This Sunday is a bit different for me, and I wanted to share that with you. Normally when we sit down in church our pastor says “pull out your bibles” and we hear a very biblically based sermon. This Sunday instead of saying “pull out your bibles” he said please welcome my wife and they sat down and shared with us a very practical way (also biblically based) way that they went about parenting. It was so nice to hear them be human, share struggles, explain triumphs and share that with us. As a parent of two girls, one heading into her teens and another looking to be every single day for guidance I found the sermon to be a breath of fresh air. I felt recharged like I (we…. but Jonathan was teaching Sunday school so I will have him listen to the sermon online) can do this, here are the tools and now I have a game plan.
Without even realizing it I was listening to a podcast from Saddleback church while I did some house chores today and guess what the topic was? You guessed it.. parenting! Imagine that! Have you ever had that happen in your life where all the messages are leading to one topic? I love it when God so clearly speaks into my life, you can’t help but just sit and listen!!
For my bible entry I decided to sort of combine the two messages and take the topics from each message that I felt really spoke to what I needed to hear in this time.
I want to take a moment and apologize for not apologizing for using an iPhone photo today. The truth is I took the photos on my regular camera and had a longer blog post planned out for you today but I have to say more important things came up! Like walks to the park with my family at sunset, and a fire on the back deck with my husband. Sorry not sorry!!! Love you guys and I know you understand… okay on with my post!!….
There were many more points pointed out between the two sermons but I took the ones that I really felt I wanted to work on and knew my family would benefit from me putting pen to paper. I have to be honest and say the one that I was like YIKES!!!!!!! Was “MIND YOUR OWN REACTION” I can get so emotional when it comes to my kids and they can feed off that. I need to really pray in the moment when things are happening and be a bit calmer (if my husband is reading this I am sure he is yelling at the computer!!!!
I am curious if you listen to the two sermons (the one at redwood won’t be available for a couple days) what you take from it and what you decide to put to paper. Please take a moment to share, I would love to hear!!!
![hybrid Bible journaling entry by Cristin Howell using digtial printables | Gratitude Documented Day 16 | Smiles [Proverbs 15:30]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxMDAwIDEwMDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEwMDAiIGRhdGEtdT0iaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuaWxsdXN0cmF0ZWRmYWl0aC5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMTclMkYxMSUyRmNyaXN0aW5ob3dlbGxfR0RkYXkxNl9mbGF0bGF5LmpwZyIgZGF0YS13PSIxMDAwIiBkYXRhLWg9IjEwMDAiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==)
Girl…you are spot on! For me, “minding my own REACTION” was/is (my son is 24…but parenting is for a lifetime ) my biggest challenge. I didn’t realize for the longest time what a disservice I was doing with my strong reactions. My behavior many times said, “this situation is worse than you thought it was” or “it’s ok to keep stirring up anger about a wrong you have suffered. ..because I cant help you to start processing it until I’ve expressed how mad I am on your behalf.” I shake my head when I think of how much parenting energy I mis-spent! And my second hardest was “don’t rescue them.” Isn’t that the definition of being a mother?!? So glad Royce provided a balance for me. He would say that I balanced him too….which is why your final item is critical too! Glad you had the fire time together! Love those stamps! You rock!
YES! YES! YES this exactly!!!! So glad I am not alone in this, I think it comes from being a passionate person in general!! XOX let’s hold each other accountable on this!
So glad I’ve met you! You challenge me. ..and I appreciate that! And yes. ..I do think it has it’s root in that fact that we are passionate people. I believe that God gives us good gifts…the challenge is that even the BEST character trait we have, has the potential for us to use it in ways He never intended. It’s not wrong to be passionate. ..the goal is to harness it…control IT not it control us! So easy to say….way harder to do! *hugs*
This post is perfect! and yes, I had many times recently when GOd pointed out to me to the same topic over and over again ! amazing! everything leads to Him! Being intentional about parenting is something I worked on all summer and it changed our life here at home. love your Bible spread. I am so glad you enjoyed time with your family this week-end: yay to iphone photos!
Sophie xox exactly EVERYTHING leads to him, even when we are so lost or feel alone. Praying for you sweetie!
ps: I will listen to the sermons tonight when kids are in bed!
where can we listen to the sermons!? sounds like 2 that i desperately need to listen to!!!
Both of the sermons are linked in the post :) You will love them
i’m so glad that i came across this post. This subject weighs heavy on my heart. Thank you for linking the sermons too!