While at a gathering of some “older women," I sat listening eager to glean from those who were beyond my stage in life. It is always nice to hear how other women relate and watch them enjoying their friendships. After a yummy lunch we played a game. The hostess pulled out a bag filled with little pieces of paper, each containing a question. The object was for us to get to know each other better by answering our question. What a great idea. I was amazed at how perfect the questions seemed to fit each person as they revealed very interesting facts about themselves.

The openness of the game prompted one of the other “younger” attendees to ask, “My boys are a handful and I always think there must be more that I should be doing, but is there really?’ Much to my dismay the elders in the room quickly comforted her by assuring her that she could only do her best and then wait and hope for it all to turn out well. How empty.  What is doing your best? Where was the encouragement to train them in the way they should go? 

Unfortunately, “I did all I could do” or “We did our best” may mean, send your children to VBS, drag them to church and pray before meals.  I am not sure what people are really saying when they say those words, but I am guessing they are trying to relieve the burden of worrying if you did enough. My thought is, I could never do enough; but I will make an effort every day to guide my children down the narrow road.  I will spend earnest time on my knees praying for them. I will seek God’s word for wisdom and not just hear, but do what it says.

Parenting is not for the lazy. There is no quick fix or easy solution to raising children that honor God.  Children require quantity time—our time. Repetition is endless. Sometimes they need us to stand up for them and sometimes they need us to stand up to them. We cannot be afraid, nor can we be too tired. We must not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Gal. 6:9) So, we must do our best and then do some more…more guiding, more loving, more correcting, more listening, more rebuking, more encouraging….more, more, more.

 


Comments

Shelly
04/18/2011 22:05

What a great post. That last paragraph is just what I needed to read tonight. Sometimes I feel like I just want to be lazy. Sometimes I feel like I'm just too tired. I don't need someone to tell me that is ok. I need someone to tell me to keep on going! Thanks! :)

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