Thoughts

Random thoughts, reflections and dreams

December 11, 2014

You and Me – Talking about GOD

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Thoughts GOD, love, relationship, Series, Spirituality

The Cross

You and Me and GOD.

How is our relationship with this spiritual being?

Are we having a similar perspective about this higher power?

The topic of Spiritual and teaching the kids about GOD has been weighing heavily on my mind this year.

R and I have slightly different views about GOD. Even though both of us are baptised Catholics and are currently sending our children for Sunday school at a Catholic church we do have our doubts and question certain practices that the church has.

There has been lots of variations in ways of worship from one denomination to another. Even with the Christian community there are numerous factions and deviations within the same community.

It is extremely hard to determine what is actually dictated by GOD and what has been added on by man so that he can control others using religion.

I don’t want the kids to grow up not knowing GOD and how wonderful he is. I want them to be able to experience the richness of having FAITH in him and acknowledge him personally as their LORD and savior.

What is the proper way to guide the kids and help them to develop their spiritual side? This is the question that has been bothering me a lot.

Roman Catholic Priest Saying Mass Picture by Photoxpress.com

Even though we attend mass on Sunday the kids and I find it extremely difficult to concentrate during the service. I don’t feel that I really belong to that community and the reason that we still go is that everyone in the family does that.

I guess that I’m still searching for answers and I have yet to find them in this church that I’m currently in.

Following prayer rituals and procedures are meaningless if one doesn’t see the benefit in doing it. Even though the traditions have been past down through the ages it doesn’t mean that it is something that has to be adopted wholesale without questions.

Many things have been added and changed through the years in the Catholic faith. Certain practices that I used to follow has been omitted and even revised.

I’m unsure about what had brought about the revision and do question the need for such changes to occur. Even though there maybe the need for certain procedures and rituals to be incorporate in the understanding of FAITH. Who is the one that determines what should be in or out? Is it really Gods way or Man?

I personally find that FAITH practices should not be rigid and forcefully implemented. It should be something done out of the earnest of our hearts and willingly.

I don’t want the kids to be Sunday Catholics or feel it is a chore to worship GOD. I want them to be able to understand who he is and follow his word while developing their faith.

They too should question what is relevant for themselves and listen earnestly to GOD’s voice speaking instead of getting distracted by man’s selfish intentions.

An opened bible. Photo by photoxpress.com

This year I have been spending time considering the direction that I should take in introducing GOD and his WORD to the kids. I’ve done a some soul searching and joined an online bible study group in bid to get closer to GOD.

R too has been doing his own readings and both of us came to a conclusion that we will be focusing directly on the word – The Bible as it is the purest form of instruction from GOD.

We will be selectively introducing portions of the Bible to the kids based on our personal values and believes. We want our kids to grow up to be GOD fearing and also have a strong set of values.

How will you be teaching your

children about God?

Post in this series.

1) You and Me Equals US ( An Introduction)

2) You and Me- Where Do We Begin?

3)You and Me- Love (Part One)

4) You and Me- Love (Part Two)

5) You and Me- Anger and Frustration

6) You and Me- Talking about GOD

7) You and Me- Let’s Talk about Money

8) You and Me- What Now?

December 5, 2014

I Didn’t Throw it Away – The Piano

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Thoughts Blog Train, Piano

My piano

In the corner of our living room that stands a big black piano. This piano has been in the family since I was a teenager. This is the 2nd piano that I had since I started learning piano when I was 5 years old.

The first piano I had was a baby grand piano. We had to part ways when we moved from a house to an apartment to stay as it couldn’t fit into our new accommodation.

This black piano has been accompanying me for the past 23 years. It was purchased when I was in secondary school and saw me through my years of learning music.

Music is something that enriches the soul and I’m glad that I was given the opportunity to pursue my interest in it.

The piano is not something fancy and it isn’t made by one of the leading piano makers in the world. Not a Steinway or even a Yamaha. ( It would certainly be great if I had the opportunity to have such a piano though)

Costing about $3K back then Pearl River was the most affordable piano . We weren’t rich so forking out $8K for a Yamaha would be extremely stressful on the family finances. I only needed an examination model piano and Pearl River has served me well all these years.

I’m glad that I have kept this piano with me as my kids and I have learned to treasure and share it together. The boys are now playing the piano too and are in Grade 5 and Grade 2 respectively. They too have developed a love for this instrument and it has been really heartwarming listening to them play different pieces of music on the piano.

Tiger girl too will be joining her brothers in playing the piano when she starts piano lessons come 2015. I do hope that the piano will be able to last till when the kids have their own kids in time to come.

This post is part of a blog train hosted by Agatha from Green Issues by Agy on “I Didn’t Throw It Away”.

We have become such a throw-away society, but there are some things in our households that we still keep. Why is that so? Perhaps this blog train can unlock the reasons behind it! Follow the daily posts on this blog train and read about the stories behind the things we have kept for many years and why we didn’t throw them away.

Tomorrow Danessa from Prayerfull Mum will be on the blog train sharing her story.