Proud Patriot

I have struggled these last few weeks to come up with a good blog topic. It seems as though our world has toppled over. A few days ago, I was scrolling through Facebook. I saw a post, and as I read through it, the writer reminded me how much I love the United States of America. There is not another country that gives its citizens the rights and freedoms like America. I am proud to be an American.

In 1620, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England. The Pilgrims were fleeing to the New World. They were being persecuted for religious reasons. On that boat was a man named John Howland. He indentured himself as a slave so that he could come to America. He is Clint’s ancestor. Jude is named for him.

The Pilgrims drafted the Mayflower Compact. It was the first document to establish self-government in the New World. The Compact begins by saying:

“Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith.”

In the 16th and 17th centuries, a group of Protestants fled to America due to religious persecution. Mine and Clint’s ancestors were among these Huguenots. George Washington was also a descendant of the Huguenots.

In 1774, colonists voiced their grievances against the crown of England at the First Continental Congress. They declared the rights due to every citizen, including life, liberty, property, assembly, and trial by jury. War broke out. Thomas Paine argued in Common Sense that independence was a natural right. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence. It begins:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was established. It guaranteed certain basic rights for the citizens of America.

The founders of America were God-fearing men. They risked (and many lost) their lives for their country, so that their families and descendants could live in a country that was free—free from religious tyranny (the government telling them what they could and could not believe), free from the government limiting their rights as citizens (freedom of speech, the press, peaceful assembly, bearing arms (guns and weapons), speedy trials, voting).

What these people did, from the Pilgrims to the colonists to our founding fathers and beyond, was not based on simple ideologies. They were fighting for God-ordained rights.

Exodus 20 says:

“I am Yahweh, your God… there shall be for you no other gods before me.”

The founders of our country did not put America before God. Their ancestors fled to America because they were being persecuted for worshiping God. Every document the founders drafted magnified God as the Creator of every person. Clint and I want our children to know and love God, and we desire for them to live in a country that allows them to love and worship God freely. Our ancestors fought so that we can live in a country that allows us to worship God freely. This is not putting America before God.

God sovereignly ordains all things, including the leaders of countries—including the leaders of America. However, who has the right to vote? I do. You do. These officials do not hold all the power. God does. But who makes decisions in our country? The President, senators, representatives, governors, mayors, city council members. We vote for leaders who will continue to support the divine rights that our founders fought for—life, liberty, property. God uses our voting rights as a means to fulfill his sovereign plan on whom he appoints as President and other offices.

Purity and respect are important. I am thankful for leaders like President Trump who says things like this:

“Our Founders boldly declared that we are all endowed with the same divine rights—given [to] us by our Creator in Heaven. And that which God has given us, we will allow no one, ever, to take away—ever.”

To have a leader who acknowledges that God our Creator has given the same divine rights to everyone is a huge blessing.

Seeking to harm someone for stealing lunch money at school is an abuse of violence. The right to defend myself is not violent. Jesus tells his disciples in Luke 22:

“And the one who does not have a sword must sell his cloak and buy one.”

The right to bear arms and defend oneself is a God-given right. It is commanded by God.

How can one spread the gospel if we do not have the right to speak about God freely? We are blessed to live in a democracy. We are blessed to live in a country that gives us the rights and freedoms to worship and spread the gospel of our Lord.

God commands us to care for the widow and the orphan. He commands us to treat others with respect. I love supporting organizations that help those who are in need. Clint and I support two beautiful girls in Honduras. I have so many friends who adopt and foster children. I love volunteering my time to help in senior centers. I have friends who use their time to help other organizations. America has always welcomed immigrants. However, there is a difference between illegal immigrants who try to cut in line and legal immigrants who follow the law. There is a difference between allowing refugees to bring their anti-democracy ideologies into our country and using the blessings that God gives us to help them in their countries. There is a difference in being forced to hand out my hard-earned money to those who choose not to work.

God calls us to repent. We have been talking to Seth about repentance a lot. We look to the Law of God for the sins that we are to repent of. As a six-year-old, Seth has been struggling a lot with lying. We are calling on him to repent when he lies to us. We are not, however, telling him to repent of the sin of adultery. He is not married. He is not cheating on his spouse. He is not even thinking about having a wife right now. In the same way, why should someone feel the need to repent of a sin that they are not committing? Racism is the belief that another race is inherently inferior. If one does not believe that another race is inherently inferior, then why does that person feel compelled to repent? In our home, we believe in one race—the human race. The race through Adam. As the New Testament teaches, there is no Jew, no Greek, no barbarian—but there is one.

Life is precious. God created all life. But he created human life in his image—in the imago dei. Unborn children whose lives are snuffed out in the womb is murder, plain and simple. Killing animals just to be killing is certainly wrong, but not in the same way as killing a child. This is because the child is created in the image of God; the animal is not. Killing one animal to feed a family and thanking God for his provision is glorifying to God. Clint and I believe in taking care of the planet. For example, throwing away all the plastic bags that the grocery store is forcing me to take home right now (since the reusable bags have been banned) is irresponsible. It is not using the brain that God gave me. I can easily recycle those bags and glorify God with my choice.

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever. God’s inerrant Word tells me this. But what will happen if our country turns to socialism, communism, Marxism? I will not be allowed to have a Bible. I will not be allowed to read my Bible. I will not be allowed to teach my children the Bible. The Constitution of the United States gives me the freedom to worship God alone. It gives me the freedom to read Scripture. The Bible is my primary authority—but without the Constitution of the United States, we would not be free to have the Word of God in our possession.

Some are claiming that evangelicals have abandoned what their parents taught them. Maybe it is not that we have abandoned their teachings. Maybe it is that the ideologies that are infiltrating our great nation (socialism, communism, Marxism)—the nation that gives us the freedom to worship God—are attacking the minds of the citizens. It has recently been said:

“Our children are taught in school to hate their own country, and to believe that the men and women who built it were not heroes, but that they were villains. The radical view of American history is a web of lies—all perspective is removed, every virtue is obscured, every motive is twisted, every fact is distorted, and every flaw is magnified until the history is purged and the record is disfigured beyond all recognition.”

I could not agree more.

Quarantine Positives

During the last few weeks of quarantine, emotions have run rampant around our country. In our home, with a six-year-old and a two-year-old, we already have an array of emotions. We have spent a lot of time in our yard, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. Bike rides have also helped to build positive emotions.

While talking to a friend the other day, I began to think about all of the positive things we have experienced during this quarantine time. For one thing, I have loved having all of this extra family time. Clint has been teaching from home. Although he is still working, we have loved having him around. It means that instead of just seeing him at night, we get to eat lunch and dinner with him. Jude has enjoyed bombing his Zoom meetings. Seth loves getting to have more time with him, since Clint has not had to commute to and from work. I am thankful for all of the extra time we have had together as well. Clint and I have had the opportunity to talk through so many things during the last few weeks. We have become closer as a couple and as a family.

I had to reschedule Seth’s annual physical checkup due to COVID-19. We finally made it to the pediatrician’s office a few days ago. We did not have to go into the waiting room. We were able to wait in our car. When our room was ready, they called me. It was wonderful! I have always been uncomfortable in doctor’s waiting rooms. After the quarantine is over, even if our pediatrician goes back to the normal waiting room protocol, I will opt for waiting in our car. The precedent has been set, and I am very thankful.

We have had time to complete lots of projects, clean out lots of closets, and organize several rooms. Seth and I organized all of our Legos by color. Jude helped me sort through all of his baby clothes and toys. Clint has had time at night and on the weekends to complete several house projects. We moved the boys and all the toys into one room. We converted Seth’s old room into a school/art room. Between homeschooling and Clint teaching from home, we needed a real school space. We have school desks, books, and all our arts and crafts in one place. Dividing the bedrooms between a sleeping/play area and a school/studying area has helped to create a positive learning environment.

Since we have not been able to go and visit our family and friends, we have been able to teach the boys about showing love from a distance. We have colored and painted so many cards for our loved ones. We have videoed crazy science experiments to send to grandparents. We have FaceTimed and Skyped. Seth has actually asked if he could make special presents for people that he misses. I love developing hearts of kindness in our children.

Our family has always had Scripture reading time all together, but with our crazy schedules, it has not been consistent. One of the many things Clint and I have had time to talk about was how we both desire to have a consistent time of reading through God’s Word as a whole family. Now that the boys are in the same room, we put them in their beds, Clint opens up the Greek Bible, he translates it, and we discuss it with Seth and Jude. Not only has this time been beneficial for us a family, it has given Clint the opportunity to study Greek in more depth. It has also allowed us to talk about deep theological topics in front of the boys. They may not understand everything we say, but they are gleaning truth and knowledge all the time.

Although we miss going to the grocery store with Clint, although we are tired of not being able go places as a family, although we have missed seeing our grandparents and friends, we have been able to use this quarantine time for so many positives. We are thankful that our state is beginning to lift regulations. We are thankful that the economy is slowly beginning to open again. We are hopeful that it will soon begin to thrive once more. But through the trials of quarantine, there have been so many things to be thankful for.

Praise Yah!
Praise, O servants of Yahweh,
praise the name of Yahweh.

Let the name of Yahweh be blessed,
from now until forever.

From the rising of the sun to its setting,
let the name of Yahweh be blessed.

Psalm 113:1-3

Getting “The Call”

Our world has turned upside down in the last week. Not just my family’s world, but the world as a whole has been turned upside down. The affects of COVID-19 are everywhere. The streets are empty. With schools shutting down, my husband is preparing to teach in an online/distance learning format. We have opted to follow the city/state/country guidelines and distance ourselves from friends and family in an attempt to slow the spread of this strange virus.

Some people are completely overreacting. The toilet paper hoarding really needs to stop. I am not really worried about my little family. If one of us contracts COVID-19, the likelihood that we will recover and be okay is highly probable. However, there are people who are at high risk–the elderly, those with health conditions, pregnant moms. It is important for everyone to do their part to protect others as best we can.

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

However, there is another group that is at risk right now: those in our workforce. We have a friend who received a call a few days ago from her significant other. He had lost his job. I have a family member whose work hours are being slashed. I have friends who are terrified that their jobs will be eliminated. My heart goes out to these people.

I know what it is like to get that call. I will never forget when Clint called me and said, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a job anymore.” We had a mortgage, a baby, and a preschooler. We had a life. And suddenly, we had no income.

To those of you who have already lost a job; to those of you who have lost work hours; to those of you who are frightened that you will lose your job—I understand your emotions; I understand your frustrations; I understand your fears.

Amazon is trying to hire 100,000 employees right now.

Grocery stores, like H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, and many more, are trying to hire cashiers, stockers, and others right now.

Walmart is looking to hire 150,000 employees.

Tech companies, like Microsoft and Zoom, are hiring as people being working and learning remotely.

Delivery companies are hiring, especially food and grocery delivery companies.

Cleaning services are hiring.

Humana is hiring.

I know there are other companies hiring right now as our world changes.

I understand that many of these jobs will not substitute in the long-term a job that you may have lost. But I do know that in the short term, these jobs can mean the world to someone who does not have an income source. When Clint came home after losing his job, we immediately began trying to find something, anything, to support us. Do not lose hope. Do not give up. As President Trump continuously says, we will defeat this virus; we will defeat this time.

*** If you hear of any other companies that are hiring right now, post them for others! Let me know so I can post them!

We celebrated Seth’s SIXTH birthday before the COVID-19 panic struck.

Fruit: Self-Control

As a young mother, one of the best pieces of advice I received was simply not to “freak out.” My wise mother gave me this tidbit after I called her in complete hysterics one day. I vividly remember her telling me to calm down. Between my crying and Seth’s screaming, she couldn’t hear anything I was saying. She was finally able to get me to settle down. Then, she told me one of the worst things that I can do in an emergency situation is to not handle it calmly. After the scene has been diffused, if I need a moment to “freak out,” I need to go somewhere private and let out my emotions.

The point is not to hide my emotions from my children. It is very important that they see emotional responses from me. But at the same time, when they see me respond or react in a certain way, their often will mirror my behavior.

When I hysterically called my mom, I was terrified that my new baby was severely hurt. He was only two weeks old. The oven timer had gone off. He was asleep in my arms. I gently laid him on the couch. I built a pillow tower around him. I moved the coffee table flush with the couch. I was only gone for a moment. I ran to the kitchen. I took dinner out of the oven. I heard a crash. I heard shrieks. I ran to my baby. Somehow, he had rolled over the pillow wall, over the coffee table, and onto the floor. I was scared.

After I calmed down and got Seth to stop screaming, my mom told me to gently start to move his little arms and legs around. I was watching to see how he moved, and how he responded to his appendages moving. He started laughing at me. Thankfully, he was okay. I learned that no matter how dire the situation, as a parent, I cannot freak out. I have to stay in-control.

As a mom of two boys, this advice is utilized frequently. There was the time Seth bit all the way through his lip and almost lost a tooth. Jude smashed his face into the fireplace and chipped a tooth. Seth almost amputated a toe. Jude fell off a bench and slammed his head into the concrete. No matter how much I want to burst into tears myself, I have to remain calm. I have to settle my children down. I have to assess the situation and find out how serious things are. I have to teach my children to remain calm in emergencies.

We are teaching Seth to ride a bike. He was doing really well. Clint was running with him as he zoomed down the path. Then, he went down hard. I saw the tears begin to pool in his eyes as he saw his skinned knee and squished finger. My mama instincts kicked in as I ran to his side. I had several options on how to handle the situation. I could start crying myself. I could coddle him. I could ignore him. I could teach him to calm down, pick himself up, and get back on his bike. I chose the latter.

I have him a huge hug. It is important that he knows I care. As he moved around to give me a hug, I was also able to tell that no bones were broken. I told him how proud I was of him. Then, Clint and I talked to him about calming down, picking himself up, getting back on his bike, and conquering the situation. At first, he did not want to pick himself up. But he did! He calmed down, got back on his bike, and rode for thirty more minutes.

What is self-control? As a mom, I often think of self-control as keeping your hands and feet to yourself. In the context of Galatians 5, self-control means restraining one’s emotions, impulses, or desires. Emotions are important. It is easy to let them “take control” of us though. Anger can be good, but it can quickly turn nasty. Being silly is good, but again, it can quickly turn into trouble. There are times to be happy and times to be sad. Being able to differentiate between fussy tears, genuine pain tears, and mourning tears is crucial for a parent.

Every day is a day to learn about staying calm, controlling emotions, and picking yourself up, no matter how dire, scary, or irritating the situation. It is never too early to begin teaching these important lessons to your children. It is easier to “freak out” and shut down. Training them to control their emotions is essential to their development and their future. When we do not teach self-control and how to manage emotions to our children, we are setting them up for failure. We are training them to not control their impulses and desires. We are preparing them to be ineffective and unproductive, not only in their day-to-day lives, but more importantly in their knowledge of truth and Jesus Christ.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)

Play it Again, Mom

The alarm goes off. I push snooze. I lay in bed praying for the upcoming day. My to-do list is long, but I have a great feeling about the day. I get Clint off to work. I sit down and do my Bible study. I am ready for the day.

I put on my shoes, pump myself up, and start my workout. I am a sweaty mess, but the day ahead has such potential. Jude bursts through the door and gives me a huge smile. Seth is not far behind, a little bit groggy, but just as happy for the day. I put them in the bathtub as I finish lifting weights. And then I hear it.

“Jude! Why did you do that?!?!”
{ SPLASH }
“AAAHHH!!!! Mama!!!”

Suddenly, the day does not look so wonderful. My patience is already wearing thin, and we have not even had breakfast.

Typically, I would react with irritation and frustration. I hear a scream, and I react. As soon as I react, I regret what I have done. Reactions are done without thought and are usually too harsh. They provoke more reactions from everyone around. Instead of being diffused, the situation spirals into a long, drawn out, and even more frustrating ordeal.

A response is different. It is thought out. It is calm. It is under control. How do you train yourself to respond instead of react? I have been working with the boys on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5, especially patience, kindness, and self-control. All the fruit, but especially these three, are key when responding instead of reacting.

Throughout the day, I sing the fruit of the Spirit to the boys. Seth and Jude both love music. They love singing, dancing, and playing instruments. Music has always had a calming effect on them. I sing the fruit just for fun; I sing it when they start to fight; I sing it when they get grumpy and start to whine. Almost immediately, attitudes change. It gives me time to stop and think about what I should do, when normally I would abruptly react . 

I knew that they liked the song and hearing the fruit of the Spirit. I knew that it was helping me to gain control, rather than do something hurried and harsh. However, I was not sure how deep my effort was going into their little hearts. Were really hearing the words of the song? Were they thinking about how to be patient, kind, and in-control?

One afternoon, Jude was playing, I was washing dishes, and Seth was doing homework. Seth looked at me, and said, “Mom? Can you sing that song again? The one about the fruit? I really like hearing you sing it during the day.”

As I shepherd these little boy hearts, it is important for me to model how they are to behave. If I constantly react to them, all I will teach them is to react to me, each other, and the people they encounter. It is my responsibility to teach them to “play it again,” and respond with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Bears, Hearts, & Forever

I loved reading Berenstain Bear books as a child. I had so many. Clint and I have started our own collection for our boys. I love hearing Seth read them out loud to Jude.

A few months ago, we found a Valentine’s Berenstain Bear video on YouTube. It was cute, but a was a little disappointed at how shallow it was. It was a simple story about Brother Bear receiving a Valentine from a secret admirer. In the end, his sweetheart turned out to be girl on an opposing hockey team.

We were at Hobby Lobby last week and found two Valentine Berenstain Bears books. The first was about loving their neighbors. It took the story of the Good Samaritan from the Bible and used it as the backdrop. After Seth read it, I opened the Bible to Luke 10. Seth quickly recognized that the two stories were parallels. We were able to talk about who our neighbors are, how we can care for those around us, and how we can show them loving kindness.

When I started to read the second book to the boys, my heart dropped. It was the same story that we had watched on YouTube. I was very disheartened, but I continued to read. To my delight, the actual book was different!

Brother Bear still receives a Valentine card from a secret admirer, but when he asks Papa Bear what he should do, the response surprised me.

“I know how you feel,” he said. “I got a valentine like this when I was about your age. At first, I worried a lot,” said Papa. “It was from a secret admirer who just called herself  Cutie Bear.”

“Yuck!” said Brother… “What did you do then?”

“Do?” said Papa. “Why, I up and married the girl… Not back then… I married her later on. It was your mother!” 

Around 270 AD, a priest named named Valentine defied an edict made by Emperor Claudius II that banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. The emperor was attempting to encourage more young men to join the army. Valentine continued to marry couples in secret. When his actions were discovered, he was condemned to death.

Valentine’s Day has taken on a new meaning in our current culture. It is all about feelings. Did the cheesy card make you feel loved? Did the chocolate heart live up to your expectations? Was the flower arrangement big enough? Was the jewelry expensive enough? Was the dinner extravagant enough?

I am not knocking Valentine’s Day! I think it is fine if couples want to have a special day to celebrate each other and their love. What I find interesting is that most people are not really celebrating true love though. It is about a superficial “love” feeling. We tend to overlook what real love looks like.

Several times in the Berenstain Bear book, Papa and Mama Bear quote 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, it does not boast, it does not become conceited, it does not behave dishonorably, it is not selfish, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it does not rejoice at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…

The origin of Valentine’s Day rests in the importance of marriage. St. Valentine displayed love to the couples he was marrying by risking his life to join them for life.

Every day that Clint goes to work so that I can stay home with our children, he is showing his love for us. When Seth runs to get Jude a band-aid when he has hurt himself, he is showing his love. As Jude pats Seth on the back when he is sad, he is showing how much he loves his brother.

Flowers will die. Jewelry will tarnish. Food will be eaten. Cards will be recycled. True, Christ-like love, though, will never end. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

We will not go out on Valentine’s Day. This fun lunch with all three of my boys means more to me than 100 crowded and overly expensive V-Day “dates.”

Super ____

Thanks to social media and trending news articles, I now know that the Chief’s won the Super Bowl. I proudly admit that until this morning, the day after the Super Bowl, I did not know who was playing in the game. We are not a football-watching kind of family. We tolerate a few live college games as we can cheer a family member who is on the school’s dance team. Beyond that, we really don’t care much for football. We are a bicycle-riding, running, adventure-sport kind of family. Although we did not watch the Super Bowl, we did have a super Sunday.

While everyone else was busy preparing for Super Bowl parties, our family zoomed around the house playing Super Wings. Seth has loved Super Wings for several years. It was actually the motivation we used to get him to stop sucking his thumb. Jude is now old enough to play with the little airplanes. He loves them more than Seth does. As he learns all the character’s, he proudly tells us their names.

After we saved the world, we enjoyed some super good barbecue at a favorite local restaurant. After a delicious and nutritious lunch of turkey, green beans, and pinto beans, we went to print out some Valentine’s cards for the boys to make. I had fun designing some “super” cool Valentine’s for them. Throughout our afternoon excursion, our potty-training two-year-old did super good and told us when he needed to go to the restroom.

Once we got home, Clint went on a two-hour super intense mountain bike ride (and by intense, I mean 21ish miles, and 800-1000 calories burned). While he was out, the boys and I went to a playground to swing, jump, and slide. Since most people were watching pre-game news, the trails and the playground were deserted. It was super. 

After the boys woke up from their naps, we decided to go grocery shopping. To our delight, the grocery store was empty. While everyone was cheering on their favorite team, we took advantage of leftover Super Bowl specials. Granted, the salsa aisle was practically barren, but thankfully, we found a coupon and one last jar of fresh salsa. The boy who checked us out looked sad that he was missing the game, so we were super nice to him. He smiled his appreciation as we left.

After a family dinner, we ended our super Sunday cuddled on the couch talking and laughing.

I may not know who the Chief’s played yesterday. I may not have any idea who performed in the half-time show. But my super Sunday was filled with memories made and special moments. Our boys will remember the day for more than sitting around watching grown men, wearing tights, tackle each other. They will remember playing with Clint, swinging with each other, reading with me, and spending some super important time as a family.

Time Out

I realize that it has been nearly a year since I penned a blog post. This was not intentional. Life has just been… busy. Between Clint working on several teaching certifications and competing in mountain bike races, Seth starting first/second grade and losing two teeth, and Jude drumming all day and learning to talk, our little family has not had a lot of down time. However, I have missed writing. I have not liked neglecting my blog.

This past summer, Clint and I celebrated seven years of marital bliss. I know for some, seven years does not seem like a very large number, but in our culture where marriage rates are dropping, I am thankful for my seven years (almost eight now). While I was engaged, I found an interesting quote by Stephen Davey.

“When dating, it is vitally important that your date is a committed believer who can pray with you and for you; someone who is concerned about your life and who can encourage you spiritually.”
— Stephen Davey

Since our first meeting, I have known that Clint is a committed man of God. He prays daily with me and for me. I have grown so much in my faith since God put Clint in my life. As our family has grown, he has committed himself to the spiritual welfare of our children. He sets time aside to study God’s Word and teach it to our boys. Jude already knows that before we eat, we fold our hands and thank God for the food he has given us. Seth is busy learning the Catechism for Boys and Girls. He is asking deep and important questions.

Just last night, Seth asked us what “faith” is. We could have given him a short, simple answer, but Clint did not. He took some time out of our crazy day, sat down on the couch, pulled out the Bible, and talked for thirty minutes (plus) with Seth about what faith in God is. The neat part, Seth understood. He might be five years old, but children have the capacity to understand big concepts.

Life is busy. Life will always be busy. It is extremely important to take a time out and encourage those around you in their spiritual life. It is a necessity to train and encourage your children in their relationship with God. They may be small and young, but their minds are big and ready to mature.

What is Your Passion?

What are you passionate about? What issues or topics arise that stand you up on a soapbox?

Right now, Seth is passionate about LEGO®—specifically, Ninjago LEGO®. He talks about them constantly. Regardless of the subject or time, everything relates back to Ninjago. He knows every set available—and “needs” all of them.

Jude is passionate about the stray neighborhood cat that has “adopted” our family. Every animal he sees, might be the “cat.” Every time he passes a window or door, the cat might possibly be on the other side. When he wakes up in the morning, he runs to a window to see if the cat is waiting for him.

I am passionate about my children. I am passionate about family. I am passionate about family discipleship.

I reference Deuteronomy 11:18-19 frequently. Parents have been given the unique responsibility of teaching our children the Word of God. We are to teach them at home, and when we are away; we are to teach them at night and during the day. We are to instruct our children to love the Lord our God, to walk in his ways, and to cling to him.

I was asked the other day why I do not put our children in the nursery during church. They assumed it is because we do not like the child care provided. However, liking the nursery (or not liking) has nothing to do with our decision to keep our children with us. My passion is discipling my children. Family worship is a huge part of discipling them. They need to see the body of believers worshipping the Lord together. They need to be part of worship, not apart from it. They need to hear the Word of God proclaimed. Even they do not grasp very much, they are learning to sit, listen, and treasure God’s Word.

I am frequently asked what groups I have my children in Bible _____ or _____ sport. We love our children having friends and interacting with them. But, we also want to caution against the deep hole of being too busy. God has given Clint and me the task of training our children. He has instructed us to instruct them. As a mother, he has called me to stay home with them so that I am able to teach them as we stay and go, as we lie down and get up.

It is so easy and tempting to hand off the teaching baton to someone else. We use the excuse of “I am not equipped to teach my children about God.” 2 Timothy 3:16–17 says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” [1] God has given us the tools we need to teach our children. He has equipped us to equip them.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, in her book The First Songs of Christmas [2], writes:

“I think the reason [John] could give such a profound, quotable answer—rich in genuine humility and exaltation of Christ—is because it’s what he’d been taught as a child, from as far back as he could remember. His parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, instilled in him a sense of God’s mission and purpose for his life from the cradle up… Every child needs to be told that God put him or her on this earth for a reason, with a role to play, and with a calling to a God-honoring way of life.”

She goes on to write:

“You can lead your children to the Word. You can show them God’s promises. You can help them understand they weren’t born to serve themselves or seek to be entertained. Just as John prepared the way for Christ to come physically the first time, they and all of us are here to prepare the way for Him to come to others’ hearts and lives. Give them a biblical vision for their lives.”

This is my passion. To teach my children their purpose—to glorify God and enjoy him forever. I am thankful my parents and in-laws instruct my boys how to live a God-honoring life. However, it is first and foremost my responsibility. I am thankful for friends and teachers who teach my children about God and his love. However, God placed this duty on Clint and me.

God has given every parent this great and magnificent job. No matter how tempting, hold on to this charge. Do not hand it over to someone else. Ask for help, but never give up this God-given responsibility. As you get up, as you live, as you lie down, instruct your children in the Lord. Teach them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their strength, with all their mind. Teach them to be passionate about their Savior.

Seth built his LEGO® Ninjago charaters all by himself.

Jude will sit and watch “cat” all day.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ti 3:16–17.
[2] The First Songs of Christmas: A 31-Day Advent Devotional

Yesterday, Today, and Forever

One of my favorite children’s books is I Love You Through And Through. I read it over and over to Seth when he was little. As a toddler, he used to act out each page as I read. This week, we read it to Jude. He laughed hysterically as we told him that we loved his fingers and his toes. The last page says, “I love you through and through, yesterday, today, and tomorrow too.”

It is imperative that my children know how much I love them. Of even more importance, though, is that they know how much God loves them.

I am reading through a Christmas Bible Study called The First Songs of Christmas, by Nancy Wolgemuth. One of those “first songs” that I particularly liked was Mary’s song in Luke 1. The author highlighted verse 50, saying that this verse speaks of the unchanging character of God—his immutability.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

We are quickly coming to the end of 2018. As I recently blogged, have been reflecting on the massive amounts of change my family has undergone this year. Today, Seth looked at me and asked when we were moving again. I asked him what he was talking about. He responded, “Well, we have been in this house for a while. We usually move.” I assured him that we were not moving. Our “backyard house,” as he affectionally calls the house, is our home. Daddy may change the paint color, but we will not change our address.

No matter what circumstances you have encountered, no matter the change that you undergo, rest in the knowledge that God does not change. What is amazing to me is that God changes us through every situation we find ourselves in. I look back and see how much God has changed me and my family throughout the last year. He is molding me daily to be more like him.

Nancy writes:

[God,] you will never be anything other than what you have always been—good, loving, powerful, pursuing, redeeming, restoring—changing us, but never changing yourself. Such certainty emboldens me to pray today, knowing you will show your strength and mercy as I keep looking to you in faith.

I am thankful that my unchanging God changes me. I am thankful that his love extends from yesterday, to today, and will continue forevermore.

I love these boys, and that will never change.