Sunday, June 25, 2017

The art of boredom

Just last week, a mother of a 15 month old was telling me that she wished that her daughter would take the ipad and pay attention to it.  You look around and 8 out of 10 people are looking at a phone or device.  Children have been taught to be still, only with the device in their hand.

I am a parent trying to balance the use of devices.  In my opinion, they are not wrong, just used in the wrong way.

Learning to sit still has been taught to my children in church since they came out of the nursery.  They do not have a hard time.  They don't need anything to distract them.  They are paying attention to the singing, prayer, and preaching.

Sitting at the pharmacy, my son or daughter asks to play my phone.  My answer will always be no.  We can sit for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or 40 minutes depending on the day without a device in our hand.  How many more conversations do I have with my children because we are looking at each other?

When their school lessons are done, instruments are practiced, and they want to play on the device, that seems more reasonable.  Now if the sun is shining, and they haven't played outside, I have them play.  That is more beneficial.

The hardest part is not balancing devices for my children, it would be making sure I'm not on them too much.  I'm an adult; it's allowed.  We have to remember we are the example and that our children want to do everything that we do.  Even if it's playing on your phone while you're watching TV.   Something you would think is no big deal.

They are always watching.  Be what you want them to follow.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Showers of Blessings

I love the hymn Showers of Blessings. 

There shall be showers of blessing:
  This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
  Sent from the Savior above.

There shall be showers of blessing—
  Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
  Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;
  Send them upon us, O Lord!
Grant to us now a refreshing;
  Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing;
  O that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
  Now as on Jesus we call!

There shall be showers of blessing,
  If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
  If we let God have His way.

Chorus:
Showers of blessing,
  Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
    But for the showers we plead.

When I was younger, I thought the hymn was just talking about how much a blessing the rain is when it is falling.  Although it is a blessing, it has so much more meaning to me to me now.  
Our family has felt the "showers of blessings" from the Lord.  I am so incredibly blessed.  The fifth verse really drives home the reminder that we need to trust and obey the Lord.  Not have our way, but give all to God and let God have His way.  
At times, I feel guilty for the blessings.  I know we have gone through trials and have grown spiritually, but I always want my focus to be the Lord.  I am thankful for the showers of blessings.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

PSC Cycles

As a military family, we start to live our lives in these PSC cycles.  I understand it works different for different branches and different jobs, but this is a small glimpse into what it's been like.

We will start with the "dream sheet".  You started debating months or even a year prior about all the possibilities.  You have these hopes and dreams.  The day finally comes when you find out what the possibilities actually are.  It becomes real.  You know that if you put it on that "dream sheet" you could really move there.  So if you don't want to go to Alaska, don't put it on your "dream sheet", even as your fifth choice.  The "dream sheet" gets submitted, and you realize it doesn't matter what you put on that sheet.  You have no control at all.  You get to wait, hope, and pray.

After lots of waiting, that's not as long as it actually feels, you get your assignment.  Let's hope we are excited.  Most of the time, we are excited!  Then, I get the itch. The itch that says I want to leave NOW!  Not in the four to five month that we are actually going to move, but now, right now.

You spend the next two months cleaning out your house, because you do not want to bring junk or unwanted toys or clothes the next house.  It is a wonderful purge!  

One month before you leave, a sinking feeling hits.  You were so excited to leave you were running out the door, but reality sinks in and you don't want to leave the friends you have made over the assignment.  You try to pack in as much friend time as possible and try not to cry.  Hoping the last time you saw them, is not "goodbye", but "see you later".

Finally you get to your new home.  You are so incredibly excited to see what everything will be like.  You start settling in and making new friends. 

Then a year or so later you start talking about that dream sheet again......