Before dedicating your baby at North Point, there are some messages they ask you to listen to and some homework they request that you complete prior to the event. One of the homework assignments was to write a letter to your child- I've included it below. Pretty short and sweet, but Bekham can always refer to this blog if he wants to :)
Another one of our homework assignments was based on the idea of intentional parenting. Our kids are going to learn by our actions, not our words. I can tell Bekham all day that God wants us to be generous with our money, but if he doesn't see me modeling that, my words are meaningless. So, the task at hand was to chose 5 values that you want to prioritize in your home. We chose generosity, ambition, love, responsibility, and respect. The second part of the assignment was to chose 2 habits that you would implement in your daily routines that would put these values in action. Our first habit was to always ask each member of the family, "What can I do to help?" Parents ask kids. Kids ask parents. Kids ask kids. Our family is a team. Our hope is that they would learn to be generous with their time and resources by asking this question and following through. We also hope this will teach love. Love moves- its a verb. This was something I don't think I always fully understood. We also plan to assign household chores/responsibilities that are age appropriate to also teach responsibility as well as respect for our leadership in their lives.
I'm sure more ideas will come up, but the point is- be intentional. Choose ways to model our values to our children.
The really neat thing about sharing these with our family was that they in turn shared some scripture with us! My sister-in-law Shannon shared the verse she and her husband chose as parents (which is actually the entire chapter of Psalm 78). She talked about how we are called to pass on the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord to the next generation, just as they were passed on to us. She also gave us the idea to create a habit of doing a family devotional each morning. (Our children will learn to open their Bible if they see us in the Word every day as well). Simple, and yet so true.
My other sister-in-law, Rachel, shared Isaiah 44:3 which says, "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." What she has been learning from this verse is that she wants everything that comes out of her to be Christ. So that when she speaks- her children see Christ. That the wellspring within her would just overflow to her seed (her children) and that it would bless them.
My mom shared Ephesians 1:17-19 with us which was neat. Part of the verse was for us as parents, and part of the verse was for Bekham. "[Nick and Aly]I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. [Bekham] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."
Aren't we blessed with such wise family? I'm so thankful for them!!
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| Kelsie, Grampie, Grammie, Mom, Dad, Aunt Rach, Aunt Shay Shay, Uncle Bry |
The verse Nick and I chose to guide us on the journey of parenthood is Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
Bekham was given a storybook Bible from North Point. My Mom gave him a sweet book as well as 2 parenting books for me to get started on (Bringing Up Boys and Parenting with Grace and Truth). My best friend Kelsie gave him a Bedtime Prayer Book which is absolutely precious. His Mimi gave him a sweet green and brown cross that has already been hanging in his room for about a week.
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| Bekham's first Bible |
And this is the letter I wrote to Bekham. It's already crazy looking back on it only a month later! Oh how things have changed (mainly his sleep). Are you on the edge of your seat? Wait for the 10 month post that is coming this week!
(8/17/2012)
My sweet Bekham,
As I write this, you are sound asleep upstairs. This rarely happens. You just don't like to sleep sweet boy. Maybe you just don't want to miss out on anything going on in your little world! You are already 9 months old- how can this be? You have been such a blessing to your daddy and me. We prayed for you long before you began growing in my belly! And now you are here, you are a miracle. As you can imagine, we still pray for you daily. For your health, for your safety, and for your growth. But we are also praying that you will come to know Jesus and have a relationship with him from a very young age. It is the most important decision your father and I have made and it will be the most important decision you could ever make as well.
There is so much I could say to you. What I hope and dream for you. What I want your childhood to be like. Who I want you to marry someday. All of that is fun, and even important, but no matter what your future holds, please always know and claim these truths:
1. God loves you. He loves you fully and completely. Nothing that you do or don't do could change that.
2. We love you unconditionally and delight in who you are. Nothing that you do or don't do could change that.
As long as we live- your daddy and I will always be here for you. We will laugh with you. We will cheer for you. We will cry with you. We will support you in whatever you choose to do. You should know however, daddy hopes you will play golf or baseball. I bet you and your dad will golf together quite often. Just always promise me you will come home to Mom for a good home-cooked dinner when you guys finish up!
Bekham, we are going to make mistakes (which you will probably agree with by the time you read this!) We are going to disappoint you. We are going to frustrate you. BUT! Anything, and everything we do is with your best interest at heart and because we love you! We trust that God will use us to model a good marriage to you, to model what it looks like to serve and honor Him, and use us to raise you and train you up in Him.
Dream big son. Never give up on your dreams. Have confidence in yourself because God created you and He makes no mistakes. I pray you have big and great faith. I know God has huge plans for your life. Be open to where he calls you and where he leads you!
I love you now and I'll love you forever!
Mom
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| You are loved sweet boy! |
