Relax

Today I'd like to share this wonderful video by Todd Wilson, "The Family Man" and his wife.  Mr. Wilson has a great sense of humor and his family is so cute (so "good looking" as us Texans like to say). I always look forward to reading his column in The Homeschool Minute. Btw, if you live in or around the Houston area he will be speaking at the THSC Southwest Convention & Family Conference (Homeschool Convention).



Monday Prayer

Father, I praise You. Enable me to rest in You today. To relax. To be peaceful. Grant me a quiet and gentle spirit. Enable me to take joy in my children and in homeschooling. Both are a joy and a privilege and I am so grateful. So very grateful. No other life Lord do I wish...And Lord, help me to love on my husband...in whatever way he needs it. Help me to see him and meet his needs even (before) as I meet the needs of so many others. Enable me to love as You love. Open my eyes to the needs around me. Make my hands and feet Your hands and feet. And Lord, if you could remind me to put Ben on the potty and place it upon his heart to tell me when he needs to go - I'd so appreciate it. Thank you. Blessed be Your Name. In Jesus Name. Amen.

"May the Mind of Christ My Savior"

May the mind of Christ my Savior
Live in me from day to day,
By His Love and pow'r controlling
All I do and say.
                      -Kate B. Wikinson

I found this little prayer in Discipline The Glad Surrender by Elisabeth Elliot.  If this book is not on your bookshelf, it should be!  I found my copy for $8 at Mardel.

Morning Dedication

Dearest Lord,

 As I cross the threshold of this day I commit myself, soul, body, affairs, friends, to thy care; watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.
Incline my heart to thy ways; mould me wholly into the image of Jesus, as a potter forms clay; let those around see me living by thy Spirit,
trampling the world underfoot,
unconformed to lying vanities,
transformed by a renewed mind,
clad in the entire armour of God,
shining as a never-dimmed light,
showing holiness in all my doings.
Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands. 
May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain. 
In needful transactions let my affection be in heaven, and my love soar upwards in flames of fire, my gaze fixed on unseen things, my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility, mockery of earth and its vanities.
May I view all things in the mirror of eternity, waiting for the coming of my Lord, listening for the last trumpet call, hastening unto the new heaven and earth. 
Order this day all my communications according to thy wisdom, and to the gain of mutual good. 
Forbid that I should not be profited or made profitable. 
May I speak each word as if my last word, and walk each step as my final one. If my life should end today, let this be my best day. 

This prayer can be found in The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett. Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions. This prayer is entitled Morning Dedication.

A Prayer for Focus - Christ

Jesus, Focus me on You.
As I read and study Your Word - focus me on You.
As I prepare for the day - focus me on You.
As I interact with the people in my life - focus me on You.
As I clean, shop, feed the hungry (in my household), clothe the naked (in my household), kiss ouches, wipe tears, potty train, fold clothes and do the sixth load of laundry and fold it too, clean toilets and the missed aim of a two year old, laugh, play, work, rest, worry, hug, disciple, love, pray - focus me on You.
Throughout this day - whatever it holds and whatever my hands find to do - focus me on YOU.
Not on me.

Amen.

_____________________

Only Christ matters.

Sometimes, when things are going well, we might too easily forget that we have only one sure, immovable, dependable strength-Jesus, who was a baby once and is always and forever God.  That is what holds us and keeps us whether or not we can carry out our traditions.  May our decorations, gifts, festivities-or lack of them-never block our view of Him but always point toward Him.

Only Christ matters.     -Noel Piper

A Monday Prayer for Peace

Father,
Forgive me.
Have mercy on me.
Grant me peace.
I am feeling (and acting) so impatient today
So short tempered
So stressed…
My brain is a mess. Jumble, jumble, jumble…grant clarity. Remove the clutter. Grant stability.
Aaron especially is driving me! He keeps talking…prayer and talking, grumbling, questioning children…Lord, forgive me. Help me to love. Increase my love. Fill…
Quiet my spirit.
Lord, I’m handing it all over to You. These things that are troubling me. You know them. Take these things off my back…even if there are no solutions…let there be peace. Quiet.
Fill.
Let your peace fill this place, this house, these hearts, these minds, these spirits…mine. Me!
Dearest Lord…hands up, palms open.
I love you.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all these things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave you; My peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -John 14:26-27

A Prayer for Advent

 Dearest Lord Jesus,

I thank you for being my Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. As my family enters the Christmas season, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness. As You sent Your messengers the prophets to prepare the way of salvation, may we prepare traditions that nurture our spiritual lives and celebrate the dawning of Your everlasting light. In Your name I pray.

-original prayer from Christ in Christmas A Family Advent Celebration

Isaiah 9:2-6

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned….For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Monday Prayer

Come Thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, mount of God's unchanging love. 

Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constained to be! Let Thy grace Lord, like a feter, bind my wandering heart to Thee:  Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.  Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.

-from Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Robinson, 1758 (bolding mine)

Monday Prayer

Dear Jesus,

 Please order my day,
            S t r e t c h my hours,
Fill my minutes,
                   Enlarge my love.

-originally by Elisabeth K. Corcoran changes mine

A Monday Prayer from Psalm 25

Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. -Psalm 25:4-5 (ESV)