Lessons learned the first 50 years

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I hit a milestone. I turned 50 years old. I am thankful that I don't feel 50.   I am thankful for things God has taught me throughout those 50 years. .  I have learned that God loves mercy and when I feel a sense that justice needs to happen over mercy, all I need to do is remember that I am thankful for when God gives me mercy instead of a just punishment.   (Micah 6:8 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) ( Luke 6: 36  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ) I have learned that hurt people end up hurting people.   When I am able to see that I didn't hurt them but I am bearing the results of that persons hurt inflicted by other people, it helps me forgive whatever hurt they pushed onto me and move on.  (Romans 12 : 18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. )  I have learned that anyone who thinks they have God

Aiming for the heart...


Let me let you in on a secret; parenting is hard work and it certainly isn't for cowards. Children are selfish, liars and thieves...at least in their natural state. LOL... What do we do? We aim for their hearts. This is the only way to have lasting change, in any of us. Jer. 17:9 tells us The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Oh, how I have learned that our hearts will lie to us. We have to teach our children that fact and we have to counsel, instruction, and nurture them to live beyond what their hearts are telling them is true ..or telling them to do.

Instructing a Child’s Heart by Tedd and Margy Tripp is a great book for trying to change the heart, thus changing the behavior. They tell about the biblical adjectives that describe the heart: The heart is adulterous, anguished, arrogant, astray, bitter, blameless, blighted, broken, calloused, circumcised, contrite, crushed, darkened, deadened, deceitful, deluded, devoted, disloyal, envious, evil, faint, faithful, far off, fearful, foolish, grateful, happy, hard, haughty, humble, mad, malicious, obstinate, perverse, proud, pure, rebellious, rejoicing, responsive, righteous, sick, sincere, sinful, steadfast, troubled, unfeeling, uncircumcised, upright, unsearchable, weary, wicked, wise, and wounded.

No wonder parenting is so hard, but it is so worth it....
still aiming for their hearts,
Rachel

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