Wednesday, May 20, 2009

WFW: No Stumbling Block


My Big Guy just finished his first year in middle school. We will be leaving town this weekend to go to the beach for nine days to rest and recuperate from what was a long, completely draining year. Middle school is nothing short of a nightmare.

In addition to adjusting to the pressures of middle school, we are definitely starting to discuss more and more the social pressures: drinking, smoking, drugs, bad language, cheating, plagarism, pornography, etc... Anytime you begin discussing these things, your children ask you how you made your own decisions.

So many things influenced me in my decisions about all of these things, but Scripturally, none influenced me more than the verse above:

Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer,
but rather decide never to put a
STUMBLING BLOCK
or hindrance in the way of a brother (sister).


Like it or not, I know that people base their opinions based off what they see. I did not want to reflect poorly on my Lord because of words that came out of my mouth due to cussing or because questioned my faith because they saw me walking in a liquor store.

Now that I have children I know that my decisions not to do all of these things are playing a role in their decisions also. Will they make the same decisions as I have made? I am not sure, but I am praying, guiding them and leaving their decisions to them and God.

Ultimately, every person's relationship with God is between them and their Heavenly Father, but I feel strongly convicted that I am need to work as hard as I can not to be a stumbling block. I fail miserably... a lot... but I keep trying every day with the Lord's guidance.

11 comments:

Jenifer said...

Great job! Happy WFW!

Joan said...

Wonderful Post.

Happy WFW
Blessings

From the Doghouse said...

Those stumbling block issues really hit home when you have kids.

Supermom said...

Have fun at the beach!

Felicia said...

Enjoy your time at the beach. I am excited yet worried about next year. It's never to soon to pray about it. Today we celebrate another year in the books.

Laurie Ann said...

Great picture and verse and wonderful post. May we never be a stumbling block and may we tell the next generation how important the truths of God are to embrace rather than the lies of the world. Enjoy your trip to the beach. Sounds like you need it. Happy WFW!

Cathy said...

A great verse and picture for it ~

crittyjoy said...

You always know how to get to my heart. I needed this reminder.

Happy WFW...and you enjoy that vacation...you deserve it :)

Lisa said...

Your post reflects a similar place I find myself in! This verse gives me a clear direction to go in with my children, now, too! Thanks for sharing!

ozjane said...

I have been wondering how I can change from jumping to conclusions
to taking time to see God's view of it.

Silly little circumstance but I am unwell and the men are re-making my road and giving me a footpath that I did not want but I just know is going to be loaded with blessings...but I was grumbling....they know I am ill.....they are putting in my drive way and footpath over the next few days so had to ask do I need to take the car out. Why oh why could they not bring my rubbish bins in off the edge.
Not really safe for me to get down there.......but exasperated...I went and struggled to get the big blue recyclable one in..and lo behold they had lifted it up on the new edge....because it had not been collected.

Why did I think the worst of them?
Why not try some charity first.........
Boy has sin done a number on our thinking.

Carrie said...

What a great way to talk about that with your guy!