How We Teach Our Children

There are so many things I could have taught my children, but didn't. There are so many things I could have done with the family, but didn't. Who knows how things would turn out if we could get the chance to relive the past, knowing what we know. In spite of all my shortcomings, the children grew up and became adults, of whom I am very proud. We can't always be there for our children, but when your trust is in the Lord, you know He will open doors for them and all will be all right.

I reminiscence about the years when my family was young, and realize that if by some chance I got the opportunity to change only one thing....it would be that I would do everything with kindness. What loss is it to us to be kind when we speak with our children, to be kind when we discipline our children, ----to be kind in all matters! It is not a show of weakness, but strength. Through kindness the truth of the matter is revealed. If I teach my children anything, I hope they learn of kindess, without it they will never truly know love.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

It was God who loved us first and He has never stopped loving us. It was God who first showed us kindness, and He continues to do so. His kindess is a delight and with it He measures our footsteps that we should not stumble. When in our rebellion, we sinned greatly, yet He showed us mercy, and opened doors that we may return to Him. Until you take the walk of faith and follow Him, you will never find true happiness that brings peace and contentment.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

The Discovery

Today the well guys made a discovery when digging the trench for the water line. They uncovered an old bottle about 3-4 feet down and said there were more. After they left today, Kat and I went out and dug around and found some more "treasures". Old bottles with Vicks, White Hall, and Listerine imprints. Then there were some old brown bottles...maybe beer. It apparently was a dump of some sort and had been burned. Or, perhaps a house had burned and the bottles were in a cupboard.



We don't know the dates but do know they may be from late 1800's to mid 1900's. Cleaned up, we may get a dollar or two from them. Who knows....maybe we uncovered that rare bottle that is hard to find and worth a lot!


The grandkids will be excited to find that the treasure we found in the ground will be worth money to them! They love treasure maps and neat rocks.

There is, however, a promise of a greater treasure than any we could possibly find and that is the treasure we will receive in heaven. Keep your heart true and walk with the Lord. What He has waiting for us is greater than any treasure that can be found in this world.

Matthew 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Vacation

The cabin Kathleen rented turned out to be far better than we were expecting! No water, no electricity and only an outhouse, but it was sitting high above the ground, and no wildlife visitors (mice, bugs) except flies. We were very pleased to see that it had a propane cook stove, propane refrigerator, and propane lanterns, that hung throughout the cabin. Very rustic and very "get-away."

A fire pit was built outside, off the deck, out of what looked like a huge sawn down barrel, and a picnic table sat off to one side. During the evenings a fire was lit, and smoke filled the air as the flames from the fire consumed the damp wood. Firewood was dragged over by the kids from an already cut and stacked woodpile.

Planks, supported on each end by tree stumps, circled the fire on three sides. The children were driven from one of the benches to the other as light breezes played with them, coming first from one direction and then the other, sending the smoke their way, seemingly following them. Stinging their eyes and filling their noses with with the dry, acrid smoke.

The kids (mothers/fathers/children) stayed busy....boating, fishing, hiking, badminton, taking walks and playing cards. Walking the kids to the outhouse, cooking over the fire, and carrying all the dishes to the campgrounds below, where they could be washed under an outdoor spigot filled with cool, potable water, also filled their time.

It rained the first two days, so on day two Andy and Nick went fishing, and returned late afternoon. Following advice from the friendly townspeople and other fishermen, they had finally found a hole where Nick caught his first fish. He brought it back for Madison and gave it to her. He had promised her a fish for her birthday (11 yrs) and here it was--ready to be cleaned. Andy helped her clean the fish, then Nick and Victoria cooked it and the kids ate it. It was very tasty!

On the last day everyone hiked up to the ice caves, except Timmy (4) and I. We headed back home early with the packed up truck. The rest of the family all came home, well-spent, late that afernoon. Everyone slept like a rock that night!

Victoria and Kathleen were still in vacation mode this afternoon. I had seen them starting to put up a tent. Later I walked out and there they were....set up under a mosquito netting tent with a camping table, with attached benches on which they were sitting, enjoying their juice drinks and a visit.

Tonight the lure of the midway carnival rides, at the state fair, took them to town. Kathleen scanned the schedule earlier and decided the first thing on the agenda was the pot-belly pig race. The children were excited and looked forward to the rides and the carnie games.

Life is good.