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Father’s Day, Listening, & Lingering

Linsey Driskill

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A super simple way for our kiddos to appreciate their dads on Father’s Day- have your kids write a bunch of reasons why they love him and then tape them on his bathroom mirror. 😊

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Listening well to my kids is something I’m continually working on.

Not out of dread or guilt, but because I know this time is fleeting and I want to be present. I want to look them in their eyes and really listen to them.

Because I love them.

In the midst of a million distractions,
I know it is vital that my kids know I’m listening.

I’m working on decluttering things and activities around me
so I can be more focused.

More intentional.
More connected.
With my kids.

I want my daughters and son to know just as I listen now,
that I will listen when they’re older.

When I half-listen, it’s easy to miss the moment.
To miss the connection.
To miss showing my kids that what they’re saying matters to me.

If I’m in the middle of something and can’t listen well, I try to tell them to wait five minutes, thirty minutes, or however long it is until I can give them all my attention.

So I can connect with them, and hear and know their hearts.

I will obviously fall short sometimes as I’m human, but it is worth it to me to keep pursuing the better way of listening well and loving well.

Let’s listen better to the little things now – to those things that might seem unimportant to us, but are huge to them – not only so they’ll know we care, but also so they’ll know we’ll be listening when they’re older.

“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life.” Proverbs 21:21

 

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Calmness, Contentment, & Parenthood

Linsey Driskill

Isn’t it easy to want to yell when our kids misbehave and don’t listen – when that last straw is broken and we’re at the end of our rope?

103870776_1191416281197985_7591546141507610951_oBut hostility just makes things worse, strains our relationships with our kids, & leaves us with oozing guilt.

Consequences with calmness work far more powerfully.

When we played basketball yesterday, my daughter said something in a rude tone to me.

I’m not okay with disrespect and I had already corrected her earlier, so I calmly sent her to her room for 10 minutes. Sometimes I snap back instead, but I strive to speak with grace and react calmly. When I don’t, I apologize.

She tried to get out of it and explained why she spoke that way, and I told her it was not okay, and repeated what she needed to do.

It diffused the situation, I relaxed, and she came back with a kinder tone.

Just before the basketball game began, my son let his other sister provoke him and continued overreacting and responding with anger toward her.

Sure, these emotions are normal and there’s no way to raise perfect kids who don’t fight, but if I can direct them toward better responses that reflect Jesus, I’m going to.

Instead of creating more chaos with a heightened reaction from me, I calmly sent him to his room.

After that, we read through Ecclesiastes 7:9 together, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit for anger resides in the lap of fools.”

We talked about how every human struggles with this, including me.

But that when we ask the Lord to help us with it, he will.

Finally, my kids and I were all outside together to play that b-ball game I wasn’t sure would ever happen.

While the game was delayed by “interruption” and “inconvenience”, that’s what parenting is – stopping in those moments to raise our kids and directing them in ordinary circumstances.

When we let repeated misbehavior slide, it becomes more of the norm and ends up being more difficult on all of us.

Calmly giving consequences reminds our kids who is leading, that we won’t wither to bumps in the road (making them feel secure), and that we are committed to showing them the better way because we love them.

We all need grace and sometimes reminders are just what our kids need or they might need to work it out on their own without our involvement, but if rude tones or strife are becoming the norm, consequences with calmness can make a big difference.

Lord, when we’re at our wits end with our kids and want to react with yelling and fits of anger, please lead us with calmness and grace instead. Give us your wisdom to know how to parent our kids, connect with their hearts, and lead them to you. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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This is Motherhood, Relationships Make a Difference, & Wisdom to Teach our Kids

Linsey Driskill

I know we all have heavy hearts right now. I hope this content helps draw your hearts to Jesus.

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My daughter was “invading” my time – that quiet, peaceful space early in the morning when I spend time with the Lord while everyone is asleep.

She tiptoed into the sunroom after not being able to sleep. My first instinct was to keep it as my time.

But, the Lord impressed upon my heart, that life together, walking together, teaching our kids through moments like these … this is motherhood.

It’s not just about me.

So my daughter did her devotional, while I read my Bible. And we shared that sweet time in the sunroom together.

While it’s completely okay to have our own time as it restores us (I sure need it), we should be sensitive to transforming moments we can spend with our kids.

Sitting there together, seeking after Jesus together, was beautiful.

Hearing her sweet voice ask what a verse means and getting to talk about it with each other was water to my soul.

This is motherhood.

I’m so glad that I made room for her to join me.

It was a sweet time I will always remember.

Let’s enjoy the moments we have to ourselves and those small moments we get to teach our kids what it means to follow Jesus.

Because this is motherhood.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6

 

After teaching at an inner-city school focused on racial reconciliation and being a part of an intercultural reconciliation program in Central America, I saw the difference relationships and conversation make. Bottom line, relationships make a difference. ❤

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Let’s share and discuss these truths with our kiddos so we can have a view and heart that reflects more of Jesus. ❤

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After Our Children Misbehave, A Prayer, & a Conference

Linsey Driskill

I’m excited to share with you that I’ve been selected as a speaker for the Beyond Women Conference, fall of 2021 in Nashville!

The vision of Beyond Women is to see women move beyond Sunday into living a life for Christ in the everyday. I’ll be doing a session on “Encouraging kids to Love the Lord”.

I’ll share more details with you as it approaches. Thanks to each of you for your support & encouragement. I”m grateful for you! ❤️ Here’s the website for the conference: https://www.beyondtheconference.org/

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Memorial Day, Things we Should do that Kids do, How to show the Love of Jesus

Linsey Driskill

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How can we reach those who lost loved ones serving our country on Memorial Day? How can we help their loved ones’ legacies live on?

1. Write letters to their families.
2. Pray for their families together.
3. Talk about them with our kids.

My friend, Tyler, died while serving our country. When I think of his family, my heart aches for them. I want his family to know I have talked to my kids about Tyler, who he was, and his kindness and bravery.

That my kids know we have freedom because of him and all the people who served and serve our country. I want his family to know that his legacy lives on.

If you are one of the families who lost a loved one serving our country – thank you. We are so very grateful for the heroic sacrifice of your loved one. Lord, please bless each of these people today with your great hope, joy, peace, and Presence. In Jesus’ name, amen. ❤️

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While I love doing devotions with our kids, weaving the Lord into ordinary times together is a great way to show them practically what it looks like to follow Jesus.
 
I’m not saying to relate every single thing to the Lord because that could make our kids annoyed and want to run the other way.
 
But, when we follow Deuteronomy 6 by pointing our kids to the Lord as we walk through life together, our children will begin to have eyes to see the Lord in the ordinary.
 
For example,
 
“Gracie, that is so kind that you washed your sister’s dish. Way to love her well.”
 
“Brooklyn, I love how you told your brother you were wrong and asked for forgiveness. That is showing humility and just what the Lord tells us to do.”
 
“I’m sorry that kid has been rude at school. Maybe there’s something going on in his life. Let’s pray for him together.”
 
“Thank you for coming right away and listening like I asked. You sure loved me well.”
 
One of my kids says, “I don’t want to forgive her.” I say, “I know it’s hard sometimes, but the Lord forgives us when we mess up and he tells us we need to forgive each other too.”
 
“Kids, I’m sorry I spoke to you in that tone. I was wrong. Will you please forgive me?”
 
“Our neighbor is going through a hard time right now – what is a way we can show her the love of Jesus?”
 
“Bates, I love how you showed your sister compassion. Way to love like Jesus.”
 
“Look at the bird in the tree, kids. Isn’t God’s creation beautiful? The Lord tells us that just as he takes care of the birds, he will take care of us and not to worry. Isn’t God awesome?”
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In no way am I saying these are the “right” words to say as there is no perfect equation.
 
But directing our kids to the Lord through ordinary moments has helped us in seeking after Jesus and setting our hearts and minds on the Lord.
 
Lord, thank you for our kids, for who you are, and for your awesome love for us. Please give us the wisdom, love, and strength, to point our kids to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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