Tag Archives: men

Lest we Forget

28 May

I am so grateful for the brave men and women who headed the call and left what was familiar and comfortable for a life of upheaval and uncertainty. Today I pause with reflective prayer to honor those who gave their all…the fallen brave who courageously breathed their last breath defending the country and the people they so loved.

To the families who gather around a grave rather than a grill-my prayer is that our Heavenly Father will fill them with grace, peace, and healing. That they would find comfort in each other and that the sweet memories of their loved ones will sustain them until they are reunited in Heaven. Thank you, for your great sacrifice also!

 

As you enjoy your 3 day weekend please remember and pray for all the brave men and women in our military. Pray for the mothers and fathers who will never hold their precious boys and girls in their arms again, for the wives and husbands who will never get to live out the hopes and dreams they planned together, and for the precious children who will never feel the tickle of daddy’s whiskers on their cheek or the soft embrace of their mother’s arms again. The burden is too great to let this weekend go by without a heartfelt sense of gratitude for the meaning behind our three day weekend.

 

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

 

Photo credit: Google Images

 

 

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Not a Cherished Daddy

15 Jun

I love reading all the beautiful tributes to all the wonderful father’s today. It really shows how important a “Daddy” is to his children. Let me speak from my heart for a minute.

I want to talk to the men who might not be among the most cherished men today. You might have become a dad when you didn’t want to be one, maybe you were young, or it was just the heat of the moment, maybe you were dealing with addictions, and maybe just don’t want to have to deal with your child’s mom. Let me tell you how crucial your presence or lack thereof is to your children.  A man can never truly be a man until he takes all the steps necessary to be a pivotal positive role model to his children.  Yes, it is messy, expensive, hard work, and requires sacrifice but I promise you will never regret being that parent but you will always regret being the latter.  It is never too late to take that first step toward reconciliation.  The first steps are scary, uncertain, and sometimes filled with deep hurts but it shows great courage to be the man that can put his pride aside to pursue your children.  It will take time but I promise with consistency and love healing can and will happen.  Our children our suffering with the lack of positive father figures.  Kids without dads are more likely to become addicts, teen parents, suffer from mental illness, and have higher rates of suicidal tendencies.  We seem to make light of the importance of men in our culture and tend to portray you as incompetent, idiotic, sperm donors……you have an important, God given role in our society and it is up to you to live up to it and prove the naysayers wrong!  Men, we need you to step up and become the strong, moral, respectful leaders and ladies we need to build up our boys and men to help them be all that God calls them to be. Ladies, if we spew negativity and bitterness toward men all the time our sons and husbands suffer leading to the further breakdown and disappearance of respectful men.

If this is you, please let me encourage you how important you are in the lives of your children and maybe it isn’t ideal but sometimes the most beautiful rainbows happen after the biggest storms.  To all the ladies (I have been there), God sees all you have sacrificed, seen all the hard work, and has collected every silent tear that has fallen into your pillow (Psalm 56:8). Let me encourage you too, to keep an open receptive heart to your child’s father (without sacrificing safety, of course) and never speak poorly of the other parent in front of them. Good, bad, or otherwise your children will form their own opinion and will respect you even more for it……I promise! If you want to make the first step but need some guidance please message me and I will connect you to someone who can help.  God bless all the daddies and all those mama’s who are pulling double duty!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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The Quarrelsome Wife

1 Aug

couple

 

A long day, over scheduled, tired mama keeping it together until the garage door opens.  In he walks, hoping for the smiling faces, warm embraces, and the imminent smell of dinner.  Instead, he walks into a pressure cooker.  He already knows he is in for it and immediately wants to be anywhere but home.  His home is no longer a safe haven from the world it is a place of discord and tension.
Yes, I am guilty of being that wife.  I am guilty of nagging him until he relents, treating him as if he is inferior, and throwing all his shortcomings at him (exaggerated and imaginary ones at that).  Shameful!  I have seen the tension and pain this has caused him and my family.  I don’t want to be THAT wife. So how do I strive to be the wife my husband deserves?
First and foremost I meet with God daily and pray that I would be a wife of noble character (Proverbs 31:10-31).  We pray for our family or for so-and-so to change, but really we need to be in prayer for God to help us change our hearts.  Secondly, I can’t expect my husband to be my god.  If you hold your husband responsible to be your everything-he will fail you and let you down, daily.  Give him grace and trust that God will meet all your needs (Philippians 4:19).  Respect him.  It can be tough, but a man would rather be respected than loved.  God doesn’t tell us to respect our husband only if he (name any expectation).  God calls our husbands to love us and for us to respect them (Ephesians 5:33). Lastly, prepare for him to come home.  20-30 minutes before he gets home have the kids help you tidy up, comb your hair, brush your teeth, get dressed, do something that makes you feel pretty (make-up, perfume, jewelry, etc).  Get the kids excited.  A few minutes before he arrives home tell them something like “Hurray, daddy will be home soon, who’s excited?  Who will be the first to give daddy a big hug?” or something like that.  When the kiddos are excited chances are you will be too!
Just think of the power you have to set the tone of your home.  When your husband is greeted by a cheerful wife chances are this man will do just about anything you ask of him.  Believe it or not, he really does want to please you, you just have to go about it the right way.
Give it a try and see what a positive difference it makes not only in your marriage but in your family.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

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