Parenting and Religion

There is a certain balance that we must each reach in looking forward to things yet to come.
What I mean, is that it is alright to look forward to something, but it is very important to enjoy what is between then and now.
Living for the now, in the now, and enjoying the now- while looking forward to something special that is on the horizon.
While raising my kids, it has been tempting at times to join them in the “I can’t wait until….” attitude. What I have learned from my own struggle with that, is that it can rob life of being lived to the full now.
I try to teach my kids that it is good to look forward, but enjoying everything inbetween now and then is important. Don’t let life fly by while waiting for things to come. Enjoy what today brings, and embrace the things you are doing now. Live now, love now, laugh now- all while looking forward to doing the same then.
Life goes by too fast to miss the now for what is yet to come.

I was reading the Bibile in Exodus the other day, and noticed something that has slipped by me before. In Exodus 28:3, it says- “3Tell all who are expert, whom I have endowed with skill and good judgment”.
Now, as a Christian, I have always believed that God is the one who gives ability and talent in certain areas. But when I read this verse, all of a sudden it dawned one me that He gives us particular skills and giftings so that they can be used for His purposes. I know, that should be obvious, and I always assumed it was so. But when I read that scripture it was like a light turned on. Like now I know that not only does He give the skills, gifts, and talents, but that He has specific things in mind for us to use them in, and along with them He gives us the wisdom (good judgement) to use them according to His standards.
How often do Christians give in to the pressures to use their gifts in ways that may not be pleasing to God. Actors who are willing to compromise with words and actions, simply because they are actors after all. Writers who give in to requests to write things that will lead others astray or even be something they may be ashamed of down the road. Musicians who sing the lyrics to songs that make fleshly living sound appealing, and any other gifted person who doesn’t hold the standard given by the Lord, the conscience that tells them not to use the gift in that way, and they do it anyways.
If Christians are going to raise up the standard of God, which is what the world will be judged by, then we need to take our gifts, skills, and talents, seriously. We have got to be selective, sensitive to God’s leading in our gift, and be not be willing to compromise in the gift.
I am coming to a new place of appreciating the gifts and skills God has put in me. My prayer is that I will honor God in them, and that I will teach my children to do the same.
Blessing comes in obedience.

Winter always seems so long, especially when the snow begins flying in October, and you know it will continue through March. Making it through the season, with a good attitude, and an outlook that is willing to make the best of the seasons, is hard for me to do sometimes. Take this week for example. A couple of days it was beautiful out. Sun shining, in the high thirties, and mild wind. Today, it is in the negatives, windy, cold, but still sunny.
I yearn for spring, new life, new season, new beginnings. My kids want to go out and play- without having layer upon layer of clothing to wear.
And even more, I want them to go out and play, for more than 20 minutes…
Anyhow, winter is lasting too long, and I needed to vent.