Dad's Important Role

                           

  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 

~Romans 1:20 NKJV

Are you concerned about what your children are taught in school? Not just in public schools but in any school. We can't be there all day every day. So what can we do to help our children learn the values that will help them become Godly men and women?

We do have the weekends or some days when we are home. Let's explore ways we can help our children know the ways of God. The first thing we can do is go with them to a church where God's word is taught. But what else? 

Our scripture for today says that since the creation of the world, the invisible attributes of God can be clearly seen in His creation. When was the last time your family cut off all the technology and went outside? Have you spread a blanket and eaten a picnic under a tree in the yard? Have you laid there on the blanket and watched the stars? Have you listened to the birds and crickets and cicadas? Have you noticed the smell of honeysuckles, roses, and other flowers blooming? 

I discovered a wonderful book written for children of a variety of ages about William Bartram. His father was His Royal Majesty King George III's Botanist in the Americas. William, known as Billy, was always with his dad, exploring the countryside for plants and seeds unique to the Americas. His dad shipped the seeds back to Europe to study there. William began to keep a journal when he was eight. He drew pictures of leaves and labeled them with their attributes. His dad encouraged him to be as accurate as possible in his drawings so others could use his drawings in research. As he grew older, he traveled with his father up through the Catskill Mountains to Lake Ontario, then down to the coastal areas of NC, SC, GA, and Florida. At the end of his father's last trip, William stayed to continue the work his father was no longer able to do. 

At the end of William Bartram's work, he had become a famous botanist, the father of PA ornithology, and ethnographer of the Native Americans of the Southeast. He and his father even discovered a tree in Florida that is now extinct in its native area but is grown in botanical gardens because of the work of the Bartrams. 

So how does all this relate to us and our families? William Bartram came from a family who taught him that nature teaches we live in a divinely created universe. He would eavesdrop on his dad and Benjamin Franklin discussing the formation of mountains, the flow of the oceans, and the composition of stars. Had his father not included him in his work, William would not have been interested in such discussions or in continuing the explorations his father began. 

How can we keep our children close so they desire to know the God who created the universe? 

• Explore nature in our backyards, on short hikes, playing in the creeks and parks
• Find nature-oriented teaching that is Christian-based. Suggestion: Wonderfilleddays.com
• Vacation where truth is taught. Suggestions: The Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter

You may not be able to homeschool your children but you can explore with them when you are home. 

Heavenly Father, help us actively engage with our children in exploring your creation so that they might know the Creator and Savior You are. In Jesus's name. Amen.