Here’s an inspiring and challenging quote from my favorite president:
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
-President Ronald Reagan
In celebratation of the Sanctity of Human Life, above are pictures of my two little miracles from God, Linnea and Laurel, on their original birthdays. Also, here is a video link to a very moving song “I’m Holding a Miracle.” Praise God! They are miracles indeed!
I just discovered Cross-Eyed, a really interesting webzine and blog. There’s an excellent article entitled “Digital Penmanship in an Age of Incoherence.” Amid all the horrors of text messaging, this articles gives me a little glimmer of hope for the future of our language!
Under the dark cloud of hard times, inauguration day is coming up, and much of the nation seems to be putting all hope in our president-elect.
For example, Associated Press writer Errin Haines writes, “And while the ceremony itself will only last a few hours, the entire day offers a chance to reflect and rejoice in the moment.”
Obviously putting the first black president into office is an historic moment; I’ll give her that. But I personally just can’t see the need to rejoice in it.
Instead of reflecting on black history or rejoicing in the “inauguration moment” or putting our hope in one man, shouldn’t we instead rejoice in the Lord and reflect on all that He has done? Shouldn’t we put our hope in Him?
According to Revelation 22:13, God is the Author and Finisher of history. God is the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End.
The Foundation for American Christian Education put together this list of Scriptures, which is an especially timely reminder of Whom we trust and why.
It is better to trust in the Lord, than to have confidence in man. Psalm 118:8
Romans 13:1: God establishes all government and authority.
Proverbs 21:1: God directs kings and rulers.
Daniel 2:21: God both places and disposes of all rulers and controls the times.
Acts 17:26: God determines national borders and the times set for nations.
Psalm 147:8, 15-18: God controls the weather.
Isaiah 45:7: God creates disaster and prosperity.
Proverbs 21:31: God determines the outcomes of wars.
Late last spring when we decided to home school Linnea, I was greatly encouraged by the number of family friends we already had who were schooling their kids at home — friends from church and friends we’ve had since our “before children” small group days. Then we joined a home school group and discovered an entire local network of nearly 40 home school families supporting and encouraging each other.
We are not alone deciding to school at home!
These two recent articles seemed to back up exactly what I’ve been noticing firsthand.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=85408
So earlier I posted that one of my resolutions for 2009 is to pray more intentionally for my two daughters. As a visual way to keep reminding myself of this, I created a prayer “calendar” page for all 12 months of 2009. Each month features a specific prayer and verse along with a favorite photo I’ve taken of Laurel, Linnea or both girls. I’ll keep one in my prayer journal and one on the bulletin board in our school room. Just thought I’d share the images here for anyone who wants to modify the idea for their kids. Of course, you are welcome to pray for Linnea and Laurel, too! (By the way, click the thumbnail for a larger view.)
One of my all-time favorite verses is Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
I memorized this verse when I was expecting my firstborn, and reciting it brought great peace through some big challenges I faced right before my bundle of joy arrived. Six years later, I can’t count the times this verse has brought peace in all sorts of situations as a mother.
Whether our children are still in the womb, asleep upstairs or all grown up and living half-way around the world, we moms and dads are frequently tempted to be anxious about our children. But then what an opportunity we have to meditate on biblical truths as we pray God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit, to fight for our children!
If we want to experience the joy of watching our children walk in the truth, we must pray for them, says Pastor John Piper of Desiring God Ministries (www.desiringGod.org). Watching your children walk away from the truth, he adds, is crushing.
“To lay hold on this joy and to prevent this pain, we must pray daily (sometimes hourly) and earnestly for our children,” Piper says.
Desiring God offers this list of seven things to pray for your children. My goal is to pray through these each week for both of my daughters.
1. Pray that Jesus will call them and no one will hinder them from coming. “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.” (Matthew 19:13-15)
2. Pray that they will respond in faith to Jesus’ faithful, persistent call. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
3. Pray that they will experience sanctification through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit and will increasingly desire to fulfill the greatest commandments. “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22:37-39)
4. Pray that they will not be unequally yoked in intimate relationships, especially marriage. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)
5. Pray that their thoughts will be pure. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 )
6. Pray that their hearts will be stirred to give generously to the Lord’s work. “All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.” (Exodus 35:29)
7. Pray that when the time is right, they will go! “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ ” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Also, not too long ago one of my best friends forwarded this list of 12 petitions to pray for children; specific verses accompany each petition. The instructions suggested praying for one petition each month so that, after a year, you’ll have thoroughly prayed for each petition. If you memorize the verses as you pray, you’ll also have a great stash of biblical truth to draw on in times of trouble or need.
Below is the list of petitions to pray for your children and references for the corresponding verses. I looked up each of the verses and wrote them down in a handy spiral-bound book of index cards to review as I pray.
Here are 12 more ways to pray for your children:
1. Pray that they will know Christ as Savior early in life. (Psalm 63:1 and 2 Timothy 3 :15)
2. Pray that they will have a hatred for sin. (Psalm 97:10)
3. Pray that they will be caught when guilty. (Psalm 119:71)
4. Pray that they will be protected from evil in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, physical. (John 17:15)
5. Pray that they will have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships. (Daniel 6:3)
6. Pray that they will respect those in authority over them. (Romans 13:1)
7. Pray that they will desire the right kinds of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. (Proverbs 1:10-14)
8. Pray that they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
9. Pray that they, as well as those they marry, will be kept pure until marriage. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
10. Pray that they will learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. (James 4:7)
11. Pray that they will be single-hearted, willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:1-2)
12. Pray that they will be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. (Hosea 2:6)
About six months ago we learned that Linnea’s close friend Sam would be moving far, far away to Montana. She was devastated. A week or so later, our good friends Bob and Kate received their adoption referral for two girls who are now ages 1 and 6. Linnea was elated that God was giving her a new friend, a very special little girl from Ethiopia who is exactly her age.
Kate gave us a picture of Lila Selam (and baby sister Ella Furtuna). We looked at it often as we prayed for the girls. Months passed, and Bob and Kate weathered many heartbreaking delays in the adoption process. Finally, just after Thanksgiving, they headed off to Ethiopia to get their girls!
This weekend Linnea and Lila finally had their first official playdate: sledding and later warming up with hot chocolate and more playing at the Hutchinsons’ home. The sledding conditions weren’t great since a little warm spell on Friday left everything coated in glaze ice. It was nearly impossible to get back up the hill, and the dads had quite a hard time dragging the kids to the top. Even so, the girls had a lot of fun together. Communication issues didn’t seem to be a barrier for their play time. Lila, who speaks a little English, kept saying, “I love you, Linnea.” What a sweet beginning to their friendship!
This year’s Christmas card photo was taken in November on a scenic old railroad bridge over the Dungeoness River in Sequim, Washington. Gramma Martin was riding in the rental car with us and told us we ought to stop and check out the bridge. Heavy rains earlier that week made the Dungeoness River rush rapidly below the bridge. It was a beautiful spot, especially with the fall foliage. Here are some other favorite shots from the bridge.
Every day this month, my youngest has asked at least once, sometimes more frequently, “Is it Christmas, Mommy?” I keep saying over and over, “Not yet! It’s Advent.”
For some reason, my answer isn’t getting through to her 3-year-old brain.
This afternoon I wrapped all of my gifts for the girls and my hubby while the girls were playing in their rooms. When my youngest came downstairs, I told her to look under the tree. She noticed the gifts but didn’t seem too excited. Then I explained that all the gifts in the red wrapping paper with gold stars belonged to her. Her eyes bugged out and she put the most shocked expression on her face. “For me! What did you put in them?” As if I would tell her!
I explained that the gifts would be a surprise that she would unwrap on Christmas Day. She started jumping up and down with the child-like Christmas excitement you’d expect from a 3-year-old.
Later the girls wrapped a gift for their daddy. They almost used all the Scotch tape in the process. When he arrived home from work, my 6-year-old met him at the door reporting excitedly that she had wrapped a present for him and it was waiting under the tree. Not to be out-done in the reporting, my 3-year-old said, “Yes, Daddy! We wrapped you a present! It’s pajamas!”
As you can imagine, big sister was pretty upset with little sister for ruining the surprise. Tears were shed. But I’m sure they both will be telling this story over and over again for Christmases to come; someday it will be funny to them.
Starlight Writer 