its catching on!

You know back when I posted about the saying , What Would Jesus Do?
And i mentioned we need 2 more like that, What Would Jesus Say?, and What would Jesus Think?
Well i introduced those to my kids. And boy did they catch on!
With in days after ward I was hearing those all the time.
One did an offence , and another would pipe up and say, " What would Jesus say?" or " What would Jesus think of that?"
One time Samuel said something mean to Sarah, and Clayton piped up and said, " What Would Jesus say to that Sam?" So Samuel quickly said something nice to Sarah to replace the mean thing he just said.
I love it, I love it!!

But i have been caught too! I got upset at Nathan over something, and said in not so nice of terms to shut up.
Well wouldn't you no theres Clayton, and he quickly says, "What would Jesus have said , Mom",
So I'm like, "oh, uh, Would you be quite please?"
He's like yep, that's better!
Daddy to has been caught several times as well.
So we really have to watch what we say now. But that's a good thing!!!

I taught my son to sneak

I know your proabaly thinking, " she did what"?
Yep, you read right, and yep, that's true I did.
No, I am not proad of it, but niether can i deny it.
So i am sharing it here so others can learn from my experience, though I am certain i am the only one who would do something like this in the first place.

Here's how it happened. It started when my son Samuel who is now 5 1/2, was between 2 and 3.

He would ask me more say some chips, and I told him no. Well when I am not looking he gets on the cupboard top and gets the bag and opens it. Then i come on the scene. I think well the bag is already open now, so i guess it won't hurt if he has a little bit. So i give him some in a bowl, and say next time don't get them if Mommy said no.

Then another time he asks for gum. I say no. Again i am in another room and do not see whats going on. Before i realize it he has got the gum and stuffed it in is mouth. When i see him i am very displeased, and let him know that. But i think well hes already got it now, what the heck. So i leave him be.

Yet another time its a coke hes ask for and got the answer no. When my back is turned he quickly opens the can. I am like well its open now, it will just go to waste , he may as well drink it now. I tell him it was wrong to do that though.

Well this was happening often . He soon caught on if he opened that package or bag or can fast enough that he could have it, regardless if mom had said no. And he got good at it!! He was fast and he was sneaky! And he was getting to be a professional !!

Then we spent a whole summer at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Canada in 08. He had just turned 3. Well Grandma doesn't let no monkey business go on like this by no means. So she started cracking down on this wise guy!

She could not believe how I could possible allowed that behavior to go on. She gave me a few tips.
The chips or any other thing like that, was to close up the bag and put it away. ( i know, a no brainier)
She said for the gum even if its in his mouth being chewed on, i was to take it away and throw it in the trash.
The coke, was to be poured out, or given to his siblings.


He was not to be rewarded by no means for his sneakiness. And also to have time-out or other correction if needed. I let her handle most of the situations while we were there. I think he didn't like grandma too much! :)

It took awhile but he soon learned that sneaking was not going to work. He slowly got untrained from sneaking. To this day though things still come up. But he is doing very well.

On occasion though i do see him turn his back and quickly try to get into something. But i have always took it away and sent him to time-out. Just recently he got a cookie with out asking and took a bite. When i seen him i made him put it back for not asking. " He replied but i already bit it, you can put a bit cookie back can you.?" I said, " sure you can."

So let don't let this happen to you. Nip it in the bud earlier!! My 3 year old Sarah is trying to follow in his foot steps but I am having nothing of it!! This is one of my big changes.

i once knew a quiet mother

Several years ago in my middle teens my family and I spent 3 years in Belize, Central America.
Well it was there i met and got to know this wonderful mom.
We never spent awhole lot of time at their house, but on the occasions that we went there to visit, I was always so amazed at the way she was with her children.

Her quiet way that she had with them is what caught my attention the most.
She was always so quiet in her communication with them.
Even in correction.
In fact it seemed her voice would even lower a few notches more while she was getting after them for something.

On one visit to her house , my mom and I were chatting with her, and a issue came up with some of the children. (I believe she had 6 or 7 at the time)
So she get up from where she was sitting , goes to the child and gets down on their level. She looks in to thier face. In a very low voice that we can barely hear whats going on, she gets after the child for what he/she did. She explains to them what they did wrong and how they should have behaved. Then the child goes back to play. And the mother goes back to visit.

Mom and I looked at each other , and thought, wow!

All the children were so quiet by nature. None talked loud. The Dad also was equally quiet with the children. An i suppose that's why the children were they way they were. Because they knew nothing else. The parents were never loud around them. They were all very happy children.

The children obeyed instantly when given a command. They parents were very firm and strict with them, but never raised their voice . The quiet command meant business and children knew it. A raised voiced was not necessary.

Now it could be the parents just did that when people was around, but i seriously doubt it. The way the children reacted it seemed very clear that this was everyday rule of correction.

I loved the way this mom was with her children. I so longed to be just like that mom when I became a mom my self. But sadly I am not.

But i realize I can still work on it , I could still achieve to be that way. I know my children are trained for the louder voice. They know that when that shout comes they must jump or else. :)But i know too that could be untrained.

I still long to be that quiet mom.
And I so long for my children to be like hers.
This is on my list of changes.

theres a change a' coming

This home needs a change.
And i can feel it coming.
I can feel it in my heart, and in my bones.
Its a change that's been needed for so long, and its on its way.
I am excited and a tiny bit nervous.
I don't know what its going to look like at this point yet and what all its going to involve.
But my heart yearns for it, and I desire it like nothing else.

I ask the Lord to open my eyes to what all changes we need done, and to give me the courage and strength needed to make those changes.

I will post along on this journey. And i hope i can be an encouragement to others walking the same path on this.

Just a sneak preview at some of the most obvious changes that need to happen.

• More effective and consistence in training.
• more structure and regular routine
• firm and sound rules
• less computer games
• no begging and wining in stores
• learning to be content and satisfied with what we have
• learning that having the other special 'new car' or other 'certain toy' is not going to make happiness
• learning that less is really more
• living with less materialistic things
• switching over from "movie night" to "game night"

And just what ever else that God may impart on our hearts. I am laying it all at HIS FEET. My plea is for God to work in me, change me and mold me into all that he wants me to be. That i can be the vessel he needs to do the work he needs done to raise these children for Him. And i am not just praying for my self but for both my husband and I. It will take a joint effort.

So bring on the changes I can wait to see whats going to happen!!