Our Family Priority

We started a new series at church today called "ORANGE: Revive Your Family". Today talked about how the church & parents are in a partnership to teach children about the Word of God. Approx 40 hours per year is what the church has to teach children about the Word whereas parents have approx 3000.

Steve and I talk to Sean about God - but I'll admit it's not nearly as often as we should. I'm changing that starting today. From the time Sean was born, I have purchased several children's prayer books and books that talk about God for him. - He has his own children's bible, which I used to be pretty diligent about reading it to him every night. Somewhere down the line though, it stopped. Not because I love God any less or think Faith is unimportant - I just seemed to get out of the habit somewhere down the line. We'll be starting back up our nightly reading tonight. I want to make sure Sean knows his God. I want him to develop his own relationship with Him and have his own Faith, etc. I also want to make sure that we start saying grace at meal times and also get into the habit of Sean saying his prayers at bedtime. I already say my prayers every night (and have for as long as I can remember), so why haven't I been doing it with my son? There is no excuse.

I found the following stats interesting:

Kids As Active Adult Christians - 72% if both parents attended church

- 55% if only Dad attended

- 15% if only Mom attended

- 6% if neither parent attended

I am a product of the 6%. Neither one of my parents attended church. My Mom was raised Catholic (which I was baptized as when I was less than 1 mo. old) and Dad was raised Lutherin. The only time I remember going to church with my Mom was when I was 7 years old and we were visiting my great-grandparents in Condon, Oregon. Dad only goes if it is for a wedding or funeral. Somehow though, even before I attended church for the first time when I was 7, I knew there was a God and that He was important and loved me. Somewhere along the line, someone must've talked to me about Him. I always vowed that once I received my drivers license, I would start attending church. - And I did. I attended CCofC from 1998-2002. I was baptized there Oct. 3, 1999 and was an active member of their college-age group. I helped with the group's directory and also helped teach Sunday school to the kindergarten class for a few semesters. I believe I did a 4th grade class at some point too, but I don't remember if that was a weekly thing or if I just helped out another friend from time to time. Anyhow for a while, I was doing something involved with the group/church 5-6 days a week and enjoyed every moment of it. I could literally feel God working thru me.

Steve and I both want Sean (& soon to be born Jaycie and any other children we may be blessed with) to grow up within the church. It wasn't something that I did, but I wish it could've been that way. Steve grew up somewhat within the church I believe. I know he's told me about attending as a child, but I am not sure how constistant that was. - I'll have to ask him about it. My hope for him is to develop his own relationship with God and grow to be a Godly boy/teenager/man/husband/father. If we start that cycle/teaching now, I truely believe it will happen.