Perfect Parenting...ummm...I Think Not!

In our season of waiting for 'will we' or 'won't we' move , I decided to seize my moment and do some de-cluttering of all things tech!  Cleaning out email boxes and sorting file folders, deleting games off the tablet, and cleaning up the iphone apps.  As always when you do a little de-cluttering you get rid of junk and rediscover some real gems from time to time.  

Going through my iphone notes I found where I had quickly written this...

Purpose of parents is not to develop great parenting skills, its to point them to Christ!

Sadly..I cannot tell you where I got that, who said it, or anything about the statement...except that it is a real GEM!

I need to be reminded of this OFTEN!  I know I can get stuck in the trenches of trying to be the perfect parent and forget what my real focus should be.  The focus that He IS and will ALWAYS be the perfect parent.  These children are mine for a season.  I may be their earthly parent but their heavenly parent...He's got this thing!

I do my kids no favors by trying to be perfect!  I actually do more harm.  If they think they can become perfect then 'life' will be very hard.  It's hard enough without trying to achieve something you cannot achieve.  Everything...and I mean everything I should be pointing them upward.  This doesn't mean I have no role in their life.  It means I have a vital role in helping them walk this side of heaven by showing them the real deal. 

Real deal does not mean perfect.  Real deal means my children see the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Hopefully through it all, they see CHRIST!  They see the Savior and Redeemer! 

My days should be filled of asking them...does that glorify God?  What would Jesus do?  And those questions should start HERE...with me!  Then I can appeal to their heart and not just tackle the outward behavior.  I hate to admit it, but that outward behavior gets me going and I often forget to take it deeper.  But when I go deeper, they see Christ vs a parent seeking perfection. They see the sinner instead of the person who aims for perfection.  Because apart from Christ I am nothing. 

Remind yourself!  "Perfection is not our aim!  Christ is our aim!"