness."
I have been deeply convicted of this, month after month, as I see unGodliness abounding in my children in specific ways that I have modeled to them. So now what?
Back to the beginning! God's Word "in," God's Ways "out!" The children and I have been reading through the Proverbs daily(according to the matching date) and it is truly affecting us! There is so much in the Proverbs for a child to understand that I have waited until they were a little older. (I really didn't want to dive to0 deep into "the adulteress" too early in their young lives . . . ) Everyday I ask Lizzy(5) what we have learned overall-since she can't read along just yet. She will typically reply-be wise, not foolish(Yes! She gets it!). The older two pick out a particular verse each and we discuss how it applies to them or all of us. Frankly, it has been wonderful! If your kids are not near 7 and 9, then I recommend just reading through narratives or Schoolland's Leading Little Ones to God . The continual reminders in Proverbs for "My son, listen to the words of your father, and do not despise the teaching of your mother," is really hitting home with my kids. This is so important to grasp at their age! As they enter the teen years, these words of Solomon will ring in their ears when they would rather listen to themselves or their peers! Scripture is so exciting!!!
Another thing we do is memorize scripture to music by The Harrow Family. The CD's come with my curriculum from Sonlight, and even though they can be a little traditional, we have some great scriptures memorized like all of Psalm 1, Proverbs 1:7 and 15:1 and Deut. 6. For younger kids I definitely recommend Steve Green's Hide 'em In Your Heart or Adornaments which has a brief discussion/background of each verse by well-known Christians.
This particular week we have been discussing 2 Peter 1:5ff, a section I ran across in a few random minutes alone that smacked me right between the eyes:
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
I certainly don't want to be ineffective and unproductive!! So what if my laundry is done? So what if my corners are clean and toy-free? So what if all the books are straight up and down? Am I being effective and productive in Godly character? If the Godly character is not being worked on, then the rest is done in vain! However, if we are seeking to build up our character for the glory and honor of Christ, then the rest will follow--perseverance and self-control are on the list afterall!
There is so much to do in life-it is certainly a labor-but I must be sure to be working on the main things first: For God, for my family sake, for my own growth. Memorizing and applying scripture must be top of the list for you and me both to grow in respect to our salvation!
So get out there and memorize with your kids!

Asking My Daughter for Forgiveness

I am supposed to be prepared for whatever comes my way in a day, but truthfully, I let too many things surprise me and fail my "sanctification tests." I was greatly encouraged weeks ago by my fellow "mom of 5" in CA who blogged about the tests God sends our way. Will I rely each time on God's sovereign care over my life or will I respond in the flesh? If I allow myself to be unprepared and surprised, I am sure to fail and revert to the "old man."
Parenting my oldest child has always required me to be "on my game." She is persistent and uniquely talented at being a go-getter, but requiring her to do what she doesn't want to do can get ugly. This doesn't match up well with being her teacher as well as her mother!
So, being a student of my child, I should have been prepared for the test, but I wasn't and I failed. I was done with the grumpy looks while teaching math today and I corrected her to "have a happy heart, and for goodness sake, at least smile at your teacher for a change!" I turned back to the math problem on the board then turned to ask a question to find her head hidden in her arm on the table. That's when my anger unleashed itself! Doesn't she know it is a sacrifice for me to teach her? Didn't I just ask her to be a pleasant student? How dare she disrespect me by not even looking at what I was teaching??? I was so revved up I couldn't even continue talking about whether 6 was greater than, equal to, or less than 8! So I plopped myself down, mentally slammed myself with scripture on how the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God and repented right then and there to her for giving in to anger and sin.
The test appeared and I failed. Yes, I discussed with her further how her first choice to sin towards mom provided a temptation for Mom's anger. However, both she and mom were NOT to obey the flesh but to walk in peace, patience and kindness. She was repentant and sorry, too, but the day was not quite as bright with the weight of sinful choices.
As parents we can never expect to live our lives perfectly in front of our children; and truthfully, why would we want to? Our children need to see the spiritual battle we face and see our victories and how we respond to our losses. How can my children learn about true repentance and discuss God's forgiveness if they never see it demonstrated? It is unfortunate that we have to fail first to teach them this, but also quite necessary. Life is not easy and life is not perfect, but we do serve a God who asks us to "be holy as He is holy." Despite the ugliness of sin and the pain and suffering it entails, I know that showing my kids how to walk through the process of repentance and forgiveness is a lesson easier caught than taught.

If You Have Some Extra Energy, Just Read This To Use It!

Nothing like a bright, sunny and crisp Monday morning to make a mom take on the "schedule" head on. Since we ditched A LOT of school between mid-December and mid-January for the holidays, and a 2 week Grandparents visit, today was the first "real" day from start to finish. It started with Jacob, the 2 1/2 year old climbing into my bed where he laid sucking on his finger to wake me up :-). That followed with hugs and kisses for the other 4 kids as they took turns waking up. I have always taken time to sit on the couch and snuggle kids since Sarah was born and thanks to homeschooling, I haven't had to give it up . . . most days.

Here is what followed:
7:30--Molasses pancakes for all, butter 'em, cut 'em, do it again for second round, clean baby faces
8:00--Kids start their chores, I change diapers and dress 2 kids, do hair and teeth for 3 and pull some clothes onto myself. Ooops, was I supposed to shower today? Move clothes to dryer. Lecture kids on how to properly do piano practice.
8:45--Assemble kids in living room for Bible study and prayer. Pray the baby will be quiet.
9:07--Throw on sweatshirts, load 2 babies in stroller, put on 1 bike helmet, start walk
9:35--Get the kids out of the park and on the way back home
9:40--Get Jacob into roomtime, baby down for nap, start doing Lizzy's reading lesson and read to her. Older kids do their seatwork
10:30--Set Lizzy up with workbooks, play Thomas trains and read books with Jacob
11:00--Send Lizzy and Jacob outside, set up math lesson, start teaching Math to oldest 2
11:45--Finish math and start boiling hot dogs for lunch. Make a call, remind self to think Godly thoughts about a trial. Feed kids, wipe counters.
Noon--Put Jacob to bed for nap and for fussing about hot dogs, Get Leah up and give her lunch.
1:00--Read pre-K stories while oldest 3 play on rug. Tuck Lizzy in for nap, change dirty diaper, read aloud book to Sarah and Dan.
1:30--Read aloud ancient history to Sarah and Dan. Give spelling pre-tests, correct workbooks, listen to Daniel read aloud.
2:28--School is done for the day!!!! and 2 minutes to spare!!! Rotate laundry, start folding 3 loads and separate into 10 piles(7 people, towels to diff. baths and kitchen cloths) Keep Leah out of the catfood and hurdle some rubbermaids in the garage to keep her from falling backwards onto her head out of the stroller
3:30--Start looking for certain pics for Leah's 1 year scrapbook, consider dinner plans, put Leah down for afternoon nap, check email
4:00--hug Lizzy and Jacob as they wake from naps, make hot cocoa, talk to Dad on Skype with kids while prepping dinner, take a call, put towels and adult clothes away
5:00--Dinner in oven, make salad, order children to start picking up, send kids to their drawers with their clean laundry piles, have kids do dinner chores
5:30--Sit down to earlier dinner, wonder when Marc will return home, cut up 4 kids chicken, get Leah up from nap
6:00--make phone call, change clothes, insist kids clean up, request Marc to PLEASE bathe kids since it is bath night, leave as kids are washing dishes
6:3o--arrive at Eye Dr's for his last appt. which is running 20 minutes behind, meet Sis-in-law in parking lot for exchange of things, get new contacts from Dr.
7:00--drive to Starbucks, order my new special: non-fat Peppermint Mocha, get 2 coffees and yummy bread for friend, drive to hospital
7:15-1:45--Visit friend in hospital with new baby, laugh for 25 of the 30 minutes because Jon and April are hilarious(Welcome sweet little baby Miles), deposit check in bank
8:00--come home, kiss kids in bed, visit with kids still up, clean up rest of kitchen, brief husband on day and hospital visit
8:30--tuck Sarah and Dan into bed, sit down to watch "House" which has been kindly "paused" by Marc, upload photos to computer, start to finish THIS. . .

So, in case anyone wondered how my days go, wonder no more!!

My Favorite Picture of 2008

Here is my award winning photo from 2008! Did you know you can catch the faces of 9 children in one photo? Can you scope out MY 5 KIDS?

This picture was taken at Lake Kissimmee State Park where we went camping in October.

The other 4 children are my nephew and nieces from Marc's brother and sister-in-law, Joshua and Amy Wragg. All of the kids had such a glorious time playing in the dirt without so much as a swimming hole or TV for 4 whole days.

(Lt. to Rt) Isaac(7), Daniel, Naomi(3), Rachel(4), Lizzy, Zanna(6), Sarah, Jacob and Leah.

There Is Always A First. . .

Everyone has to start somewhere. . . so here I am. Why would a mom of 5 kids bother blogging? I don't know about others, but I have 2 main reasons. First, I desire to be an encouragement to anyone who may choose to spend their time to read my words. Second, I desire to have a record of my days with my husband and children--the ones that God, for now, has blessed me with. If I don't write them down, I will surely forget them!