Today was the first day of school for the boys. J7 was excited. He made some new friends, and he liked his teacher. :) T12 is more apprehensive, unfortunately. I mean, 7th grade is a big deal. He's finally feeling it. He was stunned to see his Texas history book, lol. I just smiled as he looked at me so incredulously when he told me how thick that sucker is. Yes, T12, I remember taking Texas history. Also, that wasn't the ONLY hunk of book I had to carry around, almost every single day, to school AND back! Who needed weight-lifting class when I carried a backpack w/ a history book??
There are also "new" discipline issues that blow his mind, such as punishing the whole class over one or two disobedient students. This is one of those things I thought nothing about b/c I experienced that when I was in junior high. Thing is, we had a couple of absolute jerks (keeping this as G as possible, lol) who made classtime disruptive, and the entire class paid for their misdeeds. Growing up, I became aware of this use of discipline in the military...which sometimes has an amazing ability to straighten out the trouble-makers...I ain't talkin' 'bout the disciplinary action itself, I'm talkin' 'bout the resulting PEER discipline, if you know what I mean! I do remember that, like the military setting, after a couple of rounds of class discipline, the trouble makers didn't think it was quite so cool to upset the rest of the group, and there became no need for punishing the entire class for misdeeds of a couple of others.
Little prayer = little power
More prayer = more power
Much prayer = much power
There are a few things I've tried to teach my boys. Life's lessons, if you will:
Say what you mean, mean what you say. (side note~~J7 used to say it this way when he was a toddler: "Mean say! Mean say!!" It brings a smile to Hubby's and my face when we heard it. :) )
Don't tell secrets, and don't tell lies.
If someone is talking badly TO you about someone else, they'll talk badly ABOUT you to someone else, too.
Words have a nasty way of coming back to haunt you. An apology is not always enough.
Think on these things before you speak:
T~~Is what I'm thinking something thoughtful? or is it careless?
H~~Is what I'm thinking about something healing? or is it harmful?
I~~Is what I'm thinking about inspirational? or is it destructive?
N~~Is what I'm thinking about necessary? or is it hurtful?
K~~Is what I'm thinking about kind? or will it cause someone pain?
I don't claim to be the perfect mom. I'm just not. I don't even really consider myself a "good" mom. What I do know, however, is that I love my boys like I love no one else.
I don't claim to be the perfect wife. I'm just not. I don't even really consider myself a "good" wife. What I do know, however, is that I love my husband like I love no one else.
I don't claim to be the perfect daughter. I'm just not. I don't even really consider myself a "good" daughter. What I do know, however, is that I love my parents like I love no one else.
I don't claim to be a perfect friend. I'm just not. I don't even really consider myself a "good" friend. What I do know, however, is that I love my friends like I love no one else.
I don't claim to be a perfect person. I'm just not. I don't even really consider myself a "good" person. What I do know, however, is that my Lord loves me like no one else does. For THAT, I am eternally grateful. : )
God's love for me enables me to love the people around me in ways I'm too personally ignorant to know and show. It's God's love in me that enables me to treat others the way I'd like to be treated. God's love toward me enables me to forgive myself when I falter~~He sees me for me in the times I see myself as an unworthy failure. God's love lifts me out of myself and kicks my hind end to be with someone else in far more real dire straights than I imagined myself to be. His instructions are not grievous, tho they may feel grievous~~feelings don't matter here, the heart is deceived when it relies solely on emotional feelings. He chastens me because I am His daughter, and He loves me. I have become a much better person because of His love. I've still got a loooooooooooong way to go, but I'm excited about what my future holds for me as He shapes me into His appropriate vessel.
I am looking forward to my church's focus for next year. :) I have attended this church for nearly 3 years now, and every church focus we've studied has been a great blessing to me and those around me. :) We are currently studying Extreme Love; the extreme Love that Jesus showered us with, how to understand that love more deeply; and most importantly, how to express it toward others. It's been an awesome experience. :)
So much to do...so little time to do it. I guess it's a good thing all of us have the same amount of time, but there are times I'm sure we'd like just a liiiiiiiiittle bit more? "Please, Sir...I want some more." : } I'm sure there is even more that I can say because there is more that I think, but I think I'll wrap this up for now. It's been a loooooooong day today.
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