Godly Living, Parenting

"Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son.  When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.  But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch.  Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.  His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him."  ~ Exodus 2:1-4

Jochebed

by Eugenia Price

     Jochebed's name is only mentioned twice in the entire Bible (Exodus 6:20; Numbers 26:59), but thirty-three hundred years after her death, she is still remembered as one of the great mothers of all history.

     A mother can do nothing higher than instill her own wisdom and faith and character into her children.  In Moses, in Aaron, and in her daughter, Miriam, Jochebed did just this.  A truly creative mother must be an authentic teacher.  Jochebed had taught Miriam well.  The seven-year-old Hebrew slave child conducted herself with amazing maturity and poise before Pharaoh's daughter.

     It seems to me that no one should be surprised at Moses, Aaron, and Miriam--all three outstanding human beings.  Look at their mother!  And the more we study Jochebed, the more evident it becomes that mothers mark their children one way or another.  [Jochebed] made full, creative use of her imagination, as well as her practical mind, when she did not stop with merely frantic prayers to the Lord God to save her baby, Moses.  She was poised even in the face of potential tragedy; she was able to quiet her inner turmoil and think clearly.  The plan she devised was clever, highly imaginative--and she worked with her hands to bring it to a successful ending.  Jochebed was an authentic woman of God, balanced, mature, self-controlled.  Her emotions ran deep, but she was not a victim of those emotions.  God was her Master, therefore she was a master of herself....

    [Jochebed's] life was lived to the hilt--not sensationally, but it's good effects reach us today, teaching us that a woman under God's control is a woman living her life to its highest and fullest.

Taken from Women's Devotional Bible 2, NIV

Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Proverbs 31:25-31 - She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.  She watches of the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children arise and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her:  "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Romans 12:21 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Dear Lord,

     I ask that you bless every mother who reads this blog post.  Help her to live her life to its highest and fullest by giving you control over her life.  Help me, as well, to give you control over my life so that I may live my life to its highest and fullest.

     Bless all mothers in our awesome task of teaching children the right paths to follow, so our children will continue to follow you.  Grant joy, patience and faith to those who may be struggling right now.

     Thank you for your guidance and control.

Amen.

Parenting, Values

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to the land?  Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"  "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said.  ~ Genesis 24:5-6

So I said:  "Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.  In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.  Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.  But you remain the same, and your years will never end.  The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you." ~ Psalm 102:24-28

My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.  Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.  When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.  For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life... ~ Proverbs 6:20-23

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." ~ Acts 2:40

     The older my children get, the more I worry about them.  I see things on TV and hear things on the radio that do not match the values I want them to have.
     Today, as I was driving to my Mom's house to pick up my daughters, I saw three young teenagers walking down the sidewalk.  From a distance, I thought it was 3 boys.  The one in the middle, who appeared to be shirt-less, had their arms around the shoulders of the two on the outside.  As I got closer, I realized that the middle person was a girl in a string bikini top.  My daughters are 10 and 6.  I will not let them out of the house wearing a bathing suit top that looks like a bra to just walk down the sidewalk.
     I know that my daughters think that we are "mean" and "strict" because we haven't gotten them cell phones.  I do not see the need for them to have cell phones as they are always with me, my husband, or another adult that has a phone they could use in an emergency situation.  Many of my oldest daughter's friends have cell phones.  I am not judging their parents, but I do not believe that a cell phone is a necessity for a 10-year old.
     Each year as they approach adolescence, I see my daughters pushing the limits a little bit more.  I pray that God will guide my husband and me as we parent them and try to train them to follow God's ways. 
     May God bless you all.  Thanks for reading! :)