Cherish your children...

As homeschoolers I think we sometimes get a little (maybe a lot) overwhelmed at the constant presence of little feet under my big (and clumsy) feet. Sometimes I long for some moments of quiet. Some peace.

Right now, I sit here sobbing (again) at the loss of a little man I never new. It was Christian Drew's funeral this weekend, and his mother is a new hero of mine.

I never knew her either, but I have been witness to her love for the Lord in the tragic loss of her precious 3 year old son. She has done nothing but give all glory to our wonderful Father in heaven, and she has let the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ be known in all. Yes, I know we don't see the private moments. I know we don't see the moments of weakness in the intense pain. BUT what we DO see is her holding up the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, attributing all glory to Him, and trusting Him even in death. And THAT is what counts.

So as I sit here and grieve with her (watch her tribute to Christian) I am reminded to love and cherish EVERY moment with my 3 precious children. Having those little feet trip me up in the kitchen, and hearing the shrieks and squeals at uncomfortable decibels is my PRIVILEGE.

Lord, please grant me patience and gentleness. And please, in Your endless mercy, allow me to see the joy and grace in every moment. I love my children to the depths of my heart, and You have given me the privilege of sharing many more daily moments with them than many parents are blessed with. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this wonderful gift. I will cherish it all the days of my life. These 3 precious souls are on loan to me, from You, and I trust that You are going to work Your perfect plan for their lives in spite of me.

Entrust your children into the hands of our wonderful, almighty Heavenly Father and enjoy them.

Television

Television

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set --
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explai n!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope .)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and-
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole-
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks-
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll gr ow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.

Roald Dahl (1916-1990)