Bird's Eye View

In becoming a parent, I knew it was my responsibility (and not the church’s) to train my child and teach him about the Lord. I did the usual books, Google searches and talking to people. I found many great suggestions, but it was difficult to find a step by step practical guide. So I thought I’d share what I’ve pieced together so far. Year by Year The Voddie Baucham sermon 'The importance of Biblically disciplining children' got me excited with his breakdown by age. In summary, for the first 3 years, you are focusing on obedience, so that you can prepare the children to learn from you. Then, secondly, whenever they begin to talk they will be learning the facts of the Faith. This is done through memorizing Scripture, catechisms and songs. And thirdly, when the children are about 12 years old, true discipleship begins as you are able to walk with your children through life experiences. We have been able to start the first two phases with Judah (he turns 4 later...

My 30 Yr Old Trophy Husband My husband does the usual things any reasonable 20something year old would do, like taking out the garbage, washing dishes and changing diapers. He’s generally a better cook than I am (though he has pretty much taught himself out of a job by now) and according to Judah, also tells better bed time stories ‘from his mouth’. I could tell you that he never puts things back, that he procrastinates and even struggles with sin, but I won’t. That would go against proper social media etiquette of being totally one sided. Plus it is his birthday after all. What impresses me most about Mario is that he leads by example and with such patience and grace. He depends on Jesus and is constantly improving. When we were adjusting to being new parents (back in the day, lol), we quickly realized the ‘me vs you’ struggle. Someone had to get up in the middle of the night. Both of us were exhausted. But if he refused to do it, he was forcing me to. My darling husband ch...

I feel like Peter right now. I was fine, I knew the Lord pretty well. We had a good thing going on. I had Faith. I stepped out and I was walking strong among the doubters. Then I lost it. How on this earth did I start to sink?!? I knew who He was, I saw him calm a storm before, so I knew that this little wind wasn’t an issue. But here I am, still sinking. And I don’t know what to do. What else can I do? I’m saved sanctified, Holy Ghost filled blah blah blah. But here I sink. Most of my doubt has to do with God’s Sovereignty. We got a Christmas gift one year with these words inscribed on it: “Faith is not believing God can, it is knowing that He will.” It boggled my mind then I realized that it was incorrect. Can anybody really say what God WILL do? I mean for things he hasn’t explicitly said. I believe His Word and the promises therein, but I cannot say that God will heal a friend’s unfruitful womb, or save a failing marriage. He thinks children are a blessing and He hates divorce...

Today has been a productive Day! I may be writing this post to boast a little, because, very often, my days do not feel productive. Don’t worry, I’m about to burst my own bubble: My house is a total mess. My mother would refer to it as a pig sty. So how on this earth can someone, whose job is to clean the house, have a messy house and claim a productive day? I’ve been asked what a stay-at-home mom does. Out of genuine curiosity, one friend asked if I, like, went to the supermarket and stuff. At that point, I only had one child. And the answer would have been ‘No Way’! (luckily the friend had to run off before I could concoct an answer) How on this earth would I hold the baby in my hand and walk around the supermarket picking up stuff and then somehow lift the grocery bags on the bus? The thought alone gave me cold sweats. Suppose we had a diaper explosion in aisle three?!? I would faint! That was then. I’m a little better at mothering now (I think). But today was productive. I pre...

For the last few days, I’ve noticed a series of Facebook updates by ‘The Elpis Centre’ in Trinidad. They needed urgent help with two homeless pregnant women. They had a building, but it wasn’t liveable yet so they were desperately looking for people and building materials so they could help these women as quickly as possible.  According to their FB Page, The Elpis Centre is a non-profit organisation that provides care and support to pregnant women, post abortive women, and their families. I wondered what the law was in Trinidad. Abortions are legal in Barbados. I wondered where the Christians were when this law was passed. I cursed the laid-back Barbadian attitude, where it seemed anything goes. It crossed my mind that a law could be repealed. (The homosexuals in Jamaica are fighting to have the Buggery Law removed now) Should I go do  a one man protest now to have this abortion law removed to save children’s lives? Then I thought of the Elpis Centre again and I realised ...

When I found myself pregnant again, one of the big decisions I had to make was where to have the baby. I had heard many horror stories about ‘going public’, and being a non-national, I chose to go to the private hospital, Bayview to deliver my first son. In Barbados, the choices are limited to Bayview Hospital or the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) which has both a public and a private Ward. I’ve also heard of a birthing centre someplace but I don’t know much about it.  Bayview was alright. After experiencing Andrews Memorial Hospital in Jamaica for my sister’s delivery, I wasn’t impressed. And our family income had been reduced, so cost was a bigger factor this time around. QEH’s public ward is free for citizens (which I am not), but the cost to me would be a fraction of the private ward’s fee. I decided to give QEH a try. It would be good for me to learn some patience if the nurses really were as horrible as I’ve been told. And I was convinced that they couldn’t be so n...

Mario and I (me and Mario, Mario and me…whatever) were listening to a Voddie Baucham sermon this morning. (Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R20mCvTT8Wc#t=2806 ). There were a few places where I had to pause it to properly think through what he was suggesting. I’ve been accused of taking things too seriously, but I don’t know know what else to do when I hear someone say something I agree with, but something that I am not currently doing. So Voddie is talking about not being conformed to the Spirit of this age. Please take a listen, because there’d be too much to say if I went into it. He touches on wanting ‘signs’ or ‘feeling at peace’ about something to decide that it is from God. (it is over an hour long, but he makes excellent points from the very beginning. You’ll want to hear more, and it does’t feel so long after all) He mentioned the movie ‘Oceans 11’ in one of his examples and it really struck me. I love that movie! I enjoyed watching the geniuses at wo...