It takes guts to parent because it takes guts to make hard decisions that the people you love most won't always like. Many emotionally needy parents become, in essence, bad parents because they cannot stand NOT be in a constant state of acceptance by their children, even though the appearance of not being accepted or loved is usually only very surface.
Many parents become bad parents because they can't face their own emotions, and thus are stiff and mechanical with their children.
It takes guts to parent because you are the one that has to stand firm when everything seems to be falling apart.
It takes guts because your convictions about parenting and those of your spouse, if you're married, will conflict at times.
It takes guts because if you are a Christian parent, you are swimming upstream in the culture, so you have to say 'no' to your children more, and 'no' to people, institutions, teachers, etc., in the world more.
It takes guts because if you are a reasonably well-studied Christ follower, though you know we are victorious eternally, you also see that the world your children and grandchildren are going to live in will be a hard, hard place.
It takes guts to parent because to face your child, you have to face you, and you haven't been satisfied with you yet because you see all the yuck in you, and if you don't let the blood of Christ cover you daily, you'll mess this up!
So what do you do with that? Have guts. Make the hard calls. Love the hard love. Be tender when everyone else is hard. How? By giving up -- throwing in the towel! -- in your effort and letting Him take over. By minute-by-minute surrender, by deciding to do the hard stuff before you totally know how to do the hard stuff, knowing you're going to go forward in full armour, facing the enemy, in prayer.
It works. Have guts.
You Can Teach Your Kids The Word
Rick Warren writes, "Jesus taught profound truth in simple ways.We do the opposite. Many 'deep' teachers are actually just muddy!It's arrogance."
How does that relate to you? Easy. Don't let the 'church culture' fool subtly (and likely unintentionally) fool you into thinking you have to have a degree or be a formal teacher in order to be effective in shaping your children's lives with the Gospel. Note what Jesus said, and how He said it. Repeat it to them in terms every bit as simple. Jesus was all about simple. Powerful, but simple. That's how we lead our kids.
Links, Blackboard Material, Etc.
- Any of you blended families want to check this out and give me some feedback? http://www.blendedfamilyadvice.com/oct27blendedandstepfamilynewsletter
- Teach this one to your kids! " Opportunity is often missed because it is dressed in overalls and looks a lot like work." Thomas Edison, via @davidlandrith on twitter.
- In my parent teaching, we talk a lot about genuine intimacy. In that context: "An intimate place is like my cupped hand. Neither totally open or closed, it is the space where growth can take place~H.Nouwen para J.Vanier
- Very practical tips for stress-free parenting: http://glynniswhitwer.blogspot.com/2009/09/10-tips-for-stress-less-parenting.html
- Insight, not endorsement, here on issue of 'yelling' as the new 'spanking.' I do not agree with the cultural norm against spanking, nevertheless there is value in consideration of this subject: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22yell.html?_r=1
- "Our kids want us more than stuff. If we thought about it, we want them more than stuff too. Fight for a relationship, not stuff." -- via Diane Runge (@dlrunge on twitter)
No comments:
Post a Comment