Rethinking Your Parenting

This morning my husband got called into work early. I tried to go back to sleep when he left, but I couldn't. I laid in bed until about 6am before giving up on sleep and deciding to make the most of my alone time.

I had planned coffee on the patio while actually getting to have some quite time in the Word. Unfortunately, the patio furniture was soaking wet from the rain we had last night. Oh, well. To the dining room table I headed. On the way I made coffee and started a load of laundry. (I was feeling productive) I was about half way through my scripture copying  (check out some examples I have pinned if you are interested. I really love this method of studying scripture.) when the little master of the house woke and began calling for someone to get him out of bed.

Wouln't you know it?! The booger usually sleeps until at least 8am and he was up before 7am (for the second day in a row!)

I was tempted to be upset because I didn't get my alone time but instead I enjoyed the morning snuggles my son was willing to give. I took in the beautiful sight of him laying on my chest and snuggling his very loved and matted stuffed dog toy and my heart melted. It was a sweet and peaceful moment and we don't get a lot of those theses days.

I did get to finish my copy work while my son ate breakfast, and I love that he got to see me in the Word. I'm not sure what makes me think I need a distraction free environment to study the Bible. Distractions are what my life is made up of right now, and I have to learn to find time to be in the Word through the distractions that come at me from all angles.

Once when I was telling my mother about struggling to find time to do my devotions, she told me that my great-grandfather {{who was one of the Godliest and best men ever made}} used to tell young parents not to stress about not being in the word as much as they wanted to be. He said that by teaching and moulding the minds of young children daily you are actually doing God's work and reinforcing your own faith in the process. This was not an excuse not to spend time reading and studying the bible, it was just assurance for tired young parents.

His advice only works if you use God as a large part of your parenting. If you only teach your child to, for example, obey because "I told you so," he will be obedient, but only because he has to be or there is a consequence. (not that those are bad things in and of themselves.)

However, if you take the time to explain to your child that you obey because God asks us to, you change the focus from a worldly consequence to a Godly perspective and a greater purpose.

When you are parenting in this style, you are constantly speaking the Word into your children. You are reminding them of God's promises and teaching them about the Bible. If you approach parenting from this perspective, my grandfather's theory holds true. Not only are you reinforcing your own faith and teaching your child, you are forced to be in the Word and know what the bible says for yourself.

I recently read a great article on the subject that I loved. It spoke to me and got me to re-thinking my parenting style and goals. I am not simply raising a person who *hopefully* will be a successful, thriving member of society. I am raising a Christian in a world that is against him from the start. I am raising a person who will be a leader in his church or at the very least, his own family.

"Unfortunately, our "good" objectives might have absolutely nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we inadvertently end up raising pagans instead of Christians."

I have an amazing christian heritage and I take it for granted most of the time. I often fail to realize the hours of work, sacrifice and purposeful living that went into creating that for me and my children. I am honored to take that and expand it to the next generation.

As a mother, this is my whole job and responsibility. Nothing is more important than teaching my children to love and serve the Lord, not just know that he exists.

Some days it is HARD. Some days I don't have a lot to give and my temper is short. Sometimes I forget to take time to explain things to my son, and play the classic, "Because mommy said!"

I am NORMAL. I just can't give up because of a bad day or two. Tomorrow is another day and another chance to be Jesus to my son.

I have always loved Lori Wick books, and the reasons for me loving them have changed as I have grown. I've read all of them I own (which are most of them) multiple times each. One of the things I appreciate about them at this point in my life is how she portrays parenting in her books. Her characters embody this principle. Many times they teach verses (even just short parts of verses for little ones) to children to reinforce life principles they need to know.

Finding ways to apply scripture to little lives is amazing and is a goal of mine. I just LOVE this idea. I recently read that a child at the age of two is making 7000 new neural connections every second. Everything he learns in this early part of his life will play a significant role in who my son will ultimately be.

Talk about motivation to rethink my parenting!