Our family has been living in France for the past 2 years, and when Tony decided to move here my main concern was how I going to bring up my kids in a country I know very little about? I was homeschooling at the time and really enjoyed the home school community and activities and life etc….. Then I realized its not really what comes from without that your children grasp most, its what comes from within. That they actually become more of who you are, the 2.0 upgraded version. If you love the word of God they will, if you praise the Lord they will, if you love clothes (probably applies more to girls:) she will also. I call Juliana my little fashionista now because her love for style has grown from wanting to put doll outfits together to actually taking a couture class in school and making a beautiful skirt that I would love to wear. What is important to you becomes important to them, even things that are left unsaid. The process of osmosis in some things really does happen with children in some areas. My daughters and her cousin Max have a goal to take a trip around the world when they are in their twenties, and for the most part I believe it will happen. If you are happy and content, they will be also, you transmit something to them, simply by being with them, and a lot of it is unspoken. They know when you are sad, when your hurt, when you are happy or want to laugh at something but not to tell them what it is, what Peter and John said to the blind man at the temple those words hold so true- such as I have I give. I can’t really teach my daughter a love for cooking, when people ask me if I like to cook, for the most part I respond with the answer well Tony likes to eat:) I find what I esteem and hold as important and valuable , they are starting to do the same thing and especially my daughter, Juliana. She loves having fun, animals, funny things etc Jonathan loves music, all kinds of music, its happening. One of Juliana’s favorite things is to sit down and ask me all sorts of questions about the end times, the rapture of the church ,the second coming of Jesus , the antichrist etc…. At first I thought is she just trying to please me? but it has happened enough to where I realize that this is actually something she is very curious about. I use to look around at other mom’s and really feel like I did not measure up ( I guess that’s why God’s word says when you compare yourselves among yourselves your not wise) but I did want to give them the best that I could give them. There are so many things I have never done in terms of being a home maker, I have never made a pie much less anything with pumpkin in it, as I was looking at all the delicious recipes on this site it dawned on me, I don’t for the most part even eat pumpkin pie but I know Tony loves it, and someone actually gave me a pumpkin this year so I thought I would at least try a friend’s recipe for pumpkin bars but unfortunately the pumpkin puree sat in my refrigerator too long and came to an unhappy demise. But on the other hand my son Jonathan’s favorite food is Japanese and Juliana loves Brazilian food and will actually turn on channels in Portuguese just to listen to Portuguese. I don’t really have many traditions for any holidays, Tony is presently in America until December, he is the pumpkin pie guy, but as I am navigating through this journey of motherhood I really believe God entrusts each child to the parent that He knows they need. So I decided that as for the day that we actually set apart to give thanks, known as thanksgiving we will watch a movie or a play about pilgrims who came to what was then known as the new world in search of religious freedom, and that this will be something that may be we can do throughout the years- love the story of Squanto, how he helped the pilgrims survive and learn to plant and to hunt, and that those pilgrims that actually survived the first winter, instead of sadness for those who were lost, set 3 days apart for giving thanks that God had brought them to the new world and for the bounty that he blessed them with. So while I will not be getting any awards from Betty Crocker, I am thankful for what I have and what I can give, and for the opportunity to impart into these two precious eternal beings such as I have, and in the wise words of Madame Blueberry (veggietales star:) We have sung the thankfulness song many many times to stay complaining and murmuring and any other downer attitude, a thankful heart really is a happy heart here are the words to the chorus: Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! I’m glad for what I have, That’s an easy way to start! For the love that He shares, ‘Cuz He listens to my prayers, That’s why I give thanks everyday!
Such As I Have I Give
