One of my favorite photos of this year!

One year old . . . Bright eyes and a sweet heart!

Violet absolutely loves balloons!

Somehow in the bustle of life this fall, we never got a cake made . . . Instead, she enjoyed a helium birthday balloon to it’s fullest!

Can you tell I love my Sweetie!?

What a GIFT from ABOVE!

Some days ya just gotta enjoy the “splashes”!

My littlest baby girl . . .

“Wisdom is training our eyes to see what is important to God.” – ATI

I’m looking forward to the start of another school year . . . Imagine that!   I know we should’ve had our act together before our first child started first grade . . . but we didn’t and we still are seeking what is right for us.  Looking through the Wisdom booklets is inspiring . . .

I am praying that this year I can be focused and organized.  Last year was difficult to say the least.  I am also praying that I will have the physical  and emotional strength it takes to lead our children in an orderly fashion.  It is hard with babies and toddlers and several “first graders” . . . But this is what God has called us\me to and I want to  do my best for Him.  After all , it’s all about Him . . . and this battle is not mine, but His.  So in His strength I go . . . surrounded by the power of God . . . A God who is like a mountain – strong, protecting, majestic, stable . . . Yes, He is able to carry me through another year with more victory  and success than last.  He’s able to sustain me with forbearance, and patience and love . . . cheerfulness, diligence, consistency.

Four years already . . .

Shop class . . . helping Grandpa

Just havin’ fun sawing away . . . firewood for his little camp site in the woods

This last one . . . Jeremiah was learning how to operate our camera . . . this one leaves my head on

Eight months old . . . pulls herself up and stands holding on to things . . . Too little to do that . . .

My little boy . . . strengthening his weak eye by covering the good eye

Anyway, I’ve been blessed by Kirsten Wertz’s list so here it is below for you . . .

The Gift of Prayer – By Kirsten Wertz

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray Over Your Children

Salvation.  “Lord, let salvations spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” (Is. 45:8, IITim. 2:10)

Growth in grace.  “I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 3:18)

Love.  “Grant, Lord that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them.  (Gal. 5:25, Eph. 5:2)

Honesty and Integrity.  “May integrity and honesty be their virtue and protection.” (Ps.25:21)

Self-Control.  “Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all that they do.” (I Thes. 5:6)

Love for God’s Word.  “May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.”  (Ps.19:10)

Justice.  “God help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do.” (Ps. 11:9, Mic.6:8)

Mercy.  “May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Respect (For self, others, authority).  “Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands.” (I Peter 2:17)

Biblical Self-Esteem  “Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:10)

Faithfulness.  “Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts.”  (Prov. 3:3)

Courage.  “May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions.”  (Dt.31:6)

Purity.  “Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions.” (Ps. 51:10)

Kindness.  “Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”  (I Thes. 5:15)

Generosity.  “Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.”  (I Tim. 6:18-19)

Peace-loving.  “Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.” (Rom. 14:19)

Joy.  “May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”  (I Thes. 1:6)

Perseverance. “Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do and help them especially to run with perserverance  the race marked out for them.”  (Heb. 12:1)

Humility.  “God please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.”  (Titus 3:2)

Compassion.  “Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion”  (Col.3:12)

Responsibility.  “Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load.”  (Gal.6:5)

Contentment.  “Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength.”  (Phil. 4:12, 13)

Faith.  “I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith, they may gain, what has been promised to them.” (Lk. 17:5-6, Heb. 11:1-40)

A servant’s heart.  “God, please help my children develop servants hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.”  (Eph. 6:7)

Hope.  “May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Ro.15:13)

Willingness and ability to work.  “Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord and not for men.”  (Col. 3:23)

Passion for God.  “Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after Thee’ (Ps. 63:8). One that clings passionately to You.”

Self-discipline.  “Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.  (Prov. 1:3)

Prayerfulness,  “Grant, Lord, that my children’s lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”  (Eph. 6:18)

Gratitude. “Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,  in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ .”  (Eph. 5:20), Col. 2:7)

A heart for missions.  “Lord, please  help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among the peoples.”  (Ps. 96:3)

Read this this morning and just wanted to share it with you too . . . Thought it was interesting what she said about a self-disciplined adult and a parent-disciplined child . . . Are we laying the groundwork  for that?  Just a challenge for me . . .  number one I think would be the hardest for me (will think about this.)  And number 15 I don’t agree with.  I believe in  teaching them to work at a young age.  It’s good for them to be given “commands” and have them do them.  Part of learning to obey . . .

Susanna Wesley’s 16 Rules of Parenthood

Susannah Wesley was the 25th child of twenty-five, and the mother of nineteen children,

including John and Charles Wesley. Through much adversity, she dedicated her

life to instilling a sense of Christian Destiny into each of her children. Her children went

on to change the world.

Here are 16 rules she laid down in her home.

1. Eating between meals not allowed.

2. As children they are to be in bed by 8 p.m.

3. They are required to take medicine without complaining.

4. Subdue self-will in a child, and those working together with God to save the child’s soul.

5. To teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak.

6. Require all to be still during Family Worship.

7. Give them nothing that they cry for, and only that when asked for politely.

8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of.

9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished.

10. Never punish a child twice for a single offense.

11. Comment and reward good behavior.

12. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed, should be commended.

13. Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.

14. Strictly observe all promises.

15. Require no daughter to work before she can read well.

16. Teach children to fear the rod.

On Discipline

Susannah Wesley believed that for a child to grow into a self-disciplined adult, he/she must first be a

parent-disciplined child. To her, the stubborn flesh was the hardest battle for Christians to fight, and godly

parents would do well to equip their children to overcome it early. She writes:

“When the will of a child is totally subdued, and it is brought to revere and stand in awe of the parents,

then a great many childish follies … may be passed by. . . . I insist on the conquering of the will of children

betimes, because this is the only strong and rational foundation of a religious

education … when this is thoroughly done, then a child is capable of being

governed by reason and piety.”

One day one of her daughters wished to do something which was not

altogether bad, but which was not right. When she was told not to do it, she

was not convinced.

It was late and she and her mother were sitting beside a dead fire. Her

mother said to her: “Pick up that bit of coal.” “I don’t want to,” said the girl. “Go

on,” said her mother. “The fire is out, it won’t burn you.” “I know that,” said the

girl. “I know it won’t burn me but it will blacken my hands.” “Exactly,” said

Susannah Wesley. “That thing which you wish to do won’t burn, but it will blacken.

Leave it alone.”