Thursday, October 22, 2015

#271 - No Gerbils Here!

Good morning! I look forward to taking a few minutes to get into the Word with you! I've had something that's been on my heart and mind for not only the last few months, but the last several years!
Deut 6:5-7 (The Message) - Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!  Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.
John 12:36 (The Message) - ... You’ll be children of light. 
Proverbs 31:28 (The Message) - Her children respect and bless her... 
I recently listened to a podcast by New York Times best-seller, Christian, tagged as the family and kid expert, Dr. Kevin Leman. The podcast episode was entitled something like, "It's your kid, not a gerbil!" The episode went on to talk about the rat race of having young children involved in lots of activities. The topic is a pretty close topic to my heart, because I've been dragging my feet. The topic has often come up in my quiet time. "Lord, do I need to get Tyler Jr and Trinity involved in sports yet? I'm just enjoying our time. Our family time. Playing outside. Playing inside. I enjoy eating dinner every night at our kitchen table. I'm just not ready for running my kids from this field to that, eating in the car or on the go."

Not that I need to have anyone else's approval on what we choose to do with our children and our time, let's just be honest, there is pressure there! Whether it be external pressure from family, cousins, grandparents, friends, Facebook, the pressure is there and it's real. I'm sure I'm late on the "ban-wagon"... honestly, I just haven't joined it yet.... and I'm COMPLETELY happy staying off it for awhile. I know my kids will be in sports. I know they will be good athletes, but for now, it is fun watching them run around and play tag outside before dinner. It is fun watching them color and draw pictures. It is fun playing the matching game with them. It is fun eating dinner as a family every night and hearing each person as they tell "their favorite part" for the day. And it is fun, pouring love into them, pouring kisses into them. It is fun "messing with them" before bed, chasing them around the house, with laughter and screaming, as mom or dad catch them. Right now, for this stage, however long it is, I am happy and content not being a mom on the soccer field or on the sidelines.

As it says in Deut. 6, write these commandments on your hearts...get them inside of you, then get them inside of your children. This is my focus, helping the Word of God get written on the heart of my children. Whether it be as simple as sharing, or loving each other, praying for each other or others. I was in Tyler Jr's kindergarten classroom last week (a public school) and I was helping in his class. A little girl got hurt, and I witnessed him pray for her right there on the spot. His teacher just looked at me and said, "Tyler Jr is our little prayer. He loves to pray." I am ok with that. I love that my kids pray, and I love that they are not shy to pray for someone when they are hurt. If they were on the soccer field or football field, all the time, with me pouring less time into them, I'm not sure how much Word would get put in, we'd be throwing food in their mouths, throwing them in the bath or shower when we got home from some muddy field, praying and hopping in bed.

For me... I'm just going to enjoy our schedule just being ours for now. I refuse to FEAR because, "what if my kid misses out." No! I am going to have confidence in the Holy Spirit that we will not miss anything. But at each season we will be in His perfect place, involved in His perfect plan for our lives. And for now, that may simply be meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans on a Tuesday night at 5:30.

I encourage you and your family, don't be guilted into anything! If it's the soccer field right now, be children of the light in that place! If it's holding out a little longer before joining that sports team or ballet class, hold out! Whatever your season and where ever your place is for your family, like the Proverbs 31 woman, may your children raise up and call you blessed! May you be the wife and mom you are called to be! Whether it's a Pot Roast, or McDonald's, as long as you are in the center of where God has you, either one may be the exact dinner for your family. NO GUILT HERE! And I encourage you, find your place and LOVE IT, GUILT FREE!

Love ya'll! Give me a shout out! What season are you in with your family? Or is it time to re-evaluate?

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