Seeing through thanksgiving.

Remembering to give thanks, I take a deep breath as I reread and type my list for the week.  I have been down and exhausted and today (Sunday) I just want to hide in a hole somewhere and mope.  I look at all of this, my thank offerings for the week.  My heart changes at this moment, this remembering, this seeing again what God has done.  He continues to pour out grace upon grace.  Oh for the eyes to see in each moment.

388.  Ticklish baby
389.  Play date to the zoo with perfect weather
390.  Ticklish big brother
391.  Conversations with 3 year old
392.  Prayer
393.  Bedtime
394.  Worship on Pandora in my car
395.  Reminders of New Orleans
396.  Double rainbow, reminder of Faithfulness
397.  Playing cars on hand drawn maps
398.  Friends watching my boys so I could get out of the house.
399.  Girl's movie night
400.  Subs from publix with a friend
401.  Mosaic with Andrew
402.  Rain
403.  Listening to my son sing, "This is the day."
404.  Falling asleep on the couch with my 3 year old
405.  Baby boy falling asleep on my chest
406.  Son's excitement about a passing train
407.  Fresh green beans from neighbor's garden
408.  Storm clouds rolling overhead.
409.  Sandhill crane flying by as I watch the storm.
410.  My growing 3 year old in the 95th percentile for height
411.  A helping hand and playmate for my son.
412.  Borrowed steam cleaner
413.  Mostly clean carpets
414.  Scooting, rolling, splashing, kicking baby
415.  Multiple trips to the park.
416.  Sleeping Baby in swing.
417.  Dirty baby feet.
418.  Husband home after a week away.
419.  Boys playing football
420.  Church fellowship at the park

Teach me Jesus Thursdays... Parenting Philosophy

I'm linking in with a fellow blogger and dear friend at To Show Them Jesus on Thursdays to share thoughts, struggles, and ideas on raising our children to know and follow Christ.  Would you join us?

This week I am finding it hard to talk about parenting as I am facing a challenging time with my three year old.  I truly feel inadequate, but I'll give it a shot and look forward to feedback as well as ideas of how you may be raising up your children.

This week our focus is on Parenting Philosophy.  The perfectionist side of me began parenting reading books and articles online in a search of doing things the "right" way.  I quickly learned that there are many styles of parenting and many personalities of families as I discovered that I would not be able to find a perfect solution, be a perfect parent, or raise perfect kids.   Okay, you can stop laughing now. :)

I gave up the search for perfection, overwhelmed by the myriad of opinions on the subject of raising children. I've read a few books, but am most reliant on God to work in and through me and my family to accomplish His purpose for us.

Our philosophy of parenting is still in the works.  Here are a few core beliefs that drive us:

The grace of God shown through Christ.  Our greatest hope is that God would draw our children's heart to Himself.  It is our prayer that God's grace would transform each of our hearts and that we would live out that grace to extend it to each other.  I'm not great at the latter statement.

God's compassion for His people throughout the world.  We hope that our family would be able to give freely of all that we have to benefit God's kingdom.  We want to raise our children to love selflessly and give abundantly, living a lifestyle of sacrifice and building treasures in Heaven rather than clinging to things on Earth.

Heart's of service.  This works closely with compassion.  We hope that we will not just feel for those in need, nor just give our possessions, but that we would give our lives as well.  Starting with a servant's heart for each other and extending to our church, community, and world, we hope to raise our children to look beyond themselves and give of themselves for the mission of the Gospel, fulfilling the Great Commission.

Creative Expression and Unique Giftings.  We hope to encourage our children in discovering and developing their unique giftings whatever they may be.  Also, we want for them to be able to appreciate giftings of others as God has made each of us uniquely in His image.

A growing love for God and life of pursuing Him.  We hope that our children will grow to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind.  We hope to instill spiritual disciplines in them that will develop their relationship with our Father. We hope that what they learn from us grows into a life of pursuing God and growing in grace, that their time under our roof may just be the beginning.

Storms of Blessing.

Storms of Blessing, could this be an oxymoron?  My heart doesn't seem to accept that phrase naturally.  Storms thunder and shake and destroy, don't they?  The storms of life shake the very foundation of our being.  A blessing? Really? Well, maybe they have gotten a bad reputation.  Certainly, some people pray for storms and for rain, the land depends on them to provide nourishment and growth.  Without them life would be impossible.

I'm posting at Life River Studios Today.  To read more click HERE

Gratitude list.

358. Leaving the laundry to go to the park
359. Tacos for dinner
360. Healthy Baby Girl, Aiden Young
361. Andrew playing football at the park.
362. Sand in dumptrucks
363. Plastic shovels
364. Boys watching diggers
365. Wooden truck to climb on
366. Still waters
367.  Boy spinning, jumping, climbing, running
368. Being pushed in the swing by 3 year old.
369.  A quiet drive due to boys falling asleep.
370.  Taking the long way to make the moment last.
371.  Good Friday and Psalm 22 speaking to me
372.  Daddy taking 3 year old out for ice cream after dinner
373.  Memory game scattered on floor.
374.  God has entrusted me with the message of the Gospel
375.  Amazing Love
376.  He was forsaken so that I will never be
377.  God's Spirit at work
378.  Resting in his embrace
379.  Ice cold water quenching my thirst and reminding me of the living water and my dire need to be filled
380.  Easter celebration with my dear church family
381.  He is Risen!
382.  Husband's helping hand around the house
383.  Boys fishing
384.  A walk to feed farm animals
385. Pinwheels
386.   Baby being introduced to dirt and grass

387.  "God sets the lonely in families" Psalm 68:6 a

To show them Jesus

  


"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6: 5-9




On Thursdays I'll be linking into toshowthemjesus.com as we explore ways to share Christ with our little ones.  


I confess that I don't nearly have this figured out.  However, we have taken steps and made progress in teaching our son about Christ.


Currently there are a few things that we do:
When we rise:
As we eat breakfast I read The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name, by Sally Lloyd-Jones, to my 3 year old son.  Every story focuses on Christ.  My son loves this time together.  Recently I asked Him what Jesus did.  He replied, "Jesus rescues us." When I asked him what He rescues us from, he said "Us."  This book has helped instill the truth of the Gospel.  I pray that the Holy Spirit works in my son's heart for him to fully receive the grace of God offered in Christ.


When we sit:
I'm not sure if a three-year old actually sits for long.  Usually, sitting involves eating.  We pray at all meal times and are teaching him to do so as well.  We will also talk about our day, which sometimes leads into conversation about how God has blessed us in various ways.  This time also provides a good time to talk about what we've been reading in the mornings.


Also, as I jot down notes for my gratitude list, I often ask him what he is thankful for and tell him that all of our gifts come from God.


When we walk:
For us "walk" could be substituted with "hop, run, crawl, skip," or any other action word. :)  At my son's age we talk a lot about kindness and sharing and we do a lot of disciplining.  Both provide fertile ground to plant God's Word in his heart. 


As we talk about sharing, I remind him of all of the ways that we have been blessed by others sharing with us.  I also remind him that all of our toys are gifts from God and that we can bless others by sharing them or by giving them away.


I have not done this every time, but often when I discipline him, I share the Gospel with him. I explain that when we do wrong things, we have to be disciplined.  We talk about our means of discipline and I tell him that God also has to punish us when we do wrong.  I then tell him that Jesus came to take our punishment for us, because God loves us so much and forgives us every time we do wrong.  I find that my son listens best at this time.  Also, sharing the Gospel puts my heart in the right place and I am less angry at him for whatever it is that I am punishing him for.


In addition, we talk about God's creation.  It could be an awesome sunset, a beautiful day at the park, a picked flower (weed), the beach, or any of the ways that we enjoy being outside.  As I admire the beauty around me, I will talk about how awesome and beautiful it is and that our amazing God is the master artist and creator.


When we lie down:
Our bedtime routine always ends in prayer.  He is starting to pray regularly during this time. It's often cute the things that he prays and it's awesome to hear him have a conversation with God. 




What ways do you apply this verse in your house?  Would you join me  at Teach them Jesus Thursdays?