These two books are amazing tools for parents - Shepherding a Child's Heart and Instructing a Child's Heart.  There are so many little bits of information that are invaluable for parents as they continue on the path of raising kids.

I completely understand how these books have become such a staple on the bookshelves of christian parents.

If you started reading Shepherding a Child's Heart but felt attacked, with no real tips on how to proceed, I highly, HIGHLY recommend you read Instructing a Child's Heart, as those little bits of real life tips and words of wisdom are in this follow up book.

As discussed in the previous part of this series, the follow up book to Tedd and Margy Tripp's Book Shepherding a Child's Heart, Instructing a Child's Heart, focuses mostly on formative instruction.

I wanted to share a couple more examples of this instruction before closing the series with some of the main points I pulled out of the books in and how I'm incorporating them to work for each of my children.

This book is a great tool for some practical outlines for parents to use as they take steps toward truly walking along side their kids.

I don't know about you, but after Shepherding a Child's Heart, I was full to the desire to be a parent who really digs deep and works on effecting my child's heart, and not just be a strict disciplinary  But I wasn't full of enough steps to do that (trust me I also know that a 1-2-3 action plan doesn't always work on every kid, but as a mom I needed some kind of frame work to get started in).

The question of why do you blog seems to be all over the place anymore.  And often the point boils down to sharing something with others - that would imply that the goal is to grow a community of people who enjoy reading what you're sharing.  So on that point, I am continuing to share blogs that I enjoy, and hope that you might as well.

So extremely glad for a Friday, just had one of those weeks - you know?  If you want a little excuse for a break, join in Lisa-Jo's Five Minute Friday, and just write without worry!  It's a great way to start your weekend!




Home


Home is the place I think of after life has knocked me around. It's that place that is comfortable and welcoming.  That place that is safe and will allow me to be - just be.

After I got married I was excited to finally be in charge of making a place a real home for a family. What an exciting job, right?  I could decide on furniture, and wall colors - the extras that would make it special.  Of course the best part was that I could change it with the season, meaning this new responsibility would be on going - which sounded great to me, at the time.

Then I had my oldest... I still enjoyed putting together a nursery, and keeping house.  Seeing his face as we would change a room for a new season or holiday.  And then came my baby...

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, the will just seemed to get lost in the responsibility of daily stuff.

But the desire to create a home that will be comfortable, and welcoming - a place for my family to feel drawn to, safe and protected.  It beats continuously in my heart.



That desire is a reminder of my Creator - you see, He made me to be like Him.  And yes, He allows us to live in this wonderful creation of His - but His Home, that is the place that is comfortable and welcoming. And that Home, is what I was created for. So when life is hard, and I'm tired and worn out and the feeling to create a home that might allow my family to see a glimpse of the wondrous Home waiting for us all, that is what I must look to. And allow His creative homemaking talent pour out of me and onto my family.

So far we've looked at the responsibility we have as parents to discipline and disciple our kids as well as God's plan for parents to do this through communication and the rod, as discussed by Tedd Tripp in Shepherding a Child's Heart.

And I'll admit that Tedd Tripp's conviction over the need to include spankings was at some points a little hard to handle, as I personally, find it incredible unfair to spank.

Later on Tripp says "The when of spanking is so simple that parents miss it. If you child has not obeyed, he needs to be spanked. If he has failed to respond to your direction, he has moved out of the circle of safety." (149) How does that work? Seriously?

It doesn't take too long before that precious baby you brought home grows up enough to get into trouble. I mean let's face it, every human has a desire to know more, and for little kids that curious desire often leads to behavior that just cannot be tolerated.

While kids are still very young it is fairly easy to discipline by simply picking them up and literally moving them away from the temptation.  But soon enough that method just doesn't cut it, for so many reasons. It is in these moments that parents have to find a new way to discipline.

In Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd Tripp points out that we "must direct [our] children on God's behalf for their good" and that "children generally do no resist authority that is truly kind and selfless."  These concepts seem wonderful. They are nice things to say, but how do we as parents act on such statements?

I've found the time to squeeze in a Five Minute Friday writing- it's been too long!

Feeling the need to just write today?  Take a break from your plan and join us!



Ordinary

The days fill up so quickly. And I actually would rather they did fill up. I mean, I don't want to be stuck inside all day, every day.

I fill it with chances for my kids to see things, go places.

I never thought that daily striving to impact their little lives would start to feel ordinary, not when I was handed the chance to stay home with them every day. I figured it would be a new adventure for us, together.

That was almost two years ago. And now that adventure has become ordinary to me. Some days it's even boring.

I don't want to sing ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle over and over. I certainly don't want to change another diaper.

And yet I do. This ordinary life, well it's my life right now.

Some day a new adventure will come my way, and then I might even want this ordinary back.

So here's to singing ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle, teaching shoe tying skills, even changing diapers. Because well I might not want to do this ordinary life today, but there are so many others who wish they could have a chance to live my adventure for just one day!