I know that blogging really puts our family out there for "the world" to see what I share so freely most of the time deals a lot with the cute little things my children are doing these days. Lately, I have been convicted to explain my pictures and write more. I hope in this picture you can actually click on it and see the lightning bugs. For the past few days Makayla has had a urge to have Josh and I run out and catch as many as we can only to put them in her little bug catcher so she can watch them glow as she falls asleep at night. Tonight her and I both learned something..Josh and I read our bible as normal and decided that we would watch another "Way of the Master episode" It was on "True church". Two times during this episode Makayla gets up, comes to our room to tell us she wants to catch the Lightning Bugs, (which we have already told her not tonight due to the short nap, long day we would let her tomorrow night) So this time as she comes back the 3rd time I had to spank her, tell her how she has disobeyed and how she also lied and said she would stay in her bed the past other 2 times she got up and she now was going to lose the opportunity to catch lightning bugs tomorrow night too! These moments are getting NEAR and DEAR to mine and Josh's heart as we are learning just how SINFUL our PRECIOUS CHILDREN ARE. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That scripture holds TRUE over and over again to ALL!! After praying and yet again placing Makayla back in her bed. She looks at me with those sweet blue eyes right after I prayed with her and said "Mom God just told me that if I quit crying I can go outside and catch lightning bugs." My heart just ached at how many times I too have formed God into MY will and MY desires. After explaining that Yes God is LOVE, and HE LOVES to watch us Enjoy things HE CREATED such as these "Lightning Bugs", HE is also a JUST GOD. A HOLY ONE! DO we really get that?? I so want that for my children. Don't you? So when do we teach them? The TIME IS NOW!! So then I told her that she would not be able to catch those amazing bugs tomorrow but I would take her outside and let her LOOK at them. I proceeded to tell her the story of when Moses disobeyed God, he wasn't allowed to enter the Promised Land. However, God did allow Moses to look and gaze at it, and that is just what I will allow Makayla to do for her disobedience.Now I know most of our family read our blog everyday and many will not comment and that's ok. I simply don't write or post to get negative or positive feedback. I am learning to write in my own prayer journal of where I have been and watching God work and move in my life, some will spill over to my blog so I'm preparing you grandparents now. So Mamaw and D'Bo as hard as it is to hear of how your precious grandchildren may be punished and seeing these on our family blog I trust and pray that you guys will back us up as you always have in raising our children to FEAR THE LORD. Actually this is to all our Brothers and Sisters in Christ as well. I believe that we are called to come alongside one another in this process. We need all the help we can get. According to scripture that again states very plainly of how satan is alive and thriving. We are seeing this in our families today with divorce, busyness (Being Under Satan's Yoke), fatherless homes, gambling, pornography, alcohol ect. ANY ADDICTION! 1 Peter 5:8 "Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." WE MUST BE TEACHING, CORRECTING, and REBUKING. It is up to us! If you have read this long email, Congratulations, I believe this is my longest one yet so thank you in advance and reading just a little of what God has laid on my heavy heart! Blessings!!
It is very hard to raise children, but like you say PRAY and leave it in His hands. I as one of their grand mother's will do the best I can to help you. I will also pray for this. Great job!
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Mom
April, What a great reminder. I think you are right on. Disobedience is sin. I've learned so much about my sinfulness now that I'm a mom. I see so much sin in my kids; they are disobedient and selfish to the core, and then I think, I am so like that towards God. I see things they struggle with that are the same things I struggle with. I hope as they get older I am faithful to tell them of how I overcame a particular sin or how I still struggle, and I pray they could be like an arrow in the hands of a mighty warrior and go much farther than I did with that sin (Psalm 127:4). It is a great responsibility as parents to use every opportunity to preach the gospel to them. It's usually in their disobedience that we are given that opportunity. My heart has just been broken at times as I discipline because I see his/her heart. I pray they will understand and God will change their hearts at a young age.
ReplyDeleteAwesome Post April,
ReplyDeleteIts great that you are sharing your walk with the Lord and your upbring of you children to everyone (like you stated) Being a mother is so much harder than what it seemed as a child myself. In the book I'm working on now I just finished the chapter on Raising your children with strong Moral Standards and Living by the book "Anchoring your Children in God's Word" And I thought it was amazing that after reading that chapter where she speaks of how it is our responsibilties to raise our children up by good Moral Examples.
And How we are to raise our children with good Moral standards in an Immoral world and the difficulties that we may have to deal with along the way but to NEVER give up.. Read Luke 6:47-49 It shows us that if we help our children while they are young to build good STRONG Moral lives then when they grow up they will (hopefully) not weaken. So thank you so much April for sharing and helping myself as well on my path of Mothering my Children by using GOD's Word. I love you very much!!!
God bless you and your family Always!!
Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words. Sometimes we don't even realize how we can really sharpen each other. I believe mostly by our actions and living out our faith and our christian walk. There are lots of people who are great speakers and can stand before lots of people and really preach or have an awesome speech with their words. In the same seance though sometimes they are empty words (meaning they don't practice what they preach) So as we go..like Sarah said it is our great responsibility to teach them and also to let them know our failures and to let them know that "Yes we too as mommy's are NOT perfect and share our testimony's with them as well and how God has delivered us. THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. I remember as a child thinking my mom and dad was always right, in saying this we all know there was only ONE perfect man and HIS name is JESUS. So it is important to point our children to HIM...Thanks again for all you ladies do in my life as well. I love how HE puts those in our lives to help us along the way. HE is so good!! Love and Blessings to you all..
ReplyDeleteLove, April
I think these teachable moments are so important. WE have to seize opportunities to see what God is telling us through these kind of situations!
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