Perfect Parenting

Those who have children:  how's your stress level? Off the charts? You've got lots of company.

This time of  year creates anxiety for most parents. Getting the children back on a structured school schedule takes a lot of planning and effort. Snapping them from summer's "sleep-in-'til-noon" mode to the "wake-up-and-get-moving" regimen takes the diligence of a boot camp sergeant.

In addition to school there are sports practices and games, music lessons, church activities, etc. Everything seems to start this time of year, making for a very busy family schedule. Oh yes, then there's your work and managing a household. And don't even get me started on the laundry. I remember.

Jesus, a parent?

 

I've always believed Jesus, because of his 33 years on earth, understands everything we humans experience--our joys, sorrows, fears, etc. However, when I was raising four very active and opinionated youngsters many years ago, I just knew my Savior could not know what it was like. After all, he wasn't married and wasn't a parent.

Then it dawned on me Jesus did have children--his twelve disciples. They were babes in the faith and when he called them from their various lifestyles he had twelve amateurs on his hands. He led them through the precarious stages of infancy into childhood and on through to maturity in their Christian faith. How comforting. He loved, taught, nurtured and reprimanded. He fed them and even washed their feet in loving service. Sounds a lot like parenthood.

He also dealt with sibling rivalry when the disciples asked who would be greatest in his kingdom. He handled temperamental attitudes in James and John, nicknamed "men of thunder." Do you have any thunderous children in your household?

He coped with the impetuousness of Peter (got one of those?), the skepticism of Thomas, and the rebellion of Judas, the greatest heartbreak of all. Though adults in age, these men were childlike in their walk with Christ and he worked patiently to bring them to competent Christian adulthood.

A Divine Role Model

How do we follow him as a role model for parenting?

• Note how frequently he went off by himself to communicate with his father. Pray, pray, pray every day, all day for your children.

• Trust him because he knows your fears and anxieties whether your children are babies, toddlers, teenagers, or adults--whether they're making good decisions or bad, he knows your heart.

• Read about his interaction with his disciples and other people he encountered and glean parenting skills from that.

Take heart, parents. You will get through the hectic times of child-rearing though it will take every ounce of your energies and then some. Dip into God's power to get through these busy, busy times.

Remember, Jesus does know what you're going through

for he is the PERFECT PARENT.

Formula for Busy People

I would love to give you the gift of TIME 

Let me guess:

• you are stretched to the max
• you can’t possibly complete everything on your agenda
• parts of your life are in disorder
• you rarely feel caught up at work or at home

Modern men and women live exhaustive lives that revolve around the needs of many people; frequently, we try to do it all and do it all perfectly.

Technology, though essential and efficient, may add to the stress since a worker/friend/family member is expected to be on call 24/7 and respond to electronic messages immediately.

A successful CEO of a very large corporation recently suffered a physical breakdown because of too-long working days and too-little sleep at night. Once she recovered she instituted new rules for herself and those in her employ:  no one is expected to answer messages in the evenings or on weekends, unless they are on call.

What Does the Bible Say?

 

Paul wrote this in his letter to the Corinthian church to instruct them about orderly worship:  “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (I Corinthians 14:33) I think these words can apply to our individual lives, as well. God desires us to live in an atmosphere of peace and order. How do we do that?

What Can I Do?

 

There’s no one solution to this dilemma but there are some practical steps that can help us deal with this age-old problem. Take what works for you and toss out the ideas that don’t suit your personality.

        Mission Statement – Write out a mission statement for yourself for the coming year. This idea is from Knit Together:  Discover God’s Pattern for Your Life by Debbie Macomber. (FaithWords 2008) Corporations and committees write mission statements why not you? Keep it short and direct. “What do I want as guiding philosophy for my life?” Powerful stuff.

        Priorities – List the things important or necessary at this phase of your life. Be sure to include leisure time for yourself. Every priority should support your mission statement.

        Goals – Under each priority list the goals you’d like to accomplish in that area in the next six months or year.

        Steps to accomplish your goals (optional) – If you’re a type A personality, jot down the steps needed to accomplish each goal. Skip it if you’re too busy!

Review your priorities and goals several times throughout the year to see if you’re on target or need to adjust. Perhaps something is unattainable at this time of your life. Is your life balanced? Check for gaps. Your priorities and goals will change as you walk through the various stages of your life and as your family or work dynamics change. Simplify where you can, delegate, and focus on what’s really important.

A Promise!  

 

Here’s the clincher:  a disciplined devotional life will help you find more time—really! Make reading the Bible and prayer a daily occurrence and your day will go more smoothly and efficiently. The busier I am, the more I need to do this. Pray over your mission statement, your priorities, and your goals. God will direct you and keep you focused.

Greetings!

Welcome to my blog. I'm venturing into unknown territory here so please be patient with my learning curve. I am determined to produce something of value for anyone taking the time to read what I share. My goal is to help readers deal with life's issues by leading them to trust God who cares and understands.

• Growth is important. When something or someone ceases to grow, stagnation sets in. It's important for plants, people, and organizations to keep improving. My posts will focus on a person's development in his or her walk with God. The process is sometimes painful, sometimes happy, but always beneficial if it leads to knowing him more fully. I welcome you to join me on an adventurous journey of growth.

• Why should you read my blog? Ouch. Valid question. The answer centers on who I am:  a Christian woman with a faith strengthened through surviving various stages and issues of this thing called life. I do best when I remember to rely on God and his resources. The Bible has long guided me and prayer has sustained me through the curve balls life has thrown. I'm a wife, a mother of four grown children, a grandma of ten, a former high school teacher, and a writer. I've experienced the life of a stay-at-home mom as well as that of a full-time educator. I've done it all, just not all at the same time. 

• You, my readers, are very busy people and I hope to respect your limited time. You are most likely stressed, overworked, over-scheduled, wearing too many hats, trying to do it all, and needing to survive various problems or situations. Here is the good news:  the Bible has answers for whatever issue you are facing in modern life. Really. Convincing you of that is one thing I hope to accomplish through these writings. Stay with me long enough to see for yourself and then proceed on your exciting journey to grow with God.

Thank you for investing your time in reading this blog. I promise to make it worthwhile.

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."

(Psalm 145: 18)