Teachable Moments

Today is traditionally a day of feasting and football, family and friends. As you worked in the kitchen preparing that feast or sat around the table sharing your meal with your loved ones, did you take that opportunity to teach your children? Did you show them the love that can go into preparing a meal for others? Did you teach them how to be thankful for the bounty of blessings we have?

Children are little sponges and they see a lot. What are they learning if they see you fussing over fixing the meal, snapping at your family as you stress to make everything perfect? Do you want them to learn that holidays are stressful and family gatherings are a time to gripe and complain? Or do you show them that God has blessed us with so much and we are forever thankful for these earthly blessings? Do they see you pray and give thanks every day, not just this one day a year. In this amazing country, even with its many problems, we are so blessed far above most people of the world.

Remember what the Lord told the children of Israel about teaching His precepts to their children? Deuteronomy 11:19 (ESV) "You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Structured Bible study is necessary and profitable, but you must take those opportunities of teachable moments throughout every day. When you are in the kitchen cooking your meal, talk to your children about the abundance of food we have today. Tell them about ways they can help others who are less fortunate. Show them the joy of sharing a meal with family and friends and how to cherish their loved ones.

Today's holiday is the beginning of the busiest season of the year. We will all be rushing around trying to get our houses decorated, our shopping done, our baking finished . . . We each have our own list. Don't let this season of stress take away the teachable moments you can have with your children. Talk to them about who you are buying gifts for, get them to see the joy of giving. Help them focus on sharing with others, not just what they want. Take them to buy gifts to give to the poor and needy. Have them help you bake cookies to take to the elderly and shut-ins from your congregation. These are all teachable moments, times when you can take the opportunity to teach your children how to be a servant, caring for others, not just themselves.

One Chance - Special Thanks to Brent Moody

Yesterday, Brent Moody, one of our preachers, talked about our one change to influence our children. It was an AMAZING lesson. A great beginning to all the discussions that we need to have about raising godly children. Take a few minutes out of your busy day and listen to this wonderful lesson.

http://kleinwood.com/sermons/all-sermons/2014/11/16/one-chance

Then let's continue our discussions about ways we can influence our children. We have just one chance to raise the kind of children we want to leave to this world. The kind of people we want to see grow up, live their lives for God and spend eternity in heaven with. 

Education is a good thing. Having children who are good at their schoolwork, who go to a good college and get a good job is a good thing. But . . . if your children grow up not knowing God, or not caring about the One who created them, the One who loves them and wants what is best for them . . . well, that is failure.

Don't fail your children. You have one chance, just a few years, to teach your children. But you have years and years to regret not teaching them. Now, speaking from experience, you can try your hardest to teach your children and still have regrets. None of us are perfect. But imagine the regrets if you don't do your best to teach and train your children.

Please listen to this lesson and then check back in a few days for more discussion about how to influence your children.

Thanks, Brent, for a wonderful lesson!!!