Comments on: Wise Eyes

By: Nancy Ann

Nancy Ann — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:55:05 +0000

Here’s a suggestion for you. My husband’s exhortation at worship this morning addresses this very thing. So if you scroll up to the top of this page, you’ll see Blog and Mablog listed on the left column, and underneath is listed We Can Easily Arrange for a Scene. Click on that and you can read his exhortation. Blessings on your labors!

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:11:23 +0000

We work very hard (although not perfectly) to give our four daughters equal amounts of affection and attention, according to their needs and stages of life (our 9-month old needs very different things than our 6-year old). However, we are really having trouble with our 4-year old and 2-year old, who fight constantly for my special attention. They are so obvious in trying to “one-up” each other to secure my admiration that I hardly know how to respond. At some point I have to stop them and remind them both how I love them equally enormously. Sometimes I think it’s actually not about my love, but about the outworking of selfishness and pride in each of their hearts finding an easy target in the other.

I have numerous times spoken with our 4-year old about seeking peace with her sister, modeling for her sister kindness and deference, and just plain how rotten selfishness is. For both of them, we point it out in Scripture; we spank; we praise thoughtful behavior; we make them play together in order to practice getting along; we separate them for periods to give them each some down time. But the rivalry continues. Any suggestions?

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:52:13 +0000

I am constantly struggling between what is normal sibling behavior and what is inappropriate and needs serious attention. My children certainly love one another and have tenderness in their hearts towards each other. Then there are days where they nit-pick and annoy each other to death. How do you deal with those days?

By: Kendra

Kendra — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:00:27 +0000

“And if you delight in each of your children, you will free them to delight in one another.”

These are wise words, indeed. Thank you for your gentle admonitions and encouragement.

Merry Christmas!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:55:56 +0000

I thank you so much for this post. I don’t know if it was a direct result of my request or just coincidental, but I did need to hear these words very much. Some days are overwhelming and some are wonderfully refreshing-especially with a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old. I want to cultivate in them a deep friendship-not just a means of tolerating one another. But how can you NOT be friends with someone who respects and honors you? And the best part of it all is thinking a bit more futuristic…in doing so, you are preparing their hearts to respect and honor as adults and within marriages! Thank you!

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:44:59 +0000

I especially liked your stressing of how brothers and sisters should treat each other. I grew up in a very feminist-oriented home so this type of thing was all new to me as I sought to raise my own kids in a God-pleasing manner. It is amazing to me to see the differences between the genders from even the earliest ages… and how what feeds the soul of the girls is radically different from what inspires my son.
Well said, and thanks so much for sharing!

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:22:26 +0000

Thanks for the great post! Yes, it is important, isn’t it? I have often been aware of these things between my two daughters but have recently had cause to speak to both my sons about such an issue. They are 2 years apart in age and I’ve found that I need to be very hands-on in teaching my older son to be ‘gentle’ in his treatment of his younger brother as he is feeling being younger. when I say ‘gentle’ I don’t mean soft, but it’s good for him to learn how to be respectful of those younger, weaker or different.

Thanks!

By: Mrs. L

Mrs. L — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:49:55 +0000

I’ve gotten down sisters growing up with sisters down pretty well, but we’ve recently adopted two boys – and wow has this thrown a whole new measure into the mix!

Thank you for this post, the encouragement is most timely.