As we drove up to our church on Monday following the goodbye celebration planned for our pastor of eight years, The Kid asked if he could make a Help Wanted sign. I asked what he would like to do with such a sign; he replied, “Put it in the dirt by the church sign.” I asked why and he answered, “Cause we are going to need a new pastor.”
All this from the child who was too sad to write notes on Sunday morning (that excuse will only work once!) and who sniffled his way through the “farewell to our pastor” evening worship service.
The Kid is a clear reminder to me that so many of our kids have only had one pastor. For many, he is the one who led them to the Lord, knelt down to hug them as they stood in his presence with their parents, or even baptized them.
As the kids say good bye to a man they have sat under, learned from, and adored for the past eight years; they are also saying hello to uncertainty. Will a new pastor learn their name? Will he love them as much? Will he walk the journey with them in the same kind and patient way?
At this time, I am learning that it is so important that we do not make light of the questions and concerns of our children. We must treat each question and concern seriously. After answering, maybe we should complete the conversation with a prayer for the pastor, his family, and the new pastor yet to come.
This is also a great learning time for The Kid – a time to learn about how God calls men to follow Him obediently, a time to teach him to pray expectantly for what is next, a time to thank God for what has been and for what is yet to come, and a time to help him to focus on Jesus as the One he is to follow as opposed to a man.
The Kid in my house, like so many others, was the recipient of much love and encouragement from this pastor who always seemed genuinely interested in anything The Kid had to say. And now, like so many other kids, he is trying to figure out how he’s going to get along without his pastor-friend.
I am praying that the Lord seal in his heart the sweet memories of this special pastor and hold his hand and heart until he meets his next pastor-friend.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Rising to the Challenge
Junebug suggested that i would be the LAST one to do this thing. I can't imagine that anyone really wants to know all this stuff about me...i'm not even sure i know it all, but i'm pretty sure that most will be surprised that i did it! here goes.....
1. Were you named after anyone? Yeah, sorta...i was gonna be named after my dad if i was a boy and they were gonna call me bobby, so when i was a girl, they picked a name that would go with bobby for a nickname. i dumped that nickname for my real name when i started school.
2.sorry...accidentally deleted it...oops
3. Do you like your handwriting? Yeah. I have really nice handwriting - esp. printing
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? fired bologna...jk, but i remember loving it when i was a kid!
5. Do you have kids? Yeah, two or three, depends who you ask....
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you? prolly not.
7. Do you use sarcasm? mostly with my husband
8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yep.
9. Would you bungee jump? did something very similar about 10 years ago....so been there, done that and was sooo surprised my pants were dry when my feet were back on the ground!
10. What is your favorite cereal? frosted shredded wheat
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? nope
12. Do you think you are strong? Physically? Nope. Mentally? Absolutely. Emotionally? Nope.
13. What is your favorite ice cream? pralines and cream. What else is there?
14. What is the first thing you notice about people? definitely, their teeth
15. Red or pink? Either. I don't really have a preference.
16. What is the least favorite thing about yourself? Not answering this one.
17. Who do you miss the most? B
18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you? Sure.
19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Blue shorts. No shoes.
20. What was the last thing you ate? banana
21. What are you listening to right now? M.A.S.H.
22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? I would rather be a highlighter
23. Favorite smells? New candles..almost any flavor (except chocolate - why would they do that???)
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Junebug
25. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Most of the time.
26. Favorite sports to watch? Anything kids are playing.
27. Hair color? Depends on if I've had time to get the boxed mix out to put on it. Right now, it's a little grayer (is that a word?) than I like.
28. Eye color? Brown
29. Do you wear contacts? nope
30. Favorite food? fried rice from Kyotos.
31. Scary movies or happy endings? No scary movies.
32. Last movie you watched? WALL-E
33. What color shirt are you wearing? grey tshirt
34. Favorite season? Fall
35. Hugs or kisses? depends on what's inside them
36. Favorite dessert? Something with caramel - and no chocolate
37. Most likely to respond? ??
38. Least likely to respond? if i wasn't the one typing this, i'd say me!
39. What book are you reading now? The Other Boelyn Girl and Red River
40. What is on your mouse pad? I don't have a mouse pad.
41. What did you watch on tv last night? who can remember last night? i did watch 2 episodes of friends, season 8 on my ipod, however.
42. Favorite sound? laughing kids - especially mine
43. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Def the Beatles. But I like the Stones, too. (ditto from BB)
44. What is the farthest you have been from home? Cambodia...a whole day away.
45. What specific subject do you feel you know better than any other subject? I feel more comfortable discussing predicates...
46. If you could spend a whole day with any one historical figure, who would it be? Elvis
47. You're driving your car late at night and come to a red light. If there are no cars in either direction, do you stop? long enough to be really sure no one is coming
48. Do you have a special talent? not really
49. Where were you born? st dominic's hospital in jackson
50. Whose answers are you looking forward to getting back? anyone's will do
Done!!!!
Do you feel like you know me better? Are you suprised by your discoveries?
Come back soon......................
1. Were you named after anyone? Yeah, sorta...i was gonna be named after my dad if i was a boy and they were gonna call me bobby, so when i was a girl, they picked a name that would go with bobby for a nickname. i dumped that nickname for my real name when i started school.
2.sorry...accidentally deleted it...oops
3. Do you like your handwriting? Yeah. I have really nice handwriting - esp. printing
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? fired bologna...jk, but i remember loving it when i was a kid!
5. Do you have kids? Yeah, two or three, depends who you ask....
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you? prolly not.
7. Do you use sarcasm? mostly with my husband
8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yep.
9. Would you bungee jump? did something very similar about 10 years ago....so been there, done that and was sooo surprised my pants were dry when my feet were back on the ground!
10. What is your favorite cereal? frosted shredded wheat
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? nope
12. Do you think you are strong? Physically? Nope. Mentally? Absolutely. Emotionally? Nope.
13. What is your favorite ice cream? pralines and cream. What else is there?
14. What is the first thing you notice about people? definitely, their teeth
15. Red or pink? Either. I don't really have a preference.
16. What is the least favorite thing about yourself? Not answering this one.
17. Who do you miss the most? B
18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you? Sure.
19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Blue shorts. No shoes.
20. What was the last thing you ate? banana
21. What are you listening to right now? M.A.S.H.
22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? I would rather be a highlighter
23. Favorite smells? New candles..almost any flavor (except chocolate - why would they do that???)
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Junebug
25. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Most of the time.
26. Favorite sports to watch? Anything kids are playing.
27. Hair color? Depends on if I've had time to get the boxed mix out to put on it. Right now, it's a little grayer (is that a word?) than I like.
28. Eye color? Brown
29. Do you wear contacts? nope
30. Favorite food? fried rice from Kyotos.
31. Scary movies or happy endings? No scary movies.
32. Last movie you watched? WALL-E
33. What color shirt are you wearing? grey tshirt
34. Favorite season? Fall
35. Hugs or kisses? depends on what's inside them
36. Favorite dessert? Something with caramel - and no chocolate
37. Most likely to respond? ??
38. Least likely to respond? if i wasn't the one typing this, i'd say me!
39. What book are you reading now? The Other Boelyn Girl and Red River
40. What is on your mouse pad? I don't have a mouse pad.
41. What did you watch on tv last night? who can remember last night? i did watch 2 episodes of friends, season 8 on my ipod, however.
42. Favorite sound? laughing kids - especially mine
43. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Def the Beatles. But I like the Stones, too. (ditto from BB)
44. What is the farthest you have been from home? Cambodia...a whole day away.
45. What specific subject do you feel you know better than any other subject? I feel more comfortable discussing predicates...
46. If you could spend a whole day with any one historical figure, who would it be? Elvis
47. You're driving your car late at night and come to a red light. If there are no cars in either direction, do you stop? long enough to be really sure no one is coming
48. Do you have a special talent? not really
49. Where were you born? st dominic's hospital in jackson
50. Whose answers are you looking forward to getting back? anyone's will do
Done!!!!
Do you feel like you know me better? Are you suprised by your discoveries?
Come back soon......................
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Seven Years of Blessings
Tonight I kissed a six year old good night. In the morning, I'll hug a seven year old. And that's all I've got to say about that!!!
To The Kid in our house.....
Very little did we know that your visit with us would last so long! And we are so glad it has. You have brought our home much laughter, many smiles, and lots of tears. Our prayer for you has not ever changed: "God, please do whatever it takes to make him your man." Sometimes. I've wanted God to ask my opinion about exactly what that should be; but mostly I am content to be on the journey with you.
This has been a big year. You have learned to read really well. You can add and subtract with the best of them. You've lost lots of teeth. And no one is faster on a little red bike than you! You have learned that dogs die, mommies get sick (and well again!) and that Jesus loves you most of all! You've done book reports, been a "ring bear," acted in a play, sung on the stage in big church and been baptized. Yep, it's been a big year all right!
You've learned hard stuff, too. Sometimes judges take too long to make decisions, teachers yell, people who should call you forget to, and that too often people will judge you by the color of your skin. You have learned that sometimes storms come, but God is always bigger than any storm!
Some of your favorites this year,,,meeting Haley Barbour (now you aspire to be governor!), weekends, Webkinz, National Geographic anything, Thomas Alva Edison, Scooby Doo, parks, worms, dirt, mud, frogs, going on "dates" with mom, digging in the garden or watching NOVA with dad, watching cartoons with Gran, harry and Fritz. You now own about 30 bears all of whom have names and personalities.
Only God knows what next year will bring. My prayer for will continue to be, "God, please do what it takes to make him your man." And like last year and the five before that, we'll journey through whatever that is together.
Happy Birthday to You!
To The Kid in our house.....
Very little did we know that your visit with us would last so long! And we are so glad it has. You have brought our home much laughter, many smiles, and lots of tears. Our prayer for you has not ever changed: "God, please do whatever it takes to make him your man." Sometimes. I've wanted God to ask my opinion about exactly what that should be; but mostly I am content to be on the journey with you.
This has been a big year. You have learned to read really well. You can add and subtract with the best of them. You've lost lots of teeth. And no one is faster on a little red bike than you! You have learned that dogs die, mommies get sick (and well again!) and that Jesus loves you most of all! You've done book reports, been a "ring bear," acted in a play, sung on the stage in big church and been baptized. Yep, it's been a big year all right!
You've learned hard stuff, too. Sometimes judges take too long to make decisions, teachers yell, people who should call you forget to, and that too often people will judge you by the color of your skin. You have learned that sometimes storms come, but God is always bigger than any storm!
Some of your favorites this year,,,meeting Haley Barbour (now you aspire to be governor!), weekends, Webkinz, National Geographic anything, Thomas Alva Edison, Scooby Doo, parks, worms, dirt, mud, frogs, going on "dates" with mom, digging in the garden or watching NOVA with dad, watching cartoons with Gran, harry and Fritz. You now own about 30 bears all of whom have names and personalities.
Only God knows what next year will bring. My prayer for will continue to be, "God, please do what it takes to make him your man." And like last year and the five before that, we'll journey through whatever that is together.
Happy Birthday to You!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Oh Happy (Birth)Day!!
On this day two years ago, God smiled down from heaven and wrapped a piece of Himself in the flesh of a sweet baby girl. Tori makes me laugh and smile all at once. She is definitely her mother's child and that's ok with me, too! Every life she is a part of is happier and sweeter and so blessed just to know her.
Happy Birthday, Tori!
Grandmommy loves you!
Happy Birthday, Tori!
Grandmommy loves you!
Right Away, All the Way, and with a Happy Heart
For several years now, my standard for obedience for The Kid in my house has been to obey “right away, all the way, and with a happy heart.” (I am so grateful to the mom who taught it to me. It makes me remember that we as moms should always be supporting one another.) Lately, however, I’ve been wondering if it would be enough for me to expect one or the other of these standards and let the others go. Otherwise I may never reach this lofty parenting goal. For example, if I call The Kid away from the computer, is it enough that he comes immediately? Should it bother me that he comes stomping and growling at me? Or if I send him to straighten his room, should I be content with the fact that he is not complaining even though he doesn’t even begin the task of picking up his stuff? Maybe I should lower my standards because, after all, he is only six!
After pondering this for some time now, I have become convinced of these three things:
1. God- through my friend- revealed the standard. It is His expectation, not just for my child, but for me as well.
2. I’m never going to get what I don’t model. Does my child see me completing my tasks “right away, all the way, and with a happy heart?” In other words, if I want to see it in my child, I’d better BE it first.
3. Sometimes obedience comes more easily and completely if the request is wrapped in encouragement, praise, and confidence in the child’s ability to perform the task. I find the same is true for myself. I am more willing to go the extra mile for someone who believes in me.
I have the proverbial head-hitting hammer I use often. It even comes with Bible verses like, “Honor your mother so you can live a long life!” and “Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might,” and “Work like you’re doing it for Jesus…” I am discovering, as a result of this pondering, that it is so much easier to bonk someone else on the head (especially if the head belongs to someone shorter thatn me!) than it is to stop and take a look at myself. So that’s what I’m off to do and you can be sure that I’ll be more intentional about obeying God “right away, all the way, and with a happy heart.”
After pondering this for some time now, I have become convinced of these three things:
1. God- through my friend- revealed the standard. It is His expectation, not just for my child, but for me as well.
2. I’m never going to get what I don’t model. Does my child see me completing my tasks “right away, all the way, and with a happy heart?” In other words, if I want to see it in my child, I’d better BE it first.
3. Sometimes obedience comes more easily and completely if the request is wrapped in encouragement, praise, and confidence in the child’s ability to perform the task. I find the same is true for myself. I am more willing to go the extra mile for someone who believes in me.
I have the proverbial head-hitting hammer I use often. It even comes with Bible verses like, “Honor your mother so you can live a long life!” and “Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might,” and “Work like you’re doing it for Jesus…” I am discovering, as a result of this pondering, that it is so much easier to bonk someone else on the head (especially if the head belongs to someone shorter thatn me!) than it is to stop and take a look at myself. So that’s what I’m off to do and you can be sure that I’ll be more intentional about obeying God “right away, all the way, and with a happy heart.”
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Help with Homework
Everyday after school, I give The Kid 5 minutes (well, we call it 5 minutes - it's usually more like 15 or 20) and then we sit down together to do homework. After researching the homework issue I know that The Kid has more than most anyone we know. We spend a minimum of an hour and up to two hours every night except Wednesdays and Fridays. (And, don't get me wrong, it's not that he doesn't have homework on Wednesdays or Fridays, it's just that we choose to give him a break. We only do what has to be done to squeak by on those days.) Anyway, The Kid has this school desk and he pulls it close to me, we get out the homework box and the fun begins! And it goes on and on and on and on.......
My job is to encourage him along on the independent stuff, make him write the answers neatly, listen to him read, and then to call out all the stuff he has to study for upcoming tests.
All this to say that it occurs to me that he never once has asked me to give him this much focused attention. I just do it and have done it since the beginning of the year. (He has, however, on more than one ocassion thanked me!) I don't mind it so much except that I'd rather spend the time with him walking in the park or reading what we choose.
Well yesterday we had guests over after school whose mom is in the hospital and so we had homework time all together. There were somed serious differences in their tasks. Each one of the other boys had only one worksheet, The Kid had 4. They had no required reading assignment so I made them each read a book, cause The Kid had to read two stories in one book and begin a book report on another. They did not have a list of three tests to study for on Friday either. During the course of doing homework, one of the guests asked, "Do you help him with his homework everyday? We do ours by ourselves."
At first I thought I might be a terrible mom for sitting with The Kid each day, but before I said anything, The Kid looked up long enough to reply matter-of-factly, "Of course she does." No other words just a quiet affirming acceptance of the fact that I will always be sitting in the chair beside him.
I started thinking that I am so glad God hangs around me even when I don't ask. I can count on the fact that when I do pull my chair up, He will have time for me. But bigger than that I can know that He never leaves me alone to figure stuff out on my own.
Thank you, God, for helping me with my "homework." Sometimes the assignments seem so big, but i am grateful that I can count on you to be sitting there, helping me and encouraging me even when I forget to ask.
My job is to encourage him along on the independent stuff, make him write the answers neatly, listen to him read, and then to call out all the stuff he has to study for upcoming tests.
All this to say that it occurs to me that he never once has asked me to give him this much focused attention. I just do it and have done it since the beginning of the year. (He has, however, on more than one ocassion thanked me!) I don't mind it so much except that I'd rather spend the time with him walking in the park or reading what we choose.
Well yesterday we had guests over after school whose mom is in the hospital and so we had homework time all together. There were somed serious differences in their tasks. Each one of the other boys had only one worksheet, The Kid had 4. They had no required reading assignment so I made them each read a book, cause The Kid had to read two stories in one book and begin a book report on another. They did not have a list of three tests to study for on Friday either. During the course of doing homework, one of the guests asked, "Do you help him with his homework everyday? We do ours by ourselves."
At first I thought I might be a terrible mom for sitting with The Kid each day, but before I said anything, The Kid looked up long enough to reply matter-of-factly, "Of course she does." No other words just a quiet affirming acceptance of the fact that I will always be sitting in the chair beside him.
I started thinking that I am so glad God hangs around me even when I don't ask. I can count on the fact that when I do pull my chair up, He will have time for me. But bigger than that I can know that He never leaves me alone to figure stuff out on my own.
Thank you, God, for helping me with my "homework." Sometimes the assignments seem so big, but i am grateful that I can count on you to be sitting there, helping me and encouraging me even when I forget to ask.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Lesson Learned on the Playground
Today was filled with fun. The Kid is out of school and his cousins are here from Texas for the week. He has introduced the four year old boy cousin to internet computer games (Webkinz and National Geographic for Kids are his current faves) and pushed the buggy filled with twin baby dolls and a cute purse for his soon-to-be-two-year-old girl cousin. There was lots more fun, too…popping long sheets of bubble wrap (my personal favorite), dancing to Crocodile Rock, making very large spider webs with scotch tape (each boy used a whole roll!) and then a fun trip to the park.
By the time we went to the park, the boys were getting a little tired of each other. The Kid said from the back seat to his cousin who was in the way back seat (strategic placement was my idea), “Hey why don’t you run one way in the park and I will run another way. Then we don’t even have to see each other.” The boy cousin was agreeable and totally oblivious to the motives of The Kid. (It was fun to see that when the cousin was feeling bullied by another kid on the playground, he ran straight to Austin, who searched out the offender and talked to him.)
Now for the real point of this whole story…..
Not long before we left the park, The Kid ran over to me and said, “Quick, I need one of those ABC things. I am talking to that kid over there about Jesus.” (He was referring to a tract we use at church to tell kids about how to be saved.) Not 15 minutes later, we were traveling home and The Kid, quite irritated by the boy cousin who was singing a Christmas song very loudly, lashed out very rudely at the cousin. Among the really smart “mommy stuff” I had to say was this: “You were just telling a stranger about Jesus and here is your cousin, a part of your family, getting nothing that sounds like Jesus from you.”
Even as the words came out of my mouth, I realized that (in the words of a wise teacher I worked with a long time ago) I had one finger pointing in accusation at The Kid and four others pointing back at me! How often do I speak “Jesus” in public and moments later I am speaking harshly and rudely with my family? It’s way more than I care to admit, but you can be sure that the short lecture that followed – the one about what a gift family is and how we need to treasure our family and speak words of loving kindness that build them up – well, those words were mostly for me.
By the time we went to the park, the boys were getting a little tired of each other. The Kid said from the back seat to his cousin who was in the way back seat (strategic placement was my idea), “Hey why don’t you run one way in the park and I will run another way. Then we don’t even have to see each other.” The boy cousin was agreeable and totally oblivious to the motives of The Kid. (It was fun to see that when the cousin was feeling bullied by another kid on the playground, he ran straight to Austin, who searched out the offender and talked to him.)
Now for the real point of this whole story…..
Not long before we left the park, The Kid ran over to me and said, “Quick, I need one of those ABC things. I am talking to that kid over there about Jesus.” (He was referring to a tract we use at church to tell kids about how to be saved.) Not 15 minutes later, we were traveling home and The Kid, quite irritated by the boy cousin who was singing a Christmas song very loudly, lashed out very rudely at the cousin. Among the really smart “mommy stuff” I had to say was this: “You were just telling a stranger about Jesus and here is your cousin, a part of your family, getting nothing that sounds like Jesus from you.”
Even as the words came out of my mouth, I realized that (in the words of a wise teacher I worked with a long time ago) I had one finger pointing in accusation at The Kid and four others pointing back at me! How often do I speak “Jesus” in public and moments later I am speaking harshly and rudely with my family? It’s way more than I care to admit, but you can be sure that the short lecture that followed – the one about what a gift family is and how we need to treasure our family and speak words of loving kindness that build them up – well, those words were mostly for me.
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