If I Could Teach My Boys One Thing...

We, as parents, have so many things we want to teach our children.  If you are anything like me, your mind is probably often consumed with what you want to teach your kids or what you should have taught your kids.  We think about what we need to teach them academically, socially, emotionally, spiritually.  We worry about how little time we have with them to teach them to make the right choices and have good morals. 

I recently came to this simple realization.  If I could teach my boys one thing, just ONE thing...
I would teach them that they have nothing without Jesus.

That sounds so simple.  And I am not naïve enough to think that I can just tell them that and my job is done.  No.  I realize I have a lot more to teach them.  But I can honestly say that if 20 years down the road my boys were asked the most important lesson they learned from their mom I would hope their answer would be that they have nothing without Jesus. 

I would love to see my boys turn out to be successful and not have to struggle financially. 
I would love for my boys to marry the woman of their dreams and give me beautiful grandchildren. 
I would love for my boys to fulfill their childhood dreams and become a professional baseball player or a volcano explorer (true story). 

But...

What if they get laid off after 20 years in their profession and find themselves out of work for years? 
What if their marriage hits rock bottom and their family falls apart?
What if their childhood dream isn't everything they thought it would be?

I want my husband and I to be the rock for our boys. 
I want us to be the ones that never waver, never fail them, unconditionally love them and continuously support them for all their lives.

But...

What if something happens to us? 
What if we, as most humans do, fail them in some way?
What are we really teaching our boys if we raise them to think that WE are their rock?

I take my role as a mom very seriously.  I do everything I can to lift my boys up, encourage them and raise them to be Godly men.  The point is - I can do all these things and more, but without Jesus they have nothing.

I want my boys to get that.  To Really get that.

I often wonder if my boys really understand our love for Jesus.  I wonder if we are teaching them what we want to teach.  It's moments like this that give me hope.

And moments like this...

Last night our church life group helped with the kids ministry at church.  Garrett and I were able to help out in Garrison's class.  The lead teacher was amazing and did such a great job with the kids.  At one point she taught a lesson and at the end she asked for two volunteers.  Garrison raised his hand having no idea what he was volunteering for.  The last volunteers got to play Jesus and the woman who was healed so why wouldn't he volunteer?!  Little did he know he was volunteering to close the lesson in prayer.  :) 

My 8 year old prayed for orphans.  He prayed for all the children that don't have families.  He prayed that these children would all be adopted "just like my brother".  I don't think I have ever been more proud of my son than I was in that very moment. 

Just imagine what our kids' generation could be like if we taught them that they had nothing without Jesus.  If we could shift their focus from the material things of this world to people who are hurting, orphaned, lonely and in distress.  If we could teach them that wealth and stuff has no value.  And if we could teach them that the one person who will NEVER fail them or forsake them is Jesus.  Just imagine...

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." ~ John 15:5

~Jewels*