Children Model What They SEE

Eric took this picture in Vermont and emailed it to me. Isn't the snow beautiful? Peaceful?

It seems like I've had to work extra hard lately to get motivated. To even do things I enjoy. I haven't talked a lot about it here, but the past few months have been difficult. I have felt like the wind has been knocked out of me and although I have some very good days, I have very hard ones as well.

I'm working through some things with the Lord. Truth be told, a lot of the 'sorting out' has been a long time coming, but I've been neglecting the little nudges from Him. Funny how a valley forces you to address sin and issues the Lord has been trying to call your attention to? I'm not on the other side yet, but I can feel Him pulling me up. I want to be so careful to hear Him closely and allow Him to put me back together as He sees fit and not how I see it.

Before the girls and I were out for Christmas break, we were in major stress mode. I will not be able to accurately explain it, but life here was just hard and stressful and none of us were 'clicking'. I blamed it on school, holidays and schedules but deep down I knew the problem was rooted in my own relationship with the Lord. As my children learn what it means to serve the Lord and rely on Him in all aspects of their days, their attitudes will always be a direct reflection of my own. I believe that wholeheartedly. They feed off of me and how I approach situations. So, if I am flailing around and barely hanging on .... so goes my home.

I'm not suggesting every home or family is like this. But, I know without a doubt mine is. I've witnessed it too many times.

When our lives get that way, there is no use wallowing in the reality of it. The only thing to do is start over. Ask forgiveness. Set new priorities. Ask God for guidance. And obey!

I'll talk more about specifics later, but one major object that always gets in the way is my selfishness. If I can put some of my selfish desires aside and truly have a heart to serve my family, things run smoothly. Whenever time becomes an issue here, it's usually because priorities are out of order and I'm feeding more of my selfish flesh than my spiritual calling to serve my children and husband.

We're taking baby steps. But, it's working.

I'm spending more time with my girls in the mornings helping them dress, doing their hair and talking to them about their day. This requires me getting up earlier and choosing to serve them.

Starting school made it a little more tricky, so I have lunches packed before I go upstairs to wake them. This has been my favorite part because it has given me the opportunity to sit down with them while they eat breakfast. This is when I read a devotion to them and pray with them. (Before, we prayed in the car on the way to school every morning). We use this devotion book and I actually have time to talk with them about what we've read and hear them talk to each other about it. I am not a morning person at all, but this is becoming my favorite part of the day. I even watched O walk downstairs this morning, grab the book and set it at my place at the table and pull out my chair. That blessed me so much.

What is important to me will be important to them.

This is just one of many adjustments the Lord has asked me to make. I always tell my girls to honor God is to also honor Him with our time. That goes for me too. They won't believe it if I don't model it to them.