Listen and Obey

These are the 2 things we are working most with Judah on these days: listening to and obeying mommy and daddy. Period. All things parenting are spiritual lessons, but I think this one might be at the core.

My working theory is this: if you cannot learn to listen and obey your parents when you are young, it makes it pretty difficult when you are older to listen to the voice of God and obey him.

Thus, we are working really hard with Judah on these two actions these days. We want him to listen and obey not so he becomes our little submissive robot, but so he can experience freedom and all he was created to be. So it is with God.

My friend, Rebecca, took this principle to another level. Listening and obeying are ultimately Judah's choices, but as his parents we have a huge responsibility to help Judah WANT to listen and obey by HOW we instruct him, correct him, and ultimately love him. He has a part, but our part is pretty huge. [Geez, parenting really is tough when you consider these these long-term effects!]

In order to become the best mom I can be, I'm practicing [not "trying"...see Dallas Willard's works] listening more to the voice of God and obeying him. I recognize more and more that God wants the best for me, he understands more than I do, and since he's my Father and Mother, he has my best interest at heart. My hope in parenting well is being parented by the author of Motherhood.