What Kind of Race is This?

And the winner is...
This morning felt like a race. Have you had mornings like that recently? I didn't get up early enough, and we only had a couple of hours in which to finish school before we had to run by the library and then meet up with my mom. I kept pushing the kids to go faster. I didn't help. In fact, I just stressed everyone out, including myself.
I forgot what kind of race I was suppose to be running. I was so focused on the goals of the morning (hurry, hurry, hurry, don't mind if I squash your feelings on the way) that I forgot my ultimate goal is to raise godly kids. Me getting frustrated at them for not being fast enough certainly doesn't help them along in that goal. In fact, it drags them backwards.

The soundtrack to my life has recently been Sara Groves new album Invisible Empires, and I was listening to it on my way home after my mom surprised me by taking the kids for the afternoon. This song really touched me in a new way as I thought about where I had missed my goals this morning when I earned the "Worst Mom in the World" trophy. I hope it helps you think about your priorities too.



What has God used to grab your attention lately?

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Learning new tricks

I wish I could draw. When I was young, I would try, and I remember thinking I was decent. But then at some point, I lost my confidence and stopped trying. I really have no excuse for not learning or trying harder. My mom taught high school art for years, and she would have been happy to teach me or send me to classes, but I never asked because I didn't think I would be good enough. 

But now I regret it. I regret it because I need to be able to draw in order to do so many of the things I want to do.

My daughter doesn't like to put forth effort in school or other things that are hard for her, that she feels she won't be good enough at to do well (hmmm, do I see a family character flaw here?). How do I get her to realize that she has to try in order to become good at things. That she will regret not working at them harder or learning them better later on when she lacks the skills to do the things she wants to do?

So, here I am. Thirty-something and looking for a book to teach me to draw better.  And hoping that seeing my example of learning and growing will help motivate my kids to do the same.

How do you motivate your kids? More importantly, how do you help them find self motivation?

Where do you draw the line?

I don't want my kids to grow up with an entitlement mentality.  I don't wait on them hand and foot, and I don't give them everything they want when they want it.  I think this is good for them.  But I also want them to grow up learning to serve others the way Christ served this disciples.  I want them to be able to humble themselves, and deny what they want right then and look to the needs of another person. 

Here's the catch.  When I refuse to serve them, when I tell them no and make them wait, albeit for their own good, and I teaching them to be a servant, or am I teaching them to want more?  They say character is more caught than taught; what are they catching from me?

So, my question is, where should I draw that fine line?  I don't have that answer yet, but I would love to hear how you teach your kids to forget about themselves and think of others.

What got me thinking about this was this little snippet of a song by Sara Groves: Right Now

ps. I just found out that you can download Sara's new album for just $5 on Amazon!



What do you think? Join the conversation with me.

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