hello - I say
not now, the news is on
and I feel like putting down the phone
later, we're busy
is dad free
no, he's watching tv
and I am left wondering at the ease of which a conversation ends
before it has started
# IValueWhatYouHaveToSay
@ IAmInterestedInMyChild
let me put down the phone, turn off the computer, unplug the tv
let me live in TODAY
in THIS place You have granted me to unfold
the patterns of the days of my life
ENGAGING with the precious people surrounding me
amen. let the lights turn off.
Friday, 29 August 2014
Monday, 18 August 2014
Things
Last night my small girl said: "Mommy, sometimes I like things more than Jesus. But I want to like Jesus most.'
The battle for the human heart rages!
The battle for the human heart rages!
No junior Holy Spirit
Hmm. Wonder why we water down what we teach our kids?! If God is real (and I know him) then I can't be satisfied with giving my kids a junior version of God. He's just as interested in their "small" circumstances as my adult circumstances.
Oh Lord, be the centre of OUR lives. And MY family.
Oh Lord, be the centre of OUR lives. And MY family.
Monday, 4 August 2014
A children's revival in the bible?
Have you ever read this verse before?
Matthew 21:15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant,
So who was crying out in the temple? Crying out Jesus' praises?
It was the children. Hmm. Sounds like children knew Him personally.
Mark 10:13 & 14 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. B
ut when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
Jesus came for the children... let's be literal here!
Luke 1:16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
Jesus spent time with little children... and they knew him more than those who were supposedly wise and understanding (and older).
Luke 10:21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
And the children participated in whatever happened together with the men, and their wives. No separate holding area for kids!
Acts 21:4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And uthrough the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, vaccompanied us until we were outside the city. And wkneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
The children even prophesied - 4 unmarried daughters meant that the oldest could have been no older than 18, and the youngest possibly younger than 10.
Acts 21:8
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted xthe brothers2 and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of yPhilip zthe evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, awho prophesied
Our mandate is clear
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
John wrote to the children too....
1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
1 John 2: 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
The children knew God Almighty as a Father! And John reassures them. And then he teaches them how to know a good person from a bad one...
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
John teaches little children how love is shown...
1 John 3:18
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
And he reassures them that God is greater than their fears
1 John 4:4
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
An admonition to children:
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
John rejoiced in some of the children of his fellow Christians:
2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.
Whew. Let me get this right then. Children were part of worship, in the temple, around Jesus, involved in praying and prophesying, taught, discipled, leading and integral to Christian life.
The challenge is on!
I pray that I can teach my kids all this so that they are alive now, and not lost when they are teens. I pray that I will echo John:
3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Matthew 21:15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant,
So who was crying out in the temple? Crying out Jesus' praises?
It was the children. Hmm. Sounds like children knew Him personally.
Mark 10:13 & 14 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. B
ut when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
Jesus came for the children... let's be literal here!
Luke 1:16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
Jesus spent time with little children... and they knew him more than those who were supposedly wise and understanding (and older).
Luke 10:21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
And the children participated in whatever happened together with the men, and their wives. No separate holding area for kids!
Acts 21:4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And uthrough the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, vaccompanied us until we were outside the city. And wkneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
The children even prophesied - 4 unmarried daughters meant that the oldest could have been no older than 18, and the youngest possibly younger than 10.
Acts 21:8
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted xthe brothers2 and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of yPhilip zthe evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, awho prophesied
Our mandate is clear
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
John wrote to the children too....
1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
1 John 2: 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
The children knew God Almighty as a Father! And John reassures them. And then he teaches them how to know a good person from a bad one...
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
John teaches little children how love is shown...
1 John 3:18
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
And he reassures them that God is greater than their fears
1 John 4:4
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
An admonition to children:
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
John rejoiced in some of the children of his fellow Christians:
2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.
Whew. Let me get this right then. Children were part of worship, in the temple, around Jesus, involved in praying and prophesying, taught, discipled, leading and integral to Christian life.
The challenge is on!
I pray that I can teach my kids all this so that they are alive now, and not lost when they are teens. I pray that I will echo John:
3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
A box of brownies. Really.
Yes, really. A box of brownies. The picture shared with me by a lovely young girl at a weekend conference this weekend. And while I was wondering "why brownies?" she continued with an interpretation of the picture she had seen.
"I saw God giving you a big white box of brownies. And then he said that you needed to stop and savour each individual brownie on its own. Not just munch and then put down the box. Each brownie has been specially and differently made, for you. Take the time to enjoy the flavours and patterns and tastes."
So I took a deep breath and stepped back from some hurried plans, and enjoyed the moment, then headed to the pause area to get some lunch. And lo and behold, I was offered a piece of brownie by the person on my left. I chuckled to myself and made sure I ate it slowly. Then the lovely lady on my left brought me a cup of coffee - and another brownie. By the end of lunch time I had a sugar high, and had got the point!
It's time to stop and savour what you bring my way, Lord, instead of rushing through life at high speed and then disappearing off to the next thing.
Noted!
"I saw God giving you a big white box of brownies. And then he said that you needed to stop and savour each individual brownie on its own. Not just munch and then put down the box. Each brownie has been specially and differently made, for you. Take the time to enjoy the flavours and patterns and tastes."
So I took a deep breath and stepped back from some hurried plans, and enjoyed the moment, then headed to the pause area to get some lunch. And lo and behold, I was offered a piece of brownie by the person on my left. I chuckled to myself and made sure I ate it slowly. Then the lovely lady on my left brought me a cup of coffee - and another brownie. By the end of lunch time I had a sugar high, and had got the point!
It's time to stop and savour what you bring my way, Lord, instead of rushing through life at high speed and then disappearing off to the next thing.
Noted!
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