Parenting...Do You Exemplify Christ?

William Sergeant Kendall, Fairy Tale, 1900

This morning I opened my Daily Light Devotional book. It was originally printed in the 1800s by a man named Johnathan Bagster, who compiled the writings after the teachings of his father, Samuel. I love the way the scriptures are put together.

Today is the 9th of March...I thought it was the 8th, so I read the "wrong" entry, but God is not a God of happenstance! The 8th is rich for me today.

You have cast all my sins behind your back.

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

“For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.—“I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.—The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Isa. 38:17; Mic. 7:18, 19; Isa. 54:7, 8; Jer. 31:34; Ps. 32:1, 2; 1 John 1:7 (ESV)

As I read, my children were fresh on my thoughts. What a picture of Godly discipleship this is to me.  The picture is not spelled out for us in fluffy bunnies, lavashing our children with all the "luxuries" we can afford.  It is also not the the picture painted of the hard thumb keeping our children in militant restraint. It is parenting from Forgiveness, Grace and Compassion.

As a parent we are given these blessing, whom will "arise up, and call her blessed" (Proverbs 31:28) if we are following after God's design as a parent. "He does not retain his anger forever, because he dlights in steadfast love." Forgive (not keeping score!), move on, delight in the steadfast love of God and pour it onto your children.

We are the reflection of Christ to our children. We have the mighty priviledge of showing them, first hand, what Christ is like.  He is Just, having rules, or guidelines in which to live.  He is Loving, having a heart to forgive when we overstep.  He is Compassionate, reminding us through his Spirit and Word how to live.

Take time to pray today and ask God to help you see your children the way he sees them.  Ask Him if you are weighted to one side in discipline.  Are you too rule oriented, or maybe you have extended too much Grace and your children can no longer find the bounderies. Scripture tells us 2 Peter 1:3 that we have been given everything pertaining to life and Godliness...even how to raise children that will "rise up and call her blessed" Proverbs 31:28.

Quiet My Busyness

This is one of 2 weekends a year that I look forward to the 364 other days of the year. I am going to a Mom Heart Conference for refreshing, vision renewal, time with other Moms, a great hotel room and GREAT food!

I have noticed that in all the excitement and the list of things to prepare...I tend to get VERY tired. By the time I finish all my gathering...I just need a NAP. So, this week I am going to wade in the still waters that the Lord has for me. I want to feel as though I have been refreshed BEFORE I am off...trying to get refreshed and soak in all the great teachings.

I need to prepare my soil to be a fertile ground so that I can take in all the great things God wants to tell me, remind me of, or teach me about this weekend. When it's time to plant, you don't just start throwing the seed out and expect anything to grow! You have to plow the field and ready the soil and THEN plant. I want to be prepare so I can get all God has for me.

My prayer for the women speaking is that they too will have a less hurried week. That they too have been able to take a few moments to bask in the quiet still waters of God. That He will fill them to overflowing, so they can pour out the words he has placed on their hearts.

Have a GREAT week!
Katie

White as Snow

My son took this picture in our front yard...not as much snow as the back...but beautiful just the same!

This morning when I woke and peered out of my sheets, I beheld a beautiful, rare sight...snow covered branches and grass. There was gentle flakes still falling down. Again...Texas...this is RARE. I love the whiteness. I love how "clean" it looks. It covers all the mud we have been tromping around in for weeks. It makes the old table behind my house look charming again.

I got out of bed to go outside to listen to the snowfall. I am, and probably always will be, a Texas girl but my heart lives in the mountains of Colorado. I can't explain how snow sounds as it gently lands on branches. It's far different that any other kind of precipitation. And the smell...could it be any better...that cold, crisp scent of snow?

As I watched and listened to the snowfall, I was reminded of a scripture I read on Tuesday. Revelation 7:14b "...and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." What a picture. I was thinking about how the snow covered a multitude of ugliness. In the same way, Christ's blood covers a multitude of human ugliness. Hallelujah! What stuck out to me the most was that His blood doesn't melt away when it gets warmer outside, or we are in the fire of temptation, or when we've messed up! It remains. It's the filter through which the Father see us. He sees us as the beautiful bride in her white dress...waiting, preparing, longing for Him. Even when our dress has a stain...He sees the Blood of the Lamb that washes us white as snow. "...though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be red as crimson, they will be as wool" Isaiah 1:18.

I want to take a snapshot of the trees in my mind and apply it to my heart. To see myself as God sees me. If we remember what we look like, we begin to act in that manner as well. Now that's food for thought.

I'm going to load cameras with batteries for my children to take pictures, make a hot breakfast and enjoy this beautiful day.

Blessings to you all as you go about your day!

Katie

He's Got My Back!

"You are a God of seeing."

O Lord, you have searched me, and know me! You know when I sit down and when I rise; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is my tongue, behold O Lord, you know it altogether...Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. —The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. — "But God knows your hearts: for what is exhaulted among men is abomination in the sight of God." — "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toeard him."

But Jesus ... knew all people, and needed no one to bear witness about man; for he himself knew what was in man. — "Lord, thou know everything; you know that I love you. "

Gen. 16:13. Psa. 139:1-4,6. Prov. 15:3. ‑Prov. 5:21. ‑Luke 16:15. ‑II Chr. 16:9. John 2:24,25. John 21:17.

As I was reading this morning in Daily Light, I was compelled to post this. I love the was Samuels Bagster group these scriptures. How awesome is our God!

My prayer is that I am more aware who is in control and that I can continue to strive to live my life in the light that God know everything and has a plan. That I will fully rely on Him for direction even in the little things.

Katie

Preach it Sister!

This is a blog entry from Sally Clarkson. It is a GREAT blog about today's culture. ENJOY!

Sally's post