Parenting and Religion

If you have been exposed to church and being preached to for any amount of time, you may have heard some of the cute phrases that some of the past new years have brought. I read a devotional that I get every day this morning, and the message was clear. It’s time to steer away from the cute little phrases that may or may not really mean anything, and to really listen to what the Lord is saying to us for the coming year.

Please read it and let it speak to you about what you need to focus on in the coming year. Happy New Year, and God Bless you as you seek His face.

I love the Christmas season. I love the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the family moments, and especially the gifting. But one thing that I need to keep in mind is, that no matter what we can or can’t do, as far as gifting goes, is not what really matters. Knowing why we are celebrating, and being with family to celebrate the greatest gift of all is what makes all the difference.
I had a rude reminder of this just this week.
We had a family emergency that took a good part of the money we intended to use for Christmas gifts, so there won’t be as much as we thought we would be able to do.
I began to panic, thinking I would have to choose which of my kids to leave out.
Then God corrected me.
My focus is now on what I can do, and what God has done, rather than what I can’t do.
I know this to be the truth, that the attitude that Dan and I present to our kids about Christmas, and anything else in life, is more important than the gifts we will or won’t be giving them.
Having our faith in God to meet all our needs, without worrying and giving in to being down about what is not; and having the joy that can only come from knowing the true meaning of Christmas, is a better gift than anything we could ever give, or receive from another person.
Our tree is not lacking for gifts under it.
The kids have been blessed by being able to give to each other, and we have been blessed to be able to give something. Maybe not all we had hoped to give them, but in the long run we are giving them the best that we can- even in hard times- the faith and joy of the knowledge that the best has already been given; Jesus.
Merry Christmas. I pray that you will know the joy that can be yours through the best gift of all, and that the true meaning of Christmas will bring you peace and a future filled with hope and love.

Coming to the point of knowing everyone is the same, yet everyone is different may be what makes relationship with others work.
Let me explain:
In parenting, and in any other relationship, keeping the perspective that people are all the same is important. People, whether children or adults, male or female, are all the made of the same stuff. We all have good points and bad points. We all have needs and desires. We all have strong points and weak points. We all suffer from being tempted with particular things. We all have the ability to be saved. We all have what it takes to make it in life. We all have what it takes to blow it in life.
With so much similar, and so many things that make us all the same, we are also all different from each other.
We have different needs and desires. We have different strong points and weak points, different good points and bad points. We all react differently to different people and things, and all need people to treat us like we are individual and different from everyone else.
In light of those similarities and differences, parenting takes on a task that may seem hard at times, but is necessary in order for out kids to grow up to be who God created them to be.
We, as parents, need to be able to love our kids the same. Have no favorites, and show no partiality to one over another.
We also need to treat each child different from the others. The key to doing that effectively, is to work with the particular childs strengths and weakenesses. Recognize gifts, and know what discipline measures work best with each child.
This will take a willingness to love them all the same, while treating them as individuals and disciplining them on an as needed basis.
Sometimes it may mean that when you have a problem with one child, he will be grounded. If a different child gives you a similar problem, maybe grounding isn’t the thing that that child will respond to. Maybe instead you make him do extra work around the house.
Knowing your children intimately means that you are on top of knowing how they respond, treating them as being special with individual needs, and loving them all the same.
No one ever said that parenting would be easy. But it is definitely worth every bit of attention and time it can take.
Bringing up kids who know that you know they are not all alike, will give you adult children who appreciate your knowledge of their individuality.

As parents, we all want what’s best for our kids. Each parent may have a different view of exactly what that is, but if you are a Christian (in right relationship with God, professing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior), there is one thing that must be more important than any other in your parenting- to show your kids the way to relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.

Now, as far as all the other things go, they may be important to. Education, being respectful, being obedient to parents, getting along with others, and having them grow up to be responsible adults, all play a part in parenting your children. But leading them in how to know God, personally and intimately, and having a right relationship with Him, has to be first.

If that is not your ultimate goal as a parent, to see all your children saved, serving God, and being used by Him in their giftings, and fulfilling the plan that God has for their lives; if those things don’t top your list, then you might want to fast, pray, and let God show you where you are falling short in your parenting goals.

Doing your best as a parent is good. Doing what God says to do as a parent is the best.