Category: Parenting

The Father

RhondaLeave a comment

I know, not too many homeschool dads read this blog. Most readership is homeschool moms; so moms, you’ll just have to share. Since today is Father’s Day, at least in the United States, I thought it would be nice to write something for fathers.

For most of my school years, I attended a small private school, where the teacher chose my curriculum and pretty much oversaw my education. However, as I have reviewed my education, I have realized that one of the most important things I ever learned was taught me by my dad. My dad taught me how to work—to work efficiently and to work thoroughly. I can remember times when I fumed to my brother that Dad was sure a slavedriver, but today I have blessed him many times for the valuable lesson of hard work that he gave me. My dad taught me that no job was above or below me. I had to do it, no matter how grossed out I got. I had to do it, no matter if I thought it was far too difficult, I was expected to figure it out. There weren’t boys’ jobs or girls’ jobs in our home; my brother and I both mowed the lawn and did the dishes. My dad taught me what the verse, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) both by insistence and by example. My dad could work as hard as anybody I ever met in my life and my dad was my hero. Now I know how to work.

Today, I would like to encourage all homeschool fathers to take up the task of teaching their children how to work—to really work. “The father, as the head of his own household, should understand how to train his children for usefulness and duty. This is his special work, above every other.” (Adventist Home, p. 221) Mothers also teach children to work, but due the fact that fathers tend to be a bit sterner in their nature, they make the best teachers for this important life lesson.

Fathers, if you train your children to be good workers, you will receive reward for your efforts many times over in the years to come. Your children will bless you for it.

Motivation Monday

AnnLeave a comment

 

 

“Children need to have religion made attractive, not repulsive. The hour of family worship should be made the happiest hour of the day. Let the reading of the Scriptures be well chosen and simple; let the children join in singing; and let the prayers be short, and right to the point.”

The Missionary Magazine – March 1, 1898

Motivation Monday

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“Children, Jesus, in order to show you your duty to your parents, passed through the period of childhood and youth. He laid aside his exalted character, and became a child, doing the duties which a child should do. For thirty years he submitted to parental restraint. Yet he was the King of glory, the Majesty of Heaven.

It is common for children, even of Christian parents, when not over twelve years old, to feel that they must be allowed to follow their own desires. And parents are ready to be led by their children, rather than to lead them. Instead of the parents, like Abraham, commanding their household after them, their children command them. For this reason many youth come up with habits of selfishness and idleness. They are vain, proud, and headstrong.

The life of Christ demonstrates to all youth that a life of industry and obedience is favorable to the formation of good moral character, firm principles, strength of purpose, sound knowledge, and high spiritual attainments. Most of the youth of the present day cherish a love for exciting amusements, which is unfavorable for high attainments in mental culture, and for physical strength. The mind is not kept in a calm, healthful state for thought, but is, much of the time, under an excitement; in short, is intoxicated with the amusements it craves, which renders it incapable of close application, reflection, and study.”

 

Youth’s Instructor,  September 1, 1873

Building More Than A Tree House

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What a family project really accomplished.

Adventist World – Building A Tree House

Motivation Monday

Ann1 Comment

“The best test of the Christianity of a home is the type of character that results from its influence. The very first work of parents is to secure the blessing of God in their own hearts, and then bring this blessing into their homes.

God commanded the Hebrews to teach their children His requirements, and to make them acquainted with all His dealings with their fathers. This was one of the special duties of every parent,—one that was not to be delegated to another. In the place of stranger lips, instruction was to come warm from the loving hearts of father and mother. Thoughts of God were to be associated with all the events of daily life; the mind was to be trained to see God alike in the scenes of nature and the words of revelation.

Such was the training of Moses in the lowly cabin home in Goshen; of Samuel, by the faithful Hannah; of David in the hill dwelling at Bethlehem; of Daniel, before the scenes of the captivity separated him from the home of his fathers. Such, too, was the early life of Christ at Nazareth; such the training by which the child Timothy learned from the lips of his “grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice” the truths of Holy Writ.”

The Bible Echo –  October, 1894

 

Quotes Just for Mothers

Rhonda1 Comment

These are my favorite Spirit of Prophecy quotes for mothers. I hope that you find them as encouraging as I do.

“The king upon his throne has no higher work than has the mother. The mother is queen of her household. She has in her power the molding of her children’s characters, that they may be fitted for the higher, immortal life. An angel could not ask for a higher mission; for in doing this work she is doing service for God. Let her only realize the high character of her task, and it will inspire her with courage. Let her realize the worth of her work and put on the whole armor of God, that she may resist the temptation to conform to the world’s standard. Her work is for time and for eternity.” Adventist Home, p. 231
“Next to God, the mother’s power for good is the strongest known on earth.”  Adventist Home, p. 240

“How far-reaching in its results was the influence of that one Hebrew woman, and she an exile and a slave! The whole future life of Moses, the great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of the Christian mother. There is no other work that can equal this. To a very great extent the mother holds in her own hands the destiny of her children. She is dealing with developing minds and characters, working not alone for time, but for eternity. She is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good or for evil. She has not to paint a form of beauty upon canvas or to chisel it from marble, but to impress upon a human soul the image of the divine.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 244

“Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness, owe the principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a praying, Christian mother.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 244

“Let mothers come to Jesus with their perplexities. They will find grace sufficient to aid them in the management of their children. The gates are open for every mother who would lay her burdens at the Saviour’s feet. He who said, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not,” still invites the mothers to lead up their little ones to be blessed by Him. Even the babe in its mother’s arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their earliest moments.” Desire of Ages, 512

Motivation Monday

AnnLeave a comment

“The disposition and habits of youth will be very likely to be manifested in mature manhood. You may bend a young tree into almost any shape that you choose, and if it remains and grows as you have bent it, it will be a deformed tree, and will ever tell of the injury and abuse received at your hands. You may, after it has had years of growth, try to straighten the tree, but all efforts will prove unavailing. It will ever be a crooked tree.

This is the case with the minds of youth. They should be carefully and tenderly trained in childhood. They may be trained in the right direction or in the wrong, and in their future lives they will pursue the course in which they were directed in youth. The habits formed in youth will grow with the growth and strengthen with the strength….”

Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students  p.81