GRABBING THOSE EVERYDAY OPPORTUNITIES

Moms are busy.  Super busy!

Most of the moms I know are not found sitting on the couch watching TV.  They are washing dishes and washing clothes.  They are ironing work shirts for hubby and painting the laundry room, grocery shopping and taking the vehicle in for service, cooking, and planning.  Moms scrub toilets and make doctor's appointments and run the vacuum cleaner and cut coupons and...and...and!  Moms are on the go and on the move.

It is easy to be distracted.  Mornings can be the hardest time for me.  When everyone gets up and starts moving in multiple directions my focus is on getting breakfast served and cleaned up and getting the laundry started and getting school going.  I'm in a hurry and I'm task oriented.

This morning I was reminded how important it is to STOP, or at least SLOW DOWN when children are talking to me.  I was reminded that simply answering with a head nod as I scurry about is not the kind of mom I want to be.  It's much harder to be an intentional mom but the rewards are great.

Case in point:  One of my sweet babes showed me their "lucky pencil".  They shared with me how every time they used that pencil they got an A+ on their math tests.  Part of that is true, the last several math tests have been A+ 100.  (I'm thrilled about that!)  Part of that is not true...the lucky part.  When that comment was made I wasn't really in a position to sit down and chat.  I was "busy".  But, (because of God's grace) I stopped what I was doing and I talked with this sweet one.  To some, this comment might have been no big deal, and I'm not saying that it is necessarily.  But I did feel it was important to grab the opportunity to talk to the owner of that "lucky" pencil.  It is important to take everyday opportunities to teach truth.  Our mama-days are filled with opportunities to speak truth into our children's hearts.  We have to make sure we are receptive to those opportunities and take the time to love and to teach.

My lucky pencil man and I chatted about luck.  We discussed whether or not there really is such a thing.  We talked about the brains God has given to us and how He has blessed us with good minds and strong bodies.  We were able to think through and talk through why and how we make good grades and we discussed that every good and perfect gift is from God...including perfect test scores!  James 1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

As moms we must grab every single opportunity we can to teach our children of God's great love for us.  Start doing this as soon as the children are born.  Pray out loud when you lay the baby down to sleep for the night.  When the toddler points out a bird, or a bug, or a flower, tell him that God created those things.  Find answers to the children's questions in scripture and read it to them and with them.  When teens go through struggles go straight to the Word and look together.  Grab every single opportunity, big and small.  Whether you are teaching little ones to pray or helping older ones learn about purity, the answers will all be found in scripture.  Be on the alert for opportunities to show your children the truth and relevance of God's word.

Start each day in prayer and ask God to show you opportunities and then grab them!

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.