Parenting: Chalking in the Lines

A proverbs 31 woman is what I strive to be... yet I so often fall short, really short.   But good news, we serve a GREAT God full of GRACE!  I was so encouraged by the devotion from today on the site Proverbs31.  Feel free to sign up for your free daily email devotional (:


The author use the example of how at a  football game they chalk in the lines, and these lines face a tough day through rain, snow, cleats, and smashed bodies beat against them for hours. And at the end of the game, they are no longer white, straight and clean. In some places, they may have been completely rubbed away. But when it game time the next weekend, they chalks the lines back in.

She related this to how as parents we "chalking in the lines." And society so often tries to go against those boundaries you work so hard to set.  And so, as parents we continue to chalk in the lines again and again by reminding our children of the boundaries that we feel the Lord calls us to put in their life. And the boundaries are to spare them from the consequences of bad choices or keep them out of harm.   And oh my goodness, sometimes you are so tired from a long day of work and you walk into a house where your kids are immediately screaming, whining, misbehaving and wanting your attention and it's hard to stick to those boundaries because your exhausted, but you do it because you love them enough to give them your last breath and it's what God wants you to do for them - out of love and for their good.

When we set boundaries we need to do it with love, and make sure that our kids know that they are cared for deeply and we do it because we want to protect them - even if they don't like the boundaries set.  I was most encouraged by the ending prayer because that is life as a mother. True story.

"My prayer for you is that when your day has been long and you're

trying to cook, run a load of laundry and figure out when the next

sports practice is, you will not grow weary in "chalking the boundary

lines." And that one day your children will come back and thank you.

In Your strength, help me to lovingly show my child the way. 

Soften their heart to accept and trust me as I follow You."