Wordless Wednesday

~Kristen

Time = Love

I love my children.
I tell them, "I love you" often.
What children need the most is for your love to be shown through spending TIME with them!
Take time out of your busy schedule to do something with each of your children.
It does not have to be anything huge, or complicated, or even time consuming.

Set aside your laptop for long enough to HUG your child.
Walk away from the dishes for a few minutes to read a book with your kids.
Leave the laundry for a little while and go for a walk.
Take the time to talk to your kids.
Play a game - even a short one.

Your children will feel loved, and you will feel them loving you back.

You may even start recognizing the small blessings you have, by seeing things in your children you never noticed before.

I took my children camping earlier this week.
We were forced to spend time together, and the children were forced to help me keep the campsite orderly in order to stay there.
We had so much fun, and I was able to spend quality time with my kids.
There were no televisions, or other screens, to distract the kids, or myself. No internet, no telephone.
Just each others company.

I learned that my daughter is happy reading, no matter where she is.
My oldest son is a GREAT fisherman, and remembers to pray before meals, even when we are camping!
My youngest child is really good at cleaning up, and when given a job, does his best to overachieve!

These are qualities I am sure they exhibit at home, but that I may be too busy to see, because I am attached to my laptop, or busy keeping house.

Spend TIME with your children, and they will KNOW that you love them by your time!

It's Okay to Be Different!

I love the Golden Rule - that we are to love everyone as God loves us.

It is much easier said than done, and even harder to teach our children.

We surround ourselves with people who are all different. Tolerance of differences is a rare quality to see in our society today. There is just so much fear, ignorance, and hate toward anyone who is different.

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

God tells us that we are to be KIND to one another. That does not mean we need to abandon our own beliefs and stand with those who think differently than we do. However, it does mean that we are not to attack or think poorly of those who have different ideas than our own.

I think of the recent Chick-Fil-A incidents, in which one of the owners/CEO's of the company made a stand upholding marriage as between one man and one woman. The company was founded on Christian principles, and is not open on Sunday. I have never eaten at a Chick-Fil-A. It does not matter whether the owners are Christian or not. All of their employees may or may not be Christian. They treat all employees and customers equally. The statement made by the CEO happens to align with my own beliefs. Does that mean I support the company of Chick-Fil-A? No, not necessarily.

Many people have over-reacted and put more value in the "statement" made by the company. This video shows only one example:

Let's NOT be like this man, who got fired from his job because of his behavior.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

Let's plan on watching the movie "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" - which promotes being different as a good thing!!