Take a stand

Have you met the mother who is friendly, kind, and soft spoken, yet her child is wild, disrespectful, and out of control? This was such an obscurity to me. I wondered at this for time before I realized that these fit together. That mother is so kind and soft spoken that she doesn’t take a stand with her child. That strong-willed child is taking advantage of his/her mother’s good nature.
This was foreign to me since I, on the other hand, was a strong-willed child, who consequently gave birth to two strong willed children myself. (So, if any of my children seem wild, disrespectful, or out of control, it is not because I am too “good natured.” haha) I have my own issues. This is a most difficult part of parenting – your children are smaller versions (at least they start out smaller, my son is now 6'6") of you and your husband, and will respond in a manner because of how you treat them. Do you want the good news or the bad news first? The bad news is that we have to change ourselves if we want a different reaction. The good news is that we can change ourselves and get a different reaction.
You can change your situation. Your child is not hopeless. As I have endeavored to teach my children good character, the Lord has worked on refining my own character. This has helped my children twofold. First, my children are learning Christ-like character and mom is learning to be a better
person, mother, servant.
I pray “Lord reveal to me the areas where I need to grow. Lead me into truth and understanding.”

Nourish Your Child

"....His banner over me is love." Song 2:4

This time of year thoughts of love are flying everywhere. Sadly, most people feel disappointed. And yet you have been loved with the greatest love of all. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends."John 15:13 Years ago, I was so busy feeling sorry for myself that I forgot to think about how my kids were feeling about themselves. This week the question came "How do I help my kids when they are not feeling loved and accepted?" I think every person young and old will struggle with feelings of rejection until they accept the love of Jesus. "But God commanded His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8 We didn't do anything to deserve that love, it is a free gift. We can just accept it. It is hard for me to help my kids feel loved when I am not feeling loved or accepting Christ's love. Even though I love my children more than they can imagine. Only the love of Jesus will fill that empty space. The best thing I can do is point my kids to the cross. Of course, I need to have been there myself. Just as I am, sin and all, I come to the cross and lay all my problems at the feet of Jesus. And in His love and grace He gives me back "...beauty for ashes, the oil for joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified." Isa 61:3 I want to instill on my own heart and the hearts of my kids God's extravagant, immeasurable, unending thoughts of love and joy over His children. We read verses about it, sing songs of joy, and spend time thinking on His thoughts.

Zep 3:17 "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing."

Nourish Your Child