Parental Challenge

I've nearly finished reading Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ by Richard Ross. I must recommend this book to student ministers, church leaders, and especially parents of children and teenagers. This book is more than another model for student ministry. It is a challenge for a return to biblical living by putting Christ in his supreme seat of glory.

I just finished reading a chapter that focused on parents, and I wanted to share a prayer or a challenge in thinking for every parent. This passage was written as a declaration of a parent who is "awakened to the supremacy of Jesus, and more deeply adoring Him on His throne, and daily arising to join Him in His kingdom activity" to be able to express to their children.

I declare you belong to Christ the King.

If you and I both come to believe Christ is calling you to do something that involves risk, I will teach you all I know about how to live wisely and safely. At the same time, I will do nothing to stand in your way of following Christ's call, no matter what the risk.

I hereby release you from any pressure to follow in my vocational footsteps. I charge you to do only what Christ calls you to do.

I acknowledge Christ may call you to a vocation that does not bring financial wealth or worldly prestige. The great pride I will feel as a parent will come from watching you do what Christ has called you to do.

Someday you might be confronted by wicked people. They may only give you two options- curse God or die. I release you to honor God, even if it should cost you your life.

God often has used students to bring an awakening to Christ in the church. I pray God will honor our family by allowing you to be part of such a generation.

I now consecrate myself to both teach and live before you to prepare you for Christ's callings on your life.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

That's how I want to raise my children. I hope that all parents who have a relationship with the Lord will do the same. All for the glory of God!

Neat Freak in the Making

I've noticed lately that Parker is showing signs that we could have a future neat freak on his hands. I must say that kind of thrills me. He likes to put his dirty clothes in the hamper. In fact, he's better than his daddy about picking up after himself. He likes to have his hands clean. His book basket has to be in a certain location at the end of the day or he'll fix it. He likes to put things away in their proper places. The other day he was playing with a Seasame Street school bus that came with an Elmo and Super Grover 2.0 figurine. He was putting Elmo and Grover in the seats, and he started fussing and kicking around out of frustration. I got him to bring it to me so I could help figure out the problem. I realized that he was getting upset when he would put the characters in and they would fall over. He was very particular about where they sat, and they HAD to be standing. I showed him how to fix the problem, and he was happy. I know some of these things are just characteristics of toddlers. Toddlers enjoy helping out. I hope he continues to enjoy helping out and being neat. Only time will tell.

By the way, he gets the neatness from me, certainly not his daddy.