M.A.T.U.R.E.

I'm not sure how mature I am...it's 12:10 a.m. and I'm being seranaded by my son Caleb and cousin Logan via their guitars...I'm impressed by several things: these are two genuinely gentle and sensitive young christian men who love the Lord and care about the elderly. Actually, I'm hanging out with them, daughter Crystal, daughter-in-love Krista and nine other of their Sikes' cousins in the great room of the lodge. Everyone else has gone to bed.

During the day today, as the parents sat around discussing their children, I heard comments about how different kids mature at different rates. I heard about how amazingly so and so had grown or what good young moms Mindy, Vanessa, Julie, Jessica, Teresa, and Jenny were.

Two thoughts came to mind:
1. The end of Christ's wonderful Sermon on the Mount, He says, "Be mature as Your heavenly Father is mature." Some versions use the word perfect...but the word mature is so encouraging...He's telling us to grow up to be like our DADDY...or grow up to be like our BIG BROTHER.

2. Years ago, one of the 13 Sikes' kids, Steve's brother Stanten, had just become the father of 7 children of his own. In an effort to help them to grow up to be mature young christian men and women, he created the mature game. Steve and I had already been doing a family contract and jobs cards with our kids. I was so excited about the mature game and asked Stanten if I could tweak it to what I was already doing. I hope the idea blesses you as much as it did my own children and some of these young Sikes' cousins over some very formative years:

On 6 index cards write one letter per card spelling out the word mature. Each child has their own 6 MATURE cards with the goal of spelling the word out before the morning is over. Here's what the letters stand for with an explanation of what each one is telling your child to do:

Meditate ---Some time this morning spend time meditating on God's word, hopefully writing some thoughts in a journal
Attitude ---Keep your attitude the same as Christ Jesus.
Task --- Do your morning task or tasks, to the best of your ability as to the Lord.
Useful Deed---Think of something that you can do to reach out and serve someone-do it!
Read ---- Spend 30 minutes reading in a good book-other than the Bible.
Exercise and Eat Right --- Spend 20 minutes doing aerobic exercise and drink plenty water in the process...eat to nourish your body!

Watch each of your children spell it out on the table as they finish each letter. Trasformation will begin to take place over the next few weeks and months as you consistently spell mature....in fact, why not you do the mature cards yourself!

Thank God for Stanten...who now has 8 grandchildren


Here is Stanten this week teaching some eager learners a new Bible song.