"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity". Colossians 3:12-14
This is our new family verse...one that we will be memorizing as a family. I have been having those "heavy" parenting feelings lately....am I doing enough? am I praying for my children enough? am I setting a good enough example for them? am I teaching them what it means to truly love each other as siblings?
Sure, kids will fight...however at the end of the day, will they know that their sibling "has their back"? My prayer is that they will grow to not only love Christ and their spouse...but that they will cherish their relationships with each other as well. My mom has often said, "parenting is the hardest job she's ever had to do"...and I'm only now just beginning to understand what she meant.
When the kids are really small...my focus has always been:
- don't touch that
- don't hit your brother/sibling
- don't talk sassy
- blah blah blah
Now that they are getting older - my focus has turned to more heartfelt issues. What does it mean to truly love someone? Do my children even really love each other? Of course I know they do...but do they know they do? So this afternoon I sat the older two down and read this Bible verse to them. I then explained my heart to them...how as a mom we want our children to be kind, loving, respectful, caring etc...(and they do a great job of with showing respect towards their teachers, being kind to their friends etc) - but also that we want our kids to truly love each other. So...I gave them an assignment. Today they needed to write each other a letter - explaining how they would like the other to treat them. What would make them feel loved. I talked briefly about the different love languages. I'm hoping that by expressing their feelings, it will help each of them to demonstrate their love for each other. Deep down I know they love each other...now if only they didn't think it was "uncool" to show it! Hopefully at some point my children will understand the importance of showing each other the love and respect that we all need and love. They are great kids and I couldn't imagine my life without them. I am truly blessed to be their mom...and I cherish every moment I have with them!!
3 comments:
Kathy,
I just popped on to you blog again after not being here for a while. I so enjoyed your last few blog entries. I too, have been thinking a lot about how my kids feel and will feel in their later years about each other. I loved your 'family verse' and the project that you had your older 2 kids do. I'll definitely be trying that as well!
I also loved reading your resolutions. Also something that I will be borrowing! You have a great way of writing down your thoughts! I'm not such a gifted writer so i hope you don't mind me using some of those 'thoughts' formyself!
Finally, i loved reading that there is someone else out there who adds things to her list that are already accomplished just so she can cross them off!!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
~Hilda
you've got great kids....which means you're doing lots of things right!
i SO understand the 'heavy heart...i often feel that too.
the best we can do is pray these precious beings through life, trusting that they'll be ok.
you're a great mom and it shows!
i feel the same way...the older they get some things get easier, but you feel the responsibility SO much more. you don't worry so much about the bickering, you worry that they're going to be okay when they drive out of the driveway. i just pray that we've taught them with the tools to make wise, Godly choices. my mom had this verse on a plaque in our bathroom growing up: train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it (prov. 22:6) i often pray on this promise. thanks for sharing this~ i've seen you in mother-mode and you're a GREAT mom...just look at your kids~it shows!!!
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