Christian parenting

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Happy New Year, Happy New You!


The New Year has come and I have a resolution …. to make no New Year’s Resolution.  In the 1960’s a popular saying rose up, “today is the first day of the rest of your life.”  I remember thinking, “duh”.  It was a saying born out of a rehabilitation program; another version of the Thomas the little engine’s chuggin’ “I think I can, I think I can.”   And another cliche’ repeated by mothers everywhere, “you can do anything if you put your mind to it”.   All are true in essence, but then life happens.  Statistics show 80% of us fail at our resolutions before the end of February.  I am sure one of the previous schools of thought gave way to the saying,  “the road is paved with good intentions”.

Happy New You!

Happy New You!

When I was a small girl I wanted to be a famous ice skater like the ones we saw each year in Holiday On Ice shows.  As I grew older I wanted to be a famous fashion designer.  I even looked at attending fashion design school.  Reality and practicality set in and I started college in the business department. When my father was diagnosed with lung cancer I dropped out of college for a semester.   With the circumstances at that time, I switched to a local community college and switched to an education degree.   I loved English, thanks to my high school senior English teacher, Miss Fields.  When I graduated I decided to go to Georgia Tech and study industrial management.   Dreams … I had them.  They just kept changing.

We all have dreams, plans for our lives.  Some have plans that were planned out carefully by their parents.  So many people graduate from college with degrees in fields they never enter.   Many never work a day in their ‘chosen field’.  There are so many perpetual students out there, always in school learning something, looking for something, needing fulfillment.   Deep inside we all have a hunger for something, a dream that needs fulfilling.  Many of us will never realize that dream.

Each of us are born with a purpose, a driving plan for our life, God’s plan.  Sometimes family, circumstances or even our own sense of purpose drives us away from His plan.  People dream of being rich, famous and think all of these will bring fulfillment for what they really want, acceptance and love.  It is so simple that many over look that all we need is His son Jesus in our lives providing that acceptance and love that is unconditional.  We are all loved by God.  Sadly, many never discover His love.  Even sadder is that many Christians forget He loves us unconditionally and walk through life defeated.  Are you running around looking for acceptance, that sense of purpose, that plan and totally missing His plan that is wrapped in His love?

Jeremiah 29:11-12 (NLT) “11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”

I can ice skate for my own pleasure (far from being good enough to be considered for an ice skating  job). I can sew and design and  made clothes for my girls and myself, costumes for school and church plays, and managed the fittings and alterations for 10+ years of choral and band programs.   I have used my business school experience to work in many jobs as an administrative assistant in my over 40 years of working.  I used my English studies  background to help many students, even though I never became an English teacher.  I used my industrial management training in the printing industry as well as my current management job at the bookstore.   I never quite ‘got there’ in any of the ‘dreams’ yet God had a purpose in letting me learn those things even though I never worked in a the field full time as a career.   Has my life been a failure?  NOTE TO SELF:  When things do not turn out the way you planned; when something goes wrong, no matter how bad,  THANK GOD for His plan and that He has one.  Ask Him to show you what you are to learn and which direction He is pointing you.

God’s plan, His perfect plan.   So many more blessings than if I had managed to follow MY plan.   I have been married for 36 years next week.  We have two beautiful daughters and three precious grandchildren (oh, and there’s those two son-in-laws too :-D).   The life that happened to me is filled with blessings and joys beyond my capabilities of dreaming.  I never fulfilled my plan, because God’s plan was the one I really had a desire to find, in my depths of my heart.  He reveals your true dreams down deep inside of you.   You just have to listen.

If you do anything this year, discover Him in you.  Allow His plan and not your own.  When that plan of yours falls through, thank Him and ask Him to reveal His plan.  Our failures are some of our biggest successes.  We learn from them and we learn to let God take control.  God’s plan is never a failure.  God takes everything to the best end.

Romans 8:28 (NASB) “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

LET GO AND LET GOD!  HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY NEW YOU!

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Do something, VOTE!


James 4:17 HCSB “So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and does nothing.”  I bet you thought  the quote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”  by Edmund Burke was original.

I have thought long and hard about blogging regarding the election. I prayed, “Lord, if Billy Graham would just say something.”  He did.  After watching David Jeremiah I was thrilled.  But, today when reading this scripture in James I realized that every one of us as Christians needs to speak out, so I am taking to it my blog. 

I have one question:

One day you will stand before your Lord and explain what you did in regards to November 6, 2012, a day that will change America forever.  I am not being dramatic.  Everyone knows it is a crucial point in time for America.    The Lord will ask you, “did you vote for Me?”.  God is our creator … did you vote for Life.  God instituted marriage between a man and a woman, did you vote for marriage.

Maybe you felt the economy, foreign policy, medicare and jobs were more important to God? The truth is God, our Creator,  will not ask you about your economy, job, or health.  He will ask you, did you vote for ME?

As a parent, will your child look at you in the years to come and ask you why did you not do something when you could?

NOVEMBER 6, 2012 you can do one of three things.

1) Not vote, not get involved

2) Vote against God’s word.

3) Vote according to God’s word.

Don’t let satan* block you, deter you or convince you that your one vote won’t make a difference.  Then, call someone and convince them to vote.  No matter HOW long you have to stand in line, VOTE for God, He spends a lot more time on you then an hour in line.

November 6, 2012 DO SOMETHING, VOTE! 

*satan, devil – I know people capitalize the “S” or “D” but, I don’t.  I refuse to give him any status of importance.  He’s a snake, so satan, devil, etc. are lower case, as he is one.

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It’s 5 AM … does God know where you are?


Made you think about it though.  Of course He does.  As Christians we know this, but do we act like we KNOW this?   Sometimes I believe we are in a “hide and seek” mode with the Lord.  We “hide” in our everyday life and “seek” Him only in our “wants”.  Our actions basically say He’s not there or, we lost Him or, we don’t know where He is in relationship to our everyday circumstances.  Then along comes something serious … too big for us to handle alone … and we start seeking.  “God where are you?  I need you NOW!”

Kind of a sad state of affairs isn’t it?  But, it is what we live and so, consequentially, it is a subliminal lesson we teach our children.   Think about the children you have in your home or have raised.  You are all in the house, you know you are all in the house and the comfort for the kids is knowing you are there IF they need you.  The kids do not come to ask your advise on getting dressed, or help with homework, or which friends to pick, etc.   You probably would like for them to, you want that kind of relationship.  But, when they need money?  When they need a ride?  Here they come.  Sometimes it is when “he hit me” and they need judgement on another?   Stop and think about the big picture within this little picture.  He is in “our house”, He lives in us … yet, we do not seek guidance and wisdom until we ‘need money’, ‘need the car’, ‘dealings with someone’…. ahhh, the light bulb just turn on?

God knows where you are and what your needs are at any second of the day.  He is always there for you to lean on. Are you leaning on Him, or do you just run to Him in need. Is it really a need or is it a want? We are not promised our wants.

Psalm 23:1 KJV

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” 

The HSCB translation reads, “The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.”   

NLT translation reads, “The Lord is my shepherd;  I have all that I need.”

Maybe today you just need to stop and listen and lean.  God knows where you are, He is waiting on you to realize where He is.

Renee’ Green Copyright 2012

RBGreenDesigns.com 2020

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“No Fault Insurance”


In early 1970 comedian Flip Wilson’s debuted his famous skit  “The devil* Made Me Do It”.

“___ made me do it”

It was funny but, in a sad way so true.   When we are doing something wrong we blame the devil*.  It’s human nature to blame “the other guy”; your kids do it all the time don’t they?  Where do you think they get it?  Kids learn from us initially.  Oh, sometimes they learn it at school, off the TV or from the videos.  But, it boils down to they learn it from you.  Even if you do not do it, if you do not stop them from doing something wrong, then you have taught them wrong.

It is sad that so many are living in sin when we have the manual on how not to sin in hundreds of languages all over the world.  The Bible tells us who sins, what is sin and what the consequences of sin are.  Blame it on your upbringing?  Blame it on genetics?  Blame it on the devil?

Here is how I explain sin.  My family has a history of alcoholism in previous generations.  My father, the youngest of eight children, watched all of his elder siblings drink themselves to death.  Between the ages of 10-12 years of age, I attended so many funerals of my father’s siblings and offspring … all related to alcohol.  My father never drank.  It was obvious there was a genetic tendency to alcoholism.  My dad chose NOT to give into that tendency and he never allowed alcohol in our home.  He raised us all knowing we had that tendency as a possibility.  My oldest brother chose to ignore dad’s teachings and has ruined his life with alcohol (as well as his family’s lives).  When we choose to disobey, we choose to sin; we choose the consequences.  Sadly, we inflict those consequences on all those around us; family and even innocent bystanders (drunk drivers ruin innocent lives daily and walk away unscathed).  So, who is to blame?  God?  Certainly not.  Genetics … bad home live … poor environment … the bottom line is, it is your choice.  Why would anyone choose to be a drunk, ruin their life, be mocked, hated and shunned?  Bottom line, because they choose to, no one makes them, they choose their life.  I chose never to taste alcohol, never to allow it in my life.  My choice.  I am not perfect.  I have other sins I have to choose not to do as well.  I have an all powerful God to strengthen me and help me with my choices.  I cannot do it in my own strength.  I have to choose to sin; only I can choose to stop sinning.  One step leads to the next but, the first step is always your choice, make it.  Once you make that first step, get help if you need it.  Sometimes people need help and there are wonderful organizations, support groups, doctors, etc. out there to help.  But it takes your choice to take the first step to stop sinning.

WHO SINS?: Romans 3:23(NASB) “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”  1 John 1:8 (KJV) “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

WHAT IS SIN?: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11(ESV) “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.    1Timothy 1:8-16(ESV) “ 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. 12 I thank Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.

WHY IS IT SIN?:Isaiah 59:1-2 (HCSB) “Indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear.
2 But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you
so that He does not listen.”

HOW CAN WE BE SAVED FROM SIN?: 1 Peter 2:24 (NASB) “…and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” Romans 10:9(HCSB) “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” 2 Peter 3:9 (HCSB) “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”  John 3:16 (KJV) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

All sin separates us from God.  There are no ‘worse’ sins, my sin makes me as big a sinner as the next person, although some sins have more consequences here on earth.  If you sin, you chose to sin; you choose to be separated from God.  You, and you alone, choose your consequences here on earth… and ultimately in eternity.  Don’t blame “the other guy, you’re upbringing, etc.”, you have a choice.

*devil, satan – I know people capitalize the “S” or “D” but, I don’t.  I refuse to give him any status of importance.  He’s a snake, so satan, devil, etc. are lower case, as he is one.

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“Imagine a life with no worries ….”


That’s what the billboard reads as I drive to work.  I cannot remember the product.

The song lyrics read, “don’t worry, be happy (whistling)”.

Worry … it’s a sin. (I actually wrote a post, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” , two years ago that handles that topic.) The truth is, life is hard and there is no way to not worry … in our own strength.  Imagine a life with no worries?  No product can produce that in your life; no service can produce that in your life.  The only way to lift worries is to lay your concerns before our Almighty Father in Heaven.

Matthew 11:28 (NTL) “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Worry is a sin, it means you are not trusting God.  In the wee hours of the morning Corrie Ten Boom stood before us with Billy Graham by her side.  My brother and I were volunteers for the crusade and we were helping type up the cards for counseling of all that had come forward that night at the Crusade meetings.  We were all tired.  My brother and I had come from the hospital prior to the meetings.  Our father was in the hospital having had a lung removed from lung cancer.  My world was shaking as my earthly father lay struck down.  I had always relied on him.  I needed to learn to rely on my Heavenly Father, who cannot be shaken or brought down.    Corrie Ten Boom told us about ‘not worrying’.  I was 18 years old.  My world was collapsing, but here was a woman who had been through way worse telling me, “don’t worry”.   She said, (and I have never forgotten):

“If it is too small to pray about, it is too small to worry about.” Corrie Ten Boom

A worrier will begat a worrier …. if you want your children and loved ones to lean on Christ, they have to see you leaning on Him; “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms”.

Don’t worry, be happy?  Yes, you can ” … Safe and Secure From All Alarms”!

Psalm 55:22 (NASB) “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”