Hey y’all! I’m excited to share my final “what I’m taking with me from Northern Pines” posts. While they really don’t even begin to scratch the surface.
This next session summary is the last I’ll be writing – back to Summer Friday [which will go through August!] + tutorials + recipes + Coconut Robot designs + whew. I get nervous + excited thinking about this fall + everything I want to share with y’all!
The title of Dean Jaderston’s talk was “What does the Bible really say about parenting?” But if you’re not a mom or dad, please keep reading: I think the points that he brought to the table are key for any stage in your life.
1. The Bible talks about discipline in many different contexts. As Dean explained it:
putting someone in a controlled, stressful situation, so he/she learn to respond.
When it comes to parenting, we are to train our children for the future. We are to teach them to communicate. Teach them how to show love. Teach them how to be angry, without reacting.
Truth without sarcasm.
Humor without crudeness.
Anger without cursing.
2. We are to teach our children. Simply put:
The Bible is being lost in our homes, and that needs to change.
3. Do not provoke or embitter your children. We are to be an accurate, yet imperfect reflection of God to our children. We can only be that if we are spending time with Him: He needs to be our focus, not our children, husband, job, friends, etc.
4. Mothers are reflections of Christ. Don’t sell yourself short, mommas.
As a mother comforts her child, so I’ll comfort you. [Isaiah 66:13a, the Message]
5. The most important parenting commandment?
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’
[Matthew 22:37-39, the Message]
I want those verses to be true in my life. Not true when they are conveniently true, but true. All the time, true.
Moms, we so easily tear each other down, let’s change that. Can we be a community that encourages, influences, but above all? Let us love one another. Not when it looks good, not when it’s convenient, but all the time.
All the time: put on love first.
“The bible is being lost in our homes, and that needs to change.” YES. My husband and I were just talking about this, and how we need to be proactive in ensuring that it doesn’t happen in our home. Just needing to get the word inscribed on these little hearts that have been entrusted to me. Sometimes the days feel so busy with all the to-do lists. Have we played enough? Have I disciplined enough? Have we eaten the right foods? Did we watch too much tv? And then I have to take a step back and say, “Have we loved Jesus today?” Because there are going to be days when we watched too much Elmo, and days where I wasn’t consistent in discipline, and I mess up. But I want my kids to see Jesus, to KNOW Jesus. That perspective can change everything, when I actually remember.
The Matthew 22 verse is one I model my life on. It’s so hard, but it’s the most important thing to teach my sons, I think.