Guiding our children into fruitful lives

When I first found out I was pregnant with a girl I became very scared. I was afraid that she would fall into all the same sinful traps that I had, that she would endure painful expeirences that would scar her for life and I just wanted to save her from such torment. This is probably why you have heard me jokingly say, "I wish I had boys, because I hear they are much easier to deal with."

The only problem with my saving grace that I was trying to extend to my daughter by molding her and teaching her the way I thought was right in my own eyes, is that I am subject to my own sinful nature, and my grace didn't always appear to be a saving method, but more of a self propelled agenda of demanding submission and giving myself all power and control.

Until a few years ago, I was in a Women's Bible Study at our church and we were reading the book, "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp (The best book I have ever read on raising children, and I have read plenty!). God spoke to my heart and asked me if I trusted Him. My thought was, well yeah, of course I do, that is a simple answer; but the truth was I didn't really. So again God spoke and said to me, "She (my first born) is My child, I have blessed you with her, entrusted her to you, but you have to let Me build her testimony!"

Basically, what He told me was I needed to stop fearing what might happen to her and trust that no matter what happens in her life that He is in control, that all things are according to His will, and are used for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Paraphrased; Romans 8:28)

Recently, I had an idea to write about some things I had learned while reading this book; as a form of rebuke to someone whom I would never have the courage to say anything to, face to face. So today, I took the book off my book shelf so that I would be sure to properly quote all of my points; and that soft still voice whispers in my ear, "Why are you trying to pick the speck out of someone else's eye, don't you see the log in your own?"

Ummm, can I just say, OUCH! Really He should of said, "don't you see the whole forrest in your own eye?"

Obviously, after the fight I had with my daughter this morning before school (what an awful way for her day to begin) and the prodding from God, I will be rereading this wonderful book on child rearing.

I realize yet once again, that I can not let my personal agenda get in the way of how I raise my children, unless my agenda is 100% biblical, and lets face it, that is impossible!

I can not try to shape and mold my children to have characterisics that I want them to have just so that they will perform a certain way. I need to pray for the guidance and wisdom from God on a daily basis, so that I can help them the develop the character  that He has destined for them! Does this mean I shouldn't teach my girls how to obey and be respectful? No, it means that I should teach by example. It means that I need to let the fruits of the spirit be evident in my life and show them how to make first things first. They need to see God at work in my life and He will make sure that through my obedience to Him that all things will fall into place for my children.

Proverbs 22:6; Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Post-op Examination

When I knew that I was going to have surgery on my ear, I made a promise to God that during my recovey time when I was off work, I would devote my time to reconnecting to Him; to build our relationship and take it to a deeper level. To reclaim my first love. My plan was not to rush through my devotional time so that I could make a check mark on my to do list for the day, but to spend the time soaking up His word and meditating on it and truly offering a sacrifice off worship. My goal; not to just let my ear heal that I might have better hearing; but that my hearing would be more sensitive to His voice.

So now that I am awake and coherent, I have been giving God the first fruits of my day and letting Him speak into my heart; not just laying out my requests for Him as if they were a grocery list of items that I need.

One of my favorite things about God's word is that it is alive and each time you read it you receive a new nugget, or it polishes up an old nugget that you may have forgotten about. No matter how many times you reread a passage you will ALWAYS get something from it! 

Here are some truths that God reminded me off as I was reading His word and my devotional book that is walking me through the Bible, yet one more time.

2 CORINTHIANS 4: 16 Even though the outward man is perishing; yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 

Are you worried more about maintaining your figure and appearance more than your heart? Have you read God’s word today? 

PSALMS 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

When you acknowledge the reliability of the one who is in charge of your life and then admit your fear; you have to appropriate the power that He has promised to give to you. You have to tell Jesus your troubles. (Sanctuary; by David Jeremiah) 

As a friend of mine used to jokingly say "has it come to that?" Don't let your problem go on until the only thing left to do is pray. Pray when your problem first arises!

JAMES 3:17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

God’s supply of wisdom never runs dry, but keeps coming to meet the demands of each hour. Worldly wisdom results in confusion but God’s wisdom brings peace, produces fruit and automatically multiplies. (Paraphrased from Sanctuary; by David Jeremiah)

Don’t let anything- people, money, fame, success, family- lead you any where but closer to God. (The Women’s Devotional Guide to the Bible; by Jean E. Syswerda) 

ROMANS 5:3-4 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. Endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

God love His people with a desperation that causes Him to wait patiently for them to turn away from their sin and to turn towards him.  Even when affairs are their darkest, He is working, often behind the scenes, nudging events along in a way that will make His people see, if only they will look, that their only hope is turning to Him.

Frame your belief in God’s ability based on the promises in His Word (Mark 11:24 & Matthew 6:10) to fulfill your needs and your desire for His perfect will in your life.(The Women’s Devotional Guide to the Bible; by Jean E. Syswerda)

The circumstances that you are going through right now might just be a stepping stone towards an answered prayer, do not despise your trials, but let them refine you. 

MARK 11:24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 

MATTHEW 6:10 May your Kingdom come; on earth as it is in heaven… 

PROVERBS 15:1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

Anger does not promote change but only makes the problem go deeper. Learn to respond and not to react in every situation.

Some of these truths are so simple, and yet God reminded me of them because they are still relevant in my life on a daily basis. I must constantly meditate on them to keep my heart focused in the right direction. God needed me to realize that I will never be perfect enough or have the right amount of knowledge to be used, but that if my life is in order and I am putting first things first, I am usable. In fact He can't use me if I am "perfect" or "well accomplished" because then He would not get all the glory due to His name. He has to use imperfect people (David, Gideon, Samson, Rahab, Moses, Sarah- the list is never ending; all people are imperfect, you just have to have faith) because it is when we are weak He is strong!

 

Random thoughts

I have had many ideas swimming around in my head about things I want to write about, but I haven't had any quiet time to sit and enjoy my thoughts. My head feels like the fourth of July with firework thoughts exploding and then dimming out into the darkness. Of course recovering from surgery hasn't improved that at all, I feel like I have slept through four straight days being on pain meds and feeling weak and light headed, nothing coherent has probably left my head. 

I have the urge to write, to say something but for now it is just gobbledygook.

Today I am going to try and stay awake and maybe scrapbook, and fold some laundry. I opened the doors and lit candles so we have a nice sweet breeze going through...very relaxing.

I always complain about not having enough time to just lay around and now that I have it and have limitations on what I can do I am going crazy wanting to get out and do something.

One thing is for sure I am at least going to pick up a book today and turn of the T.V.