children

The Work of His Hand: We Are Just the Pottery

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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)

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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?

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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?

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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 go: and 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

How Does God Get Your Attention? See and Listen

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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

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep……..

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Daily Truth:

“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

 Psalm 4:8

good night

Ahh it is the end of a busy  day.  Ending the day with beautiful music and God’s Word is a perfect ending to maybe a not so perfect day.

Listen to the excerpt from “Scripture Lullabies” provided in the link below.

“Hidden In My Heart” Scripture Lullabies

Days are busy and sometimes seem too long.  Sometimes just to complete the chores, activities, meals, homework, and then  to make plans for the following day can be overwhelming.  But actually time is short.  I have one married son and a daughter who will be married in 2 months.  Where did all those childhood days go?  Did I prepare them for life?  Was I a good example?  Do they love God with all their heart, soul, strength and mind?   As parents all we can do is our best each day.  My life verse is Philippians 4:13,  “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  All days are busy and some days are better than others.  Looking back, on  good days I allowed Christ to give me strength and on the not so good days I allowed me to take over.

Beyond meeting the daily needs of our families, our main task is to point our children to Christ.  Children are blessings from our heavenly Father. He entrusts them to our care for a season.  Life choices, circumstances and Satan try to trip us up as parents.   Yet, Jesus has told us that He has overcome the world.  What words of encouragement that verse has become.  God gives us what we need to meet the needs of every day in every situation.

Time goes quickly so cherish the moments.  My daughter in law is flying in for my daughter’s wedding shower this weekend.  Bridesmaids are coming in from different states too. It once was play days and sleepovers.  Instead of a birthday party with friends, family and  gifts this weekend  it will be a wedding shower with family, friends, and  gifts to help  my daughter set up her own home. Today is a day of endings and  beginnings.  Take each moment to teach and impart God’s ways and words into your little ones lives for they grow up quickly to have families of their own.

The music previewed in the introductory video is a wonderful way to impart God’s Word.   This music with Scripture allows children’s minds and hearts to fall asleep to God’s love letters, His Word.  What better ending to a busy day:)

May we continually hide God’s Word in our hearts and minds.

Until the next “Truth” sharing moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson