Turn on the Light

We have 4 lightbulbs above our bathroom mirror. One light went out, and I tried to make a mental note to get one at the store. Well, if you are like me that type of thing can get forgotten and you just learn to live without it. Then another one burned out, and now it was really pretty dim in the bathroom. I knew I really needed to get those lightbulbs, but then again I thought I could just learn to get by with it a little dim for a few days until I could get to the store. One day I turned on the light and it was so incredibly bright! Brad couldn't stand the darkness anymore and finally replaced them. Wow, I don't know how we lived without them. It was so fun to go in there and have such wonderful bright light. On the other hand, it was also easier to see the dirt and grime hiding in the corners. Oooh, that is not so fun to look at, but I will get to that eventually too :)

So this made me think of our spiritual lives. As we gradually get ourselves out of God's Word, it doesn't seem that bad. I can get by, I still know a lot of what the Bible says, I don't really need to study it every day - my life is just so crazy right now. I'll manage okay. And then you finally do get back into the Word - ooooh God speaks to you in a new way. You read something you never noticed was there. The light of our soul is on again. But not all of it is easy to take. The dirt and the grime also show up in the corners of our heart.

God may not come and clean my bathroom, but He will clean up my heart and soul. Sometimes we don't even know what needs cleaning up until we turn on the light.

Just something for you to think about this week as you continue to read His Word and impress it upon your kids!

Blessings,
Susie

The 21 Day Challenge

You have probably heard that it takes 21 days to create a habit. I have a challenge for you. Set aside 15-30 minutes a day for the next 21 days to read and study God's Word and pray. We are all busy - time isn't just going to appear for you. It takes effort to carve this out. The reason I am inviting you to take this challenge is because I did the same thing about 4 years ago. I made myself get up in the wee hours (I thought at that time) of the morning to spend this time with God. I told myself I could do it for 30 days, and then maybe it would become a habit. I wouldn't invite you if I didn't think it would change your life. It has gradually changed and blessed my life - that is why I am sharing it. Some of you are already there, but this can still be a challenge for you to find a way to make it more meaningful, study a little deeper, find ways to apply it to your life. If you would like to join me in this challenge, please email me. I am committing to pray for you each day of the 21 days. You will be attacked, it won't be easy - your bed will be very inviting - kids won't be the most cooperative, etc. etc., but I will pray that you will be able to overcome those obstacles to stick to your commitment and then be blessed by it. Make a plan for when you will do this - I knew the only time that would work was early morning for me - there may be a better time for you (lunch break, before bed, nap time). Early morning is tough, but then you don't have to worry about unexpected interruptions that come up later. If a child wakes up extra early one day, you still have the rest of the day to fit it in. If you are counting on doing it late at night - and something comes up causing you to get to bed to late, it might be too easy to forget it for the day. Just something to think about. Don't be legalistic about it, just know that you will be blessed in taking that hard step to growing closer to God.

Getting into the Curriculum

You don't need "curriculum" to teach your child God's Word. The Holy Spirit will give you insight as you study and read his Word, what it is you are to teach your children. The curriculum I have created are tools to help you, but please don't feel burdened to use them. You may already be teaching them His truths in a way that is works for your family. If you want the curriculum and don't have them, they are free, just ask and I'll send them to you.


If you are using either the Character Training or Why Do We Pray? curriculum I will be posting a blog to go along with each of those. I tried to figure out a way to make 2 columns - so you could just go to the one that applies to you, but it was not working out for me. So I will just highlight the paragraph for each topic.


Week 1 for Christlike Character Training: Love

Have you noticed any acts of love in your family this week? Or maybe your child has shown love to someone outside your family. Make sure you take note and commend them for this! Any sign of love towards a sibling, a friend etc. should be pointed out so they start recognizing this as something God desires for them. Sibling rivalry has increased between my two boys (18 months apart). The younger one figures out what makes the older one mad, and then does it just to see the reaction. I am reminded as I write this that I need to make sure I point out to them when they are showing love towards each other, and not always getting on them for fighting. Feel free to share ways you have noticed love being shown by your children this week or how you have taught about this topic to them.


Week 1 for Why Do We Pray: Prayer for Direction, Guidance and Wisdom

I love how specifically the servant prayed in this story. I am reminded that my prayers need to be more specific so I know when God is answering me. I shared with the kids that we too are asking for God's direction and guidance in our family as we seek God's will for our future. They know that we want to live on a farm, but now they know that we are seeking God's best for us and not just what we want. My husband and I pray regularly about this, but I had not taken the time to pray about this with the kids.

Start young

This goes along with the last comment about how early to start "spiritual training". The other morning I came across this passage and it really struck me. Proverbs 4:3-4 "When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live." Solomon was a young boy when he was receiving the commands of God by his parents.

"When Solomon was grown up he not only remembered, but took a pleasure in repeating, the good lessons his parents taught him when he was a child. He did not forget them, so deep were the impressions they made upon him. " Commentary on Proverbs 4 by Matthew Henry

Let us follow this example in teaching and impressing God's commands on our children's hearts.
"The branch is easily bent when it is young and tender"

Thank you

Okay - so I am new to blogging - I just realized there was a comment posted last week. Thank you for your words! It is so inspiring to see how people are desiring to share God's truths at such an early age. Little ones are capable of so much more than we give them credit for! God bless you in your journey of leading your precious little one in the ways of Christ.

If you have not received the Christlike Character Study curriculum please email me and I will send you this. It has a bible study to teach your child each week, it also has a prayer for you to pray and a verse to memorize with your children. I will be sending out a message or blogging on a character trait each week starting next week. Hopefully this will keep us accountable and motivated to stick to it. If you have already done this study and are ready for something new. I will have a Prayer curriculum ready early next week to send to you. I will hopefully be blogging on this as well.

If your child is 8 months or 8 years - take the time to read the Bible to them today! You will never regret taking the time for this - the dishes will always be there, your child won't!