The group Casting Crowns has come out with a new song for the soundtrack to the 2008 movie Fireproof (one of my favorite all-time movies, by the way!). It’s titled “Slow Fade”, and it’s a take-off on "Be Careful Little Eyes...", but it’s written for parents this time. That song has come to my mind so often lately as I’ve watched my children. They're watching all that we say and do, and following where we go. You can watch the music video for "Slow Fade" at this link, if you'd like. (This video isn't for kids, though.)
http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=249ef880312ef9fe5e68
Samuel is such a little shadow to us all. You remember what two year olds are like. They mimic everything they see and hear. Here he is trying to be just like his biggest brother, who was working in the yard.
Here he’s following Jacob on our family field trip to Tryon Palace. He appears to be really studying Jacob’s steps!
Victoria has a shadow just about everywhere she goes.
This shows him imitating Mary Liz as she pretends to churn butter on our field trip.
Working like Daddy!
Sometimes he wants to just be carried along, but either way, he’s right there with us. (This picture shows him “flying” with Alex, as Samuel calls it.) We all better be sure we’re taking him in the right direction; setting good examples for our son and brother! We know he’s listening to everything, too, because we hear so many of the big kids’ catch phrases come out of his little two year old mouth! His current signature saying is “Oh, Yeah!” said exactly like a 12 year old!
It’s been such a good reminder that Mark and I as parents should only go where we want our kids to follow. I once heard great parenting advice in a Bible study lecture. We must become today what we want our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to be like in the future. We pass on both the good and the bad choices we make, and traits we possess. That’s convicting!
We also have to actively be seeking the right paths to blaze for them. If we’re just wondering down any old path in life, we can get way off course, and there’s no time to waste. Everyday is important when we’re investing in eternity. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” It’s not only our responsibility to tell them about Him, but also to walk in His ways so they can follow. As long as we’re following the Lord, the Good Shepherd, we know He promises to guide us “in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake…” (Ps.23:3) It may not be all green pastures that he leads us to, in fact, we may have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but he will be there, so we won’t have to fear any evil, just as David said. If we’re with the Shepherd, his “rod and his staff, they comfort” us. (Ps.23:4) We have to stay with Jesus, our Shepherd, showing our kids they need to remain with Him. In Psalm 23:6 we have a wonderful promise, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
When the weight of our responsibility as parents seems overwhelming I turn to one of my favorite verses for sweet encouragement. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arm and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those who have young.” (Isaiah 40:11) 
“Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift my soul…Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:8b, 10)
