~ Psalm 90:12
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We’ve been using Legacy Marbles in our home for a while now. We have two jars of marbles and we remove one marble per jar each week. We started with nearly 1,000 marbles in each jar, enough marbles to represent each week we have with our kids from birth through high school graduation.
The Most Important Thing
I’ve Learned from My Kids
We’re losing our marbles faster than we’d like, but it’s a great visual reminder to use our time intentionally.
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Time matters.
It sounds simple, but that’s the most important thing I’ve learned from my kids. They need time.
Time to rest.
We need time, too. Time matters and it’s why we’re advocates for the lifestyle we have through homeschooling. It gives us the opportunity to make the most of our time.
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Time to build them
“Our words carry enormous weight in our children’s minds.Our words actually shape their view of themselves in profound ways.”Spiritual Parenting: An Awakening for Today’s Families, – Michelle Anthony
From daily interactions to homeschool to heart-to-heart talks, our words make a difference. It’s imperative to use our time to build our children and help them become who God wants them to be.
Encouragement is easy when things go as planned, but what about the rest of the time? Moments of frustration can be some of the greatest building moments. I remind myself frequently not to let irritation take hold and use those moments to build.
Time to be with them
A morning last week stands out. It was a rough school day for us despite my efforts to plan ahead and have everything running smoothly. We were all tired, cranky, and distracted. Nothing was going according to my Well-Planned Day.
Why not add some challenging behavior to our nasty morning? Prissy did the opposite of anything I asked of her. It seemed as though the only words I had spoken to her at that point were “No,” “Stop,” and “If you don’t quit, I’m going to…”
Not my best morning, but it eventually clicked. We needed to leave The Boy on his own and have some girl time. We headed upstairs, snuggled up on the couch, and watched Sheriff Callie’s Wild West. All was well after that point. She didn’t need tough love, correction, or punishment. She needed time with me.
Time to Point Them to the Father
They’re watching and learning from me. The good, the bad, and everything in between. What I pour into them makes a difference. For better or worse, my influence counts in massive ways. On the days that I’m less than perfect -which is every day- I tell them the truth: Mom needs grace and forgiveness just like everyone else. I need my Father every moment, every day.
[ctt template=”7″ link=”HnU2f” via=”yes” ]For better or worse, the influence I have on my kids counts in massive ways. #parenting #ihsnet[/ctt]
And if I have a good day, it’s all because of Him. It’s never my doing. The good in me is only because of the good in God. The bad in me is nothing more than my need for God. They need to know that. The best thing I can do with this gift of time is use it to point my kids to God. It’s what we’re all called to do:
Time matters. Use it wisely.
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