Jul. 2, 2008 - The Names of God

Recently, our pastor preached a sermon on prayer.  He mentioned about praying the format of A.C.T.S.  I have heard this format countless times in my life but have never really stuck with intentionally praying exactly this way. 

In case you are not familiar with praying ACTS:

A - Adoration (praising God for who He is)

C - Confession (of sins)

T - Thanksgiving

S - Supplication (presenting requests)

A few weeks ago, I decided to teach the kids to pray this way.  It has brought me into a deeper understanding of God and who He is.  I highly recommend that you give this a try.  I've changed the order of the letters.  I use this for presenting specific requests to God.  Here are a couple of examples:

(1) We would like more children.

C - Confession - Hopefully we have already confessed our sins immediately upon realization.  If so, we pray "Search us, God. Make us aware of our secret sins....."

A - Adoration - We choose a name or character of God that corresponds with the request we want to present.  "God, you are the Creator and sustainer of life......"

T - Thanksgiving - "Thank you for the 4 children you have given us so far......"  If we cannot think of an answered prayer that corresponds with our new request, then I have the children look for evidence in God's Word, an example where God answered a similar prayer for someone else"

S - Supplication - "Bless us with more children"

(2) A teen friend asked for prayer during a week of "boot camp".  Each day we prayed something different.  One day it was for peace among the teammates.

C - Confession

A - Adoration - God, you are Jehovah-Shalom, a God of peace....

T - Thanksgiving - Thank you for the peaceful country you have chosen us to live in.....

S - Supplication - Bless Sarah with peace among her team.  Give each a spirit of cooperation....

I found a Names of God wall chart that I would like to purchase.  It would be great to have on hand for prayer.  There are quite a few books and studies on the topic, as well.  If you're familiar with any that you highly recommend, let me know!

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May. 7, 2008 - Don't Be That Person

Wow!  I just found a verse (Heb 6:4-6) that speaks of the Christian that was once experiencing the goodness of the word of God and His power, shared in the Holy Spirit, and had at one time been enlightened.  This person once loved and obeyed God, was not a babe in Christ (prior verses).  If this type of person falls or drifts away from God, he is said to be "crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace". 

 Crucifying the Son of God all over again!!  Can't possibly get any stronger than that!  I don't recall ever hearing, reading, or paying any attention to that verse before.  I will never forget that verse now!

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Nov. 19, 2007 - O Come Let Us Adore Him

Dr. David Crandall, of Answers in Genesis, was the keynote speaker at a weekend conference at our church last week.  (He is such a dynamic speaker.)  He gave a brief 3 point outline at one point in the conference that still lingers with me today.

The 3 Responses to "O Come, Let Us Adore Him"

I. O Come, Let Us Destroy Him - those who sought to discredit Jesus; even to kill him.

II. O Come, Let Us Ignore Him - Jesus was born in Bethlehem, only 6 miles from Jerusalem, the hub of the religious community.  The very one they were waiting for was only steps away and yet they didn't recognize him for who he was.

III. O Come, Let Us Adore Him - The very first missionaries? The shepherds immediately went out to tell the good news.

My first thought was: O how could they not see that the very one they were waiting for was born, and only 6 miles away!  I would have rushed right over!

But then I thought: Would I have? Really?  Wasn't it just yesterday that I "ignored" him?  I didn't talk to him much.  I rushed through reading his Word.  Bad as it sounds, I'll call it what it really was: I had more important things to do.

I frustratingly try to do things of my own strength. I so often don't seek his help to train my children.  I forget to seek his counsel in planning my schedule.  On and on my thoughts went.  Yes, I am too often guilty of ignoring him, too.

Now the question is.....what am I going to do about it?

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Nov. 1, 2007 - A Good Day - It's All in Your Perspective

Today is a good day.

It is filled with life.

The life God has given me to cope with.

To contribute to.

I wouldn't want to miss a single moment of it.

Thank you, God, for this good day.

Psalm 118:24  "This is the day the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it".

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May. 21, 2007 - Psalm 147:10-11

I read Psalm 147:7-11 this morning. You should really take the time to read this short passage.  Here's how it spoke to me:

Our finances (lack of) do not allow the kids to participate in soccer, piano lessons, dance classes, gymnastics, etc.  My husband struggles with this more than I do.  He feels they are missing out and being "left behind".  This past weekend brought it back to his mind once again as we went to the piano recital of our neighbors.

I do not see the necessity of these extra curriculars.  First of all, I don't have much desire to have the calendar filled up with obligations to be here and there and everywhere. Secondly, to me they are not necessities. Most certainly, if we had the money I would be signing the kids up for a thing or two.  But I realize that God's purpose can be accomplished in our lives even without the extra curriculars, especially since He has not given us access to these "extras".

Psalm 147:10-11 (NIV)  "His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

More important to God than skill in sports, excelling in math, accomplished in music, ahead in reading, etc......is that we fear him, hope in him.

My husband may be struggling with feeling these extras or accomplishments are necessary. But these verses make me realize that I'm not filling my time with enough spiritual training in the children.  It's what delights the Lord the most and yet I'm falling short.  I teach my children about God and prayer and obedience. But if I evaluate my day honestly, I can see that it is a minor part of our daily lives instead of a major part. 

Today, I will begin to look for ways to implement spiritual training in every possible opportunity.  It's going to become foremost on my mind starting today.

Now, let me also say that Scripture is clear that we are to do everything "decently and in order" (I Cor 14:40) and "to the glory of God" (I Cor 10:31). We should work toward excellence whether it be schoolwork, sports, music, or whatever opportunities that God allows you to participate in.  Just don't let spiritual nurturing in your children be anything less than excellent! If spiritual nurturing is taking a back seat to other accomplishments then it is not to God's glory.

By the way, I took piano lessons for 10 years.  I can teach Chloe quite a bit and for FREE!  I've been teaching Chloe basic soccer skills for FREE.  I also asked a neighbor boy to give us some "lessons".  How fun! and FREE.  A neighbor girl has taught Chloe some simple gymnastics, too.  Just need to be resourceful!

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Mar. 6, 2007 - Power of Prayer

I've been a little quiet in the blog world for the past several days but things have been far from quiet in my home world.  I've been extra busy but at the same time I have been slowing down.  Slowing down because I'm so fatigued and because I'm trying to focus more on prayer.  I've been praying much for you fellow bloggers, for my family, for my daughter and our relationship, for my husband, etc.

I was recently reminded of a great answer to a prayer of mine that I wanted to share with you.

A little while back I locked my keys in the van in my garage.  The van was running but fortunately no kids in it!  And I was glad to be home and not elsewhere!

After trying several unsuccessful tactics of my own, I called a locksmith friend, Dan.  He lives quite a drive away and I had no money to pay for service but I thought he might have some suggestions I could try. Well, he came over even though I protested, unlocked my car in seconds and drove off satisfied with a simple "thank you".  I felt grateful and terrible at the same time.  

I stood there next to my van and prayed for Dan.  I thanked God for sending him.  Since I had no compensation for the service (which would have cost $50), I prayed that God would somehow bless Dan - maybe with extra business he wouldn't have had otherwise - in order to reward Dan's sacrifice for me.  Like I really need to give God ideas on how to bless someone!

I followed my prayer by mailing a thank you card to Dan including a mention I prayed a blessing for him.  Two days later, Dan called having just received my card.   He told me that in the time between taking care of my van and receiving my card, he had received the blessing I asked.   He was called to help an elderly woman who was locked out of her car.  She was so grateful to him that she gave him $50 above what she owed as a token of her appreciation. 

Dan was now calling me to tell me thank you!

So I ask myself, why don't I pray more!?  Why do I think God doesn't care about the little things? And why do I think other things are too big for God?  Shame on me!  I have had seasons of much prayer, much faith, and much blessing.  And I have had dry seasons. So why do I let fervent prayer be only a season instead of a way of life!  Well, lately I'm back to my efforts of making it my way of life.

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Feb. 21, 2007 - How To Hurt My Feelings

A friend from church called me yesterday because we hadn't talked in a long time.  We see each other in passing at church but it has been months since any conversation has been able to take place.  I like this woman but every once in awhile she says something that rubs me wrong.  Her comments usually are ones that make me feel like I don't know anything about being a mom.  Actually, come to think of it, maybe I don't and she can tell! - Read my earlier post "My Brain and How It Doesn't Work". 

So back to yesterday's phone call - a phone call that was not in any way encouraging for me.  Like me, she has 4 kids and of similar ages.  She is now pregnant with #5.  At one point in the conversation she says "Well you only have 4 children so "certain" things are easier for you."   And she says "You are only schooling 1so you're not really schooling yet". (she is schooling 2 of her 4).  No doubt there will come a day that she says to me "Well, you're only schooling 2 of your 4. It should be easy".

Ok!  So I'm not fully initiated into motherhood unless I have 5 children?  Or until I'm homeschooling 2 or more?   I'm not allowed to feel overwhelmed some days because I only have 4 kids?  I should have no challenges when schooling only 1 child?  Enter hurt feelings!

I'll push these feelings behind me. I always have before.  They're not worth get hung up on.

When my first child was born - I was overwhelmed.  Our marriage was affected.  The housework was affected. My energy level was affected. Our schedule was affected. Etc.

I now have 4 children and I am still often overwhelmed.  It's only in looking back that I think how easy only 1 child must have been.  But in reality, at the time, it wasn't easy.   And undoubtedly there will come a day, when I am schooling all 4 of my kids, that I will reflect and think, wow, how easy schooling only 1 must have been!  But it's not. It's challenging to get school accomplished with 3 preschoolers at my feet!

My challenge to you and to myself is.....1) Never forget where you've been and the struggles of the past.  In order to be a true encouragement to those on sections of the path where you've already been, you need to clearly remember what it was like.  I really think the picture gets rosier the farther off in the distance it falls.

2)  Never underestimate the struggles of another.  Don't trivialize the challenges in any way.

Due to my lack of memory, I started a "mother journal" several years ago.  In it I log my struggles, challenges, feelings, joys, etc, as they relate to motherhood.  I don't want to forget how each phase or season of life was like.  This is not much for my own sake but rather so that I will be a better encouraging friend and a better grandma some day.

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