Sheltering Through Kindness (Fill A Bucket)

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile. ~Mother Teresa

November 9-13 is World Kindness Week. One of character traits I was most passionate about teaching my girls was kindness. When I see young children acting in an unkind manner it makes me sad, because I know unkind children grow up to be unkind adults.

With school beginning soon, this would be a good time to discuss bullying with your children. According to a study by the National Center for Educational Statistics (2015), one out of every four students (22%) report being bullied during the school year.

 

























The best way to teach kindness is to model it. With small children it's also good to find ways to reward their kind behaviour. I recently came across this delightful book by Carold McCloud. Fill a Bucket: A daily dose to happiness for a young child. The bucket filling is a metaphor for kind behavior--both given and received. Be prepared to hear "The Bucket Song" over and over! 

Why not purchase one for a friend's child? Many times purchasing extras like books are last in line for parents raising a family. When I give a child a gift it frequently involves a book.

Fill a Bucket is for ages 4-8, although I feel a younger child would enjoy it, too. The author has written another title, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? for older children. These books are $9.99, (paperback $8.99) which seemed a bit high to me. But I can rationalize my way all around book purchases. So think of it as a learning tool, or that it's fostering a love of books. I'm gifting mine to my grandchildren, and that's the best rationalization there is!

Gift the book with a small bucket 

Print and cut out the hearts and stars from the printable below. On a tag write these instructions: When you are kind to someone, write their name on a star--because you're a star. When someone is kind to you, write their name on a heart-- kindness makes your heart smile. I added a name/Scripture verse tag, too.

A book all parents and teachers should read is Frank Peretti's "The Wounded Spirit." It will help you to be more aware of the symptoms of the bullying and unkind actions of school age children. I heard Peretti speak on this topic and what he endured at school was only tolerable because of loving parents and the unconditional love of our Heavenly Father. Not all children have this strong support system.  

Willy Davis said, "If you step on people in this life, you're going to come back as a cockroach." While that's not how we would train our children to be kind, we need to to not only teach them, Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32), but how that looks in 2015. Let's train the next generation to be kind. Being proactive now will prevent wounded spirits later.  

Is Your Child a Bully?
Good Girls Bully, too 
Children's Journal Sheet for Bullying


Download here: Kindness Bucket Stars and Hearts

June Reading List

You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. John C. Maxwell


For every book I read, five more get added to my reading list. I don't know who wrote those words, but how true is it? It's true for this reader. So even though I failed to read all the May books, a good twenty more are on my list. 

This month I'm trying something different. After reading 
Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin, and Darrell Stetler's blog (https://darrellstetler2.wordpress.com/) , I have been challenged to become more productive and bring more order to my days. So this month I am focusing on books Gretchen and Darrell recommend. The list is long, because many of the books are on Kindle and I can read them in an evening or two. They also are on Kindle Unlimited, so I read many of them for free. 

Then, RB brought in an Amazon box. I had pre-ordered Pamela Havey Lau's book, A Friend in Me: How to be a safe haven for other women. So of course I need to add that to my list. 

Here's the list with links:

A Better Way to Think H. Norman Wright

Never Check E-mail in the Morning Julie Morgenstern

The Better Life Claire Diaz-Ortiz

Habit Stacking S. J. Scott

The Motivation Switch A. J. Winters

Mini Habits Stephen Guise

Writing Habit Mastery S. J. Scott

Master Evernote S. J. Scott

Bad Habits no More S. J. Scott

Wise men and women are always learning,

always listening for fresh insights.

Proverbs 18:15

What are you reading this month?

Linked to: 

Radiant with Joy

When we acknowledge our need for help, God will help us. ~Ben Carson


Her face is lustrous, glowing with a brilliance which does not come from a bottled cosmetic. Francine Rivers is someone whose bright eyes and joyful smile beckoned me each day I sat in her classes and joined her at lunch. I didn't want the week to end. 

Does Francine Rivers' glow come from her RITA awards, her induction into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, or the feature-length film version of her novel, The Last Sin Eater? Her novels have been translated into nearly thirty different languages, but even that doesn't produce her glow.

I believe her shining countenance comes from Psalm 34:4, Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy. Francine wrote for the secular market before Christ saved her. She realized she wasn't writing edifying material and worked hard to make sure none of the titles would be reprinted. 

She looked to Him for help --

Help to deal with a three year writer's block after her salvation.

Help to face her past abortion and to write The Atonement Child.

Help each day while Francine writes as a form of worship, challenging her readers to draw closer to God.

If you desire your face to be radiant with joy, go to God for help in facing each trial and opportunity God brings your way. Help for the grief in losing a loved one, or sadness dealing with the sins of one you love. Help with the pain in rejection or lost dreams. Help with fear as you step out in the ministry God gifted to you. 

 Look to God for help and your radiant face will draw others to the God who gives us joy. 

 

Selfish Pursuits or Sacrificial Love?

Love consumes us only in the measure of our self surrender. St. Therese Lisieux

We have come to the final chapter of The Set-apart Woman. I have been convicted many times during our study of this book. One question stands out in this chapter: Are you continuing to embrace selfish pursuits, or are you ready to live a life of sacrificial love?

If you choose sacrificial love, it will soon become overwhelming to see all the needs around us – in our communities and around the world. Leslie said, “If you surrender your body, your life, your time, and your resources to His purposes, you can be sure that He will open your eyes to the ways in which He desires you to become His hands and feet.”

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Have I been living selfishly?

2. Do I feel God calling me to a lifestyle of sacrificial love?

3. What are some practical steps I can begin taking?

4. Am I willing to get out of my comfort zone in order to do this?

I liked Leslie’s admonition to be a Christian, not a humanitarian. She describes a humanitarian as one who “showcases the good side of humanity and celebrates our human ability to make the world a better place without God’s help or involvement. It has nothing to do with the glory of God, and everything to do with the glory of man."

About choosing to be a Christian she says, “The Gospel is both spiritual and practical. We can’t just preach to others about Jesus; we must also do the works that Jesus did. But as we tend to people’s physical needs, we must not overlook their much deeper need for salvation of the soul.”

We can look at our community, our nation and the world around us and wonder what good could come about with only two hands and feet. However, “Each step of sacrificial love will expand your capacity to take on even bigger burdens for the Kingdom of God (Leslie Ludy).”

I’m moving to the side of Sacrificial Love…which side do you choose? 

Linked to:

 A Group Look at the Book

Anxiety or Confidence?

Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength -- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. Corrie ten Boom

The above quote by Corrie ten Boon grabbed me -- Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. How many days have I lacked strength because of my worrying?

Do any of you play the "What If" game? What if RB died, what if one of the grandchildren were abducted, what if Shawn or Jonathon fell off a roof, what if one of the girls had a serious illness...

Leslie's section on "Take Fearful Thoughts Captive" -- especially this directive -- spoke to me:

We may not be able to keep fearful thoughts from entering our minds, but we can kick them out the moment they arrive so that they don't take root inside our hearts and control our lives.

Tweet: Do let anxiety take root in your heart. Think on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. #ourshelteringtree 


These are the steps she gives for abolishing fearful thoughts:

1. Fill your mind with truth. Memorize some of the Psalms (She suggests Psalms 27, 34, 37, 46, 91, and 112).

2. Pray for someone else. Prayer for others...turns us outward instead of inward.

3. Ask God for strength to take authority over fearful thoughts.

4. Train your mind to dwell on His truth. (I love using the Philippians 4:8 list God tells us to think on: Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 

5. Develop the habit of immediately saying no to the Enemy's foreboding suggestions. 

Proverbs 31:25 says: Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. Make sure your fashion statement includes strength and dignity. Wear a smile, and chase your anxiety away.






#livefree Thursdays

3-D Lessons for Life

The Set-apart Woman: Journaling Sheet 7

Download here  Download Sheets 1-6 below.

Journaling Prompt 1: http://bit.ly/1GZ3vg1
Journaling Prompt 2: http://bit.ly/1CKCreh
Journaling Prompt 3: http://bit.ly/1COrkSJ
Journaling Prompt 4: http://bit.ly/1KzQkSP
Journaling Prompt 5: http://bit.ly/1EjgCXp
Journaling Prompt 6: http://bit.ly/1EVGZWL

Inerrancy: I Believe

The Bible is the Word of God, and God cannot err. So, to deny inerrancy, rightly understood, is to attack the very character of God. Those who deny inerrancy, soon enter the dangerous terrain of denying all Scriptural authority for both doctrine and practice. Ravi Zacharias

I have never thought to question the inerrancy of the word of God -- not as a child, not as a teen, not as an adult. My home, church, and school left no question in my mind of its truth. And while I have limited knowledge of the "emergent" church, I did want to address the emergent church and their view on the inerrancy of Scripture.

                

Leslie said, "This practice of constantly questioning the certainty of God's Word is literally sweeping over Christianity today, influencing our books, our music, the messages from our pulpits, and our daily lives. Even churches that don't claim to be "emergent" or "Postmodern" often accept the idea that questioning God's Word is a wise and responsible way to grapple with truth."

The questions, "Did God really say that?" and "Did God really mean that?" are as old as the first couple. Satan asked those very questions of Eve and we know how that turned out. Leslie challenges us with, "To replace doubt with certainty, you must settle this crucial truth in your heart once and for all: All God's Word is unchanging."

Study God's Word for yourself. God gave us His truth and intends it to be comprehended, understood, and lived out by His saints. Here are six ways Leslie gives us to explore God's Word.

1. Use tools such as inductive Bible study courses and Bible websites (e.g. www.blueletterbible.org) that can help you learn to use concordances and study the Greek and Hebrew roots of each word in the Bible.

2. Spend time around other believers who reverence and love the Word of God.

3. Talk about what you are learning in Scripture and listen to what they are learning.

4. Ask God's Spirit to make His timeless Word come alive to you.

5. Practice applying specific truths, commands, and promises to situations you face each day.

6. Memorize some key verses to help you immediately combat lies with Truth.

                                                                 
Billy Graham said,

The Bible has stood the test of time because it is divinely inspired by Almighty God, written in ink that cannot be erased by any man, religion, or belief system. Through the many dark ages of man, its glorious promises have survived unchanged. That is because God’s Word is pure—the beginning and the end. His written word has survived every scratch of the human pen.

I believe in the purity of the Word; God's promises are true -- I've proven them. His commandments are firm -- I've lived them. And the God of the Word is the one true God -- I believe in Him.

(I) have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given (me) the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach (me) what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects (me) when (I am) wrong and teaches (me) to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip (me) to do every good work.

The Set-apart Woman: Journaling Page 6

Download Here

5x7 Printable Verse: http://bit.ly/1zjTPvo
God's Invitation to Sacred Living: http://bit.ly/1H605bA
Chapter Two: http://bit.ly/1zbmLjQ
Chapter Three: http://bit.ly/1HtdXg7 and http://bit.ly/1c2jezA
Chapter Five: http://bit.ly/1JhSecX
Chapter Six: http://bit.ly/1JhSecX
Chapter Seven: http://bit.ly/1KxLpSm
Journaling Prompt 1: http://bit.ly/1GZ3vg1
Journaling Prompt 2: http://bit.ly/1CKCreh
Journaling Prompt 3: http://bit.ly/1COrkSJ
Journaling Prompt 4: http://bit.ly/1KzQkSP
Journaling Prompt 5: http://bit.ly/1EjgCXp
Journaling Prompt 6: http://bit.ly/1EVGZWL
Printable Verses to Memorize: http://bit.ly/1JWM5jn

He is My All in All

Father, let me…loose my clutch on everything temporal. My life, my reputation, my possessions, Lord, let me loose the tension of the grasping hand…Open my hand to receive the nail of Calvary; let me release my grasp. Jim Elliot

As Christian women in the 21st century, we can’t imagine bowing down to idols. We serve a living God and resurrected Lord. Yet often our hearts bow to objects and attitudes that don’t have a stone god attached to them, nevertheless they are idols. 

Leslie describes an idol as “anything or anyone that takes a higher position than Jesus Christ in my heart and life, anything that claims more of my devotion and affection from Him.” I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols (Isaiah 42:8).

Am I a slave to appetites, health or financial goals, romantic pursuits, popularity, comforts, or anything else? Can you truthfully sing:

You are my strength when I am weak;
You are the treasure that I seek;
You are my all in all.

Seeking You as a precious jewel;
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool;
You are my all in all.

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame;
Rising again I bless Your name;
You are my all in all.

When I fall down You pick me up;
When I am dry You fill my cup;
You are my all in all.

You're my everything;
The beginning and the end;
The first, the last You are;
The great I am. (Natalie Grant)

I admit this chapter was the catalyst to a heart searching event. God is always faithful to reveal what we are honestly seeking. I want my life to measure up to the words of 1 John 2:15-16.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

Many of our appetites or interests are not wrong, but when we place them before our relationship of and love for God, they take the form of idols. Leslie asked the question, “Am I willing to repent of idolatry and embrace a single-minded focus on Jesus Christ?” I’m willing…are you?

Chapter Five: Incorruptable Beauty

When we seek to know everything about everyone, to find out every detail about the ups and downs of people's lives, and hear all about the nitty-gritty of every little saga they go through, we quickly become the "busybody" warned against in 1 Peter 4:15. ~Leslie Ludy

Chapter Five is Incorruptible Beauty: Exchanging Drama and Gossip for a quiet spirit. 

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Is your life built around Jesus or around the latest gossip?
2. Do you pass on gossip through prayer requests?
3. Does the drama on social media eat away at your energy? 
4. Does meddling in other people affairs make your heart happy?
5. Are you eager to stir up controversy on Facebook? 
6. Do you post hurtful articles or status updates pointed to specific       people or groups of people?

I was convicted when I read this question of Leslie's. Are we showcasing the incorruptible beauty of a Christ-consumed heart, or are we too busy gossiping with our girlfriends? I am a peace lover. I back away from conflict as fast as I can. But I admit to a bit of enjoyment of hearing other's conflicts -- a fascination of the pettiness of others. I'm asking God for a Christ-consumed heart.

There are real-life adventures where we can use our time and energy and find fulfillment:

1.Training your children in the ways of God
2. Ministering to the needs of our husbands
3. Rescuing orphans
4. Feeding the hungry 
5. Opening your home to foster-care children
6. Practicing hospitality
7. Sharing the Gospel

Learning and putting this verse into practice will go a long way in helping us become a set-apart woman. Let's release the drama and live in peace. Like a bee to nectar, others will be drawn to our quiet and peaceful lives. 

 

Chapter Three: Accountability

Two are better than one...If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

How many of you have an accountability partner? Accountability is the ability and willingness to give an account to someone else of your actions and motives. It’s one of the suggestions Leslie makes in chapter three: Awake, My Soul. This year my friend, Sue, and I decided to read through the Gospels during Lent. I found it easy to keep on track when I knew Sue would check in to see if I was keeping up. And when I got behind a few days, it kept me from saying, “I’ve messed up; might as well quit.” 

If you are struggling in being consistent in your prayer life, I would recommend an accountability partner. Here are a few tips in finding or being a good accountability partner.

1. Choose someone you trust to keep your confidence. In return, you should keep your conversations confidential.

2. Choose someone who will spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). You want someone who will challenge you to be your best.

3. Be willing to accept gentle nudging and on the flip side, to be willing to give it, too. Never be harsh, but do be firm.

4. Be realistic. Don’t set high goals that are unrealistic. If you are praying for five minutes a day, Leslie suggests adding five more minutes. Adjust to that before adding five more.

5. Make the accountability a priority. It doesn’t take much to shoot a text message asking if they are on track. Send a quote to encourage, a funny related cartoon or a Scripture verse.

6. Offer grace. Don’t expect perfection. You will have days that you aren’t successful; so will your partner. Some days you just need to give grace, a hug or a cyber smiley face.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime/Godfer

These tips can be used for accountability in other areas of your life: breaking habits, self-control (anger, over eating, etc.), and procrastination. Don’t line up a list of areas in which to be accountable at one time. Choose one or two and conquer them before moving on to another.

Not only will an accountability partner help you improve in areas that defeated you before, but your friendship with your accountability partner will deepen as you work together on your respective growth needs. Most of all, your walk with God will deepen. Remember, As iron sharpens iron, so does one person sharpen another (Proverbs 27:17).