Miscellany

A little miscellany of memories, reminders, quotes, excerpts, and thoughts in no particular order...


What they said:

Michael: "Sorry Mom, I don't remember any of the 3 times multiplications.... But don't worry because I'll prolly never use those."

Andrew: "I don't want to get married. Well, actually, I kind of do want to get married so that I won't have to do all the work around the house."

Olivia, after being asked if she would have preferred all sisters: "No! If I didn't have brothers I'd have no one to wrestle with!"

******************

Encourage, encourage, then encourage some more:

I know how much a cheerful word can spur me on, and how sincere encouragement can motivate in a time of weariness. A gentle, uplifting word is a powerful tool that we should frequently use to build up and communicate love to our children.


But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul. Proverbs 16:24

A good word makes him glad. Proverbs 12:25

******************

They keep talking:

Jacob: "Was I born when you were a kid?"

On a different day...
Olivia: "Oh! I almost asked you how old you were when you were my age!"

Me: "Andrew, why are you hiding here?"
Andrew: "Because there's a girl out there who is in love with me."

Jacob, to me: "Too bad you have so many pimples. Look: there, there, there, there..."

*******************

I throw out 3 to 6 pairs of jeans per month because the boys wear through their clothes so fast! I've tried so many different brands of jeans, but it makes no difference. I don't think it is very funny because it seems they are always out of a good, hole-less pair of jeans. On the other hand, they did find it very funny when I recently split a pair of my newer jeans. Jon was nice enough to say the jeans must have been defective, but I know well enough to blame the fact that I'm still eating like its the holidays.

*******************

Jacob: "Why do they call it shampoo? Why not shampleaf? Even shamPEE would be better than shamPOO."

*******************

Regarding education:

"I cannot emphasize enough the importance of focusing on the strengths as well as the weaknesses. The goal is to make sure that the strengths and not the weaknesses define the child's life."

Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, p.93

********************

Words of Charles Spurgeon:

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."

“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. . . . Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord. . . .”

“A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.”

********************

Regarding morality vs. obedience:

Obedient people "are those who understand that their relationship with God doesn't depend on their performance for Jesus but on Jesus' performance for them."

"Religious obedience is probably the most difficult and dangerous form of obedience simply because it is so easily confused with conformity to God's law."

"The promises of life and obedience are not meant to build our self-confidence. They're meant to make us long for obedience and then, when we fail again, they're meant to crush us and drive us to Christ."

Give Them Grace, by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson, p.12, 33, 36

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matt. 11: 28-30

**********************

On the salvation and happiness of our children:

"We were never meant to carry the ultimate responsibility  for anyone's soul: neither our own nor our children's. Only the Good Shepherd is strong enough to carry a soul-- that's his job, not ours. And although this committed parenting appears godly, it is nothing less than works righteousness and idolatry." Give Them Grace, p. 54-55


There is nothing that I can do or say that will ever make my kids "get saved". On the other hand, I can never mess up so badly as to make them turn away. Salvation is always by the power of God. He alone saves and He alone transforms.

What a relief, and, humanly speaking, how terrifying! It all comes down to faith and trust in a good, loving, and just God.

Do I trust Him? Do I actively trust Him? It will be evident in the way I parent my kids.

**********************

Have I ever mentioned just how sweet my husband is? He brings me coffee in bed or up to our bedroom while I'm getting ready nearly every morning. It's one of my favorite parts of the day.

**********************

Jacob: "This is the worse day of my life!"

A stomach bug hit him fast and hard. Thankfully he recovered by the end of the day, and no one else came down with it. I practically quarantined him to my bedroom, and I disinfected everything he came in contact with. After throwing up for the fifth or sixth time, when he wasn't sure he was done, I asked him to wait in the bathroom for a second while I ran downstairs for something. I was back in less than a minute and found him sleeping on the floor. Poor guy. He was the most pitiful patient.

***********************

An observation:

Someone is most likely to have an accident in a bed of freshly changed linens than in a bed that needs to be changed. And though we've been fortunate in that we don't have habitual bed-wetters, if one kid has an accident, another kid is likely to follow the very next night. Strange how that can be.

In contrast, a slice of bread usually falls face up around here.

Example of what I frequently find on my bed:

***********************

Relationship with Husband vs. Children:

Marriage comes before children and is permanent. I am his and he is mine.

Children are not our own. We raise and train them to go out into the world to do and be what God calls them to.  They are our stewardship, and only borrowed for a time. We raise them knowing that we must cheerfully let them go and entrust them to Him.

A husband, on the other hand, will be there long after the kids are gone. Husband and wife are joined together, never to be separated. They are one. If I don't make my relationship with my husband a priority, my children will grow up seeing a family model that is not according to God's desire, and therefore doesn't bring him glory.

If I don't prioritize Jon above my children, I will not be the kind of mother God calls me to be.

***********************

From old sermon notes I found on Philippians 4:13, which says:

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

In context, this verse is about contentment in the midst of trial, difficult circumstances, or adversity.

Contentment is characterized by steadfast faith, accepting God's sovereign control over all things. It is demonstrated by a thankful spirit, a heart of joy and satisfaction.

Why? How? Because by gaining Christ we have everything.

**********************

I caught this grasshopper myself, thinking I'd score a point or two with the boys. They were happy for a little pet, but totally unimpressed by my act of bravery.

***********************

Regarding boys and bathrooms:

My boys are in charge of keeping the bathrooms clean. Well, really, it's mainly my job but they have to wipe down the counter, sink, toilet and floor each day. I've given them a spray bottle with diluted vinegar so they don't have to breathe in chemicals or risk injury if they accidentally spray their eyes (which is likely to happen, you know), and a roll of paper towel. It is my way to bring to their attention just how gross they can be in the bathroom. I figure that if they see the drips they've made, and the globs of toothpaste, then they might be more careful.

I came across a cute sign that said, "My aim is to keep the bathroom clean; Your aim helps." I've thought of posting such a sign to the underside of the toilet lid.

So here's my questions: How do I get them to consistently remember to flush and keep the toilet seat down? Any suggestions? Please?!

************************

I am pretty much obsessed with bed-head, and boys who cuddle in the morning. I just love it.

*****************

 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved."

Acts 16:31

Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live also."

John 14:19

***********

~Katherine