Through One Family's Eye: March 2010

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Our son, Tristan getting ready to leave for ALERT Academy. We are very proud of you!!

HIS TRUSTWORTHINESS
A MOTHER comes equipped with an internal anxiety meter. It's right in the middle of her heart and has each child's name engraved on it. There are certain phrases in the Engligh language that cause it to jump and spin..."Mom, my teacher wants a conference with you right away!" "Mom, remember how long Susie's hair used to be? We've been playing beauty parlor and..." "Hello, This is the school nurse. We've been checking for head lice and..." "Mom, Jamie's mother is on her way over and she looks mad!" "Mom, remeber the pretty flowers that used to be n the front of Mr. Crabb's house? Here, these are for you..."
These are the standand meter spinners. We also have our family's encounters with each other, interaction with the neighbors, school friends, teachers, and others not to mention the phyical dangers our children are exposed to each day.
During the early years of their lives we nurture and prepare these little birds in the nest. Then it becomes time to let them try their wings in all kinds of new situation-social, emotional, physical, and even interectual. As we watch these solo flights we are proud, but a little scared; hopeful, but a little apprehensive. We want to stand back and give them room to soar...but at the same time we want to hold their hands.
But we do release them into the world. And our anxiety meters begin to spin.
But the same God who gave us our children-these precious gifts of his love-is worthy and able to take care of them. He is worthy of our complete trust.
TRUST: A conscious act of placing each child in his hands. With that act comes a beautiful awareness that through each experience-social, emotional, physical, and interrectual-he is at work in their lives. He is molding them into what he would have them become. Turning even what we preceive as hurtful into his good. Turning their failures-and ours-into footsteps...footsteps toward himself.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Road Trip

On Saturday, March 20 our family will travel to the International ALERT Academy in Big Sandy, Texas. Our son, Tristan, starts Basic Training (nine weeks) on Monday, March 22. He will return home for three months before leaving for ERT training (10 weeks)in September then go for his Advanced Training (22 weeks). It is very exciting to see what God is doing in his life. We are truly blessed! Please keep our family in your prayers. To learn more about the academy: www.alertacademy.com.

LIVE Interview "The Vine" 90.9

Ten Ways To Tell Your Child "I Love You"

1. Cook something together. 2. Take a long walk together, at your child's pace. 3. Send your child a card in the mail, with stickers or a treat inside. 4. Set aside a little time each day, maybe before bedtime, to talk about what's going on in your child's life, judgment free. If your child doesn't like to talk, say "Tell me three things that happened today." If it helps, tell three things that happened to you in return. 5. Take your child out to lunch every now and then, just the two of you. 6. Do a jigsaw puzzle together. 7. Talk in the car on the way to school instead of listening to the radio. 8. Find a board game you both enjoy and schedule regular tournaments. 9. Send an encouraging note with your child's lunch. 10. Use magnetic letters to put loving messages on the fridge.

Family Home Evening Activities

1.Visit the zoo. 2.Find out about your area's community center and/or park activities. 3.Wash the dog. (A neighbor's dog if you don't have one!) 4.Have a family slumber party. 5.Build a fort. 6.Get out the the family photo album. 7.Research your family history. 8.Visit the Genealogical library. 9.Play stickball. 10.Play hopscotch. 11.Play games. 12.Clean the house together (Have a pick-up party.) 13.Make up a play. Take it to a nursing home. 14.Fly kites. 15.Go on a family trip/historical excursion. 16.Shoot hoops together. Play H.O.R.S.E. 17.Make a collage out of pictures from old magazines. 18.Set up a lemonade stand on a warm day.