I am holding up my end of the deal?

God has given us such an important job to do, which is raising our children to be great men/women of God! In mine and Ryan's case it would be raising 2 great men of God. I realize everyday that got has trusted us with 2 of his greatest gifts!  What an honor to know that God trusts us with 2 of his precious children to love, discipline, and raise and at the same time it is scary, cause I want to make sure that I am doing it the way that he would have me to do it. Our children really aren't our children, they are really Gods, and he has let us temporarily have them to love, cherish and to raise according to his will!
One verse that stands out to me the most about children is Proverbs 22:

"Train a child in the way he should go

and when he is old he will not turn from it"

That verse says a lot to me.  It speaks truth!!  Everyday I wonder am I teaching them the right things, saying the right things to them, encouraging them enough, am I being to strick on them, am I not being strick enough, this list could go on and on.  But in reality, if I would simply let God guide me in the way that handle every aspect of my children's life, I wouldn't have to worry!  He has a perfect plan, and in his perfect timing it will all take place and be set into motion.  Not a moment too soon, and not a moment too late!  AMAZING!!

Something else that has stuck in my head is something that I read in my bible.  I have a Life Application Study Bible (which I love) and at the bottom of each page there are explanatory notes (also love these too).  I was reading through Ephesians 6 one day which is about Children and Parents.  As I was reading v4 which says 

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring 

them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

After reading this verse I went to the notes at the bottom to see what it said about this verse and it really hit home to me! (By the way, God is awesome, because at the time that I was reading this, I was going through some issues, in my mind, about my parenting ability and he gave this to me to read) The explanatory notes say:

"The purpose of parental discipline is to help children grow, not to exasperate and provoke them to anger or discouragement.  Parenting is not easy --it takes lots of patience to raise children in a loving, Christ-honoring manner.  But frustration and anger should not be causes for discipline.  Instead, parents should act in love, treating their children as Jesus treats the people he loves.  This is vital to children's deveopment and to their understanding of what Christ is like" 

Can we say WOW!!  Man if that doesn't hit home then I don't know what would.  That spoke to me on several levels and even today, after reading it again, it reminds me that I have to work on my parenting.  Not that I am a bad parent, even though that thought has crossed my mind before, I am human and I struggle!  But with God I can make it through anything.  As the verse says  

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength" 

Philipians 4:13

My prayer is that I will always look to and depend on God to guide me and direct me in ALL actions as a parent.  That I will always look in his word for guidance in rearing my 2 boys. I pray that all my actions would be pleasing to god, and that at any given time, my boys can see Christ through me.  I pray that I can teach them to pray, to worship, and follow God.  I pray that I can teach them to love others the way that Christ loves us, and to overlook ones imperfections, which is of the world, and to look inside their heart and to see the true person that is within.  I pray that I can teach them to give of themselves and to serve others.  

Heavenly Father, I pray that you will continue to feed me with knowledge to raise these 2 precious boys that you have given me on this earth!  Lord, continue to help me seek you in all that I do and to follow you! Protect my boys from the evil of this world, and keep them safe in your arms.  I pray that I am guiding them in the right direction so that when its your timing they will ask you to be their Personal Lord and Savior, oh what a day that will be!

In Jesus Name!!