7 Characteristics of Successful Parents

1) Successful parents don't expect perfection either from themselves or their children.

Parenting is an art, not a science.? Successful parents understand that, like themselves, their children aren't perfect either.? This frees them to love their children unreservedly.

2) Successful parents don't fear occasional failures.

They understand that mistakes are a normal, even healthy, part of parenting.? They make the best decisions they can and when they're wrong, they learn from their mistakes and try to do better the next time.

3) Successful parents don't expect to have smooth sailing.

Children have their own opinions, personalities and preferences. Inevitably, they cause us to say "Where did THAT come from" or "What WERE you thinking" Our responsibility to provide them with limits and guidance will sometimes clash with their growing desire for independence. Successful parents aren't surprised by them; they expect them. But successful parents understand that their responsibility to their children is not to always please them or make them happy - it's to make the hard decisions that will be for their best in the long run.

4) Successful parents don't go it alone.

Successful parenting means trusting yourself, but not being a Lone Ranger. No one has the experience or answers to every parenting challenge. But each of us has some of the answers and, together, we've got them all. So successful parents aren't reluctant to seek out the wisdom of others. They know that, at the end of the day, the decision is theirs, but before they get there, there is plenty of wisdom along the way waiting to help them.

5) Successful parents try harder.

They face the same pressures we all do - demanding jobs, spouses and children who need them. But they live by this rule: "You get back what you put in." They have a clear sense of priority for their family and are willing to put in the time to achieve it. They give more than the "average parent" so their children will be more than just "average children." These parents work at nurturing and developing themselves to be the best parents they can be.

6) Successful parents enjoy being parents.

They enjoy parenting not because it's easy or instantly rewarding, but because of the sheer joy and privilege of cooperating with God in shaping another unique and precious life. Any parent of grown children will tell you "they grow up so quickly." Successful parents remind themselves of that and try to savor every day with their children. They immerse themselves in their children as much as possible and just enjoy them - even the days of dirty diapers, illness and disappointments. They don't just LOVE their children, they LIKE them and look forward to spending time with them.

7) Successful parents strive to be the person they want their children to become.

There are no formulas for parents. You can't just "program" children like a computer and be guaranteed of the result. But children are great observers and imitators. They watch, listen and absorb values and habits from the people who have the greatest influence on them - their parents. So successful parents resolve that they will set the best example they can for their children.

Lost a Leg, Gained a Wife

John DeButts was the CEO of AT&T just prior to its breakup in the 1980s. At the zenith of his power, he had more than 1,000,000 employees around the world. DeButts retired very wealthy. Not long after that, he needed to have a leg amputated.
He later said, "In spite of all that money, power, prestige and influence, do you know that as I lay there in my hospital bed, not one person came to see me, called me on the phone, or dropped me a card?  But there at my bedside, tending to my needs day-by-day, was the woman I had ignored for 30 years."
If you haven't let your wife know lately how much you love and appreciate her, send her an e-mail or text right now.  Better yet, stop by a flower shop on the way home tonight.

Shelter from the Storms

"Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:8 (NAS)

The thunder and lightning of a powerful storm rattled our house last night.  As rain slashed against the windows and lightning lit up the dark sky, I woke up just long enough to make room for my youngest son and yellow lab to join me and my husband in bed.  I remember thinking with surprise that I didn't even know it was going to storm. 

What a picture of my life lately.  It's been a year of unexpected rain.  Some just drizzles, but others, like the storm hitting me most recently, have rattled windows with wave after wave of thunder and bursts of lightning.

What about you?  Is there stormy weather in your life right now?  Where are you finding shelter from the storms? 

My friends and family have been a shelter for me this year, just like my family was last night as we all huddled together in bed.  They've encouraged and supported me.  And most importantly, they've pointed me to the strongest shelter from the storms, my Heavenly Father. 

As I've turned to Scripture this week, I'm amazed at the number of times it reminds us God is our shelter.  God knows that we will encounter hard times and His Word reminds us that the strongest and safest shelter is God Himself. 

As always we have a choice: get drenched in the rain or seek shelter.  You see, the storms of life can cause us to run toward God, but just as easily they can cause us to turn away.  A whole range of emotions can leave us standing in the rain to get drenched: bitterness, anger, confusion, helplessness, or hopelessness.  If you can relate to these emotions, you might feel badly for having these emotions, but don't let these feelings keep you from God. 

Read the Psalms and you'll see that God can handle every emotion. Negative emotions are not a reason to turn away from God.  They're the very reason to turn to Him, desperately wanting the kind of faith and strength only God can provide.  

Keep turning to God, continue to tell Him in prayer how you feel, and leave your emotions with Him.  As you do, you'll start to feel His nearness, His hope, His promise, and His comfort.  If you find yourself returning to feelings of fear or hopelessness, just go back to God.  Be honest in your prayers.  Acknowledge that you're having a hard time, but that you want to trust Him in your circumstances. Know that He loves you and will consistently and constantly be your shelter from the storms.

Do You Think You Know Everything?

This is a quiz for people who know everything! These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with straight answers.
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine, it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw" and they are all common words. Name two of them.
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter "S."

Answers To Quiz:
1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. Boxing
2. North American landmark constantly moving backward. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute..)
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside. Strawberry.
5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
6. Three English words beginning with dw. Dwarf, dwell and dwindle. (Isn't "Dweeb" a word?)
7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8.. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh.Lettuce.
9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with "S".
Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

Why Does God Love Me?

Why does God love you and me so much?  Why did He send His Son to die such a horrible death for us on the cross?  It is not because you and I are so wonderful; it is because God is so wonderful (Deut. 7:6-9).  The Scripture clearly tells us "God is love" (1 John 4:8).  Love is a BIG part of His nature.      
God chose to love us regardless of who we are or what we do.  Because it was a choice of God, it is not dependent on you and me.  Talk about getting off the performance-based acceptance train!  Here is truth to put in your heart: There is nothing you can do to get God to love you any more than He already does, and there is nothing you can do to get God to love you any less than He already does.  HE JUST LOVES YOU!   
Our job is to receive His love and rejoice in His love.  Obedience to His commands comes when you realize that everything God tells us to do or not to do is for our greatest good.  The God who loves me tells me "yes" to some things and "no" to other things.  His commandments are not given to deprive me; they are given to bless me because every one of them is given in love.

Finding Contentment

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Static Cling

"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8