Intentional Mommy

We LOVE books and there are TONS of books. We may (or may not) have too many.  :-)  but, seriously, I love that my kids love books.

So, let's just say that we read A LOT.  In fact, just this summer we were trying to hit the library goal for the year of 1000 books and, instead, hit 400 in about six weeks.

...but while reading, it hit me that it wasn't about quantity, but quality.

This was about the time that I started investing in Max Lucado's children's books as well as some other Bible or Christian-character-building books.

I want my kids to enjoy reading.  I want them to enjoy silly books, BUT what I want even more is for them to be fed spiritually.

It hit me that I needed to be intentional.

What they read, what they hear, what they do, I have to be an intentionally gospel-minded mom.

This means that my parenting comes from a foundation of the Bible.

For instance, when I discipline, I try to use scripture so they hear God and not me.

When we read, I want them to have seeds planted in them to love, to share, to have compassion and, mostly, to know the One Who loves them and died for them.

When we sing, I want them to hear about God and to hear of His love for them. I want them to worship Him and to intimately know Him.

When we do ministry together, I want them to see people the way God does.  I want to teach them to love and give.

As an intentional mommy, I do lots of giggles, tickling and silly songs. We do kisses, hugs and cuddles but DO LOVE.  We do "crazy" and we do "silly" but we also do "intentional".

Mommies, we can get distracted by all the books, the silly songs and the movies out there (and let me say there is a time and place for some of them). But we need to make sure that we are intentional about our children hearing the most important truths in life.

Proverbs 22:6 says that we are to train up our child.  Training takes work.  It takes intentional focus.

How are we being intentional today? - Rejoicing in the Present