Parenting

What’s a Mother to Do?!

Sometimes we can get so overwhelmed with all the books,  information available on the internet, and advice from well-meaning friends and family on the different aspects of parenting, that we don’t know what to do!!

Whether you are struggling with behavior problems with your children or the methods of potty training, YOU know your child and the situation better than anyone else and GOD will lead YOU.

Just close the books!

Quit searching the internet!

Quit quizzing others!

and ASK GOD!

Search HIS WORD for direction!

We all need encouragement from others, but don’t substitute the fellowship with other moms for time alone with God.  In order to know what to do for your little one, you must spend time with the One who created you both.  He is ready and waiting to help.  If you let Him help, motherhood can draw you closer to God than you have ever been!

I am convinced that there is nothing a child goes through or a situation we go through that can not be handled with prayer and the Word.  An old preacher once said, “God works in the lives of children through their parents; and parents work in the lives of their children through prayer.” It always goes back to God.  Pray about EVERYTHING, no matter how big or small.

My favorite verse as a mom has always been 1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is who calls you, who will also do it.” He has called us to the awesome and sometimes overwhelming responsibility and privilege of parenting – He has PROMISED to do it through us!!

 

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Teaching As You Go

Deut. 6:7
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

You can’t expect a young child to sit down for very long in order to teach him. His attention span is about a minute for each year of his life.   That’s why you have to catch teaching moments like this verse says – while you sit, walk, lie down, rise up.

A walk around the block can become a lesson on safety and obedience by holding an adult’s hand in traffic. It also is an opportunity to sing about and thank God for His beautiful world.

Blowing bubbles affords the opportunity to sing “Jesus’ love just bubbles me over.”

Playing ball allows the teaching of concepts of up and down and the idea of sharing.

Picking up trash can be a lesson on helping and caring about those who come after you.

Here a little, there a little – teaching time is any time . . . and it’s fun!!

Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.

Deut. 4:9 “But watch out! Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the Lord do for you. Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

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Children Are a Gift From God

Psalm 127:3
Children are a gift from God; they are his reward.

It seems in every disappointment in my life, God has always used children to lighten my heart.

In this video, a baby is laughing hysterically at ripping paper.  The amazing thing is the paper being ripped is a job rejection letter the dad had just received.  How good is God to cause the baby to be so amused by the ripping of the paper and thus bring such enjoyment to the dad in the midst of his difficult situation!

Now click here, listen to this song by The Oak Ridge Boys, and ‘Thank God For Kids’!  Children truly are a gift from Him!

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But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Cor. 14:40)

God likes things organized.  Just read in Exodus 36-40 and see the details He gives for the furnishings in the Tabernacle and the arrangement of the furniture.  As always, He is our example.  If He wants His House organized, our homes should be organized. But I’m aware that with all you have to do, the house sometimes becomes low on your list of priorities. However, getting organized will save time in the long run, and having a clutter-free home will have a calming affect on your children.

Accomplishing this comes very easy for some people, but others find it more difficult.  We can claim some of God’s promises that apply here:
Philip. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1 Thes. 5:24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Ask God to help you ‘watch over carefully all that goes on throughout your household ‘(Proverbs 31:27)

Don’t beat yourself up if your gift is not organization –  but don’t be afraid to ask for help from those who do have that gift  –  it’s all part of ‘bearing one another’s burdens'(Galatians 6:2).  Some people really enjoy organizing and would be delighted to help. If that’s not you, you have different gifts that you can share. In fact, some people may tend to be so organized that they will need to learn from you how to sometimes  leave the broom and go build a memory!

Read 1 Corinthians 12 to see how the Body of Christ is to work.

The Christian Stay at Home Moms blog offers a book to help in organizing.

Involving Your Children in the Process

Deuteronomy 6 tells us to teach as we go.  You can make cleaning and organizing a teaching opportunity as you talk about how God was specific about organizing His house and we should do the same.

Give them age-appropriate jobs to do so they can feel a sense of accomplishment:
(Galatians 6:4 Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.) Lead them to memorize this scripture.

Be like Mary Poppins and ‘find the fun in every job to be done’.  Make a game out of cleaning – for example pretend that a bomb will go off if the job isn’t completed by a certain time;  or pretend that the president or Jesus is coming for a visit.  I like to lead children in a chant of (1 Cor. 3:9) – ‘we work together; we work together’ as we clean up.

Make a game of it:


And please don’t forget to ask for help if needed 🙂

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