Nathan’s First Piano Lesson

Jamie began giving Nathan piano lessons this week.  She’s using her old book while we wait for his copy to arrive.  I think it will be good for both of them.

Kayla Update

After Kayla got back from her Washington trip, she had a Jamieless bedroom to make her own.  She set herself up with quite the office cubicle and music studio.

She’s teaching herself guitar, using Mom’s old guitar, chord sheets and youtube.  She’s doing very well too.

Reblog: Family Devotions

How to Have Family Devotionals

 Read the Bible together- Go through a few verses or a chapter. Whatever works for your family. It doesn’t have to be a prepared Bible lesson. God’s Word is powerful! Just read it together and listen to it.

Talk about it- Ask some questions to help spark a discussion. (Helpful Hint- Pick just a few of these questions that are appropriate for your kids. If they are struggling, help them out.)

Who are the main character(s)?

What happens in the passage?  Can you summarize it?

Any questions? What are you curious about?

What happened before or after this passage?

Which words, phrases, or themes seem important to you?

What did this mean to people back then? What does this mean for us now?

Does this remind you of any other passages of Scripture?

Are there examples to follow or avoid (things to do or not do)?

Is there a promise to celebrate?

Is there a sin to avoid?

What does it say about God?

What does it say about people?

What does it say about me?

Do I need to confess something to God?

Do I need to thank God for something?

What do I need to tell someone or do for someone because of this passage?

Helpful Hint- Bring in what the Lord has been teaching you as much as possible! It’s important for your kids to see that you are constantly growing closer to the Lord as well. And don’t be afraid to confess your sin (when appropriate) to your children. It will help teach them humility.
 
Sing together- Not everyone is a musician, but don’t let that stop you.  Music is an amazing learning tool and it has a profound ability to guide us into true worship. Pick a well known song or hymn and sing it a cappella. Use your bad singing as an opportunity to teach your kids that worship is about the heart not the sound. Be sure to create a safe place to worship by letting your family know that making fun of anyone’s singing is not acceptable.

Pray together- Praying at bedtime and meals is great, but don’t let that be the only time you pray together as a family. Take a moment to share prayer requests and go around the table letting each family member pray for the person to their left as best as they are able.

Find the entire blog post on Word on Wednesday blog.

Reblog: Parenting

Twelve Ways to Prepare Your Children for Times of Doubt

1. Let them know that it is not abnormal to experience doubt. This does not mean that your children will experience significant doubt, it just means that doubt is a common issue they will experience, to varying degrees, in a fallen world. Typically, your child’s struggles with doubt will not start until he reaches adulthood and begins to stand on his own two feet in many ways, including in his faith walk. But if you have helped your child understand that doubt is something common to all Christians, he won’t be scared to share his struggles when they arise later in life.

Find the other 11 points at Parchment & Pen Blog

Nathan Finishes Kindergarten

Nathan has finished all his kindergarten work this week.  He is doing so well with his reading and writing and loves arithmetic.  He learned many new songs and memorized many poems over the year.  He memorize a scripture for every alphabet letter and did many craft projects.

Mom also loved Abeka Dvd school and highly recommend it.  We’re ordering next year soon.

10 Ways to Fight Like a Christian

Posted by Pastor J.D. on May 9, 2013

 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)

In Ephesians 4:29, Paul mentions two kinds of speech: that which builds up and that which pulls down. This verse and the surrounding passage show us ten ways that we can handle conflict well—10 ways to fight like a Christian….(read the rest here)

~ another good article I’m posting for myself.  This has some good reminders and points to consider.   Beth

Addiction and How it Works

9 Things You Should Know About Pornography and the Brain

[Note: The following contains a frank, though non-graphic, discussion of pornography addiction. Parents are therefore cautioned to examine the material themselves before sharing it with children or teenagers.]

“Because the human brain is the biological anchor of our psychological experience, it is helpful to understand how it operates.” says William M. Struthers, associate professor of psychology at Wheaton College. “Knowing how it is wired together and where it is sensitive can help us understand why pornography affects people the way it does.” Here are 9 things you should know about pornography affects the brain….  (to read the rest)

~This comes from the Gospel Coalition site, well done article with several videos and great content for understanding addition.  Bookmarked for me.~Beth

Washington Adventures

Hi everybody, Kayla here, and I’ve just returned from a rather extended visit I made to Washington state. Mom asked me to share a couple favorite pictures and some favorite things about the trip with ya’ll so, I’m going to start with the ever iconic Space Needle.

I’ve only been up the Space Needle once before in my life, and I was way younger then, so it was really cool to go up it again now that I’m old enough to appreciate it and remember what it was like.

The view from the top was impressive from all sides, but the side facing downtown was my favorite!

A much less noted sight one can see in Washington, and what I loved a ton, were all the gigantic and amazing evergreen tree’s!  They’re definitely not something I see often in Arizona.

And speaking of things I don’t see often in Arizona….

It snowed one night and that was incredible! I made snowmen, had a snowball fight, and played around in it for a long time!!!

Seeing the Pacific ocean was also an amazing experience, even though I’ve been on the beach before, it felt way more special being up in the corner of Washington like I was at the time.

Going to a horse race with my Grandpa was also a special highlight that I won’t soon forget.

I saw a lot of neat, new stuff on my trip, and I experienced a lot of new things and had a lot of chances for practicing being more of a adult, and even though I’m very glad I got to get away on this trip when I did….

… I’m equally as glad now to be back. :)

~Kayla

Reminder to Self

Broken People

1. Are overwhelmed with their own spiritual need (Matthew 5:3, 7:3-5, Luke 18:9-14)

2. Are compassionate; have a forgiving spirit; look for the best in others (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12)

3. Esteem all others as better than self (Phil. 2:3, Rom. 12:10)

4. Are dependent on God and His grace; recognize others’ needs and seek to meet them (2 Cor. 3:4-6, Phil. 2:4)

5. Surrenders control by giving freedom for others to do or see things differently (Rom. 12:1-2)

6. Are willing to yield to the possibility that they could be wrong, and thus, yield the need to always prove they are right(Rom. 15:2)

7. Yielding personal rights (Eph. 5:21)

8. Have a giving spirit (Rom. 12:13)

9. Are self-denying (Luke 9:23)

10. Are motivated to serve others (Matt. 20:26-28, Phil. 2:20-21)

11. Desire to be faithful to make others a success (John 3:30)

12 Desire to promote others (John 3:3)).

13 Have a sense of unworthiness; are thrilled to be used at all; eager for others to get credit, honors and awards (I Tim. 1:12-16)

14. Rejoice when others are lifted up (Rom. 12:15)

15. Think ‘I don’t deserve to serve in this ministry (2 Cor. 4:7)

16. Know they can offer nothing to God, and seek for God to work through them in His power (Phil. 3:8-9, Titus 3:5)

17. Are humbled by how much they have not learned and wish to learn (Phil. 3:12, Prov. 1:7)

18. Have little concern with how others view them (Gal. 1:10)

19. Risk getting close to others; are willing to take those risks for the sake of love for others (2 Cor. 6:11-12)

20. Accept personal responsibility; can see and acknowledge personal failure (Matthew 7)

21. Are concerned with being real (2 Cor. 4:3-5).

22. Know all that matters is God and what He knows (I Cor. 4:3-5)

23. Die to own reputation (Phil. 3:7, Rom. 14:7)

24. Are willing to be transparent with others (2 Cor. 1:12)

25 Are willing to acknowledge and confess one’s sin; brokenness is the ultimate sign of personal success (Ps. 51:17)

26 Are quick to admit fault and seek forgiveness (I John 1:9, James 5:1)

27. Deal in specifics (Ps. 51:17)

28. Are greived over the root of their sin (Ps. 51:5)

29. Take the initiative to be reconciled; gets their first (Matthew 5:23-24)

30. Compare themselves with God and feel desperate for mercy (Luke 18:9-14)

31. Walk in the light of true knowledge concerning their own hearts (I John 1:6-7).

32. Continually display a spirit of repentance, sensing their need for fresh encounters with God and the filling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5;18), Gal 5:16)

33. Thanked the Lord for using words on the internet to bring brokenness to their lives.

This comes from Feeding on Christ check out the site for the whole article.  Thank you Challies.com for passing it along.

Balance

 

As I continue on in my Christian walk the one word that I have been surrounded by for some time now is the word balance.  As I look back at the 30+ years of my walk with Christ I am starting to see the imbalances all around me.  It feels as though I am coming full circle from where I began.  I’m not sure if this is good or bad, maybe neither.  I am learning, changing and most important, resting in what Christ has done for me.

Anyways, my kids and I listened to a great sermon today.  What a great balance for me and them from the other teaching we have had over the years.  The title On Marriage and Singleness preached from I Corinthians 7: 1-8 was a breath of fresh air for those waiting for that perfect person to come along/ or not. Pastor Steve Walker from Central Valley Presbyterian Church in California is an overseeing elder at Trinity Covenant Presbyterian here in Az.  I took lots of notes but won’t bother sharing those here.  Check it out if you’re wondering what God is saying about marriage and/or singleness.  It will be a blessing.

Contentment in Christ and understanding the goodness of God are 2 keys to either.  We are God’s children first and that is the most important relationship we can have.

~Beth

Truth or Fiction?

 

I’ve been thinking about this saying of late.  I’m still debating with myself as to it’s truth.  I’m hoping so  :o)

Meditation

Ecclesiastes
Chapter 3: 1-8

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
  A time to be born,
And a time to die;
 A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
  A time to weep,
 And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

This is a scripture I’ve been meditating on for some time now.  Seasons of life can be hard and challenging.  Thankfully God is there right beside us!

~Beth

How Nathan Thinks

I asked Nathan one morning to pick up the area around his lego table.  This is how he solved that problem.  He stuck all the pieces from the floor together and made this.  I thought it was very clever.

Weight Watcher Update

I am now in to my third month of maintenance.  It seems to be going well over all.  I’m sharing a picture of my standby breakfast.  It is 1-2 points plus, depending on the amount of milk and is very satisfying for me.  I use 1-2 bananas, 1/3-1/2 cup of 2% milk, cinnamon sugar, and freshly ground nutmeg.  Sometimes I add walnuts, but not always.

 

Which Are You?

Okay, in our household, we’re learning much about each other.  Jamie and Nathan fit into this category.

This list, I believe fits Kayla and I.  What a world we live in.  God has created so many differences in each person he formed.  It is always helpful to gain understanding into those you live closest to.

These signs came from Jamie you found them somewhere on the net.  Sorry I can’t give credit to anyone.  She pointed out the bright colors on her sign and the dull ones on mine.  (Thankfully, I accept her just the way she is.  And she is a lot of fun to be with.)