Updated: Mother's Teach Your Children!

This is an updated version of one of the very first posts I wrote when I began this blog in 2012. At the time, I thought the world was in a heap of trouble, but it didn't come close to comparing what we're facing today. So, it is worthwhile to revisit this address to mothers [and fathers] to teach your children to know their history; to know who they came from, and the stories of how their ancestors overcame their struggles. It's the same reminder that God gave Moses to share with the Israelites -- to remember all He had done for them through the history of time. We need to do that for these present generations. Their survival depends on it!

As a Baby Boomer, I was raised to remember the standards of courage and moral values set by my ancestors. I was taught the skills that my grandmother considered were important in the care of her family (knitting, canning, baking bread, gardening). I was also taught to acknowledge gifts with a hand-written thank you note, and to say “thank you”, “yes, sir”, and “excuse me”, when it was appropriate – the kinds of things that contribute to a civilized society.

My most prized possession is my Family Bible, dating back to 1814. In it are recorded the births, marriages, and deaths of a long line of people that leads to me. It is not only a reminder that the world is not all about me, but it helps me to remember who I am and where I came from. I wanted to know their stories and experiences; to learn from the hard work and perseverance that brought them through some of the most difficult times and adversities this country had ever seen.

I cherished the handed-down history of my family from the Civil War, when they buried the family silverware to keep it from being stolen by General Sherman’s advancing army. I listened to my grandmother’s story of taking in washing and mending during the Depression in order to feed her five young children, after she suddenly became a widow at 28. And I sat at my father’s knee as he recounted getting his parents’ permission to sign up, at 17, to go to war, after Pearl Harbor.

I wanted to think that I could be as brave and determined as they were in the face of those adverse circumstances. Their memories and stories were passed down to me by my mom and dad, and aunts and uncles, with pride in our family heritage of sacrifice and endurance. I loved that personal history, but also was introduced to the history of the founding of our country, which was spoken of with the same pride and loyalty. As a child, I was enamored with the tales of the brave men and women who fought for our freedom and independence, and often wished I could have lived during that time to experience that struggle [from what must have seemed like sure defeat at the hands of a despot] that led to a Divine victory whereby men would rule themselves. 

But it wasn't all about Independence and the heroes who secured that for us. I was also taught the sorrow and deep pain of the Civil War and how that division was still affecting our country. I was taught that it was incumbent upon each of us to defend and protect what millions of men had died to preserve. And I remember a similar division spreading its wings during the Vietnam War. Did we learn any lessons through those conflicts?

And now, I find myself in my seventh decade thinking, “I have a feeling, that very soon, I’m going to have the opportunity to not only prove myself worthy of all my family's legacies, but to share in the confusion and suffering of my country becoming divided”.  Believe me, I am not claiming that our country is perfect! Not by a long shot! There has always been an underlying element of men [and women] whose loyalties have been attached to nefarious and wicked schemes to benefit themselves and the Luciferian rulers of this world. But our God has always been present, working through Godly men and women to help us stay the course and serve Him, according to His will. Sadly, that knowledge and faithfulness is disappearing.

I’m not so concerned about how I will handle the trouble that’s coming. I KNOW who I am, and not only who I came from, but where I’m going. But I do worry about the generations that are following us. Do they know? Because I’m not sure the legacy and birthright of the individuals who built this nation have been taught or inherited by those who are being primed to take over the running of this country. Not only do they spurn the skills of their grandparents and ancestors as useless and archaic, but they’ve not been taught to think for themselves, and they rely only on social media for their news and information. They have no idea of the truth and spirit of this nation.

Without a fight, Tik Tok has hypnotized the minds of our younger generations with brainless entertainment, while mixing in a few propaganda messages why young Americans should hate our evil country. Very few have the knowledge or the truth to refute the indoctrination, nor are they willing to make the effort to learn. As long as the laughing babies and cute animal videos continue to stream nonstop, they are content to be lulled into passivity and ignorance. 

Witness the miscomprehension of the atrocities in Israel that occurred on October 7th of this year.  Thousands march in the streets and on campuses without any real understanding of the history that underscores what they see displayed on their phones and TV screens. But why should they? They’ve been convinced that history is unimportant; that it is irrelevant to their immediate lives, and that it can be altered if it doesn’t fit the narrative of those who have decided that social ideologies are due for a change. 

But remembering our history is so important to retaining our identity and our every existence. I want to extend a challenge to you … If you asked your children or grandchildren to tell you what they've learned from you or their grandparents, could they tell you?  Have we handed over the responsibility of forming our children's identity to some School Board that knows better than we do?  And most importantly, do our children know that the rewards of this life come from working hard, helping others, overcoming adversity, and giving all the glory to our God? 

It is precisely because we've been such a prosperous nation post-World War II, that the American mindset became all about giving our children everything it was possible to give them. We made it all about them, as we left the memories of our family histories behind. The Enemy convinced us that we didn't want them to suffer lack, or discouragement, or difficulties, and we lost sight of the tremendous value of sharing [and experiencing] those very aspects of life. And that also includes failing! We forgot to teach our kids the lessons of how to learn from our failures -- because every child received a “participation ribbon”. 

That's why God spends so much time in His Word reminding us to remember! It is through our shared and deliberately remembered history that we are able to see our role in our present conflicts. When we forget our history, we forget that we possess, within our DNA, the memories of how to overcome the obstacles, oppression, and struggles that come our way. When we lose those memories, we don't really know who we are or who we came from, or what our present role is to be. And more importantly, we lose whose we are.  

God admonished Moses to remind the Israelites to remember all He had done for them; the miracles of their survival through horrendous persecution. Have we taught our children and grandchildren of all the ways God has seen us through our own trials and tribulations, or shared the stories of their grandparents or great-grandparents? Or have we chosen to shelter them from anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or that might be too difficult for them to handle? If so, then finding their way through our uncertain future is going to be difficult for them. 

But it's not too late! It's time to become deliberate and attentive to remembering! Teach your young children the stories in the Bible of God's people overcoming their obstacles, and then relate it to your own family history. And we must begin to amend the lack of "remembering" that we didn't teach our young Millennial adults. It's time they begin to understand that what they've "learned" from technology and social media and their “woke” professors does not compare to the power of God's work in their family histories.  

Each of us has a story to tell --- and that story helps define our morals, our value systems, and our successes in life. By the Grace of God, I owe whatever strength of mind and character I have to the examples that were passed down to me.  What are we passing down to the next generation? PLEASE take the time to tell your children and grandchildren about overcoming difficulties; and teach them how to think for themselves. They have inherited a rich history of resiliency and fortitude. That is the American legacy. Teach them to embrace it. They are going to need it! 

#mothersteachyourchildren #thevalueofmemories #rememberingfamilyhistory #whatlegacyareweleavingourchildren? #theimportanceofteachinghistory #doyouknowwhereyoucamefrom? #whodoyoubelongto? #doyouknowyouridentity?

Isaiah 46:9-11     Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other ... Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ ... I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.

The Danger In Our Children Forsaking Their History

 

In one of the first blog posts I wrote in 2012, I addressed the concern I had that the valuable life lessons of my generation [that I learned from the generations before me] were not being valued by the Millennial Generation and the generations following them. I wrote, "It is becoming more and more apparent to me that our children are no longer learning from us". 

Then this week, ten years later, I found myself in a conversation with a very dear friend about this very topic. I'm a number of years older than she is, but she has entered that season of life in which you begin thinking about the things you would like to bequeath to your children or grandchildren. But we both found ourselves agreeing that the younger generation has made it clear they aren't really interested in preserving anything as a memory of their ancestors. Photos, jewelry, art, furniture or anything sentimental or nostalgic hold no interest for them. Don't get me wrong .... this is not about worshiping or idolizing "stuff" or material possessions.

So, what is my point in calling your attention to this circumstance? I have a standard to live by because I was raised on the courage and the moral values of my ancestors. I am the keeper of valuable life lessons learned by my great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents, who learned from their parents who lived through the Civil War, two World Wars and a crippling depression. They learned how to survive, and knew how to persist through hard times. In me, they found a willing listener, who wanted to be able to follow in their footsteps if ever faced with the same life challenges. And what's more, the few things that have been passed down to me are reminders of those who not only contributed to my DNA, but they are visual symbols of the strength of mind and character that are my inheritance. I don't cherish them because they have material worth; they are a treasure due to who they represent.

But our younger generations don't seem to care about knowing where they came from; instead, they are willing to follow whatever the latest celebrity or media guru tells them they should feel, think or say. But it's not just social media that is steering our kids wrong. The very institution that we trust to educate and maintain acceptable standards for our children, has now decided that they are to have the primary jurisdiction over their lives. In 2012, I asked the question, "Have we handed over the responsibility of forming our children's identity to some nameless entity that knows better than we do?" Now, in 2022, it's very clear where that threat is coming from, and that there is a vigorous effort to remove not only our children's personal and national history, but any influence of past generations or parental authority or direction.    

In light of this alarming circumstance, if you asked the Millennials today to tell you what they've learned from their parents or grandparents, could they tell you? Are they even interested in learning from us and what was passed down to us as wisdom and knowledge? And most importantly, do they know that it is not all about them? That the rewards of this life come from working hard, helping others, and giving glory to our God? 

I know that I am a product of tough and remarkable people; people who lost spouses at a young age and had to provide for small children during the Depression when food and clothing were scarce. I come from people who survived outbreaks of virulent disease; lost their homes to fire; lost babies to tuberculosis, the leading cause of death in the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century; and left all their belongings behind as they hurriedly escaped from the "advancing Yankees". And I have the 1814 Family Bible that records the dates of their births, deaths, and marriages from that date forward. My question is, will anyone want this valuable reminder of the endurance and girt and mettle that came before me?

Remember, that God instructed Joshua to leave 12 stones on the shore of the Jordan River [after the Israelites had crossed over] as a memorial for future generations to be reminded about their journey and the deliverance they received from God. If our subsequent generations lose the history of our own journeys, and that of our nation, they will be doomed to repeat the mistakes and errors that were made. And if they abandon the desire to know about us and those that came before us, they will lose their unique identities and any opportunities to draw from the vast knowledge base that could teach them how to endure and overcome the difficult future we are facing. I'm afraid our culture is lulling them into complacency, contentment, and a willingness to relinquish the narrative of their ancestors as no longer relevant. 

As my friend and I finished our conversation, we both lamented the very real possibility that this generation will never receive the benefits of hearing [or knowing] about the trials and acts of resiliency and fortitude that led from their ancestors to their own existence. In 2012, I urged readers to teach their children to embrace that rich inheritance. Today, I'm not sure the children want to be taught. I applaud those parents who are engaged in taking back our education system and I pray that they they will institute their own re-education plan of teaching family history and the responsibility [and yes, obligation] to remember and honor those who came before us. 

Now, I'll leave you with my last thought ... Like those 12 stones on the side of the Jordan River, the chronicles of families should never be forgotten. I'm afraid our children and children's children are going to need visible and lasting reminders of what once was. 

#millennialsandhistory #familyhistory #rememberinghistory #forsakinghistory

Deuteronomy 32:7   Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.