Train up that child....

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Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. 
Proverbs 22:6

As my children get older, I am realizing that it is getting harder and harder to sit them down and stimulate their brains.

Why in the world would they want their momma to stimulate their minds when the world is screaming for their attention?

However, just because my children are not chomping at the bit to sit down and learn something, that doesn't mean I am off the hook.

Parenting is a calling. It is a life long calling. It doesn't end when our children seem to stop listening. In fact, during these times it is probably the most paramount.

Many days I get frustrated. I want to just throw up my tired hands and just give up! What is the point? NO ONE is listening. NO ONE cares. Why am I wasting my breath?

Oh but little Momma's, don't give up. Don't give out.

Persist. Persist more. And wake up tomorrow and persist again.

Somehow we have believed the mindset that when our children become tweens and teens that we should let them do the rest on their own. It's too much work anyway. Too exhausting to talk, to teach, and to continue to mold and train. That's what church groups and sunday schools and youth events are for anyway.

NO.

Do not give up. 

YOU are their greatest teacher.

They are watching. They may not seem to be listening, but they are. They are listening with their eyes sweet Momma's.

They are soaking in a whole lot of teaching day in and day out.

It's a high calling this motherhood thing. We have a lot at stake.

It seems more than an under-educated, under-appreciated, worn-out little Momma can take.

But, take heart.

You are equipped. Because He equipped you. 

And He continues to equip you. Day in and day out.

Do not give up.

When they roll their eyes, walk out of the room, or whisper sarcasm under their breath...Take their stubborn little faces in your hands, look them in their haughty little eyes, and tell them you will not give up. Because you love them too much. 

God did not give up on us. Why should we give up on our children?

Giving a child the freedom to choose whether or not they want to pray, or go to church, or learn about the Word...is dangerous.

We are commanded to "train them". They are not to train themselves until they are out of our nests. They will have plenty of time for "freedom" when they are gone.

I am not talking about using religion as a weapon either. Or using it as punishment because they "disappointed God". This is dangerous as well.

We serve a loving Father. They should see the same love expressed in us by our words and actions.

Their faith will more than likely be from the result of being "caught" and not "taught". When they have a momma that doesn't just teach them, but lives a life of Christ-like behavior, they will surely be effected.

This requires obedience on our part. We must push through. Persist. And be ever intentional about training our children. Whether they are 6 months or 60. They are still learning. Watching. Listening.

Our children will not be properly trained if they are just sitting in church for an hour a week. Church programs are the icing, not the cake.

Teach them. Train them. Show them. 

You don't have to be a bible scholar to teach your children. You just have to be obedient.

Pray for wisdom. Daily. Hourly.

He has equipped you. 

Go, train them up well.

Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 7:2-4


i have so much work to do,


jill



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