Peacemaking Authority

The book of James has been getting deep under my skin lately, sweet hard challenges to my heart as a mom.  I yearn to be a mama who demonstrates good conduct in the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13), who leads our kids to repentance by kind (Rom 3:19) and patient (2 Peter 2:4) care, and who makes peace and reaps a harvest of righteousness (James 3:18).   Oh... and I'd like a heavy dose of laughter and joy for our home too, please :)

My main trouble is the whole first-time obedience deal.  I've been thinking over the issue for weeks and I've written way wayyy too much for the sake of helping myself process these concerns and questions and needs.  And in the midst of this writing process I’ve met a friend online through posts she’s written about parenting.  Her words are so sooo helpful and, what’s super important to me, is that Katherine’s writing has been lived out in experience.  She told me that she first wrote (her sheltering posts) when her oldest daughter was 12 and now she’s 18.  I asked her if she’d tweak her advice there, change anything?   She said no.  

Friends... here’s the gold to share with you.   If you have, like me, struggled with what kind of authority you want to demonstrate in your home with your kids, if you have been confused over the issues of protection, obedience and control, these posts might just hit the spot for you like they have for me.  

http://www.raisingfive.com/2007/06/shelter-is-not-place.html   {I was streaming tears when I read this one.  Oh... if I might have grace to raise our children like this....  most especially like her dad showed grace to her, when Katherine was 13.}

http://www.raisingfive.com/2006/08/sheltering.html

http://www.raisingfive.com/2007/12/discipline-and-preschoolers.html

http://www.raisingfive.com/2007/12/leading-our-children.html

I’ll post my thoughts soon too but all that I have to share is basically repentance and prayers, from lousy (legalistic) parenting toward more-of-Christ parenting.    So much of what I tried to say, doesn't need to be said now after reading these posts from Katherine.

UPDATE:  In case you're crazy enough to be interested....
here are my thoughts:  Peacemaking Authority - Thoughts on Kind Parenting from a Recovering Obedience Addict.