Spurgeon for breakfast

The children are now getting a healthy dose of Charles Spurgeon at the breakfast table.

I thought the Prince of Preachers might be a little too advanced for some of them, but they are actually quite attentive. (The food helps!) I even get reminded if we happen to forget.

I’m always looking for ways for us to have corporate study of the Word.  At this stage in my life, independent, quiet study is not realistic most days.  I could turn it into a source of real frustration and blame my children for needing me too much and hindering my relationship with God.  Wow that sounds terrible!  I might as well start requesting some “me-time”!  I’ve been encouraged recently to bring them along in my pursuit of knowing my Redeemer. I shouldn’t go to great lengths to get away from everyone to meet with him.  Serving my family is serving Him, not getting in the way of serving Him!

Studying with your children is no less holy or spiritual than studying alone.  Sure, a lot of the material we use is on a child’s level, (who’s to say I don’t need that, too) but it is also good to give them something to grow into, to ponder.  I love John and Noel Piper’s booklet “The Family: Together in God’s Presence.”

“Not everything children experience has to be put on their level in order to do them good. Some things must be.  But not everything.

For example, to learn a new language you can go step by step from alphabet to vocabulary to grammar to syntax.  Or you can take a course where you dive in over your head, and all you hear is the language you don’t know.  Most language teachers would agree that the latter is by far the most effective.

Sunday worship service is not useless to children just because much of it goes over their heads. They can and will grow into this new language faster than we think-if positive and happy attitudes are fostered by the parents.”

So, today is Spurgeon.  Tomorrow, Baxter and Edwards!

Prayers for our Children

Hope this gives you as much vision and encouragement as it did for me.

For His Glory alone:

 

Prayer #1: That the Lord would save the souls of all of our children early in life, and that none would be lost.

Prayer #2: That our children would be faithful covenant-keepers with the God of their fathers.

Prayer #3: That God would send blessed, well-suited, Christ-loving spouses to our progeny, and that there would be no divorce for 200 years.

Prayer #4: That our children would continue to home educate their own children, following the Biblical/Hebrew model for discipleship.

Prayer #5: That God would bless the wombs of our daughters and daughters-in-law, with a multitude of covenant-keeping children, who will be mighty in the land.

Prayer #6: That God would bless and make fruitful the dominion labors of the family in all of its generations.

Prayer #7: That our children will honor their fathers and mothers, and be faithful to the godly and applicable visions their fathers give to them.

From Strategic Insights into A Multi-Generational Vision of Victory, Presented by Doug Phillips at the 200 Year Plan: A Practicum on Multi-Generational Faithfulness

Working Ourselves Out of a Job

    Our children have always contributed to the running of the household by being responsible for their chores. However, until recently, their share seemed like tiny drops in an overflowing bucket. The times- they are a changin’ round here! Thanks to my husband’s persistent encouragement to train them to do BIG jobs, I am finally seeing results. I’ve read numerous things from older, wiser, mothers of many that attest to this very thing. Many children can be a big burden or they can be a big blessing, properly trained.

    Guess what!

I no longer have to make bread!!!!!!!

    I have two, beautiful bread bakers in my home now. That’s huge! Either Ashlynne or Rachel makes bread every morning now. For so long I thought it would be so hard to teach them, I just gave up before I started. It turns out that it took me about a week of supervision each morning. And somehow, Miss Ashlynne bakes better, bigger loaves than I do. (I’m going to have to keep an eye on her, I think she’s sneaking in extra yeast!)

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

Prov. 31:31

    Bread making isn’t the only thing I’ve been relieved of. I don’t have to clean up after dinner! I’ve been waiting for this since I was a girl. Yes, once again, Beloved stepped in and insisted.

    “Be-lov-ed, do you have any idea how long it will take to teach them this?”

    “Guess you better get to it, then.” Told you he was charming.

    This one took a little longer than a week, but, oh, was it ever worth it. Now I’ll let you in on a little trick I’ve learned. Lists are great!!! My girls love to check off a list. Wonder where they got that from? I divided up all the the steps it took to clean the kitchen by three and all of a sudden it wasn’t so hard anymore. Since then, I’ve went a little list crazy. Now we have lists for doing a load of laundry, making bread, washing hair, cleaning their room, wiping down the kitchen… well, you get the point! I’ve had a few good laughs when Rachel, faced with a daunting task, would say, “But, Mom, I need a list!”

    Now some might say we give our children too many responsibilities, but I would have to disagree. They absolutely love to do a “big” job. They love the appreciation their daddy shows when he comes home to freshly baked bread for lunch. They beam when we brag to others about how well they can fold laundry. They are earning self esteem by doing something that is needed. Now our only problem is no one wants the “little” jobs anymore! That’s okay, we have a whole crop of new recruits coming up, he he he!

    You know, if the Lord should graciously give us more children, I may be living the life of a queen one day!

1. nurse the baby
2. read to the children
   
3. take a nap