I love the internet and Blogs, I learn a lot of great stuff (cooking, kid activities, etc) but I also get inspired. I read this post Why I Would Never Force My Kids to Go to Church and I was inspired.
I grew up in the church. The Southern Baptist Church! We weren't a holy rocking church but a "you'll go to hell" kind of church. We went every Sunday for church and Sunday school and every Wednesday for dinner and activities. I went to church camps and vacation bible school and mission trips. There was no question about IF we were going... because we WERE going. Just like there's no question of "Are we going to school today" "are we brushing our teeth today" It was something that just happened on the regular in my family. And most of the time I was okay with that. Sure I had a few rebel years, so since I knew there was no getting out of it I wore JEANS to church, much to my Dad's mortification! lol Now that's the norm at churches~
Well as some, or many do, I strayed from the folds of my church. I moved states, away from my church home base. Married a Catholic so we were confused about what we should be as a family. I got busy. Too busy. Through all of this I always felt like something was missing and that I was lost. The hubs and I tired out different churches, even settled at a few for a while. But none were our glue. We were too busy or tired. We had a laundry list of excuses.
About a year ago we started going to a Lutheran church. REALLY amazing mix of his Catholic traditions and yet it wasn't Catholic so I was more comfortable (not to knock Catholics but come on people I grew up Baptist!")! We felt like it was OUR church, not his, not mine but OURS.
This pressing need to find OUR church was pushing to the front of our lives because of our children. Kinsley was leading our dinner prayers on the regular and we knew we didn't want her and Parker to not get the foundation we grew up with, not to mention WE NEEDED it ourselves. My kids LOVE church, I mean sure right now it's mostly nursery time and playing and doing arts and crafts with other kids but they love the music, they love the people and My FOUR YEAR OLD can tell you on a very basic level about Ash Wednesday! From the mouths of babes people!
I've not always been the best example of a Christian, some might even question if I am one. I make mistakes, I get caught up, I throw out a curse word here and there. But I never claimed to be perfect and I will never be perfect, and that's okay because of God's grace. Christianity isn't about perfection, it's about admitting your imperfections and loving others through their imperfections, and praying and trying to change! We aren't at church on the regular yet, my kids will ask on Sunday if we are going (hopeful that we are) because they don't know if we are. But this Sunday will be the last Sunday in a six week class that the Hubs and I are in so that we can become members of our church, together (that just brought tears to my eyes)!
My kids will be raised in the church. They will not question why, because my four year old can already tell you. "Jesus loves you and he lives in our hearts and outside too all at the same time". Knowing that is as essential as school, dance, soccer, eating fruits and veggies, etc. Even more essential because Jesus is the breath of life, the fruit of the vine, the air I breath.
We are slowly trying to turn our Sundays into family days, no birthday parties, no commitments. It's not easy and we do make exceptions, but Sunday is slowly becoming about what it should be. A time to slow down and remind ourselves that our house serves the Lord and he is why we have this amazing family! Lucky for us our friends are considered our family too!
I'm not perfect, but I will make sure my kids have every chance that my parents gave me! There will come a time where they don't question it. There will come a time where I will get up on a Sunday just like I do on a Monday. I pray there will come a time where YOU will know who I am and what I stand for, and my prayer is that you will be there right beside me. My prayer is that others will stop making Christians feel so uncomfortable for being a Christian. That I my kids won't feel like they can't pray at school or where ever they are. That teachers and other leaders can live their beliefs without worrying about persecution. My parents gave me this AMAZING foundation because going to church and loving the Lord wasn't a question in my house; now it's up to me to USE that foundation, will you let me?
That's awesome, Erin! l didn't grow up in church, we were holiday and "every once in a while" attenders. It's so important to give my kids something different, because I realized as an adult, that I had a HUGE need for it as a child and teenager. I think it's really setting your kids up to succeed in their relationship with Christ- because if that relationship is right, then all the others ones are a little bit easier! I commend you and your husband for making that decision!
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ReplyDeleteGod created us imperfect. It is our job to work everyday to serve Him, doing our best (not being the best)! He forgives, so we must forgive ourselves. I, too, am working to make God and church a part of our daughters everyday lives. It's incredible to see them soak it up and share their love of Jesus openly and without question. My girls inspire me and are pushing me to make church more of a routine. Our nightly prayers is by far the best part of my day, and giving them a relationship with Christ is the greatest gift. Congrats on all you've already done to build the basis for love, decision making, and everything else around God for K and P and your marriage. Keep on sharing and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteLove this! I grew up the same way, Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday evenings too :) Trying to get back into for the kids because I'm so grateful I had that foundation. Thanks for posting!!!
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