I admit it. I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I'm doing this parenting thing all wrong and inadvertently raising selfish, self-centered, self-seeking, self-interested and any other negative self word you can think of, children. And while I somehow have this twisted sense of responsibility for their self-ness, like somehow it's all my fault, by doing to much of this or not doing enough of that, I have to halt my self-obsessing and remember that it really has less to do with me and more to do with the nature of the beast, Adam being the first.
Since the beginning of time and in the most perfect location and circumstances imaginable, the human race been more concerned with their own agendas and desires above anything and everything else. So, I really shouldn't allow it to shake me down to rubble when my children fight with each other like the world revolves around them, because to their little original sin hard wiring, that certainly feels like a valid reality to them. But if the utter perfection of God's parenting skills didn't compensate for the me-me-me behavior in the guests of the garden then why in the world would I expect my feeble parental attempts would have any better influence on the little's residing under our roof. As this powerful revelatory truth begins to make it's way ever so sludgingly from my head to my heart, I must remember that I shouldn't mercilessly beat myself over the head when they attempt to beat each other over the head because if a perfect God was not enough then I most certainly won't be. I don't know about you but that makes me feel a million pounds lighter.
Not to say that I take any of this as license to sit back with a mug of coca in hand and leave them to their own devices either. I believe that parents have a responsibility to their children, society and our Maker to leave the next generation in better shape than we found ours. Not cattle or guilt prodding them into any preconceived molds or ideals, but gently nudging toward life paths of positive influence, community care and love of more than self, through the examples of our own day-timer and check book. There comes that million pound weight of responsibility on my shoulder's again, but thankfully I don't have to rely on my own "goodness" for inspiration.
As I was having my quiet time late last night...
(Rabbit trail alert - The proverbs 31 woman might have risen before dawn to spend time with God, but I ain't her and I'm quite sure God doesn't mind. That would be like my hubby saying "If you don't get up @ 5:30am and have breakfast with me every morning before you attend to anything else in your day then you obviously don't love me." See? Doesn't that sound ridiculous? Let's stop putting that shackle around our necks and beating ourselves up about it right now. As long as you TAKE time, God doesn't care WHAT time.)
...in front of the dwindling fire, I read Luke 14 and several things began to speak to me and spark in me at the same time. (I realize that what I'm about to share is not exactly the context of this portion of scripture, but this is the message that rang true and clear in my heart during this particular reading. I don't have a problem taking this meaning from this scripture because it agrees with the 2 greatest commandments God gave us: Love God & Love People - Matthew 22:36-40.)
vs 13 "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. vs 14a And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you.
"Feast - Thanksgiving. Poor, maimed, lame, blind - those lacking what we have. They cannot repay you - selflessness, giving back, community service." said my brain. Recently my soul has been deeply drawing towards getting our kids involved in outreach and service on a real and close to home level.
vs 16b "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many. vs 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' vs 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses.
vs 18 Excuse #1= to busy with possessions
vs 19 Excuse #2 = to busy with work
vs 20 Excuse #3 = to busy with "my 4 and no more"
vs 21b Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. vs 22 And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'
"Still there is room - there's always a need for people to drop what they think is important and focus on what's really matters, making positive influence, community care and love of more than self a priority."
How could I be more proactive in instilling these values in my children while they're young, laying a solid foundation for a more-than-just-me-matters future? I went straight to my top 2 sources for what I want to know, Google and Facebook and began digging for ways my young children could begin experiencing the joy of helping others who can't repay you. Here's what I uncovered:
