In the last 4 posts, I’ve tried to give you some “shoe leather” – real stuff-  you can do with your family, not just pie-in-the-sky ideas that sound good but aren’t practical. I’ve been doing this type of thing for MANY years now. I just completed my 37th year homeschooling and graduated my last child. Whew! But, I’m not done yet. Just beginning. I’ve got 16 grandchildren with number 17 on the way in March. And yes, I’m not their parents, but Scripture does hold me responsible to influence my grandchildren in a godly fashion.

I KNOW it’s not easy having a bunch of “littles” in your home to work around and cart with you in car seats when you go places. Believe me, I know all about it! But, listen to me- IT’S WORTH every minute of it.

What do you want to see at the end of your life? I want to see kids and grandkids and even great-grandkids who are thoroughly committed to the Lord, who are living lives pleasing to Him; a big part of that is investing themselves in others. People go to heaven. Things don’t. People can be saved. Things can’t. People can be encouraged and inspired to attempt great things for God and even do things that others may see as little things, but are really BIG things in God’s eyes.

I don’t want to waste my life, but I also don’t want to have a part in encouraging my kids to waste their lives. Don’t get me wrong. We are all sinners. We’re all going to make some bad decisions, we’re all going to have rough spots in our lives that God has to grind to powder and remake sometimes, but I want my life to count. I want to have done what I can for my kids even though what I do is imperfect. God looks on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV) ^“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

God looks on my kids’ hearts. Investing in teaching your kids what God Word says in a tangible way is worth every minute of it. Sometimes you can sit and learn together. I developed character studies for my kids to learn to put off bad attitudes and learn to choose God’s way, but sometimes it’s more than just studying, it’s doing -taking the next step-  it’s putting into practice what they’ve learned.

I hope this series of blog posts has helped inspire you to do just that. If it has, I will not have wasted my time!

My kids are all grown now, and the biggest blessings I can ever have is to hear that they’ve continued to seek out ways to bless others with their lives.

OFTEN, I hear from others in my church and community how my kids have blessed them in so many tangible ways- things I NEVER KNEW my kids had done!

Things like:

• spending the night with a widow who just got out of surgery
• bringing $100 to a man who lost his job and finances were tight
• helping people move and install appliances
• making meals for countless young moms, people who’ve been sick
• inviting others into their homes and being hospitable
• helping a family whose dad has an incurable disease

I could make a HUGE list of examples, but I don’t want you to think I’m bragging on my kids. I’m trying to inspire you by giving you concrete evidence that it’s worth the effort you’re expending now. Training your kids to serve our Lord is worth EVERY minute of it.

You will never regret putting your arm around your child and pouring your life out in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. We’re still in the beginning of a new year….choose to make it a priority starting this year!

Please feel free to share with us some of the ways you’ve tried to be a blessing to others. We can all learn from each other!!

Remember Character in Action is on special for the month of January. Read it to your kids, let your kids read it, and schedule in some projects you can do in 2021.

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Marilyn

Marilyn is wife to Rick, Mom to 14 children, Nana to 22 grandchildren (and counting!) and homeschooler for 37 years. She and her husband own Character Concepts which they started for the purpose of helping others raise children with a strong, godly character and Biblical worldview.They have developed character curriculumfrom preschool through high school, based on what they found worked whenteaching their own 14 children over the years. Her passion is to help young moms raise kids of character and enjoy the journey!

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