february 2015
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7 Habits of Highly Intentional Parents
by Marianne Sunderland, http://www.managingyourblessings.com/2013/06/20/7-habits-of-highly-intentional-parents/ There is a lot of talk these days about being intentional. In our modern world, busyness and distraction are at an all-time high. How is a parent to step outside the craziness and grab hold of the ideal life?
Be in Prayer
Ultimately, if we are not in tune with our Creator, our lives are going to quickly spin out of control. We were made for this relationship. There is no better way to stop the noise than by getting quiet before the Lord and pouring your dreams out to the One who gave you the dreams to begin with. Ask Him for the wisdom and guidance to raise, love, and nurture your family.
Be in the Word
Being in God’s will is the perfect place to be in this world. Seek Him through the Word daily and allow Him to fill you with wisdom from above. Ask Him to cause your purposes and dreams to line up with His. By putting God first in your life, everything else will fall into place.
Focus on Priorities
As busy, competent wives and mothers it is easy to get caught up in checking off lists of to-dos and forget the most important things: God, family, and then work. So often we put our families (and even God) below our work. This will cause an ugly imbalance marked by frustrations and irritations. Stop and check yourself. Are you putting the most important things first?
Listen to Your Kids
It is tempting to want to speak wisdom into our kids’ lives and there is nothing wrong with that. However, be sure to
Announcements Remember today is the deadline to pay for fees this semester. Fees are $70/ semester or $140/year. Make checks out to FPCE and give to Jessica Filson. If you know that you will be missing a MOPS meeting or that you will not be bringing your kid(s) to a meeting, please e-mail childcare@fpcedmond.org to let them know. This will greatly help our childcare workers in MOPPETS.
take the time to really listen to them and ask them what they think – without a lecture! If we don’t listen to them, they will find someone else who does.
Love Your Kids
Does this seem obvious? Make sure it is obvious to your kids, too! Hugs and expressions of affection should be commonplace in your home. Tell your kids how proud you are of them. Find the good in them – even if it is hard to do sometimes. If your kids don’t feel loved by you, they will find that love from someone else!
Take Time for Your Kids
Without getting into the quality time cliche, make sure there are blank days on your calendar with no agenda so there can be time to just be together without pressures and deadlines, etc. Find activities that you enjoy doing together as a family and make the time to do them on a regular basis. These are the memories that will stick with your kids long after they have left home. Memories that help them to know that they are an important part of a loving family. There is no greater gift than that of time.
Love Your Spouse
Couples that make the effort to nurture their relationships rather than allow them to drift apart are giving their children the gift of stability and love that is so necessary as they grow. Raising kids can put a strain on busy parents. Take the time for a date night – even if it is a quick coffee rather than dinner and a movie. Kids will appreciate that their parents like to be together and show one another love and respect.
Want to join the S teering Team? Are you interested in joining the Steering Team? Do you like to organize activities and events? Do you have a heart for helping moms connect? We have an immediate opening for Outside Activities. Please let your table leader know if you are interested.