Driving home last night from Costco, I was listening to a message on the radio about what we pass on from one generation to the other. The message got me to thinking about that very thing, especially on the day after Mother's Day.
The preacher was talking about the "stuff" we pass down from one generation to another: jewelry, china, trophies, furniture... all those things that collect dust and cause family squabbles.
On Sunday at worship we gave thanks for the ways that mothers care for their families and for others, and acknowledged the influence they have in our lives (both good and bad).
And the two together has me thinking about what we do pass down from one generation to another.
In addition to the recipe for macaroni and cheese and angel cake, we should be passing down the respect for the home arts and for the women who choose to stay at home to raise their children. We also need to pass along the respect for those who wish they could but cannot because of financial issues. Most of all we should be supporting the next generation of mothers by passing along lessons and love.
Rather than the jewels and furniture, we should be more concerned about the life skills and experiences we are passing down. When our children remember us will it be as understanding and caring? or absent and consumed with amassing those jewels and furnishings?
Sometimes an heirloom evokes memories that are clear and almost tangible. Will those be positive memories of fun and laughter with parents who were loving and fair? Or of parents who were too busy and too angry and too mean?
What will our children and grandchildren inherit from us? Will it be furniture and land and money? Things that will either be put in an attic or cabinet for fear of being harmed, or eventually fall apart from use and be tossed away?
Will they inherit a world that we have used up? or will they inherit our respect for God's creation and our attempts to do less harm than good? Will they inherit high blood pressure and obesity and addictions? or will they inherit our desire to eat organically and be active and lead a healthy lifestyle?
Rather than passing down the family Bible, we should be more concerned about passing down the family faith - a faith that will still be fresh and strong for generations to come. We should be raising them to believe and trust in God - to look to Jesus for salvation and the Holy Spirit for guidance - and how to discern the teachings they hear, rather than passing along the family pew in what we consider the "right" denomination. We should be leaving them the power of prayer, that they can be in continual conversation with a Father who will be the perfect parent even though we weren't.
So I ask you today, as you are praying about your family and all those of the next generation in your sphere of influence, to pray how you would be used to leave a legacy - an inheritance - of faith and salvation.
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
prayers for children
Two very brave and wonderful people I know are making a pilgrimage - a mission trip - to Tanzania. As I write this Karen and Jim are in Mbeya, being hosted by Father Robert Mbinda and his wife Mariam. The Mbindas oversee the Good Samaritan Orphanage.
The children at the orphanage have lost their parents to AIDS - it is epidemic there. There is often a shortage of medical assistance, and in an emergency there is no 9-1-1.
As we sit in neat clean houses and eat healthy food (I hope you are eating healthfully) washed down with clean water, these little ones are carrying water great distances which is not as pure as it could be and their meals are often the same each day and are meager.
Children in the United States and other "developed" countries are suffering from the opposite problem: they are over-fed and under-active. While the Tanzanian children schlep water great distances and gather sticks for fires, the children in the U.S. are munching high-calorie snacks while sitting for hours in front of a tv or computer. They will have shortened life spans not because of AIDSand diseases from unclean water but from diseases borne of obesity: heart disease and diabetes.
Please pray for our children - the children of Tanzania and the children of the United States... pray for their health and their futures. And then pray for inspiration for ways that you can help them all.
The children at the orphanage have lost their parents to AIDS - it is epidemic there. There is often a shortage of medical assistance, and in an emergency there is no 9-1-1.
As we sit in neat clean houses and eat healthy food (I hope you are eating healthfully) washed down with clean water, these little ones are carrying water great distances which is not as pure as it could be and their meals are often the same each day and are meager.
Children in the United States and other "developed" countries are suffering from the opposite problem: they are over-fed and under-active. While the Tanzanian children schlep water great distances and gather sticks for fires, the children in the U.S. are munching high-calorie snacks while sitting for hours in front of a tv or computer. They will have shortened life spans not because of AIDSand diseases from unclean water but from diseases borne of obesity: heart disease and diabetes.
Please pray for our children - the children of Tanzania and the children of the United States... pray for their health and their futures. And then pray for inspiration for ways that you can help them all.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Praying for families with children
My children are adults. We enjoy one another's company as adults - we do things together and are friends on Facebook. I am not a mother who regrets not having young children in the house - I enjoy being able to pursue my pastimes without concern for the schedules of little league, choir and youth group.
That being said, I must tell you that I enjoyed all of the years when my children were, well, children. And it is no secret that my favorite demographic group is teens...
What prompts this missive today is reading the Facebook posts by mothers (and fathers) who are complaining about having been snowbound for much of the past two weeks. For those of you not in the mid-Atlantic area, we have had two blizzards in a single week and schools have been closed for over a week with delayed start since they opened Wednesday.
First, before you mutiny, let me say that it is understandable for those who need to make alternative child care arrangements so they can work to be somewhat upset. Not everyone can work remotely and not all businesses were closed the entire time.
Then let me say that what does bother me is the complaining tones of parents who seemingly have no idea how (or no interest) to engage and have fun with their kids. Each day that school was canceled was met with "I can't stand another day in the house with my kids" followed by a chorus of "Hooray they are gone and the house is quiet!" on the first day back.
We noticed on the days when our road was still unplowed that there were no children out playing and laughing and no one flying down the two fabulous sledding hills created by the accumulation. [The last time that my kids were young enough to be home for such a snow event was 1983, and every kid in the neighborhood was out there (yes, they are streets, but when they are under 20+ inches of snow they are sledding hills!) with quite a few parents.] We did see several teens tromp through the hip-deep snow to meet rides at the top of the road where the state road had been plowed - I did not see them (or any other children) assisting elderly neighbors get shoveled.
Exciting were the posts by parents who were out sledding, snowballing and such with the kids as well as having the kids help shovel snow. I love reading posts by parents baking cookies and making meals with the kids. It's great to see that there are families who can work and play together and have fun doing both.
So where is the prayer here?
I pray that parents and children will learn to laugh together, chase lightning bugs together, build snowmen together and play games together (board games as well as video games).
I pray that parents and children will learn to vaccuum and dust together, bake cookies together, shovel snow and clean off cars together, clear a neighbor's walk together, weed a garden and plant flowers together.
I pray that parents and children will go to church together, pray together, share concerns with one another, care about one another, talk to one another, listen to one another.
I pray that parents and children will serve at a shelter or soup kitchen together, take things to the Salvation Army together, walk/run/bike for a cause together, recycle together.
I pray that parents will have the wisdom needed when it is time to set boundaries and to discipline, and that these will be done in a loving and teaching manner.
I pray that children will see discipline as a way to help them learn and grow and to keep them safe.
I pray that parents always remember that they are not raising children, but rather guiding and preparing the next generation of adults - the next generation of parents.
I pray that parents will have the wisdom and strength to know when to let go and simply stand ready to support appropriately (and when not to do anything).
I pray that when the children are grown, both the parents and the children can still laugh and talk and play games and serve and work together.
Will you join me in these prayers? What prayers would you add?
That being said, I must tell you that I enjoyed all of the years when my children were, well, children. And it is no secret that my favorite demographic group is teens...
What prompts this missive today is reading the Facebook posts by mothers (and fathers) who are complaining about having been snowbound for much of the past two weeks. For those of you not in the mid-Atlantic area, we have had two blizzards in a single week and schools have been closed for over a week with delayed start since they opened Wednesday.
First, before you mutiny, let me say that it is understandable for those who need to make alternative child care arrangements so they can work to be somewhat upset. Not everyone can work remotely and not all businesses were closed the entire time.
Then let me say that what does bother me is the complaining tones of parents who seemingly have no idea how (or no interest) to engage and have fun with their kids. Each day that school was canceled was met with "I can't stand another day in the house with my kids" followed by a chorus of "Hooray they are gone and the house is quiet!" on the first day back.
We noticed on the days when our road was still unplowed that there were no children out playing and laughing and no one flying down the two fabulous sledding hills created by the accumulation. [The last time that my kids were young enough to be home for such a snow event was 1983, and every kid in the neighborhood was out there (yes, they are streets, but when they are under 20+ inches of snow they are sledding hills!) with quite a few parents.] We did see several teens tromp through the hip-deep snow to meet rides at the top of the road where the state road had been plowed - I did not see them (or any other children) assisting elderly neighbors get shoveled.
Exciting were the posts by parents who were out sledding, snowballing and such with the kids as well as having the kids help shovel snow. I love reading posts by parents baking cookies and making meals with the kids. It's great to see that there are families who can work and play together and have fun doing both.
So where is the prayer here?
I pray that parents and children will learn to laugh together, chase lightning bugs together, build snowmen together and play games together (board games as well as video games).
I pray that parents and children will learn to vaccuum and dust together, bake cookies together, shovel snow and clean off cars together, clear a neighbor's walk together, weed a garden and plant flowers together.
I pray that parents and children will go to church together, pray together, share concerns with one another, care about one another, talk to one another, listen to one another.
I pray that parents and children will serve at a shelter or soup kitchen together, take things to the Salvation Army together, walk/run/bike for a cause together, recycle together.
I pray that parents will have the wisdom needed when it is time to set boundaries and to discipline, and that these will be done in a loving and teaching manner.
I pray that children will see discipline as a way to help them learn and grow and to keep them safe.
I pray that parents always remember that they are not raising children, but rather guiding and preparing the next generation of adults - the next generation of parents.
I pray that parents will have the wisdom and strength to know when to let go and simply stand ready to support appropriately (and when not to do anything).
I pray that when the children are grown, both the parents and the children can still laugh and talk and play games and serve and work together.
Will you join me in these prayers? What prayers would you add?
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