Journaling through the Bible: Mother's Day

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The Bible provides so much wisdom for mothers to pass along to their children. Our own eyes can be opened as to how we can parent our children through the examples provided by God. In the past, it seemed like many more parents would seek the advice of their Bibles when they had trouble raising their children. Today ,we have a plethora of resources to aid in parenting but sometimes it is best to return to the Bible for wisdom and advice. A great place to look is in the Book of Proverbs: 

"My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent." 

Proverbs 1:10 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 
And lean not on your own understanding." 

Proverbs 3:5

"The wise shall inherit glory, 
But shame shall be the legacy of fools." 

Proverbs 3:35 

"A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, 
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." 

Proverbs 15:13 

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it." 

Proverbs 22:6

Building love, patience, kindness, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our children is one of my goals as their mother. If I can teach them to hold these character traits in their heart, then I will feel I have been successful as their mother.

Sometimes it is not easy to find the words to pray for our children. Soon I will share a review of Warfare Prayers for Women: Securing God's Victory in Your Life in which there is an entire part devoted to praying for children and grandchildren. The prayers range from praying for the unknown born to stepchildren closing with a declaration: "I declare that my children will see the light of the Gospel of Christ" (118). 

This Mother's Day, I pray that my children will not only celebrate me as their mother but also celebrate God today and every day. I want to be a good example for them as a mother and follower of Jesus. I pray that they will find as much wisdom in reading the Bible as I have found myself.  

May Peace and Mercy be Upon You. 

Journaling Through the Bible: Honor

During the month of November in Sunday School, our first grader was focusing upon Honor. He brought home papers that we read together that speak of letting others know that we see how valuable they are to us, the world, and to God. What a wonderful thing to focus upon, especially before Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Along with short readings asking our son to think about how to treat others and offering suggestions for daily prayers, we read verses from the Bible like: Romans 12:2; Romans 12:3; Romans 12:16; Romans 12:10; and Proverbs 3:27.

During November, we talked about putting others first and not holding back to show how we care about others. For our younger son this might mean that his sister gets to pick what board game to play or which television program to watch during lunchtime. These are simple ways he can put his sister first. 

Going through the readings and exercises with our son opened my own eyes to the things in me I also need to work on right alongside our son. I need to ask God for His help to put others before me. This is a "me first" world but it should be about others first. What a great way to honor others!

While it is important to not overlook my own needs and care, I need to look towards how I can give, agree, value, and help others more each day. What a balancing act for any parent! 

Prayer

Dear God,
Please help me to put others first.
To give more of myself.
To agree more often to fun (and reasonable) requests of my children.
To show how much I value my family.
To provide help where and when I can.

Amen.

Setting the Mood with Edgar Allan Poe

What draws you into a story? 

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So who is the Lady Ligeia? If she is important enough to write about, why can't our author remember more about their history together?

One of the things that often draws a reader into a story, poem, or novel is the opening paragraph. Many individuals might read the first few sentences or paragraphs of a written work and decide it is or is not right for them. Well, what if we all had the same way with words that Edgar Allan Poe had in writing? For me, reading the first few lines of a Poe story or poem invokes wonderful imagery, people, places, and events that invite me to learn more.

In this post, I will share a few of my favorite opening sentences from Poe that set the mood for a thrilling Halloween season.

What did the author ponder about? Why was he up so late when he was already tired? And who taught the raven to speak in the first place? 

One of my favorite stories is that of The Tell-Tale Heart...perhaps it is because of a fantastic Park Ranger who brought the story to life while on a tour of the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia. I remember reading it for the first time with a dictionary at hand as I was in elementary school and so many of the words Poe used seemed so difficult but so important to learn. Have you heard the tale of this madman? 

I love the way The Fall of the House of Usher begins. I feel like I am riding a horse alongside the narrator. Even if it is a bright sunny day, I can sense the darkness and coolness of a fall day when I read this story. 

Do you have a favorite author who intrigues you from the very first page of their work?

Resources 

Image of Pallas-Athene
Image of House