Sunday, December 18, 2016

Raising kids to win in life.

Here in Tn it is in the 20's today and this southern Alabama girl does not like the cold. So when my son asked to go play in the snow dusting before church I responding with a quick no.
There was very little push back as I walked away thinking "why in the world would anyone want to play in that?" He showed me his toy he wanted to use in the "snow" and I thought about it. I don't wont to get in the cold but he doesn't care, so why am I raising him based on my likes and dislikes.
I know my kids will go outside in thin pj pants and a light jacket and I am freezing just looking at them. Each year we argue about the perfect amount of clothes to wear to make playing outside even worth it....in my mind.
I recently read that as parents we should let our kids make the decision to wear the full on winter clothes or the t-shirt and shorts. We, as their parents just need to make sure they have the warm options available to them. Once a child gets past the baby stage they are usually able to regulate their body temperatures and when they are cold they will fix it and get out of the cold or dress appropriately . I decided since we are going to the late service at church that he had plenty of time to play, freeze his butt off if he so chooses, come inside and warm up, and even change and get ready in time for church. I gave him suggestions on what to wear and helped pull it out of the closets where he chose his final attire. I was very pleased with his choice.


What I am learning is that not everything has to be a struggle, things that I like or don't like are just that ...mine.

As their parents I :

raise them in the best way I know how

I daily ask God for wisdom on what He wants me to do with these sweet babies

* I answer after I have thought it through and not off an emotion.

I am willing to change my mind and apologize to them if needed.

I treat these little people with respect because how else will they learn to treat others that way if not shown at home..

*I trust that God is God and that he cares about my crew more than I do and he speaks to their hearts in a much deeper way than I ever could.

*I pray that they hear God speaking to their hearts.

Being a parent is the most______

-fill in the blank.....it is the most of every single emotion and job you have ever had.
Life is all about battles, you pick and choose what you want to teach your kids and sometimes it feels like a battle in the teaching process.
Today this was hardly a battle because I feel like we both won and really isn't that the goal, for us to be the leaders of our kids but they still feel like they have victories and have a say in what goes on in their life.


The battle of cookies for breakfast.

I LOVE sweets, I mean I LOVE eating it is just sweets seem to be the biggest food group that I like. I also love feeling good and having clear skin and no joint pain. So the biggest question I battle is which do I love more. To be honest sweets seem to sneak their way into my life and by the end of a weekend I realized I went crazy on the eating and I feel like crap. I am trying to find a balance and I thought that eating clean during the week and having the weekend as my splurge would work but it is not. For me and so many people sugar causes inflammation and being that I am 9mths past major back surgery inflammation is something I want to stay far, far away from. We had two Christmas parties this weekend and I did great compared to the me in the past but I still am learning that I have to change things to feel better. This morning as I walk past my kitchen I see cookies that I promise you were calling my name. Yesterday I had an oatmeal cookie for breakfast and so why not have another kind today??
I walked away and thought about is that cookie worth bed rest and a face that breaks out....no, it is not.
I made a good decision today and praying I can do this all day and find a balance that works for me.
I cant follow what anyone else is doing because God made us unique and that means there is a base line of wisdom we all need for health but the tiny details come into play with each person and their needs.
So for now I won the battle of cookies for breakfast or eggs. I did not choose cookies. I may need to remove the cookies all together because the battle gets harder the longer they stare at me.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Poem: Race unknown - heart the same.

*Race  unknown - heart the same*

Stories on the news causing thoughts to swim in my head.
Another life is gone and it's he said she said

It's this war of the race with no way to win
Each fighting for a cause unsure of how it will end.

The color of my skin should not change the words in your mind
It shouldn't make you clutch your purse or to treat me unkind.

My skin is no different then the crayons in a box
It is simply one color but it screams louder then my walk.

I am judged for a path that I did not create
and I am born into a time still drowning in hate.

I want to make a difference but I am confused on where to stand
Can I show love and forgiveness while still supporting my neighboring man?

The issue is not with authority or any type of race.
The issues is with man's heart and the hurt it has faced.

Every death that goes down another brick gets put in place.
I now have a wall so high leaving very little space...

Space to forgive and space to heal,
Space in my heart so I can continue to feel.

I want to celebrate this life with my fellow man and
no matter the race walk with them hand in hand.

-written by Charlene Turney. August 31,2016