Accountability

The boys wanted to go on one final trip to the pool. We got there early and had the best seats on the end. My chair was near two sets of pop & candy machines. While reading my book, I heard a group of young kids by the machines. First they were checking out each one, next they began to slowly bang on them, and then they started to hit the "change" slot repeatedly. As I watched, at first wondering if they lost their change, one boy tells another boy to get a shoe. The boys comes back with a tennis shoe and they begin to hit the change slot over and over with this shoe. I began to observe that no adults were checking up on these children, and so I casually walked over. I first asked them if there was a problem in case they lost their change. I asked them what they were up to and they honestly replied that they were trying to get change out of this machine. I reminded them that what they were doing was stealing. As I questioned them, two of the boys dropped their head in shame as one boy began to conjure up this lie that he was trying to get change out of the machine, just so he could give it back to the pool staff. I once again reminded them it was stealing and asked them if they were here with their parents. These young 7 or 8 years olds were there at the pool alone, with no one to report to. They were free as they could be to do what they wanted, since the pool staff had so many kids and not enough eyes to keep track of what everyone is up to.

I sent those boys on their way reminding them that what they were doing was wrong. Later as I was still reading my book, I look over at the other set of pop machines. There, two boys had found a large, thick, metal wire, and were trying to pick the lock or shove it into the change slot. Once again noticing that no one was around, I walked up to the boys. Repeating the same questions, I asked them what they were doing. Yet again they were honest and said they were trying to get some money. I reminded them that this was stealing and that God would not approve of their actions. I once again sent the second set of boys off on their way, reminding them where I was sitting. I could see it all over their faces that if I wasn't sitting right there to watch, they would have loved to come back and attempt it one more time.

Accountability! This world has no desire for it. If we can get away with it, why not try it. There is no right or wrong anymore, it is how far can we go without getting caught! In the wonderful world of entertainment, television use to have guidelines that would protect not only the young innocent minds, but understood the Biblical lines of right and wrong. Today, it is not what shouldn't be watched, it is how much can we get away with. The networks don't try to line up with any type of moral accountability, for that has been thrown out the window. We now see shows where there's more bleeps than actual words. Soon, those bleeps will no longer be there and all will be acceptable as the lines between good and evil become blurred.

We as humans don't want to be told what to do. We want to have our personal rights and freedoms, and we certainly don't want to be accountable for anything. What would have happened if I had let those boys continue to try and steal or break those machines? What would happen if no one ever told you what was right and wrong? We don't like to be preached to and want do our own thing, yet we should not be allowed to do whatever feels best to us. God gives us His word with clear guidelines on what is right and what is wrong. We are to read it, learn it, and share it with others.

As these young boys had no one to be accountable to, they let their freedom lead them into a path of deceit. As the world does what is right in their own eyes, we as Christians are to show them the path to Godliness, and remind them that someday we all will be responsible to answer to God and be accountable for own actions.

Galatians 6:1-2 "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Judge Not!

The boys love to go to the pool during the summer. They love to hit Terrace Pool where they have the slides and other fun things to do. Of course, it is a very popular pool and is so full at times that people can get turned away. With such a crowd, the chairs are limited, and so we have to get there right before it opens, stand in a large crowded line, and make a mad dash to the chairs. Those who wait end up having to walk a long way, or won't even get a chair! We recently went to the pool and got there early enough to get a nice set of chairs in the front. The boys took off for the slides as I grabbed my book to enjoy soaking up some rays. As I sat there, the chairs began to fill up. A small family started walking around looking for chairs. Now, if you don't have anything on a chair, it's basically free for the taking. Right in front of me, they walked over to a set of four chairs. The two on the outside had stuff on them, but the two in the middle had nothing on them. You could tell they were pushed together, so they were probably a set for a family, but they were all off swimming. The woman began to take the two middle chairs that had nothing on them out of the middle, and then moved them off away to the side for her family to sit on. This amused me as I wondered if there was in fact people that had saved these chairs, and what the reaction would be once they arrived back to their spot to find them missing! The pool break came, and sure enough, a family of four comes back to find their chairs missing! They searched and searched and found a couple chairs around, brought them up to the rest of their chairs, and once again they had their four chairs. All of the sudden, as I am chatting with my boys, I began to realize that some of them are staring at us with looks of irritation. I began to realize that our chairs were directly behind them, giving the appearance that we dragged their two chairs away from them. In my mind, I wanted to quickly point to the people who did take it from them, but decided to leave it alone. What good would it do, but make me feel vindicated and draw attention to another family who just wanted a place to sit. I left it in God's hands and let it go.

Later, my son comes running over to me. He has always been allowed to run and jump in the pool by the lifeguard from the white line. Apparently the current lifeguard had decided this wasn't a good idea and was telling him to stop. He didn't realize he couldn't do it, and out of nowhere, an adult woman on the side, jumped up, started screaming at my son that he had a problem with authority! Trying desperately to explain that he didn't hear the lifeguard, the woman continued to scream, lumping my son into the world's set of dysfunctional youth! He came over to me stunned, never having anyone yell at him as she did. He didn't mean to disobey, but the woman, who didn't know him, immediately judged him. While hearing this story, the mom instincts took off, and I wanted to go defend my son. Instead, I listened to the story he told, used the moment to share some wisdom with my son, and left it in God's hands.

What do these two stories have in common? In both stories, without all the facts, they were quick to judge. To the family who lost their chairs, we were sitting near, so obviously we were the ones that took them from them. In the case of my son, the woman assumed he just didn't want to listen to the lifeguard, and instantly took it upon herself to take charge and teach this out of control youth a lesson!

In this world, we are quick to judge, and quick to fight back. We see something that looks obvious to us, but is not what it seems at all and we automatically make it our job to decide if they are guilty and deserve punishment! In Matthew 7:1, the Bible says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." The person that always seems rude to you, may not even know they are being rude, but may be going through a divorce. The man who caught you off at the turning lane, may have just lost his job and was driving in sheer emotion! The person next to you at church, that never says, "Hi", appears to not like you, and seems unsocial, could be in a an abusive relationship, hurting and struggling to bring themselves each Sunday. We never truly know what is going on in each situation of everyone's life, but God does. The next time you find yourself griping about the crabby mailman, or the rude cashier, think for a moment what might be going on in their life. Let God use you to quietly pray for them in those moments. In the end, God will be our judge, leave it in His hands. For when your life is through, He will be the only one judging you.

James 1:19 "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

Being Where God Has Called You!

I'm a dreamer! If I had my way, I would be in far off countries, working with the orphans. I would take my husband and children across the country and share what God has done in our lives! I would start a bakery, and share my love of baking with all those around me! I could go on and on! I have a million things that "I" would like to do. There are times when I become frustrated and feel like I have never made any kind of difference in this world. I am a stay at home mom, who homeschools her kids! I am not a movie star, who can use the media to share my faith. I am not a rock star with a hit single that has "Jesus" written on my posters and CD's. I am not a missionary, who travels into the deep jungles, and leads those dying and lost to Christ. I am only...a wife...a mom...a dreamer!

I recently became discouraged as I sometimes struggle to find my place. Being a homeschooling mother, I have to be proactive to find a place in this world for my kids. I cannot rely on the public school to provide them with opportunities to be in band, sports, music, or art. I have to go and find those opportunities. Do I just go and plop my kids in the first thing that I find for them? No, I begin to pray and ask God where He wants them. I am a dreamer! I want my kids involved in everything! Does that mean that God wants them involved in everything? In our daily lives, we need to learn to pray and ask God for His direction! One thing I have learned is that it isn't worth being apart of something if God hasn't called me to do it! Each one of us has specific talents that God has given us. I know nothing about changing oil in a car, and yet our church has a ministry that helps the widows and single moms with that. I may have youth, but don't make me sit in a room filled with teens! I could spend all day with children, and yet, I have had moms complain that they could never work with kids all day!

We each have dreams, and we each have a specific calling that God has on our lives. I may be a dreamer, and I may never achieve the large dreams because God did not call me to fulfill those dreams. He can take and use those dreams in a different way. He may not call me to go across seas and help the orphans, but he has brought children in need across my path. I have held children that only needed someone to take the time to hug them. I may not get to have my own bakery, but I can bake and share with those around me. I can bring cookies to a neighbor and show them the love of Jesus.

You may be a dreamer, and you may be frustrated at where you are. Pray that God will show you why He has placed you where you are today! Be where God has called you, and let Him guide you into fulfilling His dream for you!

Philippians 2:13 "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

Your Kids Need Jesus, Too!

A young man was raised in a Christian home. His father was a preacher, and would spend most of his time out doing his ministry and was never around. So consumed with helping others, he forgot about sharing the love of Christ with his own children. Now as an adult, he no longer wants anything to do with church. The pain of never truly having his father's love or attention, has taken its toll, and in his mind, Christianity was the thing that separated them.

I have heard the stories time and time again, where pastors or missionary kids no longer want to serve Christ. Their parents were so busy saving the lost, they forgot to save their own kids.

There are times in my life that I feel like I don't amount to much in the world's eyes. I am a stay at home mom, who has decided to put my children ahead of any type of career. There are times when I resent the fact of being at home. Then, there are times when I see the relationship that I have with my kids, and the type of relationship that they have with God, and it makes it all worth it to me. This is not to say that moms who work, can't juggle both! The reminder is, that we as parents need to take time for our kids. If we are so caught up in our work, ministry, or activities, and set aside no time for them, they will grow up feeling like they never knew us, and when they become adults, will have no time for us!

Set aside time each day to talk to your kids. Pray with them, hug them, and tell them you love them. Team them about Jesus, and show them daily how to follow Him. For, if you are too busy shining your light only to the world, your children may become lost!

Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

I NEED you, Jesus!

I have been recently writing down a list of blessings and a list of needs. I try to keep track of all the wonderful things that God has done for me each day, and then I write down our needs and pray over them. As I glanced to the very beginning of my journal, I realized that as different needs were met, I had more needs that would take their place. God had faithfully taken care of many of our family needs, but there always seemed to be something else that replaced it. I became discouraged, and felt like I could just never get ahead! When would the needs ever end? If it wasn't one thing I needed, it was another, and I started to feel like all I was doing was begging for help! I then began to remind myself that as a human, we always need God. Each moment we are alive, we are dependent upon Him.

We as parents know what it is like to have someone depend on you for everything! As you bring home that newborn baby, there's not a thing it can do to survive without us. Left alone they would surely die. So, we take care of their every need. We put our heart and our soul into caring for them. We don't decide one day that even though the child constantly needs us, that we have just had enough and stop caring for them. We love them, and through the sleepless nights and exhausting tantrum days, we press on. Even as they get older, their needs may change, but there is a constant need.

Each moment we need God. We cannot live one moment without His breath of life. He knows that we need Him. He understands our fragile human form, our helpless nature, and that we are completely dependent upon Him! Don't be afraid to lean on Him and share your needs. He knows before we ask them; He knows we cannot do it ourselves. He never sleeps, cares for us through our daily tantrums, and knowing how helpless we truly are, would never ever think of leaving our side. Remember to thank God for all the daily blessings He has given you, but never think for a moment, that He doesn't want you to share all your needs with Him. As we enjoy helping, taking care of, and providing for the needs of our children, so does our heavenly father want to provide for our needs.

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Year of Gladness!

This year our church had a theme called "March Gladness". Everyone was encouraged to find people to help and bless throughout the month of March. While it is a good concept, it is something that I believe everyone should already be doing! As the world grows darker, so does the love for ourselves and the hatred towards one another. No one has compassion for anyone anymore. We are told to look out for ourselves and to fight our way to the top no matter who is in our way. The workplace no longer cares about its employees. To them, the workers are a dime a dozen, and if we can't show up for 60 hours a week, then there's plenty who will. There is no security in a job anymore. Once they offer you a job, they make you sign the dotted line saying that they don't care what happens, they can fire you at any moment.

We have become a selfish society, not caring about the person next to us. We are all in financial crisis and couldn't possibly part with what little we have to help someone else, for we are in need ourselves! The Bible talks about the world getting darker and the love for oneself. In 2 Timothy 3:1-4 it says, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." Does this sound like our world today? It most certainly does!

We no longer stop over at our neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar, or invite someone over to spend time with us. We don't stop to help a stranded motorist for fear of what might happen to us. We no longer open up our hands to help others in need, we close our fist and remind ourselves that we have bills and needs or our own and must therefore fend for ourselves! After all, we are the ones making our own money, and obviously those struggling don't have enough faith or determination to make the kind of money we do...so why should we share? One of the saddest statements I have heard someone say is when someone asked if they would be willing to give to the poor, and the person points to their well dressed kids, who have already been fed several times that day, have all their needs met, and says, "I already do!" That is what our society has become!

Let us take time to care and bless the people around us! Sure, none of us think we have enough to give at times, but when we take what little we have and share it with someone in need, God promises to bless and take care of us. Not only does He promise to take care of us, in Luke 6:38 it says, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." It doesn't say, "help someone and you will feel miserable and be left to die!" How good do you feel when you take a moment to help someone you know is in need? It makes you feel worthwhile! Find someone today to bless! Bake them something, send them a card telling them you are praying for them, or just call them and invite them out for lunch. Let others know that they are important and are loved! Not only will they be blessed, you will also!

Be an Example!

Have you ever known kids who were always at church? If the church was open, they were there! They would go to camps, and missions trips, say all the right things when asked questions about God or the Bible, and would always "appear" holy. Yet, when they became adults, they somehow stopped attending church all together and eventually want nothing to do with church or God. Many times we can't figure out what happened. There are many reasons, but one reason I have seen in other families is that the parents don't practice what they preach! They doll their kids up for Sunday and Wednesdays, parade themselves around like they are the holiest of family to the outside, and then when they get home, all of it changes. They shell off their Sunday clothes and Sunday attitudes and leave it at the door. They open the fridge, grab that can of beer, swear, yell at the kids to leave them alone, and turn on the tv, viewing what most would think to be inappropriate to watch. Their children observe as they go from Saints to Sinners in a matter of seconds as their mind becomes confused. They start to view their families as hypocrites and realize that church is something they just "do" for a moment, but not for a lifetime. As soon as they become adults and have a choice, they drop their life of hypocrisy and run as far as they can. They no longer want to parade themselves around. They turn their backs on anything that reminds them of the life that their family put them through, and decide that if that is true Christianity, they want no part of it.

We as parents are responsible for not just the physical and emotional needs of our kids, we are also responsible for their spiritual growth! I had someone tell me that they babysat a child in their home and they would pray with them and tell them about Jesus. By the time the parents worked long hours, and finally took the child home, fed them, and put them to bed, the babysitter actually saw the child more than the parents. Yet, when the child got home, they were surrounded by swearing, alcohol, and a complete lack of respect toward God. Even though the babysitter had more time with the child, who do you think the child followed? The parents!

May God help us to be a true example to our children. Our lives should match at church and at home. If we are truly following God's word, and have Christ in our heart, then there should be no difference in the activities, attitude, and love that we show our children from the moment we step into church to the moment we step into our homes. May God remind us that we are the one main example that our children see, and they will follow in our example. Let us make sure that it is truly a Godly one!

Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord."