A lesson about Discipline...

When I was a kid... I chose to get a spanking.

I chose them because I disobeyed rules set forth by my parents, and therefore deserved chose to commit an action which deserved correction.

What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love  how they would react with love and a spirit of gentleness? {1 corinthians 4:21}

Just as Paul did for the Corinthians Daddy set his example through "love and a spirit of gentleness" and I was the one who made the rod of disciple necessary because I chose it. I chose to disobey - Paul gave the Corinthains a choice in verse 21 - their actions (good or bad) reflected their choice and consequently how they would be dealt with by their "father."

I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. (1 corinthians 4:14-15)

A challenge for parents here - from this passage is to be someone who your kids should imitate. Paul advises his "children" to "imitate me."

  I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.(1 corinthians 4:16)

 Would you do the same? If not then that is a warning sign for you - because if your behavior as a father (or mother) is not that which you would want your child to imitate - the that behavior should probably change. I believe it is important for parents to create behaviors and habits which you would want your son or daughter to imitate... whether that is studying God's word, helping a neighbor, or making healthy choices as simple as playing outside in God's creation rather than playing a video game or watching TV.

Hopefully if your behavior is that which your child should imitate and they follow your example - then the rod will be unnecessary. Always remember though, that it is their actions make the decisions as to if they should be dealt with in love/gentleness or the rod of disciple - not yours. You should act accordingly to their actions as the responsible and caring parent.

Did I deserve all those spankings I got as a kid... I'm sure I did. But with as many moments of discipline that I received, there were many more moments where my parents simply sat me down and showed love and gentleness by teaching me through those moments. I learned why what I did was wrong and why I should not commit that action again. I guess that is where the challenge of parenting truly lies... when to be gentle and when to use the rod of discipline.I think ultimately though the goal is to just make sure your kids are making the right decisions, and follow the two rules they are children are given by God:

1. Honor your Father and Mother

Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee. (exodus 20:12)

2. Obey your Parents

 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right (Ephesians 6:1) Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord (Colossians 3:20)

I know I'm not a parent, but God keeps teaching me these little lessons and showing me these things I just want to share with others... they are insightful for me, and hopefully helpful for some of you.

Love y'all,
Kacey

A lesson from Paint...

I've been doing a lot of painting lately. Some just to try things out, and others because people are actually paying me to paint things! Last night I was cleaning out my paint bucket and trying to get rid of empty bottles and other paint that was not usable... and I had quite the thought... and it was all because of what I was putting the paint in.

A few months ago I found this old toolbox in the barn at home. I don't know if it was Daddy's or Pawpaw's but ultimately I know they both would have used it. I cleaned it out and brought it home, knowing that I wanted to use it to store my paints. So here's where they applicable to my life as a Christian thought came in...

I am using my daddy's toolbox to store my tools, they are different tools than he used... paint brushes instead of hammers, and acrylic paint instead of wood glue... but they are the tools I use nonetheless. I use my "tools" to make things just as daddy used his, but we used/are using the same vessel to carry them.

In the bible we are told multiple times that we are God's temple:

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Here's another way to think of yourself as God's temple:

{I am God's toolbox.}

Now I know that being a "tool" is not generally the most complementary of terms... but in my little analogy here... it works. You see... God equips us all with the tools we can use to serve him. For some it is leadership and preaching, for others it is service, academics, or the arts. But no matter what, God gives you the tools to accomplish whatever it is He wants you to do. He gives you the tools to reach out to others in a way no one else can. He gives you just the right hue to paint the picture, or the exact set of pliers to fix the fence. 

I've also recently been pointed to a particular verse multiple times that I believes coincides to this lesson in recognising that I am one of God's many tool...

"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

I have been reading through Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest and struck by the words that he used to accompany this verse:

{If you become a necessity to a soul, 

you are out of God's order.}

I struggled with that as I read it... and still do to some extent... but what I learn from it is that no matter what we do... what tools we use, the end result of our work should not be about us... it should be about Him. When we get to the end of our lives on this earth, we should work so that people do not say "What a wonderful person, she/he was," but "What a wonderful Christian she/he was." We should not want to be identified for WHAT we do... but for WHOM we do it. Anything less is unacceptable in the eyes of God because it is self seeking and selfish... it takes the attention off of Him and puts it on to us. 

I hope these thoughts might be convicting to some of y'all as they were for me. Enjoy this beautiful Sunday.

Love Y'all, 

Kacey

Lesson from a friend...

I meet with a small group of 4 other girls every Sunday night... and as we have begun to form this group we have spent a lot of time simply telling our stories and getting to know each other... forming a mutual understanding of where each other is in life before jumping into Scripture. 

Tonight... as we talked around the table we kind of conversed about how we got to where we are professionally and there is definately a theme of God working things out for us. But as we talked one of the girls (who is 3 months from graduating with her DMD!!) said something that hit me in the face. (I'm paraphrasing a bit here...)

{When we tell God we are unsatisfied with the situation He has placed in,we are telling him that He isn't doing a good job.} 

Moral of this lesson?

Shut up and do your job Kacey. 

That is all. 

Love y'all, 

Kacey