Now you may be looking at the title of this blog entry and thinking, "Be a student of your children? Aren't my children the students?" Yes, they are the students in many ways. They look up to you to teach them everything from how to eat to how to walk to how to read to how to drive a car. But, I believe we are also to be students of our children.
One of the most quoted verses when it comes to parenting is Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Upon further study of that verse, I have learned 2 things:
1) It is a principle, not a promise, and
2) It doesn't just mean to train them up in the LORD (which is the most important thing), but it also means to train them up in their special and specific callings and giftings from God.
What I mean by it being a principle and not a promise is that we do not have a 100% guarantee that if we train them up in the LORD that they will always follow Him. That in no way means that we should not train them up in the LORD (see Deut 6:4-9 and Eph 6:4).
Again, we should train them up in the LORD, but we also need to train them up in their special callings and giftings from God. How do we know what those specific callings and giftings are? By being a student of our children. This means that we are actively involved in their lives and watching to see their God-given bents, interests, gifts, and callings. If we see that our child shows more interest in history than math, we should help them look into a path that involves history (ie teacher, lawyer, politician) and not push them into engineering just because we are an engineer and think it is the best career ever. If we see that our child is more into music than athletics, we should encourage and equip them in music and not push them into football just because we are a die-hard NFL fan. These are simple examples, but so many parents make goals for their children that have nothing to do with each individual child.
Be a student of your children and train them up in the LORD and in the bents, interests, gifts, and callings He has given them, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.
Showing posts with label Proverbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Proverbs. Show all posts
Thursday, July 22, 2021
Friday, May 28, 2021
Allowances
DISCLAIMER: This is just how we do allowances.
There is no perfect way to do allowances. In fact, some families don't even do allowances.
You do you and what works best for your family. This is just what we do.
We give allowances based on age because as they get older, they have more (intense) chores.
Ex. Our 5-year-old gets $5.00 a week, our 10-year-old gets $10.00 a week, and our 15-year-old gets $15.00 a week. We start at the age of 5 because they don't really understand before that.
Out of their allowance, they tithe 10%, give 10% to our church's children's building fund, and save 30% in a long-term savings account. The rest (50%) is theirs to spend how they wish (or save as short-term savings).
I'll use my middle child, who is 10, as an example, because the math is super easy.
At the age of 10, our son gets $10.00 a week (if he does all of his chores).
Out of that $10.00, 10% ($1.00) is tithed to our church.
Proverbs 3:9 - Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.
He committed to give 10% to our church's children's building fund so that is another $1.00.
2nd Corinthians 9:7 - So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
He puts 30% ($3.00) into his savings account, which he cannot touch until necessary.
Proverbs 13:16 - Every prudent man acts with knowledge.
He gets to keep 50% ($5.00) as his discretionary money to spend on whatever strikes his fancy (usually video game bucks).
Ecclesiastes 9:7 - Go, eat your bread with joy, for God has already accepted your works.
Now, you may be wondering how they earn their allowance. They have to do ALL of their chores. It's an all-or-nothing situation.
Again, I'll use my middle child, as an example.
His chores are: doing his own laundry (washing, drying, folding, putting away), cleaning his room throughout the week, changing his sheets weekly, vacuuming his room weekly, vacuuming his set of stairs weekly, cleaning his bathroom, cleaning the playroom, and any other odds and ends that help make the house run smoothly (dishes, wiping the kitchen table down, living room tidying, taking out trash and recycling, and anything else that is asked of him).
The reasons we like doing allowances are:
1) It rewards their hard work (my husband wouldn't go to work if they didn't give him a paycheck).
2) It teaches them how to manage their money (we don't want them to first learn how to tithe and save when they are adults).
3) They have to buy their treats along the way (no more "Mommy, will you buy me..." If they have their money, they can get it).
How do you do allowances? Please share. If you don't, please feel free to share that also.
There is no perfect way to do allowances. In fact, some families don't even do allowances.
You do you and what works best for your family. This is just what we do.
We give allowances based on age because as they get older, they have more (intense) chores.
Ex. Our 5-year-old gets $5.00 a week, our 10-year-old gets $10.00 a week, and our 15-year-old gets $15.00 a week. We start at the age of 5 because they don't really understand before that.
Out of their allowance, they tithe 10%, give 10% to our church's children's building fund, and save 30% in a long-term savings account. The rest (50%) is theirs to spend how they wish (or save as short-term savings).
I'll use my middle child, who is 10, as an example, because the math is super easy.
At the age of 10, our son gets $10.00 a week (if he does all of his chores).
Out of that $10.00, 10% ($1.00) is tithed to our church.
Proverbs 3:9 - Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.
He committed to give 10% to our church's children's building fund so that is another $1.00.
2nd Corinthians 9:7 - So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
He puts 30% ($3.00) into his savings account, which he cannot touch until necessary.
Proverbs 13:16 - Every prudent man acts with knowledge.
He gets to keep 50% ($5.00) as his discretionary money to spend on whatever strikes his fancy (usually video game bucks).
Ecclesiastes 9:7 - Go, eat your bread with joy, for God has already accepted your works.
Now, you may be wondering how they earn their allowance. They have to do ALL of their chores. It's an all-or-nothing situation.
Again, I'll use my middle child, as an example.
His chores are: doing his own laundry (washing, drying, folding, putting away), cleaning his room throughout the week, changing his sheets weekly, vacuuming his room weekly, vacuuming his set of stairs weekly, cleaning his bathroom, cleaning the playroom, and any other odds and ends that help make the house run smoothly (dishes, wiping the kitchen table down, living room tidying, taking out trash and recycling, and anything else that is asked of him).
The reasons we like doing allowances are:
1) It rewards their hard work (my husband wouldn't go to work if they didn't give him a paycheck).
2) It teaches them how to manage their money (we don't want them to first learn how to tithe and save when they are adults).
3) They have to buy their treats along the way (no more "Mommy, will you buy me..." If they have their money, they can get it).
How do you do allowances? Please share. If you don't, please feel free to share that also.
Saturday, September 26, 2020
Life Verses
What is a life verse? A life verse is a verse that you make your foundation for your life. Of course the entire Bible should be our foundation for life, but a life verse is a special word from the Lord that cements your life and your purpose as you follow God throughout your life.
My personal life verse is 2nd Corinthians 12:9 - And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
When our first son was on his way, we sat for hours praying and picking out names for him. When we settled on Luke, which I loved because it was from the Bible and meant "bringer of light," his life verse came very easily.
Luke's life verse is Matthew 5:16 - Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.
Our second son's name came very easily. One day I said, "I love the name Nathan," and my husband said, "Me too." It was easy-peasy. Coming up with his life verse didn't come during the pregnancy like it did with Luke's. After the death of his twin sister, each day I would say a verse over him and me.
Nathan's life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
Our daughter's name is Alexis Faith, which means "defender of faith." When she passed away, my faith was tested more than any other time in my life so far. We wanted a Bible verse on her headstone, and looking at "faith" in the Bible, the most fitting one became her life verse.
Alexis' life verse is Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our third son's name was the hardest name to figure out. I guess when you have lots of one gender it gets harder. Once we unanimously agreed on Benjamin, I found his life verse pretty easily.
Benjamin's life verse is Deuteronomy 33:12 - Of Benjamin he said: "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and He shall dwell between his shoulders."
I hope this has encouraged you to prayerfully consider a life verse for yourself and/or your children.
I would love to hear yours. :)
Monday, September 7, 2020
Be Humble
Help/Serve Others
Mark 9:35 – “If anyone desires to be first,
he shall be last of all and
servant of all.” – Jesus
Mark 10:43-45 – 43 Whoever desires to become great among you
shall be your servant.
44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45 For even the Son
of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”
“Me first,” is not just something that
little kids say.
It’s a heart attitude that many people struggle with.
Jesus told His disciples if they
wanted to be first, they should be last and serve everyone.
How can you turn from “me first” to
“me last”? How can you serve others?
Use Your Gifts for Others, Not Yourself
1st Peter 4:10 – Each of you should use whatever gift you have
received
to serve others.
God has given everyone different gifts,
not to use for themselves, but for others.
What gifts has God given you? How can
you use them for others?
Mimic/Model Jesus to Others
Philippians 2:3-11 – 3 Let nothing be done through
selfish ambition or conceit,
but in
lowliness of mind
let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let
each of you look out not only for his own interests,
but
also for the interests of others.
5 Let
this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being
in the form of God,
did not consider it robbery to be equal with
God,
7 but made
Himself of no reputation,
taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the
likeness of men.
8 And
being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself and became obedient
to the point
of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore
God also has highly exalted Him
and given
Him the name which is above every name,
10 that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of
those in heaven, and of those on earth,
and of those under the earth,
11 and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
When we come to Jesus as believers, we
are to be like Jesus.
Jesus was a humble servant.
How are you mimicking Jesus to others?
How can you model Jesus to others?
Be Honest With Others About Your Mistakes
and Sins
James 5:16 – Confess your sins to one
another, and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.
We all sin (Romans 3:23).
We don’t have
to hide that from others and try to look like we are awesome.
How can you humble yourself and share
your mistakes and sins with others?
Listen to Others
Proverbs 12:15 – The wise listen to
advice.
Humble people listen to others. How can
you be a better listener?
Edify/Build Up Others
Romans 15:2 – Each of us should be
concerned for our neighbors’ good,
to build them up (edify them).
Humble people look for ways to build up
others. How can you build others up?
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