How Great the Father's Love!

I overheard a young mother recounting her nighttime ritual of laying
her head on her pillow and asking herself, "Did I love my family enough
today? If something happens to me tonight will they know exactly how
much I loved them?"

As an "older and wiser" woman -- and more skeptical and a bit jaded, I
suppose -- my first instinct was to laugh: "Well, of course you didn't
love them enough! How silly!" Jesus conceded that though we are
imperfect parents (He literally called us "evil"!) we still do the best
we know how! (Luke 6:11-13) Chances are, I did NOT love my family
enough today or on any day.

Her question, however, haunted me. I continued to turn it over again
and again in my mind. The question seemed a bit less daunting and a lot
less accusing if I rephrased it: "Could I love my children more, could
I love my children better, tomorrow?"

Well, Lord willing, I will be given tomorrow with my family. And yes, I
will try to love them more completely tomorrow. However, none of us is
promised tomorrow for our families or ourselves.

I have wept with mothers who have kissed tiny foreheads for the last
time to send them to "The Land Where There Is No Tomorrow." I have
prayed and pleaded with mothers whose children have been precariously
close to the edge of "The Land Where There Is No Tomorrow." Those women know what it is to lay their heads down at night and ask, "Did I love them enough ...?"

My husband and I have tangoed around the line of calling it quits on
"happily ever after." With our new resolve for our marriage, I am
painfully aware of how fragile a marriage can be. I am fully aware of
his choice to be here. I am intentional about daily letting him know
that I appreciate his choice and all that he is to our family.
Thankfully, I have not faced the horrific loss of one of my children.
But, I think I have failed to be intentional about letting them know
how thankful I am for them, as well.

The old apostle John, near the end of his life, reminded us, "How great
is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1) My loving
Father has LAVISHED His love on me. Surely, that lavished love should
run over and splash on my family.

One small thing I am realizing more and more is that as my children
grow, the frequent opportunity to touch or hug them is diminishing. I
don't lift them in and out of car seats or high chairs any more. I
don't help them in and out of the bathtub, wipe their faces, or even
brush their hair for them any more. They are no longer at an arm's
distance or underfoot all day, so I must be intentional about
meaningful touch for my children. I know that my arms ache when my
husband is not in town to hug and touch me. My children need touch and love even more!

I also realize that sometimes I really have to try to listen carefully
to what my children say. I am frequently guilty of multi-tasking which,
I've come to realize, means doing several things poorly at the same
time. It really doesn't take very long to sit, look into their eyes,
and really hear what they are saying -- and sometimes, if I am really
listening, I can even hear what they aren't saying. I think about how
much it means to me when someone has obviously heard what I said and
then later asks me about it. I want my children to know they are
valuable enough to get my full attention!

Another thing that I've realized that means a lot to my kids is to
simply sit together and hang around together. Of course, the TV should
be off for this -- although it's also a good idea to know what they're
watching and talk to them about it. My kids like for me to talk to them
about my day, as well as listen to them about theirs. We dream and
scheme, hope and plan.

Meaningful touch, intentional listening, and being together are not
huge undertakings. They take a very little amount of time -- my kids
really like to limit how much time they hang out with me anyway -- and
they require no money at all! I just have to be intentional about doing
those things.

And tonight I will wonder, "Could I love them more tomorrow?"

---------
  (c) 2006 Sarah Stirman

Thank you, Pastor Roger! I was beginning to think I was the only one who hadn't seen it! 
I will see it when it comes out for rent..... 

 

["The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded."]

 
Gets me every time!

"The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded."

I liked Spam with mac~n~cheese when I was little.

Adam could've refused to eat and who knows how things may have turned out...

Or Eve coulda refused to take that bite....

Anyway, I'm mighty glad God sent His Son to save us..  
I can't praise Him enough.  

Amen!

[1. My kids drive me crazy.]

Top 10 Excuses Not To Homeschool
by Tamara Eaton
 
1. My kids drive me crazy.

Then maybe it's time you do something so they don't drive everyone else crazy, too! It's easier to ignore problem areas if you send your children off to school each day ~ you don't have to put up with it all the time. Let the teacher and other students do it instead.

But who must answer to the Lord for how you taught and trained your child? Not the teacher but the parent. Homeschooling isn't a "cure-all" for poor behavior but it does give us time together to work out any problems instead of ignoring them, and it eliminates the negative role models and peer pressure which often influences negative behavior.

Or maybe you feel that they DO respect others, just not you? You can tell them when to brush their teeth, get dressed, go to bed ~ just not when to do their math! There is really no difference ~ it's all a matter of obedience and respect.

Ephesians 6:1-2 "Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

2. I don't have enough patience.

Patience comes through overcoming trials and learning to yield to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25) instead of the fruit of flesh. You'll never develop patience if you continually avoid opportunities that would require you to put it into practice. But you might be surprised how quickly it grows with frequent exercise ~ homeschooling can be that vehicle the Lord uses to work patience in you!

3. I'm not highly educated.

Fine ~ here's your chance to learn right along with your children! There are tremendous resources available to help us teach our own children. Studies have proven time and again that the success of homeschooling is not dependent upon the level of the parents' education. According to Dr. Brian Ray's recent study, "Home educated students' test scores remain between the 80th and 90th percentiles, whether their mothers have a college degree or did not complete high school." [from National Home Education Research Institute. And there's lots more "proof in the pudding" where that came from!]

4. I love my job.

What's more important during this season of your life ~ your children or your job? Your job can wait. Your children can't. Your decisions and priorities are already influencing them every day ~ either for good or bad. I've never heard older people say that they wished they had spent more time on their job. I have heard them say they wished they had spent more time with their children.

If you love your job more than spending time with your children then maybe this is a sign that your priorities need reevaluating.

5. I don't have time.

There is always time to do the will of God. Is He calling you to homeschool? Then He will provide the time. As a result of homeschooling our children, we have limited outside activities and found a simpler lifestyle. We're not forced to succumb to the modern pressures and stresses of our society with its hectic pace ~ instead we are able to slow down enough to enjoy time together as a family, embracing a slower paced lifestyle without sacrificing the modern conveniences of our microwaves, washers, dryers and computers!

6. I'm selfish ~ I need my privacy and space.

Jesus said unless we take up our cross and die to self, we can't be His disciple. (Luke 9:23-24, 14:27) Good parenting requires sacrifices during this season of our life. However, choosing to homeschool doesn't mean that you can never have any privacy anymore. When the children are young, we have regular naptimes and bedtimes so that gives us time apart. Older children are trained to respect the need for quiet time in the afternoons and evenings. The children also have their own activities and playtimes apart from mom during the day at times, too.

7. I can't afford it.

If it's God's will that you homeschool, you can't afford not to! And He will provide all your needs if you trust Him. (Matthew 6:33) We have never been a "high income" family but God has worked in the most unexpected ways to provide our needs over the years. Think of how much you spend now by sending your child off to school ~ don't forget to include the "hidden" expenses of special school wardrobes to keep up with the peers. Homeschooling curriculum can cost as much or as little as you like ~ it all depends on what you choose to do. The public library is free and full of helpful resources for your homeschooling! We have always chosen not to purchase a full packaged curriculum and saved so much money by putting together our own curriculum.

8. I never liked school.

Homeschooling will help you see how enjoyable learning can be in a relaxed, pressure-free atmosphere at home! You don't have to structure your homeschool like a public or private school ~ so don't let your past experience with school hinder you from committing to homeschool your children. Give them the opportunity to experience what you missed out on in your childhood and see how much fun you can have while learning together!

My children are too sociable ~ they'd get lonely homeschooling.

An EXCELLENT reason to educate them at home so you can make sure their "socialization" experiences are positive instead of negative. Homeschooling doesn't require your children to become hermits, but you will have the freedom to select the activities and make sure they are blessings and not hindrances.

10. I could NEVER do that!

If we had known in advance and in detail all the negatives and challenges we'd have to face as parents, who among us would have been brave enough to have children? God gives us the grace, strength and wisdom we need when we need it ~ not in advance! I find great encouragement in scriptures that remind me that I must yield and abide, then He is sufficient to take care of all the needs and enable me to fulfill my responsibilities.

II Corinthians 3:4-5 "And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God..."

John 15:4-5 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing."

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

And the following scripture has always encouraged me when I've been tempted to dwell upon my inadequacies:

1 Corinthians 1:27-31 "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God had chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Homeschooling, like parenting, requires faith ~ faith that the Lord will give us wisdom and grace as we need it. In His infinite wisdom, He has designed us so that we MUST rely upon Him! Why doesn't He give us all the wisdom we need to be parents right at the start when the child is first conceived? Instead, He allows wisdom and maturity to develop as we grow through trials, the study of His Word, and experiences ~ all the while, pointing out our need of Him daily in order to walk in His ways. Thus, He receives ALL the glory!

May the Lord direct your family in His Ways and give you clear wisdom and direction in the education of your children!

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."



©Copyright 1997 by Tamara Eaton - http://www.chfweb.com/

1Ti 2:14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Doncha just wanna smack her? 

Sister are you for us or against us???

Oops! That truth and honesty stuff got in the way! 

Is that being called stuck up??

ROFL! 

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought....

~Romans 12:3

[this is your spiritual act of worship.]

Therefore, I urge you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spiritual act of worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

~Romans 12:1-2

[offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.]

As you come to him,
the living Stone—
rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

~1 Peter 2:4-5

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:39-40

Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.

~Psalm 107:22