"To love their children"

Titus 2:3-5-"the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

Most people I know love their kids and would do anything for them.  But every person I know has a unique view of what parenting looks like.  I thought I knew exactly what parenting looked like before I had kids.  Boy was I wrong!

After having kids my relationship with my mom grew because I finally understood all the sacrifices she made for her 6 children.  I do not parent exactly like she does but there are lots of little things that I do and say that remind me so much of how my mom did and said things to us as kids.  I know she loves me. 

"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.  Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many"  Deuteronomy 11:19-21

I do NOT want to debate about what parenting style is best or most biblical.  I just do not care to talk about it at all.  I think each mom needs to seek that out for herself and find what works for her own kid(s).  But I'd like to discuss showing them love by teaching them about God.

We have an amazing Children's Program at my church.  It's one of the things I wanted when choosing our church because we knew that we were not going to be moving and this would be our life long church.  But just like regular school (if you do not home school), your child is there to be taught but learning needs to be supplemented at home.  Teachers are not required to teach children manners, morals and such.  Likewise, I do not believe that the only "churchin'" children get should be at church. 

I work with the Children's Program at my church and these kids can absorb SO much and retain SO much, it amazes me.  But you can definitely see the difference in children whose parents live it out during the week and the ones who just come to church once a week/month/year to check off whatever personal goal they made for themselves.  Some church is better than no church of course.  But the bible says to teach our kids about God all the time.  That is a great way to show them that you love them by showing them that God is real in your life.

I'm always telling my kids "I love you and Jesus loves you too".  Sometimes my love will fail them and their will come a day when they don't want to look to their mom for advice so I better help teach them now who they need to go to instead before that day comes.  Living it out is the best example of all!

How will you show your children that you live for Christ today?