Holy Ground

By on August 28, 2010 in a mother's heart, growing godly men, reflection, the heart, The Word, Uncategorized

I’m going to let you in on a secret…

There are days when I feel completely overwhelmed and exhausted with the constant demands of mothering. No days off, no vacations, no sick days, and no excuses. The list of tasks is long and the days seem even longer. The problem–this thought process is all about me and my “stuff.”

When I stop looking inward long enough to ponder spiritual things, my perspective changes. I have recently realized that I am standing on holy ground. God is at work molding and making me into the woman, wife, and mom He desires me to be. The most amazing thing is that at the same time He is shaping me, God is at work in my son’s life. He is revealing His character and wooing my son’s heart toward Him. Holy work is being done all around me and half of the time I’m too busy looking inward to notice!

In Exodus 3:10, Moses receives his instruction from God in the form of the burning bush to go to Pharoah so that he may bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses replies, “Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11) Do you ever feel like Moses? I often think a very similar thought about mothering, “Who am I that I should be this precious boy’s mother? Who am I that I should teach about patience, kindness, loving your neighbor, and all of those other things we, as Christ-followers, are called to do, but I so terribly fail at?” Some days, no, make that most days, I feel so inadequate in this holy calling.

If we continue to read, we see God’s reply to Moses. Verse 12 begins “But I will be with you…” Um, hello….He is with us! We aren’t alone! God is with us every step of the way! He wants us to partner with Him in the holy task of mothering. Moses continues to make excuses for why he is inadequate in his own eyes to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. For every excuse Moses made, God had an answer that would show His power through Moses. And show His power He did!

Ladies, Do not lose sight of what is really going on in your crazy household! Among the tantrums, ball practice, forgotten homework, and missed curfews God is at work. He has called you to partner with Him as you work to raise the next generation for Christ. Mothering is a high and holy calling.

You are standing on holy ground. 

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Classic books: an ingredient for boy-building

By on August 27, 2010 in a little fun, connection with boys, homeschool, Life Lessons

Peter Pan paintingStories are often the best way to capture a boy’s attention, the best way to drive home a moral point, and are also just good fun.  With so many kid’s books tied into popular cartoons or shows, I fear our kids are missing out on enjoying and learning from classic books.  Our boys would be served and shaped better by spending more time with stories of boys taking on manly responsibilities than by emulating the funny, wise-cracking, sarcastic hero of shows popular right now.  (And -um, I know of what I speak, because the one popular cartoon I allow my boy to watch has a sarcastic hero. I kind of like him…)

I know as a homeschool mom, I can get bogged down with trying to tie everything together, to plan the perfect unit study.  But, often you will be best served by just sitting down and reading a good book together.  Simple.  Anyone can do this!  Sit down, read, enjoy and discuss.  Books on audio from the library count, too!

There are so many classic children’s books that highlight character, choosing right from wrong and growing into manliness.  A few classics a boy-heart might enjoy include;

  • Peter Pan- “All children, except one, grow up.” Who can resist such an opening line?  There is something for mom here, too.. “Look at her in her chair, where she has fallen asleep…Her hand moves restlessly on her breast as if she had a pain there. Some like Peter best and some like Wendy best, but I like her [mother] best.” Peter Pan, chapter 16
  • Old Yeller.  The Disney Movie was well done, but there are deeper man-truths in the book, and also, a sequel.
  • The Summer of the Monkeys and Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.  Yes, mom will cry-and your boy might too.  Real men have real feelings, a good lesson.
  • Encyclopedia Brown.  Maybe not classic, yet…but good, clean fun and good role modeling of being honest, fair and helping others.
  • The Secret Garden.  Not automatically a ‘girl’ book, there are some boy characters..one a bit spoiled -to not be like, and one strong, intelligent hard working boy to emulate.
  • Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The book in the Little House series your boy will like the best.

Moms, our little boys are looking for heroes.  Don’t let let it be a dubious one, but set out before them a feast for the mind  by sharing classic books with them.  Read or listen with them, and then tell them who you admire and why.  Tell them who your heroes were when you were their age.  Encourage them to be heroes. There really is “no frigate like a book…”

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Bible Adventures – A Guest Post with Kristina Patrella (& a giveaway for YOU!)

By on August 25, 2010 in Uncategorized

“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Deuteronomy 11:17 & 18 NIV

I love these verses.  We are told to ‘commit ourselves wholeheartedly” to God’s word and teach them to our children.  I believe these verses are also talking about the importance of teachable moments; seizing an opportunity to talk with our children about God’s truths.  However, today I wanted to talk about a different aspect.

Many of us are familiar with Bible stories.  I hesitate to call them stories, because I struggled for so long to reconcile a Biblical story that was true with a story that was fictional.  I prefer to call them adventures because believe me, if I use the word adventure in a sentence, my son will listen with rapt attention.  (Truthfully, that’s how we get through grocery shopping.  It is our scavenger hunt adventure.)

Still, how am I supposed to get my son to SIT STILL while I read him a Bible adventure?

I struggled with this for a long time.  My daughter will sit for hours as I read, but my son, well he wants to play.  So why not incorporate PLAY into our Bible adventures?  Here’s one that we use all the time, Daniel and the Lion’s Den.  You can find this adventure in Daniel 6.  I also like The Jesus Storybook Bible’s retelling of this adventure.  Here’s what we used,

http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy329/kristinapetrella/melissaanddougandnoahsark008.jpg

Two lions and two lego men. 

(The lions actually belonged to my husband when he was a child for this very purpose.)

From there, we just retell the adventure using one Lego man as Daniel, one as the king, and then the lions of course.  Another fun thing to do (if you are not opposed to holes in your yard) is to dig a hole in your yard as a pit.  Then you can put the lions in it and send Daniel down into it.  The more you can involve your son, the better.

Another important thing is to let these toys be ones they can play with often.  Don’t put them on a shelf and make them “Bible time” toys, because after a few retellings of the adventure, I’m sure your son will begin acting out his own adventure of how God saved Daniel!

Fisher Price also sells a nativity set, a Noah’s ark set, and Playmobil sells a nativity, however the Playmobil set is very delicate.  Unfortunately we can only play with that set under CONSTANT supervision which makes it not so much fun. 

Are there any other Bible Adventures you can think of to use toys to retell them?

**************************************

We LOVE teaching our boys scripture!  And we’ve partnered with a cool new group called the Rizers to bring you some rockin new tunes that will do just that!  Listen to the video below to hear the heart of how and why this new group came to be.

To enter, simply subscribe to the M.O.B. Society. You can do this three different ways:

  1. By email
  2. In a reader
  3. On Facebook

PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOUR COMMENT HAS YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS ENTERED IN.  IF IT DOESN’T, AND YOU’RE PICKED TO WIN, WE WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE :)

23 Comments

Tall and Brave

By on August 23, 2010 in backseat conversations, connection with boys

Welcome to my monthly feature, “Backseat Conversations” – A car ride, a captive audience and a chance to make the most of the time we are given…real-life conversations with my boys about life and faith.

As we drove to visit my family one weekend, my sister’s fiancée became the topic of conversation.

He works in law enforcement.

Fall 2009 001crop

“I’m going to be a police officer like him when I grow up.”

A very noble aspiration, but I was curious about Big J’s reasoning.

“That is wonderful – why do you want to do that?”

“Because he is tall and brave.”

He is 6’4”. No one in our immediate family is above 6’0”.

“He IS very brave, isn’t he? But you know you don’t have to be tall to be brave, right?”

“I don’t?”

I love open doors from God like this.

And I also love God’s tendency to use the underdog, the unlikely hero, the brave but NOT so tall, to do the amazing and miraculous.

“Do you remember the story of David and Goliath?’”

“YEAH!” (a favorite at our house, clearly.)

“What did David do?”

“He KILLED Goliath!”

“Yes – he was very brave when no one else would be. AND he was young and much smaller than Goliath. With God’s help, he beat the “bad guy” even though he wasn’t very big. You might be tall when you grow up, you might not, but like David, you can be brave either way – with God’s help.”

“And when I grow up, then I can be a brave police officer and get the bad guys?”

“You can do whatever you want with God by your side.”

“I can be tall?!”

Don’t hold your breath on that one son, but I’m convinced you WILL be brave. And I pray for the courage and strength to support you as walk out that bravery.

What characteristics or qualities do your boys equate with being brave? How do you help your sons understand the true meaning of bravery? What is your favorite Bible story or verse to help teach real bravery to your sons?

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