(Archives)
Parenthood changes
everything.
But parenthood also changes
with each baby.
Here, some of the ways
having a second and third child
differs from having your
first:
Your Clothes
1st baby: You begin wearing
maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your
regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity
clothes are your regular clothes.
The Baby's Name
1st baby: You pore over
baby-name books and practice pronouncing
and writing combinations
of all your favorites.
2nd baby: Someone has
to name their kid after your great-aunt Mavis,
right? It might as well
be you.
3rd baby: You open a name
book, close your eyes, and see where your
finger falls. Bimaldo?
Perfect!
Preparing for the Birth
1st baby: You practice
your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother
practicing because you remember that last
time, breathing didn't
do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for
an epidural in your 8th month.
The Layette
1st baby: You prewash
your newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them,
and fold them neatly in
the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to
make sure that the clothes are clean and
discard only the ones
with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear
pink, can't they?
Worries
1st baby: At the first
sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up
the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the
baby up when her wails threaten to wake your
firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your
3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
Activities
1st baby: You take your
infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and
Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your
infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your
infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
Going Out
1st baby: The first time
you leave your baby with a sitter, you call
home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before
you walk out the door, you remember to leave a
number where you can be
reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions
for the sitter to call only if she sees
blood.
At Home
1st baby: You spend a
good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a
bit of every day watching to be sure your
older child isn't squeezing,
poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a
little bit of every day hiding from the children
Prayer for Mother’s
Day
On this day of sacred
memories, our Father, we would thank Thee for our mothers who gave us life,
who surrounded us early and late with love and care, whose prayers on our
behalf still cling around the Throne of Grace, a perfume of love’s petitions.
Help us, their children,
to be more worthy of their love. We know that no sentimentality on
this one day, no material gifts--no flowers or boxes of candy--can atone
for our neglect during the rest of the year. So in the days ahead,
may our love speak to the hearts who know love best--by kindness, by compassion,
by simple courtesy and daily thoughtfulness.
Bless her--whose name
we whisper before Thee--and keep her in Thy perfect peace, through Jesus
Christ, our Lord, Amen.
--Peter Marshall
A Mother’s Creed
I believe in God.
I believe in the Word
of God.
I believe in the family
altar.
I believe in the sanctity
of motherhood.
I believe the home to
be the sphere of the mother’s greatest influence.
I believe in a deep concern
for the spiritual welfare of my children.
I believe in making the
home the most attractive spot so that my children will not be forced to
seek enjoyment elsewhere.
I believe in an intimate
companionship between my children and me.
I believe in pointing
out the moral dangers to which my children are exposed, and not hiding
behind a false modesty.
I believe it is my privilege
and duty to know the companions of my children and to be familiar with
their forms of amusement.
--Arthur C. James
Blessed Is The Mother
. . . Who can hold onto
her children while letting them go
. . . Who puts a tranquil
home ahead of an immaculate house
. . . Who knows a kind
act will be remembered longer than an easy word
. . . Who really believes
that prayer changes things
. . . Whose faith in the
future sweetens the present
. . . Whose Bible never
needs dusting
. . . Who knows the difference
between being neighborly and being nosy
. . . Who cherishes tradition
but is receptive to new ideas
. . . Who can maintain
an inner calm amid outer turmoil
. . . Whose sense of humor
is alive and well.
Mothers are . . .
Blowers of noses and washers
of ears,
Smoothers of bumped spots
and wipers of tears,
Scrubbers of dishes and
wielders of mops,
Bathers of babies and
umpires of spats,
Finders of rubbers, mittens
and hats,
Helpers with lessons and
makers of beds,
Shakers of dustcloths
and combers of heads,
Button-sew-onners and
winders of clocks,
Menders of dresses and
darners of socks,
Tellers of stories and
readers of books,
Judges and juries of conduct
and looks,
Doctors of heartaches
and hearers of prayers,
Generals directing all
family affairs,
Tenders of home fires
and builders of men.
(Oh, for the gift of an
adequate pen!)
--Floyd T. Wood
- The Ministry of a Mother’s
Look
There is ministry in a
mother’s look which reappears in after life, and succours the tempted one
by the memory of its solemn, soft, and holy gaze.
--The Ministry of a Mother’s
Voice
There is ministry in amother’s
voice. It re-echoes after many years in the chambers of the memory,
and warns in deep mysterious tones as though it now came from another world,
and cheers, and soothes with even more than the power it possessed in earlier
days.
--The Ministry of a Mother’s
Touch
Yes! There is ministry
even in a mother’s touch; long after her hand is motionless its impress
remains in living power. A mysterious hand from the invisible world
traced the sentence of Belshazzar’s ruin. Mother’s hand, also mysterious
and invisible, leaves imprinted on the heart, words of powerful warning
and words of love.
--The Ministry of Prayer
“When I was a little boy,”
said a Christian man, “my mother used to have me kneel beside her.
She placed her hand upon my head, while she prayed. Ere I was old
enough to know her worth, she died, and I was left too much to my own guidance.
Like others, I was inclined to evil passions, but often felt myself checked,
as it were, drawn back by a soft hand upon my head.”
“When I grew to be a young
man, I travelled in foreign lands, and was exposed to many temptations.
But when I was tempted strongly, that same hand seemed to be upon my head,
and I escaped the temptation. I seemed to feel its pressure as in
the days of my happy infancy.”
--from The Revival Evangelist
(Akron, OH)
Memories of Mother
She carried me under her
heart, loved me before I was born, took “God’s hand and walked through
the “valley of shadows” that I might live.
She bathed me when I was
helpless, clothed me when I was naked, fed me when I was hungry, rocked
me to sleep when I was weary, and sang to me as the voice of an angel.
She held my hand when
I learned to walk, suffered with my sorrow, laughed with my joy, glowed
with my triumph, and while I knelt at her side, she taught my lips to pray.
She was a loyal friend
when others failed. Through all the days of my youth, she gave me
strength for my weakness, courage for my despair, and hope for my hopeless
heart.
She prayed for me whether
the day was flooded with sunshine or saddened by shadows. I can never
repay the debt I owe to my mother.
--Adapted
A Mother’s Secret
Someone asked a mother
whose children had turned out very well, the secret by which she prepared
them for usefulness and for the Christian life.
Without hesitation she
said, “When in the morning I washed my children, I prayed that they might
be cleansed by the Savior’s precious blood.
“When I put on their garments,
I prayed that they might be arrayed in the garments of salvation and in
the robe of God’s righteousness.
“When I gave them food,
I prayed that they might be fed with the Bread of life.
“When I started them on
the road to school, I prayed that their faith might be as the shining light,
‘brighter and brighter to the perfect day.’
“When I put them to sleep,
I prayed that they might be enfolded in the Savior’s everlasting arms.”
No wonder her children
were early led to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; -- adorning
the doctrine of God our Savior in all things!
What a ajoy to that mother’s
heart when her children rise up and call her blessed! Her secret
is an open one.
-- from The Baptist Challenge,
1/82
Dear Lord,
Please protect us from
this terrible beast!
. . . it boldly invites
unwanted guests into my home, such as sex, violence, false values, wrong
interpretations of masculinity and femininity and many more.
. . . it makes me rush
to put my children to bed each night instead of spending a few last peaceful
moments with them at the close of the day.
. . . it lures me into
being a hypocrite, both as a parent and teacher of God’s Word, when I watch
the same programs I’ve called “unfit” for children.
. . . it robs me of those
precious moments best spent with just my husband to keep and preserve our
marriage.
. . . it ruins my kids’
sense of humor -- they now think a drunk staggering across the screen or
the “pop me, I’ll pop you” antics of the three stooges is the height of
comedy.
. . . it intrudes upon
our meal times and breaks the communication between us and God -- now we
merely turn the sound down during the prayer.
. . . it preaches that
the real “gusto” in life is derived from alcoholic beverages and a peaceful
rest at night only comes from a myriad of drugs.
. . . and lastly, it deprives
us all of a chance to read God’s precious Word more and discover what a
great gift this truly is!
Yes, help me to summon
all my bodily strength to simply get up and push one little button.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
--Sandy Sarratt, from
The Christian Bible Teacher, Dec. 1980 (Box 1060, Abilene, TX 79604)
In a mother’s meeting,
there was a vigorous discussion on the theme: “How early in a child’s life
ought one begin to influence him/her for God?” After much spirited
debate, a visiting grandmother was asked to make comment. In essence
she said, “I began with my first child twenty years before she was born
-- by giving myself to Jesus Christ.”
ABC’s of Parenthood
A - always trust your
children to God’s care
B - bring them to Bible
school and worship service
C - Challenge them to
high goals in life
D - delight in their achievements
in school or on the job
E - exalt the Lord in
their presence at every opportunity
F - frown on evil
G - give them love
H - hear their problems
I - ignore not their childish
fears
J - joyfully accept their
apologies
K - keep their confidence
L - live a good example
before them at all times
M - make them your best
friends
N - never ignore their
endless questions
O - open your home to
their friends
P - pray for them by name
daily
Q - quicken your interest
in their spirituality
R - remember their needs
S - show them the way
of salvation
T - teach them to work
and be responsible men and women
U - Understand they are
still young
V - Verify your statements
W - Wean them from bad
company
X - expect them to obey
Y - Yearn for God’s best
for them
Z - zealously guide them
in Biblical truths
A Grandmother’s Wish
If I were granted any
wish, I’d tell you what I’d do
I’d wish my kids were
small again, for just a month or two.
To hear their squeals
of laughter, to watch them while at play,
And when they asked me
to join in, I’d NOT say, “Not today!”
To hug again their chubby
frame, to kiss away their tears
And cherish childhood
innocence that’s washed away with years.
Then when it’s story time
again, I’d stay a little longer
To answer questions, sing
the songs, so memories would be stronger.
But time is callous, wishes,
myths, yet God in His great wisdom
Has given me another chance
before I join His kingdom..
The face may not be the
same; the name is changed, ‘tis true,
But yet the smile that
radiates reminds me so of you.
God must have known that
Grandma would need a chance or two
For many little happy
things she hadn’t time to do.
So God gave love to Grandmas
to equal that before
That, in effect, embraces
those little lives she bore.
--Sharon Miller
TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR
WIVES
1. Thou shalt live
within the income of thy husband.
2. Thou shalt not
belittle thy husband in the presence or absence of others.
3. Thou shalt not
deceive thy husband in any matter, large or small, for small deceits, like
small serpents, grow large.
4. Thou shalt help
thy husband in every good thing; but thou shalt in no way condone any wrong
doing on his part.
5. Thou shalt not
bring reproach upon thy husband by thy speech, nor by thy dress, nor by
thy conduct.
6. Thou shalt not
flirt. Dost thou not remember thy vow to forsake all others?
7. Thou shalt not
pout; but thou shalt be pleasant and agreeable especially when things go
wrong.
8. Thou shalt love
only the Lord more than thou lovest thy husband.
9. Thou shalt remember
that thy body is not thine own, but also thy husband’s.
10. Thou shalt not
nag -- nag -- nag!
NEW BABY - at 2:00
AM
This fragment of divinity,
Capsule of innocence,
Production of Love;
This triumph of creativity,
Pinnacle of achievement,
splendid bud;
This link to immortality,
Masterly work of art,
Handiwork of God;
This new, superlative
being,
For whom runneth over
my cup,
I wish for a moment
Would SHUT UP!
. . . Helen Parker
MOTHER
I search among earth’s
lovely words to find
The meaning of a word
loved by mankind;
The brief word “Mother,”
yet no pens express
A definition for her tenderness,
Her constancy, her selfless
love, her care --
I search for words for
her -- they are not there.
For one might quite as
well strive to define
The sun’s gold warmth,
the night skies’ silver shine,
The earthy fragrance of
the furrowed loam,
The dear, essential things
that make a home:
Fire and lamplight and
a table spread,
The waiting comfort of
a clean, smooth bed,
And a mother, teaching
a kneeling child to pray,
Thus guiding a dear one
on his upward way.
Ah, where are the scholarly
wise ones on our earth
Who can estimate a good,
true mother’s worth.
-- Grace Noll Crowell
Mother Love
Diantha Ain
My mother lives within
me,
her love, her guilding
hand,
the wisdom she instilled
when I could hardly understand.
She reminds me to be patient
with mysef and other folk,
to stop and smell the
flowers,
to take the time to laugh
and joke.
She gives me strength
and courage
to face adversities,
and confidence and faith
in my own abilities,
reverence and devotion
to a God she loved and
knew.
He holds her for eternity,
but she lives within me,
too.
Summer’s Gone
Kathie Mills
Feet stuck to the floor
from Popsicle drips,
planning and packing for
family trips;
so many dishes in the
sink --
must they use a clean
glass for every drink?
I just can’t take much
more of this noise!
Why can’t they ever pick
up their toys?
The slamming door, the
ringing phone --
if only I could be alone!
Then suddenly it’s time
for school;
no more beach or swimming
pool.
Off they go, down the
street,
sounds of laughter and
running feet.
A sigh of relief, but
wait! What’s this?
A tear in my eye as I
blow them a kiss.
Oh, lord, it seemed to
go so fast!
These special times just
never last!
Teach me, Father, to value
each day,
to live, to love, to laugh,
to play.
Remembering Mother
Kathi Mills
When all the children
have grown and gone,
Which memories of Mother
will linger on?
Will it be the times she
dried their tears,
Held them close and calmed
their fears?
The way she always found
the time
To read their favorite
nursery rhyme,
Over and over, time and
again,
Until they knew it, beginning
to end.
The sleepless nights with
an ailing child --
Mother stayed there all
the while,
Ministering love with
healing hands,
Spinning tales of faraway
lands.
What memories will follow
them as they go?
All of these, and more,
I know.
But most important, can
they say,
“I had a mother who loved
to pray.”
Her children arise and
call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women
do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
Proverbs 31:28,29, NIV
Baby Demands
Kathy Collard Miller
_______________________________
There is an appointed
time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, NASB
When my daughter,
Sandy, was a few months old, she demanded constant attention. I didn’t
even get a break during her naps because she napped while she nursed.
Discouraged, I looked around at my increasingly messy house and had nightmarish
visions of this little dictator daughter controlling my life forever.
I felt depressed
and hopeless. She’s always going to demand my attention every second!
I thought. I’m never going to be loosed from these demands!
Oh, Lord, why did I ever want to be a mother?
And then a friend
suggested I wake up in the morning planning to hold Sandy all day if need
be. Then, if she didn’t need me, I should regard it as a bonus, rather
than a right entitled to me.
The next day I decided
to hold Sandy as much as necessary and read a book to pass the time.
Well, wouldn’t you know it? Sandy took a long nap in her crib!
I was disappointed. I didn’t have an excuse to read my book.
I learned that day
that children sense when we are anxious to be free of their demands.
If we will meet their needs, they will sense security, which will make
them less demanding.
On the other hand,
children shouldn’t rule our lives. There needs to be a balance.
Thre will be times when baby must wait. It is up to us to make wise
choices based on our baby’s development. This may mean fixing a simpler
meal later than expected, when the baby is sleeping or less fussy.
I found a baby carrier
very helpful during those times. Sandy felt close to me and received
the security she needed.
Little by little,
I used the baby carrier less often. Sandy stopped needing me constantly
and could play by herself in her crib. Then she could crawl and explore.
Eventually she walked and then played with friends.
Now Sandy is 13
and I have more freedom. She is very independent and loves to be
with her friends. When I think of those times when she demanded so
much of me, I remember a time of closeness. With the perspective
of passing time, what semed like a dismally long period was actually quite
short. The attention I grudgingly gave now becomes love I’m glad
I shared.
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO
LIVE OVER
by Erma Bombeck
I would have talked less
and listened more.
I would have invited friends
over to dinner even if the carpet
was stained and the sofa
faded.
I would have eaten the
popcorn in the 'good' living room and
worried much
less about the dirt when someone wanted to light
a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the
time to listen to my grandfather ramble
about his youth.
I would never have insisted
the car windows be rolled up on a
summer day because my
hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have burned the
pink candle sculpted like a rose before
it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the
lawn with my children and not worried
about grass stains.
I would have cried and
laughed less while watching television
- and more while
watching life.
I would have shared more
of the responsibility carried by my
husband.
I would have gone to bed
when I was sick instead of pretending
the earth would go into
a holding pattern if I weren't there
for the day.
I would never have bought
anything just because it was practical,
wouldn't show soil or
was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away
nine months of pregnancy, I'd have
cherished every moment
and realized that the wonderment growing
inside me was the
only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me
impetuously, I would never have said,
"Later. Now go get
washed up for dinner."
There would have been
more "I love yous".. more "I'm sorrys"...
but mostly, given another
shot at life, I would seize every
minute...look at it and
really see it... live it...and never
give it back.
WRONG NUMBER!
The housewife answered
the phone and listened with relief to the
voice in her ear.
"How are you, dear? What kind of day are you
having?"
"Oh, Mom, the baby won't
eat, the washing machine is broke, I've not
been able to get out of
the house to shop, I twisted my ankle and
have been hobbling around.
On top of that, the house is a mess and
we're supposed to have
two couples over for dinner tonight."
"Now, dear, just stay
calm. Sit down, relax, close your eyes, and
I'll be over in 1/2 hour.
I'll do the shopping, clean up the house,
and cook your dinner for
you. I'll take care of the baby when I get
there and call a repairman
I know who'll get the washing machine
fixed. In fact,
I'll call George at the office and tell him he ought
to come home and help
out for once."
"George? Who's George?"
"Why, that's your *husband*,
dear."
"Mom, I don't have a husband."
"Is this 234-5678?"
"Uh, no, it's not.
I think you have a wrong number." The housewife
paused. "Uhhh, does this
mean you're not coming over?"
YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MOTHER
WHEN...
You count the sprinkles
on each kid's cupcake to make sure they're equal.
You have the time to shave
only one leg at a time.
You hide in the bathroom
to be alone.
Your kid throws up and
you catch it.
Someone else's kid throws
up at a party. You keep eating.
You consider finger paints
to be a controlled substance.
You've mastered the art
of placing large quantities of pancakes and eggs on
a plate without
anything
touching.
Your child insists that
you read "Once Upon a Potty" out loud in the lobby
of Grand Central
Station,
and you do it.
You cling to the high
moral ground on toy weapons; your child chews his
toast into the shape
of a gun.
You hope ketchup is a
vegetable, since it's the only way your child eats.
You find yourself cutting
your husbands' sandwiches into cute shapes.
You can't bear to give
away baby clothes - it's so final.
You hear your mother's
voice coming out of your mouth when you say, "NOT in
your good
clothes.
You stop criticizing the
way your mother raised you.
You say at least once
a day, "I'm not cut out for this job," but you know you
wouldn't
trade it for anything.
--Author unknown.
Keep Loving
Keep loving because of.
Keep loving in spite of.
Keep loving when to love
is most difficult.
Keep loving when you have
no strength.
Keep loving because Jesus
loves you
in good times and bad
on mountain tops, in valleys.
When all else fails,
keep on loving.
Proverbs 31:27-29 NIV
She watches over the affairs
of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children
arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.
Happy the Home When
God is There
Happy the home when God
is there,
And love fills every breast;
When one their wish, and
one their prayer,
And one their heavenly
rest.
Happy is the home where
Jesus' name
Is sweet to every ear,
Where children early lisp
His fame,
And parents hold Him dear.
Happy is the home where
prayer is heard,
And praise is wont to
rise,
Where parents love the
sacred Word,
And all is wisdom prize.
Lord, let us in our homes
agree,
This blessed peace to
gain;
Unite our hearts in love
to Thee,
And love to all will reign.
Amen.
(Henry Ware, Jr.)
Lord, don't forget
me
Lord, you know how busy
I must be today.
If I forget you, please
don't forget me.
(General Lord Jacob Astley,
1579-1652)
Help
A prayer to be said
When the world has gotten
you down,
and when you feel rotten
and you're too doggone
tired to pray,
and you're in a big hurry,
and besides, you're mad
at everybody...Help.
(Charles Swindoll)
Mothers of Young Children
Train a child in the way
he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs
22:6
*Take time to be tender.
Fragile and delicate are
the feelings of [our children].
They need to sense we
are there
because we care, not just
because it's our job.
(Charles Swindoll)
THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSE IS ORDER.
THE BLESSING OF THE HOUSE IS CONTENTMENT.
THE GLORY OF THE HOUSE IS HOSPITALITY.
THE CROWN OF THE HOUSE IS GODLINESS.
A PRAYER FOR OUR HOMES
MAY IT BE THE HOME
“OF THY SERVANT” WHERE THE PEOPLE OF THE HOME LOVE, HONOR, AND OBEY THEE;
THE HOUSE THAT WILL “CONTINUE FOREVER BEFORE THEE,” -- THE HEARTFELT PURPOSE
OF THE HOME. MAY OURS BE A HOME THAT DAILY KNOWS “THY BLESSING,”
AND SO LOOKS TO THEE AS THE PROVIDER FOR THE HOME, A HOME THAT IS “BLESSED
FOREVER,” THE HAPPY PROSPECT OF ALL WHO TRUST THEE.
MAY GOD IN MERCY
GRANT TO US A HOME WHERE HE HAS SWAY, WHERE PEACE AND JOY FROM HEAVEN ABOVE
ABIDE FROM DAY TO DAY.
--E.L.
CRANE (2 SAMUEL 7:29)
If I hadn’t had children,
I probably would have had more money and material things. I probably
would have gone more places, gotten more sleep, pampered myself more.
My life would have been much more boring and predictable. As a result
of being a parent, I have laughed harder, cried more often, I have worried
more and hurried more. I’ve had less sleep, but somehow I’ve had
more fun. I’ve learned more, grown more. My heart has ached
harder, and I’ve loved to a capacity beyond my imagination. I’ve
given more of myself, but I’ve derived more meaning from life.
Marianne Neifert, M.D.
Quiet Time
The dog wants in, the
cat wants out,
There’s someone at the
door;
I thought it was my quiet
time --
It’s really more like
war.
I study hard, but other
things
For my attention vie;
The reasons they weren’t
there before,
I really don’t know why.
Yet now my Bible pages
turn;
Isaiah twenty-six;
Perhaps within the prophet’s
words
My soul can find a fix.
The first two verses struggle
by,
But then I read verse
three;
“Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on
Thee.”
-- Robert Barrell
May she have daughters
of her own
to care
when she is old
and I am gone
I should have loved
to care for her once more
as I did then
long years before
I was a mother young
and she my child
Caring was joy So
when
she is old and I am There
may she have daughters
of her own
to care
--Ruth Bell Graham
A MOTHER’S PRAYER
I wash the dirt from little
feet,
And as I wash I pray,
“Lord, keep them ever
pure and pure
to walk the narrow way.”
I wash the dirt from little
hands,
and earnestly I ask,
“Lord, may they ever yielded
be
to do the humblest task.”
I wash the dirt from little
knees,
and pray, “Lord, may they
be
The place where victories
are won,
and orders sought from
Thee.”
I scrub the clothes that
soil so soon,
and pray, “Lord, may her
dress
Throughout eternal ages
be
Thy robe of righteousness.”
--Barbara Cornet Ryberg
Why God Made Little
Boys
God made a world out of
His dreams
of magic mountains, oceans
and streams,
prairies and plains and
wooded land
then paused and thought:
“I need someone to stand
on top of the mountain
to conquer the seas,
explore the plains and
climb the trees.
Someone to start out small
and grow
sturdy and strong, like
a tree, and so --
He created boys full of
spirit and fun
to explore and conquer,
to romp and run,
with dirty faces and banged-up
chins.
When He had completed
the task He’d begun
He surely said, “That’s
a job well done.”
Why God Made Little
Girls
God made the world with
its towering trees,
majestic mountains and
restless seas,
then paused and said,
“It needs one more thing --
someone to laugh and dance
and sing,
to walk in the woods and
gather flowers,
to commune with nature
in quiet hours.”
So God made little girls
with laughing eyes
and bouncing curls, with
joyful hearts
and infectious smiles,enchanting
ways
and feminine wiles, and
when He’d completed
the task He’d begun, He
was pleased and proud
of the job He’d done.
For the world
when seen through a little
girl’s eyes
greatly resembles paradise.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
Whom can we trust
If not the Lord?
By what can we live
If not His Word?
Logic is inadequate;
Philosophy frail.
Judgments change,
And people fail.
Science? Unreliable.
Religions are diverse.
Sin has caused distortion,
Deception, and a curse.
What is our authority
If not God’s Word?
Who is dependable
If not the Lord?
--Marcia K. Hornok
RAISING A READER
Read to your new baby;
greeting cards, the newspaper, cereal boxes. It’s the sounds that
are important.
Introduce simple picture
and story books as the baby grows. The shapes and colors will delight,
and listening leads to learning.
Make regular visits to
the library. Let children select their own books.
Make the bedtime story
a regular family event. Even older children will enjoy reading aloud
if the right books are selected.
Remember poetry!
The short verses are perfect for short attention spans.
Have children read aloud
while you cook, iron, sew, sort laundry.
Use television to encourage
reading. Read more about people, places or things that interest your
family on TV.
Keep plenty of reading
materials around the house. Store children’s books on low shelves
within their reach.
Let your children see
you reading. Talk aout what you read.
Give books as gifts.
Let your children know you think books are special.
FOR OUR HELP
For our help, we mothers
have:
His precepts (Isaiah
29:10,13)
His presence (“I
am with you” promises found in Genesis 26:24 - Matthew 28:20)
His provision (Philippians
4:19)
His promises (2
Corinthians 1:20)
His power (Romans
15:13)
A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR
ME AS A MOTHER
Keep communications open
at all times.
Permit person-to-person
collect phone calls.
Let them know they are
loved and welcomed at home.
Permit the children to
disagree with me (provided they do it respectfully).
And I find occasionally
they are right and I am wrong.
Make a clear distinction
between moral and nonmoral issues.
Encourage.
MOTHERS ... AND ...
OTHERS
Others weary of the noise,
Mothers play with girls
and boys;
Others scold because we
fell,
Mothers kiss and make
it well.
Others love us more or
less,
Mothers love with steadiness.
Others pardon, hating
yet,
Mothers pardon and forget.
Others keep the ancient
score,
Mothers never shut the
door.
Others grow incredulous,
Mothers still believe
in us.
Others throw their faith
away,
Mothers pray, and pray,
and pray.
--Amos R. Wells
You Know You
Are A Parent When...
1. Your feet stick
to the kitchen floor.....and you don't care.
2. When the
kids are fighting, you threaten to lock them in
a room together
and not let them out until someone's bleeding.
3. You can't
find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend to call you,
and you run around
the house madly, following the sound until you locate
the phone downstairs in
the laundry basket.
4. You spend
an entire week wearing sweats.
5. Your idea
of a good day is making it through
without a child
leaking bodily fluids on you.
6. Popsicles become
a food staple.
7. Your favorite
television show is a cartoon.
8. Peanut
butter and jelly is eaten at least in one meal a day.
9. You're
willing to kiss your child's boo-boo,
regardless of what
body part it happens to be on.
10. Your
baby's pacifier falls on the floor and you
give it back to
her after you suck the dirt off of it
because your too
busy to wash it off.
11. Your
kids make jokes about farting, burping,
pooping, etc.,
and you think it's funny.
12. You're
so desperate for adult conversation
that you spill
your guts to the telemarketer that
calls and HE hangs
up on YOU!
13. Spit
is your number one cleaning agent.
14. You're
up each night until 10 PM vacuuming,
dusting, wiping,
washing, drying, loading, unloading,
shopping, cooking,
driving, flushing, ironing, sweeping,
picking up, changing
sheets, changing diapers,
bathing, helping
with homework, paying bills, budgeting,
clipping coupons,
folding clothes, putting to bed,
dragging out of
bed, brushing, chasing, buckling,
feeding , PLUS
swinging, playing baseball, bike riding,
pushing trucks,
cuddling dolls, rollerblading, basketball, football,
catch, bubbles,
sprinklers, slides, nature walks,
coloring, crafts,
jumping rope, PLUS raking,
trimming, planting,
edging, mowing, gardening,
painting, and walking
the dog. You get up at 5:30
AM and you have
no time to eat, sleep,
drink or go to
the bathroom, and yet ... you
still managed to
gain 10 pounds.
15. In your
bathroom there is toothpaste
on the light fixtures,
water all over the floor,
a dog drinking
out of the toilet and body hair
forming a union
to protest unsafe working conditions.
16. You buy
cereal with marshmallows in it.
17. The closest
you get to gourmet cooking
is making
rice krispie bars (& then eating the whole pan!!!)
NO TIME
There's dinner to fix
and batter to mix
And a hundred and one
things to do --
Clothes to be laundered
and hung up and dried,
And dusting and vacuuming,
too!
So busy this life, so
hurried and quick,
No time to be still; no
stop - all go!
No time to pray to the
Lord today!
"No
time, My child, to be still and know?"
But there's sweeping and
sewing and scrubbing and shining
And clothes to be mended
and folded and hung
And drawers to be tidied
and notes to be answered
And shoppers and shelves
to go shopping among.
No time to stop and get
down on my knees!
Prayer and my Bible? I've
no time for these --
I've my family to keep!
I'll pray, though, tonight
- if I don't fall asleep.
"My
child, My child, I can only weep,
You
are cumbered with much;
don't
you know that I care?
How
gladly all of your trials I'd share!
Just
sit at My feet and taste of My Word --
When
last, My child, have you read it, or heard?
Martha
the service of Mary did ask,
But
Mary took MY strength to help in her task.
That
strength, My child, is waiting and free.
Try
it now -- and see!
A Sad Recipe
I didn't have potatoes
So I substituted
rice.
I didn't have paprika
So I used another
spice.
I didn't have tomato sauce
So I used tomato
paste;
A whole can, not 1/2 of
can . . .
I don't believe
in waste.
A friend gave me the recipe
She said you couldn't
beat it.
There must be something
wrong with her.
I couldn't even
eat it!
Tips
for Reading Aloud to our Children
Mood:
Instead of saying "Now stop that and settle down," try "Let's get
cozy for our story."
Patience:
Take time to answer your children's questions. The questions mean
you have their attention!
Pace:
Don't race while reading. Slow down. If time's a problem, read
a shorter story!
Challenge:
Choose books that challenge your child's mind and interests.
Fun:
Sharing stories is fun and creates a closeness that children will remember
all their lives. Enjoy!
There's
Always Room for a Book!
Books make
waiting easier for everyone. Don't leave home without one.
-
Carry a
book in the baby's diaper bag.
-
Bring books
to doctor's and dentist's offices.
-
Keep books
in the car for kids. Let one parent read while the other drives
-
Don't forget
to pack books on vacations!
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