Throughout England, in the countryside, the villages, and the cities you will find beautiful Parish churches where families continue worship! Though the number is much smaller now in modern times (just like in America) with worshipers, there are still a remnant of Believers who gather to worship on Sundays and holidays. These Believers who gather, believe the Word found in the Bible in Joel 1:3 "Tell your children about it, Let your children tell their children, And their children another generation." The knowledge of God is to be passed from generation to generation by instructing our children in the nature, character, and ways of God. Thus trained, a deeper understanding of God's current move throughout the world and in their own personal lives comes ALIVE. "Children are a heritage of the Lord!" Psalm 127:3 These precious gifts are ours for such a short time and even shorter, the time we have to teach them! It is similar as a skilled teacher as on the university level. While in the university a professor teaches the next generation of students all he knows about science and biology as they hope to become doctors and nurses. In a similar way in early childhood, mothers and fathers are quietly teaching their Christian faith to children around the dinner table and perhaps taking them on walks through the woods and teaching one on one about nature and about the goodness of the living God! This is what Christian parents know about God that "His ways are higher than ours". This is the way our children learn about God. We teach them how God has taught us to trust Him in the ways of life. We pray with our children and they learn prayer as a way of life by our example. We set aside time to talk with our children as we walk by the way, as we ride in the car, or just set on the side of their bed with them at bedtime. We calm their fears, we hug them, we pray with them and we share stories of our own lives, we share laughter and we point them to the protective Hands of God. We share how loving and caring for children honors God.
My husband and I are in the Psalm 128 period of our married life. We have been so blessed and now are seeing the labor of our hands and we are happy and humbled to see these truths in our children's lives. We are now seeing our children's children and nothing gives us more joy than to see the next generation receiving what our own children have learned from our home and passing on in theirs. There is no guarantee this will happen. It is truly a work of grace when it does. It has nothing to do really with us.....our role as parents and grandparents is to pass on the legacy of faith and continue to pray in building God's Kingdom. Yes, to love and care for children, is one of the principal ways that we honor God and share in helping to build His Kingdom here on earth and into Eternity. I am so thankful that God gave me the opportunity to share and to continue to share in this high calling of motherhood! You see, when God gets a hold of the heart of parents, His nurturing heart in parents flows to the children. Growing up is not something that He leaves to chance. It is passed on from generation to generation. God entrusts children to parents, allowing His own nurturing heart to flow through them to the children. On this beautiful Sunday perhaps it is a good day for all of us to remember in a new and fresh way the importance of caring for children and grandchildren. Everyday is a gift!!!!!
This beautiful Parish church is in Stratford Upon Avon
This beautiful Church in Stratford Upon Avon is where William Shakespeare is buried.
Beautiful Parish Churches are at the Center of almost every town throughout Europe!
