self discipline.

i need it. desparately. and i really want my kids to have it...but i know i have to model it first!! i'm hoping this article will help me. you are probably far more self-disciplined than i, but if you need help (probably noone has completely attained) then maybe it will help you, too. :) its very simple and practical. have a good week!!

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A197

TORNADOES, TENNIS & TRUE GREATNESS!!!

well it seems that the tornado that hit our town last week has been all over the news, if you haven't seen videos of it yet you should look 'em up!! I was downstairs with my brother when the tornado was touching down (it actually hopped right over our house) but we didn't realize it was actually a tornado - my kids were all upstairs so I'm glad that our roof wasn't ripped off, as was the case for others in town! The crazy part was over very quickly. Who knew that Canada was the second most tornado prone country in the world??!??!?! We are very thankful to God that there were no injuries in our town, but there was a lot of damage - 120 homes and buildings destroyed i think. We pray for the people affected - that they would see the awesome power displayed in this storm as the power of the one true almighty God, that they would see their need for salvation from His wrath on them because of their sins, and that they would come to know Christ as the only way to be saved and enjoy eternal peace with God. Pray with us!!

on a lighter note, last week there was also TENNIS

so also last week we had the unique privilege of hosting a pro tennis player while she competed in the Rogers Cup at York U. I know, how strange...i still don't completely understand how it all fell into place that way (and haha, the guys at kev's work never believed him when he told them :) ). It all started with Anita H., recommending our place to a friend of hers...so Anita, if you are reading this: we have you to thank for all of the ROgers Cup we took in last week!! Meet Mariya, coming from the Ukraine to compete in Cincinnati, then in Toronto, and now in New York. The kids loved her.

So our first taste of the Rogers Cup was Thursday afternoon. Ashleigh, Jades & I headed out under bright sunny skies (wow did they darken later that afternoon when the tornado hit!!) to take in a few matches. Our first one was this one between Elena Dementieva and Shahar Peer. Dementieva went on to win that match, and eventually today she won the Rogers Cup!! The funny thing is after she won she autographed a few balls to lob into the crowd. One came directly towards us, landed just behind us and then bounced back down toward us. I could have easily grabbed it but was too chicken. Ashleigh was not impressed. of course if i had known she would go on to win the cup i might have tried a little harder and risked looking clumsy or falling down a few rows of the bleachers. oh well. :)

and then with much pomp and circumstance in came Serena Williams. It was amazing to watch her play!! She played against one of the Bondarenko sisters, who are also from the Ukraine.

the kids loved to watch. Jaden was even appropriately hushed so that we didn't get booted!! His former ambition had been to be a "digger" or a "firefighter" or a "worker"...that afternoon it changed to "a tennis guy" and kept asking me when he could go down and play with those girls. I had to break it to him that they were a little out of his league. :)

Serena went on to win, but later lost to Dementieva.

THe last match we saw on Thursday was the other Bondarenko sister (who had previously beaten the other Williams sister). Then Kev & I & Eli & Dauna & Steve & Amy went again on Friday night, it was good times!! So thanks Krista and Mariya for the tickets. in this household there is a renewed interest in tennis (and if Mariya ever plays in Toronto again, I will try my utmost to be there cheering!!)

And after a week's stay, they are off for New York. We wish her well in the US Open next week!! :)

finally and most importantly, about true greatness.

"As sinfully and culturally defined, pursuing greatness looks like this: Individuals motivated by self-interest, self-indulgence, and a false sense of self-sufficiency pursue selfish ambition for the purpose of self-glorification.
Contrast that with the pursuit of true greatness as biblically defined: Serving others for the glory of God. This is the genuine expression of humility; this is true greatness as the Saviour defined it."


In light of the tennis hype in our house last week, it was timely for me to read the following chapter on true greatness, again from CJ Mahaney's book. DId i mention to you that I love this book?? you should read it!! I typed up almost a whole chapter here, which might seem to you like a wasteful use of my time except for that it was soaking into my head a bit more (i hoped) and I'm really hoping it will be helpful for you, too:

As I understand it, parenting is about preparation. Preparation for our children's future and preparation for the fast-approaching day of final judgment. If you are a father or mother, let me ask you: How's the preparation going? What is your plan for preparing your child? What are the content and goals of your preparation? What kind of legacy will you be leaving for your son or daughter? Have you given this much thought? You should.

If humility is to endure in our families and churches, it must be cultivated by parents and pastors and passed on to our families and churches. Thats why i feel it is most appropriate for us to consider this topic before our time together is completed.

REmember James and John? It might surprise you to discover that Mom was there as well to ensure that her boys would one day sit at Jesus' right hand and left hand in His glory. Mark doesn't mention MOm in his account, but Matthew tells on her in his Gospel. She didn't just encourage her sons to make this request of the Saviour, she came and knelt before Jesus (wouldn't you have loved to be there for this?) and implored Him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." (Matthew 20:21). She was ambitious for her boys.

If you're a parent, I ask you to consider carefully your influence on your children and your responsibility for them. WHat are your ambitions for them? Almost all parents have ambitions for their children, but how many harbor ambitions for their children that are biblical?

Do your ambitions for your son or daughter include a certain vocation or a certain level of education? Graduation from a certain college? Professional or athletic or artistic recognition? IF so, let me ask this: Are any of these ambitions in line with true greatness as defined in Scripture?

And here's a more important question: Are any of your ambitions for your child more important to you than their cultivation of humility and servanthood - the basis for true greatness as biblically defined? Are any of these ambitions more important to you that their learning to serve others for the glory of God? In other words, are you more interested in temporal recognition for your child than you are in his eternal reward?

Ultimately, thats what parenting is mostly about - its about preparing our children for the final day. All parenting is ultimately a preparation for that day when your child will stand before the jdugment seat of Christ and give an account.

As a fellow sinful parent, let me explore with you what it can mean to adopt true greatness as our ambition for our children. To help your child become truly great in the eyes of God, here are some recommendations - not an exhaustive list, but i hope you find them helpful.

FIrst and foremost, parents are to be an example of greatness for their children. Modeling precedes teaching. We cannot teach or train our children if we dont' provide a pattern or a model for them to follwo. I don't mean being a flawless example; this isn't about perfection. I'm speaking simply of the presence of grace in our lives as regularly demonstrated by serving others to the glory of God.

Effective teaching, in fact, involveds explaining to our children what they're already observing in our lives by example. WE should never divorce biblical instruction from personal example.

If you want to adopt this ambition for your child - true greatness in the eyes of God - you must begin by examining your own life and asking yourself, Am I an example to my children of true greatness as defined in Scripture?

Second, we must also clearly define true greatness for our children. Do your children understand the biblical definition of true greatness as Jesus explains it in Mark 10 and as we see it taught elsewhere in Scripture?

Third, we must teach our children to discern and admire true greatness. Here's a question for your children: "Whom do you admire most and why?" Their answer will tell you a lot.

OUr culture daily celebrates those who are clearly not great in the eyes of God. ANd to a certain degree our chidlren cannot escape the world's influence. But are they able to see through the hype? Are they able to turn their attention away from these false heroes and to instead admire those who are truely great as biblically defined?

I could point to countless ways in which our culture adulates and glorifies the undeserving- espeically in the broad category of entertainment that includes professional actors, athletes and musical artists. Are your children slowly and subtly being conformed to this world as it relates to thier admiration and emulation of these celebrities?

Here's a recommendation: If you're a parent, dont' celebrate anything more than you celebrate godly character in your children. I commend and encourage my son for academic achievement or an athletic award, but we break out into real celebration around my house only when there's a demonstration of humility, servanthood, or godly character.

What are you most passionate about for your children? What do you celebrate in your children? When are they the object of your public commendation and celebration? Let's make sure our commendation and celebration are theologically informed. Let's make sure we are high-lighting that which really matters in teh eyes of God. Let's make sure we reserve true celebration for that which is truly great in the eyes of God.

Take athletics, for example. You should know that I love all things athletic. I myself have been active in strenuous athletics all my life, so its not like I'm some uncoordinated geek who's now seizing an opportunity to display his inner resentment toward people who are athletically superior. That's not what this is about.

HEre's what it is about: Nowhere is the work great mentioned more often in our culture than in the context of professional sports. If you watch any game this weekend and listen to teh announcer's commentary, then like a mantra you'll probably hear the word great repeated throughout - great, great, great. Yet it may well be that nowhere in our culture is the absence of true greatness more evident than in professional sports. So be careful about cultivating an excessive love for professional or collegiate athletics in your child.

...Did you ever wonder what God thinks as He watches all this celebration of supposed greatness in professional athletics? I can tell you one thing for sure: He's not impressed. If anything, He's grieved over the exaggerated celebration.

That doesn't mean its wrong to cheer - that we should jsut listlessly stare and say to our kids: "Don't clap!". Thats not what I'm saying at all. I cheer and my kids cheer, but I also seek to impart discernment.

Who do your children most admire? Who would they say is truly great? Who do they speak about most passionately, most often? Who are they most enthusiastic about? An actor or musician? An athlete? A political figure?

Wouldn't a better choice be someone in your church? The local church is filled with truly great people. Every sunday morning in the local church, true greatness is on full display in those who are faithfully serving others for God's glory. Teach your children to discern and admire true greatness there. Don't just passively attend the Sunday meeting; prepare your chidlren for it and teach tehm to admire the men and women all around them who are truly great.

After the church service, talk together about the examples of greatness you've seen. Thats a good topic for Sunday mealtime conversation - much better than subtle put-downs of the style and substance of the sermon, or critiques of the appearance or behaviour of the people who were there.

My final suggestion to parents is to intentionally teach your children to serve - and whenever possible, serve in the church with your child.

Your family's higher purpose is to serve the local church. Its true that one reason the local church exists is to equip your family, but that isn't its ultimate purpose; meanwhile, your family's ultimate purpose is to serve in the context of the local church for God's glory. The church is the true family of God, and you have the privilege to serve in the church not only as an adult but also with your child.

Finally, if you're a parent, be assured that parenting is somethign God has called you to and that He has personally assigned your children to you both for their good and for your sanctification. They're gifts from God, and they come with all the grace you need to prepare them for their future - and in particular, for the day when you'll appear with them before the judgment seat of Christ. What can you do today so that on that day you and your children will hear the words "Well done"?

thoughts on beginning and ending your day

Exerpts from CJ Mahaney's Humilty~True Greatness, I highly recommend it!!

Begin your day by acknowledging your dependence upon God and your need for God. This is simply a strategy for taking control of the thoughts we allow in our mind. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?”

Begin your day expressing gratitude to God.
Michael Ramsey: “Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.”
It was said of Matthew Henry that “he was an alert and thankful observer of answered prayer.” If you crossed his path you would quickly realize that her was someone taking thankful notice of all God was doing for him, and doing so in an attractively joyful way that was infectious.
What would happen if someone crossed my path tomorrow morning?? Am I a thankful observer of the countless indications of His provision, His presence, His kindness and His grace??
An ungrateful person is a proud person.
Let each of us recognize every day that whatever grace we receive from God is so much more than we’re worthy of, and indescribably better than the hell we all deserve.

The end of each day offers us a unique opportunity to cultivate humility and weaken pride, as well as to sense God’s pleasure. How?? By reviewing our day and carefully assigning all glory to God for the grace we’ve experienced that day.
“when we have done anything praiseworthy, we must hide ourselves under the veil of humility, and transfer the glory of all we have done to God.” ie. if people compliment you for your effective parenting (i'm afraid compliments of this nature especially will not come from those sitting behind us in church these days...:( But the odd time my kids have behaved well to earn praise for me...), do I transfer the glory to Him? Recognize that though you’re a means of grace to your children, you can’t in and of yourself transform your children – only God can. And as He does, only He gets the glory.”

i'm sorry!!

my blog is so dull that i thought i would add links of some of my favourite people to read/listen to. they are updated really regularly so you won't have to be so bored when you come to this spot. I go in spurts, i'm sure i'll get back into blogging soon!! What i have to do first is start taking some pics, i have barely touched my camera and I hate that!! Time to stop being so lazy, especially with such fine specimens to photograph around here. :) Jadie turned 3 last week, i can hardly believe it. He even shocked me as far as potty training goes, getting the easy part in a few short hours (i guess thats not so shocking considering that he is 3 after all, but he seemed so dumb about it i thought we were in for a really loooong battle). THe more tricky part (BMs) is a work in progress I'm afraid. Anyways, he was thrilled with his present and has spent hours peddling away in the driveway on the new digger. :)

ok these are old. My cousin Dorothy married Dan on a beautiful day in June. Kev and I and Ashleigh & her friend spent the aft enjoying the Grand River in Cambridge, it was fun!

we saw some sort of military parade come through town and a wedding right on the riverside.

beautiful Dorothy. Kev and I really enjoyed their wedding, may God bless them both!!

and who is the vision of loveliness catching the bouquet??? interesting!!

Ashleigh has been really really enjoying soccer. It all started out on a sour note as within ten minutes of her first ever game she got a ball in the face, causing a bloody nose and a bloody lip!! She's still kind of timid but gets better and better, and is starting to love it. and Kev and i and the boys love to watch. :) THis is the only pic i've taken, at one of her practises. She only has two games of her regular season left, hopefully they won't be canceled due to rain (its happened a lot this season!!) so i can get some good pics of her in action. :)

i should clarify that the tractor wasn't cutting and pulling the kids at the same time. :)

this is to show off our painted driveway. I know thats weird but it improved the curb appeal about 100%. Thanks to Steve, Amy & Aaron!!

another birthday celebration, with good friend Isaac. Jade & Isaac are practically inseparable when together. :)

it was kind of funny b/c when i was making another cake for another party he kept nervously asking "will MaryBeth sing for me again Mom?" She has a great powerful voice, and combined with all the other great singers in that family Jadie didn't know quite how to react so he just stared at Kevin with that look on his face :)

We spent a lovely day visiting Charlene, playing games and touring the beautiful town. It was wonderful!! Thanks Charles!! She & Tim are fabulous hosts :)

before that we had enjoyed a wonderful day/night at Wilf & Sharon's. It is so great to have them back, I could barely drag myself away from there. :) Thanks so much for having me!!

a superfun birthday party for Kris!!

and we even got to have Lori & kids here for a sleepover, what a treat that was!! Thanks so much for coming Lor!!

this was taken in Port Stanley earlier this summer. :)

and some pics of our church picnic, this time from my dear talented brother in law Ralph. This was our great Dessert Queen Contest:

there were so many scrumptuous desserts but i didn't feel like uploading all the wonderful pics Ralph took. you can see more on their blog though!!

the judges :)

(self-appointed)

(if you plan the picnic you get to do things like that though...who's up for planning next year/?)

really, really fun planning committee this year, thanks guys for doing it with us!!

Miss Church Picnic 2009 :)

Thats it for now, I will try to post more faithfully in the future!! Enjoy the rest of your summer!! :)