photo by Jim Winstead
I have something of a routine every morning after breakfast when we finish our family devotions. I get up to go brush my teeth, saying, “Well, I’m going to go brush my toofies.” I’ve said it often enough that my children will often finish my sentence for me when I say it. Which is what my youngest did a few mornings ago.
“Well, I’m going to go brush….”
“…your toofies,” he finished. He paused and then repeated the whole sentence more slowly. “I’m going to go brush your toofies.” He grinned and said, “Remember when you used to brush my teeth?”
I smiled back and nodded. Remembering brushing my toddler’s teeth falls into the category of not appreciating it at the time but wishing I had that precious moment back. I was surprised he remembered it.
“You used to brush my teeth all the time,” my son reminisced. “Then one day you said I had to brush them for myself, and I was, like, ‘What?!’” He gestured in mock surprise. “I have to brush my own teeth?!” He smiled and looked at me. “I couldn’t believe you weren’t going to brush my teeth for me anymore,” he said, as he hefted his now tall, lanky body off of the sofa.
There’s a lot I don’t do for him anymore. I don’t give him his bath, I don’t dress him, I don’t feed him short of putting his meal in front of his place at the table. I don’t tie his shoes anymore, I don’t hold his hand to cross the street, I don’t even do his laundry. All these things he’s learned to do for himself. Which was what was supposed to happen.
He’s also able to read the Bible for himself, and does every morning. He prays before every meal, even if he’s fixed himself his own sandwich and sits down at the table by himself to eat it. His personal ministry is to hold the door open for everybody (which can be a real challenge when we’re trying to leave the mall). He enjoys church, he enjoys his youth group, and often surprises me with the depth of knowledge he has about biblical principles. He says the kids in his small group study call him a “walking Bible”, and I have no doubt that is true.
Which was what was supposed to happen when my husband and I began reading the Bible to him and engaging him in family devotions from the time he was a toddler. We taught him to do these things for himself, knowing that our instruction would produce both fruit and blessing in his life. And it’s produced fruit and blessing in our family’s life as well. That happens when you glorify God through teaching your children about Him.
Which is why we do what we do.
“Well, I’m going to go brush….”
“…your toofies,” he finished. He paused and then repeated the whole sentence more slowly. “I’m going to go brush your toofies.” He grinned and said, “Remember when you used to brush my teeth?”
I smiled back and nodded. Remembering brushing my toddler’s teeth falls into the category of not appreciating it at the time but wishing I had that precious moment back. I was surprised he remembered it.
“You used to brush my teeth all the time,” my son reminisced. “Then one day you said I had to brush them for myself, and I was, like, ‘What?!’” He gestured in mock surprise. “I have to brush my own teeth?!” He smiled and looked at me. “I couldn’t believe you weren’t going to brush my teeth for me anymore,” he said, as he hefted his now tall, lanky body off of the sofa.
There’s a lot I don’t do for him anymore. I don’t give him his bath, I don’t dress him, I don’t feed him short of putting his meal in front of his place at the table. I don’t tie his shoes anymore, I don’t hold his hand to cross the street, I don’t even do his laundry. All these things he’s learned to do for himself. Which was what was supposed to happen.
He’s also able to read the Bible for himself, and does every morning. He prays before every meal, even if he’s fixed himself his own sandwich and sits down at the table by himself to eat it. His personal ministry is to hold the door open for everybody (which can be a real challenge when we’re trying to leave the mall). He enjoys church, he enjoys his youth group, and often surprises me with the depth of knowledge he has about biblical principles. He says the kids in his small group study call him a “walking Bible”, and I have no doubt that is true.
Which was what was supposed to happen when my husband and I began reading the Bible to him and engaging him in family devotions from the time he was a toddler. We taught him to do these things for himself, knowing that our instruction would produce both fruit and blessing in his life. And it’s produced fruit and blessing in our family’s life as well. That happens when you glorify God through teaching your children about Him.
Which is why we do what we do.
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