Today’s topic at the Well is: That where I am you may be also .Are there areas of hardness and coldness in my life? What are the roots of these? Do I need to release someone who has hurt me in my past? Do I need to confess and release myself from the bondage of sinful patterns in my own life?What are some ways that I can turn the conversation around when other women begin to gripe and complain about their children?Name some creative ways we can create warmer, more inviting environments for our children.
Do I need to release someone who has hurt me in the past? Oh, if this had been asked of me a year ago, I would have had a totally different answer! To my knowledge, I don’t know of any unforgiveness left in my heart. I believe I have released everyone. If you go back to my earliest blogs, you will witness my process of working through great hurt and offense.
If anyone reading this blog deals with unforgiveness, please read some of these old blogs of mine. Hopefully they will help you as well. (I transferred some of these from my myspace account.)
Do I need to confess and release myself from the bondage of sinful patterns in my own life? I’m not sure about a sinful pattern unless it is the lack of using self-control … you know, that LAST fruit of the Spirit? Lack of self-control where my thoughts go when I feel hurt. Lack of self-control where my tongue is concerned. Times of selfishness that are way too frequent. If you follow my blog, you know God has been dealing with me about my heart towards my husband. My toes have been really stepped on lately. Ouch!
How can I turn the conversation around when other women begin to gripe and complain about their children? Most of my friends are great Moms and don’t cut down their children. However, even though I say things in jest about my precious daughter — I need to be more aware of my words (you’ll understand why if you read the post I just wrote about our thought life and confessions).
Name some ways we can create warmer, more inviting environments for our children. One helpful thing I could do for my daughter is cut off the TV and turn off this computer! Seriously, I feel convicted about the time I spend on here while she is awake. Instead of latch-key kids (like when I was growing up), surely there is a new name for the kids raised while parents play with their electronics. (Hiding face in shame.)
We are raising our daughter to pray. She has a precious heart and she prays for others and loves to sing about Jesus. Giving her a foundation in the Lord is the best environment we can provide.
Even though this lap top is an issue, our little one gets tons of hugs, kisses, love, and encouragement.
thanks for stopping by my blog.your blog is also very interesting.
Cheers!
Beth,
A more honest and sincere post is hard to find. I am just now able to be on a computer writing, blogging, facebooking, etc because of where Joshua is in his studies and football activities but when he was younger, I absolutely would not yield or conform to what so many others were doing. And as I look at him now, I can say that the fruit of spending time with my son in God’s Word and educating him minus all the tv time, etc has truly benefited him/us. So follow your convictions, my friend….I can tell you I paid a high price for mine. Friends made fun of us (even other homeschoolers) and continually tried to get us to ‘take days off’ and there was always a pull to slack and not see things through … but I always knew that if God called me to train up this young man then He wanted me to do it in a manner pleasing to Him and at the end of the day … He was who I answered to.
Blessings to you, my friend. Love your honest heart.
I remember a few months ago a couple of the ladies that were coming to my bible study for four years decided to stop coming. They were not ‘getting anything out of it’ as they stated to me. I had been praying to God NOT to take an offense, to love them, to pray for them. Both, individually came to me asking for forgivness. God gave me these words, ‘I release you in love’. It was SO freeing for me to say those words to them both. I shared if God had called them to another place, who was I to tell them no. But to ‘release in love’…
My post today is so similar to At the Well today…God is so amazing…Thanks for sharing some powerful truths, and sharpening me for Jesus sis.
Great post today Beth. I also struggle with the “electronic toys” that rob family time from us. Our children are with us for just a short time and every moment of teaching, loving and encouraging is imperative. Have a great day! – blessings, Laurie
What a great post today for At the Well. What a wonderful reminder about the electronic toys we use and where we need to place our time and energy. Have a blessed day!
My children are grown, but I still find time just to be with them. Sometimes doing something as simple as watching TV.
June
I love this, very wise words dear.
What a beautiful heart you have, I felt it so in this post.! But yes I too said enough I do not get on puter on the weekends its to be spent either with God or the family. It works out great this way.
Have a blessed day my friend
I just recently made changes to get off the computer spend more time with my girls. Thank you for such an honest post. I am going to come back soon and read more of your story through your links. 🙂
I love how honest and transparent you are. You are a shining example before the Lord, Beth! Such wisdom and inspiration found here. I can’t wait to go back and read the posts you referenced and wanted to thank you for sharing your heart!
This has nothing to do with this post…sorry! Remember our earlier discussion regarding followers? Read this:
http://a-nut-in-a-nutshell.blogspot.com/2009/02/blogger-has-gone-crazy-unfollowing.html
I don’t know how to set up a link in a comment box. Sorry ’bout that. Anyway, this might help explain everything! :o)
I love your transparency and honesty, Beth! It is refreshing to see that I am not the only one who battles in certain areas.
I was also delivered from a heart of unforgiveness several years ago. Oh, there is no greater feeling of freedom than to have that weight off my heart and mind.
I am also feeling guilty of the time that I spend on my computer…it sometimes, robs my time at work and/or my family time. I am trying hard to find balance and do what God has laid on my heart.
Have a blessed day, my friend!!!
These are great questions/points to ponder and go really deep. Thanks for sharing, Beth.
Love,
Paula
Thank you Beth for your openess and willingness to share your heart. I think we all struggle with these issues occasionally…so easy to sometimes become distracted from what should keep us focused.
I love these questions. Some very deep soul searching. It’s hard to release and forgive but it’s so freeing.
Blessings to you this week,
Jan
You are right Beth about the words we speak to our children. I am trying to be full of grace even through their rebellion, it is hard. And the computer issue also. I am finding myself spending more and more time in front of it! In fact, I need to go do my bible study! love ya!
Thanks for a great post. I loved older ones too. Forgiveness and Healing go hand in hand – and that donkey story! Just shake it off! Great, great stuff! ~ Rebecca
Great thoughts my friend! It is sometimes difficult to be honest about these areas in our lives. I just realized yesterday that I was harboring unforgiveness towards a certain person in my life. It is definitely something I need to pray about. Thanks for the reminder.
Take care my friend!
Beth, I’ve never visited you before, but I’m so glad I did. You know, as much as I enjoy blogging and fiddling with the blog and reading others’ blogs, when I do walk away from it to go get down on the ground and play with my kids I always think, “THis is so much better than that silly computer!!” Problem is, this silly computer isn’t just a computer to me, but a way to spend time in fellowship with other like-minded women and to share my life with them too. So I guess it’s just a matter of making the right priorities and time for both. My kids come first, and I’m often found saying, “Mom’s been on here way too long. I’m sorry guys.”
Anyway, nice to “meet” you 🙂
Sheila