Others First

There are two verses of scripture I have found myself using as I help the kids through their disagreements, fights, and such. The first one is,

Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself...Romans 15:2-3

And the second:

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

And as is usually the case with God's powerful Word, I am taught. Seems the more I repeat the Words to them, the more I find myself wondering, Am I looking to the interests of others? Do I live consciously thinking of how to please my neighbor?

It's easy to see how these scriptures apply to the types of spats and arguments that little ones have, because it points them to the unselfishness of Christ, reminds them to check the motives of their hearts as they interact with each other.

And, it does the same thing for their mama, who is praying more now that she'd have a heart geared toward the needs and interests of others in the same way Christ did. Oh, I do have far to go!

Have a happy weekend with those you love...
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Adding up Mercies:

241 MK and LC squealing in delight (and CA imitating their every action) over the basket of neutral baby necessities I was preparing to wash. They went through every.single.piece. The ooh's and aah's were precious. These two are my maternal ones. While they were gushing over baby items, EG was nearby, absorbed in a little abridged copy of Captain's Courageous. She'll eat the baby up just like the rest of us, but her interest in the details of it all is not like that of her two younger sisters.

242 CA grabbing a bag to take to swim lessons the other day (after three weeks of lessons, she knows the drill). I tell her we have a bag already…she informs me: “We put food fumm da fawmah’s mawket in dat. I went to da fawmah’s mawket wiff my dad.”

243 squeak of the swing on the swingset when one of the girls is going "up into space"

244 seeing our prayers answered regarding swim lessons: God bestowing His favor, giving the girls courage and success

245 a box right when I needed it - I've gone through most of our bookshelves in preparation for the coming school year and needed a box for the books that are leaving the premises

246 the kids playing with the paper that was packed in the box...shredding it actually

247 finding some of my old journals, remembering my third pregnancy, a bit move...

248 "I like that sound" - EG, after dropping pasta shells on the kitchen floor. Even picked them up and dropped them again to hear the sound once more.


249 that he always takes out the trash when it's full, and doesn't complain

250 fernando ortega's music: worshipful, soothing

251 that they call it "parmajohn cheese"

252 MK chopping rainbowy-stalked chard

253 EG making macaroni to go with supper

254 Fried Okra - magnificent!! All to myself, too, since no one else here seems to realize how delicious it is.

 255 evenings at the public pool, watching them have so much fun

256 this summer