Money Doesn't Grow on Trees

Have you ever noticed that kids have a built in capability to be very hungry and "need" everything when you take them shopping?  I swear, if our family drives within 100 feet of a restaurant their radar goes off and they are soooooo hungry even though they just ate lunch an hour ago!


My husband and I want our kids to understand the value of a dollar, so last weekend we attempted to do just that -- teach them the value of a dollar.

We went to the local Outlet Mall and gave each of our three children a set amount a money, above and beyond their normal allowance.  We turned the outing into a contest to see who could get the most bang for their buck as well as shopping for needs versus wants.  First place was a $5 gift card to a place of their choice, second place was a day of no chores and third place was an hour later bedtime.

We were pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the "game", particularly for our oldest two children.

My husband trailed our son most of the day giving tips and advice on what was a good purchase or not and I trailed our daughters. 

The following are some of the positive results from our experiment...

• At the end of the day we asked our kids if they shopped more wisely since the day had been turned into a game of sorts.  They felt they did, so in my estimation a little competition wasn't bad.
• After shopping in a couple stores, I noticed my older daughter gravitating toward the sale racks more frequently.
• Our son shopped with the future in mind as he made purchases based on things he would need as he starts his soccer season soon.
• The kids were more selective in their purchases knowing they had to stretch their dollars.
• As a parent, it was nice not to keep handing out my money at every turn.  And it was really great not having to say "no" to every request all day long.

I'm certain my kids are not cured of their wanting mentality, but I do feel this was a great learning experience and it will be one of many tools we use to continue to teach them the value of a buck.

 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?  (Proverbs 17:16)

Ultimately, our goal is to teach our kids that money doesn't bring happiness, it is simply a tool that God entrusts to us to bring glory to Him and to bless others.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.  (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

On a side note... our youngest daughter, who is seven, basically had a fun day of shopping.  She did get some great deals, but I'm not sure she yet understood the mission behind our experimental shopping trip.  And in case you were wondering, our son took first place in the needs versus want category and our oldest daughter took first in getting the most bang for her buck... she saved a whopping $92.02!!

Lesson from a Cashier

I generally don't enjoy keeping company with a "Negative Nelly".  I like to hear positive and encouraging words from my family, friends and even strangers.  In fact, you'll often hear me scolding one of my kids and their negative outlook on life.

If you've read my previous post, One Thousand Gifts, you'll remember that I'm making a concerted effort to list what I love -- God's gifts to me.  But I'm finding that I'm far from achieving perfection in this area of my life.

Last night I was at my favorite store and it was late.  I put all my goods on the conveyor belt when the cashier asked me a simple question, "How are you?"  My response was just as simple, I said "Tired".  She made a comment about many people responding that way on this particular night.  I didn't think anymore about the short conversation until the cashier started to scan the purchases of the person behind me.  Just as she did with me, the cashier asked the lady "How are you?".  She gave the usual response of "Good, how are you?".  It was the cashier's response that sent daggers into my heart.  I can imagine she'd already worked nearly a full shift and since it was late evening I can imagine that she too was tired and ready to go home, but instead of going in the direction of negativity she responded "I can't complain".

I can't complain... why didn't I say that?

I am so blessed.  I was blessed to have the money to pay for the items I was buying.  I was blessed to be getting 10% off my entire purchase.  I was blessed to have a car to get me to the store.  I was blessed to have a family in which I could provide for.

Why did I chose the negative over the positive?

Obviously, I still have much to learn because my words wouldn't have gone there if they hadn't already been in my heart.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  (Proverbs 4:23)

I do the same thing when talking to someone about the weather too.  Granted it's been a brutal winter and spring in my neck of the woods, but there is still so much to give thanks for.  At the risk of being a "Pollyanna", I want people to know that despite my physical or mental state, despite what the weather holds there is still so much to be thankful for.

I didn't expect to learn a lesson on this particular shopping trip, but that's just like God... teaching me in the everyday, mundane tasks of life.  With God's help, the next cashier that asks me how I'm doing, I pray that I'll be able to respond with something positive because God HAS blessed me and I truly want everyone to know that even in my tired state, God is always good!

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.  (Psalm 105:1)

Bacterial Infections and Infections in the Soul

Tuesday night, I was relaxing with my family getting ready to watch TV, when I got a phone call from our clinic.  I wasn't expecting to hear from them, so my first reaction when I saw the clinic's name on Caller ID was to think that they were calling to remind me of an upcoming appointment.  My next thought was that we don't have any scheduled appointments and then I realized someone live was on the line waiting to talk to me.  When I finally gained my senses, I listened as a nurse told me my daughter's blood work came back  positive for a bacterial infection.

To back up in the story, I need to tell you that for the past year and more my oldest daughter has struggled with periodic stomach pains.  We've been to the ER on a couple different occasions only to leave without answers.  We recently visited our family doctor and were given a diagnosis which we thought was the answer we've been searching for; however, she continued to have pain, which escalated to severe two weeks ago.  She continued to experience such pain off and on for the next week and a half.  As a mom, I felt helpless and overwhelmed... there was nothing I could do to take away my daughter's pain; all I could do was sit and watch her moan, cry and throw up repeatedly.

Last Sunday, out of nowhere the pain came back and she began to experience the nausea again.  This time my husband took her to Urgent Care.  Within a couple hours, the pain was gone and we were told they couldn't find anything wrong.  Back to square one.

Then came Tuesday, and the call.  I was told that my daughter had an infection that I had never heard of and that I would need to start her on antibiotics sooner rather than later.

Now that I had a name for this ailment, I immediately opened my laptop and Googled the name of this strange infection.  I wanted to know everything there was to know -- symptoms, causes, treatments, etc.

The next day as I was thinking about my daughter, it occurred to me that I don't often approach "infections" in my spiritual life with the same zeal I did with my daughter's physical infection.  When God shows me an area of my life that is diseased and preventing me from having a healthy relationship with Him, I'm often content to just go on... life as normal.  I don't readily jump to action studying, researching or scouring God's Word for the cure to my diseased spiritual life.

I think we've all been there... we sit in church on any given Sunday or perhaps in the early morning hours of the weekday with open bible on our lap, and God clearly speaks to us about an issue.  9 times out of 10, I leave the church or close my bible and simply go on with life, never really changing, never digging deep to learn all I can about my sin issue and how to eradicate it from my life.

What if we treated our infectious sin issues the same way we jumped to action when we are dealing with a physical ailment?  I've been reminded this week to treat my diseased and infected soul with the same passion and zeal I would for a physical ailment.

Let’s not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here’s what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump.  

(Matthew 5:29-30, The Message)

One Thousand Gifts

I'm sure for the vast majority of you summer has arrived in your household.  In ours, we still have two more days... blech! I'm kinda wishin' we hadn't had those two snow days earlier in the year.  Oh well... the end is in sight.

Today I want to share with you an issue that weighs heavy on my heart... I don't necessarily think it's something new in the culture, but it's definitely not readily taught in many schools and unfortunately not in many homes either.

I'm talking about thankfulness.

I see it lacking in my kids... I see it lacking in my heart.  I don't like it in either and I desperately want it to be different.

As you may or may not know, during the school year I work as a preschool teacher's aide, a job I love and feel incredibly blessed to have and do.  One of the perks of teaching is the little gifts you sometimes get at the close of the school year.  This year I received an amazing book from one little girl and her family called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I don't know what it was, maybe it was the picture of a bird's nest gently cradling two Tiffany blue colored eggs, but I instantly knew that this book was going to be incredible... I'm only a portion of the way through the book, but my gut instinct has not failed me.

If you've not already read the book, I don't want to give away the details so suffice it to say the author, Ann Voskamp, had experienced several life changing events that I would never ask for or wish upon my enemy... it was some tough stuff! Through it she began to question if God really was who He says He is... is He good?

At one point in Ann's life a friend challenged her to write out 1000 things she loved; in essence 1000 gifts from God.  She took the challenge and as she filled up her journal with her list of 1000 love gifts, her heart was changed.

Ann's writing is beautiful and poetic.  As she recounts some of her love gifts she focus on the many things we daily overlook.  Things like...

~the sight of a robin in early spring

~the taste of warm chocolate chip cookies

~the smell of lilacs floating in the air

~the gentle hugs from my child

~the noise of laughter in the yard

As I read Ann's story, I was deeply stirred in my soul that God wanted me too, to recount over the summer months His love gifts in my life.  My next thought was to invite my two older kids to join me.  My hope and prayer for myself and my kids is that through this journey we will see how God provides so much on a daily basis.  His love for us can even be found in the little mundane things of life.

Will you join us?

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  (James 1:7, ESV)

If you are interested in owning a copy of One Thousand Gifts, it can be purchased through online retailers like CBD or Amazon.

Memorial Day 2013

It's easy on this day, Memorial Day, to get wrapped up in household projects, relaxing in the sun or barbecuing with family and friends.  None of those activities are wrong; in fact they are quite American in nature, but please don't forget what this day is about... remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, their life, so we can live and prosper in this amazing country.

America has been celebrating Memorial Day since the mid-1800's.  It begin as Decoration Day to honor those who lost their life during the Civil War.  The day was was later changed to Memorial Day to include all soldiers in every conflict who lost their life.

As you go about your activities today, please remember to take a minute at 3:00 pm to pause in silence, remembering those who have sacrificed so much for us.

In Flanders Field

by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

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

         In Flanders fields.

If your interested in reading more about Memorial Day, please click here.  If you would like to read more about Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae and the story behind In Flanders Field, please click here.

Summer Reading Incentives

Life is still crazy and hectic here in my little world.  Our move happened a week and a half ago... more chaotic than I would have liked, but all our worldly possessions are moved and we are s-l-o-w-l-y settling in.  My husband's surgery was a week ago and that situation turned out better than we could have imagined.  We were anticipating a 3 month recovery time, but his diagnosis was inaccurate and not as invasive as we had planned, which now results in a 1 month recovery time.  After the initial shock wore off, we are grateful the prognosis is good and he is not greatly restricted in his mobility.

The real reason I'm posting today is because I came across a great summer reading program for the kiddos. As we near the end of the school year and anticipate the lazy days of summer, I am waiting  eagerly for the less scheduled days of summer; however, I also don't want my kids brains to be put up high on the shelf and used sporadically over the next three months.  Every year I have high expectations to keep their minds busy and active with reading, math drills, researching, etc.  Generally, I'm on top of it for about two weeks, then I gradually lessen my expectations and we find ourselves becoming lazier and lazier.  If anyone has a cure for this cycle, please do share!!!

Anyway, one of the best ways to help combat a stale, mushy mind is to keep the kids reading over the summer month.  I know many library systems encourage reading through various incentives over the summer months, so check out your local library.  Our library happens to have a not so great incentive program, in my opinion, and so I think I'm going to have my girls participate in the the Barnes and Noble reading program this year.  After reading 8 books, the child gets to pick a book from the selected reading list.

What are you and you're kids doing the summer to keep their minds sharp?  I would love to hear your ideas to spur me past the first 2 weeks of summer.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men  (Colossians 3:23, ESV)

Fight For Your Faith

Fight for your faith.

I've been thinking a lot about that phrase over the course of several days.  I first heard my pastor use it while addressing those in our church who gathered together for fellowship and to dig deeper in God's word.

Our culture promotes peace... we want peace and we'll often go to great lengths to get it or to maintain the peace in our homes.  We teach our kids to be peaceful and not fight, which is good and right, but I wonder if in the process of teaching; our kids are inferring that their faith isn't something worth fighting for... but fight we must!  It was not a mistake when God inspired Paul to write in Ephesians...

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  (Ephesians 6:10-17, NIV)

I think what God was trying to tell us through the writings of the Apostle Paul is that we can not sit idly by and expect our faith to withstand the wiles of the devil if we aren't fighting.  We can't put our faith on the shelf, we must be in quiet time with God, we must seek the face of God through prayer, and we must memorize and hide God's Word in our heart.  If we aren't prepared for battle before the battle we will have nothing within us in which to fight.

Fight for your faith and teach your kids how to fight for theirs.  Our kids are going to be faced with many battles within the walls of their public school building and they need to be ready to fight the fight for their faith.