2010 - The Year of the Copy Cat

1Corinthians 11:1
Be imitators of me,
as I am of Christ.

This verse haunts me...........I am to so imitate Christ that I can invite others to imitate me. Wow! Too many times I hope no one sees or hears me, because I'm so not imitating Christ. And as a parent, you can't hide from your kids. They know what happens behind and in front of closed doors. How many times do you see and hear them imitating you? Sometimes we swell with pride - but many others we shrink in embarrassment!

January 3 we will begin a study of The Fruit of the Spirit in PeeWeeVille. This is a study in what it is like to imitate Christ. Christ has mastered - and is the master - of the fruit. I want to encourage you as parents to study the fruit with your PeeWee.

Let's all make a resolution to be better imitators this year. The only way to imitate is to know and study the person. So get to know Christ. Study Him this year. Imitating Christ will make you the very best parent you can be for your child. Live in a way that invites your child - and everyone around you - to imitate you ........... and when you stumble, apologize - that is another thing you want your child to learn and copy.

I've resolved to be a Copy Cat this year. So hold me accountable - and join me if you dare.

Taking Care of My Mom

My Father-in-Law had a mild stroke yesterday. He is doing great. But what a scare!

It reminded me how important Grandparents are to families. My kids adore their grandfather - he makes them laugh a lot.

I also thought about how children learn how to care for their parents by watching their parents care for their grandparents. My kids are gonna care for me like I care for my Mom.

How do you care for your parents? Is that what you want as you age? Just a thought.........

It's Roland or You

It was 1969. I was in the 5th Grade - yes, I'm old! I sat behind Roland Rodriquez. I was a sweet little 5th grader, raised in church - very naive. Roland opened my mind - maybe not in a good way. He taught me all kinds of 4 letter words - complete with definition, spelling. He definitely expanded my vocabulary! Which is funny because I don't think he did very well in school himself. My parents would never have talked to me about the things Roland talked to me about. They definitely never used those words. I really didn't think they did those things...........(of course I'm the baby of 4 girls..........maybe they did just 4 times by accident.??...) All day long I sat at my desk spellbound learning new things from my friend. I learned it all at the age of 9 at school - and that was way back in 1969!

I've had a couple of conversations with PeeWee parents in the last week about SEX - not really about sex, but about things of the world that they didn't want their child exposed to -yet. These conversations reminded me of my friend Roland.

As a parent you want to protect your child from worldly adult things - and you should. As a parent, you don't want to use the word sex and your child's name in the same sentence. It creeps you out. You want to avoid. You want to wait. Especially PeeWee families think they have plenty of time to talk about that subject.

Whether you are ready or not, your PeeWee sees people at the store and in the neighborhood. Whether you are ready or not, they talk to other children that may not be raised in a home like yours. Whether you are ready or not, there is someone in your life that:

• Is divorced
• Is living with someone they aren't married to
• Is pregnant
• Is getting married
• Is married

All of these subjects bring questions to a child's mind. Most of these involve sex. Now, believe me, I'm not a proponent of exposing small children to adult subjects. But I do believe that as a parent you need to be entering conversations about marriage and family with your PeeWee. You need to help them see what God says about these subjects. You need to make sure that they know that you are available to talk about these subjects with them. One day they will have really deep questions and concerns - who do you want them to ask then?

Roland or you?????????

There is a reason I remember his name 40 years later, because I only had 1 class with him that year. He played a role in my life.......he wasn't chosen by my parents.........but he played that role. In 1969, you didn't talk about that stuff.

Today..........there are a wonderful set of books that help you start those conversations. The wonderful thing is that they are written from a Biblical perspective. They are not crude, and they present God's perfect plan. They can help you talk to your children about the fallen world we live in and God's plan in all of it. They help you celebrate with your PeeWee the beautiful way God created each one of them. God's Design for Sex is a set of 4 books. Each is written for a specific age child. I recommend all parents get them and use them at the appropriate times.

Remember..........it's Roland or you?

Your choice............

Discipline Part 3: Discipline on Your Feet/Not Your Seat

When I was teaching, my district had a motto.............

Teach on your feet, Plan on your seat

The meaning was that teaching was an active sport. Don't be tied to your desk. Move around. Be where the kids are.

Parenting is an active sport............especially discipline. You can't discipline from across the room. You must be near the child. It is active - so being tired is normal. The good news is that if you will be active and consistent now...............as your PeeWee grows up, the sport gets easier because you are both "in shape".

So start each day ready

• Plan ahead with your spouse by setting rules, boundaries, rewards, and punishment.
• Pray for wisdom and grace and love for your children, and don't forget energy and strength.
• Then get in the game! Enjoy your children. Take responsiblity for their learning and training. Get off the bench, bed, couch, etc. and get active with your kids both playing with them and loving them, and disciplining them.
• Be consistent all day long.
  

Discipline Part 2: Are You a Slot Machine?

Ever been to Vegas? Go ahead and admit it.......I will. The slot machines fascinate me - and so do the people sitting at them! You become mesmerized by the spinning fruit. You continue to put money in even with no reward..........because there is always the hope of a reward. If you get 1 prize, you will be motivated to continue trying because there is a chance it will happen again. Sporadic rewards can be very motivating for behavior to be repeated.

Did you know that you can be like a slot machine to your PeeWee? Your random punishment is like the random rewards from a slot machine. It is kind of reverse reward. Your PeeWee is willing to take a chance that you aren't going to discipline her this time - so she continues to do the same behavior.

So actually random punishment, is really a reward. It feeds the excitement of the behavior slot machine, and keeps the PeeWee pulling the arm over and over. If you aren't going to consistently punish bad behavior - don't bother to punish randomly - you are getting the same result either way.

Unplug the slot machine............and become consistent. Do what you say you are going to do every time.

James 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Discipline Part 1: Your Child the Scientist

Remember the Scientific Method? That thing you documented when you did science experiments. Did you know that it is a natural learning technique? All those years in science and you thought the whole idea was so foreign - you really knew about it from birth; and even practiced it from birth. I'm not kidding! Let me show you what I mean.........

Hypothesis - experiment - note results - draw a conclusion

Everything your child does is an experiment - the results are written in his memory - he draws conclusions about the world around him based on these experiences. Let me show you what I mean..........

Experiment#1 - Grab something that is a no-no

2 Different Results Could Happen:

• Mom says no and takes away ~ Conclude that this didn't work
• Mom trades the no-no for a toy ~ WooHoo :) That worked beautifully!

Experiment#2 - Take a toy away from a friend

2 Different Results Could Happen:

• Mom says no and takes away ~ Conclude that this didn't work
• Mom lets you keep the toy and gives the friend another ~ WooHoo :) That worked beautifully!

What did your PeeWee learn today? Or maybe I should say.......what did you teach your PeeWee today? Without planning to, if you use the 2nd result, he now knows the fastest, most efficient way to get a toy. Whereas, with the 1st choice of results, he will eventually experiment with asking nicely - and then learn this is the best way to get a toy.

Sometimes one experiment that ends negatively is all that a child needs to reach a conclusion. Some PeeWees want to complete the same experiment over and over hoping for a different result. It is very important that the same lesson is learned each time, so be consistent.

Remember Consistency is your friend!

Parenting Lesson: look at the end result of an encounter..........what did my child learn from this. You may be teaching lessons that you don't even realize. Some of them may be counteracting your intentional lessons. Just something to think about.........

Gig 'Em Kids!

School is about to start ...... again. You would think I would get used to it after all these years. You see I taught 1st grade for 5 years, preschool for another 4......... I've directed a preschool for 8 years now........ I've sent 3 children off to school for the last 18 years! So, (counting my school years) - for the last 44 years, I've enjoyed the excitement of the first day of school. I love new beginnings, fresh starts, new notebooks and backpacks and lunch boxes and cool new pens.

In the next couple of weeks I will enjoy the newness of:

• Another year of PeeWee School
• My daughter's 2nd year of teaching
• My college kids' new semester

Which are all very exciting and good................but the next few days will be a little sad too.

Haleigh drove off this morning. :( With the wind in her hair she set off to conquer another semester of college. She is so smart and witty......... and she is gonna do great. She is headed off to where she is supposed to be......... it is a good thing. She spoiled me all summer with her time. We laughed - mostly at me. We watched movies. We ate together. We talked. But now she is gone.

Drew is home right now. I've missed him all summer - he was busy with a job in Austin. I'm enjoying this week together. But he will leave Sunday. :( He needs to go and finish his degree and be challenged at school and do great things - but I'm gonna miss him.

Sunday Mark and I will stand on the driveway and wave goodbye............like I did today. Then we will proceed to take the house back! It is a good thing. We can get back into our routines and healthy eating. It will be quiet............

Everyone is where they should be........... Marisa and Steven in their house, Haleigh and Drew up in College Station, Mark and I at home. But I will still miss them.

So kids, here are some verses for this new beginning.........from your mother's heart:

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Psalm 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.

Gig 'em kids in all you do! Love God more today than yesterday.

Love, Mom

Helping the Body Grow

Lately, my body seems to grow without any help at all! Or as my dad used to say: "I'm watching my waist......I'm just getting it out there where I can see it." But truly, I digress, that's not what this is about.

We are bombarded everywhere we look with healthy habits and ways to stop the unwanted growth. We as Americans are getting bigger every day. But our church body is starving.

Ephesians 4 and Romans 12 are all about how the Body of Christ - the church - has many parts that all need to function together. It resembles our own bodies in that. So how do we get the church body to grow - to become strong - to get bigger and bigger?????

Ephesians 4: 16 - ".............when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

How does the body grow - when everyone is doing their part. When everyone is working together. When everyone is on board.

Believe me our church doesn't need a diet - we don't need to downsize - we need everyone to serve in their gifts and do their part.

So join a team and help us grow.

And together we can build up the church and provide a place for people of all ages to experience God's love and grace. And you will be shocked at the personal growth you will experience at the same time.

Worshipping with the RITZ

Have you ever wondered why we have Goldfish and Ritz and such in PeeWeeVille?

Yes, it's true we all like to eat.........but did you know that we actually put thought into it? That there is a legitimate reason that we feed all our PeeWees every time they come to see us?

Feeding a child in PeeWeeVille is the beginning of spiritual development. Let me show you what I mean:

• Familiar - A PeeWee is familiar with their bottle or cup, or with the crackers that we serve. We want the study of God's grace to feel familiar and comfortable for every child. We want them to think of God and what they learned as they use the cup or eat those crackers in another environment.
• Satisfying - Eating or drinking is a need for everyone. As we meet that need in PeeWeeVille, PeeWees can begin to relate to the fact that God meets all our needs. They don't have to sit hungry or thirsting when they are in God's house. God can meet all our needs - it would be very ironic to try to teach a preschooler that lesson if they were hungry or thirsty!
• Comforting/Caring - As we care for each PeeWee in PeeWeeVille, we want to be God's hands to them. We want to care for them as we teach them that God loves them so very much. We want to help them feel their Father's love.

PeeWees are concrete thinkers as opposed to abstract. They need to touch and feel and see and taste something to make it real. As they get older and develop a ton of memories, they will become more abstract and be able to think about things that they aren't touching at the moment. Since we can't use our senses to really explore God.........although He did give us a beautiful creation to explore ............ we want PeeWees to feel full and comfortable as we tell them about how wonderful their Father God is.

Snack time isn't a time filler for us...........it has an intentional place in the worship hour for a PeeWee..............................just so you know!

Volunteering

I lead a very volunteer intensive organization. I started as a volunteer at the beginning of PeeWee Ministry and now I lead almost 200 volunteers. It has been a while since I was a volunteer. Today, I stepped out and volunteered in the community in a position I am very passionate about and have wanted to do for a long time. Unfortunately, the horrible experience I had today as a volunteer almost totally overshadowed the joy of serving in my passion. Let me explain:

• I left feeling disrespected........ My contact was 30 min. late for our meeting, and I was asked to wait 3-4 times during the morning.
• I left feeling unnecessary.......... No one called me for over 6 weeks. No one apologized or made excuses, but they admitted that they hadn't called me back.
• I left feeling unwanted....... Instead of trying to help me today and give me customer service, I kept hearing how someone else had dropped a ball and so they weren't ready for me.
• I left feeling unimportant........ A couple of times I was placed in the middle of other volunteers that were having personal conversations. No one acknowledged my presence.
• I left feeling awkward, embarrassed, dumb....... No one trained me. I showed up today and was thrown into a situation of performing a task I had never done before without any instruction. My contact was there to watch me and tell me what I did wrong - how awkward!

The organization is a good one. The role is great. And I'm not quitting!! This is what I need to do and I enjoyed it - in spite of the feelings above! But I learned some important lessons and I want to make sure that PeeWee Ministry volunteers never feel any of the things above.

• Returning phone calls promptly is not only an absolute but just good manners.
• When we make an appointment with a volunteer we need to be there early and prepared to help them be the best volunteer they can be.
• Good Customer Service is a must.
• We need to remember to introduce new people to our friends and not be cliquish.
• We need to refine and polish our volunteer training so that they are successful from day one.

We are not a perfect ministry. We make mistakes. But these are values we hold high and after experiencing the lack of them........I'm even more sold on their importance! We should never let our lack of preparation and manners squelch a passionate volunteer. You see volunteering doesn't just help PeeWee Ministry, but our volunteers are also growing in their faith while they serve God in PeeWeeVille. What an awesome, beautiful responsibility ............. how amazing that God chose me with all my faults to help others grow...........

Thank you for today God........... let me remember this experience forever........... make me better because of it. And forgive me for the times I have not led like you would lead.

Love your spouse today.......

Yesterday I talked to 2 different couples that are going through divorce. All that kept going through my mind was:

• Why?
• What are you thinking?
• Stop!!!!!!!!

Physically, I felt ill, and full of a rage almost. I wanted to slap some sense into them. Well............I refrained, but decided to blog some sense into anyone that would listen.

Love your spouse today! You and your spouse have to become a team. You have to lock arms and go through life together because, life is hard..........kids will behave badly.........things will hurt.........bad things will happen to you.........you will be tempted.

So anyone reading this...............love your spouse today:

• Pray for your spouse
• Ask for God's help to love your spouse
• Tell your spouse all the things you first fell in love with about him/her
• Love your spouse emotionally today
• Love your spouse physically today
• Love your spouse sexually today

LOVE YOUR SPOUSE TODAY and cling together for the ride that is your life.

Freakazoid

Well the results of our survey are in.................
Here is what you said you fear the most when it comes to your kids:

1. 3 answers tied for first place: Physical harm, Poor choices, Death
2. Health as the fourth top parental fear you gave.

Those are big things to fear. I know I feared them for my kids...........and I am still concerned and prayerful about all of them even today. I think that probably shows our love for them - at least being concerned about those things. That is what helps us make better choices as their parent. For instance:

• Because I am concerned for my child's poor choices - I am going to teach him right from wrong continually.
• Because I am concerned for my child's physical harm - I'm going to make sure she doesn't play in the street.
• Because I am concerned for my child's health - I'm going to make sure we eat healthy meals.

I think you get it. Concern leads to prayer and wise actions...........fear can lead to paranoia.

• We become paralyzed. We don't want our children to participate in anything or go any where because something might happen.
• We become control freaks. We want to control every aspect of our children's lives.

The good news is............. God is in control, so you don't have to be afraid! God is God and you are not. God loves your kids even more than you do. God is the only one who can truly protect them. We don't have to fear.

Think about Moses' mother. Read Exodus 2:1-10. She wanted to protect her son. She took care to hide him. She took care to make a basket for him and leave his sister to watch over him. But ultimately - she put him in God's hands. God protected him. God provided the Princess to find him. God protected Moses because He cared for him and He had great things in store for him.

God will protect your child too. God loves her and has great things in store for her. So ask Him to help you parent your child. Ask Him to protect your child. Ask Him to show you what to do to be the best parent you can be. And then rest in Him.

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Psa 94:19 When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psa 139:11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"
Psa 139:12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
Psa 139:13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psa 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
1Pe 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Luk 12:22 And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
Luk 12:23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
Luk 12:24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
Luk 12:25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Mat 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Why do they do what they do????

A few months ago, we talked about how kids are Martians sometimes........ Do you ever feel that way? Do you ever ponder the "why" behind kids' actions?

I think it is important to discuss bad behavior. I think it is good to find the "trigger" for your child and work with him/her on better responses to that trigger. What happens if you can't find it? What do you do if there is no "why"?


James 4:17 - "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."


Sometimes our precious children are just sinning. So even though the Bible says that everyone sins........why is it so hard to admit that we have given birth to a sinner?

I think sometimes we as parents are embarrassed. So if we know that our kids are going to make bad choices.........if we know our kids are going to sin...........why is it embarassing to us? A reason for bad behavior somehow makes it easier for us to "save face". Is it hard to admit that your kids embarass you? If it is.........hang on, you will have many opportunities in their lifetime to experience it. It never gets easy though.

Whether we like it or not, to some degree, our kids behavior becomes a reflection of our parenting. So what do you do................

1. Call it what it is - disobedience; sin
2. Remember it was your child's choice not yours
3. Look for triggers - but don't get paralyzed trying to figure them out.......sometimes kids just do stuff.
4. Look at your parenting - make changes where you need to to be consistent and your child's leader; but remember it was your child's choice not yours.
5. Allow your child to receive the consequences for his/her bad choice. Don't try to be the savior - you aren't.
6. Be sure to support the other authorities in your child's life that may be dealing with the bad behavior also.
7. Help your child learn to make better choices next time.

Kids can be weird..........sometimes there is no explaining why they do what they do. The more consistent we as parents are in dealing with the bad behavior - the shorter the lifespan of the bad behavior.

Celebration Weekend!

What a glorious weekend we had! Easter is such a great celebration of God's love for us and Jesus' victory over death and sin. I hope that you and your family enjoyed the time and celebrated like crazy! Here in PeeWeeVille we have calendars of activities that you can do all month to continue the learning and fun. I hope you are taking advantage of those activities and enjoying a month of thinking about Easter and the hope it brings.

Every Easter I look for new ways to present the story to preschoolers. This year I found a lot of very good books and we used them in PeeWeeVille. Each year as I hear stories from PeeWees I'm reminded that the Easter story isn't too hard for them, and we don't need to skip over it. Granted, you shouldn't go into graphic detail about the torture of the cross, but PeeWees understand sin, heaven, God's love, and the joy of Easter.

I heard a lot of stories the past 2 weeks that reminded me of how much kids can understand:

• I heard about Kindergarteners that came in on Thursday talking about Jesus dying on the cross that day...........so they were off a day...........they got it any way.
• I heard about 3 and 4 year olds that talked in the car about the cross and Jesus dying on it.
• One family had a sign in the yard with a cross on one side and Easter celebration on the other. Their 4 year old couldn't wait to wake up on Easter and turn the sign around to show the joy to the neighbors.

Sometimes hard subjects are easy to ignore. But if we share them anyway, God can work in ways we don't understand to give wisdom and understanding. So basically,

• Don't ignore.
• Pray about how your teach your kids and what answers you give to their questions.
• Answer what they ask only - no need to give details that they weren't asking for.

Now...........let me hear your stories from Easter. What did your child say, or ask, or some how show they appreciated Christ' sacrifice?

Again with the Yardstick List

.........So how are you doing on your Yardstick List?

If you don't normally follow my blog, this is the list of characteristics and traits that you want to see in your child as they grow up. Like as they grow up the yardstick in height are they changing in character, or you teaching or modelling traits that are representative of a Christ Follower?

So, have you made your list?

Have you developed some sort of strategy to teach these traits?

Are you and your spouse both working on the same Yardstick List together?

I found a new book that I think will help parents develop their list and the strategy to move forward on it.

Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna

Great for couples to go through together. It also has a workbook, and a leader's guide to lead a small group through together. Great stuff!

Smelling like Jesus

It's Spring...........things are budding. It is beautiful to the eyes. It feels good to the skin for the temperature to be warmer. I hear people talking about opening their windows and enjoying fresh air. But for me - it is like walking through a haunted house. There is something waiting to be sucked up my nose and send me into a sneezing fit! The outside looks scary. You see, I have allergies. What is beautiful and fun for most - holds the potential for a migraine or coughing attack.
Because of my history of allergies, I tend to stay inside. I don't want to let my senses experience the spring time. Because of my history, I don't trust the air outside! Maybe I should just become the bubble lady!

2Co 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 2Co 2:15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 2Co 2:16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

I thought of my allergies as I read 2 Corinthians a while back. You see, we are supposed to be the fragrance of God to our neighbors and friends. It should be the sweet fragrance of spring. But sometimes:

• We aren't sweet.
• We don't help people see the beauty of God.
• We don't look or smell like God at all.

The result is that we make people hurt - like my allergies do to me. Then our friends, neighbors, and our children become afraid to experience God again.

I don't want to be an allergen fighting against the aroma of God. I want to truly look, feel, and smell like Jesus. I want people - especially my family - to be drawn to God because of the way I treat them.

So how do I fully take on the aroma of God.........................

2Co 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

God help me:

• let you lead me
• let you fill me
• to spend time with you and get to know you better
• to take on your aroma
• to smell like Jesus all the time
  

As Different As They Can Be

We have 3 kids. They are as different as they can be.

• One is quiet, compliant, loving, and cares for others.
• One is direct, rational, to the point, and yet very giving.
• One is funny, friends with everyone, loyal, and truly loves people.

We have 3 kids. They are as different as they can be. They are all Aggies - whoop! They have all approached their school work and careers totally differently. They all have a relationship with Christ - WooHoo!! They all followed a different path to start that relationship.

• One felt the love of God and how He had made her so special..........and that led her to faith.
• One saw his sin and need for salvation .............and that led him to faith.
• One craved a relationship with Christ.........and that started her faith walk.

We have 3 kids. They are as different as they can be. Thinking about the 3 paths they took to start their walk with Christ, made me realize how important it is to offer children the truth of God in many forms. You don't know which is going to strike a cord in their heart. You don't know which is going to be the "lightbulb" for each one of them. They are not cookie cutters of you, so don't assume they will accept faith as you did. God created each one of them individually, so don't assume their relationship with Christ will look just like yours does.

We as parents must not assume our children will follow our faith path. We must not assume that what sparked our journey will spark theirs.

• We as parents must share the truth of Christ with our children in many different ways: relationally, as a product of God's love, as an answer for our sinful nature, as God's perfect plan from the beginning, .............. You don't want to miss the one that resonates with each of your children.
• We must be creative as we show our children our Heavenly Father by using many different mediums - books, poetry, nature, art, music.

We have 3 kids. They are as different as they can be. In every aspect of life, they will see the world differently. They will choose a different path. They will relate to us differently. And that is just as it should be! God is a creative God. He made each of us special and different. I don't think He expects us to all follow the same path. I think He enjoys meeting each of us in different ways and different places.

The lesson.............recognize and then enjoy your kids differences.

Psa 139:13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psa 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.

Mrs. Lisa and the Terrible, Horrible.................

Have you ever read the book: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst? It is a great children's book - one of my favorites. It helped me laugh at bad days. I could relate to the book, because I have bad days, my kids had bad days, my guess is that you do too. In fact, today could be a bad day..............

I awoke this morning to the sharp pains of what felt like a dagger being turned in my eye - the left one. Movement hurts, breathing hurts, and besides that I'm ticked off that I have to go through the day - a very busy one - with the dagger slowly moving into my brain and then down to my ear. This stinks! How am I supposed to do all the important things I have to do today with this going on???

And then I remembered................I'll do it like I do every day, with God's help. He could take the pain away today - and then again, He may not..........He is God after all. But what I'll learn is, that if I depend on Him and give Him my day from the very beginning.........whatever needs to be done will be done and done well. This is a lesson I need daily. This is a lesson my kids need to learn.

My first action this morning.......as soon as I opened my eyes was to close them again. "God you know all these things that must happen today........I need your help. I can't do this alone."

You know I kind of needed the headache today to remember where my strength comes from. Wouldn't it be great if I could do that every morning without a headache ......................................................Wow, that's crazy talk! Must be the dagger talking!
But maybe............


Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
(Psa 37:5 ESV)

Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
(Pro 16:3 ESV)


The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
(Psa 28:7 ESV)


But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
(Psa 59:16 ESV)


The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
(Psa 118:14 ESV)


"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."
(Isa 12:2 ESV)

Love Your Spouse

Love the dog out of your spouse!

• Whether it is Valentine's Day or not............love the dog out of your spouse!
• To give your child security in the home..........love the dog out of your spouse!
• To show your child how to love others...................love the dog out of your spouse!
• To follow God's command.......................love the dog out of your spouse!
• To be the best spouse you can be.....................love the dog out of your spouse!
• To be the best parent you can be.....................love the dog out of your spouse!
• To spice up your sex life.............................love the dog out of your spouse!
• The answer to most marital questions........................love the dog out of your spouse!

Use Valentine's Day as a reminder, but not a boundary for your love and actions of love. Love your spouse better than you love yourself, serve your spouse constantly, and praise your spouse as you talk to others - that is how you love the dog out of your spouse! So love your spouse without bounds - all year long........forever and ever!

Give your child the gift of love - not just to him/her; but the gift of loving your spouse too.

Make Room for Daddy

To all moms out there.....................

Are you creating an environment where your PeeWee

• can respect his father? Do you respect him? Do you present him to your child in a way that shows respect and paints the best picture of him that you can?
• can spend time with her father? Do you make it possible for Dad to be a part of your young child's life? Do you plan special "Daddy times" or re-arrange your day to make sure he is a part of it?
• can love his father, by loving him yourself?

I think God created the family - a mom and a dad. Both parents bring a unique set of skills into raising a child - and both are needed for a child to grow. I think we as women are guilty sometimes of taking over both roles. In the beginning babies are more dependent on their moms, but we women forget to create an environment where both parents are needed and respected and a vital part. We overstep our bounds.

This last week we had Donuts with Dad at PeeWee School. There were tons of Dads and Grandfathers in the building. It was great! Most of them are never seen around here because mom does the carpooling. But it was a special time for these PeeWees to show off to their dads. Good for you PeeWee School moms that made sure Dad got the invitation and marked his calendar. Good for you for taking an extra responsibility that morning so Dad would be free to come. Good for you for giving your PeeWee that special time.

Moms are important, don't get me wrong. But every child needs a female and a male role model, love, and companionship. Don't sell your spouse short...........don't sell your child's father short.........don't try to be both.

**Disclaimer.............I realize, some Dads do not live up to their responsibilities. I realize that some Dads are absent. I realize that some Moms are forced to take on both roles, and I realize that is very hard to do - so way to go for staying the course.

For most of you....................Give Dad a chance...........Make room for Daddy!


Saturday is the Valentine Making Party........wouldn't it be great for your PeeWee to have Mom and Dad both there???????

Laugh a Little

Kids truly say the darnedest things! I feel so blessed in my job, because I'm around small children all the time. I'm able to talk to them and mainly listen to them a lot. They make me laugh.....a lot! I'm also blessed in that you parents send me funny stories from your kids a lot. Thanks! I love it! I love to laugh........and kids make me laugh.

I was just reading a great story by e-mail from a friend and her 6 year old. It reminded me of stories from my kid's childhood. I won't share them............too many for this space..........and besides, they would hate me for it. But I did write them down. I kept baby books and calendars when my kids were preschoolers. We have buckets of stories and pictures and awards from their school years. This summer we cleaned out the attic and spent days reading the stories and laughing so much.

So I want to challenge you preschool parents:

• Laugh, laugh, laugh.............enjoy your kids. They are funny. They need to see the joy they bring to you. So laugh at some stuff.
• Document, document, document............journal..........write, save the stories. You will be surprised how quickly the mind fails and you begin to forget. Save the stories.
• Share, share, share...........with close friends and with your child's consent. Don't embarrass your child by telling everyone everything, but share with close friends and family.
• Tell me................I love to hear stories of my PeeWees and I love to laugh.
  

Life goes by quickly........cherish the moments........and laugh a little. Parenting doesn't have to be all serious business. God gave us a sense of humor and the ability to laugh, so enjoy His creation!

Lifelong Friendships

As you made your Yardstick List for your child/children.........did you list something about friends? I know I always did. I wanted my children to be good friends, to have good friends, to know the joy of having someone to lean on and laugh with, to be able to go through life with someone and not be alone..........

I think God created us to crave friendship, to not want to be alone, to need the help of a friend.
Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
Ecc 4:10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Parenting is hard work. You need the help of a friend. I have had many acquaintances, but I was blessed with 3 lifetime friends that helped me through hard times in my parenting and celebrated the happy times of my parenting. Even when I have moved away from them - the friendship remained. One of these friends was with me when my father died, 2 of these friends were with me as I gave birth to my children, and all 3 were at the wedding of my oldest daughter last month. Of the 3, one is more like a sister to me than the others, but all were there for me; and I know that all of them will be there for me when I need them.

The values of parenting with close friends are:

• Sharing the struggles
• Laughing together
• Learning together
• Giving your children other adult role models
• Having someone to lean on

And the list goes on......................

If you are parenting alone right now, pray for God to send you a friend. Pray for someone who shares your likes and passions, someone you will enjoy spending time with, but also someone who will challenge you in your Faith Walk. Pray for someone who has the same values and ideals as you do. Pray for someone whose Yardstick List is similar to yours. Pray for a friend.

Then begin to be a friend to others. Begin to develop friendships. Take a risk and talk to someone. Take a risk and let someone know you.

If you are not currently in a Small Group setting studying the Bible with others, join a Small Group. At Clear Creek Community Church you can get involved in a Small Group through Grouplink.

Talk to other parents when you drop off and pick up your child at church or preschool. Attend family events at church or preschool. In PeeWeeVille next month we will host a Family Valentine Making Party - February 7 9am-11am. This is a great chance for you to interact with other families of Preschoolers at our church.

Make some good lifelong friends for your sake as a parent, but also for your PeeWee. Be the example to your child of how to be a friend and the value of friendships.

I received an e-mail from a woman last week who was disappointed that she hadn't made any friends at our church. I hate that too, but as I talked to her I realized that she hadn't made any effort to meet anyone or put herself in a position to get to know others. Friends will not fall in your lap! You must prepare yourself to be a friend and then practice being a friend. But oh, the beautiful flowers that will grow in that garden if you put the effort in the beginning.