Ms. Lego

Walking "to School"

My son calls me Ms. Lego because we are doing pre-school at home this year and he thought I needed a teacher name. When it is time to go to school, he gets dressed with shoes, gets his packed lunch and we walk to school. We walk together to the corner with me as Mommy and when we return to the house and enter, I become Ms. Lego. He loves Ms. Lego, is very respectful to her and believe it or not - learning from her!

I have to be creative and intentional with time to think of ways to teach a young boy the introduction of reading, writing and arithmetic. It is a great benefit to him and completely worth the extra work although difficult and out of my area of expertise. I found out the hard way the benefits were far greater than originally known or expected.

I unfortunately got lazy and Ms. Lego stopped coming for a couple of weeks. I thought it was no big deal because it was not as if he had a test or anything. I was wrong! I discovered he drastically changed when he did not have this instructional time in his day. He was a whiny, clingy child that did not listen. He lacked respect and struggled to play solo during the day. My lack of purposefulness and dedication to Ms. Lego resulted in stressful days that created an environment very difficult for me to produce good work.

It makes me think our faith is just the same. We have to put in the hard work to get good results. Our faith muscles have to be flexed daily and we have to strengthen them to withstand all that life throws at us. We have to be able to read God's Word and be confident in what we read to put what we read into practice. Think about it. Legos start out as a pile of mess on the floor waiting for someone to step on and hurt their foot. What makes them awesome is when we pick up the pieces to begin making a masterpiece. The joy and benefit from what we have built makes us want to continue on to make the masterpiece more and more elaborate to achieve the Wow Factor.

Being intentional isn't always easy. It won't always show instant benefits, but God blesses our time and none of it with Him is a waste. Just as preparation and studying reaps good results, time with God enhances our decision-making, thoughts and actions. We are better for the time we spend in His word, even if just for a small moment. Reading and understanding God's Word plus a little talking to God, known as prayer, can enrich our lives in a very positive and loving way. Wondrously and sometimes surprisingly little time turns into more time.

Time is something very precious to us all. It seems to get the best of us during the holidays. Why is that? It is a time we are supposed to be in reflection of God's gift - Jesus. Why so many gifts under the tree when we already have the greatest gift of all? Why so scattered with our time and engagements when we have eternity with Him? It can all be hurtful if not managed despite our intentions.

God's Word is not just intended for when we feel distant from Him, hurting or searching. Being in God's Word can show us how we need to spend our time and develop a different way of thinking. Learning the Word little by little can be applied to even the smallest decision or situation we are faced with.

We don't need to hit every party we are invited to. We don't have to say yes to everything our children what to do. Things start at home. Time with our family is important for each member. If we model and teach our children to run ragged this time of year, we are teaching them to miss out on what really matters. Sure we should open our homes and have people in to celebrate. Absolutely we should go and celebrate with others, but with a balance. Balance is different for everyone. Reading the Bible will help us to be more in God's will and make God smile. We start to get a better understanding for how He thinks in addition to what is important to Him. Understanding what is good according to God and not the world is alleviating and brings true joy.

May the Holy Spirit be alive and observed in your day to help encourage and inspire you to spend a little more time with God and doing what is right - maybe even difficult. May your no's be sprinkled with kindness and understanding to avoid bad feelings. God please share your blessings and teachings to develop and adorn our lives like never before to be spread to those around us. Thank you for your son Jesus. Amen.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. -Philippians 1:9-10 NIV

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. -Proverbs 1:5 NIV

God "will repay each person according to what they have done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. -Romans 2:6-8 NIV