"words to grow on"

My kids, like most, are pretty good at tearing their siblings down with their words. I tried to think of an idea to help encourage them to use their words to build each other up, and came up with this...

All you need is a small clay flowerpot, some craft paint, brushes, and stickers.

The kids had a ball painting their pots. Mom and Dad have one, too.

All done...and isn't this the sweetest face ever?

The more stickers, the better...

Micah: "Mom, what a great idea. I really need help with this (building others up.)"

Rachel: "Put this on your newsletter so other people can do it, too!"

Now the next step: cut out small pieces of paper and let the kids and parents write notes to each other that are encouraging. They can say things like, "I really liked it today when you..." or "I'm so glad you..." Place each note in the pot designated for that person. Check the pots at the end of the day and read the notes.

I'm hoping the kind words and behaviors will flow more naturally as we do this for each other.

1 Thess. 5:11 "Encourage one another and build each other up..."

help!

I stumbled across an old CD, bought when Micah was quite young. This song makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. If you know a mom with a jungle baby, don't give her your condemnation, give her your support. There's so much potential for good in such a child...power to change the world. They sure aren't going to leave it the same place it was before they arrived! But it takes endurance...and speaking of that, you can pray I will make it through the hitting and kicking phase.

Jungle Baby by 2 Moms

God, thank you for the child you've sent from heaven above.
Sent to mom and dad a perfect picture of you love.
She loves to dance and sing and play, she moves so gracefully.
She's learning all her manners well, and lives obediently.

But what is this, a second child, he isn't like the first one.
Isn't mild but kind of wild, and there are no instructions.
We thought that we had figured out the secret to parenthood,
but the tactics that we know so well aren't working like they should.

(Chorus)
What ya' gonna do when ya got a wild child, when ya got a jungle baby?
They're into everything, and on the move, they can almost drive you crazy.
Jumpin' off the bed, bouncing on the couch and climbing on everything.
If you had a vine hangin' down in your home, he'd be--SWINGING!

How is this, we lost all control, wish we'd known much sooner.
The God of wisdom, love and might, has a sense of humor.
He won't give us more than we can take; I know He cares for me.
But I'll take advice from anyone, somebody help me please!
(Repeat chorus)

last day of school

Little did we know yesterday that we were experiencing Rachel's last day at CCA. She came down with a fever last night and tested positive for strep this morning. She's feeling much better tonight after being on an antibiotic but missed awards day. We later found out she received the Benjamin Franklin History Award for excellence in history. That was so fitting! A note to Papa: she's told me she wants you to take her to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield.

Rachel with some friends at field day yesterday.

Micah with Mrs. F. He'll always remember his fifth grade year at Prairieland. "Be a scooper, not a pooper" was his teacher's motto to teach the kids initiative. Today Micah was telling me about the Civil War research he did on the Hunley submarine. I had no idea there were subs in the Civil War. Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

the gospel I needed at 8:32 this morning

Summer is quickly approaching. This is the time of the year my desk and counter tops are filled with lists. I have lists of the books I want to read with my children, books I want them to read, checklists of daily responsibilities, and even lists in my calendar in the form of our daily activities. I make my own lists, too, both mentally and on paper, of ways I want to grow and change, ways I want to organize the house--this spawns lists of its own as I try to organize myself for a garage sale, list the furniture I'd like to purge, the little tasks and items necessary to clean and organize...the list is endless! I need a master list just to keep track of all the sublists.

The time I have with my children still at home is ticking by too quickly. With my oldest entering junior high next year, I am especially aware that though these years seem as though they will last forever, our time together is for a season and far too short. I think my lists are an attempt to make the most of this time together. But I have been crying out to God for His vision for our summer. What does He want to accomplish in our family for such a time as this? Surely He has more in mind for us than simply what I have on my list.

This is one of those times He may as well have a megaphone, for His voice has become increasingly loud and clear. "Teach them the gospel, starting with yourself." Never mind the lists, the activities. God doesn't want our "doings," He wants our hearts.

The gospel...don't we know it? "Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins and give us eternal life." I've known this truth from my preschool days, and it is powerful. It gives me hope for the life to come, hope that I am saved from an eternal hell--total separation from the presence of God. Instead, I will spend eternity in heaven, never to be separated from the presence of God.

Too often the gospel is put in a category of something that will help us for eternity...but isn't much help in the here and now. What has completely turned my world upside down the past few years is to begin to understand that Jesus saves me not only from the penalty of sin, but also the power. Eternal life is not for "someday" but begins here and now. Jesus Himself said in John 17:3, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

This is a very different definition that the Sunday School understanding I had of eternal life. It is knowing God and His Son, Jesus. How does that help me live today? In every way. Jesus came to save me from sin that threatens to wreck and ruin every part of my life and keep me from knowing Him.

That means...

When my preschooler is being stubborn and I'm at the end of my rope, I don't have to give in to screaming at him as a last desperate attempt to make him behave.

When my children are fighting, I don't have to just say "stop it!" and hope that band-aid phrase will help solve all their past, present, and future relational problems. This also assumes they will stop, of course.

When something happens in our lives that is out of my control, I don't have to lay awake at night with my stomach in knots, worried that I have to come up with the solution.

(Just an honest note that I have tried each of these, probably in the past 24 hours. But little by little the gospel is setting me free from my continual propensity toward such sin.)

The gospel teaches:

-There is meaning and purpose to life, because I have been created to glorify God and have been redeemed that I may serve my Creator instead of myself and creation.

-That I can say "no" to sin because the power was broken at the cross by a Savior who has now taken up residence within me.

-That I don't have to be in control because I know the God who controls it all.

-I can love others because I have been set free from self-centeredness to embrace a servant's heart for someone besides myself. (Praise God!)

-My only hope is a Savior, and that hope is more than enough because I have one!! There is no need so great He cannot fill it, nothing broken He cannot make it whole, no desire so great He cannot satisfy. And the very worst problem that I could ever have--sin--has been completely met in His sacrificial work on my behalf.

-My eyes must be constantly fixed on the work of Christ, because without Him life just does not "work." He IS life.

He paid the penalty, yes, with a perfect sacrifice.

He overcame the power of sin through His perfect obedience.

He will completely eradicate sin one day, so that we will no longer even experience its presence.

In his book Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, Paul David Tripp expresses it this way:

We can take..."the gospel out of the realm of abstract theology to where we live every day. The fact is that although I experience powerful emotions and desires, I can say "no" and go in another direction because of the resources that are mine in Christ. I am indwelt by the Warrior Spirit (Gal. 5:16-18) who battles with my flesh. He lives with power and glory in my heart. I can choose to go where he leads rather than where my passions and desires of the flesh would lead me. I have also been crucified with Christ (v. 24). When Christ died, I died. When Christ arose, I rose to a new life. Because I am united with Christ in his death and resurrection, the mastery of sin over me has been broken. I no longer have to submit the members of my body to its rule. In the face of difficulty, I can do and say what is right."

I don't know if I'll get to everything on my lists for this summer, but if I can learn for myself and pass on more of the message and power of this gospel to my children, more will be accomplished by the Spirit than I could ever dream.

It's an eternal hope for here and now that will last long after summer is over and my lists are in the trash.

all good things must come to an end...

It's hard to believe another school year is coming to an end. Some end-of-the-year thoughts from the Rhodes' house...

Micah

This was his first year in public school. How did he fare? I think "thrive" would be the best word. He actually wishes we'd made the switch earlier. Things he's mentioned he will miss: his P.E. teacher Mr. K, who is someone the students seem to either love or hate. Micah loved him and rose to every challenge he was given. He is considering Mr. K's latest encouragement to go out for cross country this fall in junior high. Micah also enjoyed all the teamwork he took part in as part of Mrs. F's fifth grade class. He thinks it will help him in his job someday. After hearing Eric talk about the challenges of a collaborative environment in his workplace, I can't help but think he's right!

Rachel

This was a tough year for our third grader in many ways, but she's also risen to the challenge and ending the year well. Miss S is her favorite teacher so far (one of our favorites, too!), and she's discovered treasures like history, Abraham Lincoln, and really great books like Heidi. Rachel's battled the stomach flu at least 4 times, urinary tract infections, and is currently nursing a sore shoulder which is sending her to physical therapy. But through all this she's learning that God is good no matter what her circumstances. Next year she makes the transition to public school. We know God holds her future and look forward to He has planned and how He will lead from here. We've got a list of girls who attend her new school that we can call for play dates this summer!

Josiah

Our favorite activity right now is working through Sonlight's 3/4 curriculum. What a delight to read these great books together!! After almost every story Josiah insists, "Read it again, Mommy!" He also loves puzzles, mazes, and learning letters and their sounds (initiated by him, not me.) Between our laid-back preschool times, meeting friends for playdates, and a great children's program in a community Bible study through the school year, we feel no pressing need for formal preschool. (Well, I have to admit there are days it crosses my mind...!) I do feel the continual need to keep this high-energy boy busy and engaged, or he will be more than happy to find ways to keep me busy. Summer has to be one of the best times of the year to be a preschooler, and we have lots of fun things planned!

Welcome, summer. We've been waiting for you! And thanks be to God for His provision through another school year. His ways are not our ways, but they are always best.

cheap fun

There aren't many activities that my 11-year-old, 9-year-old, and 3-year-old can enjoy together. But we did find this! The reusable bubble wands were a dollar and I found a huge bottle of solution at a garage sale for 50 cents. The memories are priceless.

Micah chose the scientific approach, announcing he was studying and conducting experiments. This involved splitting bubbles in half and then rejoining them into one. Or something like that.

Rachel chose the elegant twirl.

Josiah chose to eat them...

...which seemed to catch on.

The good, old-fashioned way works well, too.

really great spaghetti sauce!

So Easy Spaghetti Sauce
-taken from Healthy Cooking magazine

1 lb. lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped celery
1 can (29 oz.) tomato sauce
2 1/2 c. tomato juice
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 oz.) tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 bay leaves
Hot cooked spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef, onioin and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a 4 or 5 qt. slow cooker, combine the tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, seasonings and beef mixture.

2. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until heated through. Discard bay leaves. Serve with spaghetti; sprinkle with cheese if desired.

*This is the first recipe I have found I can modify for my onion/garlic allergy and still have it taste good when I was done. I also left out the celery and salt, and doubled the recipe, using my big crockpot. I used a quart of canned tomatoes in place of 2 cans of diced tomatoes. It freezes well.

encouragement

The days are sometimes long, the work is hard, and the pay is poor...but this is worth more to me than a million dollars.

to Dallas and back in 4 days...

Our family just made it back from a whirlwind trip to Dallas Theological Seminary to see my youngest brother graduate. The 14 hour car trip (one way) was certainly worth it!!!

Josiah, though he tried to pack himself, didn't go. He stayed home with Eric's parents and had a terrific time. For a child high on energy and still needing naps, this was the best place for him to be. However, when we returned, he let us know he was rather mad we had left him. We're still trying to win him back.

The rest of the Nelson clan, including a great aunt, was present and accounted for. Here are the cousins enjoying a Texas-style BBQ, served by the DTS faculty and complete with petting zoo, pony rides, and inflatables for the kids.

"You been farming long?"

Jared and Michelle...may you remember these years with fondness.

Waiting for the ceremony to begin. The kids were well-entertained for the moment with their Nintendo DS games.

The theology graduates...Jared is somewhere in the back row. Trust me.

Howard Hendricks is retiring after 60 years of service and touching 12,000-13,000 students. Here Mark Bailey is presenting a special award to "Prof."

The man of the hour pictured with my parents and Rachel...it was so good to see Jared graduate and celebrate with him!