Psalm 127 tells us "Behold, children are heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward..."
Children are a reward. Everyone likes rewards and enjoying rewards. How are you doing at enjoying your reward? Sometimes we are so concerned about how we are doing, or not doing, as parents that we simply forget to enjoy them. They become our clean up projects instead of our joy. I love how my wife finds the funny in everything they do. She frequently posts their goofiness on her facebook page, and I believe in doing so she paints glimpses of the gospel. Kids are messy and you gotta learn to have fun with the messiness. Perfectionism is sin. It's a misunderstanding of the present predicament that you and your kids are in. We live in a messy world, and if you expect your kids to not be messy you are going to lead them away from the cross in a hurry.
In fact they will get messier as time goes on, and instead of spilling their cheerios, I hope they will be able to spill their hearts out on our dinner tables because they know Mom and Dad need Jesus too.
One afternoon, when we were just a year into our church plant I was at a church BBQ and my three-year old was acting up. I was so afraid of what others would think that I took him into the bathroom and scared the Jesus out of him literally. It was my fear of man and my unbelief in the gospel that led me to do so with that motivation. I have learned over time that the fear of man is a snare to my motivation to discipline. I want them to fear and love the Lord by fearing and loving me. Pastor's and their kids need Jesus period. This has freed me up to enjoy them and embrace their messiness and discipline them well. In fact scripture declares we are to delight in our children before we go about disciplining them (Prov.3:12). I am learning new ways to have fun with them. Here are a few ways I enjoy my children, that I have recently found rather refreshing.
1. Turn up the music in the living room and dance with them if they are still young. They love it and you will love it too. They will also grow in a freedom of expression that most kids don't ever learn, and you will get a big smile on.
2. Plan a date with them. Call it a daddy date or mommy date or something special that they will look forward to the rest of their lives.
3. If you have boys do some wrestling with them. I get full on workouts, probably burning like 1000 calories from chasing them all over our yard.
Those are my three favorites currently, and I am sure they will change every year that goes by. I'd love to hear new ways you are enjoying your children.....please share how you are doing so!
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