Teachable Tuesday- What I Want My Kids To Learn in 2019

Savannah is 16, a junior. She's a college shopping, self-employed entrepreneur, piano playing, teenager...and if I had half the gumption she has when I was her age, I'd be famous...but that's not really what's important in life, is it?

Tucker is 13, a seventh grader. He's a fortnight playing, drum beating, basketballer. He is hilariously funny and mostly kind and doesn't mind being in the spotlight...his confidence whether warranted or not is strong.

As I sit here at the dawn of a new year, knowing that time is ticking away with Savannah and before you know it Tucker will be outta here, I'm so thankful that God has allowed me to be a mom. It is not wasted on me, that some women do not have this opportunity. I'm also keenly aware that I can't jump in during their teen years and decide I want to teach them how to be "good people". And so, years ago, I asked God for wisdom...and have been doing so ever since.

So last year I worked hard on integrity issues...things like honesty and truth. These were things that were heavy on my own heart and so since I was working on them, I tried to teach my children. There was talk about things that were hurtful and dishonest and there was talk about how we should handle them. There was talk about making God's Word the ultimate, supreme truth in all things and how that would be more and more and more important as they grow up because our world is so full of lies and twisted truths (lies) and mistruths (lies). Have we mastered these things??? Absolutely not...and we won't ever have them perfected. But we made progress and I worked hard to take everyday moments that could have been passed off and instead made them into teachable moments God could use to grow them and mature them in their own walk with Him.

So this year.... Biblical Kindness. That word...KIND....it gets a bad wrap sometimes. Sometimes it looks like helping someone across the road and sometimes it looks like sharing truth in love from God's Word...even when it doesn't feel good. So, how do we teach our kids to be kind without being walked all over or without them being taken advantage or....or even look gullible or stupid? We teach them Biblical Kindness. We teach them to walk like Jesus did. We teach them that Jesus was just as kind when he tipped the tables in the temple as when we met the unfaithful woman at the well. We teach them that true kindness will never contradict God's Word. We teach them when it's worth reaching out and when it's casting your pearls before swine.  We teach them that silence, a hug, a cup of water or a moment of your time is sometimes the kindest thing you can offer. And we teach them that bullying and hate are never acceptable.

So that's what I am aiming to teach this year. How about you? What are the things that you are hoping to instill in your kids this year?

Blogging Schedule for 2019

So one of my goals for 2019 is to be more organized in my writing. Over the years I've struggled with this and I have found the best way for me to succeed was for me to plan better... and for me planning means writing it down. And I like to share...so I'm going to be writing it down...and planning here...sharing with you.  

So here's some of what you can expect for 2019....

Monday: Menu Mondays- A very loose schedule of what we will eat for dinner for the week. We eat very random things for breakfast and usually left overs for lunch so that doesn't seem worth sharing much...but if we try something new I will be sure to share those things too.

Tuesday: Teachable Moments- These will be stories and moments and mistakes and funnies and tear jerkers and basic advice or "don't do this" type articles. 

Wednesday: Wordless....just a picture of something going on in life, the world, my home, a meme.

Thursday: Thankful Thursday...a list of 5 things I am currently thankful for... and you can comment and list your own thanks.

Friday: From the Parsonage...real life from behind the front door of our home. 

Saturday: Off

Sunday: Worship video of something that might help us all focus on the Lord. 

I've blogged off and on for over 10 years and it has been such a joy to recently go back and read the things that God has done in our lives. There's a history with me and God and this blog has helped me to see His faithfulness to me even when I had questions and doubts and worries. 

Wifi, Air-conditioning and Generosity

I John 3:16-18 - By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Currently my family is living at the hand of the generosity of others...
Literally, our housing, some of our meals, our laundry services, the care of our dog, even wifi, Air conditioning and tv... we are experiencing at the hand and wallet of someone else... and it is so humbling to be receiving at the expense and somewhat inconvenience of someone else. It feels wonderful and awkward and overwhelming and so very kind. 

This generosity is coming from people who know what it's like to be displaced. Hurricane Harvey ravished this area and most people we are getting to know have been impacted. These are people who even 9 months later are still recovering, cleaning, helping and rebuilding. These aren't people who have recovered completely. They are just making available what they have to help others. 

It's a picture perfect example of how God's Word teaches us to be generous. God was generous in His gift of salvation, various churches we're generous to Paul, the widow was generous with her mite...once we realize what we've been given spiritually, we can't help but overflow with generosity. 

Over and over we see the lessons of generosity taught in scripture. And it's not just in material things... we are to be generous in our forgiveness, in our love, in our encouraging words. We are to be overly kind and understanding and helpful.

And in contrast we are to be slow to wrath and anger and harsh words. Slow to speaking our minds. We are to rethink criticism and listen twice and much as we speak. Negative words carry a heavy weight and we need to think before we attack.

The generous person has learned to give as part of their nature. They don't sit around calculating the cost of their generosity. They give without giving it a second thought. 

I'm thankful we serve a generous God and I'm thankful for the generous people that through the years have blessed me and my family. The Biblical art of generosity is slowly fading with the rise of the "me first" attitude, But as we study God's Word and learn to be more like Him we can become more generous with our words, kind deeds, financial giving and helping those in need. ----Even if that just means sharing your wifi with the preacher's wife.

Lack and the Liberal Giver

James 1:5-8
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Wisdom...
I'm not sure there's a person on the face of the earth that doesn't think theyneed a little more wisdom. We are always looking for answers to questions we don't know the solution to or the remedy for. We ask our friends, our spouse, Google, Siri, our lawyer, our doctor, our therapist and sometimes we ask God. 

Asking God for answers to our questions, or for wisdom to handle our lives is not only good, but James tells us it's a sure fire way to hear from God because if we ask in faith, believing He will
give us wisdom, He will.

And the way He gives....is generous. He gives abundantly, liberally. And he doesn't remind you of all the times you didn't ask Him, and failed. 

But there is a hitch... we have to ask in faith... believing he will give us the exact wisdom we need, at the time we need it. This isn't some charismatic movement, it's not being lucky,
it's not having a bright idea or anything of ourselves. It's divine wisdom. It's having faith in an all knowing God, who knows the beginning and the end of every life circumstance you will encounter. 

His wisdom cannot be wrong. And in the situations when things are heavy and important and absolutely necessary that you make the right choice, He says come, ask me, I will give you the wisdom you need to face this day, this problem, this difficult decision. 

What a kind, trustworthy and generous Father!

Returning to the Call

It's been 7 months almost to the date. 

Bruce resigned a church that we loved with all our hearts. And I thought I couldn't breath. 

I was 16, a scrawny teenage girl, attending youth camp in Tennessee, when I gave my life to Jesus to do whatever He wanted. I already knew....I wanted to be a pastor's wife. I wanted to wear the pretty clothes my childhood pastor's wife wore, I wanted to sing like her, I wanted to walk proudly beside my husband and I wanted to pray for people at the altar. That's what I thought her life was all about.

Fast forward less than 10 years down the road and I was traveling with Bruce to begin living the dream....our first church pastorate...13 people and a tiny white building with a little yellow parsonage in the back. I was in heaven. Since then, 20 plus years have passed. 2 other churches and the 16 year old girl with dreams of ministry is nearing 46 and in the last 7 months has dealt with the realities of ministry. Ministry is hard...but God is faithful to walk every single step with me. 

Tomorrow we move to a new town. New church. New faces. New ministry. I feel like a junior high student....nervous, excited and a little clumsy. But God has this. He has carried me through the darkest time of my life and brought me out to walk in truth. And the truth is, God has called us. God wasn't through with us. God, in His sovereignty, has worked what I thought was tragedy into something beautiful. God has protected my family. My children's faith has grown and we have been humbled by the things the Lord has allowed us to experience. He has been better than good to us. 

I could dwell on the bad...cause there's been some.

I could meditate on the disappointments...cause there's been some.

I could count my losses...but honestly I can't count that high. 

It has been painful.

But in every surrendered situation...God can bring beauty from ashes. And He has done that...the masterpiece maker has been busy. 

Thanks be to God for calling a scrawny 16 year old girl. 

PS...ministry is way more than pretty clothes and walking with your pastor husband and praying with people at the altar. Mrs. Jackson made it look so easy....yet, I am sure she struggled with everything I have. What grace she walked in! 

Sunday Song- Jon Guerra - I Will Follow

Praying Friends

Job 16:20-21-My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.

It is no secret the life of Old Testament Job was turned upside down in the time span of a day. I can't imagine losing everything you've ever loved, worked for, earned, prayed for, been blessed with, in a minute. But that's exactly what happened. Job, a man who lived according to the principles of God, was allowed to be tested. 

Ever find yourself wondering what you did wrong? Why God is allowing something to happen? How could He? You examine yourself and like Job find no gross, habitual sin that you are guilty of and you wonder...is this punishment for something I'm not thinking of? Is it testing to make me stronger? 

You cry, pitch a fit, get angry, take a long walk to clear your head....oh wait..maybe that's just me. But you do whatever you can to deal with the emotions of loss and hurt and disappointment and fear. We try to cope. 

But Job, he knew the answer. He knew that his friends would eventually run out of the right words. He knew that people would forget. He knew that His losses would only be fully understood by his intercessor...His Lord. And He knew the Lord could be trusted with His tears. He knew that his intercessor would storm the gates of heaven just like the most loyal friend cheers and champions during times of distress.

I have a mother who has prayed over me since I was a baby. I have a husband who is a prayer warrior and I have friends that have lifted my arms in the wilderness and carried me to victory. I am truly blessed by those in my life who intercede on my behalf. 

But more important that all that is that Jesus Christ himself is my intercessor and His direct access to the Father God holds such promise and hope for me when I struggle to understand God's ways, His testings or my own consequences for sin. I am so thankful that just as my friends and family pray me through different situations, that Jesus Christ is hearing my pleas and lovingly and urgently taking those to the Lord God. 

Jesus...what a friend to this sinner.