There is a sock in the dishwater

I would love a cup of coffee.  This is what I told myself one morning around 10 a.m.  I went into the kitchen and I started messing with other stuff.  I was thinking about what I needed to do for dinner tonight.  I pulled out the crock pot and noticed there was some baked on stuff.  I couldn't get it off so I thought I would soak it for a bit.  I went over to the sink and there it was.  There was a sock in the dishwater.  I recognized it at once.  It is the same sock that I had told my son to put in the dirty clothes.  Somehow it had ended up in the sink.  I believe that he put it in there intentionally.  It is not unlike a lot of the things in our lives.  Do we want to record that show?  Do we want that promotion?  Do we want that outfit?  Do we want to take that trip?  All of these things require intentional acts on our part.

I like to live intentionally.  It gives me purpose and direction.  I want to live intentionally for Christ.  I think this is especially important when it comes to my kids.  I want them to know that we do things a certain way because we follow Christ and this is what is required.  I want them to know that Daddy loves Jesus and I want them to know why Daddy loves Jesus.

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

We have been working on some things in Sunday school that I believe will help anyone who might be struggling with the idea of living intentionally.  First, we created a family mission statement.  This is a simple document that says we are the Orr's and this is what we believe in.  Someone in my class took that one step further and created a shortened version.  It is simply a synopsis of the larger mission.  For example, Orr kids are patient, kind, compassionate, respectful, and loving.  The shortened version is nice because I can ask the kids what are Orr kids?  They will be able to recite just what Orr kids are.

Something else that I love doing is giving my kids a blessing every morning before they get out of the truck to go into school.  I took it from Numbers 6:24-26:

"Andrew and Teagan may the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace"

It is another simple way that I can live intentionally while encouraging the kids at the same time.

There are so many things that we can do as parents that allow us to live out loud for Christ.  I don't want anyone to think Jeremy has it all together.  Let me be real for a moment.  Most days I feel like I am losing at this game of parenting.  I don't feel up to the task.  I feel inadequate and unworthy.  The truth is I probably am inadequate.  The cool thing is that by living out loud or by living intentionally I don't really have to worry.  God takes my efforts and magnifies the impact that it has beyond what I am able to comprehend.

Ok, I think I will go get that cup of coffee now.  Oh and I should probably get the sock out of the dishwater.

Listening to the Voice,
Jeremy