teach me charity

we are blessed

so blessed

i try to instill the idea that we have more than we need w/ bee. it's hard b/c like us all he wants more.

one way we have tried to do this is with his birthday party gifts.

i love birthday parties. too much.

i love planning, organizing a theme, coming up with games.

this year was a little more spastic than most, but hopefull it'll come out right.


after his first birthday party i was almost embarrased by the booty the boy brought home.

this little boy who is already doted on and spoiled by both sets of grandparents, great aunts and uncles, and great grandparents.

some of the spoiling is actually a by-product of all the birth issues. my family especially shows love through gifts, and the idea that we will love this special child and "make up for" the loss.

in order to curb the enthusiasm - we do donations, starting with his second bday we have asked people to bring donations to our local children's shelter rather than gifts for bee.


it has been so great to see people turn their love of gift buying into something for others.


we have tried to theme it..

2nd birthday - party theme - bubbles - donations requested - bath supplies - GREAT turn out

3rd birthday - party theme - chicka-chicka boom boom - donations requested - books - kind of a bust - books are pricey

4th birthday - party theme - legos - donations requested - art supplies - awesome turn out - people had tons of un-opened art supplies laying around the house and cheap to pick up

this year

5th birthday... wow can't believe it - our theme - outer space - donations "launch" the kids into a great summer w/ summer necessities - turn out was awesome - and less gifts for bee - a few friends and of course the family still brought things for him - but we actually got more stuff for the kids - AND HE IS COOL WITH IT - better than i expected!

this year has been the hardest in explaining to bee that we do this because he already has more than he needs. he of course could list 100+ things he WANTS but doesn't have. i remind him GOD has gifted us with much - including bee himself, so therefore we want to help others.

this year has been easier in another way. we have bubba. we spoke about how there are not enough families to take in children who need a place to stay, so they have to go to a special place. kind of like school. but they don't get to go home. they don't have a family. we are helping kids like bubba.

even typing this i'm getting misty and just want to scream from the rooftops - BE A FOSTER PARENT....

sigh... back on topic

we take the supplies to the office of the children's shelter (not the shelter itself - the kids are not on display!). bee drops the items off, and then - in true spoiling fashion - we go for ice cream.

when i tell my high school kiddies this - they think we are crazy. i try to encourage them to do the same - to pick their own charity. but, again - i need gets in the way.

truth be told - people still bring gifts. which we are cool with - i will say it's definitely tamed some spending, and some stick to the donation only - more every year.

what's YOUR favorite charity? what's a way you could incorporate charity in your child's life?

confession from corinthians

1 Corinthians 13:5

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

ugh.

this is supposed to be teach me thursday... but it's more of a confession...

this fabulous verse... it doesn't apply just to our romantic lives - but to all... including our children.

RUDE
* when i snap a sarcastic remark at my child, i belittle his feelings or worth

SELF-SEEKING
*honestly, most of the things that get on my nerves are selfish - random noises i find annoying, disruption of "me" time

EASILY ANGERED
* this cannot be excused with "i'm tired", "it's been a rough week", when i do this and excuse this  - i am the anti-example of CHRIST :(

KEEPS NO RECORDS OF WRONGS
* youch... when i remind him of all he has done wrong (or do so to my husband)... i am not showing the forgiving grace...

All of these are components of GRACE... here is to a new week, and the GRACE of GOD to try again!

Philosophy???

at first when I thought about what my philosophy of parenting was... i was stumped

then i percolated... a philosophy outlines your goal - the main end you have end mind

i harp on my students that they have to have goals... if you don't have goals, how can you meet them?

what is more important than parenting?

i have long taught Bee that my MOST important job was "to keep him safe", it was our mantra...

it has changed in the past year (after reading frances chan's crazy love)

my number ONE job is to "help him become a man of GOD" and my number TWO job is to "keep him safe"

we often talk about how these are our priorities. usually it only comes up w/ keeping him safe.

if these are my goals, what will i do to accomplish this? how am i ensuring that he will become a man of GOD, and keeping him safe to live to the age of becoming a man of GOD?

i need to better outline how i will accomplish my goals... i will be looking at my friends (one of the most important things a momma can do is surround herself w/ other christian mommas)

i love how LISA talks about presenting the Gospel to her son in moments of discipline

i love CHRISTINA's G.R.A.C.E. model

in the little things...

my real life friend has an awesome ministry via this blog.

we have been friends since about the time Bee was born. she has been a real role model in teaching children to truly LIVE for CHRIST.

i have learned alot from her - and definitely wish i could be a bit more like her in the wisdom she imparts to her kiddies.

she has begun as awesome link-up - TEACH ME THURSDAYS:

this week's inspiration:

Deut. 6:6-9

6These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7Impress 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. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

raising our son to love the lord is hard...

it's the small things - praying at meals and bedtime, praying when we pass an ambulance...

leading by example, he sees me praying w/ small group - making CHRIST not A priority but the priority

reminding him constantly that all is possible in the LORD.

one way this has been done, Bee loves telling me he loves me more than i love him

i used to tell him, "it's not possible"...

one day he looked at me and said, "momma... with GOD all things are possible"...

so now i've taught him the definintion of probable :)