Lessons from the Lord... on the Playground

One would never think that running around on a playground would bring enlightenment of life lessons from the Lord.  

This past Friday, it did.

Friday was our "Fitness Fun Day" at school.  We normally try to do a fitness activity with the kids that involves the kids differently than spending time on the playground at our normal play times.

Knowing that some children in the age I teach (second grade) have not conquered some of the things on the playground, I decided to get them on equipment without them realizing it... meaning, make it so it was an "adventure" and not an "order."

Little did I realize what the Lord was about to remind/teach ME.

As I was preparing the children for what we were going to do, I knew I had to do it first to show them the way or they would never "get" what I was meaning.  We were going to use our imaginations big time.  We were going to "climb a mountain, swim through the rivers, climb another rock formation into the jungle, swing from the vines of the jungle, and run across a desert until we reached home."

We first began at the mountain... or rock-climbing wall.  This piece of equipment "looks" like a volcano and is about 8 feet off the ground.  I started up the harder side of rock climbing... some of the kids did not like that.  They wanted to climb up the ladder.  I told them that the mountain did not have ladders and we'd have to climb.

I climbed up and got on top of the "mountain"... all the while chuckling that my poor children had to watch me swing myself up over the ledge at the top.  Bless their hearts....

When I started to go down on the other side, I will admit to you all that there was a bit of "fear and trepidation" as I was going down that part of the rock wall backwards... not sure of where my footing was going.

After I succeeded in my climb up and down, I encouraged the children to, one-by-one, go up the same way I did and then come down.  What I began to see took me off guard.

I had some, who I thought would be afraid, start climbing and coming down without a problem.  I was excited!  I stood back and cheered them on.

Then, one of my precious ones showed me a valuable lesson from the Lord.

He struggled even climbing up the first side because it was "too hard", he said.  He kept saying he just couldn't do it.  Knowing that I had to help him, I walked closer and began to encourage him more.  (The other kids even encouraged him, which warmed my heart!)  I tried to help him place his feet on each part of the climbing holds.  He didn't like that so I had to think of another way.

I then chose to climb the rock wall again,  meet him at the top... and pull him up.  Whether I was under him or above him pulling him up, I didn't realize just how hard it would be to help this little guy climb knowing that I was there for him and to trust me.

After helping him over the edge, I thought he would be elated!  I jumped down off the top of the volcano and continued my cheering.  Instead of joy on his face, there was more fear because he now didn't know how to get down.

As I was standing below him, encouraging him, he crumpled down at the top and said he just couldn't do it.  It was too hard.  He wanted to get down the easy way... the ladder.

In my love for him, I knew that the ladder was not the answer.  The easy way is not the best way.

It was in that moment, I saw myself in that little guy.  I saw myself climbing the mountains of life, having the Lord there encouraging me and pulling me up. He had been through life on this earth... He understood.   I saw myself getting there at the top... the highest point... and wanting to stay... not willing to go through anymore trials.  Telling the Lord that it is just too hard and I want to go the easy way.

And the Lord always says... I will never leave you or forsake you, I am underneath you with everlasting arms, I go before you and stand behind you.  I am with you.

It was in that moment, I knew what I had to do.  I had to climb back up again.  I had to show this little guy that I was with him just like God is with us in every part of life.  I climbed back up, encouraged him more and kept telling him that God was with him and so was I.

It still took some coaxing, but he began to stand up.  He hesitatingly put one foot over the edge, drew it back, then brought it back out again.

He was learning faith.

As he brought out his feet to climb down, I knew the fear he was feeling as I had just faced it a bit myself.  I had been there and was willing to help him down, to catch him if he fell.

With one foot, then the other, he came down.

He succeeded!

If I had let him go down the ladder, the easy way, he would have never learned the value of doing something hard.  He would have never had the gift of joy in accomplishing something hard with the help of someone who loves him.

We then went through the river (running/swimming through bars and swings on the playground),
climbed another wall,
went through the vines of the jungle (may I just make a statement here.... I have a new appreciation for those kiddos that do the monkey bars day in and day out....),
and ran across the desert to the other side.

All the while I did it with them.

Helped them through tough moments where they couldn't quite get it.

.... And learned so much in just 45 minutes on a playground.

I learned that God gave me a picture of what He does for us every day.  

He had me holding those children in love.  

He had me encouraging them.  

He had me telling them to try again... even if it is hard.  

Just like He does for me every day.

Just like He has done for my school this week after our tragic news of last weekend.

All because He loves us.

It is a picture I have not gotten out of my head all weekend, and I hope I will never look at a playground again in the same way.  I pray it will always give me encouragement on the days I don't feel I can go on or it is too hard.

I pray that my sweet students (my "chil'ren) will have a picture of Christ as well.

I pray that they will understand the love I had for them by going before them, holding them, encouraging them, and never leaving them on the playground is a small taste of what the Lord has for us in life.

The picture the Lord gave me on the playground reminded me of these verses from Isaiah 43:1-3:

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.

“For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

The question of WHY?

Death surrounds us every day.

We step on a bug.

We see animals in the road.

We watch each fall as leaves fall off the ground and turn brown.

We watch as a flower loses its petals.

So why is it that death shocks us to the core?

Why is it that when someone dies "too soon" we cannot wrap our minds around it?

There are countries right now facing such torment and death that it is part of every day life for them.  They are in constant fear of dying while they are living.

Is it because in our American culture where we have not faced such atrocities or because we have more life-saving medicines and techniques we do not experience death in volumes as much as other countries?  Do we think we are more immune?

This year I have experienced a lot of deaths compared to other years.  I wrote about two of them in this post from February.  (What I found was interesting as I went back to find the post, it was exactly 6 months to the date of what I am sharing now.)

Death has visited again twice in the last six weeks.

In the middle of July, we lost a youth from church who was Wesley and Mikayla's age.  He had fought cancer hard and his body could hold out no longer.

He was ready to go Home.  And he did.

That was hard on the kids.  It was hard on the adults.  It was hard as a parent because you wanted to hold your own children and never let them go.

We learned to go on as a church family.  The grieving process was and is still there as we remember, but we moved on into life again.

Yesterday, we were dealt another blow.  

A young girl, who used to go to our church and was a Senior at my school, died in a car accident.

I had taught her.... as so many of our teachers had.  She had been at school since Kindergarten.

It was surreal.  I could not wrap my mind around it.

I still can't.

That question comes up again that so often does at this time in life ~ WHY?

Why would the Lord allow a 14 year old boy die from cancer?

Why would the Lord allow a 16 year old girl die in a car accident?

I do not have an answer to that question.... and probably never will.

Death is part of life.  

At times such as these it is easy to get angry with God.  I do believe God understands our human emotions and allows us to voice them, such as how Job did during his trials.

However, one thing we must remember is that God is good.

Today at church it was AMAZING at how the Lord orchestrated the songs and the message... all had been preplanned before the news of this young life gone.

Let me share what I learned:

"You cannot rest in situations of life, but you can rest in the Savior."

Trials are a way of life.

Here are three truths that help in time of trials....  the times of WHY?

He spoke from James 1:1-5.

1.  Rejoice in the Providence of God.
We cannot rejoice in the problem... we can rejoice in God's Providence.
The pain is there.  It is hard to bear.  We cling to the Lord knowing He is in control.

2.  Remember the Purpose of God.
We are going through a process of perfection.  When God is working in our trials He is perfecting us to be more like Christ.
Christ suffered and died.
He understands pain and suffering whether we want to believe that or not in our humanness.

3.  Rely on the Promises of God.
The Bible is full of God's promises.  Those promises never say that life will always be good, always turn out the way we want, or never have death.
He promises that He will be with us every step of our life on earth and will never leave us or forsake us.
Whether we are 95... or 14... or 16.


One last thing the pastor spoke on this morning that has had me chewing is this:

"When you're building stronger muscles, you put more weight on.  You don't put on less.  

When you want more endurance, you increase the time.  You don't lessen the time.

Why are we so surprised when God adds more to our faith?"

As I said above, I do not have all of the answers.  I do not understand why these deaths had to happen.  I cannot comprehend what those families are going through at this time.

Cry tears.  Grieve.  

Anger may rise to the surface because it hurts.

Through it all, remember to trust God's promises. 

He always keeps His promises.

Even in the darkest of days He is there.  

He is holding us.  

He will never let us go.

Psalm 34:1-8

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear it and rejoice. 

O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together. 

I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

 

Running In A Race

Have you ever run a race?

Running can be easy for some.

Running can be hard for others.

I know I have been learning how to run more in my exercise, but I still haven't gotten to a place where I love to run the entire time.

I am a walker, for certain.

Whatever way you prefer, we are all in a race.

We are in the race of life.

How we look at that race determines our outcome.

There are times when the race is long and seems to go on forever.  You look at the clock and do not know why time is passing so slowly.

There are other times the race is quite short.  You have sped through it and could not believe how well you did.

There are sometimes combinations of both types of races.

Right now I am looking at the race of my next school year.

As always, there are changes taking place and lots of new things that are coming my way.  It can feel a bit like the long race that goes on forever, the training is intense, nothing is easy.... and you just don't know how you are going to do it all.  

I will be humanly honest with you:  I have fought this race all week.

I have not fought the fact of new students, new books, or a new and shiny classroom.  

I have been fighting the looming expectations of how I am going to get everything done.  How am I going to be all I need to be for my students, my parents, my fellow teachers, my own children, my husband..... and most importantly, how am I going to keep the Lord as my focus in the midst of it all?

That is where the Lord gives us what we need when we need it... even before we know it.

It all started with the theme verse for our school year.  When we were told we were going to be using Isaiah 40:31, we were wondering how we would use it fully with the entire school.  While I love, love, love this verse, I was also wondering how to put that on everyone's level successfully.  How can I make something "concrete" become an abstract learning experience for my students?

(All summer I asked the Lord to give me an opportunity to capture this verse in photograph... and He did.  This is what will be displayed in my room at school, thanks to the Lord's directing:)

 

I have also been doing this Bible Study recently:  

When the Lord directed me to this for my second Bible study for the summer, I didn't quite understand.  I wasn't facing any "dark" moments right now in my life.  However, as I have shared before, I am learning to trust the Lord in His guidance.  Little did I realize that once again I would be needing this.  Check out the title.  I am a WALKER in this race called life.... and He is continuing to teach me to Walk by Faith.

Here are some quotes from Jennifer Rothschild:

• "If you feel that the weight of your circumstances is too heavy to bear, maybe it's because the burden is yours, not His."

• "Many of us go through life resisting our circumstances because we operate under the mistaken notion that we are in charge."

• "God's use of discipline (or a hard race!).... [is] not to punish us, but to change us.  He allows suffering to be like the hurdles we must jump to strengthen us." (italics emphasis mine)

• "A runner will discipline himself and endure arduous training in order to be fit for the race.  It's not easy.... but it is effective."

This Bible study that the Lord gave me for the second part of summer has given me more verses of encouragement.  What I have learned has already helped me with the new uncertainties and I know He will carry me in this race.  

How am I going to run/walk the race of this year?

How am I going to handle all of the new expectations and needs?

I am going to WAIT on the Lord so that I may run without being weary and walk without fainting.

There may be days I sprint to the finish. 

There may be days I have an "injury" and it will take all I can do to finish the day.

However, God will be there every step of the way.  

This video is a perfect picture of what the Lord does for us in our race of life.  We saw it in devotions this past week at school.  It brought tears to my eyes then and it brought tears to my eyes today.

May you be blessed by it now:

Convenient Christianity

Convenient Christianity. 

What is so convenient about Christianity?

It is a wonderful way to talk with my Lord at any time.  I do not have to go through another person to talk with the Lord.  I have a personal relationship with Him!  THAT is convenience because I never have to wait for Him to be there... He always IS.

But that is not what I am talking about here. 

My thoughts are leaning more towards what Christians show the world today.

A verse the Lord has been putting in front of me on different occasions this summer is this: 

Romans 12:1-2 - Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

I have done a lot of studying Scripture and reading Biblical-based books this summer and I find that many Christians compartmentalize God.  They put Him in a nice corner of their life and only "worship" Him when they need Him... or need something from Him. He is there for the convenience of:

A job.

A family member to be healed.

A sickness to go away.

A problem to stop.

I could go on....

The Bible stays on the shelf.

Convenient Christianity does not give you a relationship with your Creator.   A relationship where....

...He speaks to you from His Word.

...He shows His everlasting love.

...He may step on your toes.

...He may reveal a sin.

...He may reveal idols that you are putting before Him.

(Idols... really?  I don't worship any idol.... those Buddah looking things....  Yeah, I know.. I used to think the same thing.  However, an idol is ANYTHING you put before the Lord.  That includes good things.  I am talking ANYTHING.)

The lines between a Christian and the world have become so blurred that there is more "Convenient Christianity" being practiced than real life surrender to the Lord.

God is only for Sunday and then one can live his/her life in any way they would like the other six days of the week... and sometimes there are those who don't even give Him Sundays.

The "talk can be talked" when the time is right.

The only problem is, the heart is not where the talk is.

We want God on our own terms, not His.

We want Him to make life easy for us, never step on our toes, and never, ever have to suffer.

We want to live however we want and ask God to bless us in every way.


The Lord has stepped on my toes for certain this summer and caused me to rethink things I used to say, do, or express.  He has taught me that to be truly for HIM, I must surrender myself moment by moment and day by day to my own desires.

When my desires are not His desires for me, they are sin.

He desires to change me.  He desires to mold me.... to be better..... to be set apart... to be different from the world.

That means sometimes I will not like what I hear or what I have to do or change.

I am a work in progress.  We all are.  I have not arrived and shall never arrive until I see Jesus face-to-face.  What I am learning is that I must allow the Lord to change me.  To make me different from those around me. 

Are you willing to live for Christ day by day....  to give up things that you once held dear if the Lord shows they are not His way? 

Are you willing to live in a Christian worldview.... where every part of your life, not just Sundays, is so a part of Christ that the world loses its luster?

Are you willing to step away from the "convenience" of being a Christian and live for Christ even if it means to suffer for it?

We may think the world offers so much fun and joy, but it is only through Christ that our joy can be full.  

Psalms 16:11 - You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

The Lord is still helping me "chew" on what I have written and challenging me to become more like Him.

How about you?

DO something!

Do you ever gaze out your door at the world beyond?

Do you ever get out of your comfort zone and realize how easy we have it here in America?

Even our poorest people in America are richer than a majority of the world. 

As I drive or go places, I sometimes view all that we have in our country and all that people are still clamoring to get.

A majority of people are not really satisfied.

A majority of people are working for more money to buy the next best thing.

I am guilty of that.

You are guilty of that.

The Lord has been pressing on my heart for some time to step back and really see what is out there.  Last year, if you have read long enough, you may have read about the kids and I helping a group of friends with the homeless in our downtown.

That began my journey.

We weren't able to help our friends with the homeless this past school year due to school responsibilities with my teaching and the kids, but I missed seeing those people.  Those precious souls.

It began to wear on me that I had not been able to go.... to do something.

The Lord began to put a word in front of me when I was teaching my students about Jesus' ministry in Bible time.  It was a word I had taught about many times, but it became so much a part of my vocabulary this year while teaching His life that the children could tell me what word I was thinking.

What is that word?

COMPASSION.

Jesus had compassion on all He met... whether He was grieving over the loss of His cousin, tired, or dealing with His own beatings and death.

Here I am in America - the land of the free and the home of the brave and I can say I have had less compassion in my life than I should.

I have not felt the terrors of war at my doorstep.  I have not gone without food for days.  I have not known the horrors of being sold into child slavery or made to be a child bride.  I have not known what it was like to sleep outside under a bridge.  I have never gone without what I needed.... and most of the time I have not gone without what I wanted.

For the most part, if we want something we get it here in America.

Then, we sit back in our comfortable homes and say

"Look at those pitiful people.... what a hard life they live."

"I am SO BLESSED to be living here.  I am SO BLESSED that I don't have that problem."

"Why doesn't God DO something to help these people!""

..... and then we go on living our lives without the slightest hint of compassion towards others.

We are ENTITLED.

We are GREEDY.

And WHY do we think we are so blessed because we have SO much?  Is the poor person not blessed either?  I am careful when I say that now...  I am learning to just say I am THANKFUL.


So, as the Lord continued to work in my heart I began to read about helping others in different books I was reading, in my devotions, and then I kept hearing this song REPEATEDLY on the radio.  I highly encourage you to listen to it.....



I could not get away from the Lord telling ME to DO SOMETHING!

I kept asking Him WHAT.

Was I to get back into helping the homeless?  I must admit that one kept feeling overwhelming because of my school responsibilities. I didn't want to commit to something and then not be able to keep with it during school.

I honestly had NO CLUE as to what I was supposed to do but I just kept praying and asking for the Lord's direction.

At the end of June, a friend and I went to see Chonda Pierce - a Christian Comedian.  One of my parents had given me tickets and I had never seen her in person so I was excited to go.

During the last half of her show, she began to share about a program that helps others.  Guess what the name of that program is!!??

COMPASSION.

My ears perked up when I heard the title.  The Lord began working in my heart.

It is a program where you can support children around the world who live in poverty or in high risk areas of slavery/child rights violations.  Here is the link:  Compassion.com

I will admit, I had a battle going on inside of me.

Can we afford to give more money to something?  (I have recently upped some other things for the Lord so that is where this is coming from.... it was just Satan... purely him!)

Then, my heart began to flow with COMPASSION as I watched how these children lived with SO LITTLE and I have SO MUCH.

They had workers who were handing out packets of children.  Each child only has ONE packet so it was serious business if someone raised their hand to accept one.

When she asked who would be willing, my hand shot up immediately.

The war inside of me would have to go away because I knew this was how the Lord wanted me to step out in faith.

I got a little girl.

From Colombia, South America.

She is seven.

Her name is Shaylinsan.

If she were going to my school, I could be her teacher this year.  She is the age of children I teach!

As I looked at that precious face staring back at me, tears welled up in my eyes and I knew this was where the Lord was leading me.... and our family.

I didn't fill it out then because I wanted my family to be in on this.  I wanted it to be something that ALL of us would understand and show compassion.  I talked it over with Steve and he agreed it was the right thing to do.  The kids were excited, too.

I am excited about getting to know our new little friend.  A child who will now be taught about Christ through the Compassion program and get help.  I know there are many other programs like this in the world, and I am thankful.  This one is the one the Lord chose for us to do.

I am BLESSED because the Lord chose Shaylinsan for us.  I pray we will be a blessing to her....

.... and maybe one day I will actually get to meet her in person as many have done with their Compassion child.

I didn't write all of this for people to "pat me on the back" and tell me "what a great thing you are doing!"

I wrote it because I want to encourage you all to....

DO SOMETHING for the Lord.

Be His hands and feet.

The Battlefield

There is a battlefield out there.

It is called "The Teen Years."

I have mentioned recently in my blog posts how parenting is not for the faint in heart.

I am continuing to learn that the "Teen Years Battles" are different in the fact that you are up against a battle of the heart.

When the kids were smaller, our boundaries we put into place for them sufficed because they knew that we meant what we said and said what we meant.

However, now we are finding that those boundaries are always questioned.  

Those boundaries are seen as unfair.

Those boundaries are seen as stupid.

My Mother's Heart has been desiring for the strength to still mean what I say and say what I mean, but do it where the heart is changed and a boundary is not just followed "Because I said so."

My Bible Study this summer has been on Gideon.

I always follow the Lord's leading when walking into the Christian Bookstore to find my next study.  He drew me to this one this year.

I will admit, that at first I wasn't understanding why He drew me to this one.  I felt stronger in the Lord than I had in years!  However, I have also learned in that strength the Lord has given me that I must TRUST He knows what I need before I really know it.

He was right.  As He always is.

I have taken this study and done many days in one sitting.  I just keep working until I see the Lord telling me to stop and "chew" on what He has shown me.  Sometimes this has been days of not doing the study so that I could grasp all He had given me in the previous study time.  Sometimes it has meant stopping in the middle of a day and coming back to it later.  (The old Kellie would have NEVER done that for fear of not doing it perfectly right....)

One thing I know for certainty, He always brings me back to it and draws me to Him on the day I need it.

He did just that this past weekend.

You see, summer so far has been pretty uneventful in the "Teen Battles."  The kids really are beginning to learn the value of hard work.  They are beginning to learn what is expected and accept that they are not always going to get what they want.  They are starting to grasp our desire to help them keep their purity before the Lord.

That is, until last week.

Was it the full moon waning, the sun blaring too hot or just a craziness escaping??  I don't know, but I began to hear complaining.... whining.... unthankfulness.... and coveting thoughts coming out of the mouths of my children.

Yes, they are normal.

However, my Mother's Heart was struggling.

When the subject of social media/personal phones came up and how they were *never* going to get any of that, I just used my normal, (ok, slightly UNnormal) dramatic humor to dispel the whining/complaining/unthankfulness.  I even pulled out a few moments of lip-syncing to draw out smiles and laughter instead of frowns and grumbling.

It was short-lived.

There continued to be grumbling over something not being good enough.  A covetous desire to dress in ways that we strongly feel are inappropriate (from this blog post) was oozing out of mouths.  A pull to be just like everyone else was forcefully making its way into my children's hearts.

This Mother's Heart was crumbling.

I am realizing more and more how I must put on the Armor of God each day as I parent.  I have to deflect not only the arrows of Satan, but the arrows from my children when they think we are being unfair.

On Saturday, I had the joy of having some alone time with the Lord that I had not gotten much of last week.  I began working on my Gideon study again after mulling over my previous study in it earlier in the week.  

The Lord knew I needed what I learned that day on THAT day.

Just like Gideon was facing a Midianite army of THOUSANDS upon thousands, I am facing the battlefield of the Teen Years and it scares me.   

I feel ill-equipped.

I feel weak.

I feel overwhelmed.

I began to cry out to the Lord to help me.

The Lord showed me, through Gideon's life, that He understands and He has the battle plan - I just have to listen and follow HIS lead.

As Gideon was only allowed to take 300 men into this battle,  I have a small "army" of my own learnings and experiences to face this huge battle of Satan wanting to draw my children into the world.

But the battle is not mine, is it?  The battle is the Lord's.

I have to take my weak, insecure self and place in my hands the empty, breakable pitcher (that's me), and put the light inside (The Light of the World - God), go out into the battle, and allow God to break me so that I may shine His Light for my children.

It isn't about ME, it's about HIM IN ME.

How has He already shown that and I just needed to take up the battle plan?

Prayer.

I must constantly pull on the strength from the Lord.  He has given me this verse in a new light recently:

I Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray without ceasing.

It is imperative that I keep giving it over to the Lord and call on His name to change their hearts.  I can say all I want and make as many boundaries as I want, but the Lord is the only One Who can change them from the inside-out.

Stay in His Word.

Gideon and his men shouted  "The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" when God caused the Midianite army to be defeated.  God's Word is my Sword.  It will guide me and be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path in this "Battlefield of the Teens."  I must use it in the right way to teach them the value of the Sword in their personal battles without it becoming a battle of contention between us.

Ephesians 6:4

And, ye fathers, [mothers!] provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

These books:

This first one is one I have been reading recently and I heard about it through a Focus on the Family  interview with Dennis Rainey.  It is one Steve and I are able to learn from and use with both of our teens.  We live in a society today where it is not uncommon for the girl to pursue the boy fervently.  There is a great amount of temptation going on "behind closed doors" of school conversations/texts/instagrams/snapchats/facebook/emails.  I learned just how "clueless" my young man was this past weekend when we discussed this verse:

Proverbs 5:2-3

 For the lips of [an aggressive woman] drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;  But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.

I asked my precious one what he thought this verse was meaning so I could have a foundation of where to begin teaching it to him.  I knew the word picture might throw him.... He honestly thought it meant she needed to close her mouth when she ate because honey was dripping. 

I shared with him what the word picture meant.

He was still clueless.

I had to go into further detail.  

However, it was using the Sword of the Spirit to pierce his heart in the right way so that He will have his own Sword to use in his personal battles.

The next books are for young men specifically:

This one Steve has already been using with our young man.  It has been a tremendous help and one that they do together to give him the tools to fight his personal battles.   Even with God's Word and this book as a guide, we have found he still struggles.  The battle has only begun to keep him pure for his future wife the Lord will send him one day.

  This book is one they have not begun yet, but it is on the "next in line" wait list.  When I listened to the Focus on the Family program, Dennis Rainey commented on how important Proverbs is for our teenagers.  He shared that it was written by a father to a son.  OF COURSE!  I began searching and found this book.  I am planning on finding something like that for our young lady and I do to together.

These are for young ladies specifically:

I got this book last year for our young lady.  I have read most of it and she has read a lot of it.  When school began last year we became so busy with regular school that we could not converse about it as we had been.  However, the learning is still occurring.   In our modern world, brides wear white even if they have chosen to have sex outside of marriage.  I want her to understand how important that white dress is and what it is showing before her Lord on her wedding day.  There is a purity pledge in this book and she has taken it out and placed it on her magnetic board in her room. 

For my strong-willed young lady - the Lord has drawn me to this book.  We are in the middle of reading it right now.  Not only do I pray it is benefiting her as she reads it, but I am learning/reapplying truths to my own life.  There are questions that are used to help your young lady see that saying "Yes to God" is much better than saying "Yes to your own desires."  Our friends and the world around us can easily tempt us to follow our own path, but the Lord desires to show us His perfect path for our life.                                                                                                     Psalm 16:11

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

I may feel weak and not capable of this "Battle of the Teen Years", but the Lord has been showing me my weakness is His strength.  I have to be willing to break my own human reasoning and ideas (the pitcher) and let His Light shine through as I take seriously this battle against Satan's lies in my children's lives.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (The Message)

Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

06/05/14

If you have been following me enough you know that Steve and I have been on a journey of weight loss and overall healthier living.  Through this journey we have actually GAINED.  Stay with me....

A year ago we looked like this..... too many pounds added....

Today, we look like this..... 25 pounds and 50 pounds and many inches down respectively.  

Our journey is far from over.

What have we GAINED through this journey thus far?  

Well, I'll be honest, we both have gained a few pounds in our fight to lose them.  Unfortunately, that seems to be the way things go in this journey.  I went for over a month doing "everything right", gained three pounds and then only lost one pound.  There have been weeks I have lost none.  Same applies to Sweet Man.  We have both had our struggles in this process, but have kept the faith that it WILL be different.

However, let's talk about other things that have been GAINED in this journey.  I will use myself as the example since I am thinking on what the Lord has taught me specifically.  (I know Sweet Man has had similar gainings, but I am keeping it "JUST ME" here.)

1.  Dependence.

Yes, you read that right.  Dependence has been something I have truly gained because I am learning that without my dependence on the Lord to walk with me day by day/minute by minute I would have given up long ago.  

I have especially found that the verse Philippians 4:13 has helped me on many days when I didn't want to continue:  "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."   I have had to repeat that verse to myself on many occasions when I felt too tired or was not sure why I was even doing this journey when I was seeing no results on the scale.

I have also learned that when I try to exercise and eat right in my own strength I have failed.  When I continually give it to the Lord to work in and through my journey, I have seen success.  This success was not always pounds lost, but strength to carry on in the journey.  It has been huge to have the strength to tell myself that I was not hungry because I HAD eaten, and in fact eaten more that day than most people in this world, or to remember I am doing this for my bodily health.

2.  Acceptance.

I am not talking about acceptance with others, although it has been nice to have people notice that I have lost weight.  

I am talking about acceptance of myself in the Lord.  Who I am in Him is learning I had to go on the journey from the inside out.  The Lord had to teach me that I needed to be good with who I am in HIM whether the outside was slim and trim or not.  I am reminded of this verse when thinking along those lines:

1 Timothy 4:8

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

After learning that valuable lesson, the Lord could then begin to work on the outward part.  He had to help me see that I could do all things through Him.  I could help my body, His Temple, to be healthier on the outside as well because I had accepted who I am in Him.

3.  Confidence.

Not confidence in myself per say.  More of a confidence that I can do all things through Christ.  (Are you seeing a pattern here...?) 

I am learning through this that things I thought I would never be able to do, I CAN do!  Some of the exercises I have recently done or the foods I have chosen to avoid are only done through the confidence I have gained through Christ.  Believe me, I still do not consider myself a runner, but I have learned that running for short times is not so bad!  I have also found that I like jumping.... a lot. 

4.  Respect.

Again, this respect is not for me, but for those who are true athletes.  I know what it has taken me to get up off that couch and do hard things of exercise every day or use self-control in the area of food.  I have a much better understanding of what it takes those men and women who get out there and train their bodies.  It is HARD work. 

5.  Health.

I am learning that gaining my health is beyond important.  I have seen too many people, family members included, who have suffered because of food choices or lack of exercise.  I realize my life is in the Lord's hands daily, but He also gives me a brain to take care of what He has given to me.  

When I exercise now I remind myself that my heart is pumping, my lungs are working hard and that allows my blood to flow.  My brain is healthier for it, too.  I can tell when I have not been able to exercise for a few days (as I did recently because of end of school activities) because my thought processes are not as sharp.

And, oh, goodness.... I have never had muscle as toned as I do now.  Well, maybe when I was younger and a cheerleader, but I don't even think it was like I have now.  I also didn't pay attention then because I thought it would always be easy to have a lean body.  Now, that is funny....

My muscles are more toned and shaped and it is still weird to me to put my hands on my legs and feel that shape.  Does that sound weird?  I am sure, but just know it is exciting.  I am not saying I am ready to do body building and win competitions, but from what I was to where I am now... WOW.  

I still have a long way to go with this, but it is exciting to see my muscles working, heart and lungs included, as they were meant to work.  It is neat to see God's creation of the intricacies of my body to be put to use.

6.  Endurance.

If someone would have told me a year ago that me walking 6 miles during one time frame would be a piece of cake I would have laughed.  I now look at 6 miles like I used to look at 2 or 3 miles.  I can do it!  I am amazed at how long my body can actually exercise that I used to say I just couldn't do.  Again, I have not arrived and am not the best athlete, but I have gained much in this area.  

7.  Longevity.

I am gaining the true perspective of what this journey will be.  It isn't just for me to lose weight... it will be life-long.  I will be honest, some days I look at the broad picture of life and think of how I have to do this journey and it can be overwhelming.  But that is where the Lord has taught me to just take it one day at a time... with Him.

8.  Time Management.

I used to think I just didn't have that much time, especially during the school year, but the Lord has shown me I have more time than I think when I use it properly.  I have been amazed at how I have given up more unhealthy habits and replaced them with the time of exercise and how that has led to me getting everything I need to get accomplished.  There is always going to be laundry to do, dishes to wash, etc... but if I don't take care of my body the Lord has given me, I won't be able to get those things accomplished either.

9.  Energy.

Even though I am still exhausted with teaching all day, I do find I have more get-up-and-go than I used to have.  I can act silly with my students and not be out of breath.  I can be more active with my own family.  There is a pep in my step that I did not have before.

There you have it... and I didn't even come up with 10 on purpose because with the Lord's help I am continuing to learn how to let go of the stronghold of perfectionism. 

I pray YOU GAINED encouragement today to get out there and get a healthier body.  As one of my Exercise DVD instructors always says "You never regret the time you exercise."  

Take the time today to get healthier.  

What you GAIN is so much more than you lose!