16 February, 2009

What is a mom to do?

11 comments Posted by Kelly at 12:42 PM

I am getting so tired of hearing my kids fighting, talking nasty to each other, yelling at each other, and plain just not respecting each other!! Especially my girl, ugh... the venom that comes out of the sweet mouth. I am sure a lot of you are in the same boat. With hubby out of town too, the good ole' "Wait until your father gets home!" just won't work considering he won't be home for a week! I want them to speak to each other in love, show love, and love on each other. They don't realize that they will be siblings for life. Friends will come and go , but your siblings are there for life whether you like it or not. SO.....

How do I go from this:

To this?

It hit me as I was driving home for Publix today... I just bought 4 big bags of hershey's kisses. (I got 3 of them for free , BTW!!) What to do with them without them adding more junk in my trunk! I will use them to teach love.

SO.... I poured 2 of the bags into a bowl and labeled it the "LOVE BOWL"! I sat the kids down and explained the rules of this new "game" to them. Each time someone does something for the other person out of love or speaks with love in their voice, the person who received the "love" can go to the "love bowl" and give the person a "kiss"! This will teach the kids to listen for love and recognize when someone is being loving vs. nasty. In return they will feel the warm feeling of giving when they bestow a kiss on the other person. Because it is the receiver who makes the choice to give them a kiss, the person giving the love never knows if or when he/she will get a kiss , but to keep doing it. ( I did tell them that they had to ask me first before eating their kisses, in case they had saved up some right before dinner... )

I sat there in amazement making lunch and listening to the conversation turn on a dime. They were saying, " no , you may choose the first piece." " May I get you some yogurt while I get mine!" It was awesome to see not only the joy in the lover getting a kiss, but the receiver smiling when he plopped down that kiss in her hand. Who knows how long this will last? I am hoping that after doing this for a while , it will become a habit of loving in our house and no chocolate will be required!

(I am really behind on reading posts and commenting, but I will get there!

Thanks for stickin' with me!!)

images by: photo.net and jbfsale.com

 

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18 November, 2008

What a great heart!

12 comments Posted by Kelly at 3:48 PM

So what good is a blog if you can't brag about your kids!? Can you hear the music? "It's my blog and I'll brag if I want to, brag if I want to!!" :o)

My 10 yr. old son is such a great kid!! I am overwhelmed sometimes with his thoughtfulness and sensitivity! He is a very emotional kid, but that will definitely make his wife happy someday! :o) He is such a great helper too. His baby sis just adores him!!
I could go on, but that is another post!!

Anyway, the other day I was making myself some tea and I dropped the lid to my ceramic canister. It broke! Of course in my annoyed attitude, I put the lid down and huffed out of the room! I didn't realize my son was in the family room watching me.
When I came back down stairs, this is what I saw on the counter!
My sweet boy got out the scotch tape, put it back together, and taped it up inside and out! Guess what? It worked and hasn't fallen apart since!! I could glue it back together or even buy a replacement, but I love this little reminder each morning when I get my tea! My boy did this for me! It also sends a message to my son that I value what he did for me!

Thanks, buddy for fixing my canister!! You rock!!

 

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17 October, 2008

A quote to think about!

3 comments Posted by Kelly at 8:00 AM

One my drive to pick up the kids from school , there is a church that has great quotes on their marquee!! I love reading them and then pondering them!

Today, the quote that caught my eye was :

"Worry is the darkroom in which negatives develop!"

Think about that one! The Lord tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Nothing good ever comes from worrying. It also takes a physical toll on ones body. Worry is the direct result of our human nature that enables the devil to come in and do his dirty work! It makes us question God and who He is.

Yes, worry is easy to do. Yes, we do worry! It is a DAILY battle, I am a mom!! I am challenged each day to quiet my worries by going to him in prayer. I imagine myself taking the thing I worry about and laying it at the foot of the cross. I then say , " here, Lord... you worry about it!"

I challenge you and myself with these verses especially in today's state of our nation!

Matthew 6:25
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

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27 August, 2008

What would you miss the most?

5 comments Posted by Kelly at 8:59 AM

I know today is supposed to be wordless Wednesday, but I have way too many words in my head and heart today! I was watching Good Morning America this morning and was completely touched, convicted, and challenged by a young girl named Jessica Stone.

Jessica has a disease that causes tumors to grown along her nervous system. The most current tumor is in her brain stem. In order to remove it to save her life, she will go completely deaf. She had 30 days to deal with the impending surgery and loss of hearing for the rest of her life. She went to the beach and sat for hours listening to the ocean roar. She spent time with her family just listening to their precious voices. She walked in the woods to hear the birds. She went to the concert of her favorite musician. Every day dealing with the idea that she will never hear these things again. How would you spend your 30 days? I was brought to tears as she was wheeled into surgery on that fateful day. The last thing she heard was her mom saying, "I love you!"

Lord , please forgive me for taking my hearing for granted. Forgive me for getting frustrated with sounds I don't want to hear. Thank you for my hearing! Thank you for your beautiful creation to hear. Thank you for every laugh, word, and complaint.

I challenge myself:
I will no longer take for granted the birds I hear.
I will no longer pretend to change my name so I can't hear "mom, she hit me".
I will no longer get frustrated when the baby wake up at 3am or throws a fit.
I will no longer get mad when the phone rings at 9pm and I KNOW it is a telemarketer.
I will no longer get mad when someone comes to me with their gripes.
I will no longer say to my kids, " I don't want to hear it."
I will no longer get mad when the dog barks at the other dogs coming into the yard.
I will no longer get upset when my hubby comes home and says, " where's dinner?"
I will no longer get mad when the neighbor has loud music playing at 2 am. ( I will be polite!)

I WILL take 10 minutes a day to just listen!!

What would I miss the most?
My kids saying "I love you, mom".
My little one's first word.


For 30 days I would just sit and listen to my family's precious voices, savor each giggle, love each moment, and hold on to every I love you!

I would love to hear from you!!

What would you miss the most? How would you spend your 30 days?

On a happy note, the doctors has said that Jessica is a candidate for the cochlear implants. Her surgery is next month. Thanks Jessica for inspiring me and challenging me to for forever grateful for my many blessings. Hearing being one of them!!

 

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28 July, 2008

Teachable moments!

4 comments Posted by Kelly at 8:33 AM

I am constantly asking the Lord, "how can I get thankfulness, humility, generosity, and being happy in your circumstances into the hearts of minds of my children?" It seems an impossible task at times. Society doesn't help at all! I don't want them to be generous because that is what they are told to do. I want them to be generous because it's what they want to do and being that way is one more attribute of Christ they want to strive to be like.


I then realized sitting in church yesterday amidst my A/C escapades with my parents A/C and then mine, that these are the moments and ways to teach what I am asking for. I am to model in my own life daily what I am teaching. I try to do it already, but not as intentional as I should. Not only model it, but be passionate about it. Get excited about ways to be generous, humble, and thankful. Be happy that my air was out in order to refocus myself even if for a moment to say, " hey, thanks Lord for my A/C!! ". When my air went out this time, I noticed a complete attitude change in myself and my kids. My frustration and irritability wasn't there.


My A/C is back!! "thanks Lord for a husband that has the ability to trouble shoot!" He fixed it and no $$ spent!! Yes, the air was only out for a day, but oh, the lessons it taught all of us!

 

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