parenting thoughts

This is an excerpt from yesterday's Grace to You broadcast that I really enjoyed. The whole message was good, but I liked these thoughts especially. 

You can read or hear the whole message at gty.org

So the goal of parenting is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  The goal of parenting is not control.  It's not to get them under control.  It is not to produce in them socially commendable behavior.  It is not to make them polite and respectful.  It is not even to cause them to conduct themselves in a morally acceptable manner.  It is not to make them obedient.  It is not to give you as a parent something to be proud of.  The goal of parenting is not to get them to perform for your approval.  The goal of parenting is salvation and sanctification.  The goal of parenting is to see your child saved from sin and its eternal wages and then to follow the path of sanctification.

 

     Listen, any objective less than that is only behavior modification.  The issue is the heart.  And you have to understand that you have a sinner who is depraved to the very core, who needs salvation and forgiveness and sanctification.  And you start by making that child aware of a sinful condition and the judgment of God. And as I told you before, you even make that child aware of an eternal hell.  Don't just train your child to be self-controlled and learn to say no when wanting something.  Train your child to understand temptation and resist it because the sins of greed and lust and selfishness and covetousness and indulgence dishonor God and pander a wicked heart.  Punish for the sin but teach that the heart is the problem.

 

     Sinful, unsaved, unsanctified children are ruled by the same exact desires that their larger counterparts are.  Your children are ruled by lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.  They're selfish, self-centered and they want everything they can see...NOW. 

 

     Correct them not to satisfy the offended irritated frustrated parent, that's anger, that's vengeance, but to satisfy God who has been offended and God has not just been annoyed.  And remind them that God who has been offended seeks a reconciliation with them through trust in Jesus Christ.

 

     This is...this is the target of all parenting.  It's the heart and it is salvation.  This means reproof, rebuke, correction, the use of the rod but nonetheless consistently.  We've talked about that.  You never use the rod, listen now, you never use the rod as punishment for sin, that's not your job.  You never use the rod as payment for sin.  You use the rod as correction to avoid payment at the hands of God.

 

     And the rod has a very important place.  This week I received a beautiful little letter from a young boy in our congregation, eight or nine, named Stephen.  This is what he wrote me.  He gave me this last Sunday.

 

     "Thank you for the birthday card."  I sent him a birthday card as I do many of the children.  "It was very nice of you to send me a card with your picture on it.  I really liked your message on disciplining kids.  One day while getting spanked my Dad broke his switch.  A few days later I decided to make him a new switch.  It ended up being bigger than I wanted it to be."  I love that.  "I wish every pastor would preach the Word like you do.  Stephen."  I think Stephen understands, don't you?  What a sweet little guy to go make his father a switch.

the boys

Okay Erin - and anyone else - here you go....................

1. One movie that made you laugh:
Princess Bride 

2. One movie that made you cry:
The Notebook

3. One movie you loved when you were a child:
Anne of Green Gables

4. One movie you’ve seen more than once:

Ocean's Eleven

5. One movie you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it:

if I was embarrassed to admit it why would I post it on my blog for the world to see? 

I agree :-)

6. One movie you hated:
Cannot think of one at the moment, but there were some I didn't really like

7. One movie that scared you:
If it sounds too scary I usually don't watch it 

8. One movie that bored you:
Groundhog day - Okay Erin, THAT made me laugh - that is so like you to be bored by Groundhog Day!

For me - some Western that I don't remember the name of..............

9. One movie that made you happy:
Return to Me

10. One movie that made you surprised at the end:
I'm not easily fooled...nothing surprising comes to mind...

11. One movie you weren’t brave enough to see:
Cannot think of one

12. One movie character you’ve fallen in love with:

13. The last movie you saw:
Watched most of Cheaper by the Dozen - new version - last night on TV

14. The next movie you hope to see:
I'd like to see the new Narnia and Leatherheads sometime

Colm

He's ready to mow just as soon as he gets brave enough to walk on his own!

Just looking cute peering thru the railing

Playing peek-a-boo

Caeden

Caeden picked me some flowers yesterday and asked me to put them in a little cup.

And sometimes you just gotta stop and see what it is.........

Mowing the yard........... please note the snow boots, he didn't want to wear anything else.

Cute Caeden

Brothers

Caeden was so proud of himself for climbing this rock at "Da's workhouse" - it actually makes a nice background, may have to try and get some of the boys together this weekend up there!

Colm found my purse. He was perusing thru it and found the lipstick. I saw him take it out and open but decided to watch and see what he did............ it was rather amusing and well worth a cheap tube of lipstick. He did however have it everywhere.............. it was straight to the bath when he finished!

Getting Caeden to bed at night has been an ongoing challenge. Most nights I end up laying with him in our bed - since it's more comfortable for me - until he falls asleep. However, this night we started in our bed and he asked to go to his bed. But after he decided to remove his blankets, sheets, pillow AND MATTRESS to the hallway after leaving him there I made him go back to our bed till he fell asleep. And yes, he put the robe on all by himself while emptying his bed. I was just thankful he was finally asleep!

Colm on the other hand, is a wonderful sleeper. Just plop him in the bed and he goes to sleep. His little blue bear there is a must, he fingers the ribbons around the neck till he falls asleep. But, he is reaching the wonderful age of dropping his morning nap. Most mornings lately he has refused to nap, but the plus side is both boys are going down for the afternoon nap about an hour earlier and they are both sleeping a good 2 hours. 

Wonderful bliss for this pregnant mama!

Sorry it's been awhile since I have update on here. Nothing too exciting has been going on though, so you haven't missed anything :-) Kieran is working up in Florissant and we have been spending some time up there and then coming home and getting caught up on laundry and housework and fun things like that. 

I have been feeling pretty good. Tired alot, but I doubt that is going away anytime soon! I am still in my regular clothes and not maternity yet - a first for me since Caeden although I was in "stretchy" pants by this time with him. So I am guessing I am carrying this baby a bit differently :-) I am not complaining though, I know I will be tired of elastic in my waistband by November and wish I could button jeans! 

We have been having pretty typical "springtime in the Rockies" weather around here. It was 76 degrees in the Springs yesterday and today it is cloudy and snowing - already have about an inch on the deck, although it's blowing so hard it's hard to tell for sure! We have had a number of nice days, sometimes rather windy but sunny and getting warmer. They are saying it's suppose to stay a bit cooler for the next week, but hopefully after some rain and snow to green things up we'll be done with winter. 

Here's some pictures of the boys - we were at a park up in Woodland Park.

This is the view from the house Kieran is working on - if you look closely you can see the Sangre de Cristos in the distance.