i think proverbs 19:6 should be my life verse....
proverbs 19:6
Many will seek the favor of a generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.
and the message version...
Lots of people flock around a generous person;
everyone's a friend to the philanthropist.
my love language is receiving gifts... so if you want to say “lea, i love you.” then buy me a gift.
my second favorite love language is words of affirmation. so you could leave me a comment and that would be almost as good as a gift...
almost.
that also means that if i love you, i will buy you a gift. i LOVE to give gifts. little fun things that i see that make me think of you. so if you have ever gotten a gift from me... then consider yourself loved.
so i think i have this proverb pretty well covered.
so let’s move on and pick something else...
proverbs 18:19
Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death.
proverbs 18:19 (message)
Discipline your children while you still have the chance;
indulging them destroys them.
a proverb that i need to remember. jut like i need to see MY correction as a positive thing... discipline leads to less shame (pulling my skirt over my underwear). i need to see indulging my kids as something that can destroy them.
not disciplining my kids is desiring their death. wow.
the king jim version (thanks dr. dortch for that little name) says it this way...
proverbs 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope,
and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
“let not thy soul spare” which means “let not your emotions take you away”
and for his crying means literally “for his death, or for his execution”.
not chastening, instructing, disciplining, reforming my kids is setting them up to be executed... eaten alive by the one who roams around looking for someone to eat alive...
1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
this lesson was really brought home to me this weekend as i took photos (code word for chaperoned) millie’s 8th grade dance. i saw some kids whose parents have abdicated disciplining their children and have indulged their children... to death.
enough said. because to point fingers and judge just means that i am avoiding looking at the many ways i do the same thing in different ways that might look a little prettier but really aren’t any better. the many times i “give in” because i want my kids to like me. the times i let them get away with things because of my own busyness, selfish needs, etc...
i know it when i am doing it, or i realize it a few minutes later... and i need to start nipping some of that in the bud.
before i lead my children to their execution...
whew. this parenting thing just never gets any easier.