legacy

Growing up there really was only one person who I can recall that model CHRIST'S love to me and that was person was my Gram.  She was my great-grandmother, and she was the most wonderful person I have ever known.  I knew she loved me just by the way she looked at me.  She would take me shopping, and out to dinner whenever I was able to stay that night at her house.  Some of my favorite memories of her were watching 227, Amen, The Golden Girls, and Empty Nest on Saturday nights.  It was those nights where I felt safe from everything.  I was those nights where I would see HIS love in the form of my Gram.

My heart broke last Summer when I received the call that Gram had gone on to be with our SAVIOR.  Though I was happy for her, I was grieving as I didn't know how I was going to live my life without her.  My Gram left an amazing legacy of HIS love, grace, and forgiveness.  She left a legacy that I hope to one day be able to pass on.  When my Gram died last year I heard HIM "whisper" "What kind of legacy do you want to leave?"  I had been thinking about that for quite some time, and it dawned on me today, that I want to leave a legacy of a lifetime of HIS love and grace.  I want my legacy to be about forgiving, and loving, and extending grace beyond all measure.  I want to leave a legacy where my family knew that they were loved no matter what they did wrong, and I never judged them for NOT making the same choices I would make.  I want to leave a legacy of accepting the LORD'S teachings, and living them out in front of my children daily.  

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" Deuteronomy 6:6-7

I know that I must not only talk to my children about following GOD, I must model following HIM,  and lead by example,  of what being a CHRIST follower really means.  I must choose to be HOLY SPIRIT lead.  I know that it has been through my obedience and discipline that I am modeling seeking HIM earnestly and asking HIM to teach. lead, and guide me every single moment of my life.  I know that it is through my obedience that my children are now seeking HIM daily as well.  I know that I am able to be their "Mama" because HE is leading me everyday and showing me how to be their "Mama."

As I was sitting here typing out today's post, 3 of my children were engaging in a heated argument.  I could sense that it was escalating, and instead of stopping and finding out what was going on, I decided to keep typing.  However, the more I tried to concentrate and keep typing the more uneasy I felt.  I sensed that HE wanted me to intervene.  Now I wish I could say I handled it all with love and grace, sadly that is not case.  I raised my voice and made one of my children cry.  It was then at that moment I knew HE was "whispering" to me, "are you reading what your typing?"  Humbled by today's teaching I can honestly say, "Yes LORD, I am reading it, and I am hearing YOU."

I know that it is when I have reached my "limit" in parenting, that is when HE is waiting for me.  HE is waiting for me to let go of doing things "my way" and allowing HIM to show me HIS way is much better for me, and for them.  HE is the one who will help me navigate through the storms of motherhood.  I know that when I allow HIM to teach me, HE will give me HIS wisdom in how to properly train up and raise my children.

Today's Daily Teaching has taught me that I must realize that each of my children have their own personalities   I must not fault them for the way GOD made them.  I must find a way to reach them, so that I do NOT lose them.  I must learn to let go of all the unrealistic expectations I have for each of them, and start praising them for WHOSE they are, not what they do!  

The book "5 Love Languages of Children" has taught me that each of my children are different in how their receive and give  love.  I have learned that while some of my children need words of affirmation for their "love tank's" to be filled, my other children need quality time to fill their "love tanks."  I am learning that I must be intentional  at building my relationships with my children if I have any hopes of leaving a great legacy for family.

I have learned that spending quality time is far more important that me going on and on about the things I "think" my children need to hear.  I have learned that when I allow myself to be CHRIST lead, my children will see how blessed I am by HIM, and will choose to follow in my footsteps.  I know that I must help pave GOD'S path for their lives.  

I know that it is because of my being CHRIST lead that I am more apt to choose grace over an iron fist when it comes to parenting.  I know that by bringing my fist into the situation only makes things worse.  I know this because I was raised by "iron fisted" people, and I didn't want to be anything like them, ever.  I know that because I was raised by selfish people who lived by the lies of temptation, I was NOT raised by GOD'S intentions for my life.  I know that HE is calling me to be a different type of parent than how I was raised, and I know that in choosing to be different both my children and I will live truley rich and blessed lives. We will leave a family legacy that is to be extraordinary.

Bill Hybels wrote in "Whispers" "it is in the intense parenting moments that GOD "whispers," "Stay wide open to my guidance, and I promise to show you the way."  I know that I must choose to keep my ears wide open, as I am raising 5 of HIS children.  I know that because HE has entrusted me with HIS children I must model HIS love for me, to them.  

"When children break a rule they must be forced to pay, right?"  This is the mentality I was raised on, and I know so many people were raised on.  However, I serve an all knowing, all loving, all forgiving, GOD.  I have learned that grace goes so much further than words of anger.  I know that it is in those moments where I seem to be "hell bent" on teach my children a lesson, that really it is HE who is trying to teach me a lesson.  I know that HIS "whispers" are designed to help me build relationships with my children not tear them down.

D and I do have strict boundaries however about what we will extend grace on and what we will NOT budge on.  The things we will NOT budge on are when it comes to morals, or character we will not let bad behavior slide.  Those things are life altering, and need to be corrected, before damage is done to the point where it is so hard to correct.  When it comes to their safety and legal consequences we will NOT budge.   We believe firmly that we are to look to HIM for HIS advice and counsel how to proceed through such things, as HE is the one who knows what is best for all of us, and HE is the one who will make our paths straight.

"There is payoff that comes when we stay wide open to GOD."  I believe this said payoff is leaving a lifetime legacy of being truly CHRIST lead.

"One of the greatest rewards of living by the well timed "whispers" of GOD regarding raising your family is that one day things just might come full circle."

D and I can only hope that the moral's and value's that we are instilling in our children will be what they will choose for their lives one day.  We trust HIM that HE has their lives in HIS hands, and HE will guide them, lead and teach them how to live every single moment of their lives.  We know that there are going to be times when they will turn away from GOD, but we know that it is through our obedience and discipline, and consistent modeling of CHRIST for them that will lead them back to the path that GOD has chosen for them.

"There is nothing uglier than a family that is out of step with GOD."  This was the first half of the story of my life, and thankfully that is no longer the case.  I can only imagine what my life would have been like had the people in my life been living for the LORD and instilling HIS morals and values into my life on a daily basis.  I can only imagine who I might be today if I had that sort up upbringing.  However, it I were to be totally honest, I am not so sure I would have wanted my life to go any other way, as it has been through my "darkest hours" that have molded and shaped me into who I am today. I know that it is because of what I have "endured" that I have the level of compassion that I do.  It is the very reason why I have the spiritual gifts of mercy, discernment and wisdom.  I wouldn't change a thing, as I am on this amazing journey with my loving SAVIOR towards wholeness.

I want to leave this life one day, when I am old, and tired, with all of my family surrounding me.  I want them to know that just by the look in my eye how much I love and adore them.  I want them to know that by choosing to let HIM lead you by HIS love and grace you can and will live a truly blessed life.  I want to leave this world knowing that I left an amazing legacy for generations to come.

I pray today that you will choose to leave an amazing  CHRIST lead legacy for your family.  I pray today that you will let go of the hurts that are keeping you from truly living.  I pray today that you will choose model CHRIST for your family  I pray today that you will seek HIM earnestly and allow HIM to refine and renew you so that you will leave this world knowing that it was special just because you were in it.  I pray today that you will see just how magnificent you are in HIS eyes, and you will turn to HIM and let HIM lead you down the path that HE has chosen just for you!

Blessings,
Heather