Another Teachable Moment

Lately Rebekah has been dealing with fear in her life. She was never afraid of thunderstorms as a toddler, and she would even chase bugs to the point that I thought she would try to eat them. Over the past few days Rebekah began to express fear of the dark, fear of bugs, and even over the last several months she has been terrified of dogs and cats. She didn't even want to play out in the yard because a few dogs run loose in our neighborhood. Last week Rebekah said she was scared of everything, and for a couple nights in a row she was getting up out of bed for various reasons: for a hug, to tell us something she forgot, or just because she couldn't sleep. We put a nightlight in her room, but it was keeping her awake. One night I stayed in her room extra long for more cuddles and left her door cracked.

On Monday I gathered some verses in Scripture about fear and discussed them with Rebekah. The main verse we focused on is Psalm 56:3-4 which says, "When I am afraid I will trust in You. In God whose Word I praise. In God I will trust." I remembered Ryan's and Ginny's son Andrew singing on Ryan's blog and found it online to download. It comes straight from this passage of Scripture, and the song has been wonderful for giving Rebekah peace. I also discussed with Rebekah the verses that say, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God" and "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you." We talked about God being with her all the time, and that He is watching over and protecting her. We have had little problems since. We do crack the door to let a little light in the room, but she feels much more secure since we have been focusing on the Scripture passages dealing with fear.

Another great thing is that in AWANA Cubbies last week's verse was, "I trust in You, O Lord." What a great verse to tie in with Psalm 56! This week's verse for Cubbies is "Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Lord." I found a song of it from the same collection as the other song. It is from Steve Green's "Hide 'Em In Your Heart" collection. Along with this Rebekah learned Michael W. Smith's version of "Hosanna" and had her Bible verse memorized in one day!

The True Story of St. Patrick

A friend of mine posted the following link on Facebook, and I felt it was worth sharing here on my blog. Many people have no clue who the real St. Patrick was or what he did. In fact, I don't believe I ever heard it until last year. So without further adieu, click here for the true story of St. Patrick.

Defending the Truth

Every year our church, Woodland Park, has a Mission Conference to invite missionaries our church supports to come be refreshed, share what God is doing where they are at work, and to encourage the body to be missionaries wherever they are. Flags of all the countries where missionaries are sent out from our church are hung around the auditorium. It is incredible to see so many countries represented. I am truly humbled yet proud that our church places such a strong emphasis on missions. It is one of the many very unique things about Woodland Park.

While the worship services throughout the week are geared for the visiting missionaries, Bible fellowship classes invite the missionaries to share about what they do and how God is working. They share their needs and prayer requests. In addition, the children also learn about missions. In AWANA Cubbies the children learned about the apostle Paul and how he was a missionary. They learned what a missionary is and what they do. Throughout the week the children learned about a specific country where we have missionaries we support and what food they eat (and they even got to taste some if they wanted). They made a flag and pasted a map of the country with information about the missionaries there and a prayer request for them.

This year's conference had Ron Carlson from Christian Ministries International as its keynote speaker. The theme was "Defending the Truth". The unique thing about this year was that it focused more on equipping us in the church to defend the truth of Christianity. Sunday morning's sermon gave us an overview of different religions and cults and some of the basics of their beliefs, who they believe Jesus is, and what sets Christianity apart from them. His focus was their Jesus vs. our Jesus. They do not believe in the same Jesus we do nor the same God. Sunday night's sermon was about Evolution vs. Creationism and what science shows. Ron Carlson taught more in depth about the different Cults and what they believe on Monday night, about Mormonism on Tuesday night, and about Islam on Wednesday night. I had always wanted to learn about different religions and do a study on apologetics, and this was a great overview. I learned so much last week, and I was amazed at what some people believe. It is really sad that so many are misled.

I highly recommend listening to the sermons from last week's Mission Conference if you have never heard Ron Carlson speak. He is very intelligent, but he explains things in a way that the average peron can understand. Just click on the link above and you can download or just listen to the messages straight off of the website.

On a sidenote, I just realized that today marks the first anniversary of my blog. It's hard to believe that it has been a year already. It's been a great way to not only keep you informed on our lives, but it has been an outlet for journaling which I never would have done had it not been for my blog.

A Proud Mommy Moment

As a mom who is trying to teach my children to do the right thing because it pleases the Lord I never know how much is sinking into their little brains and how much they are understanding and retaining. With Joshua it's more of just correcting behavior, but with Rebekah I'm really trying to get to her heart. I know she is picking up some things because she will repeat them in discussions, but actions do really speak louder than words, and I couldn't be more proud of Rebekah today.

After the kids had lunch Rebekah asked to watch "The Little Einsteins" on TV. I was just sitting to eat lunch and it would be a little while before Joshua would go down for a nap, and he really enjoys this show as well. (He could mostly care less for TV, but he enjoys "The Little Einsteins".) So, I obliged. As the previews were showing I sat down with my lunch at the computer and checked my email. A couple minutes later Rebekah came over to me and informed me that The Little Mermaid was on and that we needed to turn it off. On her own without my even noticing the TV Rebekah had taken all our little talks over the last week or so since the big talk we had and put it into practice and did the right thing. (Mind you, it didn't clear up in just one big talk, but we've had smaller discussions about it daily, and I'm also using a princess unit from Homeschool Share's website that Candace wrote and suggested to me to teach about godly character as well.) I was extremely proud that Rebekah had recognized and remembered that Ariel dressed as a mermaid was inappropriate, and instead of feeding her own desires and watching it anyway she came to me to tell me that it was on and we needed to turn it off.

I told her how proud I was of her, and I told her how much that shows how beautiful she is inside for doing the right thing and pleasing the Lord. Again, I don't know how much is sinking in, but she is getting it, and I'm so proud that she really does want to please the Lord. Many times when she does the wrong thing and she apologizes to us and then to the Lord she will ask, "Does that make God happy?" I nearly got emotional with her today. It was just a really proud mommy moment for me, not that I'm doing anything right with her, but that God is making her heart tender for Himself and using me as a vessel to teach her what His Word says.

A Teachable Moment

When Darrin brought home a DVD copy of "Ariel's Beginnings" I wasn't too sure about it. I didn't push the issue, though, and Rebekah loves Disney princess. Lately, Rebekah's favorite princess has changed from Cinderella to Ariel, and in the most recent days Rebekah has either not wanted to get dressed after taking off her pajamas or she has stripped down to her panties once we arrived home after being out that day. Just last night Rebekah fought putting on her pajamas for bed, and it was COLD last night!

Darrin and I knew this acting out had to do with the way Ariel is dressed (or not dressed), so we decided the movie as well as the images of the character, such as coloring pages and clothing, would need to be removed from our home. I spent time in prayer last night and this morning as to how I would approach the subject with Rebekah and that she would be receptive to what I had to share.

So, first thing this morning I told Rebekah I had something really important to share with her. She was in a bit of a sour mood, but she enjoys our devotionals and agreed to do one from her book. Yesterday's devotional was about learning to read God's Word, so we reviewed it, and I asked Rebekah who wrote the Bible? Rebekah told me God did, and I read to her what God says in I Timothy 2:9a.

"Likewise, I want women (and I added that this meant girls, too, and made it personal to include Rebekah, all the while Rebekah named a few of her friends) to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly..."

We discussed what this meant and how we are to dress, and I asked Rebekah if she knew of anybody who does not dress how God would have them to dress. She immediately mentioned Ariel. We talked about how that does not please the Lord. We also discussed Jasmine's attire because Rebekah thought that she was okay since she wears clothes, but because her belly button shows she does not dress appropriately either. I talked to Rebekah about how she needs to keep her clothes on at home as well as that we need to get rid of the two princesses who are not dressed modestly. Rebekah had a hard time at first accepting this. She didn't want to get rid of her Ariel DVD especially, and it hurt me a lot to see her heartbroken. I cried with her. But as the day has gone on Rebekah has helped me to discard the images of Ariel as a mermaid (I've allowed the pictures of Ariel dressed modestly to stay) and of Jasmine. I am extremely proud of the way she has handled it, and I think still having some princesses who wear more appropriate clothing to still enjoy has helped a lot.

It seems like parenting is changing all the time as our children grow, but I wouldn't trade these opportunities to share about the Lord for anything. I want Rebekah to desire to please the Lord in her behavior, attitude, and her life, and I hope and pray that these teachable moments will one day draw her to the Lord and give her life over to Him.

Looking Forward

The people have spoken, and they have elected a man who has either inspired significantly or brought about fear like none other in our country. As I think about President-elect Barack Obama taking over in a couple of months I am deeply saddened for the unborn who will never get a chance to grow up and experience the love of a family. Their lives will be stripped from them because they were considered an inconvenience or a punishment. I am saddened for our country and sense our freedoms being stripped from Christians. I am concerned that our voices as believers will be silenced and our children will grow up in a land that hates us like never before. I am also concerned about the socialistic ideas and the direction our country is headed over the next four years.

At the same time Obama has achieved a significant achievement by becoming the first African American president. He has won the hearts of many and has a large following who are sure he will bring about change for the better.

As I look forward I don’t know what will happen to our country, but I’m gravely concerned. At the same time I know that God has allowed Obama to be our next President. It is God who raises up kings and tears them down. Daniel 2:20-21 says, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, and knowledge to men of understanding.” Likewise, 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 says, “Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from You alone, and You are the Ruler of all mankind; Your hand controls power and might and it is at Your discretion that men are made great and given strength.” God has allowed this for a reason. My God is sovereign, and He’s on the throne, so I have to trust the Lord in all of this. We are going to be persecuted for our faith, and our faith must not be shaken. We have to dig deeply in His Word and fill our minds with it. We must also know His Word so that we can teach it to our children. They need to be grounded in truth and to learn to stand firm.

Over the next 77 days please join me in prayer over Obama as he makes decisions before his inauguration. “First of all, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Pray that God will work in him and draw him to Himself and that Obama will allow God to lead and guide him over the next four years. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Pray for the church and that it will stand firm in the faith. Pray for the salvation of lost souls in our country. We need God in America again.

http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/site/PageServer?pagename=77days_signup

Where Is Your Faith?

As elections are taking place and a new president of the United States will be elected tonight and inaugurated in 77 days ask yourself "In whom is my faith, hope, and trust?" Is it a man? McCain? Obama? Is it the government? Are you putting your faith in people who are imperfect and will fail you or is your hope in the Lord?

Psalm 118:8-9 says, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."

Jeremiah 17:5-6 says, "Thus says the Lord, 'Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when properity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant.'" In contrast, verses 7-8 say, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit."

Obama has campaigned for hope in our country, but where is our hope? Our hope is in the Lord. Hope is not just something that we wish for, but it is a confident expectation that something will happen. Our hope can only be found in Christ.

On the other hand there is a great sense of fear of Obama. There is fear of the unknown about the economy, a fear for the unborn who may be aborted, a fear concerning the radicals associated with the candidate. Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted." Fear is not from God, but we are to trust Him.

Remember whoever is elected as our next president that God is sovereign. He is in control. Our responsibility is to vote for the man for whom we believe God would have us vote and to leave the results up to Him.