Proverbs 4:23    Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (NIV) I've thought a lot about this verse and how to teach my children to guard their hearts.  They are so influenced by what they see and hear.   I don't want them to just follow their feelings as they go through life.  Feelings change so quickly.  I don't want them to put their allegiance in another person.  People, even the best of them, make mistakes.   I want the source of their lives to come from something greater.  Something unchangeable. Something that will be a solid foundation for them. If it all starts with our heart...the wellspring, the source of all we do as a person...then, "What do you love,"  has to be the question you ask. How do you cultivate a love for something that … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 10:4 "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." (ESV) Kids catch attitudes quicker than they catch a cold.  This is clear to me in how quickly they adopt my moods.   When I am upbeat and laughing, it makes a difference in their outlook.   But it sure seems true that if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.  There must be something wired into us to help us sympathize with others.  My attitude makes a huge difference in my house. Because of this in our home we try to express a positive attitude about earning money and saving money. If one of the kids wants to buy something I ask them if they have the money.   I try not to say things like, "you can't afford that" or "you don't have the money."  Instead I ask them … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 13:25  "The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want."  (ESV) One of the character traits I want to train into my kids is thankfulness.  Not just saying thank you when they get a gift or for dinner in some rote manner or robotic reflex.  It’s deeper than that.  It’s the idea that their hearts would be so full of gratitude that they are always satisfied with what they have.  I think the starting point for gratitude training is to help them understand that God made them and they owe him everything.   I want to help them know God is the source of all their talents and their toys.  If they are good at something and someone compliments them for it, the praise should be deflected to God, the source of their … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 21:20   "Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it." (ESV) In my home my husband is the nerd (in a good way) and I am the free-spirit when it comes to just about everything, but especially money.  He builds spreadsheet upon spreadsheet to track the minutia of our fiscal spending and saving.  He has five and ten year outlooks and projections, plans for obtaining many different streams of income to reduce income dependency on a single source.  He is definitely the CFO of the family. I  rarely think about money at all.   It's just not on my radar unless he brings it up or if I need to check up on the budget and see how much I have left for groceries this month.  By nature I am not a big spender; I … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 9:7-9  "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.  Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning."  (ESV) Ouch. I wish I could say that I was a wise, righteous woman in my response to correction and teaching more often. I'm not. My pride raises it's ugly head and I make all the excuses in the world for why I know better than whoever is correcting me, or even voicing a differing opinion than mine. My response shows my folly. As I have been reading 1 Corinthians over the last two weeks I have thought a lot about my own pride. The deep-seeded hidden pride of my innermost heart. In the first 7 chapters Paul rebukes … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverb For Life - Proverbs 1:8  "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching." (ESV) I have two amazing little boys who call me mom. They followed closely along behind two older sisters. Now, when I had my girls, I was fairly confident of what to do for them.  We would have tea parties, color, make jewelry, dress up and do all things girly.  We would talk about boys and makeup and problems at school.  I knew where they would be coming from, I mean after all, I was a girl once…a long, long time ago. But boys! Oh snap...I knew nothing about raising boys. Even though I had two younger brothers, I felt RAISING boys would be so much harder. I felt the stakes were so much higher. A feeling of inadequacy overwhelmed … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 17:17  "A friend loves at all times, a brother is born for a time of adversity."  (ESV) For those of you that LOVE Valentines Day, I apologize for what I am about to say right now. I think Valentines Day is a really silly holiday.  Single people feel left out because of all the couples.  Couples feel obligated to buy stuff to show their affection.  I've heard it called the hallmark holiday, and I totally agree; it's the holiday invented to sell cards.  Daniel and I have never really celebrated it for each other, although we do get the kids a little something.  They think the holiday is great because they get candy (they usually don't get candy unless it's a holiday). If I don't express my love to Daniel and the kids all through the year, one day is … [Read more...]

Psalm 127:3  "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward."  (ESV - Psalm 127 was also written by King Solomon) I have been blessed beyond measure with the gift of my 4 children. This week I have shared how I struggle with frustration and responding in anger (you can read about that in the post Did I Really Just Say That? and see an activity in the post Soda Explosion: A Demonstration of Anger). But I love being a mom.  There is nothing I would rather do than spend my days surrounded by my little ones, and my not-so-little-any-more one. I love feeling the warmth of Little Man's hand in mine.  The tender slide of his arm as it hooks around my neck for a hug.  The small little voice that tells me, "I lub you mom." I love Big Boy's … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 15:1  "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (ESV)  Frustrations will happen. Disappointments will happen. Disagreements will happen. Because fighting my frustrations is such a daily battle I thought I would not only share my struggle, but also share with you what has helped me over the last two months in my fight. Instead of taking a deep breath and counting to ten before you lose it, try adding these steps until your first response is most often one of healing, not hurting.    These are the things that I have been applying in my own life.  Things to humble me and remind me that I too am a recipient of God's Grace when I did not deserve it and God's Love when I did not earn it. Stop, Drop and Pray - Sometimes my … [Read more...]

Proverb For Life - Proverbs 15:1  "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (ESV) When I write, I find it easier to be honest with myself.  When I write, I find it easy to pour my heart out.  When I write, I find hope.     I have a journal of my prayers.  I have written my dreams.  I have shared stories and snippets from my day by writing.  I started Proverbs For Life because I wanted to use my writing to help encourage others who share the same struggles I have. When I write about the spiritual lessons I am learning my inclination is to write about the lessons I have learned in the past and things I hope to accomplish in the future. This week's verse encapsulates my day-to-day struggle as a mother. Not the words that come out of my mouth, but the … [Read more...]