All to the glory of God
Dads (moms), how do you communicate what is truly important to your children? There are so many things competing for their attention; so many things desiring to engulf our children in a worldview that is alien and deadly dangerous to their well being. But, if we are not careful we only add fuel to the raging fire that threatens to consume them. And yet, as a good parent you want your children to be well-rounded and involved in the many different things that threaten to consume them. What is a good dad (or mom) to do?
Those are some of the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my (Andy's) head for the last few weeks. All I can say is that it is a good thing that most of my hair is falling out naturally, because if it was not I would be pulling it out. By now, you are probably asking yourself, what in the world is he talking about. Let me see if I can shed some light on my meandering thoughts.
I am now the proud father of a full-blown teenage daughter and pre-teen son. Dakota (my baby girl) will turn 15 this next week and Duncan is 12 going on 20. Both are no longer in grade school. Dakota started high school and Duncan started middle school this year - huge transitions for the entire family. Both to my wife's and my joy both "kids" are actively involved in a host of activities this year - golf and church for Dakota; scouting, football, and church for Duncan. The challenge comes, in trying to communicate to both of them what is truly important. But, what is truly important?
If importance is based upon the amount of time spent on an activity, then everything but their relationship with God has taken priority. This is not the life-lesson we are trying to teach our children. They spend most of their time practicing golf and football (2-3 hours each afternoon after school); doing homework (another 1-2 hours each night); chores around the house (yes, we still make our children do "things"); and of course, 8 hours of school a day. In addition to these things listed they are expected to do their nightly reading for school AR tests and a whole bunch of other things. In comparison they spend about 4-5 hours a week involved in church and probably less than 30 minutes a night reading their Bible, praying, memorizing Scripture, and/or developing their relationship with the Creator of the universe - God. This breaks my heart. What is a God-fearing parent to do?
Well, I can only tell you what we are doing. We encourage our children to do everything to the glory of God. When Dakota is driving from the second tee-box at the golf course during golf practice, she is swinging for the glory of God. When Duncan is in a three-point stance firing off the line of scrimmage at football practice, he is doing it for the glory of God. When they are studying math, doing science homework, learning about world civilizations in social studies, or studying their spelling words they are doing it all for the glory of God. When Duncan is practicing the trumpet it is for the glory of God. When he is at his weekly scout meeting or on a weekend scouting campout it is for the glory of God. When Dakota is cleaning the toilets or the sinks or the bathtub or collecting trash in the house (her chores), she is doing them all for the glory of God. When Duncan is mowing and trimming the yard, he is mowing and trimming for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Whenever they do anything it is all for the glory of God. We have attempted to teach our children that their spiritual life is not limited to Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights. It is not limited to their quiet time of Bible study and prayer. Their relationship with God is not dictated by doing the "churchy" things; their relationship with the Lord their God is dictated by how they live out their faith 24-7.
This is not an easy lesson to teach because it means that you and I have to not only teach it with our words, but we must prove it out with our lives as we live everyday to the glory of God. I have no idea how we are doing in teaching our children these life lessons. Debbie and I will not know until they are grown up and we see what kind of a woman and man they become, but I know that we are giving it all that we have, praying a lot, and trusting God to be faithful. From our end of things, we are raising our children to the glory of God!
Those are some of the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my (Andy's) head for the last few weeks. All I can say is that it is a good thing that most of my hair is falling out naturally, because if it was not I would be pulling it out. By now, you are probably asking yourself, what in the world is he talking about. Let me see if I can shed some light on my meandering thoughts.
I am now the proud father of a full-blown teenage daughter and pre-teen son. Dakota (my baby girl) will turn 15 this next week and Duncan is 12 going on 20. Both are no longer in grade school. Dakota started high school and Duncan started middle school this year - huge transitions for the entire family. Both to my wife's and my joy both "kids" are actively involved in a host of activities this year - golf and church for Dakota; scouting, football, and church for Duncan. The challenge comes, in trying to communicate to both of them what is truly important. But, what is truly important?
If importance is based upon the amount of time spent on an activity, then everything but their relationship with God has taken priority. This is not the life-lesson we are trying to teach our children. They spend most of their time practicing golf and football (2-3 hours each afternoon after school); doing homework (another 1-2 hours each night); chores around the house (yes, we still make our children do "things"); and of course, 8 hours of school a day. In addition to these things listed they are expected to do their nightly reading for school AR tests and a whole bunch of other things. In comparison they spend about 4-5 hours a week involved in church and probably less than 30 minutes a night reading their Bible, praying, memorizing Scripture, and/or developing their relationship with the Creator of the universe - God. This breaks my heart. What is a God-fearing parent to do?
Well, I can only tell you what we are doing. We encourage our children to do everything to the glory of God. When Dakota is driving from the second tee-box at the golf course during golf practice, she is swinging for the glory of God. When Duncan is in a three-point stance firing off the line of scrimmage at football practice, he is doing it for the glory of God. When they are studying math, doing science homework, learning about world civilizations in social studies, or studying their spelling words they are doing it all for the glory of God. When Duncan is practicing the trumpet it is for the glory of God. When he is at his weekly scout meeting or on a weekend scouting campout it is for the glory of God. When Dakota is cleaning the toilets or the sinks or the bathtub or collecting trash in the house (her chores), she is doing them all for the glory of God. When Duncan is mowing and trimming the yard, he is mowing and trimming for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Whenever they do anything it is all for the glory of God. We have attempted to teach our children that their spiritual life is not limited to Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights. It is not limited to their quiet time of Bible study and prayer. Their relationship with God is not dictated by doing the "churchy" things; their relationship with the Lord their God is dictated by how they live out their faith 24-7.
This is not an easy lesson to teach because it means that you and I have to not only teach it with our words, but we must prove it out with our lives as we live everyday to the glory of God. I have no idea how we are doing in teaching our children these life lessons. Debbie and I will not know until they are grown up and we see what kind of a woman and man they become, but I know that we are giving it all that we have, praying a lot, and trusting God to be faithful. From our end of things, we are raising our children to the glory of God!
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