Category: Family Share

Devotion · Family Share · photography

Unfinished Business

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Unfinished Business

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

It was a nostalgic time when we drove away the last time from our home of 24 years. We left behind a lot of memories in the walls – and a couple in the tree in the far corner of the backyard. See, when the kids were little, we wanted to build them a tree house. So, we made a plan, got some lumber, and started our little project. We laid down a couple of boards between two branches; it was the beginning of a floor for the tree house. Then we took a break. And we never went back. Oh, yes, we intended to finish that house, but right up until the day we moved out, those boards were all that ever happened.

That’s not the only house a parent intended to build and never got done. In fact, many of us Moms and Dads knew how we wanted our family to be – how we still want it to be – but somehow the home, the family we intended to build never got finished did it? Even as our children were leaving for college, we talked about how quickly the years had melted away and how we were feeling there was so much unfinished business in our kids’ lives.

Maybe you’re a mom or Dad, and you can see in your relationship with your children a lot of things you wish you had done, or a lot of things you wish you hadn’t done. Like us with our tree house…the intentions were good, but something happened along the way. Your children may still be fairly young, still at home, but already you have regrets about what has or hasn’t happened in your relationship – in their lives.

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But it isn’t over yet. In fact, the Bible offers a blueprint for hope and for healing. If you can find the courage to activate this powerful step, you may still be able to take care of some of that unfinished business. God says in James 5:16, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Let’s apply this to a broken or strained or a hurting family relationship – a part of your home that never got finished. God is calling you to fervent prayer for that person that’s on your heart. And He is calling us to “confess our sins to each other”, too. In the case of your son or daughter, that probably means saying some of the hardest words in the English language for a parent to say, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

For someone you love, just your recognition that you were wrong could start a healing process in both of you. Tell them you’re sorry for any way you feel you have failed them; that you want the future to be different from the past; give them the “I love you” that they may have been waiting for a long time. Give them your blessing, your approval, your praise. They may have been starved for it for years. It’s never too late to say, “I love you.” It’s never too late to say, “I’m sorry.” It’s never too late to say, “Let’s make a new beginning.”

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Oh, it will take some humility, because it’s pride that keeps walls from coming down. It will take God’s courage, but it could heal so much in you and so much in that person you love. But the home, the family, the relationship you never finished can still be built if you can say three life-changing, life-giving words,

“I was wrong.”

Further Study

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Going Deeper

Someone I need to say, “I was wrong” to is…
One way I failed my family is…
Something I can do to resolve the conflict in my family is…

Thank You Ron Hutchcraft for the study 🙂 Resources: The Bible, images from pixabay.com
Family Share · kids

10 things moms do that are super annoying

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10 things moms do that are super annoying. If you are a mom, or are planning on becoming one, be wary of these 10 super annoying things all moms do.

1. Mom’s judge women who don’t have kids

Maybe not outright, maybe not very obviously, but there seems to be some secret judging in the minds of many moms when it comes to their childless friends. It could be jealousy or even a little pride, but a mother has a different relationship with her childless friends when her own baby is born. A level of understanding and empathy is altered when you make the leap into motherhood.

This is so true. Actually, just caught me doing it the other day. Lol

2. Moms insist others have children, too

Moms – especially new moms and empty-nesters – have a tendency to not so subtly suggest you have children, too. Presumably so you can share her joys…and some sleepless nights. It’s natural to want to share what you have, but this particular question can be intrusive. Childbirth and parenting are huge undertaking, and not be entered into lightly; or unduly influenced.

Not me– I tell them all the time that having a kid is hard. If there’s someone that

3. Moms can’t focus

Mothers of young ones are easily distracted and forgetful (but for a good reason). She’ll call you, scold her kids, hang up, and call you back, but forget what she was talking about. The only way you can keep a mom’s attention for a full conversation is to get her in person and get her alone. We understand that it’s hard to focus when the three-year-old could run off with the scissors at any moment, but it’s frustrating when I’m trying to talk to you.

4. Moms are always late

Or just break plans altogether. As a mother, kids come first. Kids also take forever to get all ready to go. Even with a babysitter, things can still be cancelled. Mommy emergencies can make getting together impossible—good thing her kids are darling.

I don’t agree. I had 3 kids less than 2 yrs. apart and always made to my appointments etc. on time. If you are always late don’t blame it on the kids. It’s your own fault. Get up early. Start getting ready early 🙂

5. Moms talk to adults like children

We understand a mom has taken on a protective and disciplinary role, but she may need to be reminded when it’s time to clock out from the job and just be a woman, a friend, or a wife.

6. Moms give unsolicited advice

…especially about parenting. Doing something 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can convince anyone they’re an expert. But unless someone comes to you in need of guidance, try to gauge whether others want to hear your pearls of wisdom. We may not need your unsolicited advice.
7. Moms may need some reminding

A mother can easily lose her identity in motherhood and forget who she was before she was a mom. Through the sleepless nights, midnight feedings, diaper duty, and sporadic showers and meals, a mom may not remember what she liked, what she valued, or what was important or interesting to her before the bundles of joy arrived.


8. Moms lose perspective in parenting

A mother’s world can become quite small. She may talk nonstop about every little thing her child says and does because that’s her world now. Her world revolves around her child, so she assumes the rest of the world has to revolve around her and her child as well. A mother will advocate aggressively for her rights as a mother and the rights of her child without always considering the perspective of others in the situation.
9. Moms assume other people want to be around her kids



Sometimes a mom thinks anywhere she wants to go, her children should be welcome as well. Very young and ill-behaved children do not belong in expensive and posh establishments, like fancy restaurants, galas and art museums. Nor should young children accompany parents to bars, clubs, wine tastings or pub crawls. Even without a posted sign, some things are “adult only.”


10. Moms can’t be spontaneous
A mom has to ask permission, arrange sitting and organize several schedules before she can commit to anything. Plans need to be made weeks in advance and can still be up in the air minutes before she’s due somewhere.

Now with the last statement I totally agree lol

Devotion · Family Share · kids · reeding · Review

Protecting Your #Child from • Soul Poison •  #Parenting 

EllyFilho1 Comment

Protecting Your Child from “Soul Poison”
There are some decent, even values-oriented things on television for children these days. But, as you know very well, there’s a lot of garbage, too. And in between those two extremes, there are shows that are mostly good but have some words scattered in them that little ears shouldn’t be hearing – or big ears, for that matter. Along comes a service called TV Guardian – which automatically replaces a naughty word with a nice word, thus removing what could be bad for your child. Occasionally, the replacements are actually a little amusing. Like the word “sex,” for example. The replacement word is “hugs.” Which gets a little interesting when someone asks, “So what will be the hugs of your baby?” But I do think TV Guardian is a pretty good idea.

Something like TV Guardian was invented for parents who realize a very important assignment that they have; to protect their children from anything that could harm them. Of course, a parent is going to protect their son or daughter from physical harm – like getting too close to the edge of a cliff or running onto the Interstate. But Mom and Dad have no less a responsibility for protecting their kids from things that can hurt their soul. And there’s a lot of soul poison out there.

There is a ten-word challenge that underscores where the front lines of the battle are for any life – including that of your children. Proverbs 4:23 begins with these attention-getting words, “Above all else…” Then these ten words – “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” In other words, be careful about what gets into your heart – or into your child’s heart – because it is the reservoir from which everything else flows.

Yes, one front in the battle for a child’s pure heart is related to what they listen to and watch. It’s amazing how we will allow someone to portray right in our living room, on TV, DVD, or Netflix, things we would never, ever allow to be done in our living room – sexually, for example. We allow comedy into our home and into their heart that trivializes sin that ruins lives; not realizing that our kids are learning to laugh about things that are eternally serious. No matter what the parental peer pressure of what other parents are allowing and what the culture says is “must see” stuff, we’ve got to stand our ground on not allowing our kids to mentally eat out of the garbage can.

 
But guarding their heart is so much bigger than TV or movies or music. It’s about the poison that comes from us. The bitterness they’re learning by listening to us, the anger, the self-centeredness, the putdowns of other people, the names they hear us call people, the prejudice they hear in the way we talk about others, the disrespect they hear us expressing toward people at work, at church – or even toward their Mother or Father. That’s more deadly poison than anything the media can pump out. Our precious children need “Parent Guardian” – to protect them from the poison that they see modeled in living color by a Mom or Dad.

The DVR in your son’s or daughter’s heart is always recording. It’s always capturing what it hears, and the impressions are shaping who they’re becoming. You are the guardian, assigned to your child by God, to protect that young heart from poison and infection – even if (especially if) it’s coming from you.

Going Deeper

One undesirable trait I see in my child that reminds me of myself is… One thing I could do to help them and me grow in that area is…

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Tweet: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬ - Via- @4Guys_1Girl

“I will sing of your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil. Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate. My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭101:1-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Study by Ron Hutchcraft
Family Share · photography

The things I learned in life – #MomBlogger

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elly

The things I learned in life

I learned that no matter how much I care, some people just do not care. I learned that no matter how good a person is, that person will hurt me from time to time, but I need to forgive her for this. I learned that talking can ease my emotional pain.

I learned that it takes years to build trust and only seconds to destroy it.
I’ve learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over long distances. I learned that I could do in moments, things that I will forever regret.

I learned that what matters is not what I have in life, but who I have in life. I learned that members of my family are friends who I was not allowed to choose. I learned that I don’t have to change friends, and, yes, understand that friends change.

I learned that the people I care most in life have been taken too quickly. I learned that I always leave people who I love with loving words, it may be the last time I see them. I learned that the circumstances and the environment have an influence on me, but I am responsible for myself.

I learned that I should not compare myself to others, but do the best I can do. I learned that no matter how far I get, know where I’m going. I learned that no matter how delicate and fragile something is, there are always two sides.

I learned that It will take a long time for me to become the person I want to be. I learned that I can go further after thinking I can not. I learned that either I control my acts or they will control me.

I’ve learned that heroes are people who did what was necessary, facing the consequences. I learned that to have patience requires a lot of practice. I learned that there are people who love me, but just do not know how to show it.

I have learned that my best friend and I can do many thing, or nothing and still have a good times together. I learned that the person I expect to treat me wrong, when I’m down, is one of the few that will help me up. I learned that there are more of my parents in me than I thought.

I learned that when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that does not give me the right to be cruel. I learned that just because someone does not love me the way I want it does not mean that someone doesn’t love me with everything they got. I learned that maturity has more to do with the kinds of experiences I’ve had, and what I learned from them Than how many birthdays I already celebrated.

I learned that I should never tell a child that dreams are silly, or they are out of the question, because fewer things are more humiliating and would be a tragedy if she believed me. I learned it is not always enough to be forgiven by someone, I have to learn to forgive myself. I learned that no matter how many pieces my heart was broken, the world doesn’t stop for me to fix it.

Just learned, the things I learned in life!

Challenge · Family Share

6 Day #Photography Challenge 

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The little things we don’t appreciate in life.

  • We take for granted that 1- 2nd opportunity we have to be next to the person we love.
  • We take for granted that one opportunity to talk to our children when we have that second alone with them.
  • We miss the opportunity to see and appreciate the beauty of the outside when we stand out there. Just looking out at nowhere.
  • We miss the smell of the rain dropping on the ground when it rains.
  • We miss the opportunity to be thankful to God for all that we have, every time we see or hear about all those other countries that has little to nothing.
  • We throw away so much of our belongings not even thinking what we could do with them, maybe send it to an organization, or sell it and with the money raised donate to an organization.
  • There is so much that can be done, so much that can be seen, so much that can be appreciated. But all we do is TAKE FOR GRANTED.
  • WE DONT APPRECIATE.
  • WE ARE NOT THANKFUL.
  • WE DONT TAKE THE TIME OR OPPORTUNITY.
  • To see things the way they should be seen.

brazilian · Depressed · Family Share · Fashion · Health · love · Mental Health · photography

7 Days #Photography challenge 

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What’s something special you see daily, but never paid attention long enough to really appreciate what you’re looking at? In this case, it’s not my husband. It’s myself 🙂 I’ve lived a life that I know many people wouldn’t survive it. I know half would give up at the beginning. The other half would maybe try and last halfway. I’m sure there are many and many women’s out there that has suffered or is suffering all or worse than I have. I pray to God to give you strength. It’s not easy. I know!
My mother today at 68 stills has to work to take care of herself otherwise she doesn’t have the income to live on. She has 2 daughters that can’t afford to pay for her living. Sad story.
She has worked so hard her whole life ever since she was little and for what? Today she is still working and not living.  That’s why I always say live now if you can. This time will never come around again.
Today’s picture inspired me because I’ve been a fighter.

  • I’ve fought child abuse.
  • I’ve fought mentally and verbally abuse
  • I’ve fought my fears
  • I’ve fought self-esteem
  • I’ve fought depression
  • I’ve fought suicide
  • I’ve fought PTSD
  • I fought drugs
  • I fought alcohol
  • I fought an alcoholic father
  • I fought murder
  • I’ve fought adultery
  • I’ve fought unfaithfulness
  • I’ve fought being sick
  • I’ve been fighting my weight
  • I’ve been fighting my sickness
  • I’ve been fighting this world

This world will not bring us better things, from here on it will only be worst. Some of these things I’m still fighting daily like PTSD. Depression. Etc. Some stuff you can never get rid of it. It’s a constant battle.

Devotion · Family Share

One Good Choice After Another

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One Good Choice After Another
Are you enjoying the life and blessings of God in your everyday life? Or have you made a series of choices resulting in disappointment, pain, or feeling that everything you do requires great effort and produces little reward? Don’t spend your time and energy mourning all the bad decisions you have made; just start making good ones. There is hope for you!

The way to overcome the results of a series of bad choices is through a series of right choices. The only way to walk out of trouble is to do the opposite of whatever you did to get into trouble—one choice at a time. Maybe the circumstances of your life right now are the direct result of a series of bad choices you have made. You may be in debt because you have made a lot of bad choices with money. You may be lonely because of a series of bad choices in relationships or in the way you treat people. You may be sick because of a series of unhealthy choices: eating junk food, not getting enough rest, or abusing your body through working too much and not having enough balance in your life.
You cannot make a series of bad choices that result in significant problems and then make one good choice and expect all the results of all those bad choices to go away. You did not get into deep trouble through one bad choice; you got into trouble through a series of bad choices. If you really want your life to change for the better, you will need to make one good choice after another, over a period of time, just as consistently as you made the negative choices that produced negative results.
No matter what kind of trouble or difficulty you find yourself in, you can still have a blessed life. You cannot do anything about what is behind you, but you can do a great deal about what lies ahead of you. God is a redeemer, and He will always give you another chance.
Trust in Him

If you have a situation that is too big for you to solve, then you are material for a miracle. Invite God to get involved, trust in and follow His directions, make one good choice after another, and you will see amazing results.

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭25‬ KJV)

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2012 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Causes · Family Share · kids · teens

Why Mom was Right about Bullies?

EllyFilho2 Comments

 

 At the park with my kid today and his dad. They were playing baseball. I was sitting at the bench, just watching my kid hit the balls with dad. These other little kids come to the field to play, and as I sit there listening to them ( remind you these kids are like 8-10 years old ) One of them becomes really angry and starts to scream at the others and say ” why do I have to be the one always called a retard, demented, no good, and horrible at everything.” He walks out of the field goes up on the bleaches and starts saying; ” I should of killed my self yesterday when I had the chance.” I quickly look over and at this point I was mouth dropped at the conversation and couldn’t believe the others didn’t say anything. So I gave the other kids the Mom Look. Like ” Hello say something this is your friend. ” 

The other kids started to try to calm him down and started talking to him and saying; ” Dude your dad got you a $300 bat do you think if you were no good he would do that? He replied:” what does that have to do with anything. You guys hate me and always call me bad names. ” I hate you. ” leave me alone and he runs away. I felt so bad I wanted to hug him, and go call this poor kids mother. My son was like ” Mom poor kid, did you see that? Those other kids are true bullies. I said yes and I told him about what he said killing himself. 

 

 My son was prettified. ( whatever the word is).

 I don’t know but my kids grew up in a bad world already with all this bulling crap, and I always told them. Don’t do to others what you don’t want for your self. And if anyone do it to you there’s two option. 
1. Ignore 

2. Tell someone that will make a difference 

Never seek revenge, because that will only cause more problems. I always told them try to be friends and nice to everyone. That way you will have less problems. Don’t judge anyone. 

Sometimes the Bullies might be being Bullied themselves and that’s all they know how to do because they don’t know any different. 

They don’t know what true friends are. Or love. So try to show them that it might work. 

I think all of it depends on PARENTING. 

Teach your kids to LOVE their neighbors like they love themselves. 🙂 

End of the story with that kid was, when we were about to leave we saw a parent talking to the bullies and the adult actually yelled at the kid that was being bullied because he said he wanted to kill himself.  I would of taken a different approach. 

Now I ask you. Do you think as a parent. Did his parent or the adult present do the right thing? 

Was yelling at the poor kid the right approach? 

What would you do if it was you in that situation? 

Devotion · Family Share

Who was ? Ana ” The Prophet   ” ? 

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Anna, the daughter of Penuel, was eighty-four years of age and long widowed. Apparently she was a member of the resident staff at the temple in Jerusalem, devoting herself to continual service in the temple. The text does not indicate why she was called a “prophet.” Her unnamed husband might have been a prophet, or perhaps she herself had spent time praising and bearing testimony or even foretelling future events under divine inspiration. In simplest terms, she obviously was a woman through whom God spoke. As a descendant of the tribe of Asher, Anna looked for the Messiah as the prophets Isaiah (Isa 9:6) and Micah (Mic 5:2) had foretold.

When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the temple to present him to the Lord approximately a month after his birth, they offered their sacrifices according to ancient law. He had been circumcised on the eighth day, probably in Bethlehem. Now the days of Mary’s purification were completed (see Lev 12:4). As they were in the temple, a devout man, Simeon, was moved by the Holy Spirit to be present and to hold the Infant in his arms.

Anna watched as Simeon prayed, knowing in her heart that the Messiah had come. Luke’s description of this woman helps the reader to understand the respect and veneration that she commanded. A lifetime of prayer and fasting made her comments worth reporting. She, a recognized prophetess, confirmed God’s gift of redemption and her words resonated with all who looked for salvation (Lk 2:38).
Anna personified in her day those who “serve the living and true God, and . . . wait for his Son from heaven” (1Th 1:9–10). She is a model for us; like her, women are to “live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for that blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12–13).

Daily Devotional.
Devotion · Family Share · reeding

What Experts Are Saying About Love to The End 

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@4Guys_1Girl

 Loved to the End 


People sometimes ask, “Do you think God would hear the prayer of some wicked person who called upon Him even in the very last moments of his life–if that person had done horrible things? Would God pardon a person like that?” Absolutely He would. 

Sometimes we have loved ones who died and never made a profession of faith. And we may conclude they did not go to heaven. But we don’t know that. Were you with these loved ones in the last moments of their lives? Were you there when they took their last breath? How do you know that he or she did not call on Jesus?

Here is what you do know. God loved them and wanted them to be saved. As 1 Timothy 2:4 says, God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

When Judas arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane to betray Jesus, Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” (Matthew 26:50). Jesus was giving Judas one last chance to repent. And I believe that if Judas had stopped right there and said, “Lord, I messed up. I don’t know what I was thinking. Forgive me,” then Jesus would have pardoned him. Why? Because God says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!” (Ezekiel 33:11). Jesus loved Judas to the very end. He was His friend. But His friend betrayed Him, and this broke His heart.

I don’t want to give false assurance and suggest that everyone is in heaven, because they are not. But I am saying that if they called on the Lord in the last moments of their lives, He pardoned and forgave them.

Summary sentence: If you call on the Lord, even in the last moment of your life, He hears you!

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭3-4‬ KJVA)



Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.