Saturday, April 20, 2013

Part Two: 10 Things to Teach My Son

6) "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with one another." Romans 12:18
Going back to the events of this week (the Boson Marathon bombing and subsequent shootout and manhunt), it is clear to me that, while peace is a great goal, there are times when it simply does not depend on you! Whether it is a bully who continually harasses you, a neighbor (or family member) who continually does things purposefully to irritate you,, or a man or group who wants to take away your freedom and/or your life, you can't sit back and do nothing. We have an obligation to stand for what is right; peacefully as long as it is possible. Yes, we need to "turn the other cheek" at times, but when even that doesn't work, we have a right and an obligation to stand against them. However, we better be darn sure we are right before we go attacking someone, verbally or physically, or we can know that The Lord is not going to honor it!
http://christsgarden.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-8670.html

7) "There is a time for everything..." Ecclesiastes
Right now, my son LOVES to have fun-at the expense of his backside, I am afraid. He doesn't seem to understand that there is a time for laughing and laying, and there is a time for being serious. When he is getting in trouble for disobeying, it is NOT OK to laugh at his mom or dad! Then, there are other times when he should just be having fun and playing without a care in the world, but his perfectionist nature keeps him for being content. I know, you are saying, "its just a phase," but that is just a symptom of more serious things. I can see it in his discontent with less than perfection, his incredible desire to make peole happy/laugh, and his all or nothing mentality. It is my goal to teach him moderation in everything-even the simple things-so that when he is an adult, he can find a way to be joyful even when everything is falling apart around him humble when everyone is patting him on the back, and sensitive when someone needs a friend to listen.

8) "He must become greater, I must become less" John 3:30
In other words, It's not all about me! Life isn't always about what you want, where you want to go, what you want to eat, and how you want to live your life. We have to make sacrifices if we want to live a Christ-filled life, and we have to realize that our own wants and desires must take a backseat to God's plan for our lives. The great thing is, if we allow Christ to lead us, our lives will be so much better than we could ever have dreamed-but convincing ourselves of that is the hard part. Taking the first step, no in the direction that WE want to go, but where HE wants us to go, is the hardest part.

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