Maridel Willer

When something really frustrating happens in your life, do you realize it may be a gift in disguise? That’s what happened to me after my less than 2 year old computer died after a power surge during a storm last week.

Try to imagine a day without your computer, then 2 days, then a whole week…

My first reaction was to panic as I had a long list of things that I wanted to get done this week that required computer time. And then… how can I live without email?!

I chose to let God (and my husband, along with our amazing “techie” friend, Joseph Robinson - www.moriahcorp.com) restore my computer resources in His perfect timing.

I received the wonderful gift of a whole week without the “call” of my to do list, email and the internet vying for my attention. My children were blessed with more mommy time, all of my Christmas preparations were finished early and I read alot of good books in the quite hours of the evenings.

And - it only took me 2 evenings to get through the 250 plus emails in my inbox when I was back online at the end of the week.

What a wonderful Christmas gift!

All things do work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes for them.

For food and shelter and for toil,
For all thy gifts from sun and soil,
For cares that help us to grow strong,
For thought that guides from right toward wrong,
For tears that cleanse and the need to be
Closer in our touch with thee,
For every care thy love bestows,
For every joy each glad heart knows,
For all good things we feel or see,
Dear loving God, our thanks to thee!

By Soveig Paulson Russell

Last night I decided that I did not want to listen to or read anything else about the presidential election or the financial issues because the media coverage was stealing my peace and keeping me from walking by faith during these turbulent times.

Here are links to a couple of posts that take the focus off of the candidates and econcomy encourage us to seek God and understand the real issues at stake.

http://wholeheart.typepad.com/itakejoy/2008/10/a-time-for-action-and-for-prayer-1.html

http://stm-jehwriter.blogspot.com/

http://glorioustruth.blogspot.com/2008/10/biblical-thoughts-for-threatening-times.html

As you may know, I am resting and healing after fracturing a bone in my arm a couple of weeks ago.  It has slowed down my writing for a bit…one handed typing is SO cumbersome!

I wanted to share a couple of things that I have been thinking about during this unplanned period of “rest”.  

An interesting thing about my injured arm is how perfect and whole it appears on the outside with no sign of defect.  Yet, underneath the perfect exterior, it is broken on the inside and unable to perform what it was designed to do.
 
My perfect looking broken arm reminds me of my life before Christ.  I looked successful on the outside, but something was definitely missing and broken on the inside.  How grateful I am to have been made whole and complete in Him.

This week, I am really learning the value of having a flexible family routine in place in our home.  Even though I am now only able to perform a fraction of my normal daily responsibilities, all of the day to day chores and activities are still running like clockwork.

It is such a blessing to see how my dear children have stepped in to be mommy’s “left hand” and continued our daily and weekly plans.  The house is clean and in order, the laundry is caught up, and we have kept right on track with schoolwork… amazing!

Would you like some suggestions on putting together a workable daily routine for your family?  The Get Organized workshop package has lots of great tips for bringing order to your life and home.  This bundle includes audios, e-books and forms to help you pull it all together.  Get Organized is available for a 50% off for a limited time. 

If you are working on becoming a better steward of your family’s time, I would love to hear how you are implementing the “Family Routine” ideas in your home, and would like to include your examples in my upcoming book on that topic.   Share your ideas or routine examples by dropping me a line at  Maridel (at) MaridelWiller.com.

As you Celebrate Thanksgiving with your family, take some time to consider if you are truly content..  Do you realize that it is possible to be thankful for your many blessings, yet not practice the habit of contentment?

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines content as “rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition or further desire”.

What can keep you from experiencing the peace of mind described in this definition?  (more…)

Have you ever felt that your “to do” list was so long that the thought of adding just one more thing to the list was extremely stressful?   

My last few newsletters have been filled with lists of things “to do” for  experiencing a more peaceful, productive and purposeful life.   

I realize that many times in my life, adding one more “to do” was not very appealing!  Whenever I cry out to God asking for direction on what to “do”, His answer to me is often not what to “do”, but who He wants me to “be” in the situation that I am in.   A key to enjoying life at home is choosing who “to be” and developing  the right attitude toward loving and serving others.  Here is a lisf of some of my favorite  “to be’s”  from God’s Word.

1.  Love your husband and children. 

2.  Be self controlled and pure.  (more…)

I received an email today from a friend asking for book suggestions to help build character in children, in particular how to help a child who is hurt and offended when they are ignored by a friend who is playing with someone else. 

You can approach this issue by teaching your children how to treat others with respect, how to forgive others who do not treat you with respect, and how to choose a good friend (how to identify character in others).  Here are some resources for you, all of which can be used for family devotions.  

“A Child’s Book of Character Building” (Books 1 and 2):  Each book has 12 character traits with a scripture and 4 short stories illustrating the trait in the bible, at school, at home and at play.  Book 2 includes a section on  forgiveness.  These are good to read aloud and discuss with ages 4 to 10.  My children enjoyed these stories and my 8 year old daughter reads them herself for fun. 

There are 2 fun books by Joshua Harris:  “Rules for Young Friends” and “Uncommon Courtesy for Kids” that have a list of rules with coloring pages for each and a list of scriptures. 

A more in depth bible study for families is “Character Building for Families”, volumes 1 and 2.  You spend a week to a month on a character trait doing daily bible studies that involve looking up scripture and answering questions together.  I am planning to use this in the fall as part of our homeschooling curriculum.

In addition to devotions, using wonderful literature from years past is a very good way to build character.  Today’s children have a shallow understanding of real suffering.  Their empathy can increase by reading stories that depict real life suffering.  Older literature does this in a way to build character and teach morals.  Today’s books for children no longer do that and often teach bad morals. 

A really great book to read aloud or listen to on tape (because it is long!) is “Elsie Dinsmore” by Martha Finley.   It was written in 1868 and is about an 8 yr old girl who is unfairly treated by others due to her unfortunate circumstances.  The little girl’s love for Jesus and how she turns to him for comfort is very powerful.   

Other wonderful, heart warming 18^th and 19^th century literature that builds character in your children can be found at www.graceandtruthbooks.com  (in paperbacks – reasonable prices) and www.lamplighterpublishing.com (heirloom quality hardback books).

Be encouraged by this poem by Wendy C. Brewer

Today, I didn’t say the right things

I didn’t give enough hugs

I didn’t listen to all of their imaginary stories.

Today I hurried them through what could have been

Very special moments, to achieve my binding agenda.

Today my prayers were too short and my lectures too long.

My smiles, I’m sure, didn’t hide my fatigue (more…)

I am inspired by the following quotes about love written through the ages.

We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.       

                                                            Brother Lawrence (1611-1691)

He loves each one of us as if there were only one of us.

                                                            St. Augustine (345 - 430)

Love is an image of God, and not a lifeless image, nor one painted on paper, but the living essence of the Divine Nature which beams full of all goodness.

                                                            Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)

(From Luke 10:41-42, paraphrased)

You are so upset over all these details, anxious, full of care, worried, troubled, disquieted and distracted by many things.

Little is needed.  There is really only one thing necessary and worth being concerned about.  Discover and choose the good portion, and it will not be taken away from you, for you will not be deprived of it.

What is the good portion that Jesus spoke of here?  (more…)