Parenting 101 {Guest post from crynfiction!}
5:37 PMHi! My name is Corynne, but most people pronounce my name "Cryn." I have a little blog called "crynfiction" which is actually a lot of nonfiction about my life, my kids, my thoughts, and ideas. I'm married to an incredible man that I don't deserve and I have two crazy/awesome kids (a boy named Elliott who is 7, and girl named Caiden who is 4).
{Elliott and Caiden}
{Cryn and Dave}
Mallorie asked me to talk to you guys a little bit about parenting. And since I've been a parent for a little over 7 years, I'm obviously going to be a pro, right? Nope, not a chance! My pride in that regard came crashing down as soon as my first kid was born. You see, I grew up as the 3rd child in a family with 6 children. So I had done a lot of "mini-parenting" as a youth. I had been changing cloth diapers and doing the family's laundry since I was 7 years old. By the time I got married at the ripe old age of 19, I was pretty sure I knew what I was doing. I thought I had the whole parenting thing down cold. But, it turns out, its a lot different when I am the one who is actually accountable and responsible for the children I am caring for. The weight of responsibility actually exists when the child belongs to me. Not only for the needs of the child, but also for the decisions I make regarding them, for discipling them, for the salvation of their souls! From the littlest details up to the big ones--circumcision or not? Breastfeeding or bottle? disposable diapers or cloth? Family bed or separate beds?... And on and on.
Once my son Elliott arrived on the scene, I felt panicked. I drew a blank. Suddenly, I felt as if I knew nothing about parenting or raising kids. I began to wish this baby came with an exhaustive manual!
And now, 7 years and another kid later, I still desperately pray daily for God's wisdom to raise these kids that He entrusted me with. Its an awesome privilege and responsibility. I don't know what they need 100% of the time, but God does and it is upon Him that I rely. Of course, I learned a lot of practical things from my upbringing and I learn all the time from watching other people parent their kids, but ultimately I need Jesus to be a good parent, to meet the needs of my kids.
The best part about being a parent, for me, has been God's overwhelming presence in it with me and the way I've clearly seen Him answer my prayers for wisdom in a more directly noticeable way than I had had the opportunity to experience before I had kids.
There will be times when I absolutely do not know what to do--I've got nothing--and then I cry out to God for wisdom, for help! and God's Spirit will quietly guide me with His wisdom and give me direction, or words, or the action I need to take. And it is so obvious that it is Him speaking to me, because I know that I had no clue before.
Being a parent is scary and intimidating all of the time if my eyes are not firmly fixed on Jesus. Its like when Peter gets out of the boat, in Matthew 14, to walk to Jesus on the water. He starts walking, but then he notices the wind and the waves around him and he is afraid and starts sinking! He cries out to Jesus, "Lord, save me!" And immediately, Jesus reaches out His hand catches him.
Eyes on Jesus, everything is okay. Eyes on the circumstances around me, down I go.
My advice to you as a parent is simply this, "Look to Jesus. He has all the answers you need... And pray, pray, pray!"
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
May the power of Christ rest upon you!
Blessings,
Cryn
{Bonus picture! Dave, Holland, and Caiden}
1 comments
Thanks for this! <3
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