Good girl! ch. 2

Yet another chapter that has convicted me on so many different levels. As a person who has always sought the praise of others and relied on positive feedback about my "good" performance, it was a challenge to read the section titled "lie to your child to make him good." The statement on pg. 43 "Our children aren't innately good, and we shouldn't tell them that they are. But they are loved and if they truly believe that, his love will transform them," really summed up the idea that we should be constantly encouraging praise for God's grace, rather than for our goodness. I think as parents a huge challenge to us is modeling this in our own lives. It is so easy to live our lives seeking out "good girl" praises- recognition from our husbands for cleaning the house, praise from other moms for good couponing skills ;),  or even telling yourself how much more "put together" your marriage or life is compared to others. Am I alone on this one? How often do we fail to recognize stimulate praise for God's grace in our own lives and instead focus on our own goodness? I was really convicted in realizing that this book has good "ideas" but unless our kiddos see us modeling

So thankful for this statement: "When we have Christian righteousness, God looks upon us and our believing children as being perfectly obedient, no matter how we fail." How awesome is our God that we aren't expected to be perfect. I know this chapter brought me to my knees, thanking God that my relationship with him isn't contingent on my obedience, but on Jesus' obedience at the cross.