blog, blog, blog...

Well, thanks, as for "The Rules, their reasons and their consequences", they are going so great it's unbelievable. She can't read, but at once stage she pulled me over to the chart and pointed to the consequence where she gets a story for being good. And her behaviour has changed so much in such a short space of time! (And she'll go off to her room without griping, coz, you know, THAT's the consequence!)
As for other things. Now that I gave myself permission to start saving my money to eventually go flatting, a WHOLE new lot of options has opened up to me. I realised, saving that same ammount I could have enough for a deposit to BUY a little unit. Or another idea that came up, I'd have enough for 2 years of university education. (But, I think I really like the idea of having my own little place). I truely didn't think I had the right to save money for anything, because I already basically have a house, a bach and a car. But no, not really. They're Mum's. It was all those verses about 'you can't serve God and money, you will love one and hate the other"... and as my psychologist would say, a feeling of having "no entitlement". So what did I do? I spent my money each week on things that didn't make me happy.
(You've given me so much confidence about my blog, Lu, that I'm hoping I don't get long-winded and self indulgent!)
Another little thought, about knowing bible stuff. I've realised lately, that you can know about God, but there are things that can only be learnt by walking them out and walking with God. And one thing I really struggle with is the concept "it's not about me, it's about we". (Pat me on the back, I just made that up). As John, from study, mentioned tonight... it's not all about us and "personal blessings". It's about us, as a group (a church) showing God's nature to the world. So like... being part of a group? Do I get to keep my personality?
Maybe I just don't get what it really means. But if I theorise about it, I'll get no-where. I guess I just have to start "hanging out" and it will happen naturally.

The Rules: Day one!

Hey! Well, day one of the new rules has gone really well. I presented them today at 3 oclock, and became aware of a spiritual gift I may have in the mean-time (Lu, I sent you an email).
So far so good. The rules were explained, and the consequences explained, and when Catherine did something, off we went to the chart, pointed out the rule and followed through with the consequence... and another cool thing now is, Catherine knows a new word... "Consequences"! which I hope will be a concept I can drill into her over the years.

THE RULES AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES

Well, I've sat down a finally written some family rules and some consequences. I've tried it before, but because I didn't really believe in them ... they just went nowhere... so I've just picked the ones that I can actually keep to. They're quite selfish really. Stop d##m well breaking my stuff!! I rant, I rave, I smack, I boil and throw a major Mummy tantrum, and still my face cream gets squeezed down the plug hole. (Yes, that happened tonight). But since I've sat down and thought about this, when I was trying to think of the reason WHY we "Don't play with, break or loose Mummy's things", I realised that it's quite a reasonable request. When I was a kid it was just a given that we don't break our stuff, because we are a family and we work together. Somehow, that's just something I havn't managed to pass down to Catherine. (I know she's only four, but I think she's getting to the stage where she can understand some of this stuff).

Anyway. I think it's just the result of being abused by Catherines Dad all those years. His family just smashed each others things on a daily basis. They were so poor, and yet they acted like they were millionaires, coz they'd buy something new, then leave it out in the rain (literally). On the other hand, we lived off one income and were probably poorer than alot of people, but when I was a kid I trapsed off to school I went and told everyone we were rich, coz when I asked my Dad he said "We're alot better off than alot of people in the world".

It's just that thing of gratitude that I really need to regain, and pass down to Catherine.