Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.
As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all!
Amen!"
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"
As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said,
"I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."
"Really?" my son asked.
"Cross my heart," the man replied.
Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her,
"Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."
As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all!
Amen!"
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"
As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said,
"I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."
"Really?" my son asked.
"Cross my heart," the man replied.
Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her,
"Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."
Thursday, July 21, 2011 0
Saturday, July 16, 2011
I ran into a stranger as he passed by.
"Oh, excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please, excuse me too,
Wasn't even watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
She walked away, her little heart broken
at how harshly I had spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.
"Oh, excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please, excuse me too,
Wasn't even watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
She walked away, her little heart broken
at how harshly I had spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.
She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
And you never saw the tears in her eyes.
"By this time, I felt very small,
and now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by her bed;
"Wake up, little girl, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
She smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em, because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like'em, especially the blue.
I said, "Daughter, I'm sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Daughter, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
And you never saw the tears in her eyes.
"By this time, I felt very small,
and now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by her bed;
"Wake up, little girl, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
She smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em, because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like'em, especially the blue.
I said, "Daughter, I'm sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Daughter, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
Saturday, July 16, 2011 0
Monday, June 27, 2011
"When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul!"
Horatio G. Spafford was born on October 20, 1828, in North Troy, New York. He grew up to be an attorney, a businessman, and a Christian supporter of D.L. Moody. Moody was an evangelist who founded the Northfield Mount Hermon School, the Moody Bible Institute, and Moody Publishers.Spafford and his wife had four daughters and a son. In 1870, his four-year-old son died from Scarlet Fever. Just a year later, when The Great Chicago Fire happened, it left 300 people dead, 100,000 people homeless, and the entire central business district destroyed. The fire also took a huge toll on Spafford's finances since he owned a large amount of real estate in the city.
In 1873, Spafford arranged to take his wife and daughters on a vacation to Europe. He was going to visit Moody while he was there. On the day their ship was scheduled to leave, Spafford had some last-minute business to attend to. So he put his family on the ship and told them he'd catch up with them soon.
In the wee hours of November 22, 1873, the ship, the "S.S. Ville du Harve", collided with another vessel. Within two hours, their ship sank into the icy water. Among the 226 dead were Spafford's young daughters- Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie. Spafford's wife Anna managed to survive.
Horatio Spafford immediately booked passage on a ship to join his wife. As the ship passed over the spot where his four daughters had drowned, he said, "It is well; the will of God be done." Spafford then wrote the Gospel song, "It is Well with My Soul."
Monday, June 27, 2011 0
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The young man waited a moment and replied, "You know Dad, I've been thinking about that. You know, Samson had long hair, Abraham had long hair, Noah had long hair, and even Moses had long hair...."
To which the pastor replied.... "Maybe, but they WALKED every where they went!"
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 0
Thursday, June 16, 2011
It's a tough, but heartwarming story...with a picture of John Gebhardt in Iraq
This, my friends, is worth sharing with the WORLD! Go for it!!
You'll never see things like this in the news. Please keep this going. Nothing will happen if you don't, but the public needs to see pictures like this and needs to realize that we're making a difference. Even if it is just one little girl at a time.
Thursday, June 16, 2011 0
Monday, June 13, 2011
Some years ago, I read a story from England. It happened around Christmas. There was a man, and he was a good man. He was not drinking really, but he’d been out around Christmas to visit his neighbors and colleagues, just to have a little fellowship.They were exchanging presents and everyone would say, “John, have just a little drink.” And so, a little sip here, a little sip there, from house to house – he got too much, and he had to go back home.
His little boy was following him, and on his road, the man turned and noticed, that the little boy was just going from one side to the other, almost wallowing in the snow. He turned and said, “Why are you going from one side to the other? What makes you walk like that? He said, “Daddy, I am trying to walk in your footsteps!“
The man kneeled down, picked the boy up in his arms and said, “O God – you forgive me. From this day on, I’ll never take another drink.” I want to walk straight, so my son after me will walk straight. See – somebody’s going to follow your footsteps. Let’s walk that straight line from the cradle to Calvary. That’s the footsteps; let’s have them to walk in.
messageforchildren.org
Monday, June 13, 2011 0
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