Pleasant Disciplining

"If you can't discipline and be pleasant, then just be pleasant"

Michael Pearl

I checked a book out from our local library the other day. I was needing encouragement for homeschooling and this particular book caught my eye...Just Around the Corner by Steven and Teri Maxwell. It is a collection of newsletter articles they have written over the years designed to encourage and challenge homeschooling families. It always amazes me how God leads me to exactly what I need.

I began reading the book last night, each article is a very quick read. Some made me ponder, some were irrelevant, but the quote above got my attention. I am going to admit something here...the last few months I have not enjoyed homeschooling. I lack patience with my children. I lose my temper on a regular basis and I have developed, oh the shame of it, a habit of yelling at my boys. The tension in the house has been unbearable. I have found myself with a permanent scowl and more than once a day Cowodie saying "what's wrong Mom?" The boys have begun yelling and picking on one another as well (I wonder why...great example from me??)

The Lord wanted to make sure I was paying attention for the next article was on cherishing your children...the story recounted a mother ministering to her son as he died of a brain tumor. Would you treat your child the same way if you knew his time on earth was limited? So the first article tapped me on the shoulder and this one hit me over the head. I was so ashamed. I sat in my chair near tears following the scripture references and repenting of my hard heart, bad attitude and neglect of the precious lives He has placed in my care.

Today has been a new day. I have prayed and asked continually for God to help me be pleasant to my children. I have not raised my voice, silently pleading to have a guarded tongue. I know I cannot change my attitude alone, nor will it change without daily (hourly, minute by minute) prayer for a new outlook and disposition. We have had a wonderful day. When tempers have flared between the boys I have gone to them and spoken with them calmly about how they could have handled it differently.

Verses that have helped me today are Proverbs 16:21b "pleasant words promote instruction" and Proverbs 16: 24 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I don't want to be known as a foolish woman who tears down her own house, (Proverbs 14:1). That is exactly what I was allowing my harsh words to do.

Pleasant Disciplining

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2007/04/pleasant-disciplining.html

Sunday Hymn

May your Christmas be filled with the joy of the season!

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

1. Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!

2. All thy works with joy surround thee,
earth and heaven reflect thy rays,
stars and angels sing around thee,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in thee.

3. Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
well-spring of the joy of living,
ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother,
all who live in love are thine;
teach us how to love each other, l
ift us to the joy divine.

4. Mortals, join the mighty chorus
which the morning stars began;
love divine is reigning o'er us,
binding all within its span.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music leads us sunward,
in the triumph song of life.

Sunday Hymn

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/sunday-hymn_24.html

Godly Heritage

Three friends have lost grandparents in the last two weeks. In each case, the grandparent was a believer with a strong personal relationship with Christ. I have enjoyed listening to my friends share the testimonies of their loved ones. I have been encouraged to see the legacy they left behind...Pastors, Sunday School teachers, Deacons, Elders, awesome teenagers.

God promised Abraham that for his faithfulness, Abraham's decendants would be like grains of sand...to numerous to count. In much the same way, God has blessed each of these families to the third and fourth generation with godly families.

While I feel sorrow for my friends, I am joyful knowing that these wonderful people had the indescribable experience of hearing our Lord and Savior say "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Godly Heritage

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/godly-heritage.html

Sunday Hymn

Last year I remember my MIL talking of a hymn she would be singing in church. I had never heard of the hymn and didn't think of it again until I was looking through our book, Come Let Us Adore Him, for our Christmas hymns to ponder in the coming week.

Cecil Frances Humphreys was the hymnwriter. She and her husband, the Rev. William Alexander, were quite a dynamic duo in British Christianity. Her husband was the Bishop for all Ireland, but her song writing eclipsed his fame. Mrs. Alexander had quite a heart for children ..teaching Sunday School, helping establish a school for the deaf and founding a Girl's Friendly Society.

Mrs. Alexander, after encountering a boy who was having difficulty understanding the Apostle's Creed and portions of the Catechism, began to mull over writing simple little hymns to explain the phrases and truths of the Christain faith to little ones. Some examples of her work include, "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "There is a Green Hill Far Away" and today's post "Once in Royal David's City".

Once in Royal David's City

Once in Royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed;
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.

He came down to earth from Heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall.
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior Holy.

For He is our childhood's pattern;
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in Heav'n above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He has gone.

You can listen to the tune here.

Related tags: hymns, Christianity

Sunday Hymn

https://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/sunday-hymn_17.html