best friends

With the start of our homeschooling year, we've had a lot to adjust to. New house, new weather, new friends, new books, new schedule. I have loved the cool, rainy weather. It really makes staying home so easy for me! I have deliberately chosen not to dive into any extra-curricular activities for the children. We are really trying to work on strengthening our relationships with one another.

I've been reading to the children bits of a book called Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally. Its a fun book, written by three siblings ages 12, 16, and 22. Although sometimes the books feels a little "disjointed," it is at just the right level of understanding. . . obviously because the authors are so young. We have been reminding our children that the relationships with friends are often temporal, but the relationships they have with each other are going to last forever. Today I read from a part of the book written by Stephen, and he said concerning brothers and sisters,

"They should be your best friends for life! For many people this is not true! Why? It is because when they were young they simply tolerated their brothers and sisters but they weren't close. They weren't best friends. They allowed conflicts to exist and continue unresolved. They weren't thinking of the big picture-of eternity. They were only thinking of the "now" It's worth sacrificing the "now" for the future."

Some days have been good. . . some days, not so good. We have been singing, praying, and reading the Bible together each night as a family. Last night we sang a Sovereign Grace song written by Doug Plank. The kids love it, and it was a good reminder for them how they are to be acting toward one another.

Love is patient, love is kind

Everywhere and every time

It gives its place in line to serve another

But my heart it struggles so

I need Your grace to grow

Lord, help me give and show this love to others

Jesus, set me free to love unselfishly

Because You first loved me

I can love You with all my heart

Because You first loved me

I'll love others too, the way You do

I'll love them too

When I love it looks like this:

It always gives and gives

To God and then it lives to help my neighbor

That's a love I haven't got, it's me I love a lot

Stuck here I'm tied in knots, I need a Savior

Jesus, set me free to love You more than me 

Lord, give us the wisdom we need to raise these kids to LOVE YOU, and LOVE EACH OTHER. Anything else they learn. . . any book knowledge. . . is an added plus. 

We trust you even when it doesn't seem like any progress is being made. 

Thank you for using this time to sanctify us and show us that WE are not in control, YOU are. 

Amen