ONLINE PARENTING CLASS For Parents of Teenagers
Thank you for checking out our ONLINE PARENTING CLASS!
We will have one class per month that you can check out at any time you are available!
If you are parenting (raising, supporting, hanging out with) teenagers, THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU! Please feel free to share this class and information gathered with other parents/ guardians you know. We desire to be a blessing and help to all parents in Pryor and beyond.
THE POWER OF A SYMBOL
I want to talk to you today about symbols. A symbol is an object that has meaning attached to it, but it is also a great tool in the parent’s tool belt.
Like everyone that has ever been born, as a child, I would occasionally do something that deserved to be punished. I would fight with my sister, get in trouble at school, talk back to my parents, etc... and the consequence was always the same...the Paddle (cue dramatic music). I'm sure you know what the Paddle is or had a variation of it yourself, but for those of you that are unaware, the Paddle was a wooden plank. But not just any wooden plank. This was a special wooden plank that was painted pink on one side and blue on the other with mine and my sister's names printed on either side. It sounds like a good thing. After all, it's just a pink and blue painted plank of wood, wouldn't some even potentially call that art? It only took a few times of being punished with the Paddle to realize, "Hey, this isn't art at all and I don't like that paddle thing!"
Eventually, just the presence of the Paddle was intimidating enough to stop bad behavior. My parents would threaten, "Don't make me use the Paddle!" and that was enough to stop most bad behavior in its tracks.
It wasn't the Paddle that was feared, it was what it represented: punishment.
The Paddle became a symbol which functioned as a deterrent to bad behavior.
In Deuteronomy 6, Moses tells the Israelites to surround themselves with symbols that remind them of the goodness and consistency of God. He tells them to talk about God's commands when they get up and when they lie down, write it on the doorposts of their houses, even tie the written word to their hands and foreheads!
God wanted His people to surround themselves with symbols of His goodness.
Here are some examples of important symbols you may have in your life that carry important meaning:
- a wedding ring
- refrigerator art from when your teenager was a child
- a family heirloom that was passed down to you
- a moment in time that was captured in a photograph
- an item from your childhood that takes you back in time when you look at it
Symbols are powerful. Today I would like to suggest that you harness the power of symbols to help pass down faith to your teenager.
Here is a 3 minute and 13 second video that helps you do that. Just click on the link below:
God used symbols in the Scripture. Still to this day those symbols remind us of who God is and what He has promised.
As a parent who is passing down faith you have a great opportunity to offer symbols to your teenager as well.
The Rites of Passage Experience that our student ministry is offering to your family is a great place to start discovering symbols you can offer your teenager. I encourage you to take some time to pray, dream, and think about the types of powerful symbols you can present to your teenager. It can help them remember the faith that your family holds dear.
As always, please call or email me with questions or thoughts you may have.
Lucas Smith | lucas@pryorfbc.org | 816-804-8949
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