I got his idea from another blogging mom and thought it was simply wonderful! I could not agree more that I learn things from my kids on a daily basis. Who knew when I had kids, that they would be the one to teach me life lessons instead of me doing all the teaching! My kids have taught me so much over the years.They keep me young, informed and corrected. Yep, you read write, my kids LOVE to correct me and most of the time, they don't even know they are doing it! So you may be sitting there asking yourself, what in the world have my kids taught me? Simple. They have taught me to love, to laugh, to hold firm to my morale's and above all to be PATIENT!
1. True Love: We all claim to love and to accept love, but my kids have shown me what real love is all about. They love with the heart of God, forgiving, no fear, patiently, unconditionally. I pray my kids always keep that type of love in their hearts a true testament to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."
2. Laughter: There are days that I get so overwhelmed with having to be the only adult in the home, caretaker, guider, punisher, helper, nurse, accountant, educator, etc that I simply forget to laugh and enjoy life. I get bogged down with all the other aspects of being an adult and sole provider for my family that I don't get to ENJOY my family. My kids though make sure I remember the lesson. I love how they know I am feeling overwhelmed and pressured and about to bust a gasket. I love how at those times they makes jokes and crack up at me. They do crazy things and dances knowing I cannot help but smile and enjoy it, no matter how foul my mood is. It reminds me to not take life so darn seriously. To step back and count my blessings and laugh at myself, circumstances, whatever. You can be responsibly and still have fun and laugh!
Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."
3. Morale's: OK I took this from the other lady I mentioned, but wow, I could not have said it better myself and have been guilty of this before, with the same profound conclusion,what you do means more than what you say! Here is what she wrote: "Have you ever broken a promise to your kids? Maybe you, like me, have seen the wind let out of your children’s sails as your “Treat” for the day was rescheduled (again). Maybe you, like me, have made a list of things to get accomplished that was too difficult – and it discouraged your kids. Maybe a weekend plan they were looking forward to disintegrated in to a “rain check”. Sometimes we overlook the morale needs of children – expecting them to perform for duty when most of the time, even we adults would not be thrilled to work without some kind of incentive. As a homeschool mom, I’m faced with many questions throughout the day from my children. Sometimes I have the right answers. Sometimes an interesting discussion ensues. And sometimes I respond without a lot of thought to my words. While I’d like to say that I always think before answering, I have to admit that there are times I just toss out an answer. I don’t intentionally lie to my children (or anyone else, for that matter), but there are times when I’m overly busied, distracted, or just plain forgetful. I might tell one of my boys or my daughter that we will do something later that day… but then life happens, it’s time for bed, and the request falls through the cracks. As I say “good night” to my son/daughter, he/she kindly reminds me of my earlier response. I sigh as I let him/her know that I’ll do my best to include it tomorrow . . . or the next day.
Regardless of the cause, God wants us to be true to our words – to be dependable and reliable like He is. I have to stop committing to things without taking the time to honestly think them through beforehand. Once I have committed in word, I have to be committed in action. That may require writing it in my day planner, putting a sticky note on my bathroom mirror, or even leaving myself a voice mail message. I can’t just trust my often-overloaded brain to keep it all together. The same applies to events or activities that are scheduled in the future. I still need to have a method in place so that I don’t lose that information and end up breaking hearts and letting others down. I can also pray for God to help me remember, to help me follow through with what I’ve said. I can pray that I won’t expect more than the day can handle – that my to-do lists are living within their time constraint limits and allowing room for fun each day. I can even ask Him to give me creative ways to remember things. He’s smart like that, and often surprises me with the ideas He puts in my mind. This is so important in every area of my life, but especially as I raise and disciple our boys. They need to know that they can trust my words. Whether it’s about something we plan to do, or a consequence that I’ve issued for behavior problems. When I don’t follow through on a promise, their trust in me diminishes ever so slightly. When it’s a consequence, they think they can get away with things. Or at least they figure it’s worth testing the limits on the chance that this is the time I’ll forget what I said. Either way, I’m not honoring God or my children when it isn’t important enough to follow through. My daughter and boys also need to learn to be trustworthy in their own words, and as their mom, I have an opportunity to model that. As they learn to trust me, this will translate to trusting God. I want to help them in that by building a foundation of honesty and integrity now." All I can say is I love her insight and agree ten fold with it.
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 6:37
2 Pet 1:5-8 "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith [moral] excellence,43 to [moral] excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love. For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately (emphasis mine)."
4. Patience: Oh yes, this is a biggie. There is nothing like schooling your kids to teach you patients, empathy and love. As you see your child struggling to learn new concepts its hard to not give answers and finish sentences to push throw and stay on schedule, but I have learned that this only destroys there self confidence. My youngest has a stutter and one thing that really gets him upset is when we finish his sentences or assume we know what he means or wants. The more excited he gets or frustrated the worse the stutter. We have all had to learn patients and empathy when dealing with him. To practice "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" quite often. And to do so without looking impatient, agitated or indignant to him.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. (NIV)
James 1:19-20
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (NIV)
Revelation 14:12
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.
1. True Love: We all claim to love and to accept love, but my kids have shown me what real love is all about. They love with the heart of God, forgiving, no fear, patiently, unconditionally. I pray my kids always keep that type of love in their hearts a true testament to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."
2. Laughter: There are days that I get so overwhelmed with having to be the only adult in the home, caretaker, guider, punisher, helper, nurse, accountant, educator, etc that I simply forget to laugh and enjoy life. I get bogged down with all the other aspects of being an adult and sole provider for my family that I don't get to ENJOY my family. My kids though make sure I remember the lesson. I love how they know I am feeling overwhelmed and pressured and about to bust a gasket. I love how at those times they makes jokes and crack up at me. They do crazy things and dances knowing I cannot help but smile and enjoy it, no matter how foul my mood is. It reminds me to not take life so darn seriously. To step back and count my blessings and laugh at myself, circumstances, whatever. You can be responsibly and still have fun and laugh!
Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."
3. Morale's: OK I took this from the other lady I mentioned, but wow, I could not have said it better myself and have been guilty of this before, with the same profound conclusion,what you do means more than what you say! Here is what she wrote: "Have you ever broken a promise to your kids? Maybe you, like me, have seen the wind let out of your children’s sails as your “Treat” for the day was rescheduled (again). Maybe you, like me, have made a list of things to get accomplished that was too difficult – and it discouraged your kids. Maybe a weekend plan they were looking forward to disintegrated in to a “rain check”. Sometimes we overlook the morale needs of children – expecting them to perform for duty when most of the time, even we adults would not be thrilled to work without some kind of incentive. As a homeschool mom, I’m faced with many questions throughout the day from my children. Sometimes I have the right answers. Sometimes an interesting discussion ensues. And sometimes I respond without a lot of thought to my words. While I’d like to say that I always think before answering, I have to admit that there are times I just toss out an answer. I don’t intentionally lie to my children (or anyone else, for that matter), but there are times when I’m overly busied, distracted, or just plain forgetful. I might tell one of my boys or my daughter that we will do something later that day… but then life happens, it’s time for bed, and the request falls through the cracks. As I say “good night” to my son/daughter, he/she kindly reminds me of my earlier response. I sigh as I let him/her know that I’ll do my best to include it tomorrow . . . or the next day.
Regardless of the cause, God wants us to be true to our words – to be dependable and reliable like He is. I have to stop committing to things without taking the time to honestly think them through beforehand. Once I have committed in word, I have to be committed in action. That may require writing it in my day planner, putting a sticky note on my bathroom mirror, or even leaving myself a voice mail message. I can’t just trust my often-overloaded brain to keep it all together. The same applies to events or activities that are scheduled in the future. I still need to have a method in place so that I don’t lose that information and end up breaking hearts and letting others down. I can also pray for God to help me remember, to help me follow through with what I’ve said. I can pray that I won’t expect more than the day can handle – that my to-do lists are living within their time constraint limits and allowing room for fun each day. I can even ask Him to give me creative ways to remember things. He’s smart like that, and often surprises me with the ideas He puts in my mind. This is so important in every area of my life, but especially as I raise and disciple our boys. They need to know that they can trust my words. Whether it’s about something we plan to do, or a consequence that I’ve issued for behavior problems. When I don’t follow through on a promise, their trust in me diminishes ever so slightly. When it’s a consequence, they think they can get away with things. Or at least they figure it’s worth testing the limits on the chance that this is the time I’ll forget what I said. Either way, I’m not honoring God or my children when it isn’t important enough to follow through. My daughter and boys also need to learn to be trustworthy in their own words, and as their mom, I have an opportunity to model that. As they learn to trust me, this will translate to trusting God. I want to help them in that by building a foundation of honesty and integrity now." All I can say is I love her insight and agree ten fold with it.
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 6:37
2 Pet 1:5-8 "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith [moral] excellence,43 to [moral] excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love. For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately (emphasis mine)."
4. Patience: Oh yes, this is a biggie. There is nothing like schooling your kids to teach you patients, empathy and love. As you see your child struggling to learn new concepts its hard to not give answers and finish sentences to push throw and stay on schedule, but I have learned that this only destroys there self confidence. My youngest has a stutter and one thing that really gets him upset is when we finish his sentences or assume we know what he means or wants. The more excited he gets or frustrated the worse the stutter. We have all had to learn patients and empathy when dealing with him. To practice "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" quite often. And to do so without looking impatient, agitated or indignant to him.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. (NIV)
James 1:19-20
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (NIV)
Revelation 14:12
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.
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