Fasting: Habits of a Child's Heart

Another habit:  Fasting from  Habits of a Child's Heart:  Raising your kids with the Spiritual Disciplines by Valerie Hess and Marti Watson Garlett.

I have fasted for brief times in my life.  I have seen a peace in it and how it is a way to humble ourselves before God in worship.  I would like to try to do this with more intention.  Fasting is typically done by giving up food for a period of time.  Of course we can fast in other ways.  Fasting from Facebook is one that I see people doing today or maybe it's giving up caffeine.  The interesting thing about fasting from food is that so many of us do use food as a replacement for something lacking in our lives or a way to deal with stress.  By fasting from food (for a short period) - something that we do need (we don't need Facebook) we have to look to God when we would normally just eat.  If we are stressed, instead of eating  ice cream we can pray - a much better response to stress anyway. 

Now I love tea, but I don't need tea.  It is my little "sereni-tea" during the day among family chaos.  I could fast from tea, and I have at times.  But I also like the idea of having my cup of tea in a quiet time with my prayer journal.  I usually pray and ask God if he is asking me to fast before I do.

Anyway, there were several ideas in this chapter of how to share this discipline with your children. 

Maybe you can give up sweets or snacks for a day or two or more.  I like the idea of putting some Bible verses in a cookie jar in your kitchen and when you are feeling like you need a little sweet treat, pull out a card from the cookie jar of Bible verses and see what sweet truth God may have for you.

I like the idea of fasting (if you can call it that) from complaining.  Every time we feel like we want to complain we give it to God and replace it with a blessing.

Have you fasted with your family?

Prayer: Habits of a Child's Heart

 

For February we read chapter two on Prayer from  Habits of a Child's Heart:  Raising your kids with the Spiritual Disciplines by Valerie Hess and Marti Watson Garlett.  It has been a great way to move into the Lenten season.  Prayer has been so central to my faith and relationship with God.  I have kept a prayer journal since I was a teenager.  It is my "Ebenezer" of sorts - a marking of God in my life.  I have been able to see how God has been working in my life and answering ALL my prayers.  I am in awe and amazement any time I think of it all.  Seeing His faithfulness in my life in the past gets me through the times when it is hard to see what is going on.  It has built my trust when I am in a wilderness or when I cannot see ahead of me or understand my circumstances.

 

Anyway, I only want the same prayer life or even better for my children.  I try to pray with them regularly and spontaneously.  I encourage them to record in some way God in their lives.  This chapter has many suggestions of encouraging and sharing the prayer habit in your and your children's lives.  Some ideas include:  a prayer "rule" (a regular time of prayer whether we feel like it or have anything to say or not), a prayer journal, memorizing prayers, and more.

 

How do you pray as a family?  How do you encourage your child's prayer life?

 

I feel prayer is so central to our faith.   I am hoping to share more prayer resources and books over the next couple of weeks that have really shaped our prayer life in our family.  Do you have any recommendations?

EMBRACING HOME

HOME ...

Have you heard any of these sayings?

Home is where the heart is. 
Home, sweet, home. 
There's no place like home.
Keep the home fires burning.
Make yourself at home.
Charity begins at home.
Close to home.
A good laugh is sunshine in a house.
A happy home is but an early heaven.
A house is built with boards and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
In our home let love abide, and bless all those who step inside

Have LOVE in your HEART and PEACE in your HOME

Having someplace to go is HOME . . . Having someone to love is FAMILY . . .
Having both is a BLESSING.

When children laugh and families play, home is where they want to stay.

Our home is filled with peace and rest – may all who enter in be blessed.
Sit long, Talk much, Laugh often

Welcome Home  

I wrote shortly after we moved last year about starting to feel at home in this new place.  And yet this world is not truly our home.  I am understanding that more and more.  I think I had hopes of finding that perfect house and perfect setting here.  But I was looking at it all from my point of view and my wants.  What makes a home?  Is it just a residence or a dwelling?  Where do we find home?  There's no perfect house or location.  Even if you had plenty of money and built your dream house - would it be perfect?  Probably not (that's a guess). 

I think home is not where but WHEN we are embracing our plans and life in God's hands knowing he loves us and he has our best.  We can trust all our dreams and desires to him when we are seeking and trusting him with all our heart.  It's not all about me right now.  Maybe I am here for my kids - this is the best place for them right now.  Or maybe it is for me and I don't see it yet or for my husband or for a way to serve.

So, I am embracing home.

Habits: Trying to be Soft Noodles

We were talking about Meditation - our spiritual disciple that we are focusing on this month.  The kids really liked the example about how meditating on the things of God softens our hearts like pasta in boiling water.

We are memorizing:  May me meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.  Psalm 104:34.

Would you like to join us this year as we focus on Habits of a Child's Heart?  Each month we will focus on a different spiritual discipline using the book Habits of a Child's Heart:  Raising your kids with the Spiritual Disciplines by Valerie Hess and Marti Watson Garlett.

Theme Word 2015: EMBRACE

I have known for a month or two that my word should be EMBRACE.  I have had a hard year adjusting to our new life in Colorado.  I know God has us where he wants us, but it hasn't been exactly where I have wanted to be.  So, I've complained and grumbled a little or a lot.  God has made it clear to me that I should EMBRACE where I am.  So, I will.  I will look with eyes open wide for his plan for us here, not just for me but for all of us in the family.  I can already see so many reasons and blessings to be here.  I will also look for what else God wants me to EMBRACE.

What does it mean to EMBRACE?  Hold closely in one's arms.  Accept or support willingly and enthusiastically.  Welcome with open arms.  Take to one's heart.  Adopt.  Receive gladly.  Accept readily.

So, we'll hug more each day.  I will embrace where God has me.  I will embrace God's Word and strive to take it to heart and to action.

Do you have a word for 2015?