Monthly Archives: June 2010

If I was your true friend

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I’d be asking you those tough questions. You already know the questions. The ones that we ponder in our hearts and we want so desperately to ask, but we are afraid of hurt feelings or overstepping into that private place that says Do Not Enter or Keep Out. These are the most important questions, yet we hesitate. I am guilty of remaining silent far too often only because I fear the response. Those sign posts again.

If I was your true friend, then I would ask you:

How is your spiritual life?

Are you praying? Reading your Bible?

How can I pray for you today?

What are your struggles? Hopes? Dreams?

Past friendships never heard me ask those questions, when I knew I was supposed to ask them. Now I see these women struggling, drifting away, falling into a place I’m sure they never dreamed they would go. I stand at the shoreline of our friendship and they have drifted so far away. I wonder if they are happy. I am not happy for them.

Slowly I am learning to cast aside the fear, to speak up. To run after another crying girlfriend who just walked out the church door.

If we were friends away from the confinements of this cyberworld, then I would be having you here for dinner or coffee. I’d have your kids play with my kids, especially on a day when you needed a break because raising kids, especially if you homeschool and are with your kids more than usual, is exhausting work. Our husbands could hang out by the grill, we ladies would no doubt be in the kitchen. I’ll wash, if you dry. We would laugh together, cry together.

I hope you would answer the tough, difficult questions with honesty because if we are truly friends, then we shouldn’t have to fear.

Bible reading resources for the summer

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I’ve found three ways to help you get more Bible reading this summer. All are online so you can take these on vacation with you.

Read the Bible in 90 Days hosted at Mom’s Toolbox. Starts July 1. I will be doing this, watch for updates here.

Bible Cafe for Women is working through the workbook Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy by Kelly Minter as part of a Beth Moore Summer Bible study 3. I signed up for this six week study and have yet to purchase my book, so I need to do a little catching up.

Scripture Dig is a new website designed to help you dig deeper into your Bible. Daily posts on how to get the most out of Bible study, meditation on Scripture and which version is right for you. No Bible study offered right now, just getting really comfortable with the ins and outs of the Bible.

Let me know if you are going to participate in the 90 day Bible reading or with Bible Cafe. See you there!

Did I miss a resource? Online, book or website, share the link in the comments.

Thanks! More thoughts on chores

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Thanks to everyone who chimed in to my chore question here or over at Facebook. The consensus  is that I’m not asking too much and that I could be asking her to do more than just clean the bathroom once a week. I see the wisdom in that. All of my children need to learn how to clean, but more importantly, they need to learn the value in pitching in to the benefit of all.

So, she has more chores coming her way. In fact, the younger three have more coming their way too.

I’m thinking this is not going to be an overnight transformation with kids begging me for work or volunteering to do a new job. In fact, this might take years in the physical sense and lots of maturity in their spiritual life. I know I need all the patience, gentleness and self control to tackle those jobs I’d rather not do. Sure I can scrub with the best of them, but my attitude. . .yes, sometimes the moms attitude isn’t so pure or lovely. And I’m grumbling under my breath the whole time.

Teaching children the value of a job well done, to work without complaining, and to do their best work: these are my goals for having the kids do chores. I know how much more I enjoy my house when it’s clean or how much more I can relax if I’m not thinking about a job left undone. Part of me enjoys cleaning - I told you about that recently – and let’s be honest, as a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom, housework is a big part of my day.

So because I’m already blogging about chores (thanks, Susan for the idea), I might as well give you updates along the way. Who is doing what chore, how long it takes him or her to master and the general attitude of all of us.