Monday, April 22, 2013

Gifts for Today


4/21/13

My "gifts" for today

427.  Phone calls to sisters near and far to ramble about speaking at Falls Creek (my church camp I grew up attending) this weekend.
428.  Intervening physicans
429.  Made plans to eat lunch with my Iranian friend and her Uncle tomorrow.  Can't wait!
430.  Quick run jog through the neighborhood for 15 min. straight (haven't ran in months)(Hope I can walk tomorrow)
431.  Met my oldest daughter walking home from school.
432.  Everyone liked my original pasta recipe for dinner.
433.  Walk to the neighborhood park right after dinner.
434.  Met a lady at the park that attended my breakout session at Falls Creek this weekend (visiting her mom from across town).  Too cool!
435.  Stepped in dog poop on the way home (good laugh, but nasty clean-up) (By the size of the poop, I think we have horses living in this metropolitan neighborhood). 
435.  Oldest daughter, early bedtime, testing tomorrow :)












What are you thankful for?  Have you started a thankful journal?

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Life: Short and Unpredictable

Picture after the Boston Marathon bombing
Courtesy: Ben Thorndikehttp://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/boston-blasts/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Life's short and upredictable.

Last week we celebrated the life of Tim Pickle, buried in my hometown at the age of 38.  He died of a heart attack.  A beautiful six-year-old girl left fatherless.  Life is short.

In the middle of a day of celebrating my oldest daughter's 12th birthday, news reports shout of bombings at the Boston marathon.  People that gathered to congratulate runners become victims or survivors in the matter of seconds.  Life is unpredictable.

With reminders that life is brief and always changing, people react in different ways.  One classmate went to get his heart checked demonstrating physical life and health are important.

Others gather to pray for victims of the Boston marathon.  Sometimes crisis bring us to our knees.  God, our only help and comfort, is always near. 

Some people may ask more spiritual questions through tragedy.  As they realize they may not be promised tomorrow, they may ask themselves if they are ready for death. 

But today I had a different reaction.  I told my athiest friend about Tim's sudden death.  My friend could relate to heart problems with a history of open heart surgery and blood pressure issues.  His response, "I guess we all die sometime and turn to dirt."  Yes.  He's right.

As I began to ask him questions about what would happen to him after he died, he quickly jumped to evolution.  He tried to say there is no God.  He agreed it would take more faith to believe in evolution vs. creation, yet held his ground.  I asked him if his study of science gave him hope.  "No," he responded.

He didn't want to hear about the God-particle, evidence that nature couldn't happen by chance.

He began to ramble about the Bible as if it were fiction.  Sadly, he wouldn't listen to proof that the Bible is the Word of God given to share God's love story to us.

It came down to this, my friend didn't want to hear about the Bible.  He has hardened his heart against truth.  Of all the tragedies this week, this is the saddest for me.  If my friend were to die today, he would be separated from God forever and live in eternal punishment.  It makes my heart sad that he won't even listen.  

Because life is short and unpredictable, followers of Jesus, we can't keep our mouths shut about the promise of hope in the Bible.  Hope that helps people in tragedy.  Hope that gives us a reason to live.  And hope of eternal life when we die.

Do you have hope?    http://stacyneus.blogspot.com/2012/04/need-hope.html

What has been your reaction to the Boston Marathon bombing?

 
 



Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Boundaries for Children's Activities

pic taken from powerpoint clip art

When I watched my four-year-old daughter attempt to learn a cartwheel,  I enjoyed taking her to  gymnastics.  I loved the adult conversations with other moms.  We chitchatted about preschools, outings for kids, and what was for dinner.  For my daughter,  she played games with music, jumped on the trampoline, and learned a little gymnastics along the way.

One day I decided to watch my daughter from another room.  There were stairs that led to a whole other world.  A different crowd sat upstairs.  The moms of competitive gymnists.  They talked about the next meet, the lack of time for homework, and stress of cooking meals.  That day I told myself, "We will never do that."  In fact, I didn't want any of my three girls to be thrown into the competitve world in any sport.

But guess what.  Today my seven-year-old daughter is beginning a "competitive league" in gymnastics.  She will now practice two nights a week and compete with her teammates occasionally.  I had no idea a fun gymnastics class would introduce her to her passion.  She's very athletic and has excelled in any sport she's tried. My husband is sad she didn't pick soccer. He's coached her since she was three-years-old. And I would have loved to coach her in basketball.  But she's built like a gymnast.  However, should she compete just because she's talented, we have the money, and she loves it? 

This was my struggle last week.  How busy is too busy?  What are the boundaries for our family with children's activities? We've always had a "one sport rule," which has helped. But when we have three girls, even one sport each can be crazy!  Add piano lessons and church and I'm running children somewhere every day.

I know every family has to make their own boundaries.  How do you decide?  I asked God to help me answer this question, "Do I make a schedule and ask God to help me with it, or do I ask God to help make my schedule?"

You know you are too busy with children's activities (any schedule for that matter) when,

1)  There are more fast food wrappers in the mom-mobile trash than kleenexes.

2)   The kids have to pull dirty soccer socks from the laundry to wear to practice.

3)  The children ask to stay home.

4)  If you are married, you don't have time to "date" your spouse.

5)  If you are married, you only talk to your spouse about kids schedules.

6)  Your prayers with your children consist of protection, rest, and wins.

7)  You need a special calendar to remember all the activities.

8)  A homemade meal is a treat. 

9)  You spend more time in the car shuttling kids than cleaning your house and shopping for
groceries. 

10)  You didn't notice your child has outgrown their clothes.

You may or may not be able to relate to this list.  You may have stricter or more lenient standards. 

One day my children will be gone.  But they will remember our priorities.  How we spend our time, our money, and our words all reflect our priorities.  What will they say were our priorities?

Matthew 6:33  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

Are you seeking God's priorities?
What is a good boundary for your family?




Linked to:  Cornerstone Confessions