Everyone you know, including yourself, was a child, an original-never seen and never to be seen again. No matter how many physical personality traits we may share with others, we are all perfectly unique.
All children are unique, and our job as parents is to nurture and celebrate their uniqueness.
Children respond to consistency, and they respond to our direction. If we sow seeds of something (whether intentionally or not) then we’ll reap those same seeds. It is why – yet again – it’s so important that we are purposeful and mindful of what we do with the precious lives we’ve been given to watch.
As parents, we are to help our children choose the right path. Many parents want to make all the choices for their child, but that hurts him or her in the long run. When a parent teaches a child how to decide, they do not have to watch every step, he or she takes. They know their children will remain on the right paths, because they have made the choice themselves. Train children to choose the right way. (Read that again)
We all know that our children cannot live as a child forever. Sooner or later, they become adults. Becoming adults is unavoidable.
As our children grow up and become more independent, they move out from under the protective umbrella of our homes. They are faced with more options, greater temptations, and the freedom to choose from a wide range of decisions. We pray that they will choose wisely, but they don’t always.
Clergy and civil rights advocates in Kansas City are promoting a 21-day cease fire with offers of conflict resolution and on-call spiritual counselling in a city that is undergoing yet another deadly year of gun-related violence.
The cease-fire, which began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, June 14, got off to a disappointing start when a woman was shot and killed at her home about 10 a.m. Monday. The shooting marked the 68th homicide this year in the city, which set a record of 176 homicides last year, according to police department findings.
It is not enough to know what is going on in the city. We know enough about the studies and the statistics and how the numbers continue to rise. We know that violence is incredibly complex, but we consistently seek out counterintuitive explanations. Knowing does not help. We need a change. I guess this is human limitation.
We always stress prevention, because when somebody has gone mad and killed somebody, you can’t undo that.
What are your children becoming? I am not asking you about their goals. I am not asking what they are trying to achieve, obtain, or access. What are they becoming?
Who is destroying the world more, children or adults?
God created this world as good, and He created us in His image and His likeness which gives us power, and the responsibility to manage and nurture what is in this world.
Often you hear people ask, where is God? He is still present. He is the Creator. How can the Creator not be present? He does not miss a thing. We experience God every day, not only in church. He is everywhere, and somehow, we believe He is not present.
Where are we?
How do we change the crime rate? How can we tap into the presence of God, which by the way is available and free to us all the time? He is our source!
We are like computers. If we buy the best computer and we do not connect it to the power source the computer will not turn on. If we do not have internet access, although it is available we are not connected. We must be connected to the source. We need to connect to the wisdom of God. If anyone lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who give generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given (James 1:5).
When our words are filled with wisdom, it produces joy.
The parent who is fortunate enough to see only love, curiosity, and joy in their child’s eyes will continue to trust and enjoy their child even as an adult. Instead of looking for “misbehavior,” look for ways to connect and to bring joy into your child’s life.
Let’s love them a little more before they are not little anymore.
