Carved on Stone

Today I read something that makes me want to avoid error more than ever before! I want to print this out and put it on all the walls of my house! This is so easily forgotten when your child asks you the same questions over and over and over and you just want one minute of quiet! This is so easily forgotten when you are in a hurry and they want to talk about the worm on the sidewalk!! This sparks a huge shift in my recognizing the temporary phase of all of this. I want to encourage the questions, not stifle their love of learning! I want to encourage their gifts and not argue they are not valid. I want to see clearly and not get caught up in a distracting snow storm that isn't a valuable use of my time! Here is the quote I read:

"What you learn in old age is carved on ice.
What you learn in childhood is carved on stone." (David Kherdian)

Stone is permanent, ice is temporary! What a strong analogy!

I am reading a book I've read before "Child-Sensitive Teaching" by Karyn Henley. I read this book before I became a Mommy. I have been involved in children's ministry for more than 10 years (this was suggested as a good book during those days). I know I read this statement when I first bought this book, but now it means so much more. The preschool years are one of the more important stages of training. I know I mess up from time to time. I think I am on the right track most of the time. Reading this again makes me want to buckle down and make sure I am not missing any key opportunity to pour the right things into my kids.

I want them to feel safe and secure (when they feel their love tank is full, without doubt) they are then free to care for others. If they are constantly working to get attention from us, they are self-focused. I want my kids to know they are loved and cherished so they are free to grow into healthy life giving adults. I want them to know right from wrong so they won't ride the fence wondering "Is this really wrong or only wrong when I'm caught?". I want them to be fully equipped to live the life God intends for them to live. I don't want my mistakes, or my bad days, to misguide them. Only God knows what is in their hearts today. Only God knows what good or bad we (hubby and I) have done to affect their view of life, love and God. I can't let myself play the what if game. The only solution is to surrender again to God's ability to know more than I do. Surrender again to the fact that I will mess up, but with God's leading He can take what is meant for bad and make it become good for my sweet kids!

I am SOOOO glad that the big stuff is HIS job!! My job is to point them to Him, His job is to draw them to Himself. What stress life would be if I thought it was all on me. Granted - parenting is stressful at times, but I can't imagine how heavy a burden I would carry if I thought I was the one responsible for my kid's very souls! They are my responsibility. I am charged to raise them up in the way they should go, His job is to change their hearts! Whew! Thank God for that!!