At this point in the school year, I know many of you are dreading Mondays, right? Did you know that we subconsciously build this into our children also? Yep...that's right - they are listening - to EVERY word we say (except when we want them to of course!)
Chad and I have talked about this so many times - if you stop to think about it, we condition our children to act a certain way by the way we act, things we say and the expectations we set for them - even if we don't realize it! For instance, how many times have your children heard you mention "oh...it's Monday again!" or "Let's try to have a good Monday this week"...thereby somehow declaring that Mondays are terrible days and that we have to make an extra effort to get through them! We are setting them up to start off the week horribly! And, not only that, we blame our poor attitudes/behaviors on it being Monday - like that is some sort of excuse! (Makes you want to skip ahead to Tuesday doesn't it!)
What else do we do this with???? Think about it - we have given our children "permission" to be terrible just because they are two, rebellious just because they are a teenager and irresponsible just because they are boys! How ridiculous! In thinking about our decision to homeschool, one very big plus of keeping your children at home is that there is no one to tell them that they are getting to the age when it is "not cool" to hang out with your mom and dad...that they are getting "too big" for hugs in front of their friends and that being a "teacher's pet" and following the rules is a bad thing! Oh....I know that they will be exposed to some of this because they go to church, the YMCA and other places with kids - but, it will be countered some by what messages we are sending at home. We are trying to consciously talk with our kids about "doing hard things" and that they are not too young to follow God...that David was a young boys when he purposed in his heart to follow God and, that even at their young age they can glorify God with their lives - but not if they are worried about what others think of them. We are trying to be overt in telling our kids that they will never be too old to listen to us and that there is never an excuse for sin in our lives. Now, before any of you tell us that "just wait - when they get to be a teenager..."....ok, ok, ok! We know the boys are not yet teenagers and that they will not be perfect! Remember, you don't judge by the behavior of the boys - but the reaction of the parents! We are NOT PERFECT! But, the point of all this rambling is this....let's be careful that we are not expecting bad behavior, attitudes and SIN by excusing it as a normal stage, a phase, or "typical" behavior. Let's talk openly with our kids about our expectations, our shortcomings/sins and God's requirements of us.
In closing, an example: Sometimes folks at church will say things to me about my boys or their behavior in front of them....one particular night at church a well-meaning lady walked up and said something about the boys being sweet and mannerly on this particular occasion. Not sure how to respond in every situation - I simply said "thank you" and then made a comment about them being "all boy" at times but that they were good boys....when we got in the car, the boys were prepped and ready. They both laid into me with the questions of what is "all boy" and does that mean that they are bad? I tried to explain what the expression meant and realized that I had made it sound like a bad thing to be all boy! Of course not! We discussed how being "all boy" can imply that they like to be rough and tumble, get into sports, etc. and general things like that....then I explained that I did not mean to allude to the idea that they were 'bad' in any way and that I thought they were very good boys! WOW - long explanation and extreme situation -off of a comment made "off the cuff"....imagine how they would have felt and what they would have thought if they had never asked me! I am so glad that they did!
So....all of this to say - enjoy your Monday! Make it a great one! And make a effort to track the messages we are sending to our kids about our expectations and excuses!
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Bro. Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two wonderful little boys!
Showing posts with label Madison street Baptist church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madison street Baptist church. Show all posts
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
More....
6. The third time Samuel goes into Eli to find out why he was being called, Eli realizes who it is calling the boy and simply says – answer! Eli does not feel the need to explain that Samuel is too young to hear God or that Samuel must do x,y,z to hear God – he simply says – “answer Him”. Now think about this – when Samuel is heading back to his room, realizing that God is speaking to him about something – what do you think this boy is thinking? I believe that although Eli was a wretched man and priest with his own sons, Samuel was still exposed to spiritual things in the temple and he was walking back to his room exercising faith. Samuel was planning on answering the Most High God and was willing to listen to anything He had to say to him. Samuel was a child, but he had more faith than we do sometimes. How many times have we prayed never believing that God would answer us? How many times has God clearly told us to move and we stubbornly plant our feet waiting for a “sign”? Let’s train our children to simply answer God and be ready for whatever they hear! How do we do this?
Well, a lot of parents do not know how to hear God! There are so many out there that are waiting for that “sign” that God will speak to them through….or those that respond to something in their lives because they had “godbumps” or “chills”…how can we teach our children to listen for God to speak when we have no idea what we are listening for! Feelings and emotions are from our hearts – and, as we have already seen – our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9) and we cannot trust them! We cannot go on a “feeling of peace” or a tenderness we feel toward something. How many times have we uttered these phrases? God can use our emotions to confirm in us what He has already said or as a result of our move toward obedience, but we cannot rely on our emotions as a guidepost or a map. What is our source of truth? Where can we turn to hear God speak?
We have an entire book of His Words! We have an entire revelation that is complete, inerrant, infalliable and eternal! Why do we expect that God owes us another revelation – just for us – in our methods? He has given us the Word of God AND the Holy Spirit to make it completely applicable and individualized in our lives! The Word of God is clear and complete and, if we would simply absorb it and know it thoroughly – we would have everything we need to know! The Holy Spirit gives us insight into the meaning of the Scriptures and how our lives should conform to what we are reading – but we are not looking for some “extra revelation” or something contrary to scripture! As we read the Word of God and study it each day, we are being prepared for what lies ahead. The Bible teaches us that we will be equipped for everything He calls us to! (2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. ) If we are faithfully studying and learning, we will be ready for what comes our way or, when things still shock us, we will be prepared to respond in a manner that glorifies God. The problem is that too many times, we are “skipping school” when He has prepared important lessons for us! Or, we are approaching the Word of God as a “quick fix” where, instead of reading it in context and consistently, we search for the one verse that says what we want to hear and we apply it to our situations! Now, there is nothing wrong with going to Scripture for encouragement or reassurance in times of need – don’t get me wrong! But if we are faithfully in the Word and learning, then when those times of need come about, many times those verses we need are made readily available in our minds through the work of the Holy Spirit and what we have learned. God does not intend our lives to be spent simply reacting to everything that happens to us and floundering from one crisis to another – He expects us to live by His book on a daily basis and, when we know His Word – we have our guidepost/map to live by!
Samuel was ready to listen – ready to hear from God because He knew His Word…If God had something for Samuel to do, then he was ready to move – he would not run from God, he would not avoid the task set before him, he was simply ready to say “speak Lord, for your servant hears.”
Well, a lot of parents do not know how to hear God! There are so many out there that are waiting for that “sign” that God will speak to them through….or those that respond to something in their lives because they had “godbumps” or “chills”…how can we teach our children to listen for God to speak when we have no idea what we are listening for! Feelings and emotions are from our hearts – and, as we have already seen – our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9) and we cannot trust them! We cannot go on a “feeling of peace” or a tenderness we feel toward something. How many times have we uttered these phrases? God can use our emotions to confirm in us what He has already said or as a result of our move toward obedience, but we cannot rely on our emotions as a guidepost or a map. What is our source of truth? Where can we turn to hear God speak?
We have an entire book of His Words! We have an entire revelation that is complete, inerrant, infalliable and eternal! Why do we expect that God owes us another revelation – just for us – in our methods? He has given us the Word of God AND the Holy Spirit to make it completely applicable and individualized in our lives! The Word of God is clear and complete and, if we would simply absorb it and know it thoroughly – we would have everything we need to know! The Holy Spirit gives us insight into the meaning of the Scriptures and how our lives should conform to what we are reading – but we are not looking for some “extra revelation” or something contrary to scripture! As we read the Word of God and study it each day, we are being prepared for what lies ahead. The Bible teaches us that we will be equipped for everything He calls us to! (2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. ) If we are faithfully studying and learning, we will be ready for what comes our way or, when things still shock us, we will be prepared to respond in a manner that glorifies God. The problem is that too many times, we are “skipping school” when He has prepared important lessons for us! Or, we are approaching the Word of God as a “quick fix” where, instead of reading it in context and consistently, we search for the one verse that says what we want to hear and we apply it to our situations! Now, there is nothing wrong with going to Scripture for encouragement or reassurance in times of need – don’t get me wrong! But if we are faithfully in the Word and learning, then when those times of need come about, many times those verses we need are made readily available in our minds through the work of the Holy Spirit and what we have learned. God does not intend our lives to be spent simply reacting to everything that happens to us and floundering from one crisis to another – He expects us to live by His book on a daily basis and, when we know His Word – we have our guidepost/map to live by!
Samuel was ready to listen – ready to hear from God because He knew His Word…If God had something for Samuel to do, then he was ready to move – he would not run from God, he would not avoid the task set before him, he was simply ready to say “speak Lord, for your servant hears.”
Thursday, February 12, 2009
First Time Obedience...the How and Why!
Ok...we looked at why intermittent responses to bad behavior actually INGRAINS the behavior into the child in our last post...but how do we expect our children to obey the first time we tell them to do something - and why is it important?
You are in your home, doing schoolwork and you tell your 8 year old son to take out the garbage after he finishes his mathwork...Later that afternoon, you remind your son that he was supposed to take out the garbage and state that he needs to go ahead and do it when he finishes the program he is watching on TV. Suffice it to say, that night about 10:00 you are taking out the garbage before you head off to bed! What goes wrong?
Of course, looking at this, we all go "Oh, well - that would never happen in our house because I would follow through after the first time he didn't do it! The TV would have been off and he would have had to do it right then!"...ok...but how often do we follow through after the first time we tell our child "no" about something and they pout? How about all the times we tell them to clean their rooms and it is not done?
Let's do a little test. Ready? See if you have ever mentioned the following phrases in your home:
"I'm not telling you again!"
"I asked you earlier..."
"One...two...three"
"Don't make me repeat myself!"
"What did I say?...You heard me..."
Oh...the list goes on! All the phrases that hold harmless threats of "I'm not going to tell you again" when our children KNOW that we ARE going to tell them again! And the old "One...two...three"...we have just told our child that they can disobey us two times - as long as they get their act together by the time I get to three! (If we ever get to three - what happens then? Does the Earth begin to crumble, does Mom's head explode?)
Why do we want our children to obey us the first time we tell them something? Yes, so we can have a more peaceful household and homeschool, so we get more done through the day, so we enjoy being around each other more with less fighting and tension...all of those reasons! But, more importantly, because our Father expects US to obey the first time He tells us to do something! God never counts to three with us when He gives us a command! He doesn't tell us to move away from sin and then start in with the "I am not telling you again!"...
He says clearly in His Word, in Deuteronomy 11:26 - 28
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
By all means, the Lord has incredible mercy on me for all my disobedience...I cannot tell you how many times He has given me another opportunity to obey the same commandment! But, it is clear in Scripture that as a Christian, I will answer for every act, or thought, of disobedience! How many times has He told me to lay down a sin in my life and I refused - I held it dear, until one day He takes it out of my life or makes me so miserable in it that I finally relinquish it! My disobedience has consequences, here and at judgement. Think of the Isrealites walking in the desert - they had the opportunity for the Promised Land and blew it - there was a punishment for that disobedience. Even though they came back and said, "Ok, we'll do it" - the punishment was measured out. But, it was lesson they learned!
In all, I believe we do harm to our kids when we teach them that they have three chances to obey us, or when we give warning after warning...we teach them that we do not expect obedience from them. We also teach them our "breaking points" - you know, that point at which they can no longer ignore us without consequences. Expecting first time obedience teaches our children Biblical authority AND responsibility. Not to mention, that it keeps us from blowing our testimony and acting horrible!
So...how do we do it? Keep reading tomorrow!
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two boys who obey better than Mama does sometimes!
You are in your home, doing schoolwork and you tell your 8 year old son to take out the garbage after he finishes his mathwork...Later that afternoon, you remind your son that he was supposed to take out the garbage and state that he needs to go ahead and do it when he finishes the program he is watching on TV. Suffice it to say, that night about 10:00 you are taking out the garbage before you head off to bed! What goes wrong?
Of course, looking at this, we all go "Oh, well - that would never happen in our house because I would follow through after the first time he didn't do it! The TV would have been off and he would have had to do it right then!"...ok...but how often do we follow through after the first time we tell our child "no" about something and they pout? How about all the times we tell them to clean their rooms and it is not done?
Let's do a little test. Ready? See if you have ever mentioned the following phrases in your home:
"I'm not telling you again!"
"I asked you earlier..."
"One...two...three"
"Don't make me repeat myself!"
"What did I say?...You heard me..."
Oh...the list goes on! All the phrases that hold harmless threats of "I'm not going to tell you again" when our children KNOW that we ARE going to tell them again! And the old "One...two...three"...we have just told our child that they can disobey us two times - as long as they get their act together by the time I get to three! (If we ever get to three - what happens then? Does the Earth begin to crumble, does Mom's head explode?)
Why do we want our children to obey us the first time we tell them something? Yes, so we can have a more peaceful household and homeschool, so we get more done through the day, so we enjoy being around each other more with less fighting and tension...all of those reasons! But, more importantly, because our Father expects US to obey the first time He tells us to do something! God never counts to three with us when He gives us a command! He doesn't tell us to move away from sin and then start in with the "I am not telling you again!"...
He says clearly in His Word, in Deuteronomy 11:26 - 28
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
By all means, the Lord has incredible mercy on me for all my disobedience...I cannot tell you how many times He has given me another opportunity to obey the same commandment! But, it is clear in Scripture that as a Christian, I will answer for every act, or thought, of disobedience! How many times has He told me to lay down a sin in my life and I refused - I held it dear, until one day He takes it out of my life or makes me so miserable in it that I finally relinquish it! My disobedience has consequences, here and at judgement. Think of the Isrealites walking in the desert - they had the opportunity for the Promised Land and blew it - there was a punishment for that disobedience. Even though they came back and said, "Ok, we'll do it" - the punishment was measured out. But, it was lesson they learned!
In all, I believe we do harm to our kids when we teach them that they have three chances to obey us, or when we give warning after warning...we teach them that we do not expect obedience from them. We also teach them our "breaking points" - you know, that point at which they can no longer ignore us without consequences. Expecting first time obedience teaches our children Biblical authority AND responsibility. Not to mention, that it keeps us from blowing our testimony and acting horrible!
So...how do we do it? Keep reading tomorrow!
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two boys who obey better than Mama does sometimes!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Everyday Talk and John Younts...How Dare He!
Ok...how many times have you been on the phone and the kids are going crazy around you? You put your hand over the phone and tell them to "be quiet and quit running around this house!" - nicely of course! After 2-3 more pleas with them to quit running and be quiet, you are not as nice anymore....after all, you are still on the phone and this happens every time you get on the phone! Then, it happens....you hear the crash...glass breaking...yep, you know what happened!
Now it is time! You tell the person on the other end "sorry - gotta go" and then you round the corner to find "the look" on your child...the one where they have suddenly become very religious and they are begging Jesus to come back NOW! They know what is coming - and they know you mean business!
All of us can relate to this...and, unfortunately this is common to all of us! When I read a similar story to this in Everyday Talk and, I must confess I wanted to shut the book and start a letter writing campaign to have the author stoned outside the city gates! I was furious for days! Do you know what he had the gall to say? Do you know what HE stated about MY parenting?
He reminded me that if my child believed I was serious about the "no running" the first time I said it, then the broken glass would have never happened. After all, it was not serious enough for me to address it earlier - I never got off the phone to reinforce what I was saying. Actually, what I just did was teach my child that it is ok to disobey me unless you break something! I just reinforced their disobedience and actually sent the clear message that, "as long as you don't break anything, you can run all you want while I am busy"...not what I intended! Now I have learned this for years in my psychology and counseling courses - of course I know this! Yeah, right...everything is different when you are the parent in an emotional situation dealing with your children! It takes slowing down, thinking clearly and remembering that "these kids" are actually a gift from the Lord that He has entrusted to your care and for you to TEACH and RAISE to follow HIM! Ouch...
There is nothing easy about parenting - nothing as self-less and demanding as parenting properly! Younts reminded me that my refusal to pay attention to what was going on and refusal to "back up" my words with action, was actually ingraining the behavior in my child more! Like a gambler, I am building the same reaction into my child - It's ok to lose some...because you might get away with it for a while! Intermittent reinforcement (behavior that does not get addressed EVERY time it happens) is actually the HARDEST behavior to change!
So....if you, like me, saw yourself in this example more than you would like to admit....you know what you have to do! BOOT CAMP! That's right - it is time to put you and your child on notice - you are going to boot camp for that behavior! Warn your child that you are going to expect obedience to your directions THE FIRST TIME YOU SAY IT! Then, the next time you give a direction and they ignore it?...well, follow through! Remind them of what you said - remind them of why (that obedience must be shown the first time) and then impose consequences...
Tomorrow...why obedience should be shown the first time and how to get them to follow it! What do you do if they don't?
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two (used to be) running little boys!
Now it is time! You tell the person on the other end "sorry - gotta go" and then you round the corner to find "the look" on your child...the one where they have suddenly become very religious and they are begging Jesus to come back NOW! They know what is coming - and they know you mean business!
All of us can relate to this...and, unfortunately this is common to all of us! When I read a similar story to this in Everyday Talk and, I must confess I wanted to shut the book and start a letter writing campaign to have the author stoned outside the city gates! I was furious for days! Do you know what he had the gall to say? Do you know what HE stated about MY parenting?
He reminded me that if my child believed I was serious about the "no running" the first time I said it, then the broken glass would have never happened. After all, it was not serious enough for me to address it earlier - I never got off the phone to reinforce what I was saying. Actually, what I just did was teach my child that it is ok to disobey me unless you break something! I just reinforced their disobedience and actually sent the clear message that, "as long as you don't break anything, you can run all you want while I am busy"...not what I intended! Now I have learned this for years in my psychology and counseling courses - of course I know this! Yeah, right...everything is different when you are the parent in an emotional situation dealing with your children! It takes slowing down, thinking clearly and remembering that "these kids" are actually a gift from the Lord that He has entrusted to your care and for you to TEACH and RAISE to follow HIM! Ouch...
There is nothing easy about parenting - nothing as self-less and demanding as parenting properly! Younts reminded me that my refusal to pay attention to what was going on and refusal to "back up" my words with action, was actually ingraining the behavior in my child more! Like a gambler, I am building the same reaction into my child - It's ok to lose some...because you might get away with it for a while! Intermittent reinforcement (behavior that does not get addressed EVERY time it happens) is actually the HARDEST behavior to change!
So....if you, like me, saw yourself in this example more than you would like to admit....you know what you have to do! BOOT CAMP! That's right - it is time to put you and your child on notice - you are going to boot camp for that behavior! Warn your child that you are going to expect obedience to your directions THE FIRST TIME YOU SAY IT! Then, the next time you give a direction and they ignore it?...well, follow through! Remind them of what you said - remind them of why (that obedience must be shown the first time) and then impose consequences...
Tomorrow...why obedience should be shown the first time and how to get them to follow it! What do you do if they don't?
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two (used to be) running little boys!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Are We Teaching Them In Our "Everyday Talk"?
Ok...I have read this great book by John Younts about 2 years ago maybe...and in the move this book stood out to be as one to re-read. You know, when you are putting things away and something grabs your attention? Well, I have pulled this book back out and, despite my growing reading list, I have re-read through this book over the past week and I am reminded at just how great this book is to call out my imperfections and shortcomings - you know, just the kind of book you love to hate!
So, as misery loves company, let me see if any of you "fall short" like I do (of course not, I know it is just me!). Let's start where everything should: the Word of God!
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "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." So, pretty much all day, everyday right? So, is it safe to say that we are to put the commandments into our everyday life in such a way that our children see and learn them from us on a regular basis? How successfully are we placing the law of God before our children on a daily basis?
Ok, most of us pat ourselves on the back for having them in church on Sundays and Wednesdays, we say the blessing with them at dinner and we even push to have prayer time at bedtime...but are we keeping the commandments, the law of God, before them when we are walking/driving, when we are sitting, when we are teaching schoolwork, when we are talking with friends, when we are visiting family, etc.?
Now, before you go into the parent's lecture about hours in the day, work schedules and doing our best....let's remember what we are dealing with here (remember, I am right there beside you on this road!)...let's remember WHY we do these things:
Solomon, after witnessing the destruction in the wake of King David's sin (his father) and the heartbreak that resulted from it, is pleading with children to heed wisdom and warnings of their parents and avoid that same heartbreak: Proverbs 4
"Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a boy in my father's house
still tender and an only child of my mother,
he taught me and said,
"Lay hold of my words with all your heart,
keep my commands and you will live.
Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
Do not forsake wisdom and she will protect you...
I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber til they make someone fall....
My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words,
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or the left,
keep your foot from evil.
Is this not what we would want for our children? Is this not the plea of every parent? How firm are our "everyday words" that they can hold on to? Can they "pay attention to what I say and listen closely to my words" on a daily basis? Am I giving them wisdom and guidance that will keep them on a firm path? I fear not...my everyday words are filled with do's and don'ts and far too few "the Bible says"...
Next blog, how do we change our "Everyday Talk" to make an impact on our children for eternity and what in the world is "Parentspeak"?
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two wonderful boys!
So, as misery loves company, let me see if any of you "fall short" like I do (of course not, I know it is just me!). Let's start where everything should: the Word of God!
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "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." So, pretty much all day, everyday right? So, is it safe to say that we are to put the commandments into our everyday life in such a way that our children see and learn them from us on a regular basis? How successfully are we placing the law of God before our children on a daily basis?
Ok, most of us pat ourselves on the back for having them in church on Sundays and Wednesdays, we say the blessing with them at dinner and we even push to have prayer time at bedtime...but are we keeping the commandments, the law of God, before them when we are walking/driving, when we are sitting, when we are teaching schoolwork, when we are talking with friends, when we are visiting family, etc.?
Now, before you go into the parent's lecture about hours in the day, work schedules and doing our best....let's remember what we are dealing with here (remember, I am right there beside you on this road!)...let's remember WHY we do these things:
Solomon, after witnessing the destruction in the wake of King David's sin (his father) and the heartbreak that resulted from it, is pleading with children to heed wisdom and warnings of their parents and avoid that same heartbreak: Proverbs 4
"Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a boy in my father's house
still tender and an only child of my mother,
he taught me and said,
"Lay hold of my words with all your heart,
keep my commands and you will live.
Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
Do not forsake wisdom and she will protect you...
I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber til they make someone fall....
My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words,
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or the left,
keep your foot from evil.
Is this not what we would want for our children? Is this not the plea of every parent? How firm are our "everyday words" that they can hold on to? Can they "pay attention to what I say and listen closely to my words" on a daily basis? Am I giving them wisdom and guidance that will keep them on a firm path? I fear not...my everyday words are filled with do's and don'ts and far too few "the Bible says"...
Next blog, how do we change our "Everyday Talk" to make an impact on our children for eternity and what in the world is "Parentspeak"?
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama to two wonderful boys!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Everson Family is Thankful for Local Resources!
Ok...we have been in town two weeks...but things are finally starting to feel like home! We are unpacked and this week was our first week back to school. We are starting to get into a routine and beginning to develop our outlook for the days ahead. We have joined the local YMCA and they have homeschooler's PE classes! Mondays and Fridays are the PE classes, Wednesday afternoon is swimming team and we will be involved at Karate at Trinity Baptist on Wednesdays before Church as well. We are going to be busy! But, in this transition time, trying to meet new people - busy is not a bad thing!
We are looking at all the amazing opportunities for field trips and science investigations in Southaven, Olive Branch and Memphis - we will have no trouble finding things to do! While I don't want to be on the go any more than necessary, with all of our church things coming up, but I'm sure you understand, I want the kids to experience this area - this part of the Country. I am so thankful for the local resources that are available. I am so thankful for the Olive Branch Home Educator's Association and the new friend I met through them - it will be nice having support and having a group to field trip with in the days ahead!
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson at Trinity Baptist Church in Southaven, MS and proud Mama to two busy boys!
We are looking at all the amazing opportunities for field trips and science investigations in Southaven, Olive Branch and Memphis - we will have no trouble finding things to do! While I don't want to be on the go any more than necessary, with all of our church things coming up, but I'm sure you understand, I want the kids to experience this area - this part of the Country. I am so thankful for the local resources that are available. I am so thankful for the Olive Branch Home Educator's Association and the new friend I met through them - it will be nice having support and having a group to field trip with in the days ahead!
Michele Everson, Proud Wife of Pastor Chad Everson at Trinity Baptist Church in Southaven, MS and proud Mama to two busy boys!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Everson Family Wishes You a Happy Thanksgiving!
The Everson family would like to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Thanksgiving! I hope that your family, like ours, is taking time to simply be together and to remember just how bessed we truly are....the Lord has truly been good to us!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama of Two Wonderful Boys!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Michele Everson, Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson and
Proud Mama of Two Wonderful Boys!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
And finally, the "C" Personality Style
Ok...we have looked at Determined and Dominant children/students... Inspirational and Imaginative children/students... and even Steady and Sincere children/students... but what about those students who are Conscientious, Calculating, Compulsive at times? Those children who have to do things right and really get upset when they have to use the eraser side of the pencil? Yeah...you know the ones I'm talking about!
The "C" personality is one that is very task oriented and may frequently get "lost" in all that they have to do and not even realize that someone is speaking to them. This child is one who has to understand very clearly what the expectations are, what the parameters of the assignment include and any specific instructions...they will not be satisfied with a quick overview! These individuals make great accountants! They love detail and they are usually always right (they have a fear of being wrong!). They will check out a problem from every angle and think about possible areas of disagreement before ever making a decision to move forward on something...so decisions such as "what do you want for breakfast?" can turn into a 30 minute discussion on the pros/cons of poptarts (and telling them "it's no big deal" boggles their minds because everything is a big deal!)
These students will be motivated by clear goals/expectations, they like a challenge but only in areas that they have some confidence in their abilities, they like sincere appreciation for the things they do well, and they enjoy being given the time to do things well. This is a child who will be stressed when given an assignment on the spur of the moment, with very little instruction and then a time limit of only 10 minutes to get it done! Pop quizzes send them into tail spins...they should have had adequate time to prepare! If you have to confront this child on a mistake, have your facts straight and guns loaded - and then do it one on one and never in front of anyone....they MUST be right - so if you need to correct them, do it with sensitivity. Remind them that the eraser is there because we ALL make mistakes...Sometimes the greatest discoveries come from seeming failures! Great minds take mistakes and turn them into miracles! Remind them that the Bible says that we must be teachable and, although they know a great deal and have some real talents, they are not perfect and must be teacheable. They can benefit most from learning (at a young age), that they do need others!
Michele Everson
Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson
and Proud Homeschooling Mom of two wonderful boys!
The "C" personality is one that is very task oriented and may frequently get "lost" in all that they have to do and not even realize that someone is speaking to them. This child is one who has to understand very clearly what the expectations are, what the parameters of the assignment include and any specific instructions...they will not be satisfied with a quick overview! These individuals make great accountants! They love detail and they are usually always right (they have a fear of being wrong!). They will check out a problem from every angle and think about possible areas of disagreement before ever making a decision to move forward on something...so decisions such as "what do you want for breakfast?" can turn into a 30 minute discussion on the pros/cons of poptarts (and telling them "it's no big deal" boggles their minds because everything is a big deal!)
These students will be motivated by clear goals/expectations, they like a challenge but only in areas that they have some confidence in their abilities, they like sincere appreciation for the things they do well, and they enjoy being given the time to do things well. This is a child who will be stressed when given an assignment on the spur of the moment, with very little instruction and then a time limit of only 10 minutes to get it done! Pop quizzes send them into tail spins...they should have had adequate time to prepare! If you have to confront this child on a mistake, have your facts straight and guns loaded - and then do it one on one and never in front of anyone....they MUST be right - so if you need to correct them, do it with sensitivity. Remind them that the eraser is there because we ALL make mistakes...Sometimes the greatest discoveries come from seeming failures! Great minds take mistakes and turn them into miracles! Remind them that the Bible says that we must be teachable and, although they know a great deal and have some real talents, they are not perfect and must be teacheable. They can benefit most from learning (at a young age), that they do need others!
Michele Everson
Proud wife of Pastor Chad Everson
and Proud Homeschooling Mom of two wonderful boys!
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