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“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11-12

Okay, so I’m going to take a different spin on this. I am completely behind the author’s encouragement to say no, but I also want to encourage you to say yes. I believe that we don’t really even think about what our child is asking for. We just throw out a no instead of being bothered with them. Then when they pester us enough to listen to their request, we realize it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if we said yes. And so we do. But as the author implies, we are slowly decreasing the value of our no’s. So, next time your child says, “Mom, can I go play in those puddles” or stomps right on into them, think about it. Do you have a change of clothes? Could they ride home in their diaper or undies? If so, then say yes! If not, then say no and stick to it.

This is really working well at our house. Though my child is far from listening when I say no, I have been able to decrease the no’s so that he does listen to them more often. I had gotten to the point where I felt like I said no and dished out spankings over and over again. So now I think about it. (Parker has even picked up on my umm’s. I’ll ask him if he wants cookies or crackers and he’ll say, umm…too cute!) But I make my decision count, and I make it final. If he disobeys, he gets a spanking. I am still in the bad habit of handing out warnings, though. “If you do that one more time I will spank you.” I need to get better on giving one command and then a spanking for disobedience. We are all works in progress as the scripture points out. Parenting is a learning process. I hope you have been able to learn from Jennifer and I as we muddle through, passing along the bits we are actually getting right…after much trial and error.

On another note, I just want to praise God for our soldiers who are currently serving on active duty, those who are veterans, and those who have given their lives so that I may sit by the lake and eat barbecue this weekend. We are so amazingly blessed to have these men and women who love us enough to lay down their lives. We are even more blessed to have a Savior who did the same. Happy 4th of July!