by Mary here: MIntheGap kindly agreed to guest post here today! I’ve missed you all here in blogland, but between church, family, homeschooling and now jury duty my life is running away with me…but enough about me, read on!
Children: Our Mirrors
One of the most humbling things about being a parent that I have found was how much my children are me. My oldest child is like me in so many ways:
- He has the physical build I had when I was young (my wife feeds me too well now!)
- He has the same set of interests that I had (I was always the indoors child)
- He has the same type of memory– that can tell you where something is even though you don’t believe he could possibly remember.
- He tends to want to be the third parent– what first child doesn’t?
What’s humbling is the times where you can see yourself in your children. I’m not simply talking about the word choices (I mean, what child knows truly what a chrysalis is– to them, it’s a Christmas) or their tastes, I’m talking about they react to the world– what they deem important.
I’m blessed that my children like to hear Bible stories, they like to memorize Scripture. My wife told me that the other day they were out in the yard enacting a scene from David and Goliath. The trouble was that they were using real stones!
And then there are the times that they reflect the poor character traits that we have. How we respond to frustration they do as well. If we raise our voices, so do they. They reflect and parrot us because they look up to us. We’re their world to them– especially when they are young.
How’s your reflection in the “mirror?” Do you like what you see?
MInTheGap
MInTheGap has been commenting on the culture at large and current events from his blog since 2004. He enjoys spending time with his family, writing, and being active in his local church.
It’s too true…but what pattern do children have to follow but us, their parents? Makes me think of our Heavenly Father…I want to be conformed to the image of His Son…perhaps we could find a way to hold Him up so that our kids would aspire to that much higher standard. Rom. 12:1-2 tells me transformation, whether of my children or me, comes as I learn to think like He thinks. I enjoy your thoughts MinTheGap.
Thanks, Mary’s Mom. What a great addition, and a great thought of who we should be reflecting.
It goes along with what they say about we are the only Jesus that some will ever see.
That is a truth that is presently impacting my life. The Lord Jesus lives in me in order to live through me…to think His thoughts (the Word of God) in me…to speak His viewpoints from my lips…and to motivate my decisions overtly. In the words of the old chorus, “Christ liveth in me…Christ liveth in me…Oh, what a salvation this, that Christ liveth in me!”
Loved reading you guys’s comments…this was a great post, MIn. I’m impressed that your memory is so good, being that you are a male, after all! 😉
My “reflections” aren’t always that great. Parenting is definitely my biggest WIP. (Word In Progress)! For the most part, I’m pretty happy with my girls, but we definitely have areas for improvement.
Sheesh, MIn. ALL of my children want to be the parent!!!
EACH ONE!
🙂 Raising a bunch of leaders, aren’t you, Mrs. Holly?
i think you have plenty to fear…
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
well, you certainly are your mother’s mirror, mary. i’ll give you that. seeing her posts certainly explains an awful lot. scary stuff.
You couldn’t have complimented me more, Linda. Thanks. 🙂
i find it firghtening that my family and i have to inhabit the same world as you and yours, mary. i really have been reading and not commenting and trying to get to know you, but really, what’s the point? your beliefs and the beliefs of your friends and family really are completely offensive to me.
I’m amazed that you can be so abrasive and then have nothing but vitriol to spew at someone so kind and hospitable as Mary. If you find what Mary and I have to say there’s nothing saying you have to read it. Turn off your feed reader, walk away from the blog, and go back to wherever it is you came from and enjoy your life.
Obviously you don’t know her in person, and there are many, much more frightening people you share the world with (you know, cannibals, head-hunters, trial lawyers, etc.). Go off and live in your own little world where everyone agrees with you and you can ban, shout down, or belittle and name call people that don’t and be happy.
hmmmm… i haven’t done any of those things. that sounds more like your style, actually. you don’t seem as though you have a lot of experience with women you can’t control. poor, MIN.
Obviously, Linda, you don’t know me. And it’s obvious to anyone that has read your comments whether my description is true or yours.
oh, i’ve had a looksy at your pathetic excuse of a blog. lol. such sad self righteousness over pretty much nothing, but being a mean~spirited, overbearing person. aren’t you the powerful king?
“i find it firghtening that my family and i have to inhabit the same world as you and yours, mary. i really have been reading and not commenting and trying to get to know you, but really, what’s the point? your beliefs and the beliefs of your friends and family really are completely offensive to me.”
Exactly, what’s the point? I thought we could find a common ground as women, mothers, and wives and perhaps stretch each other by discussing our differences rationally. I’ve tried, you haven’t. That’s how I see it. I spend most of my replies to you trying to soften the combative volleys you seem to delight in dumping on me. But this time around, you’ve not only dumped on me, you’ve dumped on my friends. And no good is coming from it, so I think it’s time we called a cease-fire on this discussion.
you’ve had your friends do your dirty work for you.
Thanks for visiting my site, Linda.