Train Up Tuesday: Lessons from the Sun

....and The Son.

Recently, my family started a new journey...homeschooling. After much prayer and research, we decided upon an approach appropriate for our family and a curriculum that we have already enthusiastically embraced (“My Father’s World”).

After 2 weeks learning about Creation week, we have been specifically studying the sun. This curriculum not only encourages learning about the obvious lessons of a topic, but also their spiritual implication and how all of creation relates to it’s Maker. So, for the “sun”, we talked about how “Jesus is the Light of the world.”

We’ve had lots of fun exploring the sun...paintings, drying grapes into raisins, reading, hearing songs about the sun. We’ve also talked about the difference between walking in a dark room and walking in a room that has the sun shining through it. It was quite easy to make the parallel to having Christ in our lives to be that “sun”, and showing us how to avoid stumbling.

One day, however, even momma (myself) was reminded of something beautiful...and something we all may have to be reminded of time to time. As we were outside talking about shadows, we attempted to trace our shadows while standing in the sun. Well, being so close to noon, there wasn’t much to see or trace. We did the best we could and considered tracing shadows later.

Over lunch, though, the Holy Spirit reminded me of something. It wasn’t that we didn’t see our shadows well because the sun was hiding or gone. In fact, it was more “on top of us” than it could be at any other time of the day. If we were looking for evidence of the sun simply by looking for shadows, we would have been a little disappointed. But, indeed, all we had to do was look up...straight up...to see the sun shining in all it’s brilliance.

Sometimes, I think we get caught up in “looking for evidence” of Jesus in our lives (or the lives of others) based on what we think we should be seeing and especially when we are going through something tough (consider Job’s predicament and his feelings...Job 23:8-9). In reality, Christ...the Son...is right on us, closer than we may realize. The best way to see the Son is to look right His way rather than just around us to see “evidence” (how we are directly impacted). The best way to really see Jesus when we don’t see what we are expecting is to look at His Word, because He IS the Word.

I’ll try relaying this to my 4 1/2 year old. He may “get” some of it. But I encourage you to take moments like these to make the most of “teachable” moments with your children, especially when considering His creation. It’s a reflection of Him and there is so much to learn if we have our eyes open and ready!

Keep your eyes on the Son,

Ashlie

Train Up Tuesday: Embracing Silly Imaginations

One thing most children are blessed with that, unfortunately, many of us adults have lost (or misplaced) is a silly imagination. I’m blessed to be a part of a family that still has a good grasp of theirs. :)

A few years ago, I started noticing towards the end of summer, farmers would bale hay as usual, but then a day later, they would be wrapped in a white plastic covering. I thought they looked like ginormous marshmallows! I kept the thought to myself until my husband and I were on our way to work one day. Then, I casually said, “All of the sudden, I have a craving for a huge rice crispy treat!” It took him a few seconds, but then he got it. ;-D


Now that I we have two young boys, we call them “marshmallow farms” when we see them this time of year. We pretend that we’d like to eat the huge treats. That always brings smiles and excitement as we pass by these fields.

This year, it hit me. What if we go to one of those fields one day with our own marshmallows and take some fun pics? So, this weekend, my oldest son and I (on our way to a mother-son date at our church), stopped by such a field. He was super delighted.

Hugging a "huge marshmallow"

Tossing real mini-marshmallows in the sky

So, why blog about it? Just to encourage you to embrace silliness and imaginations, to be a part of it, and to plan on ways to enhance these simple times where all that is needed is a playful mind. :) Also, it lets your kids know that you have another side besides just being caretaker or teacher. Perhaps you really were a child like them once.

What silliness have you been up to lately? Blog about it and post a link in the comments!

Have a lovely, goofy week,
Ashlie

Train Up Tuesday: "Love Is..." Ouch!

A few weeks ago, for Father’s Day, I wrote a post on honoring our husbands (children’s fathers). I’ve tried to apply what I taught (rather learned) by watching my tone and response to my husband. It seems that my children are picking it up and don’t use those tones as much, now.

However (you felt that coming, right), I’ve noticed another area within myself that needs improvement regarding responses to others. And that is my response to my children. Now, I’m not a mom who allows “stupid” or “idiot” or words like that around my house. I truly enjoy sharing life with my little guys. But, there are those days when the 1000 questions leave me exasperated! So much so, that even when I hear “Mommy” in a tone that I know is leading to a question or if I get interrupted on my fifth attempt to finish a 4 sentence conversation with someone...my initial reaction is “(SIGH)...what is it?!” (said in a not-so-inviting tone). I really just want to roll my eyes and say “What, what, what, what, whhhhaaaatttt?!!!”.

Although I don’t do the eye roll (because that is NOT something I want to see), I’ve been a little to careless with my reactionary responses lately. I know that part of it is probably the age that the boys are (4 y.o. and 2 y.o.) and my exhaustion with my pregnancy (I’m “very” pregnant). Yet, I myself haven’t been pleased at how I am exhibiting Christ lately with my little “disciples” in training regardless of how valid my reasons are. Besides that, I’m starting to see the frustration of hearing me ask them to do something in their responses, too (at least, with my 4 y.o.).

I was hit smack in the middle of the head the other night when I read my nightly reading...it was the “Love” chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. You know..."love is patient, kind..." Honestly, it’s pretty tough getting past “patient” some days. But then, in reading the English Standard Version, I came to the phrase...”love is...not...irritable.” I knew I didn’t even need to look up “irritable”...but I did: “easily exasperated or excited”. I knew I was guilty of being “easily exasperated”. Again, I am fully aware that being tired or stressed leads to irritability, but in my heart, I was also pierced with the realization that something of Love is not perfected in me.

So, with tears, I repented in prayer. I haven’t quite arrived. But now I’m aware that the problem isn’t necessarily my children and their endless questions but it lies within me...even if it is just being stressed. It’s not something I need to take out on my children, but something I should work on and lay at the feet of Christ. So, with humility, and sometimes stressed-out tears, I’ve prayed about it (even out loud in front of the kids). And I’ve apologized to them. It’s probably something I’ll have to do over and over (like “rinse & repeat”), but hopefully it will show the kids how to deal with their stresses, too.

This doesn’t mean I’m not irritated anymore...but I can choose the response that I give.
I also learned that “The Love Dare” book has a chapter on this very topic (Day 6) to help with more understanding of this phrase and how it relates more specifically toward your spouse.

So, how are you handling “irritations”? :)

Much love (hopefully being perfected),
Ashlie