We are like the box top picture on a 5000 piece puzzle: our children get the idea of what life looks like through the pictures of our lives. Other people also provide box top pictures of life for us and our children. We’ve considered Sokvannarra (Sy) Sar, a young man from Cambodia who came to America and has become a classical ballet dancer. Sy’s life demonstrates humility, loyalty, tenacity, selflessness, perseverance, kindness, respect and honor. Recently, we’ve been looking at some scenes from my story. What character qualities do you observe that God was shaping in me? Continue reading
Posts Tagged With: obedience
Character Steps on a Journey Northward
Categories: Being Like Jesus, Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Tags: character development, courage, journey north, loving God, obedience, self-control
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A Fairy Tale Story Begins
After four or five days of driving across the country and sharing special time together, my mother and I arrived in Scotts Valley, California, south of San Jose. We pulled into Baymonte Christian High School’s parking lot in front of the superintendent’s office. I had never seen a school like this! Continue reading
Categories: Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Tags: character development, fairy tale, growing up, obedience, self-control
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The “Heart Work” of Character
If character is the expression of who we really are, then character is “heart work.”
Character formation is an inside job with an outside exposure.
One of our teachers expressed to me that many of our children choose to disobey school and class rules because “their own will is more important than the consequence.” This demonstrates Continue reading
What Do You Need in Order to Obey?
What do you need in order to obey? In my last post, I suggested that sometimes courage is needed. Obeying always involves thinking, choosing, and following through. As a child, I loved my parents and teachers and did not question authority. Pleasing them was important to me. As a compliant child, maybe I didn’t need as much courage in order to obey as a stronger willed child might need. I have noted Continue reading
Categories: Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Tags: Character, family, obedience, Parenting, spiritual growth, temperaments
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Singing Along — On the Obedience Train
What character qualities are riding along on the obedience train, singing in harmony? I’m rather embarrassed to tell you how many, in my opinion, of our 57 character qualities fit on this train. I went down the list and checked off 19! I must lack discernment or judgment! But then, maybe there is something to this! In our last post, I said that love is the entire enchilada – all 57 qualities rolled into one, describing the perfections of Christ. Obedience as a subset of love also has its entourage. Remember Continue reading
Categories: Being Like Jesus, Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Tags: Faith, family conversations, love, obedience, spiritual growth
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Karen Thomas Olsen
Journey North Character 