Welcome to the October 24th edition of Faith & Life Lessons.
You will see this email full of tidbits from my week. My goal is simple. I hope that from how I live my life, you can find a thing or two that helps you as you try to live a life that matters. I am always trying to do one thing - make Christ-focused decisions in love, work, and life. And this was my week.
The Story of My Week
We had the first birthday party for my son during the week.
Before this year, we used to keep it within the family. His mum and I have always thought that we would only have parties when he can make it his party.
And he did.
He decided on the friends he wanted - only the boys in his class.
He even chooses his cake design.
When I asked him why he was inviting only the boys, he responded “when it’s time to play, the girls may want to stay inside while the boys would want to play outside”
Interesting perspective. At age 6, he is already aware of the differences in play preferences between boys and girls.
I liked that it was purely a kids’ party. The parents dropped off their kids and picked them up at the time we set.
Everyone was punctual. In two and half hours, the kids had partied and played to their delight.
The parents came for the pickup and chatted together.
We were all familiar with each other. Our kids had been together in the same class for over three years.
One kid had even been sharing the same class with my son since they were one year old in the same Creche.
The whole thing reminded me of simpler days gone by when we were growing up.
I remember going to birthday parties of friends in the street and coming back after just children's fun.
No parents. Just kids playing.
And parents were sure that their kids were ok.
Communities can still be made.
Communities of parents trust each other and grow their children together.
A new world in the old world.
Side by side.
Things I Learnt
1-When God is Calling your Attention: someone sent me a “give me your advice” call.
Over some time, he had a dream which involved some spiritual warfare.
His business was having challenges and not generating the cash flow he expected. Opportunities were been called off at the last moment.
Add to that, a car he had just bought was spending too much time at the repair shop and taking out money.
He told me and asked for my advice.
Interesting, I didn’t perceive that it was an attack from the enemy.
I wrote back “I don’t have an advice on the matter. Rather, I have a perception on the whole thing. I think God is trying to get your attention and you are distracted. The things happening to you and the dreams seem to be God wanting alone time with you. You need to make the time.”
He responded “Hmm…I think you’re right. I am indeed distracted. I’ll create some alone time with Him.”
I have learned that sometimes what we think is a spiritual attack is God trying to get our attention.
God is the God of all things and He still uses the things around us to get attention.
I hope we listen well.
2-Parenting is not for the Fearful: One of the things I hear now and again is that “ you need to do more in these times to raise your children because the world is out to get your kids.”
The next thing is that these voices now start reeling off the differences between the world when you were growing up and the world now.
They make it seem like your parents got an easier gig raising you compared to the challenges of the new world.
I understand the need for urgency but it is just creating an atmosphere of fear for parents.
When my parents were growing up, they did not have exposure to TV. They learned what they needed to from the small community around them.
Can you imagine how it must have felt for them raising kids in the world of TV and other influences from music, comics etc?
Recently, I was a bit befuddled when people were complaining that DC comics have made Superman’s son gay with a boyfriend.
This is not new. If you were reading comics when I was a kid, gay characters have been there so long ago.
My father once told me that he had a friend who didn’t know that his father had tribal marks on his face until he was in his 20s. Why? Because he did not look at his father in the face while he was growing up.
Of course, they raised their children differently in keeping with the times.
The biggest success secret you can bring into the parenting game is not fear that the world is out to get your kids.
It’s the calm confidence that God can keep your kids and make them into the Godly seed He wants them to be.
Does that mean you do nothing else?
Nope.
It just means you are making decisions from a position of confidence and not from an unhealthy fear of the future.
Postscript
May the news of the world not overwhelm your heart that you forget God's promises over you. May God's promises inspire you to act with courage no matter the odds you face. Amen.
Tata,
Tola - The Everyday Disciple
I help Christians like you who want to live intentional lives incorporate their faith into everyday life so they can make Christ focused decisions in all areas of life and truly live to make an impact and make God happy.
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