Sometimes – perhaps most of the time – what keeps us from success … is us. It’s not other people and circumstances that keep us from a better career or a better marriage. It’s us. We hold ourselves back. We’re bound by mental and emotional barriers, like imaginary ropes around our ankles that convince us we can only stray so far in a new direction. Negative thoughts are powerful enough to hold back an elephant. Literally.
There’s an old saying that if a hammer is the only tool you own, everything will look like a nail. That’s why a well-rounded toolbox also contains screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches of all sizes. Each tool is designed to solve a specific problem. With that in mind, how many tools are in your parenting toolbox? There isn’t one tool to rule them all. Some moms and dads rely on the same emotion and parenting techniques for every situation – anger, overly strict rules, permissiveness, etc.
Kirsten Watson’s husband, Benjamin, played for six NFL teams and won a super Bowl in 2005. Much of those 15 years, she was on her own in a new city with a household of seven children, including twins. At one point, she was so stressed she suffered painful migraines that doctors said would continue unless she made changes. Maybe you relate to the pressure Kirsten felt. Motherhood is beautifully rewarding, but it has its challenges. According to one Barna study: Eight in 10 moms feel overwhelmed by stress.
Jason Smith, a middle school principal in Kentucky, met his daughter for the first time when she was in the sixth grade. Her name was Raven. She’d been sent to Jason’s office after getting angry in the cafeteria and throwing food at a fellow student. When Jason sat Raven down, he asked her, “Would you act that way at a restaurant?” Her answer surprised him. She had never eaten in a restaurant, she said, because she’d spent her entire life in the foster care system.
Is freedom the absence of rules and discipline? Or is it submitting to rules and discipline? I believe freedom begins with submission. Let me explain it this way. I like to play golf. But it’s a hard game. The first time I grabbed a club I didn’t whack a ball 300 yards straight down the middle of the fairway. A golf swing takes years of practice to develop and a lifetime to master. And yet, it’s discipline of learning to swing a club properly that offers me freedom.
Hosted by Jim Daly, President and CEO of Focus on the Family, this half-hour program is the cornerstone of Focus on the Family's home-strengthening outreach. Focus on the Family provides biblically-based advice for marriage and parenting with heart-touching stories and help for families.
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