What have you taught your children today?

What have you taught your children today? I'm not talking about academics. I'm talking about "life lessons". On a good day, you could have taught them to be kind to one another or to share their toys with their brothers and sisters. On a bad day, if you're like me, you could have taught them how to be irritable and selfish. (yes, I have bad days, too!) Fortunately or unfortunately depanding on how you look at it, our most powerful teaching tool is our example. We could spend hours trying to teach them kindness using books, videos and playgroup or whatever other fluff that is available, but ultimately, they learn to be kind because they see us being kind. They learn happiness because they see us being happy. Likewise, they learn selfishness because they see us being selfish or bitterness because we are bitter. Now, I know you could tell me about how you didn't deserve to be talked to like your husband did this morning or to be cut off in traffic like that "idiot" did yesterday. And if I had been there I would probably agree. But that doesn't let you off the hook. Let's look at a similar situation on a smaller scale (literally). My 5 and 3 year olds were playing together. The younger one took a toy from the older one, who then yelled a few choice words and whacked her sister in the head with a wooden block. The three year old came to me screaming and holding her head. (of course dramatics were added to make the guilty party guiltier) When I asked the "whacker" what she did to the "whackee" she said "She took the bed I was using so my babies can go to sleep. Now I have no place to put them for a nap!" That sounds legitimate. But is it OK for her to use abusive words and actions to fix the problem? Of course not. We, as mommies, are adults (hopefully) and somewhere along the way, we have learned a certain amount of self control. We don't get out of the car and whack the selfish guy who took our parking spot. But, often we have a few choice words for him that only the little people in the back of our car can hear. What have you taught your children today?

A couple of weeks ago, we were getting ready for the fair. Our five oldest children are in 4H. They all show sheep and needed clothes and boots for their uniforms to be complete. We were at the store with Jordan who needed pants. We were also buying three pairs of boots for the other kids. When we got to the check out stand, the total came to $75.00. (If you know anything about the cost of boots, you know that's not quite right. It should have been around $200.00)) When we got out of the store, I realized that neither Dan nor Jordan had noticed that the bill was a lot less than it should have been. (They had been busy talking about the upcoming football game). Every part of me wanted to just get in the car and go home and not mention it. That extra money could have gone a long way towards the other fair costs that were upcoming. I asked Dan to look at the receipt to see if it was right. He did and we went back in and paid the rest. There was no party thrown in our honor for being honest, there was hardly even a "thank you". But I know the payoff was that our son had seen us be honest because it was the right thing to do. It is what God calls us to. What have you taught your children today?

We heard today at bible study about a mom who is in the midst of a battle for her life with cancer. She is a godly woman, wife and mother of three children. The youngest is 16. He is good friends with my two boys (Jordan 17 and Trevor 15). As I sat there in that church listening to the heart wrenching story of how the cancer has spread and that her prognosis is 2 - 3 months, I was obviously overcome by the saddness of their situation. But I also felt a sudden sense of urgency for my own family. All kinds of questions popped into my mind. Have I done my job? Would my children be Ok without me. Have I taught them all that I need to. Have I loved on them enough to last their lifetime? Boy, does that put things into perspective!! So much of our time is spent teaching school, sports, dance, church, friends, clubs . . . How much time do we spend teaching "God"? What have you taught your children today?

Choose to be blessed today!

Trina