It has been an exciting fall!

As things happen, everything has changed in the blink of an eye. We moved. We downsized so dramatically that I do not recognize what I chose to keep. I hope I chose wisely. It was a painful experience for me. 

Because we moved so often while my husband served in military service, I have chastened myself not to get attached to material things, so I was very surprised how I mourned getting rid of what was now excess.

In Luke 12:15, Christ's philosophy of materialism is made clear: "Take heed! Beware of all covetousness. For a man's life does not consist of the things he has."

Like all humans, I tried to justify keeping many of the items - most memories from my children's school days. When they were young, all six would beg me not to throw their precious work out. I kept a large amount - ceramics, clever reports, certificates. I thought they would love to see these things as adults. As life would have it, each one told me they "didn't want that junk."

In a surprising turn of events, I clung to these reminders of when they were young. I remember feeling so very overwhelmed and tired at the end of each night I fell into bed exhausted. As I age, I wonder if I failed to fully appreciate the miracle happening in front of me as my children grew.

By and by, I realized that these boxes of paper need not hold me captive. What I preserved was the most valuable — my memories—the echoes of children laughing, loving, and thrilling at life itself.

I pray to God I can live life as a child again. Grateful for this singular day that the Lord has made. I pray I can live it with just a tiny amount of the joy exhibited by our small children.

In the end, the paper has gone. Pictures were saved, and my cup runneth over with joy and gratefulness.

Water Your Weeds!

   When each spring comes, my garden looks like a forgotten bed of weeds, beaten down by heavy Wisconsin snow and covered by layers of fallen leaves. My husband is always in a hurry to rake and clear things out and perhaps till everything over. I always have to remind him we need to water those weeds for a while and see what springs up because I know that just beneath the soil lay many of my spring bulbs that will once again pop into glorious color!

   People are sometimes like those weeds. We do not know what lies beneath until a little tenderly administered care brings out the best in them.

   A Pastor once told a riveting story: A homeless man had taken up temporary residency outside the church doors one morning prior to Sunday service. As worshipers streamed in, he sat, dirty, in need of food and drink, and shelter. Less than three feet away, on the other side of the open doors, where the well-dressed church-goers passed him, whispering to each other, avoiding his awkward glances, coffee, doughnuts, juice and a warm building awaited him. Their bulletins proudly proclaimed them to be a “friendly, welcoming, congregation of believers!” Yet no one spoke to him or offered him food or drink.

   Finally, it was time for the service to begin. The doors to the sanctuary swung open one more time. Much to the surprise of the congregation, it was the homeless man who was seated outside of the church - and he was boldly striding up the central aisle to the pulpit! How could this be? 

   As he began to speak, it was made clear. It was none other than their very own Pastor!  You can well imagine that he was not happy with what he found out about his congregation that day. What would he have found out about us that day? What would he find out about us today? Do we toil in God’s garden to water the weeds among us, or do we wish to just work alongside the sweet-smelling flowers?

   Every once in a while, it is a good thing to check ourselves against what Christ demands of us:

. In Genesis 4:9 (NIV):, the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”  

                                                               “I don’t know,” he replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

It is my assertion that you are.

If we take a look at Luke, who we know as a physician of his time, but one who takes time with the poor in particular. When Jesus called Levi to service, as he was dining with the tax collectors in  Luke Chapter 5:31, it is written,

   Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance..”

Also in Luke, one of the first Bible verses that I learned as a child is Luke 6:31(NIV) Do to others as you would have them do to you.

This not only charges us with how we treat people we encounter in our daily lives as Christians, but how we act globally as we carry out our commitments to our communities. Of course, we all have our limits and I feel that at different seasons of our lives, we can sometimes do a little more than others. Christ doesn’t ask much, just that you serve where you are planted!

Luke is so very rich in Christ’s teachings, I have to bring you one more before I let you go! It is one you surely know, but one the congregation of the church illustrated above surely had forgotten that fateful Sunday morning when their Pastor came to them dressed as a homeless person right outside their very doors!

   In Luke 10:25-37, an expert in law stands up to challenge Christ. He wants to know what he must do to enter eternal life. Christ then asks him, how do you interpret the law? He answers him, “I must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.”(v.27)

   Christ tells him that is correct, but he then wants to know who his neighbor is. Christ then responds with the parable of the good Samaritan. As you may know, a priest passes by a robbery victim in a poor state. Most likely because according to Old Testament law, a priest who touches a dead body would make himself ceremonially impure.   The religious Levite also decided not to get involved. The third character in Jesus’ story was a Samaritan - a racial minority despised in Israel. The Samaritan, unlike the Priest and religious Levite, stopped and bandage the victim, put him upon his donkey and took him to an inn, cared for him, gave him money.

   Jesus wants us only to show mercy to all who cross our path and require our mercy.

Blessings to you today!

Spiritual Gardening:

1. Read The parable of The Good Samaritan for yourself Luke 10:25-37

2. Reacquaint yourself with the book of Luke - so many great passages for studies!

3. Try to do one merciful, kind thing each day for your neighbor!

 

“...Wash and make yourself clean. 

Take your evil deeds out of my sight!

Stop doing wrong.

Learn to do right!

Seek justice,

Encourage the oppressed.” Isaiah 1:16-17NIV

   Abuse. SHHH! We don’t talk about that, do we? Although, for abuse to exist, it has to bloom in the dark. No one talks about it. The bruises are where clothes cover. The words,  slung with reckless abandon at our family members, damage hearts and minds -  large and small  - where no one outside the family can see the scars and bitterness forming.

   Could you be the abused  …  or the abuser?

   It is a hard thing to face, but face it you must - and once you have the answer, you must act. As with any action, you must face accountability.

   How do I know? I was in an abusive relationship for several years and I did not want to leave for three reasons. The first is that I was in love. The second was that I was sure that I could model Christ’s love and he would be SAVED. The third and perhaps most vivid in my mind is that I was terrified on so many levels: fearful I couldn’t run far enough with my child, and he would kill me, fearful I couldn’t care for the two of us, fearful of not being loved again, fearful of giving up on a covenant I had made with God and my husband, so many fears! 

   I would also have to limp back to my family in disgrace. It was all too hard. But it was necessary. To save my life, to save the life of my child.

   That being said, in today’s world, an abused woman or man (yes, MEN are abused too), have options. There are shelters. There were NO shelters at the time I was going through my ordeal.  When the abused steps up and finally acknowledges there is a problem, and separates from the abuser, it is a huge mental step.

   I don’t want you to turn away from reporting because you are a Christian. Christian households have the same problems everyone else does. Sitting in a pew does not make families immune from problems. It makes them better able to handle them. God gives us the tools to get on top of things and yes, I would say some things are less likely to happen, but I would never say never. 

  Do not ever be ashamed to go to your Pastor with a problem. He has heard it. I can almost guarantee it.

   However, remember Isaiah? Your Pastor will listen. He will counsel you wisely. He will also be in a position to report the abuser and keep the abused safe. Know that this is not a breach of confidence on his part.

   Both the abused and the abuser must work tirelessly to save their family. The Pastor can be a worthy ally in this goal, but you must work with them. Help the helpers who serve you by understanding what they must do.

   My fervent prayer this month is that if readers recognize themselves in these brief paragraphs, they reach out to someone. If you just need to talk, be you abused or abuser, please contact a friend or start a dialogue with your pastor.

      Get up each morning and connect with God through prayer. He will work miracles in your life. I am praying with you.

Next Steps!

1.  If you are the abused or abuser: Start by confessing your situation to Our Father and praying for help and direction today.

2. Each morning, put on the armor of God through prayer so that he may better guide your footsteps through the day and keep you from stumbling or keep you from harm. He is to the right and to the left of you. He leads you and follows you. You are blessed!

3. Go to a trusted Pastor, a counselor, scour the internet for resources, go forward boldly! You are blessed!

4. You are loved. You are worthy. You are blessed, abused, or abuser, these words are for you. May your road be bright going forward. The kingdom is for you

What Is Your Purpose?

 Esther 4:12 NIV “  …And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

 

Esther, although sometimes dismissed as a fanciful story because of the many coincidences is an archaeologically proven part of Persian history.

   In this account of Queen Esther’s life, she encountered loss, was raised by a cousin, Mordecai, and was tasked with putting herself at great risk by revealing herself as a Jew at a time when they were being exterminated by an arm of her husband’s reign.

   To save her people, she had to summon all of her courage. She was in the right place at the right time. There is no denying though, it would have been easier to not say anything and live the easy life as the King’s concubine.

   I would say to you this week that we are all Esther’s. Her life was not easy. There are many instances in the Bible where we find Christians have nothing short of terrifying lives, let’s think about it: Daniel in the lion's den (Daniel 6:22); Jonah in the Belly of the Whale (Jonah 1 & 2); Job and his many afflictions (Entire book of Job).

   I could go on, but the next time you question, ‘Why me, Lord,” I would ask, “Why not, you?” God did not promise us an easy passage. What He does promise us is protection, like Esther, Daniel, Jonah & Job through the rough times.

   In addition, if you were to look up the names of all twelve apostles, who lay down all their worldly goods to help Christ spread the good word, they died horrid deaths! Again, who are we to tremble when a bit of misfortune comes our way? God will see us through it. He is our ever-present guardian and protector, but there is more!

   God is using you and your plight! Those near you are watching and learning. You are your neighbor's Bible. He reads you every day. Those who may never open our Holy Book depend upon your role model to teach them.

   This was brought home to me about two years ago. I was an abused wife my first marriage. I thought I owed it to God to stay in the marriage and turn my husband’s heart towards him. I prayed. I was the best wife I could be, but things got worse, and I became pregnant with our first child.

   He became addicted to drugs and more violent, entangled in a motorcycle club. I had suffered broken bones and during a welfare check, a community nurse told me that eventually, he would beat my child. Looking at her innocence, I knew what I had to do.

   In the dark of the night, I packed a bag and left on a bus to travel across the country to my sister’s house. My anguish did not end there. Once there, I found I was 3 months pregnant with twins. Three months later, I lost them. I cried all the time.

   I loved my husband and felt I had just failed him, failed God, failed my family. One night my dad came to me crying to tell me there wasn’t any man worth crying about night and day – and I owed it to my daughter to get up and straighten up. So, I did.

   I won’t lie, some days were dark. God and my little girl’s needs pulled me out of bed more days than I care to admit.

   Many decades later, I received a phone call out of the blue. It was my (ex)husband. It was a phone call I both needed and dreaded. We cleared many things up. He was dying of cancer, and through his tears, he admitted to me that he was very scared.

   Amazingly, he said one of the things he always admired about me was that I was never afraid of anything. Also, I always seemed at peace. I will bet you know why that is. I had God on my side. I knew I was protected.

   I always asked myself, “What is the worse thing that could happen?” Most people would say: Death. Well, death is not a problem for me. I have eternal life through Christ. This gives me peace.

   This allows me to take my earthly problems one at a time calmly. You too can have this peace.

I also want you to understand that like Esther, you were born for such a time as this.

   What is your purpose for today?

Share Your Gift!

 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.”NIV Matthew 28: 19-20 

  I have been very excited all week! This coming Sunday, two of my grandchildren are being baptized. Like many mothers and grandmothers, I cover my family in prayer and one of my greatest prayers is that they will discover Christ. Seeing their excitement is absolutely contagious!

  Part of being a disciple of Christ is that you make a public confession. I remember how scary that felt to me as a child. I was absolutely riddled with guilt over the actions I knew wounded Jesus each time I took them.

• I knew for instance I had TWT far too often (Trouble with the Truth) If mom would ask who did something and it was most certainly me, it was easy to blame my younger sister or say, “I don’t know”

• If I did something I was proud of, it was very easy to fall into a habit of bragging about it. No humility lived here.

• All kindnesses were broadcast as well.

• My praying was often done in public rather than in private.

 

   In aging, and watching those in my family with much more social grace than I, I wonder at their deep Christ-like love for humanity and their complete shunning of the accolades that could accompany their good works. Instead, knowing good works cannot get them into heaven, they have grown into the scripture written in Ephesians 2:8-9

   “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” NIV

   Notice I said they grew into the verse. God wants us to come into our faith - no matter our age - as “little children,” full of exuberance and excitement, ready to learn and grow, full of innocence in His grace. It is all waiting for you today. Just ask.

   One of my favorite things about a baptism on Sunday morning is that it revives my faith. It reminds me to peel back some of the  ”old” of a 60-year-old faith and make it new again. It reminds me to let my face show the joy I feel inside of finding the peace that passes all human understanding.

Kingdom Building:

• Pray daily. As often as you can. Pray for others, yes, but remember to pray for yourself too. I love the little prayer my grandmother always prayed, three times a day at least. I heard her pray it at each meal: “Lord, please forgive me all of my sins, those I know I have committed and those I have committed unknowingly against you, Father. Amen.”

• Read your Bible today. Just a verse. Just open it and read. The Lord will guide you. Keep it close where you will see it. Don’t put it away between Sundays.

• Go to church this week. Exercise that muscle. There are people there waiting to get to know you. The real you. The flawed you. You belong.

Faith for Tomorrow

 

Faith for Tomorrow

All that I have seen teaches me
to trust the Creator
for what I have not seen.
~Unknown

It
is still early and my son and I have shoveled twice today. The snow
continues to fly outside in the face of the warm and inviting fire
inside. As tempting as it is to wallow in the depression that sometimes
is February, I am thankful for each snowflake.
For within each snowflake is the promise of spring.
As
it warms up and the snow gives way to warmer days and spring rains, we
will, as a collective human race, curse the rain that darkens the
spring skies.
What an impatient, short-sighted bunch we are!
If
the spring rains never fell, and the sounds of splashing and joyful
laughter would never have a chance to mount its song over the land.
It
is a horrible truth though - in our darkest days, humans can never see
the light; and in our darkest trials and tribulations, it seems we
sometimes fail to see the love and happiness we seek, even though it is thinly disguised in a different season.
The ironic, deep truth of it all is this:
The things we never see - the spring in the midst of winter,
the bright summer in the midst of monsoon springs,
are always before us -
right, where they've always been -
our challenge is to trust in He who created us
to make the sun visible to human eyes unable to
see the warmth and light of that promise deep within us
even in the depths of a cold night.

NEW BOOK ALERT! BUSY FEET

 Courtesy of Vivian Kirkfield's Website  ( https://viviankirkfield.com/2023/02/14 )/happy-book-birthday-busy-feet-plus-giveaway that thrills in anything kidlit, let's join her in applauding the publication of Marcia Berneger's Busy Feet!

 BUSY FEET 

Posted on February 14, 2023

We are definitely dancing for this new picture book that launches today…we are clapping our hands and tapping our BUSY FEET which is the title of this sweet story by Marcia Berneger, illustrated by Susanna Chapman and published by Starry Forest Books. And if you leave a comment on this blog post, you might be the lucky winner of a copy of the book OR a Picture Book Critique!

Here’s a little bit about the book from the Amazon sales page:

Get little feet moving and grooving in no time with this interactive and engaging picture book – perfect for active read-alouds and exploring motion and movement with energetic toddlers.

From former elementary school teacher Marcia Berneger, Busy Feet’s simple, gentle rhyme underscores illustrator Susanna Chapman’s bold, expressive style. This winning combination—along with diverse and inclusive art—makes wiggling around and learning opposites a blast. Little ones will be itching to join the party as the characters dance, hop, and march along!

Feet wake up
Time to play.
Happy feet,
Out all day!

Follow along as adorable baby feet move through a busy day. Where do these feet go? How do they get there? What exciting activities will they get up to? See just how busy little feet can be at playtime, bath time, and more!

Playful and bright, this book is perfect for sharing and gifting. Busy Feet promises full-to-bursting fun for little movers of all ages!

Here’s a little bit about author Berneger and her books:
Marcia Berneger is a retired teacher who lives with her husband and three crazy dogs. She taught first and second grade, special education in grades K-6, and Sunday school through fifth grade. She is also the author of the picture book Buster the Little Garbage Truck and the chapter book A Dreidel in Time. Marcia is a member of SCBWI, 12 x 12, Children’s Book Insider, and the Storyteller Academy. Best of all, she is the proud Grammy of Ori, her first grandchild! She lives in San Diego, California.
To learn more about Marcia and her books: https://marciaberneger.com/index.html

And here’s a little bit about the illustrator:
Susanna Chapman is an illustrator, book designer, and muralist. She is known for illustrating The Girl Who Ran, a picture book biography of Bobbi Gibb, which received a Gold Medal from the Independent Publisher Book Award and Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, and Elizabeth Warren’s Big, Bold Plans. Susanna lives with her husband in Nashville, TN.
To learn more about Susanna and her work: https://www.susannachapman.com/

Writers: Are you stuck?

    Have you ever been SO stuck in the depths of a manuscript that you just want to chuck it into a drawer and forget about it? You just can't go on, and you don't know WHY.

   I have been like this a couple of times and when I stumbled across the answer, I was embarrassed. I believe it doesn't matter if you are a pantser (guilty), or an outliner, you can run into problems if you don't KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS!

   So, if you are stuck in a first draft, or you are rewriting and something isn't ringing true, take the time to make out a character sheet for each one of your characters. Ninety percent of the information you write down will not appear in your writing, but the way your characters interact will be honest and their motivations will shine through. These motivations will propel your plot FORWARD, I promise you!

Give it a chance.

   One of the best character "interview" sheets I ever got was from NANOWRIMO. I have since adjusted it for my own use, which you will have to do as well, but here are some sample questions. Remember, to adjust the form for your use. This is used primarily for kidlit, but I believe it is also essential for adult literary pursuits.

!. Do they have a nickname?

2. Birthdate:

3. Gender:

4. Hobbies:

5. Weakness or Fears:

6. Secrets:

7. What does their bedroom look like? Are they sloppy or neat as a pin?

8. Who is their best friend? Why?

9. What is a trait or tick that makes them stand apart from everyone else on the page? A speech or mannerism?

10. Name some personality traits: Are they an introvert, or extrovert, are they organized or a mess, are they tolerant or fickle, creative or book smart?

11. Physical traits: What is their body type? Does it impact their personality in any way? What is their weight, height, style, hair, and eye color? Do they have a disability of note?

Filling out these character sheets for your protagonist, antagonist, sidekicks, love interest, mentor and other characters in your book WILL be time-consuming, but once you know your characters' world as if you were living in it, consuming it, your writing will not only come alive on the page, it will go  much faster!

Prayer

 

How is your prayer life? My family regards itself as prayer warriors. I’m sure you’ve heard the term. It means someone who reaches for prayer as their first line of defense. Someone who falls into conversation easily with Christ in times of rejoicing and trouble.

One of the pastors I was listening to this weekend freely admitted he had a rocky prayer life. His theory was that even for Bible-toting Christians, prayer becomes difficult because we need to see instant results. We pray for a medical miracle and the patient passes. We pray for a promotion at work, and we are passed over. We pray for a child, like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and we do not conceive.

What we fail to recognize is that the patient we prayed for was in pain and needed relief. We were not prepared for the promotion or needed a nudge to leave a company that was not ever going to use our talents. Perhaps there is another child looking for parents, or, like Elizabeth and Zechariah, you are destined to become parents later in life.

In Luke 1:13(NIV) …. Your prayer has been heard …

 

YOUR prayer. All of your prayers. Everyday. Talk to Christ today. He hears your prayers. He sees your tears and hears you crying out.

What does it take to be a prayer warrior? Ten minutes per day? 20 minutes per day? Or the ability to unleash the mightiest weapon we have at our disposal throughout the day as needed in rejoicing and in need. Your prayer will be heard.

#In Remembrance

 

Veterans Hospitals

Several years ago,  I went to the Veterans Administration hospital with my father-in-law. We were spending a lot of time there  - and to be honest when I left the house, it was just another appointment. This visit was quicker than most though and when we came downstairs to wait for my son to bring the car around, a man just seemingly appeared before me.
I never saw him come through the door - probably because I wasn't looking - but the logical mind says he had to enter that way. Pushing a wheelchair before him, he backed it into a corner to stabilize it before turning to sit. Glowing with a smile the size of Texas, he commented on the weather and then asked if we had taken part in any of the Pearl Harbor Commemorations. Shaking my head "no," he continued saying he was a part of a group of survivors who go to an adult daycare center in the area. Speaking about Pearl Harbor, his mood changed dramatically, but his eyes were still bright and beautiful behind long lashes.
Our exchange was short. Too short. He was a man I would have liked to have had a conversation with and gotten to know. His memories burn bright and his loyalty strong, even though age was taking its toll.
There are many more men and women - modern soldiers -in uniform today - with the same loyalty beating within their chests. They wear the uniform out of patriotism.
They do not wear the uniform to fight. They wear the uniform to spread freedom and stop the outrageous treatment of fellow human beings.
During the Vietnam war, protesters spit on returning soldiers. Today, history has repeated itself. Protesters are once again spitting on soldiers serving at the behest of their government.
Protest the war. Write your Congressman, but don't spit on patriots. Tell them thank you for providing the blanket of safety you sleep soundly under tonight.

Searching for Grace

 

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”  Romans 5:1(NIV)

 

Have you ever been at a juncture in your Christian walk where you doubted God’s grace covered the sin you had committed?

As I recounted in an earlier blog, Church Is Full of Hypocrites, I can assure you, this is what kept my father from entering the doors of a church for years. It wasn’t only because of his sins, but what he outwardly judged as the sins of others. He had the impression that you had to be in a state of perfection to sit in a pew. Wrongfully so, I might add.

I experienced this phenomenon at a very young age. I truly believed all the adults in my life were perfect. At the age of five, I was given a live gift of several ducklings to take care of. My greatest wish was to see them swim. Slipping out back one morning to dutifully feed them and see if I could interest them in swimming, I inadvertently drowned one of the ducklings. I tried frantically to revive it. I knew I had to face my parents, and on trembling legs, I did so. I had taken a life.

You do not have to attend church long to know that taking a life is not a sin easy for man to forgive, what would God think of me? I was deeply ashamed. A miracle happened when confessing with a trembling voice. My earthly parents met the news of my sin with love, understanding, and forgiveness.

Grace is a concept hard for many of us to grasp. Have you ever tried to do something for someone, a co-worker or a neighbor out of the goodness of your heart and because they were not Christians, they were suspicious of your motives? I’ve had this happen several times. I bring this up now because grace is offered to us from God in just that situation, with no strings attached:

1.      There is not one person on earth that deserves grace.

2.      We cannot earn grace. Not by good works, by being a good person, or by a large bank account.

3.      Grace is there for the taking … for everyone. It doesn’t matter what corner of the world we live in; the good news is here for everyone! Each one of us comes to grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are justified through the blood. You see, Christ’s crucifixion was not the ending of a story, the end of a thirty-three-year life, it is the completion of a promise. God sacrificed his son for our salvation. Christ knew of his destiny, and he went willingly. None of us deserve the sacrifice, yet we have received it freely. Christ’s crucifixion is the beginning of a beautiful story of love.

“This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans3:22-24

 

Do you feel separated from God in your life at this moment? Fear not. There are times in each of our lives when we become separated from our Lord and Savior. Perhaps you just became busy, involved in this modern life, disinterested, or angry over a situation that truly had nothing to do with God. God is waiting next to you now.

Please remember: It is always us that has moved, not God. He stays with us, waiting for us to reach out and take his hand once more. Grace awaits each one of God’s children.

Today:

1.      Begin reading your Bible again. Do you have a favorite passage, or are you new at reading the Bible? Just sit down and open it up. God will guide you. Read a bit each day.

2.      Pray each day. A few moments in prayer can heal your heart and soul. Just speak with God as if he is an old friend: He is.

When you feel ready, either go into a service near you or call a Pastor at a nearby church to learn more about their services and what they believe. They will be there to welcome you when you come in the following Sunday

The Five Magic of Sleep -Steps for Newborns

    For Nine months, we sleep and play undisturbed, floating in a temperature-controlled medium, eating at will, lights on dim with noise kept to a comfortably low constant hum, our mother's pleasant voice, the tinkle of her laughter ... ah,'

All of that changes in a cold splash of steel and bright lights, and noise, and if we aren't cooperative, I hear a quick slap to the patoot!

   I'm pretty sure all I would want to do would be sleep for the next few months. After bringing home six little ones from this tortuous adventure, I can assure you, their ability to sleep seems to dissolve about the time you leave the hospital and you walk through the door to your home.

 If you're anything like many parents I've known, this is when you start to doubt your ability to parent.

Let me stop you right there. I assure you, all you need is love and your instincts. If you have those two things, you're good to go.

Your baby wants to return to what he/she had. So ... give it to him.  Within reason. I will explain. You have to attend to your baby while also looking after yourself.

TRUE:

You cannot spoil a newborn by holding it too much.

However, you can wear yourself out, make yourself a nervous wreck and make the baby so nervous it won't sleep. So, if you have done the following things:

1. Given the baby a warm, soothing bath. (If you can, there are baby baths with lavender or chamomile which help promote sleep);

2. Put a clean onesie or pajama and diaper on the baby, according to the weather and heat in the house;

3. Dimmed the lights in their separate room. Yes, separate if you can do so. It will be okay. Make sure the crib or bassinet is to code. If you need help purchasing one, there is help out there! Your baby's safety is paramount when sleeping!

4. Be flexible, yet consistent with sleep/naptimes. I know this sounds confusing, but early on, the baby will eat often. Depending upon breastfed or bottle-fed will determine how much (or how long) you need to feed. After you hit the nutritional limit for your baby's age, the baby is not eating for nutritional requirements. It is eating for comfort. You must not allow them to do this.

 If they need a little bit of mom in a rocker, give them mom in a rocker. 

If they are older and they need a little bit of mom on the floor to play and some floor exercise, give them mom on the floor for some floor exercise!

Make sure the errands YOU want to run do not interfere with the nap schedule baby sets for himself.. If you do, the baby will get overtired, he will cry uncontrollably and for the rest of the day, you will have trouble relaxing the baby and getting him back on feeding/sleeping routines, depending upon how easy of a baby he is. The bright side: This stage only lasts until they are out of the house.

5. Start early restricting electronics in the bedroom. No t.v.s for noise. No screens at all that emit blue light. If you have older children that can be propped, avoid the impulse to prop them in front of the television or an iPad, or your telephone to watch a program. Not only is it unnecessary, but it is also lazy and will deplete their focus on other things in the long run. I am convinced as an educator that this is the way we have bred our children not to be able to sit and focus on seatwork by the time they get into school.

After you have done these Fice Easy Steps To Sleep for both of you, if they fail, and there are nights or days when they will; When you cannot hold them or do one more thing for them, lay them down. It doesn't do Mom or Dad or Gram or Baby any good to be wound up beyond all measure.

One of the first pieces of advice I gave each of my children as they brought my precious grands home is that you don't want to get so upset that you can't control what you do. Lay that baby down. Put baby in the crib. Let it cry. A baby comes to no harm crying. They learn to self-soothe. It is an ability we all have to learn at some point in our lives.

Take it from me, new parents, you're doing fine. Do everything you do for your child in a spirit of love. Everything will work out in the end. The adventure will be amazing.

A Prayer for October

 Almighty God,

October is filled

with beauty and blessings.

May I never

take the wonder 

of your creation

for granted.

ANONYMOUS

Church is Full of Hypocrites

 The church is full of hypocrites. 

There, I said it, or rather, my Dad said it. It was one of his "Dadisms" whenever I asked him to attend church with our family. Exasperated one day, I asked him what he meant. Dad was a kind man. To many, who liked to judge, he hadn't lived a "Christian" life.

All of his missteps had been on the outside. You see, Dad was an alcoholic. Having alcoholism makes you act out in a certain way at times. For some people, if you are normally hard-working, can make your work history sporadic. It can make you do things out of character to get money for alcohol because that is all-consuming, your guiding star. Unless Jesus is put in that driver's seat, Alcohol sits there and commands your mind. That isn't what this article is about though. Not really. 

It is about judgment. The judgment Dad made about Church folks. I've got a whole different lecture about the judgment church folk made on my father, believe me!

Anyway, Once I understood that Dad thought everyone going to church thought themselves blameless and without sin. I understood some things. He thought that also. He thought SOME of the people sitting in those pews were sinless. Any student of the word, KNOWS  that to be false. I told him, we sit in those pews because we all sin. 

 I KING 8:46 "WHEN THEY SIN AGAINST YOU -FOR THERE IS NO ONE WHO DOES NOT SIN..."

The other enlightenment I had was that because he believed that you had to be pure before you entered a church, he didn't feel he was worthy to do so. Even though, he knew from personal experience there were people sitting in those pews not living the life Christ prescribed because they were persecuting him and making him not feel worthy.

Let me caution you that some of us wear our sins on the outside and some on the inside. If you are living your life for Christ, the gift he gives you is for discernment, not for judgment. There is a difference that I caution you about, dear brothers and sisters.

If you are sitting there today at home not feeling worthy of joining in worship because someone has shamed you for your lifestyle or for a disease, or for any other sin against man or God, I say come. Shame on that Christian. It is not your cross to bear. We all stand before God only to answer for our own individual sins. You should be welcome in the house of God.

Creative Corner

Congratulations to OMAR ABED

upon publication of his book, You, Me, and a Tree.

Two people care for a seed as it grows into a tree. In return, the tree nurtures their relationship!

www.kaileipewbooks.com

#PB23BUNCH

Do You LOOK Like a Christian?

 

“My Neighbors Bible”

I am my neighbor’s Bible
He reads me when we meet;
Today he reads me in my home
Tomorrow, in the street.
He may be a relative or a friend,
Or slight acquaintance be;
He may not even know my name,
Yet he is reading me,
And pray, who is this neighbor,
Who reads me day by day,
To learn if I am living right,
And walking as I pray?
Oh, he is with me always,
To criticize or blame;
So worldly-wise in his own eyes,
And “Sinner” is his name.
Dear Christian friends and brothers,
If we could only know
How faithful the world records
Just what we say and do;
Oh, we would write our record plain,
And come in time to see
Our worldly neighbor won to Christ
While reading you and me.

Author Unknown

I have always loved this poem. I read it first in a church cookbook, of all places. It carries a heavy message though, do your neighbor, your co-workers, and your fellow shoppers at Walmart and Target, know you to be a person of faith by your actions? Does the person in the car you just cut off, know you to be the person of compassion, kindness, and humility you profess to be on Sunday mornings?

Do the children you are raising, or the other children you go to school with, know you are a person of faith? You need not speak of Jesus. You only need to act like Jesus and let His love shine to spread your faith. YOU are your neighbor's Bible.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Colossians 3:12