Ok I had to blog this as soon as I heard it. I am at work and really shouldn't be doing this but this was on my heart so I am going to try to get as many complete thoughts down as quickly as I can. I am sure this will be a to be continued blog. A friend gave me a CD from a church that her husband attends. I don't know the name of the church as I didn't look at the CD that closely I just know it is in Brentwood. I wasn't sure what the sermon was about but decided since she wanted to share it I would listen to it on the way into work today. It was on grattitude. I haven't finished the whole thing but the part that I have heard was very heavy on my heart. The pastor starts out by talking about how when God gives you a child he gives you an eternal soul in a human body. WOW I had never thought of my kids that way. He goes on to say how our children are like clay that can be shaped and formed. He said that outside of God and free will we are the greatest influence on our children and what direction thier lives will take. He mentions that because God knows we will make mistakes with our kids he created them like a lump of clay they are pliable and can be shaped and reshaped. This is easier in the beginning but as our children get older the clay starts getting harder and it isn't so easy to erase the mistakes of parenting. He talks about how when they are 2 you can shape and reshape but as they get to be 9 the clay is getting stiffer and when they are in college it takes alot of hard work and maybe a therapist hammering the clay to reshape it. He said something that struck me-he mentioned that because God gives us so many chances many people forget that their chances aren't unlimitless. God only grants us so many FREE PASSES and we never know how long or short our time on earth will be or our childrens time on earth may be. It is so easy to get caught up in LIFE that even though we don't forget what our true purpose is with our kids we may not make that the for front of every day....He said many great things in this sermon but another thing that he said was how important it is for our Children to know that they came from SOMEONE and that they are going back to that SOMEONE and that during thier time on earth they are here to please that someone and glorify him. He mentioned that he wanted to raise his kids to know that God loves them more than he does and that God is perfect so if he loves them then they must be worthy of loving and he wants to make sure that his kids believe that they are worthy of love because a perfect God loves them. Wow if EVERY parent could instill that seemingly simple message in each childs life what a near perfect world this would be. So many problems come out of not loving our selves or not feeling worthy...I know I have taught my children about God but I am ashamed to admit that I realize I have just touched the surface. I am not sure I have ever told them God loves them more than I do or to make sure they are making God proud. I have said things that were near to that point but not directly in that matter. WE need to be direct because as he said God only gives so many FREE PASSES.
He went on to tell about a time a man complimented him on his sermon and he said thank you and changed the subject back to the man and his family and this man stopped him and said you just insulted me. I was trying to give you a compliment and you didn't recieve it. I don't know what to do with that. Is it because you don't feel like you are worthy or you don't feel like I was being honest. What is it. He talked about how important it is to recieve with grattitude the gifts people give us even if it is just a compliment.
WOW I haven't even listened to 30 minutes of this..I can't wait to drive home today to listen to the rest and am sure I will have more to share.
Just something to think about....
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