Parenting Success...

Written mar 15, 2016

At times in the day to day living, it isn't always clear that what we are doing is making a difference...then we have moments like the one we had a few weeks ago where it is perfectly clear that our consistent efforts are giving our children a strong foundation.  Sennika, age 8, was dreading going to the dentist.  She had a difficult dental experience a few years back that we are still slowly recovering from.  Our old dentist had supported us in waiting to fill two cavities, but as we moved here we learned that we can't put it off another six months without risking it going too deep. We discovered she has two more to fill.  

The morning of her first appointment, she was no where to be found.  Later she joyfully emerged from the bathroom where she had been hiding out, but she was hiding out for a completely different reason than I initially suspected.  Mark has been leading us in memorizing a scripture verse together as a family each week.  She had written out one we had learned that she felt applied to her impending doom. :)  As she handed me her hand-written note, my eyes teared up as I read:

"Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not.  Fear not." Then she signed it "Jesus Christ" because she knew that was who said those words TO HER.

Followed by her favorite verse "With God all things are possible."  Also signed by "Jesus Christ." 

It was a moment of humility to watch her handle a difficult situation with faith and courage rather than the fear and uncertainty I anticipated.  It brings me joy to watch her stand tall and to do things differently than I ever would have at her young age...to see her confidence in a loving God who is aware of her and the personal details of her life.  It's moments like this that give me the desire to continue with what may at times seem mundane---day in and day out---to hold firm in raising our children with faith, securely wrapped in their confidence of Him.  I have joy helping them recognize the opportunities to allow Him in, then rejoicing together at His hand.

We are grateful for this spiritual giant in our home...this giant soul, trapped in a small girls' body.  We are grateful for her example to all of us and rejoice that she knows so well the truths that we only discovered in recent years.