Our Mission Statement:

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD." Psalm 34:11

Isn't that a humbling verse! By listening to us, our children should be learning about Yhwh, His principles and His ways! I don't know about you but it sometimes scares me to look at this verses, and others like it and then compare what our children are learning from us...wow.

We had a good weekend. Hubby took the children outside to help him prepare the veggie garden for planting. They willingly gathered all the dead, dried out vegetation from around the gardens and piled it together for Daddy to lite on fire! We have chosen not to give our children "chores" but rather teach them responsibility. They are not "made to do their chores" but have been taught that it is expected that they will help their parents with certain jobs and responsibilities around the house and in the ecclesia. This way they work along side us, learning from us as they go. I willingly admit that Hubby is better at this then I, he has a great deal of patience!

I think this is especially important in the case of daughters. A new generation is coming up that do not embrace the role set out for them by God. They in fact find it "demeaning" and "lacking" and "less then that of the men"...this brings me to tears. We have a responsibility to show to others that we love and embrace the wonderful place God has set out for us in the ecclesia and at home. Including our daughters in our daily tasks, encouraging them along the way, will go far to teaching them this lesson. Cheerfully going about the tasks together is always much more enjoyable. Yes, the bed is not made "quite" like Mummy would, the dishes need to be double checked after washing, the flour not gleaming perfectly....but how are they to learn if we do not let them try and join with us? Learning to run a home, and love to do so is not taught sitting at a desk with a textbook!

Both our son and daughter follow us around, helping us in our tasks.....well "helping" more like! But already we are starting to see the results, the fruit of our labours. No, they do not want to set the table or clear up every day....but gentle reproof and reminders help them stay the course. Magoo knows that he is expected to help when Mummy asks....like vacuuming yesterday before we left for Sunday School as we company coming after Memorial.

By not calling them chores they do not expect a reward for their labours either. However we do like to take the opportunity to treat them when something arises. An example is last Friday, we had a bunch of errands to run. The Goons were very well behaved (something we have had to work on again) and did not act like Achan! When we arrived home, 25 min from town, I realized that I had my wallet but the contents had fallen out. They didn't even grumble once that we had to turn around and drive back into town. So we stopped at DQ on the way back home (again) for kiddie cones. The point being that the treat is not expected for being good, but rather we take the opportunity when it arises to give them a special treat.

Sprout has fallen asleep here, so I will go and pop her into her wee bed and sit down with the Goons for our morning reading of a Psalm. I hope that this day is a blessing to you!