A Moment in Training- Obstacles to Avoid

Parenting can feel like an obstacle course at times can’t it? Do you ever feel as if you’ll never make it to the finish line? Some days I can feel like I don’t have the strength  to see it through; I feel like I am dragging the last mile and climbing through hoops that I should of easily jumped. We can all have those feelings, no one is exempt from them. However, we must remember that in Christ alone we can do all things. We must be mature enough to not overlook our personal devotions each and every day. We know that our time in the Word and prayer not only aligns our attitude but give us strength and fortitude for the course!  I am honored to listen, encourage and support women who earnestly desire to train their children in Godliness. No matter what the specific issue I often hear the same complaint, “I have tried everything and nothing works!” As I continue to listen, I soon realize that they have literally tried everything but not near long enough for any one thing to work! This is one of the many obstacles that I want to encourage you to avoid like a plague! Each home is unique and while one program or method might work in my friends home it doesn’t meant it will work in mine. When Joe and I prayerful decide on a program for chores, training, or home educating it is vital that we give it enough time to be effective. Switching from program to program will only lead to more frustration, confusion, and inconsistency in the home. Make sure that when you decide on something it is with prayer and not on a whim. Be patient before you act! Wait for God to give you confidence that this is truly how He is leading. You may need to remind yourself of that confidence when/if the course starts to get challenging. When we patiently and prayerfully implement programs in our home our decision making is then based on obedience and not simply emotions or fads.

Here are a few other obstacles I would encourage you to avoid:

• Be consistent! Don’t start something if you can not see it through. If you are going to use a reward system make sure you actually have the rewards ahead of time so that you know you can be consistent. How disheartening for a child to be told that if he keeps his room clean for a week he will get an ice cream with daddy, only to learn that the family budget won’t allow it. It is equally unfair to a child to allow him to participate in bad behavior without any correction until you finally explode and unleash and unjust punishment on them. Children need consistency! Can you imagine living in a home where you never knew the rules, where discipline was enforced hormonally and not logically? The mere thought makes me cringe!
• Remember God is working in YOU as much as He is working in your child… sometimes more! I know that I would not be the person I am today if I had not been a blessed with these years of motherhood. When I am training my child in an area, I too am growing as a person and learning the art of patiently leading my children to the Lord.
• Your are NOT alone! Just this last weekend I had a precious Sister here for a visit. We shared similar issues of motherhood and giggled over the similarities! I had no idea that other moms had to ask their boys to shower as many times as I ask my boys! In a strange way, I found it comforting!
• Do NOT give up!  I can not tell you how often I am ready to throw in the towel of some specific training I might be doing in my home only to see success the next day! I told my mother, “If I ever call you and tell you my child just can’t do something would you remind me that Hope is on the way?!” God will show up… right on time! However, often times I am early and I might add that I get inpatient as I wait for him.

One day we will each finish our course. It is these words I desire to hear for each of us: “Well done my good and faithful Servant… enter into the Joy of the Lord”

With much Love,

Mrs. Joseph Wood