Jenifer Metzger : legacy

Life in Bloom

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Oh Be Careful Little Eyes

The other day I talked about a commercial I saw on tv this week. This commercial for a fast food chain looked more like an ad for an x-rated film than for a hamburger. I was appalled to say the least.

I contacted the company informing them that my family would no longer be eating their establishments and that, yes, I had informed my family and friends of what I had seen and disapproved of.

There reply?

"We regret that you were displeased with our advertising promotion. {Restaurant name here} restaurants, adopts a creative approach to our advertising. We do not aim to offend anyone with our efforts, but merely to offer entertaining content. We understand that not everyone may view our advertising the same way, so we respect all views and welcome all comments. Your feedback is very important to us."

A creative approach in advertising!? No, that was not a creative approach. That did not make me want to buy a hamburger. It did not make me want to visit their chains. It did make me want to vomit. It did make me angry. It did make me afraid to turn the tv on again.

We must guard our heart. We must be careful of what we see and hear. This garbage is everywhere.

My husband and I were discussing this yesterday. We have very strict blocks on our computers, kindles, and cell phones through Covenant Eyes. We closely monitor what our family watches on tv. We try to record most things on dvr so that when we watch the shows we can fast forward through commercials. But there are occasions, like Sunday night, when we are watching a live show, like the local news, and something sneaks by us. And then there are those times when you are driving down the highway and a billboard advertising undergarments or a store or a "place" appears and you have no way, other than trying to distract your child, to protect them. There are women dressed inappropriately as you walk in the mall or down the street. The list can go on and on.

I don't want this junk to fill my home or my children's eyes and hearts. We must do what it takes to guard our children. We must protect them. But we must also teach them to protect their own eyes and hearts. We must teach our children the difference between right and wrong. We must teach them to avoid inappropriate things and when it is unavoidable, to turn their heads. They need to learn, even at a young age, to live with integrity.

Our children need to know what God expects and what we, as parents, expect. We need to be careful what we let our eyes, and the eyes of our children, see. As I told my daughter recently, what they see and do now as children and teens, it affects their future. It is time to be careful about what we see.

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little ears what you hear

O be careful little ears what you hear

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little ears what you hear

O be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little hands what you do

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little feet where you go

O be careful little feet where you go

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little feet where you go

O be careful little mouth what you say

O be careful little mouth what you say

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little mouth what you say

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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Help! An Intruder Is Breaking In!

Let me ask you a question. You are standing in the kitchen cooking dinner as your family plays a game in the living room. Suddenly an intruder breaks into the home. What do you do?

Answering for myself, I will do whatever it takes to protect my family.

You have probably heard many stories, maybe on television or even in real life, of parents doing whatever it takes to protect their family from harm. I've heard of moms leading their children into the shower or closets and dads taking on the intruder. As a parent, we do what we can to take care of our children.

Friend, there is an intruder. This intruder tries daily, hourly even, to harm your family. This intruder comes into your home uninvited. This intruder will stop at nothing to bring harm to your spouse, children and you. This intruder is only out to kill, steal and destroy your lives.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10

Satan is an intruder. Satan sneaks into your home through the television, radio, internet, cell phones, through our thoughts and any other way he can find to destroy us. Our family is exposed to p*rnography. Our children exposed to bullying. Music that talks about dancing in provocative ways. Commercials selling an ideal image that is unrealistic. Drinking, smoking and drugs is presented at every turn. Yes, Satan is trying to destroy your family.

What will you do about it?

Friend, fight for your family. Tell Satan that he has no place in your home and your family. Scream at him just as you would scream at a physical intruder breaking into your home with a weapon. Scream and tell Satan to go away!

When I say scream, I mean physically, literally, at the top of your lungs scream! Stomp up and down on his head and physically kick him back to the dungeon he belongs in! Let him know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has no place in your family! Let him know that his intrusion is not acceptable and you will not stand for it! Friend, I am being serious; shout at him! Send him running with his tail between his legs straight back to hell!

In addition to physically and literally screaming at Satan, be careful what you let into your home. Closely monitor what your family watches on television, what music your family listens to, what books and magazines are being read, what websites are visited, what games are being played and what friends your children are hanging out with. Fill your home with worship music and scripture verses. Pray daily lifting your family to God. Pray daily with your family.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,

whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything

is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

I am tired of letting Satan breaking into my home and trying to destroy my family! I am tired of hearing of Satan breaking into my friends' homes and trying to destroy their families! It is time to get serious and put Satan in his place! It is time to fight for our families! Are you with me? Are you ready to stand up and fight Satan? Let me hear you shout it!

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My Husband Rocks Tees & more @ Union28.net!

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Passing On Faith

My sweet sister, Shari from Leaving a Legacy, is starting a new series today. I encourage you to check it out, you will be glad you did! Her series is The Power of a Praying Parent, from the book by Stormie Omartian. I have read this book and love it. It has blessed my family in many ways. Please take a moment to check out Shari's series. Click HERE.

We pray. We teach our children to pray. But do we have faith that God will work? Do we teach our children to have faith God will work? It is easy to say a prayer. But believing, having the faith that He will move, that is where the miracle lies.

When you pray, have full faith and confidence

that God will perform a miracle.

If we teach our children to pray, but do not teach them to have faith, it is like teaching them hollow words. God wants us to believe. Believe that He can and will move the mountains in our lives. Do you believe? Do you pray and drop it at His feet knowing He will move?

And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith;

for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,

you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it

will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."

Matthew 13:31

Pray knowing God will move. Show your children what faith truly is.

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Having A Mission-Minded Heart

Religion that God our Father accepts as
pure and faultless is this: to look after

orphans and widows in their distress and

to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27

God wants us to have a heart for the orphans, for the fatherless. Sadly, no matter what country you live in, you don't have to look far to find the orphans. We live in a hurting world with orphans all over. Children who go to bed at night without a mommy and daddy to tuck them in. Children who have never had a story read to them. Children who go to bed literally starving. Children who feel lost and alone. God wants us to reach out to them. We need to have a mission-minded heart.

Are we reaching out?

Are we teaching our children to love the orphans?

Photo Source

If your family is in a position to, I encourage you to contact a Christian sponsorship program like World Vision or Compassion International. Our children's ministry at church has sponsored a precious little girl from El Salvador. Our children in the church collect change all month long to support our little girl. We pray for her as a group and encourage our children to pray for her at home. Her beautiful little picture is posted in our kitchen as a reminder to pray for her and collect our change for her.

Maybe you don't have the money to sponsor a child, but you can still pray. Daily pray that God would bless the orphans and send people there to help them.

Check locally at shelters and see where you can volunteer to help serve the widows, orphans and homeless. You can donate old blankets, coats, shoes and even teddy bears. Why throw them out when someone can be blessed by them. You can donate time to help out at shelters.

Look around your own church and neighborhood. Is there a widow who could use some help around her home? Maybe just a friend to have tea with. Is there a single mom struggling? Maybe she could use a free babysitter or help with the laundry. Is there an elderly man or woman in a nursing home with no family to visit? They could use someone to show them they are loved.

I want my children to grow up with a servant's heart. A heart to reach out and care about others. They will only grow up with that if they first see it in me, if I model that to them now. Are you showing your kids how to have a mission-minded heart? A servant's heart?

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Thursday, January 10, 2013

UNPLUGGING FOR A BIT

Mom, is it my turn for the computer?

Mom, can I have the remote yet?

Mom, he's had the kindle forever!

Have you heard phrases like this in your home? It always seems to start with Mom drawn out in a long whine. {smiles} We live in a plugged in world. Everyone has TVs, everyone has computers, and everyone has cell phones and nowadays everyone has kindles/ipads/nooks. Our eyes are glued to screens, big and small, all day long. I am very guilty of this myself. While I do not watch tv, I spend many hours on my computer and when away from my computer, I spend much time on my cell phone. I love being connected and plugged in.

But if I were honest, sometimes I get a little tired of it all. Sometimes I want all six pairs of eyes in our home to be on each other and not a screen. Sometimes I just want to get out and be in nature. Sometimes I want to plug into only my family and God.

In our home we have no phone zones, such as meal time, prayer time, devotions, school time and church time. We only allow the kids so much time on the computer and we try to keep their TV watching to a minimum. But we are not perfect at this. There are days the kids go from the computer to the kindle. There are days they watch too much TV. And there are days I spend way to much time on the computer.

As much as my kids love to play on the computer or kindle and watch movies, I truly believe they more enjoy times being unplugged. The days that I, after dinner, I say get your shoes on let's go for a walk, they light up like they never do at my allowing them to play on the computer. The days I pull out the Uno cards they light up like they never do at popping in a movie.

I think it is time to regain family time. Time to unplug from the world a little more and plug into family.

What are ways we can plug into family?

1. Set a time limit to things such as TV, computer, ereaders and cell phones. Stick to it! Even you {me}!
2. Commit to family dinner at the table at least four nights a week. Statistics prove that families who have consistent meal times together are stronger and the kids do better in school.
3. After dinner, instead of crashing in front of the tv, go for a walk as a family, read a book together letting each reader in the home read a few pages, play a board game or do a puzzle.
4. Before bed turn off all electronics and sit around together talking. Have everyone say their high and low points from the day.
5. Commit to family devotions each day.

These are memories your children will have for life. I want my children to remember times together, not times of each person sitting in their own corner of the room playing on their own cell/laptop/ereader.

Unplug from the world and plug into your family.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A Home That Says Jesus

It is so fun to decorate your home at Christmas time. Shiny lights, stockings hung with care, stars placed high on trees, ornaments of every color, some homemade yet some treasures passed down, candles that burn, and the scent of Christmas goodies throughout the house as you bake.

Photo Credit

I love decorating for the seasons and holidays, but decorating for Christmas is my favorite. Our home is full of red and white decorations and lots of snowmen. A large Christmas tree in our dining room, a medium tree in our living room and a small table top tree in the kids' bathroom {yes, bathroom}. We love Christmas time.

As much as I love decorating for Christmas, as much as I love lights and snowmen, I would put it all away never to be brought out again if my home did not reflect Christ. This season is about Him. About the One who came to save us. The One who came to give us hope and a future. How can our home not reflect Him?

When people come over I don't want them to ooh and aah over my decorations, I want them to see that we are celebrating the birth of a King. The King of all kings.

So among our snowmen and red and white stockings, you will find scripture verses in every room, nativity scenes, gingerbread men in the kitchen that say "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" and children's book that share of Jesus' birth. You will also find a family doing an advent study every morning and prayers lifted throughout the day.

It is so easy to follow the world's example of Christmas being all about give me, give me, give me. Will you follow their lead or will your home, family and heart reflect the true meaning of Christmas?

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One of our reflections of Christ in our home is a beautiful The Heart of Jesus Advent Tabletop Devotional from Dayspring. Each day offers a scripture verse and thought provoking question for your day. It is so precious to see my children read the verse and ponder the questions. What I love so much about this devotional is that it can be used every single year.

Another reflection of Christ is my beautiful Christmas Share The Joy Christmas Apron also from Dayspring. I love to wear aprons when I cook and this apron has brought a beautiful sense of Christmas and Christ's joy to my kitchen.

For the Share The Joy Christmas Apron, The Heart of Jesus Advent Tabletop Devotional, and much more check out Dayspring, click the picture below.

Sweet Blessings~

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Joy Through It All

The other night as we sat down to dinner, laughter filled the kitchen. I loved looking around the table at my husband and children as they smile, laugh and joke. This is a beautiful time. A special time. When our family can connect with one another.

The problems of this world weigh us down.

You or your husband come home from work with the hard day weighing on your shoulders.

Bills pile up with no end in sight and the stress builds up until you feel buried.

Health issues take a toll on your physically, mentally and spiritually. You would love nothing more than to hide your head under the covers and cry yourself to sleep.

This world is hard. Many things hurt.

As I watched my family laugh and smile I was reminded that even through those difficult times we need to find joy and laughter. And the truth is, that even in those difficult times, we can find the joy and laughter through Jesus. When the struggles of the world have you feel like you are sinking, put your eyes on Jesus. Remember His promise of a hope and a future, a promise of an eternity of no more tears.

Enjoy laughter. Enjoy smiles and jokes. Let your home be filled with joy, the joy of Jesus.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter

and your lips with shouts of joy.

Job 8:21

Sweet Blessings~

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