Memorial Day

Remembering all of the heroes! Happy Memorial Day!

 

 

“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

 

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

 

 

Overcome with Peace

Have you faced a difficult moment in your life where all you could see or think about is the problem you were facing?  You felt overwhelmed with life and you couldn’t imagine how in the world that problem could get resolved?  If you’re in this situation, there is hope. 

 

 

Philippians 4:6-7 says:  ^“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  When we enter into a moment of praise and express gratitude for all of the great things we have in life or for the mere blessing of breathing, then we allow God’s peace to overcome us. 

The word says that God’s peace will guard our hearts and our minds.  And that’s exactly what’s needed during trials, right?  Because we become so overwhelmed with thoughts that we can’t see or think clearly enough to be in tuned with what God is trying to reveal to us.  It’s like searching for the answer, but closing the door on the response because we are too wrapped up in the problem.  We need to take a step back, and with determined purpose, praise the Lord. 

Praise him and thank him.  Trust that he is working in your life regardless of the circumstance or how dim things may appear at the moment.  As we trust in him, he will complete his work in our lives and lead us in the direction we should go. 

Forgiveness

Have you ever done something extreme that has gone against your morals, values and family beliefs?  Have you thought about asking for forgiveness?  Asking and giving forgiveness are very tough and a bit intimidating.  At times we may feel that we shouldn’t stoop to that level, even if it is our fault.  Meditate on this…Forgiveness is a willful act. 

 

 

When you forgive you are giving part of yourself away; that part that is holding bondage over your life.  It doesn’t mean that you will allow yourself to be hurt again, but it means that you know that person did wrong and that they are human. By forgiving, you are allowing yourself to move forward and be liberated.  As human beings, we need to learn to forgive and accept forgiveness.  We have to forgive so your Father (the Lord) can forgive you. “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25). If we don’t, we will not allow ourselves to listen to God’s voice; we will be hindered.   

There’s a popular expression that says: “can forgive, but will not forget.”  At times, the hurt is so strong that forgetting and forgiving seem so impossible, but remember that with God in your life, everything is possible.  “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).  We go through things in our lives to make us strong and to build our character.  However, the healing in your heart will never begin until you forgive.  So let the healing begin.

 

The Power of Praise and Worship

Aw…being in the presence of the Lord is a great, relaxing, stress free environment.  Allowing yourself to feel that connection with Him allows you to be free in the Spirit, to express yourself the way the Lord wants you to be expressed, not caring about anything or what anyone else is thinking, but just letting yourself explore the presence of the Lord and take in what He has for you. Feel it, enjoy it and be blessed in His Holy Name. 

 

 

Sometimes the Lord wants to bless us through our praise and worship but we don’t accept His blessing.  Then we wonder why our prayers are not being answered quickly, why we are going through the trial, and why our life may seem to be in such an obstacle.  “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  Today, if only you would hear his voice…” (Psalm 95:6-7). 

 

During praise and worship, we are able to break those boundaries and keep in communion with Him whom will give us the victory and in turn we can give Him all the glory.  Let yourself feel His presence, be moved in the Spirit and accept what is yours and what He is giving you to experience.  He might allow you to receive the gift of dancing in the Spirit, speaking in tongues, to give words of inspiration to others, etc. “For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (Acts 10:46). You will never know unless you allow yourself to be free in the Spirit.  Worship and praise Him every day, in the car, at work, while cooking, cleaning, etc.  Enjoy your time with the Lord, accept what he has for you, and surround yourself in His power. 

 

Honor Your Mother

I was thinking about Mother’s Day and wondered about the type of relationship Jesus had with Mary, his mother.  As I studied the word, I found the following verses very interesting:  

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!'  Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst!” (John 19:25-28) 

 

Picture it…Jesus, on the Cross, about to die, was ensuring that his mother was taken care of.  Now if that doesn’t drive the message that we should be honoring our mothers, then I don’t know what else will.  Matthew 15:4 says, “For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and your mother.”

 

 

Mothers have a critical and valuable role in the life of their children.  It is our responsibility to love, care for and train our children so that we are pouring into them positive seeds that will leave a legacy.  However, as daughters, we also have the responsibility to honor our mothers.  Proverbs 31:25 says that “strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.” We ought to be clothed in honor, and as such, apply this honor to all aspects of our lives—including our mother-daughter relationships. 

So I encourage you to celebrate motherhood.  If you are a mother, then celebrate your hard work and important role! But don’t forget to celebrate your mother who has poured her energy, time, tears, and love into your life.  Cherish her. Honor her.

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

Daily Chores for Kids

Our households become a unit of family where we should instill love, belonging, integrity, respect, and responsibility.  As providers for our home, it is our main responsibility to show our children all of these actions at a young age.  A way to show them responsibility is by including them in everyday routines.  A good age to begin this is about 4.  At this age, children are learning and are eager to help out when needed.  Allowing your child to participate in daily chores will provide them with a type of structure and sense of responsibility throughout their day/week.  Remember to:

 

1.     Always praise him or her for a job well done

2.     Give your child a sense of independence

3.     Let go and let them help 

Things might not get done in the perfect way you want them to be done, but they'll get done.  Show your child the process of the chores at first. The second time around, guide them through it.  By the third time, they should be pros. J  Here is a way to help your child be consistent with their chores:

 Chores Chart

Pictures for the Tabs

 

 

The idea is to laminate them, make Velcro tabs for the pictures, and each week change up the chores. The ones that I think the child should focus on are placed on the chart.  Mom’s, you can change and add to it in order to fit your needs.

 

I tried this with my daughter and she can’t wait until she gets home to do her chores.  The mornings are so much more manageable because she knows what is expected of her.  She enjoys putting away the dishes and sorting and folding laundry. I am not kidding!  She actually got mad at me when I told her she didn’t have to fold her laundry. Lol!

 

So get started, and create stability and responsibility through daily chores.  Let me know how it goes! 

 

P.S. These charts will be available on our Facebook page.