Pouting Elmo

By Hally Franz –

Elmo is a favorite buddy of my good friend’s adorable two-year-old son. We had lunch recently, and she told me how much he enjoyed anything Elmo. Elmo is a classic. My son hung with Elmo, too; he had his own “Tickle Me, Elmo” doll.

This pal of mine is a young mother and assistant high school principal, and, as often happens, our conversation that day turned to parenting, education and discipline.

Her primary discipline challenges come daily at work rather than with her young son, but soon she’ll be facing them at home too. I know there are children in the world who snap into perfect behavior with a stern look or simple sentence of disappointment. They don’t live at my house.

So, whether out of careful contemplation or desperation, we have sampled a number of forms of discipline. I talk through these issues with our children, while my husband, with his military background, keeps things short and simple. We’ve counted them down, taken away privileges and possessions, and spanked. Success with any form of discipline depends almost entirely on assurance that something bad will happen when children don’t comply with the parental request.

It’s important not to make a threat or consequence that you can’t actually keep, because it blows credibility. I have taken away school field trips when behavior leading up to the day was poor and donated favorite toys when they weren’t being taken care of. Sometimes the follow through part is heart-wrenching.

When I’ve had a rough time with one of my children, I reframe the situation something like this. If God only gives us what we can handle, He must have confidence in me, because he (or she) was a real pain today. It makes me feel better. On those days when my confidence falters, I am careful not to let my kids see it. When it comes to matters of discipline, they simply can’t see me sweat. Kids can be like sharks when they smell blood in the water, merciless.

Consistency, confidence and compassion combined with consideration of the child’s personality and offense, and, of course, love, are perhaps the most important tenants of successful discipline.

Did I mention we used time out… a lot! Ivan became so comfortable with time out that he often disciplined Elmo and other friends, likewise. Occasionally, Elmo Schmelmo got downright cranky and in no mood for tickling.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for blessing me with my beautiful children. With Your help, may I model good behavior and train them in godliness so that they may better serve You.

“Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. Hally sees each day as a new exercise, where routines change and weights vary. Her goal is to maintain all-around fitness for service, while training her children to be competitive, compassionate and Christ-like in the world in which we live.

Family Portfolio

By Art Fulks –

For most of us, the arrival of a new year causes us to do some life evaluation, including in our finances. Documents flood our mailboxes so we can complete the dreaded task of tax preparation. Most of us will wonder at some point where our resources have gone. In Alan Gotthardt’s book, The Eternity Portfolio, I have been reading about the legacy we will leave for our family both financially and otherwise.

Our family portfolio does involve our finances, but it also includes so much more. It is about investing in godly living and giving. We invest through sacrifice, preparation, personal example, and intentional training. We invest time and resources; model compassion and holiness; and take those we influence along for the journey with us. And just like a relay race, the hand-off of the baton is critical. It must be practiced repeatedly with everyone involved, or the race could be lost.

This week, I read about the generational blessings passed along by parents who revere God, persistantly follow His principles, and are consistently practicing generosity. So why is our portfolio not as productive or profitable as we desire? The answer is found in the lyrics of an old song: “I want it all…and I want it now.”

There is so much more to be invested in our family portfolio.

PRAYER: Dear God, help my vision for this day to transcend my personal and immediate desires to focus on the lasting legacy that You could lay out for my life as I invest in a lasting family portfolio today…for the sake of Your Kingdom and the glory of Christ.

“His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed” (Psalm 112:2 NASB).

Today’s devotional is by Art Fulks, a church planter / pastor at Connection Fellowship in Greenville, South Carolina. Married for 22 years and father of four, Art is a graduate of The Ohio State Univeristy and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a passionate Bible teacher, speaker, musician, worship leader, and life coach. Read more at http://www.connectionfellowship.orgor http://artfulks.blogspot.com. , a refreshing oasis in our journey today.

Trash to Treasure

By Hally Franz –

Garbage collectors need a holiday. Administrative assistants, nurses and teachers have special days. Early-rising men and women who take away the ridiculous amount of waste we Americans make should be celebrated as well. This recognition would be especially nice in January after what must be one of the worst week’s of the trash man’s year, the week after Christmas.

My husband and I have survived the early childhood years; our children are now at tween and teenage stages. One difference in these development stages is the size and price of Christmas gifts. Young children equal large packages without much cost, while older ones get smaller boxes that require more money. Play sets and building blocks take up lots of space and come with layers of packaging. How many Christmas mornings have found you filling black bags with mangled bubble wrap, cardboard and plastic, wrapping paper and bows?

I know moms who are willing to let big boxes remain around for weeks, so their kids can have some old-fashioned fun, but I have to admit, I experience anxiety when the clutter and debris begin closing in on me. I’ll sacrifice my children’s creative opportunities if my sanity is at stake.

My son has frequently retrieved discarded items from our trash for some project he has in mind. He gets big ideas about what can be done with a rusted bird bath or old deep sink. I indulge these endeavors as long as he keeps them in his space and in an orderly fashion. Ivan is the one that started us on the path of recycling several months ago.

There’s a favorite school field trip destination in our area that’s called “Leftovers.” It’s dedicated to making art from all sorts of trash, and what they do with old, seemingly useless stuff is truly amazing. What can be better than inspiring creativity (while eliminating mess), and being environmentally conscious at the same time?

I’m rarely able to see potential in dented and damaged objects, bent and tangled cardboard. I am eager to get rid of anything not obviously worthy in function or aesthetics. Thankfully, God doesn’t look at people in the same way I look at things. He sees value in us all, even when we appear worn and weary, haggard and helpless. He recycles daily as He did in the Bible, making heroes of everyday people, heaven-bound treasures from human trash.

PRAYER: Almighty God, He who has endowed each of us with heavenly gifts and talents, help us to discover the overlooked potential in ourselves and others, so that we may more fully serve You.

“Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:13-15 KJV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former teacher and high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. She enjoys volunteering at her childrens’ school, teaching Bible classes at her church, leading projects in 4-H, writing, reading, scrapbooking, and rousing (though, sometimes, not pretty) Zumba classes.

Forgiveness Trumps Conventional Wisdom

By Bruce Hebel –

Brad and Molly came to us in crisis. Three weeks earlier Molly had discovered Brad’s pornography addiction and his multiple affairs, including Molly’s best friend, Brad’s best friend’s wife and prostitutes. She was shocked.

A couple of days after the initial confrontation, Brad picked up his Bible. As he began to read, something inside him broke. For two hours he tearfully read the Bible and for the first time, understood the grace of God and the forgiveness provided for him through the blood of the cross. He was dramatically transformed. Heart cleansed. Desires changed.

Molly recognized the change but couldn’t get over the offense. “I thought we had a great marriage. I swore I would not be like my mom, but now I have become my mom because he has become my dad.” She went on to explain how her father would leave her in the car as an alibi while he had affairs with women.

Conventional wisdom wouldn’t give this couple good survival odds, but conventional wisdom doesn’t understand the power of forgiveness. I looked at Brad and asked who hurt him as a child. He described the horrific sexual abuse his sister committed against him from the time he was five years old until he was age eleven. We gently told him, “You must forgive your sister.”

As Brad began to forgive the numerous wounds from his sister, Molly began to weep uncontrollably. Toni knelt beside her and cradled Molly in her arms. After Brad finished forgiving the wounds from his sister, he forgave himself.  I asked him  “How is your heart?” He told us he would never have believed his heart could be any better than the day he trusted the Lord, but in fact it was better now than ever. He was unmistakably free.

Then Toni looked at Molly and said, “You won’t be free, totally free, until you also walk through forgiveness.” After forgiving Brad and her father, the change in her countenance was remarkable and as they stood up to leave, Molly embraced Brad for the first time in three weeks. In fact, on the way home, she unbuckled her seat belt and slid over and snuggled next to him. He almost wrecked the truck! When we saw them a month later she told us their marriage has never been this good. Forgiveness trumped conventional wisdom.

AUTHOR QUOTE: Jesus never let the offence determine whether or not He would forgive someone!

“He himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 NASB).

Today’s devotional is by Bruce Hebel, President of Regenerating Life Ministries (forgiving forward.com) and Adjunct Professor at Carver Bible College. Bruce is the author of the seminar and soon to be published book “Forgiving Forward: Unleashing the Forgiveness Revolution” He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and, along with his wife Toni, has served in pastoral ministry for over 35 years.

Upside Down and Squirrelly

By Hally Franz –

A pesky squirrel raided the bird feeder with amazing fervor and no shame. The squirrel in question was literally hanging upside down, tail wrapped around the branch above, imitating a flying trapeze act. She hung for several moments while hiding feed in her cheeks, and then after a frantic concealing of all the feed possible, turned right side up, took a breath and went back for more.

While hanging upside down may not be a feat for a squirrel, even a squirrel tires eventually. A full breeze kept the poor gal swaying during the whole hanging, grabbing, eating, flipping and breathing cycle. I’m going out on a limb to say this was a female squirrel. After all, don’t we women get ourselves in precarious positions when we’re trying to do too many things?

We try to manage schedules for the family, jobs, the household, volunteer commitments, and needs of children and spouses. We’re often turned around and a little crazy in our mad efforts to get it all done. Sometimes, there’s hardly time for a breath at day’s end before doing it all over again. I challenge you ambitious and conscientious women to step back and consider a healthier, saner way to manage in today’s world. By examining our situations and asking a few questions, we can slow life down, so we don’t feel like we’re barely hanging on.

Make a list of all your big and small activities and must dos. Examine your list and decide which items are important, based on a couple of criteria. Determine which chores give you the greatest bang for the buck in terms of your family’s welfare. Which tasks improve the lives of your family? Which cost you money, and which improve your finances? Secondly, and more importantly, ask yourselves which jobs serve the purposes of Almighty God. At the center of our lives should be the goal of preparing for a heavenly home for ourselves and those we love.

If you’re wondering whether a task is something worthy of your precious time or talent, consider if it’s meaningful to God. If you list “prepare for eternity” as number one on the weekly “to do” list, it should be a lot easier to make and complete the rest of your list, without having to stand on your head and go nuts!

PRAYER: Lord, grant me the discernment and wisdom to make good choices about how to spend my time and talent. Lead me to devote myself to those endeavors that You deem worthy to Your service and praise.

^“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:40-42 KJV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former teacher and high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. She enjoys volunteering at her children’s school, teaching Bible classes at her church, leading projects in 4-H, writing, reading, scrapbooking, and rousing (though, sometimes, not pretty) Zumba classes.

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