Friday, June 13, 2008

Leaving A Mark....


Well, last night we went to Music by Moonlight at Landmark Park.  We had  a great time with dear friends.  I loved watching the boys dance, which quickly turned into running to the beat of the music, which oddly enough turned into wrestling.  Ben is really trying to teach the boys when it is ok to wrestle.  Ben said there is an unwritten boys code that states you don't wrestle in public places.  That is a hard lesson for them, it's basically how they move.  Have you ever heard of a snake pit?  Well, that's my boys...
I am so glad to have a husband who came from a family of 3 boys.  They are the best of friends and are a dear part of my boys lives. I look forward to watching my guys grow in their relationship with one another.   We tell them that they are each other's best friends.  I want my boys to be just like Ben when they grow up.  

Now, before I head into the rest of what I wanted to write about today I want to brag on a friend.
She is a Kindergarten teacher with me and is so FUN!  She has 2 precious boys.  They are in the 4th and 2nd grade.  They are cool.  You can tell, but you know what?  They were KIND to my boys.  Yes, they were.  Do you know what that meant to Benjamin and Luke that they met 2 boys yesterday that were cool AND played with them?  A LOT!!!!!!  Good job friend raising men that are comfortable in their own skin and are kindhearted!!!!!!!  We are raising the next generation of men and our training ground is the pool, school, playgrounds and parks, home, the woods, church, and every other place that our little men find themselves.  You have encouraged my boys, set a GREAT example, and touched my heart.  Thank you!  

Well, my blog friends let's explore something together.  How do you leave fingerprints on someone's life?  The Bible instructs us on this issue.  Let's see what the Word says and how we apply it daily.  
"But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" I John 3:17

"If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them,"Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." James 2:15-17

These verses remind us to care for those in need.  There are many more that we could use. However, yesterday I posted a poem from Simple Faith and it moves me every time I read it. Don't be overwhelmed.  We can't meet the needs of the world, but we can focus on our sphere of influence.  I think the key is to weave the Gospel into our serving.  We are His hands aren't we?  When we serve for Him, we leave a mark.  Only you know how fingerprints are all unique. No two the same.  When we are believers, our fingerprints change to that of our Maker.  It becomes His marking.  Leave His mark on someone's life today. 
Share with us ways that you minister mercy to those around you.  It doesn't have to be "grand." In fact every day ways that you leave His markings will encourage us to do the same.  How do you leave His Fingerprints?

3 comments:

Tonja said...

Beautiful post! The only thing God can use to make a man is a little boy! He expects us to instill life lessons and values...this is what they will use to grow into the man God wants.

So many times our children are not kind because we don't model it. Children by nature tend to think of themselves and it is up to us to show them what it means to do things for others with no expectation of any reward. I remember taking my boys to deliver
Meals on Wheels with me. They enjoyed it so much they fought over whose turn it was to go with me. And, I know you are already teaching this to your boys, Andi. I've seen it.

Now...my fingerprints. I hope my fingerprints are all over the lives of the children I teach. I am humbled that I am in the position to have influence on little lives. I hope I model God's countenance to those precious souls. And I pray that they can see some of His character in my life.

Leah said...

I love this post! Thanks for stopping by my blog...I'll be checking back with you often!

Leah

Reba said...

sweet story! i look forward to the "wrestling days" with my two little men. although, like you said, i know it will be hard to temporarily quench their little spirited rumblings at times. :) i hope my boys will be best friends, too!! that is a huge prayer of mine. i hope i am making GOOD fingerprints on my boys lives...and also hope to be mindful of doing things in the community that will joyfully impact others.