No Fear

I am obviously late posting our memory verse for the week!  It's been a busy start of the week and I'm just finding the time to sit down and share.  This week's verse really fell into my lap.  Last week, my daughter went to Vacation Bible School at my in-law's church.  On the last night, she brought home all of her crafts from the week.  They were so sweet!  After she went to bed that night, I placed them as centerpieces and decorations in our dining room.  The next morning she was so excited to see everything I had displayed.  She pointed at one of the crafts and nearly said the entire verse!  She jumbled up some words and forgot a few as well, so I decided this should be the next verse we work on.  

The verse is Joshua 1:9 (shortened and paraphrased for a little one).  

"Be strong. Do not be afraid.  God is with you."

This verse is actually very applicable to Nella.  Lately, she has expressed fear in certain situations… from petting farm animals, letting us let go of her in the pool, and going down the slide to refusing to get her shoes out of her closet because she thinks there is a monster.  We were truly perplexed about where she heard about monsters in the closet!  She blames it on her cousin… who denies it… it's been a hilarious conversation over Skype.  Very much like her mother, she "plays it safe".  In contrast, her daddy is a risk taker.  This difference has always seemed to balance my husband and me.  At times I am a voice of caution to him, while he is so great at helping me step out of my comfort zone when it really is best.  

We are working with Nella on this… and I really think I continually need work in this area, too.  We have to learn to control our thought life and think on TRUTH, trusting in the Lord and his presence in our life, relying on his strength and power that is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  I have struggled with this before and during those times have remembered Philippians 4:8-9:

" Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious- the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." (The Message)

My prayer is that we will not let fear or worry govern our thoughts and our life, but that we will rejoice, even in the middle of suffering and trials, because we have been set free from that bondage through Christ our Lord.  There is freedom in Christ.

Why Do We Love?

Nella memorized her first Bible verse last week!  It is most definitely the sweetest collection of words to ever come out of her mouth… even in comparison to "I love you, Mommy".  There is something about her sweet, squeaky voice saying she loves the Lord that brings me (and, especially, our Father) great joy!  She is also very excited to share what she has learned with her daddy, who has been on a mission trip in South Africa and Mozambique for almost two weeks.  It will be a great surprise for him when he returns.

I saw the greatest commercial the other day.  It is not often that we have a TV on and even more rare that it keeps my attention with littles ones,  but I feel that God intentionally placed that commercial in front of me.  It was a scene of a little boy playing dodge ball in a gym while his mom is hovering in front of him protecting him from all the balls flying his way.  She is shouting with great determination, "Don't worry, honey, mommy is here!… I'll protect you".  It was completely comical and absolutely true of how I feel about my children. I want to dodge balls for them! Isn't it true that as parents we want to protect our child and rescue them from anything that might hurt them?!  And of course, we should have that desire.  That is part of our responsibility as parents.  But isn't it also true that there will be times when we can't be there right in time to save them?  Sadly, to a parent's heart, that is true, too.  Remember your little one's first fall… scraped knee… blood?   The first time they were really sick?  You just want to take it from them!  It is the most helpless feeling as a parent.  Seeing your child hurting or in pain is hard to bare. 

I feel like God is teaching me so much through that commercial… I could really go in many directions explaining what He revealed through that.  But what is on my heart now, is how it relates to my prayer for the verses I am teaching my child.   It is my prayer for her as we continue to learn what God's Word says that she will store up Truth in her heart so that one day, in the future, when she is walking through a season of trial and turmoil, trying to dodge all the balls flying her way (because we all go through those seasons) that she will find peace and refuge in Christ. 

I am really excited about this week's verse!  After professing last week our love for the Lord and learning that he hears us, I want to stay along the lines of love.  This weeks verse is 1 John 4:19:

"We love because he first loved us."

Left to ourselves, to our flesh, our love is so flawed…much of the time conditional… it really isn't love at all!  We choose to give it and we choose to take it away.  But, if you are a believer in Christ Jesus and the finished work of the cross that covers all our sin and shame… you have experienced LOVE!  Extravagant, sacrificial, perfect, unconditional, patient, forgiving, complete agape LOVE!  While we were sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:12).  It is through, not only His example, but through HIM that we love.  Because He, God, is love.  (1 John 4:16b)  We love because we have experienced God's love for us and it compels us to share it with others, to love others, even when we don't want to or when it is hard… that is where we find our need for Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to love through us-when it is hard.

Along with teaching Nella this verse, I am also going to read in small sections and talk about the latter half of 1 John 4.  If you have decided to join me in my "Summer Resolution" to teach and memorize scripture with your children, I would love to hear from you!  

A Summer Resolution

Lately I've noticed my daughter's conversations becoming continual… all day is one great, big conversation between the two of us.  It is the greatest joy and entertainment to hear her express herself now that she is becoming more vocal.  She totally cracks me up, sometimes we are both cracking up.  Toddlers are truly so cute!  Her silliness brings my husband and I countless smiles and consumes much of our conversation in the evenings after the house is quiet and it's just the two of us.  When we get on a roll talking about all of their cuteness, we usually end up sneaking into their room and watching them sleep… I know that might sound weird, but is so sweet to us!  If you have children or even a special niece, nephew or sweet little one in your life, I'm sure you can relate.  

It is amazing how they pick up on things… and a little scary, too.  My daughter has even became increasingly better at memorizing books and singing songs.  I feel that with this developmental growth spurt God is urging me to begin teaching her to memorize scripture.  So this is my new adventure and first chance since becoming a mom to get into my "teacher mode" from back in the day.  I know I have been the role of "teacher" to her all through her life, but this is getting serious… like get out the markers, card stock, scissors, and glue to make a bulletin board kind-of-serious!  It all started this morning when I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs.  It was so clear…  God is leading me to further how I am sowing the seeds of his Word into her heart!  I am so excited!  So I immediately stopped and said, "Nella, it's time to get the Bible out!"  She set off for hers in one direction and I went for mine in the other.  When we met back in the living room she asked, "We read the Bible, mommy?" And I said, "We are going to speak the Bible."  Before you could snap a finger, I was thumbing through my textbook (The Bible)  looking for the right verse to start with.    The verse I chose for this week is: 

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice." Psalm 116:1a

I wrestled between this one and a few others, but I felt it was clear why God led me here.  First, I want my children to love the Lord.  It is something Ken and I pray for them fervently.  Second, I want them to know He hears us!  What a great truth for a little one to grasp.  We have been modeling and teaching Nella to pray for several months now.  It has been such a joy to hear her prayers grow!  We both want her to speak to the Lord from her heart and love hearing what she comes up with… from, "thank you for my taco" to "I love you Jesus".  It is endearing!  But, now I want her to know that those are not words she is throwing into thin air.  God hears her gratitude and heart.  

I hope you can use this mess of a plan I have devised to join me in teaching our children Truth.  My goal is to teach her (and myself) one verse from scripture every week.  Being a little more "teacher-y" I color coded the words, in attempt for her to learn "concept of a word".  I put them on card stock and taped on a door in the kitchen where it is BIG and visible throughout the day.  I also put the verse on a notecard and taped it to my dash so that while we are in the car we can talk about it and practice saying it.  And… I came up with a  song.  My husband will looove this detail!  I will only sing it for her, but she really got into it when I started singing.  She was a little aloof while I was asking her to repeat each word after me, but when I starting singing it was as if a trance came over her and she became interested.  Since I have been slack about my blog lately, I am going to try to form a habit of posting our weekly verse.  I'm excited to teach my children God's word and hope you are encouraged to do this with your little one(s), too!  

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil…Therefore take up the whole armor of God… fasten on the belt of truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith… and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  ---Ephesians 6: 10, 13-17