Discipline

What does God say about Disciplining our children? Proverbs 23:13 says that "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die". I believe that you do not always have to use physical punishment, there are other ways to discipline, however, I do believe when the children are smaller its not wrong to give them a pat on the bottom. The scenario that is almost often used is "If a child runs in the street you will pull them back and smack their bottom". That ultimately saves them. The scripture says in Proverbs 19:18
"Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death". I think that once a child gets to a certain age, physical discipline should not be used. I know of people who were still getting disciplined well into their teen years. There is no need for that if you teach them when they are younger. I truly believe that the toddler age is the time when you really rear your kids into the things that are acceptable and whats not. I have this issue now with a very strong willed 2 1/2 year old. He wears me out! I am trying to come up with different ideas in the way we discipline him but he rarely responds to a "time out" whats a parent to do? It truly does hurt me more then him if I need to pat him on the bottom. Lord knows I don't want to but I fear if I don't train him now, what will the future hold? I can only pray and trust God. As parents thats the number one thing we do and trust the scripture when it says Proverb 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart".

Time Management

Why do the weekends go so fast? Its 2 days and seems like its over before it starts! How come Monday and Tuesday don't go that fast! I love spending the time with our family and friends relaxing watching Football or just hanging out. I heard a very sweet christian woman say to me one time that the Lord gave us the amount of days and hours he knew we would need and we should never complain about it. We should never say "There are not enough hours in a day" and things like that. Sometimes it seems as moms that we never do have enough time. I am guilty of not managing my time wisely and maybe that is something that I need to work on. I have already made changes regarding the computer time on social networks and that frees up a lot of time. I see some woman who have this list of things that they need to complete for the day and they check them each off and make sure it gets done, wow! We have a list but very rarely does it all get done! Atleast I am on the right path though. Sometimes I feel like a failure in that department but I like to say "Life happens" things happen, kids get sick, laundry needs washed and things like that. I try to remember to make the most of everything we are doing even if it is laundry, life is so short. I think of the scriptures when they say "life is but a fleeting moment" or "life is a vapor". Things like that really make you realize its not so much what you are doing in that time as much as it is how you are making the best of that time. What does God say about managing our time?

Ephesians 5:15-16 "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Social Networking

I have been very convicted this past week about the time I spend on the computer and Facebook. I am ashamed to even say how many hours I would spend surfing around the internet when I could be using my time where it is needed, in my own house! I think that blogs are awesome and its a great way to peek inside other peoples homes and hearts to see what they do and to get great ideas from them, however, Facebook I have noticed is becoming and invasion of privacy for many. You know that saying "less is more" well I feel I am beginning to learn too much and its not needed. Honestly, I don't care that someone is on their way to the pick up a can of tomatoes or that someone else's husband is being a jerk. Really, its a little much. I think Facebook is a great outreach tool to spread news of important things but it can very easily take a lot of time if not careful with it. I like the fact that I can see pictures of distant relatives and friends and that will be about the extent of my use other then trying to encourage others in the Lord and encouragement for myself. I do not want to offend those who use it, like I said its a great tool and maybe I just don't have the discipline to limit myself. Since we homeschool it takes a lot of concentration on my part because I have 2 kids under 3 and its so hard to teach the oldest with the distractions I already have so I am trying to simplify my daily life and what I do with the hours given. I have been to The Homeschool Channel which is a great tool and loads of info and movies for parents and the kids to view. You should check it out those who wish to enrich their teaching with other information. I watched a video yesterday morning on Noah and DNA, very cool. I plan to continue to blog here and this will be sent also to my Facebook page graciously given for the friends I have there and really cherish, I will pop in maybe once a week or so for messages there so God Bless you all and I am off for some Math time, send some prayers :)

180 Movie

I was so excited to finally see the Ray Comfort 180 movie. It is definitely a movie that will get even the biggest skeptic thinking, I love stuff like that. I know that topics like Abortion, Murder, Holocaust, and the Right to Choose are not the favorite things that talk about or debate but they are things we need to discuss. I am so floored at the amount of people who didn't know who Adolph Hitler was, really!!!? I mean have they stopped teaching our kids in school about the holocaust? I am only 36 but when I was in school we learned of it. I am teaching my children about it, its not something that should be forgotten, ever. The connections Ray made about Hitler and Abortion were very good, I mean we would never sit back and watch people be killed for no reason so why would someone think its ok to kill a child? Doesn't make sense to me. God says its murder and I believe it is. What if Mary was Pro Choice?

Well this has been one sad week. At the beginning of the week we get word that my husbands 34 year old cousin was killed in a car accident. A young man, a father, loved one taken way too soon. It breaks your heart when anyone dies but the premature deaths are the hardest I think. A few days after that we get word that my sweet aunts ex hubby, father of her 2 girls, 39 years old dies suddenly. Wow, what is going on, so young. I feel so bad for these families. Words can't say anything to help the pain, I guess sometimes the only thing we can do is to just be there. So yesterday my parents call too tell me that my cousin, mid 40s is in the hospital, he just collapsed at work. They believe it could be his heart and copd. Another young man with kids. It really goes to show you that you just never know. Its the famous saying we all have said I am sure but its so true. The bible says we are not promised tomorrow and this week was definitely a wake up call to me to try to be more relaxed, enjoy the little things. I have a tendency to stress over so much, really stuff that I can't even doing anything about. Why do we do that? What is it with us that we think worrying will change something? Just like Jesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow or what you will eat, your clothes, or anything" Matthew 6:25 My goal for the week is to try to get into a pattern of relaxing, trying not to stress and worry so much, it really doesn't get us anywhere does it? I want to relax like this little monkey picture, so cute and care free :)

Holiday wreaths and easy crafts

I am in a crafty mood and have been making bandana wreaths, I love them and they are so cheap! I also have all the stuff to make the bottle cap jewelry that is my next mission. Its fun and easy and the whole family can do it! This one is our Halloween one, so cute the kids can help!!

In time of Loss

I woke up this morning and signed on to check email and messages and seen that a precious little girl named Gabby whose Facebook page many of us followed had lost her battle with cancer last night. My heart just sank. Its every parents nightmare. I can't imagine because my mind won't even allow the thought, its not the normal process of the way things are "supposed" to happen. I remember listening to a preacher talk about the tragic loss of his daughter who was going on a missions trip and her plane went down, she was 18, a christian and just wonderful by all accounts. Why? Why do these horrible things happen to the innocent, thats the million dollar question. The preacher said that there was NO emotion that goes with the loss of a child thats normal, its normal for us to grieve the loss of a grandparent, parent and even sibling. Not a child, there is no emotion that is normal to go with that. Its not how its supposed to be. There is only one way to cope with this kind of loss and its God. When King David lost his child he said "Why should I go on fasting, can I bring him back? He will not come back to me, I shall go to him" 2 Samuel 12:23 As Christians we have one hope and that is in God and that one day we will be reunited with our loved ones. My cousin was tragically killed when hit by a car at the age of 3, my aunt and uncle were not christians at the time. My aunt said the only thing that got her through was that she could be with her again if she believed and trusted in the Lord so her and my uncle got saved and eventually because pastors of a church, they are still serving the Lord and one of the sweetest couple I've ever met and love the Lord so much. Words from me won't be of much comfort to the family of Gabby, there is probably not much anyone can say. As of right now we need to just pray for them that God give them strength and all of those who've lost a loved one, a child or someone tragically. God is their only Hope.

Psalm 33:20

"Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield"