We celebrated our daughter’s birthday last week with a gathering at her house. We played a game called Apples to Apples.TM Each player had seven cards with people, places, or things on them. Each round of play another card would be drawn. Each player then was to select a card from their seven that most nearly matched the drawn card. The players took turns determining who had the best match.
Often, it seemed, there was nothing in my seven cards that had anything at all to do with the drawn card. Still, you had to put some card out for consideration. One of the intriguing aspects of the game was not only to determine what you thought would be a match, but to also consider the player who would judge that match. What would they be thinking?
Have you ever found life to be that way? You’re in the game, but none of your cards seem to match. Have you ever had what you thought was the perfect card, but someone who just did not think your way made the decision?
The ultimate player in this game of life is God. “…My thoughts are not your thoughts…” (Isaiah 55:8.) To play the game well, we consider God’s thoughts above our own, because He will be judging the match.
Look forward to hearing from you…
God bless….
Millie McNabb, B.A., B.Mus.
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
Is your greatest desire to have your children become gracious, mature, productive Christian adults?
Are you concerned that your children might miss, dismiss, or reject your Christian values?
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Request your free report “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” today at http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com./
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Castles in the Walkway
I was playing with two of my grandchildren yesterday, and the older one wanted to build a castle. Interestingly, she started the construction project in the middle of a narrow walkway. She was soon joined by her younger sister, who accidently knocked over part of the castle on her way by.
Soon they were both building castles. One preferred long blocks which she laid end to end, making a low sprawling castle. The other chose squares that she could stack into towers. Both castles suffered losses because of being built in the walkway.
I was thinking of Luke 14:28 and calculating the cost of building a tower before you start. Certainly one of the costs to consider is where you build the tower. Building in the walkway carries with it high costs of rebuilding.
We face similar challenges in growing as a Christian. We grow in different ways: we may be reaching upward to God, or stretching out to share God’s love with people around us. We grow in the midst of the walkway that is our culture. We get knocked over. We suffer losses. We rebuild.
May you not grow weary of rebuilding as you grow. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Request your free report “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” today at http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com./
Soon they were both building castles. One preferred long blocks which she laid end to end, making a low sprawling castle. The other chose squares that she could stack into towers. Both castles suffered losses because of being built in the walkway.
I was thinking of Luke 14:28 and calculating the cost of building a tower before you start. Certainly one of the costs to consider is where you build the tower. Building in the walkway carries with it high costs of rebuilding.
We face similar challenges in growing as a Christian. We grow in different ways: we may be reaching upward to God, or stretching out to share God’s love with people around us. We grow in the midst of the walkway that is our culture. We get knocked over. We suffer losses. We rebuild.
May you not grow weary of rebuilding as you grow. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Request your free report “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” today at http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com./
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Slice of Life
I was carving a turkey this weekend for our church dinner, and it reminded me of watching my father slice the meat. My father was a farmer, and spent most of his time outside, but when it was time to carve the meat, he was there in the kitchen.
My dad would don a dishcloth around his waist, take the carving knife and whetstone, and sharpen the blade. He’d slice the roast or turkey, then arrange the pieces attractively on the serving platter.
Meat has a “grain.” If you cook it for a long time, it falls apart along those grain lines and you get “shredded” meat. However, for the fine slices of meat, and the best flavor, you cut across the grain.
We each have things ingrained in us. We have strong inclinations from before birth. This inborn temperament determines how we interpret life, how we interact with others, and how we make choices. Left only to our basic nature, we would fall apart when the heat was turned up, and end up with shredded lives.
Fortunately, we also have training that slices across those inborn grains, and brings out the best in us. Childhood training will long be ingrained in us. As parents we are responsible to intentionally train our children in Godly ways (Proverbs 22:6.)
May your training bring out the best in you. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Are you concerned that your children might miss, dismiss, or reject your Christian values?
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Learn more at http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
My dad would don a dishcloth around his waist, take the carving knife and whetstone, and sharpen the blade. He’d slice the roast or turkey, then arrange the pieces attractively on the serving platter.
Meat has a “grain.” If you cook it for a long time, it falls apart along those grain lines and you get “shredded” meat. However, for the fine slices of meat, and the best flavor, you cut across the grain.
We each have things ingrained in us. We have strong inclinations from before birth. This inborn temperament determines how we interpret life, how we interact with others, and how we make choices. Left only to our basic nature, we would fall apart when the heat was turned up, and end up with shredded lives.
Fortunately, we also have training that slices across those inborn grains, and brings out the best in us. Childhood training will long be ingrained in us. As parents we are responsible to intentionally train our children in Godly ways (Proverbs 22:6.)
May your training bring out the best in you. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Are you concerned that your children might miss, dismiss, or reject your Christian values?
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Learn more at http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
Friday, November 14, 2008
Investing for Future Delegation
Sometime in October, one of my daughters asked me a question about Thanksgiving dinner. At some level I knew Thanksgiving was coming, but I wasn’t into the details yet. This daughter has been handling many details for me over the last year, which is something to be very thankful for.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, saw how Moses was doing everything himself. He told Moses, “This is not good. You will wear yourself out.” He then went on to advise Moses how to delegate his responsibilities (Exodus 18.)
For parents, children are a natural resource to help you from wearing out. I know, we often complain that the children are the ones wearing us out. However, children really are quite capable at a very young age. My two-year old grand-daughter helped me load the dishwasher this evening. (She also counted the silverware, getting to thirteen, then ending with two.)
The challenge is to intentionally invest time in training our children, as a part of our everyday lives. Growing up, I eagerly got up early so I could go milk the cows with my dad. I started out watching him get the cows in while I played with the kittens. He involved me in more of the process over time, and I remember being surprised and pleased, at about junior high age, when he asked, “Do you think you could handle this on your own today?”
Part of Jethro’s advice to Moses was to teach the people, observe who was following the teaching, and promote the good followers to positions of leadership. We go through that process over and over with our children. We teach them, we work with them as they learn, and then we turn them loose to do it on their own.
May you invest time in training your children to be your right-hand-man or woman. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com
Is your greatest desire to have your children become gracious, mature, productive Christian adults?
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Request your free report “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” today at www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, saw how Moses was doing everything himself. He told Moses, “This is not good. You will wear yourself out.” He then went on to advise Moses how to delegate his responsibilities (Exodus 18.)
For parents, children are a natural resource to help you from wearing out. I know, we often complain that the children are the ones wearing us out. However, children really are quite capable at a very young age. My two-year old grand-daughter helped me load the dishwasher this evening. (She also counted the silverware, getting to thirteen, then ending with two.)
The challenge is to intentionally invest time in training our children, as a part of our everyday lives. Growing up, I eagerly got up early so I could go milk the cows with my dad. I started out watching him get the cows in while I played with the kittens. He involved me in more of the process over time, and I remember being surprised and pleased, at about junior high age, when he asked, “Do you think you could handle this on your own today?”
Part of Jethro’s advice to Moses was to teach the people, observe who was following the teaching, and promote the good followers to positions of leadership. We go through that process over and over with our children. We teach them, we work with them as they learn, and then we turn them loose to do it on their own.
May you invest time in training your children to be your right-hand-man or woman. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com
Is your greatest desire to have your children become gracious, mature, productive Christian adults?
Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Request your free report “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” today at www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sprouts Gone Wild
I recently re-discovered potatoes from last year that had sprouted in Grandma’s basement. I hauled them out for the garbage truck to take away tomorrow. As I disentangled the “sprouts gone wild” from the nearby metal shelving and plastic bag of Christmas decorations, I appreciated the pervasive energy of life in these little vines.
The potatoes had been put in the basement and kept in the dark to preserve them. Yet they could not resist reaching out to the light, and using all that was in them to spread out.
One of my favorite Bible verses is Deuteronomy 32:47a: "For it [God’s word] is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life.”
Sometimes we’re tempted to stay in the dark and preserve our safe world. But God’s Word doesn’t let us stay there. That pervasive energy of life will not allow us to be idle, but causes us to reach out to The Light, which is Christ, and use all that is in us to share God’s Word and ways with others.
May God’s Word sprout in you, and be your life. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
The potatoes had been put in the basement and kept in the dark to preserve them. Yet they could not resist reaching out to the light, and using all that was in them to spread out.
One of my favorite Bible verses is Deuteronomy 32:47a: "For it [God’s word] is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life.”
Sometimes we’re tempted to stay in the dark and preserve our safe world. But God’s Word doesn’t let us stay there. That pervasive energy of life will not allow us to be idle, but causes us to reach out to The Light, which is Christ, and use all that is in us to share God’s Word and ways with others.
May God’s Word sprout in you, and be your life. God bless….
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Seasons of parenting
The weather has cooled off, and last night I was enjoying the smell of fallen leaves. Today, I have a different reason to be grateful for the cool weather—I left the groceries in the car when I got home today. Two hours later, the ice cream was still okay.
Parenting has its seasons, too. Maybe that gives us time to “chill out.”
I recently read a note from one mother who was concerned that the Terrible Two’s never ended, but became the Terrible Three’s and Four’s. I remember observing our girls and asking myself, “Is that a stage of life or a character flaw?”
Universally, women discuss their children. One complains about her two year old. Another says, “Wait ‘til they start school.” Yet another adds, “Wait ‘til they’re teenagers.” A grandmother in the group sniffs and says, “Wait ‘til they’re forty.”
At every age, even as adults, we test the limits. It is our character training and grace of God that keep us in line.
One of my goals was—and is—to enjoy my children at every age. If I didn’t enjoy being around my children, I figured other people wouldn’t find them enjoyable either. Sometimes, I’d see a child trying out a naughty behavior, and I heard myself thinking, “Isn’t that cute?” I trained myself to also think, “How cute would this behavior be with my teenager?” That kept me motivated to correct the children when they were young.
May your season of parenting be enjoyable. God bless...
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
Parenting has its seasons, too. Maybe that gives us time to “chill out.”
I recently read a note from one mother who was concerned that the Terrible Two’s never ended, but became the Terrible Three’s and Four’s. I remember observing our girls and asking myself, “Is that a stage of life or a character flaw?”
Universally, women discuss their children. One complains about her two year old. Another says, “Wait ‘til they start school.” Yet another adds, “Wait ‘til they’re teenagers.” A grandmother in the group sniffs and says, “Wait ‘til they’re forty.”
At every age, even as adults, we test the limits. It is our character training and grace of God that keep us in line.
One of my goals was—and is—to enjoy my children at every age. If I didn’t enjoy being around my children, I figured other people wouldn’t find them enjoyable either. Sometimes, I’d see a child trying out a naughty behavior, and I heard myself thinking, “Isn’t that cute?” I trained myself to also think, “How cute would this behavior be with my teenager?” That kept me motivated to correct the children when they were young.
May your season of parenting be enjoyable. God bless...
Millie McNabb, BA, BMus
Strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. http://www.christianvalueslegacy.com/
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
On the rocks
I took my grandchildren out to help clean up the pine cones out of the yard before the first mowing this spring. The charm of putting pine cones into the bucket, soon gave way to the attraction of gathering rocks from our gravel driveway. The nearly three-year-old commandeered the toy car, and loaded the trunk with stones. The 18-month old had loftier goals: she hauled her bucket of rocks up into the skyfort--then started unloading them down the slide chute onto the grass.
What?? That wasn't the plan. So do I get annoyed that my pine cone crew wandered off? Do I get as much work done as I can while my little helpers are occupied elsewhere? And who is supposed to get the rocks out of the grass? Parents have to creatively deal with these distractions to keep their parenting plans from being "on the rocks."
--Excuse me. I have an 18-month old calling me to come catch her when she comes down the slide.
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