Monthly Archives: April 2008
#12 & #13 in 100 Things to Be Thankful for…
It’s time for #12 & #13! To see my personal challenge to myself, check out my first blog post about it..
#12: Jelly Bellys! You gotta love these little sugary wonders packed with so many different flavors that you can now create your own ‘smoothie’ combinations by putting different flavors together in your mouth. They’re yummy, fun and test your creativity all at the same time. And, as we discovered today, cause quite a stir when put out in bulk for all to enjoy.
Erik digs in for some pleasurable flavors….
Johnson challenges Erik for Jelly Belly dominance…. who will taste the savory flavors next?
Johnson emerges the victor with a sinister grin …. be afraid Jelly Bellys, be very afraid.
Ok, so I have to admit that I didn’t exactly take the pictures in that order and it didn’t really happen that way, but it sure was fun to rearrange things a little and create a little fictional tension. But, seriously, we’re all still friends and there wasn’t really a Jelly Belly war … yet. By the way, Johnson is our Fusion Young Adult Pastor and he does a great job…. check out the Fusion links in my sidebar to see what it’s all about and, if you’re lookin’ for somewhere to connect and are 20-something – single or married – it’s perfect for you!
#13: Family Game Night! Now this is something to seriously give thanks for … taking time to spend as a family and play a simple game of cards. It provides time to talk and just be goofy (which my girls are great at)…. here are some pics from tonight’s Skip Bo challenge in which Heather emerged the winner – really – she beat the socks off the rest of us.
And, if you’re into random silliness, use the links below to view the videos of my girls being very, very silly.
Kristan\’s Apple in a Tree Song
Heather\’s Marvelous Light Song
Practicing thankfulness,
#11 in 100 Things to Be Thankful for…
Only 89 more to go! To see my personal challenge to myself, check out my first blog post about it..
#11: Sleepovers. Haha, you probably think I mean sending my girls to a sleepover and having some time to ourselves…. well, that’s definitely something to be thankful for, too. But, not in this case, I’m talking about my girls having their friends over. I’m thankful that they have friends in their lives that care enough to spend extra time with them and I’m also thankful that I get to meet and interact with these friends. It’s a great way for Steve and I to get to know their influences and understand those that they are in relationship with. It also gives us the opportunity to share our home and our love with their friends. We really enjoy it…. well, the earplugs do help 
)
Last night was Heather’s first sleepover with her friend, Helen, from school. The girls all had a blast.
And, just so you understand the need for earplugs… here’s a short video I captured of the girls performing Karaoke – they did this for well over an hour…. click the link below to share in our joyful experience.
Practicing thankfulness,
Respect & Honor Required
We live in a society that doesn’t value honor or respect. As parents, this one is hard work and we don’t have a choice in it – we must teach our children the values of respect and honor. We are all born with the “ME” syndrome, obsessively looking out for me first, what’s best for me, how do I satisfy me, on and on. It’s not until we are taught the value of putting others before ourselves and considering their needs first that we begin to understand the importance of these characteristics in our lives.
It’s extremely important that we teach our children these values, because without them they will become selfish, uncaring children and adults. We want others to see the best in our children, to see those characteristics about them that we know are so valuable and loving. However, if they can’t show respect and honor, they’ll be labeled as selfish, bullheaded and thoughtless of others. For most people, they will not be able to look past this selfishness. And, clearly, this is not how we want our children to be labeled.
One simple rule we have in our home is that our children are not allowed to address adults by their first names. They have been taught to call adults Mr. & Ms. (last name or first name), or by their family/familiar name (i.e. Pastor, Aunt, Uncle, Papaw, Mamaw, etc.). It’s a simple rule that has a profound impact not only on the way our girls show respect to their elders, but also in the respect they receive in return. You’d be amazed at how many people think extremely highly of our daughters, simply because they addressed them by Mr. or Ms. – from that point on most adults usually see our girls as respectful, well-behaved young ladies. You see, we’re teaching our girls that when you give respect and honor, you usually get it in return. Here are a few sub-rules as it relates to respect and honor:
- Treat every person with kindness and respect no matter their age, social status or race
- Always show respect to those who are older and wiser than you are
- Honor those in authority around you
- Obedience is a show of respect and honor, be quick to obey
Parents, this applies to you too.
As easy as it is to say that we need to teach our children to be respectful and honoring toward us and other adults, we have to remember that we bear a large responsibility also. Namely, being respectful and honoring to our children and to others in front of our children. Remember, your children will not always follow the motto, “Do as I say and not as I do” – they watch your life and emulate it.
If you are not respecting and honoring them, it will be hard for them to honor and respect you. Oh, they may force themselves to “comply” with your “rules” but their heart attitude will be one of bitterness and resentment toward you as they do it. The goal for you as a parent is to be respectful and honoring toward your children so that even when they disagree with what you’re asking of them, they respect you because they know that you’re considering their point of view and that you are making the decision according to what you feel is their best interests. We’ll discuss how to get to this place of respect for your children in another post.
In honor,
#10 in 100 Things to Be Thankful for..
#10 and still counting – thankfulness is fun! To see my personal challenge to myself, check out my first blog post about it..
#10: Outfits my pre-teen daughters approve of… if you have pre-teens, especially girls – you’ll understand this one. It’s not often that you hit that homerun outfit that they love and want to borrow. Well, I succeeded tonight. So, for that I’m thankful. And, no Kristan & Heather, you can’t borrow it ) Well, maybe sometime….
Practicing thankfulness,
#8 & #9 in 100 Things to Be Thankful for…
Up to #9 and still counting – thankfulness is fun! To see my personal challenge to myself, check out my first blog post about it..
#8: Rare treats. Seriously, I know you may not believe it from my last few food focused posts – but we really do eat healthy. However this morning, I decided to treat my girls and their friend, Aleksia, to a very, very rare treat – a donut from Dunkin Donuts. Ok, I confess I had a free coupon. I didn’t participate in the sugary fun, but I’m thankful for the enjoyment the girls found in their donuts. Oh, the simple pleasures.
#8: Random silliness. If you have children, you know that random silliness comes with the territory and is one of the pleasures of being a parent that brings consistent joy and laughter into your home. Here’s Kristan being randomly silly with a pair of scissors. Yes, I did teach them better. But what can I do? )
Practicing thankfulness,
