Strengths and weaknesses

It has been so difficult to see specific spiritual gifts in Abigail and Isaac. It is so easy to "approve" or "like" or "favor" what one kids does, so we figured we must be liking spiritual gifts we can recognize.

So, Isaac at age 16mth has developed amazing physical skills. He can jump, run, climb up and down anything. He also has amazing communication skills. Isaac has a loving heart too. But what we have been so warmed in our hearts by, is his God given ability to share. He is sinfully still selfish of course, but he loves to be generous. Isaac loves music. I think he would love to learn the drums. He is also in love with books. He cannot survive half a day without reading.

Abigail on the other hand has to be taught a lot more to be generous. Sharing does not make her joyful. But she has amazing coloring skills, attention span, and is already learning to read ( I still can't believe she knows all the phonetic sounds of the alphabets). She loves to organize. She is some kind of a perfectionist. Her spiritual gift is more administrative and hidden. She is very compassionate and knows how to feel for others even though others might not always come first. Abigail loves music too. I think she would love to lead worship one day like me. Abigail loves to talk about God, she asks lots of questions and knows many bible stories. But her understanding and ability to remember details are incredible. She understands that Jesus is the only One that can take her to heaven! She is currently, as of today, inquiring where death takes you. But she knows so much, I am astounded. She knows tons of bible verses, not because we systematically make her memorize it, I don't know if I agree to that, but because we use bible verses throughout the day! I will intentionally get a new verse once a month, but she is able to apply the bible verses to life and not just to her amazing sponge memory.

Recognizing their strengths and weaknesses is essential. We had to sit and think hard of these strengths and weaknesses. Phill and I both have shared how our parents looked down upon what we knew were strengths and nagged us crazy about our weaknesses. They also favored other siblings because their strengths were more "useful". By acknowledging the gifts that God has bestowed on our children, we will encourage their strengths and build their weaknesses in God's timing. Parenting has been so much work because we both have some horrible, deeply rooted, and twisted "skills" from the way we grew up. Only through God's grace and wisdom have we discovered these truths about ourselves and have been transforming ever since. Transformation will never cease since our children have different phases and are in different ages. We will never be able to do it on our own. I pray God will continue to raise us as a family who will glorify His name and Kingdom. His grace and wisdom be with us. Amen.