Last week I wrote about our sin nature and how hard it is to control or manage it. This week I will expand on this and how it relates to our children and us. As parents we are given the task to guide and direct our children towards Heaven and a relationship with Jesus. We have tremendous competition from the world that is designed to pull them away from Gods protection and put them under satans control.
We have to be Godly role models before them. What is a role model? Mr. Webster defines it as “a person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others”. The old saying don’t do as I do, do as I say, will fall on deaf ears for the most part, it is our actions that speak louder than our words. As parents we have to take the lead, and I mean both dad, and mom. Most specifically dads, as we are the leaders of our family. Our wives are to be our helpers in this task.
Let me say something right here that is so foreign in our modern times. Wives and mothers it should be your greatest joy in life to love, tutor, and train your little ones at home. It is really a giant responsibility in this digital age we now live in, and most people fail miserably at it. I can hear you say, how can I do this when I have to go to work also? Really? Then I fear your little ones will suffer for it. Two people working is a modern concept we have been baited into.
I would like to give you some reasons and show you a different lifestyle right in the middle of this great big scary world around you. Lets start with money. What is required for you to work outside of your home? (1) You will need a second car and these things go along with it, gasoline, tires, maintenance, insurance, the drive to work in number of hours away from home and your children.
(2)Now that we have one of the biggest expenses accounted for, lets look at some other extra expenses you will have to pay. Clothes, shoes, makeup, extra money for lunches,ect. I know most of the women already have these things, but we are talking about going out every day and you need to look your best. Not that you shouldn’t look your best for your husband also.
(3) This next expense is probably the biggest in cost to your family, namely the children. Daycare: putting your child in the care of strangers. This is the most damaging thing that we do to our children. Instead of them being cared for by loving moms, they are cared for by strangers for money. This also goes for schooling also. The public school is a very dangerous place for them. Remember God is not allowed in the public school system.
While I am on this subject let me say a few words about leaving them with your parents. We love our grandchildren and we have raised our own families so please do not expect us to raise our grandchildren full time. We have things in life we would like to do also, just like you. We will always want to help out but consider us as grandparents and not parents. That is your responsibility. I hope you understand what I am saying. Being a parent is a big job and it takes both of you doing what God has assigned you. Read the Bible and remember it is our handbook to life on this earth. All the questions we will ever have are already answered in the Word of God. It just takes a little research to find your answer in it.
For centuries the woman of the house was the glue that held their families together. Slowly over time and wars, we have been fooled into this double wage earner household. I know I am meddling, but chasing the American Dream is an illusion created by our country which has spread around the world, but it has become a dream matrix to most ( something within or from which something else originates, develops, or takes form.) Nothing wrong with it, except the pursuit of things we think we need. People used to do without things to have money, now people do without money to have things. The lady of the house is the Queen of her domain. As a mother you have the eternal future of your children at your disposal. Not letting dad off as I will talk with him soon.
You should never feel as if you are being demoted, rather you have been given the role of leader in charge of making your house a place of peace and love. You only have about six years to mold your children before they go off to school, so you really have to make them count. Why just six years? Why not eighteen years? You can step up your game and really challenge yourself by being both mom and teacher. You have the right to do this in our country, so why not use it? You will be mentally challenged and empowered by it. You have the opportunity to mold their hearts and minds and change their eternal futures. Home schooled children are some of the smartest children in our country. A side benefit is that you will be educated right along with them.
I know this is a little different from my usual letters, but this is important to my opening sentence about our sin nature, and when we try to do things our way instead of Gods way. Lets finish this by looking at dads role.We have been designed by God to be the head of our family. A role that should be taken very seriously. Your family is looking at you as leader and what you do they will follow. You are away from them at least ten hours a day, you sleep for about eight. That only leaves you six hours to be a proper influence on them. What you do with these six hours is up to you. Remember these hours are our real currency, and how we spend them is our barometer of life choices. Take your place with the children and give your wife a much needed break. Play ball, go for a hike, you are teaching them how to be a godly parent too.
You need to be as godly as you can be every day in front of your family as well as when you are away from them. Being godly is a way of life that has to be worked at and practiced, to become a part of us. I know I have messed up more times than I can remember. I am now 75 years old and still trying to become what I am supposed to be. My children have all grown up and have families of their own, of whom one has his own family also.
All I desire is for you to be faithful to your own call and run the race set before you and become the person God created you to be. We are only given two commands by Jesus, Love God, Love others as yourself, if we do these two things we will never hurt the ones we love and we will become godly people, looked up to by those around us as they see Jesus in us.
Please feel free to write me at my Kilted Priest email with any questions you may have. I love you all and hope my words help you along in this cruel world around us. Your home should be a place of sanctuary that you retreat too. Remember you will make it, just don’t give up. See you next week.
In His Service as Kilted Priest.
The Kilted Priest 