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.