I have an 18 month old going on 13! I don't know about you, but when I tell "the Bean" NO, he just smiles and does it anyway. I thought he was going to do that when he was teenager! He leaves me a bit frustrated at times.
While watching the Olympics I was impressed with all of the athletes and their abilities in their particular sport. Take Michael Phelps, you know the "golden" boy of the Olympics, he surpassed so many records. How did he do this? He trained. He swam for years, he failed at times, but he didn't give up, he kept training.
Well it clicked one night...training... YES that is what my husband and I are doing with "the bean". We are training him to become the man that he is called. We must train him in discipline, respect, honor, and following the Lord, and many other things that would take thousands of blogs! Is it going to be easy, NO. Is it going to be overnight, NO. Are we going to win gold medals, NO. But we will receive rewards in the end. "The Bean" will eventually be a respectful, obedient child. Will we fail at times? YES. Will we have setbacks, YES. Will we continue to train? YES.
I have learned that we, as parents, are in a never ending cycle of training. I don't think it will ever end. I know, as a daughter, even though I am married and a mother now, feel at times my parents are still training me. A different type of training, but training none the less.
Happy Training...to us all!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Spiders!
Today I had my bi-annual dentist appointment. While I was waiting to go back, I picked up a book to read. In this book they were talking about spiders, their resilency and how they "dig deep" to survive. When you sweep a spider away does he give in and allow you to destroy him? NO! He begins to release his silky protein thread and before you know he has landed safely in a new spot and is stronger than ever; he has learned to avoid your attack.
What an example we have in this creature.
David, like the spider, "digs deep" when he says he will fight Goliath. 1 Samuel states, "Saul replied(to David), 'You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.'" But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."" David learned from his attacks while tending his sheep, and was prepared when he came up againist the Philistine. David trusted the Lord, he trusted that the Lord had prepared him for this time in his life. David knew that the Lord had given him all he needed to defeat Goliath, he knew he must "dig deep" to fulfill his duty.
My husband began a new job this summer. I know he will face struggles, make decisions people will not like, and have a bit of roller coaster year. But one thing I am confident in, he will "dig deep" in what the Lord has equipped him with. He will take time the time to seek the Lord's guidance and wisdom. He will be like the spider, even though one may want to sweep him away, or push him down, he will learn, rely on the Lord and become stronger. I am excited for my husband, I know this will be an interesting year, Ican't wait to see what happens.
What an example we have in this creature.
David, like the spider, "digs deep" when he says he will fight Goliath. 1 Samuel states, "Saul replied(to David), 'You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.'" But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."" David learned from his attacks while tending his sheep, and was prepared when he came up againist the Philistine. David trusted the Lord, he trusted that the Lord had prepared him for this time in his life. David knew that the Lord had given him all he needed to defeat Goliath, he knew he must "dig deep" to fulfill his duty.
My husband began a new job this summer. I know he will face struggles, make decisions people will not like, and have a bit of roller coaster year. But one thing I am confident in, he will "dig deep" in what the Lord has equipped him with. He will take time the time to seek the Lord's guidance and wisdom. He will be like the spider, even though one may want to sweep him away, or push him down, he will learn, rely on the Lord and become stronger. I am excited for my husband, I know this will be an interesting year, Ican't wait to see what happens.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
A Spritual Being
Beginning in June "the Bean" and I started going to story time at the Library here in town. I had great expectations of this being a new activity for us to do together, and he could begin to interact with other children. However, I was worried at the beginning if he would sit still long enough to actually hear and enjoy anything. The first week was basically a bust, he was restless and wanting to get up and walk around or make these fun "owl" sounds, but we made it through.
The next week we were walking up the stairs to go into the Library, and I saw, out of the corner of my eye, this Muslim mother, grandmother and daughter. Both mother and grandmother were in their traditional clothing, while the daughter wore western clothes. So we walk into the meeting room and find our seats. "The Bean", of course, begins to look around and check out all the kids. I, too am looking around to see if I know anyone. I see the Muslim family again, and I catch myself staring at them. So I began to pray that the Lord would give me an opportunity talk with them. Our storyteller is going on in her story and "the Bean" is listening intently, but I am not, I continue to look at this woman. I begin thinking she is this girl I rode the bus with as a kid. So i pray again for the Lord to give me a chance to talk with her after class.
The class ends and I decide to go and see if this is the girl I once knew. It turned out to not be her, but I met a new friend. Now I seek her out on story time day and we talk often. I am now praying for an opportunity to meet her outside of story time, so I can build a deeper relationship with her.
With all of this I bring us back to my title, "A Spiritual Being" , during this summer and specifically this account with my new friend, the Lord has reminded me I am a spiritual being. Over the life of "the Bean" I have grown comfortable in just being a wife and mom. I was comfortable in conducting the daily tasks of dressing him, feeding him, kissing boo boo's, changing those stinky diapers, playing and loving him, going to story time and being a wife. I had lost sight in that I am first a spiritual being, specifically, I am first a daughter of Christ. My life, my heart, should not soley rest in the duties of motherhood and being a wife. I have known this for years, heard it in sermons, and always felt I understood. But it wasn't until my faithful day with "my new friend" that I realized how easy it is to get caught up with just being.
The next week we were walking up the stairs to go into the Library, and I saw, out of the corner of my eye, this Muslim mother, grandmother and daughter. Both mother and grandmother were in their traditional clothing, while the daughter wore western clothes. So we walk into the meeting room and find our seats. "The Bean", of course, begins to look around and check out all the kids. I, too am looking around to see if I know anyone. I see the Muslim family again, and I catch myself staring at them. So I began to pray that the Lord would give me an opportunity talk with them. Our storyteller is going on in her story and "the Bean" is listening intently, but I am not, I continue to look at this woman. I begin thinking she is this girl I rode the bus with as a kid. So i pray again for the Lord to give me a chance to talk with her after class.
The class ends and I decide to go and see if this is the girl I once knew. It turned out to not be her, but I met a new friend. Now I seek her out on story time day and we talk often. I am now praying for an opportunity to meet her outside of story time, so I can build a deeper relationship with her.
With all of this I bring us back to my title, "A Spiritual Being" , during this summer and specifically this account with my new friend, the Lord has reminded me I am a spiritual being. Over the life of "the Bean" I have grown comfortable in just being a wife and mom. I was comfortable in conducting the daily tasks of dressing him, feeding him, kissing boo boo's, changing those stinky diapers, playing and loving him, going to story time and being a wife. I had lost sight in that I am first a spiritual being, specifically, I am first a daughter of Christ. My life, my heart, should not soley rest in the duties of motherhood and being a wife. I have known this for years, heard it in sermons, and always felt I understood. But it wasn't until my faithful day with "my new friend" that I realized how easy it is to get caught up with just being.
Friday, August 8, 2008
The First
Tonight I begin a new journey... The journey to blog. What am I thinking? My purpose will be to delve deeper in to what truly influences our hearts. I hope to see how the Lord is leading, teaching, revealing and how myself, family and friends influence the direction of the heart.
Stay tuned, i hope to begin soon!
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