Amping Up Back-To-School Prayers for Our Kids AND Us

I see and hear you mamas who are taking those kiddos to school and college. Some of you are elated to get them back-to-school after a long summer. But others, like my niece who took her daughter to college, said: "I'm not gonna lie, I teared up the moment we pulled onto the campus, again while decorating, and more as we walked about. I have a feeling that I’m not done yet!"

To help those moms saying goodbye to their new high school freshmen, I love how Tulsa's Bishop Kelley High School (where my nephew is a Math Teacher and the Girls' Soccer Coach) has a school tradition of the upperclassmen standing outside and welcoming the freshmen with signs that say "Kiss Your Mother Good-bye", and when they do kiss their mom, they scream for joy. Check out the video here: https://www.facebook.com/BKTulsa/videos/2004578409565118/

While the arrival of the school year brings a fresh, new start, it can carry new concerns to a mama’s heart. This photo is of my two on their first day of school (first grade and third grade in Cleveland, OK). I wondered how they would handle a brand-new school and classroom with kids they didn’t know and if they'd find a close "good" friend and not hang around the wrong crowd. I wondered if they'd do well in their classes. Some of you may be fretting about your prank-pulling middle schooler, earnestly hoping he doesn’t make a habit of getting called to the principal’s office. You may be stressing over academic concerns. “Will my struggling second grader ever make progress in her reading? Will math ever click with my fourth grader who gets hives when he sees a story problem? Will my high schooler graduate with honors, or better yet, will my high schooler graduate?"

But more than all those “school days” concerns, we also long for our kids to be spiritually and physically healthy. Long ago, in my children’s early years, I found an antidote to worrying about my children in the story of Mary and Jesus.

Luke 2:52 mentions four areas Jesus grew in as a young boy: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.” Our Lord grew wiser each year. He physically grew. His relationship with His heavenly Father continually strengthened. Jesus even gained favor with people here on earth who saw Him day to day. And how I love the simple sentence that precedes this: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” We never see Mary fretting and fussing, worried and anxious. She pondered about her son and his growth, but she didn’t allow her mama heart to become rattled.

Let’s strive to be like Mary. Let’s turn our anxious thoughts into treasured prayers, kept safe and held fast by our loving Father — the one who knows our hearts and loves our children even more than we do. When a concern pops up in our mind, let’s carry that concern to God. When we start to fear for our child’s future, let’s petition the only one who knows exactly what the future holds -- THE ONE Who knows everything about everything.

When we turn our worries into our prayers, we'll realize our children aren’t the only ones being taught; we are learning life-long lessons in trusting and treasuring, knowing God is in control.

Heavenly Father, I pray for all these precious children that are starting a new school year. Protect them, encourage them and fill them with strong minds to learn and grow. Help them to be a great friend to others as they, themselves, have great friends. And, I pray for all the moms (and dads) to turn their concerns and worries into prayers, knowing You are in control. Please help them to treasure each moment with their children as they grow in wisdom and stature and favor with others and also with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Mary, Did You Know?

My claim to fame....if it weren't for me -- my children wouldn't be. And God needed a vessel -- one He favored above ALL women -- to be the Mother of Jesus. He chose Mary to BE the First Lady of our Faith. She was found faithful. And what faith she had! She was the first to believe in Jesus as her Savior and Lord -- while she still carried Him in her womb.

This photo is one of my Christmas favorites. It brings Mary right to where we are. It helps us to know she was one of us. She was a woman with real emotions, real challenges, and real love for her baby boy. "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) "Ponder" is a great word and a great idea for us, too! Christmas should be all about "pondering". Mary treasured the events of Jesus' birth. She thought deeply about all that took place. She would need to remember all that God had done, in order to trust what God would allow when Jesus grew to manhood. Can you just imagine the bedtime stories she told her boy?

My all-time favorite Christmas song is Mark Lowery’s “Mary Did You Know?” for many reasons. It momentarily shows Mary more than the lovely woman in blue and white clothing, radiant face, and a halo affixed perfectly above her head. She really was one of us. Like us, she held her baby, she cared for him, she thought about his future -- just like we do. I relate to her.

Mark wrote the lyrics in 1984 in response to his Pastor’s request to write the script for their church's Christmas production. Twelve years later, Buddy Greene put the script to music. When Mark was asked to write the script, little did he realize that little "seed" would bring about an abundant harvest. That script was one of those Jeremiah 29:11 moments “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Mark had no idea of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was on him for that significant moment in time.

What do you think? DID MARY KNOW that He was her Creator, that He would walk on water, that He would heal the blind man, that He would raise the dead? Did she know that when she kissed her little baby boy that she was kissing the face of God?

We'll ask her that question one day, but one thing's for sure, she was the vessel God chose to bear His Son, and I believe she was chosen because He knew she would be the role model, the caregiver, the teacher/trainer, the spiritual director, and the guardian that caused her son to “grow in wisdom and stature with God and man" (Luke 2:52). I believe she recognized that her boy's talents would "take Him places" and that He would do great and mighty things, because she was "tight with God" and she held His promises close to her heart.

The question for us is "Do we believe as Mary did?" What God's Word says about Jesus is true. And her example for being that role model, caregiver, teacher/trainer, spiritual director and guardian, is one we should follow in raising our children and grandchildren to "grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man".

I love this beautiful song, and this amazing rendition by Pentatonix. I share it as a gift for you to realize that Mary's faith and reality is our faith and reality, too. "This little child that Mary delivered, delivered her and us!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE

Back to School Routines

When my community was buying school supplies for children in need, I joined in with them -- buying spiral notebooks, crayons, binders, pencils, pens, notebook paper, glue, and other school supplies. It brought back memories of buying school supplies for my own two kiddos -- backpacks, lunch kits, and all the essentials from the school’s list of supplies. Please indulge me once again, with one of my favorite photos of a new school year for them when we lived at Lake Keystone, Oklahoma. Actually, it was Staci’s first year of school

Here we are with the lazy days of summer almost over. The Fall school routine is well underway for my Frisco grandchildren and next week, the Austin two will begin their routines. Soon they’ll all be in the swing of things with their new courses and loads of homework.

Here’s the best advice I can offer from a “Nana’s” point of view. We can either worry about what this school year holds or we can follow the lead of Mary and Joseph in the Gospel of Luke 2. Four areas are mentioned that Jesus grew in as a young boy: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with man (people).” Our Lord grew wiser each year. He physically grew. His relationship with His Heavenly Father continually strengthened. Jesus even gained favor with people who saw Him day to day.

The verse that precedes Jesus growth in Luke 2:51 is this one: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” When Mary was mothering Jesus, she tucked thoughts (some Bible translations say she “treasured” them) of her son safely in her heart. In none of those descriptions do we see Mary fretting, worried and anxious. She pondered about her son and his growth, but she didn’t allow her mama heart to ever become rattled.

I’m so pleased that my kids follow Joseph and Mary’s lead by instructing and instilling in their kids those things that will increase them in wisdom and favor. Early yesterday morning, I went over to their home for morning devotion (one of their “must-do’s” before heading out to school). They take 30 minutes to an hour each morning to pour God’s word into their hearts. Words that talk about honor, integrity, doing the right things, praying, trusting God, being a friend, etc.

I can hear some of you saying “We don’t have that much time in the mornings!” Then take 5 minutes to speak affirmation, God’s love and “I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength” motivation into them, and then pray with them for wisdom and favor. School mornings can be quite hectic but there is nothing more important than starting each day with putting God first. When He gets first place, then He promises to make their paths straight. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33.

It’s a new season at the Wallace’s as Payton is driving now, so he and Alexia headed out the door for school on their own. That’s enough reason to have a little extra anxiety. But, no matter whether it’s their first year of school or, in Payton’s case, his Senior year of school, we can turn all our anxieties that we have for our children into treasured prayers for their safety and know they are being held fast by our loving Father — the One who knows our hearts and loves our children even more than we do.

When we turn our concerns into prayers, we create space in our hearts to treasure and ponder like Mary did. During those times when God is teaching our kids – whether it’s in arithmetic or obedience or establishing friendships, let’s realize that we parents and grandparents are also learning beautiful lessons of trusting and treasuring – completely confident that God is always in control and FATHER KNOWS BEST for our children AND us!