Late have I loved you.
Beauty at once so ancient and so new.
Too late have I loved you.
You were within, and I was without, and I searched the world for you.
Clumsily, I rushed heedlessly among the lovely things you have made.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
Things kept me far from you, even though they were not at all unless they were in you. You called to me; You cried aloud to me; You broke through my barrier of deafness.
You shone upon me; Your radiance enveloped me; You put my blindness to flight.
You shed your fragrance about me; I drew breath and now I gasp for You; tasted You and now I hunger and thirst for You.
You touched me and I burned for Your Peace.
~St. Augustine ~Confessions
Friday, October 9, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
31 Ways To Pray For My Children...
I haven't posted in a while...We've been quite busy with our brand new, very first year of home schooling! Wow! It hasn't been very long yet, but WOW!!! That's all there really is to say! Ok, stressful...there's another word...wait, insane...ummm...crazy...very time consuming...your house work will suffer...your family will think you've lost it!
I wanted to quit after week one! I cried and cried...I thought, "How in the world am I actually going to be able to do this?! I can't do this, this is crazy!" But, then I realized I was actually right! I CAN'T do this...But, God CAN!
We prayed long and hard about the decision to home school and God provided the way...There were a ton of obstacles, hoops to jump through, brick walls, hills to climb, etc...But, when I finally let go and trusted in Him...Ta-Da! That was it, He provided in the most amazing ways! (One of the ways was, a super-duper abosolutely wonderful Titus 2 woman allowed herself to be used as a blessing to a family in need...I thank and praise God for her!)
Well, we were so super excited when we had all of our materials and curriculum! The first day we were like giddy "school girls" (hehehe...get it? Silly school girls? We home school...we're ummm...ok, never mind!) Then...DUN-DUN-DUN...the regular day-to-day responsibilities started pouring into my dream world of perfect home schooling!
AHHHH...was my first thought!
Second, I had a mini nervous break down and a mild heart attack!
Then third, I freaked out on my family like any kind, loving, peaceful, and gentle mom and wife would!
Then forth, and lastly, I freaked out on God! I locked myself in my room and prayed soooooooooooooooo hard! I told Him of the many reasons this was a huge mistake and how there was no way I could continue on this "task of insanity"! I asked Him how and why He would allow me (a nervous wreck) to even consider home schooling let alone start it?! There was much more I said to Him, until all of a sudden I realized I was just talking, talking, talking...talking at Him...Him...my Lord...my Lord that gave me breath, that gave me my beautiful children, that gave me the ability and the opportunity to home school, that broke through every single obstacle that stood in our way and made it possible...a true miracle! I felt so convicted! How dare I come to Him and doubt Him! How dare I question Him in such a way! Where was my faith and my trust in Him? Gone because I was having a bad day?! How dare I!
I just knelt there at my bed and quietly cried. I realized I couldn't do it...NOT without HIM who gives me strength!
That is our home school verse now..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
Now, I know I can't go around claiming that verse for EVERYTHING! I mean; I can't yell it while I'm getting ready to jump off a cliff and hope to fly because I really believe I can do ALL things with Christ...like fly. That would just be crazy!
Anyway, if you would have asked me a couple weeks ago if home schooling was a good idea, I would have probably laughed hysterically like someone who should be locked up in an insane asylum, looked at you with eyes bulging and most likely twitching too, and said,
"AHHHHHHHHHH...Only if you enjoy having nervous break downs every single day and all day long! Only if the stress of every day life just isn't enough for you and you really desire a whole lot more! Only if you really enjoy the thought of wanting to beat your head against a wall! Only if you want to not only tear all your hair out, but also rip your brains out through your ears...than sure...do it!"
But, now I'd say..."Trust in the Lord, pray a ton, love God and your children more then your fear and do it!"
P.S. I am still crazy, but I'm trusting my God!
Ok, Now with ALL of that...I stole the following posting below from my sister. I soooo LOVE this! It's a wonderful reminder of how we should pray for our children...your's, mine, and our's...ALL of them...
Please feel free to steal, copy and paste this also...and pass it along!
31 Ways To Pray For My Children...
1) salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).
2) growth in grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).
3) love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).
4) honesty and integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).
5) self-control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
6) a love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).
7) justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).
8) mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).
9) respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).
10) strong, Biblical self-esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).
11) faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts" (Proverbs 3:3).
12) courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
13) purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Psalm 51:10).
14) kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
15) generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).
16) peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).
17) joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).
18) perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).
19) humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).
20) compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).
21) responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).
22) contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).
23) faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).
24) a servant heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).
25) hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
26) the willingness and ability to work hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).
27) a passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).
28) self-discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).
29) prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).
30) gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).
31) a heart for missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).
*** Thank you Stephanie for these 31 Prayers! ***
I wanted to quit after week one! I cried and cried...I thought, "How in the world am I actually going to be able to do this?! I can't do this, this is crazy!" But, then I realized I was actually right! I CAN'T do this...But, God CAN!
We prayed long and hard about the decision to home school and God provided the way...There were a ton of obstacles, hoops to jump through, brick walls, hills to climb, etc...But, when I finally let go and trusted in Him...Ta-Da! That was it, He provided in the most amazing ways! (One of the ways was, a super-duper abosolutely wonderful Titus 2 woman allowed herself to be used as a blessing to a family in need...I thank and praise God for her!)
Well, we were so super excited when we had all of our materials and curriculum! The first day we were like giddy "school girls" (hehehe...get it? Silly school girls? We home school...we're ummm...ok, never mind!) Then...DUN-DUN-DUN...the regular day-to-day responsibilities started pouring into my dream world of perfect home schooling!
AHHHH...was my first thought!
Second, I had a mini nervous break down and a mild heart attack!
Then third, I freaked out on my family like any kind, loving, peaceful, and gentle mom and wife would!
Then forth, and lastly, I freaked out on God! I locked myself in my room and prayed soooooooooooooooo hard! I told Him of the many reasons this was a huge mistake and how there was no way I could continue on this "task of insanity"! I asked Him how and why He would allow me (a nervous wreck) to even consider home schooling let alone start it?! There was much more I said to Him, until all of a sudden I realized I was just talking, talking, talking...talking at Him...Him...my Lord...my Lord that gave me breath, that gave me my beautiful children, that gave me the ability and the opportunity to home school, that broke through every single obstacle that stood in our way and made it possible...a true miracle! I felt so convicted! How dare I come to Him and doubt Him! How dare I question Him in such a way! Where was my faith and my trust in Him? Gone because I was having a bad day?! How dare I!
I just knelt there at my bed and quietly cried. I realized I couldn't do it...NOT without HIM who gives me strength!
That is our home school verse now..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
Now, I know I can't go around claiming that verse for EVERYTHING! I mean; I can't yell it while I'm getting ready to jump off a cliff and hope to fly because I really believe I can do ALL things with Christ...like fly. That would just be crazy!
Anyway, if you would have asked me a couple weeks ago if home schooling was a good idea, I would have probably laughed hysterically like someone who should be locked up in an insane asylum, looked at you with eyes bulging and most likely twitching too, and said,
"AHHHHHHHHHH...Only if you enjoy having nervous break downs every single day and all day long! Only if the stress of every day life just isn't enough for you and you really desire a whole lot more! Only if you really enjoy the thought of wanting to beat your head against a wall! Only if you want to not only tear all your hair out, but also rip your brains out through your ears...than sure...do it!"
But, now I'd say..."Trust in the Lord, pray a ton, love God and your children more then your fear and do it!"
P.S. I am still crazy, but I'm trusting my God!
Ok, Now with ALL of that...I stole the following posting below from my sister. I soooo LOVE this! It's a wonderful reminder of how we should pray for our children...your's, mine, and our's...ALL of them...
Please feel free to steal, copy and paste this also...and pass it along!
31 Ways To Pray For My Children...
1) salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).
2) growth in grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).
3) love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).
4) honesty and integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).
5) self-control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
6) a love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).
7) justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).
8) mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).
9) respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).
10) strong, Biblical self-esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).
11) faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts" (Proverbs 3:3).
12) courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
13) purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Psalm 51:10).
14) kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
15) generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).
16) peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).
17) joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).
18) perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).
19) humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).
20) compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).
21) responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).
22) contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).
23) faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).
24) a servant heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).
25) hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
26) the willingness and ability to work hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).
27) a passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).
28) self-discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).
29) prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).
30) gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).
31) a heart for missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).
*** Thank you Stephanie for these 31 Prayers! ***
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