Hi Louise, I’m with you there sister… I cringe at times when I think of things I have written on email groups or forums, so I too pray for the covering blood. I have changed what I write and how I write because I’m learning and growing. Ah, thanks be to God for His grace eh?

Love Ya and loved the revelations and your words.

Hi Fee,
Well WA is a BIGGG state and Karratha and Darwin and Ross Island are a long way from anywhere lol…oh, did I mention Karratha? I’m trying not to think about it.

When I was pregnant I read every parenting book in print. I sure did buy into some STUPID ideas. The Word is perfect (of course!) but there is also a lot to be said in the realm of parenting, for the older women teaching the younger women.

How much calm, sensible, practical advice did I NOT follow because it disagreed with all the “you will emotionally scar your child for life if you look at her the wrong way” psycho-hot air I had read. Crumbs! What a goose I was (blush!)

Time, and the grace of God, have taught me a few things, or I would never have survived to have more than one child.

I should say though that I’ve always been a bit of a rebel when it comes to “doing what everyone else does”. When I moved to the town I live in now, it seemed like EVERYBODY had done or was doing “Growing Kids God’s Way”. To be honest, if I had done that course, I probably would have ended up in a mental institution because my child is one of whatever percentage who programs like that DO NOT work for! Yet, he’s a gorgeous kid, and I appreciate his “spirit” and “attitude” for how God made him. 🙂

Okay, I’ve had my little rant now. Great post Susan. I think you need to move to WA!!

Love,
Fee xx

Ive learned so much more from people just sharing their lives (either in real life or via auto or biographical books) rather than the person setting out with the aim of teaching me.

Initially I wondered if I had an attitude and was being resistant, but I came to see that this is more natural – relationships…sharing of lives, just as, I believe, God intended.

Thanks for sharing ladies…you both bless me heaps by sharing here and on your own blogs. :chic:

The last couple of parenting books I have read, I found myself wondering throughout about the people writing the books. These are their ideas, that they believe have worked for their particular family situation based on THEIR OWN PERSONAL STUDY OF THE WORD AND RELIANCE ON GOD THROUGH PRAYER. A novel idea. Many of those people did the hard yards with their own families on their knees before God – and then it got me thinking, if I took a similar approach to parenting, maybe I could write my own parenting book. 😉 Just kidding.

Since I have begun relying on God for myself, and really working at truly trusting in Him; since I have packed away all my how to books and, like you Jacqui, begun reading about real people and their whole lives through good quality fiction and biographies – life with my family looks different these days. Better balanced I guess, and whole, rather than compartmentalised.