Season's of a Mother's Heart: Living with Discipleship

I am plugging away at Season's of a Mother's Heart by Sally Clarkson.  When I signed up for my friend Erin's online book club, I really didn't think I would keep up with everyone.  Lookie here...I am all caught up!  The book is really easy to read and the chapters are really short...so that helps. :) Mrs. Clarkson provides such wisdom to mom's who have little ones at home and are trying to raise them in a Godly manner.  Her grown kids are proven examples of how Christ has worked in one home.  Other's are reviewing the book as well.  To see their thoughts, Erin has a link-up post on her blog every Friday afternoon at: http://homewiththeboys.net .

Chapter 9:  Living with Discipleship

"Train your child in the way they should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it"

Proverbs 22:6

This chapter was about the verse I just mentioned above.  My kids are still young, but the older ones, especially my 6 year old, picks up on everything...the good, the bad, and the ugly.  My husband and I sometimes over hear her trying to "discipline" the other kids...even though she knows she shouldn't...and we sometimes look at each other and say...wow...that sounds just like you (me).  Sometimes it isn't pretty.  As we raise our kids, our goal is to have them model our "good" behaviors.  Unfortunately they see our bad behaviors too...impatience, frustration, stress, etc.  This chapter was an eye opener to me as we continue this long journey of raising our kids. 

Mrs. Clarkson breaks the chapter up into three key points:

• Discipleship requires a personal relationship with your children:  Without it, biblical discipleship is not going to happen in your home, with your children.  If they learn patterns of relationship from us (Sean and I), it will be an easier step for them to relate to the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Discipleship requires a spiritual intent: Going to church, teaching them Bible stories, having them memorize verses isn't enough...I want them to see me (and Sean) living a life with Christ.  Mrs. Clarkson believes that we have until our kids are 12 years old to accomplish in their lives the task of raising them to be disciples of Jesus Christ.  Twelve years, that is not a lot of time!   She believes the windows of their hearts begin to close when they move into young adulthood.  I have seen this happen.  I have seen families lose their children when they hit this age....and never get them back.  A sad, sad, thing!
• Discipleship requires a living example:  I am hoping to show them how they can serve the Lord, by being witnesses about Christ; by serving others; by thinking of others first over themselves.  If I want my children to someday be a mature Christian adult, then I need to be committed to giving them a living example of what a mature Christian adult looks like.

As usual, there is a lot that I need to chew on, digest, and think about.  I definitely have some work to do!