Tag Archives: Example

The Marriage Quilt

Back in the 19th century it was a practice to have a wedding or marriage quilt. Apparently the bride-to-be had to make a number of quilts for everyday use and one special quilt which was the wedding quilt. These became part of her trousseau. Friends could gather and help with the quilts but the bride-to-be must make the wedding quilt herself and it must be finished before the wedding. All I can say is I’m glad that doesn’t happen any more. Otherwise this non crafty person, who couldn’t sew or make a quilt to save her life, would never have … Continue reading →

What It Means To Be Head of the Household- Part 3

In the last two blogs I have made the point that being head of the household does not mean the husband dominating his wife but them working together as a partnership. So if we make decisions most of the time through discussion and by talking things through together, how can I say that my husband is head of the household? How exactly does that work out in practice? Let me tell you. He is the head of the household because ultimately he is the one who will make the final decision. If we talk things through and can’t reach a … Continue reading →

The Pattern of Domestic Violence

Wednesday is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The aim is to raise the profile of this crime, for that is what it is, to try and change attitudes and lessen the problem. Let’s hope and pray it has some effect. It saddens me to think that domestic violence is such a problem in our world. No way could I imagine Mick raising a hand to me or my son or son-in-law raising a hand against their wives. Yet, sadly that is not the case for all women. I’ve had a couple of friends who have been … Continue reading →

Our Children Are Watching Our Choices

What do we teach our children when we watch television together? What do we teach our children when we eat dinner together? What do we teach our children with the types of food we choose to have in our house or by the way we spend our free time? It is important to realize that our children scrutinize our every action. They notice what we eat, what we drink, when we exercise and what we value the most. They know how we spend our time and whether or not we study the scriptures on a regular basis. They know the … Continue reading →

What Are You Modeling?

This morning I heard an interview on the car radio about modeling. Not the catwalk, skinny almost to the point of anorexia, type modeling but the model parents set for children. The subject under discussion was the use or misuse of alcohol and how children pick up on what they see modeled in the home. At the moment the Australian government is running a series of ads about the effects on children of what they see modeled in the home. If Dad or Mom have always got a beer in their hands, the children tend to follow suit. In Australia … Continue reading →

What Pleases God

In my last blog I touched on living lives that are pleasing to the Lord. If we want to please the Lord, we first need to figure out and learn those things that are pleasing to Him, Ephesians 5:10. Fortunately God helps us through His Word and He tells us those attitudes and action that please Him. Here is a list of the attitudes and actions that please God. If we believe in Jesus, John 3:16, 18 If we love Jesus, John 16:27 If we keep His commandments, John 14:21, 1 John 2:3-5 If we abide in Him and walk … Continue reading →

We Share Our Belief System Through Praise and Discipline

Values and beliefs are not just taught through lectures and organized lessons. In fact, I would argue that is one of the least effective ways to teach our children what we value and believe in as parents. We pass along our belief systems through the things we praise and encourage and the boundaries we set and the type of discipline we choose to use (and what we discipline our children for.) Do you value winning? Participation? Getting along with other? Academics? Risk-taking? Physical strength? Chances are your child can tell you what is important to you based on the things … Continue reading →

Fathers and Sons – part 1

Does the son become like the father? When we look at some people in the bible we see that a godly parent does not necessarily translate to godly offspring. We only have to look at Eli and Samuel to see that. Both their sons abused their positions and did not follow God, see I Samuel 2:12-17 and 1 Samuel 8:1-5. The opposite can also be true, where a godly parent has a godly son. Take the case of Saul and Jonathon Saul’s problems started almost at the beginning of his reign. Samuel told Saul to go to Gilgal and wait … Continue reading →

Do as I Say, Not as I Do

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“Do as I say, not as I do.” How many times did we hear something like that when we were growing up? Both parents and teachers have used that one. The problem with that line of thinking is clearly illustrated with another axiom: “what you do speaks so loudly that I can’t hear what you say.” Modeling the behavior we desire from our children is critical in helping to teach our kids good habits, and the moral values we want to pass on to them. My old pastor used to say, “More is caught than taught” when it comes to … Continue reading →

What Are You Teaching Your Children About Anger?

Recently we’ve been looking at anger and how to deal with it. What are you teaching your child about anger? Look at Proverbs 15:1 and we find that ‘a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.’ We need to not only watch our words but also the manner in which we deliver them, so we do not incite anger in others. This is true in parenting, as it is in a marriage relationship and in our churches. Years ago I went with my daughter’s school to Canberra and to Parliament House. As we sat in … Continue reading →