Encouraging Our Children to Feast on The Word

Cap'n is cute and he's only 17 months. That's why he gets away with reading the
 Bible while partially clothed. :) We don't recommend you try this at home.

Before I start, let's agree on a few things:

1) You can't make your children delight in God's Word.
2) Bible reading will not guarantee your child's faithfulness to the LORD.
3) Private time in the Word is no substitute for corporate worship and hearing the Word of God preached.
4) Prayer is essential to the Christian life. My post doesn't address this specifically, but you can apply many of the same principles. Remember our children are the best imitators! They tend to develop a love for what we love, good or bad.
5) Any spiritual fruit, any desire for the things of God, in any of us, is by the grace of God.

And I'll set a question before you:

If you love the LORD and want to be more like Christ, why would you NOT spend time in the Word consistently? That's my response when the "legalism" card is flashed at the mention of the discipline of  Bible reading.

So this is not a post about MAKING your children love the Bible. These are my thoughts on ENCOURAGING in your children a love for His Word and a desire to feed upon it more than anything else. I'm still learning. I'm still failing. But these are just a few of the things I've learned along the way.

Consider that we think it only natural when artistic parents produce artistic children. Or musical parents have musical children. What about children who see such a passion and love for the Word and prayer from their parents that they would follow suit?

Where to Start


1) Repentance: Our children don't want to hear what we have to say when we don't live it out ourselves or when we have unresolved sin between us. Make sure that all is well between your heart and your children's. Make sure you're modeling  the joy and importance of being in the Word. Make sure they know and see that this is your spiritual food and you can't live without it. To say we love the Word while we refuse to humble ourselves to our children is to make them resent us and what we're teaching.


2) Pray: Oh, this is what I wish I knew earlier. I have failed my children in not praying more earnestly for them from the moment they were born. So much I have tried to accomplish in my own strength instead of trusting in the LORD and bringing my requests to Him. Pray your children would love the Word and hunger for it and have wisdom and understanding. Pray they would live out what they read in those precious pages.


3) Trust: Trust the Lord to finish this good work He's started in your children. Be firm about developing the habit of Bible reading, but do not resort to sarcasm and punishment when your children are resistant or uncooperative. Do not try to accomplish what only the Holy Spirit can do.


If your child is murmuring about reading the Bible, simply say,"Sara, read 2 chapter of Proverbs this morning. If you don't have a heart to be in the Word, pray for God's grace. He is faithful, and He is generous. I know the Spirit has wonderful things to show you in the Word. Don't let Satan or your flesh rob you of this blessing or this opportunity to grow in Christ."  Our instruction should be with sweetness of lips and earnestness. If your children are outright defiant, you need to drop this focus for now and get the obedience in check.


Don't despair or compare, either. "Well, your sister loves the Word so much. Look at how much time she spends reading it each day." Instructing in this manner provokes our children and divides our families. Remember Joseph?


4) Explain: Be able to give an answer as to WHY you're teaching them the habit of being in the Word every day. Read Psalm 119 together. Read books about Bible reading and study, but never let those replace digging in the Word yourself.


5) A sweet aroma:- Legalism is an atmosphere we create when we shut out God's grace and forgiveness in our homes. It happens when we make Bible reading a thing to be checked off on our to-do list instead of a means of grace that gives us the mind of Christ.  It happens when we walk around with angry, critical spirits and approach our children like they're the enemy instead of gifts from the Lord. Teach your children joyfully and with sweetness of lips, and they will want to learn from you.

6) Remember much is done little by little: We won't necessarily see fruit right away. Don't give up! Be faithful day by day, and years from now, you'll be amazed at the work God has wrought in the hearts of your children.


The Practical


1) Have a general and specific plan: Our children need guidelines. For mine, the general plan is that that upon rising they are to spend time in the Word and in prayer and reviewing their Scripture memory. As they get older, I encourage them to take notes, too.


The specific plan would include what you want them to be reading. Through the Bible? Through a particular book?

My older ones have been reading through the Psalms and using Spurgeon's commentary on David. My oldest daughter (11) is reading through Chronicles (not once has she said, "This is laborious and boring." She's so enthusiastic and being in the Word has become a habit of joy for her) and likes to read from Matthew Henry AFTER she makes her own notes. My younger ones read passages from the Old and New Testaments. Here's a great list to use.

New Testament Readings
Old Testament Readings

And this is an amazing Bible Reading plan already made up for you, with questions included! If you download this, be sure to thank David Murray for his hard work.

Children's One Year Bible Reading Plan

My six-year-old, who is not reading the Bible on her own, has a prayer journal. She copies a request in it and draws a picture and prays for the person. This is how she spends her "quiet time." The littlest ones watch everyone else and will pick up their Bible, pretending to read. They are also the first ones to want to share from their reading when we're eating dinner.

2) Teach your children that this is the primary goal of learning to read--to be able to read the very Word of God for themselves.

3) Make everyone accountable: At the dinner table, we ask our children to share what they've studied in the Word that morning. This makes us more attentive when we know we'll be sharing with others. It also teaches our children that what they're learning is not for themselves alone, but also for the edification of their brothers and sisters in Christ.

4) Make it pretty or handsome: Have fun covering some composition books together and making pretty or handsome Bible journals. Give a Bible journal to your children as a gift. Add some colorful pens.

5) Teach your children to pray before reading the Word that the Holy Spirit would give them understanding. Teach them to pray after that God would grant them grace to live out what they've been reading and learning.


If your children are older and have no desire to be in the Word, I believe prayer is the best way to fight this battle, as well as modeling how the Word transforms us. Asking your children to forgive you for not making the Word a priority in your home is appropriate, too. 


Remember that our failures force us to our knees, push us to remember the truth of the Gospel, remind us that we can do nothing in our own strength, and encourage us to hope and wait on the LORD, expecting Him to do amazing things in the hearts of our children.


With love,
Trisha

I Blinked

..and you lost the look of a little girl.

I remember staring at this picture after I took it and thinking, "What a lovely young lady."

I didn't think it would happen so quickly. Is there something magical about ELEVEN?

Just yesterday you needed me to button your coat and brush your teeth and teach you your ABCs. You depended on me for EVERYTHING. And now I depend so much on you.

Just a few years ago, I wondered what God had in mind when He chose ME to be your Mommy. I didn't seem to do that mother-daughter thing very well. But God answered my prayers, and today our hearts are knit together in such a special way.

Do you know how much I LOVE to see your smiling face early in the morning? You give me that tight hug and settle down across from me to read your Bible. You tell me that's your favorite time of the day, and my heart is full of joy.

I love hearing you read your Bible study notes to me. I love to read your Ebenezer cards and discover how much you're reflecting the image of your Savior. I love listening to you sing around the house and play with your little siblings. I love that you love stationery and pens just like I do. I'm amazed by your ability to draw horses and crochet a blanket and style your sisters' hair in such creative ways.

I love that every day you get to witness and taste God's grace and forgiveness. You battle your own flesh and see more and more how deep our sin runs and how much we need Jesus. You watch me struggle and you know Mommies aren't perfect. You're learning how to forgive seventy times seven and how to humbly ask to be forgiven.

I see many evidences of grace in you, my daughter. You have a teachable spirit and your care what Mommy and Daddy think. You delight in being in His Word and writing down what you're learning. You treasure worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ and hearing our Pastor preach.

I pray you'll always love His Word and that you'll have a passion for prayer. I pray you'll desire to glorify Him in all things. I pray you'll be a blessing to others and have a servant's heart. I pray you'll never abandon gathering with the saints and being part of a church family.

I pray you'll walk faithfully with Him all the days of your life.

Though there might be rough seas in the years ahead, the tug-of-war is over.  God's grace abounds, and it will be sufficient to see us through the years ahead with much rejoicing and honoring of the LORD and growing closer together.

When I look at you, I don't think of the great job I've done as your mother. Instead I see His grace written on every page of your eleven years. How merciful He's been to give me the blessing of mothering you, even though He knew all along the many ways I'd tangle our heartstrings.

Happy Eleven, my precious Emma. I'm incredibly blessed to have you for my daughter.

Love,
Mommy

Emma's birthday celebration earlier in the month. Surf and Turf was on the menu.

She received some beautiful bracelets. Both were made by Sandy at His Living Stones Jewelry Design.

 My girl loves to write letters. :)

 She made things super easy for me! Caramel apples for her birthday dessert. :)

Of course, she didn't realize it wouldn't be a piece of cake to eat these. :)

I'm thankful she doesn't know who Britney is, but she does know the name Spurgeon.  Here's the look on Luke's face (her 9 year old brother) when he realized she got Morning and Evening. (He's settling for reading Jonathan Edwards until he gets Spurgeon for Christmas. Oh, my children keep me in a state of wonder all of the time!)

HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY, EMMA!

Monday Facts~Something Stinks Edition

It's a fact that septic tank emergencies are often preventable.

It's a fact that we should have had ours pumped before now.

It's a fact that it's a bit stressful to have 11 persons needing a bathroom and a shower that aren't available.(Grandma is staying with us.)

It's a fact that you REALLY don't want to have your septic tank back up into your bathtubs and showers.

It's a fact that God provides for every need in our lives, and His hand is in every detail!

It's a fact that we started having trouble on a Saturday night and weren't able to get things fixed until that Wednesday.

It's a fact that our church is 5 minutes down the road, and it was a blessing to travel there late at night in the cold.

It's a fact that God was very merciful, and we were able to use the toilets and showers very minimally during the day!

It's a fact that our inability to pay someone to come out on an emergency basis forced us to beg God for mercy more diligently and then know the blessing of watching Him provide!

It's a fact that our kitchen sink worked perfectly, and we were spared that complication.

It's a fact that our dear Pastor was ready to help however he could, and he and his dear daughter blessed us with delicious confections to ease the stress.

It's a fact that our tank wasn't damaged from the stress, and that we do need to expand our "waste facilities." :)

It's a fact that, as one who avoids excessive use of bleach, I've never been so thankful for that germ-killing cleaner.

It's a fact that I've never been so delighted to be on my hands and knees scrubbing out bathtubs and showers.

It's a fact that God showed me how shallow my prayers can be when life is smooth sailing, and that I prayed harder for deliverance from a septic tank disaster than I do for the very souls of the ones I know and love. That stunk the most.

It's a fact that God blessed us with good weather the following week, which increased the ability for the drain field to dry out!

It's a fact that no one had a stomach virus while this was happening!

It's a fact that if you want to have a minute whiff of what our grumbling and complaining must smell like to the LORD, just stand outside on a very windy day while your septic tank is being pumped!

It's a fact that we deserved not an ounce of God's kindness, and yet, He provided for us over and over.

It's a fact that if you don't write these things down, you'll forget God's provision!

It's a fact that every event in our lives is an opportunity to be in awe of the LORD and His mercies and provision and give thanks.

With love,
Trisha

It's a fact that I didn't know Larri wasn't doing Monday Facts anymore until the New Year, but that doesn't change the fact that all the above are facts. :)

Advent 2011

Though our family has been celebrating Advent for several years now, we're learning to focus more on the "preparation" part. For this we must be very intentional in the midst of so much busyness.  I am thankful for the opportunity to grow in this area and impart to our children even more meaning and understanding of this Yuletide Season. Here are some thoughts about Advent to encourage and inspire you.

"Advent is that period of great anticipatory joy--it is a time of preparation for the celebration of Jesus' arrival in Bethlehem as a helpless infant. In the Western liturgy, Advent begins four Sundays prior to December 25th--the Sunday closest to November 30. (Today is the first day of Advent for 2011!) The annual commemoration of Jesus' birth begins the Christmas cycle of the liturgical year-- a cycle that runs from Christmas Eve to the Sunday after the feast of the Epiphany."

"The four weeks of Advent are often thought of as symbolizing the four different ways that Jesus comes into the world: 1) at His birth as a helpless infant at Bethlehem, 2) at His arrival in the hearts of believers, 3) at His death, and 4) at His arrival on Judgment Day. Because Christmas falls on a different day of the week each year, the fourth week of Advent is never really finished; it is abruptly, joyously, and solemnly abrogated by the annual coming again of Jesus at Christmas."
~from a booklet given to us containing readings for Advent, Twelve Days of Christmas, and Epiphany...complied by various pastors

"Advent is a season of preparation. For centuries Christians have used the month prior to the celebration of Christ's incarnation to ready their hearts and their homes for the great festival. While we moderns tend to do a good bit of bustling about in the crowded hours between Thanksgiving and Christmas--shopping for presents, compiling guests lists, mailing holiday greeting cards, perusing catalogs, decorationg hearth and home, baking favorite confections,a nd getting ready for one party after another--that hardly constitutes the kind of preparation Advent calls for. Indeed, Advent has been a time of quiet introspection, personal examination, and repentance. A time to slow down, to take stock of the things that matter the most, and to do a thorough inner housecleaning. Advent is, as ancient dogma of the Church asserts, a Little Pascha--a time of fasting, prayer, confession, and reconciliation. All the great Advent stories, hymns, customs, and rituals--from the medieval liturgical antiphons and Scrooge's A Christmas Carol to the lighting of the Advent candles and the eating of the Martinmas beef are attuned to this notion: the best way to prepare for the coming of the Lord is to make straight His pathway to our hearts."
~from Christmas Spirit by George Grant and Gregory Wilbur


And here's a wonderful summary, a big picture of this entire season.


"The holiday season--what we generally just call Christmastime--is actually a long sequence of holy days, festal revelries, and liturgical rites that are collectively known as Yuletide. Beginning with Advent, a time of preparation and repentance, proceeding to Christmas, a time of celebration and generosity, and concluding with Epiphany, and time of remembrance and thanksgiving, Yuletide traditions enable us to see out the old year with faith and love while ushering in the new year with hope and joy. It is a season fraught with meaning and significance. Unfortunately, it is also such a busy season that its meaning and significance can all too easily be obscured either by well-intended materialistic pursuits--frenzied shopping trips to the mall to find just the right Christmas gift--or by the less benign demands, desires, wants, and needs that are little more than grist for human greed. The traditions of Yuletide were intended to guard us against such things--and thus, are actually more relevant today than ever before."
~George Grant and Gregory Wilbur, Christmas Spirit

Thanksgiving 2011

My favorite memories of celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas while growing up was the coming together of family. Even if we didn't see each other much during the year, there was an assurance those special days would unite us.

I thought much about those good memories this Thanksgiving as I realized how fragmented my own family has become. One family member spent the day sitting in jail. Some went out to eat. One spent it mostly alone. And no one even knew what the rest were doing.

It made my heart sad. It reminded me that I haven't prayed enough for my own children that the years wouldn't loosen the ties that bind them. What happens to us that children who wrapped stubby hands around their Mama's waist or wrestled with their Daddy no longer find time to call? How do siblings who laughed and played together become disconnected as the years add up? 

The nurturing of relationships requires so much. Forgiveness. Patience. Grace. Hard work. And I guess sometimes it's easier to keep new connections strong than it is to maintain the ones that shaped us in so many ways. Instead of the absence making the heart grow fonder, it fosters an indifference.

That's why it's so important to nurture those relationships among our own children while they're young, to teach the importance of honor and the value of the families God has set us in.

I was also reminded of the shortness of our days. I know my Dad longed to be done here on earth, but I know he wasn't thinking last Thanksgiving that he'd never celebrate another one with his family. And I know Michele assumed by this Thanksgiving she'd be feeling so much better because of her stem cell transplant. Teach us to number our days, O LORD!

As we celebrated God's goodness and gave thanks, we spoke of the gift we have in feasting around a table together. The laughing. The bickering. The spills. The messes. Hearts joined by the grace of God. His kindness set before us with each bite taken and each word spoken.

We're slave drivers, you know. We made the Littles craft their own bowls if they wanted to taste any of the mashed potatoes.

It was grueling work. Cutting. Pulling out, piece by piece, the gourdy insides. :)

Here Emma thinks of the buttery mashed potatoes so her heart remains joyful. :) Oh, the power of THE mashed potatoes.

Ella was a super helper with Cap'n. And they look cute together, too.

We read the cards from our Ebenezer Box differently this year. Instead of all at once around the table, we sang several hymns throughout the day and read some of the cards each time. 

Cap'n was weary of waiting for someone to teach him to play chess, so he took it upon himself to learn. Ah, we love those independent learners!

He took his work very seriously. Here he wonders what move Bobby Fischer would have made when he was 17 months old.

So taxing was his play that he took a little nap before the big meal.

We did the overnight turkey in the bag again. Very moist, and it freed up the oven for the rest of the day.

The potatoes, made with milk and heavy cream and kosher salt and pepper, swam in just a bit of butter. C'mon, you know when you stir them up, the butter seems to disappear. Can you really have too much butter on potatoes? Mountain Man insists that this is probably a crime somewhere.

The roasted green beans were a success. Fresh works better than frozen.

The Buttery Roll recipe was a hit.

The table was full of Cuties!

How can I get more of that turkey?

Lovely. (Have you noticed there are no gourds at the table?)

Handsome.

We enjoyed having Grandma around the table this year.

Why are they always trying to hide from me and my camera?

Oh. My. Chocolate Fudge Pie! This was so yummy! I'm ashamed to say this is the first year I've made homemade pies. Coconut-pumpkin and this one were on the menu. 

Recipes

Overnight Turkey

Buttery Rolls (I increased the sugar in this. A honey-butter would be perfect on these.)

Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Green Beans

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce

Chocolate Fudge Pie (I didn't have blocks of chocolate, so I used chocolate chips, both to melt with the butter and to top the pie.)

****

The day was drenched in God's grace. We savored giving thanks to the LORD, and we remembered His mighty acts of this past year and of many years ago. Thank you for your prayers. My heart was joyful even in the missing of my Dad and Michele. 

"If the children of God in affliction would sit down and consider the fruit and advantage that God knows how to bring out of their sorrows, this would keep them from undue despondency and dejections of spirit. Do not look at the suffering, but at the invisible fruit. This holds up the head, keeps the heart, and makes the soul patient. It glories in tribulation, knowing that tribulation works patience, experience and hope (Rom 5:3-5)."

~Thomas Case, A Treatise of Afflictions

Much love,

Trisha

Why Every Day is a Thanksgiving Day

So much can be learned from the Pilgrims and their hardships, their perseverance, their faith, and their thankfulness. As we've been reading through Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation, we've gotten a much bigger picture of this time in history. Highly recommended reading!

O for the grace to have a spirit of thanksgiving every day of the year! For those of us, especially, who are redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus, there is not a fraction of time that shouldn't be full of gratitude to the LORD. Our salvation alone gives us thousands upon thousands of reasons to sing His praises.

"Thanksgiving implies thought of God. One may be glad all the day—and never think of God. Thanksgiving looks up with every breath, and sees God as Father from whom all blessings come. Thanksgiving is praise. The heart is full of gratitude. Every moment has something in it to inspire love. The lilies made Jesus think of his Father, for it was he who clothed them in beauty. The providence of our lives, if we think rightly of it, is simply God caring for us. Our circumstances may sometimes be hard, our experiences painful, and we may see nothing in them to make us glad. But faith teaches us that God is always good and always kind, whatever the present events may be. We may be thankful, therefore, even when we cannot beglad. Our hearts may be grateful, knowing that good will come to us even out of pain and loss.

This is the secret of true thanksgiving. It thinks always of God and praises him for everything. The song never dies out in the heart, however little there may be in the circumstances of life to make us glad. The influence of an ever-praising life on those it touches, is almost divine. The way to diffuse a spirit of thanksgiving—is to be thankful yourself. A complaining spirit makes unhappiness everywhere.

Christian thanksgiving is the life of Christ in the heart, transforming the disposition and the whole character. Thanksgiving must be wrought into the life as a habit—before it can become a fixed and permanent quality. An occasional burst of praise, in the midst of years of complaining, is not what is required. Songs on rare, sunshiny days; and no songs when skies are cloudy—will not make a life of gratitude. The heart must learn to sing always. This lesson is learned only when it becomes a habit which nothing can weaken. We must persist in being thankful. 

When we can see no reason for praise—we must believe in the divine love and goodness, and sing in the darkness. Thanksgiving has attained its rightful place in us, only when it is part of all our days and dominates all our experiences."

~J.R. Miller The Thanksgiving Lesson With love, Trisha

The Post My Mama's Been Waiting For

A week of quiet on this blog is like a year to my dear Mama. :) Life is going on, I promise, but it's in the midst of tears. It's not sentimental mush that make the holidays so hard when loved ones are missing from the table. It's those precious memories of what a person added to the celebration, added to your life.

I'm so thankful God's grace has restrained me and kept me afloat! He's given me much compassion for others who are suffering right now, and He's given me The Little People to speak His truths at just the right time.

Just last night I was tearful while changing Claire's diaper (no it wasn't that bad!) and she asks,"Why are you crying, Mommy?"

"I'm just missing Michele."

Without pause, she admonishes, quite emphatically, "Why?! Her with God!"


Truly, our God, in the midst of sorrow and affliction, blesses our days with such evidences of His grace, that it's hard to not praise Him, praise Him, praise Him.

Sweet baby feet hanging over the bed...does this make anyone else's heart HAPPY?

Saw this in a magazine and loved the idea. Warning: Don't do this if you have Littles and don't want to see them climbing the counters every half hour. :)

Chief Cake Thief (Cap'n grabbed bits of cake when he thought we were too busy playing Farkle to notice. And yes, we were. For just a minute. :))

Awkward attempts at a sleeping position and SERIOUS droopy drawers. But, I'd rather look at a diaper ANY DAY than a grown man's boxers while his pants are at his knees! 

Victim of siblings' love for dress-up  Resident Pirate

The only type of photo I can seem to get of our Ink Slinger. He makes me wish I had taken every logic course ever written (if you're the Mama of a little boy, there's your warning. Get going.), and he keeps me laughing. While going through the check-out at Wal-Mart yesterday, "The Sexiest Man Alive" headline caught his eye. Not missing a beat, he says, "Oh well, I guess there's no need to keep trying for that one."  

Over the past week, we've had a septic tank emergency and praised God for His many mercies to us in that little crisis. We celebrated His past goodness to us with our Rejoicing Feast. We've worshipped with the saints and have known the blessing of good words and the prayers of others interceding for us. We've had the privilege of providing for others as they are in the midst of their own suffering. We've battled our flesh and lost over and over. We've tasted God's grace and forgiveness. We've been reminded daily to give thanks in all things. 

Thank you for your continued prayers, and I ask you to please pray for my Mom as she faces the first Thanksgiving without my Dad. Please pray, too, for Michele's family. Oh, she was the glue that kept everyone together. She made the memories. Please pray for much comfort for her family as they feel the emptiness of her absence.

And if everyone is around your table, and you've known no sorrow or heartache of late, praise the LORD for His mercies and remember to treasure every moment for the gift of the mountain top. If you're in the valley, thank the LORD that He makes it impossible to not praise Him because He daily showers us with so many gifts! Thank Him, too, for the spiritual growth that only comes from His refining fire.

Happy Thanksgiving!! May your hearts overflow with endless praises to the LORD!

Much love,

Trisha

Now That's My Kind of Tree Hugger

Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk

I'd love to have you visit Heavenly Springs today. I'm sharing about Catherine of Willoughby as part of the Women of the Reformation series. This isn't the story of a perfect woman. This is a story of a sinner, just like we are, who needed God's grace every minute, every hour.

Her story is a sobering reminder to guard our hearts and finish our race here well.

With love,
Trisha

You Can Count on This

"God's wondrous working in the past should deepen our confidence in Him and make us to seek at His hands blessings and mercies for the present. Since He so graciously provided such a Shepherd for the sheep, since He has been pacified toward us and not a frown now remains upon His face, since He has so gloriously displayed both His power and His righteousness in bringing back Christ from the dead, a continuance of His favor may be safely counted upon. We should expectantly look to Him day by day for all needed supplies of grace. The One who raised our Savior is well able to quicken us and make us fruitful to every good work. "
~A.W. Pink, Guide to Fervent Prayer

Good Cravings

"Help me to see how good Thy will is in all, 

and even when it crosses mine, 

teach me to be pleased with it."

~Valley of Vision

Perhaps the first year of grief is the hardest? I'm finding that when I think I'm catching my breath, I see more waves coming. Where would I be, but completely under, without the One who not only holds me through it all, but controls every wave as well?

There have been very hard days this week, making me wish I could simply turn off the tears. Tuesday was my Dad's birthday, and today marks a month since Michele died. I keep thinking of where I'd be in my pregnancy if I hadn't miscarried.

 And on top of that there's been a nasty battle with my flesh. This has probably made me cry the most. My selfishness runs deep, deep, deep, and there are situations I want to run from because I don't want to act Christlike in the midst of them. It's clear I want to be delivered of this sin through some other method than dying to self. Let me tell you, it doesn't work that way.

There have even been those whispers of, "Is God really hearing you?" And that's why it's vital to count those mercies, to pray for a heart that treasures, not worships, His kindnesses. I've been praying God would keep me....keep me from doubts, from the dangers of self. Keep me, O Lord!

In the midst of it all, He pours out His grace and kindness and gives me the littlest of things and the biggest ones, too, all which I don't deserve, to cheer my heart.

1) This..the prettiest sunrise I've seen, yet. The pictures don't capture the pinkish hue very well, but I think you get the idea.

2) My friend, Becky, shared about a plan to pray through the Valley of Vision prayers. What a blessing it has already been. You can download the plan here.

3) By God's providence, I won a book giveaway! Persis, a Titus 2 woman who blogs at Tried With Fire, is sending me John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology! Another blessing is being excited about reading such a book. 10 years ago would have told a different story. :)

4) Oh, I wish you could have been here for this one. Something so simple brings such excitement. Jedediah discovered how to turn a floor fan on with the push of a button. He was literally clapping and dancing about it. Doesn't that inspire every one of us to be more joyful about all the common mercies God pours out on us? Pictures like this were some of Michele's favorites.

5) I'm thankful we haven't been terrorized by nasty rodents. 'Cause that's just one more thing.

6) I'm thankful for these tiny hands that surround me and grasp pencils and give hugs and scratch backs and hold baby dolls. 

7) Praise God for the blessing of hearing my Mom encourage her sister over the death of Michele, reminding her to be thankful, for truly God has been merciful to us all, every moment of every day. Isn't it WONDERFUL to see and hear and watch others growing in grace?!!!

8) I've discovered Twitter. Ok, I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, but it's been fun so far. Let me know if you're on Twitter so I can follow you.:)

9) What a gift my time in the Word and in prayer is each day. Such a privilege we have to feast on and soak up the very words of God! 

10) And this encouragement from Spurgeon, which I pray will bless you all.

"If the LORD will only do unto us in the future as in the past, we shall be well content. We seek no change in the divine action, we only crave that the river of grace may never cease to flow."

With love,

Trisha

But We Make Them Brush Their Teeth

I was once told it was "terrible" that I was teaching my young children about hell. The assumption was that such subjects were best addressed at a later age. I replied that from the very beginning we should be teaching our children about heaven and hell and sin and the gospel and Jesus and redemption. If this is the language of the Redeemed, why would we not speak it to our children from the moment of birth, as naturally as anything else we teach them?

Another time, I engaged in a friendly debate with a mother regarding children and the habit of daily Bible reading. She thought it best to let her child read the Bible when the Holy Spirit "moved" the child to do so. The mother also applied this ridiculous theory to memorizing Scripture as well.

Most of us want to be responsible parents. We teach our children to make their beds, to brush their teeth, and so on. And these skills aren't negotiable. We do them because they're good for us. If I told you that I didn't make my children brush their teeth because it might make them hate brushing their teeth, you'd think I was crazy.

And yet, when it comes to encouraging in our children habits of Bible reading and prayer and giving thanks, this is the very excuse we use.

"Well, I don't want my children to not like the Word, so I'm not going to make them read it."  Fill in the blank.

We place a higher importance on caring for the body than we do for having the mind of Christ, which only comes by feasting on His Word.

Our children are gifts to us to train up in the fear and admonition of the LORD. Can we do that without teaching them that the Word is their food and they must eat of it regularly to grow spiritually? This is not legalism. This is instructing our children in what really matters for eternity.

What habits are we teaching our children, even unintentionally? To care only for the body? To check text messages first thing in the morning or e-mail or facebook, etc.? To have the latest clothing and haircut? To be carried away by every wind of false doctrine because they have no roots in the the truth of the Word?

Oh that God would give our Mama hearts the desire of this godly woman:

"For as the children of Israel must needs starve, except they gath'red every day in the wilderness and fed of it, so must your souls, except you gather the Spiritual Manna out of the word every day, and feed of it continually; for as they by this Manna comforted their hearts, and strengthened their bodies, and preserved their lives; so by this Heavenly Word of God, you shall comfort your souls, make them strong in Faith, and grow in true godliness, and finally preserve them with great joy, to everlasting life, through faith in Christ.."
~Dorothy Leigh, The Mother's Blessing, 1616 


In a later post, I'll share ways to encourage your children to be in the Word daily as well as address the question of what to do if your children are older and are resistant. Always remember that God's grace is inexhaustible!

Let's fervently ask God to give our children hearts that hunger after His Word and delight in it.

With love,
Trisha

This Week's Hit: Sausage Bean Soup and North Meets South

I confess I'm just not a soup lover. I like chicken noodle, and that's where the lovin' stops.  What I love more is making soups for my family, and this week's new recipe was a hit.

Sausage Bean Soup

4 c. water
1 med. potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 lb hot sausage
2 cans (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounces) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. chopped onion
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf (didn't have this and still tasted great)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

In a large saucepan, bring water and potato to a boil. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender (do not drain). Meanwhile, crumble sausage into a skillet and cook over medium heat until browned. Drain and then add to saucepan.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf.

10 servings

**adapted from a Taste of Home recipe


I'm still in search of the perfect cornbread. Though I'm a southern girl, I like my cornbread sweet, and my Mountain Man doesn't. This recipe from King Arthur Flour might be the perfect compromise.

Because I love my man so much, I cut the sugar in half to 1/8 c., and everyone was pleased.

If you have a favorite cornbread recipe, PLEASE share!!

Enjoy!


Linking up with Petra at Wednesday's World of Work. Share your work and inspire others!!

This Thanksgiving Tradition Tastes Better Than Apple Pie

Here's one Thanksgiving tradition I hope my children continue with their families. I first posted about our establishing an Ebenezer Box three years ago. We simply record notes of gratitude to the LORD throughout the year and deposit them in this container.

On Thanksgiving Day, after enjoying a bounty of God's provision, we sit at the table and savor the reminders of God's mercies to us throughout the past year. We read each one, and the children eventually turn it into a bit of a game, trying to guess who recorded the blessing just read.  It's a loud and crazy time of laughter, of remembrance, of thankful hearts.  It's a time of slowing down to reflect on just how blessed we truly are.  It's my own favorite part of the day.

Here are a few observations after using the Ebenezer Box for a few years:

1)  We forget.  It is so easy to forget all that God has done for us.  Even as we read the notes, we often have that "Oh, I forgot about that" look on our faces.  Recording blessings reminds us of God's wonderful works to the children of men.

2)  We're unfaithful.  Even with the box readily available, there are so many blessings we fail to record.  The tyranny of the urgent or the pleasures of the moment steal our attention, having many of us say, "We'll write that down later."  But later never comes. I've decided that our new strategy will be to record our mercies daily after breakfast.

3)  Noting God's blessings encourages thankfulness for the smallest of things.  There were many cards expressing gratitude for the simplest pleasures and for the many blessings we simply take for granted each day.

4)  When we record our blessings, we're recording our family history.  Many of the cards tell the story of our lives for the past year.  How encouraging to see God's hand in it all, working all things together for good.

We want our children to have a habit of, to practice without giving it a second thought, praising God and thanking Him.  When our hearts begin to grumble and murmur against our circumstances, and ultimately against our God, Who is sovereign over all, gratitude steps in and reminds us that God is faithful and trustworthy and we are blessed beyond measure. We, who deserved nothing but the wrath and curse of God, have been redeemed by the One who daily loads us with benefits.


How can our lips and hearts ever be empty of praise?


I promise this is one tradition you'll be thankful you started.

With love,
Trisha

Monday Facts~Confessions

It's a fact that I'll never look this pretty with butter on my face:

It's a fact that I love to be up before everyone else in the morning, soaking in the Word and catching the glorious sunrise. It's a fact that this time alone refuels me.

It's a fact that I prefer French milled bar soap over liquid. If you have to wash your hands a million times a day, it should be an experience to remember. :)

It's a fact that I have my own candy stash in my room in a pink container. It's a fact I can be rather selfish about my chocolate.

It's a fact I don't long for heaven enough.

It's a fact I don't freak out over children on the window sill.

It's a fact that I'm, ahem, maybe, possibly, could be, a pen-aholic. Yes, the pens just call to me whenever I'm near the stationery aisle. It's a fact I LOVE to write with a fountain pen.

It's a fact I'm a Napper, and so are my children sometimes.

It's a fact I consider only three sticks of butter left and NONE in the freezer to be a state of emergency. Truly. Three sticks? We use that in an hour.

It's a fact that I've posted so many pictures on this blog that I now have to pay for the privilege. 

Ok, those are enough facts to remind you that I'm completely normal....or maybe not. :)

Oh, one more. It's a fact that I'm quite frustrated I can't upload my signature to my posts these days. 

Love,

Trisha

(that looks so boring!)

Read more exciting fact posts at Seams Inspired!