Our July playdate will be on Friday, July 16 at 10:00 am at Grandview Park in Waukesha. The park is on Grandview Blvd just after Summit Ave. I checked it out today and it seems very little kid friendly. You probably want to park on one of the side streets on either side of the park (Easy St or Pine St - I think).
Let's hope for nice weather! See you there!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Gifts From God
Children are a gift from God! They are tiny packages filled with tremendous potential, given to bring great blessing - as well as a challenge here and there! God gives them to us, not to be possessed or controlled, but to be loved and nurtured.
Each little bundle is created with the greatest care in the mother's womb, woven carefully in God's own image. No two children are exactly alike. Each child has a distinct and unique personality with strengths and weaknesses, gifts and abilities, desires and dreams to be nutured and molded with love, discipline, and instruction. God has a perfect plan for each child's life - a future with purpose and hope.
Just as proper nutrition is needed for children to develop strong and healthy bodies, the pure milk of God's Word is vital to nourish the heart and character of every child. And God uses a parent's love not only to teach and instruct but also to wrap a child's heart with the warmth of comfort, protection, and blessing.
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:2-3 NIV
-Karla Dornacher from "Love In Every Room"
Each little bundle is created with the greatest care in the mother's womb, woven carefully in God's own image. No two children are exactly alike. Each child has a distinct and unique personality with strengths and weaknesses, gifts and abilities, desires and dreams to be nutured and molded with love, discipline, and instruction. God has a perfect plan for each child's life - a future with purpose and hope.
Just as proper nutrition is needed for children to develop strong and healthy bodies, the pure milk of God's Word is vital to nourish the heart and character of every child. And God uses a parent's love not only to teach and instruct but also to wrap a child's heart with the warmth of comfort, protection, and blessing.
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:2-3 NIV
-Karla Dornacher from "Love In Every Room"
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Looking Down the Road
An excerpt from Lisa Whelchel's book "Creative Correction" :
When our children are young, it's easy to become myopic, or shortsighted, in our vision. We zoom around, putting out the fires in front of us, always keeping a fire extinguisher handy, but never taking the time to think about installing a water-sprinkler system for the future. It's important, however, that we stop every so often in the midst of firefighting to look down the road. Are we still guiding our children in the right direction?
You know what happens if you stare at your feet while walking. You begin to lose your balance and don't even realize you've veered off course until it's too late. We need to pause in our journey and take a good, long, loving look at our little ones. We need to take the time to assess their strengths and weaknesses and evaluate what those same character traits will look like down the road in a teenager and, eventually, in an adult.
Sneaking a cookie from the jar when Mom isn't looking is easily punishable with a slap on the hand. Sneaking a pair of earrings from the local mall may also be handled by a slap on the wrist - with handcuffs. Cheating at a board game may result in being sent back to "Start." Cheating on a test in high school will also send you home - possibly in expulsion. Getting angry and hitting a parent would warrant a time-out. Getting angry and hitting a teacher could warrant another form of "time-out" - behind bars.
Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that if little Susie steals a cookie, she's going to end up in jail someday. What I am saying is this: Ignoring moral issues when the implications are toddler- size can reap perilous, teenager- size repercussions. We can't avoid our children's peccadilloes forever - but when would you rather deal with these moral and character issues? When your child is five years old or 15?
When our children are young, it's easy to become myopic, or shortsighted, in our vision. We zoom around, putting out the fires in front of us, always keeping a fire extinguisher handy, but never taking the time to think about installing a water-sprinkler system for the future. It's important, however, that we stop every so often in the midst of firefighting to look down the road. Are we still guiding our children in the right direction?
You know what happens if you stare at your feet while walking. You begin to lose your balance and don't even realize you've veered off course until it's too late. We need to pause in our journey and take a good, long, loving look at our little ones. We need to take the time to assess their strengths and weaknesses and evaluate what those same character traits will look like down the road in a teenager and, eventually, in an adult.
Sneaking a cookie from the jar when Mom isn't looking is easily punishable with a slap on the hand. Sneaking a pair of earrings from the local mall may also be handled by a slap on the wrist - with handcuffs. Cheating at a board game may result in being sent back to "Start." Cheating on a test in high school will also send you home - possibly in expulsion. Getting angry and hitting a parent would warrant a time-out. Getting angry and hitting a teacher could warrant another form of "time-out" - behind bars.
Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that if little Susie steals a cookie, she's going to end up in jail someday. What I am saying is this: Ignoring moral issues when the implications are toddler- size can reap perilous, teenager- size repercussions. We can't avoid our children's peccadilloes forever - but when would you rather deal with these moral and character issues? When your child is five years old or 15?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Zoo Playdate Reminder
Just a reminder - this Friday is our playdate at the zoo! Please, please, please let me know if you are coming. It is very hard to plan these playdates without knowing who is planning on coming.
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Summer Vacation
Hello, Summer! -- (A Last Day of School Poem)
by
Gregory K.
Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.
Goodbye, quizzes!
Bye, reports!
Hello days packed full of sports
And days when I’m just lazybones
While eating melty ice cream cones.
Goodbye, homework --
Lunchroom, too.
There’s so, so much I wanna do.
I know the school year flew on past…
But please, please summer -- last and last.
Summer Vacation
by Jamie (in honor of Mommies everywhere)
Hello, children
Darlings each.
Let's all head out for the beach
Or to the park or to the pool
Or anyplace that's really cool.
Hello, fighting
Hello, stress
Why is this house such a mess?
I cannot think with all this noise.
Girls, please separate from the boys.
Goodbye, Sanity
And freedom, too.
I can't think of new activities to do.
I know the school year flew by fast
So please, PLEASE summer - don't last and last!!
by
Gregory K.
Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.
Goodbye, quizzes!
Bye, reports!
Hello days packed full of sports
And days when I’m just lazybones
While eating melty ice cream cones.
Goodbye, homework --
Lunchroom, too.
There’s so, so much I wanna do.
I know the school year flew on past…
But please, please summer -- last and last.
Summer Vacation
by Jamie (in honor of Mommies everywhere)
Hello, children
Darlings each.
Let's all head out for the beach
Or to the park or to the pool
Or anyplace that's really cool.
Hello, fighting
Hello, stress
Why is this house such a mess?
I cannot think with all this noise.
Girls, please separate from the boys.
Goodbye, Sanity
And freedom, too.
I can't think of new activities to do.
I know the school year flew by fast
So please, PLEASE summer - don't last and last!!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Letter of Blessing
Steve Lynn is a business executive in Nashville. At each milestone in his children's lives, he writes them a letter of blessing such as the one below. It's a precious tradition, and the letters will certainly be treasures for his children to keep forever.
A letter of blessing for Laura Whitney Lynn as she begins middle school:
My dear Whitney,
Our chosen little baby, tomorrow is another major passage as you become a beautiful, unique young lady. Your Mother and I are grateful for you. We are proud of your external and internal beauty, your bright exploring mind, mothering instincts, loving heart, and creativity.
Through Christ our Lord, I bless you and pray God's blessings upon this step and throughout your life journey. I pray for self-discipline, focus, and commitment to excellence; for balance and enjoyment of the journey; for lots of good friends; and for a focus on relationships rather than things. I encourage you to understand that true freedom comes only from a call to personal responsibilty to our fellow man and to our creator.
You have already experienced some of life's hurts. I praise you for how you have overcome them, and I continue to pray daily that you will be surrounded by God's protective angels. You are God's child given to Mom and me for a time until, in a few short years, you are fully ready to be a responsible adult. We are so thankful that you and God chose us. May our Lord bless and keep you.
Love, Dad
-Cheri Fuller from "The Fragrance of Kindness"
A great book to read that deals with this same topic is called "The Blessing" by Gary Smalley and John Trent, PhD. This book can help you if you have missed out on the blessing from your parents and shows how to give the blessing to your children and others in your life.
A letter of blessing for Laura Whitney Lynn as she begins middle school:
My dear Whitney,
Our chosen little baby, tomorrow is another major passage as you become a beautiful, unique young lady. Your Mother and I are grateful for you. We are proud of your external and internal beauty, your bright exploring mind, mothering instincts, loving heart, and creativity.
Through Christ our Lord, I bless you and pray God's blessings upon this step and throughout your life journey. I pray for self-discipline, focus, and commitment to excellence; for balance and enjoyment of the journey; for lots of good friends; and for a focus on relationships rather than things. I encourage you to understand that true freedom comes only from a call to personal responsibilty to our fellow man and to our creator.
You have already experienced some of life's hurts. I praise you for how you have overcome them, and I continue to pray daily that you will be surrounded by God's protective angels. You are God's child given to Mom and me for a time until, in a few short years, you are fully ready to be a responsible adult. We are so thankful that you and God chose us. May our Lord bless and keep you.
Love, Dad
-Cheri Fuller from "The Fragrance of Kindness"
A great book to read that deals with this same topic is called "The Blessing" by Gary Smalley and John Trent, PhD. This book can help you if you have missed out on the blessing from your parents and shows how to give the blessing to your children and others in your life.
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