Courageous Parenthood

A godly movie about fatherhood. A must-see for any parent. :)

I am on a Christian movie-fest this Lenten season, and after the tearjerker and heart-tugger "Fireproof", "Courageous" (2011) was next on my list. :) 

If "Fireproof" was about being a godly husband and a godly wife, "Courageous" was about being a godly father/parent.

It was more for the men than for the women viewers but it struck a cord with me nonetheless, and I realized even more, the enormity of our responsibilities as the God-ordained authorities over our children. Parenthood is not to be taken lightly. It is a blessing as well as a commitment. On our earthly shoulders depend the spiritual formation of the children the Lord had entrusted to us. We cannot do this alone. We need God, our Heavenly Father, to help us become godly fathers and godly mothers to our children.

I don't know about you, but Dong and I believe that though Therese, Andre, Reuben and Isabelle are "our" children having been "made" by us through procreation, we know in our hearts that they are not really "ours." They were given by God and so they are really His. But, we, being procreators and co-creators with God, will be held accountable for them, since they were entrusted under our care.

Psalm 127:3-5

3 

Children are a heritage from the Lord,

    offspring a reward from him.

4 

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

    are children born in one’s youth.

5 

Blessed is the man

    whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

    when they contend with their opponents in court.

Part of submitting to the Lord, was submitting to my husband, Dong.

When the Lord transforms a person (the way He had changed me and given me a new self in September 2013), it is IMPOSSIBLE for His Spirit to ONLY affect one area of my life -- that is, my marriage or my relationship to my husband.

A true conversion is like a dam waiting to burst. It cannot be contained. Even without my directing it or willing it, It had trickled down and permeated every single aspect of my being, in every single relationship I have, in every circumstance I find myself in nowadays -- as a mother, as an elder, as a broadcaster, as a neighbor, as a daughter-in-law, as a friend, as an over-all human being. The Lord transformed me , but it started with my role in the home, as a wife to Dong.

With this newfound desire to please the Lord and to serve Him with all my heart and soul, is this newfound desire too, to mold the characters of our four young children. Since we are to them, their first experience of God, how we act and speak will be their own limited depiction of Who God is.

Are we quick to get angry and reprimand them for the tiniest infractions? Or are we merciful and kind to them when they commit their childish mistakes? Are we foul-mouthed and play favorites among them? Or do we bless them with our words and are loving towards them, no matter what? All of these things the children will observe and form childish opinions on, which could stay with them, all the way to adulthood, if not contradicted or countered. Good for them if most of what we say and do are godly, but woe to them if most of what they see in us are un-Christian and worldly! :(

Speaking from experience, I was shattered for most of my teenage life and early adulthood by an eating disorder that made me suicidal, all because of a thoughtless or innocent remark by my now deceased father regarding my weight. :( [I have since forgiven Papa and I have told him that, while he was still alive, via a letter. He was just clueless on how to handle a very emotionally sensitive daughter.] I do not blame him for what had happened though. We are all fallen and fallible. Papa just couldn't give what he did not have. :(

Praise God though that I have, with the help of my husband Dong and the good Lord, gotten over my  borderline anorexia years ago, but while I was battling with it for more than a decade, there seemed to be no end in sight. :( I thank God that it had happened to me though, despite all the pain and suffering I had to endure, because it has allowed me to be empathic and sympathetic towards people in the same boat as I was. Truly God transforms trash into treasure. He makes "all things work together for good to those who love Him". (Romans 8:28)

What had happened to me just proves that the things that our parents said or did to us, can and will impact us for the rest of our lives. That is how HUGE the roles are of parents.

As a mother, it is my godly duty to mold my children's spirits. According to Catholic Planet, 

Sacred Scripture clearly teaches that God gives men and women different roles in the Church, the family, and society. Men are intended by God to be teachers and leaders in the Church, the family, and society. 

Women may teach and lead children, both boys and girls (even into the teenage years). God gave women the ability to become pregnant, to carry and give birth to children. In this way, God gave women also the primary role in teaching and leading children. 

Our second, Andre has a playful but
naughty spirit which needs to
be toned down. :)

Respect is a BIG thing in our household. We do not allow our children to be rude in behavior or speech especially to us elders. We want them to learn to respect authority at a young age, and with God's Help and despite our own faults, we hope and pray that they will become not only productive and responsible citizens but loving and God-fearing adults as well. 

Our girls Isabelle and Therese are our "angels." Not at all naughty.
Always nice. Hehe. :)

Chocolate-mouthed Reuben
is in his "terrible three's"!!! A true
test of patience for us now.

Every Sunday too, usually after Mass or in instances when we are unable to go to Mass, I read to them Bible Stories. :) We have a Storybook Bible for Kids, and they are very interested in the stories about God. While still young, I wish for them to have a desire to know God and to love God, especially since they are at ages when their minds are most impressionable and their hearts are most pliable. I don't mind if they do not become academic achievers (although I always tell them to do their best), but I do mind if they grow up to be worldly human beings with no need for God. I will hold myself responsible for it, if that happens. I so need God's Help in this role! It's simply too difficult to go it alone! 

This blog post though is NOT about my role as a mother, but about the father's role.. although I couldn't help but share about motherhood too, but anyway, going back to the movie... ;)

The movie "Courageous" is about godly fatherhood.

Here is a short summary of what it is all about...

“Courageous” tells the story of four law enforcement officers who bravely face the worst the streets have to offer. At home, however, they’re falling short as dads. One nags his son and brushes off his daughter; another is divorced and hardly sees his child; a third fathered a daughter when he was young and then walked away. It takes a personal tragedy, and more, to help these men recognize and accept their responsibilities as Christian fathers.

Although set in an evangelical Christian context, the film’s message about the importance of fatherhood will resonate with people of all faiths. The filmmakers are encouraging individuals, small groups, and faith communities to use the movie as a springboard to discussion and practical application of its message.

The male characters in the movie were all fathers, and this was the highlight of the film -- when they made a formal commitment as godly fathers in the form of a RESOLUTION. 

THE RESOLUTION is a bold declaration of commitments that the men made and committed themselves to, to be faithful to God as the spiritual leader of their home. 

THE RESOLUTION

I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. ---Joshua 24:15


* * *

I shall end this blog post with this resolution from the movie "Courageous". I hope to be able to share my own RESOLUTION as a wife and mother, as well as more Bible verses on parenthood in my next post. Just like I did a list on "How To Have A Fireproof Marriage (Women's Edition)", I also plan to make a list on "How to Encourage Our Husbands to Be Men of Courage." :) 

May we all be richly blessed! :)