Timeless Tuesday - Training Little Humans

Well, isn't that the truth?!

We go into parenting with the best of intentions. We fantasize about the snuggles, the love, the soft pastels, the baby smiles, sparkling eyes, and velvety skin. And that's exactly how it should be. It's even part of the reality of parenting. Is there anything that gives more joy than seeing your children grow and thrive?

But parenting, while wonderful, is also grueling. It requires superhuman stamina and strength. It truly can boggle the mind. It can overwhelm, if we're not careful. There's so much to do, to teach, to undo, to clean.

Yet millions of people do it, and do it well, every day. You folks are my heroes.

Every time I hear a parent affirm their child in a store I want to stop and applaud.
When I see a child and parent laughing together, I smile and silently enter into their joy.
When I notice a mom knelt down eye to eye with her child calmly explaining why his behavior was unacceptable, I want to give her a trophy.
Every time a parent sticks a band-aid on a knee and seals it with a kiss...
When a child is picked up from school and greeted with a hug and a smile...
When a dad lifts a child to ride on his shoulders...
When a family throws a baseball together at the park...
When sheets are quietly changed in the night due to a sick or bed-wetting child...
When appointments with doctors, teachers, lessons are kept...
When applause is given after childrens' concert performances or sporting events...
When you help with homework every. single. day.
When you take your brood to church and get nothing out of the sermon because you're too busy keeping everyone occupied...
When you hide treats in your bedroom just for you and not for the little humans...
When you change the umpteenth diaper today and it's only noon...
When you can't get your teenager to get up in time for school...

All these little everyday things are the nitty-gritty of parenting. It gets tiring. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but all these things matter. They all add up to the strong foundation your child needs to build his life. Support, unconditional love, correction, encouragement, time spent together just having fun. They all matter.

Does it go right every day? Far from it. But that's okay, too, because our kids need to see that we're not perfect and we need grace, too. We need each other. We need Jesus and the forgiveness He gives.

So here's to all of you who are training little humans. I see you. God sees you. Hang in there. You're doing great.

Linda

Share Your World - 2016 Week 12

In response to Cee's Photography Share Your World Challenge.

Wanting something to quench your thirst, what would you drink?
I'd drink water. I try to drink at least two twenty-four ounce water bottles each day. But otherwise, my answer would be iced tea or Diet Coke.

What made you feel good this past week?
Seeing my daughter and her family again. They just moved back in the area after living out of state for two years. So thankful to have them close again.

When you’re alone at home, do you wear shoes, socks, slippers, or go barefoot?
I wear either flip-flops or my soft, flip-flop slippers. I like to call them flipper-slippers. I used to be a barefoot girl, but my feet hurt now when I go barefoot. Stupid aging.

Would you rather live where it is always hot or always cold?

I love the heat, which is a good thing since I live in Arizona. So always hot for me!

Linda

Thoughtful Thursday - True Beauty

There have been times when I see someone in a store and think they're beautiful. Then I hear the horrible way they speak to their spouse or children and my opinion instantly changes.

Words matter.

The words we speak, the words we write, even the words we think. They impact us and everyone who hears them, even if those words aren't aimed at them. We don't often stop to realize how much we affect the people around us. But we do, intentionally or not.

Just today a Facebook friend who I have never met messaged me. She said, "I love your energy and the value you add to my Facebook feed." Really? They're just words. Sometimes pictures. They aren't aimed directly at her. But they mattered.

We sometimes think our words don't carry that much weight. But when we see them written on skin, like in the picture above, we might begin to see the message we send to the world. Or those closest to us.

Is your message one of love, peace, joy, encouragement? Or is it a negative message? We have choices about the vibe we share with the world around us. Every time we open our mouths, it's an opportunity to uplift and make the world a better place.

Take inventory of your speech today. Make any changes necessary to ensure your words positively impact the world and those around you. It's a responsibility and privilege we can share with each other. Be beautiful with your words.

Linda

Wordless Wednesday - Kauai Street Art

Linda

Timeless Tuesday - Courage to Try New Things

I just got back from crossing the ocean to and from Hawaii. I didn't feel it took much courage to do that.

But I've done new things that did take courage. Like the time two years ago that I hung up my fear of heights and went zip-lining with my husband in Maui. Scary? You'd better believe it. Glad I did it? Absolutely. The scenery was spectacular and I love that I can say now that I did it. It's a wonderful memory.

I also went parasailing on our honeymoon 25 years ago. What? That's not me! But I did it and I'm so glad I lost sight of the shore to experience that.

But there have been things less dramatic that have taken so much more courage than I could have imagined. Like releasing the small hand of my child on that first day of school. Or letting my teen go on a mission trip so she could lose sight of her own shore. Or not intervening when I knew my child was on the wrong path, but knowing they needed to learn the hard lessons that road would teach them.

Sometimes we have to remember that even though we can't see the safety of the shore any more, God can. And He controls the waves that crash on it. Not only does He see the big picture, He also sees every seashell, crab, and grain of sand. Which means He sees me, my circumstance, and my children. With that knowledge, we can take courage and do those new things with confidence.

Go ahead. Cross that ocean.

What courageous new thing have you tried? Tell me about it in the comments.

Linda

Thoughtful Thursday - Prayer Productivity

Oh, if only we could remember this. If only prayer was our automatic, go-to response to problems, stress, and worry. We think we have to do something, even though we can't see the solution.

Case in point:

I was taking some online college classes and had too many deadlines all at once. One of my classes was a math class, which is my hardest subject. I worked as hard as I could, did everything possible to meet those deadlines. It looked bleak, nearly impossible. I went to bed thinking it would never happen, but committed it to God before going to sleep.

The next morning I got up and put the CD in my computer to start working on my math deadline again. As soon as I pushed the CD tray in, the CD broke. Hallelujah! There was no way to do the work with a broken CD. I immediately contacted my teacher and she told me the work I'd already done was sufficient. I was finished!

God orchestrated a solution I never would have thought of. He relieved my stress and I was able to meet my other deadlines. Would that CD have broken had I not prayed? Maybe. Who knows? But I know that I was able to sleep in peace because I trusted God to work things out for me. It only took a few seconds to ask for His help, but alleviated a semester's worth of stress.

Another example: Years ago, my daughter's hamster escaped from its cage. We searched everywhere for it. No luck. On our search, I spotted it running into my teenage son's messy room, where I knew it would be impossible to find it. We looked through all the junk without success.

Then I stopped. "You know what we forgot to do?" I asked my daughter.
"What?"
"Pray. Let's do it now."

So we did. Within two minutes we found the little guy and put him safely back in his cage. Had we prayed first it may have saved us lots of looking.

So make prayer your first response, not your last resort. You may be amazed at how your productivity increases.

Linda

Wordless Wednesday - Cows Fart