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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
Upon whom rests this great sin? If home had been made attractive,
had the parents manifested love and affection for their children, and
with kindness found employment for them, in love instructed them
how to obey their wishes, they would have touched an answering chord
in their hearts, and their willing feet, and hands, and hearts, would
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have all readily obeyed them. Parents, by controlling themselves,
and speaking kindly, and praising their children when they try to do
right, encourage their right efforts, make them very happy, and throw a
charm into the family circle which will chase away every dark shadow,
and bring cheerful sunlight in.
Parents sometimes excuse their own wrong course because they do
not feel well. They are nervous, and cannot, they think, be patient and
calm, and speak pleasantly. They deceive themselves in this thing, and
please Satan. He exults that the grace of God is not allowed by them
as sufficient to overcome natural infirmities. They can, and should, at
all times, control themselves. God requires it of them. They should
realize that when they give way to fretfulness and impatience, they
cause others to suffer. Those around them are affected by the spirit
they manifest, and if they in their turn act out the same spirit, the evil
is increased, and everything goes wrong.
Parents, when you feel fretful, you should not commit so great
a sin as to poison the whole family with this dangerous irritability.
At such times set a double watch over yourself, and resolve in your
heart not to offend with your lips. Nothing but pleasant, cheerful
words should escape from your lips. Say to yourself, “I will not mar
the happiness of my children by a fretful word.” By thus controlling
yourself, you will grow stronger. Your nervous system will not be so
sensitive. You will be strengthened by the principles of right. The
consciousness in your heart that you are faithfully discharging your
duty, will strengthen you. Angels of God will smile upon your efforts,
and help you. When you feel impatient, you too often think it is all in
your children, and you blame them when they do not deserve it. At
another time they might do the very same things, and all be acceptable
and right. Children know, and mark and feel these irregularities, and
they are not always alike. Sometimes they are better prepared to meet
changeable moods, and at other times they are nervous, and fretful, and
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cannot bear censure. Their spirit rises up in rebellion against it. Parents
want all due allowance made for their state of mind, yet do not always