Sunday, September 30, 2007

Good catch!!!

"More is caught than taught." You've probably heard that line before, but I had an experience this week that really proves how true that is. My kids and I attend CBS (Community Bible Study) and my two older kids and I have the same memory verse : Romans 1:16-17. We were all three trying to memorize it and after reading it out loud together a few times, we tried to say it by memory and we got stuck in verse 16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel.... um..because....um......because it's....." Out of the blue, my 4-year-old pipes up, "Because it is the power of God!" So my husband asked him if he could say the whole verse. Here is what happened: (make sure you have your sound up!)

When I realized he had heard us reciting the verse and had memorized it (even before we did) it got me thinking. The "more is caught than taught" thing can really be a double-edged sword. It happened to work in my favor this time, and I am so thankful it was God's word that he "caught" and hid in his heart! But what else has he "caught" when I assumed he wasn't listening or didn't understand? Have you ever thought about the lyrics in the music you listen to? Have you ever considered the content of the TV shows you watch when you assumed your child was too young to catch what was going on? It is so important as moms that we monitor what our children are exposed to. Keep in mind, not all preachers stand in pulpits and not all teachers are in classrooms. The words you say, the music you listen to, and the media you bring in to your house all impact your children and the way they view their world, even when you think they aren't paying attention, even when you think they are too young to be affected. You never know when that light will come on, the question is....what is it that they will "catch" when it does?

God Bless!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Welcome

Do you enjoy your kids? I do. I don't mean that I enjoy every part of the nitty-gritty, wiping bottoms, cleaning up spills, saying no to candy for morning snack 10 times, finding the lost shoe, "He started it!", and for goodness sakes , "What is that smell?" kind of stuff. But I really do like who my kids are. (And it's not just because they are just like me!) I have a relationship with each one of them, and I find each one of those relationships rewarding. My husband and I have a goal. We want to be friends with our kids when they are grown. But for now, we have to be parents....which means that it is our job to teach them and train them. We have to be the ones to say "no" and give them rules and structure and consequences for disobedience. We must teach them in God's wisdom and place truth in their hearts. But, if we try to do all that without having a real relationship built on trust, it will all be worthless. So, if you feel that you have lost the enjoyment of being a mom.....get back to basics. Put your rules aside for a moment and get to know your kids. Listen to them, play with them, and build that trust. If they trust you, they will be more likely to follow your lead. God bless!