As I continue this series to help give simple ideas about transforming our families and homes to be places where Christ is honored above all things, I want to share something that we do.
EVERYDAY LIFE
One of our aims is to take common, everyday events and things we see and use them to teach eternal truth. Whenever we have the opportunity, we bring things back to the Bible. Sometimes we may miss an opportunity but we are constantly trying to teach our children to see things from God's point of view.
FOR EXAMPLE?
When we see common things such as a traffic accident, a child having a tantrum, a TV couple being rude to each other, or a beggar on the streets, we make comments and ask questions that help our kiddos to see it from God's perspective. Like, "Oh, let's stop and pray for whoever was in that car." Or, "what did you think about that little boy screaming at his mommy? Was he having the right attitude? But he really wanted those cookies. Why didn't she get them for him?" Or, "Is that wife being kind and respectful toward her husband? Is that the way mommy talks to daddy?" Or, "how do you think Jesus wants us to treat poor people?"
WORTH THE EFFORT
It takes a degree of effort, in order to make it a habit in your life to constantly be teaching... but it is so worth it. We don't even have to start those conversations now with our oldest son (who's almost 5). He notices rudeness, and he is aware of idolatry (both in the real, Thai Buddhist sense, and the monetary, materialistic sense). He raises his eyebrows when people are rude to each other on a TV commercial or show (i.e., Nellie on Little House on the Prairie). We want to transform his worldview into one that reflects God's ways. To view sin as sin. To aim for righteousness and a life that pleases God. To live with self-control and a sense of honor. To have compassion for the poor.
"For as he calculates in his soul, so is he." -Proverbs 23:7
If we want his thoughts, his inward calculations, to be pleasing to Christ when he is a man, we ought to be instilling those things now, in the basic, simple moments of every day life.
4 comments:
I love reading your blog. You encourage me with your love for the Lord and for your family.
Claire Weaver
Thank you for doing this series! You have given us some great parenting tips, and we are going to be starting a family devotional just as soon as I can get my hands on a good one for very young children. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jess!
You're welcome! Well, Carody, I did a little search and came up with these two links that have some good information.
http://christian.families.com/blog/5-tips-for-having-devotions-with-toddlers
This blog addresses how to have devotions with toddlers and just generally is good tips...
But in looking around, I found this book, by Susan Hunt (I've read one of her other books, so she seems pretty solid)... called "Big Truths for Little Kids"
Here's the link to view it at Amazon... (even if I don't buy from Amazon, I like to read customer reviews, brief description, etc... all available at this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Truths-Little-Kids-Teaching/dp/1581341067
Blessings! We've been so blessed by having this time as a family- I'm excited to know God's used this little blog to encourage others to do that as well.
Jess
Oh- and I didn't mention it- but I think I'm going to put that book on our Amazon wishlist... to remind myself to get it for the next series of family devotions once we get through this current book (Teaching Hearts, Training Minds).
The thing I like about these is that they are so great, and have so many short devotions that you could set it down for a year and return to it the next year and probably learn all new things and have all new conversations from the same basic framework.
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