Idols

So, a few days ago I got a Blackberry. Yes, I know, I have been living in the dark ages with no texting and with my old flip phone. So, as the days have gone by I have felt so "cool" with it, and I love the ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere, any time of day!!! In fact, my hubby said to me "now you are one of THOSE people with their noses always in the phone!" This got me thinking about idols. I was watching a cartoon version of the story of Moses with Sheridan the other day and they showed how the Israelites made a golden cow and worshiped it. Ok, so I'm not THAT bad, but in examining myself, I do have idols. For example, I love facebook. I spend about 20 minutes per day on it, but really, what else could I do with that time? Seriously, my real idol is what I call "down time." I am obsessed with having down time. I hope other mothers out there can relate. When you work 15 hour days, I guess most people would want some down time. But it is just selfishness when you really think about it. I sometimes dream of my down time during difficult days with the girls. I imagine sitting on my bed, reading or just laying about in bed watching TV. I crave it. I think of it. I want it. Solitude. Quiet. Rest.
But then God gently nudges my spirit with verses like Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Ouch. And, the most convicting is Philippians 2:4 "do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." I am always looking out for my own personal interests! But, that needs to decrease, so that Christ can increase in me.

Forgiveness 101

So today at dinner I had the brilliant idea to read Proverbs 31 to my girls as an example of what a woman/mother should be. Well, as usual, the Lord intended that passage for me, not necessarily for the girls. Isn't it funny how the Lord can use your kids to teach you so much? Flash back to earlier today and NOT my finest mothering moment. We were on the way home from a nice lunch and the girls were extremely tired (we had a friend over late last night). The girls were arguing and yelling at each other and I was trying to reprimand Sheridan. However, at that particular moment Sheridan decided to plug up her ears, smile and laugh at me in open defiance. So, guess who came to visit the D'Angelo car? ANGER!! In anger, I reached out and slapped Sheridan's leg. Of course, this shocked her and quieted her right down. But, then guilt set in, especially when Michael reminded me that I had sinned by acting in anger. Thanks for the reminder. So, as I was reading Proverbs 31 these words popped out to me "...She looks well to the ways of her household, and she does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her......" Would my children rise up and bless me today? Would my husband praise my actions? Probably not. As I was putting Sheridan to bed tonight, I apologized for acting in anger. And you know what she did? She started to cry. Yes, cry. I asked her why she was crying and she said "because you are saying you are sorry". Wow. Forgiveness. From my child. Now that is a lesson for Mother's Day!

Priorities

What are your priorities for your child? What do you imagine them doing as an adult? Making money? Going to a prestigious school? Living in a big house? Seriously? One of my homeschooling friends once said "we are aiming for heaven, not Harvard". Honestly, being a homeschooling mom has required some adjusting on my part. To be honest, I also once imagined my children going to a great school, getting advanced degrees, and being independent. But, as I examined my motives, I realized that these were things that I wanted! Now as a Christian mom that schools her kids at home, my goals have changed. I feel that my girls are fortunate in that school is a unique experience for them. We wake up when we want to, eat together every morning and the majority of "school" is the three of us sitting together and reading. I LOVE it. My girls get to be children. Our priority is discipling our children in the things of the Lord. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 says "You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul;....You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up". As a parent, this is our priority. If you get to heaven and your kids aren't standing next to you, what does it matter what school they went to?