In a previous post I talked about a plan I had developed for raising my boys and how I pretty much failed in implementing it with my oldest. Now that my last two boys are old enough, I figured I should revisit with renewed fervor and give it another go. There is A LOT of good stuff that can be very valuable for them. My initial thought was to post the plan, not only as a motivation to myself, but to also help others. Then this came to mind:
Since good plans can and probably will change and evolve out of necessity. And some significant time has passed since I started with my original ideas, this is a good time to revisit what I have, make any needed changes/adjustments, then roll out a new plan of action. Using the previous plan as a starting point and working through this exercise again would be valuable and help the plan and lessons be more relevant for my youngest boys. So, without further adieu, it’s time to work through the planning process.
Pretty much every journey requires identifying three things.
1) Where we currently are. The starting point.
2) Where we want to go or in this case the end goal.
While common sense dictates this, I think a lot of times as parents we fight fires the best way we know how without keeping these two things in mind. And if we don’t have an understanding of these two things, our journey is doomed to fail.
3) The Map
The final piece of the puzzle is the map. It’s ok to know we are in Texas and know we want to get to Hawaii. But without a map, I don’t think we would ever get there. And this map we are talking about is not just any map, but the “right” map. This is an important distinction that a lot of people overlook. If I’m in downtown Dallas and need to get to Houston and someone gives me a map of California, what do you think will happen? If I try to use this map, not only with nothing match up, but I will be constantly lost and confused with no chance of reaching the destination. One could argue that having no map at all would be better than having the wrong map.
Out of these three things, I would argue that the map is the most important. Without it, there is a possibility we may never really know where we are. And even more importantly whether we know where we are, or we don’t, there is a pretty good chance we would never be able to get to where we wanted to go without a map. I have identified what I need to get started. And I know I really need that map to help me get to the destination. So, what/where is the map? As a Christian this is pretty obvious. The Bible is the map. The Bible is the lens through which we need to look at everything. How we see where we are, where we are going and how to get there. It can help us identify the obstacles, pitfalls and snares that litter the path. It helps us find the narrow gate. In a nutshell it points us to Christ.
Why the Bible?
If the God of Christianity (YHWH) exists (which after many years of seeking and searching, I think the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that he does) then it would make no sense at all to not use his love letter to us as the guidebook to life. If you don’t believe in the God of Christianity, then this plan would not be for you. If you don’t believe the Bible is the actual word of God written to us, God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, then this plan will not make sense to you.
However, if you do believe, then let’s not just take our children to the Bible when something is wrong, or during church and family devotions. Let’s bring the Bible to our children’s lives, show them how it applies to every circumstance of their life. Teach them how valuable the wisdom in the scriptures is to us. Demonstrate how it can give them guidance and help and is the most logical way to live life. Ultimately our children are sinners. And there will be a time when Mom and Dad are not around. But God and the Bible will always be there for them. Let us equip them for such a time. I could argue it is our prime directive as parents. The framework for this plan could be used for girls as well. There would be plenty of differences, but the general ideas can be used for all children.
The goal is lofty, the road is fraught with perils and disappointments will abound. Regardless, I hope you agree, it is well worth the sometimes painstaking time and effort.
Until Next Time,
Fortnite Fatherhood 