Tag: parenting

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Parenting Moment: A Servant of Christ or of Our Children?

calendar

Every year, fall brings with it the challenge of deciding on a new fall schedule. What activities do we say yes to, and which ones do we say no to?

When writing the Philippians, Paul introduced himself as a servant of Jesus (see Philippians 1:1). That wording has had me thinking lately about what my calendar says I serve.

It’s all-too-easy to put things on our calendar just because our children want them or because we feel like a good mom would do that activity. And it’s all-too-easy to find ourselves frantic and without time for evangelism and discipleship opportunities.

Remember as you think through your calendar this fall to keep Christ your master, not your children or your own expectations of motherhood or what others think. After all, if we want to raise our children to prioritize Christ, we need to model that for them. We need to train them that life is about God, not them, not just by sacrificing our own desires for them, but also by sometimes teaching them to sacrifice their own desires for God’s priorities. Christ needs to stay the Master.

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Philippians 1:1 (ESV)

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Parenting Moment: When You Feel Defeated

Have you ever had one of those days where rather than doing all the great things you’d planned, you have to spend hours just working through simple tasks because a child won’t obey? It’s easy to feel angry and defeated in those moments. There’s another way to look at those disastrous moments, though.

What if those moments are actually the ones we’ve prayed for—the opportunities to help our children see Jesus? As the tears dry up, we have an opportunity to explain that what just happened was sin—and that we all sin—but that there’s a Savior. We can pray again with our child for forgiveness and for the Holy Spirit’s power to help us change.

Maybe, just maybe, those days of defeat are actually the moments God wants to win the victory in our child’s hearts—and in ours. There’s nothing like a temper tantrum to show us our own idols. We get angry back because our children have interrupted our own plans, and in that moment, our plans rule our hearts. We too, need the cross each and every moment.

Remember next time your plans unravel and you’re forced in the middle of an unexpected drama with your child to view it as an opportunity instead of an obstacle. It’s an opportunity to surrender to God and embrace the unexpected training moment He’s allowed. And His wisdom and grace is there to help you through.