Encouraging families in following Jesus and His words, to love God & love Others
In the midst of chaos in the world, Jesus is our peace. We can breathe, because we have peace in him.
Let’s teach our kids that Jesus gives a far greater hope and peace than anything here, so they will be quicker to run to him and rest in him.❤️
A way to do this is to share John 14:27 with our kids. They will learn that through the difficult days and great days Jesus is our Peace. Now and Forever.
Some ideas to shake things up for “Backwards Day”:
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~ For “breakfast”, we started with ice cream. Then, they had dinner food: pigs in a blanket, oranges, and carrots.
~ Our kids normally read before bed, so before breakfast, they read in bed.
~ Tell them: “DO NOT make your bed. It’s Backwards Day!”
~ Wear pajamas ALL day.
~ For dinner, have breakfast!
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*Comment below to share some of your “backwards” ideas – the possibilities are endless! Explain Backwards Day to your kids ahead of time, so they’ll look forward to it. Then one day yell, “It’s Backwards Day”, and have a blast being ridiculous.
No snow? Use ice. You can freeze water overnight in plastic ware to pain my the next day. For easy clean up, use washable paint and when they’re done, dump the snow/ice outside. They’ll enjoy watching the cool color swirls and mix – have fun!
When our friends get that house contract, dream job, ideal adoption, book deal, dream vacation, or award for their children, what if we celebrate instead of compare?
What if?
Comparison and jealousy suffocate us with bitterness and inadequacy. But celebrating others leads to Life. Joy. Peace. Authenticity.
Everyone feels that tinge of jealousy. Everyone. But, do we sulk or celebrate? It’s a choice.
When our children witness this kind of love, they will be quicker to celebrate their friends instead of comparing to them.
LET’S CELEBRATE EACH OTHER: Share this post with a friend who you want to celebrate one of their recent accomplishments with or simply because you’re grateful for who they are.
When Mary hurried to Elizabeth’s house to share that she was pregnant with Jesus, Elizabeth celebrated and said, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45)
When Elizabeth had John, a son who would be “great in the sight of the Lord”, her neighbors and relatives SHARED IN HER JOY. (Luke 1:58)
Let’s fill our hearts with Scripture and the unbridled, selfless love of Jesus so when our friends succeed, we will be the first ones to celebrate with them…
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Proverbs 14:30
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking…Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”1 Corinthians 13:4, 7
As our children face the hurdles of growing up, let’s be their safe place, their refuge, the ones that are FOR them, so they know we are in it with them.
When we hit the peak of frustration and want to pull our hair out (been there!), let’s show our kids we are ON THEIR TEAM and WANT them to succeed. Even though they might have let us down, let’s not retaliate in anger.
Instead, let’s WIN THEM OVER by being FOR them.
Not to say we shouldn’t discipline or follow-through – the opposite actually. But, when we give consequences, THERE IS POWER IN FILTERING OUR WORDS THROUGH LOVE AND THE BELIEF THAT “I AM FOR YOU”. (Lord, please grace us with this gift!).
Regardless of whether our kids show it, especially as they get older, they need us. They need us being FOR them. On their side. On their team.
In those painful moments they push us away or speak hurtful words, they might need some alone time to calm down, but they always need us pursuing them. Choosing them. Believing in them.
While we’ll need grace over and over, the more we practice speaking in love and not in anger, the more naturally it will come. While none of us will be perfect in this, every day is a chance to try again.
To try to show the ones God has given us, that we love them, adore them, and that we are FOR them.
“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ…” Ephesians 4:15
This is my first article published with Her View From Him. Thanks for checking it out! I hope it encourages you:
Linsey Driskill 