School starts here in a little over a week. Extra curricular activities will start soon after. In a few weeks, the only “quality time” you may have with your kids is when you are in the car together going from place to place. (And no, I am not a fan, but it is what it is.)
One of my favorite scriptures for Christian parents is Deuteronomy 6:6-7. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You should impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (NIV) Only today, we may need to add “while in the car along the road”, but I think you get the point.
Think about how you spend that valuable time with your kids while you are in the car together for extended periods of time. What do you talk about? Do you talk at all? What do you listen to in the car? There are a lot of great ways to bring God and His commands into your car without sounding like a commercial for preaching school.
- Ask about what is concerning them and pray about those concerns.
- Pray for various people and situations as you drive by them – hospitals, schools, emergency workers, neighborhoods, etc.
- Listen to uplifting music.
- Talk about things going on in the world and how God wants us to react to them.
- Use teachable moments to reinforce godly behaviors when dealing with situations and people during their days.
- Talk to them about the gifts you see God has given them and how they might be able to use them in His service.
- Share how you are seeing them grow spiritually and becoming someone who points others to God.
- Ask them how they see God working in their lives and share what you have noticed.
- Point out the beauty of God’s creation as you drive by it.
- Work together on memorizing passages of scripture. There are some fun songs to help. You will memorize as you sing along.
- Make an extra stop and serve someone.
Have you found other great ways to use the time you have with your kids in the car? Feel free to share them with others. Make use of that valuable time – it really is what God wants you to do.