Introducing.. "Take 5 with Kathy"

Take Six has always enjoyed thoughts, perspectives and ideas from different contributors.

So, it is with pleasure that we introduce to you our newest feature...

"Take 5 with Kathy"

Kathy loves the pen and paper. Blogging is a new medium for her - but you will soon believe (like I did) that they, too, are old and dear friends.

Please welcome her.


Lisa

Faith Instilled…

Have you ever felt you’ve become a good friend with someone you have never even met? Perhaps you read a book about their life, heard a speech or song of theirs and felt inspired? Maybe someone told you of that person’s story and on some level you sensed a deep connection, a kindred spirit, a shared heartbeat.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve found that friend in Moses – yep, that same old man who led the Israelites out of Egypt over 3500 hundred years ago. The very one immortalized by movie directors in “The Ten Commandments” and “The Prince of Egypt”.

What, you say, could forge such a relevant kinship between such an ancient man and a modern-day woman? Well, I’d like to invite you to join in my journey and perhaps along the way you will share your insights with me as well.

As I think about Moses’ time of birth, I am struck by the similarities with the present-day situation in Egypt and other North African countries…civil unrest, rioting, tyrannical leadership, fighting, death, destruction, and families being torn apart. Not much has changed from long ago, has it? My heart grieves for them.

What inspires me most about Moses’ early years is the faith that was instilled in the heart of this little boy. Although he was later raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter, highly trained and immersed in Egyptian culture and education, and became an eloquent speaker and well-respected leader, he never forgot his Hebrew roots. They were established in the arms of his parents, particularly his mother.

That is of great encouragement to me as a mom! Our children’s formative years, especially by the age of five, are crucial for ingraining strong values and faith in our loving God. May I encourage you as moms, grandmoms, aunts, and all women who have significant roles in a child’s life to never underestimate the invaluable influence you have in shaping a young life.

When your day is consumed with wiping runny noses (or dirty little behinds), slapping on more sunscreen, trying to get your teen to dress appropriately for the weather, scooping up yet more Cheerios off the floor, reading the same storybook for the hundredth time, mediating an argument before it escalates into a fistfight or hair pulling, monitoring what your children engage in on the internet, or enjoying an ice cream sandwich together on a hot day as you swing lazily on the porch swing…remember, God highly values those moments you spend with your children. They are teachable moments when you can “train them up in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6), keeping in mind their individual tendencies, personality, and strengths. The best part of that verse to me is God’s promise that they will not forget what they have learned (even though they may choose to disregard it for a time).

In those times when I’ve been tempted to berate myself for how I responded to my son (a young man now and soon to be married), I have to place it in my Father’s hands and trust that He will bring the best out of it for my child (Romans 8:28)…not easy for we women to do!

Check out more about Moses’ early upbringing in Exodus 1:1-2:10 and Acts 7:20-22!

Kathy