Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Little by Little
Feeling overwhelmed? Can't keep up? Me too! Here's a little tidbit that may help to just give you the boost you need! Remember to commit your work unto the Lord! Ask Him each step of the way, "What's next?" Proverbs 16:3--Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Click on the above link and get some ideas and encouragement!
Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
A Little Dose of Reality
The following post is from our friends' family blog. http://www.ourfamily-bts.blogspot.com/ I felt this post was rather appropriate as I was thinking my next post should be about Lord's Day preparations (how to make it easier for everyone). I am sure most of you can relate to this experience in some way....
Told by the fly on the wall:
There is a very common misconception among some people we know about our Sunday morning routine. Our church family sees us arrive in our Sunday bests. The girls in their dresses, sweaters/coats, their hair brushed and fixed in a cute manner, their shoes actually clean. The men of our gang in their khaki dress pants, blue suit coats, brown or black shoes, nicely brushed hair, dress shirts and to top it all off, ties. We file in, greet our friends then head to our rows, yes more than one since they don’t make rows with 12 seats in them anymore. But, I wonder if they ever think about what it takes to get this country family to such a state of tidiness? Probably not. Have you? Really? Okay, then I’ll try to give you a little glimpse into our Sunday mornings.For me the morning usually starts with Lydia jumping from her bed to mine. After a few minutes of snuggling she gets down and decides to "vake" the rest of the family up. “Baba veeak!” she yells until most of us are awake and are stumbling into the family room. We let the boys sleep a little longer. There is a little time for snuggling with daddy on the couch where we really wake up. Then the day really begins. This is a typical conversation in the morning:“Can I have cereal instead of oatmeal?”“No, remember you ate the cereal yesterday.”“I can’t find the sugar!”“Did you empty the dishwasher?”“Oh, Dad, did you know my finger is finally healing!”“What happened to your finger?”:screams::giggles::shrikes:“Dad can you catch Lydia! Quick!”:roar:“Are you a lion?”“No.”“A bear?”:roar:“Oh a bear!”“I can’t find a spoon!”“Did you empty the silverware yet?”“Did the trashes get emptied?”“No? Then get it done.”“Did you remember to iron Ben’s pants?”“Oh! I couldn’t find them!”“Ben get me your pants!’“Oh, not those! Those are the ones with holes!”“Where’s my glass?”“Look on the dish rack or cupboard.”“I need in the bathroom!”“Just a minute.”“Please hurry, I need the curling iron.”“Sarah can you get the rugs by the front door vacuumed?”“Oh, do the family room while you have it out.”:roar of the vacuum:“Dink?”“My dress fell and is wrinkled again!”“DINK!”“Which cup is Lydia’s?”“Still need in the bathroom!”“Someone needs to clear the table and wash it.”“Gracie, can you get those dishes done?”:roar of the vacuum:“What?”“The dishes need done, quickly!”“Oh, is your bed made?”“Get you shoes and socks set out.”“The boys are still asleep.”“Oh! They need up! Tell them to hurry!”“Are your teeth brushed?”“I can’t find my other shoe!”“After everyone is finished eating set the table for lunch.”“For grandpa and grandma too?”“Yes.”“Where’s Lydia!”“Can’t find my shoe still!”“Need the bathroom to finish my hair!!!!”“I’m in line for it next!”“Someone find Lydia!”“BOYS, GET UP!”“Can someone help me get the plates down?”“Hewp?”“Sure Lydia you can carry the napkins! Follow me.”“Oh, dad did you know I finished the Christmas present I made!”“Daddy, daddy! I know what I want for my birthday dinner!”“Your birthday isn’t for another 9 months!”“I know but I am trying to think about it now.”“I see….”“You need to brush your teeth.”“YOU ALL NEED TO GET DRESSED!”:buzz of activity:“Where did you put my shirt?”“Where I always put your shirt.”“Oh! There!”“Where’s Lydia?”“Make sure you get your belt.”“My dress is still wrinkled!”“Iron it then.”“Oh...”“Has anyone seen my shoe?”“I need in the bathroom!”“You still haven’t found it?”“Is the kitchen clean?”“Almost!”“Brush your teeth!”“Get the camera!”“Oh! She’s so cute!”:laughs:“Everyone one needs to get dressed!”“Please get those books off the floor!”“I found my shoe!”“You’re dressed but where is your belt?”“You need socks that match.”“Should I wear these shoes or these?”“You need a pink hair ribbon for that dress, not the one you have on.”“Mom can you do my hair?”“Are you finished getting dressed?”“Ummmm….no.”“I want you dressed before I do your hair.”“Sarah!”“Where’s Sarah?”“Getting dressed.”“Since you’re dressed, can you read to Lydia?”“Wait! Come back so I can do your hair.”“Get the bibles in the car.”“Which cars are we taking?”“The big van?”“Dad, are we taking the big van?”“Make sure the car seat is in it.”“Where’s Lydia?”“David please read to her!”“I haven’t eaten anything yet.”“Grab a banana.”“Are we taking two cars or just the big van?”“Sarah you don’t have your shoes on!”“Oh!”“Make sure to get your sweater too.”“The chicken needs in the oven!”“Is Lydia’s hair done?”“She needs her coat on!”“Where’s her coat?”“In her drawer.”“Where is she?”“Are you ready to go?”“What cars are we taking?”“Yep!”“You don’t have your shoes on!”“There are still dishes on the counter!”“Who left their hangers in the family room?”“GET IN THE VAN!”“Where’s my purse?”“Did you get the diaper bag?”“I can’t find my shoes!”“WHAT???”“I need in the bathroom!”“Oh no! Your hair isn’t done!”“Are you teeth brushed?”“You forgot my bible!”“Ooops!”“Mom leave the dishes and come on!”“Almost done.”“Can I sit by you?”“I’m not sure where I’m sitting yet.”“No, it’s my turn to sit by you.”“Guys, it’s just a 5 minute drive!”“Get in the van!”“Can you scoot over more?”“You said I could sit next to you!”“I didn’t say anyone could sit by me.”“But I want to.”“Just a minute.”“Everyone buckled?”“Where’s Sarah?”“Must still be in the house.”“Someone needs to find her.”“SARAH!”“What?”“Sarah what are you doing?”“Looking for my purse.”“We’re all waiting in the car for you!”“Oh! Just a minute.”“You guys need to make room for Sarah back there.”“You’re squishing me!”“I’m not touching you!”A few minutes later we file out of the van into the church parking lot looking ship shape and tidy as if we woke up that way. :shrug: If they only knew….
Mrs. Honeybee: The thing I would mention is that as soon as you get the baby buckled they spit up or dirty their diaper. So you have to start over clear down to the Onesie! This can happen up to 3 times in a row! Also, you can plan a nursing schedule, but life happens. If you travel a long distance to church, you may have to pull over for nursing! (because your schedule got thrown off from the 3 changings, and it made you late, thus, your nursing schedule was thrown off as well! Then we need to leave room for little boys!! We get them all ready, clean ironed clothes, clean face, hair slicked back....if you turn your back for a moment, their shirt is hanging out, they've climbed under the tablecloth and messed their hair, they've decided to make themselves a second breakfast and it's all down the front of them. ---Or, like my boys, as soon as they head for the car, they slip on the slimy deck and totally ruin their whole outfit....O.K. , so we go in, get them all slicked up again (patiently of course), and they come out to the car, and crawl all over their sisters to get to their spot....well, those sisters all start screaming, or crying and they have to start over again, or they just learn how to deal with it, let the mud dry, dust off, and praise the Lord anyway! :-)
Next Post: "Lord's Day Preparations"
With Love, and Total Understanding, Mrs. Honeybee
Told by the fly on the wall:
There is a very common misconception among some people we know about our Sunday morning routine. Our church family sees us arrive in our Sunday bests. The girls in their dresses, sweaters/coats, their hair brushed and fixed in a cute manner, their shoes actually clean. The men of our gang in their khaki dress pants, blue suit coats, brown or black shoes, nicely brushed hair, dress shirts and to top it all off, ties. We file in, greet our friends then head to our rows, yes more than one since they don’t make rows with 12 seats in them anymore. But, I wonder if they ever think about what it takes to get this country family to such a state of tidiness? Probably not. Have you? Really? Okay, then I’ll try to give you a little glimpse into our Sunday mornings.For me the morning usually starts with Lydia jumping from her bed to mine. After a few minutes of snuggling she gets down and decides to "vake" the rest of the family up. “Baba veeak!” she yells until most of us are awake and are stumbling into the family room. We let the boys sleep a little longer. There is a little time for snuggling with daddy on the couch where we really wake up. Then the day really begins. This is a typical conversation in the morning:“Can I have cereal instead of oatmeal?”“No, remember you ate the cereal yesterday.”“I can’t find the sugar!”“Did you empty the dishwasher?”“Oh, Dad, did you know my finger is finally healing!”“What happened to your finger?”:screams::giggles::shrikes:“Dad can you catch Lydia! Quick!”:roar:“Are you a lion?”“No.”“A bear?”:roar:“Oh a bear!”“I can’t find a spoon!”“Did you empty the silverware yet?”“Did the trashes get emptied?”“No? Then get it done.”“Did you remember to iron Ben’s pants?”“Oh! I couldn’t find them!”“Ben get me your pants!’“Oh, not those! Those are the ones with holes!”“Where’s my glass?”“Look on the dish rack or cupboard.”“I need in the bathroom!”“Just a minute.”“Please hurry, I need the curling iron.”“Sarah can you get the rugs by the front door vacuumed?”“Oh, do the family room while you have it out.”:roar of the vacuum:“Dink?”“My dress fell and is wrinkled again!”“DINK!”“Which cup is Lydia’s?”“Still need in the bathroom!”“Someone needs to clear the table and wash it.”“Gracie, can you get those dishes done?”:roar of the vacuum:“What?”“The dishes need done, quickly!”“Oh, is your bed made?”“Get you shoes and socks set out.”“The boys are still asleep.”“Oh! They need up! Tell them to hurry!”“Are your teeth brushed?”“I can’t find my other shoe!”“After everyone is finished eating set the table for lunch.”“For grandpa and grandma too?”“Yes.”“Where’s Lydia!”“Can’t find my shoe still!”“Need the bathroom to finish my hair!!!!”“I’m in line for it next!”“Someone find Lydia!”“BOYS, GET UP!”“Can someone help me get the plates down?”“Hewp?”“Sure Lydia you can carry the napkins! Follow me.”“Oh, dad did you know I finished the Christmas present I made!”“Daddy, daddy! I know what I want for my birthday dinner!”“Your birthday isn’t for another 9 months!”“I know but I am trying to think about it now.”“I see….”“You need to brush your teeth.”“YOU ALL NEED TO GET DRESSED!”:buzz of activity:“Where did you put my shirt?”“Where I always put your shirt.”“Oh! There!”“Where’s Lydia?”“Make sure you get your belt.”“My dress is still wrinkled!”“Iron it then.”“Oh...”“Has anyone seen my shoe?”“I need in the bathroom!”“You still haven’t found it?”“Is the kitchen clean?”“Almost!”“Brush your teeth!”“Get the camera!”“Oh! She’s so cute!”:laughs:“Everyone one needs to get dressed!”“Please get those books off the floor!”“I found my shoe!”“You’re dressed but where is your belt?”“You need socks that match.”“Should I wear these shoes or these?”“You need a pink hair ribbon for that dress, not the one you have on.”“Mom can you do my hair?”“Are you finished getting dressed?”“Ummmm….no.”“I want you dressed before I do your hair.”“Sarah!”“Where’s Sarah?”“Getting dressed.”“Since you’re dressed, can you read to Lydia?”“Wait! Come back so I can do your hair.”“Get the bibles in the car.”“Which cars are we taking?”“The big van?”“Dad, are we taking the big van?”“Make sure the car seat is in it.”“Where’s Lydia?”“David please read to her!”“I haven’t eaten anything yet.”“Grab a banana.”“Are we taking two cars or just the big van?”“Sarah you don’t have your shoes on!”“Oh!”“Make sure to get your sweater too.”“The chicken needs in the oven!”“Is Lydia’s hair done?”“She needs her coat on!”“Where’s her coat?”“In her drawer.”“Where is she?”“Are you ready to go?”“What cars are we taking?”“Yep!”“You don’t have your shoes on!”“There are still dishes on the counter!”“Who left their hangers in the family room?”“GET IN THE VAN!”“Where’s my purse?”“Did you get the diaper bag?”“I can’t find my shoes!”“WHAT???”“I need in the bathroom!”“Oh no! Your hair isn’t done!”“Are you teeth brushed?”“You forgot my bible!”“Ooops!”“Mom leave the dishes and come on!”“Almost done.”“Can I sit by you?”“I’m not sure where I’m sitting yet.”“No, it’s my turn to sit by you.”“Guys, it’s just a 5 minute drive!”“Get in the van!”“Can you scoot over more?”“You said I could sit next to you!”“I didn’t say anyone could sit by me.”“But I want to.”“Just a minute.”“Everyone buckled?”“Where’s Sarah?”“Must still be in the house.”“Someone needs to find her.”“SARAH!”“What?”“Sarah what are you doing?”“Looking for my purse.”“We’re all waiting in the car for you!”“Oh! Just a minute.”“You guys need to make room for Sarah back there.”“You’re squishing me!”“I’m not touching you!”A few minutes later we file out of the van into the church parking lot looking ship shape and tidy as if we woke up that way. :shrug: If they only knew….
Mrs. Honeybee: The thing I would mention is that as soon as you get the baby buckled they spit up or dirty their diaper. So you have to start over clear down to the Onesie! This can happen up to 3 times in a row! Also, you can plan a nursing schedule, but life happens. If you travel a long distance to church, you may have to pull over for nursing! (because your schedule got thrown off from the 3 changings, and it made you late, thus, your nursing schedule was thrown off as well! Then we need to leave room for little boys!! We get them all ready, clean ironed clothes, clean face, hair slicked back....if you turn your back for a moment, their shirt is hanging out, they've climbed under the tablecloth and messed their hair, they've decided to make themselves a second breakfast and it's all down the front of them. ---Or, like my boys, as soon as they head for the car, they slip on the slimy deck and totally ruin their whole outfit....O.K. , so we go in, get them all slicked up again (patiently of course), and they come out to the car, and crawl all over their sisters to get to their spot....well, those sisters all start screaming, or crying and they have to start over again, or they just learn how to deal with it, let the mud dry, dust off, and praise the Lord anyway! :-)
Next Post: "Lord's Day Preparations"
With Love, and Total Understanding, Mrs. Honeybee
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Living Long Enough to See History
By: Pamela Spurling www.achristianhome.com
I heard that sort of thing from my mother growing up. I read about history repeating itself in school, in letters and in magazines in dentist’s offices over the years. I read about it in Ecclesiastes. The more I read the more I see it. The longer I live I see it: History repeating itself.
So I was driving along and a song popped in my head and I must’ve been humming… one of the children said, O, that’s a new ____ song. I thought… no, no… that’s an old song. What? You *know* that song? Yes… it was… Harry Nillson… 1971… I was in the… …drifting off. And then it was affirmed to me once again: there is nothing new under the sun (in addition to: vanity of vanities; all is vanity) and the more things change, the more they stay the same. And children are still surprised at life that happened before they were born. Back before… wow, CD players.
I was talking with a young mom and she was lamenting the length of days and the monotony of repetition. I told her, as is my oft repeated mantra these days: this will pass and you will cry for these days. She sort of glazed over when I continued on telling her that these days will be the past all too quickly and she’ll miss them with a physical ache she cannot comprehend at this point in time - but there will come a time that she will, indeed, cry for these days. A curious blend of regret, longing, missing, hope and love. She cannot see that now. All she can see is the daily-ness of today. And that’s a problem with young mothers… motherhood is so daily. Too daily for some and they think real life is happening somewhere else (but that’s a lie). All she can see is the endless mountains of laundry, valleys of despair and dishes mounting in the sink.
I told her she would, one day, be telling another mother these same things. She will be able to tell that future mother more convincingly if she embraces these days and loves motherhood with unreserved abandon. But if she hates these days and continues rejecting God’s precious gift of motherhood… then… she won’t have much to tell that future mother and will certainly leave no joy in her children’s memories of her. History will repeat itself… the daughters will become mothers and who will encourage them? Who will cheer them on? Will they reject or embrace motherhood? Will they be sweet mothers?
I hope she will live long enough to see history. I pray it’s sweet.
So, I was mindful today as I was reading through some articles and noticing a common thread… what mothers went through yesterday, mothers face anew today— but it’s not new, not really. It’s the next chapter. It’s the same thing only different. Different bcz of history. By this I mean that what we face today we have faced already - just differently. As mothers we’ve waited and waited and waited for, say, the birth of the next baby. Then we waited and waited and waited for this or that milestone. Then we waited and waited and waited for the next and so on — History repeating itself. We watch how God worked in a particular situation and then marvel when yet another situation is miraculously covered — History repeating itself. On our behalf. We wait and wait and wait to see history. And you know… for believers what we really want to see is His - story. We all long to see His way and will played out in the lives of our children… and what a blessing it would be to see history played out in our children’s children.
For all of history is HIStory.
I heard that sort of thing from my mother growing up. I read about history repeating itself in school, in letters and in magazines in dentist’s offices over the years. I read about it in Ecclesiastes. The more I read the more I see it. The longer I live I see it: History repeating itself.
So I was driving along and a song popped in my head and I must’ve been humming… one of the children said, O, that’s a new ____ song. I thought… no, no… that’s an old song. What? You *know* that song? Yes… it was… Harry Nillson… 1971… I was in the… …drifting off. And then it was affirmed to me once again: there is nothing new under the sun (in addition to: vanity of vanities; all is vanity) and the more things change, the more they stay the same. And children are still surprised at life that happened before they were born. Back before… wow, CD players.
I was talking with a young mom and she was lamenting the length of days and the monotony of repetition. I told her, as is my oft repeated mantra these days: this will pass and you will cry for these days. She sort of glazed over when I continued on telling her that these days will be the past all too quickly and she’ll miss them with a physical ache she cannot comprehend at this point in time - but there will come a time that she will, indeed, cry for these days. A curious blend of regret, longing, missing, hope and love. She cannot see that now. All she can see is the daily-ness of today. And that’s a problem with young mothers… motherhood is so daily. Too daily for some and they think real life is happening somewhere else (but that’s a lie). All she can see is the endless mountains of laundry, valleys of despair and dishes mounting in the sink.
I told her she would, one day, be telling another mother these same things. She will be able to tell that future mother more convincingly if she embraces these days and loves motherhood with unreserved abandon. But if she hates these days and continues rejecting God’s precious gift of motherhood… then… she won’t have much to tell that future mother and will certainly leave no joy in her children’s memories of her. History will repeat itself… the daughters will become mothers and who will encourage them? Who will cheer them on? Will they reject or embrace motherhood? Will they be sweet mothers?
I hope she will live long enough to see history. I pray it’s sweet.
So, I was mindful today as I was reading through some articles and noticing a common thread… what mothers went through yesterday, mothers face anew today— but it’s not new, not really. It’s the next chapter. It’s the same thing only different. Different bcz of history. By this I mean that what we face today we have faced already - just differently. As mothers we’ve waited and waited and waited for, say, the birth of the next baby. Then we waited and waited and waited for this or that milestone. Then we waited and waited and waited for the next and so on — History repeating itself. We watch how God worked in a particular situation and then marvel when yet another situation is miraculously covered — History repeating itself. On our behalf. We wait and wait and wait to see history. And you know… for believers what we really want to see is His - story. We all long to see His way and will played out in the lives of our children… and what a blessing it would be to see history played out in our children’s children.
For all of history is HIStory.
Friday, August 24, 2007
COMMUNICATION
How do you communicate with your children? How do they see you? I have had my child ask me on several occasions, "Mommy, why do you look so mad?"
"Mommy, why do you have a mean look on your face?"
"Mommy, do you love me?"
Oh, what a knife to my heart, sunk in deeply and twisted and wrenched. This is not what I want to portray to my family at all, in fact it is exactly opposite!!
The Apostle Paul could empathize when he wrote in Romans 7:15-
"For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate."
It has taken much prayer and practice. I still fail! I ask God to work His spirit of love in me. Sometimes it's minute by minute. But when we truly want Him to work, and then surrender our hearts, He will do it!
Imagine how you look to your child. Is it pleasant? Look in the mirror. Practice a pleasant face. Practice a loving voice. If you weren't raised this way, Jesus can still help your willing heart!
Another very important aspect of communication with our children is touch. Try to touch them as often as possible throughout the day. As each of us respond through different senses, so do our children. Our hands can communicate what maybe our lips or faces sometimes do not. When you are sitting together put your arm around him and rub his shoulder. When you are walking, talking, or sitting together, hold his hand. I can get a seemingly impossible child to respond to me through touch. It may be hard for you, or not natural, but do it anyway.
"Love does not seek its own way." 1Cor. 13:5 Step out of your comfort zone today. God will bless you for the action of LOVE!
I guarantee your child will respond. Some children take longer than others. Do not give up!
Jesus will reward you for your efforts to step out of yourself!
PUT ON LOVE!!!!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Thankfulness Timer
..............speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;......... Ephesians 5:19-20Giving thanks in all things does not always come natural. If we practice, it will be easier to see all the blessings in our lives. One way our family has implemented this in our home is to set a timer. You can set it for every hour or every 30 minutes. Make this fun for your child by anticipating the timer going off and being enthusiastic! There have been days when I really didn't feel very thankful, but did it anyway. I had to be an obedient example. Our attitude changes when we are counting our blessings and naming them one by one.
When the timer beeps have everyone gather around and take turns thanking God for something. Praise Him for something He's done or share an attribute of God. Your praise or discussion can be as long or short as time allows. We have had times where we've all been in different parts of the home and each person shouts their thing for which they are thankful from where they are and then we continue what we were doing. This can become such a lovely habit, you may surprise yourself.
Another great blessing that has come out of this is when drop-in company stopped in for a visit. When our timer went off, we all thanked God for something. This involves the visitor. What an exciting witnessing tool! Try it, you'll not be disappointed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
