Something on my mind

Today the kids and I got together for a short bit with the Goshen County Homeschoolers group to make Christmas cards for soldiers. Unfortunately, I had to go to the dentist about 45 minutes after we got there. (I did make one card that I think whoever gets will enjoy ^-^) When I got back it seems that my children were a little less than well behaved. One mother told me that she had to 'deal' with Fox but he ignored her more than once. Finally, she confronted him and asked why he was ignoring her, he told some lame reason- to which she called him on and it turned out that he simply did not want to do what he was asked to do. Well, when she told me about this she said that it'd been taken care of and I didn't need to talk to him about it. 

Really? I don't think so.

I definitely think that is something that needs to be talked about again. With his mother. And although I didn't say anything at the time, I wondered, "If it didn't need to be dealt with again- not brought to his attention again- then why was she telling me in the first place?" I tell my kids that if they have a conflict between each other but they can resolve it in a satisfactory manner, they don't need to come tell me what one or the other did. It just makes me want to 'deal' with it all over!

I value this mother's opinions, I really do, and her kids are quick to behave so she must be doing something right! But I think she feels bad when something happens and my kids may get into trouble again for what they've done. I want to make sure that they understand what they've done is wrong. That is why I bring it up again. I don't do it so that I can punish them- they'd already been called on their behavior (which I think is slightly embarrassing to them in a group situation)- unless they need to be. 

I guess I just had a guilty conscience that my kids are sometimes disrespectful and ill-mannered to others. You know the saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink"? I sometimes feel this way about manners and behaviors. There are some things that my kids do that I do not see myself doing- and definitely not my husband- but if we are the examples, why do they do them? Of course, I'm so far from perfect that I must do these things as well. Sigh. It is something that must constantly be reinforced and there need to be reminders. 

When we get short tempered, often we snap. One of our four in the family is more prone to that than the others. When it happens, reminders of how snotty, sharp, careless words are not helpful to the situation and are often painful- that's all I know to do. "Forgetting" is another sloppy habit- often bordering on disrespectful, in my opinion- that one of us has a problem with more than the others. I understand that we are all works in progress and we need constant reminders. But it does get tough. 

It gets tiring. 

Well, that wasn't what I thought was on my mind but apparently it is. If you could pray for my little family- attitudes, pure hearts, kind spirits- it would be so appreciated. Prayer can move mountains- and attitudes.

Money is THE root of all that is Evil....& Prayer Request

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows- 1 Timothy 6:10

We probably all know that verse. I had to look it up because all I could remember were the words "money is the root of all evil."

Today I was presented with the problem that I may not get to take my Oregon trip this June. We recently had a 'flood' issue in our basement which has required a lot of money to remedy...and it still isn't taken care of completely. After I posted awhile back about trying to figure out where my money has gone, I stopped going to the local coffee shop, stopped buying random little gizmos and whos-its and whats-its at the checkout counter, and stopped transferring money from savings to my checking in an attempt to stop spending what little money I have.

Then I realized I pay for at least two services each month that I do not use to the full extent. That's a total of almost $90 a month. Yes, *GASP* with me! How could I have been so silly (oh, wrong word!...not strong enough..perhaps naive? no, still not right...) to have let that much go each month without even thinking about it? It comes out automatically each month and I have mentally subtracted it each month from the amount I have...automatically, without thought.

At first when I wrote that money is the root of all that is evil it was simply because without money I cannot go to Oregon to see family and friends. What a twisted view of it! If I had not carelessly handled my money, I would be able to!

"...which while some coveted after..."

While I do not think that I have coveted after money, I definitely have not dealt wisely with what I have. I have been careless, taken it for granted. So the last line of the Scripture in Timothy rings true with me today!

"...pierced themselves through with many sorrows..."

We had hoped to take our trip the middle of June and return by the first of July. Even though I am cancelling the subscriptions to the two services, my realization comes too late. The payments for this month have gone through already. As I type this I realize that there is one more subscription that I can cancel as well that amounts to just under $15 a month.

One of those services, unfortunately, is internet. I will continue to have internet until the first of June and then no more ...unless I find wireless around. The public library does have WiFi but it is unreliable. There are also various locations around town that offer it. I do love my internet though...

So although the love of money is the root of all evil, having it and carelessly spending it is definitely a branch of evil related to money!

I would like to ask for prayer for the condition of my heart- that I learn to be more focused on what God has given me and deal with it more wisely-also that I may be more like the woman I should be for my family.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.- Proverbs 31:27-31

Who says God doesn't talk to us?...& a Prayer Request

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16) Public Domain

Today I had a ''friend'' send me a few text messages shortly after we had quickly exchanged some niceties in a local store. I put " " around the word friend because we do not often talk and when we do, it is mostly about trivial things such as the weather... we are that sort of "friend."

Her texts surprised me. Not because she sent them; no, we often will say "Hi, hope all is going well with you and yours." I don't really think that either of us expect the other to say, "You know, life has actually been pretty bad. Let me tell you..." But today that is exactly what I got.

Her texts did not go into extreme detail but what they did say made me read them twice. I won't write here what she said; that would be a breach of trust. Suffice it to say that she needs prayer. Lots of prayer.

My dear hubby came home from work today to my mind racing after my "friend" (okay, I will stop putting " " around the word now!) sent her texts. Thankfully he was sweet enough to stop what he was doing to have a chat with me. We both know this lady and her family, my husband through his work first and secondly through our church. I confide everything in my husband..if I couldn't I'd be a sorry mess!

He listened as I told him what the textersation (heehee a word for text conversation, nifty huh?) consisted of and the things it made me think. One sentence that he said has stayed with me, both in the front of my mind and just on the edge of being pushed aside. He said that he prays for this family all the time. That is what has been in my mind all night.

I am up late tonight with heartburn and the need to work on school, yet of course I find time to sneak a peek at my blog dashboard to see what others have been up to today. I recently (just yesterday I believe) included a scripture of the day at the top of my blog. I read a bit of my Bible every single day but thought that would be another good way to read it some more, even if just one scripture. And then, as I looked at my blog, there it was:

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16) Public Domain

God spoke to me then. I don't pray enough! I was concerned for my friend; concerned for her faith, her family, her well-being, etc, and wondering what to do. And when I saw that scripture it was like, wow, He is really paying attention to me (and my friend) and knows that we need to pray for His help. He is really and truly here to take care of us. It is something I should not allow myself to forget.

I will admit shamefully that I do not pray enough. I wonder how many others do not either; how many people simply think that they, on their own, can make things right?

Please pray for my friend, with the decisions she will make and with her faith. God knows what she needs.

Prayer Request...for a friend on the web

Please take some time today to pray for Trish and her family. Her son, Luke, has a severe infection in his eye socket. Here is the link to her post. Please keep them in your prayers.