Book Review: the Five Love Languages of Children

    Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk
      in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself
           for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
                                sweet-smelling aromas.
                                    Ephesians 5:1-2


The only regret I have in reading this book is that I didn't read it sooner. Any good parent knows their child needs love. But do we show them love in ways they really understand? Or do we only give love in the ways we feel most comfortable or ways we want to be loved? As follower of Christ we have the best example of love and the ways to show it but we must learn to put them into practice. Also to grow a deep relationship with our children (or anyone) we must sacrifice ourselves and take the time to see who they truly are and how we can best minister to them.

Did I say minister? Isn't that what pastors & priests are supposed to do? No we are all called to ministry, actually mothering is one of the highest forms of ministry. To minister is to help and serve. Synonyms of Minister go even deeper: aid, answer, attend to, cure, foster, heal, tend, treat, wait on, watch over, protect, provide for, and treasure. Doesn't this sound exactly like LOVE, like what we want to do as ministers to our children?

Now on the opposite side (antonyms) is disregard, ignore, neglect, hurt and injure. These are definitely NOT the things I want to be known for. But I know that sometimes I have been guilty of the very things I don't want to do. I'm caught up in the living with my children, the day in and out work of it all, that I forget to minister to them. And in truth actually neglect their souls that need to feel love. I rush through things and forget to speak to them in the way each of them understand love. As I've read this book I'm am actively trying harder to show each of my children love in the way they feel it the most.


In this book it deals with much of what the previous paragraphs of my own thoughts have expressed. This book explains the 5 love languages in life and examples of how to express them to those we love. This book mainly focus's on children but there is also sections in the back that discuss Anger and Love, Speaking the Love Language in Single Parent Homes and Speaking the Love Languages in Marriage. After finishing this book I purchased a copy of the Five Love Languages (for couples)....hoping to read this with my husband in the near future.

So what are the 5 Love Languages? Well I will give you a list here and then go get a copy of the book for yourself and discover more!

1. Physical Touch
2. Words of Affirmation
3. Quality Time
4. Gifts
5. Acts of Service

~Rachel~
Here is a link to purchase the books:

http://www.christianbook.com/the-5-love-languages-of-children/gary-chapman/9780802403476/pd/403476?item_code=WW&netp_id=943223&event=ESRCQ&view=details


http://www.christianbook.com/the-love-languages-secret-that-lasts/gary-chapman/9780802473158/pd/473158?item_code=WW&netp_id=646347&event=EBRN&view=details


http://www.christianbook.com/languages-teenagers-secret-loving-teens-effectively/gary-chapman/9780802473134/pd/473134?event=CPOF


and DVD

http://www.christianbook.com/the-5-love-languages/pd/029567?item_code=WW&netp_id=789690&event=ESRCG&view=details

Monday Praise "a phone call & 3 gifts"

          Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the 
               Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
                                      Ephesians 5:20

Happy Monday to all of you ladies! I'm not sure about the rest of you but Summer Mondays seem a little harder for me than the rest of the year. Schedules are crazy with summer craziness, the house is a disaster from all the in & out the hot days bring and the laundry is piled higher than usually with swim apparel and towels. Because of the craziness of the season I've neglected to share praises to my Lord for many Monday's in a row. But as our scripture for today states it is good and right for us to give thanks ALWAYS and for ALL THINGS. God has bestowed many wonderful gifts in our lives. Some in our hearts and His leading us through things. Other times those gifts are very tangible and amazing to see with our eyes.

Today I will share a story of thankfulness that shows the latter...a gift I know came from God's providing, that I can see and touch, and SMILE each time I do.

Weeks ago my husband and children attended a church service at the church my dad is attending. I don't remember one thing about the message because I was dwelling the whole service on what the Pastor said before receiving tithes and offering. It really wasn't anything new but hit me in a way like never before. A reminder that everything belongs to God and He longs to give us our needs and desires but when we chose to not cheerfully give back to Him what is already His it ties His hands that hold all we will ever need. The crazy thing is a for days before that service I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to speak to my husband on the issue. We had tithed on and off for years. We saw how God took care of everything much more smoothly when we gave but when pay was cut and things got almost impossible we chose to for-go our giving. Finally after the service I brought the subject up to my husband and he had been feeling convicted also.

We finally decided if God never chose to bless us with another thing we would still give the tithe back to God and give to others that He led us to when possible. Why? Because God had already blessed us SO much! He gave His son for us and provided forgiveness from our many sins and the gift of eternal like. Plus the MANY things He had helped us through & provided for us. When God has been SO very FAITHFUL to us how can we not be FAITHFUL to Him. So the next Sunday we gave with very joyful hearts.

About a week later I received a phone call from our Community Action. Some how our names had been on a waiting list for them to send someone to come look at our home electric use and see how energy efficient we were. At that time we were told if certain things we NOT energy efficient we may qualify for new ones. WHAT? BRAND NEW APPLIANCES? Well of course you can come check our house :)  So when the man came and checked over everything we were told we would be receiving energy saving light bulbs where we didn't already have them, a new refrigerator and two new freezers. WOW GOD! He is so awesome when we least expect He shows off. The items we had were used and dated and starting to act up a little. The NEW items are not only energy efficient but will save us on our electric bill (another blessing) and have warranty. When they were delivered I was in shock of how nice they were. Bigger and better than the previous.

God is SO good to remind us of all the good things He has for us and wants to give us! He is so gracious and merciful that even when we weren't doing what we knew we should He was already planning for our good. Kinda like Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". 

Since first getting back to tithing there have been weeks where its been REALLY hard...hard to remember that we can TRUST our God...hard to see the bills that need paid...but them we remember that our God is very trustworthy and that somehow He always provides what we need, right when we need it. Our FAITH is growing and hopefully someday will be like a huge tree planted by water bearing much fruit that shows us the Greatness of our Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so Thankful for the Holy Spirits leading and for God's special blessing through the gifts He gives. 

~ RACHEL~

And here are the 3

GIFTS FROM GOD! :)

Meeting Milestones

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years

                                                   Genesis 1:14

God created the division between day and night for us to use as signs, season, days and years. To often those years fly by us with out truly appreciating the gift of life God has given us. As I approach the end of a season for me and the begging of another I have decided I want to meet this milestone head on! I want to learn to cherish moments and live them intensely. So with purpose and determination I have made a 30 Before 30 List. I want to remember this last year of my 20's as one filled with smiles, laughter and great memories! I would love you to share what would be on your list! What do you do to celebrate milestone's in your life or loved ones? Here is my list! I will try to share pictures of the journey and lesson God teaches along the way! 

Blessings to you all!

~Rachel 

     

30 things before turning 30 

1. Go to Marblehead light house
2. Visit the Toledo Zoo
3. Read
   -Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eris Metaxas
   -The Screw tape Letters by C.S. Lewis
   -Uncle Toms Cabin
4. Go on a Ohio Riverboat cruise - 4^th of July 2013?
5. Capture a special memory with each of my children - Live Each Day Intentionally
6. Buy a new Digital camera
7. Get a massage
8. Intentionally help someone in need
   - serve at mission or pay it forward
9. Re-learn to ride a bike (haven't really ridden since I was 12 and was hit by a car!)
10. Take pictures in a photo booth with Noah
11. Completely sew a dress for Jasmine (and even better if I got one done for Juliana too)
12. Go to a Hot Air Balloon Festival - watch the balloons in the night sky
13. Take a dance class
    - Hopefully with my husband, JJ
14. Get wedding pictures copied & framed
15. Write more and reach more people with my writing through the blog - 30 posts before 30
16. Paint my bedroom
17. Do Bradley Training
18. Visit the Stowe House - 2950 Gilbert Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio
19. Go to a Jazz Concert
20. Go walking around the reservoir and work up to jogging
21. Go horseback riding with my oldest, Noah
22. Take an exercise class
23. Learn to play 2 fulls songs on the keyboard
24. Race Go-Cart's
25. Place a gravestone on my moms grave site
26. At least 2 day get away for our 10th anniversary
27. Return to Amish Country
28. Ladies get away or Ladies Conference
29. Learn to bake bread that taste good
30. Lose at least 10 lbs and purchase a new outfit to celebrate