It's so hard for parents to teach their children not to talk to strangers, when strangers constantly try to talk to them.
WELL PROBLEM SOLVE
My husband and our youngest were walking out of a store bathroom. A man told our youngest hi. So what did our child do?
He punched him in his tummy and yelled don't talk to me!!!
hahaha
Showing posts with label Our Family Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Our Family Stories. Show all posts
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Kids in "Big Church"
My husband and I are trying to find a church closer to where we live and the search is getting difficult. Every church seems to have Children's church up to 6th grade. Some churches may not call it that, but that is in fact what it is. I am not saying that Children's church is bad, but just not for our family.
We believe our children should be in worship with us. They should learn to sit still and listen to what the pastor has to say. They should see dad and mom worshiping together and reading the bible together. For us, children's church is another way to separate the family. If your children go to school, then do a sport after school 3 days a week, then go to Awana's or whatever program on Wednesday night, and then go to their own Sunday School class and now their own church service; when do they have family time with their parents? I read a book called Socialization Trap. Rick Boyer states in this book that we outsource our children to learn team work by putting them in sports. We outsource our children to learn by taking them to public/private school. We outsource our children to learn about God by putting them in a separate programs at church (Awana's, Sunday School, Children's Church). Then we wonder why as teenagers they won't listen to us. It is because they haven't had to listen to us.
There is something special about going to church with your children and hearing them sing the same songs you sing. I've heard the argument that children won't like their parent's music. Well, let me answer this argument by using my own family as an example. Our daughter who is 5 1/2 loves Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Why? Because I like it. She knows the songs and loves to sing them because I do. Your little kids will like what you like, for the most part. Then there's my favorite argument about children being bored. So let me share my thoughts on that. They are bored, because they are entertained to death. We can't expect 6th graders and up to like "Big church," if they have been entertained (drama, hand movements to fast songs, etc.) in children's church.
Our kids love going to church with us and opening their own bibles. They love getting pencils and pens to write with or color. They are young, but we are teaching them to sit still. Our oldest just turned 7 not to long ago and we have talked to him about listening more during church instead of coloring. This past Sunday he didn't color as much and actually paid attention more. Now he doesn't understand everything, but we help him with the parts he didn't get on the drive home from church.
I guess I'm from the old school that thinks the Bible is interesting on it's own. A little drama here and there is fine, but are we so media driven that we have to be entertained every Sunday with the T.V. That's also what I'm finding in our search for a church. The T.V. is used every Sunday. You know I'm ok if every now and then a clip is used to emphasize a point, but not every Sunday.
We believe that if you love church, so will your children. If you get excited about going, so will your children. If you love the songs, so will your children. And if you live out what you believe every day of the week, SO WILL YOUR CHILDREN. We aren't just teaching our children what to do on Sundays. We are teaching our children a lifestyle. We are teaching them reverence. We are teaching them how to listen. As we teach our children to sit still and pay attention to a preacher on stage that is seen, we are preparing them to be able to hear God who is unseen.
We believe our children should be in worship with us. They should learn to sit still and listen to what the pastor has to say. They should see dad and mom worshiping together and reading the bible together. For us, children's church is another way to separate the family. If your children go to school, then do a sport after school 3 days a week, then go to Awana's or whatever program on Wednesday night, and then go to their own Sunday School class and now their own church service; when do they have family time with their parents? I read a book called Socialization Trap. Rick Boyer states in this book that we outsource our children to learn team work by putting them in sports. We outsource our children to learn by taking them to public/private school. We outsource our children to learn about God by putting them in a separate programs at church (Awana's, Sunday School, Children's Church). Then we wonder why as teenagers they won't listen to us. It is because they haven't had to listen to us.
There is something special about going to church with your children and hearing them sing the same songs you sing. I've heard the argument that children won't like their parent's music. Well, let me answer this argument by using my own family as an example. Our daughter who is 5 1/2 loves Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Why? Because I like it. She knows the songs and loves to sing them because I do. Your little kids will like what you like, for the most part. Then there's my favorite argument about children being bored. So let me share my thoughts on that. They are bored, because they are entertained to death. We can't expect 6th graders and up to like "Big church," if they have been entertained (drama, hand movements to fast songs, etc.) in children's church.
Our kids love going to church with us and opening their own bibles. They love getting pencils and pens to write with or color. They are young, but we are teaching them to sit still. Our oldest just turned 7 not to long ago and we have talked to him about listening more during church instead of coloring. This past Sunday he didn't color as much and actually paid attention more. Now he doesn't understand everything, but we help him with the parts he didn't get on the drive home from church.
I guess I'm from the old school that thinks the Bible is interesting on it's own. A little drama here and there is fine, but are we so media driven that we have to be entertained every Sunday with the T.V. That's also what I'm finding in our search for a church. The T.V. is used every Sunday. You know I'm ok if every now and then a clip is used to emphasize a point, but not every Sunday.
We believe that if you love church, so will your children. If you get excited about going, so will your children. If you love the songs, so will your children. And if you live out what you believe every day of the week, SO WILL YOUR CHILDREN. We aren't just teaching our children what to do on Sundays. We are teaching our children a lifestyle. We are teaching them reverence. We are teaching them how to listen. As we teach our children to sit still and pay attention to a preacher on stage that is seen, we are preparing them to be able to hear God who is unseen.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Following God's Plan for our Family Size
We were done. No more. 2 was enough for us, a boy and a girl. Our 3 bedroom house has plenty of room. We had always wanted 4 children, but I had two difficult deliveries (all because of 2 drugs, pitocin and an epidural). Both pregnancies I was sick and during my first one, I developed RLS which has never gone away. So the thought of getting pregnant again was just not an option as far as we were concerned.
Did we consult God? NO!!!
Several years ago I was reading a book by Francine Rivers called “Atonement Child.” I will need to tell you about the book, for you to understand what happened in our lives. The book is about a young girl in college who is engaged to a future preacher. The young girl gets raped and then ends up pregnant from it. Everyone in her life tells her to get an abortion, even Christians who say abortion is wrong. They tell her that it can’t be God’s will for her to have that thing (baby). Her boyfriend leaves her. She has no one to turn to except God. The only friend she has is a guy who listens to her. He is the only one telling her to keep the baby. Ok, so now the end of the book. Because she decides to keep the baby, her parents marriage gets restored (it was in bad shape), an abortion doctor decides to change his career and deliver babies instead of aborting them, and she finds her true love in this guy friend.
While I am reading this book, God spoke to me.
He asked, “Do you believe in abortion?”
I said, “No God, you know I don’t.”
God: Even in a rape situation.
Me: I used to, but now I don’t. I believe you create life.
God: I know this is a fiction story, but do you believe I created life in her
to bring about good in other peoples lives.
Me: Yes.
God: Do you believe I am sovereign?
Me: Yes.
God: Do you believe I know what’s best for people?
Me: Yes
God: Do you believe I know what’s best for you?
Me: Yes God, but I don’t understand.
God: You don’t believe in abortion. You believe that I am the giver of life.
You believe I am sovereign and know what’s best for you.
Then why are you preventing life?
Wow what could I say. That night I went to sleep and dreamed of Heaven. Of course there were people there that I knew and blessing I saw that I had received while on earth. But then over in the corner there were people there that I didn’t know and blessing I had not received while on earth that I should have. I asked God why don’t I know these people and why didn’t I receive these blessings on earth. He said, “Because you chose to prevent life without consulting me. This is what you would have had if My will were done and you had had another child.”
Apparently, God had been dealing with my husband on the matter, because when I approached him about what had happened and about another baby. He was ok. Not what I expected. We believe that God calls both people in a marriage. So I knew that this was all God.
We decided to stop preventing life and let God decide. 5 months later I was pregnant.
Now let me tell you that I am not one of these people who want 12 kids or 10 kids or a truck load. So I prayed to God and this is what He asked me,
“Do you believe I answer prayers?” I answered, “Yes.” Then He said, “I answered Abraham’s prayer for a child. I answered Hannah’s prayer for a child. I answered Leah and Rachel’s prayers for children. I also made Sarah barren and I closed up Rachel’s womb. If I can open or close a womb and I answer prayers, don’t you think I would answer yours not to have any more children?”
I thank God for revealing this to me, because I couldn't imagine life without our third child. He is a joy and pleasure to be around.
Did we consult God? NO!!!
Several years ago I was reading a book by Francine Rivers called “Atonement Child.” I will need to tell you about the book, for you to understand what happened in our lives. The book is about a young girl in college who is engaged to a future preacher. The young girl gets raped and then ends up pregnant from it. Everyone in her life tells her to get an abortion, even Christians who say abortion is wrong. They tell her that it can’t be God’s will for her to have that thing (baby). Her boyfriend leaves her. She has no one to turn to except God. The only friend she has is a guy who listens to her. He is the only one telling her to keep the baby. Ok, so now the end of the book. Because she decides to keep the baby, her parents marriage gets restored (it was in bad shape), an abortion doctor decides to change his career and deliver babies instead of aborting them, and she finds her true love in this guy friend.
While I am reading this book, God spoke to me.
He asked, “Do you believe in abortion?”
I said, “No God, you know I don’t.”
God: Even in a rape situation.
Me: I used to, but now I don’t. I believe you create life.
God: I know this is a fiction story, but do you believe I created life in her
to bring about good in other peoples lives.
Me: Yes.
God: Do you believe I am sovereign?
Me: Yes.
God: Do you believe I know what’s best for people?
Me: Yes
God: Do you believe I know what’s best for you?
Me: Yes God, but I don’t understand.
God: You don’t believe in abortion. You believe that I am the giver of life.
You believe I am sovereign and know what’s best for you.
Then why are you preventing life?
Wow what could I say. That night I went to sleep and dreamed of Heaven. Of course there were people there that I knew and blessing I saw that I had received while on earth. But then over in the corner there were people there that I didn’t know and blessing I had not received while on earth that I should have. I asked God why don’t I know these people and why didn’t I receive these blessings on earth. He said, “Because you chose to prevent life without consulting me. This is what you would have had if My will were done and you had had another child.”
Apparently, God had been dealing with my husband on the matter, because when I approached him about what had happened and about another baby. He was ok. Not what I expected. We believe that God calls both people in a marriage. So I knew that this was all God.
We decided to stop preventing life and let God decide. 5 months later I was pregnant.
Now let me tell you that I am not one of these people who want 12 kids or 10 kids or a truck load. So I prayed to God and this is what He asked me,
“Do you believe I answer prayers?” I answered, “Yes.” Then He said, “I answered Abraham’s prayer for a child. I answered Hannah’s prayer for a child. I answered Leah and Rachel’s prayers for children. I also made Sarah barren and I closed up Rachel’s womb. If I can open or close a womb and I answer prayers, don’t you think I would answer yours not to have any more children?”
I thank God for revealing this to me, because I couldn't imagine life without our third child. He is a joy and pleasure to be around.
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