Don't Blink!

My kids are 8,6 and 4 and one common thread I have heard from seasoned moms and dads out there is "don't blink" they grow up too quickly!  Oh goodness, how this is so true in so many ways.  I was looking through my camera on my phone just the other day and came across a video of my youngest that I had totally forgotten about.  He was at our kitchen table with a diaper on listening to music as we cheered him on to dance...aka "bouncing" in the cutest possible way that any 2 year old in a diaper can.  I teared up knowing that was literally just yesterday and now he is my big boy.  No diapers, big boy bed, can brush his own teeth, Hudson.

Believe it or not this blog is not to make you sob or wish to have your babies back. It is a huge wakeup call to me as a parent to make these "moments" last, have impact, an eternal difference.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. 

Psalms 127:3

As I approached coming up with ways that families can "give back" with our Christmas in July calendar of events, I felt like the month should not only include giving to others but also ways to show how we can individually as parents/grandparents GIVE, SERVE and LOVE our own family.  Do not get me wrong. We are commanded to give to others and there are many examples on how you can do that as well, but this is an added benefit...if you will.

A few ways include:

1.  Get Unplugged

My husband meets with a group of guys at Chick-fil-a once a week.  He told me that a few times they have met, there has been a guy and his son eating breakfast.  During breakfast, the dad stares at his phone the WHOLE time not paying his son any attention and completely ignoring a perfect opportunity to communicate with him!  Cellphones, TV,  Facebook,  Pinterest,  all can direct our attention away from our little blessings and we can become an example for our kids that none of us are proud of.  

The Lord reminds us in Deuteronomy 6:5-9

You shall love theLord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

I have a phone, TV, Facebook, a Pinterest page (ah hum...a blog).  This isn't necessarily about deleting these items, although if you feel like it is getting in the way of your life, by all means send it on its way!  I catch myself more times than I wished viewing a screen instead of soaking up time with my family, instilling in them things that will have an eternal impact versus pinning the newest recipe that I probably will never cook.  There is a time and place for "all of that" but our first priority is to Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and might.  What does this look like in our lives?  Our family?  As a mother, a father, sister, brother or a friend?  How can we use the time He has given us wisely to instill in them an eternal purpose that will far outweigh the importance of the newest status from a friend on facebook?

Spend a day a week and announce it "unplugged day".  No gaming, texting, computers, phones, tv....awww "they are going to hate me", you say.  Yeah they will probably complain and whine but explain to them the why behind the day.  Kids like to hear why things are the way they are instead of just hearing "because I said so"....And by all means admit your faults!  Son, mom is calling it unplugged day because I have________.  They will appreciate that.  If not that day - one day!

2.  Devote time to prayer
Prayer is how we communicate with our Heavenly Father and are in tune with Him and His Spirit.  In next months activities, one includes devoting time to pray for this upcoming school year. Use this time to pray for who our kids will have as teachers, their peers and upcoming opportunities for them to share the love of Christ to one of those peers.  How we so neglect the important impact that prayer can have on our lives as well as our relationship with the Father!  What will you as a family begin to pray about today?

3.  The Word
Get in the word, aka the bible, if you aren't doing so now.  Teach or act out bible stories with your children if it is hard to keep their attention for a span of time.  The internet is full of great videos and resources for children in starting to impress scripture on their hearts.  See, the internet can be used for good! (sorry for the rant earlier)  In my life when I have been off the path that God had planned for me, the Holy Spirit would remind me of scripture - completely out of the blue!!  That is his Holy Spirit speaking to me through His word.  How I am thankful for that but also know that there is so much more for me to learn and not to depend on what I learned as a kid or what my parents taught me.

So if you choose to use The Christmas Angel next month for Christmas in July or not, use the month to be a reminder of who God calls us to be as parents.  Summer is flying by - who will you be able to say you loved, gave to and served? 

for updated information throughout the month of July

http://pinterest.com/heartboxllc/4-weeks-of-summer-giving-activitieschristmas-in-ju/