Don't Look Back!

We are getting ready to go on a little trip, and if I were the type of person to have stress (haha), I would be stressing out about now.  I have a ton to do before we go, the least of which is blogging.  I was saving this post for later, but I am going to do it now, and then I am going to pretend the computer blew up so I can concentrate on doing all the stuff I need to take care of. So enjoy, and have a nice time while we are away :o)  Back in a while!

Mother’s Day is coming soon, and is a great opportunity for us to show and to tell our moms how much they mean to us.  Of course, we ought not to wait for this once-a-year occasion to honor our mothers.  If we are truly grateful we will tell them often how much they mean to us. However, because I recently wrote a birthday essay for my mom on what she means to me, this Mother’s Day my thoughts are not so much on my own mother, but on what kind of mother I am.  

      Lately I have considered Lot’s wife.  Read Genesis 19. Here was a woman who had at least four daughters.  Two of them were young enough to be living at home when the judgment of God fell on Sodom, and the angel of the Lord carried them away with their parents from the storm of fire.  But where were the other two daughters?  What kind of mother was Mrs. Lot? What could she have done differently while her daughters were growing up, to avert their tragic end?  When they were little girls, did their mom show more enthusiasm about shopping than she did about going to the Lord’s house?  Did it mean more to her to wear the world’s fashions than it did to have a beautiful heart for the Lord?  Did she sow the world's music and attitudes and activities and philosophies into her girls’ hearts so that when the time came to leave, they could not uproot the pride of life from those worldly hearts? 

The Bible tells us to remember Lot’s wife.  Many believe Mrs. Lot looked back because she regretted leaving behind her possessions and her social life and standing.  But I believe Mrs. Lot looked back because she had left her own children in Sodom. One day soon Jesus Christ is going to come in the clouds to "catch up" those that are alive in Christ, from the coming wrath of the Great Tribulation.  Will your children go with you to heaven? Or will you have left their hearts and bodies in this old wicked world, full of themselves and the pride of life? If they are left behind in Sodom, you will look back with regret, too! Mamas, don’t expect your little ones (or your old ones!) to get a heart for Jesus just by being in church. You must live the Christian life before them daily. Sow the love of Jesus into their hearts! Sow obedience to his Word! Sow faithfulness and peaceful trust in the Lord! Read God’s Word together. Memorize and live scripture together. Pray for them and with them!

Before I ever had children, I prayed the Lord would not allow me to have any that would not be saved. That prayer cost me six babies and many tears, but not bitter ones. My babies are with Jesus Christ. Those were blessed, having departed before they could live after their mother’s example. But what about the four beautiful girls who are with me now? What kind of example am I giving them today? The Bible says, “As is the mother, so is her daughter,”  Ezekiel 16:44. ..."Remember Lot's wife." When the Lord takes me home, may my daughters’ hearts be full of Jesus, and void of love for worldly things. And may the Lord make my heart and life today what my children need as an example, so that when he comes for me, they will rejoice and come along! With my children next to me, I won't be looking back at this Sodom, grieving for the girls I left there.

The Things All Kids Should Do

Since I mentioned, down below, the things all kids should do, I thought I would post them.  I will admit, I don't know where I got this, or who I stole it from; also, I have taken out the ones I don't want MY kids doing!  Some of these are great.  Where are we going to find fireflies in the desert??  Hmm,  Could we change that to "tarantulas", or maybe "scorpions"?

*Make mud pies.
*Splash in a big rain puddle.
*Play tag in the dark with flashlights.
*Go camping in a tent.
*Make homemade taffy.
*Experiment to churn butter in a mayonnaise container.
*Catch fireflies in a mayonnaise jar.
*Ride in a rowboat.
*Skip rocks on a pond.
*Swing on a tire swing.
*Play in the rain.
*Climb a tree!
*Play in the sprinkler.
*Tend to plants and/or animals.
*Make "tents" with blankets over furniture.
*Tumble and wrestle with Daddy.
*Swim. (Just for fun, not lessons or swim team.)
*Have dessert for dinner!
*Have popcorn for dinner.
*Help dad wash the car.
*Go fishing with daddy.
*Fly a kite.
*"Camp" out in the back yard.
*Catch snowflakes on their tongues, and make snow angels.
*Get DIRTY!!!!
*Make cookies (or bake anything) - letting the kids do the measuring of course.
*Put on a play.
*Put on a puppet show.
*Horse back ride.
*Hay ride (or sleigh ride).
*Lots of crafty stuff.
*Own and take care of a small pet.
*Slide down a steep hill on a cardboard box.
*Eat cotton candy and candied apples.
*Go to the county fair.
*Go fishing using homemade poles.
*Make a visit to the Ice Cream man who drives around your neighborhood.
*Riding bikes through puddles and then washing the bikes.
*Go to the circus.
*Play with a kitten.
*Wade in a creek.
*Make homemade popsicles.
*Go to the zoo.
*Ooh and ahh over fireworks. .
*Catch lightning bugs, crawdads, crickets, tadpoles and other "critters."
*Dance in the rain.
*Blow bubbles.
*Play in the mud.
*Plant flowers and seeds.
*Play with squirt guns and water hoses.
*Sing in the car, making up silly songs.
*Fishing and camping with Daddy and Grandpa.
*Have an imaginary friend.
*Make dandelion wishes.
*Eat flowers (ever taste a tiger lily?).
*Face paint clowns and put on our own circus.
*Go to the fair, eat cotton candy and ride the carousel.
*Watch a sunrise, and a sunset.
*Watch the full moon rise.
*Find cloud "pictures".
*Look at the stars.
*Act goofy and silly whenever possible.
*Laugh A LOT.
*Crack the egg into the batter and stir (even at the risk of dropping your best bowl and breaking it).
*Comb mom's hair (even if they make tangles).
*Make a gingerbread house (even if the gumdrops never make it on the fence).
*Pray for friends in need (even if it sets you back 25 minutes in starting school).
*Help paint anything.
*Go to work with Dad (even if he has the night shift and does not get home until 1:30a.m.)
*Have your attention (even if you have a deadline).
*Run ahead of you on a backyard hike (even if you want to hold their hand for the gazillionth time).
*Draw another picture (even if you want that paper for yourself).
*Have the last cookie (even if it's your special treat).
*Eat butter and jelly on saltine crackers!
*Sit under a tree while you read them a chapter book from cover to cover. 
*Ride a seesaw.
*Roller skate.
*Spend hours in the woods exploring God’s world.
*Dance and just be silly!
*Tumble down a hill
*Drink from a water hose
*Have a weenie roast
*Roast marshmallows

*Make S’mores
*Go on a treasure hunt
*Write messages in secret code
*Build a sand castle
*Have a lemonade stand
*Draw pictures with colored chalk on the driveway
*Collect seashells
*Find a stick and pretend it's a sword or play cops and robbers
*Make a fort under the kitchen/dining table
*Eat cake with your hands
*Chew bubble gum and blow a really big bubble and then peel it off your face
*Jump on your bed
*Squish mashed potatoes out of your mouth (ONCE!)

We have a few to work on, but having a list helps!

Fun at the Lake (No Snakes)

Ready to go in!

 

Brave Alie

 

This is one of the 101 Things Every Kid Should Do.

 

Yes, it's cold! (Yea, too cold for snakes in the water!)

 

Wild burros wait for us to go home, so they can get a drink.

 

Happy Family

Lessons Learned

I am sitting here waiting for the kids to get ready to go… it promises to be a very hot day again today (105F?), so we are off to the lake for a dip.  I used to think of “the lake” as a beautiful green spot with a tree-lined shore, and a nice big dock for sunning and diving.  Well, my header photo gives you some idea of our lake – it is HOT HOT HOT.  There is NO SHADE, not anywhere near the water, unless you are a spider.  It is rock and dirt and a few scattered weeds, maybe a snake or two, God forbid.  Did you know that some rattlesnakes swim?  I hope they think the water is too cold today… Later in the summer, the kids won’t want to go swimming when it is this “cold” out.  The evaporative effect of the desert is incredible, and makes you freezing cold when you are wet! I’ll post pics later.

 

Anyway, while I am waiting, I wanted to tell you what God taught ME in the children’s Sunday School lesson that I gave yesterday.  We were talking about Mary of Bethany, how she poured that precious ointment on the head and feet of her Saviour and filled the room with the wonderful fragrance, then wiped his feet with her hair… It hit me as I was telling the story, that Mary was close enough to Jesus to walk away smelling like him. He told the disciples that she was preparing his body for burial. That fragrance in her hair must have reminded her constantly of his death and resurrection, for this took place in the last days of his life. How often did women wash their hair in those days?  I would never want to wash my hair again, if its fragrance would remind me of my Jesus all the time!  Would a woman be likely to cut her hair if she were in mourning?  I wonder if Mary of Bethany cut her long hair off and kept it somewhere, to save that wonderful fragrance of Jesus…  I think I would have wanted to.

 

And another thing, the disciples were unhappy with Mary for “wasting” all that expensive perfume, which might have been sold, and the money given to the poor.  Did you know that nothing that God's children do for Christ is ever wasted?  I know of a young woman who desired with all her heart to play the piano. She told the Lord that if he would give her opportunity to learn, she would play ONLY God’s music.  The Lord heard her, and he taught her to play beautifully. She played only for him.  When asked to play “Happy Birthday”, she would say, “No, I’m sorry.  I promised the Lord that I would play only His music.” People said, “What a waste!  She is making a foolish sacrifice. She could play for an orchestra or accompany someone famous, and make lots of money with her talent!!”  Maybe she could, but they were wrong.  Like Mary, she committed her most treasured thing to Jesus.  That is no waste. And after what He has done for me, how can anything that I give to him be called a sacrifice??

 

Well, that’s what I learned.  I don’t know if my little kids learned anything :o)

So Obvious

     We are having a real problem here.  My kids don't want me to blog in the daytime.  My husband misses me at night. I tried at various times to log on today and I was unsuccessful, so I was just feeling like everyone was against me.  I consoled myself with chocolate chips, then perused some of my favorite sites, which have been neglected ever since I started blogging. 

     In our homeschooling we have done a teeny bit of classification for science, mostly the fact that humans are NOT part of the animal kingdom.  We have one thing that separates us from ALL animals, and that is an eternal soul. But today, over at Homeliving Helper, I learned of another thing that sets us apart, and this is so obvious, I should have thought of it long ago:

Quote from a candy blog:

 "Never ask why we cover anything in chocolate ... we cover things in chocolate because that’s what sets us apart from animals."

Who Needs Pricey Toys?

 

The UGLY Stone!

I read something at another person's blog and I will quote it here:

"This could be tough to do, because my Pastor's wife (and family) is watching !!  I might have to go into hiding after I am done with this. If you have not made the connection yet, it is diamonds I am the ugly stone in her life."

I thought about not saying anything for a few days, so this person would think I agreed with her, ha ha!  But let's get something straight here.  First of all, I am not watching. I have enough trouble keeping up with myself. Furthermore, the person who wrote this is one of those valuable background people who does a lot of things without being asked, takes care of things without being reminded, and who serves without putting herself in the spotlight. So about the ugly stone, I don't think so.  Even when she didn't like me and wanted her previous pastor's wife (and best friend!) back she was still kind and helpful. She never forgets to ask if there is something she can do. She is relatively young in the Lord has has grown by amazing leaps and bounds not only in doctrine, but in personal efforts at having a godly attitude.  I have never heard her gossip about anyone.  She is very closed-mouthed, and I know that if I were going to confide in someone here, it would be her.  So... if she is my ugly stone, what does that make everyone else??  Purple, you'd better take that back. I have thanked God for you in my life many, many times.  I pray I might somehow bless you as you have blessed me.

Seven Things About Me That You Don't Already Know

I never told you, but this blog is a tag-free zone, unless I really like the tag.  Well, Bobbie tagged me, and I know I can't come up with seven things as interesting as she did, but here they are anyway, because I have just been sitting here taking up space on the planet, and I might as well just post something :o):

 

1. I spent three years of my childhood in France.  I went to French school and translated stuff for my parents.  We traveled all over Europe, and that was the last time I was there! :o(

 

2. The ocean makes me cry.

 

3. I never wanted any children. When I changed my mind, I decided I wanted only boys.  God said, “Honey, you are way too selfish to have boys. Boys don’t take as much selflessness as girls do – you can just send them outside for the entire day.  Girls will require you to spend all day with them.  I know what is best for you and what will make you most happy.  You are going to have only girls!”  He was right, of course, on both counts!  (I am just beginning to realize how full of myself I am. And I wouldn't trade my girls for anything.) I just hope He hurries up with my transformation to un-selfishness.

 

4. I am a pastor’s wife.  I know, I revealed that just recently, but maybe you missed it.  I was keeping it a secret, because, well, people just treat you differently when they know that. I thought I could blog incognito, but as I told my friend, passionforpurple, I never was good at keeping secrets about myself.  I was one of those pregnant women who ran outside and told the whole world when the little pink line showed up on the home pregnancy test! Nevermind waiting til the first three months went by! I was just too happy to keep it a secret!

 

5. Once I interviewed for a job that required things I had no idea about – writing grants for housing rehab and public facilities for small communities.  The boss asked me, “Can you write grants??”  I told him, “I can do anything.”  I was hired :o)

 

6. I have been an insulin-dependent diabetic for 27 years, and I am on an insulin pump.

 

7. I believe the King James Bible is the inspired and preserved Word of God for English-speaking people. (Draw any conclusion that you want to from that statement!)  I know that as well as I know Jesus Christ saved my soul!

 

     Okay, now I am tagging FIVE people:  Tracy (you have probably already done this, but you are such an interesting person you will not have any trouble coming up with seven more interesting things!), Short, Jimmie, Monkeymom, and ShayC.