There are so many things you want to impart to your kids. From morals, to manners, to the importance of good hygiene... and everything in between. It can be a bit daunting actually, and my kids are only 3, and 20 months. What do I teach, when? What if I forget something SO important (clean underwear, for instance)? Being the planner that I am, I want to schedule out a life lesson a day, then recap two days later, then outline levels of importance... but alas, that is stupid unrealistic.
So. I felt like God gave me a plan. Which is really a lack of plan. Such a novel idea. Thanks God.
1. As they are able to understand, teach when opportunities arise.
2. Demonstrate the rest.
Lately, some opportunities have arisen :) We are doing a fund-raiser at The Uprising to buy cars for missionaries around the world, through an AWESOME organization called Speed the Light (STL). In short, the challenge is called Slow Self, Speed the Light, where we encourage students to find something they are willing to give sacrificially to sell through our group Craig's List listings - all proceeds go to STL. In our home, we pray for missionaries every night when we pray together. So I figured, let's all think about something we can give up and contribute. We started talking to Marshal about the importance of helping others, how we have so much and there are missionaries who don't have as much as we do - and asked him what he wanted to give to help. His first answer was, "money!" What a great answer! I then reminded him that he didn't have any money, lol. BUT we talked about how we could sell some toys, or stuffed animals, or clothes to get him some money. His sweet little nature was just taking it all in. No decisions yet. I'll keep you updated.
As I alluded, we have prayer time every night. It's the cutest thing you've ever seen. It ends up being a tag team prayer, where Marshal starts, and then tells each one of us - "your turn Mom" or "your turn Dada". The last of the family finishing up for the night. We hadn't been including Mason in the turns because, well, he couldn't talk. But as his vocabulary has been growing - we thought we'd give him a chance at bat. So for the last week or so, Mason has been taking his turn. He bows his head, quiets his voice, and says: "Praying, praying, praying [as many times as he likes] ... Amen!" Ooooooh! It's sweet!
Somehow the DEMONSTRATING part of the non-plan/plan is comforting and terrifying all at the same time. I don't have to feel pressured to DO anything, but I want to BE a lot. I want to be honest. I want to LOVE. I want to forgive. I want to serve others before myself. I want to love Jesus. I want to know Jesus. I want to be able to share. I want to be able to say I'm sorry. I want to be teachable. I don't want to live my life for this world. I want to be wise. I want to bear fruit. I want to make a difference. So where am I starting? I'm trying to simply know Jesus, love Him, and ask Him to make me more like Himself.
Seems like a good place to start.
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