I’ve not read the book “Grace-Based Parenting” but appreciate what Wayne Jacobsen had to say about the the depth and substance of true grace as it relates to parenting. The following quote is from Wayne at Lifestream.org:
Grace is not a permission slip to go destroy yourself. Grace opens the door to know God. And you can’t know God without wanting to be like him. There is no permissiveness in grace—just freedom. That freedom opens the door to an amazing work of transformation God does as we follow him. And if you don’t get that, he will still love you. But like the prodigal son, eventually the destructive consequences of living with you at the center will eventually overwhelm you. Grace opens a door to relationship, it doesn’t negate our destructive choices.
“Each year more humans are killed by cows than sharks. On average sharks kill 10 humans, while 100 people are killed each year when they are stepped on by cows.”
-Prairie’s Servant Magazine
We have another beautiful little person in our life. A new life is such a treasure… such a gift. Aaron Bennett Smith, 9lbs, 8oz, and 21.5 inches. He’s a beauty!
Update: Mommy and baby are both healthy. Aaron slept quite a bit Thursday night.
I spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at our home in Lacey with family and friends fixing up our home. We’re trying to sell it in this terrible, terrible market. It could be that we’ll end up looking for renters temporarily. We may end up here again. Who knows? We’re praying for a good outcome.
At any rate, thanks to everyone who poured so much effort into painting.
I was headed down to district youth convention a few years ago with a group of students. We stopped at a gas station to fuel up and headed into the store to grab a snack. The fellow behind the counter had an incredibly thick Slavic accent. The conversation went something like this:
Slavic dude: “Have I seen you before?”
Me: “Uhhh, I’m not sure.”
Slavic dude: “I’m sure I’ve see you before.”
Me: “I have travelled through the former Yugoslavia and I don’t think I remember you.”
Slavic dude: “I’m sure I’ve seen you before because your face… is very, very near to me.”
And I wanted to say, “In English we would say ‘I recognize you.’”
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
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