Monday, June 18, 2012

Will you give their heart to Jesus?

WARNING: This may be a LITTLE opinionated for some :0)

Those who know me know I am kind of a spaz about my kids. I am an overprotective mom freak! I have that new mom attitude only I have three. Lol, I have relaxed on some things but mostly I err on the side of caution. I only let a handful of people watch my children and I have only been away from them a handful of times. They don't sleep over at other peoples homes. I HATE for other people to drive them anywhere if I'm not with them. (That kinda actually has a basis I won't get into here.)  I am a nazi about them staying close to me in the store or really public places of any kind. Okay you see where I'm goin with this.

I want to honor God in all I do although I fall so very short in almost everything. The one thing that I am desperate to give God full control in is my part in the raising of our children. I scour the word for all things child training. I look at them and marvel at the miracle of soul and life given me to steward. I know that to most people I am probably too wrapped up in my children. To that I would say the time to be wrapped up in them is VERY short and VERY crucial. I don't have to be a grandparent to understand that. I don't have to be very bright to look around at others. To see the joy at having scripturally raised their children or the pain and despair of a life squandered.

Something came up recently that got me to thinking about church and family today. Our family has a position on church that is strange to a lot of people. We have our children from birth sit with us in service. They are to small to understand yet but through the method of  training them to sit and be quiet (and eventually reverent) while the word of God is being taught it ingrains in them a sort of automatic respect for Gods word. In the beginning you see almost no results and you spend more time taking them out to instruct them than you do enjoy the service. Then you don't have to take them out only direct them. Then you need to only to remind them which is MOSTLY where we are at this point with our three and two year old.

So that in and of itself is unusual I am finding. We have recently let our three year old go to children's church because he has shown his ability to sit and act as he should. Since he does stay in service through adult sunday school and through singing. Also there is a time that a child needs to have to listen to another adult that is trusted. All of this is also based on the premise that we teach our children at home on their level. We have devotions and stories and sing songs so they are getting the nourishing milk of the word. We also use the Child Training Bible.

 But that leads to this. I have heard a few times lately with it being VBS season, "Oh my child accepted Jesus at VBS." or "We had X number of children accept Jesus tonight." To which I think oh no! It is wonderful don't get me wrong when a child who understands what he/she is doing receives their savior. But I think why are they doing this with someone other than their parents. In some cases a perfect stranger. If they are "READY" why has this opportunity not come up at home? I think as a parent I would be devastated if my child had that "ah ha!" moment with someone other than my husband or myself. I am wondering if I am the only one who feels this way?!

I am so grateful to have a very loving and understanding pastor who respects our position. He also makes available classes for the children if that is what parents choose for their children. I went to sunday school and children's church as a child and as I mentioned our son goes to children church. I don't mean to say anything against those classes. I just want to give you something to think about when it comes to the salvation of your little blessings. Will the single most important decision your child makes in life be with you?



2 comments:

  1. Wow my sister, it is nourishing and comforting to my soul that there is another Nazi mama out there besides me. Lol. I would not even go into labor until all my cubs were with this mama bear. :) and I totally agree about the vbs thing. I was supposedly "saved" at a vbs I was sent to when I was younger. All I did was fill out the same yellow slip of paper everyone else did and repeated the same prayer. I did not know what it meant or really what I was doing at the time. I feel at times it becomes almost a competitive thing, how many little souls can I save, and we lose sight of the reverence and the fact that it is a work that Jesus is doing in our little one's hearts. I would be heart broken and even offended if this happened with someone else, i feel the parents are a tremendous key in this decision. And i love, love, love to worship with my babies in church and at home. :) thank you sweet sister for your heart.

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  2. Tara, we are kindred spirits.. I cling to my babies. No Sleep overs... None of that.. My girls go to kids church though I have thought to keep them with us. My 20 month old stays with us, or I go into the nursery with her, but the saving knowledge of our Lord comes out of this Mama's pores, right at home. lol We worship and pray and dance every day. Bless your heart... You spoke about something so heart stirring -- so much truth. xo

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