GROUNDED! 5/15/10

This morning I ask prayer for my brother Lynn. He was taken to the ER in the Salem Hospital around 1:30 am. Having trouble breathing. Not long ago his heart stopped but they restarted it and now it is a matter of prayer. The term 'touch and go' comes to mind. Thank you! Jim and Jane Ann

I don't believe my Mother knew about grounding her children as a punishment for wrong doing. I don't believe she understood anything other than instant correction which was usually with a razor strap or as she sometimes referred to it as; the "cat of nine tails." Whatever that was! When the need arose I would spank my children; yes, I said spank! I at one time used a belt. However, the buckled end came lose from my hand and the belt rapped itself around my son. Needless to say, I never used a belt again.

When they were small I used my hand but when they reached the age of either being taller than me or squirmy my hand was not a threat. They weren't intimidated by me in the least. My greatest weapon was; "Wait until your Dad gets home!" I suppose spanking and "wait until your Dad gets home" are both considered No No's amongst child physchologists; as damaging to a child's self esteem not to mention 'child abuse!'

Once Jim and I decided we would give 'grounding' a try. Dan and Jennifer were in their early teens. No TV for a week! Dinner; homework; then to their rooms. Sounded like a plan! Of course we felt that if we watched TV the kids would be able to hear it. So we opted to no TV for us also. By the second day, we were not happy with our decision. Wasn't working for us! The real problem was it didn't seem to bother the kids in the least. When the end of the week came we discovered the kids, who loved reading and listening to music, spent the week in their own world of fiction and fantasy with surround sound. Needless to say grounding was out and 'wait until your Dad gets home" was back in.

Jim's punishment was to have them wait on their bed in their room until he came in. Many times it was a long wait! When he would go in, he would talk with them but I don't think he ever lifted a hand. We never punished them more than once for each crime committed. Of course this is how I remember it. You would have to ask the kids what happened behind closed doors with their Dad because I wasn't there.

I had a habit of saying; "Come here!" I would point to the floor right in front of me. Jennifer would come sheepishly, but Dan would refuse. I remember once chasing him around his bed and gave up in exasperation and yelled; "Wait until your Dad gets home!"

In the story of King David God sends the Prophet Nathan to talk to him about the covenant that was made between him and God. It was an aspect of the covenant that had been made between Abraham and God but now it was more in anticipation of the coming of the Christ. "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body and I will establish His kingdom." 2 Samuel 7:12 Solomon would be the one to build God's temple not David. "He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; but I will not take my steadfast love from him as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you." 2 Samuel 7:13-15

Here God says He would chasten Solomon with His love still intact. "Blessed is the man whom thou hast chastened, O Lord, and whom thou dost teach out of thy law." Psalms 94:12 Here the writer is saying that those God chasten's, will be blessed. "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:32 We are to seek God's corrections so that we may walk straight. "Those whom I love, I reproved and chasten; so be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19 To spare the rod and spoil the child is not literal but the premise is scriptural. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/7/10