one of our ministers taught a Wednesday bible class from the book The Blessing, by Gary Smalley and John Trent. It was a wonderful eye opening experience, as a student and child of God, to understand the positive impact that a blessing can have on someone, in particular your child.
Today I learned how Patti Sikes and her husband Steve blessed their own children. Patti taught our "Treasured in my Heart" Sunday morning Bible class. Our ministers and elders wives have each taken a week or two to discuss how, like Mary who "Treasured these things in her heart", they have treasured moments in their hearts from their child rearing days.
Patti has treasured in her heart that her children are blessed with spiritual gifts from God. Not only has she taught her children about God, and about building a relationship with God, she took it a step further and taught them the identifying traits they each have of God. She stated "one child is a leader and is gentle, so he's the Lion and the Lamb." Of another child she stated "she is a counselor, healer, peacemaker." For each of their four children she was able to do this. I saw it as a blessing to her children. She was able to help her children see the Christ like characteristics they each possesses, which helped them realize the way the spirit is manifested in them.
I'm grateful for Patti's example to follow. I have the opportunity to bless my children with the realization that not only did God create them, they have God's DNA in them, just as they have my DNA. The spiritual gifts they have are God's DNA! That's awesome! I'm hoping this will give them a concrete identity, rather than the abstract identity which is difficult for children to grasp. I'm praying that helping them identify their spiritual gifts will give them purpose-to-action.
Patti also discussed the gifts that the Lord developed in Steve and her over the years. The only thing the two of them had in common was Christ's blood when they got married. The Lord developed shepherding and teaching gifts in each of them. From this idea I want the boys to learn that the gifts they have now, aren't the only gifts they will inherit, nor are they gifts for a life time. God may use current gifts to give birth to others as the boys mature to young men and from young men to men. He may diminish gifts as others become fully developed. Likewise, he may extinguish gifts that have been wasted by lack of use.
I'm excited to have the opportunity to bestow these blessings on my sons. How much more is the Lord excited to share gifts with me as his heir?
By the way Patti, if regular ed. teachers are trained to teach the median students, and special ed. teachers are trained to teach the exceptional spectrum, who helps the average to not feel average? That's a curse unto it's self! One I've struggled with my whole life.
4 comments:
I have a feeling that you are a highly gifted woman who has bought into the lie that you are only average...chew on that for a while, my friend.
Amen to that, Patti!
It was nice to be on "vacation" this weekend, but I was sorry to have missed Patti's class. That is such an exciting responsibility and honor...to teach your kids what characteristics of God are their strengths so that they can use those things for the kingdom. I guess to take it a step further we need to teach them to recognize those things in others as well so they can go on to bless their future spouse, their children, their grandchildren, etc.
I ditto Patti's comment...I think you are extraordinary!
Amen to what Patti said. You are exceptionally talented and insightful. "The Liar" uses fear, (False Evidence Appearing Real, from Beth Moore), to keep us in a state of mind.
Love you,
Mandy
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