Good Negotiator or Manipulator? You Decide

Last Wednesday evening I was cooking chicken soup and thinking about how close I was to the end of a very full day. I was looking forward to settling into bed with a good book and a glass of something refreshing. 

Tom had left for Lusaka the day before and would be away for a couple nights. 

As I chopped and stirred in the kitchen, Peter stopped by for a chat. The following conversation took place:

Peter: Mom, do you ever sleep alone?

Me: Sometimes.

Peter: Does it make you sad to sleep alone?

Me: *knowing full where where he is going with this* Why do you ask?

Peter: Well, I just thought since Dad is gone, I could sleep with you.

I was glad I had my back to him as I stirred the pot of soup because I was cracking up.

Peter has been asking to sleep with me for a few weeks now, but I always tell him no because "Mommy and Daddy need their privacy". And after I explained the meaning of privacy Peter had seemed to accept my decision. 

I guess he understood better than I thought and had simply bided his time. But rather than just ask me outright, he made it sound like he'd be doing me a favor. 

What would you do? Would you give in to the psychology that Peter employed?

Of course I let him spend the night with me. Creative thinking should be rewarded when possible. And it was fun to spend extra time with him.

One Year Ago: A Crazy 35-Hour Day

Three Years Ago: Some Mother's Child
Four Years Ago: Honey, Honey (another humorous parenting story)

Putting Him First

Once again I'm linking up with Five Minute Friday. This week's prompt is First.

My Bible study for the past several/many months has been To Live is Christ by Beth Moore which is a study of the Apostle Paul.

I've enjoyed so many elements of this study and learned more than I thought possible after spending my entire life studying and teaching Bible stories. 

The last video lesson was from the book of Philippians and one section focused on the verse: 

Philippians 3:12

....I press on to make it [Christ's righteousness] my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.

Beth marveled how amazing it is that God chose her first, and me first, and you first. Before even the earth was created God chose me and He chose you to have a specific purpose in life. 

And in honor of this privilege of being chosen first by the Creator of the Universe, God wants us to put him first above all else. When we do that, amazingly it creates room for the things that are important to us because our priorities are first focused on making Him and others happy and that makes all other elements fall into place. 

We love Him because He first loved us. Amazing Love!

I hope you know how much He loves you. 

(Almost) Exactly One Year Ago: Nothing Like a Burst of Adrenaline toKickstart the New Year

Exactly Three Years Ago: A New Experience

(Almost) Exactly Four Years Ago: Garden Glories

Exactly Five Years Ago: The Three Stooges

Almost Exactly Six Years Ago: Fab Friday Foto—Vol. IX

When Education and Exercise Collide We All Win

Last year I picked up FitBits for Tom and I. I wanted to keep track of my steps and was eager for Tom to be able to track his sleep as well as his steps, of course.

I've already discussed within these pages how competitive I can be sometimes. Tom and I began competing with each other, but it's been hard for me to win. He is constantly moving--even when he talks on the phone he paces--and I often have to stay in one place to do my work.

However, it did get me moving more. Where in the past I would call a child to carry items hither, thither and yon, I now run those errands myself. Multiple trips needed? Even better! Our property is spread out. Say I want to start dinner but still have office work left? Those two tasks are in separate buildings. So I can get plenty of steps in just getting up from my desk to check on a simmering pot every 15 minutes or so.

However, I was still finding it difficult to get to my goal of 10,000 steps. 

I've now begun walking in the mornings. One side benefit is that I take our dog Chewy with me and also Johnny. Both child and dog have similar issues--plenty of energy that needs dispersing. Johnny gets to choose one child to accompany us each morning.

This week my sister started a FitBit challenge. It's called Workweek Challenge and is designed to see who can get the most steps in from Monday to Friday. My morning walks took on even greater importance.

This morning I woke up to sprinkly, rainy weather. "Guess I can't walk today," I mused. (and inside I grinned--I didn't really want to walk so early in the morning) By my regular walk time the rain had stopped, but I'd already made up my mind not to walk so I snuggled back into bed and did my Bible study. 

Forty-five minutes later I was beginning to worry. Now Mike will definitely beat me. And Steph and Kerri are neck and neck with me. I can't afford to miss a day!!

But now it was school time. I had to go to work. Whatever could I do?

First was Assembly. And then Devotions. And then Snack. 

But then!

I lined up all the first graders and we hit the road. We walked out the gate--in two straight lines (name that book!)--actually in just one straight line, and up the hill. 

As we walked I shouted out math problems and the kids answered. We reviewed the alphabet and phonics sounds. We talked about geography. We counted by ones, twos, fives and tens.

Then, at our turnaround point we discovered Sandra's dad making charcoal just off the road. The kids ran over and got a lesson on charcoal making. They got really excited about maybe even making some on their own.

We ended up having a 30 minute walk where the kids could learn in a different setting, and I got my daily walk in. Win! Win!

Exactly Five Years Ago: Down for the Count
Exactly Six Years Ago: Christmas is for Kids