KNEE JERK PARENTING!!

Quite a few years ago now, I was in a car accident, with  my three older girls, just our vehicle, turned on its side. 

I was driving and I came around the turn too fast on a newly-graded gravel road, and lost control of our twin cab.  It veered one way and I tried to correct it, by over-correcting, and we ended up on the other side of the road and I had a split-second decision to make - the fence or a huge tree.  I steered for the fence and over we went.    We all managed to climb out of the vehicle with a few bumps and bruises and the car's panels on one side all smashed up.  

I was reminded of that experience today, not because we were driving.  We did that yesterday.    What reminded me today was knee-jerk parenting, on my part, driven mostly by repressed anger and tiredness - and fear.    I over-corrected today, like I did back then. 

Let me explain.   Yesterday we drove nearly two hours to visit my parents, and catch up with daughter number three, albeit briefly, because my parents' town is kind of halfway between our house and her current place of residence.    We took my Mum out for lunch and a bit of shopping and everyone seemed to enjoy the experience.  

But - there's often a but, isn't there?   When we got back to Mum's house, my father had gone through her things, again, and thrown some of it in the garbage, then taken the key to her cupboard and hidden it.  No, he doesn't have dementia.  He was punishing her for going out without him and for enjoying herself.    Lest you think she did the wrong thing, he goes out every.single.day.without.her!   Yep, you can probably work out I'm a bit ticked off.  It's not the first time he's done it, probably won't be the last. 

But, why the connection to knee-jerk parenting?   Well, you see, my gorgeous little 4yo madam is SO much like him!   And today, after yesterday wanting to get stuck into my father and having to walk away, again, I repressed that anger again (just adding it to many years' worth, really) and it came out today in frustration with a little person who just can't take no for an answer, who can't see why demanding and shouting and bossing is not on, who can't see that thinking you own other people is not on, can't see the damage that does to them, and to you.   

From what I've been told, my father was compensated and placated by his mother as a child when he did these things, because his father didn't love him.   And ever since, he has surrounded himself with people who give in to him, who are afraid of him, and he receives any kind of 'no' as rejection and 'punishes' people, particularly Mum.    Yesterday, apart from being punishment for Mum, was a bait to see if I would fight with him, would once again decide whose side I'm on.  I walked away, again, not because I'm frightened of him, but because I won't fight with him on his terms, in front of my children.    One day, the time will be right to confront.  

So, today, Miss 4 continually defied everything I said, continually made excuses for why she couldn't obey, continually made excuses why she couldn't tidy up her little messes, resisted me at every turn, argued about everything, baited her sister continually, and made many loud demands that were unreasonable.   Was today any different to any other day?  Perhaps a little worse than normal, but what was definitely different was my frustration levels, my tiredness, my fear.  I am afraid for this child and for those who love her.   If she doesn't change, she will end up like him!   And it feels like a huge weight on my shoulders to not let her do that.  So, we battle against each other, almost hourly, it seems at present, because I will not let her treat me or other people the way he has treated everyone who 'belongs' to him. 

But, with that determination, and with the fear of how much that could happen, I need to remember that she is only 4 years old and doesn't see the big picture and doesn't understand why today I shouted at her.   I need to not over-correct and end up in a ditch.   Praise God His mercies are new every.single.day. 

Lamentations 3:22-26
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him;
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Who's Testing Me?

Sometimes, life feels like a giant test - a test that you can't pass, a test that's designed to make you look and feel like a failure, that's designed to keep you down, to make you feel silly, to bring you down and keep you there.  

How much more work can someone pile on your plate before you run out of strength?   How much more pain can you endure before you can't take it any more?  How many more mental games can you navigate before you finally crack?   How many more times can you get it wrong?   How much can you keep giving before there's nothing left to give?    How often can you bounce back up when you're knocked down?    How much testing can one person endure before something is broken? 

Sounds like the enemy's work to me.   He comes to steal, kill and destroy.    His plan is to break us, to break our trust, break our strength, break our hearts.  

But, God is good, and I've learnt that believing anything else is a dangerous place to be when you're in a test of any kind.  Whether it's God-made, man-made, enemy-made, or, as is often the case, a combination of the afore-mentioned, mixed with consequences of my sin and/or someone else's, God is the only sure footing.   Sometimes, a determined belief in and experience of the goodness of God is the only comfort in the test, and should be added to a listening ear, to hear HIS perspective on the test and its source and its purpose. 

One of the hardest parts in the middle of the test is believing and knowing that God isn't out to break us, bring us down, keep us down, belittle us, make us feel or look small.   That's not what His tests are designed to do.    His tests are designed to make us shine!  

This little rose plant is the same as in the picture above!   Only God can make us shine like that! 

The Bible says God tests us and that the testing of our faith is good for us.   

  
Don't know about you, but severe and constant testing doesn't feel 'good' at all to me.  

Something I learned in the first round of homeschooling, that was a revelation to me, because of my schooling and my upbringing, is that tests should NOT be used to shame and belittle, but to help the student to learn something, see a weakness and work towards fixing it, build knowledge, make room for growth.  They also shouldn't be the main part of education - so foreign to how I'd been tested.   And testing to a high standard is good, because otherwise we never pass the test or move on to another one - we're stuck at that level of knowledge, maturity, growth and with it, frustration and apathy. 

I'm so glad that God's testing is always motivated by His mercy, in its many forms, and not by pride, superiority, insecurity, perfectionism or other traits that have been inherent in my human testers.

  
Did you know that the silversmith knows that the silver is at its purest when he can finally see his reflection in it?

And did you know that the gardener is never as close to his roses as when he's pruning them? 

God's testing is up close and personal, not like the tests handed out in big high school auditoriums,  or by an enemy who views us with disdain or someone who is insecure and needs us to be 'down there'.    And with God, we don't have to pull back when the results aren't great - the results don't surprise Him, though they often surprise us.   

So, note to self, once again, trust God's goodness in the test, don't assume it's all Him, and listen to His still, small voice in the storm - it's there.  

Psalm 51: 10- 12    Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.   Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.   Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Linking up at Five Minute Friday, where we write for five minutes on a given prompt.   This week's prompt word is 'test'. 

Photos courtesy of our friend, Suzy.  

To Listen is to Love

I was thinking about the word listen as I sat near a bonfire at our house, not really able to do much thinking because I was watching two little people near a large bonfire and listening to their many, many questions and comments.  

But, these were the thoughts that came to me. 

To listen takes time, real time, not watching-the-clock time.

To listen takes quietness of soul, peace to know that the hard stuff is not yours to keep, but His to handle.

To listen takes security, security of soul that you don't have to agree or submit to someone else's opinion nor defend yourself, that He decides who you are and your worth.

To listen takes courage, courage to hear what's hard and unpleasant and unfiltered.

To listen takes strength, strength to stay and hear stuff that hurts the speaker to say, and maybe the listener to hear.

To listen takes gentleness, the kind of gentleness that doesn't have an agenda or a harsh answer. 

To listen takes humility, the kind of humility that doesn't judge or pity, but embraces and comforts and gives hope. 

To listen takes wisdom, wisdom to know there is a time to speak and a time to be quiet. 

To listen takes patience, the patience to hear all that needs to be said, not jumping in at the first quiet moment. 

To listen is to hear someone's heart, a privilege being offered, but it takes a lot of listening to get there, through the fluff and stuff that we are so used to saying because we rarely find a true listener.

To listen is a gift, a rare gift, but one that makes a huge difference in little ways.  

To really listen is to love.   

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  James 3:13

Linking up at Five Minute Friday, where we write for five minutes on a given prompt.  This week's prompt is 'listen'. 

Taking Your Learning Outside

I am not an outside person - I would much rather be inside - but I like to get outside and I like my girls to get outside and get some fresh air and sun, for about an hour, twice a day.  That doesn't always work, but I try and make it work, meaning I make sacrifices to make it work.    If it ends up only being 15 mins each time, then that is fine too. 

I try and put those outside times in between bookwork/craft or TV time, so their brains get a break and their bodies can get moving.    It often helps to alleviate frustrations and bad moods, on everyone's part.   For that reason alone, it is worth the sacrifices made to make it happen. 

Our outside activities can be as simple as playing in the sandpit with sand and water and rocks, or we walk to the mail box or play on the trampoline or swings or bikes.  Raelee loves to play ball games.    I try to combine their outside time with hanging or bringing in washing, collecting wood, taking out the garbage, putting the dogs to bed, cleaning out the car, etc.  

Sometimes our outside activities include helping Dad with yard or farm duties or simply picking up sticks and putting them on the various fire piles we have around.   I will often create jobs just to get them moving.  

This week, it has been very wet here on the farm and there has been a lot of water running down our road.   So, between showers, we've done some lessons outside.

We went down to the road, just outside our front gate, and the girls discovered all the water.  Even on a freezing cold, windy day, children are attracted to water.

So, I let them play in it and Raelee, 7, decided she would try to make a dam to keep the water from flowing down the road.  

They used rocks and discovered that they weren't going to stay together enough to keep the water back, so then we piled on some mud and put some grass in with it.  We discussed how putting something in the  mud is like putting rocks and steel in concrete (which Raelee often helps her Dad with), and how people all over the world use some kind of mud and thatch to build houses and roofs and various other structures.  

As you can see, it did work to keep the water back.    But then they realised the water was running around behind their stream and breaking through in lots of other spots. 

Thirty-six hours later, after a lot more rain, we discovered that our dam wall was not high enough or strong enough, and all the mud and 'thatch' had been washed away.  

We discussed the power of moving water, and why the water was dirty in some places, clean in others. 

We discussed why dogs love water and mud and all the exciting things they find, like rotting bones and creatures to chase.     We tried to gauge the depth of the water by how far up the dogs' legs it went, so we could decide whether to walk through it.

We discussed the different patterns in the water and what makes them.

We discussed how, on this first day of spring, it was still too cold to swim.     Two days later, however, when it was still too cold to swim, and there was considerably more water, they managed to fall over and get soaked, as you do!  

We also discovered that after several days of rain, and two trips to the mud, we were running out of clean, dry clothes and boots!  And we discovered that sunny, windy days are good for getting clothes and boots dry again.  

Sometimes, we over-complicate life and think we can't teach our kids anything, but my girls have learnt a great deal this week, just being outside with me, discussing, asking a LOT of questions, experimenting, discovering, learning in ways that are too numerous to write down. 

So, all that to say, 'Have fun learning outside!'

Staying on the Road!

This is our road, the one that I've slid along too many times these past few weeks.   It's not a path, as such, but it's a road God has used to teach me some things about staying on the path He sets for us.    This road has ruts in it and when it's wet, you better stay in those ruts, because otherwise you go sliding all over the road and end up in the drain.    The roads with ruts are actually better than the ones without, because at least there is something keeping you on the crest of the road and not sliding sideways towards the drain.   My path might not be straight, but I do like to stay on the road!   

I do not look forward to driving on this road when it's wet.    My husband does this stuff for a living and doesn't mind it;  young people we've had here have found it fun and challenging and exciting.  Not me.  I just want an easy drive and a quick one.   I don't want to struggle or suffer or be challenged and I don't like sliding sideways - fast or slow!   

Sometimes the path God chooses for us, or perhaps we've inadvertently chosen for ourselves, is a lot like this road.  It doesn't feel like a good place to be, or fun, or the right fit for us, or comfortable, or helpful.     And it's hard to stay on that path, even though we know it's where God has us right now.   

And it's hard to keep steering and keep moving forward on that path, because it's difficult and tedious and tiring and sometimes all-consuming.   It takes all our emotional and mental energy to just keep moving forward, albeit ever so slowly and not give up or turn back.   You can't turn around on our road - you're stuck, which is probably just as well, 'cause it's taught me to keep going!  You either keep poking along and eventually get there, or get bogged trying, or you give up and sit in the middle of the road, which makes the journey that much harder, because once your vehicle has lost its momentum, however tedious and slow that is, it is very hard to get going again. 

Of course, driving on a road for 30-40 minutes in these conditions is different to being on a difficult path for months or even years at a time, but I've done that too and some things feel much the same to me.   It's hard and depressing and you can dread it the whole way through, with your hands stuck so tight to the wheel you have to peel them off at the end.   Or you can relax just a little, but keep steering, keep moving, keep going forward while you keep trusting and submitting your ways to His, keep acknowledging Him, and keep believing that He cares, He's there, He's working on it, He's helping in real ways, unseen ways.  

In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.   Proverbs 3:6.

Linking up at Five Minute Friday, a party of writers who write on a given prompt every Friday.  Today's prompt word is 'path'. 

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A Day in the Life

I have been asked to comment on what our regular, homeschooling day looks like, so here it is. 

Our day often depends on the season and whether hubby is home from work, doing farm jobs.    
We have a routine that works for the days when he's not home, and a routine for when he is. 
This is our routine for when it's just the three of us - Me (Mum), Miss 7 and Miss 3.5.

DISCLAIMER:  This is how it goes, right now, in this current season of our life, and at their particular stage of development, before it changes, again!!    And this is how it goes if everyone is okay, has had enough sleep, isn't sick, or we're not heading out the door.

So, we start the day with cuddles and dinkies in the big bed (Miss 3.5 is still breastfed - hence the 'dinkies', as she calls them), and we talk about any dreams we've had (Miss 7 always has exciting dreams!) and then we discuss the plan for the day/week.

When we're brave enough to get cold, we race to the loo, then to the loungeroom and park ourselves in front of the fire (the rest of our house is freezing at this time of the year! )   When we're hungry enough, I am seconded to the kitchen to make brekky, which we eat in front of the fire. 

Still in front of the fire, we do our first round of school work, which basically consists of a Bible lesson and memory work (currently working through the days of creation) and some phonics and maths review (with clip it cards), plus some reading.    Miss 3.5 will often do puzzles, colour in, glue, and various other hands-on activities.  Sometimes, Miss 7 and I will play chess or some other brain-straining game.   

We usually finish in front of the fire by 9.30, so the girls watch Play School and Bananas and the telly goes off.    We tidy up the loungeroom and and the girls are free to play for a bit.   I check emails and Facebook, if I haven't got there already.  Facebook is my primary way of staying in touch with family and friends. 

Then we head outside, play with the dogs, ride bikes, walk to the mailbox, hang washing, etc. 

Around 12pm, we do our table-time school work.    This is where we learn/review new sounds/spelling/phonic rules, etc, learn/reinforce maths concepts, do some sight words, counting, reading practice, and any other worksheet-type schooling that we do, including writing letters.  This takes about 90 mins, max.   During this time, Miss 3.5 will do playdough, paint, cut and glue, stamps, stencils, puzzles, etc, or sometimes choose to watch a movie on her own.      Mostly, she likes to stay with us and do some pre-school type 'school work'. 

During table time, I cook, wash up, tidy up, etc, in the kitchen, and interact with the two girls as they need me, being available, but trying to encourage some independent work.

Then we have lunch and the girls are free to play with whatever doesn't need my constant supervision.   Miss 7 can watch a movie or use the computer to create some artwork.   I will use this time to write for my blog, sew, do school/farm/business paperwork, or some other job that requires concentration. 

Mid-to-late afternoon, we start the tidy up routine, and go outside to play with dogs, bring washing in, wood in, etc.   Once hubby gets home, Miss 7   helps him outside, then reads to him for a bit, while  Miss 3.5 and I tidy up, start tea, etc.   After tea, we play some games, colour in, read and then it's time for the bedtime routine.  

And that's a normal day for us, and happens about four days a week.   Of course, mixed in with all that idyllic routine are our little messes and crises and so we get through each day, one day at a time. 

Our fifth work day of the week is spent in town, with friends, at playgroup or homeschool catch up, shopping, etc and that in-town day changes from week to week.   Saturdays are usually spent doing farm jobs and catching up on housework.    At this stage, we are not committed to any sporting or other groups because we got to burn out stage last year and decided we needed to pull back a bit this year and re-assess.    Hubby and I both have aging and needy parents, and we have three older girls that we want to be able to see regularly, so we can't commit to too much outside of our home life. 

So, that's us.    My day is not meant to be a blueprint for yours, but to show you how to fit 'school' into regular life, and still have a life!!    I tried the Supermum (aka martyr-Mum) approach during our first round of homeschooling and it didn't work!    We all came to resent homeschooling.   So, our schooling is less formal this time around, but we are not unschoolers.   Our current routine seems to be serving us well at the moment, and the girls are learning and growing in lots of ways.   And it gives me a few small spaces of down time during the day to maintain some sanity!!  

Small Beginnings

You know, when your kids are little and doing 'little' things like drawing and painting and cutting and gluing, making toy farms with paddle pop sticks, writing stories and letters and playing, lots of playing, and they want to do those things a lot, much more than school work, you wonder if they'll ever get an education and 'succeed'. Let me assure you, they will, if you let them develop those talents and help them nurture them.

These are some of the gifts of our older girls, all now adults, doing what they were good at as children, but in an adult setting.

The fence was built and photo taken by daughter no 3, the picture drawn by daughter no 2, the blog (and books) written by daughter no 1.

All that to say, if you are in the trenches with the 'everyday' stuff that doesn't seem that interesting or outstanding, don't despair and don't overlook the 'little' things your kids are good at. One day, it might be their bread and butter - it is for all three of them, to various degrees.   

With three older girls (all adults) and two younger girls (aged 7 and 3), I have the unique privilege of being able to look back and look forward.  I have seen how the 'little' things my older girls did back then have now turned into life passions.    And I can see that the 'little' things my younger girls are now doing could easily turn into their life passions, if I keep encouraging them and facilitating their learning. 

But, I am still tripping up over Duplo, drowning in endless pieces of paper and cardboard and egg cartons, still finding homes for toys, helping someone set up yet another farm/train track/car track/tea set/doll's house/zoo/teddy hospital, and sometimes I despair at the mess and the chaos.   And then I remember those small beginnings of the older girls and I am encouraged to be patient again, with the little things, the messy little things and the messy little creatures who live in 'my' house.  And I reminded that they will not always be here, but will be out there, doing 'big' things. 

So, let us rejoice, as God does, in small beginnings and enjoy these days. 

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.....
Zechariah 4:10

Linking up at Titus 2 Tuesdays. 

Staying Connected to God in my Madness

by Lizzy Ainsworth

Analogies help me, perhaps you too?   Unlike their rhyming partner allergies, these stories help me paddle my canoe a bit further upstream in a river taking us the other direction.

Marriage, that’s the analogy today and relationships. . . ours with God and others.

The early morning Proverb, like a quick kiss to your darling as they walk out the door for work.  A connection for later.

Communication ebbs and flows between humans, like our prayers to God . . . praying without ceasing.  About everything, the baby, the driving, the shopping, the others, the mundane and exciting . . . LIFE.

But we need that time, the quality . . . time, that cements a relationship.  Discussions about the future because prayer is not a monologue, not just us, but us and Him, answering, conversing together giving purpose, direction, ideas, answers, birthing compassion for others.

Time to read the Word, cut through the grease on our stove tops, the hearts that get polluted.  Give it time to bubble and fizz away at the junk.

And the worship; a place of intimacy.   Dance before your Maker.  Rest there a minute.

This used to be the view from my deck . . .

I wrote this little dance of words back in summer last year, summer of Australia, the gums graceful and arching casting shadows on my deck, and I've moved since then and the seasons have changed, I'm partway through winter, and my routine has changed too.  I'm trying to start a new one . . . again, but it's ebbing and flowing too.  So don't feel bad if your routine changes.  When I was younger I used to think they could be set in concrete and you just would spend that time with GOD IN THE MORNING NO MATTER WHAT!  And now I'm a Mama and I know differently, it's not always that easy.   I look back and realise the only time my routine has been concrete was when I had a job as a 20 year old and I had to get up and get there on time even in winter, those mornings I've since always slept in on.    So I'm sharing here what my routine was, and then what it now is.  Remember Seasons Change.

Summer 2013

For me, I read my Proverb in the morning, the one chapter corresponding with the date.  My Sanity Manifesto. Word In. Work Out. Work Plan and then later when the madness ceases, a rest in the afternoon, lying by the baby, sucking deep in her sleep.  My read rest, a tradition birthed long ago in our family of the kids lying on beds for half an hour to read and rest in the afternoon while Mum catches her breath, and I read the Word and rest and worship, quietly.  I’m working my way through the ‘Word for Today’.  Gives me some direction and if you’re diligent you can read through the Bible in a year.

And prayer?  The toilet door, traditionally the spot where the times tables line up in rows and numbers, a place of memory and now spirituality with it’s memory verses, the prayer lists of the persecuted, the nations, the pastors, the needs, the families and I pray while nature takes its course. Pray without ceasing.  I’ve tried writing them in books, pasting them in wardrobes and tucking them under a transparent tablecloth but at all those locations I’m busy, quick but there on the ‘throne’ I can think and PRAY.

Winter 2014
The baby is still in my bed, and it's much warmer and snugglier to lie there and pray some, (most) mornings than get up, but I am trying.  I've written myself out a list of little things that might help me get up and going in the mornings.   
Like a Good Morning List, pinned to the fridge with all those others, with these handy clips I found at Crazy Clarks.   And a goodnight list on the opposite side, so that I've got everything organised for the morning.   
I'll tell you though, a good list is over at Kat Lee's Inspired to Action, with her e-book Maximise Your Mornings.  
For my exercise inspiration, I've been dancing with the tambourine like I normally do, keeps me in good shape for teaching my dance class on Fridays and gets the heart rate pumping, plus some stretches and muscle toning from Suzanne Bowen Fitness.  I need to find some diastasis healing exercises to add to my notepad from Fit2Be.
What's your routine?  Does it change constantly like mine?  I'll be doing a little post soon about Busy Mum's Spending Time with God for Mum's in all seasons of life.

 

 

Spring 2015

 

And now these days when toddler goes down for her 2 hr nap in the arvo, I try and dedicate time to God.  This year I'm 'rebuilding the ancient ruins', or rebuilding the gaps in my theology.  I've been reading books on God's love, Communion, being connected into the Vine and Bearing the Right Fruit in the Right Season, and Prayer, and the word too.  I've been focusing on Ephesians and praying it over myself and gradually receiving God's revelation of His love.    My new prayer routine is really helping me be thorough in praying for my family, something that's never happened before and as a result I'm seeing changes in lives, and I'm also learning the power of declarations, like: I declare that  . . . . . will become a mighty man/woman of God and not miss their destiny.

 

How we spend time with God in one season is going to look different than it will in other seasons, and how one Mum spends time with God is going to be different to how another will,

as I discovered when I interviewed 9 Mums, and they shared how they spent time with God.

 

What's your journey with God? 

How has the communication ebbed and flowed and the seasons changed? 

Will you share and add richness to this story, and inspire me and others of God's faithfulness.

Linking up at: Arabah Joy

Chai Tea and Hope for the Nations

Some days life just makes you wonder, like when you boil a pot of Chai Tea and in transferring the liquid to a glass jar it splits and floods the bench, the cupboard and the carpet, and all you wanted to do was sit down and pray with a hot cuppa. 

When you finally get to sitting down you wonder what to pray about anyway? The world seems in such a mess, surely it is close to the expiry date.  Where do you start and how do you remember to pray for the situations that bombarded you in the morning news?

It seems almost blasé when you hear bad news on the radio to stop and pray for the real live people caught in that train wreck, the tornado, the flood, the war etc, but if you waited until you were seated with your chai tea, would you even remember the situations you were praying for?

Our prayer releases God’s hope and Hand in the situation.  Perhaps when you are sitting sipping the chai with your girlfriend in the café and sharing concerns for another friend, it would be wiser to stop and pray for that person, and bless her with God’s purpose and intention?

In the drive through waiting for that cup of tea, to quietly focus on the car in front or the girl behind the window in the headset and pray for God’s purpose and intention over that life.  We are called to pray without ceasing, but that doesn’t mean to sit all day cross-legged and present shopping lists of dramas and demands to God, but to bless the situation and people around us or presented to us with hope and God’s purpose and intention.

When you’re helping friends move house and they’ve pulled a muscle, or the headache has caught up with them, to simply lay a hand on them and bless them with God’s healing.   We have the power inside of us to change the situation around us.

Simply listening to bad reports only brings depression and despair as we glance at the world over the rim of our cup.  We can make a difference by prayer and bring hope to the nations every time we pray . . . for the patient in the ambulance screaming by, the mother fighting with her toddler in the shopping aisle, and the little granny hobbling down the street with her walker.  We won’t know the effect of the prayer until eternity, but if we plant the seeds now, we will surely reap a good harvest.