Girls To Grow - Nurturing moms in their walk with God

Beware! Potential Danger Ahead if You Forget

June 21, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

I. am. forgetful.

“Old” age, perhaps? Information overload, maybe? Whenever my daughters ask me to do something, I give them free rein to remind me about it as many times as they need to! In the same way, if I don’t write something down while I’m thinking about it, it’s unlikely that I’ll remember it three minutes later.

Forgetting details like buying milk at the grocery store or what time I need to pick my daughter up from cheer practice can be inconvenient for us. But today I want to talk about a truth that’s important for all of us to remember.

When everything's going great, we can tend to forget God. Here's a warning to heed.

In Deuteronomy chapter six, Moses addresses the children of Israel as they prepare to enter the promised land. In verses ten and eleven, he shares the blessings that await them there.

“And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land….to give thee great and goodly cities….and houses full of all good things….when thou shalt have eaten and be full;”

Sounds like things are going well here! But verse twelve follows with this warning.

“Then beware lest thou forget the LORD….”

When they finally reach the promised land…when they have plenty to eat, and are no longer surviving on manna…when they’re not moving a tent from one camping site to the next, but living in a house that’s “full of all good things”…that’s when they’ll be tempted to forget God.

In the wilderness, they needed Him for daily survival. Yet when they’re living in the midst of abundant blessings, Moses warns them – don’t forget.

They needed to remember all that God had brought them through, the deliverance from Egypt, the miracles in the wilderness. In a day when they might be tempted to look at what they had, and credit it to their own hard work, Moses says “no.” Remember all that God has done, and serve Him.

How about us? What a tragedy it would be, amidst all the blessings in our lives, to forget to give honor and praise to the One who provides it all.

I don’t want to forget how God worked through different situations this past school year. He brought us through some difficult days. He strengthened my faith, in spite of how weak it was in the beginning. Yet how easy it is to let days slip by without expressing gratitude to God for His goodness.

At times we, too, may start to take credit for what has happened. “It’s because I prayed for this” or “Since I’ve been living better, this good thing happened.” Yes, God answers prayer. Out of His mercy and grace, He moves in our lives. He blesses us as we honor and obey Him.

But I deserve nothing. And when the good and easy times come, I must remember to praise Him. Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God…”

By verse 14 of Deuteronomy six, Moses is talking about the Israelites choosing to go after other gods. If we forget to acknowledge God in our lives, we’ll have the same temptation. We’ll want to honor ourselves or find something or someone else to follow after.

On the other hand, just as the Israelites would face many battles before they actually possessed Canaan, so we may currently be in the midst of a trial. Despite all we’ve been given, maybe we just don’t “feel” blessed. On those days, may our minds be filled with the truths that God’s grace is sufficient, our eternal future is sure, and His power is limitless.

As we make this conscious effort to remember what God has done, we can then follow the command of verse seven.

“….thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…”

In the day-to-day “busy-ness,” let’s remember to teach our children about the faithfulness and goodness of God. We can acknowledge all of our blessings, and give praise to the God who has provided them!

So beware! Be alert to the dangers of forgetting God and failing to praise Him. Then we can avoid the danger of living our lives outside of His guidance.

Saturday Salutes ~ Marriage Advice and Chocolate Cake

June 16, 2018 by Tracey 4 Comments

This picture from last year’s June vacation (near La Jolla Cove, CA) brings back some wonderful memories!

Dionna says Go Ahead, Thank Him.

Susan shares Must Do’s and Don’ts for Your Marriage.

This is an older post from Rachel, but worthy of revisiting – 20 Things I Will Not Regret Doing with My Kids.

Marci lists My Top 50 Cleaning Shortcuts.

This Chocolate Poke Cake from Scratch looks amazingly delicious! Maybe I can get one of my daughters to make it for us soon.

My oldest daughter will be packing her suitcase this weekend. She leaves on Monday for two weeks at camp, and it will be the longest she’s ever been away from home. We’re going to miss her!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

10 Things We Can Give Away Today

June 13, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

So I think my husband and I have a great “working” relationship.

He teaches an adult Sunday School class at our church. Occasionally he’ll use a point or illustration from my blog in his lesson. Sometimes I’ll take a truth I’ve learned from his Sunday School lesson and write about it on the blog.

We’ve been studying Jonah recently. Our last Sunday School lesson touched on Jonah’s self-centeredness. The prophet Jonah had little compassion for anyone else. His focus was on following his own plan rather than going where God directed. Jonah, himself a recipient of God’s mercy, didn’t care about that mercy being shown to the people of Nineveh.

As I listened on Sunday, I didn’t need anyone to point out to me that I’ve been self-centered lately. I knew it. I’ve been complaining and feeling sorry for myself. Ever been there?

When we’ve been saved for awhile, I think we usually know when sin in our life needs to be dealt with. Typically, we know what to do about it. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

For example, I know that to combat my self-centeredness, I need to ask for God’s forgiveness and for the Holy Spirit’s help to overcome it.

My next step is to actively look for ways to serve others. That’s the best way to get over myself.

Philippians 2:3 says it pretty succinctly.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Or we can boil it down to the second greatest commandment, love your neighbor as yourself.

My self-focus will diminish if I turn my thoughts to giving to others. In this case, we’re not talking about money. Rather, there are more valuable things I can give away today that will bless those around me – and, in turn, help loosen the grip selfishness has had on me.

I can give…

1. …time to those things in my day that are most important in view of eternity. I’ll make it a priority to read my Bible, pray, etc.

2. …kind words to my family. That means thinking before I speak.

3. …smiles to people I come in contact with all through the day. I want to show them the joy that Christ gives.

4. …thoughtful gestures to my husband. I’ll think of ways, no matter how small, that I can bless him.

5. …encouragement to a fellow believer. Maybe it’s a phone call, a text, or a handwritten note that can bless a friend who’s struggling.

6. …thanks in each situation. The Bible tells me that’s the will of God for me.

7. …attention to what is going on at the moment. I won’t be distracted, but will give the person in front of me my full attention.

8. …the benefit of the doubt to someone when I don’t understand what’s going on. I won’t easily take offense or jump to conclusions about why they acted a certain way.

9. …appreciation to people who help and serve me. I don’t ever want entitlement to creep in!

10. …remembrance to needs people have asked me to pray for. Then I can follow up with them and find out how God has been faithful to work in their lives.

My natural bent is to be self-centered, but God’s Holy Spirit can empower me to be others-focused.

Since I’ve been dealing with a bout of selfishness lately, I hope that giving some of these things away will get me headed in a better direction!

Saturday Salutes ~ A Tribute to a Beloved Pet, Slowing Down, and Comparison

June 9, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

Our girls at Pounce Cat Cafe earlier this week.

Ever loved a dog? You’ll want to read Dave’s post Chosen.

Kayla shares 6 Ways to Slow Down So You Don’t Miss Your Kids Growing Up.

Kathie lists 3 Things That Make You Lose Your Joy as a Mother.

Shannon has 4 Ways to Quell Comparison.

Lucretia talks about When Struggle Is the Reward.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Three Good Things to Have in Your Home This Summer

June 8, 2018 by Tracey 3 Comments

We managed to fit a whole bunch of stuff into the first week of summer break!!

We packed up all the leftover notebook paper and locker shelving, had the first summer piano lesson, made homemade ice cream, spent an hour at a cat cafe downtown, swam in our neighborhood pool, stayed up late to watch a movie, ate snow cones, shopped for clothes and sunscreen for camp, visited friends, and stocked up on books from the library.

Now you know why there was no blog post earlier this week!

I attended high school graduation at our daughters’ school on June 1st. My prayer that night was that God would bless the coming 12 months, the next 364 days (my daughter and friends already started a countdown : ) until our oldest graduates from high school.

I’m a realist. I know that every moment won’t be sweet. There will likely be just as many – and probably more! – ups and downs as there were during her junior year. But, as much as possible, I want to savor the days. Life already looks so much different than it did just a few short years ago.

Our girls chose to bring their band instruments home from school for the summer. Which means that if you walk into our house right this minute, you’ll see two saxophone cases lined up by the wall in our living area. And there’s the music stand I just ordered them from Amazon. Along with a wicker basket full of music books and sheet music.

As I walked past this unplanned music corner, I realized that we show our families what’s important to us by the space we give things in our homes. While looking around, I thought of three things I hope we’ve provided – and continue to provide – for our daughters.

(And by the way, I think these are also important if it’s just you and a spouse, or even if you live alone!)

1. Good music.

Music can set the atmosphere in our homes. I’ve mentioned before that I like to play music in the mornings while everyone’s getting ready for work and school. (Sadly, this doesn’t come naturally for me! I’d gotten fairly bad at remembering to do this by the end of the school year.)

We also get to enjoy live music in our house. Both girls play the piano and saxophone, and one of them brought home a flute for the summer (because why not add another instrument???) Going to concerts, musicals, or band concerts can also be a fun family outing.

I’m not here to define what “good” music is for you. I know that just within our family, we like different styles of music. With any kind of entertainment, I try to consider Philippians 4:8.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

2. Good books.

We are a family who loves to read! It’s been a constant struggle to find age-appropriate books for our girls through the years since they go through books so fast!

Just like when I was a girl, fiction is their favorite, and I always want them to embrace the joy of getting lost in a good story. However, we make sure to include non-fiction in their assigned summer reading so that they can cultivate a taste for that as well.

Here are some of the books our daughters (ages 17 and 15) are reading this summer.

Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

A Young Woman’s Guide to Making Right Choices by Elizabeth George

Lessons from Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott

Love Your Life, Not Theirs by Rachel Cruze

3. Good conversation.

Taking the time to sit down and talk with each other is a great way to stay connected. Many of our family’s conversations revolve around mealtimes. Sunday lunch, which we usually eat out at a restaurant, is a prime time for catching up on life or talking about plans for the week ahead.

We try to eat supper together as many weeknights as possible – though it doesn’t happen as often with both daughters involved in extracurricular activities, and one of them working a job as well. Conversation topics range from what happened during the day to news or sports (my older daughter’s currently interested in the NBA playoffs) or what I heard on a recent podcast.

When our daughter comes in from work at night, we try to be available to hear about her day. Occasionally I plan “mom-and daughter” conversations, and grab a few minutes with my girls to discuss a particular topic. I’ve found it much better to make those talks as informal as possible!

Whether your summer’s off to a slow or a fast start, I hope you’ve had a great week! Let me know what good things you’re keeping around your house this summer.

Saturday Salutes ~ Parenting Posts, a Darling House, and a Dessert Recipe

June 2, 2018 by Tracey 5 Comments

My daughters finished up final exams Wednesday morning, so we headed to the beach in the afternoon for a little relaxation!

Phylicia lists 10 Truths I Speak to Myself as a Mom of a Toddler and a Baby.

On the other end of the parenting spectrum, Kara shares about Personality, Patience, and Parenting Tweens and Teens.

Elizabeth writes Dear Daughters: 12 Things I Didn’t Know I Needed in a Husband.

I rarely share a home-decor-related post, but this house at Chatfield Court is just darling!

Per my husband’s request, I made this No-Bake Coconut Cream Lush Dessert last weekend. It. was. delicious!! My girls aren’t big fans of coconut, which left plenty for my husband and I to devour!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Can God Really Do That for Me?

May 30, 2018 by Tracey 8 Comments

Have you ever found that you believe something to be true in your mind, but it doesn’t translate to how you’re reacting in your circumstances?

Recently I was burdened about a certain situation. It came to mind often throughout the day. Whenever it did, I tried to take it to God. My prayer life became quite busy!

And while I’d like to say that I was a great woman of faith and trusted God to answer in His way and in His time, I wasn’t. Rather, I still found myself fretting and worrying about this situation that was mostly out of my control.

I knew God could answer. I prayed that His will would be done. In this instance, it was fairly clear what the right outcome should be.

After a whole lot of praying, and more time passing than I wanted to, God answered. And, as is often the case, I learned a lot through the hard days and in the waiting.

The Lord's hand is not waxed short. He is powerful to answer prayer and meet our every need.

As I look back on it now, I’m sure this thought hovered in the back of my mind, even though I didn’t vocalize it. “God, this one might be too hard for you.”

After all, there were people involved whose hearts needed to be changed. It was beyond my realm of control…but not His.

In Numbers 11, Moses doubts God. He’s in the wilderness with a multitude of griping Israelites. God just promised to provide meat for all of them to eat for a month. When Moses – who’s seen the ten plagues brought down on Egypt and walked through the Red Sea on dry land – questions God about how this can happen, God replies,

“Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.”

A quote about this verse from the Jamieson/Fausset/Brown commentary caught my attention.

“The great leader, struck with a promise so astonishing as that of suddenly furnishing, in the midst of the desert, more than two millions of people with flesh for a whole month, betrayed an incredulous spirit, surprising in one who had witnessed so many stupendous miracles.”

Actually, maybe it’s not that surprising. Moses was human. And I know how easy it is, in spite of all that God’s done for me in the past, to doubt that He’s able to do it again.

Slow to learn, that’s me.

But God did what Moses thought was impossible. Because there’s nothing that’s too hard for God. He “that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) is still in the business of answering prayer.

His power isn’t diminished. The same God of the Old Testament patriarchs is the One we pray to today. He’s just as able to meet our needs and answer our prayers as He was back then.

What do you need the Lord to do for you? Is there something you’ve been praying for – as best you know in God’s will – yet you struggle to find the faith to believe that He can accomplish it?

The Lord’s hand is not waxed short. Whether we have a personal need, a heartbreaking family situation, or any other circumstance we feel is too difficult for God to impact, remember – God is powerful. The “Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead” (Romans 8:11) is alive and active.

May we be faithful to pray and to trust, then stand amazed as we see Him work.

Related posts:

What Sarah Teaches Me About Faith?

Just a Fancy Way to Say We Ned to Learn to Wait

How I Want God to Answer My Prayers

Saturday Salutes ~ a Concert Video and the Books I Read in May

May 26, 2018 by Tracey 6 Comments

Lisa talks about When Pain Becomes a Gift of Mercy.

Katie gives us 5 Ways to Create a Unique Family Culture.

Kathie lists 7 Ways to RUIN the Relationship with Your Child.

Samantha’s Letter to My Son (The Kindergarten Graduate) seemed especially appropriate for this time of year.

Here’s a video of my favorite song from our daughters’ last choir concert of the school year. [If you’re reading via e-mail, click this link to view the video.] Our daughters are in the second row of girls, third and fifth from the right. Interesting side note: the violinist is their piano teacher.

Here are the four books I read this month.

I really enjoyed reading Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff. He reminds us through many stories that love is so much more than words. It’s taking action, and reaching out to people, whether in very small ways or large ones. This “people-before-tasks” type love draws people to Jesus. It was an inspiring book!

I bought The Problem of Prayer: And the Promise that Changes Everything by Cherie Hill “accidentally” on my Kindle! I decided to read it anyway, and am so glad I did. I highlighted many quotes from this book. It was full of practical, helpful reminders about how God works in our lives through prayer.

Why I Hate Green Beans by Lincee Ray was a memoir, I suppose. She shares thoughts about and stories from her life, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

My fiction read this month was Desperate Measures by Sandra Orchard. This was the third book in the series, and it had been awhile since I read the first two. Because of that, I was lost in parts of the book, and there was too much going on at times for me to keep it all straight!

Looking for some interesting books to read this summer, so let me know if you’ve read anything good lately!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

10 Simple But Powerful Pieces of Life Advice for Teenagers (that work for their parents, too)

May 23, 2018 by Tracey 8 Comments

My teenagers aren’t always (if ever!) sitting around waiting to soak up any parental wisdom that comes out of my mouth. They’re more likely to be too involved in what’s going on in their own lives to let me “bless” them with my advice.

But on the off-chance that they want me to share a bit of knowledge with them, I decided to be ready. I rounded up some quotes that are short, sweet, and to the point, yet pack a powerful punch. It’s ten pieces of life advice to help them navigate the coming years with a healthy perspective on what’s truly important.

1. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” ~Corrie Ten Boom

Here’s a great place to plug-in one of my favorite Scriptures, Proverbs 3:5, 6. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

The more we know about God – His goodness, love, and mercy – the easier it is to trust Him with our future. That future could be as close as tomorrow, and as far away as eternity.

2. “Wherever you are, be all there.” ~Jim Elliot

Don’t spend your time wishing you were somewhere else or with a different person. In other words, live in the moment. Instead of longing for the past or wishing for the future, embrace the exact circumstances God has placed you in today.

3. “Expect nothing and appreciate everything.” ~Unknown

This ties together contentment and gratitude, two of the most valuable traits a person can have. When we place too many expectations on a person or a particular circumstance, we’re often disappointed. And living with a grateful heart will keep us focused on how blessed we are.

4. “Wisdom makes decisions today that will still be good tomorrow.” ~Lysa TerKeurst

This is the quote that led me to write this post. Teenagers especially can make decisions that feel good in the moment. But if they will take the time to think about where the consequences of that decision might lead, they can determine if it’s a wise decision or not.

I find myself needing this advice, though I’m supposedly older and wiser! From the words I say to the things I do – if I’ll look back tomorrow and wish I hadn’t said or done it, I shouldn’t do it in the first place.

5. “Fill your life with adventures, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.” ~Unknown

We’ve found that experiencing events together as a family is usually much better than giving physical gifts. We’ll always have great memories of outings and travels that we’ve had during these years of our children living at home. I hope we’re passing on to them a love for sharing adventures with those closest to them.

6. “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” ~Bill Nye

My dad exemplifies this one. He is just as interested in talking to and getting to know his car mechanic as he is the VIP of a Fortune 500 company. Strive to learn something from each person that you meet.

7. “Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.” ~Wayne Dyer

Don’t try to get by with doing as little as possible to finish the job. Give your all in everything you do, and you’ll stand out. Follow the advice of Ecclesiastes 9:10. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might…”

8. “Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” ~Robby Novak

Humility and thoughtfulness are qualities that seem rarer than ever these days. Smile at people. Thank anyone who does the smallest thing for you. Just notice other people, and go out of your way to make them feel special.

9. “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” ~Dolly Parton

Prioritize people and relationships over work. Let the to-do list go at some point in the day, and just enjoy being with your people.

10. ”Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.” ~Bob Bitchin

Or, as my dad often told us, attitude is everything. You can make the best of a situation, or you can bring yourself and everyone around you down. The choice is up to you. (I need this advice plastered on my wall!)

Hopefully I can continue to work these ideas into future conversations with my teenagers. If you have any bits of life advice you’ve found helpful, share them with us in the comments!