Proverbs 20:7

Pro 20:7  The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him

Can we take just a moment and look at this?

What is INTEGRITY? 

~INTEGRITY~

I always speak the truth. What I promise is what I deliver. I endever to only ever make agreements with myself and others that I can  and am willing and intending to keep. I communicate potential broken agreements at the first opportunity and I clear up all broken agreements immediately

This little bit is strait from Forbes.com

A word of advice to those who are striving for a reputation of integrity: Avoid those who are not trustworthy. Do not do business with them. Do not associate with them. Do not make excuses for them.  Do not allow yourself to get enticed into believing that “while they may be dishonest with others, they would never be dishonest with me.” If someone is dishonest in any aspect of his life you can be guaranteed that he will be dishonest in many aspects of his life. You cannot dismiss even those little acts of dishonesty, such as the person who takes two newspapers from the stand when they paid for only one. After all, if a person cannot be trusted in the simplest matters of honesty then how can they possibly be trusted to uphold lengthy and complex business contracts?

It is important to realize that others pay attention to those you have chosen to associate with, and they will inevitably judge your character by the character of your friends. Why is that?  It is best explained by a quote my father often says when he is reminding me to be careful of the company I am keeping:  “When you lie down with dogs you get fleas.” 

How could a CHILD.. 

Be blessed by his Parents being people of Integrity?

Well let's think about this.. If a child grew up in a home where INTEGRITY.. Was modeled.. would you think he would be the kind of child to steal? Probably not.. and if he did.. he'd be the child who his parents marched back into the store and into the manager's office! He'd learn his lessons.. sometimes from seeing what mommy and daddy did.. but also from them holding him accountable. 

How can you say that with so much assurance?

Well have you ever noticed that it is the thing you hold most dear  that they try to share.. So if Integrity is important.. you will want it to be taught.. And you can't have integrity by taking short cuts, by allowing injustices.. 

EX: Modern culture tells us that little Johnny couldn't deal with his self esteem being shattered by being held accountable for his bad grades.. BUT If mommy and daddy both hold personal integrity as a value.. They are going to go have a  talk with little Johnny about how his procrastination and not coming home and getting his school work done right away.. hampers his ability to get good grades.. And how that is his "job" 

So he would be taught work ethics, he would be taught the value of NOT PROCRASTINATING.. He would be taught that he is to respect his teachers instructions.. He would also be assuredly grounded for his bad behavior.. Until his grades came back up..

Can you think of how this would improve the child's future?

Now lets look at what our culture really is teaching:

If it feels good do it.. Regardless of the cost to you or others..

That surely isn't integrity!

Whatever you want.. you can have it.. buy it on credit... And if you can't pay it back.. GO BANKRUPT!

That surely isn't integrity!

I guess I am looking at the current trend in my nation.. and I fear for the future generation.. 

And I see here in God's word that.. 

OUR ACTIONS  DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR CHILDREN!

To me that scares me!

Are your children going to suffer from what your teaching them..?

I don't want that for my kids.. I want my children to be blessed after me!

What is an apology? When are apologies necessary?

What is a "REAL" apology?

And when is a "REAL" apology necessary?

Lets look at that first question..

When do you want an apology from someone..

Usually it is when they have hurt you. When they did or said something that caused some kind of pain to you.

But it also can be when you observe a situation and you in your GUT feel like an apology is "in order"

Well I am investigating this thought process for a very unique purpose..

Biblically... WHEN do you deserve an apology?

And this leads me to the question.. When do you need to forgive?! 

That in itself is a TOUGH question..

How about we use GOD HIMSELF AS AN EXAMPLE?

When does God forgive sin's committed against him?

Matthew 6:12, 14 & 15 (King James Version)

12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Scripture tells us here that if we forgive others of the sins they committed in our presence.. That God will forgive us the sins we have committed in the presence of others.

**Why don't I say the sins that were committed against us? Or the sins we committed against others??**

Here's the answer.. NO ONE HAS EVER SINNED AGAINST YOU.. THEY SINNED AGAINST GOD..AND GOD ONLY..

I can hear you seething on the inside.. How do I know that.. Cause there is right now millions of sins that have been done to you that are running through your mind and your wanting to yell them at me..

But those things were done.. yes you were hurt.. but ALL SIN IS DONE IN REBELLION TO GOD.. Now that rebellion often has collateral damage.. per se the shrapnel hits innocent victims.. Which is why GOD so seriously hates SIN! Because it always hurts people.. There isn't anyone who is left unharmed from any sinful behaviors..

So when Sin is committed.. And we all commit it..

HOW DO WE FIX IT?

God has no questions about "IF" we will sin..
So he gave us a sure fire way to be forgiven..
It means in HUMILITY.. We must come into his presence... usually on bended knee and lay out before him what we did that was wrong..(Don't forget he knew you would do it.. before you did it.. and HE SAW YOU DO IT.. When you did it.. so be honest!) And he will forgive us our sins.. 

And I am learning that by doing so.. if we keep our sin list short.. We become more humble.. more kind and more easy to get along with.. 

Special Needs Children (Autism Spectrum especially) often need help understanding FEELINGS!

What would you do if your child didn't understand the different emotions?

So much in our lives is based on the ability to read a facial expression or to understand the subtle differences between persons when a situation is taking place..

Well here is an image that you can use.. and it will help your child.

Draw a face.. a smile for example. and then you can discuss what kinds of things it could mean..

Offering that dear child some assistance in understanding his or her world!

Here it is please copy and save.. and use for your own family!

ALDI'S AND SAVE-A-LOT

 Why shop at Aldi's or Save-a-Lot?

I can give you LOTS OF REASONS..

The first reason... Is saves you money.

I hear people all the time saying we don't shop at Aldi's or Save-a-Lot.. Because we want top quality food..

And EVERY TIME I HEAR THIS.. I laugh!

I had to do a research report on nutrition and the food growing and production industry a few years ago.

Guess what I found out.. The same crews would go out into a field.. of per se corn.. and the "first cutting" of a field would be called grade "A" and they would pick only the best ears of corn.. And that would be sent to the edges of the field and be either flash frozen and sold then to either Del Monte or one of the other BIG NAME companies.. 

Then they would take huge combine tractors and go through the same fields.. cut down the entire stalks of corn.. and take all of it to the same edge of the field.. and separate the corn from the stalks.. The stalks were given to the farmers for their cows and silage..

But the stuff would be processed the same way.. in the same machines and grown on the same fields!

But they charge you a dollar a can more for that different label put on it!

To me it just isn't practical to pay more and get the same things.

I have tried both sides.. and get more for my money by being willing to go to ALDI'S AND Save-a-Lot!

Saves me time, money and SANITY!

Wouldn't you like your cabinets to look this full too?

These are the things I use to make all the things on my menu each month!

I go to the store Once a month and stock up.. 

Yes I go in once a week and I LIMIT MYSELF TO ONLY MILK, EGGS AND BREAD items!

Because sometimes the best deals on those things.. really are when they are on sale!

Homeschooling Journey ... I

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a  homeschool curriculum , for  afterschool enrichme...

Family Style Taco!

I will be reporting to you Tomorrow night how it went!

First Recipe from my meal list for me to share..

Black Bean Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles

3c spaghetti Sauce

1/2c water

2c black beans

2c cottage cheese

1 egg

1t parsley

1t oregano

4T sour cream

4c shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4/c fresh grated parmesan cheese

Steps 1-6

1 Combine spagetti sauce, water, black beans and simmer for 15 minutes

2 Place cottage cheese, 1 egg & seasonings in bowl and mix.. set aside till needed

3 In a 9x13 pan (If you double or triple this recipe you can use the metal pans with plastic tops and FREEZE THIS.. IT WORKS GREAT!)

4 ~Layer 4 noodles overlapping on a thin layer of spaghetti sauce

   ~spread 1/2 the cottage cheese mixture & 1/3 the beam mixture & top with 1/3 the mozzarella cheese

5 Repeat #4

6 If you have any additional ingredients.. throw them on top..:) No use wasting those yummy ingredients.

Cover with foil that you have sprayed cooking spray on(keeps your cheese from sticking to the foil..)

Pop in oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes then take off the foil for 10 minutes more.

Serve and ENJOY!