As I dedicated this blog to my parent's, they would have surely loved for you to know how important it is to education children. Proverbs 22:6 Says: "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Mom and dad began teaching the 5th and 6th grade bible class together when they were newly married. Dad was an education major desiring to be a school teacher. Later in life Dad obtained many degrees, Education, Administration, Family Counseling and taught at many schools. He was also an elementary principal at many schools. They both taught bible class for the rest of their lives. He had a massive brain hemorrhage and was no longer able to teach after that, and she developed luekemia and had just quit teaching bible class shortly before. They always had a frame with the poem "Children Learn What they Live" this is actually a book by Dorothy Nolte and Rachel Harris on parenting by your example. You can get the book by clicking here-
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It is so true that children learn more by example than by words. Ever hear that saying "actions speak louder than words"? The reason for this is that words tend to go in one ear and out the other, however the actions, the example, is what we live everyday all day long 24/7. Most statistics are that children grow up to remain as they were raised. Those who grow up in poverty tend to stay in that lifestyle. It is rare that one will break free from those chains and learn about becoming educated and leaving "the hood" to experience a whole new world outside of the environment they have grown up knowing. The Catholics say "give me a child for seven years and we will have him for a lifetime." Creating habits, rituals, traditions, routines are all a part of example.
Did you grow up going to church every Sunday with parents who continued to be a christian example the rest of the week. Or did you grow up not knowing what church was? Possibly you grew up in a home that went to church every Sunday, but they went more for the social aspects rather than the religious aspects and as soon as the parents returned home from church, they went back to everyday life of cussing, smoking, drinking and fighting. What a confusing example that would be. But that is life for some.
The other day, I was thinking about scripture that I can recite from memory. There are very few that I can quote from learning them as an adult. Most memorized scripture is in our hearts, souls and brains as learned from when we had memory verses each week in bible class as a child. Boy! That should speak to the importance of taking your kid to bible class on a weekly basis. "Train them in the way they should go!" Sometimes we do our best as parents only to feel like a failure in teenage years. "And when they are OLD, they will not depart from it." Teenage years are a growing period. A time for self discovery, a time of learning to think for ourselves. Some bloom with this later than others. I probably did not question anything of my parents until I was 50. After my own children were grown and raised did I finally realize that I myself was an adult with my own brain to think for myself and discover if my own raising for bible and for life had been wrong or right. Sometimes people are late bloomers to discover things on their own. Maybe during teenage years they succumb to peer pressure and fall into the wrong crowd. Later in life through many experiences they realize, hey, mom and dad were right about God and church and the bible. OR possibly its the other way around. There are plenty of people who did not have parents who were believers of the Lord. Did not ever follow Christ or his example, yet, the child is the one who felt the need that there was more out there. More of something needed in life and found a neighborhood church to attend and learned about God's love for us on their own.
Have you ever seen the movie "I Can Only Imagine"? Thats right its the story of the song. What ever your circumstances growing up, or raising your children. Please keep in mind the importance of these three things:
Reading the bible as a family and memorizing scripture as a child.
Example... YOUR Example ... even if you have no children of your own. You can be an example to just one and make a difference in their life.
Pray without ceasing. Pray for them, pray with them. Pray with them and have them pray alone at each meal, at bedtime, before they go to school in the morning. Then you pray after you drop them off at school and all throughout the day.
Being a parent is the most important and the most difficult job on the face of the earth. This is the only time in your life where you are solely responsible for another human being and what they become. Their actions, words, and deeds. However, they soon learn, they are their own person and you are then no longer responsible for what they choose. The time is short to make an impression upon their hearts to always choose what is good, what is right and what is holy.
May the Lord be with you and you children during this time of covid. May he hold you the parent in his hands and fill you with wisdom that you may be a shining example for your child. May you have strength to endure online lessons, changes in daily schedules and the new stress that parents have today. May the Lord also bless you with opening your eyes to the wonderful opportunities available for families through this change in our lives that covid has brought. More time for families to sit down to supper together, to ride bikes together, play games, read, and schedule daily devos. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen
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Mom and Dad were ahead of their time for this type of thing. Mom started using Young Living Oils before they ever began a direct marketing company.
Dad learned about visualization and mind control long before the public recognized its benefits, but those are for another story. Follow this link to my website for daily suppliments all plant based that can help make this short bbut important time in life more easy to cope.
Children Learn What They Live
by Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
If children live with criticism,
they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility,
they learn to fight.
If children live with fear,
they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule,
they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy,
they learn to feel envy.
If children live with encouragement,
they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance,
they learn patience.
If children live with praise,
they learn appreciation.
If Children live with acceptance,
they learn to love.
If children live with approval,
they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition,
they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing,
they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty,
they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness,
they learn justice.
If children live with kindness, and consideration,
they learn respect.
If children live with friendliness,
they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
1972 Dorothy Law Nolte