Blessings From Heaven

Blessings From Heaven ~ Episode 495

Do you have blessings from heaven? Our children are indeed blessings, but in our busy lives, it is hard to appreciate this fact. This podcast will look at ways to encourage and love our kids as God intended.

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My schoolroom has a plaque that has been there for many years. It reads, “Dear Lord, grant me the patience to endure my blessings!” I began my homeschool journey in 1994 and ended in 2018! It still hangs there as a reminder.

I love the quote by St. Mother Theresa – It is very important that children learn from their fathers and mothers how to love one another- not in the school, not from the teacher, but from you. It is very important that you share with your children the joy of that smile. There will be misunderstandings; every family has its cross, its suffering. Always be the first to forgive with a smile. Be cheerful, be happy.

Mother Theresa said so many things that are still quoted today, and I will share some of these relating to our children throughout this podcast.

However, I know…

IT IS NOT EASY to be cheerful and happy, especially when I was in the midst of school-aged kids. I was too busy keeping up. Of course, I think back fondly on those days – but if you are in the middle of diaper, laundry, and homeschooling older children, I know what you are going through! The saying little kids–little problems, big kids–big problems is real.

At times I struggled to appreciate one of my sons, and I often prayed, Lord, please help me to love him as You love him. It helped tremendously. Instead of only looking at the bad behavior, I remembered he was a child of God, and I prayed blessings upon him. My husband and I often prayed for our kids. We prayed together as a family, still daily struggles cropped up.

Many of you who are listening homeschool your children. And you are truly heroes for loving your kids and caring enough to make the effort this takes on a daily basis. This can not be minimized or forgotten. One of my best blessings is watching my grandchildren be homeschooled–and loving it.

Homeschooling takes most of the day for many of us, especially as the children get older. Most importantly, our time and devotion to our children make a difference. Yet, it is sometimes a struggle to have our children finish their schoolwork and chores and do what they require each day. We are constantly on them for something.

How can we appreciate our blessings from heaven when dealing with their basic needs, raising and correcting misbehavior? That is tough. For this to happen, there needs to be a foundation that comes from love.

Another Mother Theresa quote: “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”

We have an example of the unconditional love of God; he loves the sinner but not the sin. We can use this as a foundation of our love for our children. We separate them from misdeeds and focus on correcting them with love. Our kids need to know they are loved. You do this by saying it to them, and if you are uncomfortable with this, tell them at some point that you care. We think we do this as parents, but more times than not, we expect our kids to know they are loved.

In romantic love, we would never expect to know we are in love; we’d want to be told. Of course, you can show you love someone by your actions, but as parents, our actions tend to be relegated to feeding, clothing, and caring for our kids.

Are you honest with your kids? Think about this question. When you are upset with them for an infraction, is it said with love or anger? When you need them to listen when you speak (which is always), are you clear in your instruction?

Our frustrations with our children stem mostly from the lack of follow-through and how the children seem to have selective listening. I’ve witnessed this in my own family. Therefore I tried to give clear instructions and needed to make myself follow through. I had to check to be sure what I asked was completed, and if not, there were consequences. My daughter is an amazing example of parenting. She is calm and very rarely raises her voice. She deals with things in an uplifting way, and her kids listen well.

Observing other people enjoy their children was an eye-opener for me. I was so busy doing that I found I was missing the biggest gift right in front of my eyes. Sitting with a dear friend and watching the children play in her backyard, I was surprised to find our conversation focused on her love of watching her children. [All I could think about was enjoying adult time, and my friend wanted to watch her kids and how cute they were!] Yet, I walked away changed. I could see not only her love for children but also for them individually. She is one of those people who appreciates the little things.

I learned to stop and appreciate my kids. Now it is almost impossible. If you are sitting outdoors watching your children play, how easy is it to jump on a call, text, or go on social media? None of those things are wrong, and I get it — we all need a break, but just for a few minutes, watch your kids, observe their antics, and enjoy them. You may be thinking I don’t know you, your family, or what your kids are like, and you are absolutely correct. I don’t. You know your family the best, and even if it is just a few minutes of joy, take it!

As a mom and dad, there is so much to do; sitting idly doesn’t happen unless you have a full staff at home to help. My family grew from two kids to five, and I had a dad who lived with me in his 70s and mid-80s. We were able to enjoy our kids, younger and older, and multi-generations. I was able to watch the impact of my father (my mother died years before) and my mother and father-in-law on my children. We can learn so much from our parents, even as adults. If we want our children to love and honor us, we must set an example whenever possible.

I host, A Few Minutes with God on our sister network, The Ultimate Christian Podcast Network. And I have given challenges at the end of each broadcast for the last two years. I decided a challenge would be a good way to practice what I preach, so in the spirit of solidarity, I will join you in the next week in appreciating my blessings, praying for them daily, and letting them know they are loved.

I have several resources below:

Resources: Blessings From Heaven

Building Relationships with Your Kids here.

Family Bonding Time here.

Time Management here.

Relaxing Tips for Mom here.

And I want to leave you with two more quotes by Mother Theresa:

How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers.

and …

The child is the beauty of God present in the world, that greatest gift to a family.