RESTORING “THE MAIN THING” TO BE “THE MAIN THING”

**Think of your children—right now—constant busyness—children in complete dependence upon you. 

—Changing Clothes —Laying out clothes —Washing Clothes

—Reading w them         —Playing w them         —Teaching them

—Picking up toys           —Picking up clutter      —Picking up clothes

—Food prep/cooking —Meal cleanup —Dishes

—Bath times                 —Brushing teeth —Homework

—School activities         —Practice nights —Game days

—Sick kids —Up all night               —All kids get it

—Dr. visits —Dr. bills                    —Medications

—ER visits —ER bills                   —Insurance calls

These are all the things nobody warned you about before you had kids!

Life gets real busy…real fast! Some families navigate cautiously not allowing their children to be involved in any extra-curricular events. Other parents brave the vast number of opportunities allowing their children to be involved in four or five things each week beyond school. 

• Sam plays baseball. Mary has piano lessons. Shawn plays the sax. Heather has swim team. Mark has guitar lessons. Jane does karate. Brad plays football. 

• Emma’s mom allows her to do piano, ice-skating, soccer, ballet, and manages to learn the flute—all in one week. Kate’s mom wonders if she’s being a bad mom compared to Emma’s by not allowing her to experience and grow in all these areas. Will Kate fall behind? Will Kate not be able to “compete” with the other children her age is she’s not involved now? 1

• How much is too much? Are any of these families doing too much? But where do you draw the line? Our tendency is to judge the others and their activities and truly believe our balance is clearly the best! “If they were only like us…they could see clearly. All their activity is probably why their kids are not as well behaved as ours!” 

• We justify our “balance” to life and when it comes to seeing other’s “balance” in schedules we either look down on them or are jealous. Sometimes we’re jealous and fearful that all their activity will lead to healthier, more successful future children. Other times our fears and jealousy may be from seeing the calm and peace other families seem to maintain. 

Parents have asked: Are we doing too much? We feel stressed? How much is too much? 

Remember, we’re looking at “Restoring THE MAIN THING…to be THE MAIN THING.”

“THE MAIN THING” = LOVING THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH. PASS THAT ON AS A LEGACY!

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 

“Loving the LORD with all your heart, soul, and strength”

“Teaching them diligently”

“talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

From God's perspective--it's clear that the #1 most important rule for kids to have as they leave the home is "Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength." 

Is that what you are actually influencing your kids towards? 

**What are the characteristics that you would like to see defining your children as teen-agers and especially as they leave your home at 18?

—Humility —Compassion         —Love for others

—Gentleness         —Kindness —Generous/Caring

—Servant’s heart —Integrity —Love for God

WHAT IF…Creating an environment where they learn and see and experience Loving God and being Captivated in Christ is the the most important thing to learn in life? 

So, how much is too much? Where do we draw the line between the priorities of seeking to produce successful, bright, future contributors to society and hopefully the Kingdom of Christ? 

Are you FIRST providing that type of environment inside your home—showing them by scheduling Christ as the HIGHEST PRIORITY in your home—and then having whats left over to do activities? 

Would having a simple, workable plan implemented in your home that lays out the implications of Deuteronomy 6 help in furthering an environment of grace? 

**What is your time and priorities and schedule revealing to them is the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE?

“THE MAIN THING” = LOVING THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH. PASS THAT ON AS A LEGACY!

Sankie P. Lynch

Pastor of Families

www.nbchurch.info

www.nbfamilies.info

sankie@nbfamilies.info

1. Idea adapted from Ed Moll & Tim Chester Gospel-Centered Family (The Good Book Company) 17.