Faith Talk

My parents gave us this book on R's birthday - not because it was R's birthday, I think it was just because that happened to be the day they gave it to us. Anyway, I have started reading it while I am nursing and am enjoying it.
It talks all about how faith of the parents of a child are the most important of all. That even though a child may grow up going to church or be really involved even in junior high/high school etc. they probably will not keep a strong faith unless the parents model and instill in their kids how important faith and God are.
The author, Mark Holmen, talks about faith-talk and including it into your everyday, he uses an acronym T.R.A.I.N. and breaks it down, but the only one that really stuck out to me was the N. It was for "Never-ending", that the faith you have will be remembered by your kids, grandkids and down the line.
It really struck me when I was reading it and I began to cry. I had a memory of a wedding we attended about 8 years ago of the daughter of the pastor who started the church DH was the youth pastor at at the time. His father was also a pastor and was performing the ceremony. He was doing the message and was talking about the faith in God that had been important in their family and generation after generation had known what being in a relationship with God was like. DH had looked at me and said that he was the first one his family to know that and we would be starting new with our family.
What an awesome and terrifying responsibility! I have three little people who I not only influence how they view and react to the world and people in it, but I (and DH as well) am the primary influence for the faith that my kids will have. I get to teach that about God and how He wants to be a part of their everyday life.
The other thing that truly hit me and HARD was that in order to do this I need to be proactive with my faith. I know I am on a journey, but it has been a very slow one in the past few years since kids. Not that I am blaming R or that I am too busy with kids, just that I find regular devotions a difficult thing (it's discipline, you know, which I am not good at!) and I let being busy as a new mom be an excuse. And then I got out of the habit, both of a regular time with God as well as doing faith-talk with R.
So I am starting again, and trying to be more intentional. I have been a lot more emotional about it and little things he does now that are the beginnings of his own faith walk make me cry. Like singing "Jesus Loves Me" yesterday at his grandparents for my parents and my aunt. I was so proud of him! And joining me in singing "Joy!" by Avalon in the car. He's learning, and it is from his mom.
(I am not saying anywhere here that he does not learn from his daddy as well - he really does!)