Link Up with MOB Society: Operation Failure

Link Up with MOB Society: Failures, Foibles and Flops .




Where to begin on this one?? Should I highlight one situation in particular or use a general statement?? I think I will going to use as a general statement in the area of raising Godly Boys to Men.


Like Brooke stated, we always share about our successes with our children to others, but rarely the hardships or failures. So, I am going out on a limb and state a recent failure in our lives...


Well, with raising four boys while the husband is deployed, creates it's OWN CHALLENGES in itself because I have to be Mom and DAD during these long 12 months of deployment. So each day is a challenge really. We have a 13, 9, 4, 2 year old sons.
Each one is individual and each one presents challenges, failures, and of course success stories as well. I'd like to say that I see more success than failures --to be optimistic here. ;)

Right now, as we get into our second year of homeschooling and with it being almost over...I do have to say that it's been a successful homeschool year. I truly love being at home and teaching our children the biblical foundations and truth to them and to go along with our mission statement on homeschooling--Preparing their hearts for Christ as adult Christian, Godly men.

If I can take anything out of these years (the good,bad, and ugly) --is that they learned to love God with all their hearts, minds, and souls...then we have achieved our mission as parents.

Some may say that that would be a FAILURE, but not in God's eyes and not in our minds either as their parents.

BUT--with having four boys--it's very challenging. Our oldest son is now a teenager. Help me God!! LOL! I have already seen a slight change in behavior, not totally bad, but different. He has already tried my patience several times in the last few months (with Daddy being gone). I now know that he is already into the idea of girls and with being bombared in this cultural society --Sex is everywhere. From T.V. to Internet.

This is the time, probably even several years ago, in thier early years that we need to talk to our boys about sex, love, and romance. It won't be to long that he'll be a young adult--heading to college (Christian College hopefully, but that isn't saying much these days either) and later start his own family.

I do pray for them already to find Godly wives for each of my boys. I read a book titled, "Preparing Him for the Other Woman: A Mother's Guide to Raising Her Son to Love a Wife and Lead a Family" by Sheri Rose Shepherd. I love this book. It gives examples on how to reach out and pray for your sons. It makes me aware that the way I treat him (them) --will reflect on how they we treat others and especially their families...

With that...that is where my failure comes into...I try whole-heartily to be a Godly wife and mother, so they can lead by example in the future. With that hard fact, it's a scary thought to lead as THE EXAMPLE to all my boys. We each have failures, but we know that God is the only power to fix them---if we let Him.

Yes, I have had my fair share of yelling and disregard to their conversations. Now, I make it a key point to just listen. Stop what I am doing and give my attention to them (mutual respect). If I am speaking to them, I'd like their full attention as well...So why not reciprocate the gesture?? I find that in this day and age, children are less regarded as people...I mean literally children are viewed as a second class-citizens and by viewing documentaries, our educational systems and cultural environments are not doing a very good job in raising Godly persons. (TRUE BE TOLD).

Being a one-parent household (geographically) is extremely hard. My hats off to single parents in every way possible!!! Thank God they're out there raising their children for Christ!! I pray for them also.

Seems to me, we that homeschooling for Christ, are now in the minority, but we will keep on trucking' in that direction. Lord helps us during these trying times and in the future.

Anyway, our boys (like I said) are individuals. My nine-year old likes to hide when it comes time to doing chores and for the LIFE OF ME (and makes me so upset) is that he loses his shoes. Every time we need to go somewhere we spend 10-15 mins finding HIS shoes. Please don't get out advice on how to fix it...been there and DONE THAT!! ha ha ha. It's getting better though. It just baffles my brain about him and his shoes...

My four year old is probably ADHD and on top of that defiant in most situations...but, loves to give out hugs and kisses (which most the times make up for his behavior) ---Not saying that we don't address HIS behavior either...it's rough most days...I won't lie about it.

Our two-year old has his 4 year old to mentor him (UGH)...so trying to tone down the defiance by keeping them both preoccupied with POSITIVE things to do.


No matter what I do, someone at some point, is being defiant. My idea of defiance ---simply is not obeying. Yeah, that is a strong word, but I don't mean it as in perfection, but I do mean "obey your father and mother."

I don't think God wants perfection??!! I mean we can't be as human beings, but we both (my husband and I) believe that the Bible is true, just, and right. We want our children to obey---in order to LIVE LONG LIVES!!

Anyway, for the most part, we are visualizing in that Godly direction. As hard as it is, I just keep praying for guidance, patience, and a whole lot of Grace. :)

Quote for the Day:

‘He who sins before a child, sins double.’ Strive rather to be a living epistle of Christ, such as your families can read, and that plainly too. Be an example of reverence for the Word of God, reverence in prayer, reverence for means of grace, reverence for the Lord’s day. Be an example in words, in temper, in diligence, in temperance..., in faith, in charity, in kindness, in humility.
~ J.C. Ryle --[shared by my friend Valerie]