A number of years ago when my kids were very small, a woman at my young moms' Wednesday morning bible study gave me some very good advice, and I have never forgotten it. The first thing Lynda told me was to only have one TV in the house; the idea being that we would watch TV as a family, rather than everyone wandering off to watch their own shows. She also told me not to wait until my kids were teenagers before I got a book on parenting adolescents. She told me to start reading up on it when they were about 9. The most significant thing she told me was how important it was for my kids to own their faith.
I'm sure as I sat there listening, absently pulling a chewed up kleenex out of Emma's mouth and trying to keep the other two from leaping over the furniture, the reality of what she was saying didn't really sink in. But it's something I have thought a lot about in the years since then. I really want my kids to know why they believe what they believe. I didn't, growing up. I had attended church since I was 2 weeks old, and I knew all the dos and don'ts, but it didn't really mean anything to me until a lot later in my life. Darren and I want our kids to have a better understanding of God than we did growing up. We want them to know Him.
So tonight when I was putting them to bed and we were getting ready to pray, I told them about Nate and Tricia. I explained what Cystic Fibrosis was, and that Tricia needed a lung transplant, or she would die. I also told them about their beautiful little baby, Gwyneth; that she was the miracle baby that Tricia had prayed for secretly. I told them that today was Nate's birthday, and when I said "and what do you think his birthday wish probably was today?", Will said "new lungs for his wife!". And I got to tell them that that was exactly what God gave him today.
I told them about Nate and Tricia for a few reasons. Firstly, I wanted us to pray along with the thousands of other people around the world who are praying for Tricia tonight. I also wanted to tell my kids how much God cares about the details of our lives. I don't think it was a coincidence that Tricia got her lungs today, on her husband's birthday. I think that's God showing us that he even cares about the "small" things. And I wanted my kids to know that God loves and cares for each of us the way He loves and cares for Tricia and Nate. As Emma said, "He loves us all the same".
I remember reading somewhere that as parents, we should pray for our kids the way Paul prayed for the church, and this is something that I have tried to do. When we gave the kids bibles for Christmas a few years ago, we wrote this passage in the front cover for each of them.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)
I only started reading Nate's blog this week, after a friend had mentioned it to me, and I am amazed at how God has used it to speak to me. The job-related problems we're dealing with at the moment pale in comparison to what this couple is going through, and yet God holds me just as carefully in His hands. What an awesome God!
Here's the rest of that chapter:
I'm sure as I sat there listening, absently pulling a chewed up kleenex out of Emma's mouth and trying to keep the other two from leaping over the furniture, the reality of what she was saying didn't really sink in. But it's something I have thought a lot about in the years since then. I really want my kids to know why they believe what they believe. I didn't, growing up. I had attended church since I was 2 weeks old, and I knew all the dos and don'ts, but it didn't really mean anything to me until a lot later in my life. Darren and I want our kids to have a better understanding of God than we did growing up. We want them to know Him.
So tonight when I was putting them to bed and we were getting ready to pray, I told them about Nate and Tricia. I explained what Cystic Fibrosis was, and that Tricia needed a lung transplant, or she would die. I also told them about their beautiful little baby, Gwyneth; that she was the miracle baby that Tricia had prayed for secretly. I told them that today was Nate's birthday, and when I said "and what do you think his birthday wish probably was today?", Will said "new lungs for his wife!". And I got to tell them that that was exactly what God gave him today.
I told them about Nate and Tricia for a few reasons. Firstly, I wanted us to pray along with the thousands of other people around the world who are praying for Tricia tonight. I also wanted to tell my kids how much God cares about the details of our lives. I don't think it was a coincidence that Tricia got her lungs today, on her husband's birthday. I think that's God showing us that he even cares about the "small" things. And I wanted my kids to know that God loves and cares for each of us the way He loves and cares for Tricia and Nate. As Emma said, "He loves us all the same".
I remember reading somewhere that as parents, we should pray for our kids the way Paul prayed for the church, and this is something that I have tried to do. When we gave the kids bibles for Christmas a few years ago, we wrote this passage in the front cover for each of them.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)
I only started reading Nate's blog this week, after a friend had mentioned it to me, and I am amazed at how God has used it to speak to me. The job-related problems we're dealing with at the moment pale in comparison to what this couple is going through, and yet God holds me just as carefully in His hands. What an awesome God!
Here's the rest of that chapter:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
3 comments:
Great post Carolyn! Those two verses at the end of the chapter came to my mind tonight and I typed them in a comment on Nate's blog tonight. Neat.
Thank you!
It's when I read or hear about people that are having to deal with huge obstacles in life like this that I feel ashamed to worry about my little problems. Why is it so hard to sometimes just turn it ALL over to God?
Nate and Tricia, we will indeed be praying for you and watching to see how things turn out. Your trust in God is inspiring and you have obviously affected the lives and minds of thousand. We truly wish and pray for the best outcome for you.
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