By Courtney Ingle
Back to school is upon us yet again. If you’re like me, you’re searching for ways to make the transition a little easier: meal prep, planning outfits for the week, and so on. But as I started acting on these systems, I felt a little convicted: What have I done to boost some faith-based systems in my home?
Here are some things I’m starting this school year to model a walk with Christ to my kids (my kids are 6 and 3, so tweak these tips accordingly):
Breakfast and Bible: As the kids eat breakfast, I’ll ask them about the Bible verses and Bible stories they’re learning at school. We’re blessed to have them attend a Christian school, so the Word is built into their day. During the school year, I’ll follow along with whatever scripture the school focuses on for consistency and memorization.
After-school chat: My kids love to tell me about their day, and I love to ask! But instead of asking, “What did you do today?” I’ll ask what Bible story they heard and how someone was kind to them. This helps them meditate on the Word and live it out throughout the day.
Bedtime: Bedtime is a precious time in our house. My husband and I take turns laying with our kids until they fall asleep. We ask them about their day, read stories, and pray with them. I’ll ask them if they want to pray for one of their school friends or teachers. We start having them lead the prayer at 2 years old, and we keep it simple. “God bless Mama, God bless Daddy, God bless Mawmaw,” and yes, we may end up asking God to bless the unicorn nightlight or the excavator pillow, but the point is to teach them the discipline of regular prayer. By the time my daughter was 4, she had been praying her heartfelt little prayers for a while.
Don’t neglect the church: We attend church on Wednesday nights and Sundays. We go to the Wednesday night meal for the fellowship (and grab a Happy Meal on the way if the kids aren’t having what the church is serving) and stay for the service. On Sundays, the kids know it is church day. We pick out clothes together at bedtime on Saturday and talk about how excited we are to get to church on Sunday. This small step helps a lot. Not only are we building excitement for the time in church, but we’re also helping ease the Sunday morning rush. (Lionel Richie wrote “Easy Like Sunday Morning” four years before having his first child. He didn’t understand that Sunday mornings are, in fact, not easy at all.)
As you move forward with this new school year, don’t let the rush of the daily routine distract you from your God-given mission found in Deuteronomy 6:5-7:
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
Courtney and her husband, Jeremy, live in Brandon and are members at Park Place Baptist Church in Pearl. They have a daughter, Taylor, and a son, Jacob. Courtney is a full-time homemaker and can be reached at courtneyingle89@gmail.com.