Hello friends! It's really hard to blog at the moment. Life has been busy and when Stu is home, the computer is his to work on his movie! So I'm snatching a minute to at least start a post, while my big 2 are having a shower, Will is playing on the bathroom floor on towels, surrounded by bath toys and listening to their banter, and Stuart is outside mowing the lawn.
It's been a relaxing Sunday today. I sang in church this morning for the first time since having William. It was wonderful to be back up there. Will wound up in the sling and fell asleep while I was singing, so it all felt right. :) We've all had decent rests, doing quiet things this afternoon. Saraya even had a nap which is unheard of for her. That will hopefully fuel her for the school week ahead. We watched an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" after that (while eating icecream-it's hot again today!), which is always a nice thing to do together. It prompted lots of discussion as it often does. They are great stories!
I have SO many posts written in my head, I could hardly decide which one to write today. I've decided to completely copy a page out of my "25 Days Till Christmas Advent Celebration" book, by Rebecca Hayford Bauer for you. It's a great book for getting ideas, and this particular page talks about passing on the importance of leaning on God's Word to our children. It struck me this week that I really want to pass this on to my kids. I want them to get into a daily habit of reaching for their Bibles as they go through the joys and struggles of life, just as I have learned to do as an adult. So anyway I enjoyed this passage from Rebecca's book this week, and I thought I'd share it with you today.............
Deuteronomy 6:7 further exhorts parents, "You shall teach them (God's commands) 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." What an assignment! And the beginning is the biggest challenge.
We begin to instill in our children a love for God's Word by loving it ourselves- and living it. I'm not talking about a letter-of-the-law legalism, but a living, breathing, life-changing, principle-shaping Word of God that is applicable to every situation we face.
Begin by involving the Word in your life. Are you in the Word daily? Do you apply its promises and commands to your personal life? We can tell our children that the Bible is important, but we also have to live it.... Kids can spot a fake a mile away! Be in the Word every day. Draw on the spiritual nourishment that the Lord has provided. Let the Word of God in music fill your home and spirit with His peace and joy. As that happens in us, we can begin to impress a love for God's Word in the lives of our children.
When our children were small, we read a chapter in a Bible story book each day. We provided them with Bible music tapes as soon as they could talk well enough to sing along, and when they began to read, we gave them a Bible of their own and encouraged them to read a portion of Scripture on their own each day. We've memorised scripture together, played Bible trivia games at dinner, and applied specific verses to problems each of the children have faced. Being in God's Word should be simple, interesting, and fun!
What would your children enjoy? What will "hook" them into digging for the treasure that has been given to us in God's Word? There's still time to prepare another gift to slip under the Christmas tree! Ask the Lord how you are to introduce his word to your children and then watch as His peace begins to transform their lives into His image!"
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I love books which challenge and inspire me as this one has!
God bless you in the week ahead. As we go about our daily lives, may we know God's incredible love and peace, and find opportunities to minister to our families and those around us. As our visiting pastor shared with us today, let us aim high in sharing our joy and enthusiasm for Jesus with everyone we encounter this week. Rather than burying ourselves in worry and fear and doubt (so easy to do!), let us instead run the race toward Heaven and eternity with our faces and hearts turned toward Him!
3 comments:
A challenge worthy of striving for. Thanks Saminda. I love the new photo at the head of your blog too, beautiful shot of your lovely children together.
Sounds a well written and thoughtful book. Ah, icecream in summer....I'm hooking into the icrecream and ice-magic too at the moment!
What a great challenge - thanks for sharing it. I truely long for my children to know the peace & love & strength that a daily time with God gives you.
Sounds like a lovely Sunday you had - glad you could sing in church again!
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