Who Has Time to Count, Anyway?

I love the family that God has given me. I love the challenge of creating domestic bliss out of chaos (Or at least managing the chaos down to a low ebb)whether it be menu planning, curricula planning, or chore planning. I love knowing that these things glorify God according to what He said in Titus 2. There is an eternality about the mundane, and all parents need that reminder sometimes.

There is an enormous heaven focus in our mindset when it comes to training and teaching the children that the Lord has given to us. I know what our goals are, yet in the trenches I am apt to forget. The opportunity to point my child toward a greater understanding of the Savior, and their need for Him is a BLESSED interruption, not just an annoying attempt to derail my schedule. Ginger Plowman reminded me of this in her book Don’t Make Me Count to Three! A Mom’s Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline.

Mrs. Plowman divides her 12 chapter text into three subheadings: Reaching the Heart of Your Child, Biblical Reproof, and The Biblical Use of the Rod. Her witty writing entertains as it enlightens, and the vast amount of scripture cited makes a practical manual for how I should be thinking as a mother. This book helps as a guide for first time parents or as an encouragement for veteran parents who may need some refreshing from the sinful traps they have fallen into as they interact with their children.
Here are some excerpts:

While some of the modern ideas sound good and may even reap some outwards benefits, we are not merely after outward actions, but inward cleansing. We are after the very hearts of our children.

Biblical discipline involves love, the heart, and God’s Word. Because God is concerned with the issues of the heart, biblical discipline involves much more than outward behavior.

She supports the principles presented with humorous and thoughtful examples. There is one more thing about her book that really impressed me with its wisdom. I tend to judge good parenting books by how convicted they make me feel about my own spiritual life and love for God’s Word. This treatise made me realize how little I know about incorporating the Bible’s words in daily life with my littles. I realized that my actions show that my view of Scripture is lower than I would verbally defend.  Spurgeon said,” We should be walking Bibles.” Don’t Make me Count to Three! subtly clarifies the importance of scripture saturation in our lives, and its eternal value to our children.

Note that if you buy the book, you can also buy a leaflet the size of a calendar entitled, “Wise Words for Moms.” This is a handy reference guide to glance over at the beginning of the day featuring biblical responses and heart probing questions for you to use in response to various situations that you will run up against in the course of your day. Get it!