One way we must use our words daily, is when disciplining our children. Discipline is a difficult process for both the person disciplining and the person being disciplined. Having to decide on and set clear expectations, and then come up with reasonable consequences for when those expectations are not met, is no easy task. Add …
I thought everything would feel easier after Christmas, once the colossal to-do list had been completed. However, our first couple of weeks back into school work have not been easy. Rather than a completed to-do list, I now have a list of all the ‘do after Christmas’ items, that got pushed back to make way …
Making the best use of our time, doesn’t mean, filling every moment we have, doing something. It means finding what is *best* in any given moment, and ruthlessly cutting out everything else. There are endless good things we can do with our time. The needs around us are almost infinite. Our family, our home, our …
Noah’s Ark is one of the most famous Bible stories there is. So much so, it has inspired innumerable baby toys, accessories, and children’s clothing. The idea of a floating zoo is novel and child friendly. But the whole story is actually quite a sobering tale of wickedness, hard work, and salvation. God …
“She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate… and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God” Genesis 3:6, 8 Shame has a way of making us want to hide away. We don’t want our …
It’s been a while since I last blogged. In fact, it’s the longest break I’ve had since I started nearly 4 years ago. Why? Well, honestly, I’ve been toying with the idea of giving up. Starting the blog was a challenge. Keeping it going has not been easy. I’ve made lots of mistakes. I wish …
In part one I mentioned how isolation has caused many insecurities to bubble up to the surface. Insecurities stem, in part, from all the past mistakes I’ve made. However, the present, presents its own unique problems. I often fear I don’t have enough. Enough time, patience, attention, skill, gentleness, wisdom (fill in the blank) …
Is your soul like a ‘weaned’ child or a ‘weaning’ child? My Grandmother sometimes tells me the story of when she looked after my sisters and me while my Mum was away. My youngest sister wasn’t quite weaned yet. At night, she screamed and screamed and couldn’t be comforted. The source of her comfort was …
As I get older I’m starting to realise how much I am like my Mum and Dad. It is not a bad thing. My parents have a lot of good qualities that I am grateful they passed on. But occasionally I might come out with a strange phrase like: “Don’t panic Mr Mannering,” and think: …
In the 34th chapter of John Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrims Progress’, Christian and Hopeful, two of the main characters, encounter the river of death. Crossing the river is their last big challenge before entering the pearly gates of God’s city. They step in the water. Hopeful finds his feet on solid ground but Christian isn’t so lucky. …