a parent's prayer

Lord, please make me the kind of person I want my child to become.

the stack on my nightstand

This summer I took advantage of paying only one private tuition and began to buy parenting books from CBD. Here's a sampling of what I am reading; as usual, I tend to have my fingers in several books at a time.

Not So Fast:Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families by Ann Kroeker
I told myself and my husband I would read this book slowly but will admit I'm tearing through it faster than I ought. Ann shares biblical and often counter-cultural insights into slowing our families down to savor childhood rather than sign everyone up for myriads of activities. We practiced this for many years in our family, but I have to admit that it's been harder to stay slowed down now that our oldest is approaching junior high. There is a lot in this book to ponder. I hereby commit to grabbing a pen and a journal to work through the slow down notes at the end of each chapter. My somewhat-harried husband will appreciate it.

The Princess and the Kiss and Life Lessons from The Princess and the Kiss by Jeanie Bishop
Today I began working through this favorite book with my 8-year-old daughter. Its purpose is to plant seeds of purity in young hearts. The book tells the story of a young princess who is given her first kiss (representing her purity) by her parents who help guide her to make the right choice in a husband. The thoughtful consideration of the princess in the selection of a mate contains many lessons, and the life lesson book lays out ideas for mothers who want to talk through these lessons with their girls, ending with a sweet "princess ceremony." Right now, before puberty hits, I have my daughter's ears and heart. I'm wanting to make the most of these years! Eric has the version for boys titled The Squire and the Scroll. Micah is anxious to get through it so he can be knighted in the squire ceremony!

Preparing Your Daughter for Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge
An excellent book discussing sexuality for preteens and teens. The first half is for moms to read, the second half is for moms and daughters to read together. We're not quite ready to tackle all of the content, but the first half raises many issues I need to start bringing up with my daughter. Everything I have read on this subject says to start talking earlier, not later, to lay a foundation for the teen years on sexuality and other issues. Again, Eric has Preparing Your Son For Every Man's Battle to read with our son.

Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World by Jill Rigby
I have already written about this book here, but it is worth another mention. A great resource and tool for raising compassionate children who want to make a difference for Christ in the world.

what the heavens reveal

A faint glow on the horizon was all that remained to bid farewell to the sun that had so recently lit the sky. What couldn't be seen was illuminated by the cheerful, excited chatter of the group of fifth grade students gathered for an evening of stargazing. The telescopes were fixed on Jupiter and the four moons visible around it. Kids and parents took turns looking through the viewfinder and exclaiming over things they had never seen before with their own eyes.

As the sky grew darker, the stars began to appear. Soon the teacher was pointing out the Big Dipper, Polaris, Cassiopeia, and other constellations the class has been studying but which were unrecognized by this mom. My ignorance brought to mind the show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. These kids are learning information that was once also within my grasp but has since faded from my mind as surely as the sun's last light tonight.

Our amateur astronomer, Mr. O, took out his green laser light and began pointing out constellations and star clusters. I was pleased to be able to pick things out now, and my third grader who had tagged along was also squealing with delight. Mr. O shared interesting tidbits of information as well as stories about the constellations.

He pointed out one spot in the night sky about the size of a dime. At one time it was thought to be completely black, but Hubble has sent back photographs of that area revealing hundreds of thousands of galaxies. He showed us a faint star, in actuality so enormous that if it were located in the same point as our sun, its outer edge would extend past Jupiter. An orbiting satellite caught the sun's rays and shimmered its spectacular light, visible for a few brief seconds.

My son goes to a public school, so although both the teacher and astronomer are Christians, no specific mention was made of God. Yet He was constantly in my thoughts as I stood breathlessly gaping at the enormity of the universe He has created. I felt smaller somehow, and God much bigger, putting things closer to their proper perspective.

Isaiah 40:26 says, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." The number of stars are countless. Last night I felt I stood and gazed on infinity. How great is God?

This morning in my quiet time I read John 10:3-5 and 27-29, "...the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. But they will never follow a stranger...My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."

As vast and timeless as the universe appears to our eyes, you might think God would be too occupied to pay attention to our little corner. Yet the Bible reveals that we not only have God's attention, but He entered into time through His Son and spoke our names as that of a loving shepherd to His sheep.

(This post is my response to a creative stretch challenge given by my friend Erin. Click here to find out more about her book club and here to see her creativity shine through her writing.)

the joys of dog ownership

We have now been dog-owners for a grand total of 7 months. If there are ever moments when we wonder what on earth we were thinking...the following pictures tell their own story.I looked out the window to see this moment shared by Rachel and Eddie. He just acted as though this is what dogs are supposed to do.
Doesn't her smile say it all?

Eddie is pretty patient with Josiah, who is still learning how to be gentle.

looking for a fall Bible study?

Next week I will begin my tenth year of Bible Study Fellowship. I was six months pregnant with my daughter when a friend invited me to give BSF a try. God made a way for my husband to stay home with our newborn while I continued to attend until she was old enough to join the children's program at age 2.

No longer will young moms attending day classes have to "wait" until their children turn two to attend together. Beginning in January, BSF classes who have leaders in place will add newborns six weeks of age and older to their children's program! I can't imagine the blessing this will be to young moms who would otherwise be unable to attend or who will no longer need to work out childcare, nor can I fathom the blessing it will be to the babies who will be brought. Children who attend the children's program hear Bible stories from the same passage their parents are studying, learn hymns and verses, and enjoy many other fun learning activities. Now even babies will hear a Bible story and be prayed over as they are lovingly cared for. Leaders are well-trained and have a passion for teaching the Bible to children. There are studies for school-aged children offered with the evening men's and women's classes, and preschool children are served through the day women's classes.

This year BSF members will be studying John and 1 John, and next year the book of Isaiah will be added as a study. There are exciting changes moving through BSF!! Being involved in this ministry has been life-changing for me and my family as I have learned how to study and apply the word of God, and even teach it to others (which simply proves God can do anything.) My children have a love for the Bible and for the Lord that was certainly laid partially through their years in BSF. For more information or to find a class near you, visit http://www.bsfinternational.org/.

can we look higher?

A tremendous scriptural vision of the church captured in a modern-day hymn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppcOA_HSs9U

O Church, arise, and put your armor on;
Hear the call of Christ, our Captain.
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth,
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies;
An army bold, whose battle cry is love,
Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war, to love the captive soul.
But to rage against the captor.
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole
We will fight and faith and valor.
When faced with trials on every side.
We know the outcome is secure.
And Christ will have the prize for which He died,
And inheritance of nations.

Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet.
As the Son of God is stricken.
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet,
For the Conqueror has risen.
And as the stone is rolled away.
And Christ emerges from the grave.
This victory march continues till the day
Every eye and heart shall see Him.

So Spirit, come, put strength in every stride,
Give grace for every hurdle.
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way.
Retelling triumphs of His grace.
We hear their calls and hunger for the day,
When with Christ we stand in glory.

Stars and Stripes Forever

Looking back over 15 years of marriage, I have to say one of my favorites dates with my husband was to an all-Sousa concert at Braden Auditorium. This was not our "typical" date, but the cost of the tickets and the necessity of acting somewhat sophisticated was worth every minute.

Growing up in rural and small town Illinois, my earliest exposure to "culture" was my dad's early morning serenades, which I later discovered were tidbits ranging from songs of the 60's, TV specials, and various musicals including Oklahoma. ("Oh, what a beautiful morning"...somehow when I watched the musical and heard how the song should really go, it just didn't sound nearly as good. I also remember thinking the Miss America song was one he had made up to sing to me alone. I felt like a star, waking up as a young girl to "There she is, Miss America..." It was quite a sobering wake-up call to realize my dad wasn't the original composer of these tunes and that I wasn't the lone audience for which they were originally intended. Ah, the dashed visions of childhood.)

I first discovered Sousa in high school band, the context of my next great exposure to the arts and culture. Wouldn't you know, my dad knew about Sousa's marches before I found them as well? We certainly shared our appreciation of his music. I fell in love with every one of Sousa's pieces and loved attempting to play them with the rich sound of the band even more.

There is something about Sousa that seems to run in the genes. Tonight, as I watched a 19 -year-old interview of my great-grandparents, captured by my mom on videotape just a four years before my grandpa passed away, I was delighted to discover their first date was to a Sousa concert. The Sousa. John Philip Sousa, and his band. As I strained to hear more about this event, it was a disappointment to learn that for whatever reason, the band didn't show up, so instead my grandparents-to-be took in a movie. But to know that an appreciation for Sousa extends through both sides of my family is one of those things that seems very right about life.

On Saturday night, Sept. 5 at Miller Park, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra will be presenting a free concert at 6:00. We will be there with the kids, trying to give them an ear for great music. Come on out and join us! Who knows, you may even hear some Sousa and start something that will be passed on to future generations.