Twelve rules for raising delinquent children

by Robby Robinson

Being with infancy to give your child everything they want. They will then grow up to believe the world owes them a living.

When they pick up bad words, laugh. This will make them think they are cute. It will also encourage them to pick up cuter phrases that will make you blow your top off later.

Never give them any religious training. Wait until they are 21 and then let them decide for themselves. Don't be surprised if they decide to be nothing.

Avoid using the word "wrong." They might develop a guilt complex. This will condition them to believe later, when they are arrested for shoplifting or stealing a car, that society is against them and they are being persecuted.

Pick up everything they leave lying around - books, shoes and clothing. Do everything for them so they will become experienced in throwing all responsibility on others.

Let them read any printed matter they can lay their hands on. Make sure the silverware and glasses are sterilized but allow their little minds to feast on garbage.

Have plenty of knockdown drag-out fights in the presence of you children. Then, after you are divorced, they won't be surprised.

Give your children all the spending money they want. Never let them earn their own. Why should they have things as tough as you had them?

Satisfy their every craving for food, drink and comfort. See to it that every sensual desire is gratified. Childhood should be fun. Denial may lead to harmful frustration.

Always take their side against neighbors, playmate, friends, teachers and policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child.

When they get into real trouble apologize by saying, "I never could do a thing with them."

Prepare yourself for a life of grief. You are apt to have it.

:-)

A miracle 12 years in the making!

Just a little (HUGE) encourager for all those in need of a miracle....

This morning my friends, Victor and Ivania, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Asah. He is truly a miracle. They have been trying to get pregnant for 12 years! At one point they decided to start fertility treatments and Ivania very quickly into the process felt the Lord say to her, "Why are you trying to help me?" So they stopped the treatments. That was several years ago. The miracle of a baby seemed impossible after 12 years. But today, August 23rd, 2009 God answered their cry for a child!

He is a beautiful, healthy, miracle baby! God knew all this time as they prayed, mourned, wept, feared, hoped, and prayed some more that today was the day. Isn't that amazing that He knew all along! Wow, if we could only understand how much He loves us and cares and has everything planned out in His PERFECT timing!

So, if you're praying for a miracle and it's been 12 days, or 12 weeks, or 12 months, or even 12 years.....don't give up hope! Trust Him!!! He IS a miracle working God!

1 hour challenge

I am very proud of myself so I thought I'd post about my accomplishment. :-)

About a year ago or so I discovered flylady.com. I really enjoy her website and implemented a lot of her cleaning tips. Then I got a book at the library called "A house that cleans itself" and I really, really enjoyed it. I felt like it was the missing link for me. I liked flylady's tips but I didn't feel like I was on top everything all at once. I always felt like there was a room or area or spot that was not done. "A house that cleans itself" really focuses on getting each room of your home decluttered, cleaned, organized, etc. and THEN do your daily routine. I like how flylady has you work on your entire house each month, but I always felt behind with it. I felt like I hadn't really accomplished everything I wanted to get done in one room when it was time to move on to another room.

So I've done two things:
1) I made a weekly chore sheet with my daily tasks and LAMINATED it! That made it more permanent and real. Then I put it on my fridge. I simply put a little dot w/ a dry erase marker by each task as I complete it. This list covers ALL my basic weekly chores like dishes, floors, bathroom, kids' rooms, trash, etc. Then on Wednesday I focus on paperwork first and foremost before anything else and Thursday is laundry day. I do loads throughout the week, but Thursday is the BIG day that everything has to be washed, folded, and put away. Every Monday I have a different "monthly" task like clean out the fridge, clean the carpets, etc.

2) I broke my house down room by room and focus on just ONE room per week. This is where I veered off of the flylady schedule although I still love her lists and helps. Trying to get my whole house deepcleaned in a month wasn't working, but I can focus on one room per week. It only takes about 3 months to get everything done then I can rotate through again. I just officially started this process although I've been kindof doing it for a few months now. My goal is to simply start at one end of the house and work my way to the other end. I want to treat each room with love and respect on it's week. :-) If something needs a repair, I want to tend to it. If pans need organized, I'm going to organize them. (etc.)Here's my areas:
1) Laundry Room
2) Kitchen
3) Dining Room (school area)
4) Living Room and Entry
5) Javon's Room
6) Bathroom
7) Reagan's Room
8) Hall closet - This is where I keep all my Christmas/bday gifts I've accumulated. So on this week, I want to organize it, write down the new gifts I've purchased in my "gift" notebook, and then with the extra time work on a Christmas craft project with the kids.
9) Office and Den
10) Backyard
11) Front Porch Area

I used to not be as organized and I'm still not as wonderful as my mother at it :-) however I'm learning what a blessing it is not only for me but for the kids and Josh to simply be organized. I used to feel like I didn't have time to get everything done due to working part time, homeschooling my kids, being a pastor's wife, directing children's ministries at our church, and just being a fun mom but now I'm really understanding that I can't NOT stay on top of things.

Anyways, back to my accomplishment. I wanted to be able to clean my ENTIRE house in under 1 hour at ANY given moment (sweep, mom, the kids' rooms, dishes, etc.) and I did it. This Monday I was hosting our monthly Girls' Bible Study and the house was really good so I was doing other things all day. Including taking a meal to a friend who is on bedrest with her pregnancy. Well, I made a bigger mess than I wanted while cooking and stayed longer than I had planned to at her house so as I was driving home I felt my stress starting to rise as I realized that I hadn't really done much in the way of cleaning during the day because I was on top of things. But now I only had 1 hour to actually clean. And I did it! The floors swept, mopped, vacuumed. Bathroom done. Nothing just thrown in closets. But I will have to admit that the dishes where still drying on the counter because I've been trying not to use my dishwasher. AND Reagan had a few articles of clothes on her bed because I'm trying to teach her to clean up and we didn't quite get in there, but after the party we finished up. I hung up her clothes and finished up the last few little things before bed and she dusted, straightened, etc. and felt so good about herself. There is such a peaceful feeling that comes when everything is in it's place.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not Martha Stewart by any means. We live in a fixer-upper that will probably have a project until the day I die, but I'm learning to do what I can to provide a warm and welcoming environment for my family and friends. There may be dry wall in my hall but it is a neatly stacked pile of drywall. :-) I want to make memories of people laughing and loving in my home and this is a way for me to find that road.

Have you found a system that works for you?

Happy cleaning to all you busy moms out there just trying to keep all the balls in the air!!!

Music

There is something so healing, encouraging, calming, powerful, amazing, humbling, emotional......about worshipping Jesus through music. I am so very grateful to the Lord for creating music and giving it to us as a gift. It is a gift that I want to pass down to my children and I pray that they will pass it down to their children.

I am not the most gifted pianist by any means. All my high school friends will atest to that. :-) But I have learned over the past 10 years that my gift isn't necessarily in playing written music, but rather chording and being free to flow with the music that I'm singing. For me, the piano is a means of expression and singing is very connected to the playing for me. I rarely play without singing as well.

I'm not sure if even my family (mom, sister, etc.) know just how much ruckus I make around our house playing the piano. Especially late into the night. The kids have grown up with me playing after they go to bed. They don't even budge.:-) I'm probably ruining them for later on in life because I've turned them into such sound sleepers! But I also hope that they remember a home that was filled with music! Javon already plays the piano very well for 6. He loves to memorize things (which I hated!) and after he's mastered a song wants to quickly move on to the next.
Reagan is my singer. She loves to pretend to play the piano and sing whatever I'm singing.

A piano-What a wonderful gift that my grandma got me many years ago. It used to be a burden. I hated lessons (although Mrs. Mickey was a fabulous teacher :-) ) and I don't play by ear. But I honestly believe that over the years the Lord has gifted me in a different area and that is simply "being in the moment" when I worship Him on the piano. I can't explain it except to say, "Thank you Lord for the gift of music."

Psalm 7:17 (New International Version)

17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 9:2
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
Psalm 13:6
I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.
Psalm 30:12
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Psalm 33:1
Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
76.Psalm 33:3
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Marriage

Here's a shocker...I haven't always been the best wife! Yes, it is true. :-) Josh and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary with a wonderful cruise to Alaska that I never thought we'd be able to afford but God opened up an amazing deal for us. It was unbelievably nice to get away with just Josh.

Last year at the annual homeschool convention I picked up a book called "His Help Meet" and spent several month reading through it. While I don't totally agree with everything in the book I do have to admit that I fell short in many, many areas when it came to being a good helpmeet. Yes, I could argue that I do a LOT around the house, in both mine and Josh's ministries, homeschool our children, pay the bills, tend to...........and the list could go on and on, but I have not always done it with a submissive and servant filled heart. I have to admit that I tend to "keep score" a lot of times. Not on paper and not even on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis but subcontiously and then about 2 days before I start my period I like to bring random things up.

Over the past year, but especially in the months following our anniversary I have really been trying to see my primary goal as "keeper of my home" and "helpmate". Since the book I got last year was so good I decided to make it a tradition to pick up a new "learning to be a better wife" book each year at the homeschool convention. This year I picked up Excellent Wife. It has been really good.

The thing that I struggled with for many of the first years of my marriage was being a "strong" woman yet still having a gentle spirit. I am by nature a "go-getter", a slight loud-mouth :-), stong-willed, determined, a people pleaser, and have watched my mom do whatever she set her mind to. So I thought that when the Bible said that I was supposed to have a gentle and quiet spirit I thought God must not have been speaking to me because He designed me how I am, right? He made me outgoing, loud, fun, determined, etc., right? My personality and that verse never seemed to mesh, but the older I get and the longer I've been married I am coming to a new understanding of that verse. It doesn't mean that I have to change who God made me to be, but it does mean that I am to have a servant's heart and ATTITUDE in everything I do. In my home, in my marriage, with my family, in ministry.....

I will fail. I know that for a fact, but I am trying. I am trying to be a "helper" for Josh that is suitable for him. Someone that lifts up and NEVER tears down, someone that seems the good not the evil, someone that encouages not nags, someone that always believes, always hopes, always loves. My period will come around next month and I will have the urge to vere away from my naturally happy nature for a brief 24 time stent, but I will CHOSE to not give into my flesh. I will CHOSE to be Christ-like, I will CHOSE to be content, I will CHOSE to be happy, I will CHOSE to be encouraging, I will CHOSE to be a servant, and I will do it with a happy heart because I love Jesus and that's what he's called me to do.

Thank you Lord for a wonderful husband who has chosen to serve you, love you, and raise his family for you. I am very blessed! Help me to always look for the good. You are amazing and so is the family you gave me!!!

Crocodile Dock

One of my favorite things each summer is directing Vacation Bible Adventure. Is it a ton of work? Absolutetly! Can is be stressful at times? Most definently! Do I love seeing the kids learning about Jesus and having fun while doing so? Yes! Is it always easy working with 50 helpers? No, but I love seeing us work together as a body of Christ! Is it worth it? Totally!

We did Crocodile Dock and had 107 kids 3 days, but 120+ actually walked through out doors. Of course, some of those already have a church home, but some do not. Even if only one child didn't know about Jesus and left with a new found knowledge of Him then it was totally worth it. The reality is that some of those kids will grow up and not serve Jesus, but they will look back and remember things that have been spoken into their life by a VBA teacher. I am absolutely sure of it. My mom does the Bible Lesson and there is no doubt that each child leaves hearing about how much Jesus loves and cares for them and wants a relationship with them.

My other favorite part is seeing all the teens help out. Without our teenagers we couldn't run a program. They are such a huge help. Most of them have all grown up in VBA and now have the opportunity to give back. There were a few years in ministry that I was pretty discouraged thinking that all the time, energy, training, and love that we put into these kids didn't really make a difference, but I now know better. Even if some of them walk away from the Lord I know that the words, actions, love, and Word of God that we have put into them will not return void. They all have decisions to make regarding their future. I cannot make it for them. Neither can Josh, Pastor, or their parents. What we can do though is continue to pray for them, love on them, and have open arms for them.

It is so neat to see those who are faithfully serving Jesus though! Wow, how cool to see these kids serving Jesus. By "kids" I mean Jr. Highers on up to High School graduates who still seem like they should be in my kids' church. Where has the time gone? Honestly, they were all just little kids!!!

Thank you Lord that You have allowed me the honor and priviledge of serving You and others. May I never take it lightly or for granted or begrudgingly!

I only want to please You, Lord
I only want to make You smile
I only want to live my life for You
'cause You deserve it all!

Mrs. Alphabet

I came across another website that has a lot of links to alphabet helps.

www.mrsalphabet.com

Happy school planning!

www.funbrain.com

I just came across a GREAT website for kids. It's called funbrain.com and it has a ton of great resources. Go check it out!

Grateful

I absolutetly can't believe that summer is almost over! Well, when you live in the Seattle area summer doesn't last very long. I couldn't believe when people complained and complained and complained about the hot weather that we had for 3 days! Are you kidding me? We have rain and clouds the majority of the year and you are going to complain about a little heat!

I'm really trying to live a complaint free life. Of course that doesn't always happen, but I find that not only does it affect others for the better but I live a much happier life I focus on the good. I've always been an upbeat, happy person, but the reality is that sometimes life can get a bit frustrating and it gets easier and easier to focus on the things that aren't going right.

I have really been trying this year especially to focus on how good that I do have it. Yes, it would be nice to make a bit more, or not be so busy, or have a house and car that didn't need constant repair.....but then I remember how blessed I am to even have a house and car and ministry that keeps me busy and kids that I can train and good health and friends that are there for me and a family that loves me even when I fuss at them and a Safeway right down the street if I need something in the middle of the night and a library that carries an endless supply of books that I can use for FREE and amazing garage sales and dogs that have babies for a little extra cash and a piano that I can play late into the night and a voice that loves to worship Jesus and a grandma that paid for me to have lasic eye surgery so I can actually see the alarm clock and a church full of people who love my kids and $1 Saturdays at the swimming pool and Taco Bell and a husband who loves me even when I'm not lovable and a mom who supports every single thing that I do and sisters who are turning into my best friends the older we get and the privilage I have as an American to homeschool my children and the fact that we have a church building that is paid for and food to eat every single day and green grass 9 monthes out of the year and a neighborhood I can take walks in and family campouts with friends and teenagers who ask me to pray with them because they can trust me and a son who gives me foot massages and tells me I'm the best mom in the whole world and a little girl who has curly hair and a very kind heart..............

Yeah, I'd say that there are a lot more things in my life to be grateful for than grumble about. What are you grateful for today?