Learnings from Psalms

This morning, I began the day with a bad start. It was supposed to be good news to me but with a twist to it, it turned out to be a disappointment to me. It is not appropriate to elaborate the long story in this blog but it is work related.

Through the daily devotions on Psalms since the new year, the themes about injustice, about forgiveness towards people who have done me wrong , about standing victorious in trials are really applicable esp today.

I was feelling quite down and bothered by it that I went window- shopping with my two kids in the afternoon just to cheer myself up. Woman dont call "Retail therapy" for nothing, the shopping really helps , trust me !

I have learnt a lesson from both in the physical and spiritual side of things today.

Thank God for your test and trial, so that I may learn from it and emerge stronger than before. May God's promises and strength be a constant encouragment to me. Amen !

Spot the Difference

A favorite past time for my kids are "Spot the Difference" puzzles. Got some from bras basah before Christmas when they were having book sale. They especially like these puzzles as they are in sticker forms. A fun and interesting activity to keep your children occupy and also to train their eye for details.

Busy busy ...

Find that I am constantly busy especially after moving to new house and having a newborn. Now that Naomi and Nathan are older, more time is also spent on disciplining them, stopping the fights, nagging them to do this and that instead of wasting their time etc..

Find that my time is not well spent but rather busy juggling my work and managing the kids though I have a domestic helper. Especially when the kids are having the recent school break, I find that my day passes so fast without doing anything productive (in terms completing my work or doing something worthwhile with the kids). I think WAHM (Work at Home Mum) is even tougher than a WM (Working Mum).

Upon reflecting and reading the book "Terrific Toddlers" by Mel Hayde, I realised that I probaby need a schedule for myself and to put my kids in a flexible daily routine. In the book, Mel teaches how mothers can frequently feel calm and in control and children can learn self-control when they can play independently, to share and to be polite and obey. After reading the book, I feel inspired to make a difference in my home and to allow my day to be organised and to do what I need to do as planned in a day.

This is one of my new year resolution and I will blog further next time if this is going to help.

A Teachable Moment

While fetching Naomi from Sunday School today, Seb realised that she was holding a green bangle that doesnt belong to her.

S : Where did you get this bangle ?
N : My friend gave this to me ?
S : Then where is your necklace ?
N : I gave to my friend because she gave me the bangle

Both myself, Seb and my family were angry and disappointed by Naomi's weakness in this area. Though she is only 5 and is a time for her to learn from her mistakes,we were however tired of constantly reminding and telling her not to accept things from people or to borrow or exchange things in school.

Naomi was crying all the way from church to home as she felt bad that she has given away the pearl necklace that grandma gave to her.

I hope that she will learn from this lesson and to have self-control over this area. For me, the lesson to learn is to have the patience to help her to understand why she is behaving this way and to discipline her in love rather than give her an earful of lectures.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, don't make your children angry. Instead, train them and teach them the ways of the Lord as you raise them.

Lord, please give me a strength and patience to make use of every teachable moment to train my children in the ways of the Lord so that they will not depart from the truths when they grow up. Amen !