Obey Quickly; Obey Cheerfully; Obey Completely

We have been sick for three weeks at this house.  Not solid, but as soon as one thing was over the next one hit--from throwing up, fever, and sore throat to coughs and runny noses that just won't quit.  I think we are over the hump, however.  I haven't been sick for so long, that I thought it was my superior constitution.  Well, now I know that it was simply the Lord's mercies.

I have been wanting to get back to cyberspace for a long time, so here is my stab at it.  We'll see if I can maintain some consistency.  I like to talk about things that matter.  Right now, I am in the middle of parenting young children.  I love parenting, and I love my children, and I love figuring out how to do it better.  And, according to Beth Moore, a true teacher is one who has a burning need to share whatever she's learned with everyone possible.  Whether that's true or not, I love sharing things I've learned.  I am going to try to do that from time to time.  It is my hope and prayer that my thoughts will encourage you in the grand endeavor of becoming like Christ.

Phil and I have three children.  Blaine (5), Cassie (4), and Kara (1).  Blaine will turn six in a week, and the girls have their birthdays in the summer.  It has been a good six years of learning.

We worked on obedience this week.  Again.  And I know we'll work on it again this week and next week.  It is a recurring theme in parenting.  My children obey pretty good; it is something so important to our family's happiness and their growth that I try to make it a priority.  But, sometimes a parent gets busy and lax or the child has a surge in growth or mental acuity and decides to test the rules again and discovers their elasticity.  If you are like me, you wonder what happened and for a minute you feel like a failure, but then you hunker down and focus on the basics again.

We have an obedience rule at this house.  Obey quickly; obey cheerfully; obey completely.*  Obedience is only complete when all three are obeyed.  They are good rules for children and good rules for adults regarding our obedience to God.  Obey quickly; obey cheerfully; obey completely.  I use these words all the time with my children, and they understand them.  They even pray them sometimes in the evening.  For me, they give real definition to the obedience I want to teach my children--obedience is not real obedience without a quick response of submission to authority, a cheerful attitude of wanting to obey, and the character qualities of diligence and determination that follow through and finish.

Verse for the day (Matthew 18:23):  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

Thought for the day:  What are you rich in?  What is making it hard for you to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?  What is your idol that is so fulfilling or fun or necessary to you but that gets in the way of time with the Lord or doing His will?

Quote of the day (Blaine):  "Shelley's baby is just so cute, Mom.  Don't you think so?"

*These ideas are present in Scripture and other parenting resources that I have read.  The source of these exact words for me was my Mom who got them from Shannon Krabill who used them during a Children's Meeting at her church.