Captain's Blog

I heard Chuck Swindoll share this one morning on the radio.

A father told a child to sit properly in his carseat. No was the response. Again the father told the son to sit and the child said No! Again the father told the son to sit and the child said No! Finally the father got the child to sit and in response the child said I may be sitting on the outside but I'm standing on the inside!

Thoughts?

Some of my thoughts were

The child did obey and that is good. However first time obedience must be required. Don't be a threatening repeating parent. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. (The first time!) We are called to be in charge and friendship is our goal for when our children are adults not now.

My final thought is this shows how parenting is so much more than providing for our childrens needs and getting them to behave a certain way. We need to train the heart. You can get a child to behave however you want but when they are grown they will chose what they want.

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp "The things a child does and says flow from the heart. Luke 6:45 puts it this way, "... out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." "

I recall one specific insident when Levi was young he came to me after he had done something wrong and said "Mommy I need a consequence, my heart hurts." Levi recognized that this helped his heart feel better. Children want structure and discipline and consequences. It helps for a happy healthy heart. They feel secure, loved and have the freedom to be a child.

Parenting is hard. Get support read Shepherding a Child's Heart. Pray.

Blessings as you do your best to raise your children and help those around you who are.

Alanne.

exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike

a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ

decent; respectable

www.dictionary.com

So I had a few thoughts that I wanted to share and haven't gotten around to posting them. I will post them but just to take some time and say it's been a really tough couple of weeks.

We have been sick but this week I have been down. A bit depressed? Am I above being depressed? NO! Do I have reason? Not really. That time of the month? part of it maybe. Attack from the enemy? He's sure trying to keep me from doing my quiet time!

Through all this God has blessed me with "lights". Friends have encouraged, given gifts, and listened and and and!!! I have so much to be thankful for. So I think part of what needs to happen here is taking my own advice that I had heard and shared yesterday at Bible Study. "Stop listening to myself and start talking to myself."

Speak life! My soul, my soul must sing! And press in.

At Bible Study last night Julie shared ...

Phil 4:4-9Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I think I need to write this out, speak it out and post it somewhere where I can speak it to claim it.

Focus on good things and be honest.

So some of the things I wanted to share were ...

We are to let our light shine. Just as Psalm 118:27a "The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us."

My question is does your face shine? Are we a reflection of Christ?

"Lord let me shine, shine like the moon, a reflection of you all that I do..." Song "Shine" by Salvador.

We are to look different than the world. Maybe not radical in what we wear etc but our face should glow.

I am very sensitive to this. God allows me to see past the surface many times and I don't think I'm the only one who is able to do this. People who are not yet Christians can spot a hypocrite a mile away. Can they spot you reflecting Christ a mile away.

I am being challenged in this. Am I a reflection of Christ this week when it's been really tough? I should be. How? Well part of it is being honest. Part of it is speaking God's promises into my life like what I read this morning Zechariah 2:8 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye- 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. ^[a] Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.

"...for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye- 9 I will surely raise my hand against them.."

I am the apple of his eye and he's going to kick anyone's butt who touches me!

Cross Rocks! - Thanks Camille.

Blessings ladies as you "face" your day.

Alanne.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Rejoice letting gentleness be evident

Do not be anxious but present everything to God and Peace will guard your heart and mind

Think on whatever is of God, practice what you've learned and the peace of God will be with you.