Blog
“Self Control – What an Oxymoron!”
Writing on the topic of self-control is a bit funny to me. It is a place of great need in our family! It is one of those “broken record” issues. You know the phrases you feel like you say over and over again, and hopefully, just one day, you will see the fruit from such excruciating consistency. Unfortunately and honestly these “broken record” phrases are usually not said in a nice, calm voice full of patience and love, but, many times: “MAYA, ADA OR CARSON (depending on the day and I hope you can hear the tone in my words), you have lost it. Take a deep breath and find your center.” I don’t really know if they know what their center is. In the heat of the...
Read More“Battle Ready – our word for 2012” (evaluate)
When it was all said and done, we had over 10 words for 2012! Wow! We believe in a Father God that speaks and our children are learning that he has words to speak over them and our family. Carson: cornerstone, compassion, refuge, and righteousness Ada: joy, happiness, noble, love and courageous Maya: promise, something better Karla: now Ron: know me How do we choose? So, on this church day, everyone chose one of their words and did some exploring in their Bible for what Father had to say about that word. Second, we went to the Word to listen. Each child picked up his/her Bible, knew there was something called a concordance and found their word and a corresponding verse....
Read More“Let Me Fill the Cracks!”
You know those 10×10″ floor tiles, the ones that look really cool on kitchen floors? Well, they have mortar in between. In a wonderfully seasoned 50 year old pier and beam home, the mortar cracks and chips due to settling and shifting. As I sit in one of my most favorite places – my chair at our long farm house kitchen table, I’m struck by the brilliance of the moment: the bright sunshine, the cardinals feasting on breakfast, Maya, Ada, and Carson worshipping and creating as the Spirit guides them, and Karla and I sharing a cup of coffee and our vision and dreams for our family’s walk with Father. It’s a weighty discussion. It comes...
Read More“A Cool Diversion with the Story cards”
This year we tried something different with the Story cards. Instead of going through each card week by week, we just put all of them on the Family board and grabbed a version of the Bible called The Story. It is a chronological retelling of the Bible published by Zondervan – pretty cool. Our kids liked it, and it was a different way to discover Father’s heart for us in his Word right from the start. We read a chapter or two each time we sat down together and then looked for Story cards as we read. It was rich to take a piece of Scripture and find the Story cards hidden within it. It gave the kids a different understanding of each card as they had to defend...
Read More“Our Words for 2012 – a focus on the Future!” (evaluate)
It started a few years ago! At the beginning of that year, Ron and I asked Father for a word with this question: “What is on your mind for the Hagan family for this year?” During our conversations with him, we would listen, attentive to a phrase or a word that he would impress upon our heart and mind. Check out what he said: 2012 – Battle Ready 2011 – Hope 2010 – Harmony 2009 – Chasah The first year we did it, we actually stumbled upon it. Actually, I don’t know if we actually asked for it that year. I just remember Ron beginning to study “trust” and came upon the word “Chasah” in his studies. We ended up...
Read More“A Post Ski Trip Gathering” (God card #30 – Hide and Seek)
We got together with our ski trip group the week after we returned from Breckenridge. We had some great dinner and share together some words for God card #30. I believe God plays hide and seek. The kids chose this card, because they had played many games of hide and seek while on the trip. So, this picture triggered an immediate experience. This is the goal with the God cards. Our kids know the fun of hide and seek, the thrill of finding just the right place and the anticipation of being found! It is a great metaphor for Father. He too waits to found. After dinner, we all sat around the table with some paper and markers. We went around the circle and read each verse on...
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