It's easy to forget what an awesome responsibility it is to be a parent. I can get so caught up in healthy meals, clean bodies, and strong minds that I forget I'm shaping an individual with an eternal soul. How they think, what they think, how they relate to others and God largely depends on what I teach them and how I live.
This morning I was working with Micah on a Thanksgiving project. We have been studying parts of speech so I thought we would make a diary of thankfulness. We talked about a noun being a person, place, thing or idea. I asked Micah to name something or someone in each category for which he was grateful. In the "person" category Micah said he was thankful for God and Mommy. I asked him to list a few adjectives that describe God. He gave me a list of descriptors for God. I then asked him to list some adjectives that describe Mommy he said, "Well, maybe the same things."
Wow, the responsibility of being God's representative to my children hit me again in a very real way. Having a casual attitude toward parenting seems terribly irresponsible in light of the reality that is going on in the hearts and minds of my boys. It isn't only parents who are God's representatives on earth though, each of us who claim His name are charged with the responsibility of representing Him well. Having a casual attitude about our behaviors and attitudes seems equally irresponsible in light of the reality that we are the only Jesus some people will ever see.
This morning I was working with Micah on a Thanksgiving project. We have been studying parts of speech so I thought we would make a diary of thankfulness. We talked about a noun being a person, place, thing or idea. I asked Micah to name something or someone in each category for which he was grateful. In the "person" category Micah said he was thankful for God and Mommy. I asked him to list a few adjectives that describe God. He gave me a list of descriptors for God. I then asked him to list some adjectives that describe Mommy he said, "Well, maybe the same things."
Wow, the responsibility of being God's representative to my children hit me again in a very real way. Having a casual attitude toward parenting seems terribly irresponsible in light of the reality that is going on in the hearts and minds of my boys. It isn't only parents who are God's representatives on earth though, each of us who claim His name are charged with the responsibility of representing Him well. Having a casual attitude about our behaviors and attitudes seems equally irresponsible in light of the reality that we are the only Jesus some people will ever see.
7 comments:
Oh, Julia! Tears came to my eyes as I read this! How beautiful! You have two blessed little guys! Thank you for reflecting Jesus!
Jo
So true! I absolutely love your picture!!
Jo,
Sorry I missed your call yesterday.
Tonya,
Welcome and thanks for stopping by my blog. My friend Lora of "A Captured Moment Photography" took most of the photos on my blog.
Julia,
I love the picture, did Laura do them, did she add the beautiful effect? After finishing a study on gratitude it has made me think about how my children see me. Do they see a grateful spirit, or one that is not content in all things? We have also been making thankful lists during Circle Time, and I hope to review them at the end of each week. Mary Alice has been making her children list 5 things they are thankful for when they come whining to her. Cultivating a grateful heart is a great way to shape little souls. So glad you are blogging, really enjoying reading all you have to share.
Tara
Beautiful, Julia; a feast for the eyes, mind, and heart. So happy to see that you have had time to join blogworld again! Missed you.
Great post and I have to agree with everyone about the gorgeous photography. I have been thinking a lot lately about how important it is to model these things to our children. So glad you are blogging again!
Love the family picture! So sweet!
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