Thank you to all of you who have shared your summer strategy ideas! I love hearing what other moms are doing. I thought of another guideline we need to establish this summer: snack limitations.
I’m finding the boys are snacking alot throughout the day and then not hungry at mealtime. Today I had to set a limit on snacks: one snack of fruit mid-morning and one snack from the snack drawer in the afternoon.
If you haven’t shared your ideas, join in the conversation by Friday at 10am. That’s when I’ll draw a winner of a Hearts at Home book of your choice from those who have commented on this post. (If you get my posts via email, please click on the link to post a comment.)
Now o
n to our Real Moms…Real Jesus Chapter 8 Discussion.
The Perspective in this chapter is titled “I feel like I’m on display.” This deals with the fact that our children are watching us all the time. From page 112: “Whether we like it or not, you and I are a display of character and values to those God has placed in our care.”
When Jesus lived on this earth, he was on display as well. Everyone was watching every move He made.
My kids are watching me all the time…when I handle things well and when I blow it.
- Do you have a story to share about a time that your children were affected positively or negatively by your actions?
Chapter 8: The Truth About Our Identity
This chapter is an extremely important chapter for us to understand. Everything that we do is affected by our identity. Who we are as a parent, who we are in our marriage, how we handle our relationships are all affected by our identity. It’s easy to base our identity on “sinking sand” like: our job, our children’s behavior, the house we live in, the degree we hold, the kind of car we drive. All of these identity definitions will always come up short. What we have to do is base our identity on our relationship with Jesus Christ. What God says about us is all that matters.
- What sinking sand things have you tried to build your identity on?
- When is your spiritual birthday? What was that experience like for you?
- What is one thing from this chapter that you want to move from your head to your heart?
Something that sticks out in my mind regarding "being on display" and our children watching… One time I was coloring with Caleb. We were just doodling in a book. I noticed he was coloring the same pattern as me using the same colors. It was such a simple thing, but it reminded me how he watches every little thing.
I wrote down a couple things from this chapter…one was the bottom of page 115 and the truth God brought to your heart…"It's because I love you…"
Also, talking about the "perfect" situations we dream up and how we feel good about ourselves if things match up to our dreams. It really blessed me to be reminded page 119 of how we "can't base our self-concept on how our family looks because it's like building our house on sinking sand." So true and such a good reminder.
I don't know if I'll post next week b/c we'll be out of town on our mission trip to do VBS and work with a children's home but I'll read along.
On display–always! Just as you said! At my son's well visit, you know they ask you the 100 quesitons…when we got home, my daughter said, "You said you watch us outside, but we go out by ourselves, Mom." She is right. I check on them more than she thinks, but in her mind I was still lying. Ouch! I was very thankful that she waited until we got home to call me on the carpet!
Identity…whew! When I was first a stay-at-home-mom, it was hard for me to proudly say, "I'm just a mom." But one day the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet got my attention. At the beginning of that story, it says something like, Jesus knew who He was and where He came from and He picked up the towel and water basin to wash their feet. It dawned on me that He could happily, willingly serve because He was completely secure in His identity. It didn't take anything away or demeen Him in any way. That helped me a lot to know I am a daughter of the King and I can serve my family for His glory.
Spiritual birthday…the spring after I turned 6, my mom and I were talking in my room and I accepted Jesus as my Savior.
I want to move from my head to my heart that my kids are a reflection of me, but they don't define me.
Good insight BP and Shelly.
I really like your last statement Shelly: "My kids are a reflection of me but they don't define me." That's really good!