Monday, June 2, 2008

Timothy Moms Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Challenge: Week #1

This is the first week of the Deuteronomy 6:6-7 challenge. I decided to start this challenge mostly just to hold myself accountable and to purposefully plan to speak God's word to my children throughout our day.

I already have the desire to plant God's word in their hearts, but the challenge is to do as Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says and teach them when we wake up and walk along the road and sit in our house and when we go to bed at night. I'm so inclined to think teaching my kids God's word has to be some home version of "Sunday school." But Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells me that God's way is much more natural than that. He just wants me to talk with them all day long, in every situation, and to use every opportunity to share with them what He's already written on my heart.

So each week I'll lay out a simple instruction for us to follow. The challenge is to do as Deut.6:6-7 says and draw what we talk about with our kids out of the Word we already have hidden IN OUR OWN HEARTS! We can't give to our kids what we haven't taken in for ourselves.

This week's instruction and challenge is:

1.Choose a favorite worship song you love to sing to the Lord and/or a favorite verse you have memorized and treasure for yourself.


2.When your child/children wake up the challenge is to sing your tune to them or speak your verse to them.


3.I encourage you to do it immediately when they rise. My boys don't always wake up like little sunshines. They often wake up grumpy and frumpy. But it always sets a worshipful tone for the day when the very first thing I say to them with a smile, no matter their response, is a scripture that I've memorized or a song that's on my heart. And I usually personalize it, such as if Israel, or a person's name, or he, she, or I is in the verse, I'll put my boys' names in it's place. Also don't use your lack of ability to sing as an excuse- I can't carry a tune in a bucket, but that doesn't matter when your singing to Jesus- He said make a joyful noise, not sing a perfect tune :). I've found that the longer I wait to sing or speak the word to my kids, the more the excuses abound and my morning mommy fatigue takes over along with the morning rituals that often times include complaints and irritations.

Be sure to post what you did for the challenge on your blog any time this week and then leave the permalink to your post (not just the link to your main blog page) on the Mr. Linky below. If you don't have a blog, please leave your comments to share how you're participating in the challenge.

Go here to review the Challenge guidelines. And remember, you don't have to post your link today. You can join in the Challenge at anytime and post about any of the challenges I write out and then come back and post your link on the cooresponding Challenge # post.

I'm praying for us mommas and our kids as we seek to lead them to Christ!

Sheila

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I will try and do that! a verse with my kids, sounds like fun!!

Kimberly said...

Hey! I am finally making it around to check out some of your other blogs! :)

What a great idea! I really do feel like I need to try to present my kids with some sort of daily Sunday School lesson...but that isn't what they need. Nor is it something I can do. I love how you talk about sharing with them what is already in my heart!

Your love for His Word and for your family is a treasure!

Sheila said...

thanks ladies for stopping by and commenting.

Amydeanne, that's what has really been speaking to me personally as I've been challenged by these verses- that is, just to simple speak a verse or sing a song that God has really impressed on my heart personally. It's amazing to me how life seems to easily get in the way of something so simple. I get caught up in a lot of excuses and I also tend to complicate things. If I was the boy with the few fish and loaves I probably would have tried to turn it into a catered sushi dinner before offering it for use by my Lord. But He doesn't want that. He just wants me to give what I have. Doing that with my 3 and 5 year old boys IS a challenge for me!

Kmom3, You are SUCH an encourager!

Praying for you and all us moms as we seek to lead our kids to Christ!

Sheila

Gina Marie said...

I am learning the speaking of the Lord and His goodness, buildig up my husband in front of the children, and striving to love and live for the LORD presents many teachable moments for my kids.. . .

I am late joining in with your challenges - but God keeps drawing me closer to him and I am striving to be the wife and mom He wants me to be.