iParent - is there an app for that?

My church, Liberty Christian Center, is in the middle of a family series. I finally was able to get into a service with my husband, and last Sunday's preaching was about parenting. The pastor said something to the extent of parenting being an easy task. Tthough to some degree, I understand what he meant, I don't fullly agree with his statement.

Let's see, maybe it should've been said like this: if you're prepared, parenting is an easy task!

Now, I agree.

The problem with the earlier statement is that most people are NOT ready nor do they desire to be ready. I had my first child when I was 19 (so I was definitely NOT ready!). Thank God for His mercies because He put people in my life who cared enough to talk to me about parenting. Here's the best piece of parenting advice that I received:

"Parenting is NOT about fighting fires. It's preventing them."

Got it. Since then, I've desired to be ahead of my kids' developmental and spiritual stage. I read books, articles... you name it. Anything I can get my hands on, I read. The Bible is clear:

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." Deut 6:5-12

#1: The GOAL: Love the Lord your God. It's important that you believe what you're teaching. Otherwise, it won't work.

#2: HOW: teach them, talk to them when you sit, when you walk, when you lie, and when you rise up. Know His Word like the back of your hand and have His Word in your mind. Have verses posted around your house (ok, not freakily!) and help your children memorize them and apply them in their daily lives. Discuss with them your revelations and how you are also walking with God.

#3: The PROMISE: your family will receive good things that you don't deserve and didn't work for! Sounds like a deal to me!

#4: WARNING: Lose sight of the goal and you'll get into trouble. It's all about LOVING Him.


iParent... there IS an app for that!