One of the great things about Home School, is being able to take time to answer questions that might relate to the topic but are not THE topic.
For example, this morning my daughter and I were reading about Noah's ark and the flood, but that lead us to the book of revelation.
We were reading about the floodwaters starting and all the people left behind because they were wicked. I asked her to consider how frightening it must have been for Noah's family. I can just imagine people screaming and running, realizing how true Noah's words had been. Realizing it was too late. They had listened for 100 years and never believed. Few people actually stop to think of this moment in history and how tragic it really was. I told her it will be much the same when Christ returns. People think they can wait until the last minute to make things right. It will be too late. This provoked her to ask about some things she had read in the book of Revelation. She said it was frightening. I TOTALY agree.
Keep in mind that she is 10 years old, but she has always been a deep thinker. The book of Revelation is complex and I don't have all the answers. However, I told her that the entire book can be summed up in two words--God Wins.
People on Earth are obsessed with taking sides. Democrat or Republican. Liberal or conservative. This team or that. This school or that. When it comes to God, however, people often think of God as the one choosing sides. We like to put Him in a nice box and use Him to justify our motives by proclaiming that He is on our side. We are foolish people. God cannot be contained, nor does he chose silly sides. God IS a side. YOU must chose to be on HIS side. We are to follow HIS rules. He created us, not the other way around.
I try not to be "hell fire and brimstone". Yet, there are things that need to be told. There are MANY joyful things we focus on but today was sober.
My daughter was stirred by what we had talked about. She said she was afraid that she wouldn't make it into heaven. She welled up with tears and and we hugged tight. I stroked her hair and thought of how much I was like her at that age. I remember the fear. Even as adults, we fear. Don't worry, I didn't just leave her afraid.
She has been baptized and takes her Christian walk very seriously. So, we talked about grace and mercy. We talked about Gods immeasurable love and His amazing grace. Even as adults we have a hard time wrapping our minds around the mercy of God. Even as adults, we fear death. Christians should not fear death, if we are faithful. Christ defeated death. If we follow Him, he will save us from deaths sting.
Finally, we talked about how important it is to teach others about Gods love, so others don't have to fear anymore. Others need to know that these things are real. We all need to share the good news with others.
After our lesson, we prayed together. We cried. We hugged. Then I tickled her ribs and she giggled. We smiled and with hope in our hearts set back to work. I pray you have hope in your heart.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Word Power
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21 ASV)
Wow. Just wow. Read that scripture and let it sink in. The power of the words that come out of our mouths. It has sparked many sayings. "I stuck my foot in my mouth." "Tongue tied." "Cat got your tongue?" The list goes on and on.
One of the first things that came to my mind was the song we sing to our children. "Oh be careful little mouth what you say..." What powerful advice there is hidden in the song meant for children but applicable to all.
The Bible is flooded with scriptures on the power of words and the tongue. Most of the passages cautioning us on the amount of harm we can cause with our words.
Our words are like tools. What the tool is used for, depends on you. Are our tools used for building, improving, protecting? Or are our tools used for tearing down, ripping apart, and destruction. While we may want to believe that we are using our tools for good, it may not be the case. We are all guilty of speaking behind someone's back or stating our unkind opinion about a person to others. It's hurtful, and just wrong.
We can "paint pictures" with words. Have you ever painted a picture of someone either to themselves or someone else? Of corse. Every time you speak to them or of them you do. What type of image do you want to leave in the mind of those you speak with. Parents, we help to paint the way our children see themselves. Much like painting, once you have made a stroke of the brush with words, it cannot be taken back. We must consider what we say, carefully.
Today, someone used their kind words to encourage me. They used their tools to build me up and they painted beautiful strokes on my heart. It meant the world to me. To that person, I thank you. Thank you for believing in me.
You can literally change the course of a persons life by what you say to or about them. That is really powerful. God blessed us with the ability to communicate so we can talk to Him and our fellow man. What God gave us is good and we must use it for good. We must not pervert it or use the very thing meant to build each other up, to tear each other down.
Whoever you are, I believe in you. Our Lord God believes in you, He made you! I pray for everyone who reads my blog. Know that I may not know you, but I care about you. Know that God does know you, and He will always care about you. He loves you enough to Give up His Son for you. I'd say you're pretty special.
Let's get our brushes in hand and our tools at the ready. We will all paint pictures today, will you paint Love? We will all use our tools today. Will you build hope?
Go encourage someone today.
Wow. Just wow. Read that scripture and let it sink in. The power of the words that come out of our mouths. It has sparked many sayings. "I stuck my foot in my mouth." "Tongue tied." "Cat got your tongue?" The list goes on and on.
One of the first things that came to my mind was the song we sing to our children. "Oh be careful little mouth what you say..." What powerful advice there is hidden in the song meant for children but applicable to all.
The Bible is flooded with scriptures on the power of words and the tongue. Most of the passages cautioning us on the amount of harm we can cause with our words.
Our words are like tools. What the tool is used for, depends on you. Are our tools used for building, improving, protecting? Or are our tools used for tearing down, ripping apart, and destruction. While we may want to believe that we are using our tools for good, it may not be the case. We are all guilty of speaking behind someone's back or stating our unkind opinion about a person to others. It's hurtful, and just wrong.
We can "paint pictures" with words. Have you ever painted a picture of someone either to themselves or someone else? Of corse. Every time you speak to them or of them you do. What type of image do you want to leave in the mind of those you speak with. Parents, we help to paint the way our children see themselves. Much like painting, once you have made a stroke of the brush with words, it cannot be taken back. We must consider what we say, carefully.
Today, someone used their kind words to encourage me. They used their tools to build me up and they painted beautiful strokes on my heart. It meant the world to me. To that person, I thank you. Thank you for believing in me.
You can literally change the course of a persons life by what you say to or about them. That is really powerful. God blessed us with the ability to communicate so we can talk to Him and our fellow man. What God gave us is good and we must use it for good. We must not pervert it or use the very thing meant to build each other up, to tear each other down.
Whoever you are, I believe in you. Our Lord God believes in you, He made you! I pray for everyone who reads my blog. Know that I may not know you, but I care about you. Know that God does know you, and He will always care about you. He loves you enough to Give up His Son for you. I'd say you're pretty special.
Let's get our brushes in hand and our tools at the ready. We will all paint pictures today, will you paint Love? We will all use our tools today. Will you build hope?
Go encourage someone today.
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