My pastor's sermon this past Sunday was about giving the parental blessing (Scripture reference: Genesis 48).  These are such excellent points...

*Acceptance  * Affection  * Affirmation ... No matter how old your kids are, they need these three blessings.

~ Give your children a sense of value.  Let your children and grandchildren know they are special and priceless to you.  They need to know they are accepted unconditionally.

~ Give your children a spiritual heritage.  Tell them about the acts of God in your family.  Tell them of God's blessings and protection in your life. 

~ Give your children a spiritual hunger.  Encourage them to seek, pursue, and go after the things of God.  They need to know God is real, alive, and personal.  Take them to church, teach them God's Word, pray with them, and introduce them to godly people.

~ Give your children a spirit of hope.  Instill an optomistic future.  Help them to have a great confidence in God, Who is always at work on their behalf.

~ Give your children a secure marriage.  Keep your marriage sweet and secure in Jesus.  The best thing a father can do for his children is love their mother.  Stay in church, stay in the Word of God, stay committed to Christian principles, stay in love with Jesus, and stay in love with each other for the sakes of your children.

~ Give your children your time.  Attention is spelled T-I-M-E.  Give your children time!  It affirms to them that they are special and loved.

~ Give your children physical touch.  Children require meaningful touch.  Hug & kiss them!  It doesn't matter how old they are, they need it. 

~ Give your children a spoken word.  Children need to hear a spoken blessing from their parents.  Do not belittle them or talk adversely to them.  This will have a permanent adverse affect on them.  Do not allow "absent" talk in your home - take time to talk to your children about their interests, their feelings, etc.  Remember that you are dealing with someone fragile so do not be careless with your words.

Giving the parental blessing only happens when you decide to do it.  You can only give it on purpose.  You have to determine in your heart to give it to your children on purpose.  Affirm them and tell them you are proud of them.  It's never too late to do this.  Do whatever it takes to give this blessing to your children.

This message was so profound for me, but not for myself ... for dh.  I wish he had been at the service to hear it for himself, but I did have him read my notes.  Our oldest craves attention from dh and rarely gets it.  It's saddening, but I know dh is how he is because of how his own parents were with him (his three younger sisters got all the attention).  I'm hoping it's a pattern that he will break. 

On other spiritual notes this week, I've had good luck with getting to watch Joyce Meyer's television show again for the last four mornings.  I greatly enjoy her programs, but "life" just got in the way and I got out of the habit.  I also remembered to watch Beth Moore on Life Today yesterday (Wednesdays With Beth).  For some reason I just cannot remember that each week and generally think about it on Thursday, which is always one day too late.  The Lord has really been speaking to me in so many areas of my life and leading me to get back on track with Him through church sermons, Sunday School lessons, and now these television programs this week.  I just have to remember that nothing earth-shattering is going to happen overnight ... baby steps ... baby steps.

The Lord also put on my heart on Tuesday to study Psalm 107 for the next week or so.  Each day He's been revealing a bit more to me as I read it so that's been very exciting.