Friday, April 2, 2010

An Object Lesson Just For Me

My husband and I have been struggling with some parenting issues lately.

We've been trying a few new things to get our boys' attention of which they don't seem to have worked. It's frustrating watching your children (doing what you believe to be the best for them) and wanting them to be obedient, yet they keep pushing back at us with disrespect, disobedience and outright rebellion.

Lo and behold, last weekend at church I just happened to be talking with our pastor's wife and the subject of child rearing came up. She then proceeded to tell me what they have implemented in their home.

Today Walter and I decided to implement the same thing, but with a twist to fit our home.

So here's where the object lesson begins.

I wrote a list of chores on paper that the boys had to accomplish today. I went over it with them making sure they understood what they were supposed to do.

Then I sat back (figuratively) and watched them. To my disappointment, they did not accomplish a lot of the list.

So at dinner tonight, Walter and I talked with the boys and discussed what the Bible has to say about work - that he who doesn't work doesn't eat "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger." Proverbs 19:15 "The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing." Proverbs 20:4 We told them that if they don't get all their chores done by dinner each night, they won't eat until the chores are completed.

We are trying to teach them good work habits. Boy, it's tough sometimes!

It seemed like the Lord hit me upside the head while I was making dinner.

We tell our boys what they need to do (obedience) but they haven't been doing it - at least not the first time. So, I decided to write them down on paper making sure that it was easy for them to understand.

God knew that if He just told us to do things, we humans wouldn't do it, most of the time (we needed something to look at, to speak out loud, to memorize, to meditate on). So....He wrote the Bible. It's for us to read so we can gain understanding and wisdom and knowledge to live the right way (obedience) and accomplish God's will for our lives.

How obedient am I to God????? Talk about a sword piercing my heart...

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