If you have ever spoken to me about Bible reading, you will know that I am a huge advocate of the One Year Bible. It is broken up into 365 readings with a couple chapters from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Psalms and the Proverbs for every day. It takes about 10-15 minutes a day to read and you get through the whole Bible in a year. I have been doing this since I was 16 or 17 years old. No, I do not have the whole Bible memorized but I do have a pretty good idea of what it says and where to go looking for it when I need to.
Did you know they have a One Year Bible for babies ,toddlers, pre-schooler’s, school age kids and teenagers too? They have so many great tools out there today for us to teach our children about God. My husband reads my daughter the Learn to Read One Year Bible every night along with her companion One Year Devotional for Preschoolers.
I have to limit myself as to how often I go to our Lifeway Christian Bookstore. The books, DVD’s and CD’s are just phenomenal for kids these days. Sometimes, I go in there and write title’s down and then go home to order them online for a cheaper price. I am sure they love that.
I have to say that the majority of what my kids watch, listen to and read all revolves around God. I figure I have a very small window to be the biggest influence in my kid’s lives. I fully intend on maximizing that potential in every way possible. I want them to have a Biblical world view while their little thought processes are forming now. They say years 0-5 are the most formative years of their lives. I am going to take full advantage of that while I can when I am in full control over what is going into their little minds, hearts and spirits.
Smile of a Child Network on TV has some cute shows on there. A lot of them are too cheesy and corny that my husband and I just can’t deal so we don’t allow those ones, our poor deprived children, are at the mercy of Mom and Dad right now. God Rocks is great, Creation’s Creatures is good if you can get past the 80’s hosts, BJ’s Teddy Bear includes learning as well as Boulder Buddies and Sarah’s Stories plays a variety of shows from Hermie and Friends, Gigi, and other popular Christian kid’s movies out there.
Most of our movie collection consists of Veggie Tales, Boz, the DVD Read and Share Bible Collection and the ones listed above. Most of our books teach about God’s ways, thoughts and desires. All of them are re-emphazing the principles found in God’s Word. They are great resources to help us teach them how to live their little lives in accordance to God’s commands and make choices that honor Him both now and later on. We use all of these things to help us lay the foundation in the basics of our faith of how to pray and talk to God, how to read the Bible and apply it to our lives today, who is Jesus and what He did he do for us, where is Heaven and how do we get there.
We also practice saying our one line Bible verses every day and are always memorizing a couple of them at a time. Even Aaron tries to say them because he knows he gets a chocolate chip at the end! Yes I do use bribery and I am ok with that.
We live in a society that is obsessed with early education, the more we can get them to learn at a younger age, the more they will hopefully be guaranteed success on their path in this life. But what about their spiritual development? You know that they are not going to be learning that in our public school system. And it is not up to the church once a week to instill it in them.
That is my job as my kid’s mother to offer a higher road for them than what this world can offer. Some might worry I am brain washing my children and they would be right about that. They will have a lifetime to find out the other world view’s out there. But in this home, they will know what is up and what is down, what is right and what is wrong, what is truth and what are lies, what does God’s Word say and what does the world say.
“…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
I am going to get in while I can.
The 6 Best Things I Can Do for My Kids
1. Love my God. With all my heart, soul, mind and strength. In everything I do and say. My kids will know if I have the real deal with God or not.The 6 Best Things I Can Do for My Kids
2. Love my Husband. Focus on his strengths. Appreciate him. Talk good about him. Nurture the relationship, take time for him. That’s all kids really want anyways to feel safe, secure and happy. That is for their mommy and daddy to love each other and be nice to each other. My kids are watching and listening.
3. Love my Kids. Sounds easy enough, right? Go out of my way to take time for teachable moments. Train them up in Godliness. My kid’s character is being developed every day.
4. Love Others. Don’t compare, judge, gossip or condemn. Forgive quickly. Serve fervently. Give generously. My kids will follow my example.
5. Love Myself.
Emotionally- Take care of any old issues that need to be dealt with. Be freed from the past. Let go of any grievances. Or it will affect my kids for life.
Physically- Eat healthy (most of the time!) and work out, in whatever form I like best. Rest at all possible opportunities! And don’t feel guilty about it.
Spiritually- Seek wisdom and growth. Challenge myself. Step out of my comfort zone. Be brave enough to be honest, real, transparent and broken. Be authentic. My kids will be too.
Mentally- Take breaks when I need to and as often as I need to. Stimulate my brain by reading something of interest or learning something new.
Relationally- Hang out with girlfriends! Only they understand!
Personally- Go with my natural God given talents and abilities . Don’t try to be someone else. Be ok with my own weaknesses and limitations. My kids will learn to do the same.
6. Love my Home. Play, Laugh, Sing, Dance, make memories! Cultivate an atmosphere of Joy. Create a Safe Haven that my husband and kids want to live in. My kids will be forever shaped by it.
The very best thing I can do for my kids is to be a happy, healthy and whole Mom who teaches them how to love God with all their heart, soul and mind
SICK IN BED
Some days I just wish I could sleep in or take a whole day off or maybe a weekend. To have a break from the preparing and cleaning up of 3 meals a day, wiping poopy bottoms 5 times a day, filling sippy cups 12 times a day, picking up too many messes to count and saying ‘No, stop that!’ 50 times a day.
About a week and a half ago, I think I got food poisoning because I was very sick for about 12 hours starting at 3 a.m. By the time the kids woke up, it was obvious I was out of commission. My husband had a meeting with a client that morning that he could not cancel so thankfully our regular sitter just happened to be available since our families do not live close by.
I listened from my bed as my kids cried for me outside of my door and my husband dragged them away. My heart broke. I heard my babysitter dress them, feed them and play with them. My heart ached. I wanted to hold them close but I physically could not.
Then I thought about what if I had a serious illness that did not allow me out of bed and I had to watch someone else mother my children? I don’t think I would be able to lay by as someone else loved and enjoyed my kids all day.
It’s funny how my perspective can change from one day to another. When I want a break from all the rigorous tasks, all I can see is the chores. But when I am sick in bed , then all I want is to feel my kids little hands in mine as I walk with them and their little bodies close as I snuggle with them.
If I want to be the one to kiss and hug, teach and train my kids, then I also have to be the one to do all the dirty work that goes along with it.
I vowed that I would appreciate my kids little faces, smiles and voices more without getting distracted or frustrated. I did. For about a day. And then here I am, trying to write a blog about it while watching the NFL play-offs and putting a pizza in the oven while my kids wrestle over a toy in the living room.
Maybe it’s good for Mommy to be sick in bed once in awhile.
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