“CHILDREN!”

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 675

March 19, 2024///

Over the weekend I wrote an answer to the question

“WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVISE FOR RAISING CHILDREN?”

I feel so passionate about this subject that I want to share it here also.

Whether you have no children, your children or grown or whatever situation you are in, we all have children in our lives. There are children all around that can benefit from our hugs, our smiles, our love.

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I truly feel in the deepest part of my heart that raising children is one of the most important, rewarding, fulfilling, and ongoing responsibilities any parent can have.

Yes, it is important to provide them with shelter, food, clothing, and other needs.

But more important is loving them, hugging them, guiding them, supporting activities, and never being afraid to say, “I’m sorry”!

But even more important than that is raising them to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and teaching them to choose Gods way.

This is done by words, by example and by training them in the Life-giving Word of God.

A parent is the most important person in a child’s life, even if they act like they are not listening. Believe me they are listening, they are watching, and they are learning what they see.

I remember reading a story of a man who was fighting following God although He had been raised in Christianity.

He had a three-year-old boy and one snowy day they were outside. The father was ahead of the child and when he looked back, he saw the child was stepping into the footprints he had left. He was moved to tears.

That was enough to convince Him he needed to follow Jesus! You lead, they are following. Where are you leading.

Because you see, we cannot truly raise Godly kids in an ungodly world unless Jesus is Lord of our own life.

We must pray diligently for our children. For their protection, open spirit to the Lord Jesus, and for wisdom for ourselves to see them as Jesus sees them and guide them to be all God created them to be.

Real love, the God kind of love shows through all we do and not only draws our children close to us but close to the master.

We need to release each of them and everything in their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, realizing He loves them better than we ever could.

We need to have them established in a Bible Believing, Spirit filled church and we must understand that they are created for a purpose and that purpose may not be the career or avenue of work or ministry we want them to pursue.

Let them be kids, laugh with them, play with them, and as they grow, choose your battles. Ask God what is really the best way to handle situations.

Will you be a perfect parent? Absolutely not? But if you Love Jesus, love your children and hold them close and submit them to His way, He will make up for the blunders, the mistakes and your kids will learn they can make mistakes and keep going.

We hear a lot of discussion about mothers being at home with their children vs working outside the home. Some work outside the home because financially they must, some choose to, some are called to ministries the make it inevitable.

But I believe whatever the situation, the key factor is the quality of time spent loving them, training them, and loving Jesus in front of them. Be there when you are there! You are the one they look up to and will follow.

This subject is so important and powerful to me that I am passionate abouts seeing parents understand that their children are not just a responsibility to see their needs met, but a breathing, God ordained member of each family that is a new piece of clay, to be molded with love and care into a mighty Soldier in God’s army.

I am convinced if all parents understood what an awesome privilege, they have in raising their children, and took it joyfully and seriously, our youth detention centers would not be crowded, and our prisons would not be overrun. Suicide among our youth would dwindle and guns would not be used as conversation pieces.

And for those who name the name of Jesus there are hundreds of thousands of children in this world who have no parent, or no parent present and we can be Jesus’ hand extended and reach out with genuine love and change the wrong direction they are headed in.

If I had to sum up raising children in several words they would be: Pray, Love, Hug, Listen, Laugh, encourage, teach Jesus in word and deed, and don’t take yourself or them to seriously. Let Love reign! And that applies no matter how old they are, or what their situation in life is.

One last thought! We are to be good stewards of all that God gives us. That includes people and especially our children and spouses. Love those God gives you! Handle them as good stewards.

LOVE, ME-MAW