Just musing... a long week, long mornings, but a weekend coming up, woo hoo.

I'm wondering how to teach our children what "real fun" might be. Trace is seven and Cammi is five - for all of your child psych majors out there, when does self-awareness get balanced out a little better with others-awareness? I want my kids to think of fun in terms of others - not just wanting others to participate in "my fun," but to start having fun that's more inclusive of others, their needs, their desires.

I hear you - some of us never learn that.

So this morning, I'm drawn to Deuteronomy, as Moses is writing his last words to the children of Israel. There's an important principle laid out - teach your kids the ways of God (Deut 6:4-9, various other places, too). I guess what I want to teach is that fun comes in helping others have fun, that joy comes in bringing joy to others, that real peace comes in living at peace with others - attitudes that come from our own relationship with Christ, where we recognize that He glories in us, and He longs to change us into His own likeness in our lives.

And we teach by living that out in front of them, and in giving them opportunities to live that way, too. As usual, whatever I see lacking in them must first be dealt with in me. Pray for me - every morning with Trace is an argument, mainly because getting ready for school isn't "fun." I don't blame him - I'd love to not have to come into work, just staying home and playing Gamecube all day (gotta do something in the midst of SportsCenter reruns). But just because I don't want to get ready for work/school doesn't mean that just being together, eating cereal and making coffee together - that can be "fun" as I make sure you have a good morning and you make sure I'm having a good morning, right?

Love one another, selflessly and "in fun"... And pray for Trace to get over it when I kick his rear in Gamecube games tonight 8^).

p.s. - ok, I'll let him win... once.

- posted by Rick @ 20:20