"old fashioned" hope....

I read a lot lately...more now than ever before, books, theories, philosophies on parenting.  It seems that parenting is one of the most popular topics (at least in the Christian subculture, in America).  I've been judged for how my children behave, I've been judged for my responses to them.  Let's be honest, we all have.

Let's be honest again, parenting is H A R D!  It's not all blissful and wonderful filled with hugs, kisses and laughter.  It's hard.  It requires more than any person can actually give.  That's why I often wonder how people parent without Jesus.  But as hard as parenting is, it is rewarding, refining and challenging.  Countless times I am blessed by the still quiet voice of God speaking to my heart as I teach my children each day.  Sometimes it's refining, sometimes it's a blessing. However it is that the Lord is using  my children in my life, I pray that He uses me that much more in their lives.

As I was reading through the Psalms this morning, I came across this verse and it was so fresh for me.

See, as crazy as this may sound to some.  I don't have a parenting philosophy.  All I do have is HOPE, and for me it's found in Christ.  I'm believing Him  and His word with everything that is within me.  Especially when it comes to my children.

"I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope."  Psalm 130:5

So seven years into parenting, I wait.  My waiting, however is NOT passive.  It is aggressive.  I am relentlessly pursuing the throne of grace on their behalf.  I'm praying for their souls...I'm praying for their hearts to crave His word...I'm asking God to refine them according to His word.  I'm asking Him for the wisdom to parent according to His word.  I'm asking Him for the strength to obey His word in what He calls me to do as a mother.  I'm clinging to my Jesus and resting in Him for the outcome.

Then what?  I'm waiting.  I'm trusting.  Because I know that my God is greater than this world, greater than a bad attitude and any sinful heart.  How do I know that?  Not only does His word tell me so, but I look in the mirror and I see....the greatest sinner...saved.  Because of Christ.  I know my God and His word does NOT return void.  I know that speaking the word into their lives daily will bring about a harvest.

My hope in Him is steadfast.  It has to be.  We have to keep our hope in God...without hope in God...what is there?  This weekend my husband and I had a wonderful conversation about these boys.  They aren't ours.  They belong to Him first.  He just chose us to parent them.  HUGE responsibility.  I do not want to fail them.....and yet I know I can not do it on my own. 

"The grass withers, the flowers fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."  Isaiah 40:8