I'm Lindsay Ferrier, a Nashville writer with a passion for family travel, exploring Tennessee, and raising kids without losing my mind in the process. This is where I share my discoveries, along with occasional deep thoughts, pop culture tangents and a sprinkling of snark. Want to get in touch? Use the CONTACT form at the top of the page.
August 8, 2011
When my husband and I married nine years ago, we committed ourselves 100% to our family and since that time, our faith, our marriage, and our children have been our top priorities. Everything else pales in comparison.
What that means for us is, quite simply, making every spare moment count. For our family, summer has been a time of vacationing together, picking berries, riding bikes on park trails, swimming, baking, reading, going on day trips, visiting the farmer’s market, watching movies, going to Vacation Bible School, gardening, bubble blowing, butterfly hatching, firefly catching and playing in the sprinkler. My children are under the impression that their summer days have flown effortlessly by, filled with activities. Of course as any mom knows, the truth of the matter is that I’ve worked many hours behind the scenes to schedule something special for them each day. And I’ve approached helping them foster a relationship with God in the very same way.
When I was a child, I thought that God lived at church. He came out only during choir rehearsals, Sunday School, and nightly prayers. It took me many years to really get the concept that He was with me 24-7, that our relationship wasn’t limited only to holy times and places. One of my goals as a mom has been to show my children that God is everywhere, and with them at all times, whether they’re at home, at school…
…or on the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail in Ashland City, Tennessee.
This was the scene of our most recent family outing. An old railroad track through the forest has been converted into a paved trail, perfect for exploring.
And perfect for witnessing the works of God.
“Do you see God in anything here?” I asked my daughter casually as we walked, in between discussions about how many nuts a chipmunk could eat and how old we thought the fat oak was beside the trail.
“Of course, I do,” she answered stoutly. “I see God everywhere.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“God made the acorns,” Punky answered. “Even the baby ones.”
“He made the pretty butterflies,” she continued.
“He made the blue herons. He made everything.”
“And He saw that it was good,” I intoned in a booming voice.
We both laughed, and launched into a stirring rendition of “The Ants Go Marching One by One.”
To me, these casual conversations are every bit as valuable at her age as any Bible story I could read her. Learning to relate to God outside of church and the Bible and in her real life is a priceless gift, and one I’m determined to give my children. I don’t have any illusions that what she’s learning now will prevent her from making mistakes as she grows older, or keep her from getting into trouble.
But I know beyond a doubt that if she has that spark of belief in her heart, she will always have something to cling to when times are bad, and a light to help guide her home when she’s lost her way.
I’ve seen so many mom friends get frustrated when they can’t live up to their goals of having a weekly family Bible study, or getting the whole family to church each Sunday, or holding a prayer time on the way to school each morning. If you’re having a hard time working these kinds of activities into your schedule this summer, why not work conversations about God into what you’re already doing together?
It might be just what your family needs.
This post was originally published on TommyNelson.com.
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