Successful Parenting

What is successful parenting? Well, I guess that depends on what your goals are for your children.  Are you into sports?  Then I guess success means that your child becomes a professional athlete.  Success may mean that your child becomes a lawyer or a doctor.
 
  What if they don't make it to the Big Leagues?  What if she never becomes a rich doctor or a leading scientist? What if he doesn't fulfill all of your hopes and dreams?  Does that make you a failure as a parent?

What if your idea of success is a healthy child?  There are many American mamas that are obsessed with their child's health.  They tightly control their child's food and activities.  What happens if they should become ill with some horrible disease?  Does that make Mama a failure?

We all want what is best for our children.  We want them to be healthy, wealthy and wise.  We want them to be popular and well-liked.  We want them to be happy.

What I want is for my kids is for them to know that they are loved.  By God and by us, their parents.  They should know that we will try to instill the necessary discipline in them so that they can achieve whatever it is that God has for them, and the wisdom to follow God's will for their lives.

I also want them to know that I like them  I like being with them.  I like watching TV with them.  I love going to Disneyland with them.  There are no other people we would rather spend our time with than them.  We are not perfect parents, and only time will tell if we have been successful, but we love our kids.  If they know that, deep down inside, than I will be a happy mama.

Vacation

We had an amazing time.  First, we went to San Diego.  I had never been to San Diego as a vacation destination, and I am sorry now for that.  San Diego is beautiful.  The weather was indescribably lovely, especially when you consider that I live in the desert.

We started our journey very early, as we wanted to take advantage of the day.  The drive over was just as yucky as you might expect.  We did stop in Santee to see the Creation Museum.  That was very interesting.  Especially so was the Tabernacle that they had there.  Not exactly creation-related, but very Tom Cantor-related, so it made sense.  The symbolism in the Tabernacle is so powerful.

We then went to check in to our hotel, a very "iffy" Days Inn.  Ronnie got bitten by who-knows-what on the sofa bed.

We went to the beach to look around, as you can see above. We walked around Belmont Park, and that was fun.  We wanted to eat some of the junk food there, but we waited, as we were going to the Corvette Diner later.  We drove over to Coronado Island to check out the beaches there.  I want to live on Coronado Island!  The houses were beautiful and charming.  I've already checked out the prices.  We can buy a lovely one-bedroom cottage for 1.2 million. (!)  We also walked around the Del Coronado hotel.

We went to the Corvette Diner, which is really cool, except that we were really tired by then and the music was really loud.  It seems like a really fun place and the food was excellent.

The next day was spent getting sunburned. We ate at the Coyote Cafe in Old Town.  It was so good! Fresh, house-made tortillas were awesome!  Seems to be a "thing" here in San Diego, as I saw several restaurants with tortilla-makers out front making fresh, hot tortillas for people to buy or sample.  We walked around the museums of Old Town, which totally fascinates me.  Not so much my family, so we didn't linger at all the different places so much.  So ended the San Diego portion of our trip, and I was sad to leave.  We decided that we are coming back to this lovely place and spend some more time.

Taking vacations is not budget-friendly. That being said, there are times when there are more important things than the budget. My husband, as a pastor, has a job that is rewarding and demanding at the same time.  And he would have it no other way.  Occasionally, though, it is good and necessary to come away and just be with family.  Our kids blossom under the undivided attention of their father.  So, I'll have to take on a few more mystery shopping jobs, big deal. It was worth it.

A link-up!

Join us at Raising Homemakers for A homemaking Link-up!

How can I help stop abortion?

As Christian, as humans, we must believe that abortion is murder.   However, I am concerned.  All this uproar and outrage about selling parts of aborted babies is right and good.  But why now?  Isn't it just as bad to throw them into the trash or incinerator?

What to do?  We can't count on our politicians to do anything about it.  There are not enough real Christians in Congress to even be able to begin a debate about de-funding Planned Parenthood. Does marching in a protest help? It does make our voice heard, but no one is listening.

What can I do?  Volunteer in a pregnancy crisis center.  Want to do even more?  Go soul-winning!  Witness!  Share the gospel!  Get involved in your church's youth ministry.  Help your youth Pastor. Don't have a teen in the group? No problem!  Sponsor teens for camps and events.  Help with the youth group's outreach programs. Reach out to at-risk youth.  Young people who are saved and serving in their church are much less likely to even be in a position to want an abortion.  As someone wise once said, "It better to place a fence at the top of the hill, than an ambulance at the bottom".  

Amy Carmichael quote

Let us not be surprised 

when we have to face difficulties. 

When the wind blows hard on a tree,

 the roots stretch and grow the stronger,

 Let it be so with us. 

Let us not be weaklings, 

yielding to every wind that blows, 

but strong in spirit to resist.

People's minds are changed through observation 

and not through argument.

Will Rogers

Nehemiah!

I have been teaching from the book of Nehemiah for the past two weeks.  In this photo, supposedly, if you look down to the bottom, you can see part of the wall of Jerusalem that was constructed at that time.  I don't know if that's true, but it is a wall, and it is in Jerusalem, so I'll take it!

One thing that impresses me about Nehemiah was his patience.  He didn't just jump in and take over.  He waited, then he observed before making known what he wanted to do.  In my class of women, we know firsthand the pitfalls of jumping in impulsively to "help".  So often we make the mess worse by not observing and praying about how best to help.  I am so happy that the Word of God can teach us, not only how to be saved, but how to live here!

Lord, teach me patience and the skill of observation.  Help me to trust difficult situations to You, and not heed the urge to rush into situations without Your leading.