The Joy of a Child


The bible tells us to train up a child in the way he/she should go and when he is
old he/she will not depart from it. This is not saying they are perfect in between,
but as they get older they will remember home and their teaching.

Being a parent is a full time job, every minute counts in the life of a child. We can never
assume we have it down in one day, I thought that myself but was in for a rude
awakening the next day as there was something different in their actions so I had to
sit on that too. I didn't spank my children much but they sure got the corner a lot but
not without knowing why they were being punished. To spank a child or punish a child
without them knowing why will never teach them as they don't know what they did. I
talked to my children before doing anything to them, I looked them right in the eye
and made them look at me. I wanted to be sure they understood why they weer getting
punished.

Now the bible teaches us as parents to discipline our children. In Proverbs,13:24 but that
does not mean we beat them. To spare the rod means to not discipline our children at
all is to hate them or not to love them properly. We should love out children so much
that we make sure they understand that wrong is wrong and right is right and teach them
the good fear of God.

We need to teach our children about God and help them to know who God is and how
He works in their lives. To teach a child about God along with discipline is the right way
to go as they both go together. If a child don't know how to obey their parents, how in
the world will they know how to obey God . They need to know the difference in the
world's way and God's way.

We should teach our children how to take firm hold of instruction: and not to let her
go: keep her for she is life. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not the way of
evil men. The book of Proverbs teaches so much about so many things. We can all
take hold of this and live by it. it goes on to describe how wicked men live, verse
16-17 of ch.4 tells us the difference and verse 18 shows us the difference in right and
wrong. So teaching children to live by instruction they are given is a blessing.

Now ch.4 verse 16 leads over to Matthew 7: verse 13-14 telling about the wide and
narrow gate. "Enter ye in the narrow gate :for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because narrow
is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find
it."
This is why children should be raised in the instructions of the Lord Jesus for His way
is righteous, He knows the way through the wilderness and all we have to do is follow.
My children are not perfect by a long shot but I sure am proud of them and who they
are.

This is a picture of my daughter Jan and myself taken 8/24/2010 and I am so
proud of my girl, she loves the Lord and trust in Him, she grew up to be a beautiful
lady in the Lord and I am proud of her as a woman. The hard work I put into raising
her has paid off. She love Jesus and she loves people and she loves her two brothers
Bill and Garry.

Now, young parents, go and raise your children in the Lord and know it is not an
easy job and a very rewarding on. The pay you get out of it is to see them grow and
how they mature in life. Great reward. God bless my sweet children, Jan, Bill and
Garry.

God gives us children.

God gives us children to love and to raise for Him. I am thankful for this beautiful
daughter Jan, she has tackled things I never could, she has not surprised me but
just showed herself that she could do all things through Christ who strengthens her.

Life gives us chances in life if we are brave enough to tackle them. Jan has done that,
she was a shy girl growing up and the Lord has taken her and made something beautiful
out of her. I am proud and thankful.

Father, I thank you for giving me these children and showing me how to raise them.
I thank you for showing me the way. I thank you for loving us all so much that you
gave your only Son that we all might have eternal life with you. Thank you Father.

Bless each one of my children and their children and their children's children.
they are my children, grandchildren and great grand children. How blessed
I am. Thank you Jesus.
In Jesus name I thank you.

The heart of my granddaughter

This drawing was made for me and given to me when my granddaughter Kara Harper was only a few
years old. I don't know just how old she was but very little.
This drawing and the precious message has stayed with me. I can still see the day she gave it to me
and how much love was put into this precious peace of Art. Thank you Kara.

We should value all that our children and grand children give us because it is given with such
real love in their hearts and we should never throw that away.
Our grand children may not remember giving us these things nor our children, but we should
value that love never forget and keep all of these near our hearts.

My Children!!! Jan, Bill, Garry, my Harper children
I could not be prouder of anyone than my three children. They have grown to be adults, responsible adults.
When I was a young mother and had three small toddlers at my feet, I was totally naive on how to raise these children.
I looked down to see how small they were and looked up to see how far I had to raise them. Wow! what a challenge I felt. I was not strong in the Lord but I sure look up higher and ask God: How in the world was I going to raise them to be adults, responsible and respected adults.
He started teaching me and I listened and didn't let anyone tell me different. My mother and sister and mother in law thought I was too strict. Well, God had told me how so I was following His rule.

I am thankful I did. They didn't turn out completely perfect but almost. It is God and he did the job through me because I listened to him. I don't know how in the world people can raise their children without God and his his guidance. My children have presented me with nine grand children and my grandchildren have presented me so far with six great grand children. Oh, How blessed I am.

My sweet children

Yep, this is my three children, back in 1974.
Son Bill was graduating from high school and on
his way to the Airforce, Jan, now married and expecting
her first baby, Garry has 2 more years of
school before he's off to college. my my how times flies,

Today, those children are way grown ups, ages, 55,54 and 51
They are great kids and I love them dearly. they have made
me proud.
They have presented me with 9 grand children and 6 great
grand children.

FREEDOM

Here we have the Statue of Liberty. Its a welcoming light for all to see. Many
from other countries have seen that Statue and found such joy of finally experiencing
the freedom of life we Americans experience. Just seeing it they know they are safe.

When God delivered the Israelites from slavery using Moses as his servant, he set them
free. After they crossed the river they were no longer in the hands of Egypt, they were
safe on the other side. They soon became their own enemy as they began to complain
and grumble. They somehow forgot the safety they were in. They were no longer in the
hands of their enemy. They seem to forget what God did for them.

When Jesus saves us we are no longer a slave to sin but free in Christ, we are no
longer in the hands of Satan the evil one. But we, like the Israelites. become our own enemy because we forget that we are free. We complain of this and that.
We no longer live under the law but under Grace. We still sin yes, but we
are not a slave to it.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, he is our great physician, he came to
bind up the wounds and heal the sick.

The bible tells us that: God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, that
whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16, verse 17 says, "For God sent not his son into the world to condemn
the world but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus is our Freedom, he is not a statue but the light that we can see and run
to, he is the beacon that says, come unto me and be safe.

Come to Jesus and live on the other side of life. I want to add more to this
free life in my next blog.
The slogan for the state of New Hampshire is: Live free or die.

My children
God's children.

Today is special as all the days past. My children bring me joy just knowing
they are here. They are scattered in different States but they are as near
as my heart. I never get tired of thinking of them and praying for them.
What great joy God gives us in our children, it is no easy task raising them
up to be adults but its worth it when you see them as adults and taking on
the responsibility of adults and American Citizens.

It is even more joy when you see them living God's life in them. It not
to know I did something right but that I followed God's guidance to
do it right. He alone knows the way through the wilderness.

When I read the old Testament and see how God delivered the Jews from
being a slave to Egypt and how he took care of them in the wilderness it
reminds me that His word to them is for me also, and for all generations.
maybe not the animal sacrifice or children sacrifice but the fact that he
is God and there is no other.

Moses was the go between God and man in the wilderness but now
we have Jesus the Son of God as our go between the Father and us.
We can come to him now personally because the veil is torn
and no longer a barrier between God and man. God will take
us through the wilderness as he has saved us from the slavery of
sin. We should not take our eyes off our wonderful Savior.
He is the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father
but by Him.

We are his children and he cares for us.
We are children of the King, the creator of heaven and earth.
No matter what family we're born into its not possible to
have a better lineage that that! Just knowing Jesus helps
me face the day and new situations with confidence.

PS: 100 says "It is he who made us and not we ourselves.
We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
His love lives and mercies lives on for ever.
God bless the reader of His Word.