Tag: kids

You Provoke Me!

Jennifred Jones

I heard several versions of this phrase repeatedly growing up… ‘Stop provoking me!’, ‘Don’t provoke me!’ It was usually a result of an antagonistic action. When we kids were being sassy and rebellious, mother would say, “Stop provoking me!” In other words, ‘you’re asking for it…shape up or you’re going to get it!’

What does that strange word mean? Well, it rhymes with ‘poke’… could be almost restated, prod, goad, maybe even push or stir up….(’I’m going to stir up some batter and cookies are going to come out of it.’)

To provoke someone means you are intending to generate a response…a reaction.

It’s interesting though, God uses the word provoke in a positive sense. He says, ‘provoke one another to do good works.’

That caught my attention the first time I saw it.

To me, it meant I could do or say something, all by myself, that could cause, encourage, ‘incite’, wake –up, provoke! someone to do good! That was powerful to me!

I could be a force to ‘incite’ good, to help other people want to do good for their benefit and their family’s good.

Much today tries to incite people to do bad, think bad, be bad, treat other people bad, treat themselves bad… but I, (we) have the same amount of power to incite (provoke) people to do good!

That really is revolutionary!

I am just me! Little ole’ me, yet I can be a provoker of good and be an influence wherever I go to ‘poke, prod, goad, push, stir-up, incite, wake-up, encourage, provoke, make them want to do good!!!

No rallying speech necessary… just live my life before others… happy, free, smiling, encouraging, helping, thanking, praying,  building people up in whatever their current state of affliction might be…saying something that might help them see their situation from a different angle so they don’t  give in to despair.

We can be the counter-balance.

In spite of all the provocation to do ill towards others, we can provoke others to want to do good.

Who will you provoke today?

 

 

The ‘Scream’ Door

Jennifred Jones

When we were little, before central air conditioning, mother left the doors open on good days to let the fresh air blow through the screen door. For some reason my brother called it the scream door. Maybe it was because mom would go to the door and yell for us kids to come in or stop fighting or whatever else we were doing outside that she didn’t want us doing.

I don’t want to be a screamer.

There were times when my kids were small that I used to find myself raising my voice and yelling at them — a lot! I hated to see the look on their little faces when I yelled at them, but I was desperate to gain control. We have 6 kids, all grown now, and sometimes I didn’t know the best way to handle things so I’d end up yelling.

One day after I’d gotten them all to bed, at that time we had 4, I began to think about my yelling at them and realized I didn’t want my kids growing up and all they could remember was their mother yelling at them. How horrible would that be?!!!

I made a quality decision right then that I’d not raise my voice and yell at them anymore and asked God to hold me to it and help me.

Everytime I was tempted to yell at them I’d remember what I didn’t want to be remembered for and I’d be able to control my voice. I also found myself apologizing to all my kids for yelling at them and told them how much I really loved them and wanted them. I’ve had to apologize to them a lot since then about other things, but I believe I have my kids’ hearts and they have mine.

Now that the grandkids are coming along, I don’t want them being yelled at and I am so glad God helped me change my example. I’m sure they will go through trying times as I did, but they will work it through and hopefully make the better choice each time.

Is there someone you need to talk to about your voice?

A soft answer turns away anger.

You will end up doing good things.

Beauty

Jennifred Jones

Be on the lookout for beauty in your everyday life.

I believe God likes it when we add beauty to our surroundings, our home, our yard, our kitchens, our closet, our wardrobe. Beauty adds something uplifting to our spirits that nothing else can.

If you don’t see beauty where you are, make some! Place a pretty vase in the sunshine to catch the rays and make rainbows, open the windows and refresh the air inside your home. Artistically hang up your children’s drawings to brighten your laundry room walls and see their smiles when they walk in and find their little ‘Rembrandts’ placed where everyone will notice!

For dinner table decor go outside and gather colorful stones, some sticks, moss, acorns, autumn leaves, or whatever you see that looks interesting and make an outdoor arrangement inside– using your old stoneware plate, or tarnished silver platter from grandmother to place everything on, and let the kids help…better yet, let them do it all! It’s good for them to learn the experience of making beauty.

We are creative beings made in the image of God and when we make beautiful things we feel better inside. That’s just the way we’re made! And there’s nothing wrong with that feeling.

Toss the beauty of a kind word, a compliment or a smile to those at home and away and watch how that beauty changes the other person.

People really do want to see beauty. It’s like an oasis in the everyday mundane. Beauty gives hope of better things and better times to come. It reminds us of the God that made us and His watchful care.

Go out today and create some beauty. It doesn’t have to cost a thing and the effects are lasting!