Peter Pan

We watched the cartoon Peter Pan yesterday evening with the kids. As soon as the movie was over Scott and the kids immediately grabbed their make-shift swords and started sword fighting. I managed to get this picture of them. It is hard to catch five very active people in the same picture. Most of the time they were all over the place.

Hannah decided that she wanted to be Peter Pan. She told me that when she goes to Heaven she'll get to be Peter Pan because he can fly. I told her maybe she can be a pretty flying Hannah. She seems sure she'll get to be Peter Pan.

My husband of course got to be Captain Hook. Interesting how Dad's get to be the bad guy. Ruth said she was pretending to be Tiger Lilly. Jonathan just kept hollering "Bi Man" which is his way of saying "Bible Man". I guess of all the characters he was probably the best one.

After I took this picture I got a video of Hannah jumping off the couch. She was trying to fly like Peter Pan. I told her it was probably best not to fly with a sword in her hand. She then put her sword in her pocket. After a short battle they finally put aside their swords and got ready for bed.

Ruth gave the devotional last night. She picked Ephesians 6:1-3 for her devotional. She said that she would like to give it as a cabin devotional at church camp. Joshua also has a devotional picked out for church camp. I'm looking forward to camp in July.

We also have a trip planned this summer to visit Scott's mother. The children are all excited about it. Last time we visited Michigan, Jonathan wasn't even crawling. This time he is able to run and sword fight. It's amazing how fast children can grow in just a year and a half.

This is a picture of Jonathan at my Mother-in-law's house in Michigan last year. He was about 5 months old at the time.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
(Ephesians 6:1-3)

No More Pancaking

"Ruth's pancaking again," Hannah told me this morning.

I turned from my Bible where I was doing my morning's reading and asked her, "What's pancaking?"

"Oh, I don't know how to say it," was her response.

She told me how she had told Joshua where Ruth was hiding during hide-and-seek and that now Ruth was Pancaking.

I asked her, "Oh, do you mean panicking?"

She was quite happy that I figured it out. I then taught her how to say "panic". Then as we were eating lunch, I joked that the computer was "pancaking" since it was making so much noise. She quite clearly said, "No Mommy, It's panicking!"

So my little girl is "Pancaking" no more. She is learning so quickly.

The girls earned five stickers for our Rewarded Reading program. For every five stickers they earn, they get a piece of bubble gum. After ten stickers, they get a candy bar. Then once they reach 30 stickers, they get a Pizza Party. Joshua has one more book to read to have his five stickers. The older two children have to read a chapter book and write a book report to earn a sticker. Hannah must have 5 books read to her and tell me about them to earn a sticker. They each have a chart on the wall where we write the names of the books and place the stickers.

As I'm writing this, my son came in the room wanting some medicine for an itchy round spot on his arm. He asked me if it could be ringworm since we have a new kitten. I thought I would look up a picture of ringworm for him. I opened another browser window and sure enough, what he has looks just like ringworm.

I looked up information about it and treatment information. I read that it can be contagious by touch. I asked the other children if any of them had any itchy spots like Joshua. Hannah had a mosquito bite that she really wanted to be ringworm. Ruth said she didn't have an itchy spot but she had a bump on the back of her shoulder that bothered her. I looked and yep, she has ringworm too. Jonathan of course held his arm up for me to inspect. So far, the younger two don't have it. I think it's because they are afraid of the kitten. They won't let it come near them.

Okay, it's tempting to "pancake" but I think instead I'll go to the store and by some anti-fungal cream for ringworm. I also need to wash their clothes, sheets, and towels. At least it's treatable. We'll just need to get rid of it before it spreads anymore. Better check on treatments for the kitten as well.

Philippians 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Our Mission Field...

I read a poem a while back, that was a discussion between a mother and God about her desire to be on a mission field. I really liked that poem because by the end of it, it showed that even though God doesn't always send us off somewhere else. We all have a mission field.

My mission field is my family. While that may seem like a small thing compared to feeding and clothing the homeless, taking care of orphans, or reaching far off peoples that have never heard the gospel. It is a very important role that I must take on whereever the Lord has us to go or stay.

I realize that the Lord wants His people to go into all the world but maybe it's not me that's suppose to do the actual going. Maybe it will be my children, or my grandchildren. I can be only one place at one time. However, I have four children. If I raise them to love the Lord and to do his will then how many people could be reached through them. I could have at least 4 Missionaries whether at home or abroad someday.

I do not know what the Lord has in store for us in the future. We may never go into a foreign field. I do know that my mission is right here at home, with my husband, my children, my parents, my in-laws, my grandparents, my neighbors. How many more lives can I touch if I quit looking out and wondering when the Lord is going to use me and looking in at what the Lord has right here for me to do. I could reach the world right where I'm at. Whether at home or in another country.

The Lord could one day decide to send us on a foreign field, but the most important field I have is my family. If I keep this in mind, I will be able to keep my focus no matter where we go.

If you are struggling with where God wants you, maybe you should look at where you are at right now. Are you a Sunday School teacher? Your students are your "Mission" field.

Are you a parent? Your children are your mission field.

Are you married? Then your spouse is your mission field. You are to help your spouse be all that he (or she) can be for God. We all have struggles. Sometimes we can help our spouse reach his full potential by being a source of encouragement and help in whatever he needs to serve God.

Do you have neighbors? Then you are to reflect God's light to them. If they see your life maybe they too will desire to serve him.

Whereever we are God has a mission for us. We need to pray and seek his will for our lives. God knows what is best for each one of us. We cannot decide what another person is suppose to do. But we are able to determine what it is God wants for our own personal lives.

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard [him] ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
(Joh 4:35-42)

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples rebuked those that brought [them]. But when Jesus saw [it], he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put [his] hands upon them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please [his] neighbour for [his] good to edification. (Romans 15:1,2)

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) . . . Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (1Timothy 3:2-5, 12)

Blisters

Our family loves music. My kids each play instruments. We started them learning music a few years ago. I remember when I first gave them Ukulele lessons. At the time I thought it was a kid's instrument.

I remember telling my husband that I wanted a cheap ukulele just to use to teach the kids. I figured, once they learned to play I wouldn't be wanting to play it any more. I was wrong.

I loved playing that little ukulele more than the kids did. Their ukuleles were louder than mine. My husband, seeing that I really liked it, bought me another ukulele straight from Hawaii. I tell anyone that says they can't play an instrument that they should try the ukulele. There are only four strings and you have four fingers. You don't have to figure out what to do with the two extra strings you would have on a guitar. I remember when I first played it I had gotten a blister since I was new to the instrument.

The above picture was taken just about a week ago. That blister on my thumb is the result of not practicing. We went to a singing about a week ago at one of our local churches. It was a lot of fun, but I hadn't practiced my ukulele in a while. My husband was going to play his guitar, my oldest son was going to play the bass guitar, my oldest daughter was going to play her mandolin, and my youngest daughter was going to play one chord on the piano.

My husband had worked with the kids on their parts. They were all set to go. It was an easy key and I did practice a little. Well, I practiced it that morning with them right before we went. It's not hard to play the ukulele.

My husband said that it would sound really good if I could play a fast rhythm to compliment the rhythm Ruth would be playing on her mandolin. Not a problem. I'm pretty good at playing my ukulele fast. However without practice you don't have a good callous on the finger you use the most.

After our special the kids and I returned to our seats. My husband stayed with the other instrumentalists at the front, that play along with all the songs. My thumb was bothering me. I looked down and saw that I had a blister.

I couldn't play at all on Saturday. Then Sunday we were going to do a special for our fifth Sunday services. We were going to play the same song. I had to wear a Band-aid and still couldn't play it fast. It hurt through the band aid.

God gives us callouses for a reason. Now that the blister is gone, I'm very thankful for that thicker layer of skin that followed it. I try to practice everyday now. That way when my husband asks me, "Can you play this with us?" I'll be ready.

Bible Study is the same way. Without a daily walk with God and practice by studying our Bibles, would you be ready if someone asks you a question about God or His word. Will you have to say, "Um, you'll have to talk to my pastor about that." They may not go to your pastor. You may never even see them again. Will you have an answer for them?

What about the challenges that may come your way? Have you built up those Biblical callouses that will protect you from the enemy that wants to see you fall?

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
(Psalm 119:10-11)