Watchtower January 2017

[Tbs77]

I remembered this article also:

Marriage and Parenthood in This Time of the End
“The time left is reduced.”—1 COR. 7:29.

Paragraph 15
Rearing children is a serious challenge for Christian parents. We are not shielded from the adverse effects of the current “critical times.” Hence, Christian parents have to wage an ongoing fight against the pernicious influence that “the system of things of this world” can have on their children. (Eph. 2:2, 3) And the battle is not always won! In case a son or a daughter of a Christian family stops serving Jehovah, it is, indeed, “tribulation” for parents who have tried to raise him or her in God’s truth.—Prov. 17:25
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008284

[tekmantwo]

2 hours ago, Tbs77 said:

Rearing children is a serious challenge for Christian parents.

 

I have 3 daughters,  none of them in the Truth.  That is very much my fault,  I didn't raise them in it as I should have. ..for that I am very sorry and saddened but it remains,  I didn't do my job.

 

A friend told me once that raising children is the only job we will do where we are not responsible for the end product. ..that may be, I don't know. .

 

I  have hope for them but I really don't think that they will ever know the Truth.  I trust in Jehovahs perfect decisions and when our King rides I can only hope for mercy...

[Dantheman136]

On 12/27/2016 at 1:18 AM, tekmantwo said:

I have 3 daughters,  none of them in the Truth.  That is very much my fault,  I didn't raise them in it as I should have. ..for that I am very sorry and saddened but it remains,  I didn't do my job.

 

A friend told me once that raising children is the only job we will do where we are not responsible for the end product. ..that may be, I don't know. .

 

I  have hope for them but I really don't think that they will ever know the Truth.  I trust in Jehovahs perfect decisions and when our King rides I can only hope for mercy...

Brother Tim, Just like other parents who have children who no longer serve Jehovah, I can feel your pain and discouragement. Obviously, I don't  know your circumstances or what you did or didn't do in raising your daughters. I can only assume you did your best. That having been said, even if you didn't do all you could have done, your daughters still were exposed to the truth and had the opportunity to make it their own. Think of the experiences of young teenagers who find the truth and their parents violently oppose them, even destroying their books and kicking them out of the house. The difference is in the heart condition. Not always what we as parents do or don't do. 

Our experience as parents bears this out somewhat.  Our son and his wife are BSCC graduates and regular pioneers and he is an elder. Our oldest daughter and her husband are pioneers. One of our daughters is regular at meetings but a low hour publisher. Our youngest daughter has been disfellowshipped for 4 years.

Through 45 years of parenting, I've learned that parents can get too much of the blame and too much of the credit for how their children turn out.

Finally, please don't be too hard on yourself and keep hoping and praying for your daughters.

[tekmantwo]

3 hours ago, Dantheman136 said:

 

Finally, please don't be too hard on yourself and keep hoping and praying for your daughters.

Brother Dan, thank you for the kind words,  I  appreciate that. 

 

I do try and keep the communication lines open but at the present time there is not a lot of talking going on.  They all think that the next political party in line is going to be the answer,  the US Constitution is more important than anything else and whats wrong with carrying a pistol for self protection. 

 

My first wife and I were DF when our first daughter was very young.  They were not raised in a Christian home. No matter how I slice it, that's my fault.

 

I  try to do the best I can now, after being reinstated in '06; it may very well be too little,  too late...I will just keep doing what I know to be the right thing and hope for the best when Jehovahs day dawns..

[hatcheckgirl]

5 hours ago, tekmantwo said:

I  try to do the best I can now

Right attitude Tim!  If they are ever to see the truth one day (and that's between them and Jehovah), you want to be there for them, as strong as you can.  I keep that thought in mind for my children too who have left the truth.  They are now adults, and though I love them to bits, they have to see the truth for themselves and turn their lives around.  I can't do it for them.  So try to be the best Christian you can, be there for them as much as you can.  Surely they will see you've made changes for the better. We think you're great! And Jehovah knows your whole situation and knows how hard it is when children don't want to serve him.

[tekmantwo]

18 hours ago, hatcheckgirl said:

Right attitude Tim!  If they are ever to see the truth one day (and that's between them and Jehovah), you want to be there for them, as strong as you can.  I keep that thought in mind for my children too who have left the truth.  They are now adults, and though I love them to bits, they have to see the truth for themselves and turn their lives around.  I can't do it for them.  So try to be the best Christian you can, be there for them as much as you can.  Surely they will see you've made changes for the better. We think you're great! And Jehovah knows your whole situation and knows how hard it is when children don't want to serve him.

Thanks Sis..

I am sorry about your kids, having adult people that you  (generic you) have trained make such a poor decision causes one to question their training.  

I have told my youngest that I would drag her, kicking and screaming,  by the hair, into the New System if such was possible. It is not.

 

(I feel like I have more to say,  I just don't know how to put it in words. I wish none of us have had to suffer from this kind of pain , I  am thankful it won't be much longer )