Lessons being learned (Part 1)

So I've been challenged a lot lately! By my kids, husband, friends, books, etc...this is how God teaches us things, or better yet, hits us over the head with them if we're not taking the subtle hints! If at any time we say we cannot hear God or know when He is speaking to us, I believe that at some point after He has, we will then realize "oh, that was from God". He often speaks to us but we allow too many other things to speak louder. When we are quiet, intensely listening to the ONE person we really should, we may hear Him speak. And if we are not hearing Him, there are plenty of ways to try to. That is where I've been at lately...seeking Him in all things (okay, well as many as I can and of course, still failing at that). I've been seeking to read some good books along with the Word...and funny how He will use them both to say the same thing...go figure! One of the reasons I'm trying to seek Him and hear Him is to learn to be a better parent and example to my kids right now...

Felicity, God love her (and so do I), has been quite the challenge lately. I believe it is mainly because she is too smart for her own good, knows way too many words and how to communicate them, so the natural next step is to use them against people...and voila, I have a mini 14 yr old inside my 4 yr old. And she is good...knows the right buttons to push and when. Of course, this creates not necessarily more work as a parent, it creates more self reflection and work on myself. The only one I can control is me...and the only one I'm responsible for (in a sense) is me! I tell Felicity that all the time - "It does not matter what someone else does or says, you know what is right and wrong and you will have to deal with the consequences when you choose poorly". Funny how that comes right back at you! And since I am a control freak (occasionally), you'd think I'd be really good at controlling myself...HA! So in response to her poor attitude and unkind words to me, I'm responsible for how I react, for what my attitude looks like and more importantly for the love of Christ that I am showing her, or not showing her. Parenting is such character building! I guess this is how God continues to grow us as adults...we think as we get older, the hard lessons to learn have already been had...NOT! So, as God is teaching me in my own quiet times, I need to learn how to relay those same lessons to my daughters as well...instill the love of Christ in them by speaking it louder than anything else they hear. I am truly amazed though every day how wonderful Felicity really is! If I could just get her to use all of that passion for the right things! I guess that will be my challenge and prayer for a very long time - that my children will use their strong passions and wills for His purposes and glory! He obviously has some pretty clear plans for them and their future!

I'm encouraged and learning from the passage in Hebrews 12

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful . Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Is my example making it easier for my girls to follow Christ? Am I being responsible for my actions and attitude, or am I allowing their negative ones to influence me? Wow...kind of funny to be learning the same thing your kids are ;)