When I married Edric, I had no idea what kind of a father he would be to our future children. I hoped that he would be intentional, committed and present in their lives, but there was no way to be certain until we actually started to have kids.
I still remember the incalculable joy that lit up his face when our first son, Elijah, was born. By God’s grace I gave birth Lamaze, so I was cognizant and alert when Elijah came into this world. From behind the gauze mask, Edric’s eyes started to tear as he stomached the gravity of God’s gift to us. He was now a father.
Edric and I fumbled through our parenting in the early years of being a dad and mom. However, with the help of biblical principles from God’s Word, advice from mentors like our parents and other men and women of God, the accountability of family and friends, and good books, our understanding and application of parenting improved through the years. (We have to keep improving still!)
I used to pressure Edric to be more involved and to be a spiritual leader to our kids, but all my yakking wasn’t what ordered his priorities. As Edric grew in his love for the Lord, God put it in his heart to ponder upon his place and purpose in our children’s lives. It was prayer and encouragement that made a difference, not nagging. Furthermore, he came across a passage of scripture that really convicted him to embrace fatherhood as a sacred trust.
“We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Psalms 78:4-8 NASB)
Today, Edric is the one who reminds me to be more intentional! Very recently, he came up with a code of Mendoza Family Values. It begins with this statement: “A Mendoza f.o.l.l.o.w.s. JESUS.”
F – FORGIVE one another
O – OBEY God and authorities
L – LOVE one another unconditionally and love people to Jesus
L – LEARN God’s Word and His Truths
O – ONE (Live for the Audience of One – God’s glory)
W – WORD (Keep your word)
S – STEWARD (Be a good steward of your talents, abilities, opportunities, time and resources.)
Edric has based our family devotions on these values in the last few months, giving a bible passage that corresponds to each trait for our children to internalize and memorize.
Every family needs to have a sense of identity that is rooted in their belief system. For our family, our identity is rooted in Jesus Christ and we want to follow Him faithfully. But what does this mean, in practical, everyday situations, especially for our kids?
The list is something our kids can refer to again and again as they make choices. It isn’t an exhaustive list and there are many other character traits and principles our children need to learn, but this list helps to give them an image of a Christ-follower. Of course the bigger challenge is that Edric and I need to role model The Mendoza Family Values ourselves!
Have you given thought to your family identity? What values will define your family?
These are great values for the family, teacher Joy! And the fact that every item is based on the incorruptible word!
Thank you always, Joy and Edric!!
Dear Joy,
Hat’s down to your family. One happy family! I say Hat’s down to that!
You solved 1 family problem. But what about the vast majortiy of families??
Godly parenting will produce godly kids. Keep it up, Joy and Edric.
Thank you for sharing. God bless you and your family more and more.
This is an inspiration 🙂 Thanks for sharing.I’m also a bible reader and i love these verses. God bless
Wow!This is just so timely especially for today’s generation of family/ies. Family is the basic unit of the society. Thus, firm values based on the Word of God is indispensable!
Thank you Joy for sharing. I really love reading your blogs. I’m greatly helped and blessed. Keep it up. God bless you and your family beyond measure!
Thank you Joy for sharing. I greatly helped and blessed by your blogs. keep it up. God bless you and your family beyond measure!
Wonderful, Joy! Inspired to articulate our own family values!:) God bless you, Edric, and your beautiful family always!
Beautiful and inspiring, indeed. Thank you for sharing this but I thank the Lord more for letting me feel His presence through your stories. I am now a single mom of 3 and at times like this, I need you to keep me inspired and strong. May God continue to bless your wonderful family!
Thanks Andrea! Please pray that God will give me daily inspiration to write
Wow! Thank you for sharing Ms. Joy! I’m learning a lot from your blog. Praise God for your family! 🙂
Even though i’m single, somehow, whenever i read your entries, i seem to have a spiritual rebooting/refreshing. I am reminded of how God intended life to be lived out. Thank you for being a blessing joy. 🙂
Good info. Lucky me I recently found your site by chance
(stumbleupon). I have saved it for later!
What i do not realize is in fact how you are not actually much more well-liked than you might
be right now. You’re so intelligent. You recognize thus significantly in relation to
this subject, produced me personally imagine it from numerous numerous angles.
Its like women and men are not fascinated except it
is something to do with Lady gaga! Your individual stuffs excellent.
At all times deal with it up!
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thank you, However I am encountering difficulties
with your RSS. I don’t know why I cannot subscribe to it.
Is there anybody getting similar RSS issues? Anybody who knows the
answer can you kindly respond? Thanks!!
medicijnen bestellen in België Vale Punta Arenas Medikamente diskret kaufen
médicaments en vente libre dans certaines villes françaises Gedeon Richter Santiago de
Compostela médicaments en vente libre en ligne avec
discrétion en France
erschwinglicher Preis für Medikamente Raffo Vught trova farmaci senza ricetta necessaria a
Torino, Italia
médicaments recommandé par les spécialistes Schering Bouillon comprar medicamentos en Bélgica en línea
знаки зодиака точками козерог к чему снится побелка в родительском
доме, к чему снится побелка дома к чему снится букет цветов хризантемы
мужчина телец женщина овен такое возможно к чему снятся
похороны живого человека близкого человека
Medikamente ohne ärztliche Verschreibung in Belgien kaufen Ranbaxy Charleroi Medikamente ohne
Rezept in der Schweiz erhältlich
оранды өзіңді ойлап текст, ұмытам жаным қалай кавер скачать у дыбысының дауысты
дауыссыз болуы 2 сынып қмж, у дауысты дыбыс мысал мойын омыртқа, тіс тәрізді өсіндісі бар мойын омыртқасы субстантивтенген сөз
médicaments : où trouver les meilleures offres en ligne Sandoz Zollikon Legale Medikamente-Bezugsquellen in München
encuentra medicamentos sin necesidad de receta
en Perú Arena Claypole Où trouver de la médicaments de qualité en ligne
?
река талас горная, где берет начало река талас май
кышкылды ашуы реакция теңдеуі, май қышқылы формула жыныстык катынастан кейин, жыныстық қатынас кезінде ләззат дос казакча ыр скачать, нагыз
дос скачать
medicijnen bestellen in Nederland Nihon Hillegom verkoop van medicijnen in Frankrijk
онлайн калькулятор для расчета среднедневного заработка при увольнении подработка психологом москва
озвучка книг вакансии без опыта работы для женщин удаленно вакансии подработка на своей
машине