Hi all! It's another 3 a.m. writing session! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Our weekend was topped off by Mikaela getting baptized!!! :) She officially accepted Jesus into her heart in October, and this past Sunday she took this powerful step to show the world her decision to follow Him.
As we race into yet another holiday season I wanted to pass
a long some practical tips for shaping your children’s hearts and maintaining
your sanity!! J
Ever find yourself in a moment of intense frustration trying
(in perhaps a less than pleasant tone) to convince your kids to be thankful and
have a good attitude, then you feel that gentle tap on your shoulder as your
Heavenly Father softly clears His throat? Once again you are faced with the
fact that you would benefit from your own advice! Fear not! You are not alone!
We’ve all been there.
Here are a few things I have used to turn my kids’ hearts
towards the Lord (and keep myself under control) at times when the oh-so-human
side of their personalities emerges.
First and foremost, please teach your kids that it is not
wrong to feel frustrated, angry, or upset. We can’t help the feelings that
come to us, but we can choose what we do with them. Teaching them this
early will save them years of self-condemnation and set them free to recognize
Satan’s lies in this particular area at their onset. Assure them that you
understand their feelings. You have the same ones on a regular basis! But
emphasize that they are not slaves to their emotions. They have a choice!
Perhaps the biggest weapon in my arsenal is my own little
paraphrase of Psalm 118:24 which the Lord put on my heart when Mikaela was
about 3 and just beginning this life-long battle with her feelings. It goes
like this, “God made this day. I will be happy, excited, and thankful!”
This has been so powerful for us! Both of my kids can quote
this at the drop of a hat. And we don’t just say it. We chant it! Over and
over, getting louder and louder and more and more excited with each repetition.
By about the third or fourth time everyone is smiling and laughing whether they
want to or not. Remember, there is power in the Word to get into our bones and
transform us! The Word of God is alive and active, and once we open the door
the Spirit of God begins His awesome transforming work in our hearts. This not
only helps redirect their attitudes but gets them in the habit of turning to
Him when times get tough.
Another great one is to quote this simple phrase from Psalm
100:4 (in the Amplified Bible), “Be thankful, and say so.” And for Mikaela (6)
I have added an extra step. I send her to her room and tell her to take time to
talk to God, and tell Him 10 things she is thankful for. Try this yourself when
you find you are feeling less than content. It is almost impossible to continue
with a bad attitude once you begin making your list. And chances are you won’t
stop at 10!
And perhaps one of the first heart redirecting tactics I
used with my kiddos was the phrase, “Instead of getting sad, we get thankful.”
This is awesome for dealing with the inevitable disappointments of the end of
playdates, leaving a playground, or even hearing the words, “Bed time!” Say we
are at a friend’s house, and it’s time to go. I see the dark shadow begin to
fall, and I gently walk over to my child, kneel down, and softly whisper, “Instead
of getting sad, what do we get?” And they will say (albeit sometimes through a whimper),
“Thankful.” And I’ll tell them that instead of getting sad we have to leave we
can be thankful we got to come. This gently prod rarely fails to put their
hearts back on the right path.
Remember, we are to shepherd our children’s hearts. That is
to gently nudge them in the right direction. Try never to tell them what to do
without giving them the tools to do it. That’s why we’re here! And it’s the
same way the Father leads and directs us. He is after all, our ultimate Guide
on this wonderfully crazy journey called parenthood!
Hope you find these tips helpful. Not only do they make a
difference in the moment, but they set your kids up for future success as they develop
wonderful copping tools for when life isn’t going exactly as they want.
