Provoking the Kids

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  ~ Ephesians 6:4

This verse has not been very comforting to me but more frustrating and perplexing. I mean I try to bring my kids up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, but I seem to upset them and cause them to get angry frequently. I don't want to provoke them, but the latter exasperates them.

???!?!?

But, the other day it hit me. Maybe Paul wasn't talking about immediate cause and effect but over time, decades even.

I've seen this to be true.

Instead of feeding their sense of entitlement and selfishness which will likely lead to anger and bitterness later on in their lives, what if I consistently disciplined and taught the ways of the Lord? What if I gave them quality time versus giving in to their constant demands for stuff?

God-willing, the fruit will come eventually just not right away.

A-Round We Go

• I'm going to just share about the two weeks in mid-August (not last week) now.
• My brother and his family came to visit for a couple days, and all the kids had a blast (we did too)! Our nephew, Isaac, just started walking :) We mostly hung out and eat here, but we did go to a restaurant once, splash pad, park, and nature walk.
• We went to a neighbor's birthday party at a skating rink which was the kids first time skating (we all got to go on it -- wheelchair allowed!) Then, we went to the neighbors' house for dinner the next weekend, and they made a delicious Symptometry dinner for us!
• Ricky had the Olympics on every moment he was home the whole time :)
• We went on our monthly prayer walk and had another missions committee meeting. Our small group started back meeting from summer break; however, I stayed home in need of Mommy-alone time ;)
• Micaiah's mishaps: has begun the new (annoying) bad habit of shirt-biting and even biting holes in the top neck part; and, told us one day that the neighbor "is sweeping... that's when you go to bed" ;) 

 Cousins

with SIL Lindsay and  nephew Isaac

Aced her first math test 

 at a neighbor/friend's birthday party (her first time skating)

 Science experiment -- steering boats with a magnet

• School verses: Micaiah -- 2 Corinthians 9:7, ; Aolani -- Psalm 1
• Verses to memorize lately: 2 Corinthians 5:1-2

Building Up My Kids First

My SIL read some of this blog post out loud to us:

"...I’m often told that, even if the schools are now explicitly encouraging third graders to become cross dressing homosexuals, we should still send our children into such a hellish spiritual minefield so that they can be lights in the darkness. Jesus calls us to be missionaries, I’m reminded, and so it would be wrong to “withdrawal from the world.” We must minister to the lost, show them Christ, lead the way, etc. 

That is all true, of course. But there’s one problem: Jesus gave that commission to adults. My children, on the other hand, are not adults. They aren’t ready to be missionaries. By the time they’re 5 years old, they will not be equipped to charge headfirst into battle and fight the good fight, even as they’re attacked at every turn by the LGBT lobby and some of their teachers and many of their peers and the federal government. They will not be strong enough to withstand the constant, unrelenting stream of lies and falsehoods that will assault their innocent, unformed minds every second of the day. They must be molded and shaped and made strong in the truth first. That takes time. I can’t get it all done by the time they finish potty training, for God’s sake. And to send them into war before they’ve been sufficiently trained and armed is foolish. It’s a suicide mission..."

read more

~ "There’s No Way I’ll Send My Kids To Public School To Be Brainwashed By The LGBT Lobby", by Matt Walsh

Shoot Off!

• Big highlights from past two weeks -- The big event from Ricky's dad's and brother's short visit was swimming at Lake James beach area (while I stayed home to organize our file cabinet!) before relaxing for pizza/movie night. Ricky and I had a Jason Bourne movie date one night :) Last Saturday we got to visit my grandparents for the day, which was a joy for us and included a little dollar store shopping trip for the kids with GGma!
• We started school the first of this month -- Pre-K and 1st grade. They are both doing wonderfully for their age! I offer a small treat/incentive for focusing and completing each subject ;) It takes Micaiah 45 minutes and Aolani 2 hours each day right now.
• In response to something Micaiah tells us, Aolani will frequently look at me say, "That made no sense!"
• "Micaiah do you listen the first time you are asked?" my Grandma questions him. He answers without hesitation, "No." At least he's honest!

Painting ice

Sleeping on the air mattress, waiting for Grandpa and Uncle Robby 

First day of school -- yay for the freedom to school at home!

Decorating her school binder covers

Icing the pineapple cake with GGma Oliver

• Micaiah is now beginning to memorize verses, too (they are the same ones Aolani knows, so I will just reference hers): Proverbs 4:20, Hebrews 11:1. School verses for the next several weeks: Psalm 1
• Verses to memorize lately: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Update

My hands are slowing down, Typing is harder and taking longer. I know there are ways around it, but I just don't have the resources (especially time) to pursue that right now.

Schooling has begun. I need more rest. We're going to bed earlier.

I know. A bunch of excuses. But something's gotta give.

I am by no means shutting down the blog, but the posts will be less frequent -- maybe a few a month? I don't know right now.

Thanks for reading and understanding!