Thursday, September 3, 2009

The Bottom Line....


I finally got a good night sleep and I am amazed how much better I can see. Instead of playing catch up and being behind the chaos. I think today I will be one step ahead.

Since the last couple of weeks have slightly knocked me off my rocker, I decided it was time for me to step it up a notch. I realized this morning that I have left grace out of the picture. I allowed the circumstances of my day/life to run me....which lead me to running my children. It has left me with little patience, little time, and many bad misteps.

There are a couple of books that I keep by the side of my bed and today I grabbed "Grace Based Parenting" by Tim Kimmell. I knew immediately when I read the title 'there' is my problem. I have forgotten the bottom line of parenting.

In this book I was reminded to remember the bottom line. In any situation once you can determine the bottom line then it will dictate the next thoughts and steps. (A challenge I have left with my college student and yet advice I am not following lately.) Here is an example,
"what is the greatest thing about the United States?"
It is our freedom.
If freedom is the bottom line then that dictates our policies and our actions on many things. (although I am not sure we are remembering our bottom line)

Don't you find with any important decision we look at the bottom line. That helps us make those decisions.

If you think of Christianity the bottom line is God's grace.
His grace has the power to transform lives. That takes me out of living in law on some things and moves me back under grace/freedom in Christ. As humans I think we tend to make these rules that leave God out.

Back to parenting......How do I know what my bottom line is in parenting?
I have to remember how to parent. How do I parent?
I should be parenting like God parents me. He is my picture of what parenting should be. When you look at it that way, there is my bottom line, grace!
Grace should be, very much, a part of my life as I parent my children.

I hate to admit it but I have left grace out the past couple of weeks. I was so busy with the rules and lists of things I needed to accomplish to get our family on a schedule I left little room for grace. I will end with a quote from the book because I need to ponder this throughout my day...


"Rules not tempered by grace

block relationships with our children

and lead to rebellion.

On the other side,

relationships without rules

don't result in grace either."

Parenting is not a simple task that God has left us to do, but it definitely has impact when we follow his lead and lead our children with grace! Today I walk with God as He reminds me how to exhibit grace. It is Him flowing through me. I am off to be a vessel to my children today!

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