do you have their heart

"Anyone can run a house like a general and get kids to obey. The end result shouldn't be just obedience, we should capture the heart of our children". Andrew said this to me after a conversation he had with his boss. Man I love this. How often do I just want my result to be obedience without giving a thought to where my kids heart is. What an awareness this is. To be aware in those moments of teaching to recognize out of what motive our children are obeying. Reflecting(as I always find myself doing) I filter through the times of recent training with my kids. What a heart check for me. As always I am reminded of Gods love for me and continually humbled... it's not about performance, its about my heart. Does Jesus have my heart. Am I obeying God's commands out of obligation or love. I'm thinking I need a remodel. Freedom is on the horizon! Chip away Lord chip away at the jagged edges until they are made smooth in Your hand. Thank you Jesus. Thank you.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

This morning was an early morning. I am not a coffee drinker though today if I had some in the house I would have likely been converted. It was one of those "self motivate" days when I literally have to coach myself to get things done. Penny asks me who I'm talking to on these days, which I reply, "mommy is talking to herself". And the cute stage she is in where she repeats what I say back to me makes me sound a little more out of it. Anyhow, I continued on with my morning, and I pulled out the vacuum. As I started my strides across my crumb crunchy carpet I noticed Penny and Grace coming out of their room, Penny with her matching play vacuum, and Grace with a makeshift popcorn sounding vacuum that I am sure Penny handed to her to make her feel part of the action. As we all stood in the living room vacuuming I couldn't help but stop to capture the moment. I'm training my girls. Monkey see, monkey do. I didn't have to say a word. I'm sure anyone with kids has seen this time and time over. Sometimes good things, sometime not so good things. Either way we are training. These small but priceless moments often cause me to reflect on my own life. It is again a reminder of why it is so important to be with our kids. They will be trained by anything and anyone. We have the choice on what and who will do the training, for now. It makes me wonder what things I should be doing more of or less of. What am I teaching my children by my actions? The only way to train my kids, is for myself to be trained and taught. Then my thoughts turned on my own life. My relationship with Jesus and closeness with Him will ALWAYS directly affect my children. The real question is what is Jesus teaching me? Am I so close to my Savior that just like Penny and Grace grabbing their vacuums just to be like Mommy, would I also in the same way grab the things, and seek the things that Jesus does just because I love Him and want to be with Him? So today my kids once again taught me a lesson of how to be. Children. Grabbing and reaching after heavenly things just to be with my Father. So my prayer and hope for now is that God would help me be more like my own kids, and in return see me like Penny and Grace,just wanting to do what Mommy does, even if it is just vacuuming up crumbs.

It's not a sacrifice, it's love.

There is this woman. She doesn't need much. She doesn't stick out by her clothes or drive that new white SUV. She doesn't need it. She becomes what she needs to for her family. Her heart is at home. Her worth is at home. She refuses to let strangers raise her kids. She teaches them. She's there. With them. Waiting for the next opportunity to infuse wisdom. Her children can depend on her. They know they matter. Her actions prove it. It's not a sacrifice, it's love. It's a joy. Her payment is peace, no guilt. She's confident. She's strong. She's not looking for the next opportunity to get "alone" time. She has inner strength. She's a warrior. She's a watchmen of her home. She's ready to defuse any outside influence that could cause harm. She understands her importance. No one can take her place. Her children need her, even when they don't say it. She's wise. She doesn't complain. She's in control. She loves her husband. Her children are secure. Her husband has full confidence in her. She is a crown to him. He wears her love proudly. She is not concerned with earthly admiration, but fears God. She is home. She is thriving. She is alive. She is free. It's not a sacrifice, it's love.

Titus 2:4-5 ...train the younger woman to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home...

Through the passing years and everchanging culture I believe women have lost their way. We have become products of society that it now has become offensive to many women to discuss the very subjects that make them women. We have become such a unisex culture that the male and female design and role is so far from the original that people are downright confused. And I've probably already offended and lost some of you by saying "male and female" role. I'm a big believer in taking things back to origin and basics. Of course we will all have our own opinions of what we think those origins are. But these are mine. God designed the woman to be busy at home and the man to work, provide for that home. I'm VERY passionate and will have any conversation with anyone about why I believe whole heartedly, ready for it....women should be home. With their kids. Taking care of the homefront. And yes having dinner ready when their work tired husbands walk through the door. Ooooh I bet I have some of you cringing right now, and thats ok. My motivation is love. I understand that you will never feel truly fulfilled unless you fulfill the purpose in which you were created and designed for. I have watched women over and over thrive and dominate in the workforce while their home lives crumbled, ending in divorce or affairs. Their children now bouncing between grandma to daycare to babysitter while mommy puts her new heels on to go get that next fix of self worth in some office. It saddens me deeply. Women have lost their way in the midst of trying to find it. God's truths have not changed, we have. When you can embrace and accept that God's way is best, you will ALWAYS find His promises to hold firm and true.

More nagging thoughts to come soon...not for the weak at heart.