Peacefulness

I love watching the Lord orchestrate my life. Its exciting and calming when I can see that I am not the one in charge and He can do far more than I can ask or imagine (Eph 4:20)
He has given me a sister in Christ who challenges me daily and last week she shared with me a truth that she learned in her bible reading. It blessed the socks off of both of us and so this morning when I learned a truth I decided I should share it with you so that we can all benefit from my leg work. And by the way, TAG you're it! Would you share a bit of wisdom that He has taught you?

Colossians 3:15-17 (I like New American Standard Bible best for this one)

¹⁵ Let the PEACE of Christ ^[a]rule in your hearts, to which ^[b]indeed you were called in one body; and ^[c]be THANKFUL. ¹⁶ Let the word of ^[d]Christ richly dwell WITHIN you, ^[e]with all wisdom teaching and admonishing ^[f]one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing ^[g]with THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving THANKS through Him to God the Father.

The bold and caps are how I choose to study verses. I bold, highlight, circle, underline and exclamation point the words that He is pointing out to me as important ones in the scripture. The cool thing is that I have been studying these verses all week and I JUST realized typing them out that thankfulness is in all three verses. I had been focusing more on the rest of the scripture, isn't God cool?
So I have been applying these verses to my parenting and learning from Him that I need to be more peaceful with the girls. And its hard not to be peaceful when you are focused on being thankful in every circumstance (Oh the circumstances that Crazy Woman hands me!). The only way I know how to do this is to have His word IN me! Now comes the good part, we all know what it means to teach so if I take my time to teach my children truths and expected behaviors then you have something to refer to in the moment. But I had to look up admonish because I was pretty sure it wasn't the finger shaking in front of the face and the smack on the butt that I was making it out to be.

Admonish

1- to indicate duties or obligations to

2-to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner

3-to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to

 

Thats all way more peacful than screaming and wagging a finger in thier face! But then I had to look up solicitous because I didn't even know that one!

 

Sol-ic-it-ous

1-full of concern or fears : apprehensive 

2-meticulously careful

3-full of desire : eager

 

ohhh thats good purposeful parenting advice!

Say What?

Mia, like any two year old, is not easy to understand. I can do very well if I am looking at her or I know what topic she is on. Yesterday morning she woke up before the sun and was laying in bed with me. After a while I picked up my phone and started checking email and such and she kept touching the screen. She was also being very loud for 6am and generally just being naughty. I told her many times to stop yelling and stop touching my phone and when she didn't I disciplined her for it and then went back to my email. I was doing a really good job tuning her out when I realized she was saying something over and over through her pouting and fake tears... "you forgive me mommy? you forgive me mommy? I sorry for touching your phone, you forgive me mommy?"
Ohhhh gaahh! Its too early! Could I please deal with your contrite spirit when the sun comes up!?!

Then this morning she came crawling into my bed again around 6:30 and Annie was not far behind her. After laying with me for .5seconds they began arguing over what movie they would watch with breakfast. Mia was adamant that she would watch her movie and I told her that they would have to agree on a movie or they couldn't watch one. Again after tuning her out I realized she was saying "I don't want sisters anymore"! This is too much for me to deal with at such an early hour. I am going to become a coffee drinker and I really don't want to!

Why Is It?

Why is it that my children play so well together when they are doing something naughty? Its like they are bonding over the camaraderie of knowing they are disobeying and neither one wanting the fun to stop they don't tattle but instead join in on the behaviour until they are found out and then they are quick to throw one another under the bus!

When Mia gets spankings she says through her tears "Spank Annie Too!!" Which I find very amusing but have managed to keep from laughing especially at the look in Annie's eyes that reveals either guilt or astonishment that I might just spank her too.

This has also come to my attention recently.
Why is it that all fairy tales have some part that makes you cringe as a mother?
Hansel & Gretel -Mother dies of starvation, wicked stepmother leaves them in the woods where a witch tries to eat them.
Cinderella - Dead Father, wicked stepmother, you know the rest
Snow White - wicked stepmother who hires a hit man on her
Rapunzel - kidnapped and locked up
Rumpelstiltskin - Father gave her away to the king who's advisers locked her up & forced slave work on her
Sleeping Beauty - cursed by a wicked fairy godmother for heavens sake!
Princess & the Pea - teaches girls that princesses are dainty and picky
Thumbelina - stalked by a toad and taken in by a mole who tries to force her to marry him
Belle - motherless
Arielle- motherless
Jasmine - motherless
Bambi, Tarzan, Nemo & Fox and the Hound- You watch them become Motherless!!
Don't even get me started on the new ones like "Up"

It certainly brings about some interesting questions from my little girls! May I recommend some movies? Not that they don't have their interesting twists but they are loved here at our house.
Peter Pan - yes they are left alone with a dog and run away with a boy... look past that.
Lady & The Tramp - yes she ends up with the guy from the streets but he changes his ways for her!
Robots - even if you don't watch the whole thing, watch the first scene when they are "making a baby" its a riot!
Where the Red Fern Grows - yes its sad but a good wholesome nuclear family situation
Old Yeller - again, hard times but good strong values
Princess and the Frog - Great music!
Tarzan - Skip the first scene and its Great! (unless you are Mia and request the "scary part")
Despicable Me - or "Coco Meat" as Mia calls it. Aside from the man adopting 3 little girls just to do his villain work its great. Unless you don't want your girls to adopt the phrase "I'm going to kick your butt" then don't let them watch this one!
Winnie the Pooh - Classic, wonderful, silly ol' bear
Chicken Run - just amusing
Curious George I & II - Love that little monkey!

You're welcome!