This excerpt if found in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 244, by Ellen White. My father-in-law sent this to me. It is very motivating and affirming of the role a mother plays in the life of a child.
"How far-reaching in its results was the influence of that one Hebrew woman, and she an exile and a slave! The whole future life of Moses, the great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of the Christian mother. There is no other work that can equal this. To a very great extent the mother holds in her own hands the destiny of her children. She is dealing with developing minds and characters, working not alone for time, but for eternity. She is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good or for evil. She has not to paint a form of beauty upon canvas or to chisel it from marble, but to impress upon a human soul the image of the divine. Especially during their early years the responsibility rests upon her of forming the character of her children. The impressions now made upon their developing minds will remain with them all through life. Parents should direct the instruction and training of their children while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. They are placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs to the throne of an earthly empire, but as kings unto God, to reign through unending ages."
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The more I read, the more I realize that my job raising Calissa has a lot to do with my walk with God. As I run after God, she will see, He will have victory in me, and He will live out His life within me. We have such a wonderful, patient, and giving Father! Here are some quotes that have given me direction with teaching the bible...
"Even when quite young, children notice; and if the parents show that the Word of God is not their guide and counselor, if they disregard the messages brought to them, the same reckless spirit of, 'I don't care; I will have my own way,' will be shown by the children." Child Guidance p. 509
"Do not think that the Bible will become a tiresome book to the children. Under a wise instructor the Word will become more and more desirable. It will be to them as the bread of life; it will never grow old." Child Guidance p. 514
"Parents, let the instruction you give your children be simple, and be sure that it is clearly understood. The lessons that you learn from the Word you are to present to their young minds so plainly that they cannot fail to understand. " Child Guidance p. 514
"The use of object lessons, blackboards, maps and pictures will be an aid in explaining these lessons and fixing them in the memory. Parents and teachers should constantly seek for improved methods. The teaching of the Bible should have our freshest thought, our best methods, and our most earnest effort." Child Guidance p. 516
* now we have so many more methods that can be used...
"Neglect anything of a temporal nature,(then it talks about unnecessary sewing and such being done away with)...but be sure that the soul is fed with the bread of life.... Make the Bible its own expositor, bringing together all that is said concerning a given subject at different times and under varied circumstances. Do not break up your home class for callers of visitors. If they come in during the exercise, invite them to take part in it. Let it be seen that you consider it more important to obtain a knowledge of God's word than to secure the gains or pleasures of the world." Review and Herald, Oct. 9 1883
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I have been reading more that usual about discipline. :) I have found some helpful advice and caution to say the least.
Parental approach and attitude:
"Be firm, be decided in carrying out Bible instruction, but be free from all passion. Bear in mind that when you become harsh and unreasonable before your little ones, you teach them to be the same.... You are, parents, the light of your home. Then let your light shine forth in pleasant words, in soothing tones of the voice. Take all the sting out of them by prayers to God for self-control. Angels will be in your home, for they will observe your light. The discipline you give your children will go forth in strong and clear currents from your correctly managed home to the world. " Child Guidance p240
"Sometimes they (children) will have to be punished, but never do it in such a way that they will feel that they have been punished in anger." CG p244
"Your children may have done something that demands punishment; but if you deal with them in the spirit of Christ, their arms will be thrown about your neck; they will humble themselves before the Lord and will acknowledge their wrong. That is enough. They do not need punishment." CG p.244
"If your children are disobedient, they should be corrected....Before correcting them, go by yourself and ask the Lord to soften and subdue the hearts of your children and to give you wisdom in dealing with them." CG p. 244
Some advice on discipline:
"The moment that the child begins to choose his own will and way, that moment his education in discipline is to begin...Frequently mere babies show a most determined will. If this will is not brought into subjection to a wiser authority than the child's untrained desires, Satan takes control of the mind and fashions the disposition in harmony with his will." Child Guidance p 230
Some Bible verses that support this idea are:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jer 17:9
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezek 36:26
There is no greater curse upon households than to allow the youth to have their own way. When parents regard every wish of their children and indulge them in what they know is not for their good, the children soon lose all respect for their parents, all regard for the authority of God or man, and are led captive at the will of Satan." CG p 231
"Tell your children exactly what you require of them. Then let them understand that your word is law and must be obeyed. Thus you are training them to respect the commandments of God, which plainly declare, 'Thou shalt,' and 'Thou shalt not.' It is far better for your boy to obey from principle than compulsion." Child Guidance p 225
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All of the quotes are from the book "The Ministry of Healing" and from the chapter Help in Daily Living.
"Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God's service are surprised and disappointed... They pray for Christlikeness of character, for a fitness for the Lord's work, and they are placed in circumstances that seem to call forth all the evil of thier nature. Faults are revealed of which they did not even suspect the existence. Like Israel of old they question, "if God is leading us, why do all these things come upon us?
It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord's chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them.... In His providence He brings these persons into different positions and varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. " p. 470-471
"We need to beware of self-pity. Never indulge the feeling that you are not esteemed as you should be, that your efforts are not appreciated, that your work is too difficult. Let the momory of what Christ has endured for us silence every murmuring thought. We are treated better than was our Lord." p. 476
"His love is as far above all other love as the heavens are above the earth. He watches over His children with a love that is measureless and everlasting." p. 482
These are a couple of the quote that really helped me to look at things from a different perspective. The things I was upset about are the same for which I am now praising Him. He is doing a good work and I can trust Him to do it. I praise God for 'trials' now, hopefully I don't forget too quickly!
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Coach Schwartz, one of my high school teachers shared this quote. It is talking of mothers but I think the word parents could be substituted. :)
"Let mothers come to Jesus with their perplexities. They will find grace sufficient to aid them in the management of their children. The gates are open for every mother who would lay her burdens at the Savior's feet. He who said, 'Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not,' still invites the mothers to lead up their little ones to be blessed by Him. Even the babe in its mother's arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their earliest moments." {Desire of Ages p 512.3}
I am again faced with this fact: The greatest of my needs is time with Jesus! If I am communing with Him, I can "expect the divine Spirit to mold 'my' little one, even from her earliest moment." I greatly desire this! My time with Jesus should be motivated by my love for Him but this adds even more motivation. What a wonderful and loving Father we serve, He promises so much!
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"Let children learn to amuse themselves. Do not put them on exhibition before visitors as prodigies of wit or wisdom, but leave them as far as possible to the simplicity of their childhood. One great reason why so many children are forward, bold and impertinent is they are noticed and praised too much and their smart, sharp saying repeated in their hearing. Endeavor not to censure unduly, nor to overwhelm with praise and flattery."
White, Child Guidance , p 38
Wow, I guess I need to stop recounting the cute little things that our daughter does and says in her presence... so hard.
"Let the little ones play in the open air; let them listen to the songs of birds and learn the love of God as expressed in His beautiful works. Teach them simple lessons from the book of nature and the things about them..." White, Child Guidance, p34
