MICRO-LIGHT BYTES

PARENTING ISN’T FOR COWARDS

Will carry on with creation, but I had to share this Bob Gass gem with all you parents. As our kids at times are little angels and at others down right devils. 🙂

At times every parent despairs over their child’s decisions and actions. ‘I did my best to bring them up correctly; did I fail as a parent?’ Failure is a fact of life—and of parenting—and nobody does it perfectly! Parents assume a heavier load of guilt than they deserve. Consider some Bible examples of real-world parenting: Isaac had, at best, a 50 percent success rate with his sons, Jacob and Esau. Aaron struck out completely with Nadab and Abihu. Manoah’s boy Samson didn’t win the ‘son-of-the-year award’! And Samuel, a recognised moral and spiritual giant, watched his sons reject his example and teaching and pursue lives of bribery and shame. Since Adam, children ‘doing their own thing’ have broken their parents’ hearts! So what is a parent to do? 1) Realise you’re not responsible for their decisions. They make their own choices. Condemning yourself just discourages you, and it undermines your ability to be the parent they need. The Bible says, ‘…Salvation is of the Lord’ (Jonah 2:9 NJKV). He saves and delivers—not you. 2) Pray for them and give them to God. Anxiety and frustration will only make you the kind of parent they don’t enjoy being around, and who can’t enjoy them. You’re not built to carry such a load; your heavenly Father is, and He wants to carry it for you! (1 Peter 5:7). 3) Remember that God loves them more than you do! He gave His only child to save yours. He knows their heart, and how to reach it and turn it toward Him. So give your child to Him!

Thank you Bob Gass for that precious gem!

PRAYER heavenly Father God, by virtue of the truth that we call you Father, tells us you not only understand parenting, but you are the ultimate and over arching expert on good parenting. Teach us I pray how to better parent our children/youth/ grown up kids! Help me to accept that my child’s choices are not my responsibility. Help me not to try to carry the load of failure. Help me to see my successes and try to amend failure through prayer and example. Help me to be fun, and firm with my child, help me to point them to you. But in the end of it all I have to release my child in to your good hands knowing you have a plan for them as well as for me. Thank you Father God, amen