Monday, April 26, 2010

Do You Ever Have...

...days where you want to connect with your family and blog friends, but you're not sure what to write about? I want my blog to be a place of encouragement and challenge.
The challenge ... to walk and encourage each other in the Truth of Scripture. I am so thankful as I look at the comments I receive; there are young women who are not married but wanting to help the children who have no families, there are young women who want to go on the mission field and are looking to the LORD to direct them, there are young unmarried men who have have written, prec...
...I interrupt this moment of reflections and deep spiritual thinking to bring you (truthfully) real life here in our home.
As I was typing I noticed that Steve was not sitting here with us and wondered where he was. A few minutes later, he comes from down stairs with "a not happy look on his face". I asked what was wrong and found out that one of our darlin's has been playing with toothpaste the last few days. Well, I suspected something this morning and then while I was at the Dr. this afternoon, this darlin' cut with fingernail clippers, a tube of tooth past - of course this child could have used the natural opening in the toothpaste tube, however, this child has had issues with clippers!!! (which I have tried to put up high). After cutting the tube with a nice slit, at "nap time", while I was in town, this child poured a huge mound of it under a bed that wasn't used very often. Then this evening, while we were trying to rest, this darlin' took another sibling upstairs, thinking no one was watching-to "eat" the toothpaste. Well, that is what Steve walked into. This little darlin' is a constant challenge for us as he/she often does things he/she knows is wrong...however, he/she likes to take company into his/her "sin". OK, this is to hard, it's "she/her". 
I was reminded of something last night, and I am thinking that now is a good time to re-remember it...I want to sow good seeds in my children's life, however, I must patiently wait and never give up the hope of seeing that precious seed become the fruit that the LORD is growing!!!
This morning I was reading in Ezra 7, and verse 10 says "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel." I have a habit of putting a "P" beside verses that speak to me as a parent...I want to ask the LORD how to parent. So, on this long day, my prayer is the same that it was this morning, before toothpaste and lying and childishness...
"Father God, I want to study Your Bible, and to do it, and to teach Your Words to my children. However, I cannot do this without Your help...so I start, LORD God, with the beginning of this verse...help me to set my heart to study Your Law, to do it, and to teach it to these precious souls that You have given to me. I love being a mother, but I need Your help everyday. Help us Lord God, as mothers, to hold our little ones with care and tenderness (even when I am angry about toothpaste), and help us to love their individual beauty...they are made in Your image, after all...may we always honor, value and respect that, even when they are driving us crazy."
(PS, this is not the "she/her), just thought it was cute.)

12 comments:

  1. Great post. I too desire to be a student of his word while teaching it to my children. I often find that right in the middle of my quiet time with him I am interrupted. I often have to remind myself that I am still learning just as my little people are :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your heartfelt prayer, and your honesty about the challenges that can arise with adopted children. Your child is not the only one who eats toothpaste. Our children practically devoured it when they first came home from Ghana (and they were 6, 9, & 12).

    Only with Our Lord's help, are we able to parent our extra-large families. Only with His help, can we raise them up to love and serve Him.

    Laurel :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. AMEN! What a beautiful reminder to always look at them as being molded like we are in the Potter's hands!

    Praying the toothpaste came off the rug easy too!

    Hugs and love,
    Jill

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shonni, I continue to be blessed through your words. I wanted to thank you for being a part of my first year of blogging! What a wonderful year it has been. I'm throwing a little party and as an honored guest, I would love for you to stop by and share a highlight of your year with all of us.

    http://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/2010/04/cactus-happy.html

    Cactus Happy,
    Sara

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great, heartfelt post. :) We ALL have those days! Praying tomorrow will be better. xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hear your prayer!!

    As I have one that struggles with a recurant sin, I know the feeling!

    Lord, I pray for healing in these little broken hearts. Lord may they truly come to love you and your word. And choose to obey their parents and you out of love, not out of fear. Break the bondage of fear and sin that is rooted in their hearts!!

    As we keep on, keeping on--
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  7. what a great post :)) Thanks for sharing your heart. I can only imagine how difficult it is some days to parent. Praying for you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have a little stinker, too, who loves to get the other kids in on his pranks. I don't know how I would parent with God's help. It would just be impossible. I am so thankful that He picks up the slack where I fail and teaches me how to be a better mom.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I sure couldn't do it with out him and I wouldn't even want to-

    Currently, I am hiding from "them" reading your blog and eating the last, yes, I said last piece of chocolate cake.

    I felt like I deserved it- if that gives you any idea what kind of morning we have had ;-)

    I find your blog encouraging and you help me to find my sense of humor when I have lost it!
    Thank you!

    Katie has already taken one pair of my Ethiopian paper bead! figures! I am hiding the other two!

    ReplyDelete
  10. He/she may be Emmi's twin. I need help to remember those truths, like when Avery had a 20 min screaming fit in WM yesterday.
    Your blog IS encouraging, and I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Shonni - thanks for sharing this - it could so easily have happened here where my twins get into so much mischief (even though they know they aren't supposed to). Guess it's nice to know I'm not alone!
    I really do enjoy your blog - it's such an encouragment!
    Renata :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...