cocktails

I'm realizing that I need to make a parenting cocktail.

It's not what you think.

Well. I mean I DO have cocktails.... But, I'm talking about a different cocktail.

I had a realization the other day.....

I was doing what so MANY of us do.... I was taking parts of the Bible, and rearranging it, making it more .... modern day..... more applicable to my life.....

Um.

Did God not realize what He was creating when He created me?

Did He not know that these children would be mine, before they were even conceived?

Of course He did.

But. You see. We did therapy. We read books. We got good intel on how our children were different. Special. Traumatized.

The normal rules did not apply to our children.

But.

God MADE my kids. And. He SAW what happened to them. He knew.

Yet, the Bible still says, what it says..... (about raising children. loving. disciplining.)

I understand now that I need to filter more..... Reading, educating myself, taking in advice, remembering still that I'm a believer... That ULTIMATELY I trust that GOD will heal and restore my children. That without Him I am helpless, and so are they.

That I need Him and His word.... I need His guidance and I need His promises to be true.... Promises to prosper and to heal.... promises for a hope and for a future....

How can I ask for Him to provide all of that for my children when I'm not even willing to trust His word for parenting advice?

What does all this mean?

It means that I have gone back and forth on how to raise my children in a Biblical way (ie there IS actually a time for a spank) vs the hugging it out with a traumatized child.

There is a time to hug it out when your child just won't stop screaming about ..... NOTHING.

There is a time to go in the bathroom and take a deep breath, praying for the end of the day.

There is a time to praise a child for simply getting dressed in the morning. For eating breakfast in less than an hour. For saying something kind to a sibling.

There is a time to crank up the worship music - over the DS's that are way too loud - because you're just so tired of correcting.

There is always a time for Biblical principals.

There is a time for "The Connected Child."

There is a time for "Grace Based Parenting."

There is a time to vent on the "Trust Based Parenting" facebook page.

There is never a time to leave God out of the plan however.

There just isn't.

xo
K.