Instructing a Child's Heart by Tedd & Margy Tripp
"Don't think survival--think kingdom!" We must not be too focused on getting the problem behind us and getting on with life. Parent with an eternal/kingdom perspective--and consider where we desire our children and grandchildren to be fifty years from now--walking in
His ways!
Momology: A Mom's Guide to Shaping Great Kids by Shelly
Radic"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:11
"As a mom of
littles, it is easy to get bogged down. Showers become a luxury and going to the bathroom in peace becomes a fantasy. Quiet times get interrupted, if they happen at all. Does God forget about us during this stage of life? No! God holds moms close to his heart! Read Isaiah 40:11 again and feast on this promise -- God is leading us through this time of parenting little ones. We are never out of His sight. God holds us close to His heart!"
Also from
Momology: A Mom's Guide to Shaping Great Kids by Shelly
Radic"Every childhood holds only 935 weekends. If your little one is 4-years old, you are already down 200 weekends. How are you spending your weekend with your kiddos? Trying to catch up? Off doing your own thing? Or are you making memories as a family?"
Bring the Rain Blog site by Angie Smith (wife of Todd-lead singer of the group
Selah)
The CartwheelLast Sunday night we went to a dinner party to pray Audra off to Uganda. Todd and I were inside talking to her about the trip while all the kids at the party played outside in the yard. For some reason I kept saying I felt like I needed to go out there and I just had this kind of unsettled feeling about being inside. Well, a few minutes later we heard this ear-piercing scream and someone came in and told us one of our kids was hurt pretty badly. I remember that everyone looked white-faced as I ran down the steps and several people were saying that one of the girls had broken her arm.
By the time I caught up with them, they were in the front of the house and Audra's husband Shawn was carrying Abby. She was crying and begging me to save her, and when I got a good look at her arm I knew why. Oh my WORD.
The car ride over to the hospital was one of the hardest times in my parenting life to date. Sweet Abby kept asking me to pray for her and sing hymns to her and Ellie was completely beside herself in the backseat. She was more upset than Abby was, and at one point she asked hysterically if she could die so Abby could live. Awful. Awful. We kept explaining that this happens all the time and that we were going to get her fixed right up, but unfortunately, their experiences haven't always ended up that way. (Background note--Todd and Angie's 4
th child lived for only 2 1/2 hours after birth). All the while I am looking at Abby's arm and trying my best to act like everything was fine and the truth was I was just trying not to pass out.The weirdest thing is that she was literally DOING A CARTWHEEL when she broke it.
I am a worrier by nature, and the first to admit that my thoughts can run away from me if I don't get a handle on them. I believe the enemy preys on me in this way, and has for most of my life. I also know that the Lord I have given them to does not want me to fear the way I do...I find myself trying to protect them in ways I know I can't...And it doesn't help when the worst thing that could happen actually has happened to you...
I talked to the Lord about my fears and He gently urged me to remember that her life was not determined by any of my precautions, and that while I need to be a mindful parent, any sense of complete control is a sham.
When we were taking Abby to the hospital, she reminded me of what the Lord calls us to do. She sat with me, full of fear, and she spoke to Jesus. She asked Him to heal her and to be with her. She told Him she was afraid and that she needed Him. I sat with my arms around her, wiping down her sweaty head and kissing her little cheeks and it occurred to me that this really should be my ultimate goal in parenting. I need to love them well enough, true enough, and deep enough that they will let me hold them while they call out to Him. What a beautiful image; we as mothers get to be the holders while our children commune with the great One...
After a few hours in the E.R., the doctors re-set Abby's arm, and judging by the pictures, it's almost as good as new...last night I was giving her a bath while we talked about how she was feeling. She had her little sling up on the side of the tub and she made a comment about how it stunk that she was hurt but that she was remembering that she didn't have to do things all by herself. It struck me that I do the same.
Woundedness brings a desire for communion with the Lord if we allow Him into that place, and I am grateful for that. As I wrapped her up in her towel...I looked Abby square in the eye and told her I wanted her to make me a promise. "What?" she asked."When you get your cast off, honey, I don't want you to be afraid of doing cartwheels." I looked her square in the eye, my hand on her arm. "What happened here doesn't always happen, and if you let it make you scared...""Well, baby, you might just miss out on a great cartwheel!" She smiled and gave me a one-armed hug. I can't wait to see her do it!
and jumped,...
and jumped some more!
