Sing to the King

I normally don't post pictures like this to social media or the blog because...well, it's my boys in the tub. They will be so embarrassed in several years but I LOVE this picture and had to share.

What you can't see in this picture are the toothbrushes in their hands as they play the "drums" (side of the tub) while singing "God of Angel Armies." They were playing and singing at the top of their lungs! Such a sweet sound to this Mama's ears!

I have thought about this picture several times since taking it...

My boys' minds are so moldable and I am making every effort to take advantage of their innocence. I desire to lay a foundation that points them to God. We don't have cable. We listen to only Christian music in the car. I don't tolerate speech that puts another down like "stupid." (That's the big one right now and one of our children has learned that soap doesn't taste very good.) We have a weekly verse that we memorize and talk about throughout the week. I am trying. But I am not naive.

Brandon starts kindergarten in the fall. WHAT?! Yes. Brandon starts kindergarten in the fall. I know that he will hear things that will cause his heart to sing things other than, "Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other!" He will make friends with unbelievers and those of different religions. He will experience things that make him wonder if God really is the one true God. I hope and pray for all our boys that the foundation that is being laid will keep their hearts tender to the things of Jesus.

Deuteronomy 11:9, "Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

One of their favorite stories is Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego (Daniel 3). When they retell it (especially Brandon) they always over emphasize the part about them not bowing down to the king which caused them to end up in the fiery furnace. We were listening to a kids praise CD in the car the other day and one of the songs mentioned singing to the King of Kings. Brandon questioned why we sing to the King if we aren't supposed to bow down to other kings other than God. What a teaching moment!

The flip side:
I work part time at the YMCA and some of my hours come from working in childcare which means the boys go with me. Since I stay home with them full time, the Y and church are their social outlets. They are very social and I am thankful for that. However, like I mentioned earlier, they are moldable. Just as I can teach that God is the King of Kings and Jesus is God's Son, others can teach them foul language and inappropriate finger gestures...

Just one example...The boys like to shower instead of take baths. So, one night I was giving them a shower and as one of our boys was getting in the shower he said, "Da@@ this water is hot!" No, that was not "darn." My jaw dropped. I couldn't overreact and I didn't. We talked about "not nice" words and luckily I haven't heard it since.

So, I am not naive to think our boys won't be influenced by culture, friends, or their own sinful hearts but I can be proactive in leading them closer to Jesus. I love to hear them sing about Jesus and pray for the day that they will sing to Jesus and acknowledge Him as Lord.


His,
Meg
Zeph. 3:17