18/21 | The Power of Sugar

Here is a link to the message chaNges from March 1, 2015 if you want to play along.

chaNges | week1

Also, please use the comments to post your own experience with the 21 Day Change-Awareness Exercise (21DCAE).  Please know that I will do my best to pray over post and prayer request as we do this together.  Good luck.

Schools are an interesting place.  As an elementary student a couple of times a month you get either French Toast Sticks or Pancakes for lunch.  I remember looking so forward to those days as a student and, like square pizza, schools still serve it.  Never did I think anything about it until I had a boy that has a significant response to refined sugar and the stuff that has the greatest impact on his day, the most significant influence on spiking his energy level is inexpensive syrup made with refined sugar.  And, unfortunately, this is the exact thing they serve at school.

Unfortunately, this meant that our family of five was represented by just three for Redeemer's Lent Programming (an amazing teaching from Pastor Emmanuel Mkubwa on fasting by the way).  Mom and child had a very good evening hanging and baking together, but I was reminded at how little effort it takes to manage a situation like this.  

Amazingly, the schools send home a lunch menu home before each month begins and I can look at it and determine if I need to send a cold lunch on any particular day--they let just about anyone do that.  Anticipation.  A good night of rest and today is a new day.

I had a great conversation with my oldest on the way home from church last night.  In talking about his brother he offered himself to help his brother when he is have a rough day getting along.  I love what he said, "Dad, the other day I was able to help a friend of mine calm down when he was really mad and wanted to get in a fight.  I think that is one of the things that I'm good at."  We talked about what that means and I helped him to name it.  My oldest is developing--changing--into a peacemaker.

Lord, thank you for the work that you are doing in my children, changing them for Your purpose.  Amen.