The first hurdle

I have many hurdles ahead of me when it comes to teaching the boys about God and faith. I know it's not going to be easy, especially if their Dad has anything to say about it. But, if I can keep him out of the issue then my job won't be as hard.

You see, sometime during our marriage he figured out, or decided, that he was an atheist. He stopped going to church with me, and turned his back on religion altogether. He mocked me when I would try to teach the boys about God, and he would get annoyed if I prayed before a meal or read bible stories to them.

So you see why this is going to be an uphill battle....

The first hurdle, to me, is belief. If I can just get the boys to believe that there is a God, I will achieve that first hurdle. Once that is established I can move onto teaching them about faith and following after Christ. The good part is, I think I'm just about there. I try to find at least one situation everyday that I can incorporate God into our conversations. The more tangible - or available - I can make Him, the more they will believe. I try to tell them when God doesn't like their behavior. We thank God when one of us was watched over in a certain situation, and ask Him to help when we have problems.

This may seem like pretty simple stuff for an 8 and 5 year old, but given our 'previous life' we are basically having to start from scratch.

Thankfully, I think they are starting to catch on.

Tonight at supper we were talking about a loved one who has passed away, and my oldest said to his brother "It's ok, we'll see him again when we die and go to Heaven." And the good part about siblings is, the younger follows the older in everything. I hope that is the case when it comes to believing in God.

I pray I'm over my first hurdle.

Now on to the next...