a charge from the Father.

becoming a parent is the most beautiful transformation. ever.
when you marry, you do take on a new role as wife/husband, yes, but parenthood truly transforms you. its a change you undergo, that affects you for the rest of your life.

i've come to realize, while recognizing its time to get intentional about parenting, that the Lord very clearly lays out a charge for us.

it isn't just, "be fruitful and multiply.........and have pizza on friday nights, and occassionally put your kids in time out."
nope.

over and over again the Lord makes it clear that we have a very important responsibility to train our children. through scriptures. in love. and discipline.

discipline is a scary word.
it is not one to take lightly.
and when i'm standing in front of the Lord someday, will i have lived out deuteronomy 6? will i have lived and breathed the scriptures to my children? will i have impressed them on my children? will i have spoken truths of Jesus to them at home, when we were away, as we went to bed, and when we woke up? did i tie the words of the Lord onto my hands, bind them to my forehead, and write them onto the doorframes of our home?

it's not just about babywise. or having the happiest baby on the block.

it's how i will react to their first temper tantrum in target,
it's how we will decide if they can watch the latest show for kids on tv,
it's deciding where to send the kids to school,
it's who we allow them to play with,
it's how we react when they tell us, "no!"
it's when they give us an attitude,
it's how we handle it when they won't pick up their mess,
it's what to do when they bite someone, or hit, or push others.

the responsibility in raising children is a heavy one.
but we are not alone.

i look forward to sharing what's working for me with others, and.............what's not working, the horror stories, the meltdowns.
i look forward to hearing your's.
it takes a village to raise a child.

thankfully we've been given a handbook, God's word.

on sunday we baptized roman. it was beautiful.

then, we all sang jesus loves you.

i am praying that my hands, my mouth, and my mind would work together to glorify the Father in raing our children. i'm praying mr. leif will lead us with strong hands, wisdom, and a compassionate heart.

i think parenthood will be quite a rollercoaster, and we've just buckled our seatbelt to begin :)

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.

Proverbs 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.