we taught our boys the verse "i was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord"
me and adam decided before we even had kids, that church would be a priority for us. not an option. a priority. we were both raised that way, and we wanted to raise our family that way. it would not be...are we too tired? is the day too snowy? is the day too sunny? it is just our life. if it is sunday morning (or night) i guarantee we will be at church. period. and you know what? we love it! our boys do not see us grudgingly attending church because we have to. they see us doing it as an overflow and expression of our love and dedication to our God. it is not a ritual, or a chore. it is just what we want to do. i think that when kids watch their parents complain and argue all the way to church that is when it starts entering their minds that maybe it would be easier if they didn't go! maybe that's why they stop going all together when they are older! if we are making it our goal to please Him (2 cor. 5:9 niv) then we will want to go to church so we can grow!
alright. gotta go to bed. goodnight!
Our children have always LOVED to go to church. Even if there were times that my husband and I couldn't go (really COULDN'T be there) all of our kids would go by themselves. (We lived just a block from church for the past 8 years.) Whomever was at home would GO ... no question about it.
ReplyDeleteMany of our kids have attended 2 or 3 services (duplicate services) during a weekend because THEY WANT TO BE THERE. They may want to get some more worship time in ... or they may want to hear the sermon again. But ... they want to be there. Period.
Even though we had a HUGE children's program with 500+ children ... by the time our kids were about 5 they would ask if they couldn't please join us in "big service". They want to worship with us. They want to hear the pastor's sermon. They want to discuss the sermon when we get home. I once asked my 5 year old why he liked to be in big service and he said, "In Kid's Place all they do is watch movies and play games. I want to learn more about Jesus."
Keep raising those boys up to love the Lord and you will be AMAZED at all that the Lord will do in them and through them.
Keep setting the example that your relationship with Christ is NOT religion ... and that church is NOT optional.
Blessings,
Laurel :)
:)
ReplyDeletekeep taking snap shots!! i love seeing pictures of the boys!!!!!
I was discussing this whole concept of prioritizing church with our pre-school leader. Kids come to church in play clothes, hair uncombed, etc. Not that looks are everything but there is NO attempt to make church a priority and something to look forward to. Go girl!!
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