The Ritzes 3.0
  • Family Update
  • Jason Jabbers
  • Carla's Blog
  • Timotheology
  • Pictures/Videos
  • Contact Us

Carla's Blog

A Family-Friendly Summer

6/29/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
After church today, I found myself frustrated with our son and about to launch into a diatribe on all the reasons he better "shape up or this is going to be one long summer."  I then detailed my frustration to him - namely, the constant need to remind. Reminders to take care of the dogs, reminders to eat breakfast, reminders to make sure he has clean laundry, reminders to mind his manners, reminders to keep his attitude in check, reminders to brush teeth or use deodorant, reminders to limit his screen time.  I told him that I felt like we'd been reminding him about the exact same things for 13 years and that I was about to lose my mind that he still needed to be reminded.  Then I took a deep breath and looked at his frustrated and defeated face and found the grace (thank you, God) to say, "What's driving you crazy?  That's what is driving me crazy, but anytime three people live in a two-bedroom apartment together and call each other family they are going to drive each other crazy.  So what makes you frustrated with Daddy and I lately?"  Surprise, surprise - His father and I have some pretty annoying habits as well!  Turns out as much as we hate reminding him about things every day - he hates BEING REMINDED constantly!  He also doesn't like that we tell him to limit his screen time, but it seems to him that we are constantly staring at a screen ourselves.  There were others, but there's no reason to over-share, right? 

We ended up having an impromptu family meeting and coming up with a game plan to eliminate the annoying reminder cycle (we will not remind him about things unless he asks for assistance in being reminded and he will suffer natural consequences and/or loss of time with friends if he lets something important slide) and to limit our screen time as a family this summer (Technology-free Tuesdays for the whole family and a set time limit for internet usage the rest of the week.)  We have also posted a family calendar for the summer on the refrigerator and we have committed to finding a family hobby to enjoy together during all those hours that will be freed up by the lack of nagging and internet surfing.

Living together as family is not always easy (sometimes it is down right exhausting and painful), but God is faithful to provide ways to help us live together in peace and even joy when we commit to sticking it out as a family and not giving up on each other.  What are some ways that you have found to make family life better, especially during the summer months?


Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

0 Comments

Lessons Learned on Youth Sunday

9/8/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
This morning the students in the youth group at our church were involved in every aspect of the service. <It was great.>

During the "preaching time," our youth pastor interviewed three of the high school students and asked them some very important questions that had some very important answers.  I thought they were worth passing on:

1. "How do you want older adults to pray for your generation?" 
  • I want them to pray that we will make good decisions.
  • I want them to pray that we will never become too contented in our spiritual lives, that we will always keep striving to know God more.
  • I want them to pray that we won't give up the faith, when we are asked to stand out and be different, and when we feel like we are missing out on things because of our decision to live the Christian life.

2. "How can the older generations help your generation?"
  • We watch you.  Please be good examples.
  • Please pray for us.
  • Treat us with respect.  Show us that you value us and what we have to offer.
  • Encourage us when you see us on the right path.  
  • Expect more than one word or one sentence answers from us, especially when it comes to spiritual things.  We have more to say, encourage us to do so.
  • Live a Christian life that makes us want what you have, that encourages us to keep the faith.


Will do!  Thanks, Image Youth Group!  

0 Comments

I didn't realize...

1/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Yesterday my son went with his youth group to volunteer with Target:Dayton.  They served a meal to the people who came in need of one.  Some were homeless, others barely getting by.  Timmy was in charge of the coffee.  

As we drove home, after the bus dropped him back off at our local church, I asked him about his experience.  These are the 3 simple things he shared with me and the profound lessons I learned from him:

1. Tim's quote: "Not everyone there "looked" homeless."  Mom's lesson: Not everyone I meet today who could use my help or encouragement will "look" like they need it.  That doesn't mean I should withhold it.  Target:Dayton provides their services indiscriminately and lets each individual decide whether or not they need them and want to receive them.  I should be so generous with my time, resources and attention.

2. Tim's quote: "I didn't know there were so many people in Dayton that were homeless.  There were so many of them." Mom's lesson: The need in the world is greater than I realize or have ever actually seen with my own eyes.  If I saw it all at once, it would likely overwhelm me and paralyze me.  The need is great.  I would be wise not to forget that.

3. Tim's quote: "There was a lady who worked there who came up to me and told me I was doing a good job."  Mom's lesson: It helps to know when we are on the right track.  Serving others isn't easy and when I see someone doing it well, I should tell them so.  We all secretly wonder whether what we are doing is making a difference and whether we are "doing it right."  Words of encouragement are precious gifts that keep the givers giving.

One bonus lesson I learned: The first time our children (or any one else for that matter) experience something, we need to pay attention to their reactions and descriptions.  When we have "been there and done that," we forget the power of a first experience and the unique perspective that comes with it.  


0 Comments

Learning From Senior Saints

9/16/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Tonight we had the blessing of sitting on a panel for a young adult small group at our church discussing the topic of marriage.  There were three couples on the panel - one couple had been married for 52 years, another couple had been married for 22 years and Jason and I were the youngest having been married for 14 years. A combined total of 88 years of experience at this thing called: "til death do us part."  I enjoyed participating and I really enjoyed hearing the responses from the other panelists to the great questions the young adults had come up with for us to answer.  Questions like, "How do you establish good communication?"  "How do you turn your heart back to your spouse when you feel distant?"  "How do you maintain joy in your relationship?"  Good stuff!  One response in particular from the most veteran of the couples really made me think.  When asked about red flags in dating, they responded that things were different when they were younger.  You didn't have all the resources or even think to have certain discussions while you were dating... "You just got married!"  "It's funny," he said.  "We didn't have half of what you have today to guide you, but the divorce rate today is so much greater than it was when we were young."

It is so wonderful to have the perspective of an older generation - things WERE different then.  Things ARE different now.  We will not learn from our elders and their unique perspective unless they show up to the table when these discussions are had, and they won't show up unless we invite them.   

"The greatest asset a church can have is mature saints.  We shouldn't alienate ourselves from these dear people.  They have grown in their knowledge of God and in His likeness and have learned things that only experience can teach.  On the other hand, the greatest liability a church can have are saints who got old and didn't mature.  All they want to do is censor and control.  They are no more loving, kind or patient now than they were 20 years ago." - The Common Made Holy by Neil T. Anderson

This is one of the great challenges of the Christian life:  To remain teachable throughout our lifespan and to be willing to teach as well.  We do not have the luxury of remaining stuck in our own generational rut, declaring our way to be the only way.  We must expose ourselves to those who have grown up or who are growing up in a different culture and context from our own. True unity and true growth depend on our refusal to settle for ignorance when it comes to the ways of those older/younger than us.  

When was the last time you purposely sat across the table from someone from a different generation as yours, either to humbly teach or to humbly be taught?  When was the last time you read a book about the nuances of a different generation in an effort to better understand?  (Such as: The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw, or Generation iY by Tim Elmore, or You Lost Me by David Kinnaman)  When did you last go out of your way to seek someone out from a different generation to ask advice on a specific topic or just to hear their story?

Proverbs 3:13-18 (NIV)
Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding, 
for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold. 
She is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her. 
Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor. 
Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace. 
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed. 

May we never stop learning and growing.  May we never stop seeing the value in those older or the promise in those younger.  May we learn to spur one another on toward love and good deeds and refuse to let walls of ignorance be built between generations.  

0 Comments

Where do we find our worth?

8/21/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
This is a genuine Guess watch.  Well, most of one anyway. Are you impressed?  

When I was in junior high school, Guess jeans were all the rage.  They were also very expensive.  I longed for a pair of Guess jeans with all the longing a pre-teen girl can long with (and that's a lot of longing).   If only I could have even one pair of  Guess jeans with the upside down triangle on the back pocket, I knew that I would have arrived.   

There were times during those years of desperation when I actually had enough cash in my pocket to buy a pair of Guess jeans, but I was raised frugally, and I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much money on a pair of pants, even though I longed for them!  I knew I could buy an entire outfit for the cost of one pair of those jeans, maybe even two outfits if I caught a good sale, and that knowledge kept me from fulfilling my longing.  I knew the price was impractical, even if the pants were appealing.  

Instead, I settled for a Guess watch - the cheapest one I could find that still had the logo prominently displayed.  I cherished that watch.  I wore it so much that the band eventually broke.  I wore it anyway.  I clung to this one item in my collection of clothing/accessories that at least resembled something that my peers had deemed valuable.  As I was going through boxes and trunks of old mementos trying to prepare for another move, I smiled when i came across this watch.  Then I asked myself WHY had I kept this broken watch for so many years?  Through so many moves (California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Ohio)?  

I think it is because I was so proud of my little 11/12 year old self!  Looking at that watch made me remember a little girl who had enough resolve to have restraint, enough conviction to satisfy a craving with a "taste" of something rather than a feast, enough sense to choose to be satisfied. With a few more years under my belt now, and a great deal more perspective, I can look back at those pre-teen years and realize that if I had owned a pair of Guess jeans, it wouldn't have improved my social standing one little bit.  It might have made me feel differently about myself for a little while, but not very long.  Something else would have come along that I "had to have," and the cycle would begin all over again.

At some point growing up I had known my parents' favor when I exhibited financial discernment, and it kept me from walking down a path in junior high and high school where fitting in would become increasingly more demanding and expensive.  Today, my husband and I (by God's grace) are debt-free.  What a life-long blessing reaped from an early lesson learned!  Now I long to be faithful to pass on similar lessons and point out the inner beauty and potential in the young people I cross paths with.  

Looking back at that watch makes me want to be more intentional about praising the young people in my life for the intangible things that make up their character.  It is so easy to give compliments on the external things (beauty, style, athletic ability, talent, performance), but it takes more careful attention and care to compliment young adults on the inner strengths  they possess; the intangibles that can help prevent externals from becoming all-important.  Traits like kindness, spiritual insight, joy, compassion, frugality, generosity, and patience.  

Some suggestions for focusing deeper in our compliments:
Instead of "Good game!" - "You are a great team player!  I love how aware you were of your teammates and their strengths."  or "You exhibited a lot of patience in that game.  It was a long one and you never gave up or gave into frustration."  or maybe "I can tell that you are a great leader on your team.  The other players really seem to respect you as a teammate and I enjoyed watching you in action."
Instead of "You are so talented!" - "I could see the joy you have shine through while you were playing (singing, etc.).  It made me enjoy the music even more."  or "I know it must take a lot of practice and hard work to prepare for a performance like that.  Keep up the good work, your discipline is paying off!"
Instead of "You are so nice." or "What a sweetheart you are!"  - maybe we could be more specific like, "You just went out of your way to help me with that and you didn't have to.  Your kindness is a blessing!"  or "I have noticed that you are always looking out for others.  I know it isn't always easy to be compassionate, but I know that God will use that kind of an attitude to bless many.  Keep it up!"


What are your ideas?  What inner strength were you encouraged to embrace as a young adult that has paid off later in life?  Can you still remember a particular phrase or person that helped keep you from focusing on the wrong things?

2 Comments

College Conundrum

7/19/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
"YOU CAN COUNT ON DAD"

Dear Dad, 

School i$ really great.  I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tuding very hard.  With all my $tuff, I $imply can't think of anything I need, $o if you would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.
Love,
Your Daughter, Chelsea


Dear Chelsea,
I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy.  Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.  Things have been NOticeably quiet NOwadays without you around.  Looking forward to NOvember when you'll be home for a visit.  
Love,
Your Father, Bill

I was going through a box of old papers today and I came across a stack of emails that I had printed out in 1998.  At that time I was subscribing to a joke-a-day email service called Bill's Punch Line.  I don't know if this came from that or if BPL was reprinting it, but it is down right funny and I had to share.  It reminds me of something my Dad and I would have done when I was in college. 


1 Comment

Generation Gap

12/27/2011

0 Comments

 
The gifts have all been unwrapped and the last of the leftovers are hanging out in the fridge and in cookie tins and Ziploc bags... their hours/days numbered.  Now we have all settled into the post-Christmas relaxed state, that we look forward to each year.

This Christmas, Jason gave Timmy a basic Kindle to support his reading habit and his love of all things gadgety.  It was a big hit!  So here I sit on the sofa typing on my laptop, sitting between Timmy and his Grandpa, both of whom are reading books on their Kindles.  So much for the generational technology gap!  :)  Actually, what sticks out to me in this moment is that for Timmy, today's technology is his native language, while it is a second and foreign language for those of us who have been around awhile longer.  He can't imagine a world without microwaves, computers, electronic gaming systems, DVD players/Blu-Ray, cell phones with texting and data plans, and GPS systems.  He CAN'T IMAGINE IT!  I'm just trying to catch up and not get too far behind!  

I read something today about how one of the reasons that the original Star Wars movie achieved such box office success was that it debuted in a pre-VCR/DVD, pre HBO, pre Netflix world where if you didn't watch a movie at the theater, you may not get the opportunity to see it again unless it came on television and you were free to watch it that day at that time!  Thus, people went to see the film again and again and again in the theater, never imagining that technological advances would one day be such that they could download a high-definition, digital copy of it to their personal lap-top computer or touch-screen tablet at a moment's notice and watch it at their leisure while curled up on a sofa or flying on a plane or riding in a car.  For my Timmy, however, and those in the Mosaic generation or younger - this is how the world works and always has. AMAZING!  

More amazing still - The God of the universe and his unfathomable gift of salvation, as detailed in the Holy Bible, are just as relevant to this upcoming generation as it was to mine, and all those who came before.  Truly, the Great I AM doesn't change with culture shifts or scientific advances, or industrial revolutions. 
  • "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I AM." - John 8:58 NIV
  • "...Grace and peace to you from Him who is and who was and who is to come..." Revelation 1:4 NIV
  • "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: 'With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.'" 2 Peter 3:8 NIV
0 Comments

    Author

    Carla Ritz.  Proof positive that God uses cracked pots!

    Twitter

    Archives

    June 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    August 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    February 2018
    August 2017
    May 2017
    December 2015
    September 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2010
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009

    Categories

    All
    2 Peter
    Adoption
    Amazima
    Armor Of God
    Artistry
    Attitude
    Authenticity
    Avengers
    Baby Boy
    Balance Beam
    Battle
    Bible Study
    Blessings
    Calling
    Christmas
    Commitment
    Compassion
    Contentment
    Conversation
    Conviction
    Cookie Baking
    Creation
    Darkness
    Date
    Date Night
    Depression
    Discipleship
    Do Something
    Do Something
    Emotions
    Encouragement
    Enemy
    Engagement
    Evil
    Evil Thoughts
    Faith
    Family
    Favoritism
    Fear
    Feast
    Foster Care
    Francis Chan
    Friends
    Fruitfulness
    Fun
    Generation Gap
    Giving Up
    Goats
    God
    God's Glory
    God's Glory
    God's Goodness
    God's Sovereignty
    Gods Word
    Good
    Graduation
    Growing Up
    Guest Blog
    Hard Times
    Heaven
    Holy Spirit
    Hope
    Humility
    Intimacy With God
    James
    Jesus Birth
    Katie Davis
    Kisses From Katie
    Laziness
    Leadership
    Letter Writing
    Life
    Light
    Loss
    Love
    Love Your Neighbor
    Lyrics
    Manners
    Marriage
    Mary
    Memories
    Mentoring
    Mom
    Mother
    Motherhood
    Movie
    Movies
    Nose
    Nostril
    Orphan
    P31 Wife
    Parenting
    Patience
    Perseverance
    Prayer
    Premarital Counseling
    Purpose
    Random
    Reality
    Ridiculous Story
    Risks
    Rock Bottom
    Safety
    Self Control
    Self-control
    Service
    Significance
    Silly Story
    Sin
    Smile
    Son
    Speech
    Spelling
    Suffering
    Sweets
    Technology
    Thank You
    Thessalonians
    Timelessness Of God
    Timmy
    Tooth
    Tooth Fairy
    True Love
    Trust
    Truth
    Uganda
    Unchanging God
    Usefulness
    Waiting On The Lord
    War
    Wisdom
    Witness
    Works
    Worthwhile
    Zany

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Family Update
  • Jason Jabbers
  • Carla's Blog
  • Timotheology
  • Pictures/Videos
  • Contact Us