Thursday, June 26, 2014

The bible should be taught daily.. Call it Teachable moments if you will

Deuteronomy 11:19-21

King James Version (KJV)
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which theLord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.



God never asked us to wait till our children were old enough to discuss deep matters.. But daily here a peice and there a peice.. Building a foundation that Jesus Christ could use for his own glory..




Romans 2:19-21

King James Version (KJV)
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Here Jesus reminds us through the pen of Paul to not only teach to children and babes even.. But to practice what we preach.. This is not a light thing..


John 8:30-32

King James Version (KJV)
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

LOOK AT THAT.. You will know the truth... Isn't it sometimes hard... God has promised that if you keep his W. O. R. D. S. You too will know the truth.. YES.. HIS WORDS.. You can know them.. And this scripture says that they will MAKE YOU FREE.. Not just set you free(I can set a caged Tiger free.. but someone else can re-cage it. However God MAKES you free.. Not the same thing as those other bible say is it?)


Isaiah 28:9-13
King James Version (KJV)
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

This prophesy was given about Jesus Christ and who he would teach about God. Who is weaned from milk?? A BABY.. He came to them who didn't think of themselves as knowing everything.. People who still thought they needed to learn things.. Those not haughty and self righteous!

Also specifically he teaches a little here.. and there.. Once concept upon another.. Sounds like Homeschooling to me. ;)


Psalm 78:4-6

Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
We will not hide them from their children,
shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
For he established a testimony in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers,
that they should make them known to their children:
that the generation to come might know them,
even the children which should be born;
who should arise and declare them to their children:


Solomon’s advice to parents is to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Raising and training a child within the context of this proverb means that it begins with the Bible, as “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…” (2 Timothy 3:16). Teaching children the truths of Scripture will make them wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15); thoroughly equip them to do good works (2 Timothy 3:17); prepare them to give an answer to everyone who asks them the reason for their hope (1 Peter 3:15); and prepare them to withstand the onslaught of cultures bent on indoctrinating young people with secular values.

The Bible tells us that children are a reward from God (Psalm 127:3). It would certainly seem fitting, then, that we heed Solomon’s wise counsel to train them appropriately. In fact, the value that God placed on teaching our children the truth is clearly addressed by Moses who stressed to his people the importance of teaching their children about the Lord and His commands and laws: “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). Moses’ thoroughness underscores his deep concern that successive generations maintain obedience to God’s laws to ensure they would “live safely in the land” (Leviticus 25:18), that all would “go well” with them (Deuteronomy 12:28), and that He would bless them in the land (Deuteronomy 30:16).

Clearly Scripture teaches that training children to know and obey God is the basis for pleasing Him and living victoriously in His grace. Knowing God and His truths begins with the child’s understanding of sin and his need for a Savior. Even very young children understand that they are not perfect and can grasp at an early age the need for forgiveness. Loving parents model a loving God who not only forgives, but provides the perfect sacrifice for sin in Jesus Christ. Training up children in the way they should go means, first and foremost, directing them to the Savior.


This portion in red was copied from another site.. As I admit I couldn't say it any better than they did..http://www.gotquestions.org/train-up-a-child.html

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Can the bible be looked at like we would look at a Homeschooling Curriculum??

What if I told you that the bible is just like a Homeschool Curriculum?



• Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

What things are your children thinking on? Truth? Honest things? Just things?
Pure things? Lovely things? Things of Good Report? Virtuous things? Things of Praise??
BTW.. THINK ON THESE THINGS.. That is a command.. So are you and your children thinking on these things??


 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

Where are your affections? Are they based on things above?? Or things on the earth..

I won't lie.. Sometimes I get the joy of being able to say YES.. My affections are wholly set on Jesus Christ and his Kingdom.. But as a mom my affections are also on this world.. that I have to send my babies out on.. I have to keep a barometer out there on what's happening. And often times my ability to keep the balance is is just not where it needs to be.. So if your in that boat.. Your not alone..


• Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

Weigh that though here just a moment.. That is an EITHER OR STATEMENT.. Either he loves the world.. Or he loves the father.. One of these are true.. the other isn't.


• And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

Don't be too harsh with children.. Not saying have no boundaries but you need to understand if your too harsh they will push back.. and become rebellious. 


 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.1 Timothy 4:7

Notice here the bible tells us that it requires EXERCISE of the faith and discernment to the pursuit of Godliness.. So don't be disgusted or disappointed when you don't make it on the first try..


• O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 1Timothy 6:20


Don't be swept away by things that aren't taught for your edification.. And please remember that the only reason science and the bible disagree is because there are men in both camps who are trying to make it so..
If they honestly used the findings of nature through scientific methods.. THERE WOULD BE NO Clashing..

It'd be a fine running machine..




Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Correctly dividing the Bible

Deuteronomy 6:7-9
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

All scripture is for our learning. We are to use the Old Testament as much as we use the New Testament..




WHY? You might ask..

4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:4-6

Think of a bible as a jigsaw puzzle that we have all the answers to.. But we need to correctly decide where each piece fits.. So that we have the CORRECT.. And biblical view..

Aforetime=WAY BACK WHEN... God set people to give US instruction on how to live.. and how to live GODLY AND HAPPILY!

 11Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 
1 Corinthians 10:11

We should know that there is stuff put into the bible BECAUSE OF US! Meaning things happened to the apostles, Moses and Abraham.. BECAUSE God knew we would need his input on this subject.. TALK ABOUT LOVE! He loved us enough to put them through that.. teach them that lesson.. and all because we will need that same lesson!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Don't be confusing yourself.. And making your day to day life more difficult!


Jesus requires of us that our YAY be Yay.. and NAY be Nay..
That means if you say your planning on doing something.. FOLLOW THROUGH..
As for me.. I know I have a hard time with doing what I need to do. So I try to not say it unless it is IMPORTANT..

But Being in church IS IMPORTANT.. Important to my children's future and to them knowing that God isn't "AN OPTION" To be turned on and off like a faucet. EITHER YOU WANT HIM OR YOU DON'T! He's not Aladdin's genie.. You can't rub his bottle when you want him and then let him get dusty when he's inconvenient! Either you want him in your life.. or you don't... Either you want the blessings or you don't..

DON'T PLAY GAMES.. With your own mind or with God's!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

How to help a child calm themselves

This is exactly the sort of training provided to children in Head Start who have been identified as suffering from early trauma. Children who are angry at the world, who have been hurt deeply even as preschoolers, need help to find their emotional center. Head Start has created a program designed to actively teach calming skills. We parents of less injured children can do the same thing.
It helps to recognize that young children really don’t know how to calm themselves. We see this in babies, who are very difficult to soothe once they’ve reached the screaming-meanies phase. But toddlers and preschoolers (and even older kids) still haven’t mastered self-soothing skills either. They need our help. Here’s what to do.
  1. Give a child the gift of your calmness. Your child is standing on an emotional ledge, ready to jump. Any good negotiator knows you don’t yell at someone on the edge, you talk with him calmly. You lend your own calmness to someone who doesn’t have enough. So take a deep breath. Speak calmly and slowly. Helping your child means giving her your quiet strength.
  2. If you need to restrain your child, do so with love, not anger. Enfold your child securely but gently. Keep in mind that you are giving calmness, not fighting. This is not easy to do. It will take all your physical strength and your emotional control to keep a child from hurting himself or others while not hurting him yourself.
  3. As your child quiets, direct her attention to her heart rate. Show her how to take her pulse at her wrist or to feel her heart. Notice how fast it’s racing. Challenge your child to getting her heart rate down.
  4. Show your child how to take deep breaths. Do this together. Three or four calming breaths will steady her pulse and help her to settle. She will still be shaky, so don’t be too quick to ask questions. Let her take the time she needs to get back to calm.
  5. Congratulate your child on settling himself. Put off asking what set him off until later; probing into this now make reignite his anger and upset. Instead, suggest a different activity altogether. He may want to go lie down for a few minutes in a quiet place, or he may want to watch TV for a little bit. If he was really out of control, he’ll need some time to feel himself again.
If you are consistent with this pattern, your child will eventually learn how to calm herself without your intervention. It will take time. But even in the short term, you and your child will both feel better about the day and you both will feel like you’ve grown emotionally and in your shared relationship.
A meltdown doesn’t have to derail everything. It doesn’t have to be an everyday occurrence. Take the time to teach your child another way to be.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

The 5 things the Kids need to hear..

A couple of college football coaches have asked their athletes this question over the last 30 years: “What is your worst memory from playing youth and high school sports?” 
You might be surprised by the answer: “The ride home from games with my parents.” 
Stuck in the car with a parent still mulling over the game, a child cannot escape. He gets asked why he missed that play. He gets asked what he can do to play better next time. He gets asked why the coach put so-and-so in or what he thinks about that call by the ref. Most kids are focused on just getting home. Many parents are not.
Those same college coaches asked their athletes a second question: “What did your parents say that made you feel great about being involved in sports?” 
The answer here was simple: parents said, “I love to watch you play.”
Saying “I love to watch you….” is a 5-word statement without any strings attached. It doesn’t suggest how a child can make us happier by being even better. It doesn’t imply we’re not so happy right now as a child could make us if she just worked harder and earned more acclaim.
Saying “I love to watch you…” can’t be said without a warm smile. It’s a sentence that feels good to say and feels good to hear. It’s a gift.
So try it. After the next game look your child in the eye and say, “I love to watch you play.” Just that. See if he doesn’t light up.
After your child practices the piano, helps his little sister, or just sits in a corner reading a book -  whenever you see something you want to encourage, something you want your child to do more of -  don’t make any comment or give any advice. Just say “I love to watch you…” do whatever you saw. Just that.
Then spread the love around. Tell your partner, “I love to watch you play with the kids.” Tell your mother, “I love to see you and the baby having such a good time.” Stop and appreciate the wonderful people and talents around you. There’s no need to tell people how to do things better. They’re doing just fine on their own right now.
Once we appreciate our children and tell them how much we love to see them in action, we really will appreciate them more. We’ll fell less inclined to judge and correct and happier to just let them be. We’ll be able to see how wonderful our children are.
And our kids will be happier to let us watch. Our kids won’t be afraid of the ride home.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Summer is coming up.. Budget for fun.. To save your sanity

Summer is coming up… your kids are surely looking forward to the break from school.  How about you?  Are you feeling ready for your family-together-time?  If you aren’t feeling so ready—consider sitting down with the kids to brainstorm fun activity ideas together.  Have the kids write out a list of things they would like to do this summer, including ideas that are free, indoors, outdoors, quiet, loud, solitary, or done in a group.  Give them a small theoretical budget (ie, $10/week) to see how they would spend the family resources on activities.  When we give kids some control and responsibility for the planning, they will be more likely to help make it happen, and be happy about it when you do!
Here are a few relatively easy ways to have quality family time together without spending a ton of money.
  • Does your town have public transportation?  If you don’t use it regularly, give it a try.  Kids love to take the bus—no car seats, not even seat belts!  You can plan a day-long outing on the bus.  You can go somewhere specific, or just use the bus as an air-conditioned tour of your town!  Make sure your bus route is a circle if you do that, or ask the driver where the stop is that will send you back where you came from.
  • The Pool!  Your kids are probably already begging to go… take them and jump in, too.  Being in the pool is great exercise, and it’s a wonderful way to get physically close to your kids.  You can play Marco-polo or dive for coins.  Anything that has you interacting with each other and using your bodies will leave you connected, happy, and a pleasantly tired.  Don’t forget the sunscreen and the snacks—fresh fruit is especially nice poolside.
  • Visit a park.  Many state parks have activities in the summer that are fun for families—get outdoors, have fun, and maybe even learn a little something, too.  Another outdoor nature adventure idea is to find a creek somewhere and go exploring.  Can you catch minnows?  Pick different kinds of flowers?  Splash in puddles?!  Get wet and muddy, bring the dog, and make life-long wonderful summer memories.
  • Have a messy party in the backyard one afternoon.  Put down a shower curtain or some other large plastic sheet, and give the kids shaving cream, pudding, flour, Koolaid: any kind of messy/goopy/food substance.  Make sure they are wearing old clothes and then let them make the biggest mess ever!  Just make sure to have a bucket of water nearby for rinsing off before they come back in the house.
  • Outdoor bubble bath.  Clear out your shower and vanity of all the old body wash and shampoo bottles that you aren’t using or are mostly empty.  Pull out the kiddie pool, rinse out one of the bottles to get the bubbles started, and turn the kids loose with the rest of the bottles for the world’s largest bubble bath.   (this one might be a good one to do directly after the messy party!)
But mostly, take advantage of the slower pace that summer usually brings.  Spend more time cuddling, playing, and laughing.  Relax and enjoy yourself—let the summer fun begin!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Is your child ready for Kindergarden

Most school districts around the country have a “cut-off date” for children beginning public kindergarten. In my city the date is September 1st. Kids who turn five before September 1st are eligible to start school that year but kids who turn five on or after that date wait for the next year.
However, in very few states are five-year-olds required to start kindergarten when they turn five. In my state, kids don’t have to attend school until they’re eight.
So this means that parents often have the option of deciding when to send their children to kindergarten.  And there are some myths surrounding that.
Parents sometimes think that keeping an eligible five-year-old out of school for an extra year will help him do better in school since he’ll be more able to sit still. And some parents think that holding a kid back will make him more successful in high school athletics, since he’ll be bigger and stronger than other kids.
While each child is different, and it makes sense to start a child in kindergarten only when he’s ready, it’s important to remember a couple things. First, any class of kids already includes an entire year’s worth of ages so the held-back child may not be at much of an advantage at all. And studies show that the most common characteristic of high school drop-outs is being older than classmates, no matter what the reason. So holding a child back may not be a good idea.
Early entrance can also be a problem. Parents sometimes want to start a child a year ahead if she’s already reading at age three or four. But remember that kindergarten is about social skills. The child who is younger than her classmates might struggle with fitting in, and that can put her at a disadvantage.
Think carefully about your child when thinking about starting kindergarten.
Kindergarten teachers are pleased if students can:
  • Put on, fasten, unfasten and take off clothes, like coats, shoes and mittens
  • Use the bathroom and wash their hands.
  • Follow two- and three-step-directions. (An example of a two-step direction is “hang up your coat and come sit down.”)
  • Carry on a conversation, including staying on the subject.
  • Get along with other kids and adults, by sharing, taking turns and avoiding fights.
  • Stay on-task for a reasonable length of time.
  • Accept the authority of the teacher and other school adults.
In addition, kindergarten teachers would love it if students come to school able to:
  • Identify many upper and lower case letters of the alphabet and numerals to 10.
  • Identify basic colors and shapes.
  • Open a book, turn pages, interpret the action by observing pictures.
  • Listen and understand a conversation.
  • Use a pencil to draw a shape or figure, make a straight cut with a pair of scissors, and use glue or paste conservatively.
  • Print their first names and recognize their first names in print.
If your five-year-old can do all this, then he probably should start kindergarten this year. If he can’t, give him the gift of attending prekindergarten this year.

How do you know that your children eat too much candy??

3 Signs Your Child Eats Too Much Sugar:
  1. Cavities – Sugar is the #1 cause of cavities. Dentist Peter Shay says, “No matter how well a child brushes his or her teeth, if they consume sugar on a daily basis they will get cavities. Sugary beverages like fruit juice and sodas grab on to a child’s tooth and destroy the enamel before they have a chance to brush.” Children who consume little or no sugar in their diets rarely have cavities.
  2. When your child is thirsty, does he ask for water….or something sugary like fruit juice, sodas, sports drinks or chocolate milk? Sugar is a very addictive substances. Children develop cravings for sugar at a very early age – and a big source of their “sugar fix” comes in the form of beverages. Children who are not addicted to sugar typically ask for water when they are thirsty.
  3. Have you ever said, “When my child eats something sugary, I don’t see any difference in their behavior”? In many children, their bodies have built up such a high tolerance for junk food that their behavior doesn’t alter. Sugar is to kids what alcohol can be to adults. There are adults who are affected by one sip of alcohol, and other adults who are regular drinkers with a high tolerance where one beer won’t affect them. If your child drinks a can of soda and you don’t see a behavioral change, this is a big sign that she consumes too much sugar.
Not sure what to feed your child which is low in sugar? Here are a list of 10 alternative snakcs, beverages and foods:
* Water, water, water instead of anything else (And if you don't buy or offer anything else.. YES THEY WILL EVENTUALLY DRINK IT!)
* White milk instead of chocolate milk
* Fresh fruit instead of canned fruit
* Fresh fruit instead of fruit roll-ups, fruit snacks or anything misleading with ‘fruit’ in the title (Most "fake fruit" isn't even possessing 5%real fruit juices)
* Kashi brand cereal – it’s lower in sugar
* Skip granola bars – they are no better than a candy bar. Try whole grain crackers with hummus instead.
* Skip cookies and crackers – try carrot sticks or apple slices with a bit of peanut butter instead
* Make a fruit smoothie by blending a mix of fresh fruits and veggies instead of popsicles or ice cream
* Small cheese cubes with whole grain crackers
* Greek yogurt – high in protein and lower in sugar than regular yogurt

Sunday, June 15, 2014

So starting today I purpose to read through the bible in 90 days!

I have always wanted to read the entire bible. And this seems like a reasonable and possible task to endeavor to accomplish.

                                

Friday, June 6, 2014

Want to save money??



Here's my solution to the rising price of  EVERYTHING!

I can't change what they charge you or me for Groceries.
I can't change what they charge us for shampoo and other hygiene items..



But I can till up some of my yard and plant stuff I and my family will eat..
And that's exactly what I have done.

These are my Tomato's and Green and Red Peppers

Butternut & Acorn Squash
Spaghetti Squash  + Watermelon and Pumpkins

 Yellow and White Onions, Green Onions Parsnips and Carrots & Rutabaga & Broccoli & Cauliflower 

This is the Planting schedule I am using!


And I know that there are a lot of people who say they don't have the time. But all of this got done in 3 days of 6 hours. 




Monday, June 2, 2014

Parents need to look at how to overcoming their own shortcomings

BE AN OVER-COMER!
1.   Admit you don’t like some of your responsibilities or that you stink at some of them.You can tell me, and I won’t judge you one bit
Remember that admitting our own inabilities frees our children to do that also. They won't think they have to be 100% all the time.. No one can be that anyways. We are all sinners.. We all make mistakes.. And yes even by our own choices we choose to do that which we know is easier when we know it isn't the best choice. 
2.   Sometimes be responsible and do what you don’t like, for the sake of your child. We make our children do things they don’t enjoy, and sometimes we have to, too.
As models for our children we need to realize that we need to show them that there is room for not being perfect. However we need to learn how to do our work and be faithful to our responsibilities
3.   Admit what you’re good at. (Every mom shines in some area.) Put more energy into that activity, to compensate for the weak areas. For example, I loved reading to my children, so I spent hours doing this with them.
Are you a good cook? Are you a good housekeeper.. Speak positively about yourselves as a way to boost your own self worth.. but also so you can show your children that it is okay and even healthy to have things your excited about your own abilities in.. Currently mine is Gardening.. I am falling head over heals in love with gardening!
4.   Pray for God to help you overcome your weaknesses.
Make a real effort to improve in those areas. This will be huge in your life.. but even bigger in your children's lives. Remember they are watching you! My pastor tells us all that "Our children know us better than an Indian knows the forest.." They know what will trigger us to give up.. but if they see us suddenly working through that thing.. It shows them that we expect better from ourselves too.. not just for them to put effort into things like getting better school grades etc..
5.   Be comforted that your child will judge you by your love for him and not by your perfection at being a mom.
Your kid already knows your failures.. It's not like your hiding the faults from him/her.. Especially if you try to hide them they will start to resent you for the things you pretend don't exist.. Want proof of that.. Think of the things you still to this day detest in your own parents from your childhood.. Was mamma a short fuse? Did she blame you for things you didn't do.. Wouldn't it have been easier to forgive it.. had she ever just said.. "Honey I know I sometimes think you did something and I might be wrong.. Can you forgive me?" or "Sorry sweety I didn't mean to bite your head off.. "
Being honest..It will be the one thing that makes the difference. 
Be humble.. If your wrong.. admit it.. ask forgiveness.. Your kids will love you for it. And P.S. So will your husband.. 
Is the biggest step is the first one!