Times of Transition June 5, 2007
Posted by Erin in : General Lessons , add a commentJoe,
Great idea on leaving a letter to our posterity. I would love to have that sort of thing from my family line to hear about where they came from and especially to hear an encouraging word to seek hard after God.
So we have officially entered the time of transition that we always have when we move. You know we are in it when half of our things are in suitcases. I am thinking we will be in this stage for the next week, so I am trying to get mentally prepared.
One of the ways transitions have been made easiest for us though is to have a plan for the kids. Transitions are tough on us as adults, but on children they are usually even harder and more confusing. So here are a couple of ways that we try and make those times of change easier on our kids.
1. Make sure they get plenty of sleep. There is nothing worse than traveling with a tired child. And as we know from ourselves, sin is much harder to fight against when the physical body is weak!
2. Slowly introduce them to the idea of leaving. When the child is young, like Elijah (13 months), he or she will not understand anything, so nothing needs to be said. But for our daughter, Abby (3 years), the idea of a change needs to be slowly explained. This time we had her stop school a week before, then slowly started packing day by day, explained that we would be headed home and even showed her on a map how we would be flying over the ocean.
3. Keep the same level of discipline standards. We made the mistake when we arrived in Spain of taking it easy on Abby because of the time change and loss of seeing family and friends. But all the little compromises on discipline left us with a little monster. So even though it will be tough on them, do not lower the standards of obedience.
4. Come up with a plan for integrating them into the new environment. Decide before hand how much you want to expose them to when you are in your new place. Abby has a very intense personality that is easily “fried” by overstimulation. Decide before hand if it is wise for your child to see 50 new faces in the matter of 24 hours!
5. Expect that it will be difficult. Get your battle gear on, store up those promises of God and know that the transition will not be easy, but you serve a God who will faithfully supply all things. Preach to yourself and keep the perspective of how much better you are doing than what you deserve. This is a season and it will pass quickly. The hardest thing on a child is often a parent who is not at rest in Jesus in these times. They so easily sense our anxiety and stress.
Transitioning back home with you,
Erin
An Idea June 4, 2007
Posted by Joe in : Uncategorized , add a commentErin,
So, you know I have thought about doing this before, but I just wanted to suggest it here for two reasons: 1) to hold myself accountable to do it (though it is already written down thankfully!) and 2) to possibly stir others to the same.
The idea is simple: write a letter to your posterity.
Deuteronomy 6 commands us to teach the Word of the Lord to our children. But the letter I am speaking of refers not so much to a letter of teaching as a letter of vision. And not one that will last for only a generation, but that, if the Lord wills, could last until Jesus returns!
Think about that. Particularly if you have a long-term vision for raising not only your kids, but for all your posterity. And if Jesus tarries, that could be quite a lot. Imagine each of them receiving a personal letter from you. Introducing yourself, the day in which you live, where you came from, how you came to faith in Christ, and what your vision is for them. And in this digital age, it easily could be preserved and past on.
I do want to mention the centrality of vision. For it is not enough to pass on the facts. Of course, the central truths concerning the Lord Jesus must be in there, but application of those truths is an absolute necessity. A vision for what those truths mean in your life and want you want them to mean in theirs could go a very long way in influence. Who knows? You might have an young teenager pick up your letter 100 years later and get converted through it! How could would that be!
My personal letter would include great emphasis on the centrality of God’s delight in God and our pursuit of God. They are the truths that drive my life and I would want to commend them to every single person who came after me, particularly the ones of the same family line! You never know, it could be a primary means for passing on the central truths that you hold dear.
In our case, let’s make sure it happens Love. First, I suppose we should Mind map it. Then I’ll have to get started. Of course, yes, I need to write Elijah a belated birthday letter first!
Seeking to change generations with you,
Joe
Being a True Man June 2, 2007
Posted by Erin in : Links , add a commentJoe,
Thanks for getting us rolling again. Since it is the weekend, I am putting up a link to a blog from Dr. Mohler’s website. Mohler is talking about an article that shows the deep responsibility that men have in modeling true manhood to their sons. As if you men didn’t know the impact you had already, this article will drive it home. Joe, thanks for being a true man for our son!
Seeking Him,
Erin
The Transformation of Habits June 1, 2007
Posted by Joe in : General Lessons , add a commentErin,
Tomorrow is officially your day because I am finally posting again! This won’t be long (at least I think so now), but it flows from the our family time this morning. I’ll explain in detail for anyone listening.
During our family time, we move through a child’s catechism with Abigail. We are currently in a review stage where we go through all the questions to make sure she has them down. She usually does quite well, but there are always a few that she just can’t seem to get. Today, she was confused over the questions regarding a sin of omission and commission. I am sure you can understand why! The two words sound the same and they both refer to sin. From the very beginning, it has been difficult for her to distinguish between the two and today was no exception.
So I asked her the question, “What is a sin of omission” about 5-10 times. I said the full answer a number of times and then had her to the same. But even after 3-5 times of saying the same question, there would still be a tone of hesitancy in her voice, or she would just get the question wrong. She would say the answer to the question, “What is a sin of COmmission?” And then we had a short laugh.
What struck me about all this, however, was the way in which it shows how difficult it is to replace a bad habit with a good one. When it comes to Abigail getting the question right, it is not that big of deal (right now!). But when it comes to her responding in prompt obedience to her mom and dad, that is a very big deal. And as parents, the longer we let a certain habit go, the harder it will be to replace it with a good one.
Currently, we have seen that with Abigail. It is our fault really. We were giving her too much room for whining and other small signs of rebellion. This past week, we have placed the standard back where it belongs and the fight is much harder than it has to be. The lesson then? Simple: stay on top of things! And/or get on top of things as soon as possible.
This simple lesson has led us to greater diligence with little Elijah. He is only a year old now, but we can already see certain habits of rebellion developing that need to be addressed. His little, “No, no, no” (barely understandable) is really cute now, but the quicker he learns not to say no to Dad and Mom, the better!
Enough for now. Let’s love our children enough to keep the standard high. It is a lot of consistent work, but it is a whole lot better than asking and answering the same question a hundred times in order to make it right (and you know what I am alluding to there!).
Seeking to grow in diligence with you,
Joe
He Knows Our Frame May 29, 2007
Posted by Erin in : Scripture Meditation , add a commentJoe,
Thanks for getting us back on track here. It has been busy and we will have another busy time coming up in about 10 days here as we go through another time of transition, but hopefully we can stay faithful with the little time we have!
I have been meditating a lot on Psalm 103:14 lately in regards to parenting. The verse says, “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” This is of course referring to God’s amazing patience with us and the way He bears with us in our sin and struggle to slowly refine us as a people for His own glory. Just to sit and meditate upon that truth, I am blown away at God’s patience. I know just a small fraction of the evil that lies in my heart and to think that God patiently is pruning this away from me makes me marvel.
But as I have been thinking about my patience and forbearance as of late, I have thought about my attitude towards others. And usually as I am looking at my actions towards others, I begin with those closest to me, which would have to be you (my husband) and children. Because we all know the true colors come out at home!
If I would say there is one sin that has been manifested more in being a parent than before we had children, I would say it is the sin of impatience. Before I had kids, I thought I was a relatively patient person. I wouldn’t have said it was a strength, but did not think it was a glaring weakness. Oh, how wrong I was. I realized it about a week in to being a mom when I was trying to console Abby at about 11pm one night and realized how quickly I wanted to give up. All of the sudden it hit me that I was not a patient person.
And this truth has continued to be shown, although God has granted some growth, in the last three years. But as I have been meditating upon this Scripture, I am able to see myself in my little daughter as I parent her. It is like I am seeing myself through God’s eyes. When she throws a temper tantrum, I see the way I had a temper tantrum the other day and God patiently granted me repentance and faith to walk through it. I can see His grieving over my sin because it is not what I was created. I see Him looking at me missing out on the joy I was created for. And although he looks on us remembering our frame, this doesn’t mean He does not discipline us. He does discipline us, but He does it for our happiness in Him. My discipline as a parent is often flowing from a heart that is bothered that my child is not acting the way I want him/her to. But never with God. He knows our frame and our weaknesses and works with us for our joy in Him.
So may we meditate this week about how the God of patience infuses us with patience to bear with the sins of others, especially those of our children who often test us every day. Let us be mindful that our children, like us, are but dust and a work in progress.
Patiently parenting with you,
Erin
Regaining our Shape May 28, 2007
Posted by Joe in : General Lessons , add a commentErin,
As it is probably plain from our lack of posting, it has been a busy few weeks around here. Of course, it does seem odd informing you of the matter, but that is how we do it here at the Sinners Raising Saints blog! Anyhow, I figured I would make a quick post and to get us back into our proper blogging condition. I had to do the same over at the Seeking Him blog.
One quick thing I would mention in regards to parenting is our continual need to take account of the amount of time and energy we are investing into our children. Of course, you know full well that I say that with the conviction that we can easily give too much of our time and attention to them. Some parents may think us a bit odd for such a statement, but we have seen yet again the effects of too much attention given to our children. They become addicted to attention itself and actually become worse.
Rosemond does a great job giving voice to this reality in his The Six-Point Plan for Raising Happy, Healthy Children. I am thankful we were pointed to such a book.
Alright, more will come later. Let us return to where we began this blog by offering some simple parenting lessons the rest of the week. Lord knows, we are learning more and more every day!
Seeking Him with you,
Joe
Good Sermon for Sure May 23, 2007
Posted by Joe in : Links , add a commentErin,
Let’s just designate this week as ‘Link Week.’ Anyhow, haven’t read this one yet, but I am posting it to make sure I do! I am confident it is a good one.
Until later,
Joe
Interesting Post May 22, 2007
Posted by Joe in : Links , add a commentErin,
We do have a busy week, so it might be good to post a quick link each day. Here is one I found. The rest of the cite is full of quick links that I will someday point to.
Catch you soon,
Joe
Final Suggestion May 18, 2007
Posted by Joe in : Family Worship Series , add a commentErin,
Thanks for finding and linking to that great article yesterday. It covered the recommendation aspect of things quite well. It also gave some great reasons for catechizing. It is sadly a neglected practice today. Somehow we have come to embrace the notion that rote memory does no good in the work of the mind and heart. This is surely way off course–just like a lot of other popular notions today! For the things we memorize seem to sink in deeper to our thoughts and feelings–even if we don’t realize what is going on. This most definitely has a transforming work. We might not be able to get our hands on it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t very powerful and real!
Anyhow, I wanted to end this section (and maybe this series) with a simple word of exhortation: Just do it! Sure, Nike used that slogan for a long time. Sure, those words could be taken out of context to promote some sort of self-sufficient religion. All that is true enough. But in the end, I want to exhort parents (and especially Fathers), to do what you have to do to lead your family in daily worship of the Lord. What is standing in your way? How many things are more vital? What will you continue to place over and waiting upon and worshiping the Lord daily as a family?
Think of the various things that we will so easily give our time to? How hard is it to clear our schedule for some dinner with friends, or some sort of ministry activity, or work, or play? Why then is it so difficult to clear the 15 minutes we need for family worship? The enemy is real, but He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. The temptations are real, but they are also paper thin. Nothing should stand in our way or doing what we know we should do.
So let’s set aside the time to make a plan. Draw it up. Put it on paper. No matter how old your kids are, take leadership, take ownership and start small. You don’t need to preach a sermon and get the microphones out for worship. Just open up the Word and read it. Open up the hymnal and sing it. Open up your heart and pray. Not much else is needed (though it is suggested!). Sure, it will be uncomfortable at first, but every significant change in our lives usually us. It might be unchartered territory, but isn’t that a great place to be? Maybe you have never experienced it before. Well then, cut off that bad habit at the next generation. Let your children experience that which you did not. If done with the right heart, they will remember such times with gladness!
Much more could be said. And maybe I will say more sometime soon, but that is enough for now. May the Lord grant us mercy, men, to lead our homes with diligence for the honor and fame of His great name.
Seeking Him with you,
Joe
Recommendations- Catechisms May 17, 2007
Posted by Erin in : Family Worship Series , add a commentJoe,
So we are nearing the end of our family worship series. In some ways it feels like we just started and hard to believe a month has gone by so quickly!
Today i was planning on discussing recommendations for catechisms. But in finding this article from someone from Bethlehem Baptist (the church John Piper is the preaching pastor at), I probably could not say anything better than what was said here. It gives you 10 reasons for why your children should be taught a catechism and then reviews 4 different catechism books.
We personally use Susan Hunt’s “Big Truths for Little Kids.” Although Abby does not quite get the application part of the stories yet, she enjoys the stories and most importantly is able to memorize the questions.
Again, I would emphasize not to think your children are too young to be memorizing the catechism. Great fruit can come from what is stored in the heart at a young age. God will cause the growth, but we must plant and water!
Planting and watering through the catechism with you,
Erin