Monday, August 27, 2012

How Do You Teach Your Children The Importance Of Prayer ?



I have recently joined the Faithful Blogger Network. I have found some great Christian blogs to read as well as a network of like-minded bloggers. Often the Faithful Blogger site will post prompts for blogs to write about then we can red others views on the same topic.

This topic is: How do you teach your children the importance of prayer?

The 1st thing to pop in my mind was:

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Praying to me is like a conversation with God. I am still learning how to properly pray in the since of I know how to talk to God, but I need to LISTEN more. To just listen to what, how, and when God wants me to do or not to do.

As far as how I teach my son to pray, I have mostly Prayed OVER him. Praying for him, praying that God watch and keep him. We also say nightly prayers and then I pray for my son aloud. We also sing two songs, Amazing Grace and I’ll Fly Away. My son enjoys this time at night and often sings these songs during the day while playing. In addition, we often use this time to teach him bible stories by reading children themed books. One story that prompts my son to discuss is Jonah  and the Whale. He is always amazed at the story and we discuss what obeying is and why it is important to obey God.

I also wanted to get my readers and supporters involved to share their experience with children and prayer.

The most common response was “modeling”. They prayed with their children and/or said their prayers aloud so that their children could see it occurring within the home.

Here are some of the ideas that were shared:

When we pray, we say out loud how Jesus is in control and how we want what He wants. One time Ethan's eyes hurt and we asked him if he was OK. He said "I will be OK because I'm going to pray to Jesus". He then closed his eyes, asked Jesus to heal his eyes, said thank you & amen!
Plus, we do the standard bedtime prayers and we encourage him to pray on his own. He thinks of random things to pray for, like thanking Jesus for the road with the cars, etc. All the things that he thinks are important !

As soon as Samuel came home from the hospital, I said the Lord's prayer to him every night...from day 3 on...even if I were away at a workshop; I would call and do this...it was our bedtime ritual just like bedtime stories. At our church, the doors are always open an hour early for anyone that wants to come pray ahead of time...we do this 95% of the time...I firmly believe that if you start them young, make it into a daily event, it comes natural like eating. Prayer IS food for our souls. Now that he is a teenager, I occasionally say it with him, remind him to say his prayers sometimes and some nights I hear him and my soul smiles.

 My family and I have taught my son that its important to pray every night as well as over his food and anything else that he thinks may need it!!! He also knows at church when its time to pray that you don't move, speak ,etc.. Just close your eyes!! He knows it’s important !

By modeling it... They do and value what they see us parents do.

As parents is important that we bring up on children in the way that we want them to go. I know most parents are like myself in that we want better for our children. If they see positive behaviors they will more likely to do these positive behaviors themselves. This ranges from their lifestyle choices, health choices, as well as their eternal choices. I feel that teaching your child to pray is the most important thing you could teach your child because they should know that they have a Heavenly Father who is willing to listen to their needs as well as TELL them how and what to do to better their situation.

I would like to thank the readers who responded to my question and shared what they do in their homes.

If you are reading this post , please leave a comment so we can add to our ideas and understanding of “How do you teach your children the importance of prayer?”.



Prayer is important for all members of your family. I encourage you to Pray together and Seek God together if you are seeking your “Loving Lasting Marriage.



Shalasha

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Living an Extraordinary Life




This weekend I was able to receive the same topic in two different sermons. The theme was that God is still in the miracle business. I whole-heartily believe that this is true. Do you?

The same God that parted the seas, brought the dead back to life, fed the many , and defeated death is the same God you and I serve today.

At church the pastor stated, “ You must have FAITH in God “ in order for the miracle to be completed.

This same statement was repeated in an on-line sermon that I viewed. The question was asked, “ Do you have Faith in God?”

Let’s stop and think – What does having Faith in God actually look like?

Is it hesitating?  Or maybe thinking through all the steps?  Maybe it is asking others what they think you should do?

No- Having Faith in God is as easy as:

1- Listening
2- Obeying

In order to receive miracles in our life to live an extraordinary life we must have faith that the miracles will be completed. We must believe that God is in the miracle business. We must believe that what ever God has said will happen, WILL happen.

As Christians, we can live extraordinary lives because we serve an extraordinary God.  We must have an extraordinary relationship with God. We should seek him in his word, fellowship, and prayer. We should invite him to live within us. We should listen to what he has to say and then follow through with the directions he gives us.

God gives us power- God gives you and me POWER.




Matthew 17:20
New International Version (NIV)
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”


You can tell what ever problem you face to “Move from here to there,’ and it will move.”

Anger- Moved
Jealously- Moved
Communication Problems- Moved
Stress/Anxiety- Moved
Health Issues- Moved
Trust Issues- Moved
Money Problems- Moved
Substance Abuse- Moved
Fertility Issues- Moved

Speak It and Believe It !


I know God was speaking to me- That I can live an extraordinary life if only I have Faith in him. That I should follow what he leads me to do. I hope that this message allows you and your spouse to live an extraordinary life as well. Have faith in God. Grow closer to him in prayer, the word, and fellowship with like-hearted Christians. I encourage you to Pray together and Seek God together if you are seeking your “Loving Lasting Marriage.

If you do not know Jesus as your personal savior but would love for him to be apart of your life , please visit this post . 

Shalasha

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Hidden Treasure's Giveaway Coming Soon !


I love finding great giveaways for my readers ! I have found another giveaway that I feel will benefit my readers and their families. This giveaway is also open to other bloggers to join. Leave a comment if you are excited about this new giveaway and/or if you are a blogger who plans to sign up with this great event ! 

Shalasha 



CALLING ALL BLOGGERS Check out this FREE Blogger opp! Jenn's Blah Blah Blog, Pink Ninja Blogger and Diva Fabulosa are hosting another awesome giveaway! 10 Hidden Treasure Candles, will be given away! We will be giving 2 Hidden Treasure Candles away to FIVE Lucky Winners! That's a total of $250 in amazing candles, with hidden treasures inside each and every candle! About the Hidden Treasure Candles
  • Every candle has a beautiful hidden treasure inside the amazing smelling wax.
  • Every 500 Candles sold, one lucky customer will win an iPad 3!
  • Every 1000 Candles sold, one lucky customer will receive a Le Vian Necklace!
  • Every 5000 Candles sold, one lucky customer will receive a Tiffany & Co. Pendant!
Look at some of the amazing jewelry in Hidden Treasure Candles!
About this event
  • 5 winners (each winner will receive 2 Hidden Treasure Candles)
  • Bloggers get FREE Facebook And Twitter link for this giveaway
  • Extra links are cheap only $2
  • Daily Votes $3
  • Must Post about event or pay $5
Learn more about this fabulous giveaway on Jenns Blah Blah Blog

Friday, August 17, 2012

A Love Poem



I’ll take your hand  & I know you will take mine.

This Love of ours will last to the end of time.

Growing old with you is what I want to do.

Laughing, hugging, and kissing too.

Who says marriage is just a ball and chain?

When you find your soul-mate you will never complain. 


-Shalasha Deese

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Nexus 7 Giveaway !

Mom Powered Media proudly presents the Nexus 7 Giveaway!

Nexus 7 Tablet
  • Thin, light and portable the Nexus 7 was built to bring you the best of Google in a slim, portable package that fits perfectly in your hand.
  • With a stunning 7" display the Nexus 7 brings your entertainment to life in stunning clarity on a vibrant 1280-by-800 high-resolution display protected by scratch resistant Corning glass.
  • With over one million pixels in your hand, text is sharper, HD movies are more vivid and gameplay is smooth and dynamic.
  • Less charging, more doing With over 9 hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web browsing or 10 hours of e-reading and up to 300 hours of stand-by time, Nexus 7 is designed to go the distance. Whether you measure battery life in chapters read, levels completed, movies watched or minutes of backseat silence, you can spend less time charging and more time doing.
  • Designed with gaming in mind Nexus 7 was designed with gaming in mind. With heart pounding quad-core performance and sensors like a gyroscope and accelerometer - do a barrel roll then tilt, touch and tap your way to the top of the leaderboards while exploring over 600,000 apps and games available on Google Play.
  • Quad-core performance Nexus 7 was built by ASUS and comes with a NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor, meaning everything is faster - pages load quickly, gameplay is smooth and responsive, and running multiple apps is a breeze. A 12-core GPU delivers rich and immersive graphics while patented 4-PLUS-1(tm) CPU design gives you processing power when you need it, and battery saving efficiency when you don't.
  • The world's most popular platform Nexus 7 is powered by Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, the latest version of the world's most popular mobile platform. With smarter notifications, beautiful new widgets and home screen customization that's as easy as drag-and-drop - Android is faster and more intuitive than ever.

One lucky winner will receive a Nexus 7 Tablet (8GB).

Giveaway ends September 6th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

With his love, he will calm all your fears- Wednesday Spiritual Encouragement


For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)


Our relationship with our Spouse could be perfect. However, our worry about our job, day-to-day life, finances, children, etc can cause us to have anxiety that could affect our relationship with our spouse. 

God doesn’t want us to worry but to have hope for tomorrow. When we are overwhelmed with our job, a bill, a health issue, we should first take these issues to God. Pray and seek hope. God will gladly fight for us. 

When we connect with our spouse leave the anxiety of the issues behind and not allow these problems to enter into your household to cause tension within your home. Speaking to you spouse about your issues is very different than taking your issues “out” on your spouse. I am sure we all know of people who allow their work problems to cause fights at home. Let’s all take an effort to leave the stress and negativity of these issues at the door before we enter our home.  

In addition, pray for or with your spouse that these stressful events will cease and God will give you peace as well as hope. Something better will happen, that issue at work with resolve, those bills will get paid. God wants us to focus on him and when we do the world can not harm us.

How do you and your spouse handle separting life stress from your relationship ?  


I hope that through this scripture you and your spouse are encouraged have hope that God will calm your fears and give you hope for whatever battle you are facing. I encourage you to Pray together and Seek God together if you are seeking your “Loving Lasting Marriage.

Shalasha

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Adorable Baby Clothing Giveaway

Yes, It's another giveaway and a great opportunity for my readers ! I know most of us have children and/or grandchildren and this will be a giveaway for all of us. When you enter, share with your friends and family so that your loved ones have a chance to enter too !  


Shalasha







Whether it's a special occasion, pictures or every day, there are beautiful clothes at Adorable Baby Clothing.  It's an online store with a personal shopping experience due to the customer service provided.  The owner strives for 100% customer satisfaction and does all she can for the customer.  I have had many purchases from Adorable Baby Clothing and have never had a bad sale.  The clothes may cost a little more than what you might pick up at a discount store but the quality cannot be matched.  These are heirloom quality clothes that can be passed on from generation to generation and I should know because I have already passed on numerous dresses to my youngest daughter and now my grandchild.

There are more than special occasion clothing as well, as Adorable Baby Clothing carries baby gifts, every day clothing and more such as Le Top, tutus and personalized clothing.



Not only does the customer service and quality bring me back but so does the ability to shop for various sizes with ease.  I used to spend hours in stores trying to find two to three different sizes of the same dresses for my girls.  I would find one size but not the other which was very frustrating.  At Adorable Baby Clothing, it's as easy as finding the dress I want and using the drop down menu to pick the sizes I want.  From infant to size 12, it's a one stop shopping experience for me.

Adorable Baby Clothing offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and free shipping on orders over $40 in the US.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Unfailing Love- Wednesday Spiritual Encouragement


 Psalm 13:5-6
New International Version (NIV)
But I trust in your unfailing love; 
 my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise, 
    for he has been good to me.


     The unfailing love of God. Isn’t it amazing and wonderful. We don’t deserve anything he gives us. The blessings, opportunities, laughs, smiles, the people in our life, the small things, the big things. He loves us so much despite any flaws that we have.

    Trusting that God will be there for us, guide us, and LOVE us no matter what should be like breathing.

(Thank you Lord me loving me when I don’t deserve it. I praise your Holy name for all you are.)

  We should strive to love our spouse with the same regard; with an unfailing love despite their flaws.



I hope that through this scripture you and your spouse are encouraged to Love with an unfailing Love. I encourage you to Pray together and Seek God together if you are seeking your “Loving Lasting Marriage.


Shalasha

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

We’re All In It Together- A Glimpse of a Doctor’s Wife




My Son just said, “ Mom, It’s a hard day”. Even a two year old knows…

I gave my son the choice of going to the library, to the park, or riding is bike. He chose to ride his bike. After a few minutes he was crying to go back inside. At 4 o’clock in the afternoon the sun was beating down a little and we headed back inside.

We were outside to get his wiggles out and so Daddy could sleep. This weekend is one of those dreadful “call nights”. Call nights don’t only mean my husband is at the hospital from 8:30pm- Until ( I won't go in to details to refrain from breaking any rules). It also means that he has to sleep when he gets home so he can be prepared for the next “call night”.

So our weekend is flipped upside down. We don’t get to spend that extra time to connect. As well as my son doesn’t get to put Daddy in the newest wrestling move and jump all over him like he is a trampoline.

No matter how much you mentally prepare yourself for the strains of a resident’s schedule you are never fully prepared.  Being tired, lonely, bored, and even a little scared (come on, it’s scary at night) all catch up with the best of us. Weekends seem worse than weekday call nights. During the week I can camouflage myself in with the other stay at home moms. However, on the weekends everywhere we go we see families having fun together.

But “ We ‘re All In It Together”.

Marriage isn’t all about roses, sunshine, and rainbows. It’s also about the climbing over mountains together. When we get to the top of the mountain we will be able to see our finish line.
I know that we’ll have several mountains to climb during this residency. Many call nights, float nights, tough rotations, times we’ll want to be back home in NC, etc. But during all those struggles as we continue to climb, “We’re All In It Together”.

I feel good when my husband comes home and we are here to give him a hug, cook him good tasty food (He says the work food isn’t good, ha), and give him things to smile about.
I rather be by his side in all of this too, our Love is not diminished. It grows stronger  because we know that we can withstand trails.

But- I'm going to advise him that his real job after training should consist of Monday- Friday 8-5. Let's see how that goes :) 

I know that whatever happens, " We're All In It Together"



Shalasha

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.

Monday, August 6, 2012

31 Days of Prayer for Our Husbands : Prayer Challenge

Have you prayed for your spouse today ? 


Let's join together to pray a dedicated prayer for our husbands for 31 days.






Prayer changes things ! 


Let me know if you are taking the challenge  as well as check in and let me know if your prayers have made a difference in your marriage ! 


Shalasha

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest.