Sacred Parenting...

So I will admit that I am not the biggest fan of reading, but every now and then I come across something that makes me want to read more. Lately that something has been a book by the name of 'Sacred Parenting'. The following is a few bullet points taken directly from this book. If you have children or desire to have children, this is an excellent read. It truly puts parenting in perspective.

~(pg.39) "As mothers and fathers, we are simultaneously in charge of a child's emotional, physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual well being."

~(pg.33) "In Paul's mind, character gets built by learning to persevere through difficult times. If we never let our kids face difficult times, they'll never become strong enough to make a difference in a very cruel world-as Jesus made a difference on behalf of all of us."

~(pg.35) "I need to allow my kids to face challenges, failures, rejection, and pain, and then teach them to use these seemingly negative events to fuel their sense of mission and to foster their dependence on God."

~(pg.43) "We are not raising robots; we are shepherding image bearers of the Creator God who live with freedom of choice, their own wills, and personal responsibility of their own.

~(pg.43) "On the more encouraging end, none of us can mess up so badly that our children somehow extend beyond the reach of God's mercy.

~(pg.47) "In this sense, we shouldn't look at guilt as a parking lot but as a car wash. When guilt feelings keep us self-absorbed, destroy our motivation, and make us discouraged, guilt has become a parking lot-not a good thing. But when guilt reminds us that we are insufficient, and when this insufficiency points us to God-his forgiveness, his empowering Spirit, and his provision of grace-then guilt becomes a spiritual car wash."

I have a lot more to read in this book, but it has already been packed with a number of things to think about. We (as humans & parents) are not perfect, but in that imperfection we are to realize the goodness of God. Ultimately that is our goal, to show others, including our children, Christ. In some ways it is as simple as that...we are to show Christ and let them take responsibility from there.