It's no secret how much the Lord uses my children to teach me powerful truths. For example- how love and desperation, frustration and hope, and the entire emotional spectrum, can coexist in one instant. As I grow, I'm learning the value of speaking less and listening more (I discussed this in a post from last week). It's too easy to focus these efforts on my relationship with my husband, and other adult friendships, rather than my kids. Often my youngest will call my name over and over again. I don't hear him the first time because I'm so preoccupied with something or someone else. Truth be told, if my husband called me in that same moment, I wouldn't ignore him. Why do I ignore my children?
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
Ignoring my children does provoke them to anger.
Ponder this- Do you you hear what your child is saying? Do you spend focused time on them in spite of the constant battle for your attention? Try this, look your child in the eye and respond when he asks a question.
Ponder this- Do you you hear what your child is saying? Do you spend focused time on them in spite of the constant battle for your attention? Try this, look your child in the eye and respond when he asks a question.
My Prayer- Lord, give me grace to consider my children and serve them the way you've called me too. Help me to treat them with love and respect, and with the compassion You've shown me. Amen.
I just started reading Grace for the Moment -kids devotional by Lucado and just the other day I read my kids something similar to your blog topic. How God always listens to us and in the same way we should listen to our family and friends when they want to speak to us.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good resource- I'll have to look ino it. Thanks for sharing this Janella!
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