Tag: Children

Living with regrets

4 Comments

 

It was Martin Luther that said, “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen.” While “changing the world” is too lofty of a goal to attain, I do desire to make a difference in the lives of those who have ears to hear. My prayer is that in picking up my pen, or grabbing my computer in this case, my story will be received with open hearts. More than that, I pray that lives will be altered and that God will get glory through it all. When my husband and I were first married he asked me one simple question, “What do you want to do?” I responded that I wanted to be able to stay home and raise our children. He told me that he would do everything in his power to make that come true. From the time our first born was just a few months old I have been able to stay home. This journey of being a stay-at-home mother has taken us from owning and selling our own embroidery business to homeschooling our three children. This choice we made has been one that we have never regretted. It has been such a blessing to our family and one that I believe is God’s will for every mother with small children. I realize that my children will not stay young forever and I am so thankful that I have a husband who not only understands this but leads as he should. He takes on the full responsibility of providing for his family as God intended. While this is one decision we will never regret there have been many decisions made that we do sorrowfully lament over.

The first regret was having the mind-set that debt is acceptable for a believer. I grew up in church. My husband did not. But God saved him at 19 years old and from the beginning of our marriage we attended church faithfully. We read our Bible. We prayed together. We taught Sunday school. It was what we did. But deep down, we did not believe that the Holy Inspired Scriptures were all-sufficient. For if we had believed that glorious truth we would have lived our lives very differently. The Bible has given us every godly principle to live by. And the Bible is clear. To be in debt is to place yourself in bondage. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. (Pro 22:7) God does not intend for His children to be enslaved by this world. Which is why Paul wrote in Romans 13:8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another”. Because of our worldly thinking we made decision after decision that put us in debt. Large mortgages, car payments, student loans and consumer debt have all brought about unnecessary burdens. Society will tell you that debt is perfectly acceptable but God’s ways are always contrary to this world. It was the fallacy of our thinking on debt that led to the second and even greater regret we are now living with.

 This regret was based on our view of having children. A few months before our third child was born my husband surrendered into ministry. He knew that going into full-time ministry would bring many changes into our lives. He was thirty years old and would be attending Bible College full-time. He also knew that being in ministry that there was a good chance we would lose our insurance. So, after the birth of our third child we made the decision to stop God’s blessings upon our lives. While debt is a curse we ignorantly embraced, having more children from the Lord was a blessing we refused. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it..….. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” (Psa 127:1-5a) We had decided that we would not let the Lord build our house. By our decision we said to God, “We’ve had enough of your blessings so we are going to take it into our own hands to reject Your rewards.” Why is it that Christian believers can be so blind to the Truths in Scripture that they will cling to that which God hates – materialism and debt, and despise the richest blessings that He can give – children?

If someone asked me if I would take a million dollars for one of my three children I would laugh them to scorn. Most mothers would probably do the same. But give a woman in today’s society the choice between a million dollars or another child and I would submit that most would say that they would take the money. I know this because I, like many others, believed that we just didn’t have the money for more children. Isn’t it sad that we have allowed the love of money and material blessings to rob from us the blessings that God has intended for our lives? The sad thing is that we did not give this life changing decision that much thought. We certainly did not pray about it. We had three children, therefore; it was the next logical thing to do. We did seek some counsel but instead of being pointed to God’s Word and His plan for Christian families we were given personal advice. In spite of that we do not cast blame. The decision was ours to make. We had God’s Word. And, even though it took a few years to realize it, God placed other resources in our path prior to this mistake. For example, a friend had given me a book called, A Mom Just Like You, by homeschooling mother of ten, Vicki Farris. In this book she describes the blessings of motherhood from God. I, sadly, did not fully recognize it. Not only did we have God’s Holy Word to guide us and not only did He place other resources of truth in our path but God had already given us three children as a witness of this truth. Each of our precious children is a living testimony of God’s goodness in our lives.

I have a friend that has nine children. She has lived with ridicule and mockery for having such a large family. However, the other day she said to me, “I cannot imagine my life without one of these children.” Each of them is special not only to her and her husband but to God as well. Each of them has a God given purpose for their life. Had they followed the unspoken rules of society and given into worldly pressures then part of their family would be missing.

Families are important to God. When Christian families are strong, churches are strong. When the churches are strong, our nation is strong. Therefore, the enemy attacks the structure of the families. Unwed birthrates are at an all-time high. Abortion is responsible for thousands of murders each year. Divorce rates are over 50%. Consequently, this number would be even higher if it were not for the number of people who now reject the idea of marriage and simply live together. All of these things bring about the destruction of families. The Christian society has accepted the warped view of families for so long that it does not even recognize God’s plan anymore. Why is it that a teenage girl can have a baby or two out of wedlock and no one is saddened by the disgrace? But, take a Christian father and mother, who have many children raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and see how many negative comments they receive. Do you see how far we have come from the Biblical model for families?

I will not stand in judgment of the decisions others may make, for that is between them and God. But, this I will say. A wise man learns from the mistake of others; an ordinary man learns from his own mistakes; and a fool learns from neither. While it is clear I have not always been wise, I have learned from my own mistakes. And if by chance there is a child of God who has considered putting a stop to His blessings, please consider learning from the mistakes we have made.

I guess what saddens me the most in this whole learning journey is the realization that we were just as blind as the rest of the world. And while my husband and I have come to repent of the sin we committed, the consequences are ever before us. Yes, we are very thankful for the children we do have. We thank the Lord daily for His goodness. And we pray that God in His mercy will someday give us more children. Should He bless us again it will be for His glory alone. Should He choose not to, we will be content with the precious blessings we already have. And through it all we will strive to teach others the truth.

Homeschooling – An Offensive Lifestyle!

4 Comments

Take a journey, back in time, to America a few generations. How easy would it be to offend a person thirty, forty, or fifty years ago? The older generation voices of an era when the majority of people would not only be offended to hear a crude word spoken but would not even tolerate it. Not too many years ago people would be offended to see open sin paraded around in public. At one time people would be offended to see children speaking disrespectfully to an elder. Our country and flag was greatly honored and to show disrespect to either was offensive. And the thought of someone openly condemning Christianity in America was unthinkable. The generations of the past were easily offended by insulting behaviors, filthy language, open immortality, anti-patriotism, and a blatant disregard for spiritual matters. Oh, how the times have changed! It seems as though this deliberate decay of our culture is not only tolerated but joyfully embraced. And yet, through the eyes of the world, there are still plenty of offenses which must not be tolerated. Today the offenses come in the form of Christianity, absolute truth, holy living, the name of Jesus Christ, submission to authority, and of course, the Christian homeschool movement.

I remember the first time I realized that there were people who were offended by our family’s lifestyle. It was the summer after our first year of homeschooling. I was sitting with a friend in a ladies Bible study class, who had introduced our family to home education. We were discussing the benefits and joys of the year. I had commented that I was so thankful the Lord opened our eyes to our responsibility as parents to educate our children. During the discussion, others joined in asking questions. After the class was over a lady approached me who had been very offended that we had so openly discussed homeschooling as a valid option for Christian parents. She had been a public school teacher for 20 years and in her own words, “had never seen anything taught to the detriment of Christians in public school.” She was adamant in that public schools were safe and unmistakably the best option for all Christians. Although I was new to homeschooling and could not clearly articulate my position, it had not been that long ago that I was in public schools myself. I distinctively remember all the evil that I was exposed to at an early age from teachers and peers alike, not to mention the anti-God philosophy.

That was 8 years ago. While it was the first time that I have viewed such opposition to home education, it certainly was not the last. There once was a lady in our church who showed apparent disdain toward our family. I remember asking my husband one day after services, “What have I done to her? She obviously does not like me. I’ve gone out of the way to be kind and friendly to her and her family.” My husband, who knew how hard I had been trying said, “Sweetheart, it is nothing you have done. Our lifestyle is offensive.” Over the years we have come to realize that the choices we have made regarding our family is contrary to the world. At its foundation we believe that Scripture teaches a very distinct way of living as a child of God. As a woman, I believe that part of my high calling is to be a help meet to my husband (Genesis 2:18), to live in subjection to him (I Peter 3:5), and to be a keeper at home (Titus 2:5). We believe that the husband, as the head of the family, will be responsible to God for the education and upbringing of the children (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 4:1-7). He is to oversee all their learning about God and His world. And daily, he is to teach God’s Word to his family (Deuteronomy 6:5-9). As his help meet, I play a major role in the daily teaching of our children. At the heart of all we do lies biblical truth. Therefore, we really should not be surprised when the world is offended. Jesus said in John 15:18-19, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

While we expect this opposition from the world, it is disheartening when it comes from other Christians. One could argue that there are those who simply claim the title yet bear no fruit of righteousness. Many times it is these types of people who are antagonistic to those trying to live their life according to the Bible. However, that is not always the case. Many simply have never been taught the truth. For several generations, our society has believed that families should pursue the American dream at all cost. In this pursuit, the foundation of the biblical family has been cracked. Sadly, many churches have lacked in biblical teaching necessary to rebuild the family. So now, when a family pushes against the flow of society, by holding to their convictions from the Word of God, they often experience a backlash. Perhaps, you have experienced such criticism from family, friends, church members, or even pastors. It seems that a few months cannot pass without hearing a testimony from a family to this extent. They are homeschooling because of biblical conviction and due to the amount of criticism they receive one would think that they have purposely set out to destroy the lives of their children.

  • “You shelter your children too much.”
  • “Your children will rebel.”
  •  “Your children will not know how to deal with the ‘real’ world!”

I, and many others, have heard these comments before. Dear friend, do not let the world dictate to you lies from the enemy. It is a good thing to shelter your children. Gods shelters us and I am so glad He does! When the storms of life come, His children run into His arms of safety. As far as children rebelling, perhaps they will. But I know that children will often do exactly what they are trained to do. Parents have believed the lie that all children will always rebel against the teaching of their parents. When a parent believes this and expects his child to rebel he will not be disappointed. That child will rebel. Parents should be realistic enough to know that children might rebel but should never expect them to rebel. My husband and I will bring our children up in the way they should go and hold on to the promise that they will not depart from it. What about our children knowing how to deal with the “real” world? Let me be very clear. The objective in Christian homeschooling is not teaching children how to “deal with the real world.” I do not want to teach my children how to merely survive this life. As believers in Christ we are called to be overcomers! “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith,” (1John 5:4). As children of God, not only do we overcome this world but we overcome the wicked one (I John 2:13-14). We overcome his servants (I John 4:4). We overcome sin and death (I Corinthians 15:54-57). And we overcome evil (Romans 12:21). This is what we desire to teach our children. “You are an overcomer!”

Dear homeschooling family, do not be discouraged when you face opposition. Do not be surprised by the world’s criticism. As you probably have learned by now, one does not have to be on the front lines of the homeschool movement to be attacked. You do not have to be publicly declaring the truths found in Scripture from every mountain top to offend the world. All you have to do is live your life quietly and simply in holiness. Raising your family according to God’s standards is enough to have the world hate you. Your very lifestyle is condemning to those around you. Consider the story of Noah. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith,” (Hebrews 11:7). I have heard this story my whole life. I have been taught that Noah, being a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5), preached to the world the coming judgment of God. In my mind I always assumed that it was his preaching that condemned the world. But this passage in Hebrews does not tell us that the world was condemned by his preaching, but by his life. Noah moved with fear, prepared an ark to save his family and by that he condemned the world. It was his obedience to God that condemned the wicked.

Now, move forward a few thousand years. Consider a faithful father called of God to lead his family. He reads in the Bible of the coming judgment. He sees the warnings from his Heavenly Father. He is moved with fear and works hard to build an ark of safety for his family. He rejects this world and does that which is necessary to save his house. He toils and labors to teach and train his children the ways of the Lord. And in doing it all, he condemns the world around him.  But unlike Noah, who knew only his family would be saved (Genesis 6:17-18), we are not alone. There are many other families who are striving to follow the Lord. There are many fathers who take their God-given responsibility seriously and seek to save their homes from worldly destruction. There are many mothers who are coming along side and fulfilling their God-given role. There are many children who are being brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There are families who still stand strong. Do not give up. Do not be discouraged. Know that your work will not be in vain! “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain,” (Philippians 2:15-16).

(Clipart courtesy FCIT, http://etc.usf.edu/clipart)

A Lesson in Loyalty

1 Comment

I was blessed this weekend with a visit from some like-minded friends. Our family enjoyed three days of sweet fellowship with this dear couple, five precious children, and one adorable Daschund puppy. Some might think that a home filled with 4 adults visiting, working, and cooking; 8 children laughing, swimming, and playing; and 3 dogs barking, running, and whining might be loud and disorderly. But that was not the case. Our home was peaceful. The children were polite and well behaved. And the dogs were…….well; the children were polite and well behaved.

Speaking of the dogs, I was amazed as I watched “Bobbie” the Daschund with his 8 year old owner. Never before have I seen such loyalty in a dog. Wherever this little girl went her dog followed. If she went in a room and closed the door, he would be at the door whining. If she went outside to play, he would pace the floor and whine at the door. When she was in the house, he was in her lap or at her feet. It was as though she was ALWAYS on his mind. The other children or adults could pet him or hold him but his eyes were always fixed upon his little owner.

As I observed all of this, I could not help but think about my Master and my loyalty to Him. Are my eyes always fixed upon Him? Am I anxious when He seems afar off? Am I always looking to sit at His feet? Am I as loyal as this little dog is to his master? These are good questions to ponder. And, as I consider these, I will meditate upon Psalm 123:2 “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.”

The Dogwood

1 Comment

Living in the middle of a national forest has its advantages. Driving home from town the other day my husband stops the car. He gets out and walks over to a dogwood tree, jumps up, pulls a flower off, and brings it to me. The children and I take turns smelling the fragrant aroma and discussing its beauty. During the drive we were able to enjoy the sight of several dogwood trees. I commented that I would love to have one in my yard. Later that evening my boys rushed into the house and said, “Mom, come here! We have something to show you!” They brought me over to my bedroom window and opened the shade. To my surprise there was a tiny dogwood tree planted right outside my window. It was beautiful! Of course, it was just a large branch that they stuck into the ground. We all knew that our “tree” would not last. But the motive behind my boy’s action was that of eternal splendor. My boys wanted to please me and the desire came from their love for me.

Last night as I was reading in I John, I came across a verse that made me think about this story again. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous,” 1John 5:3. God’s commandments are not burdensome! Our obedience to our Lord should be from a heart’s desire to please Him, not because we have to obey but because we want to! Just as it was in no way burdensome to my boys to show their love for me in action, so should it never be grievous or burdensome for us, as God’s children, to show our love in obedience. Will I always obey with pure delight? No! But I will say this. The only time the commandments of God become grievous to me is when I am doing them in the flesh. When I am walking in the Spirit, His commands are joyous. My obedience flows from a love I have for my Father because of His great love for me. So the next time I look at a dogwood tree it will serve as a reminder of God, His love, and His blessed commands.

The Joys of Homeschooling

Leave a comment

The weather was beautiful today so we gathered outside to read history and science. This year we have been doing a study of American history. Today we concluded the book by Peter Marshall, “Sounding Forth the Trumpet”. It took us from the years of 1837 to 1860 bringing one of the most crucial times in America’s past to life. I try to remind my children often that we study history so that we can learn from the past mistakes of others, gone on before us, as well as from their successes. The following is the last passage I read to my children today:

As 1860 drew to a close, men and women of spiritual vision could see armies of angels and archangels gathering for the coming struggle of the soul of America. They could hear the sound of distant trumpets that would never call retreat. War was close at hand. Now, as this century closes, men and women of vision are again seeing signs and wonders. These indicate that God’s judgment is close at hand. Each of us is familiar with the problems troubling our country: divorce, drug abuse, the murder of unborn children through abortion, children killing children, public officials lying, cheating, and stealing. It is too late for a human solution. But with God, nothing is impossible. The only hope for America is a national revival. Even now, pockets of genuine spiritual awakening are springing up around our country. But at best America has a case of “revival measles,” with spots of spiritual awakening popping up here and there. However, before a revival can spread from coast to coast, more than a few of us will have to take God’s promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 to heart. Each of us must repent, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. And we must do it so at once. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this: “O Church read the signs of the times! A day of grace is yet held out to us…for just as surely as a millstone sinks in the ocean so surely injustice and cruelty shall bring on nations the wrath of Almighty God.” Heaven only knows what disaster awaits us in our time if we do not, as a nation, turn back to God! One thing is certain: We can hear the sound of distant trumpets.

Just as spiritually thought provoking as history, we reviewed the 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics today in science. The laws of nature itself exposes the lies of the evolutionist and the fallacy of uniformitarianism. As we dealt with the wonder of our planet earth, my children’s assignment was to make a list of what they have learned in their study of geology that demonstrates the truth of the Bible and reveals God’s design. Then they were to read Psalm 139:8-10 and pray and thank God for these revelations.

As the end of the school year approaches I am reflecting upon the true joys of teaching my children at home. I wonder how many children are privileged enough to learn about true history and true biblical science? I’m afraid however that most will be taught lies, global indoctrination, and satanic evolution. But as I see small spots of spiritual awakening throughout the Christian community I hold to “that day of grace that is yet held out to us…” And, as I teach my children at home, I cannot help but thank the Lord for this awesome responsibility!

A few knives and a “mazooka”

1 Comment

A few weeks ago we were sitting in the car waiting on my husband to come out of a store. Our next stop was to have pictures made for our passports. The children were talking about them and our upcoming trip out of the country. They were asking if we would be fingerprinted. I told them, “No, we just need pictures taken”. To which Andrew responded with, “I don’t care if they take my fingerprints. I have nothing to hide!” He paused for a moment and then said, “Well, maybe a few knives and a mazooka…”

This statement made me think. How many people go through life with things to hide? How many things do I try to hide? As a child of God, I believe in being sincere and true in all that I do. But even then, there is a part of me, deep within, that I want no one to know about. There are thoughts, worries, fears, and sins of my heart that only God knows. Like the Psalmist I often pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Psalm 139:23-24. I am so glad that I can go to the Lord, for He is more forgiving than mankind. “O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee,” Psalm 69:5. There is great peace in knowing that nothing is hidden from God. Even with all my faults and failures, God knows my motives. He knows my heart. He knows my deepest desire to please Him in all I do. In confidence I can truly say to Him, “I have nothing to hide!” Thank you Lord for that!

By the way, the “mazooka” my seven year old owns is made by Nerf and “the few knives”…well, that’s another story.

My Precious Nephew

2 Comments

Those who know me know how anxious I have been about the birth of my only sister’s first child.  Landon Paul was born on March 1st weighing 8lbs 5oz.  He is precious.  You have seen as much of him as I have, for this picture is all I have.  We live hundreds of miles apart but my heart and prayers are with them all.   And I long for the day I can hold him.

At a prayer meeting this week some of the ladies were talking about how they only needed one or two children.  “That was plenty!”  they said.   I asked, “Ladies, if God’s blessings were a million dollars how many would you like to have?”  To which they all responded with, “As many as God would give us!”  Truth is, God has told us in His Word what He considers blessings.  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them Psalm 127:3-5a        

 Sure we’ll gladly take tangible blessings (money, clothing, riches, homes, etc.), all of which will soon be gone.  But we don’t want the eternal blessings – a godly heritage.  Eternal blessings are the only ones that will matter.   “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man…”  When Psalm 127 was written, arrows were hand crafted.  Life and death depended upon the careful molding and shaping of these valuable instruments.  They were then launched out of the hands of the warrior to fight the enemy.    That is why the rest of Psalms 127 says,  “they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” Psalm 127:5b. 

A sweet lady told me this week that she wouldn’t want to bring more children into this cruel world.  She was already concerned with what her children and grandchildren would have to face.  I’ve thought about that since then.  The reason the future looks so dim for my children is because God’s people, for several generations now, have refused to do the hard things necessary to bring up a lasting heritage of the Lord.  Consequently, we should not be surprised when the enemies overtake us.  The Muslims birthrate averages 8 children per woman.  The unwed birthrate is overwhelming.   The ungodly have plenty of children.  Where is the God-fearing Christians who take God’s Word as Truth?  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them – they shall not be ashamed.

Here is my prayer, “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: That our garners may be full… Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD” Psalm 144:12-15. 

Counting Chicks!

1 Comment

Driving home from a Valentine party the children were in the back seat discussing the weather. They were thrilled at the prospect of having snow the next day. Living in south Mississippi, one rarely sees snow. However, the weather forecasters had predicted four to six inches beginning that evening and continuing on through the following day. “Children,” I said, not wanting them to be disappointed if they were wrong, “you can’t count your chickens before they hatch.” We made it home and I gave the conversation no further thought. And sure enough, it started snowing during the night. By 6 a.m. the ground was covered. It was a beautiful sight!

Andrew, my youngest, was the first one up. He immediately ran to the door. “Mom, there are four to eight chicks out there!” He excitedly proclaimed. “What are you talking about son?” I asked. “My chicks! They hatched!” he said proudly.

The day consisted of playing in the snow, building snowmen, and having snowball fights. As I watched my children play with their friends, it took me back to a simpler time in life. I was taken back to a time when my only concern was if my fingers would fall off from the cold or how long it would take for the snowmen to melt. Time sure does pass quickly. Before I know it my children will all be grown. They won’t be running in and out of the house anymore. I won’t have to remind them to blow their nose or take off their muddy boots. They will have children of their own and my house will be quiet. But, I’m not there yet. My children are still young. They still have time to play. I still have time to enjoy this stage of life. I guess I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch!

90% Obedience = 100% Disobedience

1 Comment

percentHe was just a little fellow, sitting on top of his bunk bed with his head hung low. “Son, you need to be obedient. Mommy and Daddy expect you to do what you’re told, when you’re told.” I don’t remember now what he was in trouble for but I do remember his response. “Mommy, nobody is perfect. I’m not Jesus.”

Over the years I have thought about that statement often. At first I allowed this form of manipulation to bring guilt. Maybe, I was expecting too much from a little boy. Maybe my standards were too high. But the Lord reminded me that if I was going to raise my children up according to Scriptures than I did not have the liberty of lower the standard. Sure, my children are not perfect. And sure, they will mess up. And when they do I will be faithful to forgive and love unconditionally just like God does. But nevertheless they are still expected to constantly obey. The bar of obedience will always be raised.

What if God treated His children like most parents treat their children today? Matthew 5:48 might look something like this: “Nobody is perfect but the Father in Heaven therefore do not worry about striving too hard, you’ll never make it.” Or when Jesus gave the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37 it might have looked like this: “You shall love the Lord thy God as much as you can with your heart and soul and when you have time to think about it.” Or I Peter 1:15-16 might have read: “He who has called you is holy, so be holy as much as you can. I know however it’s impossible but try nonetheless.” And if God was like we are Jesus would not have said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Instead, He might have said. “I realize that you’re love for me is not based on what you do, just tell me you love me, that’s enough for me.”

It’s blasphemy to say that God would act like this! Why then do we as parents? Why then do we as Christians? Why then do we as the church? I think it is because most people have broken the second commandment and have made a god in their own image. Most people have made up a god in their mind who has lowered the standard. This is why we have so many people who love to quote “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” and who like to point their fingers at people who are striving to please God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and call these people legalistic. I counseled with a precious young lady on the phone the other day. She shared with me that some family members had accused her of “living under the law”. I asked this dear lady if she knew what I John 3:4 said. It says, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Now, call me old fashion, but if sin is the transgression of the law then I want to do everything I can to not break it. Not because I have to but because I want to. I love the Lord and I desire to please Him not in word only but also in deed. (James 1:22) I pray that I will never be satisfied with being partially obedient. I realize that perfection will not come until the day I am glorified and the day that I will “be like him” (I John 3:2). But until that day, I will strive. I will press toward the mark of the high calling. It’s really a matter of the heart.

The Upside-Down Trash Can

1 Comment

thimbleIt has rained here all day. This means that my children, not able to play outside after their schoolwork, were rather restless. Then the electricity went out. Living in the forest, we never know how long it will stay out. Therefore, Abigail and Andrew made a tent in the living room out of blankets, chairs and rubber bands. After the excitement of that wore off Aaron broke out the Monopoly game. I was sitting on the couch trying to study my Sunday school lesson while listening to them talk about which game piece they wanted to be. It took me back to my childhood for just as second as I remembered always wanting to be the car. However, playing with my older brother I usually ended up being stuck with the dog or thimble (which no one ever wanted to be). It was then that I heard my son say something about the upside-down trash can. I found this very amusing. To a child who does not know what a thimble is or who has never had anyone explain it to him, it makes perfect sense to call it an upside-down trash can. That’s exactly what it looks like.

This made me think. I wonder what other preconceived notions my children have because I have failed to teach them the truth? While the correct terminology for the Monopoly pieces is not that big of a deal, there are many truths that my children need to be taught that are a very big deal. The most significant truths are, of course, about God and His Word. When the children of Israel passed over the Jordan into the promise land, God told Joshua to take 12 stones out of the midst of the river and set up a monument as a reminder of what great work God had done. That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. (Joshua 4:6-7) It was the parents’ job to pass on the story to their children of how God parted the waters for the second time. It was their job to convey the glorious message that the mighty hand of God works miracles for his children. If they had failed who knows what mixed up theory and incorrect tale the future generations would have passed on.

Likewise, it is my job to pass on the wonderful spiritual truths of God to my children. If I fail to teach my children then they will conjure up their own ideas. Worse than that, Satan and the worldly system greatly desire to impart lies and deception on to these impressionable minds and will work tirelessly to do just that. If I am unsuccessful as their parent to give them Truth bases on God’s Word than what they will be given will be garbage, not fit for even a trash can (upside-down or not).