AUTHORITY

Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this right. "Honor your father and mother,"- which is the first commandment with a promise- "that is may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth" 

Eph. 6:1-3

    So very basic but so very hard when you are 5, 3 and 1 1/2. At least in our home.  As we have moved into a new home it seems we have left all our standards of living and interacting as a family at the old house.  My sweet Troy was looking a bit blue one day recently as we did some chores.  I asked what was wrong and he replied, "I just thought we weren't going to do chores at the new house."  "Oh, right because your 5! Even though you act 13 half the time your little world is being rocked and you don't really know how to place it all!"  I thought to myself. I previously thought getting the new house completely unpacked was a top priority, I now see that their is one higher.  A shift has graciously been made in my heart and thinking.  THANK YOU JESUS!  It will happen this new house will get set up.  I don't want to miss the opportunity to train my babies how to do a life transition for the sake of my preference.  That being a well organized home a week after move in. 

    We have been experiencing much disobedience and challenging of instruction.  There is a fine balance between being sensitive to their worlds being turned up side down and maintaining the standard. 

    We are going right back to the beginning this week.  Children obey your parents!  Yesterday morning we spent the breakfast time talking out what every word in Eph. 6:1-3 means.  We went to the living room and made up hand motions so we could act out the verse as we say it.  They love that part and I must confess so do I! 

     Some of the issues we are up against is misplaced thinking on authority.  

They are clear that God is the "most in charge" and that Dad is under God and Mom is under Dad.  Its the kids being under Mom and Dad and not over each other that needs some work. 

     We talked about how Mom and Dad love and fallow Jesus. Troy and Bear of course pipe in how much they love Jesus too. I smile. I explained that our family is "in the Lord" as Eph. 6 states.  So we were going to draw what that looks like. 

    God at the top of being "in charge." I will soon teach them the word AUTHORITY.  For now we are using kid words.  So, from God all the way down to Duke (our chocolate puppy) I had them draw themselves in their proper place and line up in the family.  This of course was super fun.  We put our Family Authority Order on the fridge. 

     I have been surprised at how useful it has been in one day!  Bear loves Batman.  He hasn't watched a lot of Batman cartoons so its amazing how much like his favorite super hero he is.  A vigilante to the core.  Desires things to be right and just by any means necessary.  If Abigail has Troy's toy don't worry Bear to the rescue!  He will pummel his sister to make sure she doesn't have something she shouldn't.  I love the bottom line of his heart but of course we are working on the method.  Our oldest Troy loves things in there place and is quite the teacher.  Often these two personalities are usurping their authority over one another.  Paul and I use the phrase, "That is a parent job not a brother job."  With the Family Authority Order drawing we are able to go look at it and see that all the kids are on the same level.  I remind them that they can trust me to take care of issues with their brother or sister. 

     Its exciting to see light bulbs turn on in there thinking.  This is training up a child in the way they should go.  What is at stake here is life going well for them (Eph.6:1-3).  I love them so much I desire with all my heart for life to go well for them.  I have not done these days perfectly.  I am pretty sure I have apologized every single day for my frustration and yelling at the kids.  "Yeah, kind of yelling a lot Mom," Troy pipes in. "Yes, Troy that is why I am apologizing and that is not appropriate to say while I am tell you sorry, because I am already aware of my sin." "Oh, well then I forgive you Mom." "Thank you son."  By God's grace we are pressing on one life lesson at a time.