Author: Truthsfortots

Why, When and Where to Pray: The Bible Tells Us and Jesus Shows Us

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Daily Truth: Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed  into a solitary place, and there He prayed.    Mark 1:35

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Early in the morning is sometimes the only time when all is quiet and time to pray is uninterrupted.  In order to have the time and energy to get up early takes planning the night before.  With little ones it is more difficult to plan as their needs sometimes dictate the schedule.  Spending time with God is the most important thing you will do and once the day begins it is very difficult to stop, pause and reflect once in motion. Planning with flexibility is what a mom is about right?  So plan carefully with time for prayer as a priority.

The verb “pray” is found 146 times in the Bible.  We are taught how to pray in Matthew 6:13-19 when Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray by teaching them the Lord’s Prayer.

The following is a list of times, places, and reasons to pray from the Bible.

1.   Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  Think about all the  questions you answer or how many times you are giving directions to your children throughout the day.  That is how much time we are to communicate with God.  Prayer is talking to God.  God wants a relationship with us. He speaks through His Word the Bible and communicates through prayer.  How easy is that?  No iPhone, Droid, Bluetooth, etc. required!

2.   In Mark 1:35 we are told that Jesus prayed in the morning before all the activities of he day.  Jesus is our example in all things.  Planning in the evening to go to bed at a specific time will help establish a regular wake up time.

3.  In Matthew 6:6 we are shown to pray in solitude.  And yes that can mean behind a bathroom door but better elsewhere.  By having a specific time and place each day your prayer time will be more meaningful and special.  When you are a mother of little ones or a mother of a child with special needs, early morning is the only time that you can call your own.  God wants to spend time with just you.  We need the time with God.

4.   Matthew 5:44 we are to pray for our enemies. When we focus on the needs of others rather than ourselves it places us in a place of humbleness.  God is ultimately in control.  By praying for our enemies we take ourselves out and let God work.  It keeps our focus in line with Christ.  Jesus Christ came so we might have life, and what an abundant life we have!

5. Sometimes we are overcome with such grief that we cannot think of any words to articulate.  That is when Romans 8:26 gives us hope.  The Holy Spirit will help us in our weaknesses when we do not know what to pray.

6.  In Ephesians 6:13-18 we are told to put on the full armor of God and to cover it in prayer. Learn about the armor of God, place it on yourself and dress your children in it as well.  Then as written in Ephesians 6:18 cover it all in prayer.

The Bible tells us how, when, where, and why to pray.  When we pray we are giving God glory, confessing our sins, showing our thankfulness, and making requests.  It is a privilege that we are able to talk to God at any time and any place.

There are many books and devotionals that teach us about prayer.  Please check out my Pinterest board on “Prayer” at Truths for Tots.

“Bow, stubborn knees!” William Shakespeare

“Prayer is simply a two-way conversation between you and God.” Billy Graham

“The prayer offered to God in the morning during your quiet time is the key that unlocks the door of the day.  Any athlete knows that it is the start that ensures a good finish.” Adrian Rogers

 When and where do you pray?

Until the next “Truth” telling moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson

“Hi Ho Hi Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go”

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Daily Truth: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10

 

We’ve all heard the Snow White classic song, Hi Ho Hi Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go sung by the seven dwarfs a million different ways.  We kind of chuckle at it, but you know the dwarfs might have had something.  Singing on your way to work and singing as you work is a good way to get the kiddos to do their jobs.

I know….jobs.  It often takes more time to get the kids to do the work, check the work the kids did, and sometimes have them to the job again than to just do the job ourselves.  However, if we do that the only thing we are teaching our kids is how to be lazy, not to be responsible.

P1060907So, here are some jobs that little guys can do.

1.  Pick up their toys.

2.  Make their beds. (Forget military style made beds. Remember, that’s not the point.)

3.  Empty the dishwasher.  One child does the silverware, another the plates, and another the cups. (Side note:  Put your plates in one of the lower cabinets so that your child can reach them.  Brilliant…I know!! Thank you to my aunt.)

4.  Set the table.  One child puts on the napkins, another the silverware, and another the cups.

5.  Clear the table.

6.  Clean the bathroom sink.

7.  Empty the trash.

8.  Dust the railings.

9.  Feed the animals.

10. Fold towels.

11. Put their clothes away. (My boys REALLY struggle with this one.)

The list could go on, but these are just a few ideas.

Now the hard part.  How do I encourage my children to do these jobs and to them correctly?

P10609091.  An award chart.  This could be a sticker chart.  When they get so many stickers they get some kind of reward.

2.  A ticket or marble jar.  The children earn tickets or marbles for each job completed. The tickets or marbles can be exchanged for prizes.  We are currently doing this system with our kids for them to earn money to buy a souvenir on our vacation.

3.  A penny jar.  This is the same concept as the ticket jar.

Their are two keys to our kids earning their tickets.

1.  The job must be completed immediately and with the right attitude.  If they have to be reminded more than once or if they do the job pouting the whole time (umm….my youngest has the least amount of tickets due to this problem) then they do not earn the tickets for the completed job.

2.  The job must be done correctly.  This falls on me.  I must first show the child how I want the job done and then I must take the time to check the jobs to make sure they are done correctly.

Why rewards?  Well, let’s face it.  Doesn’t God reward us for jobs well done and if we keep His commandments?  The Bible is full of verses that support this. Here are just a few.

Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 4:40,  Matthew 25:21, I Corinthians 9:25,

I know there is the whole debate out there on allowance vs. no allowance.  I am not here to start a debate. Rather, let me explain why my husband and I decided to do allowances.

1.  It teaches them how to save their money.  If a child wants to purchase something, say a Lego set, then that child has to save for that set.

2.  It teaches them to tithe.   Ten percent of their allowance each week goes into the offering plate on Sunday. We want them to understand that God want us to give back to Him.    (Malachi 3:8-10)

3.  It teaches them to give above their tithe.  Not only do the children give ten percent of their allowance but we also teach them to give a little more encouraging them to do so cheerfully.                         (II Corinthians 9:6-8)

4.  It teaches them to appreciate the items that they have saved for. Besides, I LOVE seeing the pride in their face and the shock on the cashier’s face when they empty out their wallet full of change and dollars on the counter!

So, if part of my job as a mom is to represent Christ to my children, then that includes teaching them to be responsible and to be helpers around the house and to reward them for work well done.  After all, isn’t that we Christian moms are also striving to hear?

“Well done.”

Until next Monday,

Rebekah

klink

 

 

Motherhood- An Amazing Race

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Daily Truths:  “Let us run with patience [endurance] the race that is set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1

 

 I am a mother and I am a runner.  This weekend I ran an amazing race and when I went home after the race, I continued running another amazing race – the race of motherhood.

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This weekend, a number of my friends and I ran the Indianapolis mini-marathon.  It was a perfect running day and the air was filled with excitement as 35,000 runners and walkers took their places to begin their 13.1 mile journey.

Someone would finish first and another last.  The participants came in all shapes, sizes, ages, and ethnic backgrounds.  Some had trained for months and others only weeks. Some would walk and others would run.  However, we all had the same goal in mind – to cross the finish line. As I hit mile 11, my body started getting REALLY tired.  One thing that kept me going was that I would see my hubs and kids cheering me on near the finish.

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The Christian life is compared to a race.  However, let’s take it one step further – so is motherhood.  You stand at the start line eagerly anticipating the arrival of your baby that will catapult you into this race of motherhood.  When the moment comes to finally cross the start line, you are so excited to finally be called a mother. As you continue your run, people cheer you on, encourage you, and give you refreshment from from God’s Word.

Then you stumble, get tired, and the race starts to get more difficult. At times it becomes painful.  You just want to take a break.  You can’t and you keep going because you know that you HAVE to run this race and finish as strong as you can.

Then your children give you little trophies along the way. One child tells you that you are “bootiful”.  Another givP1060980es you a bouquet of dandelions.  Another wraps her arms around you and says, “I’m so glad you’re my mommy.” (If you know our story you understand the depth of that statement).  Your 10 year old writes, “My my is hot stuff” on the back of her shirt and wears it proudly for all to see.  These are little trophies that mean the world to only you.

What is the medal we are striving for as Christian mothers?  It is to hear our Heavenly Father say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant [mother]” (Matthew 25:21).

There are mothers at all stages of this race.  Some are holding a newborn, while others are chasing toddlers.  Some are teaching middle school children, others are chauffeuring teenagers, and some are encouraging college students.  Some are embarking on another part of the race called “grandmother”.  Some have had their race cut short by a miscarriage or the death of a child.  Yet, we are all mothers.

I saw a shirt this weekend that said, “Motherhood is hard.  It’s like running a marathon every day!”

Yep.  It’s hard and there will be times you want to quit.  Ecclesiastes 9:11 states, “The race is not to the swift”.  In other words, ‘hang in there –  this is a long run’.

So, as we draw close to Mother’s Day this weekend, keep your eye on the Savior, cherish those little moments with your children, and be thankful for the little trophies they give you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Rebekah Klink

klink

How to Practice with Our Children

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Daily Truth:  “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

 

What do plays, symphonies. concerts, and children all have in common?  Each need to practice multiple times before they are expected to perform.

We would never dream of going to a concert in which the performers haven’t practiced what they were going to do.  Yet, how many times do we do that to our children and become frustrated when they don’t behave appropriately in different situations.

The key… practice, and practice, and practice, and practice.

You can take your children with you to the store, restaurant, another persons house, talk on the phone (still working on that one), etc and have them behave appropriately but it will require some prep work on your part.

1.  Tell your children what you are going to do.

“Boys, we are going to meet a friend for breakfast.  Mommy has to talk to her about stuff for Sophia’s kindergarten class.”

2.  Tell your children what they are going to do.

“Now, while mommy and her friend are talking, you get to eat pancakes.”

3. Tell your children what type of behavior you expect.

“You must stay seated.  You can color your paper but you may not interrupt mommy and her friend while they are talking.”

4.  Remind them of the consequences if they misbehave.

“If you don’t obey, you will lose your tickets.” (I’ll explain that in another blog)

5.  Remind them of the reward they will get if they do behave.

“However, if you obey you will earn a ticket.”

6.  Have them repeat it back to you.

“What are you to do?”

“Eat my pancakes, color, and sit.”

“What will happen if you don’t obey?”

“I will lose my ticket.”

“What will happen if you do obey?”

“I will get a ticket.”

That incident really did happen.  Were they perfect? No…but they did a very good job (even though Micah accidentally spilled his water) and they did do what I asked.

Sometimes the dress rehearsal happens at home, such as the following.

“Sophia, when someone talks to you at church what do you do?”

“Stop, look at them, and answer them.”

“Ok, let’s pretend I am Mrs.____, ‘Hello, Sophia.  You look pretty in your dress.'”

(Once again, a true story…happened just yesterday.)

Every time I take the kids to the store, I park the car and we go over what is expected of them before we go in the store.

Does this take time?  ABSOLUTELY! However, in the long run it is so worth it!

Friday, the kids had school off.  So, we went to the zoo in the afternoon.  I had a ball!  It was the first time in four years that I went to the zoo without a stroller, a diaper bag, or the leashes for the little guys (gasp…I know, I readily admit that I have leashes for the little guys.  You would too if you had 3 kids a total of 18 months apart). You know, they stayed close and we only had one “run off incident” which resulted in that child holding my hand for the rest of the butterfly exhibit.  Their behavior didn’t happen by accident.  It was going out time and time again and practicing over and over again.

This summer, I am going with my extended family to D.C. with the four kids.  Nervous? A little, but I also know we are ready for this adventure.  However, leashes will be in my purse…just in case.

Until next Monday,

Rebekah

 

klink

How to Help Children Understand the Boston Tragedy through God’s Truths – Truths for Tots

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Daily Truth: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

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I am not packaging the Boston Tragedy into a neat and tidy Christian package with expected answers.  This is Christianity at it’s rawest…when we don’t know the right answers and we are wondering the same things as our children.  Yet, we can put our confidence in a God who cares and the Truth of His Word..

We all saw the pictures: the smoke, the chaos, the pain, the sorrow, the victims, and the heroes.

We heard the reports:  the cries, the shock, and the unbelievable.

Boston has brought up many interesting conversations with all of my children and with many of my friends.

We sat back and wondered, “What is happening in our world that even an event such as the Boston Marathon would be a bomb sight?”  What should have been a time a rejoicing over such elite accomplishments turned into a time of utter horror.

We all held our children a little closer that night and the days and nights afterwards.

Although we did our best to shield our children from the horrors of Boston, they still picked up on it.

So, how do we deal with these events and our children?  “Oh, my child is only 2 or 3.  They don’t know what happened?” Really?  Don’t you think they can sense the fear and hear our anxious hushed whispers and sense that something isn’t right. How do we answer their questions honestly,  appropriately, and based on God’s Truth.

1.  Remind your children that all are born sinners (Rom. 5:12)  and we all have sinned (Rom. 3:23).  Without Jesus we are capable of doing horrible things.

2. Remind your children that God is not surprised by what happens.  He knew all along that events at Boston were going to occur. (Ps. 139:15-16)

So, why did God allow it to happen?

3. Tell your children we don’t know all the “why’s” about God.  But one thing we are certain of is that God’s ways are so much higher than our ways (Is. 55:8-9) and His way is always best (Ps. 18:30)

4.  Remind your children that God knows are sorrows and our fears (Heb. 4:15, Ps. 56:8)

5.  Pray with your children for their safety and for the safety of those around them (Mt. 19:14, Ps. 91:11)

Am I a little nervous about running the Indianapolis mini?  Honestly, yes.  However, I cannot let the events of Boston dictate how I live.  Yet, I can use the events of Boston to teach my children many valuable lessons.  Most certainly of all, that my God is in control and my life is in His hands.

I was in a store with my tots the Tuesday afterwards and before I could stop them, they were glued to a TV that was replaying the bombing at Boston.  Micah, my 5 year old said,”Mom, why was there a bomb at the marathon?”

“I don’t know, honey.”

“Is there going to be a bomb at your marathon?”

My heart stopped.  This little 5 year old put it together that people were running a race and there was a bomb and my mom is going to be running a race soon. Is there going to be a bomb?

I got down on my knees in front of him, held his little hands, and said,” Micah, we need to pray for those families that got hurt and pray for mommy and all her friends that God will keep us safe in our race.”

Right there, in the middle of the store, a 5 year old petitioned our Heavenly Father for the safety of his mom and her friends.

 

Until next Monday and hopefully we will discuss “Dress Rehearsal”,

Rebekah

klink

Rest for the Weary in a Busy Life

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Daily Truth:  But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

I realize that I promised that I would write about “Dress Rehearsal.”  But alas, sometimes things happen in our lives that are completely out of our control and definitely NOT in our calendar.  That pretty much sums up the past 9 days.

It all started when the hubs came home a week ago terribly sick.  Now let me just preface this by saying my husband is NOT one of those “husband turn whimp,” wanting to rest, when he gets sick.  Also, my husband’s job is such that he can go to work and not have to interact with too many people.  Off to work he went Friday morning despite the protest from the family and spending part of the night sick. When he came home Friday night from work, walked into the house, and rested on the couch without even taking his winter coat or hat off I knew we were in trouble. And that is the way he stayed until Saturday morning.

It was a down hill battle from there.  Literally every 36 hours someone else fell prey to the flu this week.  I cleaned the bathrooms and did laundry every day.  (The house now permanently smells of Lysol).  I fought it until the commander of her troops could fight it no longer and finally I succumbed last night.

Next week, I will discuss the importance of “Dress Rehearsal” with our children.  But for now, this weary and cranky mother is going to drink some tea, take a hot bath, rest and enjoy a few minutes of sheer utter silence (which believe me is a rarity in this house) before the troops come home from church.

Until next week ladies,

Rebekah

rest for the weary

The Work of His Hand: We Are Just the Pottery

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Daily Truth:  But now, O LORD, you are the Father; we are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8

9757937What an incredible picture! God is our Creator and the potter. We are his vessels or pottery.  He shaped and molded us.

When a child understands the way in which pottery is made there is a better understanding about the verses in the Bible which use the words clay and potter. The clay begins as just a lump of matter (which is made up of elements known as silicates along with water, oxygen, and trace minerals) on the potter’s wheel. The clay is carefully molded by the potter’s hands into a masterpiece.

I find it interesting that water must be added to the clay to aid in the transformation. Without water we are unable to live. Water is cleansing too. In John 4:10 Jesus is the living water. In John 5:12 “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Just as clay needs water to be molded we too need “living water” to be cleansed and transformed.

A valuable experience that would lead to a clearer understanding of the clay and potter relationship is to have your child make their own piece of pottery or to plan a visit in which he or she can watch pottery being made. The  following video shows how a potter makes pottery. (click here to watch video)

It is interesting in the video when the potter blows into the vessel.  The breath from the potter gives shape and form to the clay.  It reminds me of the verse in Genesis 2:7 “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and then the man became a living creature.”

Job 33:6 “Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.”

God’s Word is truly amazing.  God gives us word pictures to aid in our understanding of His Word.

Until the next “Truth” sharing moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson

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How Strong Are You? (Part II)

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Daily Truth: “The Lord is the strength of my life.” Psalm 27:1

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I knew it would happen!!! Not two hours after I posted the last blog, one of my cherubs showed me just how much more training we have to go.

I was checking out at a register when Sam pipes up to the cashier, “Lady, what is wrong with your face?”  The cashier and I looked at each other in bewilderment. The her face visibly went from, “How can I help you?” to “How quickly can I get you out of here!”  I bent down in front of Sam and the following conversation occurred.

Me:  “Sam, were you being kind?”
Sam: “No.”
Me:  “What did you say that was unkind?”
Sam: “I asked the lady what was wrong with her face.”
Me:  “What do you need to do now?”
Sam: “Ask her to forgive me for saying ‘what is wrong with your face’.”

With head hung low, Sam walked around the corner and said to the cashier, “I’m sorry for saying ‘what’s wrong with your face’.  Will you forgive me?”

That sweet cashier got on her knees, held Sam’s hands, and said, “Oh, honey there is nothing to forgive.”  Believe me, her demeanor changed dramatically and believe me Sam still faced punishment at home.

I have been asked what parenting books I read.  I do read parenting books but I have found that the best lessons one can learn are by watching and asking other parents what they do in their parenting.  So, that is exactly what I did. I asked a number of my friends their best advice for parenting.  Their children range from a 3 year old to a junior in high school.  I feel like I have been immersed in a week of Parenting 101.  My heart has been blessed, challenged, and is now overflowing with information and the desire to be all that I can be for my children.

Parenting Advice Number 1:  Make sure your heart is align with God’s heart. 

“What?!?!  I thought this was on raising my kids not on me?!?!”  True, but if I am not a grace-filled mom how can I demonstrate the love of God and his grace to my children.   My friend wrote it so eloquently that I am just going to let her speak.

I want… I MUST be a grace-filled Mom. I – and ABSOLUTELY their Dad – am their earliest representation of God that they will know. What will they learn?!?!?!? Am I one who demonstrates anger or frustrations easily? Do I forgive quickly? Am I excited to read God’s word? Do I make much of Jesus? Do they see me sorry for MY sins and shortcomings? How do they hear ME talk or respond to unplanned problems? Am I tender to the leading of the Spirit for others that are hurting or ‘different’ or ‘unlovely’?

My encouragement would be to focus on knowing and loving God and then knowing and loving your child. That doesn’t mean don’t expect obedience or don’t expect good behavior…just don’t make THAT your goal. To me, that change of focus was HUGE in how I approached my parenting…

Convicting, huh?  This is just a taste of the type of encouragement I have been receiving from these dear friends. You know, the thing that we all agreed on was that we all fail, and many times.  Often many times within a 24 hour period! Yet, it is in our weakness that God becomes our strength.

So ladies, how strong are you spiritually?  Is God the focus of your life and is that completely evident to your children?  You can have children that do and say all the right things but if your heart isn’t in tune with God how can you expect their hearts to be in tune with God? Is God your portion and your strength?  When you feel you can’t go on another step or you have dealt with this same issue again and again what is your response?

Until next Monday,

Rebekah

Next Monday:  Parenting Advice Number 2:  Dress Rehearse

(image courtesy of Graur Inout/ freedigitalphotos,net)

What’s Your Plumb Line?

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Daily Truth: “I will make justice a measuring line and righteousness a plumb line.”
Isaiah 28:17
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What is a plumb line? I first found out when hanging wall paper  many years ago.
A friend was helping me hang wallpaper. She took off her wedding ring and tied  a string to the ring to make a plumb line. She said that it would help us to hang the the wallpaper straight as our vision and the walls could deceive  us.A plumb line is a simple yet valuable tool to determine whether something is vertically straight. From the Latin word “plumbum”, meaning “lead”, a plumb line is a line with a weight attached to the bottom of the line. The force of gravity causes the the string to trace a straight, vertical line. Plumbers, masons, carpenters, surveyors, and landscapers all use this tool.This simple tool has been used in construction since ancient times. Jesus probably used a plumb line as a carpenter tool. References in the Bible are usually that of the Lord’s plumb line. This is in reference to how righteously people stand, or how upright their stand of God.Many of the prophets in the Old Testament warned the people about their crooked ways. Amos writes his conversation with the Lord about the people living
their own ways and not in the ways of the Lord in Amos 7:7-8.
“This is what the he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,
with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.”
By helping children understand the word plumb line they will better understand what God’s criterion is for righteousness.
Activity to help with understanding plumb line:
Attach a paper to an easel or chalkboard. Have the child make lines from
top to bottom on a piece of paper. Then make a simple plumb line tool.
Demonstrate with the plumb line how the lines drawn by the child appeared to be
straight yet when compared to the plumb line they were crooked.Our thoughts of righteousness differ from those of God’s thoughts on righteousness.

The word “righteousness” occurs 277 times in the ESV.  This word would be a good word study as an extension of the previous object lesson of the word plumb line.

If the verses mentioned earlier seem too overwhelming to incorporate in a study I  suggest the following verses:

1 Samuel 26:23 “The LORD rewards every man according to his righteousness and his
faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out
my hand against the LORD’s anointed.”

2 Titus 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, or reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Until the next truth sharing moment,

Cathy Jo Johnson

 

How Strong are You?

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We’ve all been there and seen it happen.  You are in a store and suddenly an ear piercing shriek disrupts your peaceful shopping trip.  Then voices start and they get louder and louder until you are not sure if this is happening between two adults or a child and an adult.  In your mind you think, “Phew.  Glad that is not MY child.” Suddenly, you feel like the best parent in the world.  Then one day, “pop”, there goes our pride when our child does the same thing to us.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I took the four kiddos to the Children’s Museum.  Now granted, it was Spring break and maybe not the best move on my part. There were ALOT of people there.  Not as many as on the Target free nights (talk about CRAZY busy).  There were just enough people that when we left I was waiting for the museum to crown me with “The Mother of the Year” award.  Let me explain.

First, some clarification.  My kids are NOT saints.  Far from it.  They have had their share of melt downs and demonstrations of unkindness to others out in public – that could fill a book.  However, the older they become the less of those we have.  In fact haven’t had one for awhile (I gasp as I post this because I can so feel that I just shot myself in the foot with that statement).  But the difference is how we handle their behavior and our consistency in correcting their behavior.

While eating lunch, I saw a 200 pound man and his wife be overtaken by the will of a three year old.  Down the three year old ran towards the door of the cafeteria giggling and glancing behind him to make sure his dad was running after him.  The more dad and mom called his name the faster he ran.  It took the dad about 5 minutes to get him. Mind you it was obvious that the dad worked out…at least physically.  Yet, who was stronger?  Score to the three year old boy in corner number 1.  

Meanwhile, there was a group of about 12 autistic children (it was indicated by the shirts they wore) and their teachers eating lunch.  Best behaved kids in the cafeteria. One of them accidentally bumped into a tween girl going to her seat.  The tween looked at the boy with thorough disgust.  Who was stronger? 

Another 3 year old threw an outright temper tantrum because he didn’t get to do his frozen yogurt first.  Grandma went ahead a got him one, coddling him the whole time.  His mom said nothing.  Who was stronger?  

Then there was T.J. Maxx the other day,  I was in line with my boys and a mom and her VERY whiny 4 year old was behind us.  She wanted her mom to cut me in line, put everything she wanted in the cart, and then she begged for some gummies telling her mom she didn’t want “those boys” to get them.  Believe me it was tempting to let “those boys” (mine) grab them out of spite.  The whole time her mom kept telling her “Ok, for your birthday”  instead of turning the little girls whining into a teaching moment.  (ummm – pretty sure her mom was lying to her) Who was stronger? (BTW – she got the gummies).

This seems to be the path that a lot parents take – letting the child reign in the behavior of the parent instead of the other way around.  The Bible says in 
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  The word “train” is an interesting word.  It means to “coach” or “to teach a particular skill or behavior through practice and instruction over a period of time”.  In other words, we are our children’s teachers and coaches.  We teach and train them everyday and point them in the direction we want them to go.  This is most vividly done through our example.  

I am amazed at how many times physical activities are used in the Bible to demonstrate a point and this is another one of them.  Training for any sporting event is a daily process.  Some days are good training days and others not so much.  As I am training for a 1/2 marathon the first week of May, I have to do some sort of physical activity nearly everyday and it’s not running everyday either.  Some days I lift weights and do core strengthening exercises, others I do the elliptical, and others I do cross training.  I only actually run 3-4 times a week. It takes a variety of exercises to help me reach my goal.

It is the same way in parenting.  It is a daily task.  We can’t skip a day or disaster will occur.  Some days are easy and some days are down right, stinkin’ hard. Those are the days that you (I) just want to throw in the towel and quite.  But those are the days we have to push through the pain and the tempers and the meltdowns and realize that there is a higher goal that we are striving to reach with our children.  Many parents quite before they even start. Is it no wonder then that the 4 year old whined for her gummies, the 3 year old threw a screaming temper tantrum, the other three year old ousted his dad, and the tween thought she was way better than the well behaved autistic boy?

Those incidents didn’t make me judgmental but rather they caused me to stop and ponder, “How am I doing in my training?  How strong am I, really?”  Next week I am going to share some things that I do with my children and some things that other moms do with their children in the training process.  

In the meantime, how is your training going?  How strong are you?

Until next Monday,
Rebekah Klink