My World

Okay..so God gave us our parents, right?  And remember how they annoyed us when we were teenagers and maybe even a little older.   And think now about how much we must have frustrated them and saddened them as young children.  Did they really wash us for years, before we learned.  Did my mom really do hundreds of loads of laundry for us?  And yet, I hated the fact that I had to dust the multiple - spindled chairs in my parents dining room.  Would I know or want to keep my house clean now if my mom hadn’t taught me?  Was I really that disrespectful and disobedient?  Did I really not heed their advice? Is not a parents’ love of unique beauty?  Why am I so reflective you ask?  Because even with all the pain of raising me, my dear parents, still love me so much.  They support my husband and I in so many ways.  This weekend they are giving me such a tangible expression of their love and support.  They have my two oldest children…for two sleeps.  Already I am feeling relaxed and feeling that I have gotten so much accomplished.   Thank you, mom and dad, for taking care of Charlie and Janie..and for this precious gift that you have given to me.  I pray that I’ll remember this example of a parents’ love when I am a grandmother.

Isn’t parenting the most humbling unselfish job imaginable?  Everyday I look into the eyes of my children and see my own sin as I watch them act in ways I know are wrong..and yet so often I act that way.  And knowing that they probably learned that particular behavior from me.  I’ve been reading a book called The Heart of Anger.  I am not really much of one to read books on parenting.  Not because I don’t think I could use the help, but because I feel like I’ll never remember the tips and principles given.  Jason encouraged me to read this particular book.  I’m only about half way through and see so many things I could be doing better.  Almost like, I’ve had the basic idea, but there is a little more in the way of training that I could and should be doing.  I’ve also just finished the little book, The Cross Centered Life by CJ Mahaney.  These two books are intertwining so well.

What are children?  A stewardship from God.  What is our responsibility as parents?  To train them in the ways of the Lord.  What is the best way to do that?  Teach the cross.  How thick headed are we?   Terribly.  The Gospel..the cross is so basic, yet it should be completely controlling every area of our lives.  So what is my goal in parenting my children?  To show them, biblically, their sin…have them ask for forgiveness…and have them tell me the correct way to behave.  And through all of this to teach the Gospel to them.  To remind them and therefore reminding myself that I am a sinner.  I deserve the wrath of God.  But that through Jesus I am blessed to even breath.  He completely bore all of my sin….my shame.  Oh…that it would be so easy to remember and follow gratefully.

My prayer for you, my friend, my children, my husband, and for myself is that we lay our lives at His feet each day.  Do we not realize that we are worth nothing without Him?  That we would take joy in every circumstance (James 1:2).  That we would forsake ourselves for the sake of the Gospel.  May you be compelled today to serve Him more fully.