As parents, are we leaving a legacy that our children can follow?

I have been blessed to have lived long enough to see my own daughter’s upbringing being duplicated by her daughter and son-in-law.  They are now the parents of one son and four daughters.  They will be the third generation to be raised under the guidelines of Proverbs 22:6.  They all love and respect each other, the elderly and all other authority over them.  For example:  If they see an elderly person using a walker for support nearing a restaurant entrance, they run ahead to open the door to make it less cumbersome for a handicapped person to enter.  They have also been known on a rainy Sunday to appear by any car door, holding a large beach umbrella. They are ready and willing to escort anyone into the church building while keeping them dry.  Helping in the church nursery is also on their agenda. At home, there is a plaque hanging in their kitchen that says:

SEE A NEED!  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!  MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

And they are making a difference, not only by blessing people, but also in the animal world.  If a lost kitten or puppy happens to end up using the conveniently empty pet bed in the corner of the landing by the front door, they will be escorted home, if they are wearing a tag.  If not, they will be taken to an animal rescue shelter while waiting for a new home.

Most of the time, the TV Newscasters focus on the bad behavior of young people.  For example: “Spring Break in Florida”. We need to also focus on, and let others know, there are still young people being raised in a Godly way, such as putting others before themselves.

Our children should also be encouraged to bring their friends to our home. We need to be aware of the kind of friendships they are seeking.  From the time our children can talk, they need to know we are hearing them.  That can be accomplished by never being too busy to put aside our “busyness” and Stop! Look! and Listen! This opens up a line of close communication. When you look them in the eye, they know they have your full attention.  This is just as important as the warning signs at a crossroad.  They actually are at  the  crossroad of where they are as children now and where they will be as future parents.

I pray that all parents take seriously the standards God has set for us.  He is trusting us with the most vulnerable of His creations.

Matthew 19:13,14 – “Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But, Jesus said “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven”.

Before your children are old enough to be influenced by the internet and all of the electronic toys their friends have, introduce them to God’s Word.  The answers to all of our problems and guidance on how to live a Godly life can be found in the Bible.  As popular as cell phones and Facebook friends are, they can’t compare to the blessing of knowing God’s Word.

Pray your children come to know Jesus as soon as they are able to fully understand that He died to save their souls!

Thank you for reading this,

Great Granny Witt

As a father, are you raising your children according to the Biblical guidelines?

If you as a child did not have a caring, loving father to have as an example to pattern your life after, you can change that pattern in the here and now.  It is a great joy for a father to see his son as a father of the next generation, especially if he is mimicking the ways he was raised.   There are biblical principles to guide you along the way.  These guidelines are never ending.  They have been used in the past and probably will go on and on for many more generations.  As a father, have you succeeded in raising your children according to the following biblical guidelines?

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Ephesians 6:4 – “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

My daughter’s father only lived until she was 10 years old, but her memories of him have lasted all of her life.  I believe they influenced her choice of the kind of man she wanted as a husband and father of her daughter.  He, too, is a kind and gentle man. Their daughter also chose a kind and gentle man to marry.  They are now the parents of one son and four daughters.  Most happy marriages result from having a happy childhood.  They seem to look for the same qualities in a future husband or wife as their parents have.

May we pray God’s blessings on every father who provides love, security, protection and the physical needs of his family.  Not just on this Father’s Day but every day.

Thank you for reading this,

Great Granny Witt

All Believers in God have the only Perfect Father - God the Father

Human fathers have been given an example of “The Perfect Father”, God, Our Heavenly Father. Scripture shows them a pattern of behavior to follow to be a successful and loving father. God gives them everything they need to achieve that goal.  He knows them better than they know themselves.

Matthew 6:9-13  “In this manner, therefore pray:  Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it Is in heaven..  Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation But deliver us from the evil one.  For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”

What an awesome privilege it is to know we have access to our Father in heaven every moment of every day.  He is just a prayer away.  Since everything we need comes from God, we can go directly to the One who can answer our prayer.

If our earthly father is also a believer in God, he too will be under the guidance of Our Heavenly Father. Many scriptures list who God the Father is to us.Here are a few examples:

Psalm 68:5 – “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His  holy habitation.”

Isaiah 9:6 – “Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"

Isaiah 63:16 – “Doubtless  You are Our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us, You, O Lord are our Father.  Our Redeemer from  Everlasting is your name.” 

Malachi 2:10 – “Have we not all one Father?  Has God not created us?”

Ephesians 4:6 –“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

We need to pray for our fathers, especially if they seem to be struggling with any of their responsibilities as a father. We also need to love them, honor them and respect the authority God has given them over us.

Thank you for reading this,

Great Granny Witt

The roles and responsibiliies of Fathers and Husbands as Providers for their families

I learned early in my life that every afternoon should be a time of celebration when Dad arrives home from the workplace.  Mom and the children greet him with hugs and kisses.  Even the family pets bark for his attention, or, in some cases, meow! ​Encouraging this celebration and preparation time is Mom's job, but Dad has a role to play in this as well.​​

Even in our busy lives, dinner is hopefully one time of day when the whole family is together to share a meal and it is usually a feast fit for a king. To make this family time the best it can be, it helps if Dad’s close involvement with the family has already been put into place.  I call this involvement – “Being a hands on Dad!”

Any Dad can earn this title; here are a few of the things that can get a father started:

• Dad knows how to and doesn’t hesitate to “change the baby’s diaper or feed an infant from a bottle
• He encourages Mom to have a “Mom’s Night Out”  and takes over all of her duties
• He also has been known to cook a meal and wash the pots and pans
• His help with school homework is high on this list
• He and Mom are partners in discipline, if their students resist that homework help

God thought that fathers, mothers and their children were very important.  Important enough to occupy a place in His Ten Commandments.
     

        Exodus 20:12 – “ Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

        Exodus 21:17 – “And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”

        Matthew 15:4 – “For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and your mother; and He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.”

        Ephesians 6:1-4 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and  admonition of the Lord.”

        No marriage or family is perfect, but it can be fun.

        If mom and dad work together as one.

        Remember to schedule a date night on your “to do list”.

        On this issue, both mom and dad should insist.

Thank you for reading this,
Granny Witt

The Roles and Responsibilities of Fathers and Husbands as Leaders of their Families

This year, Sunday, June 21 has been set aside to honor all Fathers.  As with Mothers, this should not be a one day affair.  No group of people functions properly unless there is a competent person in charge to make the major decisions that are compatible for the family to exist together in harmony.

In the Bible, God has set up high standards for the men who would be leaders in His Church.  These same high standards apply to the leaders of our families.

Titus 1:5-9 – “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.  For a bishop (or overseer) must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick tempered, not given to wine not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

1 Timothy 3:1-13 – “This is a faithful saying:  If a man desires the position of a bishop (or overseer) he desires a good work.  A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence.  (for is a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same  condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.  Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.  But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.  Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.  Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.  For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Being a leader of a family is not a macho nor an aggressive role, as in “Do as I say, I am the boss”.  It is a role requiring loving those under your leadership as God loves you.  He has our best interests at heart and we should follow His guidance as we guide those for whom He has given us responsibility.

Thank you for reading this.
Granny Witt

The Roles and Responsibilities of Mothers filling in for Absentee Mothers

There are times when a mother is not able to take care of her children.  She needs someone she can trust and who has the same family values as she has.  A top priority need is when mom goes to the hospital to deliver another child, or when an illness or operation requires hospitalization.  That is when friends and neighbors come to the forefront.   If the children have been brought up according to the following scriptural advice, this will be a fun and fulfilling experience for every one involved. Even when they do not have the foundation of scripture, you, as a believer, can minister to them in love because you do have the truth of the scripture.
 

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old  he will not depart from it.”

Ephesians 6: vs. 1,2,3 – “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise:  “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Even though I only gave birth to one child, I have been blessed all of my adult life with many opportunities to be a positive influence on other peoples’ children.  I am also being blessed in my senior and retirement years by living in close proximity to my grand daughter and my five great grandchildren.

Here are some examples from my own life that might trigger your imagination as to how God might use you.. In my early married years we lived in a neighborhood of young couples with young children and many pregnant mothers.  God had placed me right in the middle of where I would be needed the most. Long after my daughter grew out of her crib, I kept it in case one of the neighbors’ babies needed a place to nap while the mom went grocery shopping.  I didn’t know it at the time, but God was training me to care for multiple children for my future ministry even though I only had one of my own.  My daughter was also happy to have other children to play with in her own home.

We had a humorous situation arise when I enrolled my little girl in Nursery School at age four.  She was picked up each day by the school’s station wagon driver who lived on down the street from us. The teacher at the school asked each child if they had any brothers or sisters at home.  My little one said she had three brothers.  The driver knew I only had one child, so she asked my daughter where I kept her three brothers.  She said I kept  them under the house.  Today, they would probably have believed the four year old and it would have become an explosive situation.  Thankfully, it was recognized as just a figment of a child’s imagination!

Since I became a widow, most of my adult life has been spent taking care of young teen girls who found themselves in an emergency care situation in homes for unwed mothers.   God can use a mother’s love to help anyone in need of that particular kind of love.  I praise the Lord that He chose to surround me over the years with hundreds of girls to impact with the love of Jesus.  My only daughter is a  Pastor’s wife and she and her husband are Marriage Counselors to many couples here and abroad.  

God knows all of our abilities and gifts because He gave them to us.  We just need to be willing to follow His lead and guidance.

Thank you for reading this,

Great Granny Witt                  

The Roles and Responsibilities of a Grandmother, Lois, the Grandmother of Timothy

When your children become parents, you automatically have another role to fulfill.  You don’t stop being  a mother, but you now have the added joy of being a grandmother.  You also have the responsibility to be a Godly influence on another generation.

As I peruse my present role as a great grandmother, I realize it all started with being a mother first, then a grandmother.  Now, three generations later, there is a possibility of my being a great, great, grandmother. The benefits are fabulous; as are the responsibilities.  If your own grandchildren live nearby, look around your church family and see who you might also bless as a pseudo, or substitute grandmother.  Many of my great grandchildren’s friends call me “Granny”.  They are also included in our “Sunday Hugs”.  This is what I definitely call “medicine for the soul!”

Paul said to Timothy –

2 Timothy 1:5 – “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother, Lois and your mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

I am acutely aware that I am to be entirely trustworthy in my walk with Jesus.  I must honor the Lord in all my deeds and actions.  If I make a promise to one of these children, I must follow through and make it happen.  Because I know I can depend on God for everything I need, they need to know they can depend on me to do what I say I will do.  Of course, unseen circumstances, such as illness, can change plans.  We  have an obligation to let them know ahead of time and reschedule for the future. This is a way of letting  them know we respect their feelings.

We also need to have a positive attitude toward life.  No “poor me” vibes but an attitude of contentment in whatever state I am.  As Paul told the Church at Philippi:

Philippians 4: 11, 12, & 13 – “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

In the whole book of Philippians, there is a pattern of life to follow that will result in a peaceful, close relationship with God and others.

2 Corinthians 2:15 – “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those  who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

Galatians 5:16 – “We are to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh to bring honor and glory to God’s name and be a blessing and influence on others for  Jesus; to draw them near to Him.”

As you walk through life, seeking the will of God and His guidance, there will be a steadfast path for you to follow.  No short cuts or wrong turns will be accepted.

Proverbs 3: vs. 5,  & 6 – “  Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, And lean not on our own  understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, an He shall direct your paths.”

Thank you for reading this

Great Granny  Witt