Thursday, July 12, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
Learning Songs in Devotions
I'm going to let you take a peek at our family devotions. I think it is a constant struggle to get together consistently and make these times profitable. At the end of some of these times together, Doyle and I wonder if we have done any good. Recently we tried a couple of different ideas. We both realize the importance of music and wanted the children to memorize the songs that would stay with them through life. We concentrate on the same song until we feel like it is memorized and then move on to another one. We go back and review the past one so it is not forgotten. We have been pleasantly surprised. It is so exciting to hear them sing these songs. Joseph is 3 and can sing "Trust and Obey." I know he doesn't understand it all yet, but I don't know when he will. As parents, we will keep singing songs, memorizing Scripture as a family, and praying to God that it sticks in those little minds. We have also used a prayer chain to keep prayer request visual. When we have a request, we write it on a colorful piece of paper. We give the paper to different family members on different days. When God answers that prayer, we staple it together on our chain. This allows our kids to pray for different needs and to see just some of the many prayers God answers.
The Scare of a Missing Kid
I had something crazy happen about a month ago, and I have just decided to share it. I have this awful fear of losing one of my children. Sometimes I can almost ruin a good time by constantly checking to make sure all of the tribe is in one location. Doyle and I have a system to make sure the bases are covered. If we separate in the store, we say, "I have 1 and 3, you have 2 and 4." We number the kids or call them by gender. "I have the girls - you have the boys." We are pretty good at communication.
I was in the store with my friend, Rebecca. I had dropped the girls off at a party and the boys were with us. I'm sure this wasn't their first choice of a fun afternoon, but I wasn't going to be in there long, so everyone was cool. I had just taken Joseph to the bathroom and I was looking at the shoes. Joseph likes to walk around and meet me on the other side. Since I am working on not being so protective, I have allowed him this privilege. He left the aisle and I waited for him to come around. When he didn't come, I thought he must have found something to look at on the other side. I glanced around the corner, and he was not there. I started looking down the aisles and couldn't find him. This is when I started to panic. It was not a huge store. Samuel and I went in different directions and began our search. I told Rebecca and the sales clerk. She began lockdown. I was at the front of the store when I heard a little faint voice call, "Mommy." I ran to the back of the store and there he was. He was coming out of the restroom. He was very upset, and had one thing to say to me. "Mommy, you not come wipe my bottom!" I still can not believe he was able to get the heavy door of the restroom open and I do not know why he decided to go by himself. He had never done this before. I was so glad to see him and so frustrated that he had pulled this stunt. I didn't know whether to hug him or spank him. But since I was so glad to see my little fellow, I hugged him and said, "Don't ever leave Mommy like that." Would you believe that he didn't get it. He just kept saying, "Mommy, you not come wipe my bottom." The only thing he could think of was that he had done his "duty" and I had not done mine. Well, I found out that you can not reason with a 3 year old with an unwiped tail. I went back to the bathroom,(3rd time a Bozone had visited this facility in just a short amount of time), cleaned up my guy, and decided he should stay belted in the cart for the rest of the time. It sure made my blood pressure rise. It also reminded me that he is not ready for too many privileges at this point. The following Sunday he started to leave our pew. I asked him where did he think he was going. You know what he told me. He had to go out in the van for something. I don't think so. Doyle and I have decided to keep and eye on our little Mr. Independent.
I was in the store with my friend, Rebecca. I had dropped the girls off at a party and the boys were with us. I'm sure this wasn't their first choice of a fun afternoon, but I wasn't going to be in there long, so everyone was cool. I had just taken Joseph to the bathroom and I was looking at the shoes. Joseph likes to walk around and meet me on the other side. Since I am working on not being so protective, I have allowed him this privilege. He left the aisle and I waited for him to come around. When he didn't come, I thought he must have found something to look at on the other side. I glanced around the corner, and he was not there. I started looking down the aisles and couldn't find him. This is when I started to panic. It was not a huge store. Samuel and I went in different directions and began our search. I told Rebecca and the sales clerk. She began lockdown. I was at the front of the store when I heard a little faint voice call, "Mommy." I ran to the back of the store and there he was. He was coming out of the restroom. He was very upset, and had one thing to say to me. "Mommy, you not come wipe my bottom!" I still can not believe he was able to get the heavy door of the restroom open and I do not know why he decided to go by himself. He had never done this before. I was so glad to see him and so frustrated that he had pulled this stunt. I didn't know whether to hug him or spank him. But since I was so glad to see my little fellow, I hugged him and said, "Don't ever leave Mommy like that." Would you believe that he didn't get it. He just kept saying, "Mommy, you not come wipe my bottom." The only thing he could think of was that he had done his "duty" and I had not done mine. Well, I found out that you can not reason with a 3 year old with an unwiped tail. I went back to the bathroom,(3rd time a Bozone had visited this facility in just a short amount of time), cleaned up my guy, and decided he should stay belted in the cart for the rest of the time. It sure made my blood pressure rise. It also reminded me that he is not ready for too many privileges at this point. The following Sunday he started to leave our pew. I asked him where did he think he was going. You know what he told me. He had to go out in the van for something. I don't think so. Doyle and I have decided to keep and eye on our little Mr. Independent.
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