tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652892436868107952023-07-19T02:26:46.190-04:00His RewardLo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-10697601911030877132012-02-02T08:16:00.002-05:002012-02-02T08:16:00.569-05:00I was awake during the night pondering some things about life and the way we view life in the world today. This may have something to do with my trip to Walmart with 8 of my 9 children and the looks of shock and disgust which often occur, but I digress. It occurred to me that if you sit down with a young child and explain to them in the simplest of terms what abortion is, they instinctively know it is <b><i>wrong</i></b>! Even without going into detail about your beliefs...its murder, life begins at conception etc. they can tell you quickly and definitively its wrong. But then, something happens....at least to a vast majority of children.<br />
<br />
They are then "schooled" by the government and taught that life is about <i><b>THEM</b></i> and their happiness....about achieving success and having money, about living to pursue their dreams at all costs...they are schooled to be selfish. Another important lesson is learned along the way. It goes something like this: Children, you see, are a costly burden that should be avoided, or at least limited, so that your goals aren't hindered...because after all, its all about you. Children are also a lot of hard work and well, being tied down with them is far less exciting then traveling and lavish vacations. Thrown into this mix are classes on sexuality, reproduction, and acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle....all taught to children with already raging hormones. They are told its okay to embrace their sexuality, that it's normal to feel that way and that reacting to those feelings is fine, even outside of marriage. Just go ahead and do what <i>feels right, </i>use contraception, and if an "accident" happens, well....there's always abortion. See, its all about you and its not really a baby anyway....so it's okay. Do whatever needs to be done <i>as long as your happy.</i> All of these lessons are backed up and reinforced by television ads, and the <strike>government controlled</strike> media.<br />
<br />
There are no lessons on the value of human life, the value that GOD himself places on human life. No lessons on the blessing that children really are. They are not taught that all life is a gift from GOD. They are not taught that sex was designed by God, for marriage only, to bring both pleasure AND children. They are not taught that everything they do in life has eternal consequences and there will one day be a judgement. Lord have mercy on this nation! How have things gone so far? Why is there so little value placed on human life, not only by the world but even in the church? Oh that the church would wake up and take a stand. May we be diligent in teaching our children the Truth. The life God designed is about sacrifice....pouring yourself out for others when you feel you've already been emptied. There is no place for selfishness in your walk with Christ. Yes raising children is hard work, but it's kingdom work...and it matters. May we go completely against the grain and teach our children to take a stand for life. May we teach them to be warriors for Jesus Christ and to fight for what matters to Him. I myself have begun preparing my children to go to the front lines of this battle, to the very gates of hell to confront this spiritual war. I've been convicted once again of my need to daily instruct my children that life is a gift that only God can give, and that only God should take...that life is indeed <i><b>ALWAYS </b></i>a gift, never a choice.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-64636971888965554902012-02-02T07:44:00.001-05:002012-02-02T08:41:51.864-05:00Cities 4 LifeOn January 20, 2012 my husband and I attended a life altering dinner. We were deeply convicted to take a stand against abortion....to stop sitting on the sidelines of this fight, and get down and dirty in the heat of this spiritual battle! The church has been silent for far too long and I for one am THRILLED to be getting involved with this wonderful ministry! Take a moment and check out their site. What will YOU do to fight for the unborn?<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35874945?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/35874945">Cities4Life Proclaim</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user10221899">cities4life</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-46092301723487459992012-01-18T09:01:00.000-05:002012-01-18T09:01:03.895-05:00In the trenches?We all get busy and for moms of many, every day is busy. Sometimes, life moves beyond the normal busy days and you find yourself in the trenches. Have a new baby at home?...a virus turning your house upside down?...perhaps someone in the house has a chronic illness? Whatever the trench you find yourself in, you know how it goes... Your schedule has gone out the window, sleep is coveted but nowhere to be found, the laundry is piled up, homeschool lessons may be hit or miss, and the children are acting....well, less than perfect. It's hard, the days can be long, and it's oh so easy to become discouraged! However, you aren't in the battle alone. The Lord is right there with you every step of the way - through every shed tear, every endless cleanup, every sleepless night.<br />
<br />
When things have been tough for me lately, I've found it easy to slip into self-pity and despair but praise God, He has shown up and reminded of something so precious...so vital! You may miss a math lesson, and history may seem to be well, <i>history.....</i>But no matter what the situation, you need not skip the one needful thing, that one good part! You can still pray with and <i><b>TALK TO</b></i> your children as you go through your busy days, reminding them of their (and your) need of a savior, of God's goodness and unending grace and mercy. You can point them to the love of Christ, teaching them to treat others with love.You can still look them in the eye and tell them that no matter what is happening, God is still good and Jesus is the answer to every situation. Let them see you praise and thank Him despite your weariness...sing a song of praise while you are huddled in the trenches together. Don't let sickness or sleeplessness get in the way of pointing them to the Living Word at every opportunity!<br />
<br />
I'm feeling so blessed...so thankful for God's mercy in this busy season of life. Will you purpose to walk out, and talk out, your faith with these precious souls God has entrusted to you? I'm starting fresh today....Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-20912231698066980092011-07-31T21:46:00.000-04:002011-07-31T21:46:23.580-04:00Because He first loved us....It's true..."We love Him, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 Face it...we didn't want Him. We wanted to serve the flesh and continue in our sin, all the while denying our need of God or that we were even sinning. It was in His mercy that He came to us and opened our eyes and hearts, drawing us to His bleeding side and giving us eternal life, and that more abundantly. We didn't want it, and we certainly didn't deserve it. However, our Lord is patient and kind, full of mercy and grace. God's word is clear...every one of us is born a sinner. <br />
<br />
I'm not writing anything new. Any born again believer knows these things. So why do we expect better of our children than what we were? They are born in sin the same as we were. Our children aren't born wanting to submit to us, to obey us, or more importantly...to obey God. They, like we, are born selfish, rebellious, and disobedient. As parents that have been redeemed, shouldn't we extend the same grace, mercy, and patience toward them that God so lovingly showed us? Instead of lashing out with harsh words or angry outbursts, we must tenderly and lovingly correct them - pointing them to the One who can change their hearts. We must never treat them cruelly or harshly because they aren't treating us the way we think they should. That's not God's way...He is good to us, all the time - whether we are walking in obedience or stumbling along the path. Correct them we must, but it must be done with love.<br />
<br />
We are by no means perfect and will certainly fail. I pray we will be quick to realize our failure and repent before the Lord, also asking our children to forgive us. You've seen the look that crosses their precious faces when we've hurt them with our words or actions....looks of confusion and pain. They love us and trust us...they look to us to protect them. They are like tender little plants that need to be pruned...may we be careful not to trample them underfoot because we have failed to keep our eyes on Jesus, praying for His divine help and the patience and stamina that it takes to love them the way He loves them!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-33324483916073163722011-03-29T16:08:00.001-04:002011-03-29T16:08:32.259-04:00A busy season of life<br>As a mother of 8 precious blessings, I can certainly testify to this being a busy season of life. My days are long and yes, even trying sometimes. But my heart? Well, my heart is full to overflowing. It is hard to put into words how amazing it is to have a broad age range to tend to. On one hand, I've watched in awe as my oldest "baby" boy has become a man...while on the other hand I'm watching the youngest baby boy learn to roll over, babble and try to sit up on his own. I have some learning to read and some learning to multiply. Each of them has such a distinct personality...one loves to draw, one takes wonderful pictures and one is the resident "geek squad"...there is no new piece of technology he doesn't understand. My youngest girl is two and wants to run the house. I have one young one who loves to cook and one who lives to color pictures for mommy and daddy. And then there's the baby...he loves to smile, drool, and soak up all the attention from his siblings....and oh how they love him!<br /><br>There is a never-ending list of tasks...math and phonics lessons, dishes, baths, cooking, laundry... Am I busy? Yes, of course. But above all else I am exceedingly blessed. I will forever count it a privilege to watch them grow and learn, and develop into the special people God has created each one of them to be. Like all seasons, it will one day end. So rather than grumble and complain about the hard work and constant training, I will continually give praise to the One who entrusted each precious soul into my care.<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-62091867098832459372010-08-04T10:45:00.000-04:002010-08-04T10:45:23.278-04:00When the flood comesSomewhere along the way, many Christians have gotten the idea that once they put their faith in Christ, life will go smoothly...things will be a piece of cake. This couldn't be further from the truth. There is refining that must take place, a molding....being broken and reformed into someone more like our Lord. It's a process, and it's often a painful one. I want to be sure that my children understand the way it <i>really</i> is to serve Him. The last thing I want is for them to buy into the idea that life will always be smooth sailing and nothing will ever bring them to their knees so long as they confess Christ as their savior. However, I must be sure that they understand...no matter what they are going through He is still faithful, He can be trusted, and He has not forsaken them!!<br />
<br />
One of the ways we can do this as parents is to not coddle them to much. Don't shield them from everything in your life that is difficult. We must let them see that their are trials to walk through...even crawl through on our knees in total dependence upon Him. Show them that you have faith in Him no matter what the situation is...show them that He is to be trusted <i>no matter what</i>. When we keep our trials from our children we may very well send them the message that bad things never happen when you are walking with Yeshua....that things are always easy and everything goes our way. I'm not saying we have to give them every detail of our struggles. But, when the big trials come, the ones that are more like a flood and you have to sink or swim, have faith or give up...you need to let them see you walk by faith and not by sight with a daily reliance upon the only One who can keep your head above water.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-9160225370514473642010-06-29T19:36:00.001-04:002010-06-29T19:37:03.461-04:00Full surrenderI'm just wondering....where are all of the "Christians" who are fully surrendered to Christ? All any true follower of our Lord has to do is look around and the sad state of the church is pretty obvious. The church is full of people who proclaim Christ with one side of their mouths, and talk filth with the other....so called believers who act no different than the world and thank God that it's "all under the blood". Where do people get the idea that they can say, do, and think what they want and take the Lord's grace for granted? Somewhere along the line, the church lost it's way...the line between holiness and worldliness has been made unimportant! I believe one of the biggest areas where we have let things slide is in the home...starting with the family. Believers have stopped discipling their children!<br />
<br />
Christ's people should be different, set apart, and held to a higher standard. We shouldn't try to fit into the world and if we're honest, we shouldn't even <i>like</i> most of the things the world likes. It's time for a revival...a total surrender of all believers....time to give your whole self to Christ and do what He would have you do. One of the ways I try to get this point across to my children is something I myself have been using as a standard. I tell my kids to ask themselves, "If I were doing (saying, thinking, etc) <i>xyz </i>and Jesus showed up, would I be ashamed?" And then I remind them that He knows about it either way! Just this one simple question can make a huge difference in the way we behave. One day we will stand before Him and have to give an account for how we lived. This should make any believer keenly aware of how they are living...keep us on our toes so to speak. <br />
<br />
I want to raise children who will do His will, not their own....who will not try to keep pace with the world but will stick out like a sore thumb! I want them to understand that there is more to being a believer than just proclaiming Christ with your lips. You must be changed from the inside out! You must surrender yourself to His ways, not your flesh. Our children must understand that they cannot continue to live a sinful lifestyle and take advantage of the grace of God! Romans 6:1-2 proclaims it..."What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://bible.cc/romans/6-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Read your bible, study His word in earnest, and it will be clear that being saved isn't a license to sin...but license to give it all up for His namesake.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-49585284607865062862010-06-01T07:34:00.002-04:002010-06-01T07:35:33.877-04:00Raising Godly childrenAround here we have been in somewhat of a valley for quite some time. There have been many, many trials. Over the past week, the trials seemed to be unending, coming from every direction and usually at the same time : ) However, through it all, God has of course been faithful! And I give Him all the glory. With all that has been happening, when my husband found me having a tearful moment yesterday he of course thought I was worried about bills, or the girls' recent illness, or something along those lines. However when he asked what was wrong, I said something that I never would have said years ago...before Christ picked me up out of the miry clay and washed me clean. I told him I was far more worried about raising children who love and live for the Lord than I was about paying the electric bill or anything else. You see, troubles come...it's part of life. There is no sense worrying about our food, shelter, and clothing because His word says there is no need to. I know that God will work all those things out as He sees fit.<br />
<br />
Now, I know that the salvation of my children is in His hand as well so I'm not really <i>worried</i> about that. What I was tearful about is the example I set for them....how I live out my life for Christ before them through the years. I don't want to fail...I can't let that happen. I must do whatever it takes to give them a Godly example to learn from...I must feed them scripture daily for every situation in life...I must remember to praise and thank the Lord when things are hard instead of complaining! It's a tough job...no doubt about it. But it's one that I'm ready to tackle with a fresh determination. Things have been pretty chaotic around here and I've let things fall by the wayside. It's time to pick myself up, crawl into the lap of Jesus, pour out my heart to Him <i>daily</i>...and then let Him use me as He sees fit. Times a wastin' as they say.... Moms who are in the trenches day to day with many children, don't let it overwhelm you to the point that you let things slip away. Feeding and tending His sheep needs to be the top priority of every day! Take your burdens to the Lord, and He will work it out. In the meantime, keep quoting scripture, keep nurturing, keep disciplining. Do it all for His glory and His namesake.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-16264849668003981322010-03-20T11:45:00.000-04:002010-03-20T11:45:33.243-04:00Falling at His feet<div style="text-align: justify;">Lately I have found myself feeling the need to run to the feet of my Lord on an almost constant basis. It's a funny thing you see..... Raising a houseful of children for His glory is certainly a blessing, but my the challenges that are faced on a daily basis! Its seems that for the past several weeks there has been constant bickering, a lot of disobedience, and just a general unruliness around here. I was mulling over some of the problems I've been having with my small army lately and the Lord made me see something....something that was a real eye opener. The <i>problem</i> isn't the children. One large part of the problem is sin. After all, we are ALL born with the sin nature, why should we think our children are any different? The second part of the problem is <i>ME. </i>Yes, ME!<br />
<br />
Let's take a look at the sin nature, shall we? Oh there is so much to say! As I said, we are all born with it. But even after being gloriously and wondrously saved, don't we all still fall short? How often do we find ourselves crying out for mercy for the SAME OLD THING! Certainly I'm not alone in this...? So what of our children who have no sought salvation in Jesus Christ? Can we <i>really</i> expect them to "get it" the first time, and not repeat an offense? Is that fair? And more importantly, is that how the Lord treats us? I think not. We must show them the same grace and mercy that our precious Lord continues to show us, over and over again. Does that mean we don't remind them and discuss their sinful behavior? Of course not...but it must be done with grace.<br />
<br />
Now, let's talk about me. Ugh...do we have to? Okay.....More often than not my expectations are too high and my patience too short. And let's not even mention the times I've been lazy and not diligent in training the children. Face it....diligently teaching, training, reminding, disciplining etc. a houseful of children is hard work! It takes so much dying to self that the thought makes my head spin. Children aren't born quoting scripture, they must be taught the scriptures, led to the scriptures and to the Lord! If I'm not taking the time to point them to the bread of life and training them with God's holy word, then I am <i>a big part of the problem.</i> They need a reason why what they are doing/saying is wrong....not just a "because Mom said so". That won't cut it. If all scripture is profitable for reproof and correction, then they must be led to scripture if we ever want to see that heart change come about. Will it still take time? Absolutely....but at least we will know that we are doing our part.<br />
<br />
So, today I have fallen at His feet again, seeking grace and mercy. I must run to His mercy seat, to His throne room. That way I can stay focused on His ways, and His word. That way I can be sure that I have remembered these children belong to Him and in the long run I am powerless to change their hearts without His help. I need His direction....every day. Therefore I will continue to fall at His feet and cry out for more of Him, so that I can be more to them.....<br />
<br />
</div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-69490702705600198612010-03-14T07:51:00.004-04:002010-03-14T08:15:15.940-04:00A peek at new life<div style="text-align: justify;">I finally made it in to the doctor to have my first appointment of this pregnancy. You know the routine ladies, right? They give you a cup to...well you know : ). Then they lead you to the room, take the vitals, and leave after handing you a very immodest gown and asking you to get completely undressed. I absolutely dread that part of the first visit. However, I was looking forward to the sonogram I knew I would be getting. I wanted to see that everything was okay and going as expected.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">After the humiliating exam (ick...did I mention I don't like that part?) my doctor says "okay...lets take a look on ultrasound". When you've had as many little ones as I have, you've probably had a lot of ultrasounds. You pretty much know what to expect and what to look for. As I expected, everything looked just the way a growing baby should look at this point in my pregnancy. What I am NEVER prepared for is how incredibly wonderful and amazing it is to SEE that new little life that God created....with the tiny limbs and beating heart. Even with my 8th baby, I found myself staring in awe at what the Lord has done, and is still doing, with the new life growing inside of me. Tears sprang to my eyes as I watched the screen and looked on in wonder of what the Lord had planned for this tiny new life. It is amazing to think that the Lord already knows everything about this new person He has created....the number of hairs on his/her head, and the number of times that heart will beat. What an awesome creator we serve.</div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-40776785786288745622010-02-22T08:56:00.002-05:002010-02-22T09:07:49.747-05:00Not my will.....If you had peeked through my window this morning very early, you would have found me sitting at the laptop....crying. I wasn't crying for any one particular reason....sometimes life is just tough. Now that I've shed a few tears, I'm trying to stay focused on the Lord and His plan. So....<br /><br /><ul><li>When the morning sickness gets worse throughout the day, may I say......<br /></li><li>When I'm exhausted and the baby is wide awake, may I say......</li><li>When the veins in my legs are throbbing, may I say......</li><li>When homeschooling is hard, may I say......</li><li>When the kids need to be disciplined, may I say.....</li><li>When I'm pulled in 100 directions, may I say.....</li><li>When I'm weary in well doing, may I say.....</li><li>When I feel like giving in, may I say.....</li></ul><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not my will, but yours Lord!!!!</span></span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-59519042639874202152010-01-15T20:43:00.002-05:002010-01-15T20:56:49.777-05:00Scented memories<div style="text-align: justify;">After I bathed the baby tonight, I was getting her diapered and dressed when I sprinkled some baby powder on her and thought "Wow...I will never tire of this smell." Smell is a wonderful sense....it can bring back a flood of memories. There are scents from my childhood that I can <span style="font-style: italic;">almost smell</span> if I concentrate hard enough.<br /><br />So the baby powder got me thinking....a lot. One day many many years from now, when all of my children are grown and there are no more babies, I hope that I will be able to look back and remember the smell of baby powder instead of remembering all the messes. I don't want to look back and think about all the hard work raising a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">quiverfull</span> requires, the stains on the carpet, the worn out furniture, the bickering between siblings, or the constant need to clean <span style="font-style: italic;">something.</span> I want to be able to just close my eyes and bring that baby powder smell to my senses....and remember the splashing in the tub, the laughter of siblings playing, rosy cheeks and messy hair in the morning, snuggling up on the couch and reading a good book to the kids, watching the babies grow into young adults, and all the other blessings that a houseful brings.<br /><br />I want to cherish these years and hold them dear. Unlike so many, I'm in no hurry for them to be over. Children are given to us by God to love and disciple....not rush out the door thankful that our job is done. May we find joy and keep our focus during this season of life. It will be over far to soon.<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-56462097207851812982009-12-30T07:22:00.004-05:002009-12-30T08:24:50.828-05:00Anti-abortion does not equal pro-life!!!<div style="text-align: justify;">So which one are you? Most people would say they are the same thing but really....they aren't. The world and the devil would like us to think that if we are anti-abortion then we must be pro-life but there is a huge chasm between the two.<br /><br />We all know what it means to be anti-abortion....that once life has been formed, that new life should be continued. To be anti-abortion you consider tearing life from the womb to be murder....quite simply you believe abortion is wrong. Pretty easy to understand right? But what is the true, deeper meaning of being pro-life? The one way the two beliefs are the same is they both say that abortion is wrong....but that is about as far as the similarities go.<br /><br />To be pro-life you must first realize that all life comes from God....He creates and sustains all life. Each individual life has been designed by God before the world began. It's hard to wrap our finite brains around but it is true none the less. God also says in His word that children are a blessing, therefore they should be viewed as such. They are NEVER to be seen as a burden or inconvenience. What that attitude must do to the heart of the Creator!<br /><br />With those bases covered, let me just ask some questions and then you can decide which category you belong in : ) Do you look into the eyes of children and marvel at the unique creation of each one? Do you LOVE to be around children? Do you fervently desire more children of your own? Are you willing to accept MANY children if that is God's will for you? Or are you to busy with "life" to pour yourself out for God by nurturing and raising a houseful for His glory? Do you get excited for couples who already have a half dozen kids when they announce they are expecting another child? Or do you cringe and think they are adding more trouble to an overpopulated world? Do you count it a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">privilege</span> to carry new life in your womb and then spend your time and energy teaching that new life about God for the next several years? Do you long to bring forth new life for as long as your body allows? Or do you long for your fertility to end (so you won't have to worry about birth control) and look forward to traveling the world and spending time on yourself? Which is more important and is done for His glory? The bottom line is that to be truly pro-life, you need to desire and welcome all new life.<br /><br />I know it sounds harsh especially during this modern age of two incomes and feminist thinking. But God intended for us to love life the way He loves life.....to spend our time and lavish our affections on Him and the eternal blessings He sends us....not on the temporary worldly things surrounding us. I want to be sure that my heart is one that constantly says "Your will Lord, not mine"....a heart that says "send new life my way and with Your strength and help I will love them and raise them for Your glory".<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-9411003106539456972009-09-30T13:08:00.003-04:002009-09-30T13:23:40.334-04:00God's provision<div align="justify">People are often curious about our large family and how we are able to provide for so many little ones. I find myself telling the same story over and over to friends, relatives, and strangers alike. It goes something like this: "Of course there have been hard times financially where things were tight. There have been times when it <em>looked</em> like things were going to completely fall apart. But always, always, always the Lord provides for us. As my pastor always says, He shows up right on time, with just enough!"</div><br /><div align="justify">That story is true for many large families that I have either met or come across on the internet (through blogs, etc.) For the unbeliever it is very difficult to imagine having to provide for a large family during difficult financial times. But for those of us who know Him, we know He is able and faithful. There is no need to worry when you have placed your life into His hands and surrendered your all to Him!</div><br /><div align="justify">I've read stories of bags of clothes being left on doorsteps, as well as cars or money being given. Today we experienced one of these blessings first hand when my neighbor came to my door. She handed me an envelope that had my name <em>typed</em> on it and told me that someone approached her husband and asked him to give it to me. Whoever it was said they wanted to remain anonymous. I told her thank you and she walked away. I opened the envelope to find some money and a slip of paper with John 3:16 typed on it. </div><br />So of course I cried, and then I prayed and gave God thanks and praise for His loving provision! It couldn't have come at a better time...His timing is always perfect. Words cannot express how blessed I am feeling today! All I can say is praise be to HIM and Him alone!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-22429780727313830002009-09-25T10:04:00.004-04:002009-09-25T11:00:47.030-04:00What kind of fruit do you bear?<div style="text-align: justify;">The Lord Himself has much to say about bearing fruit. There is a clear way for you and anyone who knows you to gauge whether you are truly a Christ-follower, or a Christian in name only....by the fruit that you bear! There are plenty of people who believe in Christ that aren't truly desiring to follow Him. The Bible teaches that even the devil <span style="font-style: italic;">believes</span> in Christ!<br /><br />Matthew 7:15-20 teaches that a good tree can't bear bad fruit and neither can a bad tree bear good fruit. So what kind of fruit are you bearing? If you are walking in the spirit you should be bearing those fruits....love, joy, peace, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">longsuffering</span>, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.... Does this sound like your life? Are you angry, bitter, and impatient? Do you love those that hate you? Are you gentle or harsh? Are you meek or obstinate? I would humbly like to suggest that if you aren't bearing good fruit, it's time to check your heart and life. Galatians 5:24-25 says "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."<br /><br />If you claim to <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> Christ and find that you are bearing bad fruit....could it be that you are unregenerate? There will come a day when it will be too late to make it right. There is no time like the present to repent before a Holy God and start walking with the Lord....to surrender your whole life to Him. If you are living with one foot in this world and aren't fully surrendered to Him, it will be evident to those around you. How can we properly disciple our children if we aren't really disciples ourselves? For the sake of our children and the sake of our own souls, each of us that professes Christ with our mouths needs to be sure are hearts are aligned with His!<br /><br /><br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-57457085310217112192009-09-17T17:02:00.001-04:002009-09-17T21:22:55.873-04:00Teaching them to serve<div style="text-align: justify;">There really is no place for laziness in the Christian life. We are to be busy, busy, busy for the Lord. People often tend to think that being busy for the Lord means being active in the Church but there is MUCH more to it than that! God designed the family so beautifully.....he places each of us into our individual families with a unique role for each family member.<br /><br />The family is the ideal setting for learning to serve....by serving those who are nearest and dearest to us. But how do we go about helping our children learn to serve their families? Well for starters, <span style="font-style: italic;">we must serve them</span> and do it <span style="font-weight: bold;">CHEERFULLY</span>. Mothers and fathers must set the example. We are wasting precious energy and time if we serve them with a bad attitude. We need to go about all of our business with a smile and delight in our soul.<br /><br />Something else we need to make sure of is that we are doing <span style="font-style: italic;">enough</span> serving and not just delegating the majority of the tasks to others. We are a family after all and everyone needs to do their part. (There are certain exceptions of course such as very small children or those who are sick, etc.) Children won't want to pitch in and "help" if they are the only ones doing anything. The saying "work before play" should apply to all family members who are old enough to contribute, including parents.<br /><br />So moms, do you find yourself exhausted because you are doing all the serving? Perhaps you have children who are serving you and their younger siblings but they do it grudgingly. If so, why not try a fresh start? Take small steps at first. Of course we can't rush in commando style and start telling them they WILL do this and that and do it NOW. We may get results but not the best ones. Here are a few ideas to get things started:<br /><br /><ol><li>Pick a quiet time to talk to them about how the Lord served when He was on this earth.</li><li>Show them from scripture what is said about serving and work.</li><li>Explain to them the importance of learning to serve others by deferring their own wishes and desires.</li><li>Give them examples of how they can serve other than just through chores....i.e. "When you see your little sister struggling to pour a drink offer to help without being asked."</li></ol></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-85158945648727096532009-09-10T21:17:00.004-04:002009-09-11T10:24:00.615-04:00Waiting on the fruit...<div style="text-align: justify;">If you are like me, you like to see immediate results from all your hard work. It's something I'm trying to get over but it's slow going for sure : ) The never ending task of helping our children to learn God's word, to learn to love one another and get along, and to learn fractions for that matter can be exhausting work. Sometimes I find my self asking "when oh when will I see the fruit of my labor?" It seems that lately my patience has really been tried and I have had to work extra hard to smile and speak gently to my children. Believe me it can be really hard by lunch time to keep up the happy face! <br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">When I feel the fleshy side of me start to creep in, the only thing I can do is take a deep breath and give it to the Lord...again and again. He's the only one who can mold me and change me. Do I always overcome the flesh and look immediately to Him? Of course not....and when I lose my patience I repent....again and again. It's an ongoing process that is sometimes painful and a lot of hard work. It can be so hard to set the example of Godliness for our children but they ARE watching. Kids don't miss a thing believe me.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So, what's a mom to do? Keep looking to the Lord, keep praying and repenting, and keep loving those little blessings He has given us. I know that I will need to be in almost constant prayer today as we are all sick and feeling cranky. Praise the Lord that He hears our prayers all the time....even the ones we have to hurriedly send His way.<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-38604950805300775312009-09-04T13:02:00.002-04:002009-09-04T13:23:13.728-04:00Inspiring them to educate themselves<div style="text-align: justify;">For the past few years, I've been doing a lot of reading of my own. Reading is something I never really enjoyed much when I was growing up but now I've come to love it! So, this year in our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">homeschool</span> I've made some changes. For one, I'm committed to spending A LOT more time reading aloud with the children. Reading aloud good, quality literature (not twaddle - I just love that word!) is really beneficial to the younger children as well as the older. Plus it makes for lots of good discussion, not to mention piling up on the couch together : )<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The other big change for us - or more specifically me - this year is Mom is making a point to further educate herself. Aside from just learning along with the children as I teach history and science, I've been studying extra things on my own and making sure the children see me do it. My oldest son is working through a world view course and I've decided to do it as well. My reasons for doing this are really pretty simple. I want to inspire my children to educate themselves! Once children learn the basics of reading, writing, and math they can learn anything they have a desire to know. They don't need me to stand over them and tell them what to study and what to think about what they've learned. I will always be there to guide them of course, but I want them to learn to think for themselves.<br /><br />So around here, we will be reading and discussing, reading and discussing, and then doing it some more. Mom will be furthering her education and then sharing what she has learned with the kiddos.....just in casual conversation during our everyday activities. So many of us have a misguided idea of education. It's not as difficult as some try to make it. Some of the greatest minds in history belonged to those who educated themselves. Lest you think I've quit requiring anything from my children, think again. There are certain requirements for all of them. However, I'm hoping as the years go by I will be able to require less because they will have an eager desire of their own. I can just supply the materials (according to each child's God given bents and desires) and sit back and watch - all the while knowing that God is in control : )<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-82229981986247419932009-09-02T22:12:00.005-04:002009-09-03T15:42:09.983-04:00"God wants us to use wisdom"<div style="text-align: justify;">Honestly....I try to be kind to family, friends and even <span style="font-style: italic;">strangers</span> who throw this comment my way about family size. But for some reason this really irks me....I mean <span style="font-style: italic;">really<span style="font-style: italic;"> irks me</span></span>. Seriously...I find myself having to pray for patience when the words start to fall from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">some one's</span> lips. You can see it coming - you are talking, they are asking if you will have more children, you are explaining that you are leaving it up to God....and then they get that look and sort of smile at you before they throw out the old argument "Well, God wants us to use wisdom!" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ughhh</span>....<br /><br />Wisdom can only come from God. When we seek God and His wisdom through His word, what do we find he says about children and the womb? Let's see....children are a blessing, God opens and closes the womb as he sees fit, and in the one instance where birth control of any kind is mentioned (Genesis 38), the man involved (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Onan</span>) is put to death. (<span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> I've heard all the arguments about the so called "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Onan</span> Incident"....save your breath because I can't be persuaded to change my mind : ) <br /><br />I really try to smile and say something nice in response....I really do! However, I often end up saying nothing or saying something that I don't feel clearly states my convictions about the matter. The biggest problem I have with this argument is that at it's very core, it implies that <span style="font-weight: bold;">WE</span> create children....that <span style="font-weight: bold;">WE</span> give life....but we don't! Yes we play a part, but it doesn't guarantee conception. If it did there wouldn't be couples all over the world struggling with infertility....period.<br /><br />As I've stated before, most of us with large families have heard all the comments. And honestly....it does get old but I still try to be nice and smile and pretend it's all <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ok</span>....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">haha</span>. My sarcasm is showing I'm afraid. This "wisdom" argument ranks right up there with the "Don't you know what causes that?" comment. To which I will from now on answer "Yes....GOD!" Kelly Crawford over at <a href="http://www.generationcedar.com/main/2009/08/so-you-prefer-i-use-birth-control.html">Generation Cedar</a> got me thinking about this the other day....and now I have a ready response that I've committed to using! (Thanks Kelly!)<br /><br />So now I just need a quick, intelligent answer for the "wisdom" argument and I'll be all set. I just feel that if I have something worked out to say, I will be able to maintain character that reflects my Lord instead of being rude and short with people. Wouldn't want to do anything to damage my testimony, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">kwim</span>? Maybe I could just say "God creates new life, not me. True wisdom is being fully surrendered to Him.".......not sure if I like that. <br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-85816140695851921122009-09-01T18:07:00.005-04:002009-09-01T22:57:21.919-04:00The Duggar's have been blessed.....<div style="text-align: justify;">yet again! They are expecting their 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">child</span> in March of 2010. With all of the negative talk and comments that can be found on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">internet</span> about this precious family, I wanted to take a few minutes to say something positive!<br /><br />So, why do I think this news is so exciting and so wonderful? Well first of all because all children are a blessing and they should be celebrated as such. Other than that....it's not really because of the NUMBER of children they have. This news has me tickled pink because during an economic time when most people would never consider a family this size, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Duggars</span> are sticking by their convictions and letting God continue to control the size of their family.....and I for one think it is a wonderful testimony.<br /><br />Now I know what you're thinking....the economy isn't really effecting them...they have their own show and plenty of money, right? Well I for one believe they would still be standing by their convictions if they never had a show and the bigger beautiful home they now have. In fact, if they lost it all tomorrow, I doubt they would change their stance on God controlling the womb.<br /><br />I also think that after having this many children most women would be ready to throw in the towel (actually most wouldn't consider having this many in the first place but I digress). Pregnancy is very difficult for a great number of women....morning sickness, weight gain, varicose veins, etc. etc. Then once the little blessings arrive their is loss of sleep and more dying to self for years to come. Let's face it....most women are far to selfish to have 19 children! But not Michelle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Duggar</span>. She is more than happy to be His willing vessel.....to die to self and live for Christ.....to ignore the comments and opinions of a negative, sinful world and declare that her body is not her own, she has been bought with a price, and she will continue to bring forth children for the glory of God, so long as he continues to bless. I applaud their faith and their willingness to live out their testimony before all the naysayers.<br /><br />Obviously I love this family and can't say enough positive things about them. Please don't think that I see them as perfect. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Pshhh</span>....there is no such thing. However, I would like to close with a challenging thought. I'm sure many, many people think that if the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Duggars</span> didn't have the financial blessings they currently have, and that big beautiful home that they would have decided to quit obeying God in the area of family size by now. Let's consider another point of view shall we? Isn't it possible that they have gotten more financially etc. BECAUSE of their obedience to God in this area? I'm inclined to believe that's the reason.....<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-71078707151740116082009-08-29T09:36:00.004-04:002009-08-29T09:55:17.288-04:00Gently leading or forcefully driving<div style="text-align: justify;">It can be so hard to find a balance when training our children. Unfortunately, many parents become frustrated with the long process and find themselves losing their patience. When this happens, the flesh can take over and we can easily become harsh, overly critical, and very demanding. However, this is not the way our Lord deals with us. Now I understand that as believers we will suffer hardships and pain but our precious, patient Lord isn't standing over us yelling and demanding obedience. He LEADS us to where He wants us with grace, patience, and love.<br /><br />This is the way we should be training our children.....grace, patience, and love. We need to show our children Christ in our daily living and behavior. Do we want them to see Him as impossible to please? Not at all.....Yes He has stringent expectations but <span style="font-style: italic;">HE IS</span> mercy and grace and we should be pouring them out on our children. All the while, gently leading and encouraging them to chose the right paths....teaching directly from the scriptures starting at a young age....showing them that His word is the only source of absolute truth and that the Lord is to be obeyed in everything.<br /><br />It's no easy task that's for sure. But it is one that should be of the utmost importance in the Christian home. Homeschooling lends itself very well to this sort of training. We are with them throughout the most important days and years of their lives, able to impart truth to them consistently and without the influence of secular anti-Christian teaching undermining our efforts. The job is difficult enough without these other influences. <br /><br />So how are you training your children? Are you ignoring them until they are getting on your nerves and then raising your voice and issuing orders? Are you expecting them to know how to act and behave even though you aren't investing any time in teaching them? Or are you daily setting a Godly example and holding important conversations with them about God's truths? Are you keeping them close to you throughout the day and involving them in your life? Are you walking them through scripture and asking questions enabling them to think about God's word for themselves? Please don't say "This is what the bible says and this is what you are going to do..." That's not the answer! <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">GENTLY LEADING</span></span> is the key.....just like the leading of our Savior, The Good Shepherd.<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-3856981653775782612009-08-28T10:08:00.006-04:002009-08-28T15:11:36.078-04:00A desire to please....<div style="text-align: justify;">I think it is a fair statement that most young children have a desire to please their parents. It is evident in their beaming smiles when we praise them for a job well done or for helping with household chores. Don't we all want to be appreciated? We must be very, very careful that we don't put to much emphasis on what they aren't doing, or what they are doing wrong.<br /><br />If we are constantly complaining, nagging, and belittling and never offering any encouragement and praise, their desire to please will never survive. They will feel that they will never be able to do anything right...never be able to please us, so why bother to try? Parents I implore you to watch your words....be careful what you say and how you say it!<br /><br />There are many ways that we can encourage our children to have a desire to please. One great way to start is to keep them by our sides during our day to day activities. This should be done from an early age. When we do this we have lots of time for good conversation....to plant little seeds. It also allows for immediate discipline when undesired behavior crops up. While we are spending these precious times with our little ones, we have the opportunity to SMILE at them a lot and praise their efforts as they help us. This sounds so simple right? So why don't more parents do it? Well, for one we can do chores, etc. much faster without little hands. However, I would encourage you to invest the time now. You will see the fruit in the years to come.<br /><br />Another thing you can do is live your life for Christ with JOY. Be pleasant and positive. Again....SMILE at your children. Make it your goal to smile and encourage the majority of the time. Showing your disappointment with a scolding look or word should be rare! Little ones need to know that we enjoy them and want to be with them. To know they aren't "in the way".<br /><br />If our children lose the desire to please us, we have lost their hearts. They won't want to hear anything we have to say about the Lord and His ways. Instead they will see us as cruel and unrelenting....always ridiculing them for doing things wrong, for not living up to our standards. Make it your goal to tenderly care for the blessings the Lord has given you. Love them wholeheartedly, correct them when necessary....all the while treading very carefully before the Lord and seeking His grace and direction along the way.<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-57758604420422673762009-08-26T22:14:00.006-04:002009-08-26T23:22:59.695-04:00Lessons learned in a large family<div style="text-align: justify;">Large family life is the perfect setting in which to develop Godly character. How we act and how we treat other people is not only important to our testimony, it is important to the Lord. Teaching our children godly character can be very tricky. It means setting a good example for them day after day...modeling the sort of behavior we expect of them. In other words, we have to stay on our knees before the Lord asking him for the grace to keep our own character in check.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In a large family, there are SO many opportunities for each family member to learn SO many things.......patience, love, deference, loyalty, service, diligence, responsibility, peacemaking, orderliness, selflessness....the list goes on and on. It takes a lot of time and a lot of repetition to see the fruit but when our children are grown and teaching the same things to precious blessings of their own, the reward will be that much sweeter.<br /><br />Now anyone who knows me personally certainly knows that our family by no means has it "all together". We have a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">looooonnnnngggg</span> way to go in the character department : ) However, the Lord has led me to a place where there is no choice but to work much harder at developing Godly character in my children. I see things in my children that make me cringe and then fall at the feet of my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">savior</span> and seek his direction....and ask for forgiveness. Why? Well, because I have failed to properly train my children in so many areas AND because so many of the things that make me cringe are things they got from watching me. It can be very painful to witness that's for sure.<br /><br />You see, back when we only had two or even three children things were different. They were calmer, didn't argue that often, and things were pretty peaceful. However, over the years as the Lord has added more children to our family things got ahead of me and while they are basically well behaved, there are some areas where we could use some work. So character development is high on the list for our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">homeschool</span> this year. It is coming second only to study of the Word.<br /><br />Please don't misunderstand me. I know that some changes in character can only come through repentance and putting our faith in Christ....by having a total heart change. But we can help to develop good character but teaching them good habits, through lots of conversation, books, scripture, etc. And what better place to practice patience than in a large family? Oh the opportunities the Lord gives us each day!! His design for the family is so perfect....If only more Christians would realize what a blessing it is to surrender the womb to God.<br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-24310644022299038242009-08-15T12:00:00.001-04:002009-08-15T12:00:02.271-04:00Growing so fast......<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPz4mqqvznJSUOq8ZdCuYh4ukv3Dhd4iBFMkHbjzq8wgelSNzBihVkG0YnfuxX_4V79M_49Tt8H2OIY2wPvI1eNpuH1eZB9WnkVB4naYpwGmHuc6UNwwcXneSzBpAlGTAJJIjeR8XPpHDd/s1600-h/118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPz4mqqvznJSUOq8ZdCuYh4ukv3Dhd4iBFMkHbjzq8wgelSNzBihVkG0YnfuxX_4V79M_49Tt8H2OIY2wPvI1eNpuH1eZB9WnkVB4naYpwGmHuc6UNwwcXneSzBpAlGTAJJIjeR8XPpHDd/s320/118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370160641406016802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Y6wwzhQDNcISggReIGDC5fhFzDnlzVhpng2vc-7UslCfPuLYoSvto1Vpzw4H3Ri_67sklIXvHw3M-PJSkgIcTbhfDeX4_5ZEeRBoNAzHc9N9lWxV9R7kZEI01JtISrNx6tummsOvrXBM/s1600-h/121.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Y6wwzhQDNcISggReIGDC5fhFzDnlzVhpng2vc-7UslCfPuLYoSvto1Vpzw4H3Ri_67sklIXvHw3M-PJSkgIcTbhfDeX4_5ZEeRBoNAzHc9N9lWxV9R7kZEI01JtISrNx6tummsOvrXBM/s320/121.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370159950793483506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQIOBUlJfmedu-Smcpc4Gb7-2xbY1TBGML6tiWOaWVFb180LhMQSv5AMtyXlhQEUzMCWP9x4tSdVdXOwSh1Q0DAPdlhwb6jiilZQxMNX58am49JRxC6HaydEu8nEqs9qEBqZf0RUwNN3o/s1600-h/113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQIOBUlJfmedu-Smcpc4Gb7-2xbY1TBGML6tiWOaWVFb180LhMQSv5AMtyXlhQEUzMCWP9x4tSdVdXOwSh1Q0DAPdlhwb6jiilZQxMNX58am49JRxC6HaydEu8nEqs9qEBqZf0RUwNN3o/s320/113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370160179383621042" border="0" /></a>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865289243686810795.post-51003569349441509012009-08-15T07:49:00.003-04:002009-08-24T21:39:15.237-04:00Be careful what you say<div style="text-align: justify;">I can't seem to let this go today. There is a lot to say about the way we speak to our children...and anyone else for that matter. But in regards to our children, if we want them to continue in the faith we need to be extremely careful how we live out our lives before them. My little blessings are waking up now and need my attention so I will close with a couple verses that sprang immediately to my mind when I finished the previous post. <br /></div><br />Provers 15:1<br />A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.<br /><br />Colossians 4:6<br />Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06555340041772067170noreply@blogger.com1