I recently received a comment on a blog entry I did last year at Christmas called Santa vs. Jesus. Read the entry here and Christopher's thoughts at the very bottom of the comments. For a direct link to the comment, click here. What response would you give to Christopher?
As Christians, we need to be able to defend our faith to people like Christopher. That is something that my generation, especially, was never taught to do. It leads me to be even more determined in my work to give our kids the tools they need to stand up to those in the world that oppose and even mock our saving faith in Jesus Christ.
How would you respond to Christopher's comments? How are you talking to your kids about this kind of thinking?
I'd love a flurry of comments in defense of our Christian faith . . . Nicole, Kent, Scott, Ty, Chelle? Any thoughts?
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Christmas Program
Wow! We had our Christmas Program for church last night and it went flawlessly! Thank you God! And thanks to all of you who faithfully prayed for me over the last couple of weeks.
It has been extrodinarily stressful and overwhelming, and, to tell the truth, I've had a really cruddy attitude about it. I asked myself, "Why do I do this? The parents don't take it seriously and allow their kids to skip practicies. The upper el. kid (especially the boys) are less than thrilled. Kids forget their lines. The singing is less than stellar. . . " Coordinating about 150 kids, including preschoolers, lower el praise team, lower el as a whole, upper el praise team upper el as a whole AND adult choir, AND a skit was a bit daunting.
This past Saturday, I was freaked out at how bad practice went. I thought it would be a Christmas miracle if we pulled this off.
Well, that's what we got! The kids showed up (almost all of them on time), the upper el boys were coerced into at least mouthing the words, all the kids remembered their cues and their lines, and the singing was AWESOME! Many parents even said it was the best program ever! Wow!
I had a blast doing it last night. But afterward I began feeling guilty and repentant. I had had the WORST attitude about this program . . . and it turned out to be extrodinarily meaningful. I need to ask forgiveness for not keeping "the main thing the main thing"; for not trusting God to make it great (regardless of anything I did); for being annoyed with the kids etc. I am humbled that God allowed it to go so well despite my attitude.
So, for the time-being, I'm committing to doing it again next year . . . Hopefully I won't live to regret it!
It has been extrodinarily stressful and overwhelming, and, to tell the truth, I've had a really cruddy attitude about it. I asked myself, "Why do I do this? The parents don't take it seriously and allow their kids to skip practicies. The upper el. kid (especially the boys) are less than thrilled. Kids forget their lines. The singing is less than stellar. . . " Coordinating about 150 kids, including preschoolers, lower el praise team, lower el as a whole, upper el praise team upper el as a whole AND adult choir, AND a skit was a bit daunting.
This past Saturday, I was freaked out at how bad practice went. I thought it would be a Christmas miracle if we pulled this off.
Well, that's what we got! The kids showed up (almost all of them on time), the upper el boys were coerced into at least mouthing the words, all the kids remembered their cues and their lines, and the singing was AWESOME! Many parents even said it was the best program ever! Wow!
I had a blast doing it last night. But afterward I began feeling guilty and repentant. I had had the WORST attitude about this program . . . and it turned out to be extrodinarily meaningful. I need to ask forgiveness for not keeping "the main thing the main thing"; for not trusting God to make it great (regardless of anything I did); for being annoyed with the kids etc. I am humbled that God allowed it to go so well despite my attitude.
So, for the time-being, I'm committing to doing it again next year . . . Hopefully I won't live to regret it!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Quote of the Day
Faith: "Mom, have you found the Lord?"
This was said in reference to the missing baby Jesus from one of our nativities.
Yes, you heard it right, Jesus is MIA at our house . . . hmmmm . . .
The funny thing is that she said it out of the blue. I was getting breakfast ready, and out came the random question. I thought I had a little evangelist on my hands.
This was said in reference to the missing baby Jesus from one of our nativities.
Yes, you heard it right, Jesus is MIA at our house . . . hmmmm . . .
The funny thing is that she said it out of the blue. I was getting breakfast ready, and out came the random question. I thought I had a little evangelist on my hands.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Tis More Pleasant to Give Than to Receive . . .
The other day I was soooooo frustrated with the state of Faith's messy closet (filled mainly with toys etc) that I was suddenly full of energy to tackle cleaning it out.
I proceeded to drag anything toy or play-time related from both girl's rooms out into the living room. I told the girls that they were going to need to choose some things to give to little girls that didn't have very many toys to play with. I explained how we have soooo much, and that there are people in our own community that have very little. I talked about the fact that many kids won't get any presents for Christmas. I told them what the Bible had to say about helping the poor - the orphans and the widows . . . I talked about Jesus' example in doing this while he was on the earth.
I really thought I was getting through to them until Faith said, "But Mooooommmmm! At this rate THEY'LL be rich and I'LL be poor!"
That's the giving spirit!
I proceeded to drag anything toy or play-time related from both girl's rooms out into the living room. I told the girls that they were going to need to choose some things to give to little girls that didn't have very many toys to play with. I explained how we have soooo much, and that there are people in our own community that have very little. I talked about the fact that many kids won't get any presents for Christmas. I told them what the Bible had to say about helping the poor - the orphans and the widows . . . I talked about Jesus' example in doing this while he was on the earth.
I really thought I was getting through to them until Faith said, "But Mooooommmmm! At this rate THEY'LL be rich and I'LL be poor!"
That's the giving spirit!
Monday, December 03, 2007
Happy Holidays from our family to yours!
Check this out! Make sure your sound is turned up for the full effect!
Happy Birthday Dad!
Today is my dad's birthday . . . I won't mention which one it is . . . but it really doesn't matter, cuz age is about how you feel and not how old you are, right? If that's the case, I'd say my dad is more like 35 than 50 something. If you take a look at the pictures below, you'll see what a nut he is (I mean that in a good way, Dad).
Dad, thanks for being you! Thanks for teaching me to work hard and to do my best - always. Thanks for teaching me the value in going outside and getting some fresh air. Thanks for teaching me to play hard too - from softball to waterskiing to ice skating and sledding - you've always been a lot of fun! Thanks for passing on your love of classic cars to me - my heart still beats fast when I hear the sound of an old Mustang or Chevelle! Thanks for loving me always - through good times and bad. Thanks for teaching me to have a servant's heart, and to always be willing to help.
Most of all, thanks for passing on the legacy of faith in Jesus to me and to Chad and Shelly. Now it's our turn to take the baton and pass it on to our kids!
I love you, Dad! Happy Birthday! I hope the coming year is filled with many blessings for you.
Grandpa on the quad with Faith and Bella
Neeeeeeeewwwwww Recooooooorrrrrrdd! (an inside family joke)
Dad and Shelly iceskating in the flooded horse pasture
Dad, thanks for being you! Thanks for teaching me to work hard and to do my best - always. Thanks for teaching me the value in going outside and getting some fresh air. Thanks for teaching me to play hard too - from softball to waterskiing to ice skating and sledding - you've always been a lot of fun! Thanks for passing on your love of classic cars to me - my heart still beats fast when I hear the sound of an old Mustang or Chevelle! Thanks for loving me always - through good times and bad. Thanks for teaching me to have a servant's heart, and to always be willing to help.
Most of all, thanks for passing on the legacy of faith in Jesus to me and to Chad and Shelly. Now it's our turn to take the baton and pass it on to our kids!
I love you, Dad! Happy Birthday! I hope the coming year is filled with many blessings for you.
Grandpa on the quad with Faith and Bella
Neeeeeeeewwwwww Recooooooorrrrrrdd! (an inside family joke)
Dad and Shelly iceskating in the flooded horse pasture
Hi Auntie Shelly!
My sister Shelly is living in Washington state, and hasn't had the chance to hold our nephew Blake yet. She asked me to record some of his sounds so she could hear them before Blake changed too much!
Here you go Shelly!
Love to you from Jared and Blake!
Here you go Shelly!
Love to you from Jared and Blake!
The Kitchen Pics - Finally!
Ok Little Miss Anonymous! Here are your pictures! Tee Hee! Sorry it took so long to post them . . . I've been a blog-slacker lately! I promise I'll try to do better in December!
The kitchen - shot #1 - notice all my fun new "junk" on top of my cupboards - 80% off at Hobby Lobby - Woo Hoo!
The kitchen - shot #2
Close up of our tile
The desk - Mike raised the middle cabinet and put cork board underneath it! Very handy!
Dining room - notice the recovered chairs and shnazy new curtains!
I'm no Martha Stewart, but here are the homemade curtains
The kitchen - shot #1 - notice all my fun new "junk" on top of my cupboards - 80% off at Hobby Lobby - Woo Hoo!
The kitchen - shot #2
Close up of our tile
The desk - Mike raised the middle cabinet and put cork board underneath it! Very handy!
Dining room - notice the recovered chairs and shnazy new curtains!
I'm no Martha Stewart, but here are the homemade curtains
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