Delighting in Your Children, Part 3

Moms and dads beyond ever feel hassled by your kids after all. While it's true the children are a gift from God is also true that rearing sons and daughters can be one of the toughest assignments in all of life. As toddlers they exhaust us as gradeschool kids they peppers with relentless questions.

Sometimes annoyance as teenagers.

They exasperate us.

So how do we fulfill our parental role with a sense of joy rather than resentment today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll concludes her message introduced earlier this week. We're talking about the lighting in your children first testimonials is a letter written to the people of Thessalonica by Paul Epperson really just little bit of time there was like you gotta read acts 17 19. It will tell you about his time in Thessalonica was long at all a matter of weeks. Once he scoops it is on his way to other involvement in ministry. He pauses along the way and he writes them a letter remembering what life was like when he was if your pastoral former pastor. If you know the joy of shepherding the flock that you can understand the words that appear beginning at verse five of first Thessalonians. These are words of a shepherd to a congregation makes my heart beat faster to read him while we we never came with flattering speeches.

You know her with a pretext for greed. God is witness. In fact, I didn't seek glory from from man, either from you are from others. Even though, as an apostle of Christ. I might've asserted my authority you think. However, I reckon he's an apostle, for goodness sake. But Paul never showed up going when I woke in the room do that.

He just showed up.

He just served.

He just disarmed them with his grace and kindness we could've asserted our authority but we never did. We never reminded you that we had had a relationship with Christ that few people would ever read on, but there's a particle of contrast but not that. But we proved to be gentle among you is where it gets good we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing tenderly cares for children, not just a mother but a mother with Falco OT HEL PO it means to heat to warm is the tender picture of a mother with a newborn at her breast get this. She's wrapped the baby in a warm soft blanket.

She just put a fresh diaper on and she's pulled the child up close.

She's holding him in such a way that his head rests, and that she pulls him to her breast and she warms fabulous it was a while when one of our daughters was living with us as they were in transition in their in their home and she had just given birth to one of her children. We were living in California at the time that a stairway that led down to the family room and and I didn't know anyone. I got up real early in and I walked down the stairs and I saw a light. Very dimly lit, and that there was Ira Colleen with her baby and I felt like I was walking into some secret place. She held a baby in her arms and was nursing and then I slipped away him set up on the top step.

She never knew I'd done this and I thank God for the tenderness of her touch, but this really isn't about. This is in about a mother nursing a child. This is about you delighting in yours, warming them, comforting them. It's an old word that on occasion is translated. Cherish, I wish we still use that word usually only use it at wedding ceremonies and you never remember what you say at wedding ceremonies and that that's too bad because cherish is such a great it's tactile you feel cherished. In fact will be interested to know that over the Old Testament when it was translated into Greek, called the Septuagint big word meaning the Greek Old Testament when this word fall poll was translated there in Deuteronomy.

It's a picture of a mother in sitting on her eggs to love it fluffed out there keeping her eggs.

What more and then when the chicks pop out of the eggs in the just old enough to be dangerous.

She's got big wings out holding them the same word fall is the word for seeing value. I care about each one of you chicks don't go too far. The lazy B ranch is comprised of 260 mi.˛ of scrub brush on the New Mexico Arizona border and has been in the day families since 1881 when Harry and Ada made today were ready to have their first child.

They traveled 200 miles to El Paso for the delivery and Ada Mae brought her baby Sandra home to a difficult life before room adobe house had no running water and electricity. There was no school within driving distance one would have thought that with such limited resources Sandra's intellectual future was slim, not on your life. Harry and Ada Mae were dreamers who did not allow themselves to be limited by their surroundings.

Harry had been forced by his father's death, to take over the ranch rather than enter Stanford University, but he never gave up hope that his daughter would someday study their an item they continued to subscribe to metropolitan newspapers or magazines like Vogue in the New Yorker when Sandra was for her mother started her on the Calvert method of home instruction and later saw that she went to the best boarding school possible.

Sandra's brother Allen says that one summer their parents picked them up a pack them into a car and they drove to all of the state capitals west of the Mississippi.

We climbed up to the dome of every building until finally we bought back home, set out Sandra did go to Stanford then on to law school and eventually to become the first woman Supreme Court justice in the United States of America on the day of her swearing in the day. Family was there.

Course during the ceremony.

Ellen watched her closely. Sandra put on her robe walked to her seat among the justices. She looked around and saw the family and locked her eyes right into hours, said Alan. That's when the tears started falling what causes a woman like Sandra Day O'Connor to go so far intelligence. Well of course lots of inner drive yes but but much of the credit goes to a determined little ranch woman sitting in her adobe house at night reading hours on end to her children and to parents scampering the stairways of capital domes with their children in tow was apparent that delight in their children.

When you plan your vacation.

Just look for a place you want to go talk to the kids asked them where they would like to be in fact think of stretching things where you do things that they wouldn't have thought of and you explain to them why and how this will help them later in life they learn from that really care about this that they don't know the meaning of Falco but they sure do know when they're being warmed and cared for. In fact, fast forward to verse 11 dishes you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children have always loved this passage as a mother as a father. This book and that book in a mother is known for warming but look at what the father is known for sound just like a dead, exhorting, encouraging and imploring.

Oh brother does like lecture number 738 note has nothing to do with any of those things you think when you broaden your understanding with these three words. The first one eggs sort get this is from a term that means to treat someone in a congenial manner to be inviting to speak in a friendly way to show respect with our word so dad listen to me how to criticize long enough that you found a moment to locate what was wrong enough when I mow the grass and missed the spot is the time to overlook the spot drag on for the boat grass, would you do that you will you treat them in a congenial and friendly way they learn that you delighting them to the next word encouraging. This is the word that means to cheer up even to console member. The last time the child showed up with tears was a response.

You know, a child can eat while the child is crying. So why do you force-feed him something far more important than eating their food that evening that you taken time to find out what's broken their heart. You do that when you delight, and not just dance, but mothers as well. So easy to just get so task oriented.

That is just no like sling and food and three times a day just eaten. Do something not see the last word, imploring the term means to F for a love that word to support them in a manner that encourages them to affirm them. We acknowledge events that have been accomplished.

We affirm people. Great job last mean you brought your great self. This is terrific.

Yeah I know you'd like to make all ladies but I never made all 86 it's okay that you did your best. How this is a subject that you have instructors and how can I help you with that is I wanted to do well in all of them.

You got that ability to see the difference. You're saying the same thing, but purchasing a little differently. Dad's mom connive your attention right now is the time to get paid closer attention to the amount of time you're spending with your children.

Isn't it time for you to think seriously about that and not just fill up the extra time with an extra job or just looking for your favorite chair when the evening comes, but rather what they would like to do that evening is about time that the words you spoke your children are words of courtesy. How rare children your parents say I'm sorry I spoke too quickly. I apologize. Please forgive me. They will never take advantage of you when you were that vulnerable. I speak from experience and the confidence that you show in your children is it about time you turn the tables on all of this and talk about how well they drive or how nicely they did the dishes, or how much better they are keeping their room and if I may add one more bring a little laughter bring joy in the home. Okay Texas. The horrible and the dead, you got it on five show me respect you have to demand respect you don't deserve it. Furthermore, it will make him give it to you. You earn respect and they will just follow if you've earned. It's essential. If you delight in your child that you spend time with that child regardless of the it's essential that the words you say to your children or words of courtesy and kindness and respect, it's essential that the confidence you have in your children is communicated to the do that, son, why you got the ability to make that happen when your boy is now an adult and he's on his way of life may be married with children and comes to you with an idea or task because you delight in him is to say for that were right here praying with you and for you. You give discernment you give counsel, but you were there to encourage them on their way. Speaking of laughter.

I want the kids to remember me as I got it was fun to be with really do is easy for preachers to be remembered as a guided priest at home is like a researcher, you know you remember me as the guy that through their mother in the pool and lived to tell the story, throwing her in the pool is no big deal. Living to tell the story is a big deal.

I graded this to see a dad with his head thrown back laughing out loud how valuable that laughter can be. Maybe it's overdue to take.

It is simply a reproof or rebuke. Take it as encouragement bring laughter back into your life. Include your children and it come across a funny story, email it to one your kids, you find that something is rather humorous in life. I can't wait to call upon my kids and tell them about you never believe what I saw today I want them when they remember me to remember the laughter in the hallways. The wall in the picture.

I don't want them to remember a frowning, shouting preacher. I want them to remember daddy who absolutely adored him took delight in him.

Encourage them to laugh. I wanted to miss the fun again with her daddy. Speaking of which, I want to quote from my favorite theologian Irma Bombeck inserts the other Sunday I was intent on a small child he was turning around, smiling at everyone. He was a gurgling, spitting, humming, kicking, telling the hymnals are rummaging through his mother's handbag.

He was your smile your smile.

Finally, his mother jerked about in a stage whisper that could be heard in the little theater on Broadway. She says stop grinning your insurance. With that she gave him a belt and as the tears rolled down his cheeks at it as better and returned to her prayers. We sing make a joyful noise to the Lord while our faces reflect the sadness of one who is just buried her rich aunt who left everything to her pregnant hamster.

We chat if I have not charity, I become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal translated in the parking lot. It comes out save you. Suddenly I was angry. It occurred to me the entire world was in tears. And if you're not, you better get with it.

I want to grab this child with the tear stained face close to me and tell them about my God, the happy, the smiling God, the God who had to have a sense of humor to have created the likes of us. I want to tell them is understanding God. He understands little children who pick their noses in church because the board I love that line stanza man in the parking lot read the comics while his wife is attending church. He understands, even understands my shallow prayers that implore Lord, if you can't make me thin then make my friends look fat. He understands.

I wanted to tell his kid to get a few lumps in my time for daring to smile at religion but tradition one wears faith with the solemnity of a mourner. The gravity of a massive tragedy in the dedication of a rotary badge.

What a fool I thought here was a woman sitting next to the only light left in our civilization. The only hope our only miracle. Our only promise of infinity if he couldn't smile in church were was there left to go well as you can tell them not through but I'll be back in our heads. Soul-searching time for all of us. Believe me, I've lived with this message long enough to feel deeply convicted, I would ask nothing of you that I would not ask of myself while you're sitting there thinking through where you been what you make and of your home and family. Realizing that someday they'll remember you neither lift their hands or not. When asked was yours a happy home where you grew up, he is never too late to start doing what's right. It all begins with a sincere faith in the son of God who loved you and gave himself for you. Please trust him even if it's for the first time in your life. Trust him.

Thank you, dear father for for being such a good dad.

Thank you for loving us in that in such a tender inconsistent and faithful and even enjoyable way. You just disarm us with how good you are. Even when we been on every step.

Stupid. Thanks for never walking out of our lives.

Father, thank you for your love and your delight your understanding, your grace, your mercy new every single morning.

Thank you for being so good to us when we are so slow to learn, shake us awake today are father with the realization that you delight in us as your sons and daughters and may we seek ways to do the same with our thank you for Jesus giving us your very own son, of all things your one and only son, today we sit in the shadow of the cross at the foot of that cross all ground is level is no right there's no position there's no stratum of economic significant world has sooner saved by the grace of God's blessing name is Chuck Swindoll said a moment ago.

I'm not finished with the subject, but I'll be back. Yes, there's much more to the biblical parenting series with today's program where just about halfway through Chuck's Classics series which continues next time and learn more about this ministry or Chuck Swindoll.

Please visit us online@insideworld.org as we conclude another week of Bible study together. Let me take a moment to tell you how much it means to Chuck and all of us at Insight for living. Whenever we receive your feedback. We know that you have a lots of extra pressure on your household right now with the global pandemic demanding so much attention, but even so we're thrilled to hear that inside for living continues to fill a void for many who have little access to practical Bible teaching.

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Call 1-800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/monthly together. Let's introduce God says migraines all power. This, again, if you're listening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/monthly companion. I'm Dave Speicher Monday Chuck Swindoll talks about creating delightful memories your children will never forget. That's Monday on Insight for living. The preceding message. The lighting in your chilled was copyrighted in 2012. The sound recording was copyrighted in 2017 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited