Still Under Construction!

I am constantly running interference on behalf of my children. So many things are pulling at them for their attention and their hearts.  TV, movies, games, and music are all aimed at deceiving them into a world of discontent and a hollow form of happiness.

We have to steadily find opportunity to fill them with the truth of God's word while modeling a fulfilled life in Christ.

That's work because this world is after us too! 

More money. More things.

More anything!

If we are not diligent in being fixed on our purpose in parenting, we can easily be distracted while leaving our children uncovered and ill-equipped.

Parents, we can attend weekly church services and still not prepare our kids in living a life for Christ.

While fighting for them this weekend in prayer, I was reminded of a previous blog post from April 2013.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

I wanted to share it again because it encouraged me so much and gave me new energy at the importance of building Kingdom in our kids!


Blessings!


copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All Rights Reserved.

HOME!

So my kiddos are HOME and Spring Break 2015 is done!

All is right with the world. We are all together again.

Reunited and it feels so good! (I'm old I know.)

I am so thankful to God that He protected them and brought them home safely. I missed them.

However, I truly enjoyed being home with my 8 year old!

He's such a loving kid. Everyday he held my hand, told me he loved me, and gave me at least 100 kisses.

My husband kept telling him "Say man...get your own wife!"

My sweet boy would just giggle and give me more.

Yep.

Sweet.

He loved his time with me and I treasured our time together. He talked, laughed, and talked some more. I am now caught up on Transformers, Minecraft, and all things 8 year old boys.

So great.

But at the same time...I prayed!

All week I prayed! Do you hear me?!

I slept but didn't sleep.

I knew my two travelers were fine but couldn't help but wonder.

I prayed all week.

All week I prayed.

I prayed that they would be covered. Protected.

I prayed that they would enjoy themselves. Learn. Experience. Remember. Grow. See

I prayed for the bus driver and the pilot. I actually introduced myself to the driver and told him "Bring my baby back home." Yes...I'm that mom!

I prayed for the bus and the plane.

I prayed for clear safe roads and clear safe skies.

I prayed for their teachers.

I prayed for their friends.

I prayed for there food.

I prayed.

All week.

I know that I can only go so far and do so much.

Everything else is beyond me. Beyond my reach. So many things.

I know that there are so many miracles that need to happen correctly in order for us just to breathe. Cells. Organs. Biological systems. Environmental systems. And that's just to breathe!

I needed them to breathe, come home safely, and everything in between!

All beyond me.

So I prayed to the One who created it all.

The One who speaks and the winds obey Him.

The One who created light from darkness.

The One who created everything from nothing.

And He did.

He answered.

Grace. Mercy.

It's a tremendous comfort to know while in a completely powerless place that the Creator of the Universe is right there with you. Regulating! Orchestrating!

He makes it all happen according to His will, His purpose and for your good!

Prayer works. It does.

What are you praying for? Where do you feel powerless? What's beyond your reach?

Your hard is His easy!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer an supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6.

"Pray without ceasing." I Thessalonians 5:17

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, an it will be done for you." John 15:7

Prayer works.

It does.



Blessings!



copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All Rights Reserved. Images for this blog ONLY.

Answers and Side Effects: Be Careful What You Pray!

When I was in my early twenties (in dog years that was only 2 years ago), I wanted to get married and have children. I would pray often for this wonderful blessing. I fasted. I cried out to God. I attended singles conferences just to get a head start on what I needed to posses in order to be a great wife and mother. As I sought the Lord to drop this husband and kids from the sky, I often saw images like these:

photo by godaddy.com

Don't they look happy?  Look at this family.

photo by godaddy.com

This is what I wanted! They are so perfect. These images screamed Ephesians 5. They all looked so clean. The kids are definitely well behaved.  Of course these couples are madly in love with each other and they communicate effectively. Come on now! Every perfect family has a beach vacation!

My prayer was answered. But I got THIS:

photo by allyou.com

And THIS:

messy youngest son at age 3

When I prayed, this was not included! I checked those loving images and there was no fine print.I think photos like the ones above should come with side effects and warnings!

These images may include and are not limited to side effects like fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, dishes, laundry, science projects, PTA, midnight feedings, thoughts of fleeing, chore lists, cooking, cleaning, ironing, packing, pampers, potty training, 2am stomach viruses, intense times of fellowship with spouse, puberty, tweens, tantrums, daydreaming about sleep, dance fees, football fees, library fees, lost homework, carpet stains, etc.

Unfortunately they do not. As a result, we are then left in a state of blissful unawareness that suggests we complete these images with our own delight and satisfaction.

I enjoy this life. But recently, I found myself upset about all the things I didn't have enough time to get done. As I complained and lamented about my life, I heard a voice inside say:

 "Everything you are complaining about is a direct result of answered prayer."  

(BOOM! Are you as blown away as I was?!) 

Immediately I repented! I began to thank the Lord for provision for the clothes to fold, food that needed to be cooked, kids to raise, a house to clean and a husband to share life. Regardless of our place in life, it's easy to forget as daily tasks become overwhelming, that we prayed for this!

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live..    I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (The Message)

Blessings!



copyright 2013 www.shundriariddick.com  All rights reserved. Personal images for this blog only.

Under Construction!

Finally pregnant and building a house, the Lord had answered our prayers.  We were so excited!  Throughout the construction process, my husband and I would stop by and check on the progress of our home.  With hope filled eyes we watched as they lay our foundation and build our home from frame to finish. We didn't exactly know how things were created. We didn't understand foundations, codes, or any technicalities of the process. We handed the responsibility to the builder and trusted the experts. They gave us advice about what kind of wood to choose for our frame and brick to finish. We had many meetings about design, fixtures, floors and finances. We discussed everything. We hung on every word and looked forward to their guidance. With hope filled eyes we trusted what we saw. We were so amazed at the final product, we didn't ask many questions. Our dream was finished and we eagerly moved into our new home.

We have lived in our home for 13 years.  It has weathered storms, three children and many play dates. Even though we are still very grateful for our home, we have noticed over the years that materials used and methods of construction were not always the best.  We have invested in repairing, replacing and rebuilding things that were not given much attention.  It has been realized that our dream home was not given great care by the builder that we once trusted.  We've had to pay a costly price for their shortcuts, inattentiveness and lack of regard for it being our dwelling place.

These experiences have tugged at my heart over the years. They have reminded me of our responsibility as parents.  We are responsible for giving our children their foundation, building their frames and installing their fixtures.  They trust us. Our children are watching intently as we are constructing them emotionally, giving them materials of living, and installing fixtures of God’s word.

Will they benefit from us as parents or will they pay the cost? Will they be able to have a firm foundation in Christ or will they spend years trying to repair, rebuild and replace our work? Will they benefit from our Godly guidance? Or will they pay the price for our shortcuts in parenting, inattentiveness to their spiritual life and lack of regard for the impact we have on them? Will they completely abandon what we have prepared? Will they spend their lives taking shelter in the world's temporary places that were not built to nurture, protect or weather storms?

God’s word instructs us in Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) "Start children off on the way they should go, and even whey they are old they will not turn from it."

Our confusing and misguided society is making accommodations for our children. It’s working overtime building dwelling places for them.. 

Are we?

Blessings!

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 

copyright 2013 www.shundriariddick.com. All rights reserved.