MOPS is an awesome organization ministering to mothers of preschoolers. Had a wonderful time encouraging them to train up their children spiritually, practically and in their own bent and giftings.
Keep up the good work MOPS leaders!!!
Here is a brief excerpt from my message and some pics.
Proverbs 22:6 Amplified Bible
Train up a child in the way he should go <and in keeping with his individual gift or bent>, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Let me ask you, what do ivy; grapes, morning glories, squash, roses, and jasmine all have in common? They are all climbing plants. What is interesting about these climbers is that they do not have the structure to support themselves, so they must grow on walls, branches, rocks, fences, lattice, or an arbor.
Climbing usually allows plants to obtain maximum sunlight for exceptional health and growth. In the rain forest, for example, where it tends to be very dark because of the tremendous foliage, a climbing vine may be able to grow toward sunlight that self-supporting plants cannot reach.
To train a climbing plant involves two steps:
- Attaching it to an appropriate surface.
- Pruning it regularly to promote growth and the proper shape.
And so it is with your children. They too are climbers, unable to support themselves at first. For your preschooler (or a child of any age for that matter) the rock, the fence, the trellis, on which they will find the most support to grow and the gardener who has been charged with the responsibility of pruning them into a lovely shape, is you, MOM!
You are not only the appropriate and proper structure to promote their individual growth and shaping; you are the best. How do I know? Because, God chose you! In His ultimate grandscape for your child’s life, He chose YOU to “train them up in the way that they should go <and in keeping with his or her individual gift or bent>, that when they are old they will not depart from it.”
Yes, our children are like climbing plants that do not have the structure to support themselves. But this is not only true of our children; it is true of you and me as well.
While you are the supportive structure on which your children grow, what are you leaning on when you are tired or weak? Where do you draw strength and help when a good day goes bad or your “little blessing” feel like little curse? Who will hold you up, wipe your tears and kiss your boo boos? Who forgives you when you blow it?
You were never meant to live this life on your own. You were created to operate with the strength that God supplies. And where do we go to get it; To The Cross - Where Jesus died for our sins - Where He took our punishment on His body - Where we receive forgiveness, second chances, and hope to carry on. Jesus is waiting to be the all-in-all you need. All you need do is go to the cross and lean.
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| Some of the MOPS moms - Gotta love 'em!!! |
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| Train Up A Child |
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| Lean on the Cross! |
