Four Questions Every Kid Needs Answered

The past 2 weeks there has been a lot of struggles and challenges with some of my daughters. 

These struggles are mostly feelings and emotions.

Some have left me completely drained out.

Some have left me hurting.

Some have me questioning if I am doing a good job.

Some have left me feeling sad.

Some have left me with fear.

 

And during all this,

I still see happiness.

I still am grateful  to 

experience this with my girls.

Today as the girls and I made our way to a church, 

I was preoccupied in my thoughts,

got on the right hwy and started to head

to EBC.  Half way there,

I thought I was going the wrong way and started to make my way

to where I thought I was suppose to be going.

I then realized that I was initially going the right way

and now was going the wrong way. 

I had Monika look up the address,

inform her which campus I wanted

which again, I was telling her the wrong campus.

We ended up at a different EBC campus then 

where we normally go.

God must have known I needed to be at this campus today.

We were 15 minutes late and the 

music was just about finished.

This campus is huge and has stadium like seating.

We were greeted by the usher and shown

where the interpreter was interpreting.

Right away the younger girls are 

signing to me that they like this one,

because of the seating, they can actually see the 

stage and not the back of everyone head.

They also liked the fact that

where the Pastor was doing the sermon,

it was a live person.

At the EBC campus we normal attended we 

watch the Pastor on the screen.

This was week 2 of the 4 week series called

Four Questions Every Kid Needs Answered.

Last week (which I still need to watch, and just sent an email to the church asking if I could get the words or captions on the video) was

What are the boundaries?

Today's was

Do you love me?

It was very powerful.

I was able to take some of what I am going to write off the EBC website that pertains to discussion questions. 

I am very grateful they have this information available for referring back to.

It started out with a video of a little girl in her room coloring,

asking questions about would her parents notice her or not

if she was around.

The Pastor then said

"As kids get older it's not just another lecture they need, another "don't do that"  What they really  need is a parent who can reach their heart.  Author Ray Johnston says "as kids grow older we have to become better at reaching their heart then filling their head.  We need to learn to open up in a way that will let them know they are loved unconditionally.

He read Psalm 127; 3-5

Children are a gift from the Lord;

they are a reward from him. Children

born to a young man are like sharp

arrows in a warrior’s hands. How

happy is the man whose quiver is

full of them.

The pastor talked about the three things that you do with an arrow-aim it (give it direction), Pull back the string (prepare it) and release it (let it go).  He used examples how this implies to our children,  You teach/show them right from wrong, you give them tools, and then let them go

to expand their wings.

Next he talked about the right question at the right time is the key to opening your kid's heart.  Children who feel love have parents who give them three things: attention (he used examples like not being distracted with work, other things when you kids are wanting your attention, might be something small as just a hug or "I love you", to just wanting to do something with you.), Grace (being able to forgive, being able to move on from the sins), and lastly unconditional love (knowing that they will love you no matter what).  

He went on explaining it might come unexpectedly, it might come because of a situation.  Could be a questions that doesn't require a lot of talks, but can be very deep, to longer conversations.

Do you kids have your attention?  Or are they always competing with your work, your hobby or your phone.  

Basically saying make time with your kids, do fun things, or things together without the distractions of work, hobbies or phone.

There were more bible verses and more talks and examples to apply to our daily life.

God just knew where I needed to go,

He pulled me over to this church campus.

The girls even said they enjoyed listening to the pastor

which is a huge thing for a couple of the younger ones.

It reassured me that thru the struggles and challenges that I am faced

with my girls at times whether it is their own struggles and challenges that I am trying to say and do the right thing, or it is me trying to figure out what

to do when they are challenging me, that I might not always have the answers and may not always handle it the right way, but I trying and they can see me giving them the unconditional love, giving them the attention they need and to give them guidance and keep the communication open as much as possible.

After service was done, 

we meet a nice couple who has a daughter who was born in Thailand

and was an older adoptee at age 12 and now 19.

She is deaf and blind.

Erin was drawn to her.

We talked with the parents and it was 

great.

We hope to see them again.

God's whispers 

are very

loud,

if you truly listen

and completely trust him.