Something I Wish I Did: More Scripture Songs

Looking back, I wish I had found ways to play more music for my kids.  And specifically, I wish I had played songs based on verses from the Bible.  We did some of that, but due to some various technology-lacking factors, I mostly relied on CD's... and these often got scratched and lost.  We had one central CD player, and despite my efforts to purchase some additional players for the kids' rooms, the cords kept getting lost, batteries removed or depleted, etc.  All that to say, we didn't play as much music as I wish we had.

Kids brains are so amazing when they are young, and when I think of how many things my kids have memorized because they were set to song, I wish we had taken greater advantage of pumping more of God's Word into them at young ages.

The ones we did do, we loved.  Songs for Saplings and Hide 'Em in Your Heart were good.  But I know there were plenty we never listened to. 

Perhaps others could comment and share which music has been helpful for their families?

One way God uses two-year olds

Dear Mom of Littles,

I have always wanted children.  Always.  From as far back as I can remember.  I was eager to help shape and mold a little life.  To raise a child who would be kind, considerate, loving, full of joy and most of all, full of Jesus!  I could hardly wait to see how God would use me in the life of my child.

What I did not see coming was how God would use my own child to speak into my heart, to draw me to Him, and (more often that I would like to admit) to chide me.

I could speak for days on the ways my children have taught me about God, about grace, about the unending love (and patience) of Jesus.  Today I am thinking particularly about a time that I was gently chided.

My oldest was around two years old and we were playing outside. She wanted to ride her little bike so we were in the front yard playing in the driveway.  She was having so much fun, but kept trying to venture into the street.  I kept scolding and bringing her back into the driveway to keep her safe.  We went through this little dance over and over again and I was getting so exasperated!  If she continued to disobey we would need to end the fun of playing outside and head back into the house.

I remember thinking, "If she would only listen to me I would not have to discipline her!".  And then it hit me.  Standing there as the parent, I could see the danger of my little one venturing out into the street.  But as a full-of-life, naive two year old, she could not. The rules I was insisting upon were there to keep her safe, not to ruin her fun or punish her needlessly.

It was in that moment that I could sense the Spirit moving in my heart.  God's voice is much the same:  Jen, if you would only listen to Me, to follow My commands, I would not have to discipline you.  My rules are for your benefit, not your harm.

This is a lesson I have been taught over and again (thank goodness for patience and grace!).  And this is just one way God used my two year old in my life.

The battle of fairness

While much of our childhood memories fade as we grow into adulthood, I'm sure we all have moments we remember of feeling like our parents were being unfair.  Particularly if you have siblings and you felt they were being treated differently (namely better!) than you.

I definitely have memories like that, and my 13 year-old self decided I would be completely equitable in child-rearing when I was a mother.  I didn't want my kids to feel the same way I had.

So what I never saw coming as a parent was needing to treat each of my children differently in how they are talked with, loved, and disciplined.  Yes, I said needing.  My childhood self wanted everything fair but didn't have enough foresight to realize that fairness takes on unique qualities when you are talking about different people, different personalities and different levels of stubbornness.  ;-)

My first child was into EVERYTHING!  And she didn't like to listen.  As new parents, we were armed with ideals of disciplining.  We were going to do things one way and that was going to work. Except it didn't.

Time-outs?  Worthless.  A little smack on the hand?  That drew a smile and an immediate return to the unwanted behavior.  Using a sharp tone of voice?  Nope.  She didn't even notice the change.  Putting her in the corner?  That worked for a day.  I was elated to find something that was hitting home...until the next day when said child asked to be put in the corner because it was fun. Rats!  After trial and error, trial and error, trial and error, we discovered a few things that worked (like taking away her most favorite treats/foods), but discipline with this little one was no easy task.

Along came child #2.  I figured we were golden.  We know what works with our kids now and life will be so much easier this time.  Except it wasn't.

Removing favorite foods/treats?  Didn't faze him - he couldn't have cared less.  But changing the tone of my voice?  Immediately got his attention and stopped him in his tracks.  Wait, what?!?

It was then that I realized I must learn to "speak the language" that each of my children will understand.  And that language was different for one than it was for the other.

This applies to not only discipline, but also to relating to them and loving them well.  If I want to spend time with my daughter I know that taking her out for ice cream or talking about books is the way to go.  But my son?  Time playing Mario Kart or 4-square is right up his alley.

As my kids have gotten older I have seen more and more clearly that fairness/equitability doesn't necessarily mean that you do the same thing for each child.  It means that you take the uniqueness of your children into account and go from there.

Teaching your children God's Word

We all want our children to grow up in the knowledge of God, and to know God's Word as much as possible.  As mothers we have the opportunity to saturate their hearts with His Word day in and day out.  For me though, it has taken a little effort to establish some routines and rhythms that move toward this.

Deuteronomy 6 gives us some ideas for how to do this!

4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^a 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children... 

 First, we need to make sure we are attempting to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength, and keeping His commandment on our own hearts.  Out of the overflow of our hearts, we will be able to teach our kids. To remind myself about God's truth I have tried different things over the years, including printing out verses and taping them up in various places around the house where I will be sure to look -- like the bathroom mirror, my nightstand, or even the refrigerator! (Yes, I look at that a lot.)  Even just reading the verses aloud as you notice them can begin to get the word in your heart, and your babies' hearts.

Talk about them when you sit at home...

Intentional Bible memorization and meditation can begin pretty early on in a child's life.  As soon as my oldest began to talk I came up with a list of my favorite verses that I wanted him to memorize. Then I stuck it on the side of the fridge (that fridge again -- the heart of our home!).  Slowly we began to work down the list, and years later, I still refer to it with my younger children as well.

 and when you walk along the road...

Going for walks, or going for drives to run errands are great times for reviewing God's word.  Since the activities are rather mindless, it can become a good time for meditation as well, repeating the same phrases over and over.  (And what toddler doesn't love to do that?!)   Driving in the car would also be ideal for listening to verses set to music on CD (or iTunes).... but our van never had a working CD player, so we had to resort to reciting or singing ourselves.

 when you lie down.... 

Most nights, by the time bedtime rolls around I am ready to just plop everyone in their beds and turn out the lights. (I have always been amazed by parents who have the long bedtime routine!)  However, I do like to take the time to at least pray over the kids, and possibly sing a song or two.  This is a great time to work in God's Word as well.  This past year I put up some "bedtime" scriptures on the walls above the kids' beds, and then would read them each night as I prayed for them.  The repetition helped all of us memorize the verses, without even really trying!

Here is one of our favorites:

and when you get up....

 Just as I am not a "bedtime routine person," I am also not particularly a "morning person," -- my poor family.  Still, it is nice to have at least one thought or verse to repeat as part of an initial greeting of the day.  Something like this, perhaps:

 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads...

Now this part of Deuteronomy 6 gets a little interesting!  While I have never followed this literally, I can see the benefit of physically needing God's Word on or around our bodies.  If we don't keep Him before our eyes, there are plenty of other things in this world that our eyes will stay trained upon!

Creative adaptation is in order here.  One habit I know a few of my friends do is to write a particular key word from their morning Bible reading on their hand, so they will glance down and see it each day.  Or maybe you could write the key word on the forehead of your child, where you will be sure to see it all day.  :)

9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates...

Again, some creativity may be in order here.  Jews in the past took this quite literally and made little mezuzah (meaning door) boxes that they attached to the doorframes.  These had God's commandments written inside them.  We have tried to modify this concept over the years.  Inside the foyer of our home we have a wooden box where there are various little verses.  When we think of it (which isn't very often, I'm afraid!), we encourage visitors to take a verse as they're leaving, as a blessing.  

Today, of course, there are all kinds of beautiful pieces of art that incorporate God's Word, and that is another way to keep the Truth central in your home.

The gist of Deuteronomy 6 seems to be that we should have God's Word in and around us as much as possible, talking about it as much as possible, and learning to love Him as much as possible.  Adding in a few of these routines can help to work toward those goals!

(If anyone would like the lists of verses we use in our home/patterns, feel free to contact me and I can share them with you!)