Today I am reminded that I am to set an example for my children not just by my actions, but by the words that I speak to them and how I say those words. How easily a child's spirit is crushed by words of criticism spoken too often or by shaming them into feeling guilty! Each and every minute that I spend with my children or that they spend observing me in my daily life is one more minute spent in developing their character that will determine who they are for the rest of their life. If I am so intent on them always getting things right and being critical of the things that they haven't mastered yet, then I will probably be causing them to develop critical spirits. Instead, I should be praising them for the things that they do well so that they will learn to appreciate others. I should be encouraging them and building them up so that one day they will turn into someone that is full of confidence. I need to portray patience in all I do so that they will learn to be tolerant of others. I need to practice fairness so that my kids will learn to be just. I need to live out 1Corinthians 13 so that they will learn to portray love in all that they do.
I need to cherish each day that I have with my kids. I don't want to be regretting precious moments lost when they've all grown up and left home. I want them to look back at these growing up years with fondness and have wonderful memories of the good times that we had together. I pray that they will be able to look back and see how God was shaping them and molding them into exactly what He wanted them to be. I want them to grow up to be Godly men and women that one day will be faithful to pass on the Godly heritage that I am striving to pass on to them. It is only by God's wonderful grace that I can achieve such an impossible goal.