Others' Posts

You need to go check this post out: http://www.myshannonigans.com/


I know it might seem lazy to put a link instead of actually composing something myself, but I love sharing other peoples' posts.


I thought it was great!


While your here, check out these pictures of the flowers growing in our garden.

Friday Character

Hospitality

vs. Loneliness

Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

This begins in the heart. Pray and ask God to bring others into your life to practice this character quality.

Spring Break '10

I LOVE SPRING BREAK!!

Last week was Spring Break, so the girls and I headed to the lake. Warm weather and lots of sand castles to build. It was calling our name. So off we went. Here is a few pics of our fun.

Acting Like a Monkey

A year or more ago, our third born was struggling with obedience. Nothing out of the ordinary for someone who is six. But, when she would get in trouble, she would feel such strong grief. She would spend days beating herself up over it. She would refer to herself as a "bad girl". Not because we were calling her that. We tried to have an extra gentle manner of correction with her, but she could not separate the act of disobedience from identifying herself as only that.



One day, in a moment of correction, I asked her that if she stood up and held a banana in her hands and walked around the room acting like a monkey, would that make you a monkey? Of course, she responded with a "no". I went on to explain to her that when we fail to obey, it is just how we are acting. It does not make us bad, but we are acting bad. You could see in her eyes that she finally understood. From then on out, we would give her warnings on her behavior by saying, "You are acting like a monkey."





Months went by without me having to say this to her less and less. Sad to say, I didn't even notice how long it had been since I had had to say it. I had just noticed how much more mature she had become. She walked up to me one day and said, "Mom, did you see that I am not acting like a monkey any more?" I stopped right then and showered her with praise. I apologized for not noticing and mentioning sooner how grown up she had become.




Parenting is challanging, but I love using word pictures. It helps each of us process what the other person is saying with out making what they are saying an attack.

Friday Character

For a weekly school assignment, the girls have been writing and memorizing a character quality. They must memorize it, quote it, and be able to give a life application for each quality. This has been life changing for them and for me. I would like to start posting one each Friday so that you too can enjoy.

These quality definitions have been taken from http://www.duggarfamily.com/characterqualities.html



Today's Character Quality:

ALERTNESS

VS. UNAWARENESS

Being aware of that which is taking place around me,

so that I can have the right response

Mark 14:38

Life application: If I am looking for opportunities to help others, God will put this in my path and I will be able to show others Christ's love. Example: We went out to dinner and were sitting at a table near the door. My daughter saw that an elderly couple, one of which was in a wheel chair, were walking up to the door. She jumped up and held the door open. The rest of the table had been rapped up in our conversation, but she had been praying for God to give her an awareness of others needs.

In what way can you apply this to your life?

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday- one day a week where I can write out my praises to the Lord.


1. I am so thankful that next week is Spring Break. I/we so need this! I am looking forward to spending all day playing with my kids.

2. I love our church. Each Sunday and Wednesday I walk away loving the heart of the people there.

3. I am thankful for exercises. That's right. I love how it is the one thing I do for me and what a sense of accomplishment there is in it.

4. I am thankful for the morning walks I've had with my oldest lately. She is an unbelievable girl. What great talks we have had during this time.

5. I am thankful for spring. Sunny days, warm weather and flowers blooming all make me want to get outside and be a kid again. And the dreaming and planning for summer vacation makes this time year so fun.


What are you thankful for today?

A Short Story

After waking up from their afternoon naps, my two munchkins crawled up on the kitchen counter to watch me cut up a bannana for their snack. As Piper sat their in her groggy and a tad cross way she said, "Mom I want...mom I want...mom I want...mom I want...mom I want...". Did I mention she is two. Anyone who has or had a two year old knows it sometimes take them a week to say one sentence. This went on for what seemed like five minutes. Then the sentence ended like this, "...mom I want a doughnut." Sister Aylee responded with this, "You can say that again!" My first thought was "No!! She can't!! It would take too long!" Little ones say the funniest things.