Ps. 18:1-19  What an AMAZING picture of God as a warrior!

The picture of a mother grizzly bear ran through my mind as I read this.  I'm sure you've seen a nature clip where the bear cub has somehow gotten away away from the mother and runs into something that is coming after it or is trying to hurt it.  As soon as the bear cub starts bawling, you hear the mother bear roaring and out she comes crashing from the bushes at full speed ready to pummel whatever it is that's attacking her baby.  This scripture characterizes God the same way. 

Daughter crying, Father hearing

Earth shaking, mountains quaking

smoke pouring, flames leaping,

Storm clouds brewing, angel soaring

Darkness veiling rain clouds brewing

Presence coming, Brilliance shining

Hail raining, coals burning

The Lord thundering, The Most High shouting

Arrows scattering, lightning flashing

My Savior rescuing, My God reaching

My Lord upholding,  My Father delighting

Interesting.  I've never been one for poems as I've never really understood them but this one came to me after I read the verses and was trying to describe the feeling of awe, the amazing understanding of God's response when one of His children call out to Him. 

Awesome.

God's word is so amazing.  No matter what you're going through God's word has some piece of information, wisdom or tool to help you get through it. 

There's a situation in my life that I would really like to see changed but something that I have absolutely no control over.  (That's a growing experience for me!)  I've been battling with the thoughts that say, "God really can't do anything because He's given us free will so unless the person or persons choose the right action, God's hands are tied."  The thing is, I believe that statement is true to a certain degree because the fact is, God is not going to force His will over ours. 

However, God has given us His word that gives us insight and understanding and faith to believe God for the impossible.  It says in Rom. 8:28 that God will work all things together for good to those who love God and called according to His purpose.  This was one of the first scriptures I memorized and it is one that I often direct back to God saying, "OK, God.  You said that all things work together for my good so work good out of this situation!"   2 Cor. 9:8 is a good one. "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."  This is another one that I bring to God's attention on a regular basis. 

So no matter what your situation is, you can build your faith to believe God for a change if you're basing it on His word.  After all, God's word is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.  '"Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?'

Last Thursday I helped Ethan & Jaeden make valentine's day cards.  They weren't just normal paper valentine's; they were made out of foam and pipe cleaner and candy so they took extra time to make.  In fact, it took us 2 hrs. to make 6 cards. (That's 3 each)  Anyways, the cards were really cute.  Jaeden wanted to do butterflies and Ethan wanted to do race cars. (How can you tell they're a girl and a boy?  :)  The candy made up the body of the object.

Well, we got them finished in time to go to swim lessons so I left them on the counter.  Later on the evening I noticed that two of Jaeden's butterflies were missing so I asked Ethan if he knew what happened to them and he said he didn't so then I asked Jaeden if she knew where they went.  She proceeded to tell me, without even balking might I add, that she had ripped them up and threw them in the garbage because she was 'done with them'.  I was just so surprised and not even expecting that answer that I said, "What?  What are you talking about?  You did what?"  She repeated herself in a little quieter voice this time with an expression of, "Am I saying the wrong thing?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing so I asked her, "You threw both of them away, candy and all?"

She answered in a timid voice, "Yes."

I believed her but just couldn't understand why in the world she would get it in her head to do such a thing when I had explained we were going to send them to people.  I was just astounded and VERY irritated, mind you, considering we had spent 2 hours on the darned things.  The thing was, I couldn't even check the garbage to get them out of it because I had taken the garbage out that afternoon and it had been picked up. 

When Randy got home I told him the story to which he shook his head and shrugged but then at bedtime he was in getting the kids ready and lo and behold!  He came out with a candy wrapper; the exact one, in fact, that had been 'painted' for the valentine.  I couldn't believe that first of all, I didn't even think to check their bedroom and second that Jaeden (and Ethan for that matter) had just straight-faced out and out lied to me!  wow!  My kids are sinners??  NO WAY!!!   haha

I'm sure every kid goes through this to some degree or another.  I remember lying whe I was little about where I got the bubblegum I was chewing from.  I had stolen it from a store called 'Zim's' but of course, my parents didn't know and wouldn't find out if I just lied! :)  The problem was, I hadn't really thought it through about what I was going to say if my parents asked.  So when Dad asked, I told him I got it from the store.  Of course the minute I told him, I realized the 'error' of my answer and quickly thought about a reply to the next obvious question of, "Where did you get the money?"  I'm pretty sure I told him I got it out of Mom's purse.  I don't know HOW they knew but they knew that I had stolen the gum.  Actually, come to think of it,  I was pretty good at stealing.  Regina (my little sister) and I would casually walk down the candy aisle and I would slip candy into my pocket.  Now don't get me wrong; I'm not saying this because I'm proud of it.  On the contrary, I'm saying it because I know  (from experience) how easy it is to keep sinning once you've started and have had instant gratification to which there has been no discipline or reprocussion. 

Well, LUCKILY my parents found out and disciplined me which to this day I have never forgotten.  (And as a side-note:  I've never stolen since)  Dad made me go back to the store and admit to the clerk that I stole the gum, apologize and then pay DOUBLE for it.  It worked, needless to say.

So...the question is, what would be the right course of discipline in this case with my kids that would teach them not only not to do it again but the MORAL reason why lying is bad?  I'm not sure that I've narrowed it down to an easy pat answer but I am going to make them take money out of their earnings and buy two more packs of candy to replace the ones they ate.  (Even though I have packs to replace the ones they took)  I'm also going to spend devotional time this week around lying and why it's a sin.  The most important action that I need to do (which I should've done before now but better late than never) is have my kids repent for their actions to God and to me and then pray and ask God to teach them the importance of honesty.

There's many times that I catch myself doing or saying things that I immediately wished I had said or done it differently.  For example, yesterday my kids wanted to go outside to play so I dressed them up in their snowpants, winter boots, mitts, toques, etc. and then proceeded to attend to my 6 month old (Summer) who had just woken up and wanted to be fed so was screaming in the background.  Just as I picked Summer up, Jaeden (my 4 yr. old daughter) started banging on the door.  I was a little irritated from all the screaming from Summer and the fact that Jaeden had JUST gone out so I opened the door up and said in an irritated voice, "What?"  I was so saddened because when I had first opened the door she had a big smile on her face and then when I answered her with a rude, "What?" her little smile turned into a sad crushed look.  I felt AWFUL!  It was one of those moments where you'd do anything to take it back.  I apologized and told her I didn't answer the door very nicely and that the next time she knocked, I would answer more politely.  Luckily, she was graceful enough to give me a second chance and the next time I answered in a very friendly fashion,  "Yes?  What would you like?".

So you're probably wondering, "What does this have to do with trying a Groundhog?"  Well, I subscribed to the 'FamilyFun' magazine and received my first copy today.  It is SO good!!  I would highly recommend it even from the first issue.  Anyways, besides having other great ideas, the magazine had an article written by one Mom's (Ani Tuzman) idea to turn bad habits into good without 'nagging' or 'hounding'.  I think it's a wonderful idea and intend to try it out for myself.  She was having trouble with getting her son to do something and it seemed that no amount of pleading, ignoring, or thanking would change his behavior.  One day (after watching the show 'Groundhog Day') she came up with the novel idea of saying, "Want to try a Groundhog?"  What she was referring to was what happened on the movie;  Murray's character had to go through the same day over and over until he goes through the day doing everything right with consideration towards others around him when he's finally free to continue on with life. (It's a very cute movie if you haven't seen it).  So what her family ended up doing (after the new trend caught on) was that anytime they did something that they wished they had done differently, they would simply  do it again but do it right.  She found that their actions and attitudes were starting to change without having to go back and do it a second time.

So back to the case with my daughter banging on the door.  Even though I didn't term it 'trying a Groundhog', I essentially did the same thing by apologizing and then doing it over.  Jaeden knocked on the door a couple of times after that first time and even though I was in the middle of washing the dishes the third time she knocked, (and my attitude was still a little annoyed....) I still went over and politely answered saying, "Yes?  What would you like?"   Now that I've got the action worked out, Lord help me with my attitude!!  :)

Rom. 12:2  "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of t his world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

This scripture has been rolling around in my head for a week now.  I've been challenged with the thought that I'm conforming to the patterns of this world by worrying more about whether my kids can read, write and do math more than I 'worry' about whether they're following God and have a heart to serve and worship Him. 

The truth is, my kid's hearts must FIRST be turned towards God if I want to be an effective teacher to them.  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...." (Prov. 1:7)

It's such a challenging thought!  How can I put aside the pressures/demands of the world that says my kids have to be learning at 'such and such' rate or I'm not doing a good job and instead put God's command first which says to "Impress them (his commands) on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." (Deut. 6)

"In view of eternity, it is FAR more important that your children become wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ than it is they become 'well educated'."  (Educating the wholehearted child - Clay Clarkson)

It's so amazing.  You spend hours and hours doing something and it seems like you're not really doing at all and then one day, voila!  All of a sudden everything clicks and you see why you've been doing what you've been doing for so long!  (Anyone experienced that or do you even know what I'm talking about?!?) 

Today my son, Ethan, read ten words all by himself.  I've been teaching him alphabet recognition as well as the sounds of the letters and he's actually starting to put it all together!  yay!  It's so rewarding to see fruit from all the sowing. 

I imagine God sometimes feels the same way about us.  "Yay!  He/she put it all together!"