It isn't enough.

I went for a late-night Target run just now, and on my way home I was listening to the Donut Man (Rob Evans) and a group of children singers praising the Lord. Ok, in all honesty, I was praising right along. As I sang the words, "Here we are with our voice we sing, with our hearts and hands up-raised . . . " it occurred to me: it isn't enough to just be an attentive mother. It's not enough to teach my children their academics, give them hugs, read to them, take them on walks, do crafts with them, expose them to new places. If I am to raise children who can stand against the wicked that is so prevalent in this world then I have to actively teach them to love the Lord, to honor Him, to lift their hands to them and praise Him. I thought of sitting in on the little children's worship session on Sunday evenings and hear Miss Marta lovingly, gently guiding the children into worship with Him. She doesn't only model this, she specifically teaches them: "raise your hands, children. This is how we tell the Lord how much we love him." And the children, so willing, do raise their hands to Him. If my kids have any chance to fight off the evil that surrounds them, they have to have a habit of calling on Him in every circumstance. They have to know His word and what it means. Oh Lord, guide me as a mother. Make me aware in every moment what I can be doing to help my children to gird up their hearts against the wicked one.