Deuteronomy 6:4-9 reads, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children…”

Before we can impress our faith on our kids, do they even know that we value our faith? When we value our faith, we’ll keep looking for the LORD in all areas of our lives and we’ll celebrate every opportunity to see Him in charge.

Mealtime is an awesome time to share your faith with your family. My kids won’t remember that I got up and made their lunches every day, but they’ll remember the riddles I put in there, the words of encouragement and the occasional dog bone that their Dad would put in (don’t ask). My stepmother used to check me out of school at lunch time once or twice a year to take me out to lunch to give me a chance to share what was going on in my life, my dreams, my troubles, my joys. And this was huge because in my teen years, there were 9 of us kids at home. I had an audience with only her. It wasn’t until she went home to be with the LORD, when I was 25, when we discovered that she did this with each and every one of us.

When my kids were older and the afternoons were filled with practices and music, how was I going to get those loving faith messages to my kids? Lunchbox notes “You are special. I’m glad that God gave me you for my daughter,” or emailed our son, “Thanks for taking out the trash without being told,” we used praise and scripture stickers on a sandwich bag or used a permanent market on a juice box or a banana to write scriptures and words of encouragement. Their Dad regularly sent them postcards from the places he had to travel with his work. Placing a roll of postcard stamps in his briefcase made it super easy. Write a note in their agenda; just flip ahead a few weeks.

When they learn to look forward to the words of their earthly mother and father, they’ll learn to appreciate the words of their Heavenly Father: “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” from Philippians 4:11 “For nothing is impossible with God” from Luke 1:37. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God” from 1 Corinthians 10:31. One of our family favorites . . . “Be dressed and ready for service” from Luke 12:35.