I attended a funeral today. :( An older couple; car accident; killed instantly. Tragedy. Children, grans, great-grans, friends, neighbors, the home church - everyone together to cry and say good-bye. But the stories told at the funeral were all about "Mom and Dad." Funny stories, endearing, hopeful, silly, satisfying stories. Stories that said, "we'll miss you terribly but you did your jobs - we are grown and healthy and established in your love and in God's."

Today, I pray for you, young parents, :) that when you are grandmas and grandpas, your families will be firmly established in your wise discipline, your expressed love and in God's love.

Amen from Mimi

Parenting Blog What Child is This?

As parents, we soon learn that we certainly don't have Baby Jesus on our lap! However, our respect and curiosity for the common stages and ages our children will pass through may highlight the mystery, beauty, and challenges that even the Lord Jesus, as a child, lived in this life.

Too many parents expect that a three-foot-tall walking, talking personality should understand and respond to life events the way adults do. However, the expectation of adult rationale and behaviors from a young child or even from a teenager, is profoundly unrealistic.

When you got your first car or home or computer or whatever newest techno-communicator is advertised today, you probably treated it with some level of wonder and respect. You probably tried to figure it out, learn about the capabilities of the item or it's peculiarities. You probably learned some things by trial and error. You may even have secretly read a manual. Hopefully, you cared for your items and they benefited you. Of course, a child is so much more than the things you own (another blog will be about “ownership vs. stewardship”), but you see the necessity of building understanding into nearly any relationship.

I learned in a human services course once that “a lack of understanding of child development is one of the top three triggers of child abuse.” That is sobering! We certainly do not have to study college courses on child development to be able to become good parents, as much as we must take the time to study our own children. Be assured, your child is constantly studying you; will you also study him?

Discipline comes from the word “disciple” which means “one who studies; one who is a follower, a believer.” When you discipline your children does it come from reactive anger or from a strategic corrective plan? Do you prayerfully study the situation and your child's role in it as part of your discipline?

Observe, listen, learn, love, guide, correct, protect, enjoy and pray – all keystones to great parenting. Ephesians 5:1-2 and 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8.