A Worthy Calling
by Becky Wyand
You Are Called
“He hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” II Tim 1:9
The verse before and following are worth your pondering too; but for today I want us to notice:
What power is included in the words “saved” and “called”. How comforting to know that God alone is in charge of the call in my life.
The call is holy. Therefore I can expect Him to tug me back when I wonder.
The call is not because I’m such a good teacher but to fulfill a purpose that He has for His own satisfaction.
What a picture of grace!
Relationships
“No man hath seen God at anytime. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” I John 4:12
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar, for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen,” I John 4:20
As we read these verses we are reminded of God’s way. Imagine God choosing to reveal Himself to those around us by the way we show love. Be reminded:
• Relationships within your family are worth restoring.
• You don’t have to agree on everything to agree on being agreeable.
• The old people in your family can be honored, even if you disagree with them.
• You can show love to your unlovely, often unsaved, relatives. Ignoring them does not accomplish showing love.
• Forgiveness can be your choice whether it is anyone else’s or not.
In thanks
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning."
Read and reread this, perhaps from various translations and paraphrases, to see how it would apply to set your heart at peace as you train your children.
Also, use this verse and other verses as you gaze at a summer night’s sky or watch a sunset on a warm day. Through your summer activities absorb Scripture and delight in what God is doing in your family.
The Rebel Heart
The rebel heart is one that does not trust parental training. Increasingly it becomes a heart that cannot receive instruction. This can be a very difficult burden for a parent. Here are some steps to try. Remember our hope is in the Lord. We gladly walk the walk He has set before us.
Consider:
1) In any training situation begin with prayer and complete heart surrender on your part.
2) Separate moral issues from other decisions. Stand firm in what you demand about moral issues but be VERY FLEXIBLE in other issues.
3) As far as possible keep repeating yourself as you try to convince your child that you want to see him win.
4) Continue to use 30 seconds, several times a day for showing your child exactly what you mean And pointing out to him where you see him having victory.
5) When you feel defeated don’t yield to the temptation to think that it is not so bad. Admit to God that is it evil and an abomination to Him. Continue to search Hi Word for guidelines.
6) Continue to have calm, non-preaching devotions. Make no requirements on the student. Simply come together to discover what God is doing and how that affects me.
7) In your personal prayer time or in prayer with your child (if he will listen), as God to take away the rebellion and replace it with a willing surrender.
8) Hug often.
9) Continue to assign chores and expect cooperation. Consequences should be the same as for any child in your family failing to do chores…not ignored and not harsher.
10) Remember only God can change the hard heart. Don’t interfere with Him doing it.
Notebooks
Here are some suggestions for using a blank notebook instead of or as a supplement to your textbook.
1) Use simply as a journal. Record thoughts and have someone correct spelling and grammar.
2) Use for a collection of trees, leaves, flowers, bugs, tools, etc. Allow for labeling or descriptions. Research other things about your collection and write your findings in your notebook.
3) Read several books and begin a journal or notebook describing the book, doing character analyses and giving your personal response to the book. Keep this notebook just for literature evaluation.
4) Make a notebook of age-appropriate maps. Begin with local places and branch out. Jot down information such as capital or population.
5) Use a blank notebook for math. Give a word problem and have the child write the mathematical equation in his notebook. Make a page of times drills. Add time and measurements problems. Give examples of proving your answers or showing the answers with drawings.
6) Have the child write creative stories and draw pictures to accompany the story.
7) Keep a science notebook where experiment results are written or a weather log is kept.
8) Use your notebook for a history time line.
9) Interesting history reports can be put into a notebook.
10) Keep your best notebook as texts for other children and review for the student making it.
Responsibility
Some easy ideas for helping your child develop personal responsibilities during these warm months.
1) Continue with some schedule and routine. This helps the child more clearly define his violation.
2) Continue to give service opportunities. “:How might you have handles that if you were thinking more of how your brother felt?”
3) Give praise for help with non-assigned jobs as reading to siblings.
4) Have calm, unhurried check points for responsibilities. As: Before we leave for the library, think what your responsibilities is so that we all win (responsibilities such as, see if the dog has water OR do I have my books to return?).
5) Keep the rules and don’t interfere with training. If you say “We can’t leave until the kitchen floor of scrubbed,” then you don’t leave until; the kitchen floor is scrubbed. Then instead of one hour at the park or pool we have 20 minutes.