05/03/08

My first picture for today is from the arboretum again.... and, yes, it is an iris'. :) These were so pretty but the sun was so bright that this was about the only one I liked from this set of iris. I saved a few others, but they are a bit blownout in the white area and I just didn't think they gave the look I was wanting. SO.. that is why there is only one of these! Our neighbors have a ton of iris in their yard and I'm going to call to see if I can capture some of those as well. They have ALL kinds of colors! We'll see what they say. :)



I realized I have never posted pictures of my washer and dryer. Strange of me to do so? Maybe so, but I LOVE these things. I am amazed at how much better my clothes smell and how much more clean they are. Thought I'd let Sal know how they looked. :) He and I had that major conversation about washers and dryers a few months back so I wanted him to see. lol I have washed three loads of clothes today and thought I may do another! We'll see.. I decided to give you a few views for your looking enjoyment. :) I am thankful for how the Lord provided these!

Today I have been busy but not so rushed. It has been great to get some things done without the time factor on your back. I cleaned out my closet a bit and got some clothes ready for Goodwill, washed clothes (as stated above!) and worked on some paperwork. I now have to work on the kitchen area... looks like a bomb went off... as well as doing about 2 hours worth of ironing. I think out of all household chores to do, I hate ironing the most. I'll need to get happy about it shortly!! ha!!

I also have to work on baking two pies and fixing a casserole for our Homecoming at church tomorrow. Steve is going to cook a tenderloin on the grill and make an onion casserole. We should definitely have enough to take. I love Homecoming at church. It really is fun to have everyone bring food together and enjoy the time spent with each other. It is a shame, though, that many of our older ladies are no longer with us and the wonderful food they made is gone. Many people like to go buy things to bring instead of make it. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I know that has to happen because time is short with everything going on, but when you know it is something special like this, take the time to do it right.

This past week I have been observing and thinking on doing the right thing because you are supposed to do it, not because you are told "if you do this, you will get so and so.." My thoughts are a bit jumbled with all that I am thinking so I hope this comes out the way I am wanting. You will read me go from topic to topic, and I apologize, but bear with me. The Lord has laid this on my heart for a reason and I just need to "write" about it.

Steve and I try to teach my our children, as well as me teaching my students, that obeying because it is right is what is important and not what you can "get" if you do. I feel that our society today has gone so far into the "bribing" mode to get kids, or even adults, to do something, that we have lost sight of the simple fact of doing something because you are SUPPOSED to do it. I also find that parents want to make everything easy for their children because they don't want them to "go through hardships." Let's face it, life is hard!! How are our children going to be prepared for the real world if they don't experience hardships or even failures as they grow up? I think of a butterfly that is coming out of its chrysalis, if you try to help them out of the chrysalis they do not become strong enough to survive. The process of struggling out of that chrysalis and pumping their wings is what gives them the ability to FLY. It isn't easy to watch your children struggle but they will not have the capabilities to rise up from struggles and learn from their mistakes if we don't ever let them see failure.

Wesley and Mikayla have been taught from very young that it is their responsibility to clean up after themselves (we're still working on that one) as well as pitch in with household chores, etc.. because it is expected. Too many times I observe people in public places basically bribing their children to do something and only then do the kids do it. I was always taught from my parents that "Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all... and you know you've got to do it, so do it right." I live by that today. It doesn't mean I have to be perfect, but it means I have to give my best. It also means that when I have failed to do so, then I should not blame other people for my own mistakes or carelessness.

I think of what the Bible teaches on these thoughts of mine:

Ephesians 6:1-2 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

Ephesians 6: 5-6 - Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness (sincerity) of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Hebrews 13:17 - Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

As a child I didn't always like what my parents told me to do, just as an adult I am not always liking what I am told to do, but the fact is, I have been taught to DO it because it is the right thing. I am of the mindset that I expect a job to be done and when I see it is done with a right attitude and to the best of the ability of the person, I choose then to reward the behavior. That way, it is done for the right reasons and not just because of the reason of "getting something" in return. There are many times we have to do things in life "Just Because" and no one will ever know!!! I think of volunteers or people with a servant's heart who don't get paid but they do something because they have a strong desire to help out or because it is the right thing to do.

If we continue to teach our children to expect something in return in order to get them to do something, we are going to end up with adults, as we see today, who only think of themselves and what benefits them.

People often "argue" that adults get paid to do a job so why not let that spill over into children's responsibilities? Well, yes, they are right about adults getting paid for a job. However, I can get paid the same as someone next to me and do the job to the best of my ability because I know it is right. The other person may just give what is needed in the job to get by. We both are paid the same thing. For doing a job well to the best of my ability, I will not get paid more. It also should not cause me to only give less than my best because that person does. If you are taught early that doing a job requires your best no matter what, the payment won't be the issue. You learn to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do!

Steve and I were listening to a Christian counselor on the radio the other day and his topic was on the marriage. It was interesting to hear him say that most divorces occur because of bitterness and anger that has built up over time. I can truly understand that... it usually isn't because of something huge. He was saying that so many times we go into a marriage with feeling "Entitled" to what we want in life. The act of feeling entitled to something means that, no matter what the other person feels, you feel you SHOULD have something. In marriage, that can cause major problems because you aren't always going to get what you want. It also spills over into our children. How blessed we are in this nation that our children have what they have. I am ashamed many days at the amount of "stuff" Wesley and Mikayla have. In teaching history to my students, I look back and see how much people did without and were happy but so many people today think the things are going to make them happy. They think they are entitled to them. Our children are becoming the same way. I see it every day.

You know, we are only entitled to a life separated from God because we are all born as sinners. It is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross that I am able to have the GIFT of salvation where I can have eternal life with Christ.

I guess what I am saying is we need to constantly be remembering that we are nothing without the Lord. We have to thank the Lord for His gifts to us each day instead of expecting more and more. We live in a society of wanting and getting instead of contentment, obedience and thankfulness.

I heard a devotion last Thursday from Galations 2:20: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We have to 'die to our self' everyday and realize it isn't what we want in our lives that matters. God watches over us, cares for us, and gives us everything we need. All we need is simple obedience.

This all does not mean that I am speaking from perfection!! I am far from it. There are some days I feel as if I don't know how the Lord keeps His patience with me. I am constantly learning how to obey Him, just as we are teaching our children to obey us. I find how small I am in comparison to the rest of the world. I am seeing that what I want is not always the best thing and I continually need to look around me, see how blessed I am, and be content. I find that being a parent, although rewarding, is quite frustrating some days. This causes me to think of how the Lord must feel when I fail Him as well.

I am learning that humility takes a lifetime. I am nothing without He Who made me. I should not have a mindset of "entitlement" but instead, songs of praises on my lips.

God is not finished with me yet, nor is He with my family and children, my students, or you who are reading this.

I pray that this has given you something to "chew" on today. It is by no means a "sermon" but just a lot of thoughts the Lord has laid on my heart this past week.

May your day be a blessed one. Take the time to realize you are blessed and thank the Lord for it!