Faith in Parenting

On today’s Tuesdays at 2:00 support call, we shared ideas for using the Thanksgiving holiday to teach our children about giving thanks to God. We covered so many great ideas, I’m going to break them down into two blog posts.

Today I’ll focus on volunteering opportunities surrounding this holiday, since that was what we discussed first. Tomorrow I’ll add some tips for how you can use the day of the holiday to help your kids give thanks to God.

Remember, too, that you can listen to the call in its entirety any time.

Ideas for Volunteering as a Family:

• Call a local soup kitchen and volunteer to help make or serve the meal for Thanksgiving Day. Even if you’re unable to be present on the day of the holiday, they’re sure to need assistance both beforehand and after.
• Bring your kids grocery shopping with you and ask them what their favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is. Purchase double ingredients for that item and donate one set to the local food bank. (They may even have a drop-off box right there at the store.)
• Call a women’s shelter or family assistance program and ask how many people will be present for the holiday. Then make and drop off a special dessert, such as pumpkin pie. It’s super easy to make (I use refrigerated pie crust and follow the recipe on the back of Libby’s canned pumpkin!), and it’s also something you can do the day before, since it needs to chill for a few hours.
• If your child’s school is having a food drive, volunteer to help load the truck or deliver the goods. This is a great family activity and really makes an impact on the kids when they see where the food is actually going.

What other ideas do you have? Use the comments area to share your ideas and experiences with giving to others at Thanksgiving.

Listen to the Call: Teaching Our Kids to Give Thanks to God at Thanksgiving

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away? What are your plans? Will you be cooking this year? Traveling? Enjoying a quiet holiday at home with your immediate family?

Whatever your plans are, spend a few minutes thinking about how you’ll intentionally convey the message to your kids that Thanksgiving is about more than just good eats, but about thanking the Lord for His provision in our lives.

That’s the topic for this week’s Tuesdays at 2:00 - Thanksgiving Traditions That Turn Our Attention Back to the One We Want to Thank. I hope you’ll plan to join us. The call is completely free, aside from any long distance charges you may incur dialing in.

Here are the directions for accessing the weekly support call:

• Date: Tuesday, November 6, 2007
• Time: 2:00-2:35 PM (ET)
• Telephone Number: (641) 715-3200
• Access Code: 229468#

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. I look forward to talking with you!

Blessings,

Jennifer

Can you believe what an assumption I put right there in the title of today’s entry? Yes, I’m putting it out there in “black and white,” affirming that we, as human beings, experience doubt.

On this earth we’re so separate from God. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit to walk with us and intercede for us, and we have other believers to encourage us in our faith and instruct us, but even in the midst of those great helpers, we’re prone to question. But, before we judge ourselves or even write off our faith, let’s take a look at where our doubting has the potential to blossom into an even stronger belief.

I think James 1:5 is a great reminder for us as moms, and that’s why I chose it to be included in the heading to this blog. It reads “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

What an awesome reminder for us! I don’t know about you, but there are plenty of times when I second-guess my decisions as a mom and wonder if I’m doing “the right thing.”

The passages goes on to talk about doubt. Verses 6-7 read:

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts in like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

It’s tough to ask without any doubt running through the back of our minds, isn’t it? We’re prone to running contingency plans in the backs of our minds. I think this is especially true for moms, because we’ve trained ourselves to foresee all of the dangers and possibilities for any scenario ahead of time, haven’t we? So when we approach a big prayer need, it’s almost natural to ask for God’s healing hand and intervention in our lives, while at the same time, preparing ourselves in the event that our request goes unanswered.

So what are we to do with our doubts?

• First, pray. Be honest with God about how you’re feeling. You can even say, “Lord, you already know that I’m having trouble with this. Let me know that you’re real and that you’re here in the midst of this situation.”

• Second, I think it helps to look back on your life and see how God has carried you through so many other circumstances. That’s why I like to underline or highlight special passages in my Bible. It just helps to open it up during a difficult time and see where He has spoken to me and nurtured me in the past. So what about you? What prayers has He answered in your history together? How? And what was your response, before and after your prayers were answered? Thinking back through these experiences can be a big encouragement.

• Third, I think it’s important for us to be in the Word regularly, and especially during difficult times. He just speaks right to us sometimes, doesn’t He? I mean, how many times have you been reading a daily devotional and found that, on certain occasions, the “chance” daily reading was one that spoke right to your heart and ministered right to you? Being in the Word regularly also prepares us for difficult times, because then when we open it up during a time of trial or great difficulty, the words are so familiar! It’s like being “home.” If you haven’t yet begun the habit of reading the Bible regularly, I’d encourage you to give yourself this gift.

• And finally, I think that being in fellowship with other believers can be a huge help during those times when we’re praying and yet doubting at the same time. God gave us the Holy Spirit to walk with us here on this earth, and He also gave us other believers to encourage us and pray for us. So don’t be afraid to admit to a brother or sister in Christ that you have doubts and need their prayers.

Friend, these are just a few suggestions for how we can respond to doubt in our lives. But more than anything, I want you to know that we all have them! And what was Jesus’ response to Thomas when he demanded to see and feel the evidence that Christ had indeed risen from the dead? Did he scoff at him? Declare him an unbeliever, or cast him out of the inner circle of disciplines? No, Jesus met his need. Check it out for yourself in John chapter 20.

He’ll meet yours, too.

Blessings,

Jennifer