Training up a Child

My favorite verse in the bible is Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. I don’t know if its because it was the first verse I ever memorized or that the truth in that statement is amazing. You can pretty much apply this verse to just about everything . Train up means to give a child a taste for something. Lately I have been thinking about what Austin eats. He has this unbelievable craving for fish. He loves all kinds from catfish to lobster. He can never get enough of it. He hangs out at the seafood counter in the grocery store when I shop. I began to wonder where this was coming from then this verse hits me. When Austin was very young, 2-3 years old, he was lacking in essential fats for brain development. We would give him a daily dose of Cod Liver Oil (lemon flavored and no that’s not cruel) It incredibly improved his mood, disposition and learning ability. He is 10 now and we haven’t given him this in years. I believe he developed this taste for fish during those younger years of fish oil.
This morning I offered him a bowl of cereal for breakfast. I have all kinds in my cupboard from Frosted Flakes to regular Cheerios. You know where this is going because we all have quieted are little ones with a handful of Cheerios in the high chair. His taste for Cheerios with a little honey outweighs any sugar cereal I could drum up. Hmmmm.
If you think about this verse enough, you really can apply it to all things or lifestyles we can give our child a taste for. They may not always stick with the palate we try to create for them, but as they grow, they will find comfort in the garden of their youth.

Back to Penny Candy.......

The best summers I ever had were being able to spend a couple weeks with my grandparents. I don’t know what it was about being there; maybe the fact that it wasn’t home or just the fact that it was grammas house. When I think back or talk about the times I spent there I get that old warm fuzzy feeling that I just love. I have to share with you a piece of “penny candy” from my childhood summer. My grandfather love to do woodworking and I remember one summer he made my brother and I two pair of stilts. We worked those things endlessly until we got so good at them we could have stilt fights. I don’t think that’s what grandpa intended when he made them but we were kids and you know how that goes. We put more time into these things and had more fun than any computer or video game could handle. My mom still has the stilts in her basement and every time we go to visit, they come out and the kids have a ball on them. Even my grown kids will still try to attempt the impossible; jumping walls, stairs or something straight out of the X games. I smile with fond memories every time I see them. Memories of a time that was so simple and so basic, it’s relaxing just to think about them.

Our Marriage Secret

I recently read a blog post from one of my favorite bloggers on marriage. It was a short blog asking a question of how you thought two people would get along with different backgrounds. It made me think about my marriage quite a bit. It was also our anniversary this past week and it made me think about marriage even more. I stepped back and took a mental inventory of my marriage and how I was just as happy and content today as I was the first week we were wed. Then I started thinking about all the stuff that goes on in between and how on earth can it be this good? Well before I tell you the answer, I’ll tell you how life goes at our house. I want to save the world. Yes, I have been given a heart that just yearns to love a child, to help flood victims, spread some peace in the middle of chaos or just be there for someone who needs a shoulder. I don’t always make dinner or get the floor swept, sometimes I’m a couple days behind on laundry but my husband knows me and just rolls with it. Bill’s job is very demanding and there are times he puts in so many hours I don’t see him for days. I know him and I just roll with it. I am a yankee at heart and he is a country boy. That’s about as different as you can get around here. We just roll with it. We respect each other for who we were meant to be and have never tried to make each other something else. Here’s the reason we can be that way, we spend our time together talking about all the things God has done for us and blessed us with. Always appreciating His handy work in our marriage and the sense of humor he has of putting two people like us together. We give Him thanks for every day together every night as we eat dinner as a family. Believe it or not, by doing just that one thing, no matter what has happened during that day, there is a peace that comes over you just by being thankful. I challenge you to express your thankfulness for your spouse and your family for every day you have together as you say grace. Even in the midst of chaos or arguing, its amazing how much is unimportant when we are thankful for what we do have.

Change of Season

For all the kids around here, school starts tomorrow. My son is so excited to return to school and little does he know I am just as excited to get some structure back in my day. Just like I spent my spring plotting and planning all the fun, trips, hiking and playing, I spent the last few days doing another kind of plotting. It sometimes feels like it marks the change of a season. I do miss Austin at times when he is in school but I don’t feel guilty for the opportunity to renew the spirit. I have realized that with all the crazy summer planning and fun, I have let all the regular stuff go. I have 4 books I have purchased over the summer that are collecting dust. (If I can’t feed my brain regularly, I feel sub human). I have missed my ½ hour with Joyce Meyer, researching healthy recipes (mac and cheese seemed to rule my summer!), taking quiet walks down my country road, my treadmill and writing blogs. My plans for the fall are far from exciting and wondrous but for me it will feel like the chaos has slowed and routine can be allowed to rein once again. It’s because I have some down time that I am able to have strength over my busy time.

What Inspires Me.....

I am always amazed at the different ways people look at the world. The crazy place we live in may look one way to me and no one else can see the things I see. If you were driving down the road in anywhere USA and you saw a young couple holding hands walking down the street, what would you think? Would you want to write a song about it? Would you think about yourself and your relationship? Would you be appalled at the display of public affection? For me it would be a love story. I would see a long dirt road with fields on both sides being kept in check by a white picket fence. The destination is a creek flowing lazily through the shade trees at the end of the road. Picnic basket in one hand, blanket in the other……
How we see our world is directly related to how we interact in it. Inspiration to do great things, accomplish the impossible, and be happy with all that surrounds you in this moment comes from God and a heart filled with Love and Hope. Think about it the next time you look up from your desk, hang with your best friend, drive your kids to school.
Our church has had a preacher for the last few years that has always challenged me to do great things through love and hope and to never be afraid of the impossible. It has been a theme that has be indwelt into my heart. He has been an inspiration to me to be able to do everything I can in this life to bring happiness to someone else. Thanks Ricky.
What inspires you?