payoff

In 2007, when A began competing in gymnastics, she rocked the competition. Not to brag, but she did a super job and ended up winning-alot. She even won the State Meet that year.

Last year, however, was a different story. While she complained about going to practice, she didn't want to quit. It was a struggle for her to get her mind on her routines and what she needed to do to get them right. She had mediocre meets at best and finished way behind at the State Meet.

This year is really looking up for her. She has had both good and bad meets, and finished well. The past few weeks, however, she has really pushed herself to practice and try to get things right. There is a huge banner on the wall of her gymnastics center that reads "Great gymnastics is not the result of a million repetitions, Great gymnastics is a result of a million corrections". WOW. She asked me the other day about why is says this. I told her it was true- it wasn't just going through the routines over and over- it was making the corrections to make them right.

This past weekend she had and awesome meet. Yes, it was a small meet, but it was one of her best EVER. She made her highest scores ever on the beam and vault. She won first place in everything including All Around. She was so excited and realized the results of true hard work.

I was able to use this example with our bible reading this week as well. We have been reading through Proverbs this month. One chapter a day was the goal, but we have actually been reading more.

Proverbs is full of verses dealing with instruction and discipline. Such as:

Prov. 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be

wise

Prov. 13:1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not

listen to rebuke.

Prov. 6: 20 My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your

mother's teaching

But just as these versus tell us to obey, there are also versus that tell us what happens when we do not:

Prov. 19:16 He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is

contemptuous of his ways will die

Prov. 13:13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a

command is rewarded

Prov. 15:10 Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path: he who hates

correction will die.

I was able to explain to my kiddos that each time we are instructed, disciplined, or given advice we need to not only hear what is said to us, but to understand it so that we can apply it. When we apply the lesson, we can only then realize where we need to make the "corrections" in our lives, obedience, attitudes, and judgements. It is so easy to become angry when we are disciplined, but the Bible is very clear on hating correction- we will die. Listening and accepting will make us wise.

Its not just "Great gymnastics" that is the result of a million corrections. It is also Wisdom- now that's a payoff.

big day

Today was a big day in our house! Our sweet, oh so smart, sassy, lipstick loving, cuddling, sister adoring, brother loving, babywearing "little mama", beautiful little girl turned 4!! She has been celebrating for a few days now. She spent the weekend with my in-laws getting showered with attention, gifts and getting to make not one, but two birthday cakes. This morning, my parents came to take her to breakfast and then shopping for her gift. Tonight, she got to pick what (or where) we ate supper. She chose Captain D's. She wanted to pick it up, bring it home and have a picnic in the living room watching a movie. (My hubby and I skipped out on the grease and had Subway) By the end of the movie she asked if she could go to bed- "my birthday made me tired". Really? I can't imagine why. Love you sweet girl!!

Its therapy time again. A time to admit to things we certainly have NOT done this week!! If you would like to read what many others have not done, hop on over to MckMama!!!

This past week was the first week back to homeschool after our Christmas break. I most certainly did NOT try to make this week as easy on myself as possible. I would not ease up on the kids work just so I could make life as easy for mom as possible- Nope!

This weekend A and I went to Athens, Ga to watch a gymnastics meet between UGA and Stanford. On the way to the meet I did not break the speed limit driving my MIL's sweet new car that seemed to glide down the interstate. We did not have an awesome time watching the gymnasts perform like olympians. I also did not act like a crazed manic when we saw our old friends across the coliseum! I was not so excited that I jumped up yelling - even though I knew they were too far away to hear us!!

After the meet, we went out to eat with our sweet Athens friends. We certainly did not let our daughters play like maniacs at the restaurant. Since they haven't seen each other in years, we made them sit quietly and whisper. We would not let them use their napkins to make hats. And I am quiet sure the adult ladies would not join in on the fun!! If one of us had joined, I am the kind of friend that certainly would not take a picture of my friend and post it!!

I am sure that I am a much better
friend than that! To do such a thing
would not require me to be
aware of payback from such friend!
NOPE!!

And to top off the weekend, our family did not come home from church today and do absolutely nothing ALL day. We are always a productive family- even on Sundays- with quality family time. We certainly would not allow the kids to play video games and watch T.V while Big Daddy, L and myself napped. Who would do such things- NOT ME!!

sweetness

I have a babywearing baby. Do you wear your babies???

The New Year

Here we are- 2010. It came just as fast as I thought it would. I brought in the new year with my oldest son watching Travis Pastrana making a world record jump over a river. The younger two fell asleep, and my A was hunting with her daddy. Exciting I know. Besides that, I have been working on getting my kitchen painted. There is finally an end to that tunnel. (Yay!) Another highlight of the new year is that my oldest son J killed his first deer on Friday night. He was so excited- and so am I.

I am also taking part in a challenge from Pete Wilson, the pastor of Cross Point Church. I have never been there, but have loved listening to the online messages. He is a wonderful teacher. The challenge is called 31 Day Challenge in which I (you) will read a chapter of Proverbs each of the 31 days of January. I have already loved this, as it has been a long time since I read Proverbs. I am also incorporating this into school with the kids. They seem to easily understand the Proverbs. Of course its no surprise- they were created to understand the words of the Lord!!

Well, I need to go get the troops moving for church. They are all pretty tired- its 9:30 and everyone is still asleep!