If there's one thing I've always wanted to teach my kids it's how to love God and love people. Sometimes I think we aren't doing a very good job of it. Honestly, it's not easy to be a good example for your children. Especially when they are looking at you every second and seeing your failures as well as your victories.
We tell our kids to be kind and help people. Yet immediately after that we almost scowl at the beggar asking us for money. We tell our kids to say positive things about people. Yet an instant later we are complaining to each other about the worker who stole money out of our closet when he was supposed to be installing our airconditioner. We ask our kids to speak softly to each other and the next moment we are raising our voices about something short lived and silly.
And yet...how will our kids learn about the realities of life and how to handle them in a godly way if they dont see US handling the realities of life in a godly way. Our kids are still small but they are watching and imitating our every move and attitudes. Sometimes its funny. Sometimes its embarassing!
It seems to me that the key is balance. Life is never going to be a bowl of cherries..or fried rice...or Baguio strawberries with cream...However we can choose to glorify God in all situations..in our attitudes..in the way we relate to each other..in our choices...in our relationship with our kids.
I don't ever want my kids to grow up and feel that we never taught them how to problem solve, or how to react in crisis, or how to rely on God when the going gets tough and our surroundings get uncomfortable. I want to them to know that even though we may fail them, God never will.. I want them to see us loving God and loving people. Because if they don't see that in us, then they will never learn how to do it themselves.
