Yesterday, I had the opportunity to take my four children on a mostly day-long, multi-stop outing. Mandee has been fighting some sort of stomach bug for the past couple of days, so we decided this would be a good opportunity for her to get some much needed rest while I took kids to Bentonville and Fayetteville. We began our day at the 5th birthday party of our friends' son (which had a Lord of the Rings theme; I think it was one of the coolest birthday parties I have ever been to.) Our kids had a great time playing party games (a variation on Hot Potato with a golden ring instead of a potato and the score from the Lord of the Rings on CD), eating cake, and just generally being kids. Following the party, the kids and I had to go to Edana's first 4-H meeting, then stop by Wal-Mart for a few things. All in all, this busy day resulted in: Mandee getting some rest and feeling well enough to go to church, one minivan full of trash and french fries from Wendy's, two rounds of baths (before the party and before bed) for three of the four kids, and one very tired dad. And you know what, I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
People often tell Mandee and I that they don't know how we do it, with four kids and our busy lifestyle. I'd say neither one of us can imagine it being, or really wants it to be, any other way. Sure, there's some things we would change. Being more organized and on-time would definitely top that list. And it sometimes drives melancholy old me a little crazy when the van and the house are littered with toys, books, and various other items. But God reminds me again and again that things are signs of life, signs of a thriving and not just a surviving, family. In Titus 1:6 (AMP), the Word of God says that the elders should be men who "are the husband of [but] one wife, whose children are [well-trained and are] believers, not open to the accusation of being loose in morals and conduct or unrul and disorderly]." I'm very thankful for a wife and children who are believers (The oldest two have given their lives to Christ, Declan understands that Jesus can live in his heart, and Rileigh likes to sings about Jesus). We definitely can't say our kids are perfect, but we often have people tell us in restaurants and public places how well-behaved our children are. Let me say this is just the blessing of the Lord. Mandee and I do our best to keep consistency in our discpline and routines, but we definitely aren't experts. Just like everyone else's, our children can sometimes be the ones who make loud and unnecessary verbal comments about people they don't know (much to the embarassment of their parents) and they are still learning how to be more giving and not just want things for themselves. But God is faithful and He helps us every day.
I'm very thankful God preserved my life and my purity for such a time as this with my family. I definitely made mistakes in relationships in my younger days and sometimes believed I had gone too far and was no longer deserving of having the blessing of a wife and family. But God, in his divine love and mercy, has blessed me exceedingly and abundantly above what I could have ever asked for or thought. This all makes me mindful (and it should make me more mindful) of how I lead my family. May I always remember, as I'm embarking on this journey of mentoring and teaching others to mentor, that my first line of mentoring should always be at home. I don't think it's a mistake that Paul placed this requirement so early in the list. Being a Jew himself, he knew the importance of the family, and that the family, and not the church of synagogue, was the primary training ground, for believers in God and Christ. May we as men remember this as well and take every opportunity to pour ourselves, and Christ Who lives in us, into our wives and our children, even if it's in the midst of crazy, multi-stop Saturdays.
Father, I thank you for Mandee and our children. Father, they are constant reminders, both of Your love, grace, and provision to me, and of my responsiblity as the priest of my home. Lord, I can't do it without You. I'm not naturally organized, don't always plan my days the best, and often miss opportunities, more often that I would sometimes care to admit. But You, O Lord, are faithful and Your Word says that You Who began this good work in me will continue to complete it until the day of the Lord Jesus (Phillipians 1:6). With this in mind, Lord, I ask You to help me to be that "oak of righteousness" for my family. Help me to be strong for them in Your strength. Help me to pray fervently for them, because this type of prayer avails much. And help me to lead them, even as You are continuing to lead me. I thank You for letting us know You and letting us be a part of Your plan in this time. In Christ's Name I pray, Amen.
See you next Monday!
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