tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87213285833157345532024-03-12T20:43:51.562-05:00 Mullin It OverMullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-59477978688165254662018-03-13T22:05:00.001-05:002018-03-13T22:12:48.597-05:00 Child, You've Got Skills!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’m currently studying the book of Exodus, and I admit, in
the past when reading Exodus, there are several chapters that are just so easy
to want to gloss over, skim, or skip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, this time around, I feel like there are so many solid truths
that I am “digging up,” and I just wanted to share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Exodus 31:1-11 (ESV)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Lord said to Moses,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and
intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship</b>,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to devise artistic designs, to work in gold,
silver, and bronze,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in cutting stones
for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And
behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe
of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I
have commanded you: </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the tent of
meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and
all the furnishings of the tent, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the
altar of incense,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the altar of burnt
offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the finely worked garments, the holy
garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service
as priests,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the anointing oil and
the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">According
to all that I have commanded you, they shall do</b>.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God gives His
children skills<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The NIV says in <i>Exodus 31:3 “and I have filled him with the
Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all
kinds of skills…”</i><i> </i> God gives skills,
ability, wisdom, and knowledge to His children.
God specially equipped Bezalel and Oholiab with the knowledge and unique
skills required in crafting God’s Tabernacle.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The work is for Him
and His glory<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God doesn’t equip us with skills so we can make lots of
money to buy a Corvette or a big fancy house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are to use our gifts to serve one another and to glorify God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as
good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles
of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in
order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him
belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The work He calls us
to is personalized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God equips specific
people for specific work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God identifies by name the ones He wants to do the work of
creating the Tabernacle and all that is in it -- Bezalel and Oholiab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Likewise, we should NOT try to do someone
else’s job. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should not compare our
skill set to those of others and wish we had that person’s abilities or
spiritual gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has equipped each of us for something
unique and specific that will bring glory and honor to Him. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">If unsure about your abilities, ask other godly people in your church who know you to help you identify your skills that could be used for His kingdom.</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Romans 12:3-8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For by
the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more
highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in
accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each
of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the
same function,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to
all the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have different gifts,
according to the grace given to each of us.</b> If your gift is prophesying,
then prophesy in accordance with your faith;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if it is to encourage, then give
encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it
diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The work may be for a
season.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There was an end to the work that Bezalel and Oholiab were
called to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point, the Tabernacle
was completed, and they went back to doing other things or maybe they started
doing new things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sometimes our calling is just for a season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was involved in music ministry since I was in the 5<sup>th</sup>
grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I stepped down from
helping to lead worship for about a decade in order to partner with my husband
in helping TEACH my children how and why we worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of that season, my oldest son
began helping to lead in worship and my youngest son joined the drama team at
church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then that I felt God had
released me into a new season of worship ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He doesn’t call you
to do everything.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God only named two people who were to head up the building
of the Tabernacle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were given a
specific job to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God did not tell
them, however, that they were to do everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In my early 20s, every time there was a plea for help, I
thought I HAD to do whatever job was needed.
I found myself teaching 3-4 year old Sunday School, being an AWANA
leader, singing in 2 ensembles and the choir, and staying in the nursery. I also had a full-time job and tutored on
the side. All this “work” for the Lord
took a huge physical toll on me. I was
mentally and physically exhausted. I
thought I was pleasing the Lord, but God does not want us to do
everything. He has specific jobs for
each of us. Jethro admonished Moses to
share the work load with others because <i>“What you are doing is not good. You
and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too
heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exodus 18:17</i><i> </i> The Gospels, likewise, give us examples of
Jesus taking the time to rest and pray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Take the time to pray and ask God exactly what He wants you
to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learn to say no, if needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Chances are, you could be doing a job that God has purposed for someone
else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You are not the only
one.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you left your “job” at the church tomorrow, you would be
missed, but God has someone else in mind to fill the spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s not feed our egos into thinking we are
IT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God’s only solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God equips
us, and He wants to use us, but He doesn’t need us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For seven years, I lead the morning and afternoon worship
rally during VBS at our church in Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a very upfront role where I used skills such as singing and
public speaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we moved to
Missouri, our new church already had people to lead their opening and closing
during VBS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, for two years,
I’ve used my skills of bargain shopping, organizing, and hospitality to do the
very behind-the-scenes job of running the Encourager Room for the VBS
workers, and I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God had people lined up and ready to take
over the VBS worship rally in Houston, and they never missed a beat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What a joy that God gives us knowledge, ability, and skill
in order that we may glorify Him!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As you go through your day, remember, as <i>Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do,
work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you
will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-36262499241812822332016-06-10T09:59:00.000-05:002016-06-10T10:00:34.138-05:00Going Beyond "Consent": Teaching Our Boys to Be Godly Men<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz-QPsok6wwjuxDKlKNr6FHj-Dn8YAq78-Sw8ucdFUbLhBP9xR4tLdVB0IDq_CqigW4ydNbRW919XDGuutfNB8XgvqOkO5HQiFzmq8BMYUsZN1dprLAxIA_mxYx3586FglTrwOVMvbgCc/s1600/Teaching+Our+Boys.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz-QPsok6wwjuxDKlKNr6FHj-Dn8YAq78-Sw8ucdFUbLhBP9xR4tLdVB0IDq_CqigW4ydNbRW919XDGuutfNB8XgvqOkO5HQiFzmq8BMYUsZN1dprLAxIA_mxYx3586FglTrwOVMvbgCc/s640/Teaching+Our+Boys.png" width="542" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I saw the <a href="https://vimeo.com/126553913">"Consent: It's as Simple as Tea" video</a> about a year ago, and at the time, I
thought it was clever and informative. This
video has resurfaced and has shown itself plentiful on my Facebook feed for
several days after the verdict and sentencing in the Stanford rape case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I re-watched this video twice, and I admit that something
was really, really bothering me. Usually,
the video was posted with an encouragement to “show your teenage boy” or “this
is good for teaching our sons about consent.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then it dawned on me.
It’s not the video so much as the admonition that we need to use this
video to teach our sons about consent.
As the mother of two teenaged boys, I find this to be misguided. Frankly, if your teen needs to be shown this
video in order to know what “consent” is, then you, as a parent, have a LOT of
work to do. Seriously. <i>Knowing
the definition of consent is not the issue.
There are many, many thoughts and decisions and attitudes that
contribute to a young man who does not know (or care about) what “consent”
means. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many sincerely believe this video to be very helpful for young
people who find themselves in sexual situations and are unsure about what to
do. If it works and prevents rape, I am
thankful for this video. However, if you
are a Christian parent, like me, I think this video is woefully lacking in what
we need to be teaching our sons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here are some of what I believe to be more important
teaching points for our teenaged sons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Teach Them How to
Have Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First and foremost, our teens – both boys and girls – need
to have a personal, real relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for our children, teach them God’s word,
show them the Way. Then, the Holy Spirit
will be counselor and guide for our children.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">* “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2
Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">* “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (ESV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">* “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast
spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (ESV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Teach Your Teens
about Sex</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Talk to your children about sex BEFORE they become teenagers. In today’s culture, you cannot be lax in
this. Talk to your children about how we
were created to be sexual beings but that God has a plan for sex – a good
plan. Acknowledge sexual feelings. Don’t shame your boys. Sex was created by God. It is not a bad
thing, but sex should happen within the confines of marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Patiently teach them what is appropriate behavior towards
girls. Help them think through their
thoughts. Guide and teach and train and
discipline when needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Teach Your Boys How
to Treat Women, Their Wives, and Everyone Else</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Philippians 2:3-10 (ESV) states “ Do nothing from selfish
ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than
yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the
interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ
Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being
born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ephesians 5:25-29 (ESV) says, “Husbands, love your wives, as
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify
her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he
might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any
such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way
husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife
loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes
it, just as Christ does the church.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If a young man seeks, through the power of the Holy Spirit,
to live out these two passages of Scripture, he will not need to watch videos
about tea to help him understand “consent.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>4. Teach Them to Use Their
Strength for Good</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When our boys are little, we say it 100 times a week – “No
hitting.” However, God made our boys
physical. Boys need to know that if they
see someone hurting a girl, it is 100% ok to hit or tackle or kick. There is a time and a place for physical violence,
and no one is mad that two Swedes on bikes chased and tackled the man who was
assaulting a young unconscious woman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, a young man should never use his strength
to hurt, scare, bully, or intimidate a girl simply because he can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>5. Teach Your Boys to
Keep Their Hearts Pure</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We cannot ignore pornography and the effects it has had and
will have on the hearts and minds of our young boys as they mature into young
men. Women are degraded, and rape is
glorified. Certain music genres glorify
violence against women. Movies make
violence against women seem normal and even “romantic.” Again, keep the lines of communication
open. Talk to your boys. Put safeguards in place – no phones in the
bedroom after 10:00, for example. Say “no”
to certain movies, books, television shows, video games, and music
choices. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In my opinion, a young man who has to wonder about consent
is not living a Christ-centered life – he’s living a selfish, self-centered,
uncaring, entitled life. He’s somewhere
he shouldn’t be, doing something he should not be doing. Does this happen? Yes.
However, as a believer, we should be raising our children to be
radically different from those in the world who are not sure what “consent”
means. With God’s help, we need to strive
to raise children who look to the interest of others, who empty themselves, who
humbly serve others instead of taking from them. A man who is truly seeking to become more
Christ-like will not see an unconscious or sleeping woman and decide to take
advantage of her simply to satisfy a physical urge, and he will not force a
woman to do something when she changes her mind. A true Christ-follower does not need to watch
videos about tea because, to him, women are his sisters, created by God, and
are to be treasured, protected, and esteemed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s go beyond teaching our boys about "consent." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's teach our boys to be Godly men.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-16770108830813237892016-04-05T11:03:00.000-05:002016-04-05T11:03:07.490-05:00Attention Moms and Dads! Your Teens Need You!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiPPh-pUa0lHgOOuFFzAZ2NyDmTabHLf4wlKsyhF2K535w0VpAvmVTTcTGUcPiuAVc86rAVhPxfIT8-GSXYJ44KAW39ckt0vG4dkXXPakpDIBB2vi-h37Rd70-VNT9pcoGd_z9KIbvSjf/s1600/Your+Teens+Need+You.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiPPh-pUa0lHgOOuFFzAZ2NyDmTabHLf4wlKsyhF2K535w0VpAvmVTTcTGUcPiuAVc86rAVhPxfIT8-GSXYJ44KAW39ckt0vG4dkXXPakpDIBB2vi-h37Rd70-VNT9pcoGd_z9KIbvSjf/s400/Your+Teens+Need+You.png" width="321" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This morning, as I was folding laundry, I sat pondering what
someone asked me last night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“So, is your son as quiet at home as he is here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My youngest is playing a small role in a play in our
community, and he’s been labelled as quiet.
Wait, what? Quiet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That boy hasn’t been quiet a day in his life. He’s funny, hyper, crazy, loud, and
talkative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At play practice, others see him as quiet. Quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Time turned back, and I thought about my oldest. At about the same age, he told me once, with
real fear in his words, that he had stage-fright. I remember thinking, “WHAT!? You’ve never ever one time been afraid in
front of a group of people.” But for a
time, he was, but he’s not anymore. Now
he’s a tour guide at a local cave, and he speaks in front of strangers all day,
several times a day. He’s a born
leader. When he was 5 years old, he
could have the entire playground filled with children previously unknown to him
playing some game he’d made up. “Do you
want to play with us?” he’d ask perfect strangers. Yet, for a time, he had stage fright. It came out of nowhere, and one day it slipped
away quietly, and I realized it was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thinking about my oldest, that’s when it hit me. <i>These are the days in a young person’s life
when he suddenly realizes that others see him.
That what he does is right there in front of the world for everyone to
see and judge. Boys and girls alike
suddenly become visible, vulnerable, self-conscious, exposed, scared, worried.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What is it about puberty and hormones that does this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have no idea, but what I do know is that these are the
days when teenagers becoming young men and women push so hard against their
parents, <u>but they need us so very much</u>.
They need us to say, “YES! You
ARE who you once were. You are funny and
bright and capable.” They want to know
that they are loved and cherished even when they push. They crave acceptance and hugs and
encouragement. Not fake praise, but
genuine words of affirmation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You CAN do it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I believe in you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am on your side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tell them what they are good at. Tell them you love them. Tell them you are proud when they show
compassion, kindness, generosity, and self-control. Set boundaries. Push gently.
Encourage. Exhort. Praise.
Lift them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then, in time, prayerfully
and with God’s grace, your son or daughter will step confidently out into the
world and embrace the gifts that God has blessed him or her with and just be…
amazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They need you mom and dad.
Your teens need you.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-91111981432340455982016-03-25T07:13:00.000-05:002016-03-25T17:32:56.722-05:00How to Help Your Kids Love the Church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08M-8Lv86AuIbE3nruP4oXI8v5QA5N0lqpmyT-HlGTNZe7p64UJ969BZ3juDCAP6EM44p87rBwz7fCSTbBxhi_Awgtt8DGuJyQ_wooS84OGVVixAU2W_KrSeBDu8yu4FoDOzx3oPnGFUV/s1600/How+to+Help+Our+Kids+Love+the+Church.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08M-8Lv86AuIbE3nruP4oXI8v5QA5N0lqpmyT-HlGTNZe7p64UJ969BZ3juDCAP6EM44p87rBwz7fCSTbBxhi_Awgtt8DGuJyQ_wooS84OGVVixAU2W_KrSeBDu8yu4FoDOzx3oPnGFUV/s400/How+to+Help+Our+Kids+Love+the+Church.png" width="325" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A friend of mine shared a disheartening story with me – a young
boy walked into his small group and asked, “What are we going to do
today?” When his leader told him, he
replied, “That’s boring,” and proceeded to pout and look … well, bored, during the
entire lesson and activity. Not long
ago, a mother told me that her teen child no longer wanted to come to church
because it was not interesting, and he didn’t like it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Most of us have heard alarming statistics about how our
young people are leaving the church and about how our children feel
entitled. So how do we, as parents, help
our children learn to love the church?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why are we here?</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First of all, we need to decide why WE are going to
church. Do we go to church out of
duty? Do we go to church to keep our
kids out of trouble – to give them something to do – an outlet? Do we hope that good behavior will rub off on
our kids if we go to church? Do we go to
start our week off on a positive note?
Do we go to church to see our friends – or to get adult time away from
the kids? Do we go to church because
that’s just the right thing to do? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Why do we go to church?
I believe we should go to church for two reasons. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1. We go to church to
worship. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What is worship? In
the book, <u>Parenting in the Pew</u>, Robbie Castleman says, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> “Worship is the
exercise of our souls in blessing God. In
the Psalms we read or sing, ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul!’ However, our chief concern is usually ‘Bless
my soul, O Lord!’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Encountering the
Lord. Meeting Jesus. Hearing his voice. Knowing God.
These expectations of worship are met in hearts that are intent on his
blessing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Simply put, we don’t go to church service for us. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, there’s more to Church than Sunday morning worship
service.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2. We go to church to
participate in the life of THE church.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What is THE church?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According to my resident PhD, Dr. Mullin (a.k.a. my husband,
Miles), “The church has two meanings in the Scripture. The first meaning references a gathered group
of baptized believers covenanted together in order to worship the Lord,
administer the ordinances, disciple its members, and bear testimony to
Christ. This is the predominant meaning
found in the New Testament. The second
meaning refers to the universal Church which is made up of all believers
throughout all ages and all times. The
New Testament depicts membership in the universal church as secured by faith in
Jesus Christ and membership in a local church as normal for all believers” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Part of going to church is BEING THE church – a gathered
group of believers who come together for encouragement, discipleship, and
service. <i><b> Given that we go to church to
worship and to participate in being the body of believers called the church,
what are some ways to teach our children to love the church?</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Know why you are
there.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Are you coming for the kids programs, the awesome music, or
the entertaining pastor, or are you coming to worship the Lord? Are you there because you want to make
business connections or so you can grow in your relationship with the God of
the universe? As the parent, you need to
check your own heart and make sure you are in church for the right reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Ask the right
questions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A few years ago, I realized that I was asking my kids a
toxic question. When I picked them up
from a church activity, I would ask, “Did you have fun?” THIS is NOT why we go to church. (See
above). Asking such a dumb question was
just reinforcing exactly what I didn’t want them to believe – that church is
about having fun. I realized I needed to
ask the right questions. Here are just some
of the questions that I try to ask now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What was your Bible study about tonight?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Did you learn anything new this morning?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Were there any visitors in your class?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Did you meet anyone new?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What was your favorite part of worship today?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What was your favorite song?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Did anything about the sermon stand out to you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Are there any prayer requests we should pray about as a
family?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Watch your words</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Think about how you talk about your church to others. If you describe your church as being a great
place because they’re so many fun things to do, children will get a wrong idea
about church and its function. If you get
in the car and complain about the pastor going too long or the music being sort
of “blah today” in front of your kids, you will send them a very clear message. Be careful about how you talk about your
church to your family and to your friends.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>4. Serve</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First of all, set an example by serving and then encourage
your children to serve. All children can
serve in some way. Be on the lookout for
ways your child can serve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My youngest told me once that he didn’t particularly like a
certain ministry we were doing. So I
said, “<s>Oh dear. I hate for you to not
to LIKE something. Let’s just quit</s>.” “OK, pray and ask God what other ministry you
should be involved in then.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Bible says that all believers in a body have a role to
play. I personally believe this also
applies to children who have accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Romans
12:4-6 says “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not
all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and
individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the
grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Young children can make shoeboxes for Operation Christmas
Child, visit shut-ins, or choose items for a food pantry. Older children can help set up tables and
chairs, clean pews, and participate in outreach ministries. Teenagers can do practically anything an
adult can do – mission trips, music ministry, nursery work, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When my oldest was four years old, we “adopted” a shut-in
named Miss Ruby. Miss Ruby had never
married and was 93 years old. She loved
it when we would visit, and his cute little boy face brightened her day. That is serving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>5. Pray</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pray for your church, your pastor, your outreaches, your
missionaries, and your church family members.
Pray with your children about your church often so they learn by example
that the church is dear to us and should be lifted up to our Father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is no guarantee that your children will grow up and “stay
in church,” but we as parents can help our children have a proper view of
church and its function by first understanding it ourselves and then by asking
the right questions, watching what we say about the church, serving in our
church, and praying for our church.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-88453090885915401872014-10-07T17:26:00.003-05:002014-10-07T22:13:49.489-05:00Dear Mom, Hang On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr-bnfrSSDLQ7iaA_ekZxT6YN4aE8khOOR8UjIjp-uUJWRWNvGWHQt_M_ZMwS7Zj3b8lxAwolSIRGI42YCzaZFDJa0EwS5y31YIoUiOQwFm19IKHzG-84iVpZrGVYsMAmh2x-HsqwDTk8/s1600/Romans+15.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr-bnfrSSDLQ7iaA_ekZxT6YN4aE8khOOR8UjIjp-uUJWRWNvGWHQt_M_ZMwS7Zj3b8lxAwolSIRGI42YCzaZFDJa0EwS5y31YIoUiOQwFm19IKHzG-84iVpZrGVYsMAmh2x-HsqwDTk8/s1600/Romans+15.13.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dear Mom of a child struggling with ADHD, inattentive ADD,
dyslexia, Asperger’s, autism, sensory integration disorder, OCD, etc., <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When your daughter runs back to the bathroom to wash her
hands one more time and her hands are raw and bleeding and cracked from over-washing,
and you cannot reason with her and you cannot get her to stop, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When he can’t understand the passage he’s reading and he’s
so stressed and he’s crying and you’re crying and you want to fix it but you
can’t, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When they call you to the school and you find out that your
son lost his temper … again… and knocked over desks and threw books, and you’re
embarrassed and at a loss and you just don’t know how to help him, Mom, hang
on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When your son is crying in bed, regretting, wondering why
God made him that way and your heart breaks right in two because he says, “I wish I was
never born. I want to die,” Mom, hang
on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When the noise is so loud somewhere and everyone else is
having so much fun and your daughter suddenly melts down crying and screaming
because it is just. too. much, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When another parent suggests that if you were a better
disciplinarian, your child would do better, and you know what they’re thinking,
and you know how HARD you’ve tried, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you’ve tried essential oils, parenting techniques, diet
changes, therapies out the wazoo, chiropractic care, classes, counseling, even
medication, and things are just not getting better, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When people stare at you in public because your daughter is
melting down ... again, and you’re sick of going out in public, and you’re tired
and embarrassed and weary, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you are so sick and tired of being late
because your son’s socks “Don’t feel right” and the shoelaces are too tight and
then not tight enough and you’ve tied those stupid shoes 5 times, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When your daughter’s grades are so bad because she is busy
daydreaming about who-knows-what while the teacher is talking and you know how
smart she is and you think you’ll scream if you hear a teacher say one more
time that she’s not applying herself, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When your son has no friends because he has no concept of
personal space and talks constantly and does not get social cues, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you have lost your temper ….again… when you promised
yourself you wouldn’t and you begged God to help you stay calm, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When your parents make comments and you’re smiling on the
outside but dying on the inside, Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When people say that ADHD doesn’t exist and you used to
think the same thing but now you know better but you wished to God you didn’t,
Mom, hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you have no one to talk to because no one truly
understands because your kid looks normal on the outside, Mom, please hang on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God can give you rest.</b><br />
<span style="background: #FDFEFF;">Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.</span> Matthew
11:28 (ESV)<span style="background: #FDFEFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God cares.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Casting all your care upon Him, for He
cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="background: #FDFEFF;">Cast your cares on the LORD and he will
sustain you… </span> Psalm 55:22
(NIV)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: #FDFEFF;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The LORD is close to the
brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God will never leave you or your child. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I will never leave you nor forsake you. <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hebrews 13:5</span></strong>
(NKJV).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><sup> </sup>So do not fear, for I am
with you;<br />
do not be dismayed, for I am
your God.<br />
I will strengthen you and help you;<br />
I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Isaiah 41:10
(NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God hears you.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Do not be anxious about anything, but
in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God has a plan.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: #FDFEFF;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And we know that in all
things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
(NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Praise be to
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the
God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort
those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. <strong> </strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: #FDFEFF;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God gives you hope
and peace.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May the God
of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may
overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Romans 15:13 (NIV)</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: #FDFEFF;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>God strengthens you.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can do all this through him who gives
me strength. Philippians
4:13 (NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>You are important. You are needed. You are loved. You matter. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Her children rise up and call her blessed. Proverbs
31:28-30 (ESV)</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Handwriting";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dear Mom,
Hang on.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-50679306749807403872013-01-25T15:05:00.001-06:002013-01-25T15:05:16.931-06:00Demonstrating God's Love: 1 Corinthians 13 -- A Family Activity<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep2XQv0xfKbxWBfVMDWRnKUaEaqPGjLKemdz4GjPiKiOGQbOsih0kchtY8xhF3aCIS-qOf53-lunDmim2Qgfm_BsPlIudlZiU161s7SkG1rYlD8yD4I09IrdXfG8VvzdFKvcZ-_84f_gd/s1600/Dec+12+to+Jan+13+135-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep2XQv0xfKbxWBfVMDWRnKUaEaqPGjLKemdz4GjPiKiOGQbOsih0kchtY8xhF3aCIS-qOf53-lunDmim2Qgfm_BsPlIudlZiU161s7SkG1rYlD8yD4I09IrdXfG8VvzdFKvcZ-_84f_gd/s400/Dec+12+to+Jan+13+135-001.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We put the verses on the fridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> We did something wonderful last week. We worked hard at catching each other in the act!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Allow me to explain. Kyle, our youth pastor, challenged some families with youth to try out the book <u>Ideas for Parents</u> by Mark Matlock and Christopher Lyon. After skimming the book, my husband, Miles, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">chose the activity "Fill the Love Jar." After reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Miles explained that for the next week, we would be watching each other and looking for examples of others in our family demonstrating the principles in these verses. So, for example, if you see someone being patient, you should take a minute to write it down and put it in the container. After one week, we would read them all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Miles put <i>The Mullins Demonstrating God's Love (1 Corinthians 13) Jar</i> on the kitchen table along with some i</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ndex cards and a pen. He printed the v</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">erses out for each of us and put a copy on the fridge. Then the fun began. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> During the week, each of use wrote down when we saw 1 Corinthians 13 being lived out in someone else. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We all did our best to put in at least one card every day.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> At the end of the week, our container held 39 cards. After lunch on Sunday, Miles opened the jar and read them all. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLSAHd5EH4lyHgOx9jNxZrob2G34Tj-d7EfnPPe-QRPChC0nWsEqFtihcDsHRAa9B4F47BdOenh7g1vzDFk_jPQ77FGT6pkH9lYIDpv1Ff1bR_xJmmI1JjprO1b9lnhMI2RCSguoxhncw/s320/Dec+12+to+Jan+13+136.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mullins Demonstrating God's Love Jar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLSAHd5EH4lyHgOx9jNxZrob2G34Tj-d7EfnPPe-QRPChC0nWsEqFtihcDsHRAa9B4F47BdOenh7g1vzDFk_jPQ77FGT6pkH9lYIDpv1Ff1bR_xJmmI1JjprO1b9lnhMI2RCSguoxhncw/s1600/Dec+12+to+Jan+13+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It was incredibly affirming. Here are a few:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Darius very patiently tried to help Titus pick out clothes today. -- Mommy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Darius lowered the basketball hoop for Titus even though he preferred to do something else ("does not insist on its own way") -- Daddy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Titus came out and did basketball with me (even before Daddy went out). -- Darius</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Darius played with me even though he didn't want to. -- Titus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Miles makes the coffee almost every morning. How kind! -- Jenny</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*On Monday, Jenny (Mommy) <u>hoped</u> for a good day of school, even though it was Monday. -- Miles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Daddy took me for a walk. -- Titus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Mommy made dinner for us almost every day. -- Darius</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*When Titus was doing his math and geography, Darius was very patient about waiting to practice piano. -- Mommy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Daddy saved a peice of garlick brad for Mommy. -- Titus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Titus had a great school day today. He was not rude or irritable! Yay Titus! -- Mommy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Darius didn't brag, even though he did a great job on his Spanish Quiz. -- Daddy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> How awesome is that! We had 39 examples of our family living out 1 Corinthians 13. We decided we need to do this again -- maybe several times a year!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> With Valentine's Day right around the corner, perhaps you and your family should try it, too!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-29788632977387530682013-01-21T17:03:00.001-06:002013-01-21T22:33:48.139-06:00Lunchtime Conversations: MLK, Jesus, Race, and Jokes<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Today, at lunch,
my husband asked our boys if they knew what day it was. My youngest ran to the calendar and said, “Martin
Luther King Day.” My husband asked him
if he knew who Martin Luther King, Jr. was.
He replied, “A president? Jesus?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> “Jesus?! Why in the world would you think he was
Jesus?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> “I don’t know.” (Personally, I think he was giving the Sunday
School answer – when in doubt, say “Jesus.”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The conversation
continued with a short history of the Civil War, segregation, and Martin Luther
King, Jr. My husband ended by saying
something about not looking at someone’s outside or their race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> “What is ‘race’”?
my youngest asked sincerely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We looked at each
other, wondering, “Is that a good thing or a bad thing that he doesn’t know
what ‘race’ is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> After an explanation
of “race,” my husband said, “That’s why we should never tell jokes about someone’s
race. It’s not funny or kind. Have either of you ever heard someone make
jokes about someone’s race?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> My youngest piped
up. “Oh dear. I’ve heard one. <i>If you’re an American in the living room,
what are you in the bathroom?</i>” Pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> “<b>European</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I exploded in
laughter, and well, that was the end of our history lesson!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Ahhhh, life with boys.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> On a more serious note, here is a link to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. He was an incredible speaker!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/smEqnnklfYs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-40048977992122446142013-01-08T08:58:00.001-06:002013-01-08T09:04:24.563-06:00I Was Sad -- A BAD Paragraph: A Writing Lesson<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I am up to my neck in writing. My head is swirling with thoughts about writing. My brain is exploding with writing thoughts. I have little scraps of paper everywhere. They say things like, "Exposition -- what we do most" and "must PLAN" and "same persuasive letter -- 2 audiences" and "the best way to get better is to DO ie. piano, math, instrument, writing." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> You see, this Friday, I begin teaching two writing classes to intermediate students at our homeschool co-op.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Today, I typed up our first activity. Sometimes the best way to teach a subject is to show the students what <u>NOT</u> to do. I had so much fun with it that I had to share it with you! Feel free to use it with your own students.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Have the student read the paragraph out loud, and then do the activity at the bottom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I Was Sad<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Mrs. Mullin<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I am supposed to
write about a time I was sad recently.
Here goes, Today, I took down my
Christmas tree. that made me sad. I took off all the ownamants. There weas a lot of them. It was empty.
I looked at the tree. It made me
sad. It was bare. And plain.
Just green with lights. Other
people were watching football. It
reminded me that i have to wait a long time until christmas comes back. Isn’t that sad? No more family time. My in-laws came for the holidays. No more free
time. School is starting back, too. Oh, and the presents. I have to wait to get more presents. I can’t wait until my birthday in February. So, that’s why I was sad recently.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">January 7, 2013 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The End<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a BAD paragraph.<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*How many “sentences” are in
this paragraph? _______<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Circle any mistakes that you
see. (Grammar, usage, mechanics)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Which sentences are
completely random? Write “random” boldly
above them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Underline the fragments? A fragment is not a complete sentence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Create a better title.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Rewrite the pitiful topic
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*In your group, rewrite this
paragraph. Combine sentences. Eliminate random thoughts. Expand sentences. Add some interesting details. Oh please – fix this paragraph!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-25984191214732667142013-01-07T17:40:00.000-06:002013-01-07T17:41:29.140-06:00Stopping to Listen<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A few days ago, I was reading a book on the couch. It had been a long day, and I was tired. I was at that point in the novel where everything is going nuts. The hero and heroine were running for their lives. Guns, smoke, falling rocks. Then f</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">rom somewhere far away, I heard this voice break in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> "Hey Mom. Did you know there was a type of music called "trance"?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A few feet away, my teen-aged son had spoken. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> "Huh?" I replied, looking up slowly from my book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> "There's this type of music called "trance"? And ....."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> He wasn't finished, and he wanted to talk. I wanted to read. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It was at that moment that I had a choice to make. I was tired. The book was in its literary climax. My son wanted to talk. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I put the bookmark in the book, closed it, and listened to my son discuss different types of music for the next 15 minutes, saying little, but showing that I was interested simply because the subject is important to him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> If I've learned anything about parenting a teenage boy, it's that when he wants to talk, you should listen because if you don't, he'll stop trying. Little ones are persistent. They don't give up. They keep trying. Teenage boys -- not so much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The book could wait. My son could not. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><u><br /></u></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><u>Lord, help me to remember this -- every single time.</u></i></span></div>
Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-75612046777488840822012-12-13T10:15:00.002-06:002012-12-13T10:16:25.982-06:00Say What? Advent, the Incarnation, and a Zombie Apocalypse?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjUmdYDYcaz2vTw68Us9BXFxfnUfN-VM8k6Nv6ztmWd46QvlalzkPOUBqYtmfSX3VvLpgiBHXZI4jgZpKQO6geIS-WCzfS0T_gUzJtsPUzxWZTR71Nr5JqdFyDGyTon3gQrwkm1l10Ayg/s1600/John+1.14+rv.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjUmdYDYcaz2vTw68Us9BXFxfnUfN-VM8k6Nv6ztmWd46QvlalzkPOUBqYtmfSX3VvLpgiBHXZI4jgZpKQO6geIS-WCzfS0T_gUzJtsPUzxWZTR71Nr5JqdFyDGyTon3gQrwkm1l10Ayg/s1600/John+1.14+rv.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> This year, my husband has been leading us in advent devotionals. It's a time where we sit together quietly on the couch and meditate on the coming of Christ and all that means for us. We have serious discussions that are profound and instructional. Take last night, for example. The conversation went like this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oldest son-- "So if "incarnation" means "becoming flesh," does "carnation" mean "flesh"?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Miles-- "A carnation is a flower."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oldest son-- "Hmmm... Maybe a carnation is a flesh flower. So if we have a zombie apocalypse, we can feed them carnations."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Miles -- "Actually, a carnation is a nation where everyone has a car. AND if all the cars are pink, then it's a pink carnation."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Youngest son -- (giggle, giggle, giggle, giggle......)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Somewhere in there, my husband threw out the Latin definition of incarnation. My youngest giggled the entire time at the clever plays on words. Me? I was sitting there incredulous that we went from the incarnation to pink cars and zombie apocalypses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I'm still chuckling this morning. My wonderful husband and creative sons left me with a very fun memory, and I'll bet they will never forget what "incarnation" means. </span><br />
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Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-2175711025054434522012-12-03T20:19:00.000-06:002012-12-03T20:19:01.370-06:00Hallelujah!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love this video! Cracks me up, and yet, the message is awesome!</span></div>
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<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-16354419938386631222012-11-19T09:14:00.000-06:002012-11-19T09:14:16.913-06:00Thanksgiving Journal<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Since 2004, our family has kept a Thanksgiving journal. Each of us goes around and tells what we are thankful for after our Thanksgiving meal while one of us records our responses in a journal. If we have company, we invite them to join us in being thankful. Last year, we read through our Thanksgiving journal, going back several years. When we read through mine, I had said that I was thankful "for a car that works" every year. We thought that was hilarious. I worded it the exact same way every time. I was also thankful for chocolate and coffee, my husband and boys. No surprises there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Our boys have been thankful for things like "dry diapers" (when my youngest was 2 we filled in what we thought he would be thankful for!), Sunday School teachers, friends, Legos, a fish named Redeye, Mommy's yeast rolls, candy, Jesus dying on the cross and rising again, penguins, cute little puppy dogs, clean water, and "losing my teeth." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> What are you thankful for this year?</span>Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-15769899822972429482012-11-15T08:55:00.000-06:002013-12-04T08:51:53.167-06:00Jenny's Pumpkin Bread<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I'm allergic to nutmeg so I have to modify lots of pumpkin recipes. Here is a recipe that I came up with a few years ago. I like to combine the features of several recipes to come up with my own. This pumpkin bread is yummy -- and you can substitute sweet potatoes (mashed). Very tasty -- and no nutmeg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jenny’s Pumpkin Bread</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2 ¼ cups flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 tblsp. all-spice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">¼ tsp. Cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2 tsp. baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">½ tsp. salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2 eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2 cups sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1¾ cups mashed pumpkin (15 oz can) <b>or</b>
cooked, mashed sweet potatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">½ cup vegetable oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">½ cranberries (optional) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">cinnamon/sugar mixture to sprinkle on top</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, all-spice, cinnamon, baking
powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix
well. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, sugar,
pumpkin or sweet potato, and oil. Mix
well. Stir dry ingredients into wet
ingredients. Add cranberries if desired
and mix thoroughly. Spoon into 2 greased
and floured 8x4x2 (or 9x5x2) inch loaf pans.
Sprinkle top with chopped walnuts or pecans and then
cinnamon/sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for
55 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool 10- 20 mins. Remove and
let cool completely on rack</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">. Wrap with plastic wrap. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-7265643960811177022012-11-15T08:25:00.000-06:002012-12-24T16:22:16.715-06:00How to Save Money at the Grocery Store<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I've had people ask me how I save money by using coupons. There are a million sites on how to use coupons, but I am going to attempt to explain my personal system. It's not that hard, but it takes practice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> First, you need to know a few things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. <b>Know how much stuff costs.</b> You can't know if something is a good deal if you don't know what it normally costs. Years ago, I made a notebook of what our most common purchases cost at different stores. Now, it's all in my head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. <b>Shop loss leaders.</b> Now that you know what things cost, you know what a good deal is. Almost every grocery store flier has items that are loss leaders. Loss leaders are items sold at cost or below cost to get you in the store, hoping to suck you into buying lots of other things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. <b>Stock up when things go on sale. </b> Don't buy things you don't need, and pay attention to expiration dates. When things you use a lot go on sale for really cheap, stock up. Don't go all "extreme couponing," but buy enough to last you a while. For example, I always keep 2 laundry detergents. When one gets low, I start looking for sales on another. This past week, All detergent was $2.99, and I had a coupon for "buy 2 get $1.00 off," so I got two. I never ever pay full price for something like detergent, deodorant, soap, or toothpaste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. <b> Know when things go on sale. </b> Baking supplies, cream soups, canned soups, broth, etc. go on sale from November until Christmas. Hot dogs, condiments, etc. go on sale around Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day. Here in Texas, we have items such as Spam that go on sale at the start of hurricane season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. <b> Meal plan around sales. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. <b> Buy the Sunday paper with the coupons.</b> I have it delivered at my home for $1 a week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. <b>Sign up your Kroger card online.</b> They will send you their coupons in the mail, or coupons to your e-mail box. Yesterday, I got a "digital" coupon offer in my box for buy $5 off produce, get $2 off. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> This is what I did Monday, November 5th. I find that Kroger has the best overall prices and deals, so I mainly shop there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. I looked at Kroger's sales flier and circled all items that were a great deal. They were having a "buy 10 participating items, save $5 at the checkout" sale.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. I went to <a href="http://www.couponmom.com/">couponmom.com</a>, logged in, clicked on "Grocery Deals by State," clicked on the Kroger icon, and clicked "Texas Deals" on the right. Current Kroger Deals popped up. I clicked on the left hand side anything that looks like a good deal and that we use. Then at the bottom, click "Display Selected Deals." Print. I also took the time to print out any online coupons that were listed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. I went to Kroger's website and loaded some of their digital coupons onto my card. Didn't use them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Coupon clipping. I used my deals from couponmom.com to find the coupons in my coupon fliers/booklets. I write the date on the front of each coupon flier. Then I use the "code" on the side of the couponmom.com print-out to find the coupon I need -- rather than cut out all the coupons. So, the couponmom.com print-out looks like this:</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="data float_header" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr class=""><td align="center"><input class="deal-checkbox" id="checkbox-1601800" name="d[]" type="checkbox" value="1601800" /></td><td style="white-space: nowrap;">10-28 RP</td><td class="deal_info"><span class="title">DiGiorno Pizza 12.6-34.2 oz</span><br />
<div class="deal_description" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10px; padding: 3px 0px;">
Qualifies for Buy 10 Get $5 Off at checkout, final price after promo savings</div>
<div class="deal_description" style="font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10px; padding: 3px 0px;">
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</td><td align="right">$1.00</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="right">$4.77</td><td align="right" class="final_price" style="font-weight: bold;">$4.27</td><td align="center">29%</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The coupon I need for the DiGiorno Pizza is in the 10-28 packet of Red Plum coupons. I get that packet of coupons out of my folder, find the Digiorno coupon, and clip it. You'll also get SmartSource and other coupons. (I do not have time to cut out and organize every coupon. This way works for me.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. I went through coupons I got from Kroger in the mail and pulled out ones I could use. They usually send ones that correspond with the sales.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> All this took me about 40 minutes. I took my list and my youngest son and headed to the store. As I purchased items from the "Buy 10 get $5 off" sale, I put a tally mark on my list. I bought 60 of those items. I spent $94.61. I saved $86.57 or 47%. I only used $8.30 in manufacturers coupons -- mostly I took advantage of the loss leaders in the Kroger flier. Campbells cream of Mushroom and chicken are on sale for 50 cents. I use this a lot so I bought 10. Land O' Lakes butter was $1.99 -- I bought 4. I got a free tube of toothpaste and a free toothbrush. I put those in our Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> This will take you longer than 40 minutes to start out, but it gets easier. I think 40 minutes of work to save $86 is not so bad!</span><br />
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<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-12336020451421891322012-11-13T09:19:00.002-06:002012-11-13T09:20:13.743-06:00Waging a War Against a False Sense of Entitlement<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Our society lives and breathes a false sense of entitlement. It's false because it's not true. It goes something like this: I want it so I deserve it and someone will get it for me. No need to earn it. No need to work hard. No need to wait on the Lord. So how do we fight against a false sense of entitlement?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 1. Don't make it so easy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I remember when the Atari came out. Oh my goodness! We thought that was the coolest thing ever. My three sisters and I wanted one. We wanted one bad. My dad got one of those cans with the plastic lid, cut a hole in the top of the plastic lid to make it look like a bank, and told us that we could buy it when we'd saved up for it. We saved and saved and saved and saved. I can't remember exactly the cost, but I remember it took us about a year to save up the money. Then we bought it, and we loved it. I played Pac-Man until I had a blister on the inside of my thumb from the joystick. The Atari was the greatest invention ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A few years ago, my boys wanted a Wii. My husband got one of those cans with the plastic lid, cut a hole in the top of the plastic lid to make it look like a bank, and told them that we could buy it when we'd saved up for it. (Yep, he knew the Atari-story.) It took us about nine months, and the day we bought it, the boys were so happy. The waiting and the family effort of working and saving for something was fun and taught the boys the discipline of saving for something they wanted, even if it took a really long time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The point of this long story: Don't make it so easy for your kids to have all those things they really, really want. There is something good about saving and waiting -- and waiting and waiting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Don't be afraid to say no.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Sometimes your kids don't need that stuff at all. They don't have to go to every activity. They are not entitled to play computer games all day. Say no. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Make them do chores.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Teach your children to do chores because they are members of your family. Things need to be done, and they need to help.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Don't make excuses for their bad behavior.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Adam said it was Eve's fault. Eve said it was the snake's fault. Since the beginning of history, humans do not want to take responsibility for their bad behavior. Don't enable that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Don't bail them out all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Sometimes they will make mistakes that cost time, energy, and grades. Don't bail them out all the time. It's ok to fail. Painful for the parent, but ok. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Teach them the value of money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> When young, teach them the value of money in terms they will understand. "I can buy three bags of Kroger brand of pretzels or one of this brand for the same amount of money. Which is a better deal?" Last week, I took my youngest to the grocery store and he wanted some Little Debbie's Christmas cakes that were on sale for 3 for $5. The Christmas tree shapes had 5 in the package. The same cakes in a six-sided shape had 10 in a package. He went with the 10 after I pointed out he could get way more for the same amount of money!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> When they are older, make them save up for stuff they want -- even if it takes a long time. I am surprised by the number of teenagers who have no concept of what things cost.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Get over the guilt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Who cares if everyone else is doing it or that everyone else has one. You need to stand firm and be the parent. It's ok. They will not die if they don't get everything they want. It's good for them. Don't feel guilty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Encourage ministry to those less fortunate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Do an Operation Christmas Child shoebox every Christmas. Help a needy family through your church. Take them to a food pantry or a soup kitchen to volunteer. Help them see that they are truly blessed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So what do you want your kids to learn about money and stuff. Think through what you want them to know and believe, remembering that a sense of entitlement can <a href="http://www.mullinitoverforyou.blogspot.com/2012/11/entitlement-strangling-holy-spirit.html">strangle the Holy Spirit.</a> Then go from there. We know stuff doesn't make us happy and true happiness comes from trusting in God -- let's live that out and train our kids to do the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For more: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mullinitoverforyou.blogspot.com/2012/11/entitlement-strangling-holy-spirit.html">Entitlement -- Strangling the Holy Spirit</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mullinitoverforyou.blogspot.com/2012/11/entitlement-vs-waiting-on-and-trusting.html">Entitlement Vs. Waiting on and Trusting in the Lord</a></span><br />
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<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-7902272544297319902012-11-10T08:48:00.003-06:002012-11-10T08:48:42.429-06:00Entitlement vs. Waiting On and Trusting in the Lord<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitlement" style="color: #667fdd; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Entitlement: </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">For a few months now, the subject of entitlement has been wandering around slowly in my head. The subject keeps making appearances in my psyche, and I've been trying to put my random thoughts into some sort of order. On Sunday, I heard Joanne Kraft discuss entitlement and how the attitude robs our children and strangles the Holy Spirit. I keep turning this over in my mind, and it seems to me that entitlement seems to go hand-in-hand with not wanting to wait and a lack of trust.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> I ended <a href="http://www.mullinitoverforyou.blogspot.com/2012/11/entitlement-strangling-holy-spirit.html">my last blog post</a> by saying, "</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">it seems, the enemy has done more to harm us through this suburban-lifestyle-entitlement-stuff than we can imagine. I'm pondering all this, but I think it has to do with waiting. Waiting for stuff. Waiting on the Lord. Waiting."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> We are always in a hurry, but entitlement is the "belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges" -- not only that we are entitled to privileges and things, but we are entitled to them now, not later. We expect what we want when we want it. I think texting and e-mailing and googling has added fuel to this fire of needing, wanting, demanding everything now and fast. It used to be that if someone called you and you called back in a day or two, that was ok. Now, we're like, "She didn't call me back for 2 days!" We expect that we will get a text response immediately, or we're being ignored. We expect stuff now. Right now. Life seems urgent, hurried.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> I was going to say that this attitude of entitlement is a kid-thing, but I think it's a people-thing. No one wants to wait anymore for anything ever. How does entitlement strangle the Holy Spirit?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> God doesn't work on our time table. He's not in a hurry. The more time goes on and technology makes life "easier," the harder it is to wait for anything, and waiting on the Lord and His timing becomes harder and harder and harder. I think, when we don't have time to wait, we don't have time to trust, and then we strangle the Holy Spirit because He doesn't work as fast as we want Him to. He's not fast enough, and we try to speed things up and get ourselves in all sorts of trouble.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> Therefore, when God isn't fast enough, we lose trust. If we believe we are entitled to things when we want them, then we get angry at God if we don't get them when we are ready to have them. We don't trust that He knows what He is doing and that waiting might be good for us -- or that thing or job or relationship might not be what we really need at all. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Eventually, the entitlement attitude in our kids will translate to a lack of trust in the Lord as they become adults.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> So maybe a lesson we need to teach our children in this society is how to wait. How to slow down. Maybe we all need to practice waiting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Waiting.... for stuff. Waiting on the Lord. Waiting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Noah waited for rain while people mocked him every day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Abraham waited for his son, Isaac.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">David waited to be king on God's timetable while Saul tried to kill him over and over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jesus waited to begin His ministry until 30 years old.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Paul was prohibited to preach the word in Asia even though he really wanted to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Isaiah 40:31 <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">but </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8721328583315734553" name="1" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8721328583315734553" name="2" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> How do we teach our kids to wait? How do we teach them to trust in the Lord NOW for the little things so they are not afraid of waiting for big things later? </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
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Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-60062715912411482262012-11-05T10:31:00.000-06:002012-11-05T10:31:56.686-06:00Entitlement -- Strangling the Holy Spirit<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitlement">Entitlement: </a>belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Last night, I was listening to Family Life on the radio, and I heard an interview with Joanne Kraft about her book <u>Just Too Busy: Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical</u>. The book sounds interesting, but what caught my attention was a short tangent from discussing the book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Some friends of the family asked her son if he could come to Australia and be a jackeroo on their 3,000 acre sheep ranch. The son figured he needed $1200 to go and asked his dad to pay. His dad responded, “You know what, son, I can pay for that, but I’m not going to pay for that. That’s between you and the Lord.” The son was shocked and replied, “But Dad, I’m only 15! How am I going to earn money to go?” </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, with hard work and faith that God could provide, her son earned the money for the trip. At the end of the story, </span><a href="http://www.familylife.com/audio/topics/parenting/challenges/frazzled-family/just-too-busy/20121030-time-for-a-radical-sabbatical" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Joanne Kraft said this:</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"I tell this story, when I share with parents at conferences or at women’s conferences, about entitlement and how we are robbing from our children....We’re stealing opportunities. We’re really strangling the Holy Spirit. How do we expect to raise independent, God-honoring, hard-working children if we don’t allow them those opportunities? We can’t expect our kids to want to lean on God if they’re not doing it now....We do, we steal from our kids."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Stealing from our kids. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I've been tossing the idea of entitlement around in my head for a couple of weeks now. I've heard parents tell stories of kids who beg for a toy and then play with it for a day and then they're done. I've heard parents say they are afraid to say no to their teenagers. I've heard of teenagers who have no idea how much their car insurance costs their parents. In my gut, it seems that all this is unhealthy, bad for our kids like eating too much candy or drinking too much soda, but it's much worse than I thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Strangling the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Beyond fostering ingratitude and unhealthy attitudes about stuff and life and work and responsibility, we are "strangling the Holy Spirit" when we give in to and encourage, however indirectly and unintentionally, attitudes of entitlement in our children. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Interesting. So, it seems, the enemy has done more to harm us through this suburban-lifestyle-entitlement-stuff than we can imagine. I'm pondering all this, but I think it has to do with waiting. Waiting for stuff. Waiting on the Lord. Waiting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> More later.</span><br />
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<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-59771773489478220442012-10-29T10:06:00.000-05:002012-10-29T11:34:51.440-05:00Perspective: FWPs -- First World Problems<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Last week, I went to Sam's Club and bought about 10 pounds of ground beef. I made 8 hamburger patties and decided to brown, season, and freeze the rest. As I was trying to brown, oh about 6 pounds of ground beef in a big ole pot, I was getting </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">increasingly</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">frustrated. I had put too much in, it was hard to stir, I was burning the bottom and not getting the top cooked at all, and I began to mumble to myself something that sounded like this, "Dadgummit. Why won't this stuff ... ahh... that hurt. Man, this is frustrating. Arggg. This is taking forever!" And then it hit me: I am standing here grumbling about browning meat to freeze for my family to eat over the next few weeks when there are people in the world who do not have food to eat at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A few weeks prior, my cell phone time kept getting mixed up on my text messages so they were all jumbled up and I could NOT for the life of me follow a conversation. My husband texted: "FWP." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I can't figure out what to wear. First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I need to exercise more. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> My grass is dying. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> My computer is so old. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Where should we go out to eat?. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Gas is so expensive. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I really need a pedicure, but I'm too busy. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> We are out of garlic bread, and I was going to make spaghetti for dinner. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I am having such a bad hair day. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> My health insurance premium is going up. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Oh no! We're out of coffee! Yes, even this is a </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First World Problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A First World country is a country that is developed, industrialized, and well, rich. The opposite would be a Third-World country which is an underdeveloped country marked by poverty. Watch this:</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I have a toilet that flushes, a car to drive, clean water to drink, and a refrigerator with food in it. I have more than enough clothes, a roof over my head, and a bed to sleep in. I take my kids to the doctor when they are sick, and I buy them presents for Christmas, their birthdays, Easter, Valentine's Day, and just because. I can read and write, my children are being educated, and my sons get more allowance in a week than a billion people in the world live on in a week. I throw food away. I have electricity. My children do not have to work so we can survive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So many in the world are not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Perspective.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/"><span style="font-size: large;">Samaritan's Purse Giving Catalog</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/">Operation Christmas Child</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?so=3&tcmid=tcm:5-40651&iss=false"><span style="font-size: large;">Compassion International -- Sponsor a Child</span></a></div>
<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-81442414569462345122012-10-23T12:00:00.000-05:002012-10-23T12:01:21.501-05:00How Parenting Shapes Us<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0oVebmTRxPTzCPU4tgbatk2t5SIvVu6E1ZBSSlojG9oc6pBA9vJucwU_KVAR0X3eE46Tc9tqjKcFMqJGunwjnLGpRMxLlaH3nrdOD8ecEDrgF_ZSne-pyHIMJUXMRPtm5BQXNtiweqqA/s1600/fruit.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0oVebmTRxPTzCPU4tgbatk2t5SIvVu6E1ZBSSlojG9oc6pBA9vJucwU_KVAR0X3eE46Tc9tqjKcFMqJGunwjnLGpRMxLlaH3nrdOD8ecEDrgF_ZSne-pyHIMJUXMRPtm5BQXNtiweqqA/s1600/fruit.png" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Not long ago, while in the midst of a parenting "challenge," my husband reminded me that parenting is to shape the child, but, maybe more importantly, parenting shapes us, the parents. As Christians, God uses parenting to make us different, better, more like Himself. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Parenting Helps Us Develop the Fruit of the Spirit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I told someone this past Saturday that by the time by youngest is 18 years old, I will be the most patient person on the planet, and I was serious. I taught high schoolers in the public school system. I have worked with all ages of kids in Sunday School, VBS, Children's Church, and the nursery. Nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for a 45 minute temper tantrum because I said, "No." Nothing prepared me for how enraging it can be for a two-year-old to look you in the face and defy you when you are in a hurry to get somewhere. Nothing prepared me for the looks you get carrying a screaming three-year-old out of ToysRUs. Nothing prepared me for cleaning up throw-up on two hours of sleep for the 15th time. Nothing prepared me for the unconditional love that I would have for my boys, and the joy I would have at their successes. Patience, gentleness, self-control -- the Holy Spirit uses parenting to develop this fruit in us. <i>But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.</i> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Galations 5:22-23</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> (ESV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Parenting Shows Us Our Weaknesses</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Parenting shows us where we need the Lord to refine us. Do we have anger issues? Worry issues? Control issues? Do we use bad language? When our children start yelling at other drivers, "Hey, jerk!", then we realize we need to watch our mouths. Often, our children mirror us, and we don't like what we see. When we see it, we can take it to the Lord and ask Him to help us, so we can be different and so we don't pass down baggage to our children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Parenting Teaches Us We Are Not in Control</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> In our brains, we know God is in control, right? Parenting confirms this down to the insides of our bones. Despite parenting books that teach us that we can control our child's behavior if we use their "correct" methodology, parenting makes us realize that we cannot control those little <strike>hellions</strike> children. Even harder, we cannot control the child who is bullying our child. We can't heal our child of an illness. We can't make a learning disability go away. We just can't fix everything. Ultimately, God is in control -- of the universe and of our children. Parenting can and should help us rely on God to help us, give us strength, give us wisdom, and give us endurance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Often, we focus so much on turning out perfect children that we fail to see how God is using parenting to turn us into children who are more like our Father. So, the next time your son talks back or your daughter refuses to eat her dinner or your son whacks you in the face with a pillow when you're not looking, take a deep breath, pray, and ask your Father to give you what you need to be a godly parent, a godly person, a reflection of Him, and, I believe, He will answer.</span></div>
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Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-54507823621295641522012-10-18T08:59:00.002-05:002012-10-18T08:59:18.482-05:00The Blame Game: A Lesson in Taking Responsibility<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Last December, three weeks before I put a hole in my bumper, I was in another car accident. I was waiting to turn left onto El Camino Real at about 6:00 p.m. on a Friday. The traffic was insane, and I remarked to my children, "I shouldn't have come this way. This is dangerous." I actually checked behind me to see if I could turn around. The woman in front of me, driving a very big Mercury Mountaineer, pulled into the median to try to get across. She realized that, not only was she not going to make it, but that her big vehicle was blocking oncoming traffic. She put her vehicle in reverse, hit the gas, and slammed into the front end of my car. The boys and I saw it coming. I screamed, "She's going to hit us," honked the horn, and braced myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> She did over $1200 damage to the front end of my car, and after about ten days of trying to reach her by phone, her insurance company had to go to her house. She told them that I rear-ended her. She lied.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> She said she was sitting still, and I rear-ended her. Despite the fact that I had two witnesses in my car, they said it was her word against mine, and her insurance would not pay.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> She lied, and we had to bear the burden for her choice to not accept responsibility for her actions. For months after the accident, my youngest son flinched and grimaced every time he saw someone brake in front of us. We had to pay our $250 deductible to have the car fixed. We had to do without our car for a week while the vehicle was in the shop. I currently have a huge hole in my back bumper because the second accident, which was my fault, happened three weeks after the first, and I didn't want them to think I was lying the first time, so I didn't claim it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> She lied. The injustice of it really rocked my boys' world. They didn't understand it. Why? Why would she lie? "Why?" they have asked me over and over again, especially my youngest. He wanted to canvass the neighborhood, find witnesses, prove our innocence, hold her accountable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> She refused to take responsibility when it meant repercussions for her. She blamed someone else for her mistake. She was selfish. Who knows? Maybe she was going to have a serious insurance hike if she was in one more accident, but still, shouldn't we do the right thing, tell the truth, no matter what?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Ever since that accident, this woman has become the poster-child, in our family, for NOT doing the right thing, NOT taking responsibility for our actions, NOT admitting we are wrong even when it means getting in trouble, and NOT being willing to make it right with the person that we have wronged. I've explained that this is an issue that goes back to, well, Adam and Eve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So, I guess, in the spirit of Romans 8:28, thank you God for giving my boys a very real, tangible lesson on owning up, making things right, and doing the right thing at all costs. I have used the example of this woman over and over again when one son blames another for his own sin, when one of the boys refuses to admit wrongdoing, when one is making an excuse for bad behavior, when one son needs to make it right -- or when one of the boys is trying to make sense of why someone he knows will not take responsibility. Adam and Eve, Aaron and the golden calf that just "jumped" out of the fire, Saul who offered the sacrifice because Samuel took too long, and a woman who said she was rear-ended to avoid having to be responsible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I pray that my boys will remember this lesson, that it will be a part of who they are, and that they will stand up and be men who take responsibility, even when it's hard, because it's the right thing to do.</span>Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-90409133479946733512012-10-16T09:20:00.002-05:002012-10-16T11:29:11.761-05:00God Only Gives Us What We Can Handle... Where's That in the Bible?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I read Dr. James' Dobson's <u>The New Strong-Willed Child</u> years ago because, well, I needed to! I remember coming away from the book with the quote, "God gave you this child because He knows you can handle it" as my new mantra. When parenting got tough, I would recite this phrase in my head. Admittedly, there were many days when I thought God had messed up because I just could not handle it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Not too long ago, while running that quote through my head, again, trying to cling to it like I had for many years, I felt God speak to me, quietly: "Stop clinging to that. It's not true. You can only do it through Me." Sucking in air at the realization, I started turning this over in my mind. God does NOT give us what we can handle. We can only handle trials, tribulations, and all that crazy, tough stuff through His power and His strength. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Feeling mad and frustrated at Dr. Dobson for "hindering" me, I looked up the "quote" in his book. This is what I found, underlined in the book, by ME, years ago: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <i> "When parents bring one of these tough youngsters into the world, they need to recognize that while raising that child may be difficult for a time, it is worth their effort to do the job right. Their attitude should be, 'The Lord gave me this challenging child for a purpose. He wants me to mold and shape this youngster and prepare him or her for a life of service to Him. And <u>I'm up to the task. I'm going to make it with the Lord's help</u>'...if they can perceive their task as a God-given assignment and believe that <u>He's going to help them to fulfill it</u>, then the frustrations become more manageable." (p. 31, underlining mine)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Sorry, Dr. Dobson, I've been misquoting you in my head for years.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i> </i>"I'm up to the task. I'm going to make it with the <u>Lord's help</u>" is quite different from "God gave you this child because He knows <u>you</u> can handle it." </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Now, the question comes, why, for years and years, did I misquote that book?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> It is simply so easy for me, maybe for you, too, to try to do things in my own strength -- a job, child-rearing, parenting, illness, marriage, church service, etc. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Isn't it the American Way to pull ourselves up by our boot-straps, get to work, and get it done? If we work hard enough in school, we can get out of our poor neighborhoods. If we do our best in sports, maybe we'll get a contract. If we get into a good college, we can get a good job. If we work our tails off in a business, we can be rich. If we would just try harder, we wouldn't be in this mess. If we read enough parenting books, try enough strategies, pray hard enough, find the right system, our kids will turn out... perfect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Don't you think our Enemy looks on, nodding his approval, knowing we will fail, happy to see us striving in our own power? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">I can do all things through Christ </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8721328583315734553" name="a" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NKJV</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for
my power is made perfect in weakness.
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that
Christ's power may rest on me. That is
why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in
persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of
the weak. Even youths grow tired and
weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will
renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and
not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV</b></span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Thanks Lord for the reminder. In all I do, in all that You have set before me, help me to focus on YOU as the source of my strength and power. Help me when I've had all I can take. Lift me up. Renew my strength. Help me stay the course. Give me patience, perseverance, endurance to run this race. For when I am weak, yet trusting in You and Your power, then I am strong.</span>Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-2904496703478857612012-10-15T14:26:00.001-05:002012-11-05T21:33:12.474-06:00Hot Chocolate Pudding -- One Way to Use Up Hot Chocolate Packets<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Last year, I put all our hot chocolate packets in a ziploc bag and put them in the freezer. One thing is guaranteed: If you put hot chocolate in the freezer, no one will drink it because they won't remember it is there! I have somehow ended up with WAY too much hot chocolate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Yesterday, I decided it was time to use up all those little packets. It's too hot in Houston to drink hot chocolate in October, sadly, so I did some online searching to try to discover other ways to use it up. For whatever reason, I thought it would be cool to make pudding out of it. I couldn't find a recipe so I made one up, and well, it passed the Mullin boys' taste test so here it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jenny's Homemade Hot Chocolate Pudding</span></div>
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5 packets of hot chocolate (I used Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Sensations)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 heaping tblsp. All Purpose Flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dash of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups milk (I used 1 cup whole, 1 cup 1%)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tblsp. butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. vanilla</span><br />
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Mix hot chocolate powder, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk in milk. Stir continually (about 12-15 minutes) over medium heat with whisk or spoon. When <u>thickened</u>, stir for 2 or 3 minutes longer and then remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla. Pour into little bowls (or one big one), cover with plastic wrap with the wrap touching the pudding to keep a hard "crust/skin" from forming on top, and chill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Easy! No added sugar. Delicious! I doubled the recipe and added crushed Oreos on top for lunch at church and came home with an empty bowl! I see lots of pudding in our future. Yep, we have lots of hot chocolate packets in the freezer!</span><br />
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<br />Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-67877400398251979422012-10-10T08:44:00.000-05:002012-10-10T08:44:30.499-05:00He Never Changes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This morning, my little guy sat in my lap, saw this "saying" on facebook, and said, "I don't get it." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever," I replied. "It's a Bible verse." Silent pause.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> "It means that Jesus never changes. He never gets so angry with us that He decides to destroy us all. He never gets so frustrated with us that He decides He's not going to save us after all." Light bulb. He's always faithful, always loving, always just, always holy, always good, always Jesus. He always keeps His promises.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I'm thankful for the reminder. Usually, while reading things on facebook, I just sort of skim over the sayings and the admonitions to re-post things if I really love Jesus. Today, I got to really think about what Hebrews 13:8 means by explaining it to a child, my child, and that always touches me. Thanks Lord, for the reminder.</span>Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-51309482928386900802012-10-04T09:39:00.000-05:002012-10-04T09:43:21.354-05:00What Is Man that You Are Mindful of Him? Astronomy Lessons<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> This semester I have the privilege of teaching astronomy to 27 third through fifth graders. The last time I taught astronomy was about 5 years ago to my oldest son. Coming back to the subject so many years later does not dull the awe that I feel every time I study the heavens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Psalm 8</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.</b> From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. <b>When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? </b> You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Swirls of gas and dust reside in this ethereal-looking region of star formation seen by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. This majestic view, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), reveals a region where low-mass, infant stars and their much more massive stellar neighbors reside. A shroud of blue haze gently lingers amid the stars." NASA.gov</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is just one of an infinite number of galaxies in the universe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Milky Way contains 200 - 400 billion stars. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our Sun is just one of those stars.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our Sun is a medium-sized star.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One million of our Earth's would fit inside </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">our medium-star-sized Sun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">what is man that you are mindful of him, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the son of man that you care for him? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Psalm 8:3-4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, what is man that You are mindful of him? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are but tiny specks in the vast universe </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and yet God knows us, loves us, and sent His Son to die for us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Your name, O LORD, is truly majestic!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All photos from www.nasa.gov</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration</span>Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8721328583315734553.post-19043324872168272782012-10-01T09:23:00.000-05:002012-10-01T13:46:26.957-05:00My Purposeful-specific-quality-inducing-praise Experiment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I've been reading lately about praising your children, and I realize that I am very, very good at pointing out what my kids do wrong. However, knowing that praise is a good thing, I try to praise my kids as much as possible. After some of my reading in the last few months, I wonder if I'm doing more harm than good. Read on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> There are studies out that show giving children unspecific, random praise, such as "Awesome. Good job! Excellent. Way to go," can actually harm their success in life. (</span><a href="http://www.nea.org/home/42298.htm" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Praise Paradox: Are We Smothering Our Kids in Kind Words?</a> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and <a href="http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Can_You_Praise_Your/">Can You Praise Your Child Too Much?</a>)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> For example, saying "You're so smart," all the time actually conditions them to want to give up easier when trying something hard because they automatically assume they are no longer smart if the answer doesn't come easily. However, praising children about their hard work and perseverance even when things are tough makes them desire to keep on trying even if the test or task is hard and frustrating. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Also, I have been reading about praising children intentionally for the <u>qualities</u> you desire to see growing in them and finding those nuggets of greatness among their bad behaviors. What qualities do you want to see in your child? Do you want him to be cooperative, patient, respectful, helpful, humble, kind, grateful, and selfless? Do you desire your child to honor authority figures, choose good friends, manage time well, avoid temptation, exhibit self-control, and handle rejection appropriately? Do you want your child to </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">persevere</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, share, and express thankfulness? If so, choose to see their successes in these areas, no matter how small, and specifically praise them for those qualities instead of only pointing out their failures. No matter how small the success, praise them for the characteristics you want to develop in your child. This type of "praising" takes thought and a plan. What do I want to see developed in my child? Then, you must go about seeking, actively, to see and praise those attributes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> On the flip side, the argument goes that parenting a child ONLY when he or she has done something wrong is parenting in the negative. When our child comes to the table right away when called to dinner, then we say.... nothing. When our child ignores us and continues to play even when called, then we lecture about the necessity of obedience. If our child shares like he's supposed to, we may say, "Good job sharing" or not. If he refuses to share, well, we go after it. The point is to try to also parent in the positive moments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've been mulling this over for a while now, and I think I want to try this method of praising my children and see what happens. Here are some examples of the way I used to praise my children (1) and the way I hope to try doing it (2). </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I call it my purposeful-specific-quality-inducing-praise-experiment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. I love to see you reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. I like the way you came over and began reading your book. Reading is such an important skill, and I'm glad you see how important it is. You are really showing wisdom!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Good job starting your school work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. I like the way you started your school work without complaining. You are showing responsibility and hard work. I appreciate that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. You are a great piano player.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Your piano playing has really improved because you have worked so hard. I appreciate the way you have listened carefully to your teacher and made the necessary corrections. That shows maturity. You are really growing up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Wow! You ate all your dinner without complaining.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Thank you for eating your dinner without complaining, even though some of the food was not your favorite. It shows a lot of self-control not to complain, and I like that you have decided to make healthy choices for your body. Good job!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. You got a great grade on that test! You are so smart! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. You really studied for that test and your hard work and perseverance paid off! You did your best, and it shows! I am proud of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Good job at the store today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. That line at the grocery store was really long, but you were so patient. I like the way you helped me unload the cart. What a good helper you are. I am blessed to have a helper like you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The toughest is turning something really negative into a positive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. You would've been done with your math by now if you hadn't been fussing and complaining so much. You lose your Wii time for the day! (Imagine angry face!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. That math was hard, and you got really frustrated. You showed great self-control by calming down quickly and then getting that math problem done. Way to stick it out and work hard. (I actually did this after my youngest son got so frustrated with a math problem that he threw his pencil all the way across the table. I sat silently until he calmed down, picked up his pencil, tried again, and completed the problem correctly. Then I gave him the above praise. His reaction to this praise was absolutely amazing. At first he was stunned and looked at me quizzically, expecting the number 1 above response, and then he gave me a huge hug. Hmmm... maybe there is something to this.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> At the bare minimum, it makes sense to me to praise the qualities and characteristics that I want to see in my kids WHEN I see them. We'll see how this goes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mullin It Overhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04086008268267259640noreply@blogger.com4