Have you ever said..
I'm not smart enough
I’m not funny enough
I'm not pretty enough
I’m not thin enough
I’m not cool enough
I’m not rich enough
I'm not good enough
What is telling me that I am not enough? I think it’s shame. We’ll take a look at shame a little more in our next word but for name it’s necessary to understand that shame has a voice.
1. If my family could repeat a vacation, it would be . . .
2. I’m a great sister or brother because . . .
3. If I could redecorate my bedroom, I would . . .
4. I like to surprise my brother and sister by . . .
5. The best thing that happened to me this week was . . .
6. The best advice I’ve ever received was . . .
7. The best book I ever read is . . .
I'm trying to find the words to express my dad. He went home on hospice last Saturday April 11th due to kidney failure as a result of many things but mostly due to Diabetes. Mary and I drove to AZ this week to see him. We made it in time to share what was one of his last lucid and aware moments.
We sat near his bed as he slept. He was in and out of consciousness and receiving a regular dose of morphine every 4 hours. His time on this earth came to an end yesterday. It's hard to face up to the fact that life on this earth is finite when it comes to someone you love. I was not prepared for the overwhelming flood of emotions that I have felt this week. I never thought I would weep out loud pumping gas or walking through Home Depot but I have.
As I think back on his life there are many things I am thankful for
Think of this as a 7 day devotional or 7 day focus for your entire family. Try the following plan this week with your family.
Read the following verse out loud to your family: “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV). Discuss this question. “How important are friends when it comes to rude or respectful behavior?”
Talk with your family about the importance of the following words.
“I am sorry, I was wrong.”
“Please.”
“Thank you.”
Why are these words so important? What values do you
We live in a split-second world of send it now, worry about it later. The difference between responding to something and reacting to something is more important now than ever before. Here's the difference.
Responding Online: Taking time to think it through before you post.
Reacting Online: Immediately posting when your emotions are high.
I don’t have to tell you which is the more favorable of the two responses. When I was younger I wasn’t exactly known for thinking things through. If something made me mad I would talk about it. Thankfully smartphones weren’t available to me at the time.
Prior to all things digital, impulsive behavior was usually contained by whoever was present to watch what happened or hear what happened at the time it happened.
Our impetuous decisions as kids weren’t documented to be viewed later
In 1875 Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. (1)” That quote has taken many forms over the years and can be summed up with the following abbreviated quote, “What you do speaks so loud, that I cannot hear what you say.” In other words, we do talk when we don’t open our mouth.
It seems like we communicate more with our mouth closed than open. Depending on who you talk to you will get different thoughts on exactly how much of our communication is nonverbal. Conservative communication professionals would suggest that our nonverbal behavior or body language make up at least 70% of our communication. Facial expressions, eye movement, body posture and hand gestures all play a major role in our nonverbal communication.
When we communicate to our colleagues or our kids we should
How we manage time as parents will be absorbed by our kids. Involve your older kids in the discussion about whom you will spend your time with and where that time will be spent. Discuss the importance of not overdoing anything and trying to have balance. Remind them it’s okay to sit quietly and read or sit quietly and create or meditate. Meditating on God’s Word has become a lost art in our modern world. “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Ephesians 5:17 NLT
Having a big heart toward others is a valuable behavior for our children to see modeled because it shows
