SP #3

Chapter 3: The Gold behind the Guilt

• "Parenting is a complex game, infinitely more difficult than chess, yet we often have to play it when we don't feel that we're at our best."
• "..accept the fact that parenting demands skills (of me) that I don't possess. It requires an understanding and wisdom that (I) lack."
• I really "get" this... "It dawned on me that not only am I not fully qualified to parent, I also have to admit that sometimes - out of weariness, distraction, or whatever - I don't even live up to my own capabilities. I'm less than my best, even though I realize my best isn't good enough!"
• Wow, this is good..."we are shepherding image bearers of the Creator God"
• So true, so true..."...we tend to take too much credit for kids who turn out good, and too much blame for kids who turn out bad."
• "...focus my efforts on introducing my kids to God, even using my own failures and inadequacies as compelling causes for my children to find their refuge in him."
• "It is my job...to model my own need for God's mercy and to demonstrate how God can use even sinful people to accomplish his aims."
• "Micah 6:8...'love mercy.' Micah doesn't tell us to merely "demonstrate" mercy or to "discipline ourselves" toward mercy; he tells us to fall in love with it!"..."Those people who love mercy are not thankful merely for the mercy they have received; those who love mercy are also eager to show mercy to others. Like God, they want to forgive, they feel eager to forgive."..."Mercy is the defining principle of their lives."
• "Where we see weakness, God sees humility. Where we see messes, God sees intent. Where we see failings, God sees motives."