This blog post is coming to you from beautiful Savannah, GA! We just took our family vacation and are on our way back home. We drove from our home in VA to Port Canaveral, FL, to embark on our first ever Disney vacation: a Disney cruise! I will blog more about our vacation once we arrive home and I can upload photos.
First, if you have always want to take a Disney vacation but you think your kids are too young for the park, definitely opt for the Disney cruise. Hayden, who probably would not have enjoyed rides at this age, absolutely loved getting to see Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse was the whole point of the vacation for him. Abby loved getting to see the other characters and getting their autographs.
During our vacation, we have had both fun times and what my husband has termed the typical "Doyle" vacation. Everything started out smoothly but we have had some major bumps along the way.
Two days into the cruise, Hayden threw up after eating lunch. I didn't get too concerned about it because kids throw up all the time. The next day, however, while at Castaway Cay, he had his first episode of diarrhea. Let's put it this way: we hadn't made it to the family beach yet and had to stop at a little shop on the island to purchase a new pair of swimming trunks for him. This wasn't too alarming for me, but I started to really pay close attention to his actions and mood after this. Could he have a tummy bug, or is he just getting a new tooth that I haven't noticed? The answer became quite clear when we returned to our stateroom and he had another nasty diaper. So, off we went to the ship's doctor. I told him what Hayden's symptoms were and that I thought he just had a tummy bug and needed some Pedialyte or Powerade and a bland diet. The doctor agreed with me and sent us on our way with some Pedialyte popsicles and orders for Hayden to be isolated in our stateroom for the next 48 hours. What?! That was the remainder of the cruise!
I told Ben this and he and Abby chose not to go to the restaurant for dinner that night but instead ate in the stateroom with Hayden and me. Guest Services on the ship sent a DVD player to our room and a list of DVDs that we could choose from so that we could help keep the little guy entertained. Any laundry soiled due to Hayden's upset tummy would be cleaned free of charge by the laundry services. All non-alcoholic drinks ordered through Room Service would be free of charge; in fact, even the snacks we ordered through Room Service that we should have paid for ended up being free of charge! And their housekeeping/Room Host staff even came twice to put clean linens on our bed during the night.
Now, here's the choice: be completely bummed that the rest of the cruise was "ruined" or continue to be thankful for the little--and not so little--things and find ways to still make it special. I must admit that I had a few moments of being bummed. All Hayden wanted to do was see Mickey Mouse, and I thought that he might not get to do that. We were finally able to take him to see the Mouse, and he has not stopped talking about it yet! It was fun, though, to be able to take Abby by myself to see "Hannah Montana: The Movie" on the ship, even though we had already seen it in the theater. We even stole away for a couple of pieces of pizza afterward!
Fast forward to yesterday when we arrived in Savannah. The toilet in our hotel room got clogged, the air conditioner stopped working, and then Hayden threw up in the middle of the floor. I'm sure the maintenance man is ready to see us go! Ben and I really took all of this in stride. The icing on the cake, however, was last night when I had asked Ben to run to the store to pick something up for me. We parked in the hotel's parking garage, and while backing the van out of the parking spot, Ben completely wiped the driver's side mirror off when he side-swiped a support pillar in the garage. Here is where we both failed the choices test. I am sorry to say that we both got angry about this. I think that it was just too much to take in, you know? We had both hit our breaking points with things that had gone "wrong" when this happened.
After sleeping last night, however, we have both seen all of this for what it is: a humorous vacation! The choice is to laugh about it or cry about it, and we have chosen to laugh. I am very thankful that my husband did not get injured when he had the accident with the van; I am also thankful that we have now had more opportunity to walk around the historic district of Savannah and have even had chances to ride the bus here. The kids think it is great fun to ride the bus! I am thankful that Hayden is getting over this tummy bug. And I am thankful for all of the time that we have had to spend together as a family during this past week. The kids have loved seeing their daddy all day, every day.
The lesson here is that every situation has a choice to be made; how you react reflects your level of thankfulness at that moment. And just about every "bad" situation looks funny the next day.
Make the most of your day today! Glorify God with all of your choices, and always express your thankfull to Him. And don't forget to ask yourself the question that the Laughing Cow commercials ask: "Have you laughed today?"
Friday, May 1, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Challenge Update
Okay, so I missed the one week mark with this post... please forgive me!
The kids really, really enjoy having devotional time in the mornings. They don't know it's devotional time--really, how would you explain such a big word to young children? All they know is that Mommy reads to them from her Bible, and they really like to learn from it. Hayden has even gotten to the point where he will ask, "Mommy... Bible?" Just this past week, Abby asked a question at breakfast about why Jesus had to die on the cross. So, taking from everything I learned at ORU while obtaining my undergrad theology degree and the Bible college course I am currently teaching at church, I started to tell her about how people used to receive forgiveness for sin, explained sin, and really tried to give a simple-but-not-confusing answer for my ever-curious 4-year-old daughter. Hayden, understanding that we were talking about Jesus, sat in his high chair and kept saying, "Bible! Bible!" So, after telling him that I was talking about Jesus and telling them things from the Bible and that not really working for him, I opened my Bible and continued to talk. It worked! But then I read to them the account of the crucifixion in Luke 23 and tried to break it down into simpler terms that they both could understand.
The point here is that Abby now has a better understanding of why Jesus had to die on the cross. (She even asked why He didn't just take Himself off of the cross! Wow!) These things also won't be foreign to Hayden because he will grow up being taught straight from the Bible, just like his big sister.
So how did the challenge affect me? It has been nice to have time each day with the television off in order to read the Bible for myself and gain more understanding. Prayer time has increased because of fewer outside distractions. But here is what I hope to gain from this challenge--and what I hope others will gain from the challenge as well: a renewed relationship with the Father. Oh, I'm not saying that I was horribly backslidden or anything like that, but I also know that every Christian's relationship with the Father can be improved upon, mine included. My desire is that when the kids are old enough to read the Bible for themselves, they will do so because they have seen Mommy do it, not because it is something Mommy tells them to do and then doesn't do herself. Even more than that, though, I want my children to know that they can have a personal relationship with the Lord and that He can speak directly to them. I don't want them to just go through the motions, nor do I want to just go through the motions. I want my family to have a genuine relationship with the Lord; I want them to give their all in service to the Lord, in their personal devotional times, in their personal prayer times.
Matthew West has a song entitled "The Motions" that has recently become a favorite in our house. Take a moment and watch the YouTube video linked here and let it challenge you. Ask yourself a few questions: Do I just go through the motions of Christianity, or do still I burn with passion for my Lord and Savior? Do my children know that I have a relationship with the Lord? Do I teach them daily, or do I just tell them to "do as I say, not as I do"? Even if you're not a parent, what does your life say to those who are around you daily, your own circle of influence? These are the things that have challenged me lately; I hope that they will challenge you, as well.
As we enter the week before Easter, take time to remember what Our Lord did for you. Share that with your family and friends. And if you haven't taken the challenge yet, it's not too late! Unplug and let God transform your life and the life of your family. I guarantee you won't regret it!
The kids really, really enjoy having devotional time in the mornings. They don't know it's devotional time--really, how would you explain such a big word to young children? All they know is that Mommy reads to them from her Bible, and they really like to learn from it. Hayden has even gotten to the point where he will ask, "Mommy... Bible?" Just this past week, Abby asked a question at breakfast about why Jesus had to die on the cross. So, taking from everything I learned at ORU while obtaining my undergrad theology degree and the Bible college course I am currently teaching at church, I started to tell her about how people used to receive forgiveness for sin, explained sin, and really tried to give a simple-but-not-confusing answer for my ever-curious 4-year-old daughter. Hayden, understanding that we were talking about Jesus, sat in his high chair and kept saying, "Bible! Bible!" So, after telling him that I was talking about Jesus and telling them things from the Bible and that not really working for him, I opened my Bible and continued to talk. It worked! But then I read to them the account of the crucifixion in Luke 23 and tried to break it down into simpler terms that they both could understand.
The point here is that Abby now has a better understanding of why Jesus had to die on the cross. (She even asked why He didn't just take Himself off of the cross! Wow!) These things also won't be foreign to Hayden because he will grow up being taught straight from the Bible, just like his big sister.
So how did the challenge affect me? It has been nice to have time each day with the television off in order to read the Bible for myself and gain more understanding. Prayer time has increased because of fewer outside distractions. But here is what I hope to gain from this challenge--and what I hope others will gain from the challenge as well: a renewed relationship with the Father. Oh, I'm not saying that I was horribly backslidden or anything like that, but I also know that every Christian's relationship with the Father can be improved upon, mine included. My desire is that when the kids are old enough to read the Bible for themselves, they will do so because they have seen Mommy do it, not because it is something Mommy tells them to do and then doesn't do herself. Even more than that, though, I want my children to know that they can have a personal relationship with the Lord and that He can speak directly to them. I don't want them to just go through the motions, nor do I want to just go through the motions. I want my family to have a genuine relationship with the Lord; I want them to give their all in service to the Lord, in their personal devotional times, in their personal prayer times.
Matthew West has a song entitled "The Motions" that has recently become a favorite in our house. Take a moment and watch the YouTube video linked here and let it challenge you. Ask yourself a few questions: Do I just go through the motions of Christianity, or do still I burn with passion for my Lord and Savior? Do my children know that I have a relationship with the Lord? Do I teach them daily, or do I just tell them to "do as I say, not as I do"? Even if you're not a parent, what does your life say to those who are around you daily, your own circle of influence? These are the things that have challenged me lately; I hope that they will challenge you, as well.
As we enter the week before Easter, take time to remember what Our Lord did for you. Share that with your family and friends. And if you haven't taken the challenge yet, it's not too late! Unplug and let God transform your life and the life of your family. I guarantee you won't regret it!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Ten Things You Will Never Regret
Please take a moment to read the following list and really take it to heart. It was written by Bill Shuler, whom I know as "Pastor Shuler" from my ORU days.
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/03/15/shuler_regret_ten/
Have a wonderful, blessed day!
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/03/15/shuler_regret_ten/
Have a wonderful, blessed day!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The one-week challenge
Something has really been irritating me lately. Actually, it's been an irritation for quite some time now, but it has resurfaced again in the last month or so.
Time. Rather, the lack of time. (How appropriate, since we lose an hour of sleep tonight!)
We are always so busy, busy, busy. Our busyness has actually become somewhat of a status symbol. The busier we are, the more important we become--at least in our own eyes. Telephone conversations--or most likely, email conversations--typically go something like this:
"Hi! How are you?"
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"Fine. What are you up to"
"Oh, I've done X, Y, and Z today and have A, B, C, D, and E to do tomorrow. What about you?"
Sound familiar?
I had a friend at ORU who would challenge others to memorize Scripture. And if you passed her in the dorm or on the way to class, it was nothing for her to ask you what you were learning in the Word. This was just 15 years ago! How have we become such a self-absorbed people that we define ourselves now more by what we do than what we are learning?
I think I have an answer to that. It's an answer that most people will hate.
Technology.
Oh, sure, technology is a blessing. But if you were to honestly evaluate your life and, more specifically, your walk with the Lord, would you say that technology is a blessing or a hindrance to your walk with God? I would have to say that in my own life, technology is more of a hindrance than a blessing. I have trouble finding time to sit down and open my Bible each day, yet I don't have any trouble watching a show on HGTV, checking my email, getting on Facebook, downloading music and podcasts to my iPod, talking on my cell phone, sending text messages, looking up recipes... You get the picture. If I were to cut out one, some, or--gasp!--all of those things, how much more time would I have?
As if my own walk with the Lord weren't important enough, I also have to sit back and ask myself this question: What kind of example am I setting for my children? Am I teaching them to be busy and to place more importance of "things" than on their relationship with God? Sure, we have devotional time together in the mornings... but what about during the day? How often do they see me with my Bible open or hear me in prayer? When I think back to my own childhood, these are some of the things I remember most about my own mom. It was nothing out of the ordinary to see her with her Bible open at various times during the day, or to walk into a room and then find yourself quickly backing out because mom was praying and you didn't want to interrupt.
I want to challenge you to do something. For one week, and one week only, unplug yourself from one piece of technology for a short time each day. It doesn't matter if it is the television, if you let your calls roll to voicemail, if you turn off the iPod, or if you don't check email. But for one week, the challenge is to unplug yourself from technology and then use that time to "plug in" to God. Use that time for prayer, for reading the Bible, for worship... just make yourself a little less busy so that you do have time for God. Then come back at the end of the week and share how this challenge affected you and your family.
Let's teach our children to put more importance on the Word of God than on "things." And let's start this week!
Time. Rather, the lack of time. (How appropriate, since we lose an hour of sleep tonight!)
We are always so busy, busy, busy. Our busyness has actually become somewhat of a status symbol. The busier we are, the more important we become--at least in our own eyes. Telephone conversations--or most likely, email conversations--typically go something like this:
"Hi! How are you?"
"I'm fine. How are you?"
"Fine. What are you up to"
"Oh, I've done X, Y, and Z today and have A, B, C, D, and E to do tomorrow. What about you?"
Sound familiar?
I had a friend at ORU who would challenge others to memorize Scripture. And if you passed her in the dorm or on the way to class, it was nothing for her to ask you what you were learning in the Word. This was just 15 years ago! How have we become such a self-absorbed people that we define ourselves now more by what we do than what we are learning?
I think I have an answer to that. It's an answer that most people will hate.
Technology.
Oh, sure, technology is a blessing. But if you were to honestly evaluate your life and, more specifically, your walk with the Lord, would you say that technology is a blessing or a hindrance to your walk with God? I would have to say that in my own life, technology is more of a hindrance than a blessing. I have trouble finding time to sit down and open my Bible each day, yet I don't have any trouble watching a show on HGTV, checking my email, getting on Facebook, downloading music and podcasts to my iPod, talking on my cell phone, sending text messages, looking up recipes... You get the picture. If I were to cut out one, some, or--gasp!--all of those things, how much more time would I have?
As if my own walk with the Lord weren't important enough, I also have to sit back and ask myself this question: What kind of example am I setting for my children? Am I teaching them to be busy and to place more importance of "things" than on their relationship with God? Sure, we have devotional time together in the mornings... but what about during the day? How often do they see me with my Bible open or hear me in prayer? When I think back to my own childhood, these are some of the things I remember most about my own mom. It was nothing out of the ordinary to see her with her Bible open at various times during the day, or to walk into a room and then find yourself quickly backing out because mom was praying and you didn't want to interrupt.
I want to challenge you to do something. For one week, and one week only, unplug yourself from one piece of technology for a short time each day. It doesn't matter if it is the television, if you let your calls roll to voicemail, if you turn off the iPod, or if you don't check email. But for one week, the challenge is to unplug yourself from technology and then use that time to "plug in" to God. Use that time for prayer, for reading the Bible, for worship... just make yourself a little less busy so that you do have time for God. Then come back at the end of the week and share how this challenge affected you and your family.
Let's teach our children to put more importance on the Word of God than on "things." And let's start this week!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Richmond, here I come!
A few weeks ago I wrote about entering a 10K race. Well, I did it! I am officially entered in the Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, VA. The race is on March 28. I am certainly not doing this for time... I just want to complete the race. And believe it or not, I am already looking forward to the next race that I can participate in. I don't know yet if it will be later this year or maybe the same race next year. Regardless, I am very excited to participate in this race and am happy that my family will go with me.
It's funny... I have never been a runner. Now, at the age of 33, I have taken up something that I hated to do--and I like it! God has really changed my heart where running is concerned, and it has truly become a time that has been set apart for Him. I grab my iPod and hit the gym, and I listen to music that leads back to the Father while I run. I've got Toby Mac, Chris Tomlin, Natalie Grant, and Hillsong in my workout playlist, just to name a few. I'm on a mission now to add more music to my workout playlist... enough to get me through the race.
Brother Lawrence truly said it best when he said:
Lord of all pots and pans and things...
Make me a saint by getting meals
And washing up the plates!
If Brother Lawrence could worship God and spend time in His presence while doing something as mundane as the dishes--do I hear an "Amen!" from all of the mommies?--one can certainly worship God while running!
It's funny... I have never been a runner. Now, at the age of 33, I have taken up something that I hated to do--and I like it! God has really changed my heart where running is concerned, and it has truly become a time that has been set apart for Him. I grab my iPod and hit the gym, and I listen to music that leads back to the Father while I run. I've got Toby Mac, Chris Tomlin, Natalie Grant, and Hillsong in my workout playlist, just to name a few. I'm on a mission now to add more music to my workout playlist... enough to get me through the race.
Brother Lawrence truly said it best when he said:
Lord of all pots and pans and things...
Make me a saint by getting meals
And washing up the plates!
If Brother Lawrence could worship God and spend time in His presence while doing something as mundane as the dishes--do I hear an "Amen!" from all of the mommies?--one can certainly worship God while running!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
What are you reading?
I love to read. I always have. In fact, I love to read so much that I kept probably 90% of my textbooks from college--I just can't bear to part with a book!
I have been reading a lot of fiction lately. I really enjoy good storytelling. One of my favorite authors is Lori Wick. She is an excellent storyteller, her style draws you into the story so much so that it is as if you are part of the story itself, and her books always minister to me in some way. I can reread her books and take away something different each time. It's really hard to say which of her books is my favorite; I can honestly say that there isn't a book of hers that I don't like!
Another author who is at the top of my favorites list is Jan Karon. If you haven't read her Mitford series, you really should! The first book is At Home in Mitford. Her style is very different from anything I have read, and it has an almost slow, laid-back pace to it--which is quite fitting because Mitford is a small, fictional town in North Carolina where everyone knows everyone and where there is a true sense of community. The main character in the Mitford series is Father Tim, a 60-something Episcopalian priest who has all kinds of adventures--and some misadventures--while going through life. You'll really come to love the Mitford series when you read it. Be sure to have a current library card or money set aside for book purchases! Once you've read the first book, you're hooked!
Right now, though, I'm taking a little break from fiction and am finally reading The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. This was recommended to me by one of my former professors at ORU, and I am so glad that he recommended it! I haven't read much of it yet, but already I can say that this is a must-read for all Christians.
So, tell me... what are you reading right now? What kinds of books interest you, and why?
I have been reading a lot of fiction lately. I really enjoy good storytelling. One of my favorite authors is Lori Wick. She is an excellent storyteller, her style draws you into the story so much so that it is as if you are part of the story itself, and her books always minister to me in some way. I can reread her books and take away something different each time. It's really hard to say which of her books is my favorite; I can honestly say that there isn't a book of hers that I don't like!
Another author who is at the top of my favorites list is Jan Karon. If you haven't read her Mitford series, you really should! The first book is At Home in Mitford. Her style is very different from anything I have read, and it has an almost slow, laid-back pace to it--which is quite fitting because Mitford is a small, fictional town in North Carolina where everyone knows everyone and where there is a true sense of community. The main character in the Mitford series is Father Tim, a 60-something Episcopalian priest who has all kinds of adventures--and some misadventures--while going through life. You'll really come to love the Mitford series when you read it. Be sure to have a current library card or money set aside for book purchases! Once you've read the first book, you're hooked!
Right now, though, I'm taking a little break from fiction and am finally reading The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. This was recommended to me by one of my former professors at ORU, and I am so glad that he recommended it! I haven't read much of it yet, but already I can say that this is a must-read for all Christians.
So, tell me... what are you reading right now? What kinds of books interest you, and why?
Monday, February 2, 2009
The lesson in Cheerios
I took the kids to church by myself yesterday. Ben had to work...they had a very major problem that kept him pretty much tied to his BlackBerry and his laptop all weekend, and while we were at church he ended up having to go in to the office and was there until almost half-time of the Super Bowl.
At each service, we keep the kids with us through praise and worship and through the offering and don't take them to their nursery classes until the kids are dismissed to go to children's church. Why do we do this? Because we believe that even at a young age, children can be taught to worship God. Children already have a natural rhythm and love to dance to anything that has a beat. Hayden sometimes dances to the rhythm of the washing machine! Since children love to dance and sing, why not expose them regularly to worship and let them learn to worship God in their own way? They are too young to care who sees them or to care about whether they look ridiculous or dignified or anything else. (That is for another post!)
We also believe that they are not too young to learn to be a giver. When they see us give, they will learn to do it because it is something mommy and daddy do. But when we give them money of their own to put in the offering--a dollar bill, a quarter, or even the loose change that happens to be in the diaper bag or Ben's pocket--they learn to do it by repetition and they learn that it is okay to give money that was given to them. They don't have to hang on to every penny that is given to them. We don't want to create miserly little people; we want to create worshippers and givers. They are learning that when they give, they are giving to God. When they sing and dance, they are doing so to God. We want them to be so free with their giving that when they become old enough to ear income of their own, giving their tithe--and above their tithe--will be second-nature to them. There are blessings that come through giving. Not all of them are financial. Regardless, we want our children to be blessed in every area of their lives from an early age so that they know that living a life full of God's blessings is the rule, not the exception.
Yesterday morning after Pastor dismissed the children from church and I took Abby and Hayden to their nursery classes, I went back into the sanctuary and Pastor was already into his sermon. I sat down and, at the first mention of a reference, I opened the zipper on my Bible cover and turned to where he was currently in the sermon. Imagine my surprise when a few Cheerios fell out of my Bible and onto my lap! I had to smile to myself... I immediately thought of how Hayden is frequently thankful for Cheerios. Then I began to see just how valuable that daily devotional time with the kids really is. They look forward to that daily Bible time--it isn't always in the morning with breakfast, but it usually is. They crave that daily Bible time and if we miss it for whatever reason, they ask for it later in the day. Hayden will pick up a book and ask me if it is a Bible. Abby will read with me out of my Bible. Hayden will carry my Bible around the house. (If I ever can't find it, it isn't because I don't use it!) My children are comfortable with my Bible. They know that it is God's Word for them, not just for mommy.
Here are the lessons from this blog post:
1. Let your children see you and others worship, and let them be free to worship in their own way. Even an infant can learn by observing!
2. Teach your children to become givers. Show them how you freely give of your own income to God, then give them some money that they can put in the offering. They will become cheerful givers by doing this!
3. Don't get upset if you, too, find Cheerios in your Bible one day. Rejoice in knowing that your children are hearing the Word of God and that they are comfortable with the Word of God. When the time comes for you to give them their first "real" Bible--not a book of Bible stories--they will already be familiar with it and will be ready to dive in and start learning for themselves!
At each service, we keep the kids with us through praise and worship and through the offering and don't take them to their nursery classes until the kids are dismissed to go to children's church. Why do we do this? Because we believe that even at a young age, children can be taught to worship God. Children already have a natural rhythm and love to dance to anything that has a beat. Hayden sometimes dances to the rhythm of the washing machine! Since children love to dance and sing, why not expose them regularly to worship and let them learn to worship God in their own way? They are too young to care who sees them or to care about whether they look ridiculous or dignified or anything else. (That is for another post!)
We also believe that they are not too young to learn to be a giver. When they see us give, they will learn to do it because it is something mommy and daddy do. But when we give them money of their own to put in the offering--a dollar bill, a quarter, or even the loose change that happens to be in the diaper bag or Ben's pocket--they learn to do it by repetition and they learn that it is okay to give money that was given to them. They don't have to hang on to every penny that is given to them. We don't want to create miserly little people; we want to create worshippers and givers. They are learning that when they give, they are giving to God. When they sing and dance, they are doing so to God. We want them to be so free with their giving that when they become old enough to ear income of their own, giving their tithe--and above their tithe--will be second-nature to them. There are blessings that come through giving. Not all of them are financial. Regardless, we want our children to be blessed in every area of their lives from an early age so that they know that living a life full of God's blessings is the rule, not the exception.
Yesterday morning after Pastor dismissed the children from church and I took Abby and Hayden to their nursery classes, I went back into the sanctuary and Pastor was already into his sermon. I sat down and, at the first mention of a reference, I opened the zipper on my Bible cover and turned to where he was currently in the sermon. Imagine my surprise when a few Cheerios fell out of my Bible and onto my lap! I had to smile to myself... I immediately thought of how Hayden is frequently thankful for Cheerios. Then I began to see just how valuable that daily devotional time with the kids really is. They look forward to that daily Bible time--it isn't always in the morning with breakfast, but it usually is. They crave that daily Bible time and if we miss it for whatever reason, they ask for it later in the day. Hayden will pick up a book and ask me if it is a Bible. Abby will read with me out of my Bible. Hayden will carry my Bible around the house. (If I ever can't find it, it isn't because I don't use it!) My children are comfortable with my Bible. They know that it is God's Word for them, not just for mommy.
Here are the lessons from this blog post:
1. Let your children see you and others worship, and let them be free to worship in their own way. Even an infant can learn by observing!
2. Teach your children to become givers. Show them how you freely give of your own income to God, then give them some money that they can put in the offering. They will become cheerful givers by doing this!
3. Don't get upset if you, too, find Cheerios in your Bible one day. Rejoice in knowing that your children are hearing the Word of God and that they are comfortable with the Word of God. When the time comes for you to give them their first "real" Bible--not a book of Bible stories--they will already be familiar with it and will be ready to dive in and start learning for themselves!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)