What I want for my children...

I'm late to the party but somehow I got to this cool blog, It's Almost Naptime! and then found this completely awesome post:  http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-dont-want-my-children-to-be-happy.html

So please go read it.  I can wait..... Ok, did you read it? I know I am bad when blogs send me to somewhere else to read so if you didn't read it yet please do.  Anyway, this post reminded me of 2 different things, one in our home study questionnaire they asked us what we wanted for our children, which is a really ambiguous huge question that I answered this way "I want my kids to know Jesus.  I want my kids to value themselves.  I want my kids to value family and education.  I want my kids to love.  I want my kids to show God’s love by being respectful  and responsible."  Wow, I guess I did an okay job there.  I want my kids to know the pride that you can feel when you work for something. And the plans that God has for them.  And how to be joyful in this life, all of which come from Jesus but aren't highly valued in our "make sure the kids are happy every second of the day" culture.

The other thing this reminded me of was a conversation my younger sister and I had.  We have a friend who is currently dealing with some really bad choices that her teenage daughter made.  When discussing this we noticed that over and over and over again our friend, her family, and her daughter's friends told the daughter how beautiful she was.  This just hit me because I'm pretty sure no matter if my child comes to me with 7 eyes and 3 hands I am going to be overwhelmed with how beautiful the child is.  Of course the child is beautiful, it's mine! (and of course my friend's daughter is beautiful, I just don't know that that's what I'd be focusing on currently) But, those of you who know me will totally get this, beauty is not something I spend a lot of time on.  It's a blessing God gives but I just feel like if I'm getting up 3 hours before I have to be at work or school I could be using that time for something a whole lot more important than my hair (the first one that comes to mind is sleeping, lol).  I feel that inner beauty is so much more important.  I guess I want to make it a priority that my children know that I value them for the stuff on the inside and so does God.  I want my kids to learn the joy of Christ, to have His peace, and like Paul to be content no matter what their life is like at that moment.  I hope this makes sense.

Love to all!

¹⁰ How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  Phillipians 4:10-12