Lately my time has been taken up with the demands of the "real" world and updating my blog has not been high on the list of priorities. Time with my children has, however, and the following quotes are just a small example of the many rewards motherhood brings!
I thought I'd share these two gems:
Miss 5: "Mum, when [my uncle] picked me up from kinder, I was soooo happy to see him. I RAN into his arms! When I'm old, I'm going to have double chin JUST like his." (Her tone implied that she could hardly wait!)
Master 4: (He'd wound down the window and I told him not to hold his arm outside the car.)
"But Mum, I'm just trying to catch the wind. (Short silence) I wish I had more hands, so that I could hold the wind."
Me: "What would you do with the wind if you could hold it?"
Mr.4: "I'd play with it."
Me: "Would you throw it up like a ball?"
Mr.4: "No, I'd PLAY with it!"
Me: "Would you keep it in a jar?"
Mr.4: "Mu-um! (frustrated at my ignorance) I'd play WITH it! It would be my FRIEND, like another child!"
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Prayer.
I read an article in a parenting magazine recently entitled "The Tyrannical Threes". We are certainly experiencing that pahse with our little boy at the moment! The "terrible twos" just didn't happen, but right now we have a little would-be-tyrant in the house. And when he finds that he doesn't always get his way, the tantrums are spectacular.
As was the case this morning, right as I was about to sit down at the table with my husband for a few minutes before he went to work. Master 3 wanted me to come and do something he was quite capable of doing himself, and started yelling and stamping his feet when I wouldn't jump to attention as ordered. Ignoring him became impossible and he was put into time out. That wasn't very effective, either, and our quiet time together was marred by the sound of the walls being kicked and a rising crescendo of hysterical screaming. When the door was slammed violently against the wall, I went to him and laid down the law in no uncertain terms. Then I sat down and took him on my lap. The hysterical anger subsided a little, but he couldn't stop crying. After a bit he managed to sob, "Mum, I just want to tell Jesus all about it in my heart."
I held him close then, and prayed aloud. He stopped crying at once, and I felt him relax. With a final sob, he put his head on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Mummy. Jesus will help me to be obedient now." And with that the thunderstorm passed and the sun has been shining since!
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care on him; for he cares for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brothers that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:6-11
As was the case this morning, right as I was about to sit down at the table with my husband for a few minutes before he went to work. Master 3 wanted me to come and do something he was quite capable of doing himself, and started yelling and stamping his feet when I wouldn't jump to attention as ordered. Ignoring him became impossible and he was put into time out. That wasn't very effective, either, and our quiet time together was marred by the sound of the walls being kicked and a rising crescendo of hysterical screaming. When the door was slammed violently against the wall, I went to him and laid down the law in no uncertain terms. Then I sat down and took him on my lap. The hysterical anger subsided a little, but he couldn't stop crying. After a bit he managed to sob, "Mum, I just want to tell Jesus all about it in my heart."
I held him close then, and prayed aloud. He stopped crying at once, and I felt him relax. With a final sob, he put his head on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Mummy. Jesus will help me to be obedient now." And with that the thunderstorm passed and the sun has been shining since!
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care on him; for he cares for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brothers that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:6-11
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A thought.
Just a quick post to share something that has been of help to me:
My five year old daughter has been asking me again and again lately to tell her what heaven is like. It's such a good topic to dwell on. There is so much pain and suffering in this world, but we have a future and a hope. I cut a slogan from the back of a cereal packet (of all places!) last week and put it on the fridge as a reminder to live life consciously. It says: "When the time comes, will you be ready?"
My five year old daughter has been asking me again and again lately to tell her what heaven is like. It's such a good topic to dwell on. There is so much pain and suffering in this world, but we have a future and a hope. I cut a slogan from the back of a cereal packet (of all places!) last week and put it on the fridge as a reminder to live life consciously. It says: "When the time comes, will you be ready?"
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Make a joyful noise to the Lord!
This morning I was trying to get Miss 5 ready for kindergarten and heard her "playing" the piano in the lounge room. I was about to say, "Come and get your hair done NOW!!", when she forestalled me with, "Mum, come and listen to the song I've been writing."
She has never had any sort of music lessons and although we have inherited a lovely piano, no-one in our house actually plays, so I was intrigued to see this on the music ledge:
She played a few notes and stopped, saying, "Wait a minute, I just need to write another music note." Very carefully she added it to her "composistion" and said "There. finished. Now I'll sing it for you."
She then "played" and "sang" her little piece. The tune was random and the accompaniment was not harmonious, but the words were as follows:
"This is a song about Jesus. I wrote it for Him because He loves me and He helps me to be good. He will be with me on this day. I want to be obedient. Jesus is my friend."
**************
" O sing to the Lord a new song; for he has done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, has gotten him the victory.
The Lord has made known his salvation: his righteousness has he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Sing to the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for he comes to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."
Psalm 98
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
From the Archives
August 2008
It was the weekend and there was no hurry to get out of bed. Master 1 seemed to be sleeping in, Miss 3 had been made comfortable downstairs with an apple, some milk and a video, and my husband had cut me a slice of freshly made bread which I was enjoying in bed with a book and a cup of tea. Having finished a chapter, I suddenly felt uneasy- things were too quiet downstairs…This was what I found:
I had expected to find the new loaf of bread hollowed out and eaten- that has happened before- but instead she’d spread it with butter and then packed the rest of the butter into her little saucepan and was eating it with a spoon. The pictures don’t do justice to the state of the bench, the stepladder or her face, hands and hair! When I asked the usual silly question, “What are you doing?” she said innocently, “I’m sitting on my tuffet eating my curds and whey.”
What can a mother do but laugh and take photos?
It was the weekend and there was no hurry to get out of bed. Master 1 seemed to be sleeping in, Miss 3 had been made comfortable downstairs with an apple, some milk and a video, and my husband had cut me a slice of freshly made bread which I was enjoying in bed with a book and a cup of tea. Having finished a chapter, I suddenly felt uneasy- things were too quiet downstairs…This was what I found:
I had expected to find the new loaf of bread hollowed out and eaten- that has happened before- but instead she’d spread it with butter and then packed the rest of the butter into her little saucepan and was eating it with a spoon. The pictures don’t do justice to the state of the bench, the stepladder or her face, hands and hair! When I asked the usual silly question, “What are you doing?” she said innocently, “I’m sitting on my tuffet eating my curds and whey.”
What can a mother do but laugh and take photos?
Sunday, May 23, 2010
God Answers Prayer!
I was praying for all the various needs I know about this morning, and was reminded of my own experience of God's answer to prayer for healing. I thought I'd share it by way of encouragement.
As a baby, when I first started on solids, I became very, very sick, and eventually tests showed conclusively that I had coeliac disease. Knowing the cause of the problems, my parents were able to manage my condition with a gluten free diet. If I deviated from my diet - even just one biscuit when visiting somewhere- the symptoms (starting with temper tantrums and tiredness) were immediately evident to my mother. Whenever other children had cake or biscuits, something gluten free had to be found for me. I also missed out on things like pasta, and Mum either had to prepare a seperate menu for me or had to find substitutes for wheat flour in sauces etc.These days it is possible to buy all manner of gluten free products in the supermarket, but when I was growing up we had to check package labels carefully to make sure that wheat was not one of the ingredients, and gluten free flour was only available from health food stores. For years I had to bake my own bread every second day. I didn't like the taste or texture of this bread much, and found baking it such a chore! I prayed daily that I would be healed from my condition.
When I was sixteen, my parents had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands for the first time since they had migrated to Australia seventeen years before. They took the youngest three children with them, and the other six- of whom I was the eldest- stayed at home in the care of a lovely couple from our local Church who took us on for three months! Without my mother there, stocking up on gluten free bread mix was my own responsibility, and of course, I ran out. By this time I had developed some tolerance to gluten, and I ate normal bread for a few days while I put off going to the health food store for more. Then the thought came to me: "I have prayed for healing. If I believe I am healed, why do I still need to follow the diet?" So when our temporary foster mother reminded me again about getting the bread mix, I told her that I'd decided to see if God had healed me. She was enthusiastic about it, provided I agreed to go straight back to my diet if I showed any signs of my health suffering.
Well, that is almost thirty years ago, now, and I have never had any sign of the condition again.
I looked Coeliac disease up on the internet recently, and the article I read confirmed that it is a lifelong condition. It is possible to develop some tolerance to gluten, but if the diet is not followed for a longer period, the symptoms will return. ... and my mother always reminds me to underline the fact that I definitely had Coeliac disease, as proven conclusively from tests done when I was little. I firmly believe that God saw the simple faith I had as a child and gave the healing I asked for- maybe even long before I put it to the test!
As a baby, when I first started on solids, I became very, very sick, and eventually tests showed conclusively that I had coeliac disease. Knowing the cause of the problems, my parents were able to manage my condition with a gluten free diet. If I deviated from my diet - even just one biscuit when visiting somewhere- the symptoms (starting with temper tantrums and tiredness) were immediately evident to my mother. Whenever other children had cake or biscuits, something gluten free had to be found for me. I also missed out on things like pasta, and Mum either had to prepare a seperate menu for me or had to find substitutes for wheat flour in sauces etc.These days it is possible to buy all manner of gluten free products in the supermarket, but when I was growing up we had to check package labels carefully to make sure that wheat was not one of the ingredients, and gluten free flour was only available from health food stores. For years I had to bake my own bread every second day. I didn't like the taste or texture of this bread much, and found baking it such a chore! I prayed daily that I would be healed from my condition.
When I was sixteen, my parents had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands for the first time since they had migrated to Australia seventeen years before. They took the youngest three children with them, and the other six- of whom I was the eldest- stayed at home in the care of a lovely couple from our local Church who took us on for three months! Without my mother there, stocking up on gluten free bread mix was my own responsibility, and of course, I ran out. By this time I had developed some tolerance to gluten, and I ate normal bread for a few days while I put off going to the health food store for more. Then the thought came to me: "I have prayed for healing. If I believe I am healed, why do I still need to follow the diet?" So when our temporary foster mother reminded me again about getting the bread mix, I told her that I'd decided to see if God had healed me. She was enthusiastic about it, provided I agreed to go straight back to my diet if I showed any signs of my health suffering.
Well, that is almost thirty years ago, now, and I have never had any sign of the condition again.
I looked Coeliac disease up on the internet recently, and the article I read confirmed that it is a lifelong condition. It is possible to develop some tolerance to gluten, but if the diet is not followed for a longer period, the symptoms will return. ... and my mother always reminds me to underline the fact that I definitely had Coeliac disease, as proven conclusively from tests done when I was little. I firmly believe that God saw the simple faith I had as a child and gave the healing I asked for- maybe even long before I put it to the test!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Think on these things!
Whenever I read Phillippians 4:8 I am reminded of my Dad who always had it in a frame on his desk at work "Whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
As I read it again this morning I was struck by the context.
" Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Phillipians 4:4-9
I come across all sorts of circumstances in life that cause anxiety or stress to varying degrees. Often they involve other people and the way I feel I am being treated, or things that don't work out according to my plans.. How easy it is, when praying in these situations, to dwell on the cause for my anxiety- to pray that the situation might go away- and to become more anxious or stressed instead of finding myself in the peace of God. While praying, I am still thinking about how hard-done-by I am! Paul exhorts us here to let our requests be made known to God (not necessarily gossip about them to others, focussing on how badly I'm being treated!) - with thanksgiving- and then ... "if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things!" (Now that I can share with others!)
This has been such a help to me! There is so much to be thankful for in every circumstance, not least being the opportunity to grow and partake of more of God's own nature!
As I read it again this morning I was struck by the context.
" Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Phillipians 4:4-9
I come across all sorts of circumstances in life that cause anxiety or stress to varying degrees. Often they involve other people and the way I feel I am being treated, or things that don't work out according to my plans.. How easy it is, when praying in these situations, to dwell on the cause for my anxiety- to pray that the situation might go away- and to become more anxious or stressed instead of finding myself in the peace of God. While praying, I am still thinking about how hard-done-by I am! Paul exhorts us here to let our requests be made known to God (not necessarily gossip about them to others, focussing on how badly I'm being treated!) - with thanksgiving- and then ... "if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things!" (Now that I can share with others!)
This has been such a help to me! There is so much to be thankful for in every circumstance, not least being the opportunity to grow and partake of more of God's own nature!
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