Category Archives: Parenting

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Servant Leaders

Helping Nana

I am so pleased when one of my students cleans up without being asked. It warms my heart when a student helps another student just because assistance is needed. High school students often get a “bad rap” for being selfish and self-centered. Yet I am often blessed to see another side – a side that would shock their parents in a good way.

What cultivates a servant’s heart? Why do some young people notice when help is needed – and then respond? There may be various reasons, yet I know of two qualities that fertilize seeds of service.

First – positive examples. When children see adults serve others, it demonstrates a living example of a servant. If parents and grandparents are the ones who help carry groceries in from the car, clean up after meals, offer to sweep the porch, or rake the leaves – children will see this and follow the example. It is a wonderful opportunity to include older children in work days for the church or elderly neighbors. Working alongside your child or grandchild allows fellowship as well as the fulfillment of serving together.

Second – providing opportunities for service. The earlier children learn to serve others, the sooner it allows serving to become a pattern of behavior. It is often easier and less stressful to do a chore ourselves. Yet, when we need help, our children and grandchildren may not know what to do or how to follow through in a helpful way. Depending on the age of a child, giving them responsibility for small tasks develops their confidence and their ability to follow through. Early acts of service may include:

  • wiping off the table
  • putting forks and spoons at each place for a meal
  • folding wash cloths or hand towels
  • sweeping the deck or sidewalk
  • matching socks
  • raking leaves, picking up sticks (stick patrol)

Jesus is the ultimate example of a servant.

Let Christ be your example of humility – Philippians 2:5-11

5-11 Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be. For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God’s equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as mortal man. And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal. That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus “every knee shall bow”, whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, “every tongue shall confess” that Jesus Christ” is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus also said –

Mark 9:35-40 (NLT)

35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our elected officials would take this attitude?

May we be examples of servant leaders to the precious children in our lives.

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Falling

God’s Color Study

I tried to capture a photo of leaves falling yesterday afternoon while hiking the Horace Kephart trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon. Phil pointed out to me that leaves were floating down all around us. I was so focused on the color of the leaves on the trees and on the ground, I hadn’t noticed those falling. It was delightful to watch the floating descent of the leaves, but my little camera wasn’t up to the challenge of recording their fall.

Fall is a great time to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. The color yesterday defies description; I even took a photograph that I plan to call “God’s Color Study”, even though the picture doesn’t do justice to the vibrancy of the actual color. The sky was intense blue; the leaves were an array of red, orange, yellow, brown, and leftover green. It was truly a feast for the eyes.

Yet, under the carpet of fallen leaves, there were rocks and small ditches carved by the recent rain storms. These were hidden by the leaves, but a concern while hiking. I was so distracted by the autumn display that I slipped and stumbled several times before I realized I needed to pay attention to where I was going.

Isn’t that true of life? I am the queen of distraction. This is a big concern as a parent and now as a grandparent. I am easily distracted – and often by good things. Natural beauty has always fascinated me, and as an artist that serves me well. Yet, our children will tell you of the many times I missed a turn on our way home, because of a beautiful tree, a lovely bird, or a particularly blue hydrangea. For the sake of the safety of our children and now grandchildren, I must focus on where I am going.

As a Christian, I need to PAY attention to my walk with God, and NOT get distracted by things, even good things that could cause me to fall. Some of the things that can distract me and cause me to “fall” as a mother are:

  • Being more concerned about how my children LOOK than how they feel
  • Caring more about what my friends think than what my Heavenly Father wants
  • Putting my children to bed without devotions/prayer because a TV show is starting
  • Attending to needs of others before the needs of my family
  • Allowing “devices” to control my time
  • Putting weeding the flower beds before cooking meals (anyone else have this issue?)

Thankfully, Our Heavenly Father knows our weaknesses and His desire is to keep us from falling.

Jude 1:24-28 (KJV)

24 Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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Cracked Pots

It has been one of those weeks where I have been hit with the same message from three different sources. You think I better pay attention?!!

#1      My Honors Art III class is working on pottery. They are making ceramic pots and learning the properties and limitations of clay. I tell them clay is very forgiving, you can mold, re-mold, and even crush it and start all over again. Yet once you commit to a shape or design, you must follow certain rules to ensure successful completion of your project. Last week two students didn’t follow the “rule of thumb”. This rule states that no part of the form can be thicker than your thumb without providing a vent to let trapped air escape. Two students added clay to their pottery while forming and created areas that were thicker than their thumbs. Both of these pots blew up in the kiln while firing. These two students had been very successful making pottery that has been entered in several art shows, yet they had become a bit complacent and thought they knew what they were doing. Message for me – God is very patient, forgiving, and gentle. Yet at some point I am held accountable for following His Word. Past accomplishments aside – I must walk with God faithfully each day so I don’t become a “cracked pot.” 

#2       We attended a Sunday service with our two daughters and their families yesterday. There was a potter’s wheel in the foyer of the church building as we entered, with a bisque fired (first firing) pot from which part of the bottom was blown off.  The pastor preached from Jeremiah 18:1-12  on “In the Potter’s Hand”. The part of his message which spoke to me was in verses 1-4.

18:1  This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Pastor Thompson stated that God is the potter, we are the clay. He shared something I teach my students  – 75% of successful pottery is in the preparation of the clay. Message for me – God is at work forming me  – and every time I resist His effort, I make it harder on myself because God has to “re-shape and re-mold” me. Otherwise I will be a cracked pot.

# 3   The calligraphy calendar my sister-in-law Renee’ gave me has this verse for October 2nd  –

                            Isaiah 64:8    Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.   Message for me – as a loving Father, God wants the best for me. God does not form cracked pots.

As I have reflected on the three ways that I have been confronted with the reality of God at work  – creating me to be the vessel He wants so I can accomplish the purpose He has for me – I am reminded of God’s unconditional love for me.

God doesn’t give up, as I have been known to do when a piece of pottery isn’t formed the way I want. As our Father, God will continue working on us until we become the unique vessel, the work of His hands, that He planned. Then we will be able to pour out His Glory!