Wise Words
We had new friends over the other night. Wonderful, wise followers of Jesus. They have successfully raise three boys in their thirties. I called the wife the other day with a question. I said “Knowing what you know now, after raising 3 children, what did you do right and what would you do different?”
You know how hind-site is always 20/20. I really wanted to know what their experience has taught them. They had some wonderful words of wisdom. They were VERY encouraging. I want to be like that in everything I do.
Firstly, they said to make sure that in the teen years, get them out of this country on a short term missions trip. That is very important to their overall formation. Especially when it comes to them having to work out their own faith apart from you as their parent.
They did home school for many years in the early years and then sent them to a traditional high school. In retrospect, they wished they would of stepped in a bit more in some relational issues. It is a thin line of giving them the independence to deal with things on their own, and also take over when they weren’t quit old enough to handle it on their own.
And the most important things was, their house was “the house” to be at for all the kids in the neighborhood. They were raising kids during the ‘latch key” generation. So most of their kids peers had 2 working parents. So they were their neighborhoods stabilizing force. Simple home made cookies and strong house rules for the “neighborhood” to abide by endeared them to their kids peers.
Through this they were able to develop strong relationship with their boys and constantly show them the light of Jesus in the midst of everyday life. It was a very encouraging story. It makes me think about relationship and how it is the fabric of life. For me homeschooling is more about the “being, knowing and training” our kids then it is about teaching them. It makes me wonder about today’s culture that hops around and moves so much. Isn’t it good for our kids to develop deep meaningful relationships too? Isn’t good for us as parents to lead them by example of that? Call me crazy but I think it is the most important thing to model to them. Especially in a culture that values individualism so much.
Their children live life outside of the box because they were raised that way. I pray that for our kids too. I pray our children will know the value of being connected to a group of God’s people in deep and meaningful ways. That what we have together is so special. It doesn’t happen overnight and it isn’t always found but it is a treasure that is worth digging for.
