Over "Stuffing' Our Lives

by Jeannine Carroll

A few yeas ago, I was traveling across Mexico.  I had taken my second trip to Mexico to learn more about their culture and way of living.  For three days I lived with a family in the city of Chihuahua.  According to our standards, this was a very poor family, but in their city, they were middle class.  They lived in a five-room cement home, one of the very few with a black-iron security fence around it.

They were a warm and loving family that went out of their way to make me feel at home.  They were so proud to show me that they had a shower and even though I couldn't get the hot water to work, I was very thankful for it!  They always had food prepared when they knew I was going to be there and they asked me each day if I wanted to take a shower.  I know that this family was careful not to waste anything and I really hoped I was not causing a hardship for them.

 As I look at this family, that we would say has very little, I can't help but wonder.

Prayers For Children

by Jeannine Carroll

What were the prayers you were taught as a child?  So many of us were taught this little prayer:

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

What were our parents thinking?  Today we would not think of sending a child to bed worrying that they might "Die before they wake"!

Here is a prayer I wrote to replace this one for the children in my life:

As I lay down to sleep tonight,

I pray, Dear Lord, you'll hold me tight

And surround me with your loving arms

Until the morning light.

What are some of the prayers you or your children have prayed?  Please share them with us!

Juggling Five Balls

"Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls...are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered."  ~James Patterson

Do you feel as challenged as most parents do when it comes to deciding how your family will use it's time? There are the everyday choices, that are already made for us, such as work, school, and chores. Then you add church, sports, volunteering, entertainment, etc.   We feel like we need more hours in our day!!

Do you know that children can feel the stress of having too many things to do?  Even though they may be the ones asking or even begging to be allowed to be involved in sports, clubs, plays.or special events, parents need to be the gatekeepers that will help them to find a balance.

Making time in our schedule for important activities, takes courage.  Courage not to be influenced by the urgent or even good activities, when they put too much stress on our family!  Trust yourself!  If you are feeling overwhelmed, even by doing good, chances are, your children are, too!