Leaving a Legacy

After leaving my previous blog this morning, Dave shares this story in youth group tonight (for some reason, he does not read my blog... God is just speaking!!!)

Jonathan Edward's Legacy

By Mark Merrill

Have you thought about your legacy lately, in case you haven't, lets start with the basics: Webster's Dictionary says a legacy is something handed down from one who has gone before.

Jonathan Edwards was born in 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut. He attended Yale University at age 13 and later went on to serve as president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton).

Edwards and his wife Sarah had 11 children. Despite a rigorous work schedule that included rising as early as 4:30 a.m. to read and write in his library, extensive travels, and endless administrative meetings, he always made time for his children. Indeed he committed to spending at least one hour a day with them. And what if he missed had a day because he was traveling? He diligently made up the hour when he returned.

Numerous books have been written about Edwards' life, his work, his influence on American history and his powerful professional legacy. But the legacy that Edwards would probably be most proud of is his legacy as a father.

The scholar Benjamin B. Warfield of Princeton has charted the 1,394 known descendants of Edwards. What he found was an incredible testament to Jonathan Edwards. Of his known descendants there were 13 college presidents, 65 college professors, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 pastors, 60 authors of prominence, 3 United States senators, 80 public servants in other capacities, including governors and ministers to foreign countries, and one vice president of the United States.

The story of Jonathan Edwards is an example of what some sociologists call the five-generation rule. How a parent raises their child-- the love they give, the values they teach, the emotional environment they offer, the education they provide-- influences not only their child, but also the four generations to follow. The example of Jonathan Edwards Shows just how rich that legacy can be.

I had to google this man (I wanted to know who the Vice President was)... I didn't find out who, but I did find this... http://www.ravenhill.org/edwards.htm

An article more about his spiritual legacy than anything else. He was a true man of God, and I believe wholeheartedly that the success of his descendants came from the Father that this father served!

WOW! I have a lot to look forward to!

I remember

I remember when my mom used to act like she couldn't remember where our house was. She'd pretend to turn into every driveway until we'd yell, NOT THIS ONE! then we'd have to tell her which way to turn. I don't know if she was just being silly, or trying to teach us something.
I remember my dad giving us all hangers to use as guns and we'd disperse through out the house hiding and sneaking around trying to shoot each other (I am positive he wasn't trying to teach us anything!). I remember planning surprise birthday parties EVERY year for my dad. He worked 2nd shift. So Mom would bake him a cake and we'd get to stay up until he got home (11:45) and we'd decorate and yell surprise when he'd walk in the door.

I know that the amount of good memories far out way the bad ones, even if the bad ones tend to linger a bit longer sometimes. So it makes me think of what we are doing to make memories in our kids' lives. I know that they are so young that they won't remember much. But I do have some vague memories of when I was 2, so its getting more and more important for me to make memories that they will have forever.
Yesterday, Zech had a pretty hard time in the grocery store. Screaming and crying the entire time. I am not sure exactly what triggered it, or what sustained it. But I had prayed that very morning that God would help me to glorify Him in all I do. So I guess maybe God was testing my prayer. Was I truly willing to bite my tongue from yelling, and CHOOSE to glorify Him, or would I fly off the handle and yell at my yelling son? I think I stayed pretty calm. I kept reminding him that he needed to behave to get treats. He would calm down and I would praise him for being such a quiet good little boy. Then the next grocery store we only needed 3 things, so I let him walk around (hoping to give him good memories) He was not the best behaved child! So when we got back in the car, I took the DVD player away. I told him that his behavior wasn't good enough to get good treats. He was furious. And without really thinking about it, I said
"I know you want the DVD player, and Mommy would love to give you good things that make you happy. But sometimes when you choose not to listen, the blessings are not there when you want them." Not the words I usually use for a 2 year old. But it spoke volumes to me.
I want to bless my kids, I want to give them all their desires. But that isn't' always best. Same for us. God would love to give us good things that make us happy, it is his ultimate plan. But sometimes when we don't listen to His words, His promptings, His reprimands, blessings are not there when we want them.
I want to give my children memories, memories of their parents choosing to listen to the words of God and following them. I hope someday they will look back and remember all the great and God glorifying times they've had with us... as they make some for themselves!

My Element

I've been wanting to write this blog since Saturday night. So, its a bit late... I just don't always get the time to get on here! Someday, I will get a desk and get the computer upstairs!

Anyway, Dave's boss had a BBQ at her house Saturday night. I was really nervous. I wanted to look nice for the party, and make a good impression on the boss, and make Dave feel proud. Its been a long time since I've met new people and felt so nervous. We talked about how no one would be real Christians (by real, I mean practicing-church-going- daily-devotion-christians). We discussed that there would be alcohol and I warned Dave about my fear of drunk people. He assured me that his boss would most likely not have drunken parties and I was fine.
We get there, and she shows us to the kitchen so we can get some food and drink. The cooler, she says, has beer and wine coolers "and maybe some soda". The BIG gaterade container had blah blah (I can't remember) "Rum and some other alcohol" in it and the pitcher had Sangria ( don't know how to spell it, but I knew it was alcoholic). So I open the cooler and find a Diet Caffine Free Mountain Dew (seriously, whats the point?) and an Orange Shasta, the only two sodas... So thats what we drank.
We then sat and listened and had conversations with the higher-ups in Dave's company... Hearing the F word more times than my fingers can count, along with every other cuss word I can think of.
It was so odd for me. My ears cringe each time I hear it. I am not used to that kind of language in my world where "suck" and "crap" are majorly BAD 4 letter words! I was just so out of my element. That made me so terribly uncomfortable. I later told Dave how it made me feel. Not that I don't think his co-workers (bosses) are halairious... they would have been just as funny minus the nasty words. I'm just not used to it. If I am not surrounded by Christains in a church setting, or in friends' homes, I am surrounded with Mommies. Mommies who make a conscious effort to curb their language. I mean, really, I don't even hear the bad 4 letter words (Crap and Suck!)
Not that I don't want to EVER be around those not like me. I see the need for that kind of fellowship. I just don't like the language. Funny thing, I could handle the amount of alcohol more than I could handle the amount of the F-bomb!
I guess I just like my little element. I will step out only for a bit.

My 51st Post!!!

That is not my topic, but I just realized it said that I had 50 posts... is that possible?
Well, I was sent this really cool and amazingly cute UTube video and I wanted to share...

I don't know if it will work... here is the link just in case...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uISuvTiTYJA

Although I do not have ANY problems with my children and bedtime, This song was just so great to all Mothers and Fathers that are tired of all the whining and crying.
What got me the most was that it was a daddy. And how he talked about going to work with Shrek in his head. I know my husband goes to work with "I don't have a Belly Button" by Boyz inthe Sink in his head. And lately with such a crazy work situation, I'd imagine he wouldn't mind coming home and hearing a bit from his babies.
I appriciate the Daddies who work for us and who help with the bedtime routine, and the dinner routine, and the potty routine, and the "where-the-heck-is-lily-&- what-is-she-eating" routine!
He is the reason I love my job! The reason I adore my children and value a buck and get to lay in my pjs all day (if I want... which I never do... he he!)
My Man... This video is a tribute to Daddies everywhere who love their families even when the whining crying fit throwing never ceases!
Thanks!

I am NOT saying what it sounds like...

I just want to make it clear from the beginning that what is about to be said does not mean what most people would think it means...

I miss being pregnant! ha ha! I love every part of it, even when it hurts and causes siatica and leg cramps and FATness, I still love it. My sister-in-law is in town, 26 weeks pregnant. I want to talk about it all the time. I find myself saying things like "When I was pregnant...." Way too much! I want to touch her belly and make the baby move! But I remember "when I was pregnant" I didn't like that, so I didn't ask!
Being around her and having discussions about babies and giving Nick some odds and ends "knowledge" (like not to feed a baby out of the babyfood jar unless you plan on finishing it, or not to put blankets in the crib... or the all important, some baby girls can have mini-periods after birth) has made me appriciate motherhood. It can be so hard, and SO fun! It can be so stressful, and so peaceful. You can be the source of much anger, but also be the one they want when they are hurt.
As I've been writing, Zech has been such a handfull, but this entire week has been WONDERFUL! He has been a big boy, short tantrums and quick learner. He is realizing how much fun things other than tantrums are and he has embraced that. He is the object of the family's attention, smiles, "ahhh"s and entertainment. He's my Zech again. And for me, thats a HUGE success in motherhood.
All that being said, I don't want another baby right now! I'd love it if that is what God surprised us with, but I hold lily and cuddle with her, and I need her to be the baby for a good while. I think she needs to be the baby for a good while. She is just so loveable, so cuddly, so adorable, and halairious! She is hard to describe but I can see something in her that totally amazes me.
I have been learning to seek out the "reasons" or the SONshine in the storms, so I look at Zech's intense personality and praise God for the passion he will have towards his savior, and the anger he will have towards sin. and that gets me through the (almost non-existent) temper tantrums. I look at Lily's constant clinging as how she will cling to her savior. How she won't settle for anything else, and will work her way up to HIM, staying face to face with Him as much as possible. And that gets me through the lack of space for the day.
Oh, how I look forward to my next pregnancy... but Oh, how I bask in the TODAY and the wonderful kids I already have!