S has really been blessing my heart lately. She is reading the No Greater Joy books and like it or not, she is getting affirmations right and left. It is amazing. Something will come up in real life and suddenly she is exclaiming, "I just read that in NGJ!"
Today she said, "I know how I am going to homeschool my kids". Do you KNOW what a blessing that is to hear???? I immediately squashed into oblivion my initial reaction which was, (can you guess?) "You mean different than me???" and intstead simply asked, "Really? How?"
She went on to say that she would only start "real" core curriculum at the age of ten or so. That kids should be able to learn and play until then. Ooooh. Chills. Wow.
To think that she (all of them really, she is just the oldest so everything is happening with her first) anyway, that she will be so many steps ahead of where I was when I started. That the Truth is hitting her as Truth is a b-e-a-UTIFUL thing. What is that scripture? "My greatest joy is to see my children walk in truth"...
I love that she has in her hands the tools that I never had. I realize with vast amounts of gratitude that what I lack in experience, God can make up for with tools! We are privvy to INFORMATION. Thank you to all the homeschoolers before us who have put things to print!
The NGJ books have also aided in her ideas of discipline and now that they don't require much discipline, she is able to read those books and have an even deeper understanding of WHY things are the way they are. She applies it to her sisters and even to herself!
I have come to realize dear daughters, that there are generally three groups of parents.
Those that have their children's hearts but don't discipline.
Those that discipline but don't have their children's hearts.
And finally those that have their children's hearts and discipline as well.
The first group have the children you do not want to be around. And they may THINK they have their children's hearts but they don't fully. Because if they did the children would respect and mind them.
The second group have well behaved kids but rebellion is in their hearts. You can oft see this in their eyes and they lack basic kindness, compassion and are mean behind their parents backs. These are the ones with the fake smiles and unruly hearts. It is so sad and really much worse than the first group because they are being taught to "put on" good behavior while they are feeling something else. Often lonliness for real relationship.
The last group has got it knocked. And while nothing is a guarantee, following scripture will ALWAYS be the right path to take. Bar none. No exception. You disipline because you love. You love and SO you discipline. I pray that Lord willing, I will one day see your own children looking adoringly up at you, face full of wonder and unadulterated love for you, running with a yes Maam, to go and do your bidding. You will never regret disciplining your children and requiring respect from them.
I don't know where we fall in the mix exactly, but I pray when you are reading this, you will remember mostly that we were somewhere in the middle. Perhaps we indulged you once too often, perhaps we were a little too strict at times, but that we always had your hearts. And we always put relationship above all else. Maintaining fellowship. Restoring it when need be.
I know you will appreciate the discipline because you are already thanking us for it at your ages now!
It is amazing to see your faces with jaw dropped wonder at what that kid walking through Wal Mart said or did. I like that we concentrate on every discipline situation that we see as an opportunity to learn and not an opportunity to judge. I wonder if you will remember all this!
I imagine those NGJ case study books will be blessing your homes and my grandchildren's homes for years to come...
No comments:
Post a Comment