I was reading through a bible study today during my quiet time and came across this, I thought I would share.
This woman had 19 children, 10 of them lived until adulthood. She found an unusual way to be alone with God each day. She would flip her apron up over her head and the children knew not to bother her because she was praying. She prayed each day for one hour, and also commited to spending time with each child for spiritual training for one hour each week. Her son, John Wesley is the founder of the Methodist Church, and Charles wrote many beautiful hymns we still sing today.
Here are the sixteen rules Suzanna established over 200 years ago for rering children:
1. Eating between meals is not allowed
2. As children they are to be in bed by 8 pm
3. They are required to take medicine without complaining
4. They are to subdue their self-will so that they might be open to God's salvation
5. Teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak
6. Require all to be still during family worship
7. Give them nothing they cry for, and only that which they ask for politely
8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented
9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished
10. Never punish a child twice for a single offense
11. Commend and reward good behavior
12. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed should be commended
13. Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters
14. Strictly observe all promises
15. Require no daughter to work before she can read well
16. Teach children to reverence God
I love these! I would love to hear what you think of them. Oh and as a shout out this is from Wisdom for Mothers, held on Sunday nights at 4:30 (I think), Kristy Merrill is leading it so if you want to join in that would be great, I think we are only 3 or 4 studies into it.
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2 comments:
Angela and I thought the same thing. We came up with this...Maybe the kids were out working in between meals or at school, or the meals they did eat were large 4-5 course meals, unlike or families cassaroles, so they just wern't hungry. Also, they couldn't just go bye some goldfish crackers and fruit snacks at the store 200 years ago. But I still don't see anything wrong with maybe an apple, they had to have had that right?
I love these! I had heard that John Wesley was the last of 19 children, so it was good his mama had the patience to raise all those kids the way she should. And back then they ate their big meal at lunch, so they probably shouldn't be hungry afterwards. I'm getting frustrated with Sean always telling me he's hungry, so maybe I should institute that one...we'll see.
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