Lessons from my niece

Lesson #1 on being a toddler: develop independence by saying no

#2: doesn't always understand own emotions, ends up often frustrated

#3: doesn't understand deep sadness over something like a broken cookie will soon pass, needs help processing emotions

#4: still figuring out what rules to follow and why, needs coaching to learn

#5: has to learn to share and the concept of taking turns (developmentally focused on "mine")

#6: learning how to respond to other's emotions

#7: needs to be shown what to do instead of being told no all the time (save the no for dangerous things)

#8: older toddlers can accept explanations, but younger ones need redirection (other options) or help making desired behavior more fun

#9: learning to understand consequences (unfortunately for most of us, the consequences were probably too harsh)

#10: they need praise

Sounds like a fun series of lessons!

Devotions

I've been making my way through Isaiah daily. Father God has strong feelings for His children! And He also allows His children to feel strong feelings for Him. 

Isaiah 63: 7-9

7-9 I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,
    all the things God has done that need praising,
All the generous bounties of God,
    his great goodness to the family of Israel—
Compassion lavished,
    love extravagant.
He said, “Without question these are my people,
    children who would never betray me.”
So he became their Savior.
    In all their troubles,
    he was troubled, too.
He didn’t send someone else to help them.
    He did it himself, in person.
Out of his own love and pity
    he redeemed them.
He rescued them and carried them along
    for a long, long time.

Isaiah 63: 11-16

11-14 Then they remembered the old days,
    the days of Moses, God’s servant:
“Where is he who brought the shepherds of his flock
    up and out of the sea?
And what happened to the One who set
    his Holy Spirit within them?
Who linked his arm with Moses’ right arm,
    divided the waters before them,
Making him famous ever after,
    and led them through the muddy abyss
    as surefooted as horses on hard, level ground?
Like a herd of cattle led to pasture,
    the Spirit of God gave them rest.”

14-16 That’s how you led your people!
    That’s how you became so famous!
Look down from heaven, look at us!
    Look out the window of your holy and magnificent house!
Whatever happened to your passion,
    your famous mighty acts,
Your heartfelt pity, your compassion?
    Why are you holding back?
You are our Father.
    Abraham and Israel are long dead.
    They wouldn’t know us from Adam.
But you’re our living Father,
    our Redeemer, famous from eternity!

from Y__'s you know who

Everything God says is true—-and it’s a shield for all who come to him for safety.  Proverbs  30:5

She started this joke "you know who" and now it's a long-running joke. I love it. I do know who.

sacrifice of praise

Yesterday, one of the sisters from my accountability group encouraged me to praise God. In the past, I had heard it before but somehow I missed the "why" so the injunction to "just praise God" came across as ritualistic and made me feel like I was lighting joss sticks again.

But last night, R's why stuck. We praise because it's an act of trust that breaks chains even when we don't know what the source of those chains is.

Then I realized finally that when we praise God, we enter into His presence and nothing can stand before Him. It's a simple truth that is easy to grasp intellectually. But it's only when we are suffering that the experience of this truth becomes real. Step into the presence of God--one step from suffering into His glory--and everything calms down. 

Would you believe it

I once witnessed with my own eyes how a lady was told by a stranger what she did in secret. A stranger who prayed for her said, "You have been going to fortune tellers. Please stop." She burst out crying and said, "I thought if I didn't tell anyone, no one would know." After I saw that, I thought, "This lady is going to have super-faith for sure." But it's not true. Three to four years later, she's still struggling to trust God to meet her needs.

And the funny thing is, I saw it with my own eyes, and I too struggle to believe that God will meet my needs! I can just imagine Jesus shaking His head at me. Smiling, but shaking His head.

"You saw that with Your own eyes, so why don't you have super faith??!"

two for one

My friend gave me a curry leaf plant (on the right) but it came with an additional mystery plant too!

Father God's little surprise?

I asked my friend and she said it looks like nasturtiums.

Ugh

There's something wrong with the platform. It won't allow us to upload images.

I don't think I have the energy to write much these days. But sometimes it's nice to leave images as a record of what's on my mind.

 

simple curry

Glad I tried this easy recipe. It seems to have worked! Waiting for the rice to cook. Should have started that first.