Loving the Little Years

A few weeks back, Jamison recommended this book to me: Loving the Little Years, Motherhood in the Trenches.  I ordered for the same reason he recommended it to me, we liked the name of the title. It intrigued me, plus J stumbled across it from a reputable source.  I also liked what the author said in promoting her book, "I didn't write this book because mothering is easy for me. I wrote it because it isn't."  She has 5 children that are under the age of 5, so I figured that if anyone could relate, she definitely could.  So, I picked up the book.

I'll get to the punch line: Excellent book. It's short, it's easy to read, it's funny but reader beware, it will kick your rear! I picked it up under the misconception that it would be short little devotionals that would make me laugh, that would pick me up, you know a general feel good kind of book.  It is, but in each chapter (which are very short - a bonus for mom's with small kids) she makes a bigger parenting point that will punch you squarely between the eyes.

This book is a fantastic reminder that as parents we are in the trenches, and it is hard, but that as parents we have been given the opportunity to train our children. It is our job to see them as individuals, to harness their emotions, to creating a thankful heart.  Not only that but she consistently points out that many of our parenting issues are our own sin issues. It is not just our child that needs to change, but the parent that needs to change.

She gives some challenging things to think about but also presents how she has done some things. It ruffled more than a few of my feathers, but was a great cause to look at where I needed to change in my parenting. I definitely need to work more on the training, not viewing my kids as interruptions and embracing the work the Lord has given me to do.

She sums up the book with this verse Ecclesiastes 5:19
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions,and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God.