Tagged Again! What Am I Reading?

I feel so loved! I've been tagged again. This time, dear sweet Candace wants to know what I'm reading.







Well Candace my dear, I can't promise it's very exciting, but here it is...







Currently I have sitting on my coffee table a book I am very excited to start but haven't had a chance to. It's Kingdom Come, the very last book in the Left Behind series. I have read all the other books and even collected my own copies of them to have my own collection to read over and over again as well as to loan out to others. I absolutely LOVE this book series!

And while I'm on the subject, Baby Girl (11) just started reading the Left Behind series for kids and absolutely DEVOURED the first book in one day! She just started it yesterday morning and she's already reading book #2! She already seems to love them as much as I love the adult series!

At bedtime, I'm reading to the kids a book I learned about on the Five in a Row message boards called Five Children and It. I wasn't too sure about it at first because we haven't read many fantasy-type books, but I'm so glad I tested the waters with this one. We are all enjoying it very much, even Princess (5) who sometimes has a hard time sitting still while I'm reading. I don't recommend letting kids read this on their own though because the wording is a bit rough even for me, but having it read to them is a lot of fun! This book was written by E. Nesbit and was first published in 1902 and takes place in Europe, so the speaking of the characters, along with the writing, would be a bit on the difficult side for kids to read and understand in my opinion.

I'm also reading How To Study The Bible For Yourself by Tim LaHaye. Sad to say, I've never actually been taught, nor have I learned, how to actually STUDY the Bible. But I desperately want to grow closer to the Lord and develop a deeper, daily walk with Him, and I highly respect Mr. LaHaye, so I thought this book would be a great place to start. So far I really like it!

And that's about it for now. I'm not one that can have two or three (or more) books going all at once. I'm way too easily confused as it is. The last thing I need is to get different story lines mixed up!

So now, instead of passing on the tag, if you have read this far, consider yourself tagged and tell me what you're reading!

Oh, The Mind of a 5-Year-Old!

Our youngest little Princess absolutely just cracks us up. She comes out with the funniest and most of the time off-the-wall things you could never think of! Here are just a few examples from the past week:



*I told her that we were going to be going for a very long drive, 6 hours to be exact, and that we'd be sitting in the van that whole time. She said, very matter-of-fact, "That's ok. I'll just chew gum." Ooooo-kay.



*It started raining one morning and out of the blue she said, "Well, we can't go hunting now 'cause it's raining." Huh?



*My brother's dog's name is Pepper and she is missing most of her teeth. When we 'met' her for the first time last week I asked Princess why she thought they named her Pepper. She thought about it for a minute then said, "'Cause peppers don't have teeth and she doesn't have teeth, so they named her Pepper!"



After picking ourselves up out of the floor, I said, "Honey, what color is Pepper?"

"Black."

"And what color is the pepper you put on your eggs?"

"Black."

"Then why do you think they named her Pepper?"

(Her little eyes lit up) "Because pepper is black and she is black... and because she doesn't have teeth!"

Things Every Kid Should Do At Least Once

A few years ago I asked my fellow Five in a Row sisters their ideas on what kinds of things every kid should have the chance to do at least once while still a kid. All too often we forget how much fun it is to be a kid and worry too much about messes or simply don't take the time to have fun with our kids.




Why don't you join me and see how many things you and your kids can mark off this summer! (I have put in red the ones that all of our kids have had the chance to do and the ones in blue at least one of our kids have done. Some things were done kind of on their own, spur-of-the-moment or not really intentionally. These are things I want to make it a POINT to do... WITH the kids!)





*******************************************************************************




*Make mud pies.




*Splash in a big rain puddle.




*Play tag in the dark with flashlights.




*Go camping in a tent.




*Make homemade Taffy.




*Experiment to churn butter in a mayonnaise container.




*Have a backwards day with pizza for breakfast and pancakes for dinner. All clothing is worn backwards and parents must do the same!




*Catch fireflies in a mayonnaise jar.




*Ride in a rowboat.




*Skip rocks on a pond.




*Swing on a tire swing.




*Play in the rain.




*Climb a tree!




*Play in the sprinkler.




*Tend to plants and/or animals.




*Make "tents" with blankets over furniture.




*Tumble and wrestle with Daddy.




*Swim. (Just for fun, not lessons or swim team.)




*Have dessert for dinner!




*Have popcorn for dinner.




*Help dad wash the car.




*Go fishing with daddy.




*Fly a kite.




*"Camp" out in the back yard.




*Catch snowflakes on their tongues, and make snow angels.




*Get DIRTY!!!!




*Make cookies (or bake anything) - letting the kids do the measuring of course.




*Put on a play.




*Put on a puppet show.




*Horse back ride.




*Hay ride (or sleigh ride).




*Carve pumpkins (doesn't have to be for Halloween).




*Lots of crafty stuff.




*Own and take care of a small pet.




*Slide down a steep hill on a cardboard box.




*Eat cotton candy and candied apples.




*Go to the county fair.




*Go fishing using homemade poles.




*Make regular visits to the Ice Cream man who drives around your neighborhood.




*Ride bikes through puddles and then wash the bikes.




*Go to the circus.




*Play with a kitten.




*Wade in a creek.




*Make homemade popsicles.




*Go to the zoo.




*Ooh and ahh over fireworks.




*Go for a drive after dark to see Christmas lights.




*Attend a candlelight Christmas Eve service.




*Catch lightening bugs, crawdads, crickets, tadpoles and other "critters."




*Dance in the rain.




*Blow bubbles.




*Play in the mud.




*Plant flowers and seeds.




*Play with squirt guns and water hoses.




*Sing in the car, making up silly songs.




*Fishing and camping with Daddy and Grandpa.




*Have an imaginary friend.




*Make dandelion wishes.




*Eat flowers (ever taste a tiger lily?).




*Face paint clowns and put on our own circus.




*Go to the fair, eat cotton candy and ride the carousel.




*Watch a sunrise, and a sunset.




*Watch the full moon rise.




*Find cloud "pictures".




*Look at the stars.




*Act goofy and silly whenever possible.




*Laugh A LOT.




*Crack the egg into the batter and stir(even at the risk of dropping your best bowl and breaking it).




*Comb mom's hair (even if they make tangles).




*Make a gingerbread house (even if the gumdrops never make it on the fence).




*Pray for friends in need (even if it sets you back 25 minutes in starting school).




*Help paint anything.




*Go to work with Dad (even if he has the night shift and does not get home until 1:30a.m.).




*Wrap Christmas presents (even if they use an entire roll of tape for just a few presents).




*Have your attention (even if you have a deadline).




*Run ahead of you on a hike (even if you want to hold their hand for the gazillionth time).




*Draw another picture (even if you want that paper for yourself).




*Have the last cookie (even if it's your special treat).




*Eat butter and jelly on saltine crackers!




*Sit under a tree while you read them a chapter book from cover to cover.




*If possible, take a road trip with Grandma and Grandpa.




*Sit around in their pajamas one whole day and watch sitcom reruns.




*Ride a seesaw.




*Go to a drive-in movie.




*Roller skate.




*Spend hours in the woods exploring God’s world.




*Dance and just be silly!




*Tumble down a hill.




*Drink from a water hose.




*Have a weenie roast.




*Roast marshmallows.




*Make S’mores.




*Go on a treasure hunt.




*Write messages in secret code.




*Build a sand castle.




*Have a lemonade stand.




*Draw pictures with colored chalk on the driveway.




*Collect seashells.

.


*Find a stick and pretend it's a sword or play cops and robbers.




*Make a fort under the kitchen/dining table.




*Take a bubble bath and pretend your Santa Claus.




*Eat cake with your hands.




*Chew bubble gum and blow a really big bubble and then peel it off your face.




*Jump on your bed.




*Squish mashed potatoes out of your mouth (ONCE!).







~Compiled and written by FIAR moms!

Working On A House Blessing

I haven't posted in a few days, but that's because I nearly can't
find my computer!








I also haven't played with my kids enough lately, or gone outside and enjoyed the beautiful spring weather, or gotten much school done, or just sat down and done nothing! I don't even know what THAT is!





And do you know the biggest reason why? It's simple. Because my house is a wreck! I'm not just talking a bit messy. No. It's much worse than that. Every room is a disaster area.





Between having out-of-state company for a week, having a necessary, spur-of-the-moment, 6-hour drive trip in which we stopped long enough to eat pizza then turned around and drove 6-hours back home, getting ready for a yard sale (while seperating those things that will probably sell better on-line), working, having a sleep-over with our Keepers at Home group at church, birthdays, and helping sweetie with his business... well, unfortunately our home has taken a back seat and has now become just plain miserable to live in.





But I'm working on it. I really am. I can't STAND my home to be in this shape. There is no peace, no joy. I constantly feel on edge and irritated. Things get lost and finding them makes an even bigger mess. Everyone seems to stay short-tempered when everything is out of order.






But a post from a fellow FIAR sister this morning helped me remember that life is way too short to allow Satan to steal our joy and peace through continually keeping me (us) uptight over the state of our home. I'm not talking about leaving it like this and not worrying about it. Heavens no!







But what I am determined to do is to take back what I have allowed him to steal from our family, from ME, for so long now simply because of my lack of housekeeping skills.





We have a small home. We outgrew it a long time ago. But, it is not time for us to move yet, so we have to find a way to live here and still have peace and order. That means continually de-cluttering, organization, and a set routine for all of us.





A place for everything and everything in it's place! I love that saying. And here's a great blog to help motivate and give ideas to accomplish just that. I've really enjoyed seeing all the different ideas shared here and hope to use some of her ideas in our home.





But the main reason for this post is to encourage anyone else in the same situation to take the time to JUST DO IT! Get your home de-cluttered, cleaned, and organized and then establish some kind of system to keep it that way so the devil can't steal this precious time with your children by always keeping you stressed over your home. Time is too short. They'll be grown before we know it and then it will be too late.






Our kids will also grow up to do just what they see us doing. If I walked into one of daughter's homes (several years down the road) and saw it looking like this one does right now, I believe I'd have to give her a good heart-to-heart mommy talk and then help her get it cleaned and organized for her sake and for the sake of her family.





And if I don't start changing my own ways right now, that's exactly what's going to happen. What's that going to say about the kind of mother I was? What problems is that going to cause my daughters and future sons-in-law and grandchildren? I want better for them, and it starts right here, right now.

If You Give A Homeschooling Mom a Cookie

If you give a Homeschooling Mom a cookie, she’ll want the recipe.





She will plan a complete unit study on the History of Cookies.





The family will take field trip to a farm and see where we get eggs, milk and grain.





At home they will make butter out of milk.





The children will want to start grinding their own grain.





Mom will purchase a Bosch Universal Kitchen System.





She will realize that she needs a new list of cookbooks, so she will order “An Introduction To Whole Grain Baking w/ CD”, “Desserts”, “The Cooking With Children CD”, and “Lunches & Snacks Cookbook” by Sue Gregg, also “Whole Foods for Kids to Cook”.





Mom orders a 100 lb bag of wheat berries.





Now she will grind her own wheat grain into flour.





The children will remember the field trip to the farm and knowing they can’t possibly get a cow, they beg for a few chickens.





So they take a trip to the library to research how to build a chicken coop and how to care for chickens.





On the way out the door Mom sees the book, “Chicken Tractor” by Andy Lee & Pat Foreman.





They stop by the Feed and Seed to pick up materials and ask where to purchase the chicks.





There the clerk tells them about eggs that can be incubated.





He sells them eggs,a book on hatching eggs, and an incubator.





At home Mom and the younger children set up the incubator while Dad and the older children build the chicken tractor.
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~nfantasi/ChickenTractorproj.htm
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html





Back to the library to pick up gardening books and more books on chickens.





The oldest daughter now starts a business grinding flour for her friend’s families.





...while her younger sisters are selling homemade cookies to their neighbors.





The boys have started building a new chicken tractor because they want more eggs for breakfast.





The cookie that started this all? The homeschooling mom’s three year old ate it.





by Sher Birminghambased on “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Introducing... The Newest Superhero!

I got so tickled at our newly-turned 8-year-old son tonight.



While sitting next to me in church I heard him whisper to himself, "Oh man!" So I asked him what was wrong.



He had been writing and said, "I spelled Spider-man, Spitter-man!" I don't know why, but I just got so tickled at the way he said it and I couldn't stop giggling at him, which made him start laughing, quietly of course.



So tonight as I put him to bed I told him that maybe that's the new superhero he could be... Spitter Man! He could just spit on all the bad guys... but only if he's saving the world OUTSIDE of the house!

Chicago Board of Ed Sued for Teacher Allegedly Showing 'Brokeback Mountain' in Class

CHICAGO — A girl and her grandparents have sued the Chicago Board of Education, alleging that a substitute teacher showed the R-rated film "Brokeback Mountain" in class.





The lawsuit claims that Jessica Turner, 12, suffered psychological distress after viewing the movie in her 8th grade class at Ashburn Community Elementary School last year.





The film, which won three Oscars, depicts two cowboys who conceal their homosexual affair.



Turner and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking around $500,000 in damages.





"It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this," said Kenneth Richardson, Turner's guardian. "The teacher knew she was not supposed to do this."





According to the lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court, the video was shown without permission from the students' parents and guardians.





The lawsuit also names Ashburn Principal Jewel Diaz and a substitute teacher, referred to as "Ms. Buford."





The substitute asked a student to shut the classroom door at the West Side school, saying: "What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class," according to the lawsuit.





Richardson said his granddaughter was traumatized by the movie and had to undergo psychological treatment and counseling.





In 2005, Richardson complained to school administrators about reading material that he said included curse words.





"This was the last straw," he said. "I feel the lawsuit was necessary because of the warning I had already given them on the literature they were giving out to children to read. I told them it was against our faith."





Messages left over the weekend with CPS officials were not immediately returned.





Story courtest of FoxNews.com

Parents Outraged After Elementary School Teachers Stage Fake Gunman Attack

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Staff members of a Murfreesboro elementary school staged a fake gunman attack during a school trip, telling them it was not a drill as children cried and hid under tables.



Parents of the sixth-grade students at Scales Elementary were outraged after learning about the prank that occurred Thursday night during a weeklong trip to a state park.


Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who was present, said the scenario was intended as a learning experience and only lasted five minutes.



"We got together and discussed what we would have done in a real situation," he said.During the last night of the school trip to Fall Creek Falls, a state park about 130 miles southeast of Nashville, staff members convinced the 69 students that there was a gunman on the loose.



The students were told to lie on the floor or hide underneath tables and stay quiet. After the lights went out, about 20 kids started to cry, said 11-year-old Shay Naylor.


"I was like, 'Oh My God,' " Shay said Saturday. "At first I thought I was going to die. We flipped out. (A teacher) told us, 'We just got a call that there's been a random shooting.' I was freaked out. I thought it was serious."A teacher, disguised in a hooded sweat shirt, even pulled on locked door and pretended to be suspicious subject.



"This was not a good experience," said Alisha Graves, whose son went on the trip. "Those kids were crying and they were terrified."



Some parents said they were upset by the staff's poor judgment in light of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech that left 33 students and professors dead, including the gunman.


"The children were in that room in the dark, begging for their lives, because they thought there was someone with a gun after them," said Brandy Cole, whose son went on the trip.


Scales Elementary Principal Catherine Stephens held a meeting Saturday afternoon at the school after a handful of parents called to complain.



She said she was saddened by the situation and that the school was handling it. She declined to say whether the staff members involved would face disciplinary action."The circumstance that occurred involved poor judgment," Stephens said. "My hope is that we can learn from this, and in the end, it will have a positive result of growth for all of us."



Still Shay and her mother, Niki Morris, said they forgave the teachers for scaring the students.



"(It) went too far because it was too gruesome," Shay Naylor said. "You'd think a teacher wouldn't do it, but they did. But they're great teachers. If (the assistant principal) loses his job, I will break into tears. He's the best assistant principal I've ever had."



Story courtesy of FoxNews.com

This Is SO Me, But I Think I've Found My Miracle!

Story compliments of The Biggest Loser Club





When All or Nothing Equals Nothing


End the mental yo-yo and find a happier, slimmer you





Either you're eating everything in sight. Or you're being so strict with your diet that you deny yourself even a single cookie. Is this you?






If your answer is yes, you're an "all or nothing" dieter. "This is the most common pattern," says BLC nutrition expert Greg Hottinger. "One cause of 'all or nothing' is trying to make things happen too quickly, like sprinting out of the starting gates of a marathon run. This usually looks like undereating and overexercising. Both are a set-up for burnout, injury, and quitting."






"Another cause of 'all or nothing' is being perfectionistic, thinking that slipping up equals failure. The perfectionistic person cruises along at the beginning and then crashes after hitting the first big bump in the road."






How to solve the "all or nothing" syndrome? "You can't expect to be around delicious food without feeling its magnetic pull. You can, however, learn to take care of yourself in these situations, make healthier choices, eat mindfully, and take better overall care of yourself."






This article describes me to a TEE! I am an all-or-nothing kind of gal when it comes to losing weight and that's the biggest reason my attempts have failed time and time again over the years. I can be doing good, but if I mess up even just once and eat something I shouldn't or miss a day of working out, then forget it, I've messed up and might as well go ahead and go all out.





UGH! I get so frustrated at myself. It's like I just simply don't believe I'll ever really lose this weight, so why ever worry about it?





BUT!!! I think I have finally found my answer! My long-awaited miracle!! THE VERY THING I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR!!!





They even have this!





Can you believe it? Now just to save up my money and I can finally have the body I've always dreamed of! Oh happy, happy, joy, joy!





(Note: Yes, I really am just kidding.)

About School

I realized I haven't posted much about our homeschooling lately. Well, that's because this whole semester has been so full of other activities that our schooling hasn't been anything consistent... at least nothing worth telling about.



The kids have been doing math, spelling, writing, etc. just to stay on course, but we all miss the FUN we used to have, especially with Five in a Row.



But with Baby Girl's community play she was in, all the kids playing and cheering for Upward, out-of-town family visiting, me starting to work, helping dad build his business, and all the other things life has brought our way, the fun 'extras' have simply been put on the back burner.



But you know, I'm SO beyond ready to re-capture those days. My kids aren't getting any younger and I don't want to lose any more days of having fun learning with them. Especially our oldest, who just turned 11. She'll be in 6th grade next year and is quickly getting to where she's 'too old' to do a lot of the fun stuff we used to do. She can't even play at the playground any more simply because she's too big.



So my plan is for us to school right on through the summer to stay on course since we've lost so much time already. But just for a couple hours each morning. And most importantly, to get back to having FUN with our learning. I still want to have plenty of park and library days and lots of swimming and hiking and picnics!



If you think of it, could you say a little prayer for my hubby's business? It's doing well, but we need to get to a certain number of customers and I can quit working at the hospital and we will be well on our way to complete financial freedom. Those two things will allow me to have all the freedom and peace I need to get back to having stress-free fun and true, pleasureable enjoyment with my kids and school again, with no other distractions or worries. Well, except what normal daily life brings.



How about you? How's your summer looking?

My Yard Sale Treasure!

Me and the kidlets went yard saling with my mom this past weekend and just LOOK at the treasure my mommy bought for me!!















Can you believe they were only $5 each!



Thank you SO much mom! They're going to look great with my collection this next Christmas!

This Kid Needs a Helmet!

Remember this little fella with his 5 stitches at Christmas time when we tried to go see the annual Kentucky Christmas Chorus at Rupp Arena in Lexington...








Well, this was him today while we were at the annual March of Dimes walk...







It looked much worse in person... BIG pump knot, bruising, and scrapes. He and his brother decided to run way up in front of us and THIS is what happens when you don't listen to mom and dad! Thank goodness there were nice, helpful paramedics close by.













Here's a few more pictures from our walk today. The boys were picked out of the crowd and had their picture taken by a newspaper reporter, thankfully BEFORE Reese Cup's smashing head-first-into-the-concrete fall!

I've Been Tagged!

This is my first tag since moving here to Blogger and I feel so honored that my fellow FIAR sister from The Shades of Pink chose me!





Here's how it works:





Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to tag others and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!





So, let me see if I can come up with 7 things about me you may not know...





Hmmm...





1.) I'm a BIG homebody, but if there's one thing I'll RUSH to get out to do it's go yard saling. I LOVE it! Not junky, nasty yard sales. I don't really want JUNK. But the exhileration of finding something good, something we'll use or something one of us would like or need at a great bargain price, well, there's just NOTHING like it!





2.) I graduated high school as Valedictorian (at age 17 and I was still 17 when I moved away from home to go to college! What were my parents thinking?!). My best friend graduated Salutatorian.





3.) I live in the same town as the very first Kentucky Fried Chicken.





4.) I once dated a guy that was 10 1/2 years older than I was, and I was only 14 when I started dating him! Again, what WERE my parents thinking?! (Seriously, he was my step-dad's nephew who was in the Air Force and stationed in ALASKA. He was only home about 2 weeks a year, so I guess they figured it was pretty safe...LOL. He was really good to me and treated me like a princess. Guess he knew he had to be or not only would he risk his job in the military (due to my age, *wink*) but he'd also have his own uncle to face! Crazy Kentuckians! LOL!) We dated for almost 3 years!





5.) I've spent the 4th of July at Disney World with 80,000 other people AND I've also spent the 4th of July in NYC laying in the grass right across from the World Trade Center with about 5 MILLION other people! A couple years ago our family also watched the country's biggest fireworks display, Thunder Over Louisville, with 800,000 people!





6.) When I was in college I worked at the college's daycare and there was a little boy who came there who had something medically wrong with him but none of his doctors had been able to diagnose him. He was 4. One weekend while I was at home I picked up some informational papers my mom had been given about a little girl she was working with as a teacher's assistant, because she had special needs. As soon as I read the paper and looked at the pictures I KNEW that THIS is what the little boy at the daycare had! I took the papers back to the little boy's parents, they took them to his doctors and they finally had their diagnosis. (I take NO credit for this whatsoever. I am just so honored and humbled that the Lord chose to use little, insignificant me to help these parents get the help they so desperately needed. I think it's really cool and can't help but smile every time I think back on it.)





7.) I love children so much that it doesn't even have to be my own child for me to cry over them. When I see parents talk meanly or in an ugly way to their child, it takes everything in me to not go 'rescue' the poor little thing. I can watch videos of other people's kids and sob. When our kids are grown and gone I think I would love to adopt. Children are just my passion and I could, and sometimes do, hug them all and tell them how special they are!





Now, to choose whom to tag. Someone who won't get upset with me for taggin them. Someone I'd like to learn more about...





Ok, because she is so fun and such a sweetheart, I believe I'm going to tag Oney. I just think the world of this lady and would love to hear what things she comes up with.





I'm not sure how many people I'm supposed to tag, but I'm only going to do Oney because first, I don't think she'll get upset that I tagged her and second, it's 1:30 a.m. and I'm tired and don't want to think about who else to tag! LOL.

Shouldn't Math Be Fun and Easy?

No tomatoes, please.



If you've homeschooled at least one child for say... any amount of time, then I would almost gaurentee you or one of your children, or maybe even both of you, or even ALL of you have had days where you would just love to chuck anything pertaining to math!



How do I know this? Honey! My oldest and I have been there, done that, and got the stinkin' T-shirt! UGH! At least 1-2 times a week one of us ends up in tears over math. Especially when she's learning a new concept. So believe me, I understand.



So when I saw Lynn's daughter demonstrate this, I knew instantly what tomorrow's math lesson was going to be!



Thank you Lynn and Makayla!

A Little Too Close To Home

There was a stabbing today at my (and my sweetie's) alma mater!



This is the high school that I graduated from as well as where my sweetie and all his family (siblings, cousins, dad, uncles, etc.) also graduated from. Sweetie's uncle has been the head football coach at this school for nearly 30 years and we have a nephew who is currently a student there as well.



Apparently it was over a girl, and the wounds are not life-threatening, thank goodness, but still... this truly just breaks my heart.



We're a small town where everybody knows everybody, or at least you KNOW somebody that knows somebody. Quite possibly, if you talk to someone long enough, you'll find out that you're somehow related to each other!



I've only been out of school for 14 years (EEK!). Our class, as well as the two (at least) directly behind us, was a small (70 in my graduating class), close group of friends. Sure there were always the 'trouble-makers', but they pretty much stayed to themselves. The good kids far outnumbered the bad.



There were arguments and the occasional fights in the hallway. But never did it cross our minds to do something as crazy as to actaully STAB another student! Even if someone DID think about it, they never acted upon it.



It is so sad to me to see kids today so unconcerned for other people's feelings. So many seem to never even consider how their actions will affect others. More often than not I see a very selfish generation coming up today.



Where has this come from? Don't get me wrong. I know that rebellion and self-centeredness has been around as long as the world has been, but as time goes on, things even the meanest bullies would have never thought about doing years ago seem to be quickly becoming the norm today.



Honestly, when I think about the things kids and young people (not to mention full-grown adults) are doing these days I can only come to one conclusion. There must not be much training of The Golden Rule coming from home.



Daily, we use this as our foundation for almost all discipline given in our home. No matter what the situation is, sweetie and I always try to help our children understand how their actions and words affect other people. Children NEED this kind of training. It's not good enough to just tell kids 'no'. Tell them WHY they can't do something. Explain to them that what they do and say, even their tone of voice and attitude, affects other people. How would THEY like being treated that way, or talked to that way?



I promise you, if you'll take the time to do this consistently with your children you will see their little hearts being molded and shaped into ones who care about others and automatically consider other people's feelings before acting or speaking (usually). Yes, it's a lot of time and work. Yes, it's easier to just holler 'Stop it!' from another room. But trust me, you'll be so glad you took the time to train your children's hearts. And so will they.



Even if they go through a rebellious stage and it seems like everything you trained them in went right out the window, stand firm on what our Father tells us in His word...



TRAIN up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he WILL NOT depart from it.



God's word is true. He can not lie. What He tells us, we can stand on! If He says they will not depart from it, then that means that they will not depart from it!



It may take longer than you like for them to come back around, but don't ever doubt that somewhere deep inside there is a little voice saying, "How are your actions affecting others? Is this how YOU would like to be treated?"



Trust me. I know what I'm talking about because I see the fruits of our labor in our children. We are already reaping what we have sown in our children's hearts all these years. It works! Our children are a joy to be around... we've been told several, several times by many different people.



Am I proud of them? Absolutely! Am I bragging on my children? You'd better believe it! It's my blog and I'll brag if I want to, brag if I want to, brag if I want to!



Now, go hug those little angels of yours and if you're not already, begin today to TRAIN them instead of just tolerating them.