Guatemala Bound

In June I will have the amazing privilege to return to Guatemala on a mission trip with Josiah.  It will be our fourth mission trip together to this amazing country.  Caleb will also join us on this journey.  In the weeks to come I hope to add more pictures from past trips (maybe a video too) so you can get a better glimpse of what this mission is all about.  And, if you are interested I can also share with you how you can partner with us in prayer and financial support.

Kindness

Yesterday I shared about prayer and my commitment to pray daily for my children using the book  

While They Are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits to Pray for Your Child.  Today, I had an inspiration of how to help develop the character qualities in my children using the poster and certificate set that corresponds with the book.   Each poster has one of the character qualities, what it means, and also a verse that goes along with it.

I covered the posters with contact paper and hung them near the table where we do school.  The character quality will not only be the focus of my prayers for my children, but it will also be the focus of the teaching for the same amount of time. 

FamilyLife also has some beautiful certificates to go along with each of the character qualities.  But, with seven children, the organization of award certificates is more than I realistically wanted to deal with...so I decided to cover the certificate with contact paper as well and place it on the wall next to the poster.  When I see a child consistently exhibiting a particular character quality, I will write their name on the certificate with a dry erase marker.  That way I can reuse the certificates and give incentives for my children to actively participate in the quality we are studying. 

I also thought I would allow my older children to look for ways other siblings are showing the character quality and let them write a name on the certificate as well.  Not only would it help them learn to look for kindness (for example) but it would help them to continue to cultivate kindness in their hearts as they look for it in the lives of their brothers and sisters. 

How do you help your children grow in kindness? 



A Confession

Okay, I'll admit it.  One area I am weak in is prayer.  I love to spend time reading and studying the Bible.  I love to write and contemplate, but when it comes to prayer I get so easily distracted. 

Perhaps it is the little ones that seem to get up just when I should be praying.  Maybe it is the older ones that are preparing for school. Or maybe it is because prayer is a battle.  It isn't just a battle to pray, but when we pray when enter the battle for the hearts and minds of our children. 

When our oldest ones were little and went to bed early, Tom and I would go into their rooms after they were asleep and pray over them.  We were united and our children were covered in prayer.  As life got busy, somehow this important event got put on the back burner.  It wasn't that we weren't praying, but it was no longer consistent and intentional.  Prayer became more of a 911 emergency call, rather than consistently planting and weeding a garden. 

One book that I have decided to use this year to help in my prayers for my children is While They are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits to Pray for Your Child.  It is a beautiful book focused on consistent prayer and application.  There are 12 chapters, each focused on one character trait with five days of prayer per trait.  There is also you and me time, live it out, and a journal area to record answers that you see to your prayers. 

I like the idea of focusing on kindness, humility, teachability, forgiveness, obedience, discernment, purity, responsibility, courage, servanthood, contentment, and endurance.  I know that at the end of this year I will see a difference in my children, but I will be different as well.  Prayer does that.  It changes the situation, but more importantly it changes the one praying.  Spending time at the feet of Jesus does that. 

I am excited for this adventure.  Anyone else want to join me this year as we consistently lift our children before the Lord?

Wasted Prayer

In September life was busy with getting things ready to send Courtney off to college.  A haircut got put on the back burner until I was desperate.  My hair was driving me crazy!  I called to schedule an appointment hoping that I could get in immediately.  Nothing was available until the next week but I said, "If anyone cancels today give me a call and I will come right in."  My day was pretty open and I was desperate.

I found myself praying frequently throughout the day, "Lord, will you please allow a time slot to open up.  I really need my hair cut."  In the morning I had peace that my request would work out.  In the late afternoon however, I realized my request probably wasn't going to work out so I intensified my prayers.

God got my attention while I was praying and doing dishes by the kitchen sink.  All day long my prayers had been about me.  They had been selfish, wasted prayers.  How I could have spent that time praying fervently for my son and his friends at school, for the needs of others, and so many things and I had wasted all that time ON HAIR!  How convicting! 

God does tell us to "pray continually" but the context is "Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  God certainly got my attention through a missed haircut and now I am hoping that my prayers will reflect more of His will, rather than my own selfishness.

A Sweet Moment

I was asked to do something that is way out of my comfort zone. I shared the situation with my daughter as I drove her home from school. When we got home she said, "Let me pray for you." She then put her arm around my shoulders and prayed the sweetest prayer!

She has offered before to pray for me, but this was the first time she offered to pray with me and for me. Her prayer brought tears to my eyes because she offered a gift to me in her words that she prayed over me. I never expected to be asked to do what seems so difficult, but what a awesome blessing from God to see the work of His hand in the life of my daughter!