It's summer...according to the school calendar, not the weather. This is just a side note, but I was so chilled last night, I turned on my electric blanket when I got into bed last night, and still shivered for an hour before I fell asleep. It's the end of June, man!
Anyway, back to the real reason I'm writing...
It's summer, and my kids have little to keep themselves busy and productive. As teenagers they are wanting to sleep the day away, lie on the couch all day, and not lift a hand. Part of it's my fault because for the life of me, I can't find them a ton work to do around the house, and the things I could have them do, I do them myself....probably because it's just easier. However, what am I teaching them, or what are they becoming? I don't want them to be lazy slugggards, I have decided. (Oh, won't that make their day.)
I think my kids are pretty good at doing jobs when I ask them to do them. So, in some ways I find this problem mine. However, helping out around the house does not come naturally to them. They don't clean their rooms, for the sake of having a peace place to sleep. They don't pick up the bathroom, because they know if a guest were to stop by, that is the bathroom they would naturally use and we would love it to be looking presentable. They don't fold the laundry as it's piled high on my bed, ready to be folded, or do the laundry when they are out of clothes. And do they empty the dishwasher, when they know it's full of clean dishes? Nope, they just pile their dirty dishes in the sink, for the next guy to find the dishwasher ready to unload.
My kids don't come by working hard naturally. Of course, I don't think that I did either. (Funny, I just realized I wrote about this subject a month ago...Hands that Work)
As I've been running myself ragged with Vacation Bible School, and watching my kids soak in their summer or leisure, I just decided I needed to once again pray that they learn to have hands that work... and work hard!
Of course, I probably need to pray that I get better and teaching them this "art".
Lyssa "helping" Dad put together her new dresser...2009
Lord, you've given us wonderful hands that can do most anything. They can love, in one single motion. They can worship and glorify you. Or they can work hard. Our hands are an amazing part of our physical makeup. I pray, Lord, that our children learn to use their hands to do all these wonderful things. I also pray that their minds learn to find the value of helping others, working hard, and doing their part in the world. They will have to choose to use their hands to make a good wage and provide for their families. They will need to decide if their hands will keep a good home, take care of their children, and fulfill their responsibilities in life. Give them minds and hands that choose work hard and do the things that you've called them to do. Help our children to be disciplined, hard working, and compassionate to those in need of added assistance. It comes naturally to be lazy, and allow others to do all the work, but I pray that Alyssa and Kyle will learn the value that comes when they use their hands even in the menial tasks of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment