Monday, March 30, 2009

Mason in My Box

Today is March 30th. Today is a special day. Today is Mason's THIRD birthday. It's hard to believe that "Mr. Mason" has been with our family for three years. Mason has a personality unlike the other grandchildren. Mason knows what he wants (or doesn't) and it's rather difficult to persuade him to a different way of thinking! Some might call that stubborness or being strong-willed and it might very well be that there is some of that going on in his little head, but, if channeled properly and wisely, he can be a very strong man who won't be easily influenced and led astray.

Proverbs 22:6 says : "Train up a child in the way he (she) should go and when he (she) is old, he (she) will not depart from it." I have heard all sorts of teachings on this verse and one that made the most sense to me was many years ago in a sermon by Tim Wilson at Calvary Church in Brandon. His take on the verse is that the "train up a child" part is to train your child to grow in his or her natural bent. If their gifting is in the arts, then help them grow in that area. If their gifting is leadership, help them develop leadership skills perhaps through sports or other group settings. Listen to your child, observe your child, get involved with your child so that the natural bents will become obvious to you. As a parent you will, of course, want to make sure your child is well-rounded and exposed to many disciplines, but if your child is not a mathmetician, the math or chess club might not be the best fit. Fitting a square peg into a round hole is never fun and is usually painful for both the peg and the hole!!

So, back to Mr. Mason. His mommy and daddy probably have some challenging days ahead of them as they learn what his natural bents are. But, with God's help and guidance, they can train him in the way he should go. A tool that is available to assist Mason's parents and others is Dr. Gary Chapman's, Love Languages for Children. The book is an excellent resource for learning what makes your child tick and then loving and guiding them in the way that they best receive information and guidance. He also has one for teens and adults.

Happy Birthday, my precious Mason. I am so thankful God chose our family to love you. You are a special gift that blesses us every day, challenges included. May your tender heart be turned to God. May your spirit be sensitive to the wooing of the Holy Spirit as you hear the Word proclaimed in your home. May your beautiful blue eyes behold the wonders of God's awesome creation and know that it is He who made you, that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, that you were made in God's image, that He knows the very number of hairs on your head, He knows your rising and your sleeping, that He cares for you and upholds you with his mighty right hand.

Happy Birthday. Love, Mimi

2 comments:

  1. I couldnt agree more, beautiful and sweet words for the little man.. a few tears shed, both from your words and from thinking back on the last 3 years... we are such a blessed family. Love you.

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  2. I have a "strong-willed" child myself, and I agree totally with this. I think it is one of his srengths, just something that has to be encouraged in the right way. What may com across as stubbornness now, will serve him later as drive and perserverance!

    And I love the comment about the square peg in the round whole--that is SO true. God gives us each special gifts for a reason--otherwise He'd have made us with all the same interests.

    What a great "Mimi" you are to see this in your grandson :).

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