I woke up early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, but that didn't stop me from laying there a good long while and trying. There's always plenty to think about when you're trying to sleep. I thought about this...
I'm almost to the end of the Gospels and Jesus did not give me any clear, direct instructions about parenting. Nothing at all about what kind of music I should allow my kids to listen to or what kind of t.v. and movies they should or shouldn't be watching. Nothing about whether I should keep them really busy in sports and activities or slow them down. And what should I do about bad grades, Internet, the Public School System, sex, drugs, Chores? I really wish He would have mentioned something about chores and disgusting bedrooms. I have so many unanswered questions. What kind of rules? What kind of structure? What kind of schedule? And....
What about the "rest of us"....
I think a lot of people know what I mean when I say that.
The rest of us who are divorced or never married with kids by different dads and moms who are not even considering following Christ. The rest of us who have family members and babsitters that take care of our kids, out of neccesity, and they are not nearly as concerned with our kids becoming good Christians as we are. The rest of us who spent a lot of years raising our kids in homes that looked nothing like the homes that are in all the good parenting books. The rest of us who hurt our kids in anger and ignorance and selfishness...and now we want to switch everything up and tell them Jesus said they can't watch MTV. Even those of us who were "Christians"...but not so much.
The rest of us.
And in all those red letters...nothing.
Not a word about a program to get my kids to love Jesus and be good Christians.
And I'm thinking about some really amazing mothers I know, wisdom and experiences they have shared with me, incredible love they shown me.
And I'm thinking about C.S. Lewis and Kathy Guy.
And I'm thinking about Jesus.
These mothers...Kathy,Heather, Sarah, Kristin, Dawn, Miki...model for me unconditional love, strength and wisdom.
C.S. Lewis and Kathy Guy (with infinite patience on her part) opened my eyes to the reality that often times the problem does not lie in the answer or the lack of an answer...but in the question.
Maybe asking Jesus to show me how to get my kids to love him and be good Christians when they grow up... is the wrong question.
Maybe the question is...
How do I bring Jesus to my kids?
How do I love my children as Jesus has loved me?
And maybe it's not even a question...but a decleration.
I will love my kids as Jesus has loved me, as Jesus loves the world.
I will be Jesus to my children.
I will keep looking in, searching those red letters, not for a plan, but for Jesus.
And I will do this with an honest awareness...
that my children may never choose to follow Jesus themselves.
Just like Jesus.
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them..."
2 comments:
Wow! Awesome blog! So insightful! Your kids are blessed to have a Mom who wants them to follow Christ. I will keep praying for you! I have a feeling you are Stephanie B, right? This is Jen from Panera! Feel free to check out my blog. Hope everything else is going well for you!
Ok, girlfriend....CS Lewis and Kath Guy...that is really sweet and really funny! I haven't had time to read blogs, and Jeff told me, "Did you know that Stephanie is comparing you to CS Lewis?" He had some fun with that.
The rest of us...is a great way to frame this post...thank you!
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