Baby Fever!!
I think today shall consist of two blog entries in order to keep one from being a mile and a half long.
Lots of revelations have hit me this year (you know, this year that's only consisted of 13 days)... I have baby fever out of this world!! My amazing husband and I have been married for a little over five years, and we have no children to show for it. It is so very important to me to be able to stay at home with our children, so we are intentionally waiting until he graduates in May 2012 before we pursue this step in our lives. Nonetheless, the fever is still there. Since this is a year away, I have decided to make the best of it and do as much preparation as I possibly can. I ordered the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" that deals a lot with natural family planning using the method where you take your temperature everyday and monitor other signs your body gives you. I am taking my temperature everyday to make sure I can see the trend.
I am also reading lots of parenting books! I cannot tell you how many times I have had people tell me, "Oh you can't parent by books..." I have to admit that statment DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! It's so arrogant. Especially when it comes from first time mothers who have never even picked up a parenting book (which is about 99.2% of the people who make the statement). Not to mention their children's attitudes and actions tell me "My mom doesnt know what shes talking about."
I think books are a GREAT resource in parenting!! I realize that I am not one yet, but there are tons of people - of amazing, godly people **godly is the key here** - who have been there, done that.. and yes, they wrote a book about it! How arrogant of me would it be to say that these people have no idea what they're talking about and that I know more than them! Now, before you get hasty - as an elementary education major, I realize that every child is different and that there is no one "right way" to parent... but there are books about that topic too ;)
I've only made it through three, but for a girl with no baby... not too shabby! So far I've read Baby Wise, Parenting with Love and Logic, and Creative Correction. Actually, I'm still in the process of reading Creative Correction. I highly recommend this book. I love it! It gives such a God centered approach to discipline - and how discipline shapes our kids' views of God... and the most important task we have as parents is to spur our children on towards a relationship with Jesus.
Through reading the last mentioned book, it has hit me that my aim as a parent isn't just to raise good kids who are obedient, respectful, and successful, but to raise children who are absolutely in love with Jesus. Obviously Ive known that is true - but this truth hit me so hard this week! My job is to raise little people who desire Jesus!! This has challenged me greatly in my walk with Christ. I can't raise kids to have a great relationship with Jesus if I don't have a great relationship with Jesus. To teach I have to know. And to know, I have to learn.
So I prayed to the Lord that He would give me a great desire for him - that He would grow me in wisdom and in truth to love Him and fear Him to the point that it will overflow into the lives of my children. Not only for my sake (and sanity) as a mother, but for the sake of my children - and for the glory of His name!
Lots of revelations have hit me this year (you know, this year that's only consisted of 13 days)... I have baby fever out of this world!! My amazing husband and I have been married for a little over five years, and we have no children to show for it. It is so very important to me to be able to stay at home with our children, so we are intentionally waiting until he graduates in May 2012 before we pursue this step in our lives. Nonetheless, the fever is still there. Since this is a year away, I have decided to make the best of it and do as much preparation as I possibly can. I ordered the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" that deals a lot with natural family planning using the method where you take your temperature everyday and monitor other signs your body gives you. I am taking my temperature everyday to make sure I can see the trend.
I am also reading lots of parenting books! I cannot tell you how many times I have had people tell me, "Oh you can't parent by books..." I have to admit that statment DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! It's so arrogant. Especially when it comes from first time mothers who have never even picked up a parenting book (which is about 99.2% of the people who make the statement). Not to mention their children's attitudes and actions tell me "My mom doesnt know what shes talking about."
I think books are a GREAT resource in parenting!! I realize that I am not one yet, but there are tons of people - of amazing, godly people **godly is the key here** - who have been there, done that.. and yes, they wrote a book about it! How arrogant of me would it be to say that these people have no idea what they're talking about and that I know more than them! Now, before you get hasty - as an elementary education major, I realize that every child is different and that there is no one "right way" to parent... but there are books about that topic too ;)
I've only made it through three, but for a girl with no baby... not too shabby! So far I've read Baby Wise, Parenting with Love and Logic, and Creative Correction. Actually, I'm still in the process of reading Creative Correction. I highly recommend this book. I love it! It gives such a God centered approach to discipline - and how discipline shapes our kids' views of God... and the most important task we have as parents is to spur our children on towards a relationship with Jesus.
Through reading the last mentioned book, it has hit me that my aim as a parent isn't just to raise good kids who are obedient, respectful, and successful, but to raise children who are absolutely in love with Jesus. Obviously Ive known that is true - but this truth hit me so hard this week! My job is to raise little people who desire Jesus!! This has challenged me greatly in my walk with Christ. I can't raise kids to have a great relationship with Jesus if I don't have a great relationship with Jesus. To teach I have to know. And to know, I have to learn.
So I prayed to the Lord that He would give me a great desire for him - that He would grow me in wisdom and in truth to love Him and fear Him to the point that it will overflow into the lives of my children. Not only for my sake (and sanity) as a mother, but for the sake of my children - and for the glory of His name!
I hear ya on the baby fever! Just be careful with natural family planning...there's a reason for the joke "what do you call people who use the rhythm method?....Parents" :) haha!
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