How to Practice with Our Children

Daily Truth:  “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

 

What do plays, symphonies. concerts, and children all have in common?  Each need to practice multiple times before they are expected to perform.

We would never dream of going to a concert in which the performers haven’t practiced what they were going to do.  Yet, how many times do we do that to our children and become frustrated when they don’t behave appropriately in different situations.

The key… practice, and practice, and practice, and practice.

You can take your children with you to the store, restaurant, another persons house, talk on the phone (still working on that one), etc and have them behave appropriately but it will require some prep work on your part.

1.  Tell your children what you are going to do.

“Boys, we are going to meet a friend for breakfast.  Mommy has to talk to her about stuff for Sophia’s kindergarten class.”

2.  Tell your children what they are going to do.

“Now, while mommy and her friend are talking, you get to eat pancakes.”

3. Tell your children what type of behavior you expect.

“You must stay seated.  You can color your paper but you may not interrupt mommy and her friend while they are talking.”

4.  Remind them of the consequences if they misbehave.

“If you don’t obey, you will lose your tickets.” (I’ll explain that in another blog)

5.  Remind them of the reward they will get if they do behave.

“However, if you obey you will earn a ticket.”

6.  Have them repeat it back to you.

“What are you to do?”

“Eat my pancakes, color, and sit.”

“What will happen if you don’t obey?”

“I will lose my ticket.”

“What will happen if you do obey?”

“I will get a ticket.”

That incident really did happen.  Were they perfect? No…but they did a very good job (even though Micah accidentally spilled his water) and they did do what I asked.

Sometimes the dress rehearsal happens at home, such as the following.

“Sophia, when someone talks to you at church what do you do?”

“Stop, look at them, and answer them.”

“Ok, let’s pretend I am Mrs.____, ‘Hello, Sophia.  You look pretty in your dress.'”

(Once again, a true story…happened just yesterday.)

Every time I take the kids to the store, I park the car and we go over what is expected of them before we go in the store.

Does this take time?  ABSOLUTELY! However, in the long run it is so worth it!

Friday, the kids had school off.  So, we went to the zoo in the afternoon.  I had a ball!  It was the first time in four years that I went to the zoo without a stroller, a diaper bag, or the leashes for the little guys (gasp…I know, I readily admit that I have leashes for the little guys.  You would too if you had 3 kids a total of 18 months apart). You know, they stayed close and we only had one “run off incident” which resulted in that child holding my hand for the rest of the butterfly exhibit.  Their behavior didn’t happen by accident.  It was going out time and time again and practicing over and over again.

This summer, I am going with my extended family to D.C. with the four kids.  Nervous? A little, but I also know we are ready for this adventure.  However, leashes will be in my purse…just in case.

Until next Monday,

Rebekah

 

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How to Help Children Understand the Boston Tragedy through God’s Truths – Truths for Tots

Daily Truth: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

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I am not packaging the Boston Tragedy into a neat and tidy Christian package with expected answers.  This is Christianity at it’s rawest…when we don’t know the right answers and we are wondering the same things as our children.  Yet, we can put our confidence in a God who cares and the Truth of His Word..

We all saw the pictures: the smoke, the chaos, the pain, the sorrow, the victims, and the heroes.

We heard the reports:  the cries, the shock, and the unbelievable.

Boston has brought up many interesting conversations with all of my children and with many of my friends.

We sat back and wondered, “What is happening in our world that even an event such as the Boston Marathon would be a bomb sight?”  What should have been a time a rejoicing over such elite accomplishments turned into a time of utter horror.

We all held our children a little closer that night and the days and nights afterwards.

Although we did our best to shield our children from the horrors of Boston, they still picked up on it.

So, how do we deal with these events and our children?  “Oh, my child is only 2 or 3.  They don’t know what happened?” Really?  Don’t you think they can sense the fear and hear our anxious hushed whispers and sense that something isn’t right. How do we answer their questions honestly,  appropriately, and based on God’s Truth.

1.  Remind your children that all are born sinners (Rom. 5:12)  and we all have sinned (Rom. 3:23).  Without Jesus we are capable of doing horrible things.

2. Remind your children that God is not surprised by what happens.  He knew all along that events at Boston were going to occur. (Ps. 139:15-16)

So, why did God allow it to happen?

3. Tell your children we don’t know all the “why’s” about God.  But one thing we are certain of is that God’s ways are so much higher than our ways (Is. 55:8-9) and His way is always best (Ps. 18:30)

4.  Remind your children that God knows are sorrows and our fears (Heb. 4:15, Ps. 56:8)

5.  Pray with your children for their safety and for the safety of those around them (Mt. 19:14, Ps. 91:11)

Am I a little nervous about running the Indianapolis mini?  Honestly, yes.  However, I cannot let the events of Boston dictate how I live.  Yet, I can use the events of Boston to teach my children many valuable lessons.  Most certainly of all, that my God is in control and my life is in His hands.

I was in a store with my tots the Tuesday afterwards and before I could stop them, they were glued to a TV that was replaying the bombing at Boston.  Micah, my 5 year old said,”Mom, why was there a bomb at the marathon?”

“I don’t know, honey.”

“Is there going to be a bomb at your marathon?”

My heart stopped.  This little 5 year old put it together that people were running a race and there was a bomb and my mom is going to be running a race soon. Is there going to be a bomb?

I got down on my knees in front of him, held his little hands, and said,” Micah, we need to pray for those families that got hurt and pray for mommy and all her friends that God will keep us safe in our race.”

Right there, in the middle of the store, a 5 year old petitioned our Heavenly Father for the safety of his mom and her friends.

 

Until next Monday and hopefully we will discuss “Dress Rehearsal”,

Rebekah

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Rest for the Weary in a Busy Life

Daily Truth:  But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

I realize that I promised that I would write about “Dress Rehearsal.”  But alas, sometimes things happen in our lives that are completely out of our control and definitely NOT in our calendar.  That pretty much sums up the past 9 days.

It all started when the hubs came home a week ago terribly sick.  Now let me just preface this by saying my husband is NOT one of those “husband turn whimp,” wanting to rest, when he gets sick.  Also, my husband’s job is such that he can go to work and not have to interact with too many people.  Off to work he went Friday morning despite the protest from the family and spending part of the night sick. When he came home Friday night from work, walked into the house, and rested on the couch without even taking his winter coat or hat off I knew we were in trouble. And that is the way he stayed until Saturday morning.

It was a down hill battle from there.  Literally every 36 hours someone else fell prey to the flu this week.  I cleaned the bathrooms and did laundry every day.  (The house now permanently smells of Lysol).  I fought it until the commander of her troops could fight it no longer and finally I succumbed last night.

Next week, I will discuss the importance of “Dress Rehearsal” with our children.  But for now, this weary and cranky mother is going to drink some tea, take a hot bath, rest and enjoy a few minutes of sheer utter silence (which believe me is a rarity in this house) before the troops come home from church.

Until next week ladies,

Rebekah

rest for the weary

The Work of His Hand: We Are Just the Pottery

Daily Truth:  But now, O LORD, you are the Father; we are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8

9757937What an incredible picture! God is our Creator and the potter. We are his vessels or pottery.  He shaped and molded us.

When a child understands the way in which pottery is made there is a better understanding about the verses in the Bible which use the words clay and potter. The clay begins as just a lump of matter (which is made up of elements known as silicates along with water, oxygen, and trace minerals) on the potter’s wheel. The clay is carefully molded by the potter’s hands into a masterpiece.

I find it interesting that water must be added to the clay to aid in the transformation. Without water we are unable to live. Water is cleansing too. In John 4:10 Jesus is the living water. In John 5:12 “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Just as clay needs water to be molded we too need “living water” to be cleansed and transformed.

A valuable experience that would lead to a clearer understanding of the clay and potter relationship is to have your child make their own piece of pottery or to plan a visit in which he or she can watch pottery being made. The  following video shows how a potter makes pottery. (click here to watch video)

It is interesting in the video when the potter blows into the vessel.  The breath from the potter gives shape and form to the clay.  It reminds me of the verse in Genesis 2:7 “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and then the man became a living creature.”

Job 33:6 “Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.”

God’s Word is truly amazing.  God gives us word pictures to aid in our understanding of His Word.

Until the next “Truth” sharing moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson

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How Strong Are You? (Part II)

Daily Truth: “The Lord is the strength of my life.” Psalm 27:1

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I knew it would happen!!! Not two hours after I posted the last blog, one of my cherubs showed me just how much more training we have to go.

I was checking out at a register when Sam pipes up to the cashier, “Lady, what is wrong with your face?”  The cashier and I looked at each other in bewilderment. The her face visibly went from, “How can I help you?” to “How quickly can I get you out of here!”  I bent down in front of Sam and the following conversation occurred.

Me:  “Sam, were you being kind?”
Sam: “No.”
Me:  “What did you say that was unkind?”
Sam: “I asked the lady what was wrong with her face.”
Me:  “What do you need to do now?”
Sam: “Ask her to forgive me for saying ‘what is wrong with your face’.”

With head hung low, Sam walked around the corner and said to the cashier, “I’m sorry for saying ‘what’s wrong with your face’.  Will you forgive me?”

That sweet cashier got on her knees, held Sam’s hands, and said, “Oh, honey there is nothing to forgive.”  Believe me, her demeanor changed dramatically and believe me Sam still faced punishment at home.

I have been asked what parenting books I read.  I do read parenting books but I have found that the best lessons one can learn are by watching and asking other parents what they do in their parenting.  So, that is exactly what I did. I asked a number of my friends their best advice for parenting.  Their children range from a 3 year old to a junior in high school.  I feel like I have been immersed in a week of Parenting 101.  My heart has been blessed, challenged, and is now overflowing with information and the desire to be all that I can be for my children.

Parenting Advice Number 1:  Make sure your heart is align with God’s heart. 

“What?!?!  I thought this was on raising my kids not on me?!?!”  True, but if I am not a grace-filled mom how can I demonstrate the love of God and his grace to my children.   My friend wrote it so eloquently that I am just going to let her speak.

I want… I MUST be a grace-filled Mom. I – and ABSOLUTELY their Dad – am their earliest representation of God that they will know. What will they learn?!?!?!? Am I one who demonstrates anger or frustrations easily? Do I forgive quickly? Am I excited to read God’s word? Do I make much of Jesus? Do they see me sorry for MY sins and shortcomings? How do they hear ME talk or respond to unplanned problems? Am I tender to the leading of the Spirit for others that are hurting or ‘different’ or ‘unlovely’?

My encouragement would be to focus on knowing and loving God and then knowing and loving your child. That doesn’t mean don’t expect obedience or don’t expect good behavior…just don’t make THAT your goal. To me, that change of focus was HUGE in how I approached my parenting…

Convicting, huh?  This is just a taste of the type of encouragement I have been receiving from these dear friends. You know, the thing that we all agreed on was that we all fail, and many times.  Often many times within a 24 hour period! Yet, it is in our weakness that God becomes our strength.

So ladies, how strong are you spiritually?  Is God the focus of your life and is that completely evident to your children?  You can have children that do and say all the right things but if your heart isn’t in tune with God how can you expect their hearts to be in tune with God? Is God your portion and your strength?  When you feel you can’t go on another step or you have dealt with this same issue again and again what is your response?

Until next Monday,

Rebekah

Next Monday:  Parenting Advice Number 2:  Dress Rehearse

(image courtesy of Graur Inout/ freedigitalphotos,net)

What’s Your Plumb Line?

Daily Truth: “I will make justice a measuring line and righteousness a plumb line.”
Isaiah 28:17
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What is a plumb line? I first found out when hanging wall paper  many years ago.
A friend was helping me hang wallpaper. She took off her wedding ring and tied  a string to the ring to make a plumb line. She said that it would help us to hang the the wallpaper straight as our vision and the walls could deceive  us.A plumb line is a simple yet valuable tool to determine whether something is vertically straight. From the Latin word “plumbum”, meaning “lead”, a plumb line is a line with a weight attached to the bottom of the line. The force of gravity causes the the string to trace a straight, vertical line. Plumbers, masons, carpenters, surveyors, and landscapers all use this tool.This simple tool has been used in construction since ancient times. Jesus probably used a plumb line as a carpenter tool. References in the Bible are usually that of the Lord’s plumb line. This is in reference to how righteously people stand, or how upright their stand of God.Many of the prophets in the Old Testament warned the people about their crooked ways. Amos writes his conversation with the Lord about the people living
their own ways and not in the ways of the Lord in Amos 7:7-8.
“This is what the he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,
with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.”
By helping children understand the word plumb line they will better understand what God’s criterion is for righteousness.
Activity to help with understanding plumb line:
Attach a paper to an easel or chalkboard. Have the child make lines from
top to bottom on a piece of paper. Then make a simple plumb line tool.
Demonstrate with the plumb line how the lines drawn by the child appeared to be
straight yet when compared to the plumb line they were crooked.Our thoughts of righteousness differ from those of God’s thoughts on righteousness.

The word “righteousness” occurs 277 times in the ESV.  This word would be a good word study as an extension of the previous object lesson of the word plumb line.

If the verses mentioned earlier seem too overwhelming to incorporate in a study I  suggest the following verses:

1 Samuel 26:23 “The LORD rewards every man according to his righteousness and his
faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out
my hand against the LORD’s anointed.”

2 Titus 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, or reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Until the next truth sharing moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson

 

How Strong are You?

We’ve all been there and seen it happen.  You are in a store and suddenly an ear piercing shriek disrupts your peaceful shopping trip.  Then voices start and they get louder and louder until you are not sure if this is happening between two adults or a child and an adult.  In your mind you think, “Phew.  Glad that is not MY child.” Suddenly, you feel like the best parent in the world.  Then one day, “pop”, there goes our pride when our child does the same thing to us.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I took the four kiddos to the Children’s Museum.  Now granted, it was Spring break and maybe not the best move on my part. There were ALOT of people there.  Not as many as on the Target free nights (talk about CRAZY busy).  There were just enough people that when we left I was waiting for the museum to crown me with “The Mother of the Year” award.  Let me explain.

First, some clarification.  My kids are NOT saints.  Far from it.  They have had their share of melt downs and demonstrations of unkindness to others out in public – that could fill a book.  However, the older they become the less of those we have.  In fact haven’t had one for awhile (I gasp as I post this because I can so feel that I just shot myself in the foot with that statement).  But the difference is how we handle their behavior and our consistency in correcting their behavior.

While eating lunch, I saw a 200 pound man and his wife be overtaken by the will of a three year old.  Down the three year old ran towards the door of the cafeteria giggling and glancing behind him to make sure his dad was running after him.  The more dad and mom called his name the faster he ran.  It took the dad about 5 minutes to get him. Mind you it was obvious that the dad worked out…at least physically.  Yet, who was stronger?  Score to the three year old boy in corner number 1.  

Meanwhile, there was a group of about 12 autistic children (it was indicated by the shirts they wore) and their teachers eating lunch.  Best behaved kids in the cafeteria. One of them accidentally bumped into a tween girl going to her seat.  The tween looked at the boy with thorough disgust.  Who was stronger? 

Another 3 year old threw an outright temper tantrum because he didn’t get to do his frozen yogurt first.  Grandma went ahead a got him one, coddling him the whole time.  His mom said nothing.  Who was stronger?  

Then there was T.J. Maxx the other day,  I was in line with my boys and a mom and her VERY whiny 4 year old was behind us.  She wanted her mom to cut me in line, put everything she wanted in the cart, and then she begged for some gummies telling her mom she didn’t want “those boys” to get them.  Believe me it was tempting to let “those boys” (mine) grab them out of spite.  The whole time her mom kept telling her “Ok, for your birthday”  instead of turning the little girls whining into a teaching moment.  (ummm – pretty sure her mom was lying to her) Who was stronger? (BTW – she got the gummies).

This seems to be the path that a lot parents take – letting the child reign in the behavior of the parent instead of the other way around.  The Bible says in 
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should goand when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  The word “train” is an interesting word.  It means to “coach” or “to teach a particular skill or behavior through practice and instruction over a period of time”.  In other words, we are our children’s teachers and coaches.  We teach and train them everyday and point them in the direction we want them to go.  This is most vividly done through our example.  

I am amazed at how many times physical activities are used in the Bible to demonstrate a point and this is another one of them.  Training for any sporting event is a daily process.  Some days are good training days and others not so much.  As I am training for a 1/2 marathon the first week of May, I have to do some sort of physical activity nearly everyday and it’s not running everyday either.  Some days I lift weights and do core strengthening exercises, others I do the elliptical, and others I do cross training.  I only actually run 3-4 times a week. It takes a variety of exercises to help me reach my goal.

It is the same way in parenting.  It is a daily task.  We can’t skip a day or disaster will occur.  Some days are easy and some days are down right, stinkin’ hard. Those are the days that you (I) just want to throw in the towel and quite.  But those are the days we have to push through the pain and the tempers and the meltdowns and realize that there is a higher goal that we are striving to reach with our children.  Many parents quite before they even start. Is it no wonder then that the 4 year old whined for her gummies, the 3 year old threw a screaming temper tantrum, the other three year old ousted his dad, and the tween thought she was way better than the well behaved autistic boy?

Those incidents didn’t make me judgmental but rather they caused me to stop and ponder, “How am I doing in my training?  How strong am I, really?”  Next week I am going to share some things that I do with my children and some things that other moms do with their children in the training process.  

In the meantime, how is your training going?  How strong are you?

Until next Monday,
Rebekah Klink

Yeshua says………..

Yeshua took bread and blessed it.  He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take this, and eat it.  This is my body.”  Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving.  He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood, the blood of the promise.  It is poured out for many people so that sins are forgiven.  Matthew 26:26b -28 from  Names of God Bible
We think today about Jesus serving the last supper to the disciples.  The disciples go  into the city and talk to a “certain man” that Jesus asked them to tell, “My time is near” and that they would celebrate Passover at this man’s house.  The disciples do as the Lord had directed and prepared for the Passover. 

A Passover Seder is a service held at  home  as part of the Passover celebration.  It is a remembrance of that first Passover which was the liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt.

During the last Passover that Jesus celebrated with his disciples he instituted     communion or the Lord’s Supper.  We are to do this in remembrance of the Lord Jesus and his sacrifice for our sins. 

Jesus was the perfect lamb that was slain on our behalf.  He never did anything wrong.  He was the only one that could bear and pay for all the sins of the world.  He was and is our Good Shepherd.   He died so we might live. 

As we reflect on this Thursday of Passion Week may we be thoughtful of the great love,  compassion, and the keeping of a promise that God showed us at the Last Supper.

Cathy Jo Johnson

How Does God Get Your Attention? See and Listen

Daily Truth:  “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why this bush does not burn.”  Exodus 3:3

God knows us better than we know ourselves.  He knows how to get our attention.  Are we being attentive?  Do you see?

School Buses

A bush that was on fire but not being consumed was what got Moses’ attention.

What does it take for God to get your attention?

God got my attention, as a new believer, with three bright yellow school buses. Our family was looking to relocate as my husband had a new job.  We had made several trips to the new location in hopes of finding a house to rent or buy.

As I was sitting at the McDonald’s in our current location, with our very young children I noticed three school buses in the parking lot.  Between eating french fries and opening Happy Meals I read the city on the first bus.  I thought how interesting, it is the town where my husband and I grew up.  Then I read the city on the second school bus and realized it was the town in which we were currently living.  On the third bus was the suburb that we had recently looked at a house to rent in the city where we were moving.

I then realized there in the parking lot was my past, present and future.  I laughed as I realized that God had to speak to me with three, huge, yellow buses.  By the way, we did rent the home in the suburb listed on that third bus.

In Matthew 26:36-46 Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He took Peter, James and John.  Jesus ask them to wait and stay awake with him as he was feeling deep anguish.  After praying Jesus walks back to the disciples and finds them asleep.  He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?”

Jesus walks away again a second time to pray.  When Jesus returns he finds them all sleeping again.

After leaving a third time to pray the same prayer Jesus comes back and said to them, “You might as well sleep now.  The time is near for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.”

Jesus tried to get the attention of his disciples three times.  The disciples did not realize the gravity of the situation even though the “Son of Man” was asking them to stay awake with him.

Why do we not know when God is trying to get our attention?  Are we too tired, depressed, over wrought with daily life, make no time for God and his Word, or maybe you have never asked Jesus to take your will and make it His own.  God wants to have a relationship with us.  He is as close as you allow him to be in your life.  God is always trying to get our attention.

God will meet your where you are.  God knows if you need three, huge, yellow school buses or if He can just point you to a verse in His Word.

Does God have your attention?

Until the next “Truth” sharing moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson

Easter

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Hard to believe Easter is around the corner especially with 30 degree weather and wind gusts that knock over Porta-a-potties (True story.  Saw it down in a construction sight in our neighborhood). As I am writing this, it is Sunday afternoon and church has been cancelled tonight due to the anticipation of the 6-10 inches of snow we are supposed to be getting.  Yes, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Spring!  But I digress…..

So, I thought I would share some Easter traditions that we do in our family.  As most traditions do, these evolve as our family changes to meet the needs of the kids.  The ladies in my Sunday School group shared their family traditions either current or past.  It was such a sweet time to hear their memories.  

Of course what is Easter without the coloring of the Easter eggs.  This usually happens Friday sometime since Saturday is so busy with other Easter activities and because Sophia and Alexandra have Friday off.  The kids love coloring the eggs.  Mom, not so much.  Dye everywhere and the mess!  Then last year I got smart and put down a plastic table cloth over the island counter and amazingly the mess wasn’t such an issue.  The beautiful thing, just roll the table cloth up and throw it out!

Every Saturday night, after dinner, the kids and I make Easter Story cookies. Here is the recipe I use http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Easter-Story-Cookies.  It is such a clear and vivid illustration for the kids to help them understand what Easter is all about.  The only thing I change is I have the kids each take a turn with a cooking mallet and have them beat the nuts into small pieces.  This illustrates the broken body of Christ and the suffering he endured for our sins.

For family devotions Friday night, we use the Resurrection Eggs.  There are 12 eggs and each egg tells a part of the story of Easter from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday.  In each egg, is a verse and an item that correlates with that verse. For example, when we read about Christ being buried, their is a piece of white cloth to represent the burial garments.  Such a fun and once again, easy way for the children to understand what Easter is all about. ( http://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Eggs-Familylife/dp/1572297220)

Dan and I hide the Easter eggs after the kiddos hit the hay.  I don’t know why it took me this long to think of a way to make sure the kids get the same amount of Easter eggs.  But it did…I would blame it on the hair but since it’s red and not blond.  Any rate, I got a different colored set of Easter eggs for each child this year.  Alexandra’s are camouflage (surprise, surprise), Sophia’s are pink, Micah’s are soccer balls, and Sam’s are basketballs.  

Every year, the kids get Easter outfits and I do my best to have us all coordinate.  My goal is NOT for my family to end up on a greeting card.  I just like to put a little more effort into what we wear on Easter morning.  I guess for me it is to help the kids  understand the importance of Easter. I want them to understand how important Easter is.  Many religions have a “good man” that they follow. Yet, they all died. But Christ was more than a “good man”.  He was and is the one true God and He too died.  But He ROSE AGAIN!!!!  I serve a living, true, holy God.  That is the importance of Easter.  Easter brings hope to those who feel hopeless, comfort to the hurting, peace to the restless, and the promise of eternal life to all those who believe in Christ as their Savior.  

Yes, I am one of those who will cry during the Easter service and it is not because I’m allergic to Easter Lilies.  It is because I am so overwhelmed of what Christ did for me on the cross.  God came down to earth as a man, stretched out His arms on a cross, hung there in shame, and died for MY sins.  But He AROSE again so that I can have life everlasting if I accept Him as MY Savior.

This Easter will have even more meaning for me.  It gives me hope that I will see my dad again and that I will hold two of my babes for the first time in a place where there will be no crying or pain.  A place that for now seems so distant but yet my heart longs even more for it. Heaven.

Go, ladies, this week with your hearts and mind ever mindful of what Christ did for you and for me on the cross.  

Until Next Monday,
Rebekah

“He is NOT here for He is RISEN!”