Praying for your Children - Day 16 through Day 31

Sorry I have not been able to post our prayers for our children the last few days! Time is getting away from me with my neck surgery on Friday. I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow and a pre-op at the Hospital on Thursday and then I'll be out of commission for a while. So, I've decided to post the rest of the month with the topics and the bible verses.

Day 16 - Peace & Peaceability ~ Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Day 17 - Hope ~ Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Day 18 - Perseverance ~ Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Day 19 - Humility ~ Titus 3:2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

Day 20 - Compassion ~ Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Day 21 - Prayerfulness ~ Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Day 22 - Contentment ~ Philippians 4:12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Day 23 - Faith (Two Verses) ~
Luke 17:5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

Hebrews 11:1-40 This is not a typo. It's a long one, so take the time to look it up and read it.

Day 24 - A Servant Heart ~ Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men

Day 25 - Purity ~ Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Day 26 - Willingness & Ability to Work Hard ~ Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

Day 27 - Self-Discipline ~ Proverbs 1:3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;

Day 28 - Heart for Missions ~ Psalm 96:3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Day 29 - Joy ~ I Thessalonians 1:6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Day 30 - Courage ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Day 31 - Obedience ~ Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

This calendar of topics can be used from month to month. I hope that you will continue to use it as I do.

Presidents Day with the Fam

Today was Presidents Day and it was a nice day off with the family. We went up to our local $2.00 theater and saw Bolt and really enjoyed it! I loved the pigeons and the little old lady in the trailer with her bunny slippers. Good movie for the fam that we will be adding to our movie collection when it comes out on DVD. Go check it out!

Then in the evening, Jack and I were able to go out to dinner since it was our 17th Anniversary yesterday. We went to one of my favorites, Bahama Breeze! I had my favorite dish of Coconut Shrimp with the ever popular Bahamarita and Jack had his favorite, Jerk Chicken. Yum!! It was nice to be able to catch up with each other. It's so important to have that date time with your spouse!

Thanks to my family for a great day today! I hope you were able to enjoy your day with your family as well. Tomorrow will be a day of catch-up on my other postings. Sorry but I've got to catch some zzzzzzzzzzz's!

Praying for your Children - Day 14 Kindness & Day 15 Generosity

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day with your sweeties yesterday! We had a crazy, busy, hectic day yesterday so I'm sorry I was unable to post the prayer of the day. We ended the night with a great meal though celebrating my dad's birthday and our Anniversary!

Today my husband and I are celebrating our 17th Anniversary! When I woke up this morning, he left me a message on our bathroom mirror out of soap. It was so sweet of him! When I was waking up in bed I heard this odd distant noise like someone was hammering or something. Come to find out, it was my husband writing on the mirror with a bar of soap for me. Now wasn't that nice of him! I love this man! It's been a great 17 years together and I'm thankful that God hand picked you for me.

On to our prayer from yesterday and the prayer for today...

Day 14 - Kindness ~ I Thessalonians 5:15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Treating others how we want to be treated is what I'm always telling our girls. We need to keep in mind that our children mirror us and they learn from us how to be kind. When your child sees you going the extra mile to help a friend, carrying someone's groceries, making a meal for a new family that just moved in, or inviting people into your life who aren't exactly like you, they will naturally see this as the right way to live. Kids are naturally empathetic from an early age: As newborns, they cry when they hear another baby crying; they offer their favorite doll to the friend who has scraped his knee.

Try these Random Acts of Kindness and ask your kids to come up with their own list of everyday opportunities to show kindness. Some ideas to get them started:

-Smile at the bus driver.

-Compliment at least one person a day.

-Hold the door for the person behind you when you come in from recess.

-Pass on to someone else a book you loved.

-Offer to walk a neighbor's dog.

-Help someone find something he or she has lost.

-Recycle magazines to the local library.

-Help a younger sibling with homework.

-Sit with the kid who usually sits alone on the bus.

-If kids are speaking unkindly about someone, take a stand against it.

-Bake an extra batch of cookies and leave them on a neighbor's doorstep.

-Hug somebody who needs it.

Remind your children they can make a difference each day. They can touch other people's lives through simple efforts: a smile, a nod, a shared laugh, a kind word, a whispered prayer.

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Day 15 - Generosity ~ I Timothy 6:18-19 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Here are some ways I found that we can use to teach our children to give generously:

1. Help your children to appreciate the thoughtfulness of the smallest gift received and to express gratefulness to the giver.
2. Teach your children that every gift they offer is an expression of Christ’s love.
3. Help your children to memorize “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” (Acts 20:35), and “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” ( 2 Corinthians 9:7)
4. Teach your children at an early age to give a tenth of the money they receive and earn, to the Church.
5. Teach your children to work diligently.
6. Teach your children the importance of a balanced stewardship: it is important to pay bills, living within our means; it is important to save money and to invest it wisely; but it is equally important to give generously.
7. Help your children offer gifts at the holidays rather than merely receiving gifts.
8. Give your children opportunities to give time, labor, written expressions of love, and investment of relational time.
9. Describe often the self-sacrificial giving of Jesus calling your children to follow in his love.
10. Emphasize the privilege of giving rather than the obligation of giving.

I've got a child waiting for the computer so I'm going to have to cut this one short...

Our prayer today may sound something like one of the following prayers: "Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age." or "Loving God, instill in my children a desire to give of themselves. May they always be honorable in action, sincere in words, and gentle in their treatment of others."

Praying for your Children - Day 13 A Love for God's Word

This blogging every day is tough! I'm glad that I've done it because I have been praying more specifically for my children and more, which is good. I think next month, I'll post something once or twice a week though.

Day 13 - A Love for God's Word ~ Psalm 19:10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

There were many a days when my children were toddlers that one of them or myself was sick and unable to go to church. On those days, I did devotions with them. I have several books that I read from: "Little Visits with God", "Day by Day" and "The Beginner's Bible". We would also sing songs together. Mind you, I didn't do it every time but when we did, it was so precious! For all you mom's out there with little ones, enjoy the season you are in. Those days go by so quickly.

I think having a devotion book for your children when they get older is one of the best ways for them to learn to have a Love for God's Word, as well as reading to them and them seeing you reading your bible. Devotionals specific for kids teach them in a way they can understand. My oldest daughter has a devotion book called God and Me! 2 - Devotions for Girls. She really enjoys it and I need to get one for my youngest! The Beginners Bible has a website with activities for kids, resources for parents and teachers that you can check out here http://www.beginnersbible.com/.

There are many devotional books out there. We found God and Me at our local Family Christian Bookstore http://www.familychristian.com/. Some are for kids, parents, mothers, fathers and families, etc. Here's a resource for you to get started on doing a family devotional at dinner and you can read the complete article here http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/raising_christ_followers/family_mealtime_devotionals/wisdom_from_the_bible.aspx.

Use these quick devotionals at the dinner table with your family for lively discussions about the Bible! Each file can be easily printed after you've clicked on it.

Soul Food
"Bible" for a Hundred, Alex
True or False?
Be a Bookworm
Go Ahead, It's Good for You!
Wanted: Map Readers and Travelers
King on the Mountain
Simon Says — God Says!

Look what came in the mail today!

Last month I entered several give aways in Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival located here http://bloggygiveaways.com/bloggy-giveaways-quarterly-carnival-guidelines/. There were over 1000 give aways that you could try for and I won one! They have other giveaways so go check them out.





It was a friend of mine that told me about it. She was participating in the give away and she emailed her friends to let us know how we could participate and possibly win something. For all you mom's out there, check out her blog as she shares her lovely family with those of us in "blog land" located here http://gravityofmotion.blogspot.com/.





Well, my package came in the mail today! I won a lovely pair of earrings from Sarah at Chic Gems located here http://www.bestprofessionaldesignerfashionjewelry.com/. The earrings are so pretty and so much bigger than I expected. I'll have to have my dear husband take a picture of me wearing them! Thank you Sarah for the beautiful earrings!

Praying for your Children - Day 12 A Passion for God

Once again, I struggled with getting music or a video loaded. I tried typing in the entire codes and it still wouldn't work. I think blogger must be having some problems. On to our prayer for today...

Day 12 - A Passion for God ~ Psalm 63:8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

I think prayer is the best thing we can teach our children so that they have a passion for God. One cannot have passion if they do not have a relationship and we all know that communication is key to a good relationship. Here is an article I found at http://christianwomentoday.com/prayer/children.html about teaching our children to pray:

Teaching Our Children to Pray by Christine Crowley

"Now I lay me down to sleep" and "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for this food." Unfortunately, all too often those two simple children’s prayers are the extent of our teaching our children how to pray. Then as they grow older we find ourselves wondering why prayer is not a vital part of our children’s lives.

Children imitate what they see modeled, and we need to be an example of praying adults for our children. If they are to become children, and later men and women, who know the importance of prayer and make prayer a daily practice in their lives, then as their parents and grandparents we need to be setting the example. How can we do this?

• Let our children see us praying. Children learn by example. Our children and grandchildren need to see us starting our day off with prayer and reading the Bible.


• Our children also need to see us praying when a crisis arises or decisions need to be made. We also need to make pray a part of our children’s daily life by praying with and for them. Praying with our children needs to be more than a quick prayer said at meal and bedtimes.


• Send your children off with a prayer. We have an opportunity to make a difference in our children’s day by sitting down with them before they head to school and praying for them individually. We need to be pray for guidance and protection for our children while they are away from us. Then we need to give each child the opportunity to pray for their activities of the day, and any special concerns they may have for the day. At first we may have to pray for their activities, but as they become more comfortable with this time of prayer and praying in general, they will begin praying for their own needs and the needs of the brothers and sisters as well.


• Make a prayer box and write on slips of paper the names of extended family members, church leaders, close friends, and special needs of those in the church. Then at breakfast or during your family devotions, have each child draws a slip of paper and have them pray for the person whose name they drew throughout the day.


• Pray over problems. When our children come to us with problems, such as problems with a classmate, upcoming test, we need to not only listen to them, and advise them, but also pray with them. Like us, our children may become discourage with prayer when they don’t see their prayers being answered right away. Just as we need to occasionally be reminded of the prayers God has answered for us, so do our children.


• Make a "Thank You, God" box for answered prayers. As prayers are answered, write them down and place them in the "Thank You, God" box. Then once a week have each member of the family draw out a thank you slip and praise God for the answered prayer.


• Encourage older children to keep a prayer journal. The prayer journal can consist of not only their prayer request and answers to prayer, but a place to write their prayers out.

We need to remember that our children and grandchildren will not become prayer warriors overnight, but prayer can becomes a vital part of their lives. Don’t try to put all these tips into practice at once, but start with one or two. Also don’t get discouraged if you miss a day or two of praying with your children. Just pick up and start again. Remember, start with prayer. Pray and ask God which prayer practice He would have you and your children start with and watch how God will bless not only the lives of your children and grandchildren, but your life as well.

Christine Crowley is a freelance writer and speaker who makes her home in Arizona. She teaches women's Bible studies, and serves on the women's council and missions committee in her local church.

Once again, I'd like to highlight the 'tweens' group PureNRG for their song "Live my Life for You". They have the look that's popular and current, like disney and other artists that appeal to this generation. Yet they are dressed modestly and sing the songs we would prefer our children to be singing. My youngest wants to sing and be famous like them. How cute is that! I much prefer them to the ever popular Hannah Montana and High School Musical. I want my children to have role models and mentors that have a passion for God. Our children are so impressionable. I'm hoping the link will work for you to listen to their song.

http://www.imeem.com/jukeboxmusic6/music/bfYFjX8A/aaron_kasdorf_live_my_life_for_you_lp_version/

A prayer today for our children may be something like this:

Heavely Father, help my children to be drawn to you, that they will come to you for comfort, help and praise. Cultivate in my children a passion to love and serve you. May my children have the same kind of passionate love for you as did this Psalm writer: "I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you" {Psalms 9:1-2}.

January 2009 Photo's

First of all, I just want to say how much fun it was having some of my friends over from our old small group! Jack and I felt so blessed to be in a small group when we first started attending Bethany. It really helped us get connected with the church and form new friendships. I was at our old church for 26 years so this was a big change for me. We are so thankful and appreciative of you guys!

Secondly, I know their were some other ladies that would have liked to join in on the fun of crafting and games that were not a part of our small group. So, I think we need to plan another get together!! I've got neck surgery next friday but I'm thinking by the end of March or April I would be up for a game night! Whatcha think?

I've included some family photo's from Jack's Birthday as well. Thanks again for a great night!

Praying for your Children - Day 11 Faithfulness

Wow! I gotta tell you, Satan was attacking me in getting this posted today. I could not get the song loaded on here for a good 30 minutes and had to actually hand type all the codes. You'll have to ignore the extra text with the song, I'm not sure what the problem is. When I attached the article from http://www.christianparentingdaily.com/ and then checked it, the website is down! So, if you'd like to read the extra text, try it again another day or maybe it will be working later today. I wanted to read it myself but couldn't. I'm sorry!

***Of course, no sooner had I posted this, the website was up and running. I quickly copied all of the article and added it below. Now I can read it with you. Whew!***

Day 11 - Faithfulness ~ Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

The definition of faithfulness is: The state of being loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause; allegiance; fidelity; dependable; trustworthy; reliable.

Here's an article I found to be helpful from http://www.christianparentingdaily.com/:

God is trustworthy and faithful
November 19, 2008 by Rick Osborne

When our children turn to God as their Father and begin to rely on his working in and with them, and in their lives, they need to know that he’s trustworthy and faithful.

It’s impossible to trust someone when you know nothing of his or her character, concern for you, or ability to deliver. To trust someone means that you know, without even having to think about it, that because of his or her character and love for you, that person will always act with your best interests in mind. You know that the person in question is trustworthy. It also means having the confidence that the person you trust is not only able to do what you’re trusting him or her to do but will do it - because that person is faithful.

Our children, then need to know that God loves them and is trustworthy; they can trust him with their lives, knowing that his way is the best way and will make their lives work better. They also need to know that he’s faithful; they can put their faith in him and rely on him, day by day, to do what he says he’ll do for them as their Father: care for them, provide for them, teach them, direct and encourage them, help them to grow, and so forth.

What the Lord says is right and true. He is faithful in everything he does. (Psalm 33:4)

The Lord is faithful and will keep all his promises. He is loving toward everything he has made. (Psalm 145:13)

Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have. The One who promised in faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

He is faithful and right in everything he does. All his rules can be trusted. (Psalm 111:7)

Lord, those who know you will trust in you. You have never deserted those who look to you. (Psalm 9:10)

May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy. May you have perfect peace as you trust in him. May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope. (Romans 15:13)

Our children also need to be trustworthy and faithful themselves. These two characteristics are foundational for establishing relationships and making them grow. Trustworthiness and faithfulness are necessary if your children are going to be successful in relationships with friends and family, in marriage, and in their careers and communities. If people can trust them to do what’s best for others and can put their faith in their ability to perform and to keep their word, they’ll prosper in their relationships. And since good relationships are the key to success in every area of human existence, they’ll succeed in life. Furthermore, if they’re trustworthy and faithful in their relationship with God, God will be able to trust them with more responsibilities and blessings in this life. Life works when we’re faithful and trustworthy.

Don’t let love and truth ever leave you. Tie them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and a good name in the eyes of God and people. (Proverbs 3:3-4)

Lord, to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful. To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame. (Psalm 18:25)

Friends love at all times. They are there to help when trouble comes. (Proverbs 17:17)

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16:10, NIV)

Your can see now why correctly teaching our children about God’s character is vital if we want them to have a successful life!

Praying for your Children - Day 10 Bibilical Self-Esteem

For any of you just checking in, Tuesday is Day 10 in my pursuit to be more purposeful in praying for my children and I'm including it here on my blog so you can follow along if you'd like to.

Day 10 - Bibilcal Self-Esteem ~ Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Focus on the Family had a great article on the ABC's for parents in building self-esteem in our kids. The entire article can be found here http://http//www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/why_kids_misbehave/building_selfesteem_in_your_kids.aspx. Here are the ABC's in a nutshell:

Acceptance ~ If you want to send a strong message to your child that they are accepted, listen and ask questions to show you care about their interests and concerns. In short, develop a relationship with your kids.

Belonging ~ Everyone, whether they are five or fifty, wants to belong. Many people go to great lengths to ensure that they are connected with someone who cares. How can you give your kids a sense of belonging? By creating a community within your family. By creating a healthy self-esteem, a sense of belonging helps your child resist peer pressure and creates a set of expectations for your kids to attain.

Competence ~ The third way to build self-esteem in your kids is to give them the gift of competence. Children become competent when they experience life first hand. If you are an overprotective parent (which I can be at times), we'll need to fight the urge to do for our kids what they can do for themselves.




The way a mother eagle teaches her eaglets to fly is an excellent example of how guiding (without over-controlling) helps kids mature and develop healthy self-esteem. When a mother eagle wants her baby to fly, she waits until her eaglet is 80% of his adult size. Then she sets him on the edge of the nest and pushes him off into the wild blue. She watches her baby bird freefall, then swoops down just in time to catch him on her wings. This exercise is repeated over and over until the baby eaglet learns to fly.

I must admit, I'm glad I'm not that eagle but we need to gradually give our kids the space to grow. Just like the eaglet falling to learn to fly, kids mature and develop a healthy self-esteem by experiencing life first hand, even if it means that sometimes they make mistakes.

Our prayer on Day 10 could be something like this:

Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.

Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie - YUM!

My favorite blog recently posted a recipe that I knew my husband needed to give a try...Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie. I found the recipe here http://http//warmpiehappyhome.blogspot.com/. This lady welcomes you into her website with music of old and uplifting, encouraging words. She speaks such words of wisdom. I love the "June Cleaver-ness", "Aunt Bee-ness from The Andy Griffith Show" and "Little House on the Prairie-ness" of it...getting back to basics and how time used to be. I sooooo want to live my life more like that. Ahhh! To slow down and enjoy it all!

So, first of all you have to understand that I personally have a dislike for cast iron pans. They are so heavy and in the past have always been in my way since our old home did not have ample storage. The cast iron skillet was kept in the oven at the last house and every time I wanted to use the oven I had to remove it. So, since Jack just got some new cast iron pans at Christmas, I knew he'd be excited about this recipe.

Here's how it turned out:


It was a HIT with the kids so I think we'll be adding it to our recipes. Our exchange student loves ALL spaghetti so she devoured it! One thing I will say if you're considering making it, it's an expensive meal to make with all the fresh ingredients. I'm glad we followed the recipe to a "t" this time but next time we'll be modifying it to fit the budget better.

A BIG shout-out to my wonderful husband..........THANKS FOR MAKING SUCH A DELICIOUS MEAL HONEY! For those of you silly men out there wondering...no there's no possum or racoon in it! Here's the great recipe if you'd like to give it a try.

Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie

1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage, 4 links (sweet or hot) casings removed
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I add two more pinches to give it a kick!)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 cups water

8 ounces spaghetti, broken into 3 inch pieces (I used half of a 16 ounce package--Thin spaghetti--not Angel Hair-- but you can use regular )

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1. Saute green onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil, on medium heat 5 minutes.
2. Add beef and sausage, brown over medium-hi heat.
3. While almost brown, add garlic, pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley.
4. Once browned, stir in crushed tomatoes, water and salt.
5. Add broken spaghetti. Push spaghetti into liquid, and cover for 8 minutes.
6. After 8 minutes, stir pasta so the noodles won't stick together. Reduce heat to medium low simmer for 6 more minutes until pasta is al dente (almost cooked but still a little firm).
7. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, and cream, stir well.
8. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese, put in oven to broil until spotty brown. (stand there and keep watch or set a timer for 3 minutes at a time until it's ready, or else you may end up with Blackened Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie!)

Praying for your Children - Day 9 Respect

R-E-S-P-E-C-T is today's topic of prayer for our children.

Respect - I Peter 2:17 ~ Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Respect requires:

1) Early Introduction: Introduce the concept of respect early (as soon as the child is able to understand when being spoken to) by identifying positive and negative behavioral patterns.

2) Model: Show your children how to respect by interacting respectfully with your spouse and with others.

3) Awareness: Talk with your child at those times when they demonstrate behavior that is less then respectful. Showing them in the moment is most beneficial.

4) Build On Strengths: In discussions with your child, begin by building on the strengths that they have shown, the positive behaviors in which they have engaged, and how to improve the undesired behaviors.

Additionally, we can teach our children about respect with these concepts:

Don't insult people or make fun of them; Listen to others when they speak.; Value other people's opinions.; Be considerate of people's likes and dislikes.; Don't mock or tease people.; Don't talk about people behind their backs.; Be sensitive to other people's feelings.; Don't pressure someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do.

Praying for your Children - Day 7 Justice & Day 8 Salvation

Sorry for the delay in getting today's prayer posted! It's been a whirlwind of a couple of days/week. Within a matter of 1 week, we found out that our oldest needs braces now, I need neck surgery in 2 weeks and then this thursday, our washing machine flooded our laundry room, foyer, game closet and bathroom. Thank goodness my husband was home but damage was still done and we're probably looking at at least a new wood floor in the entry way/foyer. To top it all off, the upstairs bathroom broke that same evening. Whew!

Today was just a "normal day" of running from basketball practice & a game, a Birthday party and choir practice at the church while getting in two runs to Home Depot for parts for the laundry room & the toilet and the grocery store for that last minute dinner. "Normal"! What is that now a days?? I'm sure you all can relate...

I'm going to include today's and tomorrow's prayer in one posting.

Today's prayer (day 7) for our children is:

Justice - Psalm 11:7 ~ For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.

The definition of Justice according to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/justice is:

1. The quality of being just; fairness.
2.
a. The principle of moral rightness; equity.
b. Conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude; righteousness.
3.
a. The upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance
with honor, standards, or law.
b. Law The administration and procedure of law.
4. Conformity to truth, fact, or sound reason: The overcharged customer was angry, and with
justice.
5. Abbr. J. Law
a. A judge.
b. A justice of the peace.

The short prayer I found is:

Lord, teach my children to act justly as they learn to humbly walk with You. May they learn how to maintain justice as they wait for You and seek Your face.

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Tomorrow's prayer (day 8) for our children has two verses and is:

Salvation

~ Isaiah 45:8 "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it.

~ 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

The greatest need that your child has in this life is to enter into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Our daughters both accepted Christ at a young age and I'm so thankful that they have made that decision and what a precious moment it was! For those of you whose children have not made that personal decision, I found the following on a website to help:

1 - you can pray that God will convict your child of his or her sin (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18, 23)

2 - you can pray that your child will understand who Jesus Christ is (John 1:1, 14; Luke 19:10; Matthew 1:21)

3 - you can plead that the Holy Spirit will powerfully draw your child to Jesus Christ (John 6:44)

4 - pray that the Holy Spirit will create faith and repentance in your child (John 3:15-16, 5:24; Luke 13:1-3; Acts 17:30-31)

5 - ask God to remove any obstacles that might hinder your child from surrendering to Jesus Christ (Mark 9:43-48)

6 - pray that God would give you the wisdom and insight to share the gospel with your child (Romans 10:11-15)

7 - ask God to give you the power and strength to live a godly Christian life before your child (Matthew 5:13-16)

If you've not made the step to a personal relationship with Jesus, you can. Following are the steps one that you can take in making that decision:

a. Confess you are a sinner. This is an important part of recognizing our and God's relationship. God will forgive us our sins if we recognize that we are a sinner and willing to confess that to him. Confessing can be as simple as saying, "Lord, I am a sinner."

b. Ask for forgiveness for our sins. Again no special words but you could say something like, "Lord, I ask that you forgive me of my sins."

c. Ask Jesus to come into your life and be your savior. It's like opening a door and asking Jesus to come in and be your savior. In your prayer you might say something like, "Jesus, I want you to come into my life and be my savior. I want to go to heaven, and I trust you and place my faith in you."

d. When you talk to God you are praying. Here is a prayer asking Jesus to come into your life.

Lord, I confess to you I am a sinner. I know that sin separates me from you. I now ask you to forgive my sins. I know that Jesus died for me on the cross and will take my sin away if I believe in him. Jesus I do believe in you. I ask you to come into my life (heart) and give me eternal life. Thank you so much for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. Amen

Praying for our Children - Day 6 Responsibility

Day 6 - Responsibility ~ Galations 6:5 for each one should carry his own load.

The Christian school my daughters attend has what they call The 3 R's which are Respect, Relationships & Responsibilty. The students can get awards for displaying one of the 3 R's during their day at school. We are already teaching our girls these things at home but now it is reinforced at school and we can remind them when they are not displaying one of the 3 R's.

The first definition of Responsibility according to http://www.webster-dictionary.net/definition/Responsibility is:

The state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable, as for a trust, debt, or obligation.

My family is undergoing some personal trials and this one struck home. We each are to take responsibility for our actions. Sorry I cannot go into details but you can keep us in your prayers. We are fine, just facing a battle with someone who has not taken responsibility.

We need to be mindful that our job as parents is crucial to building up reputable young men and young ladies. Our children will one day grow up and be on their own. It is our job to equip them with the tools now that they will need later to be successful in relationships, careers, etc., etc.

Today's short prayer that I found is:

Dear God, may my children recognize when they are wrong and take responsibility where they are at fault. Give them a deep and sincere desire to put things right as quickly as possible.

Sometimes taking responsibilty is hard but when we or others around us do not take responsibility, others are affected. I'll end this post with song lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Dancing with the Dinosaur".

Once upon a time not so long ago in a land not so far away
Right and wrong were not quite so hard to know
And black and white was not so gray
Times have changed and now it seems
Conscience has gone the way of the dinosaur
But I believe it's still alive and well today
In the hearts of those who will stand up and say
I'm dancing with the dinosaur
Living my life with conscience and conviction
I don't want to see the truth ignored
So I gotta keep on dancing
I gotta keep on dancing with the dinosaur
There's a banner waving saying tolerance will set you free it's the latest thing
While the consequences it leaves behind are like a ball and chain
But there's a voice in everyone called conscience
That's been around since God created man
And as we learn to listen to its whispering
We'll find the greatest freedom when we stand up and sing
I'm dancing with the dinosaur
Living my life with conscience and conviction
I don't want to see the truth ignored
So I gotta keep on dancing
I gotta keep on dancing with the dinosaur
Right is right and wrong is wrong just like it has been all along
We cannot sit by and see conscience become history
So come on, get up and dance
Dance this dance with me

written by Steven Curtis Chapman
c1994 Sparrow Song (a div. of The Sparrow Corp.)/Peach Hill Songs (BMI)

Praying for your Children - Day 5 Self-Control

Day 5 - Self-Control ~ I Thessalonians 5:6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. (NIV)

Here's a short prayer I found that we can pray:

Lord, may our children learn to have self-control and discipline, which is pleasing in Your sight.

Following is a short clip of a song by a great Christian "tweens" group called PureNRG. If you haven't heard of them, check them out here http://www.purenrgonline.com/. My kids absolutely LOVE them! This song is about a conversation between God and the kid with the struggles being faced.

This Madness (LP Version) - Aaron Kasdorf

Following are the complete lyrics:

There are some questions that
I really need to ask you
I found them swimming
Around in my brain
I know you promised
That nothing is beyond You
So I better ask before i go insane

Why do i do what i don't wanna do
When i don't do the things
That i know really should do
I'm a walking contradiction
Of the things that i do
And the things that I say I believe

But you know the way I wanna be
And I know that's
The kind of God you are
Somehow you can see
The beauty in this mess
Only you can make sense
Of this madness

That sounds so simple you'd
Think understand it
Maybe it just takes some time
For the truth
To sink in
I know Your mercies
Are new with every morning
So everyday i'm going
Pray this prayer all over again

Why do i do what i don't wanna do
When i don't do the things
That i know really should do
I'm a walking contradiction
Of the things that i do
And the things that i say i believe

Praying for your Children - Day 4 Honesty & Integrity

How the time flies! I wanted to get this posted tonight so you're ready for tomorrow but the night has gotten away from me. I am going to see a Neurosurgeon tomorrow and had lots of paperwork to get completed! So, tonight's will be brief and to the point.

Day 4 - Honesty & Integrity ~ Psalm 25:21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. (NIV)

One of the first things that came to my mind was "swearing in" before a judge in court..."Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" Why is it that one needs to do this?

If someone lies to us, it places a seed of doubt there and then that person needs to prove themselves to us before we fully trust them again. Our word should be our word. We should not need to "swear to God" in order for those around us to believe what we say to be true.

Here is a brief prayer I found for praying for honesty in your children:

Gracious God, let my children always exhibit honesty of conduct and honesty of speech. May there be nothing deceitful in what they say and do. Instill in them the awareness that life flows more smoothly when it is built around honesty.

I don't know about you, but praying for my children about these topics has made me more mindful of my own actions and deeds. Have a good day tomorrow!

What a Wonderful Surprise!

Last week I received an email from a friend that she was participating in a blog give away and that there were several other prizes being given away at other blogs that we could check out. By going to her blog, she had a link that I followed. There were over 1000 blogs where people were giving away gifts! I probably visited 40 blogs and put my name in for 20 prizes and guess what!!! I won one of them! I really did not think anything would come of it but I won! How exciting!! I was acting like a little girl who just got invited to a friends Birthday Party when I got the news!

Please check out my friends blog here http://gravityofmotion.blogspot.com/ and JA ~ Thanks for the email about the other prizes. I've never seen anything like this. Please email me when they do it again and then I can post it on my blog as well.

I won the Chic Gems Pearl Earring found here http://www.efronfreak.com/2009/01/26/bloggy-giveaway-chic-gems-pearl-earrings-gift-certificates/ They are soooo pretty! Thank you so much Heather! I can't wait to wear them! For those of you following my blog on praying for your children...I'm feeling the love today!

Praying for your Children - Day 3 Love

I really want to be more purposeful in my role as a mother. Lately, parenting has been more challenging and my attitude was not how it should be. I decided it was time to change my focus and I know that praying more and seeking God will help. I know that I'm not the only mom who struggles with disciplining their kids and feeling like you're the "bad mom" for it (even when you know what you're doing is right) and how do you address this or that... So, I decided that blogging it may benefit other's and myself in the process. So in the pursuit of being more purposeful, let's get to Day 3's topic of Praying for our Children.

Today we have two Bible references to go with our topic...

Day 3 - Love

~ Ephesian 5:2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (NIV)

~ Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (NIV)

Today I thought I'd share an experience we had at home and how I got to teach my daughter that we need to love others as Christ does. One day recently, one of my daughter's came home and told me she got in trouble at recess for kicking a boy. I asked her why she had done that, thinking she'd have a good reason because this is truly out of character for her. Her reasoning...He was annoying me and making weird noises. What!?! That's it?

This boy has always bothered her and annoyed her. She thinks he's gross because he picks his nose (among other things) and she just doesn't like him. So, I told her she needed to pray for him and talked to her about how the bible tells us to love others. I told her that over time, with God's help, that she may see him in a different light. As gross as he is to her, I told her that God loves him!

So, our prayer for Day 3 is Love. The bible tells us to love like Jesus. He loves us so much that he died on the cross for us. He loved the lepers and the woman at the well. What an awesome example we have to follow! It is our job to love others. How hard it is to love those who annoy us though! I'll be praying specifically that my one daughter will be able to love this boy as Christ does.

Steven Curtis Chapman's song "All about Love" get's the message straight on how we need to prioritize our lives and Love, love, love, love, love!


All About Love (Concept Video) - Steven Curtis Chapman

Praying for your Children - Day 2 Growth in Grace

Day 2 - Growth in Grace - 2 Peter 3:18 ~ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (NIV)

For me, I'm a visual and I get a better picture by seeing the actual definitions so you'll probably get that everyday with some other "nuggets". The definition of Grace according to http://ardictionary.com/Grace/3466 is:

The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.

Here is an excerp taken from Focus on the Family and how it pertains to our own Growth in Grace titled Life is your classroom. You can read the full article at http://www.focusonthefamily.ca/faith-issues/faith-parenting/leading-your-kids-to-christ

When someone is learning how to fix a transmission, his practical training takes place in a garage. In our case, practical training needs to take place in a relevant venue – in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our life is an example to our kids. Practice-what-you-preach parenting is the only kind that works.

However, parenting by example does not demand that we be perfect. If we demand performance and perfection from our kids, our faults will appear as signs of hypocrisy. But if we encourage growth by grace, our faults will become signs of authenticity.

We, along with our children, are learning about God. This means discussing our growth in Christ in practical, everyday terms with them. It includes letting them see us apply our faith to our lives. Then they will get excited about joining in the process.

I love what I was able to find today on the internet in that while we pray for our children today we can apply it to our own lives. Sometimes parenting is so hard and we don't wait to fail but in our failures, we all learn. In everyday encounters, we can show others grace and our children will see it and mimic it. We need to think about how we react to others because our children see all and hear all! I'll try to post tomorrow's topic of prayer later this evening so we can get a head start on praying for our children.

Praying for your children - Day 1 Mercy

For those of you who do not know, our children attend a local private christian school. It is a wonderful school! About a month ago, a note was sent home on how we can pray for our children daily. It included a calendar so that you have a daily bible verse and a topic of what exactly to pray for. I wanted to share it with you daily this month so that you too can pray for your child(ren) and so that I can make a more conscientious effort to pray for my children daily.

Sorry I'm a little late in posting this. I wanted to pray with more specifics and I thought by my researching and posting, that it would be helpful so I decided to try and dig a little further with each topic.

Although, I have to tell you this is much harder than I thought it would be! I figured I'd google praying for mercy for your children and a wealth of helpful information would pop up. You really have to weed through it to find the good stuff though! Here's hoping tomorrow's post will go quicker and I'll have more substance for you!

Day 1 - Mercy ~ Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (NIV)

The definition of Mercy according to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mercy is

1. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.
2. A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.
3. Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.
4. Alleviation of distress; relief: Taking in the refugees was an act of mercy.

My current favorite Christian artist is Mercy Me so who better to end this post with since the information I pulled up was not very insightful. Until tomorrow...


I can only imagine - Mercy Me