Book #17

I finished Shepherding a Child's Heart this afternoon. This book was recommended to me by so many people that I had to read it eventually. It was very good, and gave me a clearer understanding of what to discipline for, as well as how and why to discipline. I have to admit though, I'm pretty overwhelmed, and always have been, by the task of teaching my kids about Jesus, the Gospel, etc. I'm probably not much different from any other Christian mother. My guess is many parents are intimidated by this task. My excuse is that my parents are great people, but they are not the ones who led me to Christ. Other than my mother taking me to church and Sunday school, they didn't provide any example of or direction for living a life of faith. I didn't even really learn what it meant to give my life to Christ until I was an adult. Of course, I greatly desire to instruct and nurture my children early on in the ways of God because I hope they can avoid most of the poor decisions and resulting misery I experienced, especially in adolescence. I just hope they don't have to walk the same road I did.

Actually, even though the chapters regarding the toddler years were most relevant to me, for obvious reasons, I enjoyed the chapters on the teenage years as well. This was partly because of my miserable teenage years, and because of my niece Mackenzie, who is turning 15 next month.

I've already begun reading Baby Catcher, which is a wonderful journal-type book of a midwife. Now that I'm about to give birth to my third baby, I want to become a midwife-definitely a career I NEVER thought of when entering college. Will I ever become one? Not anytime soon that's for sure! I've just grown a sincere and enormous amount of respect for this profession, coupled with a sincere and enormous amount of love for the whole miracle of childbearing, and having some personal experience under my belt too! After Baby Catcher, or maybe even simultaneously, will be Mind Over Labor, as I am 36 weeks pregnant tomorrow and running out of time to read such things!