Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting...

My muscles are beginning to hurt. You know that distant uncomfortable feeling - the one that provides fair warning that in approximately 24 hours you won't be able to walk down your stairs or sit on the toilet without crying out in pain? But it's good!

Megan and I had our first parent/child karate class last night. I had no idea...

Over the course of an hour, the sensei somehow managed to trick us into working up a good sweat, doing about 50 push ups (in my case, not with the prettiest form), doing a good 100 crunches, and more.

I forgot how good it feels to hurt like that.

The best part, though, was watching my Muffin-girl. She was so intent, so focused, and totally awesome! She loved every minute of it and participated for the entire hour. At the end of the class the sensei handed out forms to order a uniform (it's called a Gii - no idea on the correct spelling of Japanese words). Meg looked at me with a light in her eyes that I haven't seen in a while and proclaimed, "I want one!"

Who am I to discourage her commitment to the sport? And, since she was fairly insistent that I must also be in uniform, I ordered 2. Next week we'll be punching and shouting in style. Oh, and push-upping and crunching...

The Law of Opposites, God's Way

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ~I Corinthians 13:1-2 NASB

I love my kids, but I am not so great at showing love to them. Love is patient - I tend to be impatient. Love is kind - I wouldn't say that I'm unkind, but I also can't say that I go out of my way to do nice things for them. Love is not easily angered - but I am all-too-often easily angered.

For the months of January and February, as part of my project with God, I have decided to focus on showing love to my kids. I am going to pay attention and take notes about their likes and dislikes, their personalities and love languages, as well as make note of situations where I am not kind, patient, or loving and figure out how to do it differently next time.

For so long I've just prayed, "Lord, please help me not to blow up," and hoped that one day I would miraculously be delivered from this struggle with anger. But with the help of a children's song I am learning that I need to counteract my anger. Counter-Act. Act in the opposite.

It's all About the Kingdom, a song from Seeker's Great Adventure says:

Overcome evil with...GOOD!

Overcome darkness with...LIGHT!

Overcome greed with...GIVING!

It stands to reason, then, that we could overcome anger with...LOVE. (If you have alternative suggestions here, I'm happy to hear them and add them to my list.)

So rather than waiting for change to just happen to me (and in me), I am going to begin living as if I've been changed - doing the opposite of what I'd normally do. I will counter-act the anger that so often bursts from within with love. And on this great, big, huge, massive project I will be one teeny-tiny step closer to the consecrated life.

Questions

I am fully uninspired this morning. I have been up between 6-12 times per night for the past 4 nights, and I am plumb tuckered out! So I decided the best thing I could do (for you and for me) is to pose a few questions that I wonder about. I would be just tickled if you took the time to answer. :)

1. Am I the only one who still has my Christmas tree and decorations out?
I have thought to myself daily since December 30th, "Self, you should really get that tree down and all the decorations put away." But the lazy in me keeps winning out.

2. How many cups of coffee do you drink in the morning?
Three cups is about perfect for me. If I only have one I end up with a headache, but if I have four my tummy starts to feel that "icky" feeling.

3. What time do you put your kids to bed? And what time do they get up?
I am fairly strict about our 7pm bedtime on school nights. Those who don't actually need as much nighttime sleep (anyone who napped) will wake up as early as 6am. The school kids are dragged out of bed at 6:45 - in order to catch the bus at 7:45.

4. Do you floss your teeth regularly?
I never have. I would say that I floss about once per month, and once per week for the month prior to a dentist visit. I know, pathetic.

5. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only keep the pages from one book of the Bible, which book would you keep? And why?
I'd have to say James. Every time I read it I find something practical and relevant. Love it!

Good Enough isn't Good Enough

You know, I kinda had a 'plan' in my head for how this consecrating stuff would go. I figured that God would nudge me on the 'small' things first (you know, maybe He'd call me to stop using curse words), and by later in the year (maybe next fall) we'd have worked our way to some 'big' things (such as anger). Has anyone else noticed that God always seems to have plans of His own?

Friday evening Pat and I went on a date. Our dinner conversation revolved around the kids and our parenting methods. We're finding that the honeymoon phase is over, and they're all showing signs of stress from all the life change. When children are experiencing stress in their lives that they don't understand and can't really verbalize, they blow off steam the only way they know how - acting out (or is it acting up?). Our two weeks of school holidays have been filled with bickering and tears (both theirs and mine), time outs (again, for them and me), and an overall sense of frustration.

Sunday's sermon was all about parenting - how to pass on a legacy of loving God. One of the things he mentioned was that our actions will influence the way our kids see God and think about Him. He also spoke about trying times as a parent, and how we can get so caught up in trying to 'fix' whatever is going on with our kids that we fail to ask ourselves the most important question, "What is God trying to teach me about myself in this moment?"

This morning, these words from James shouted at me from the page... My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20)

Oh, and to top off all those little hints coming my way, I've had a sick child for three days (we're onto day 4 now). Which means there is a Mommy in this house who is VERY short on sleep (read: short on temper) and a boy-child in this house who is surely dying (read: big, whiny baby...just like a male; also read: trying Mommy's patience in a big way). So right out of the gate I'm getting some practical experience moments. I'd have to say that, so far, I'm at about a 50/50 pass/fail rate.

Sometimes I wonder why I keep on asking God to do the radical in my life! I mean, I'd really be okay if He just did the semi-radical. I'd still grow, I'd still change, it would be good. And not so dang hard! Yet there's this drive in me that cannot be content to settle for 'good enough.' I don't want to be a good enough mom or a good enough Christian. I want to be the best I can be. I want my kids to see my active pursuit of righteousness and desire that same thing in their lives. I want the world to see me and say, "Wow, that Tyler girl sure does love her Jesus!" I want GREAT; good enough simply won't do.

If only there were just a little bit less work involved...

The Year of Consecration

I spent the year of 2009 learning God's ways and His paths. Though I could literally pursue that theme for the next several years of my life, I felt the need to find a new theme for the new year. I thus declare the year of 2010 "the year of consecration."

Consecrate yourselves and be holy,

because I am the LORD your God.

~Leviticus 20:7

I found this verse, and it resonated so strongly that I could not ignore its call. I thought it might have something to do with being "better" than I am (and who doesn't want that), but I couldn't fully commit to consecrating myself without understanding the full meaning of the word.

Consecrated (adjective) - consecrate, dedicated
solemnly dedicated or set apart for a high purpose

As God's children, He has already set us apart for His high purposes. But all too often we sit there in the knowledge of being set apart without living in the reality and the solemnity of the consecrated life. We talk like the rest of the world, we act like the rest of the world, we look like the rest of the world - there is nothing different enough about us that makes us stand out. When I say "us" I actually mean "me," but it just makes me feel better about it to think that there are others out there like me.

This year, there will be no grandiose resolutions for me. I will not commit to losing 30 lbs (though I should); I will not promise to never say another curse word; I will not swear off yelling at my children or being crabby with my husband; I will not promise to "never do this/change that forever/be who I want to be and not am." I can't. Because the pursuit of holiness isn't something I can just DO.

In 2010, I will, however, commit to the relentless pursuit of holiness - one aspect of my life at a time. I will trust in God to show me what He wants to work on in me, and then I will not only let Him do the work, but I will actively participate and cooperate with what He wants to do. And one bit of my not-so-set-apart life at a time, I will commit to allowing Him to consecrate me.

Because if there's anything I want in this life, it's that I will look different, sound different, and BE different...set apart for His high purpose.

Year in Review, 2009

I began 2009 with this goal in my heart.

Here's how I learned His ways, His paths, and His truths throughout the year...

January:
I asked the Lord to shake me up, keep me from becoming too comfortable, unsettle me.

February:
I asked God to reveal His agenda for my daily schedule and "to do" lists with my time experiment.

March:
I was learning about Believing God and persevering when victory demanded my all.

April:
God used our difficult trip to Disneyland to remind me of something that I find easy to forget.

May:
The Lord provided peace when I submitted to His will for our special needs son.

June:
God used an old post and an anonymous comment to encourage me. Interesting how re-reading those words just spoke to my heart all over again...

July:
Our family settled in to enjoy the snot-nosed, dirty-faced, sweaty-kid days of summer.

August:
I had the amazing experience of attending the She Speaks conference, and many thanks to Lysa who inspired me to begin my fast food fast.

September:
An answer to those prayers of mine - the ones to be unsettled... God nudged, we listened (albeit reluctantly).

October:
In the midst of preparing to move, God called Pat to take a short walk in the mission field. His heart is forever turned toward the people of Haiti.

November:
I spent some time trying to refocus my prayers and praises.

December:
A month spent glorying in the new lifestyle of our family, but sadly neglecting other important things (such as writing - for my book or on this here blog).

It surely was a Jesus year! I asked and sought and God showed my His ways, taught me His paths, and spoke to me about His truths. My world was rocked more than once. Adventure was had. Much time was spent on my knees. And some people say that following Jesus is boring...

Traditionally Speaking

Traditions are the glue that holds a family together, separate and unique from other families. Some traditions become such a part of the daily routine that we may not even recognize them as special, such as praying together at night or talking about the day's high and low points over dinner. Christmas traditions, though, are special.

Do you read the Christmas story together? Open stockings? Have a turkey dinner feast?

Last year, our family began a tradition that I'd like to continue. Together, as a family, we found a way to give to others. The tough part (which was also the most blessed part) of the giving was that it was sacrificial.

I don't think our kids are old enough to understand going with a "giftless" Christmas where we give all of our gift money to a worthwhile project. But there is no age limit on learning to be a blessing, to offer something that may mean you need to have a little less for yourself.

A couple other traditions that have bloomed over the years:
- Each kid gets a new ornament every year, and they hang their ornaments on the tree. (There is a slim chance that I missed a year along the way - baby brain - but I'm going to make sure each kid is all set for next year.)
- On Christmas Eve, the kids get to open a gift (pre-selected by moi). It's always new pyjamas.
- Santa fills the stockings in this house and leaves a gift (typically something that everyone can enjoy together). Of course, we always leave out milk and cookies for the jolly fella.
- At my parents' house, one of them will read the Christmas story before we devour the turkey and trimmings. Sometimes it's direct from the Bible, sometimes a version from a children's book.

I should share a little trick I came up with a few years back that seems to help with any sibling issues that occur around gifts (you know, no matter how you do Christmas and how much you try to focus on Christ and not the gifts, there is almost always one child who ends up whining to play with something that someone else received - this makes me crazy!). For any and all gift-giving occasions, a gift received by a particular child belongs solely to that child for a full 24 hours. After that day is done, the treasure is now for sharing. The exceptions to the rule are clothing and items that they choose to put in their special box. (The special box is a shoebox-sized Rubbermaid container, which the child keeps in his/her room. No one else is allowed to take items from the box. This little trick helped me deal with the child who was "hoarding" everything in piles on and beside the bed.)

Now, given that time is running short, I need to figure out what we're going to do as a family to be a blessing this Christmas. Pat and I have already come up with one thing, but it didn't involve the kids...

What are your family's traditions around Christmas?