Is it me, or has this summer just flown by?! It's quickly approaching back-to- school time. Last minute school supply shopping, clothes shopping, and getting back on routine are closing in.
It seems like yesterday that Mom
was getting me prepared. I was so anxious, not out of excitement, but my
nerves were a mess. Who would my teacher be? Would I like them? Would
they like me? Would my friends still like me? Would it be the same as
last year? Would, would, would....
It's been a few years (cough, cough), but all of this is still so vivid to me. I can recall the feelings and picture the day, even back in grade school, but why can I remember that so well but seem to loose my keys after I just sat them down? Well, it was such a gush of emotions, change, life from the laid back summer days to early wake ups, schedules, brain overload and the what ifs. My parents probably had no idea how nervous it made me. They both worked full time and Mom had a hard enough time getting things ready. It may have never crossed her mind.
It's good for us to remember how these things effected us. Maybe God stores these memories so that we can understand and be more merciful and dispense more grace to our children. Just taking time to recognize that change is hard for them too, especially for those first few days of "Its time to rise and shine."
Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up our child in the way they should go. This verse can be viewed in so many lights, but today let's just visit our own actions. If we wake the kids up yelling and screaming, it sets the tone for their day; nervous, on edge, rushed. If we're running late, throwing a pop tart at them on the way out the door - again, on edge, rushed. There are a lot of scenarios you can think of here, but do we want our children to be trained feeling rushed, nervous, stressed, in a hurry?
What in your day can you do to teach them to be cheerful, joyful, guided by the Holy Spirit? Take a moment to reflect. I challenge you to start this year back to school reminding your kids which way they should go, and most importantly pray for them before they start their school day.
It's been a few years (cough, cough), but all of this is still so vivid to me. I can recall the feelings and picture the day, even back in grade school, but why can I remember that so well but seem to loose my keys after I just sat them down? Well, it was such a gush of emotions, change, life from the laid back summer days to early wake ups, schedules, brain overload and the what ifs. My parents probably had no idea how nervous it made me. They both worked full time and Mom had a hard enough time getting things ready. It may have never crossed her mind.
It's good for us to remember how these things effected us. Maybe God stores these memories so that we can understand and be more merciful and dispense more grace to our children. Just taking time to recognize that change is hard for them too, especially for those first few days of "Its time to rise and shine."
Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up our child in the way they should go. This verse can be viewed in so many lights, but today let's just visit our own actions. If we wake the kids up yelling and screaming, it sets the tone for their day; nervous, on edge, rushed. If we're running late, throwing a pop tart at them on the way out the door - again, on edge, rushed. There are a lot of scenarios you can think of here, but do we want our children to be trained feeling rushed, nervous, stressed, in a hurry?
What in your day can you do to teach them to be cheerful, joyful, guided by the Holy Spirit? Take a moment to reflect. I challenge you to start this year back to school reminding your kids which way they should go, and most importantly pray for them before they start their school day.
Jeni Morelock
