Maybe, just maybe, they ARE listening

Just when you think your kids don't ever hear you, you'll find out some chunk of wisdom did actually land in their busy minds.
Q and I were watching America's Got Talent, our favorite show when its G-rated. A middle-aged man performs a song on a flute he made out of a broom and a horn he made out of a dust pan. Q says, "thats creative. He must have parents like you." I asked him why he thought that. I was wondering if he thinks Im THAT old. Q said, "he is really creative and you're always telling me to be creative."
I took that as a compliment. He knows I expect him to stretch his brain and try wild ideas. Aside from serving Jesus his whole life, I couldn't ask for more. He DOES listen to me. If he wants to drill into my household appliances to create new means of transportation, its alright by me.

Don't Read This If You're Afraid of Power

I have power over what my kids are today AND over what they become. I have power to change their flaws and power to bring them victories. Because "death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21) Call me crazy, but I believe that.

When my 8 year old foster son had a melt down during some math homework recently he told me how dumb he was and that he couldn't do this task that was required of him. I was astonished that he thinks so negatively about himself.

He was crying on my lap by this time and I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to start speaking over him everything good that has likely never been said about him before. Things that nurturing parents, like you and I, say out loud to friends and family about our children regularly since birth. Things like, "my boy is so smart. He was potty trained before he was 6 months old and I swear he played an original composition on my uterus the week before he was born." And, "my daughter is so creative, she's designing clothes for her dolls in her journal I got her to record all of her brilliant thoughts because her imagination is so much more advanced than other 5 year olds, I'll bet Kindergarten just skips her right on to 2nd grade!" You know what I mean, gabbing on the phone with our girlfriends and trying to one-up their kid's accomplishments.

Have you ever thought that even the casual things you say about your kids have power? Power.

I sat there on the floor of his room and said, * is brilliant, * is kind, * is focused, * is joyful, * is healthy, * is amazing, * loves Jesus, * is bold, * is talented, * is victorious, * is mighty, * is creative. I believe, that by faith and the power in our spoken words our kids are and will become what we say they are.

It is often easier to describe Rainey as my challenge or as a drama queen, but those are not things that God wants her to be. Changing my habits and watching every word I speak over them is a recent goal I have set for myself. I believe in the results. Watch out world! My 4 kids are...

BOLD
HONEST
TALENTED
CREATIVE
KIND
PATIENT
GENEROUS
INTELLIGENT
HEALTHY
HARD WORKING
SUCCESSFUL
WISE
PEACEFUL
GENTLE
ENCOURAGING
CONFIDENT
FOLLOWERS OF JESUS

because I SAY THEY ARE! And my words have power.