Our family has gone back down to just four of us. As quickly as our foster children came in and turned our home on its head they are gone again; leaving memories, lessons learned and stains on my walls...
I have spent the last week recovering. Recovering from the whirlwind of foster parenting. Recovering from a cold. Recovering from realizing that I, in fact, do not have all the parenting skills to be the parent God has called me to be.
This first foray into foster parenting, while it did not give me the children meant to forever be in my family, gave me insight into the type of parent I am....and the type of parent I must pray and study and strive to be. God abruptly brought me to the realization that I am not necessarily an exceptional parent. He has just blessed me with exceptional children.
That's not to say I had nothing to do with how my sweet babies have turned out thus far, but learning this lesson will absolutely determine how they continue to grow. I realized that, while I have common sense parenting skills, I have failed to really dig into The Word and ask God how He would have me parent. I have been parenting on instinct. It's time to parent while standing on God's Word. I've found resources and begun reading in my daily quiet time and already God has shown me weak areas I can strengthen. When I work to apply the things I am learning I see my children bloom before my eyes! It's amazing what God will do when we are obedient.
So I am finding myself. As a parent, as a teacher (help me Lord my second grader hates to read!). I'm finding myself as a wife. As a woman of God.
I am still struggling with rebellion in the form of eating and drinking things that I should not. I have actually started delving into that through a Bible study I am going to at church. Because God knows what I need. Monday I was SO very sick all because I craved a soda. I know caffeine in any form aggravates my digestive system. But I drank it anyway. If I can kill that devil I'll be doing pretty good. I have lost 15 pounds. So now I have to start saving to buy myself new clothes. Sigh. I actually loathe clothes shopping. Last year I dragged a friend along with me and she dressed me. She'll probably hide if she hears me talking about doing that again!
My life in a nutshell.....homeschooling, housecleaning, praying, hiking my pants up. It. Is. Good.
Oh. And being STINKING sore! This exercise class is kicking my rear! But it's the reason I'm down 15 pounds. So back I go. As a matter of fact I just got done. Excuse me while I whimper.
No comments:
Post a Comment