Ending Strong

Multi-Generational Thinking

We set goals for ourselves everyday. Today is the day I can pumpkin pie filling. I will ride my exercise bike 30 minutes this morning. We will read the book of Jonah today. We will start our school at 8:00 am at the kitchen table and we are going to stay on budget this month. These are good if not great goals. Of course, we seldom reach our goals, but that’s o.k. at least we have some idea of what’s going to happen today, this week or even this month.
As homeschool parents we even go as far as planning our whole school year. We buy the right curriculum, read the right books, tell the right stories, get the kids involved with the right sports team or social club, but still our thoughts are limited.
Tonight I want to talk to you about a bigger picture. I want you to think about your future, your children’s future, your grandchildren’s future and even your great-grandchildren’s future.
This past summer, we held a bridal shower for Sarah. The question I asked everyone to answer as they were introducing themselves was. “Who influenced you most in marriage?” Over 50% of the women, young and old, answered, “their grandparents marriage”. In my case it was my grandparents, they were married 62 years before grandpa died. My grandma loved the Lord, and at her funeral I learned that it was her loving grandpa that influenced him to love the Lord and attend church with her. That impacted me. I came from a divorced family, so that at times it seemed like the best answer to any marital problem. Not so with my grandparents, they got through troubled times. Without their influence on me, I may have also gone down that road that many Americans and even Christians go down. It would have been accepted to get a divorce. It may have even been praised as the right thing to do. But what blessings would have been loss?

You’re maybe wondering what this has to do with Ending Strong. Well, in order to end strong you have to set up some structure in the area of “Why”. Why am I homeschooling, why am I teaching them to behave, why do they need to learn to respect their elders, why do we visit great grandma and listen to stories told by great grandpa. etc....
Let’s look to the word of God.
Gen. 18:19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.
Deu. 4:9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deu 5:29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!
Deu 6:2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.
Deu 6:7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deu 29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

The Why is to teach them about God. You do that daily by reading the Word, reading literature, doing math, teaching science, even grammar. You also teach them about God by the way you live. Do you focus on the latest American Idol or favorite t.v show. Do you talk with your kids or in front of your kids about your constant irritations about a particular person? Are you using credit cards or debt so much that you become slave to the Visa card or the bank that you can’t give a little extra for a mission trip. Do they honor you and God by the way they work doing household chores? How do they treat their brother or sister? All these areas are affected by the what you teach them about God.

It’s time to be Holy Parents with a Purpose. Purpose in your heart to know God better and pass down knowledge of him to your children. Teaching them daily as you sit at home, when you’re walking along the road and when you lie down and when you get up. Deu. 6:7
Many Christians had to memorize a Catechism. Which means..

a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians.
a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts used for instruction in other situations.

Perhaps your family can to write your own Catechism. What areas in their life do you want to influence? Write them down.
Maybe begin with the first part of the West Minister Catechism.
What is the chief end of man?
Mans chief end is to Glorify God and enjoy him forever.
How will they love Christ. Through a greater knowledge of Him. And how do they get a greater knowledge of him. By going to Church on Sunday? How about Sunday School? Not that these aren’t good. These lessons need to come from home. Everyday living. Everyday conversation.

Do they even know what God has done in your life? Have you forgotten to tell your children how He has provided for you but instead you share with them your worries of life? Have you been sharing how you came to have a relationship with Christ with them?

What about their family history. Do they know their family’s history? Write it down. What family traditions go back to great-great grandma and what is the purpose for those we do now? Write it down. How did we end up living in Toledo/ Winlock area? Where did we come from? Where there any criminals in the family. Where we related to anyone famous? This is what the whole of the Bible is made up of. A family history.

Something else you may want to write down would be the meaning of their names. Why did you choose that name? What other name did you like? Does anyone else in the family have the same name?

What about your Principles. Their going to be learning someone’s somewhere. Wouldn’t it be better for them to learn yours now and give them the foundation they need before someone else comes along and teaches them garbage. (the example of the that is science and evolution or politically)
How do you feel about debt? Should they have a credit card the moment they leave home? Should they make payments on a new car that looses money the moment you drive it off the lot? What about college. Do you want them traveling to far off places when a local college can get them the education they need, or what about vocational school? Is what they really want to do is be a stay at home mom, when the world is pushing them to leave their children in the hands of a paid “professional” worker or public day care?

Has your family made a mission statement? Some people make statements that say their focus will be on Missions, other families may focus on hospitality, while still others may focus on work ethics. You may consider writing something down.

Pattern Provision-how will you provide for their spiritual needs along with their physical needs. Do they see dad working hard or hardly working or working too hard. Do they see you on the computer all day or doing things to run the household. And when they do see you folding the laundry, doing dishes, scrubbing toilets are you grumbling, complaining or praising God?
Are you showing them how to manage their households and teach/training them to be good stewards? Whatever they end up doing they will need to know these things. Are you teaching your children to know how to teach their children to know and love the LORD. You need to pattern these things in their life.

Prepare them. When I got married, I didn’t know anything about anything. I did know how to cook well, although mom was a good cook. I didn’t know how to do a practical budget, although I had a business class at school. How to let Mike lead and me to support him in doing so was also something I had to learn along the way. Also, I knew nothing about child rearing or even childbirth. . More than likely all your children will get married. Are they prepared to be a husband or wife, a mother or father? Are we neglecting their training so they can play sports or spend too much time with their peers, unsupervised. Do you even know what your children are talking about to their friends when you aren’t there. In our day, now, we have news headlines that scream, wars, economic downturns, floods, and illnesses. These are nothing new, our children will be hit with these and much more. As we are thrust into socialism, our children will need to be able to decipher what is right and what is wrong. We need to prepare them to think biblically for themselves in these area while they are within the protection of your homes.

I believe you will have direct influence to the third and possibly the fourth generation, but what you teach your children now will effect the fourth generation and beyond.

Adam was alive until Lamech was born, who is the father of Noah. That’s nine generations. He had direct influence of the whole line of Noah. But, Just like Adam not all of our children and children’s children may follow God, but we can begin to build a future that may change our families history.

When we decide to follow God and his plan for us, it changes what happens in the future, just like when we choose not to follow his plan it will effect a down ward slide.

When I wrote this, I had a picture of Fred Flintstone in my mind. When he had to stop his car, he pushed his heels in the dirt until the vehicle stopped. That’s something we all have to do sometimes, put our heels in, push as hard as we can and stop. We have to turn the tide of indifference to a purpose filled life for us and our future generations.


To summarize.
First, it’s important to have goals.
Second, let them see you as a Holy Parent with a Purpose
Third, Share your principles.
Fourth, pattern your provision
Fifth, Prepare them for their future and their children’s future.