No Reprieve from Parenting
Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.Ezekiel 38:7
Trying to collect all my children after church is a challenge! Church is their "socialization," the place of gathering with all their friends. And they are always reluctant to leave.
"I'll go pull up the van," my husband states, as a signal to go. "And you rally the troops." Standing in the lobby, I can usually spot at least two of my crew congregating.
"Dad's getting the van," I shout, "Pass the word." I then venture into the auditorium, scan the remaining people, and look for signs of Spangenbergs. Getting their attention, I raise my right hand to face level, and, with my index finger, point to the back doors, while mouthing the words, "Time to go!"
Slowly everyone says their good-byes, gather in the vestibule, and inevitably, we are then the last ones to leave. This has become a regular scenario.
I have to admit that sometimes it's frustrating to gather my brood from all corners of the church. There's so many of them, and all have their own circle of friends. Because of this we have had to implement a few rules. For the younger ones, roaming range is limited to the confines of the auditorium. Our teenagers are permitted to congregate in the foyer. But, at no time, are the boundaries to be self-extended without parental knowledge.
We are very thankful for the church that God has led us to. The standards and Biblical teaching are precisely what we desire for our family, which go right along with our homeschooling goals of raising our children for the Lord. What better place for our children to experience their "socialization" than with those of likemindedness. Right?
In theory, yes. But in reality, no. Our children, just like every other child at our church, are prone to sin. The danger comes in becoming too comfortable with our surroundings to the point that we let our guard down. Unfortunately, a number of years ago, my husband and I learned this lesson the hard way. As a result of our experience, we implemented our rules.
We still consider church to be the best place for our children to establish friendships, however, we are no longer blinded to the sin tendency of both our offspring and their friends. The confines of the church building do not necessarily keep out the temptations of Satan. On the contrary, knowing that it's a place where parents "let down their guard" the attacks are often more subtle.
Church may be full of God-fearing Christians, but we, they, and our children are all still sinners by nature.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for the church to which You have led us. Its Godly standards and teachings help us to stay on tract spiritually. And it is indeed a place where Your Presence is felt. However, help me not to allow the confines of a building to permit me to take a reprieve from parenting. I pray for wisdom and discernment in the choice of my children's friends, even at church.
