Rules and Stuff ~

Deuteronomy 11:19  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  ESV

Being a parent is such a gift.  Let me tell you, there were times that I failed miserably.  There were times when I should have beat the brakes off of my kids, but because we were divorced, I let them slide because I wanted them to “love me more than they loved their dad”.  Fail...fail, fail, fail.  

In my “other” job, I have to deal with children.  I have come to fully appreciate children who have parents who give guidance to their children.  I love little people who have been raised to have manners and respect.  I realize that I'm about to give an opinion, but here goes. I'm just not all about this new age parenting style.  Children need boundaries. Children need parents to teach them, not parents who are letting them run buck wild, screaming and spitting, and never having rules because “it stifles their creativity”. Yeah, I was told that recently by a parent of a 4 year old who spit on me. 

Jesus, forgive me for being judgmental today. Your word says a lot about raising children. Maybe I should buy a bunch of Bible and highlighters…. I am so thankful my kids lived through my season of raising them. I think I need to go pray for our next generation and myself for more grace. 

Wanting and Getting ~

1 Timothy 4:16  Pay close attention to your life and your teaching. Persevere in these things, because if you do so, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.  ISV

Things are changing rapidly in my life.  I feel so out of balance.  Some ot the changes, I have asked for while some, I definitely have not.  I have found myself “in a mood”, resentful and bitchy.  Why doesn’t anybody see where I am and help me pick up the slack?  LORD, don’t you hear me?

Why?  Because I am an enabler.  There….I said it.  I’d rather get up and do the laundry, the dishes, sweep the floor, go to a session, drive home near midnight, edit all morning and do it over the next day….and get madder by the second until I just am ready to slap the sin out of those around me.

The same goes with my work life.  You know, I want to change some things.  I want better for us.  I want to manage our finances better.  But “wants” and “gets” are two different things.  The awakening I have had is that I am also enabling MY frustrations.  Making a change in my life is necessary, and no matter how much I bitch or how much I pray, I am the only one who can begin the process.  

God, I haven’t been setting the best example lately.  I’m so frustrated that I have myself so wrapped around the axle of life.  Time to get untangled.  Thank You for this verse today.  It was exactly what I needed to read to show me that, through You, I have the power to settle down, make goals, and make life better.