On this day in 1952, in the Peanuts comic strip, Lucy first held a football for Charlie Brown. We all know how that story ends. Lucy tells Charlie Brown to trust her that she will hold the ball while he kicks it. Everytime he does and everytime she moves the ball. She never kept her promise.
There is severe foundational fallout when we break our word to our children. If you declare a consequence that you do not follow through on or make a promise you do not keep, you are laying the groundwork for them to have future disregard for God's promises and consequences. Consider how key believing in God's promises is to your peace and faith. How often do you not do something for fear of God's chastisement? Fear of consequences is what keeps our society civil. Without it there is a disregard for authority and a dismissal of personal responsibility for behavior.
We have to be careful that as parents we don't fall into the trap of making idle threats. In Numbers 30:2 we are warned that we must follow through with our words. Think before your speak out against a behavior. (Prov 29:20) Think about 2 things: Can I follow through with the consequence, and is the consequence proportional to the bad behavior. Natural logical consequences are also more educational than arbitrary ones. For instance, if incesant TV watching is preventing a child from getting their homework or chores done then logically no TV is the consequence, instead of no dessert for a week. Both could be productive, but one is more logically linked to the problem than the other.
The same holds true for making a promise. Don't promise something to appease your child in the moment that you are not prepared to follow through on. We mustn't train our children to disregard our words. This later becomes the foundation of distrust for God's promises and consequences.
Saying what we mean is basically teaching our children that what we say should be trustworthy. People should be able to count on our word. The first thought out of them should be, "If she said she will do it I can count on it." Modeling being an honorable person that keeps your word/promises is the first step to teaching your child that important value.
While going through the week, listen to your children as they interact with you and others. Look for opportunities to correct them if they are promising something they can't keep. While following through with any promise or consequence, be sure to remind them of the importance of being trustworthy, that they will always be able to count on you to do what you say and tell them the truth.
Brenda
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Jesus the ultimate security blanket
Today is Hug a Teddy Bear Day. Most of us had them growing up, some eqivelant of the 'blankie', 'bunny' or tattered 'bear, bear' (my granddaughter's). They brought us a sense of security and comfort when needed.
We all have those moments in our lives when we need to feel secure. We need to know that someone is with us when we feel all alone; that someone is there to comfort us when we are frightened or anxious about facing something new. We want someone there to comfort us when we are feeling down.
The good news is that we have someone like that in our lives 24-7. Remind your children, and yourself, that Jesus is there whenever we need him, wherever we are, in whatever situation we find ourselves. Matthew 28:20 is so reassuring to us all. "Be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
He is the best security blanket ever.
We all have those moments in our lives when we need to feel secure. We need to know that someone is with us when we feel all alone; that someone is there to comfort us when we are frightened or anxious about facing something new. We want someone there to comfort us when we are feeling down.
The good news is that we have someone like that in our lives 24-7. Remind your children, and yourself, that Jesus is there whenever we need him, wherever we are, in whatever situation we find ourselves. Matthew 28:20 is so reassuring to us all. "Be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
He is the best security blanket ever.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Dictator to Diplomat....Which do you have?
Do you have a child that tries to control you, their brothers and sisters, friends, and even strangers? You propably have a future leader on your hands. This will be an asset to them later but raising a budding leader can be a real challenge.
Your budding leader must learn to be able to follow. They have to learn to listen to the desires and needs of others, work cooperatively as a team, submit when it is called for, and to follow other people's agendas sometimes.
Think about the leaders in your life. (bosses for instance) Do you want an unyeilding dictator or do you appreciate those in charge who listen to your view and value your input before making the decisions that need to be made. Your little leader isn't going to naturally become diplomatic. You have to help them along.
If your young leader is showing signs of being argumentative, demanding, or angry, don't just ignore it. Take time to address these weaknesses. You want to appreciate your child's gifts, but recognize that with those gifts they have the responsibility to use them wisely and fairly.
In my house I had 4 children and, unfortunately for me, they were all young budding leaders. As a single mom, not only was I outnumbered 4 to 1, but I was constantly at battle to be the one who was actually in charge. Debate was a well oiled machine around our home. Everyone could speak up.
Important TIP! If I could give you one pearl of wisdom from all that I endured on this subject it would be this... Expect obedience 1st and discuss 2nd! In our home we would talk things into the ground. Sometimes they would be convincing and a compromise would be struck, sometimes I just demanded they obey. However, the time it would take to get to obedience would be unnecessarily long. Repeat after me. "Obey 1st and then we will talk about it."
My 4 still each turned into self starting go-getters, but in different degrees have struggled with respect for authority. Oh to rewind the clock...
Anyway, little leaders will offer you some added challenges but raised properly they can become a powerful force for our Lord. If you are interested in diving into this subject deeper, I recommend you check out this sight. I went to a conference workshop with the creator of this website and curriculum and found it very helpful.
http://kidlead.com/default.aspx
Pray each day that God will give you the strength and wisdom you need to stand toe to toe with your little dictator, um I mean budding leader, and help the Lord mold him or her into the man or woman He will use for great things.
You can survive! Hang in there.
Brenda
Your budding leader must learn to be able to follow. They have to learn to listen to the desires and needs of others, work cooperatively as a team, submit when it is called for, and to follow other people's agendas sometimes.
Think about the leaders in your life. (bosses for instance) Do you want an unyeilding dictator or do you appreciate those in charge who listen to your view and value your input before making the decisions that need to be made. Your little leader isn't going to naturally become diplomatic. You have to help them along.
If your young leader is showing signs of being argumentative, demanding, or angry, don't just ignore it. Take time to address these weaknesses. You want to appreciate your child's gifts, but recognize that with those gifts they have the responsibility to use them wisely and fairly.
In my house I had 4 children and, unfortunately for me, they were all young budding leaders. As a single mom, not only was I outnumbered 4 to 1, but I was constantly at battle to be the one who was actually in charge. Debate was a well oiled machine around our home. Everyone could speak up.
Important TIP! If I could give you one pearl of wisdom from all that I endured on this subject it would be this... Expect obedience 1st and discuss 2nd! In our home we would talk things into the ground. Sometimes they would be convincing and a compromise would be struck, sometimes I just demanded they obey. However, the time it would take to get to obedience would be unnecessarily long. Repeat after me. "Obey 1st and then we will talk about it."
My 4 still each turned into self starting go-getters, but in different degrees have struggled with respect for authority. Oh to rewind the clock...
Anyway, little leaders will offer you some added challenges but raised properly they can become a powerful force for our Lord. If you are interested in diving into this subject deeper, I recommend you check out this sight. I went to a conference workshop with the creator of this website and curriculum and found it very helpful.
http://kidlead.com/default.aspx
Pray each day that God will give you the strength and wisdom you need to stand toe to toe with your little dictator, um I mean budding leader, and help the Lord mold him or her into the man or woman He will use for great things.
You can survive! Hang in there.
Brenda
Thursday, September 8, 2011
And the winner is....
Yesterday was the anniversary of the 1st Miss America Beauty contest. (Started in 1921) In the beginning the goal was to represent the highest ideals, a combination of beauty, grace, intelligence, talented and civic minded. Through the years many of the winners did go on to champion causes successfully using their title to be heard, but at what price?
Our girls (and guys) today are overwhelmed by body image issues. How unfortunate that as a flegling Christian nation we didn't focus, early on, on inward beauty only. The development of mind, soul and spirit came second to physical attraction.
Thousands of years before a young Jewish girl named Esther won her own beauty pageant. For her beauty and grace earned her the title of queen and an honored place in her husband's palace. Yet, when she was faced with a choice of losing all of it, including her life, in order to help save her people, Esther knew she had only on choice. She had to speak up, no matter what the consequences. Her courage and willingness to serve others saved God's people. Esther was more than just another queen, she was God's woman.
What a shame that as a people we don't promote these things rather than physical beauty. Wouldn't it be refreshing to see ladies regardless of body type or looks competing for who can be the most willing to serve and sacrifice for God and humanity? That is where the real beauty lies. Time is not kind to physical beauty and acculades fade, but those acts of sacrifice and service have an eternal timeline.
How do you overcome so great a bombardment of brainwashing physical idealism? You have to have regular conversations with your children (boys as well as girls) about what is of value to God.
Sit with them as they watch TV shows or movies. Follow out scenarios to the destined conclusion. Help your children spot the tactics media uses to influence them. For instance, commercials geared for men's products invariably have some women, dressed sexy, draped over a handsome man. What message are they trying to convey? If you buy my product you will have gorgeous women chasing you and you will be as popular as this man appears to be. It is all manipulation.
Help them develop a worldview where they can spot the agenda in TV shows, movies, billboards, commercials, etc. We have to give them ammunition in their own mind to defend against the messages they will receive and struggle to fight off.
You have to spend the time showing them what God values. Introduce them to the great men and women of the Bible. Help them see that beauty is insignificant. This can be especially hard for those children who are classified as beautiful and popular by their peers. It is an intoxicating distraction from soulful, spiritual growth.
I pray that you will all seek God daily as you interact with your children. You are their primary spiritual teacher. God will equip you with what you need each day. Blessings to you all.
Brenda
Our girls (and guys) today are overwhelmed by body image issues. How unfortunate that as a flegling Christian nation we didn't focus, early on, on inward beauty only. The development of mind, soul and spirit came second to physical attraction.
Thousands of years before a young Jewish girl named Esther won her own beauty pageant. For her beauty and grace earned her the title of queen and an honored place in her husband's palace. Yet, when she was faced with a choice of losing all of it, including her life, in order to help save her people, Esther knew she had only on choice. She had to speak up, no matter what the consequences. Her courage and willingness to serve others saved God's people. Esther was more than just another queen, she was God's woman.
What a shame that as a people we don't promote these things rather than physical beauty. Wouldn't it be refreshing to see ladies regardless of body type or looks competing for who can be the most willing to serve and sacrifice for God and humanity? That is where the real beauty lies. Time is not kind to physical beauty and acculades fade, but those acts of sacrifice and service have an eternal timeline.
How do you overcome so great a bombardment of brainwashing physical idealism? You have to have regular conversations with your children (boys as well as girls) about what is of value to God.
Sit with them as they watch TV shows or movies. Follow out scenarios to the destined conclusion. Help your children spot the tactics media uses to influence them. For instance, commercials geared for men's products invariably have some women, dressed sexy, draped over a handsome man. What message are they trying to convey? If you buy my product you will have gorgeous women chasing you and you will be as popular as this man appears to be. It is all manipulation.
Help them develop a worldview where they can spot the agenda in TV shows, movies, billboards, commercials, etc. We have to give them ammunition in their own mind to defend against the messages they will receive and struggle to fight off.
You have to spend the time showing them what God values. Introduce them to the great men and women of the Bible. Help them see that beauty is insignificant. This can be especially hard for those children who are classified as beautiful and popular by their peers. It is an intoxicating distraction from soulful, spiritual growth.
I pray that you will all seek God daily as you interact with your children. You are their primary spiritual teacher. God will equip you with what you need each day. Blessings to you all.
Brenda
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I'm Ready For My 2 Second Nose Shot
How does the Bible begin? With God ruling. How does the Bible end? With God ruling. God is the main character of history- everything began and everything will end with him ruling. Francis Chan says it like this in his book Crazy Love- if you were a character in God’s movie you would be an extra and all we would see of you in the movie would be 2 seconds of your nose. God is the central character of history around whom everything and everyone else revolves and when we put ourselves in his position as ruler, when we believe that our own desires should take precedence over his, we are committing idolatry. AMEN
Idolatry occurs when we choose to replace God on the throne of our lives with anything else by putting our hope and faith in that thing instead of God. Or it can be as innocent as prefering time doing something else besides what you know God desires and requires of you.
If your child complains about doing anything that has to do with growing closer to God (ie, reading the Bible, prayer, devotion time, church, small group time) ask them what they would rather do instead. Help them take the value of what they want to do out to its natural conclusion. For instance if they would rather play video games, daydream about them being able to play as much as they want. What does this create? They don't exercise - run that out to its conclusion, they don't interact with humans, then there is what they miss out on when they missed the teaching moments from God. What would happen if they choose the God thing over the video game? Scenario that out. You could easily draw from your own experiences about times you have learned something by your willingness to obey God that had God's perfect outcome.
Kids learn better when they are not in the heat of the moment. Don't wait to have this talk in the middle of the "Get ready for church" argument Sunday morning. Come up with a time when, as a family, you can play a make believe game. Find a way to have fun with it.
I would love to hear from creative people how they may have played this out. We can share with each other and find fun creative ways to share God's truth with our children. You can just comment on the faceboook post or put something on here.
Idolatry occurs when we choose to replace God on the throne of our lives with anything else by putting our hope and faith in that thing instead of God. Or it can be as innocent as prefering time doing something else besides what you know God desires and requires of you.
If your child complains about doing anything that has to do with growing closer to God (ie, reading the Bible, prayer, devotion time, church, small group time) ask them what they would rather do instead. Help them take the value of what they want to do out to its natural conclusion. For instance if they would rather play video games, daydream about them being able to play as much as they want. What does this create? They don't exercise - run that out to its conclusion, they don't interact with humans, then there is what they miss out on when they missed the teaching moments from God. What would happen if they choose the God thing over the video game? Scenario that out. You could easily draw from your own experiences about times you have learned something by your willingness to obey God that had God's perfect outcome.
Kids learn better when they are not in the heat of the moment. Don't wait to have this talk in the middle of the "Get ready for church" argument Sunday morning. Come up with a time when, as a family, you can play a make believe game. Find a way to have fun with it.
I would love to hear from creative people how they may have played this out. We can share with each other and find fun creative ways to share God's truth with our children. You can just comment on the faceboook post or put something on here.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Pop in' to a good attitude
Today in 1964 Mary Poppins began showing in American theaters. In that movie she is able to get the children to do unpleasant tasks by singing "A spoon full of sugar". She was basically helping them find a positive attitude when they didn't like something. Being negative about something only makes it feel worse and seem to drag on longer. What do you do when your kids grumble and complain. Help them find the silver lining angle and if there isn't one then read them this verse. God basically commands us to remain positive. He allows all things for our good. Make it a game. Each time an unpleasant situation arises find a positive angle. The first one to do it wins.
Phil 2:14 "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, :15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky,"
As a family look for moments in media when they see someone have a positive attitude. This also works in reverse. Children media is full of negative expressions by actors. Watch something together and talk about what they could do if they were in the same situation. Help them find a positive solution to it. Children are more receptive to new ideas when they are not in the heat of a difficult moment. These practice scenarios will come back to them.
As a family, watch the movie Pollyanna. It is a good clean movie that helps drive this point home and opens up the possiblity for further discussion.
Training our children in the way of the Word is a necessary deliberate act on our part. That doesn't mean we can't find fun ways to do it.
Enjoy your kids
Brenda
Phil 2:14 "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, :15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky,"
As a family look for moments in media when they see someone have a positive attitude. This also works in reverse. Children media is full of negative expressions by actors. Watch something together and talk about what they could do if they were in the same situation. Help them find a positive solution to it. Children are more receptive to new ideas when they are not in the heat of a difficult moment. These practice scenarios will come back to them.
As a family, watch the movie Pollyanna. It is a good clean movie that helps drive this point home and opens up the possiblity for further discussion.
Training our children in the way of the Word is a necessary deliberate act on our part. That doesn't mean we can't find fun ways to do it.
Enjoy your kids
Brenda
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Local Gardeners Needed!
http://youtu.be/xeTjQX94u4I
(Sorry it won't let me embed the video as an easy link)
Hello everyone,
This video is by an organization of people (EGM) that have committed their lives to helping children learn about the Lord around the world. They are the group that we are going to Romania to help.
This weekend we are starting back up our invitation to join Children's Ministries in sowing seeds in our children that will grow by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. With over 450 children each weekend and growing, we desperately need your help.
Please be part of sharing the wonder and love of Jesus with our children so they in turn can drop their seeds of faith on others some day.
We still need 74 volunteers to open all our classes. Thank you to the many that have already stepped up. You all will be blessed to have been part of these precious little one's journey with Jesus.
Brenda
(Sorry it won't let me embed the video as an easy link)
Hello everyone,
This video is by an organization of people (EGM) that have committed their lives to helping children learn about the Lord around the world. They are the group that we are going to Romania to help.
This weekend we are starting back up our invitation to join Children's Ministries in sowing seeds in our children that will grow by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. With over 450 children each weekend and growing, we desperately need your help.
Please be part of sharing the wonder and love of Jesus with our children so they in turn can drop their seeds of faith on others some day.
We still need 74 volunteers to open all our classes. Thank you to the many that have already stepped up. You all will be blessed to have been part of these precious little one's journey with Jesus.
Brenda
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Dive Dive Dive
Surface with Courage,
On this day in 1958, the Nautilus became the first submarine to cross the North Pole underwater. Nothing above ground had any idea there was a large object right below. It's probably cool, however , to sail unseen beneath everything, and very few people even know you're there. But do you ever wonder what else might be lurking under us or around us?
In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are warned about the real but unseen world of spiritual warfare. Paul tells us in verse 12,"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Sounds daunting. Fortunately for us we have the protection. However, we have to actively participate. We have to prepare ourselves. Accept the gift of salvation, learn God's truth, behave in a righteous way, practice peace, be faithful, and call in the Holy Spirit to assist you. We are also told to pray and stay alert. We all know to some extent how much they put our military soldiers through when they get them ready to face the enemy. Why is it then that we don't prepare and take the spiritual war we are in seriously?
Parents, satan would love nothing more than for you to continue to fly under the radar and do nothing. Live out your every day life as if nothing is at stake and he will be thrilled. However, I challenge you to be aware and alert that his agenda is hard at work to steal the hearts and minds of your children. You are God's weapon on their behalf. Train your children on how to recognize and defend themselves against evil. Help them recognize that each day something is right their hoping to help them trip up. Remind them that God wins and they want to be standing beside Him when He does.
Sorry this is so heavy, but it is heavy on my heart as I see so many of our children in our church choosing evil or holy lives. However we can help you let me know. We are here to do battle right alongside of you, but we all know that the real Biblically called trainers of our children are the parents.
Blessings to you all,
Brenda
On this day in 1958, the Nautilus became the first submarine to cross the North Pole underwater. Nothing above ground had any idea there was a large object right below. It's probably cool, however , to sail unseen beneath everything, and very few people even know you're there. But do you ever wonder what else might be lurking under us or around us?
In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are warned about the real but unseen world of spiritual warfare. Paul tells us in verse 12,"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Sounds daunting. Fortunately for us we have the protection. However, we have to actively participate. We have to prepare ourselves. Accept the gift of salvation, learn God's truth, behave in a righteous way, practice peace, be faithful, and call in the Holy Spirit to assist you. We are also told to pray and stay alert. We all know to some extent how much they put our military soldiers through when they get them ready to face the enemy. Why is it then that we don't prepare and take the spiritual war we are in seriously?
Parents, satan would love nothing more than for you to continue to fly under the radar and do nothing. Live out your every day life as if nothing is at stake and he will be thrilled. However, I challenge you to be aware and alert that his agenda is hard at work to steal the hearts and minds of your children. You are God's weapon on their behalf. Train your children on how to recognize and defend themselves against evil. Help them recognize that each day something is right their hoping to help them trip up. Remind them that God wins and they want to be standing beside Him when He does.
Sorry this is so heavy, but it is heavy on my heart as I see so many of our children in our church choosing evil or holy lives. However we can help you let me know. We are here to do battle right alongside of you, but we all know that the real Biblically called trainers of our children are the parents.
Blessings to you all,
Brenda
Monday, August 1, 2011
Count on Counting!
On this day in 1790 the first U.S. Census was conducted. The population of the U.S. was only 4 million people back then. In 2000 it was 281 million. A considerable difference. It is no surprise that with all the people in the world our children can feel as though they don't matter or can't make a difference.
Many times if they had their way their days would be filled with fun and self indulgence. Training our children to be selfless and yielded to God's plan for their lives takes effort on our parts.
Perhaps it would help to start by reminding them how much thought and time God spends on them.
*Genesis 1:26 reminds us that God made us in His image. *Each one of us has been created by a purposeful God. In 1 Corinthians 12 he speaks of how we are made each with our own special talents and abilities. *In Deuteronomy 31:8 it says, "And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” That shows that God is intimately aware of and involved in your daily life. *Not to forget the best of all; how He sent Jesus to die for us.
Help your child discover their unique purpose in God's plan. Help them pray to God daily to ask Him what He would have them do today. Many times we set out with a plan without asking God's blessing on it. Train your children to yield their lives to Christ and not seek only their own desires.
Help them to see that they can make a difference. Find opportunities for them to share of themselves and their time to help others. Type in 'children volunteer opportunities and your city' in a search engine, and see what comes up. See if they can lend a hand at school or talk to ministries in your church to see how they can help.
Help them seek ways to make a difference.
Bless you all for parenting your children bravely for Christ in a challenging world.
Brenda
Many times if they had their way their days would be filled with fun and self indulgence. Training our children to be selfless and yielded to God's plan for their lives takes effort on our parts.
Perhaps it would help to start by reminding them how much thought and time God spends on them.
*Genesis 1:26 reminds us that God made us in His image. *Each one of us has been created by a purposeful God. In 1 Corinthians 12 he speaks of how we are made each with our own special talents and abilities. *In Deuteronomy 31:8 it says, "And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” That shows that God is intimately aware of and involved in your daily life. *Not to forget the best of all; how He sent Jesus to die for us.
Help your child discover their unique purpose in God's plan. Help them pray to God daily to ask Him what He would have them do today. Many times we set out with a plan without asking God's blessing on it. Train your children to yield their lives to Christ and not seek only their own desires.
Help them to see that they can make a difference. Find opportunities for them to share of themselves and their time to help others. Type in 'children volunteer opportunities and your city' in a search engine, and see what comes up. See if they can lend a hand at school or talk to ministries in your church to see how they can help.
Help them seek ways to make a difference.
Bless you all for parenting your children bravely for Christ in a challenging world.
Brenda
Monday, July 25, 2011
What is contained in your container?
We missed out on celebrating the invention of the ice cream cone on Saturday. It was invented by Charles Menches in 1904. I think retroactive celebration is in order. Ice cream cones for everyone!
While you are eating one, talk to your children about what kind of containers they have heard of in the Bible. (Vessels, jars, baskets, urns etc.)Challenge them to find scripture of just one. The symbolism in the Bible of being molded by our Maker for His purpose and being used for service is a beautiful one. Conatainers are filled and wait for the time when what they are filled with is needed. Wouldn't be wonderful if we could remember this in our own life. To be that ready and willing at all times to be filled by the Holy Spirit, patient until the time we are called to be used, and then WILLING at any moment to be used by God.
As is always the case, this study adventure will lead to a different conversation for each of you. I would be excited to hear how it went. Have fun with it. Maybe this would be a fun time to make a vessel out of clay, playdough, paper mache. Enjoy learning about God's Word with your children. The memories you make will create a joy of learning about God in your children that will reap an eternity of benefits.
Travel to this link for a cheat sheet on containers and vessels used in the Bible. http://www.studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T6398
More importantly is to help your child learn how to do a topic or word study on their own. My favorite online site for this is www.Biblegateway.com.
It is helpful for children to have a Bible that is written at their level and contains both the New and Old Testament in it. However, those Bibles often lack the good reference and study lists that a good adult study Bible has. If you have at least one great study Bible in the house, then the family can use it to seek out scripture references that your children can then use to read in their Bible. Help them practice using the concordance, and topic indexs and the internet to find scripture on specific topics or words.
Enthusiasum is contagious. If you enjoy your time in God's Word they will pick up on that. Blessings to you all.
Brenda
While you are eating one, talk to your children about what kind of containers they have heard of in the Bible. (Vessels, jars, baskets, urns etc.)Challenge them to find scripture of just one. The symbolism in the Bible of being molded by our Maker for His purpose and being used for service is a beautiful one. Conatainers are filled and wait for the time when what they are filled with is needed. Wouldn't be wonderful if we could remember this in our own life. To be that ready and willing at all times to be filled by the Holy Spirit, patient until the time we are called to be used, and then WILLING at any moment to be used by God.
As is always the case, this study adventure will lead to a different conversation for each of you. I would be excited to hear how it went. Have fun with it. Maybe this would be a fun time to make a vessel out of clay, playdough, paper mache. Enjoy learning about God's Word with your children. The memories you make will create a joy of learning about God in your children that will reap an eternity of benefits.
Travel to this link for a cheat sheet on containers and vessels used in the Bible. http://www.studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T6398
More importantly is to help your child learn how to do a topic or word study on their own. My favorite online site for this is www.Biblegateway.com.
It is helpful for children to have a Bible that is written at their level and contains both the New and Old Testament in it. However, those Bibles often lack the good reference and study lists that a good adult study Bible has. If you have at least one great study Bible in the house, then the family can use it to seek out scripture references that your children can then use to read in their Bible. Help them practice using the concordance, and topic indexs and the internet to find scripture on specific topics or words.
Enthusiasum is contagious. If you enjoy your time in God's Word they will pick up on that. Blessings to you all.
Brenda
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Hiking boots in a slippery world.
"But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 1 Thes 5:21
How do children develop a Christian Worldview? More than likely it will not come from church. Most churches are hard pressed to even find enough volunteers to serve in Children's ministries each year, much less scan them for the ability to teach a solid worldview. Most adults don't have a good bead themselves on where they should stand on issues today or even how to defend their faith. Even if each church in America had an army of well prepared volunteers, we only get about 1 and 1/2 hours a week with your child. In a world that will commit to bombarding your child with contrary input, this is not adequate time to defend against it.
No, the responsiblity must be firmly placed in the parent's hand. It is not as hard as it sounds. First thing you must do is be clear on what you believe and why. If you don't know why you practice some of the things you do, ask an elder or pastor at your church.
Second, be around when your child is exposed to media. Teach them to see what they are watching or listening to objectively. Children's programming is filled with manipulation and bad messages of body image and popularity. Discuss whether what is happening is realistic. Have them think through their own experiences with school and peers. Be sure to show them that they can defend the faith against the message they are being fed.
Talk about what motivation may be behind the commericial or TV program. Help them develop critical thinking skills. If they don't agree with you, challenge them to defend their position by finding backing for it in the Bible. Don't lord over them with your opinions. Let them develop their own loyalty to God and their worldview. As long as they have a Biblical defense for it that is sound. Be prepared to be schooled by your kids. God always teaches me something new through them.
Make talking through the emotional parts of their day a norm in your home. This is where the real battles can surface. If you say, "How was your day?", they say, "fine". If you say, "What did you do?" They say, "Nothing". Don't stop there. Ask them if anything out of the ordinary happened. What was their high and what was their low. Did someone say something that suprised or confused them. Dig a bit deeper and the issues of their heart will surface.
You can do this. It is one day at a time that they slip away, so be sure they have hiking boots to help them hold their ground in a slippery world.
Blessings
Brenda
How do children develop a Christian Worldview? More than likely it will not come from church. Most churches are hard pressed to even find enough volunteers to serve in Children's ministries each year, much less scan them for the ability to teach a solid worldview. Most adults don't have a good bead themselves on where they should stand on issues today or even how to defend their faith. Even if each church in America had an army of well prepared volunteers, we only get about 1 and 1/2 hours a week with your child. In a world that will commit to bombarding your child with contrary input, this is not adequate time to defend against it.
No, the responsiblity must be firmly placed in the parent's hand. It is not as hard as it sounds. First thing you must do is be clear on what you believe and why. If you don't know why you practice some of the things you do, ask an elder or pastor at your church.
Second, be around when your child is exposed to media. Teach them to see what they are watching or listening to objectively. Children's programming is filled with manipulation and bad messages of body image and popularity. Discuss whether what is happening is realistic. Have them think through their own experiences with school and peers. Be sure to show them that they can defend the faith against the message they are being fed.
Talk about what motivation may be behind the commericial or TV program. Help them develop critical thinking skills. If they don't agree with you, challenge them to defend their position by finding backing for it in the Bible. Don't lord over them with your opinions. Let them develop their own loyalty to God and their worldview. As long as they have a Biblical defense for it that is sound. Be prepared to be schooled by your kids. God always teaches me something new through them.
Make talking through the emotional parts of their day a norm in your home. This is where the real battles can surface. If you say, "How was your day?", they say, "fine". If you say, "What did you do?" They say, "Nothing". Don't stop there. Ask them if anything out of the ordinary happened. What was their high and what was their low. Did someone say something that suprised or confused them. Dig a bit deeper and the issues of their heart will surface.
You can do this. It is one day at a time that they slip away, so be sure they have hiking boots to help them hold their ground in a slippery world.
Blessings
Brenda
Peace Baby
On this day in 1940 Winston Churchill was the first to use the finger 'V' sign for victory. Since then it has morfed into the peace sign. Do you have true peace? Have you shared with your children what true peace is and how to have it? For me peace comes in KNOWING God is on my side, has my life organized for good, and will provide what I need when I need it. When I don't understand, that's ok. It is a need to know situation. The more us people know the more we screw things up. Trust that God deserves to be the Lord of your life and the peace that surpasses all understanding will settle into your very being. It will bring you internal rest. I promise. Help your children practice trust. Look for everyday opportunities to trust God to help them handle what they cannot control. Offer up a prayer of surrender and gratitude with them when they face a fear or unknown. Help them to debrief the outcomes after. Trust is a spiritual muscle. You have to use it for it to grow.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Inside Out or Outside In
Hello Dear Families,
All parents long for their children to establish convictions that will carry them through tough times. Sometimes those convictions help them control their emotions. Other times, that internal foundation helps them do what’s right when others are tempting them to do wrong.
Responsibility, in part, is staying true to personal values even when no one is watching. Convictions are formed in the heart. When Jeremiah described the new covenant God will establish, he wrote that it will be different from the stone tablets of the old covenant. God said, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33).
One way to teach convictions to children is to use family rules. Rules are based on convictions. Rules are external prompters but convictions are internal prompters. The goal is to help children develop internal rules or convictions that will guide their behavior.
When you have discussions about rules, ask children if they can identify the convictions behind the rules. For example, one rule is that everyone comes to dinner whether they are hungry or not. Why? Because we have a conviction that meal times are social times, not just eating times.
Analyze rules with children to help identify the convictions behind the rules. This will helps kids to understand your values and even translate your convictions into new situations.
This parenting strategy comes from the video training program, Everyday Parents Can Raise Extraordinary Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
______________________________
Discussing the why behind the rules is a great way to help your child connect with the scriptures. Most of what we ask our children to do is grounded in God's Word. Before you have this conversation with your children, make a list of the rules and find their foundation in the Word. When you have the talk with the kids you will have what you need for the discussion. Transferring responsibility over to your child and making sure they know they are not only accountable to you but to God as well, will help them internalize obedience.
(By the way, when you do this you may discover a few stupid rules with no merit that you adopted from your environment growning up. This is a good time to chuck it and explain why to your kids. Being human to your kids is modeling our need for a Savior.)
Remember, whether they like it or not, you are called to be faithful to carrying out Godly parenting to the best of your ability. There will be times when you come up short or even fail, but God can work with that too.
Bless you all
Brenda
All parents long for their children to establish convictions that will carry them through tough times. Sometimes those convictions help them control their emotions. Other times, that internal foundation helps them do what’s right when others are tempting them to do wrong.
Responsibility, in part, is staying true to personal values even when no one is watching. Convictions are formed in the heart. When Jeremiah described the new covenant God will establish, he wrote that it will be different from the stone tablets of the old covenant. God said, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33).
One way to teach convictions to children is to use family rules. Rules are based on convictions. Rules are external prompters but convictions are internal prompters. The goal is to help children develop internal rules or convictions that will guide their behavior.
When you have discussions about rules, ask children if they can identify the convictions behind the rules. For example, one rule is that everyone comes to dinner whether they are hungry or not. Why? Because we have a conviction that meal times are social times, not just eating times.
Analyze rules with children to help identify the convictions behind the rules. This will helps kids to understand your values and even translate your convictions into new situations.
This parenting strategy comes from the video training program, Everyday Parents Can Raise Extraordinary Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
______________________________
Discussing the why behind the rules is a great way to help your child connect with the scriptures. Most of what we ask our children to do is grounded in God's Word. Before you have this conversation with your children, make a list of the rules and find their foundation in the Word. When you have the talk with the kids you will have what you need for the discussion. Transferring responsibility over to your child and making sure they know they are not only accountable to you but to God as well, will help them internalize obedience.
(By the way, when you do this you may discover a few stupid rules with no merit that you adopted from your environment growning up. This is a good time to chuck it and explain why to your kids. Being human to your kids is modeling our need for a Savior.)
Remember, whether they like it or not, you are called to be faithful to carrying out Godly parenting to the best of your ability. There will be times when you come up short or even fail, but God can work with that too.
Bless you all
Brenda
Monday, August 16, 2010
A Journey of Discipline
Do what I say! How does that make you feel?
It has been an interesting journey working with other people's children over the last 20 years. I have seen first hand the ebb and flow of the latest trends in child rearing and the consequences they create. Not all the advice presented by "experts" is good advice. It has also been interesting to see how the parents are functioning as adults having grown up in some of these trends.
Most of the advice has to do with the level and type of discipline. Ahh the "D" word. What adult doesn't have some aspect of their life that they wish they were more disciplined at. I know I do. Discipline is a foundational sin hold out for all humans. It is not inherently, uniquely a child issue. So how do you create an adult that grows up to be a well rounded, disciplined, functioning member of society?
Good question. I'm not going to throw another theory at you. I will say that the Word of God is clear. You cannot avoid disciplining your child or doing the hard work to teach them to be obedient people. This is a difficult but critical responsibility every parent must accept. You are not called to be their friend. There may be times they even hate you. That's okay. It is not a popularity contest it is an obligation that God has placed squarely on your back.
I think it helps to explore what level of obedience God requires of us and to help them find their way to that standard. Are we suppose to question God's plan for our lives? No. Should your children argue or question your authority when you instruct them to carry something out? No. It is important to expect obedience first. Then if the need exists, spend time talking about the why and connecting it to God's expectations of us after. I am reminded of a time my son would not obey me. In frustration and near tears I asked him why he didn't just do what I said? His answer, "I knew you were going to ask me 5 more times before you really meant it so I waited". Wow, what an eye opener. The Bible says let your yes be yes and your no be no. Mean what you say the first time. Don't train them to not take you seriously.
I am a big talker when it comes to my children. Having gone through the divorce and seeing how emotionally and psychologically hurt my kids were, I spent countless hours talking with them and helping them work through their feelings. However, what that also created in our house was an environment where there was always time to talk and negotiate. Discipline and obedience opportunities were difficult to execute because I had trained them to talk about everything. If they didn't like something or understand the why of it, we all slipped into discussion mode. Now there is nothing wrong with the concept just the timing. I wish I could go back and change that one factor. Obedience first (and immediately) talking second. If you don't hear anything else, hear that. What a difference it would have made.
Take it one day at a time. God is your co-parent and will assist you all along the way through His Holy Spirit. Accept your limitations and allow God to help you lean on Him and grow in the process. He wastes nothing.
Blessings to you all.
Brenda
It has been an interesting journey working with other people's children over the last 20 years. I have seen first hand the ebb and flow of the latest trends in child rearing and the consequences they create. Not all the advice presented by "experts" is good advice. It has also been interesting to see how the parents are functioning as adults having grown up in some of these trends.
Most of the advice has to do with the level and type of discipline. Ahh the "D" word. What adult doesn't have some aspect of their life that they wish they were more disciplined at. I know I do. Discipline is a foundational sin hold out for all humans. It is not inherently, uniquely a child issue. So how do you create an adult that grows up to be a well rounded, disciplined, functioning member of society?
Good question. I'm not going to throw another theory at you. I will say that the Word of God is clear. You cannot avoid disciplining your child or doing the hard work to teach them to be obedient people. This is a difficult but critical responsibility every parent must accept. You are not called to be their friend. There may be times they even hate you. That's okay. It is not a popularity contest it is an obligation that God has placed squarely on your back.
I think it helps to explore what level of obedience God requires of us and to help them find their way to that standard. Are we suppose to question God's plan for our lives? No. Should your children argue or question your authority when you instruct them to carry something out? No. It is important to expect obedience first. Then if the need exists, spend time talking about the why and connecting it to God's expectations of us after. I am reminded of a time my son would not obey me. In frustration and near tears I asked him why he didn't just do what I said? His answer, "I knew you were going to ask me 5 more times before you really meant it so I waited". Wow, what an eye opener. The Bible says let your yes be yes and your no be no. Mean what you say the first time. Don't train them to not take you seriously.
I am a big talker when it comes to my children. Having gone through the divorce and seeing how emotionally and psychologically hurt my kids were, I spent countless hours talking with them and helping them work through their feelings. However, what that also created in our house was an environment where there was always time to talk and negotiate. Discipline and obedience opportunities were difficult to execute because I had trained them to talk about everything. If they didn't like something or understand the why of it, we all slipped into discussion mode. Now there is nothing wrong with the concept just the timing. I wish I could go back and change that one factor. Obedience first (and immediately) talking second. If you don't hear anything else, hear that. What a difference it would have made.
When children learn to obey they learn to give up their own agenda for someone else. They learn to listen to an instruction and follow through with it. They learn how to be responsible, check back, and complete a task. In short, when children learn obedience, they not only make family life easier but they also develop the character that will make them more valuable in the work place, the community, and the world. In fact, learning to obey parents teaches kids what they need in order to obey God. (Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller)Isn't that what we all want for our children?
Take it one day at a time. God is your co-parent and will assist you all along the way through His Holy Spirit. Accept your limitations and allow God to help you lean on Him and grow in the process. He wastes nothing.
Blessings to you all.
Brenda
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
If It's Broke Fix it!
Teaching Children to Look for Ways to Help
One of the parts of our honor definition is that we do more than what's expected. That means seeing what needs to be done and doing it. It means solving problems instead leaving them for others. One family had a sign in their kitchen that read:
If it’s broken, fix it.
If it’s empty, fill it up.
If it’s open, shut it.
If it’s out, put it away.
If it’s messy, clean it up.
If you can’t, then report it.
That’s honor.
Take time to teach children that they don't have to be asked in order to do a job. Honor means that we’re all contributing to family life. In fact, you may ask a child to go around the house and look for one job that needs to be done and do it, then report back to you.
These kinds of discussions and exercises will help children think outside of their little box and discover that they have a responsibility to the family. They can contribute to family life by just seeing something that needs to be done and doing it.
Of course, that's what makes a valuable employee too so you can teach your children something more important than just how to get along better in your family. You may be preparing them to be outstanding employees as they get older.
In addition, look for ways to discover the talents God gave each of your children. Help them find ways to use their loves and gifts to contribute or be kind to others. Perhaps you have a little one that likes to draw all day. Get the names of the seniors at a local nursery home and have your little one draw them pictures with a kind note jotted on it, like: God loves Mrs Smith.
Helping our children learn that they were placed here to contribute to God's perfect plan helps them not slip into the world's self absorbed agenda.
Enjoy your children this week.
Brenda
Some of this was borrowed from an article from "Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes In You and Your Kids" by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
One of the parts of our honor definition is that we do more than what's expected. That means seeing what needs to be done and doing it. It means solving problems instead leaving them for others. One family had a sign in their kitchen that read:
If it’s broken, fix it.
If it’s empty, fill it up.
If it’s open, shut it.
If it’s out, put it away.
If it’s messy, clean it up.
If you can’t, then report it.
That’s honor.
Take time to teach children that they don't have to be asked in order to do a job. Honor means that we’re all contributing to family life. In fact, you may ask a child to go around the house and look for one job that needs to be done and do it, then report back to you.
These kinds of discussions and exercises will help children think outside of their little box and discover that they have a responsibility to the family. They can contribute to family life by just seeing something that needs to be done and doing it.
Of course, that's what makes a valuable employee too so you can teach your children something more important than just how to get along better in your family. You may be preparing them to be outstanding employees as they get older.
In addition, look for ways to discover the talents God gave each of your children. Help them find ways to use their loves and gifts to contribute or be kind to others. Perhaps you have a little one that likes to draw all day. Get the names of the seniors at a local nursery home and have your little one draw them pictures with a kind note jotted on it, like: God loves Mrs Smith.
Helping our children learn that they were placed here to contribute to God's perfect plan helps them not slip into the world's self absorbed agenda.
Enjoy your children this week.
Brenda
Some of this was borrowed from an article from "Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes In You and Your Kids" by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Because I said so!
Hello dear families
I want to encourage you to parent intentionally. Life moves real fast these days and before you can blink your children are older and opportunities have passed you by. Helping children develop spiritually doesn't require a seminary degree or a teaching credential. The only requirement is to be observant and available and ready for teachable moments.
Watch for opportunities to connect what they are learning and feeling with God and His Holy Word. Spend some time thinking about your house rules. Why do they exist? What do you hope for your children to learn from them? Where did you get them? Taking things to the source and finding scripture to back them up helps children decide internally what their motivation is.
At some point obedience has to turn internal. It can't remain only because you say so. Connecting the 'what' they have to do to the 'why' they have to do it helps them develop their own values and self motivations. It puts disobedience squarely back into their lap and calls it sin. At some point this becomes a personal battle between them and the Lord and not defiance of you.
In doing this exercise you may discover you have rules that don't have any tangible purpose. If so, you need to decide where they came from and if they are of value. If not, lose them. We are all learning about ourselves as we raise our children. It is okay to refine yourself as you go.
Most of all, live out your life honestly before the Lord and your children. It is okay for them to see your need for a Savior, to see that you to sin and can ask for forgiveness. Just take the time to intentionally connect God's truth to your life and the lives of your children. They will sense that God is a real, living interactive part of your life. Routine and religious gestures fall short of really living out your life before them and your God.
Get real and get intentional.
Bless you all
Brenda
I want to encourage you to parent intentionally. Life moves real fast these days and before you can blink your children are older and opportunities have passed you by. Helping children develop spiritually doesn't require a seminary degree or a teaching credential. The only requirement is to be observant and available and ready for teachable moments.
Watch for opportunities to connect what they are learning and feeling with God and His Holy Word. Spend some time thinking about your house rules. Why do they exist? What do you hope for your children to learn from them? Where did you get them? Taking things to the source and finding scripture to back them up helps children decide internally what their motivation is.
At some point obedience has to turn internal. It can't remain only because you say so. Connecting the 'what' they have to do to the 'why' they have to do it helps them develop their own values and self motivations. It puts disobedience squarely back into their lap and calls it sin. At some point this becomes a personal battle between them and the Lord and not defiance of you.
In doing this exercise you may discover you have rules that don't have any tangible purpose. If so, you need to decide where they came from and if they are of value. If not, lose them. We are all learning about ourselves as we raise our children. It is okay to refine yourself as you go.
Most of all, live out your life honestly before the Lord and your children. It is okay for them to see your need for a Savior, to see that you to sin and can ask for forgiveness. Just take the time to intentionally connect God's truth to your life and the lives of your children. They will sense that God is a real, living interactive part of your life. Routine and religious gestures fall short of really living out your life before them and your God.
Get real and get intentional.
Bless you all
Brenda
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Break Time not Time Out
Break Time not Time Out
As Parents it is our job to guide our children on how to handle their own emotions. One of the ways to do this is help them realize when they are out of control or unable to make good choices due to their emotions. Help them develop the habit of regrouping or taking a break. Help them with this by pointing out to them when they need to calm down and rethink the situation.
Allow the child to determine how much time they need to calm down. This is not a Time Out, or Punishment. This is a tool to help them manage themselves and their own sin nature more successfully. The focus needs to be on helping them realize that their current bad behavior is unproductive and destructive. They need to take ownership of their own self control and development.
Guiding them on the amount of time they take a break is directly connected to seeing how settled they are. Remind them that anger is something God tells us to deal with.
Ephesians 4:26
"In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
It is their journey not yours. When you get angry, model the same behavior to them as well as using the same terminology. We are our children's best teachers.
Most importantly, enjoy every day with your children. They are a gift from God and a blessing.
Brenda
As Parents it is our job to guide our children on how to handle their own emotions. One of the ways to do this is help them realize when they are out of control or unable to make good choices due to their emotions. Help them develop the habit of regrouping or taking a break. Help them with this by pointing out to them when they need to calm down and rethink the situation.
Allow the child to determine how much time they need to calm down. This is not a Time Out, or Punishment. This is a tool to help them manage themselves and their own sin nature more successfully. The focus needs to be on helping them realize that their current bad behavior is unproductive and destructive. They need to take ownership of their own self control and development.
Guiding them on the amount of time they take a break is directly connected to seeing how settled they are. Remind them that anger is something God tells us to deal with.
Ephesians 4:26
"In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
It is their journey not yours. When you get angry, model the same behavior to them as well as using the same terminology. We are our children's best teachers.
Most importantly, enjoy every day with your children. They are a gift from God and a blessing.
Brenda
Monday, May 24, 2010
Connect Like Legos
Connect Like Legos
Anyone who has ever tried to take a lego structure apart understands that they do one thing really well. They connect! Wouldn't it be great if our relationships with our children were that strong. No matter if it is for fun or coming in for a crash, our strong connections can get us through it all.
Connecting with a child is easier for some and harder for others. Parents and kids have different personalities,likes and dislikes. With some kids, connecting takes real creativity and persistence. Here are some ways to help you connect with your child's heart.
Anyone who has ever tried to take a lego structure apart understands that they do one thing really well. They connect! Wouldn't it be great if our relationships with our children were that strong. No matter if it is for fun or coming in for a crash, our strong connections can get us through it all.
Connecting with a child is easier for some and harder for others. Parents and kids have different personalities,likes and dislikes. With some kids, connecting takes real creativity and persistence. Here are some ways to help you connect with your child's heart.
- Talking. Children often like to hear stories from your own childhood. Don't feel like you have to tie a lesson into the story. Just tell it to them as if you were relating the details to a friend.
- Listen to your kids. You have heard me say this before. Take an interest in their activities and their day. Once they start talking, draw them out with more questions.
- Touching. A hug or a gentle hand on a should communicates warmth and love.
- High-energy activities. Kids love excitement. Look for exciting activities to enjoy together.
- Look for ways to share your child's interests.
- give occasional special treats.
- Find a task and work together as a team.
- Offer genuine praise for a job will done.
- Have fun with your kids. Be silly, tell jokes, or wrestle.
- New times in a child's life set the stage to connect emotionally. Be there and available to share the moment.
- Traumatic events provide opportunities to develop closeness. Remember that the most important thing isn't fixing the problem, it's restoring the heart.
- Be sure to share how God fits into everything you do. Help them connect with God in a tangible way. Remind them of how good things come from Him and He is with us in times of trouble. Challenge yourself this week to find a scripture that connects with each suggestion above. When these opportunities come up, share the Word of God with your child to help them apply God's Word to their lives in a meaningful way. Deut 6:6-9.
Most important of all is to just enjoy your kids. Everyday will not be wondrous. There will be those days when your tired or fed up. We have to remember that even in the challenging days we can grow closer to our children. Be real. Kids can spot a hypocrite a mile away. They will not do what you say, they will do what they see you do. Make the effort and model connecting with each other. The return on your investment now will reap rewards for your children and all the lives they touch.
Have a blessed day.
Brenda
Some of the above suggestions came out of the book, Parenting is Heart Work by Dr, Scott Turansky. I have not read the book so I can't recommend it one way or the other. This was in part a parenting tip from 'biblicalparenting.org'.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Fast Food Spirituality
Hello Families,
It has been interesting interacting with my mother as she needs more and more assistance with normal life. I think of how she parented me and taught me through words and modeling to be loving and selfless. I wonder about the children being raised today in a world that promotes self absorption. How will they respond to parents in need in their later years in life?
It is important to get your children involved with selfless acts as young as possible. We all know how it feels when we give of ourselves without expecting anything in return. The Lord provides us with a sense of love and purpose that far exceeds any tangible reward. Children void of these opportunities will steadily become more hardened to offering themselves as vessels of blessing from the Lord.
How old will your children be when you hit the age of needing their help? How willing do you think they will be to be there for you? Any of you taking care of aging parents now understand what this could entail. We want our children to contribute to society, the Lord, and their family with a willing and servant's heart. How do you foster this?
This has to happen twofold. First you must find opportunities for your child to serve others without tangible reward. God will take care of the reward and it will be internal and eternal. Contact the church and ask to speak to the pastor over the seniors. Perhaps there are those in our congregation that need their lawn cared for or trash taken out. Perhaps they just need a visit and an opportunity to be listened to or read too. Bring them cookies or offer to cook them a meal. Find a neighbor in your community that could use some help. Start them as young as possible so giving of themselves becomes automatic.
The second thing you need to do is delay gratification. We live in a world that has programed us to get what we want as quickly as possible (fast food, 4G phones, ebay, overnight delivery, etc.) Children these days hear the message over and over that they deserve what they want and as quickly as possible. One of the deadliest things for a child's journey with the Lord is to see Him more as a vending machine. Request something and expect it to be provided right away. Anyone who has been a Christian for very long knows that waiting on God's perfect timing can sometimes take awhile. Children who are use to getting what they want right away struggle with this aspect of spiritual development. They give up on a God who must not be real or doesn't care because they didn't get what they wanted right away from Him. Help them understand that our purpose on this earth is to serve not to be served.
This has already become a trend among adults. More and more people are walking away from the giving of their time volunteering in the church, because it impacts their personal wants or pursuits. They rob themselves of the higher reward of God's blessing and the spiritual maturity and growth that goes on as a result of serving and volunteering.
Deliberately set up opportunities regularly for your family to serve others. You will instill in yourself and them a habit of service that will help you all grow closer as a family and further God's purposes for your lives at the same time.
Remember, those kids will be taking care of you some day, or will they?
Food for thought.
Brenda
It has been interesting interacting with my mother as she needs more and more assistance with normal life. I think of how she parented me and taught me through words and modeling to be loving and selfless. I wonder about the children being raised today in a world that promotes self absorption. How will they respond to parents in need in their later years in life?
It is important to get your children involved with selfless acts as young as possible. We all know how it feels when we give of ourselves without expecting anything in return. The Lord provides us with a sense of love and purpose that far exceeds any tangible reward. Children void of these opportunities will steadily become more hardened to offering themselves as vessels of blessing from the Lord.
How old will your children be when you hit the age of needing their help? How willing do you think they will be to be there for you? Any of you taking care of aging parents now understand what this could entail. We want our children to contribute to society, the Lord, and their family with a willing and servant's heart. How do you foster this?
This has to happen twofold. First you must find opportunities for your child to serve others without tangible reward. God will take care of the reward and it will be internal and eternal. Contact the church and ask to speak to the pastor over the seniors. Perhaps there are those in our congregation that need their lawn cared for or trash taken out. Perhaps they just need a visit and an opportunity to be listened to or read too. Bring them cookies or offer to cook them a meal. Find a neighbor in your community that could use some help. Start them as young as possible so giving of themselves becomes automatic.
The second thing you need to do is delay gratification. We live in a world that has programed us to get what we want as quickly as possible (fast food, 4G phones, ebay, overnight delivery, etc.) Children these days hear the message over and over that they deserve what they want and as quickly as possible. One of the deadliest things for a child's journey with the Lord is to see Him more as a vending machine. Request something and expect it to be provided right away. Anyone who has been a Christian for very long knows that waiting on God's perfect timing can sometimes take awhile. Children who are use to getting what they want right away struggle with this aspect of spiritual development. They give up on a God who must not be real or doesn't care because they didn't get what they wanted right away from Him. Help them understand that our purpose on this earth is to serve not to be served.
This has already become a trend among adults. More and more people are walking away from the giving of their time volunteering in the church, because it impacts their personal wants or pursuits. They rob themselves of the higher reward of God's blessing and the spiritual maturity and growth that goes on as a result of serving and volunteering.
Deliberately set up opportunities regularly for your family to serve others. You will instill in yourself and them a habit of service that will help you all grow closer as a family and further God's purposes for your lives at the same time.
Remember, those kids will be taking care of you some day, or will they?
Food for thought.
Brenda
Monday, April 5, 2010
Fade to Black
Hello Families,
The following is a song by Casting Crowns, called "Slow Fade". In my life this has been one of the foremost lessons I have given my children and reminded myself. Most of the time our descent away from God is so gradual that we wake up one day different people, not quit sure how we got here. Satan is crafty and will pull you and your children away from God one small step, one small compromise at a time. Read the lyrics of this song and assess your life. Most of this song talks about little feet, hands, eyes, etc, but is really speaking to us as adults with little ones watching our every move. The weight of our responsiblity is much greater now that we have not just ourselves to lose. Read each word and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Make sure you remind your children that every day choices WILL move them either toward God or away from Him. Each decision counts. To guard their hearts. This is my prayer for you.
Casting Crowns
"Slow Fade"
Writer: Amy Sondova
Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
(Sung by a child)
Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
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