In the meantime

Every afternoon, as I work to get Talitha settled down for a nap, there is inevitably at least one (maybe two or even three) trips to the bathroom because she supposedly "has to go to the bathroom." More often than not, this seems to be an excuse to get out of bed and delay going to sleep rather than an urgent need to answer nature's call...The more of a routine that it becomes, the more wearisome it feels. I often find myself on the verge of frustration. Who would have thought that something as natural as potty-training could produce so many frustrating parenting moments?  And yet, as we went through the routine yet again today and I could feel the frustration building, I was reminded of the reality that I cannot do this parenting thing by myself; I am  needy.  Oh, so needy for His sustaining strength in so many areas of my life. Parenting is merely one area.   In contrast to my extreme neediness, God is not needy. In fact, He is self-sufficie...

I am surprising myself with how much I've been enjoying reading lately! (I'm blaming Mark Twain and his hilarious account of one particular boy's adventures that all started with whitewashing a fence for my renewed interest in reading. If I hadn't picked up that book earlier this summer, my life would continue to be as unaffected by books as it used to be! Haha!) Anyway...just finished the popular parenting book,  Shepherding a Child's Heart , by Tedd Tripp. I remember hearing my parents mention this book way back when I was a child, but I obviously never had an interest in reading it until now! This book is an outstanding resource for all parents who desire to "train up a child in the way he should go"!  Following are some quotes that stood out to me:  "...the heart attitudes direct behavior. This is always true. All behavior is linked to attitudes of the heart. Therefore, discipline must address attitudes of the heart. This understand...