Happy 10th Birthday Bailee!

A few highlights from your 9th year!
Bailee is usually the first smiling face I see in the mornings. She is the first one ready for school and after she downs her glass of OJ she sweetly goes out to Riley's car and warms it up.
Not only is today Bailee's 10th Birthday but, yesterday Bailee received a Citizenship Award. Her sweet teacher nominated her with the nicest letter... "Bailee adds to the support and learning in our classroom every day. She demonstrates careful listening, accurate work, and active participation. She takes ownership of her own learning and strives to produce quality work on all assignments.
She works well in groups or with a partner, planning and carrying out activities and projects. Her caring attitude and respectful manners are present at all times. She is a model citizen of fourth grade!" Please excuse me while I have a proud Mama moment!!
When she and Riley and Hallie get bored in the summer they love to have photo-shoots!
She caught a Catfish and several Skip-jacks that day!
She has her green belt in Tae Kwon Do now!Bailee Grace Banta, Daddy and I love you so very much and are extremely proud of your accomplishments!

Another Favorite Devo

OBEY Devo

This is one of my personal favorite Devotionals because it gets the kids to clean up while we are having Devo and they are having fun at the same time! This is how it usually goes... before bedtime Brady and I come into the living room or go down to the basement whichever was the messier room. Brady and I plop ourselves down in the middle of the room and call out "devo time" whichever kids weren't already in the room would come running. Have them sit down and happily tell them we are going to talk about how important it is to obey.

Scriptures we like to read:

Ephesians 6:1 Children obey your parents in everything for this is right.

Col. 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything for this pleases the Lord.

Deuteronomy 4:16 Honor your mother and father, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. ( It is the only one of the ten commandments that contains a promise.)

Then we play our "obey game" have them individually obey a quick little command. For some reason they really love doing this, maybe because they have an audience. "Charlie show us you know how to obey by putting three of the toys into the toy box. Jay can you show us you know how to obey? Please put the pillows back on the couch. Bailee will you please put all the wii games and equipment away!" ect. We praise them and thank them for quickly obeying. Close out Devo time with a prayer asking God to help all of us to always obey, even Mommy and Daddy!

Then the next day or the next week, when it is time for them to get out of the bath tub or time to go to bed and they are less than eager to obey, I remind them of our Obey game and how pleased the Lord is when they quickly obey. It is so frustrating and humiliating to have a disobedient child out in public, speaking from much experience here. Again, I think the audience comes into play when it turns into a power struggle. This has been the most effective way to positively teach obedience as opposed to discipline for disobedience. Although, discipline for disobedience works too!

The reason why we believe it is so important for our children to obey us is because we ultimately want them to obey God. We want them to follow the commands God so lovingly designed for us to follow so that they will love life and see good days. We also want them to quickly obey what their heavenly Father asks them to do when they are making their own life decisions.