Rambler's Way

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ramblers Way. All opinions are 100% mine.

Eight years ago during a trip to Scotland, I got to tour a mill where they made wool clothing. I would have loved to have gotten some sweaters but I knew I would rarely get the chance to wear them especially because it rarely gets that cold where I live.

There's a company called Rambler's Way that makes next to skin soft wool that you can wear year round. I couldn't imagine wool that can be worn year round; it's usually so hot and itchy. Yet, when I browsed their site to learn more, I found that they really do make products that are intended to wear year round and they're soft and comfortable.  The products are made from superfine American Rambouillet 18.5 micron wool.  It wicks away moisture keeping you cool and it naturally repels odors so you don't have to wash it every time you wear it. The added benefit is that it is a family owned company (ever heard of Tom's of Maine?), their products are made in the U.S. and are sustainably farmed and produced.

While exploring the site, I thought about what I would like to order and I found this camisole that would work great underneath tops and just to wear around the house. It looks sooo soft. There's also a short sleeve top that would be heavenly to wear to bed. Rambler's Way used state of the art technology using custom built sewing machines to creat the light weight, soft wool clothing.  The flat seams are smooth, invisible, and do not scratch.

The site is pretty impressive and if the families success with Tom's of Maine is any indicator, then Rambler's Way will carry on the belief in creating eco-friendly, quality, American made products. 

Week 2

So this is week two of Ethan in public school.  Today he started his gifted class and he seemed excited about going.  It's still really weird to me to drop him off every morning and never talk to the teacher.  I got an update everyday from his preschool teacher on how he was doing.  So I feel disconnected.  I've been encouraged to volunteer so that I can be more connected at the school.  And I have plans to and was going to this week.  But Ian got sick with tonsilitis.  And I'm actually glad that's what he has because I was afraid it was an ear infection and that we would have to put him through surgery this fall. 

So week two of school and Ian is already sick.  Thankfully I didn't have anything too major planned that I had to cancel.  Next week starts a bible study I'm co-teaching at church and I'm glad he is sick this week--I'd hate to miss the first week of bible study.  We are all very tired from getting up early everyday to take Ethan to school.  Ethan is extremely tired and trying really hard to hold it together.  We've had a few tough moments but God has been gracious and he is teaching Ethan how to handle things. 

And most importantly, I have not lamented about not homeschooling or sending him to private school.  So far that is:)  I'm working really hard on being more intential at home with his biblical education and as long as I don't develop a habit of hitting snooze, I'll be okay:)

Graces 111-120

I have enjoyed doing a list of 1,000 graces God gives to me each day.  I have indeed "tasted the sweet nectar" of gratitude and it is changing me.  The past few months have been incredibly difficult with my husband busier than ever.  I believe keeping my mind on these graces have played a part in keeping me from symptoms of depression (which usually are very prevelent when my husband isn't around much) along with my accountability group, God's word and lots of prayer.

So the list continues:

111. Getting to sleep in until 10am on Saturday
112. Experiencing community and fellowship with our small group
113.  My accountability group who always prays for me
114.  Strength despite being tired all week
115.  Seeing God work in Ethan's heart
116.  Answered prayer
117.  Leading a new study at church
118.  Ian being in good spirits and praying for others at bedtime despite having a high fever
119.  Making fun birthday invitations
120.  The way rain makes it feel cooler outside.

Being a Christian Parent

Parenting for me is often like the process of sanctification. I grow and move forward in holiness and then I sin and am reminded of just how sinful I am. It would be so much easier to parent if I didn't have the goal and intention of raising the kids in the instruction of the Lord.

But how can I ignore Deuteronomy 6:6,7 "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up."

Being convicted of this means that I can't just send them to timeout and that's the end of it. I have to take the time to instruct them in the word and remind them of the job God has given me. This takes extra time and many times I miss the opportunities. Maybe it's because I'm in a rush or I'm tired and irritable, or am just plain lazy. And then there are times when I realize things I've said or my tone of voice and I feel loaded with guilt that I have said the very things I told myself I wouldn't say. There are also times when I hear myself in Ethan and realized where he has learned his behavior from.  At the end of the day when I'm writing in my prayer journal, God shows me those missed opportunities and times when I was impatient and I'm reminded of his grace. How many times must he have the right to be impatient or frustrated with me but instead extends grace and mercy to me? 

And O how I relate to what I talked with Ethan about the other day. After he had been in timeout for an altercation with his brother, I asked him to sit with me and talk. He wanted the timeout to be the end of it and said "Why do you have to talk to me too?" (I guess it's easier for them to just do timeout too!). And so I reminded him of my job as his parent; to keep him on the path of Life. I reminded him of our activity we did not that long ago where we drew a picture of trucks carrying their treasures that were on the path of Life and those that had gotten off the path and were headed for destruction. I said "If I let you get off the path and head down the path to destruction I would not be loving you and would not be doing what God has instructed me to do." Ethan said "Mom, what I did is not that big of a deal, it's not going to lead me to hell." Me: "That may be true, but if I overlook each little thing that you do and you head off the path of Life a little more each time, before you know it you won't be able to see the path of Life anymore because it will be so far away. And so each time you wander off the path, I will have to direct you back onto it whether you like it or not because I love you." I reminded him of what happened to Christian in the Pilgrim's Progressand how each time he got off the path, how dangerous it was and how he almost died along the way on the path to the Celestial City.

And so I am convicted of how many times as a parent I wander off the path God has set for me and am so grateful that he directs me back on and reminds me of the journey I am on and the eternal goal: teaching and training and leading these two eternal souls to Christ and preparing them for the journey God has in store for them in their future work for the Kingdom.  And I pray that God would point out to me the teaching opportunities and give me wisdom to know how to use those times to share God's truth with them.  I pray as well that I would have patience to take the extra time to share God with them, regardless of what plan or agenda I may have. 

"My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom's ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won't be held back; when you run, you won't stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don't let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life." Proverbs 4:10-13

Gifts

(I feel I should mention before I begin my post that I just passed my 1,000 posts, so this is post is 1,001. Woohoo!)

There has been a lot of discussion recently at our church about spiritual gifts. We've been encouraged to step up and use our gifts to help build up the body. Sadly, this developed because we've been in a crisis mode but better late than never. The term spiritual gifts sometimes seems tritely overused but not often understood.

When a Christian is connected to the vine, they cannot help but bear fruit and I believe that when we do bear fruit, that fruit helps to spur us to utilize our gifts. The first concern in my mind would be, are we connected to the vine? Do we know what it means to be watered and fed and nourished by our Lord? Do we love the Lord with all our heart soul, mind,and strength and love our neighbor as ourself?

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galations 5:22When we are filled with these fruits, the desire to serve and use our gifts to God's glory will be an automatic response.

"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." 1Cor 12:4-7

This week when Ethan started school, I had numerous people contact me and ask me to volunteer at the school. There was a list of volunteer opportunities I was given to select where I wanted to volunteer. It wasn't asked whether I wanted to, but where. I think this is because we know how much mom's love their children and they want to help make their school a better place, they want to get to know the teacher and children in their child's classroom, and they want to see their child during the day. The number of volunteers at Ethan's school certainly must match or outnumber the number of staff they have.

Imagine if each member of our body had the commitment to serving their Lord and each other the way that mom's do in volunteering at their child's school. I've been praying that not only myself and my church but also the churches in our nation would eat from the Bread of Life, taste God's word and respond to God's work in our heart's through using our gifts for the Kingdom.

"We find out that no one individual is responsible for all the work in the world, but only for a small share. Our duty ceases to be universal, and becomes personal and individual. The Master does not say to us, "Go and do everything," but He marks out a special path for each one of us and gives each one of us a special duty. There are "deversities of gifts" (1Cor 12:4) in the Kingdom of God, and these gifts are divided to "every man according to his several ability" (Matt25:15). I may have five talents or two or only one. I may be called to do twenty things or one thing. My responsibility is simply to do that which I am called to do, and nothing more. --Hanna Whitall Smith.

Showers of Grace

God continues to rain down his blessings.  Here are some more:

101. Movie night with a friend.
102.  That I survived my child's first day of kindergarten.
103. My husband who encourages me to hire a babysitter so I can go out.
104. Bible studies with members of my church family
105.  The work God is doing even in the midst of chaos
106.  Strength he gives when I am tired
107.  Opportunities to grow and use gifts
108.  The joy in planning birthday parties
109. Stickers--amazing how something so simple can create peace and quiet
110.  Awesome babysitter's who are also friends

First Day of Kindergarten

Ethan started kindergarten today. I did better than I anticipated I would do.  I cried a little when we did our morning prayer and devotions as I prayed for his day.  And then of course after I dropped him off.  A friend of ours whose husband works with George, called to check in and said she was volunteering today at the school and that she would keep an eye on him. 

First day of kindergarten

First day of preschool

A Lesson in Redemptive History

We had a rather difficult day around our house yesterday.  Ethan had a rather lengthy melt down that lasted for hours; all triggered by having problems with a computer game he was playing.  I was extra firm with him and implemented some of the ideas the psychologist had given us.  I think he was suprised by this and of course this made him angrier.

During the course of his tantrum, he trashed his room.  I had sent him in there to calm down, knowing that was a possibility.  I had warned him when I saw him beginning to throw around toys that whatever mess he made, he would have to pick up later.  This did not deter him.  When he finished, I reminded him that he would have to pick up the mess prior to bedtime and that whatever was left on the floor, I was getting rid of.

He expected me to help him clean it all up and he ended up crying for an hour about the fact that I wouldn't help him.  He really was in shock that I expected him to clean up his room (every inch was covered) and was completely overwhelmed by how to begin.  I encouraged him to sit down, have a snack and rest before he tackled the job.  When he was snacking and seemed to have calmed down we began to talk about the task before him.  He kept asking me why I wouldn't help him.  I sat down, opened my bible and began to tell him the story of how Israel disobeyed God.

We had recently read about the Israelites behavior in the desert and how they had to wander there for 40 years because of their sin, so instead I started with what happened after David was king.  (David is one of his favorite characters in scripture and I often take advantage of that).  We talked about how Israel thrived under David's leadership and how David loved and obeyed God.  I then read about the sins of those generations following David's reign, how God sent them prophets to warn them and call them to repent and about the consequences for their sins.  We talked about what happened to the Northern and Southern kingdoms and about their time in exile (this includes Daniel's story) I told him that just like God, I had to follow through on the consequences I give him.  We talked about how God had warned the Israelites about the consequences and how even though he loved the Israelites (they were his chosen people) he still could not tolerate sin.  I then read from scripture God's promise of a perfect king, a perfect priest, a perfect prophet who would take the ultimate punishment for sins so that our relationship with God could be restored.  We looked at how the Israelites made sacrifices for their sins before Christ came and I had him imagine how often we would have to make sacrifices for our sin--including his sin from that very day.  For without Christ's death on the cross for our sins, we would have no hope of heaven and eternity with God.  I ended our talk by reviewing one of the things we always talk about with the boys when they have sinned: the fact that we cannot obey without the help of the Holy Spirit and how when we pray and ask him to help, he will answer our prayer. 

After our talk, Ethan went straight to his room and spent the next hour cleaning it up. 


Related Resources:
     

Brothers Reading

Five minutes after they had a fight and went their separate ways, I heard Ethan talking.  It sounded like he was reading so I snuck into their room and got these pictures.  It looks like Ethan couldn't pull Ian all the way up onto his lap:) 

Open Houses

Last night and today I attended open house and orientation for kindergarten and open house for preschool.  I think I have more to read and sign than I ever did for buying a house.  I'm a little overwhelmed by all the information that has been thrown at me.  But Ethan is in a good class with a good teacher.  He seems pretty excited about going to school and doesn't seem nervous at all.  I talked to the guidance counselor and apparently all of Ethan's gifted paperwork has not made it to the school yet and his educational plan can't be done until they have it.  We're a little frustrated with that because it means he may miss a week or two of the gifted class.  There's another child in his class who will be attending the gifted program so that will be nice for Ethan to have someone else to go with. 

Ian's preschool open house was nothing new though he does have a different teacher than I had requested.  But the teacher did tell me that she will challenge the kids who already know the information she is teaching and provide homework and other activities to help them learn more.  I think Ian is a little confused because he has been there all summer and had a different teacher and even though I kept telling him he was moving to a bigger kid class, he still thought he was in his old class.  Ethan saw his teacher from pre-k and ran to give her a hug--so cute.

Well I'm off to do a bit of reading...and signing.  Sigh.

A New Chapter

This is the last week before the kids go back to school; Ethan to kindergarten and Ian back to his preschool.  We've been doing fun activities this week to end out the summer on a fun note.  Yesterday we went to an indoor play place, today we're going to the science museum.

I've seen hints here and there that I am entering a new chapter in this mom thing but it really hit me today.  The boys were so excited about going to the play place that Ethan decided to get Ian dressed and brush his teeth before I ever told them they needed to get ready.  When we were there, I looked around and realized I didn't need to watch them.  Ethan took it upon himself to keep an eye on Ian and instead of making new friends, he and Ian played together and he took Ian from one activity to the next.  It was packed and I noticed that most of the moms were having to follow their kids around and keep up with them.  Many had infants and toddlers.  It wasn't that long ago that I was having to constantly watch the kids when we were doing some activity whether it was at the park, a playdate, church, etc.  I was struck by the fact that I wasn't really needed and I could have brought a book and sat and read for two hours.  A new chapter indeed.

Ethan is starting kindergarten and is very independent.  Ian still needs help with getting ready, but Ethan will often help me with him.  I can actually take a shower and leave them both to play together without having to turn on the tv to babysit.  I often let them swim in the pool while I'm inside in the kitchen preparing dinner.  It's so strange how quickly I've gotten to this stage, I remember thinking it would never come.  There is some sadness that comes with knowing I am out of the baby and toddler stage but more than that is the excitement that new things await me around the corner.  New opportunities, new experiences, new freedoms; not only for me but also for the kids.

Sometimes it can be difficult to let go of wanting to be needed all the time by our little ones.  But they need to become their own people, spread their wings and explore their world without us.  It's extra special when they return and tell you about all they have done, what they've learned, what they have created. 

And so I say all this for myself, to encourage myself when my little one heads off to kindergarten for the first time.  I will remain at the nest for his return flight, anxious to hear how his first flight went.  To new opportunities!

Hope Filled

This past week has been a sad time at our church.  There have been some unexpected changes in our church that initially brought about a hopeless feeling in me.  I mourned and felt discouraged; it's as though I forgot God is sovereign even over the happenings in our church.  God was gracious to give me time to mourn and then revealed my sin to me. 

A book I've been reading by Hanna Whitall Smith reminded me of the truth of God's involvement in everything:
"If our Father permits a trial to come, we must accept it with thanks from His dear hand....It is not hard to do this, when we have learned to know that His will is the will of love and is, therefore, always lovely...The people around us are often the bottles that hold our medicine, but it is our Father's hand of love that pour out the medicine and compels us to drink it.  The human bottle is the "second cause" of our trial.  The medicine that these human "bottles" hold is prescribed for us and given to us by the Great Physician of our soul, who is seeking to heal all our spiritual diseases.  Will we then rebel against the human bottles?  Will we not rather take thankfully from our Father's hand the medicine they contain?  We must lose sight of the second cause and say joyfully, "Thy will be done, in everyting that comes to us, no matter what its source may be."  Seeing our Faher in everything makes life one long thanksgiving and gives a rest of heart.  More than that , it gives a joyfulness that cannot be described.  God is sure to have His own way concerning those who abandon themselves to Him in perfect trust.  He will lead them into wonderful green pastures of inward rest and beside blessedly still waters of inward refreshment!  He who sides with God cannot fail to win in every encounter.  In all circumstances we can join in the Apostle's shout of victory, "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to truimph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14)."

JOY

Jesus First        Others Second      Yourself Last

It may be an overused saying but it's truth.  The concept of putting anyone else before ourselves is very difficult, some would say it's a crazy idea.  But it's what Christ did for us. 

"Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross."  Phil 2:6-8

When Ethan first started playing games, he had a hard time with losing.  I talked with him a lot about how Jesus taught that the "first shall be last and the last shall be first."  Now with two boys, there are almost constant battles.  The past six months we've been talking about putting others first, it seems like almost constantly.

During our family devotions last night we read scripture and talked about what it really meant for the God who created all things to humble himself and take on human flesh.  We talked about how He put us first by His sacrifice on the cross for our sins.  Then we read from John 13.  In an effort to give the boys a word picture to remember when they think about putting others first, we did a foot washing.  Ethan thought it was the coolest activity and wanted to wash Ian's feet.  We talked about what it meant in their culture to have their Lord wash their feet and how Jesus set an example for us for how he wants us to treat others.  And almost immediately we had a situation arise where they were arguing over a toy.  A perfect opportunity to practice what we learned! It's a lifelong habit that most of us adults have trouble doing and one I know we will continue to work on each day at our house.  It's a "long obedience in the same direction."

"Do you understand what I was doing?  You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right because that's what I am.  And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet.  I have given you an example to follow.  Do as I have done to you."  John 13:12-15 

Chattanooga Pictures

Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge

Ethan at the Pumpkin Patch

Three mommies at Coolidge Park

Boys at Point Park

Point Park

Ethan playing Operation at Children's Museum

Ian at the Children's Museum

Ethan and Braden digging for dinosaurs

Ian at the digging site

Ian at the fountains at Coolidge Park

Ethan on the zip line at the Pumpkin Patch

Ian and Andrew playing on the drums sculpture

Playing the bells

Ethan at Point Park

All four boys overlooking Tennessee River

Ethan and Ian on the river

Downtown

The boys at Covenant

Playing soccer with Brian

Ian playing soccer at Brian's house

The Graces Continue 91-100

Yay!  I've reached 100 in my ongoing list of graces God has given me.  

91.  Watching my grandfather teach my son how to fish
92.  Remembering when I learned how to fish and the summers I spent at my grandparents house
93.  My wonderful pastor who is a good listener and truly has a heart to minister to his flock
94. Having a friend volunteer to babysit so I could meet with my pastor
95.  My boys playing the whispering game whispering in my ear: "I love you" and "You're the best mommy"
96.  Girl's night out to see Ramona and Beezus--great movie!
97.  Gelato--need I say more?
98.  Mac and Cheese at Panera's--Mmmm..
99.  Hearing Ian pray before bed, asking God to help him obey
100.  The power of prayer!

Hiding God's Word

I'm pretty sure one of the first verses I learned was from Isaiah "All we like sheep have gone astray." We had a list of verses that started with each letter of the alphabet.  As I grew, I learned larger passages.  One thing I don't think I'll ever forget the headmaster of my highschool saying was "You can have everything taken away from you: money, your home, your freedom, but they can never take away what you have learned."  I've often thought about this over the years since then, especially how it relates to what I learn when I read God's word.

One of the verses we frequently talk about and recite around our house is "They word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11)." It's a simple verse that carries much weight.  The more scripture we memorize, ponder, meditate on, the less likely we are to sin.  And so, whenever we have a conflict in our house, a discipline problem, a question about life, and really anytime I can fit it in, I try to quote scripture to the kids.  One of the very first ones I worked with Ethan on when he was really little was Matthew 7:12 "Do to others as you would have them do to you."  I remember him being in play group and having conflicts with sharing and I would always say "Jesus tells that we are to treat others the way we want to be treated. Do you like it when someone grabs a toy out of your hand?"  (I have lots of opportunities to say the same thing to both Ethan and Ian now:).

As the boys get older it seems like there are so many more opportunities to teach them scripture.  Not only do they work on memorizing scripture during the school year but we continue to talk about verses or stories in the bible that relate to what is going on in our lives.  Today I took Ethan back to the doctor about a rash on his leg that is not getting any better.  He seems to be concerned about it and he asked me what would we do if the new medicine didn't work.  I told him not to worry about it that we would continue to talk about it with the doctor.  He said, "And the bible says not to worry doesn't it mom?"  I said, "You're right, and the rest of the verse you're talking about says that we are to bring everything to God in prayer."

I have collected a number of great books that encourage children in learning scripture but I have also found that music can be an easy way for them to learn it as well.  A few recommendations: